Our server costs ~$56 per month to run. Please consider donating or becoming a Patron to help keep the site running. Help us gain new members by following us on Twitter and liking our page on Facebook!
Current time: November 21, 2024, 11:26 pm

Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Why was Newton a theist?
#1
Why was Newton a theist?
Isaac Newton, who practically invented physics and calculus, is easily one of the most intelligent people to have ever lived. But he was also a theologian and spent decades studying the bible, theology and church history. Why didn't he use his rationality to denounce Christianity and become an atheist? He lived before Darwin; is this sufficient to excuse his belief in the Christian god?
Reply
#2
RE: Why was Newton a theist?
(March 7, 2018 at 10:20 pm)Alexmahone Wrote: Isaac Newton, who practically invented physics and calculus, is easily one of the most intelligent people to have ever lived. But he was also a theologian and spent decades studying the bible, theology and church history. Why didn't he use his rationality to denounce Christianity and become an atheist? He lived before Darwin; is this sufficient to excuse his belief in the Christian god?

A product of his time. See, Newton was still a human being. Also, he was a heretic in mainstream Christian eyes. But nobody talks about that one.
Reply
#3
RE: Why was Newton a theist?
Newton was pretty crazy. I mean he also believed in alchemy.
The whole tone of Church teaching in regard to woman is, to the last degree, contemptuous and degrading. - Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Reply
#4
RE: Why was Newton a theist?
(March 7, 2018 at 10:20 pm)Alexmahone Wrote: Isaac Newton, who practically invented physics and calculus, is easily one of the most intelligent people to have ever lived. But he was also a theologian and spent decades studying the bible, theology and church history. Why didn't he use his rationality to denounce Christianity and become an atheist? He lived before Darwin; is this sufficient to excuse his belief in the Christian god?

The received wisdom of the age said the gap between what can plausibly occur without intelligent design and what actually exists is so vast that intelligent design seem easily the less presumptious assumption.   It took another 150 years before careful study of what actually transpires in nature to illuminate the gap between what can be demonstrated and what is need for naturalistic origin of everything is much narrower and less clear cut then it previously seemed, while the implicit presumption of intelligent creator with no demonstrable backstory creation became ever more overreaching by comparison.
Reply
#5
RE: Why was Newton a theist?
(March 7, 2018 at 10:32 pm)Cecelia Wrote: Newton was pretty crazy. I mean he also believed in alchemy.

I know! But is alchemy as ridiculuous as Christianity? Alchemy was concerned with discovering methods for transmuting baser metals into gold and finding a universal solvent. I think you need to be a chemist to discredit it.
Reply
#6
RE: Why was Newton a theist?
One word, programming.

Two words, brain washing.
Being told you're delusional does not necessarily mean you're mental. 
Reply
#7
RE: Why was Newton a theist?
Maybe then as now:

path of least resistance ?
 The granting of a pardon is an imputation of guilt, and the acceptance a confession of it. 




Reply
#8
RE: Why was Newton a theist?
As was mentioned, he was a product of his time concerning religion, though the whole of his alchemical work was quite heretical for that time. Who is to say he was a theist? I think enough of his work had to be done with lines of thought quite outside the religious canon, and that we can't say what he thought, many centuries later.
If you get to thinking you’re a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else’s dog around.
Reply
#9
RE: Why was Newton a theist?
Even smart people have brain farts.
Reply
#10
RE: Why was Newton a theist?
Probably so he could do some work without people cutting his head off. (J/k)
Feel free to send me a private message.
Please visit my website here! It's got lots of information about atheism/theism and support for new atheists.

Index of useful threads and discussions
Index of my best videos
Quickstart guide to the forum
Reply



Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  The fascinating asymmetry of theist-atheist discussion Astreja 5 648 July 22, 2023 at 8:02 pm
Last Post: Thumpalumpacus
  I'm no longer an anti-theist Duty 27 2904 September 16, 2022 at 1:08 pm
Last Post: Angrboda
  I received a letter from a theist, need a good reply Radamand 22 2670 March 22, 2022 at 10:56 pm
Last Post: Ferrocyanide
  Why do theist often drop the letter s when referring to atheists? I_am_not_mafia 56 14092 August 23, 2018 at 4:20 pm
Last Post: Neo-Scholastic
Tongue Disproving Odin - An Experiment in arguing with a theist with Theist logic Cecelia 983 182388 June 6, 2018 at 2:11 pm
Last Post: Raven Orlock
  Why America is anti-theist. Goosebump 3 1276 March 1, 2018 at 9:06 am
Last Post: mlmooney89
  Hug a Theist vulcanlogician 31 6577 December 23, 2017 at 1:31 pm
Last Post: Cyberman
Sad I am a theist, what do you think of my proof for God existing? Mariosep 1101 148850 December 12, 2016 at 12:21 pm
Last Post: Asmodee
  Theist ➤ Why ☠ Evolution is not Scientific ✔ The Joker 348 55444 November 26, 2016 at 11:47 pm
Last Post: Amarok
  If the bible/quran/whatever was better, would you've remained theist? A Handmaid 23 4158 September 14, 2016 at 7:08 am
Last Post: paulpablo



Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)