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All (14) Mike Winger (14)
Mike Winger idea 2018-01-31

Upcoming video topic: responding to common atheist arguments against God

Preview of future content

Mike Winger apologetics atheism
Mike Winger idea 2019-03-14

Mike's claim: philosophy rightly done points toward God and ultimately toward Christ

Mike's reflection on the relationship between philosophy and theism

apologetics theism philosophy and theism
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-02

Calvinist theodicy: God is not guilty for decreed sin because he is perfect goodness; skeptical theism is the strongest available path for Calvinists

Question from Matt Bach about whether the Calvinist claim "God is not guilty for sin he decrees because his purposes are good" is a form of ends-justify-the-means reasoning

theodicy Calvinism problem of evil
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

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

circular reasoning atheism circular reasoning
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

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

Richard Dawkins Michael Ruse The God Delusion
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

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

circular reasoning atheism circular reasoning
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

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

Luke Barnes William Lane Craig biblical prophecy William Lane Craig
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

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

Natasha Crain false dichotomy circular reasoning
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

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

circular reasoning atheism Matt Dillahunty
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

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

Daniel Dennett circular reasoning atheism Sam Harris
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

Argument 5 — The Problem of Evil (Epicurus) — is genuinely difficult but the logical version has been abandoned by academic atheist philosophers. The dilemma offers a false set of options.

Fifth argument: the problem of evil from Epicurus

Romans 8:28 problem of evil logical problem of evil problem of evil
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

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

theodicy theodicy problem of evil
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

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

atheism problem of evil atheism
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

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

theodicy atheism theodicy