Topic 32 & 33 Conversion and Atheism/Agnosticism Flashcards
What is conversion?
Change in belief from no belief in God (atheism) to a belief in God, or from a change in faith (Judaism -> Christianity)
Conversion of Saul: Acts 9
- Jewish leader who persecuted christians
- Blinded by God
- He was then obedient + his sight was restored
- He was then baptised + became St. Paul, a v important influence on Christianity
Nicky Cruz
- Leader of Mau Maus - violent street gang in Brooklyn
- Drugs alcohol + extreme violence
- Christian preacher told him that God loved him + would never stop (kept repeating message)
- Cruz deeply affected by preacher
- Went to preacher and began to pray and asked for forgiveness from God
- Turned in all weapons to police
- Later became preacher himself + set up organisations to help ppl who had fallen into crime
What are reasons why conversion leads to belief in God?
- Life changing (God involved)
- Accompanied by a miracle
- Happens to strong atheists (god involved)
- Fundamentalists -> bible conversion stories true -> bible = inerrant
- So many stories can’t all be made up
- Dramatic change in Saul from being hater of christians (god involved)
What are some sceptical responses to conversion?
- Converted at vulnerable levels point in life (converting just a an institution that offers them hope, eg Nicky Cruz)
- Sudden conversions = indoctrination by church (listen to something long enough, u believe it eg billy graham preaching)
- Dramatic accounts in bible exaggerated as time progresses
What do atheist and agnostic mean?
Atheist = no belief in god
Agnostic = no knowledge of god, can’t prove/disprove it
What are reasons for being atheist?
- Advances in science + medicine
- ‘healing miracles’ not accepted (medicine can perform miracles without god)
- much healthier society, don’t have to rely on a god to protect us as in the past
- Big Bang
- god superfluous
- no longer need god to fill in gaps in knowledge (how universe was created)
How does human beings’ ability to control their environment mean God does not exist?
- Can make choices eg not smoking, shows god doesn’t exist as we would not have this control
- Control pop + fertility (don’t pray for kids, can have them thru ivf) or use contraception
- Ppl would pray to god to save them from storms etc, today know we need to modify environmental behaviour to make changes ourselves (ozone layer being depleted due to our actions)
What are christian responses to : science and medicine
- Some miracles can’t be explained by science
2.science cannot explain everything about creation of world(why is world beautiful + ordered out of a chaotic explosion) doesn’t take away from existence of god
- Physicists argue big bang isn’t comprehensive, leaves room for creator god
What are Christian responses to humans controlling their environment?
- God has given us free will (having control + god are compatible)
- Cannot control nature -> arrogant of humans to believe this -> need to turn to god for protection against elements
- IVF gift from God to humanity
How does the fact that God doesn’t take interest in our lives rule out his existence?
- Unanswered prayers (however christians would argue : part of god’s plan, to test patience + faith, no answer can answer in itself, if this is basis of faith then not strong enough)
- God takes no interest in helping those who are suffering -> doesn’t exist
- Problem of evil + suffering, inconsistent triad (god would not allow suffering, so there is no god)
What are some Christian responses to idea that God is not interested in our lives?
- God wouldn’t answer a selfish prayer
- Different plans from what you want to happen + hasn’t answered for this reason
- Parents don’t give their kids what they want but what they need
- Long time to be answered : no, or giving ppl opportunity to answer it themselves
How does a non religious upbringing lead to atheism/agnosticism?
- Atheism = norm, need god to be proved
- Brought up with views that highlight problems w religion + belief in god
- Young -> influenced by parents + surrounded by non believers
- Ockham’s razor - simplest belief there cannot be a god
What are some conflicting religious teachings about God/ultimate reality + purpose of life?
- If there is a god, why are we not in agreement as to what god is like
- Different religions contradict themselves about life after death (would all say same thing if true)
- Evidence based on holy books, which contradict each other (no way of knowing which are true / false)
- Different religious founders -> claim to know truth about god + expect ppl to follow them exclusively (Christians believe jesus = son of God, Muslims just a prophet)
- Conflicting religious experiences (would give same experience to everyone)
What are possible Christian responses to conflicting teachings and views?
- Exclusivists: only one way to God -> Christianity (all other views wrong) evangelicals + fundamentalists
- Inclusivists: scope in other religions to find Christian god (Christianity shld accept other faiths + teachings Abt ultimate reality as way to find god)
- Pluralists: all religions intrinsic worth - all equal but different ways of finding god (just different interpretations) liberals
