my case for atheism
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The Case For Atheism. Part 1 (?)
By James Nehme
10/12/2014
I dont try to ima!ine a "ersona# $od% it s&''ies tostand in ae at the str&t&re o' the or#d* inso'ar as it
a##os o&r inade+&ate senses to a""reiate it.
,A-BT INTIN
$od i## tort&re the maority o' h&mans eterna##y 'or the sin o' &ne#ie'. As it t&rns o&t* 'or me*
this ha""ens to a dea#rea3er and i' its not one o' yo&rs* ho"e'#y I an on5ine yo& to reonsider.
Aordin! to a 2012 Pe esearh st&dy* the to" to re#i!ions in the or#d are Christianity at 61.78*
'o##oed #ose#y y the 9&s#im 'aith sittin! at a 'air 26.28. That #ea5es either :;.78 o' non,hristians*or 1:* Pa "ro#aims For I am not ashamed o' the !os"e#* ea&se it is the "oer o'
$od that rin!s sa#5ation to e5eryone ho e#ie5es> 'irst to the Je* then to the $enti#e.@ In otherords* I' yo& dont &y into this s"ei'i re#i!ion o&t o' 1*000 other re#i!ions readi#y a5ai#a#e 'or
orshi" (many anti+&ited* none dis"ro5en hoe5er)* yo& i## &y yo&rse#' a one ay ti3et into
onditions inom"rehensi#y orse than any A&shit* any trenhes 'rom any or#d ars* or any
tort&re hamers ith tho&sand year o#d tatis on ho to de#ie5er the most horri#e "ain.
A +&estion one mi!ht as3 is* Dhy is it that $od is res"onsi#e 'or he##? Isnt that the atans
domain?@ In 'at* it is not. The Christian !od is the reator o' e5erythin!* traditiona##y e say he is>
Emni"otent* Emni"resent* and Emnisient* or in other ords* a##,"oer'* e5eryhere (in time)* and
a##,3noin!. De !et this 'rom sri"t&re* s&h as "assa!es #i3e> 9ar3 14>6: And he said* Aa*
Father* a## thin!s are "ossi#e 'or yo&. emo5e this &" 'rom me. et not hat I i##* &t hat yo& i##* 9ar3 10>2 Jes&s #oo3ed at them and said* Dith man it is im"ossi#e* &t not ith $od. For a##
thin!s are "ossi#e ith $od*@ As e## as a doen other "assa!es. These #ines indiate that in $od is the
reator and ontro##er o' a## s"ae and time* and has een 'or a## o' time this in#&des atan. $od
reated the an!e# -&i'er.
Goe5er* it asnt &st a norma# reation o' another an!e#* ea&se $od is Emnisient* he 3ne
that -&i'er od one day t&rn* !ro ea#o&s* and s"end h&ndreds o' tho&sands o' years 600*000
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years at #east, tortorin! h&manity and #&rin! them into eterna# damnation.
The stran!est res"onse* in this "artiar ase od e to #ame -&i'er as the timate so&re
o' h&man s&''erin!. Ge is o' o&rse a so&re* &t rememer $od is Emnisient. Go do e 3no this?
John 6>20 and John 1>6 state res"eti5e#y For hene5er o&r heart ondemns &s* $od is !reater than
o&r heart* and he 3nos e5erythin!*@ as e## as A## thin!s ere made thro&!h him* and itho&t him
as not any thin! made that as made.@
This means in the "ina#e o' -&i'ers reation y $od* $od sa a## -&i'er od eome (and
e5en e'ore $od reated atan* in#&din! 17 i##ion years e'ore he reated atan* he od ha5e
3non hat he as !oin! to eome). Th&s* e are #e't ith the mindn&min! 'ats (i' yo& are a
e#ie5er that is) that remain 'rom this s&""osed at> $od reated a ein! 3noin! that he od tort&re
sos 'or h&ndreds o' tho&sands o' years itho&t mery. Go do e 3no Ge## is so ad to e orse
than any Trenh in any ar or the !enoides at A&shit? 9atthe 27>41 states> Then Ge i## a#so
say to those on the #e't hand* He"art 'rom 9e* yo& &rsed* into the e5er#astin! 'ire "re"ared 'or the
de5i# and his an!e#s ... (NJ) and Isaiah ::>24 And they i## !o o&t and #oo3 &"on the dead odies
o' those ho ree##ed a!ainst me% their orm i## not die* nor i## their 'ire e +&enhed* and they i##e #oathsome to a## man3ind. (NI) And sine $od 3ne a## this od ha""en* and he started the
initia# hain* he is res"onsi#e 'or it.
In todays soiety* o&r system o' #a is +&ite #ear on hat Aessory@ means. Crimes are
a""#ied to yo&* i' yo& are in the om"any o' others e5en i' yo& dont itness said rimes. For instane*
i' a roery o&rs* the dri5er an e he#d #ia#e in addition to the m&rder that ha""ened inside the
store. Goe5er* in $ods ase* its m&h orse. Not on#y did $od itness a## atan od eome
thro&!h* and e'ore* his reation* he as the at&a# reator* and in e''et* res"onsi#e 'or a## o' atans
ations d&e to the 'at that $od sa e5ery sin!#e ation -&i'er od e5er ommit &nti# the end o'
time.
Dhy the on'#it eteen atan and $od? e#e5ations "oints toards orshi" ein! a 3ey
'ator in the on!oin! are'are eteen the to. Peo"#e ere reated to e ha""y and ''i##ed on#y
hen they orshi" $od so#e#y. Not e5en &n'a##en an!e#s o' hea5en are to e orshi"ed. In a soiety
2000 years a!o* here in!s sti## red* this idea 'its ith the narrati5e e ha5e o' ho soiety
o"erated a3 then. Noadays hoe5er* the idea o' ein!s antin! orshi" #i3e it e=isted a3 then is
sim"#y o&tdated and o'ten a so&re o' emarrasment in todays modern times.
Dhi#e h&mans sti## ant "oer and res"et* the #a3 dra"es o' Dorshi" has more or #ess
dissa"eared in most 'irst or#d o&ntries o&tside o' e#i!io&s settin!s. Dhy? Bea&se e'&ndamenta##y &nderstand that orshi" o"erates &nder the master,s#a5e str&t&re* ma3e no mista3e.
The idea o' orshi" and a "er'et#y #o5in! $od are ardina##y at odds ith eah other. $od is a "er'et
#o5in! ein!* &t a#so has a stron! "re'erane 'or ein! orshi""ed* somethin! e5en modern inte##i!ent
h&man ein!s "&sh aay as "osiono&s to the harmony o' soiety. I' $od is a##,#o5in!* he od "&sh
aay the horrid master,s#a5e system no matter ho e## dressed &" this system omes o''. Goe5er*
$od o"en#y emraes s&h a system.
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The ea#o&s $od* is the inse&re $od. A## desire o' "oer omes 'rom 'ear. Fear' oards see3 "oer
to ta3e ontro#* &t o' hat% they dont 3no* and they are "eo"#e o' #itt#e #o5e. Dith #o5e and res"et
omes h&mi#ity and "eae.
I am the truth
De5e had 2000 years to searh the Ne Testament 'or a midd#e !ro&nd* a ay 'or non,e#ie5ers to enter the 3in!dom o' hea5en* or at #east to not e r&ta##y tort&red 'or a## o' time. In 2000
years* hat so#ae or a5en&e ha5e 2:: "a"a#s ome &" ith to 'ind an o5io&s so#&tion 'or the
disre"nay eteen ommon h&man em"athy and the ri!idness and horri'i tort&re o' most o' the
or#ds "o"ation? None so 'ar* e=e"t to !o to Ch&rh more. And i' these n&mers dont ma3e the "it
in yo&r stomah +&ai#* then it eomes e5en more di''it to dea# ith this narrati5e in #i!ht o' a reent
st&dy done y the or!aniation* Po"ation e'erene B&rea&* hih estimated the tota# "o"ation o'
h&mans to e5er #i5e on the earth aro&nd> 10; i##ion h&mans. In either the 9&s#im re#i!ion* or
Christianity* it eomes a""arent that o' &"ards o'
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The maority o' !ods hi#dren i## e e=#&ded 'rom hea5en. The n&mer o' $ods hi#dren that e=ists
no is #ose to 10; i##ion h&mans. In 100 years* that n&mer may doe or tri"#e* restin! in e5en a 600
i##ion "o"ation or &"ards o' a tri##ion in ent&ries don the road soiety has ontin&ed on 'or o5er a
+&arter o' a mi##ion years* its #i3e#y it i## at #east ontin&e on 'or another 'e tho&sand* i' not h&ndreds o'
tho&sands o' years #on!er. Non,e#ie5ers i## e "&nished 'or 'inite ations (non,e#ie') y an in'inite
"&nishment> 9atthe 27>41 Then he i## say to those on his #e't* He"art 'rom me* yo& &rsed* into the eterna#
'ire "re"ared 'or the de5i# and his an!e#s.@
There is a ritia# on'#ition that o&rs here. A 5ast maority o' h&man ein!s od not "&nish
another in'inite#y 'or 'inite o''enses e5en the orst ditator shod not s&''er 'or a## o' time that is not &stie*
&t 5en!ene. A#tho&!h e5en i' yo& dont e#ie5e this* and do e#ie5e in eterna# tort&re* this doesnt e''et the rea#
"oint> so #on! as one h&man ein! on this "#anet od ha5e the 3indness to a##o another ein! to not s&''er
eterna##y 'or his rimes* then e ha5e a 'i=ed "oint 'or ma=im&m 3indness and #o5in!ness in a sit&ation. $od is
s&""ose to e a ma=im&m #o5in! ein!* there'ore he shod not a##o 'or eterna# tort&re ea&se i' he does* he is
not a ma=im&m #o5in! ein! as there is another ein! that is more #o5in! than him.
The +&estion eomes> Go an a ma=ima##y !reat ein! , and ma=ima##y a#mi!hty, "ossi#y
ha5e a s&''iient reason to a##o thin!s s&h as the ra"e o' a hi#d* the tort&re o' many h&man ein!s*and !enoie i' s&h ats are oeti5e#y e5i#? A or#d that ontains atroities s&h as the ho#oa&st
do not o&r in a ma=ima##y !reat or#d hih od 'o##o as arth is the reation o' $od ho is a
ma=ima# !reat ein! (see> He&teronomy 10>11,2O* Isaiah 47>4* Psa#m
O2>17 * Psa#m 7>4* as e## as many other "assa!es).
The stron!est Theist ar!&ment in this ase is that its #o!ia##y im"ossi#e to 3no hat $od
as or is thin3in! and there'ore he mi!ht ha5e sa5ed &s 'rom e5en orse e5ents y a##oin! this one
e5ent. Di##iam -ane Crai!* one o' the most "o"ar deate theists in the M ansers in this manner>
For any e5i# the non,theist mi!ht name* the theist an say that its #o!ia##y "ossi#e that y "ermittin!
it* to simi#ar e5ents (and so tie as m&h e5i#) od ha5e een "re5ented. I' thats not eno&!h* thenma3e it 'i5e times as m&h or a h&ndred times as m&hQany o' these senarios is #o!ia##y "ossi#e.@
Goe5er* this ar!&ment indiates that $od an on#y "re5ent to e5i# e5ents (or h&ndred e5i# e5ents) i'
he a##os &st one. A ma=im&m "otent ein! od not ha5e to a##o one ad e5ent to ha""en in
e=han!e 'or to ad e5ents (s&h as that o&red at A&shit)* he od e a"a#e o' a##oin! 'or
no ad e5ents i' he hose and sti### a##o 'o his "#an to &n'o#d as he s&""osed#y ontro#s s"ae* time*
the #as o' "hysis and a##.
Ene mi!ht ar!&e that $od a##os 'or ad e5ents to o&r ea&se he a##os 'or 'ree i##.
Goe5er* =od&s 4>21 (NI) states The -EH said to 9oses* Dhen yo& ret&rn to !y"t* see that
yo& "er'orm e'ore Pharaoh a## the onders I ha5e !i5en yo& the "oer to do.But I will harden hisheart so that he will not let the people go. C#ear#y 'ree i## is not a##,im"ortant to $od* i' hes i##in! to
rea3 it so easi#y. In addition* this ar!&ment isnt e=onerated y the 'ree i## ar!&ment ea&se 'ree i##
e=ists in a s"etr&m o' ations* hoe5er* $od does not ha5e to a##o 5i# into this s"etr&m* he od
ha5e a##oed 'or instane on#y ad ations* or s#i!ht#y mora##y astray ations. Instead ea&se $od is a
the reator o' a## thin!s* Co#ossians 1>1: For in him a## thin!s ere reated> thin!s in hea5en and on
earth* 5isi#e and in5isi#e* hether thrones or "oers or rers or a&thorities% a## thin!s ha5e een
reated thro&!h him and 'or him*@ this e+&ates to $od reatin! e5i#* and an e5i# od not e a##oed
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in a ma=im&m !reat e=istane* there'ore $od does not e=ist* or i' he does* he e=ists not ma=ima##y
!reat and #o5in!.
Only for the sake of argument, if I were to astonishingly nd myself face to face
with a supreme being, I would expect to be judged on my life as a humanist, and how I
treated others, (just as most Christians plan to be judged on character, not on the actual
en Commandments!" If my positi#e actions were ignored, and I was instead judged on
using my intelligence to doubt religious doctrines created by human sinners, I would
rather be eternally punished than bow to such an unfair tyrant who made things
seemingly impossible for humans to succeed at this horric game"$
%&a#id 'malley
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o&res (in order arise)
htt">//."e'or&m.or!/2014/04/04/!#oa#,re#i!io&s,di5ersity/
htt">//re#i!ions."e'or&m.or!/re"ortshtt">//."r.or!/
htt">//.reasona#e'aith.or!/i##iam,#ane,rai!
The i#e
http://www.pewforum.org/2014/04/04/global-religious-diversity/http://religions.pewforum.org/reportshttp://www.prb.org/http://www.reasonablefaith.org/william-lane-craighttp://religions.pewforum.org/reportshttp://www.prb.org/http://www.reasonablefaith.org/william-lane-craighttp://www.pewforum.org/2014/04/04/global-religious-diversity/