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Answering The New AtheistsDr. Heinz gion has run out of justifications.Thanks to the telescope and themicroscope, it no longer offers anexplanation of anything important.”Christopher HitchensAngry aboutSomeone theydon’t believeexists!

The New Atheists1.2.3.4.The New AtheismThe “Four Horsemen”Their Books & Our ResponsesTheir Claims & Our Answers 5.Faith Is BlindAtheism Is Not a ReligionScience Has Disproven GodThere Is No Evidence For GodReligion Poisons EverythingEvil and Suffering Disprove GodMorality Does Not Come From GodBelief in Miracles is SuperstitionIn Conclusion@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama2

1. The New Atheism Atheist writers of the 21st centuryReligion: Religion should: Is based on blind faithPoisons everythingNot be toleratedBe countered and criticizedBe exposed by rational argumentsRecent scientific advancements Less accommodating attitude towardreligion, superstition, religious fanaticism@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama3

Some Principles of New Atheism All faith is folly, including moderate faithsStop giving religion special treatmentBible offers no answers to sufferingReligion is not the source of moralityThe universe is matter and nothing moreAtheism is a positive philosophyAtheism is growing and coming out of the closetGodless societies are happier and healthier@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama4

2. The “Four Horsemen”Richard DawkinsSam HarrisChristopher HitchensDaniel Dennett@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama5

3a. The New Atheists’ Books The End of Faith, Sam Harris, 2004Letter to a Christian Nation, Sam Harris, 2006The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins, 2006Breaking the Spell, Daniel Dennett, 2006God is Not Great, Christopher Hitchens, 2007@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama6

The God Delusion – Dawkins Michael Ruse, atheist and Darwinist:“The God Delusion makes me embarrassedto be an atheist ” Thomas Nagel, atheist:“ since Dawkins aims to overturn theconvention of respect toward religion thatbelongs to the etiquette of moderncivilization,” he resorts to “persistentlyviolating the convention, and being asoffensive as possible ” H. Allen Orr, evolutionary geneticist:“the most disappointing feature of The GodDelusion is Dawkins’s failure to engagereligious thought in any serious way.”@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama7

3b. Books in Response to the New Atheists Doug Wilson Phil Fernandes The Atheist DelusionJoel McDurmon Letter From a Christian CitizenGod Is, How ChristianityExplains EverythingThe Deluded AtheistThe Return of the Village AtheistJohn Lennox Gunning For God@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama8

4. Claims of the New Atheists1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.Faith is blindAtheism is not a ReligionScience has disproven GodThere is no evidence for GodReligion poisons everythingEvil and human suffering disprove GodMorality doesn’t come from GodBelief in miracles is superstition@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama9

Claim #1 – Faith is Blind Faith and reason are mutually exclusive Scientists Science alone is rational and evidence-basedReligious faith is blind, irrational, not evidence-basedUse reasonScience is evidence-basedReligious people Have thrown away reasonFaith is blindFaith is belief without evidence@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama10

Answering “Faith is Blind” Mischaracterize the nature of faithChristian faith is evidence-basedFaith and reason are rationalScientists place faith in the: Reliability of the five sensesExistence of a real physical worldFaith and reason are NOTmutually exclusiveNOT a conflict betweenscience and religion@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama11

A Conflict Between Worldviews Conflict between two worldviews Not between Science and ReligionBetween Naturalism and SupernaturalismGod & science are not alternativeexplanations for realityChristianity has intellectual powerScience is a weapon in a larger cultural warThe question – is Christianity true? Not – is it helpful?Does science fit into this?Does “what you believe to be true” match reality?@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama12

The Arguments Separate because: [Materialist View] Science is based on evidenceFaith where there is no evidenceRational vs. irrationalScience deals with reality; Faith everything elseNot separate because: [Christian View] God created the universe & the laws of natureLaws of nature make science possibleScience and Faith/Christianity are complementaryScience flourished because of Christianity@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama13

Claim #2 – Atheism is Not a Religion Religion Blindly believedNot evidence-basedBelief in GodAtheism Evidence-basedGod does not existNature is all there is@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama14

Origin of Religion (per Dawkins) Memes – cultural units of information Transmitted from one generation to anotherKind of like a virusPre-scientific age explanationNo longer helps EvolutionPresupposes that Evolution is true Lacks explanatory power, e.greligion, morality, truth, etc.‘Memes’ cannot be observedMemes rejected by most scientists@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama15

Answering “Atheism Not Religion” Dictionary definition: U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1961 Religion is a set of beliefs andpractices generally agreed uponby a number of persons or sectsSecular Humanism (a form of atheism)considered a (non-theistic) religionHuman Manifesto of 1933 Secular Humanism is a religion@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama16

Everyone is Religious Not all reality is physical Atheism tries to explain everythingby means of physical causes Love, hope, joyAtheism cannot explain everythingIf atheism is true, why are there sofew atheists?Is my religion confirmed or refutedby the evidence?@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama17

Claim #3 – Science Disproved God Evolution explains everything Therefore no need for God Origin of the universeOrigin of first lifeOrigin of complex life formsNo scientific evidenceRichard Dawkins “God almost certainly does not exist”Darwinian natural selection explains the“illusion of design” in living thingsMultiverse theory explains our universe@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama18

Dawkins’s Faulty Reasoning If a universe that can support life is highlyimprobable, then the cause (God) must bemore improbable – DawkinsOnly improbable if it cameinto existence by chanceMust have been designedby an intelligent BeingDawkins asks “Who designed God?” There must be a first cause@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama19

Chance, Necessity (Law) or Design?@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama20

Limitations of Science Science the only way to find truth? Science presupposes truth is real Use of the five sensesPresupposes reliability of 5 sensesAssumes that a real world existsHonesty is a moral virtueScience limited in scope Moral lawsConcept of truthMeaning in life@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama21

More on Dawkins’ Arguments All explanations must be physical/naturalNo non-physical or supernatural explanations Ruled out a prioriScientism biased against supernaturalValidity of human reason required for ourknowledge, otherwise can’t trust theconclusions drawn by our reasonIf naturalism is true No way to know it is trueReason is by chanceNo basis for faith in human reason@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama22

Present Repeatable Observable SCIENCEPast Non-Repeatable Eyewitness Account HISTORYPast Non-Repeatable No Eyewitnesses BELIEF@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama23

Claim #4 – No Evidence for God Belief in God is irrational, superstitious,pre-scientificNaturalism precludes the supernaturalEvolution does not need GodThe atheist’s approach Offense, not defenseThrow rocksMock ChristianityCan’t defend atheism@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama24

Answering “No Evidence for God”1.Classical arguments for God 2.CosmologicalTeleologicalMoralOntologicalThe best explanation for humanexperience in various areas? Theism or Atheism?@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama25

Arguments For God’s Existence Cosmological argument Teleological (Design) argument(s) Design and order in the universe,e.g Anthropic PrincipleDesign of lifeMoral argument Beginning of the universeMoral law implies a moral law giverOntological argument The concept of God – greatestconceivable and necessary Being@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama26

Evidence Supports Theism or Atheism? Kalam cosmological argumentDesign and order in the universePossibility of human knowledgeReality of universal unchanging truthsExistence of absolute moral lawsRespect for human lifeExistence of evil (cause and defeat)Human consciousnessHuman free will and guilt@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama27

Kalam Cosmological Argument Three premises1.2.3. Whatever began to exist must have a causeThe universe began to existThus, the universe had a causePremise 1: Law of causalityPremise 2: 2nd Law of thermodynamicsPremise 3: The universe came into existenceby an eternal, uncaused Cause (God)Chance or Law cannot explain the universeBeginning of the universe supports Theism@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama28

Evidence Supporting Theism #2 Design and order found in the universe Anthropic Principle Expansion rate of universe sustains lifeMathematical probability of originof life by chance is essentially zero (0)Single cell requires 1000 sets ofencyclopedia for complex information25 narrowly defined parameters forlife to be possible in the universe32 parameters for life concerningearth, moon, sun, galaxyID more plausible than chance@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama29

Evidence Supporting Theism #3 Possibility of human knowledge Does perception match reality?Atheism cannot bridge the gapTheism says a rational God createdman in His image (a rational being)Could human reasoning evolve from matter?Reality of universal unchanging truths Denial of absolute truth is self-refutingAgnosticism is self-refutingMathematical truths are discoveredAtheism has no basis for eternal truths@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama30

Evidence Supporting Theism #4 Existence of absolute moral laws In Atheism, no respect for human life Moral laws are prescriptive (ought)This requires a PrescriberLawgiver must be eternalTranscendent moral LawgiverAtheism has no basis for moralityMan has no more value than an animalNo basis for human rightsIn Theism, all men created equal Basis for human rights@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama31

Evidence Supporting Theism #5 Existence of evil (cause and defeat) Human consciousness Atheists have no explanationAtheists can’t define evilAtheists offer no solutionTo Theists, evil is the perversion of goodMan is aware of his existenceSelf-awareness didn’t come by chanceSelf-aware Being created manHuman free will and responsibility To Atheists, materialism - no responsibility@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama32

The Evidence Supports Theism Atheism fails to explain human experience Atheists can’t live a consistent lifeMust live as if human life is sacredMust live as if life has meaningRational statements require rational contextAtheist’s beliefs are not rationalTheism explains human experience The universe and life require a DesignerA rational Being created rational humansTheism is a more reasonable explanation@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama33

Claim #5 – Religion Poisons Everything To Atheists, Atheism is not a religionWorld’s wars/violence due to religionChristianity is evil - evil results, e.g. The CrusadesThe InquisitionNorthern IrelandRwanda, Sudan, etc.Death/violence not due to Atheism Atheistic communists murdered tensof millions, despite their atheism,not because of their atheism@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama34

The Christian’s Response Atheism is a religionEach society has a worldview/religionGovernment of that societyinfluenced by that worldviewPower-hungry leaders forcetheir worldview on their subjectsAll human governments arebased on presuppositionsFalse religions spoil everythingAtheism – bloodiest false religion of 20th century@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama35

Christian Worldview U.S. founded on Christian worldviewMen created in God’s imageAll men were created equalAll men have God-given rightsHuman life is sacred and tobe protectedHuman government ruled by sinful men Limited power of government officialsSystem of checks and balancesRejection of one world government@ Dr. Heinz Lycklama36