RE: Evidence for Christianity
January 14, 2011 at 2:12 pm
(This post was last modified: January 14, 2011 at 2:12 pm by The Skeptic.)
hello, I take it you are from the WW2 era and live in Germany?
Anyway, that's one of the problems many atheists have with the "evidence" is that it isn't conclusive. The passage in the bible about "Doubting Thomas" (John 20:24-29) describes my attitude as well as that of many other non believers; we don't want to believe we want to know. The parable of doubting Thomas serves to promote faith, but me and many others do not find the concept of religious faith motivating or valid. The arguments can be broken into a priori/ rationalist arguments that depend more on pure deduction, and then more empirical based arguments like the ones from design, etc. I actually studied several books by Christian authors before I EVER touched a book by an atheist. When I was exploring different faiths, I read many Christian books including CS Lewis's Mere Christianity, The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel, and I think I read part of The Case for Creation, also by Lee Strobel. I've read What's the Difference? by Fritz Ridenour. That was a few years ago, more recently I have studied the more sophistiated arguments from people like Søren Kierkegaard, Aquinas, etc. Even as a kid I had a skeptical side to me, and when I matured and could think for myself, and read those books I listed above, I ultimately did not find the arguments satisfying. Granted, then I didn't have the sophisticated philosophical knowledge to say why, but now that i'm older, studied philosophy heavily, and read more material from a theist perspective, as well as reading many books on atheism, I have to say I find the arguments from the non-believer's side more convincing.
And from what i've heard, while there were some very admirable priests -- catholic and protestant alike -- the Church either supported or at least didn't outright oppose Hitler. Though, considering Hitler's ally Mussolini surrounded the Vatican on all sides, can you really blame them? Even so, you'd expect more outright opposition to Hitler's vile campaign from what is supposed to be the top moral authority in the world.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
Brandon "The Skeptic"
Anyway, that's one of the problems many atheists have with the "evidence" is that it isn't conclusive. The passage in the bible about "Doubting Thomas" (John 20:24-29) describes my attitude as well as that of many other non believers; we don't want to believe we want to know. The parable of doubting Thomas serves to promote faith, but me and many others do not find the concept of religious faith motivating or valid. The arguments can be broken into a priori/ rationalist arguments that depend more on pure deduction, and then more empirical based arguments like the ones from design, etc. I actually studied several books by Christian authors before I EVER touched a book by an atheist. When I was exploring different faiths, I read many Christian books including CS Lewis's Mere Christianity, The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel, and I think I read part of The Case for Creation, also by Lee Strobel. I've read What's the Difference? by Fritz Ridenour. That was a few years ago, more recently I have studied the more sophistiated arguments from people like Søren Kierkegaard, Aquinas, etc. Even as a kid I had a skeptical side to me, and when I matured and could think for myself, and read those books I listed above, I ultimately did not find the arguments satisfying. Granted, then I didn't have the sophisticated philosophical knowledge to say why, but now that i'm older, studied philosophy heavily, and read more material from a theist perspective, as well as reading many books on atheism, I have to say I find the arguments from the non-believer's side more convincing.
And from what i've heard, while there were some very admirable priests -- catholic and protestant alike -- the Church either supported or at least didn't outright oppose Hitler. Though, considering Hitler's ally Mussolini surrounded the Vatican on all sides, can you really blame them? Even so, you'd expect more outright opposition to Hitler's vile campaign from what is supposed to be the top moral authority in the world.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
Brandon "The Skeptic"
