Why I am an atheist

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MrGreen78's picture
Why I am an atheist

There are two reasons why I am an atheist. One of the reasons is because of arguments from evil, especially logical arguments. The second reason is the argument from non-belief. I want to explain them in a bit more detail.

I have extreme difficulty reconciling any kind of omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent deity with cruelty and suffering. I have been studying quite a few logical arguments from evil. The one that impresses me most is Luke Tracey's logical argument, which is an argument against "perfect-being theism". Others I tend to find less impressive and less persuasive. I have read Raymond Bradley's logical proof (which is part of his larger critique of Alvin Plantinga's free will defense) and I don't find Bradley's argument at all sound but I intuitively agree with it. I have read Quentin Smith's logical argument from evil but it seems a bit on the technical side for me and he uses terms that I am unfamiliar with it so I cannot judge it a success or not.

I have read Ryan Stringer's argument and I find it less impressive. While I agree that it's valid, I have doubts regarding its soundness and I strongly question one of the premises. I am studying an argument by H.J. McCloskey. I plan to engage with Christian apologists over whether Tracey's and Smith's arguments are logically sound or not. The problem of cruelty and suffering is the biggest problem for me. I realize that some theists of a moral liberal bent might argue that God need not be understood as omnipotent and/or omniscient. They might argue for a "limited being" defense and theodicy. Maybe God cannot prevent cruelty and suffering because he doesn't have the knowledge or he is not powerful enough.

The argument from non-belief is the reason I reject limited theism. If there was a limited deity and the existence of such a deity was logically compatible with evil, I would at least expect this deity to somehow reveal her/him/itself to humanity. I would at least expect such a deity to make her/him/itself known and reveal that she/he/it doesn't have the knowledge and/or ability to prevent evil. Such a being supposedly fine-tuned our known universe so I imagine that such a being could convince me of his/her/its reality to me and other atheists. If such a being desired that all human beings accept his/her/its existence as real, then surely such a being could make believers out of all human beings.

Anyways, these two reasons are the biggest reasons I am an atheist.

Here are the links to the logical arguments mentioned above:

Luke Tracey's logical argument from evil: https://infidels.org/library/modern/luke_tracey/logical-evil.html

Ryan Stringer's logical argument: https://infidels.org/library/modern/ryan_stringer/logical-evil.html

Quentin Smith's logical argument: http://www.apologeticsinthechurch.com/uploads/7/4/5/6/7456646/smith-a-so...

Raymond Bradley's critique of free will and his proof: https://infidels.org/library/modern/raymond_bradley/fwd-refuted.html

McCloskey's argument: http://commonsenseatheism.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/McCloskey-God-a...

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bigbill's picture
well If you hear William lane
bigbill's picture
you selecting atheism is a
MrGreen78's picture
So, you define atheism as a
bigbill's picture
Matthew the reason I say this
LogicFTW's picture
I do not know about Matthew,
Amber Horner's picture
Science, I hear you on this.
mykcob4's picture
Don't listen to science
bigbill's picture
As a devils advocate here You
CyberLN's picture
SF, you said, " they lack the
mykcob4's picture
BULL-FUCKING-SHIT science
bigbill's picture
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bigbill's picture
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algebe's picture
Let's take William Craig's
bigbill's picture
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algebe's picture
@Science follower: "This
Amber Horner's picture
@science,
LogicFTW's picture
Your link for 5 arguments for
bigbill's picture
logic for todays world:
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So a book with an agenda told
bigbill's picture
But can you prove that your
LogicFTW's picture
I can't prove that the
Amber Horner's picture
For fuck sakes, holy moley!
mykcob4's picture
@science follower
bigbill's picture
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algebe's picture
@Science follower: "god bless
bigbill's picture
god wants to bless me, I am
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@Science follower: "You
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Jesus said its what comes out
algebe's picture
@Science follower: "Jesus
mykcob4's picture
@science follower

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