I am not at war with atheists. I don’t even dislike them – at least not most of them. Though I may not agree with their views about God, I've enjoyed reading books authored by Thomas Nagel, David Chalmers and Colin McGinn. I also appreciate that the signers of the Humanist Manifesto 2000 seem to value human beings – Kai Nielsen and Paul Kurtz are among them. And, I’ve found that scientists who deny God’s existence, like Peter Atkins and Jerry Coyne, can be very engaging. I think I would enjoy having coffee with many of these people and getting to know them.
Though many of these people seem to be interesting, engaging and possibly even personable, I would certainly not agree with everything they say. That’s because many of the things they say simply make no sense. Don’t get me wrong. Not everything they say is without merit. It’s not difficult to agree with some of the complaints that Christopher Hitchens voiced about religion. I might even agree with Richard Dawkins on a few points. After all, it is possible for people who disagree on some things to agree on others.
This blog is about the things prominent atheists say that don’t make sense. Though many leading atheists are highly credentialed and convey their ideas with conviction, a PhD, a proclamation confidently made and a book contract do not impart infallibility. Intelligent people can be incorrect, biased or blinded by their own limited perspectives. Even Albert Einstein wasn’t right about everything. (Quantum mechanics comes to mind.)
We all see in part. That’s even true of science. In the early 1900s the universe was without a beginning, protoplasm was the simple essence of life, the stars numbered 1.6 billion, and there were 83 known elements in the periodic table. Now none of this would be taught as great science. Oh, the difference a century makes.
There is no need to declare war on God as Richard Dawkins has done or even on religion as David Silverman did. We can all be rational, kind adults and discuss our points of disagreement civilly. That’s what this site and these blogs will seek to do.
Okay, which advocates of atheism will be addressed first? In the coming weeks we will explore statements made by Kai Nielsen, Christopher Hitchens, Peter Atkins, Ayn Rand, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Paul Kurtz and Alex Rosenberg. They're smart, accomplished in their fields and highly regarded, but does their case for atheism make sense?
I hope you'll join us as we find out.
Blog copyright by Patrick Prill, 2020.
Photo purchased from istock.
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