Search — Theology Explorer

problem of evil problem of evil trilemma

Braxton responds: even if Drew's point succeeded, it wouldn't lead to atheism — at most it would adjust your concept of God. The video's title ("make you an atheist") overstates the stakes. Drew's argument mirrors Epicurus' logical argument from evil, which is too ambitious.

Response to Q1 — Drew's argument doesn't lead to atheism

false dichotomy Pascals wager

Drew's false dichotomy objection fails because Pascal's wager can be constructed to meet people where they are. If someone is between Christianity and atheism specifically, it's not a false dichotomy — it's their actual situation. Drew also inadvertently grants theism when proposing alternative gods.

Response to Q2 — false dichotomy and evidential grounding

Isaiah 11 problem of evil problem of evil skeptical theism

Cameron and Mike discuss animal suffering as a serious philosophical problem, but note: (1) atheism offers no solution to suffering at all, (2) Christianity promises resolution (Isaiah 11 — wolf lies down with lamb), (3) Stephen Wykstra's no-see-um principle: we wouldn't expect to perceive overarching goods from specific instances of suffering.

Animal suffering — atheism vs Christianity

apologetics apologetics questions are not arguments

Mike's closing: Drew's journey to atheism appears to involve accumulating unanswered tough questions — a shallow understanding of Christianity where questions pile up without pursuing answers. Christianity shows itself to be true; questions may make you an atheist, but answers will make you a Christian.

Closing — questions vs answers

circular reasoning atheism circular reasoning

Overview: Responding to an article presenting the "best arguments" of top atheists against God. The first four are circular and self-refuting; the fifth (problem of evil) is genuinely difficult but well-answered.

Introduction to video analyzing Sam Wickstrom article on atheist arguments from Dawkins, Nietzsche, and Epicurus

Richard Dawkins Michael Ruse The God Delusion

Richard Dawkins is not respected even by fellow atheists as a philosopher of religion. Atheist philosopher Michael Ruse says The God Delusion "makes me ashamed to be an atheist."

Setting up Dawkins' credibility before addressing his arguments

circular reasoning atheism circular reasoning

Argument 1 — "We're all atheists, some just go one god further" — is logically absurd. Believing in one God IS the defining difference between monotheism and atheism; it's not a minor distinction.

First argument from Dawkins: the "one less god" argument

Luke Barnes William Lane Craig biblical prophecy William Lane Craig

The "outsider test of faith" (apply your reasons for rejecting Thor to Christianity) backfires for informed Christians because the evidence for Christianity specifically doesn't work for pagan deities.

Responding to the street epistemology version of argument 1

Natasha Crain false dichotomy circular reasoning

Argument 2 — "Don't indoctrinate children, teach critical thinking" — presents a false dichotomy. You can only separate religion from critical thinking IF you assume all religion is false, making this circular.

Second argument from Dawkins: the indoctrination argument

circular reasoning atheism Matt Dillahunty

Argument 3 — Nietzsche's "atheism is instinctual" — backfires because sociological research shows religious belief is actually natural and atheism must be trained. Also applies a double standard on evidence.

Third argument from Nietzsche: atheism as instinct

Daniel Dennett circular reasoning atheism Sam Harris

Argument 4 — "Religion is desperation, fear of reality" (Nietzsche) — is circular (assumes atheism is reality) and actually describes Buddhism more than Christianity. Atheism itself denies key realities.

Fourth argument from Nietzsche: religion as escapism

theodicy theodicy problem of evil

Four theodicies provide a cumulative answer to the problem of evil: soul-building, free will, natural law, and skeptical theism.

Detailed treatment of theodicies responding to the problem of evil

atheism problem of evil atheism

The problem of evil actually backfires on atheism: evil's existence presupposes objective moral values, which have no grounding on atheism. The problem of evil is itself evidence for God.

How the problem of evil becomes an argument FOR God

theodicy atheism theodicy

The problem of evil is the #1 argument that practically draws people away from God, but Christianity alone offers both intellectual answers and emotional/pastoral hope — atheism offers neither explanation nor solution.

Pastoral conclusion on the problem of evil and summary of all 5 arguments

naturalism naturalism arguments for God

The Free Thinking Argument: if naturalism is true, humans cannot freely think; but humans can freely think; therefore naturalism is false — and the best explanation is the biblical God.

Introduction to interview with Dr. Tim Stratton on the argument from free will for God's existence

Calvinism Molinism Calvinism

Tim Stratton's journey from cage-stage Calvinist determinist to Molinist — catalyzed by noticing atheists calling themselves "free thinkers" while denying free will, and Calvinists doing the same in reverse.

Stratton's background and what sparked his research

compatibilism compatibilism libertarian free will

Libertarian free will defined: the ability to choose among alternative options compatible with one's nature. Two versions — principle of alternative possibilities (PAP) and sourcehood freedom.

Philosophical definitions before presenting the formal argument

Daniel Dennett Sam Harris Dan Barker Dan Barker

Most leading naturalist/atheist thinkers deny libertarian free will: Dawkins, Harris, Dennett, Hawking, Rosenberg, Coyne, Carroll, Barker. Stratton uses their own admissions as premises in his argument.

Establishing that atheists themselves concede the naturalism-determinism link