Decoding the Language of God: Can a Scientist Really be a Believer? : a Geneticist Responds to Francis CollinsIn his bestselling book, The Language of God, Francis Collins-the director of the National Institutes of Health and the scientist who led the Human Genome Project-attempted to harmonize the findings of scientific research with Christian belief. In this response to Collins's work, fellow geneticist George C. Cunningham presents a point-by-point rebuttal of The Language of God, arguing that there is no scientifically acceptable evidence to support belief in a personal God and much that discredits it. Written with admirable clarity for the nonscientist, Decoding the Language of God covers much of the same ground addressed by Collins in his book: the origins of moral behavior, the difficulty of reconciling belief in a good God with the existence of evil.and anthropic coincidences as evidence of God as creator. Cunningham also devotes chapters to the unreliability of the Bible as a basis for belief; the conflict between naturalistic explanations of reality, which are anchored in scientific research, and supernatural interpretations, which are not; and the many difficulties in conceptualizing the origins of the universe in terms of a personal God. Unlike recent hostile attacks on religious belief, Cunningham's respectful, well-reasoned discussion will appeal to open-minded people across the whole spectrum of belief and unbelief. |
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Page 60
... evil and suffering.24 Many of them claim that human free will was such a good thing for humans that it excuses God from any suffering , no matter how horrendous . Some claim that God has justifiable rea- sons for permitting evil . These ...
... evil and suffering.24 Many of them claim that human free will was such a good thing for humans that it excuses God from any suffering , no matter how horrendous . Some claim that God has justifiable rea- sons for permitting evil . These ...
Page 174
... evil com- mitted by believers in the name of God , evil in their minds justified by their Christian beliefs . Has the religious evil been necessary to obtain the religious good ? Would great acts of compassion occur without the evil ...
... evil com- mitted by believers in the name of God , evil in their minds justified by their Christian beliefs . Has the religious evil been necessary to obtain the religious good ? Would great acts of compassion occur without the evil ...
Page 254
... evil , 162 as alternate to good , 178–79 caused by free will , 58 evil behavior , 76 , 78 , 79 , 92 , 162 , 174 , 178 , 235–36 existence of , 47 good justifying evil , 54–55 , 183– 84 is God evil ? 178-86 Law of Good and Evil , 76 , 78 ...
... evil , 162 as alternate to good , 178–79 caused by free will , 58 evil behavior , 76 , 78 , 79 , 92 , 162 , 174 , 178 , 235–36 existence of , 47 good justifying evil , 54–55 , 183– 84 is God evil ? 178-86 Law of Good and Evil , 76 , 78 ...
Contents
INTRODUCTION | 13 |
FROM BELIEF TO ATHEISM 220 | 29 |
EVIDENCE | 37 |
Copyright | |
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accept agnosticism altruism anthropic principle apostles argue argument atheism authors Bayesian probability behavior believe biblical big bang biologos brain C. S. Lewis Catholic cause Christians claim Collins's concept conscious created creation creator Dawkins death defend dence described divinely inspired E. O. Wilson evidence evil evolution evolutionary example existence experience eyewitnesses fact faith Francis Collins genes Genesis genetic God's Gospel Hebrew historical human Ibid intelligent design interpretation Jesus Jewish Bible Jews killed knowledge Language lives logic Luke Matthew means ment miracles Moral Law natural explanation natural laws natural world percent personal God philosophers prayer probability punishment purpose question rational reason religion religious reported Resurrection Roman S. B. Carroll scientific scientists spiritual stories suffering teaching Testament texts theistic theistic evolution theologians things tion true truth word worldview writings written Yahweh York