Non Existence of God

Explain how Materialist discredit God?

Reality is the reaction of different types of matter to each other Matter is primary Mind & spirit are secondary because they are the result of matter acting with other matter. There are no supernatural or immaterial things Therefore, there is no God.

Atheists often adopt the view that believers in God have been deluded by religious leaders for their own what?

unscrupulous purposes.

talk about scriptural criticism and analysis

•Advances in Biblical analysis have discouraged a literal interpretation of the text. •Such analysis demonstrates that the authors of such text's have been influenced by their social & cultural backgrounds. •Modernists have thus rejected the literal use of what they see as outdated mythological concepts such as 'heaven', 'hell', 'demons' and 'angels'. •Therefore, Bible cannot be used as proof for God's existence. •However, many believers continue to argue that scripture is the word of God & must be taken seriously.

What was Alvin Plantinga's quote about supernatural & science?

"If you exclude the supernatural from science, then if the world is supernaturally caused, you won't be able to reach the truth scientifically."

What was Peter Moore's quote about Freud?

"Most post-Freudians think that his need to explain everything by sex tells us more about his obsessional neurosis than ours"

What was Francis Collins, Human Genome Project quote about atheism?

"Of all choices, atheism requires the greatest faith, as it demands the one's limited store of human knowledge is sufficient to exclude the possibility of God."

Te theologist Melvin Tinker argues that Dawkin's exhibits what? (Quote)

'Dawkins exhibits all the hallmarks of those forms of religion he despises: vehemence, narrow-mindnesses & intolerance. He is a fundamentalist of the scientific kind' (Dawkins Dilemma in The Briefing, Issue 337, October 2006).

The French dramatist Armand Salacrou explained: (quote)

'The existence of a world without a God seems to me to be less absurd than the presence of a God existing in all his perfections, creating an imperfect man to make him run the risk of hell'.

Peter Vardy explains why both sides of the debate are so entrenched: (give quote) (burden of proof)

'To seek the truth may mean overcoming the fear that one's own certainties & most cherished convictions may be wrong'.

Many atheists argue that the burden of proof for the existence of God lies with the theists.In their eyes there is little evidence in support of, & a wealth of evidence against, God's existence. However, the response from many theists is to state that the onus is on the atheist to show why they feel it is easier to argue against God's existence. Derek Chatterton is critical of this position: (give quote)

'When believers are challenged...it is a standard reaction to insist that the existence of God cannot be disproved. Of course it cannot be disproved; it is impossible to prove a negative; the onus of proof is on the positive. It is up to believers to prove evidence of the objective reality of God'.

Freud viewed religion as a 'universal neurosis', which man should?

'disregard in its relation to reality'.

Some atheists are characterised by a hatred of religious beliefs & believers. George Orwell described these as (quote) ??

'the sort of atheist who does not so much disbelieve in God as personally dislike him'. Ie - Richard Dawkins.

Dawkins holds four key objections to religious belief - what are these?

1) Darwinian world view makes God unnecessary. Dawkins argues that human existence is a remarkable enough coincidence of biology without looking for any greater significance. 2) Dawkins has a strong distrust for faith claims of religion: 'Faith is the great cop out, the great excuse to evade the need to think & evaluate the evidence' (The Nullifidian, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1994). He believes that faith claims are a retreat from an evidence-based quest for the truth & argues that religion offers an impoverished world view. 3) Believers have argued that religion gives purpose to our existence. However, Dawkins argues that the purpose & significance of our existence is an on-going question, & that the answer to this question lies in humanity itself. Dawkins suggests that this issue is so important to us as we are purpose-driven beings, who are driven to invest purpose in everything we do. He argues that the assumption that purpose & meaning are to be found outside the world & humanity is unwarranted. 4) Dawkins has likened religion to a malignant virus which infects the minds of humanity. His main concerns are with the religious beliefs & practices of evangelical Christianity & fundamentalism Islam. awkins blames these faiths for prejudice, ignorance, fear & 'child abuse'. Regarding the issue of 'child abuse' Dawkins concerns relate to the religious education/indoctrination of young children

What is agnosticism?

Agnosticism is the view that it is not possible to know whether God exists, or to know his nature. An agnostic may well claim to be open to knowing about God, but is unsure how to recognise this.

There are other religions and spiritual beliefs that deny a creator God, give an example?

Buddhism

The biologist Thomas Henry Huxley coined the term in the 19thC as the opposite of Gnostic, the Greek term used in the early Church for those who claimed to have revelatory knowledge of the divine.However, the origins of agnosticism probably lie in the critical philosophy of who?

David Hume

there are religious & spiritual beliefs which take both theistic and animistic forms. Give an example.

Hinduism

Explain how non belief's premises disprove God

If God is all loving he would want everyone to believe in him. If God is all powerful, he could have ensured that everyone believed in him But, some people do not believe in him Therefore, God does not exist

What does atheism mean?

Means 'without' or 'no' God.

There are 2 forms of atheism - what are they?

Strong Atheism - explicitly held belief that God does not exist. Also known as 'antitheism'. Antitheists, such as the late Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011 argue against the religious beliefs of others, rather than simply choosing not to believe themselves. Weak Atheism - absense of belief in the existence of God.

List four places where Richard Dawkin's atheist critiques can be found in a number? •It may be accurate to describe Dawkins as an antitheist than an atheist as he does not simply espouse atheism but actively seeks to prevent the spread of what he sees as the 'virus of religion'.

The Blind Watchmaker (1986), Climbing Mount Improbable (1996) The God Delusion (2006). There are also outlined in the two-part documentary The Root of All Evil? (2006).

The progress of science has led philosophers to realise that metaphysical questions, such as the existence of God, are not those that can be resolved through science. Consequently the onus is now on who to justify their belief?

The believer

Explain Naturalism's premises to disprove God

The law of nature operate the universe Nothing else exists except the natural universe There is no purpose to nature There are no supernatural things Therefore, there is no God.

What is materialism?

The only thing that exists are matter and energy. All things are composed of matter

•Jung was Freud's pupil but their relationship soured over the importance of sexuality & spirituality to psychological development. •Was concerned with the interplay between the conscious and unconscious forces. Proposed two kinds of unconscious. Personal unconscious (shadow) includes those things about ourselves that we would like to forget. •The collective unconscious refers to events that we all share, by virtue of having a common humanity. •Freud believed that sexuality was a more important factor than spirituality. Did jung believe the opposite of the same?

The opposite. Jung believed spirituality was important that sexuality

Explain Scepticim's premises to disprove God

There is probably no such thing as certain knowledge Belief in something does not mean knowledge of it No certain belief is possible No truth is completely knowable Therefore, it is impossible to know God

Dawkins uses the term memes to describe how ideas or beliefs are analogous to genes in that memes spread rapidly from one person to another, infecting people's minds. He argues that this is especially common in families. How does Tinker criticize Dawkin's analogy?

Tinker criticises Dawkins analogy as genes cannot be changed once reproduction is underway but Ideas can be reassessed.

Explain how unbelief's premises disprove God

Unbelief is a lack of faith or a rejection of religious belief Author Salman Rushdie write in 'Imagine No heaven' 2006 "To choose unbelief is to close out the dogma and to trust in our humanity, rather than all these dangerous divinities"

Atheists have argued that all apparent experiences of God can be explained in other ways - give an example

as the result of hallucinations.

It is Possible to say that agnosticism is just another form of what?

atheism

•It may be accurate to describe Dawkins as an antitheist than an atheist as he does not simply espouse atheism but actively what?

but actively seeks to prevent the spread of what he sees as the 'virus of religion'.

Some atheists argue that religious belief serves only to support those that are weak in which three categories?

emotionally, intellectually & psychologically weak.

Jung argued that religion was in fact essential for a balanced what? why?

for a balanced psyche as it integrates the personality.

More cynical views of atheism portray atheists as fearful of what?

of the moral & spiritual accountability which often accompanies religious belief.

Dawkins claims the universe has 'no purpose, no evil & no other good, nothing but pitiless indifference...DNA neither knows nor cares. And we dance to its music' (River Out of Eden: A Darwinian View of Life, 1995). Tinkler ridicules this argument claiming: 'The logical upshot of this is that the Yorkshire Ripper danced to the music of his DNA'(The Briefing, 2006). In other words, Dawkins must believe that Peter Sutcliffe wasn't accountable for his actions as they were caused by his DNA. Tinker also argues that Dawkins use of language gives his work a what feel?

gives his work a religious feel.

Some atheists take the view that there is no such being to whom the description God can be given. For example, Logical Positivism holds what?

holds that since God is a metaphysical term, it's meaningless to even discuss God's existence.

Critiques of religious belief often conclude that, independent of God's existence, religion creates social & hierarchical structures that have a large impact on the lives of what/who?

individuals/communities

Hume argued that only knowledge of regular, observable sequences & connections could constitute what?

positive knowledge

Atheists think that believers hold contradictory beliefs about God. For example, that although he is omnibenevolent, he is what?

powerless to prevent suffering

To atheists what is decisive evidence against the existence of God.

problem of evil and suffering

One of Tinkler's main criticisms of Dawkins is that he reduces everything to what? What does Tinker call this process?

scientific terms Tinkler calls this process ontological reductionism. For example, whereas Dawkins argues the sole purpose of life is to pass on DNA, Tinkler argues that this is a purpose & not the purpose.

Atheists argue that believers apparent need for religious belief can be explained in terms of which three factors?

social, psychological or political factors.

what is the Oedipus complex?

the desire to possess one's mother and kill one's father, as theorised by Freud.

What is the Superego (Freud)

the source of authority within a person.

Give some critique's of Durkheim's argument

•Believers distinguish between membership of their religious community & belief in God. •Durkheim's theory does not explain why some believers are prepared to go against the norms & laws of society e.g. Martin Luther King. •Some critics have argued that Durkheim's theory lacks validity as it was modelled on primitive aboriginal societies. •It is argued that his ideas are not a true reflection of the sophisticated & varied nature of modern religious belief & practice. •Beliefs about the nature of God are timeless & unchanging, thus they are irrelevant to the nature of a society

List some of Freud's objections to religion

•Freud argued that man appeared psychologically dependant on religion to 'make his helplessness tolerable'. •He claimed that if we did not seek to change this state of affairs we would never be truly happy. •Freud believed guilt played a fundamental role in the psyche, & that the original reason for this guilt was that man had violated a law. •Freud believed that this 'crime' was the murder of the primal father (Jesus Christ) & that this murder led to the development of the monotheistic religions, which are law based. Freud emphasised the similarities between religious rituals & obsessional rituals e.g. the compulsive need to wash your hands. He argued that the function of these rituals was to protect the ego from fantasies, desires & sexual impulses.

Talk a bit about Freud's view of religion

•Freud argued that the origins of religious belief lay with primitive tribes & the tension between the dominant male & the subordinate males (sons). •This tension would ultimately lead to the overthrow of the father but the subsequent guilt of the sons leads them to elevate his memory & to worship him. •What Freud called the super-ego then takes the place of the father as a source of authority, which derives from the family, education & the church. •The super-ego represses anti-social impulses by inducing fear & guilt.

Talk about Principle of Ockham's razor

•In the 14thC, the philosopher & theologian William of Ockham developed a principle to argue against attempts to justify the existence of God by the use of reason alone. •Ockham argued: 'What can be done with fewer assumptions is done in vain with more ... Entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily'. •In other words, when we try to understand something the best explanation, or fastest way to reach the truth, is to get rid of unnecessary information. •This principle became known as Ockham's Razor. •Ockham declared that the matter of God's existence could only ever be proven by faith, not by proof.

Give some criticisms of Marxism

•In the majority of societies the separation between church & state is greater than as assumed by Marx. •There are some societies, in South America for example, which have adopted liberation theology. This is a blend of Marxism & Christianity which aims to bring about social justice without rejecting belief in God. •Liberation theologians argue that extreme poverty is against the will of God & contrary to the teaching of Christ. •Religion can act as both a force for change & an agent of stagnation. However, the biblical picture of God is of a deity who lifts up those who are oppressed. •Max Weber suggested that religion promoted social change & that capitalism developed in Europe because of the Protestant work ethic. •Marx's contemporary, Friedrich Engels, acknowledged that the early Christians offered a radical challenge to Roman oppression.

Talk about Marxism

•Marx argued that God was merely an invention of the human mind, created in order to satisfy emotional needs. •He claimed that religion was a tool by which the ruling classes could oppress the masses whilst offering an illusion that there would be salvation from their suffering in the after-life. •He asserted that social inequality was legitimised in the name of religion as it discouraged the masses not to question the causes of their distress or rise above it. •Marx claimed that man had lost control of his destiny due to his belief in God & that 'the first requisite for the happiness of the people is the abolition of religion'. •Marx believed that if religion was abolished man would reclaim his humanity by loving one another, rather than loving God. •In a Marxist society religion would no longer be required to fulfil the social function that it did within capitalist societies.

Give some criticisms of Freud's argument

•More recent research by Nelson & Jones (1957) found that the concept of God correlated more highly with our relationship with our mother than our father. •The psychologist Kate Loewenthal distinguished between projective religion & intrinsic religion.She argued that projective religion was immature but intrinsic religion was serious & reflective. Her criticism of Freud was that he had neglected the diversity & development of religious belief. •The physician & psychiatrist Arthur Guirdham argued that Freud was guilty of overplaying the connection between belief in God & the psychopathological tendencies of much organised religion. •Guirdham believed that Freud's anti-religious stance could be seen as just as neurotic as religious belief. •Although Freud strived to be objective, his methodology does not stand up to modern scrutiny. Peter Moore said of Freud: 'His need to explain everything (art, religion, ethics, society) by sex tells us more about his obsessional neuroses than ours'. •Freud assumed that all aspects of belief in God were immature and he neglected the development of religious beliefs. •Freud's anti-religious stance may be though just as neurotic as the religious preoccupations of others. •Freud allowed his biases to influence his data.

Give some other arguments for no existence of God

•Perhaps the strongest atheistic argument for the non-existence of God is the problem of evil. •This is the question of how to explain evil if there is a God who is omnibenevolent, omnipotent & omniscient. •Science & rationalism have offered convincing explanations for the nature of the world without restoring to religion. •There is a strong moral case against God's existence which will discuss in detail when we tackle ethics. •Advances in biblical analysis have discouraged a literal interpretation of the text & modernists have rejected its use of mythological concepts. The Bible cannot prove God exists.

Talk about whether god can be disproved

•Since it appears impossible to prove the existence of God, it follows that it must also be impossible to disprove it. •This leads us to question whether atheism is any more convincing than theism. •As the same rules of proof & probability apply to both sets of belief then it is questionable whether atheism is really on stronger grounds than theism. •Indeed, some theists may even argue that theism retains an element of agnosticism. •These theists accept that the transcendent God is ultimately unknowable & cannot be presumed to be known fully.

Talk generally about Durkheim's critique of religious belief

•The French sociologist Émile Durkheim provided one of the most well-known critiques of religious belief. Durkheim's functionalist theory argues that religion serves to unite & preserve the community. •His definition of religion was as follows: 'A unified system of beliefs & practices relative to sacred things ... beliefs & practices which unite into one single moral community called a church, all who adhere to them'. •Durkheim viewed religion as one of the forces that creates a sense of moral obligation within individuals to adhere to societies demands. •He was not interested in the religious experiences of individuals, rather the communal activity & bonds brought about by participation in religious activities. •Durkheim believed that religion could be a mechanism by which an existing social order could be reinforced. Durkheim compared a religious community to a primitive clan that worshipped a totem which symbolised God, & the unity of the clan. He argued that the clan & God are one & the same. God does not exist simply by virtue of religious belief & practice.

•Jung's work focused on the interplay between what conscious & unconscious forces. He argued that there were two kinds of unconscious forces. What were these? Explain these?

•The personal unconscious incorporated those things about ourselves that we wanted to forget. •The collective unconscious referred to shared experiences. For example, the archetype of a mythical hero is present in all cultures.

Talk about Colorado Church Scandal

•in November 2006, Ted Haggard, senior pastor of the New Life Church in Colorado, was removed from his position after scandalous revelations about his personal life •It emerged that Haggard had employed the services of a gay prostitute from whom he had procured drugs. •Following three months of prayer & counselling Haggard issued a statement that he was 'completely heterosexual'. In fact, Haggard had been told by the New Life Church that he must attend counselling & was not allowed to speak about the scandal. The New Life Church also requested that he move from Colorado Springs. Haggard duly obliged