God

Question 1

Theism

Answer 1

Aquinas

God exists; both evidence in Nature & Revelation indicated God exists

Question 2

Deism

Answer 2

Voltaire

God exists; only evidence in Nature indicated God exists; Reject Revelation

Question 3

Atheism

Answer 3

Hume

God does not exist; evidence indicates God does not exist - suffering in the world

Question 4

Agnosticism

Answer 4

no name

No belief in God exists or does not exist; evidence is tied

Question 5

Fideism

Answer 5

Kierkgard, William James, Pascal

God exists; but religious beliefs can’t be justified with evidence

Question 6

Define Fideism

Answer 6

fide = faith
faith - ism

religious beliefs are a matter of faith

Question 7

Religious Pluralism

Answer 7

Joseph Campbell

God exists (A transcendent reality exists; all religions are true metaphorically); Evidence indicated God exists (Evidence comes from comparing mythology/religious stories)

Question 8

Is it legitimate to have religious beliefs without evidence?

Answer 8

Yes: Fideists
No: other 5 theories

Question 9

Argument in favor of Fideism

Answer 9

Pascal’s Wager

Question 10

What is Pascal’s Wager?

Answer 10

Evidence in support of/against God’s existence doesn’t matter because the potential consequences make belief worth it.
–> Consequences
1. God exists, you believe in him (you go to heaven)
2. God exists, if you don’t believe in him (you go to hell)
3. God doesn’t exist, you believe in him (nothing)
4. God doesn’t exist, you don’t believe in him (nothing)

Question 11

Objection to Pascal’s Wager

Answer 11

Many Religions: Since Fedeism believes there is no evidence of God, and there are many religions, how do you know the one you believe in is the correct one? If you are correct, then you just got lucky.

Question 12

Are all major religions true, metaphorically?

Answer 12

Yes: Religious Pluralism
No: other 5 theories

Question 13

Correct and Incorrect definition of Agnosticism

Answer 13

Correct: no belief
Incorrect: 1) Don’t care 2) Not absolutely certain

Question 14

Define Religious Pluralism

Answer 14

the view that all religions are true metaphorically and not literally

Question 15

How Religious Pluralists respond to “they can’t all be true”

Answer 15

Religious stories are metaphorical, like “Love is like a box of chocolates”

Question 16

Argument for Religious Pluralism

Answer 16

1. Although various religions tell stories with different details, the basic plot & meaning is exactly the same –> Hero’s Journey
2. All religions tell the same stories because these stories symbolize the truth

Question 17

3 phases of the Hero’s Journey

Answer 17

1. Hero starts off the story at home, safe, riddled with problems
2. Hero leaves home into the unknown - dangerous, something of great value
3. Hero returns home, solves great problem

Question 18

Objection to Religious Pluralism

Answer 18

Sigmund Freud (athiest): Religious stories are all the same not because they are true, but because these stories help ppl satisfy their psychological needs (God = substitute daddy)

Question 19

Does the evidence observable in nature constitute a preponderance of the evidence showing that God exists?

Answer 19

Yes: Theism, Deism
No: Atheism, Agnostic, Fideists

Question 20

Argument for Yes, the evidence observable in nature constitute a preponderance of the evidence showing that God exists

Answer 20

Design Argument aka Theological Argument

Question 21

What is the Design Argument?

Answer 21

Universe is like a watch. Both have design. A watch has an intelligent designer, so the universe has an intelligent designer

Question 22

Objection to Design Argument

Answer 22

Evolution: The design we observe in nature comes from an unintelligent process, not an intelligent designer

Question 23

3 steps of unintelligent process

Answer 23

1. variation: each organism is different
2. selection: some live, some die
3. reproduce: a new created species

Question 24

Does revelation constitute evidence indicating that God probably exists?

Answer 24

Yes: Theists
No: other 5 theories

Question 25

Do Fideists believe in miracles? Do they think miracles are evidence?

Answer 25

Yes, No

Question 26

Argument for miracles constituting evidence

Answer 26

We have lots of testimony of miracles & religious experiences. Testimony is evidence, therefore, we have lots of evidence (testimonies) that constitute & prove God’s existence

Question 27

Voltaire’s argument against revelation

Answer 27

Since God loves all his children equally, He would never perform miracles for some ppl but not others

Question 28

What is revelation

Answer 28

miracles & religious experiences

Question 29

Hume’s essay & argument against belief in miracles

Answer 29

It is never reasonable to believe a miracle happened. It is always more likely that a false testimony (lying or confused) happened than a miracle happened and our own sense experience shows this

Question 30

What did Hume’s write

Answer 30

On Miracles

Question 31

Is there a preponderance of evidence showing that God does not exist?

Answer 31

Yes: Atheist
No: Theists, Deists, Agnostics

Question 32

Argument for Atheism

Answer 32

unnecessary suffering, playpen analogy

Question 33

what is the Playpen analogy

Answer 33

Playpen: the World
Kids: Humans
Sand: Beach
Saw = Diseases, Natural Disaster
Playpen Designer: World Designer

Does the Playpen Designer love the kids? No because the Saw is hurting/killing kids on the playground.

Question 34

What is the Saw in the Playpen analogy

Answer 34

Diseases/Natural Disasters

Question 35

Objection to Unnecessary Suffering Argument

Answer 35

Sometimes loving parents allow their children to suffer because they have reasons that justify the suffering but the kids can’t understand the parent’s reasons