After so many discussions with internet apologists, I decided to engage a "name brand." The following is an exchange I had with Ray Comfort, who is, no exaggeration, the least effectual apologist I've ever met. The point I tried to illustrate was that, while one may have belief in the Christian God, it is impossible to have certain knowledge of him. The blue text is me. The red is Mr. Comfort.
Shortly after telling his followers that they can only assume God is real...
We don't assume there is a God, we KNOW that God exists.
You believe that you know God exists.
No, I KNOW God exists.
That's impossible.
"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse" (Romans 1:20, KJV).
It's impossible to know that the bible is valid, so the bible saying that the bible is valid or that God is real is worthless.
Because everything that we see proves that God exists, we KNOW God exists. A painting is proof that someone painted it, it didn't come about from nothing. A building is proof that somewhere there was the builder, the building didn't appear from nothing. Because there is all creation, universal laws of logic, morality, physics, information itself, did not come about from nothing - therefore there was a clear Designer, and the Bible tells who that designer was - the Lord God - Jesus Christ.
You say "It's impossible to know that the bible is valid," No it's not, and if you keep on arguing without listening, you won't last long here. Because it's obvious you don't like or want the answer, only what your itching ears want to hear.
I've read your stuff. Let's say, for the sake of argument, that you're right about the universe being designed and requiring a designer. Let's even say you're right about the existence of a supernatural entity. It would then be impossible to say anything about this designer, much less that it's Jesus or Yahweh or both. An agency with that power could simply deceive us--forge the bible, forge your own thoughts and faith for that matter.
Philosophically speaking, there is the idea that we can't know things in an absolute sense because we could all be "brains in vats." (Or in the matrix, for a more modern reference.) There could be a set of natural ways that your faith could not truly be your own and everything you think you know could be a lie. If the supernatural is possible, then we could be deceived in an infinite number of ways.
And before you say that Jesus wouldn't deceive, know that what I'm saying is that there is no way to know that Jesus is anything but an implanted, erroneous thought.
Nice try, but your are deceived into thinking that way. That's still no excuse and won't get you out of trouble with the Lord on judgment day. For there is plenty of evidence.
How am I wrong?
You are wrong, because God says you are wrong. God is the ultimate standard, not you, not any science of this earth. His Word is true, yours is not.
But, in light of what I pointed out, how can you be sure that God as you understand him is true?
We know that God is real because He has revealed Himself to us in three ways: in creation, in His Word, and in His Son, Jesus Christ.
And there will be scoffers and skeptics that, for all the evidence before them, still not believe. "The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good." Psalm 14:1
You told me to listen. All I'm asking is for you to do the same. Did you read my above comment? I know it was a long one, but...
How can you know those revelations were not a deception?
Mr. Comfort had no more to add. He may have been out of his...comfort zone. (see what I did there?)
Yeah, Ray Comfort is an idiot, but I don't think he's any worse than any other apologist, they're all idiots. I've talked to plenty of "professional" apologists and they all come across pretty much the same way. Their beliefs make them right and they refuse to acknowledge even the merest possibility that they could ever be wrong.
ReplyDeleteMy sister married a minister and took her four kids overseas to be missionary family when the kids were very young. She and I discussed what makes her book the Correct one and she said that is where Faith enters into it. That's where the discussion fell apart for me. Faith is so subjective and there's no way, as you clearly pointed out, to prove any of what they claim. Broke my family apart, my skepticism and subsequent atheist, humanist views.
ReplyDeleteSorry but I think your argument was poorly constructed, too. You basically threw all sorts of things out there. If you want to convince someone you need to take it one step at a time. And for goodness sake, avoid speaking of brains in vats.
ReplyDeleteI threw one idea out there with supporting philosophy. I admit that I didn't argue for atheism, my goal was to only to show how certainty in anything supernatural is unwarranted. I did it in a way that is unavoidable that puts a wedge in the perceived faith of anyone honest enough to acknowledge it.
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