Why Atheism Requires More Faith Than Theism

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The phrase 'I don't have enough faith to be an atheist' is a common retort used by some theists in response to atheism. It suggests that believing in a god or gods requires less faith than not believing in them, implying that atheism is a belief system that requires a leap of faith comparable to that of religion. This statement is often used as a starting point for discussions on the role of faith and reason in belief systems, and whether atheism can be considered a faith-based position in the same way that theism is.

Characteristics Values
Book title I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist
Authors Norman L. Geisler, Frank Turek, David Limbaugh
Genre Christian Non-Fiction, Theology, Philosophy
Format Paperback
Year of first publication 2004
Number of pages 447-449
Book dimensions 5.5 x 1.03 x 8.5 inches
Average rating 4.8 out of 5 stars
Number of ratings 4,660-4,682
Positive reviews Well-written, fun, and easy to read; covers many topics extremely well; provides scriptural proof of Jesus; sound, reasonable principles to help share their faith; worth the price
Negative reviews Unverified claims; straw man arguments; biased; not recommended for skeptics or atheists; not worth engaging with

shunspirit

Logic and the knowledge of truth

Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek's book *I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist* argues that Christianity is more rational than atheism. The book is intended to be an interesting read for those who are skeptical about Christianity and a resource for Christians seeking to defend their faith.

The book is divided into several broad arguments for theism, followed by an argument for why Christianity is the only true religion. The cosmological argument, for instance, deals with the beginning of the universe and poses the question, "Why is there something instead of nothing?" The authors also refute Hume's skepticism of miracles.

The book also presents evidence for the historicity of the New Testament manuscripts and the reliability of the accounts of Jesus. It further investigates the claims of Christ, including his prediction and accomplishment of his resurrection.

Geisler and Turek's work has received praise from several Christian authors and speakers, including Josh McDowell, author of *Evidence That Demands a Verdict*, and David Limbaugh, author of *Absolute Power and Persecution*. However, it has also received criticism for its handling of historiography, New Testament scholarship, and theology.

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Cosmological argument

The cosmological argument is a central theme in the book "I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist", which is written by Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek. The book presents a variety of arguments to support the existence of God and challenges atheist beliefs. The cosmological argument is one of the key arguments discussed in the book, and it revolves around the idea that the universe had a beginning and, therefore, must have had a cause. This argument is often referred to as the Kalam cosmological argument and is based on the Law of Causality, which states that everything that had a beginning had a cause.

The book's authors, Geisler and Turek, examine the premises of this argument and provide evidence to support their claims. They start by citing the work of scientists such as Einstein and Edwin Hubble, who contributed to the theory of the Big Bang, which suggests that the universe began with a singularity from which all matter, energy, time, and space emerged. They also mention the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which states that entropy increases in closed systems over time, implying a beginning of the universe. Additionally, they discuss the cosmic microwave background radiation, which is considered one of the coolest discoveries ever, as further evidence for the Big Bang.

Geisler and Turek argue that the Big Bang theory supports the cosmological argument because it shows that the universe had a beginning. They claim that this leads to the conclusion that the universe must have had a cause, which they attribute to an Eternal Cause outside of time, space, and matter. They critique alternative theories, such as the Cosmic Rebound theory and Imaginary Time, for failing to account for how the universe sprang into existence from nothing.

However, critics of the book have pointed out several flaws in the authors' interpretation of the cosmological argument. Some reviewers argue that the authors misunderstand the concept of "nothing" in a scientific context and fail to recognize that the Big Bang theory does not describe the universe emerging from absolutely nothing. Others critique the authors' reliance on the Law of Causality, questioning its applicability before the existence of the universe, given that the laws of physics as we know them did not exist prior to the Big Bang.

In conclusion, the cosmological argument presented in "I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist" attempts to establish the existence of God by arguing that the universe had a beginning and, therefore, must have had a cause. While the authors provide evidence for their claims, critics have identified limitations in their interpretation and application of the cosmological argument.

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Teleological argument

The Teleological Argument, also known as the Argument from Design, is a central tenet of Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek's book, *I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist*. The argument is structured as follows:

> Every design had a designer.

> The universe has highly complex design.

> Therefore, the universe had a Designer.

In other words, the universe is so intricately designed that it must have been created by an intelligent designer, or God. Geisler and Turek cite Isaac Newton's "beautiful system of the sun, planets and comets" as evidence of this design. They also refer to the Anthropic Principle, which states that the universe is "fine-tuned" to support human life on Earth.

Geisler and Turek list several "anthropic constants" that support human life, including:

  • Oxygen Level: Earth's oxygen level (21%) is necessary for life.
  • Atmospheric Transparency: The Earth's atmosphere protects life from solar radiation while allowing enough light and heat through.
  • Moon-Earth Gravitational Interaction: The Moon stabilises Earth's rotation without causing catastrophic effects on the planet's oceans or atmosphere.
  • Carbon Dioxide Level: The current level of CO2 allows for photosynthesis while preventing a severe greenhouse effect.
  • Gravity: A slightly stronger or weaker gravitational force would have prevented the formation of stars like the Sun.

The authors also list ten additional "constants" that they believe point to a divine designer, such as the balance of centrifugal planetary motion with gravity, the rate of the universe's expansion, and the speed of light.

Geisler and Turek argue that the existence of these constants is evidence of a divine designer, or God. They claim that the probability of these constants existing by chance is "one chance in 10^138", which is effectively zero. They conclude that the universe could not have come about by chance and, therefore, must have been designed by God.

shunspirit

Moral argument

The book 'I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist' by Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek argues that Christianity is more rational than unbelief. The authors present a moral argument, which is one of the traditional, tested arguments for the existence of a creator God. They claim that atheists have no basis for objective right or wrong and no way to justify their belief or morality without a Moral Law Giver.

The authors concede that atheists can know right from wrong but insist that they cannot justify it without a supreme authority. They argue that morality is socially constructed, with the purpose of teaching people how to behave towards each other. The authors also state that if moral standards are defined as the will of a supreme authority, then being moral would simply mean doing as one is told by the lawgiver. This, they argue, provides no means of verifying whether the lawgiver's will is moral in itself.

The moral argument is considered the weakest of the three major arguments presented in the book, with critics suggesting that morality is self-evident and socially constructed. Critics also point out that the authors take a dim view of human nature, with their argument suggesting that "might makes right".

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Reliability of the New Testament

Norman Geisler and Frank Turek, in their book "I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist", argue that Christianity is not only more reasonable than other belief systems but also more rational than unbelief itself. They guide readers through some of the traditional, tested arguments for the existence of a creator God, the source of morality, and the reliability of the New Testament accounts concerning Jesus.

The authors assert that the New Testament is historically reliable, citing early testimony, eyewitness accounts, and authentic testimony as evidence. They claim that the New Testament writers told the truth and that Jesus truly rose from the dead.

Geisler and Turek also discuss the fulfilment of prophecies about Jesus, his sinless life, and his prediction and accomplishment of his resurrection as evidence of his divinity. They further examine Jesus' teachings about the Bible and conclude that it is, therefore, true that the Bible is the Word of God.

The book provides a detailed investigation of the claims of Christ and is intended to be a resource for Christians seeking to articulate a sophisticated defence of their faith.

Frequently asked questions

The book argues that Christianity is more reasonable than other belief systems and even more rational than unbelief. It makes a case for the existence of a creator God and examines the source of morality and the reliability of the New Testament. The final section investigates the claims of Christ.

The book is written for those skeptical about Christianity and Christians seeking to articulate a more sophisticated defense of their faith.

The authors are Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek. Geisler taught theology, philosophy, and apologetics at various evangelical colleges and seminaries for over fifty years. Turek is the vice president of Southern Evangelical Seminary and has appeared on several TV and radio programs.

The book argues that truth is absolute and that it exists independent of anyone's knowledge of it. It also claims that natural selection cannot explain the arrival of a species.

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