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Arguments for theism and against atheism (view source)
Revision as of 00:29, May 29, 2017
, 00:29, May 29, 2017Created page with "thumbnail|right|150px|[[Anselm of Canterbury's version of the ontological argument appeared in his work ''Proslogium''.]] ''See also:'' Christian..."
[[Image:Anselm.jpg|thumbnail|right|150px|[[Anselm of Canterbury]]'s version of the [[ontological argument]] appeared in his work ''Proslogium''.]]
''See also:'' [[Christian apologetics]] and [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments]] and [[Responses to atheist arguments]]
The majority of philosophers of religion, or those who have extensively studied the issue of the existence of God, are [[theism|theists]] (72 percent).<ref>[http://www.strangenotions.com/atheist-scientists/ Does it matter that many scientists are atheists?]</ref>
In relation to the debate between theism and atheism, theists often criticize atheism as being contrary to persuasive argument and have a number of arguments against atheism.
See:
*[[Commonly Cited Arguments Against Atheism and For Theism]]
[[Arguments for the existence of God]] include:
* [[Teleological argument]]: The universe exhibits overwhelming evidence of deliberate, intelligent, purposeful design, which implies an [[intelligent design]]er. See also: [[Evolution|Arguments against evolution]] and [[Origin of life]]
*[[Evidential apologetics]] is an approach in Christian apologetics which emphasizes the use of evidence to demonstrate that God exists and that there is compelling evidence to support Christianity and the Bible. In addition, there are various arguments that atheists or other unbelievers weigh evidence improperly (see: [[Atheism and evidence]]).
*[[Moral Argument|Moral argument]]. [[Objective morality]] exists. Atheism lacks objective moral standards. Not possessing a coherent basis for [[morality]], atheists are fundamentally [[Moral relativism|incapable]] of having a coherent system of morality (See also: [[Atheism and morality]] and [[Moral failures of the atheist population|List of the moral failures of the atheist population]] and [[Atheism and hedonism]] and [[Atheist hypocrisy]]) .<ref>Multiple references:
*Copan, Paul (2008). [http://www.paulcopan.com/articles/pdf/God-naturalism-morality.pdf "God, naturalism, and the foundations of morality"]. ''The Future of Atheism'', ed. Robert Stewart (Minneapolis: Fortress Press), pp. 141-161. PaulCopan.com
*Williams, Peter S. (2011). [http://www.bethinking.org/morality/can-moral-objectivism-do-without-god "Can moral objectivism do without God?"]. Bethinking.org
*Meister, Chad (2010). [http://www.equip.org/articles/atheists-and-the-quest-for-objective-morality/ "Atheists and the quest for objective morality"]. ''Christian Research Journal'', vol. 33, no. 2. Christian Research Institute website
*Slick, Matt (2009). [http://carm.org/failure-of-atheism-to-account-for-morality "The failure of atheism to account for morality"]. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry website.</ref> Atheism leads to moral and cultural decline (see: [[Atheism and culture]]).
* [[Cosmological argument]]: Every event in our [[universe]] necessarily has a cause. However, it is impossible that there should be an unending chain of causes going back. Therefore, there necessarily must be a cause ''distinct'' from the universe as we know it which is capable of causing all things and is itself uncaused. Atheism denies that that [[First Cause|first cause]] is God. Christians point out that the question "Who created God" is an illogical question.<ref>[http://creation.com/who-created-god Who created God] by Don Batten</ref> See also: [[Atheism and the origin of the universe]]
* Historical arguments for the existence of God (subset of evidential apologetics). For example, arguments stemming from historical accounts such as Christian historical apologetics, [[Christian Legal Apologetics|Christian legal apologetics]] and archaeological evidence such as [[Bible Archaeology|Bible archaeology]]
* [[Bible prophecy]]
*[[Atheism and presuppositional apologetics]]
*[[Atheism and irrationality]] - Atheism cannot account for the laws of logic, consciousness or human reason.
*[[Atheism and the Problem of Evil]] (see also: [[Atheism and gratitude]] and [[Atheism and Hell]])
* Atheists lack a coherent and compelling ultimate basis for knowledge. See: [[Atheism and epistemology]]
*Atheism is an unnecessarily limiting view of the world (see: [[Atheism and inspiration#Atheism is an emaciated and unnecessarily limiting view of the world|Atheism is an unnecessarily limiting view of the world]]).
*[[Rebuttals to atheist arguments|Common arguments against atheism]]
* [[Ontological argument]]: According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, "Ontological arguments are arguments, for the conclusion that God exists, from premises which are supposed to derive from some source other than observation of the world — e.g., from reason alone."<ref>Oppy, Graham (July 15, 2011). [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ontological-arguments/ "Ontological arguments"]. ''The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (Spring 2013 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).</ref>
[[File:Autumn.jpg|250px|right|thumbnail|The [[argument from beauty]] argues the existence of [[beauty]] in the natural world testifies to the existence of [[God]] who both [[intelligent design|designed]] natural beauty and who possesses a divine beauty.]]
* Experiential arguments for the existence of God: Arguments based on personal experience and human intuition. According to philosopher [[Alvin Plantinga]] belief in the existence of God exists is a "properly basic" belief and not based on inference from other beliefs but is rationally justified due to one's circumstances of immediate experience of God.<ref>Craig, William Lane (1991). [http://www.leaderu.com/truth/3truth01.html "Introduction: the resurrection of theism"]. ''Truth: A Journal of Modern Thought'', vols. 3 & 4. LeadershipU</ref>
* Various social science studies, historical data and other data, demonstrate that atheism often has a harmful effect on individuals and societies. See: [[Atheism statistics]] and [[Christianity vs. atheism statistics]]
*[[Atheism and love]]. Atheists cannot give a satisfactory/robust explanation for the existence of [[love]].<ref name=love>Multiple references:
*Marshall, Dr. Taylor (2013). [http://www.strangenotions.com/atheists-love/ "How do atheists define love?"] Strange Notions blog
*Martin, Robert (July 9, 2014). [https://atheistforum.wordpress.com/2014/07/09/what-is-love-how-materialist-atheism-fails-to-have-a-satisfactory-answer/ "What is love? How materialist atheism fails to have a satisfactory answer"]. Atheist Forum blog.</ref>
*[[Argument from beauty]]<ref>Williams, Peter (Summer 2001). [http://www.quodlibet.net/articles/williams-aesthetic.shtml "Aesthetic arguments for the existence of God"]. ''Quodlibet Journal'' vol. 3:3. Quodlibet Journal website</ref> See also: [[Atheist art]] and [[Atheist music]] and [[Atheism and wonder]]
* Inconsistency when it comes to the probability of [[supernatural]] phenomena or extremely unlikely events. For example, a significant percentage of atheists believe in life after death and possess superstitious beliefs (see: [[Atheism and the supernatural]]).
*[[Atheism and Miracles]]
*Atheists are commonly criticized for engaging in [[groupthink]] and having a lack of cultural/geographic, racial, gender and socioeconomic [[diversity]] (see: [[Atheism and groupthink]] and [[Atheism and diversity]]).
*[[Atheists doubting the validity of atheism]]
*[http://creationwiki.org/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge Bible scientific foreknowledge]
* Lack of proof and evidence that atheism is true contrasted with the strong evidence supporting Christianity. In [[Atheism and debate|debates with atheists]], the debate opponents of atheists commonly ask for evidence supporting atheism knowing that atheists cannot provide such evidence (for example, [[William Lane Craig]] typically does this during his debates).<ref name="CRI"/><ref name="CRAIGdefinition">[http://www.reasonablefaith.org/definition-of-atheism Definition of atheism] by William Lane Craig</ref> [[Atheism is a religion]] and it is a worldview which has no evidential support.<ref name="Atheismisareligion">[http://creation.com/atheism-a-religion Is Atheism a religion?] by Daniel Smartt, Published: 4 May 2010(GMT+10)</ref><ref name="CRI"/><ref name="CRAIGdefinition"/>
*Historically, the atheist population has often used mockery as a substitution for reasonable discussion/debate (see: [[Atheism and mockery]]).<ref>
*[http://www.the-american-interest.com/2015/01/13/charlie-hebdo-and-frances-irreligious-tradition/ Charlie Hebdo and France’s Irreligious Tradition] by Kenneth R. Weinstein
*[https://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/dawkins-mock-them-ridicule-them-in-public/ Dawkins: Mock them. Ridicule them! In public]
*[http://onenewsnow.com/perspectives/matt-barber/2014/05/08/mockery-the-mo-for-atheists ''Mockery - the M.O. for atheists''] by [[Matt Barber]]</ref> See also: [[Atheism and humor]]
*In recent years, atheist intellectuals have been lethargic in terms of responding to arguments for the existence of God (See: [[Stagnation of atheist apologetics]]).
*[[Atheism and the Bible]]
*[[Atheism website resources|Various Christian apologetic resources focusing on atheism]]
*[[Atheism and the suppression of science]]
*[[Argument from desire]]
*[[Pascal's wager]]
*[[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]
For more information, please see:
*[[Rebuttals to atheist arguments|Refutations of atheism]]
*[[Responses to atheist arguments]]
''See also:'' [[Christian apologetics]] and [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments]] and [[Responses to atheist arguments]]
The majority of philosophers of religion, or those who have extensively studied the issue of the existence of God, are [[theism|theists]] (72 percent).<ref>[http://www.strangenotions.com/atheist-scientists/ Does it matter that many scientists are atheists?]</ref>
In relation to the debate between theism and atheism, theists often criticize atheism as being contrary to persuasive argument and have a number of arguments against atheism.
See:
*[[Commonly Cited Arguments Against Atheism and For Theism]]
[[Arguments for the existence of God]] include:
* [[Teleological argument]]: The universe exhibits overwhelming evidence of deliberate, intelligent, purposeful design, which implies an [[intelligent design]]er. See also: [[Evolution|Arguments against evolution]] and [[Origin of life]]
*[[Evidential apologetics]] is an approach in Christian apologetics which emphasizes the use of evidence to demonstrate that God exists and that there is compelling evidence to support Christianity and the Bible. In addition, there are various arguments that atheists or other unbelievers weigh evidence improperly (see: [[Atheism and evidence]]).
*[[Moral Argument|Moral argument]]. [[Objective morality]] exists. Atheism lacks objective moral standards. Not possessing a coherent basis for [[morality]], atheists are fundamentally [[Moral relativism|incapable]] of having a coherent system of morality (See also: [[Atheism and morality]] and [[Moral failures of the atheist population|List of the moral failures of the atheist population]] and [[Atheism and hedonism]] and [[Atheist hypocrisy]]) .<ref>Multiple references:
*Copan, Paul (2008). [http://www.paulcopan.com/articles/pdf/God-naturalism-morality.pdf "God, naturalism, and the foundations of morality"]. ''The Future of Atheism'', ed. Robert Stewart (Minneapolis: Fortress Press), pp. 141-161. PaulCopan.com
*Williams, Peter S. (2011). [http://www.bethinking.org/morality/can-moral-objectivism-do-without-god "Can moral objectivism do without God?"]. Bethinking.org
*Meister, Chad (2010). [http://www.equip.org/articles/atheists-and-the-quest-for-objective-morality/ "Atheists and the quest for objective morality"]. ''Christian Research Journal'', vol. 33, no. 2. Christian Research Institute website
*Slick, Matt (2009). [http://carm.org/failure-of-atheism-to-account-for-morality "The failure of atheism to account for morality"]. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry website.</ref> Atheism leads to moral and cultural decline (see: [[Atheism and culture]]).
* [[Cosmological argument]]: Every event in our [[universe]] necessarily has a cause. However, it is impossible that there should be an unending chain of causes going back. Therefore, there necessarily must be a cause ''distinct'' from the universe as we know it which is capable of causing all things and is itself uncaused. Atheism denies that that [[First Cause|first cause]] is God. Christians point out that the question "Who created God" is an illogical question.<ref>[http://creation.com/who-created-god Who created God] by Don Batten</ref> See also: [[Atheism and the origin of the universe]]
* Historical arguments for the existence of God (subset of evidential apologetics). For example, arguments stemming from historical accounts such as Christian historical apologetics, [[Christian Legal Apologetics|Christian legal apologetics]] and archaeological evidence such as [[Bible Archaeology|Bible archaeology]]
* [[Bible prophecy]]
*[[Atheism and presuppositional apologetics]]
*[[Atheism and irrationality]] - Atheism cannot account for the laws of logic, consciousness or human reason.
*[[Atheism and the Problem of Evil]] (see also: [[Atheism and gratitude]] and [[Atheism and Hell]])
* Atheists lack a coherent and compelling ultimate basis for knowledge. See: [[Atheism and epistemology]]
*Atheism is an unnecessarily limiting view of the world (see: [[Atheism and inspiration#Atheism is an emaciated and unnecessarily limiting view of the world|Atheism is an unnecessarily limiting view of the world]]).
*[[Rebuttals to atheist arguments|Common arguments against atheism]]
* [[Ontological argument]]: According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, "Ontological arguments are arguments, for the conclusion that God exists, from premises which are supposed to derive from some source other than observation of the world — e.g., from reason alone."<ref>Oppy, Graham (July 15, 2011). [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ontological-arguments/ "Ontological arguments"]. ''The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (Spring 2013 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).</ref>
[[File:Autumn.jpg|250px|right|thumbnail|The [[argument from beauty]] argues the existence of [[beauty]] in the natural world testifies to the existence of [[God]] who both [[intelligent design|designed]] natural beauty and who possesses a divine beauty.]]
* Experiential arguments for the existence of God: Arguments based on personal experience and human intuition. According to philosopher [[Alvin Plantinga]] belief in the existence of God exists is a "properly basic" belief and not based on inference from other beliefs but is rationally justified due to one's circumstances of immediate experience of God.<ref>Craig, William Lane (1991). [http://www.leaderu.com/truth/3truth01.html "Introduction: the resurrection of theism"]. ''Truth: A Journal of Modern Thought'', vols. 3 & 4. LeadershipU</ref>
* Various social science studies, historical data and other data, demonstrate that atheism often has a harmful effect on individuals and societies. See: [[Atheism statistics]] and [[Christianity vs. atheism statistics]]
*[[Atheism and love]]. Atheists cannot give a satisfactory/robust explanation for the existence of [[love]].<ref name=love>Multiple references:
*Marshall, Dr. Taylor (2013). [http://www.strangenotions.com/atheists-love/ "How do atheists define love?"] Strange Notions blog
*Martin, Robert (July 9, 2014). [https://atheistforum.wordpress.com/2014/07/09/what-is-love-how-materialist-atheism-fails-to-have-a-satisfactory-answer/ "What is love? How materialist atheism fails to have a satisfactory answer"]. Atheist Forum blog.</ref>
*[[Argument from beauty]]<ref>Williams, Peter (Summer 2001). [http://www.quodlibet.net/articles/williams-aesthetic.shtml "Aesthetic arguments for the existence of God"]. ''Quodlibet Journal'' vol. 3:3. Quodlibet Journal website</ref> See also: [[Atheist art]] and [[Atheist music]] and [[Atheism and wonder]]
* Inconsistency when it comes to the probability of [[supernatural]] phenomena or extremely unlikely events. For example, a significant percentage of atheists believe in life after death and possess superstitious beliefs (see: [[Atheism and the supernatural]]).
*[[Atheism and Miracles]]
*Atheists are commonly criticized for engaging in [[groupthink]] and having a lack of cultural/geographic, racial, gender and socioeconomic [[diversity]] (see: [[Atheism and groupthink]] and [[Atheism and diversity]]).
*[[Atheists doubting the validity of atheism]]
*[http://creationwiki.org/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge Bible scientific foreknowledge]
* Lack of proof and evidence that atheism is true contrasted with the strong evidence supporting Christianity. In [[Atheism and debate|debates with atheists]], the debate opponents of atheists commonly ask for evidence supporting atheism knowing that atheists cannot provide such evidence (for example, [[William Lane Craig]] typically does this during his debates).<ref name="CRI"/><ref name="CRAIGdefinition">[http://www.reasonablefaith.org/definition-of-atheism Definition of atheism] by William Lane Craig</ref> [[Atheism is a religion]] and it is a worldview which has no evidential support.<ref name="Atheismisareligion">[http://creation.com/atheism-a-religion Is Atheism a religion?] by Daniel Smartt, Published: 4 May 2010(GMT+10)</ref><ref name="CRI"/><ref name="CRAIGdefinition"/>
*Historically, the atheist population has often used mockery as a substitution for reasonable discussion/debate (see: [[Atheism and mockery]]).<ref>
*[http://www.the-american-interest.com/2015/01/13/charlie-hebdo-and-frances-irreligious-tradition/ Charlie Hebdo and France’s Irreligious Tradition] by Kenneth R. Weinstein
*[https://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/dawkins-mock-them-ridicule-them-in-public/ Dawkins: Mock them. Ridicule them! In public]
*[http://onenewsnow.com/perspectives/matt-barber/2014/05/08/mockery-the-mo-for-atheists ''Mockery - the M.O. for atheists''] by [[Matt Barber]]</ref> See also: [[Atheism and humor]]
*In recent years, atheist intellectuals have been lethargic in terms of responding to arguments for the existence of God (See: [[Stagnation of atheist apologetics]]).
*[[Atheism and the Bible]]
*[[Atheism website resources|Various Christian apologetic resources focusing on atheism]]
*[[Atheism and the suppression of science]]
*[[Argument from desire]]
*[[Pascal's wager]]
*[[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]
For more information, please see:
*[[Rebuttals to atheist arguments|Refutations of atheism]]
*[[Responses to atheist arguments]]