Atheism: The Case Against God"Does a god exist? This question has undoubtedly been asked, in one form or another, since man has had the ability to communicate. . . Thousands of volumes have been written on the subject of a god, and the vast majority have answered the questions with a resounding 'Yes!' " "You are about to read a minority viewpoint." With this intriguing introduction, George H. Smith sets out to demolish what he considers the most widespread and destructive of all the myths devised by man - the concept of a supreme being. With painstaking scholarship and rigorous arguments, Mr. Smith examines, dissects, and refutes the myriad "proofs" offered by theists - the defenses of sophisticated, professional theologians, as well as the average religious layman. He explores the historical and psychological havoc wrought by religion in general - and concludes that religious belief cannot have any place in the life of modern, rational man. "It is not my purpose to convert people to atheism . . . (but to) demonstrate that the belief in God is irrational to the point of absurdity. If a person wishes to continue believing in a god, that is his prerogative, but he can no longer excuse his belief in the name of reason and moral necessity." |
Contents
Reason Faith and Revelation | 93 |
The Skepticism of Faith | 125 |
The Varieties of Faith | 163 |
Revelation | 193 |
The Arguments For God | 219 |
The Design Arguments | 257 |
God The Practical Consequences | 273 |
The Sins of Christianity | 297 |
Notes | 327 |
Selected Reading List | 347 |
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Common terms and phrases
accept according acquiring knowledge action agnostic agnosticism alleged Antiskeptic Antony Flew appeal to authority Aquinas argue assertion attempt attributes Ayn Rand basic Bible biblical Branden Catholic causal cause characteristics claim coin flipping commitment concept of faith concerned conflict consider context contradiction Copleston cosmological arguments critical defend deny discussion divine doctrines entails entity epistemological essence evidence evil existence fact goal God's nature happiness human Ibid idea infinite irrational issue Jesus logical man's means meta-ethics metaphysical miracles Nathaniel Branden natural universe negative theology normative ethics normative science notion object omnipotence one's Pascal's wager perception person philosophical position possible present presupposes principle problem propositions psychological question rational demonstration reality realm reason and faith rejected religion religious morality requires sense sensory simply skeptic specific sphere Summa Theologica supernatural Testament theism and atheism theistic belief theologians theology theory things true truth understand unknowable validity values words York