This graphic has been making the rounds on the internet:
Atheists, of course, love it! Why do I post it here? Quite simply because it identifies a huge fallacy at the foundation of many a Christian's faith.
Sometimes, in order to set a structure on a solid foundation, it is necessary to first dismantle the old, unstable one. Comments?
(Tip of the hat to Mike Beidler, who in turn credits James McGrath. But this thing is all over the internet.)
6 comments:
Cliff:
Interesting. In the latest Touchstone magazine that arrived Friday is an article that stresses the importance of keeping an open dialogue with atheists, for they often have insights and observations that we need to hear.
Atheism’s Gift
Christopher Killheffer on the Good Questions That Dispel False Beliefs
Here's the link: [ http://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=23-03-016-v ]
Rich G.
Hi Rich,
I read Richard Dawkins for three reasons.
1) He is an engaging writer.
2) He is, perhaps, the current leading expositor of evolutionary science.
3) As he looks at Christianity from the outside, he exposes the absurdities of belief ... absurdities that believers are often blinded to.
Anyone who honestly seeks an examined faith should regularly read the skeptics.
But Paul said to Timo... Wait... Dang, circular again!
"The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork...
...There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard."
The Bible states this observation of truth. I can look into the sky ( or what the psalmist called a firmament ) and be in awe of a God who makes it possible for such beauty to exist.
Perhaps it is also circular reasoning to look to nature and believe there must be a Creator because, look, there is His creation...but I can't help it. I just believe. Faith is like a shadow you can't escape, yet neither can you grasp it.
Sometimes the whole discussion about the Bible, faith, philosophy, God, the metaphysical, the hereafter..it frustrates me. But I can't drop it. I can't not think about it. It's an obsession that never goes away. Or maybe it's like one of those jigsaw puzzles where all the pieces fit together in multiple ways, but there's only one way that gets the picture right...and someone has hidden a few of the pieces.
"Sometimes, in order to set a structure on a solid foundation, it is necessary to first dismantle the old, unstable one. Comments?"
The structure is based on faith. As my band director used to say: "What more do you want, an egg in your beer?" (i.e. 'Get over it') The wheel is correct but the spokes aren't draw in: Faith is the axle. Every philosophy of the world is ultimately grounded in some form of faith.
While I'd agree that Dawkins is an engaging writer on evolutionary theory, I think he's a terrible philosopher.
Argon,
I agree with you in that faith is at the core of anyone’s worldview ... or to put it another way, we believe what we do because of the choices we make (which will be the basis of my next post, if I ever find time and energy to write it). Yes, someone may chose to believe the wheel (plenty do!). But it’s logic is still totally circular. And there are (in my opinion) plenty of good reasons to reject the wheel (without rejecting the basic tenets of our Christian faith). I think there is a far superior, more stable foundation for Christian theism, one which recognizes the significant role of faith, but does not ask its adherents to believe some rather absurd things about a certain book.
Post a Comment