Time Stamps: 0:00 Introduction 1. 6:23 We Are All Atheists 2. 24:46 Religion Only Exists Through Indoctrination 3. 33:10 Atheism Is Instinctual 4. 48:06 Religion Is Desperation 5. 1:00:58 The Problem of Evil
during an old testament history there are people who do not believe in God, they say "there is no God, God did not exist, they called them athiest. What is God response on them. Psalm 14:1 the fool hath said in his heart, There is no God, they are corrupt, they have done abominable work, they are not doing good righteousness. God said the athiest or people who said "there is no God, God said they are insane or mentally ill person. because they do the horrible evil they want to do. They are people without fear to do evil and they are doing worst those who believe God. The Bible testified that there is a God, there are many characters from the Bible Moses and the prophets and the deciples and apostles as an eye witness testified that there is a God the creator. In the old testament. Man has directly communicate to God they heard the voice of God from heaven one of those Moses. Moses who wrote the the book of Genesis the creation and the 4 penteteuch book up to Deutoromy. God Command to Moses to write the book of scripture God dictate written by his hand Exodus 24:4 God Yaweh said to Moses wrote all the word of God. Moses is eyewitness all evidence that there is a God by performing sign, wander miracle and supernatural phenomenon that no one could do this only a God creator. God Yahweh of Israel is a true God among all the heathen God idol of all nation that cannot move, nor save their heathen idol god. Exodus 14:21 Moses as eyewitness saw the supernatural power of God the water from the sea split out and divided by strong whirlwind and the sea divided became a dry land road wherein Israel walking by to escape pursuing Egyptian. When the Egyptians crossed a dry land sea to attack Israel God folded the sea to bring back a natural and many Egyptians drowned and died. This is the evidence that God of Moses is true. Exodus 7:14-24,Moses saw how God make the water, the river, the stream and the sea turned to blood, Exodus 9:23,24 Moses saw God Command the lightning and the thunder to flush down to the earth and it rain a big block of cube ice, Exodus 13:21 Moses and Israel saw that God send a pillar cloud at the day, and and pillar fire at the night from heaven as a guided of Israel the the direction of location the way they should go. aside from these God Command to rain the fire from earth, God Command the land and mountain to be shaken, God Command the sun not to be light and the whole earth to be darkness, God Command the wind to make whirlwind storm, these were the evidence God is exist and God create all things in heaven and earth seen and unseen, living things and in living things all God created. These were all written by Moses in the book of Genesis How God created every thing by means of his word spoken. not only Moses but also all the prophets in the old testament prove that God exist by means of God supernatural power phenomenon and they heard the voice of God communicate from them. The prophet wrote the scripture that God Command them to write by their hand. Jeremiah 20:2-4 The Lord God said to prophet Jeremiah wrote the book all the word of God spoken to you. Habakuk 2:2 and the Lord God said to Moses write the vision and make it plan on the tablet.
The Bible says in other words, that we are all Theists. Lol That is why the "Atheist" Communists are without excuse. If they didn't know God existed, then they wouldn't be guilty. The universe proclaims His glory. They just hate Him and His commandments. It exposes them. He exposes them. Praise Jesus Christ, my Lord and God.
Atheism is ignorance. ☆ If God does not exist, why are the prophecies of the holy book and the prophecies of the Prophet Muhammad proven true? ☆ how could a systematic universe, created by explosion. 1. Obviously there are prophets' graves 2. The Quran is scientifically proven 3. Syarifudin ibrohim from Taznia is proof that Islam is a 100% true religion - he is from a Catholic family, refuses to be baptized, memorizes the Koran and 5 languages from a young age without learning (miracles) 4. Religion with evidence and reason, not lies 5. Clean yourself from arrogance, hatred, love of the world, doing bad things. (humans must die) - all scriptures say god 1 - Islam means submission to God, God 1 - Islam is recognized by the holy book, namely the Quran Surat Ali - Imron verse 19 - just say yourself islam, don't belong - I am Muslim, explanation of aqidah = ahlus sunnah waljamaah by ...., explanation of fiqh by ... - don't divide the manhaj. By becoming Islam means following all the prophets, prophet Muhammad, Jesus, Buddha, Brahman, the companions of the prophet and the pious people.
@@general9625 The god of the Qur'an (allah) is deficient in the great-making attribute of love since his love is conditional. If a being is deficient in any great-making attribute, that being cannot exist as a maximally great being (God). Can you explain to me how allah is forgiving and merciful? According to the Qur'an, you have to cross As-Sirāt and retaliate against other muslims in order to reach paradise. This is a means of "purification". As-Sirāt is the narrow bridge above hell which every person will have to cross before entering paradise. While you're crossing As-Sirāt you will be scorched by the flames of hell and hooks will grab out parts of your flesh; you will only be recognizable by your "marks of prostration". After muslims cross As-Sirāt, "they will be stopped at an arched bridge in between hell and paradise where they will retaliate upon each other for the injustices done among them in the world..." (Sahih al-bukhari 2440).
“You had an unthinking Christianity and then you went and moved to an unthinking atheism, through slogans and bad reasoning.” This was me. I was raised in the church and started doubting. Slowly I sought out answers online and over time became an atheist, I thought that everyone around me was a fool for going to church and believing a lie. I hated God and I wouldn’t admit it. Thank you Lord for: • opening my eyes to the reality of you • breaking my hardened heart and helping me each day to Your truth. Moral of the story, people doubt, so if you doubt, it’s normal. Just reach out to believers in your church who have been where you are and don’t be afraid to express your feelings. Going online is risky and pray to God to show you His truth, to answer your heart AND mind questions.
@Lon Spector Romans 10:14 - How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? It is hearing the gospel (which is preached and shared by men) which gives us the opportunity to believe. Everyone has the ability to choose to believe the truth of the gospel and cry out to God for forgiveness or reject the truth of the gospel and die in their sins. That's why God is just for punishing those who reject His Son. If they never had the ability in the first place and needed God to give them a new heart before they could admit that they had a wicked heart and were in need of a Savior then God would be unjust to punish them...for they could do no other but to reject.
I read Dawkins God Delusion because I thought I would relate to it, I loved slinging crap on Christians. But it was bad. I became a Christian about 1 year later.
What would you say was bad about it, if you remember specifics, of course, I hardly remember anything about it. And can you attribute your conversation to Christianity to anything in particular?
Shortly after becoming a Christian, I read "Why I am not a Christian" by Bertrand Russell to see what a genius atheist believed. What I love about being a Christian is that I can read anything I want to, do a little research on the counter argument and come away a stronger Christian. As C.S. Lewis wrote the light of Christ illuminates everything.
I was an atheist for 40 years, born to a family that was indifferent to God. I met a Christian girl when I got to college and she became my wife, she witnessed to me over 20 years patiently and meticulously - thank you God for being so patient with me. Love your work Mike, you are excellent at explaining just how reasonable and rational the Christian faith is and you have a gentle spirit that comes across in every video.
Wasn't raised in a Christian home, became a Christian at 23, after being an atheist since I first had the ability to think about such things. I now find the evidence for God to be overwhelming mixed with my own anecdotal evidence in my personal life.
What is some of the anecdotal evidence? I'm not trying to trap you or disprove you, I'm genuinely curious about an atheist seeing something in their personal life that brings them to God.
Same raised in a non Christian home when I was 18 I thought something was missing in my life so I started learning about different religions ...stuck with a Christian church after 7 years today I’m questioning “faith”
@@josephsantillan3817 Just looking at nature and beauty and the intricacies of life is enough for me to prove anecdotal evidence of a good God. But evil is real, too.
When the atheist puts Richard Dawkins out as a proponent of great arguments against God then we know that this atheist is very shallow. Richard Dawkins does not offer any logically convincing evidence against God.
@@davidnewhart2533 historical ? There's historical evidence for a god...really ? Because...historians disagree with you haha. Arguments steeped in philosophy is just mental masterbation. Nice that you're thinking about stuff...but when there's no evidence...it means nothing
Pastor Mike, I appreciate you so much for your teachings. I pray that this video will change my sons mind. Once a christian, now claiming to be an atheist. Your teaching style is truly a gift from God. Prayers for you and your family. Peach
I hear you, brother! One of the things that brought me to Christ was the skeptics' argument that there were so many so-called prophets and messiahs at the time of Jesus of Nazareth that "he" was just one part of a general movement. All I had to do was ask the question, "So why do we only know about Him?"
Paul Robbertze God doesn’t allow suffering the reason it happened is because of sin and unrighteousness and the things that we do yeah somethings are terrible like kids having cancer or people being starve to death Are terrible but we can help with the hunger look at the United States how much money we spend on our military alone 400 billion you are now also even Jesus closest followers suffered Paul was beheaded John was poisoned Peter was crucified upside down all of them suffered and these people were gods closest friends and apostles yes there is suffering in the world but do not blame God for it when God comes back he will and suffering earth is just like a giant test and yes I may not agree that they should be people dying but if that’s what happens when there’s evil in the world that is my Christ came for a free us from God is not evil because he allow these things you have to look at the universe with Ying and yang if you look at the yang just a bed in the world sounds terrible but if you look at Just the Ying I can look too perfect or without any flaws you have to take both in consideration yes I may not be hard to understand but we are in God we have no idea who deserves to live and die how things will plan we could barely plan our own lives never mind millions and billions of people through hundreds of thousands of generations and years so in the end God is not evil for this you just have to look at the world an open I there will be some benefit is also good thank you have a good day👍
I care if innocent people suffer and so should you. If your God isn’t going to do anything about it then it’s up to us. It’s frightening that you need to be told what is right and what is wrong and that you need a reason to be a good person. Your response shows how little morality there is in religion.
@@marquisinspades1 That’s not very true yes you should care about people who are innocently getting suffers doesn’t mean we don’t care nor saying that god doesn’t help make him unjust u font need to be told that to know that
@@Eagle-zl4gz first definition I found was "an exchange of diverging or opposite views, typically a heated or angry one." However I was told I have Alexithymia so it is difficult for me to tell when that happens
@@aeolian7556 enter into conversation with love. then ask many questions to learn what the other person believes. once you understand what they believe. never attack them as a person but the beliefs/ideologies they have. take a test drive down their world view and see where it ends up, where it contradicts itself, or where it doesn't make logical sense. and show that person how you come to that conclusion. again...attacking the idea not the person
@@MoNtYbOy101 it's not... he as an atheist, and therefore most likely a materialist or naturalist, so laws of logic and physics are not to be trusted on that basis.
That argument of “we are all Atheists” bores me now. The definition of Atheist is: a person who does not believe God or gods exist. How can any person who believes in God or gods be an Atheist? It’s stupid to even think.
@@jonescrusher1 think of it this way... thou (you) believe in evolution, which follows the possibility of life on other planets (extraterrestrials) which there is no evidence for; and (myself) do not believe in aliens, but I don’t deny the possibility of their existence. Same with the other gods. I don’t believe in them, but do they exist? It’s possible. I have not searched the whole entirety of the Universe to say these gods don’t exist or to say aliens don’t exist. Just as thou have evidence God doesn’t exist; it’s merely something thou believe in.
@@EndOfNumberz I'm not sure why you're using the word 'thou', but I agree with what you're saying, apart from assuming that an acceptance of the theory of natural selection means that I would automatically believe in ET life. Yes, I cannot disprove the existence of any god described in the course of human civilisation , but that doesn't lend the possibility of their existence any more credibility . Fossil records exist to prove evolution is a process in action. Although no evidence exists of ET life, we can use maths and science to come to a reasonable assumption that it does exist somewhere. No evidence of equivalent value exists for the existence of a god or gods. We have no reason to even assume that a god exists.
I'm evidence against Atheist argument number 2. My parents were members of an Episcopal church, and I fell away from faith when I was in high school and was a loud-mouthed Atheist throughout high school. I kind of dragged my Mom's faith away with my own, and they're no longer members of that church. My Dad didn't really lose his faith but he doesn't like to go to church either, still doesn't. I became a true Christian while I was in college, and became a member of a local Bible Church. My mom joined me and became baptized on the same day as me. So if anything I helped renew/strengthen my own Mother's faith.
All this shows is that argument 2 doesn't apply in all cases absolutely, many religions throughout history have used indoctrination and fear to spread themselves you can't deny that.
I don’t see how this is evidence against the impact indoctrination has had on the spread of religion. You can pretty easily see it’s impact through a much bigger lens when observing how religion clusters and does not shift from generation to generation. If your parents are Hindus, you will most likely be a Hindu, if your parents are Muslim, you will most likely be a Muslim, if your parents are Christian, you will most likely be a Christian. It also follows that if your parents are atheist, you will most likely be an atheist. But still this does not change the fact that what your parents teach you has a much bigger impact than what you yourself actually think
@@freshcarrot2253 True, but the same could be said about atheism- if your parents have atheist beliefs, you could logically be more likely to adopt atheism as well. “Indoctrination,” i.e. teaching a set of values with the premise that this values set is correct (and hypothetically precluding all others’ validity) is not exclusive to religion. It’s quite literally the way teaching works, in all areas of life, unless one holds to pure relativism (which even then is exclusionist in its own right.)
To whom is he defending the truth? To you, the already converted? What is the point of that? It should be the heathen he is trying to reach. And yet, we just laugh at his ill-conceived, condescending, strawmanning garbage. Some anointing that is.
Just found you a week ago. I‘m super impressed by your work. Love that your really dig deep into scripture 😍 In school here in Germany we have a subject called religion where we learn superficially (what I think as a believer) about Christianity and now in 13th grade we talk about critics on religion such as Freud, Feuerbach, Nietzsche and such. Your video helps me to get a point on it that I can state in class and it can be a very good foundation to try to discuss on a higher level Love your work and I’m going to tell my friends about you Love from Germany 🥰🙌🏼
@@jerrys1 so in some of the federal states in Germany you have to finish 13th grade in order to do your Abitur, which is the highest possible graduation from school and which is normally needed to get into university. So if you want to study at university you normally have to do the 13th grade if it’s there in your school district/federal state😅
How does religion "disassociate from reality" when it was religion-Christians specifically-who by and large lead the charge to serve and take care of those in worst straits than them who lived with the harshest aspects of reality: housing and feeding the poor, stopping slavery, stopping abortion, taking care of pregnant mothers, starting and running orphanages, starting and running hospitals, etc? Serving those who experience the worst of reality requires you to accept and face reality. The argument doesn't hold water.
This is what helps me to understand my belief in God when I can have struggles and doubts. Even if I was not a Christian, I would believe in God. In other words, I'd be a theist. Try as I may, I could not deny the nagging belief that rings true. It is mind blowing: Such a brilliant, fine-tuned universe, the complexity of human beings and other living beings, the broadness of nature and beauty in this earth (despite the ugliness of sin) , the ability of our minds to create amazing things (despite our ability to destroy what was made). A world with no purpose ...other than to eek out an existence and than die... goes against everything that makes up our lives. Just one example: Everything in our home was designed by someone, the walls, the windows, the floors, the appliances, the furniture, the pots and pans, shampoo, soap, tooth brushes, clothes. Obviously, I could go on and on. Everything has a purpose, with no exceptions. If you could ask the person why something was made or designed, some invention, the answer is never going to be, "I don't know". Yet atheists treat this world, the universe, human beings, the animals, and nature like it has no other purpose than a brief experience to keep life going. I've heard that "we make our own meaning". Well than who is to judge if that meaning is right or wrong?
If you want to win the debate, slap whoever you're debating in the face and see if they get mad. If they do, it's because they know deep down that they're human beings created in the Image of the Living God. We all need to go around and slap them ... Just right in the back of the head - hard. 😁👍🏻
Mike, I just wanted to say I love you. Your lessons are helping the kingdom in immeasurable ways. I hope your new neck is able to withstand the weight of all of those crowns. At least until you have a chance to cast them at His feet.
That point #4 made me pause the video for inner-monologue. "Religion is desperation from disgust of our world and hope for a new world." I immediately thought of another argument that I hear all the time called the Problem of Evil, and found these two contradictory. If God and evil are a paradox, then religious people wouldn't see the evil, and thus wouldn't have answers for evil, and thus wouldn't turn to religion to escape evil. But, if people are driven to religion to escape evil, then they would be driven to a religion that accounts for the Problem of Evil. "No atheist" I thought "could use both of these; they have to choose one or the other." ... Mike: "Problem #5: the Problem of Evil." Kenton: *Facepalm.
I just found your channel and I have only listened for 15 minutes so far. I haven't heard of you before but I can already easily conclude that you are a serious heavyweight in your field. Your arguments and explanations are flawless and simply presented because you understand the entire subject inside out, backwards and upside down. It is such a treat to find something so very valuable at 4 am on a Sunday. Thank you so much for all your hard work and thank you for sharing the fruits of your intelligence with the world.
If you love Mike also check our others from Calvery Chapel Like Paul from Calvery Chapel Ontario and also try commentary from David Guzick all are amazing teachers
Erm...I hate to burst the bubble, but Mike is extremely dishonest in how he presents these arguments. You can see how he switches the wording of arguments to better suit his agenda. He quotes nietzche saying that he was speaking personally about how he found atheism. Only to then take that and say all atheists demand you believe atheism without question. That is not what neitzche said, nor has any atheist. It is not a set faith to believe. You just don't believe in a god. It's upto you to believe what you want. Mike has to misrepresent the points because, again, he often sidesteps or evades the actual argument. Regarding the idea that we are all atheists really, he genuinely tries to argue against the point based on language and what the definition of the terms are. Being a bachelor is not the same as atheism. It's a weak point. He then just dismisses claims of other religions, even though there is just as much evidence for them as there is christianity. Mike just tries to tell you these arguments are 'lowest rung' atheism, becauae he is trying to diminish them and dismiss them. incidentally he never defines what higher rung atheism is, surely, being a Christian, he is predisposed to disagree with atheist ideas anyway, so ranking them seems odd.
I'm fairly new to this channel but it's been extremely helpful for me. Thank you in particular, Mike, for this video. It was very informative and much needed! 🙏
@@Apanblod They are both right because they're both referring to mortals. No one is good. God is good. God is not a one. God is a trinity, People are ones. Jesus is a people, but isn't a one because first he's a trinity. Word games are fun.
Anton Ekstrand When Paul says no one or righteous he’s not referring to Jesus he saying that about normal people everyone’s born and does some sin that’s why Jesus is called the sinless he’s the only person ever beat satan and died so you can be in paradise Jesus is a righteous man when Paul refers to no one is racist he’s talking about us even himself and obviously God is righteous considering he’s literally called holy divine and righteous
Would it have been that hard for there to have been a "save God alone"? It's kind of an important concept. This is the place we are to learn God's words...
@@123mneil If you're looking for clarification there's lots of passages on the goodness of God and depravity of man, for instance, the several psalms Paul's referencing. Paul is writing God inspired philosophy. If you read the context you'll see he's talking about people both Jew and gentile. God is neither Jew nor Gentile, as he pre exists people. This is a pretty easy concept.
Mike is completely missing the point about the one less god argument. Mike knows what it is like to be an atheist with respect to Thor or not lose sleep fearing going to Islamic hell. That’s how atheists feel about your religion as well.
Well we're both bachelors with respect to Scarlett Johansen, so thats how everyone feels about your wife. So like... what does that tell you? That you shouldn't have a wife? Like what- whats the point being made here, and how are you helping it?
Thank you for this video, Pastor Mike. I was actually dealing with an acquaintance that recently threw out the Epicurus argument. This person also, like you said, loves to boast in hopelessness and trounces on God. I appreciate your insight not so I can go and use this against this person; but, so I can be better informed.
I realized that I have been attending a book club, speaking on the book but never understood the book. This is how I felt and I believe that’s what atheist do too.
These atheists were once my heroes. They were because I came from a distant, troubled relationship with God where I understood nothing about him, to atheism. And that's where I stayed for 15 years. Only now, as a new Christian, do I realize how simple these atheist questions are.
“Atheism is instinctual “ 😂 if that’s the case , then why have the vast majority of societies, across the world and throughout time, had some form of religious belief? History indicates that belief is a part of human instinct, not the opposite.
I'm interested in the evidence that 'belief is a part of human instinct'. What do you mean by 'belief'. Is it instinctive for a child born in Saudi Arabia to believe in Allah? Societies have developed supernatural explanation for things they cannot explain. The extent to which this is necessary has reduced significantly over centuries as science and understanding has developed. This does not make religions false - just that they are not not needed as an explanation for the world around us. It all works without god - but you can insert one if you like.
religion is made when people did not have an answer for natural occurring phenomenons, now that we have science, religion just seems to be a dumbass belief
AS Christian, I care very much that my fellow humans end up in heaven with me, therefore I will try to introduce them to Christ. Same for many other religions, they want the post-earth-living benefits for their friends etc. Why do Atheists care so much to disprove God to me? Why would they care whether I believe or not?
Because a belief in a God comes with a lot of baggage attached. One good reason is voting on policy in this country. If Muslims ever find themselves in the majority here we would have common goals to convert or deconvert as many as we could to try to discourage the implementation of sharia law as a national or state law. The new independent fundamental Baptists have stated unapologetically that if they ever gain a political foothold that they will institute the death penalty for homosexuality according to OT laws. If they're being consistent, then probably the death penalty for adultery too. Which I am not in favor of.
@Lon Spector I have no desire to die anytime soon. You are right. My husband does need me. It is quite unlikely that he could deal with my death. I knew what I was getting into when we started dating. I did not know how heavy the weight would be.
Thank you so much for this video. Praise God for the hope we have in Him! No other worldview compares. Your ministry is such a blessing, Mike!!! God bless you!
The 4-year old voice caught me off guard. 🤣 Thank you so much for refuting these arguments which seem impossible to engage with. My brain gets so tired when dealing with atheists - not because their claims are good, but because I do not even know where to start with refuting them in an eloquent and **patient** way. They frustrate me because it seems that, with all their "critical thinking" and "logical arguments", they don't actually *want* any answers.
As a nonbeliever I will say that I think the title here is pretty misleading. These are certainly not the best arguments for atheism, and some of them are pretty weak or ill-worded. I appreciate that Winger did add a disclaimer that this article would be low hanging fruit, but if it helps to any theists reading, I'll extend that warning and say: please do not assume that these are the only, the best, and/or the most comprehensive arguments that support atheism, especially if you are intending to use this video in any form of communication with a non theist. Thank you
First time I've seen your videos. Instant subscriber! You do a fantastic job of laying out arguments, refuting them and are very kind and loving in the process. The one thing I keep coming back to is the necessity of proof. You can spend your entire life trying to refute the existence of God. You can look at evidence and say it insufficient, you can look at people's personal experience and brand them as fanciful or lunacy. On the other hand if God reveals himself to you and you have the personal experience (which I would argue is necessity to truly being a Christian and being born again and baptized by the holy spirit), then you have a definitive answer for yourself. You might struggle with doubts but you can solidify your belief over time with more experience of God. Eventually you come to a point when you can truly no longer deny the plethora of experience of God you have. But atheism is built on total rejection and debunking. You change the standard of what convinces you. You look the other way at compelling evidence and dismiss the experience of others summarily by categorizing their mental state. It's a lifelong pursuit and it will never fully satisfy your claim. Or if you want to be coy you can simply always say you reject rather than it is a belief. Either way it is a pursuit of eternal dismissal and no real truth about Gods existence. You will never fully be able to disprove God. One path leads to truth you can count on. The other requires eternal work to discredit and reject. Your work is never done. There is no rest. Nietzsche went mad in the end. Was it his maddening path of denial that ultimately sealed his fate?
My life as well as that of others may be anecdotal but, powerful nonetheless. I always thought I knew what Christians meant by saying "born again". Until the Holy Spirit changed my heart, desires and life radically from loving sin and the world to loving God, His Son, His Word and righteousness. Now I understand... and until it happens to you, I don't believe you can conceive of what the Holy Spirit changing your heart is or feels like. Jesus saved the life He gave me for His own glory. Praise God for the teachers and preachers who never give up on the world!! If the Lord can find me He can find anyone. Thank God for you Mike and praise God for the passion, dedication and patience He has gifted you through His Spirit! Much love to you all in Yeshua, our saviour Jesus Christ!
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the parable of the farmer applies extremely well to epicurus' argument. Jesus says that the farmer finds that someone has planted weeds in his crop fields. His workers ask if they should dig them up, but the farmer says he did not want them to dig up the crops because it will uproot the harvest as well, and that he wants to wait until harvest to separate them out. This, the way I see it, is a fantastic explanation for the existence of evil. If God ended all evil today, many would be lost to the flames of hell that may have turned from their sins. God says that he desires none to perish, but that all should come to him and be saved.
34:32 If atheism is natural then how come every tribe, people group, especially those that are in the wild with no TV and no communication with the outside world all seem to believe in a higher power, great spirit, or God?
Because of our developed quest for knowledge. All knowledge is based upon an initial observation. This observation leads to questions for which some civilization have'nt the technical tools or stored knowledge sets (science) of which to provide informed answers. The explanation of spirits, gods, and fate seem to be the only kind if answer from which to begin the journey of better informed answers which eventually replace those answers exemplifying mythologies.
Because humans have always tried to make sense of the world around us, in spite of the lack of evidence in our theories. People believed in many things in the past that has now been debunked. Next.
Thinking about the Epicurus argument: we need to remember that God is perfectly just and for him to “put a stop to all evil” is to put a stop to all of us. “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:11. We seem to feel like God should do something about the rapists, murderous, the greedy. But what about the liars? The lustful? The covetous? We are ALL guilty of sin. So is God evil for letting us live and carry out our evil desires? No. He instead gives us Grace and the opportunity to repent. As evildoers who deserve judgement and eternal punishment, we are forgiven only because we are loved. For this God is so GOOD. There will be a time when this grace expires and evil is punished, so let’s be thankful to God for the grace and forgiveness we were given. In Jesus name.
Maybe your all-knowing god should of not made "rapists, murderous, the greedy," to quote you. Also under your worldview your god causes all actions, he is as responsible for all acts committed as those whom commit the acts themselves. If one bad deed sends me to hell the same should hold true to him, if he were "just."
@@ryanb2576 If you believe that my worldview is that “God causes all actions” than you don’t understand my worldview or the worldview of most Christian’s. The reason there is rapists, murderers, and the like is because God gave us free will and free will with conditions isn’t actually free will. We are the cause of our own actions and they are very frequently not the actions God would want us to make. Thankfully, He often finds ways to make good out of our evil and is graceful to us for our sinful decisions. He gives us opportunities to right our wrongs and make better decisions in the future. God hates sin, and every person chooses sin every day “in thought, word, and deed. By what we have done and by what we have left undone”. Not only are we given grace we have been atoned for by God himself. God loves you so much that He gave up His glory and suffered a very painful death for your salvation. He could have just said “Ryan is evil and deserving of eternal punishment, so let it be” which would would be true, it’s true for me too. But instead he said “Ryan is evil and deserving of eternal punishment but I want to see him washed of all sinfulness, of all pain, of all suffering. I will die in his place and all that he has to do is turn away from his sinful desires and choose my forgiveness”. This is another aspect of our free will. We don’t have to follow God if we don’t want to, we have every right to turn away from him and live out our sinful desires. He won’t force you. But he wants you to choose his salvation. And you don’t have to be perfect or fill any sort of quota to receive this salvation, you simply just have to believe. We will continue to sin as Christian’s, even though we try not to, and yet we are forgiven every day when we don’t deserve it.
@@bridgeeeena5798 Let's ignore that fact you claim your god creates people inherently "sinful." If I were to shoot a person with a gun is it the gun's fault? I only pulled the trigger, somehow a bullet he the other guy. Thus, an all-powerful, all-knowing creator god inherently determins all outcomes.
@@ryanb2576 I didn’t claim that God creates people inherently sinful, that’s not a part of christian worldview either. God created us in His image, but again He gave us free will because forced obedience isn’t actually obedience. Our sinfulness comes from Adam and Eve as they committed the first sin and sinfulness passes through us like a hereditary disease. So because of our bloodline we were born sinful into a sinful world, but we were created non-sinful in a perfect world. Born and created may seem similar in wording but have major theological differences. And with your second thought on the gun thing, I agree with you. If I shoot someone it’s not the guns fault it’s mine, however it’s not a fair comparison to what I am trying to convey because a gun is an inanimate object. It would be a better likeness to say if a bitter person hires a hit man to kill someone is it the fault of the bitter person or of the hit man? Well in such a case it is both of their fault because they both have the morality to know it was wrong and shouldn’t have happened. However, God doesn’t fit the “bitter person” in this scenario because He always encourages us not to sin and never sins Himself. Yes He knows the sinful decisions we will make before we make them but that doesn’t mean He makes us sin. Again coming back to conditional free will and forced obedience. We aren’t puppets that God controls, we make our own decisions and perform our own actions. We are unique individuals and He loves that about us, but He acknowledges that it comes alongside our sinful condition. So we receive grace until the time comes for justice.
@@bridgeeeena5798 I'm sorry their were three people that weren't born sinful. I have never heard of humans existing prior to their birth, are you saying that humans are perfectly good while in the womb? Are you saying that the human body carries the weight of original sin so the soul of a person is pure while the body is tainted? Now the hitman thing, the reason I used an inanimate is because a human is entirely predictable to an all-knowing god thus when your god places a person into this world he is resoncible for both the good and bad that person commits. Additionally, there is biblical evidence of your god forcing people to commit sin "the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart" (Exodus 9) so he even fits your hitman analogy.
Thank you Mike. I have listened to so many hours of your videos and I'm glad you take the time to do them and make them long so you can't fit more info into them. Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put in
Hello. I am an atheist. I define atheism as suspending acknowledgement of the existence of gods until sufficient evidence can be presented. My position is that *_I have no good reason to acknowledge the existence of gods._* And here is the evidence as to why I currently hold to such a position. 1. I personally have never observed a god. 2. I have never encountered a person whom has claimed to have observed a god. 3. I know of no accounts of persons claiming to have observed a god that were willing or able to demonstrate or verify their observation for authenticity, accuracy, or validity. 4. I have never been presented a valid logical argument which also employed sound premises that lead deductively to a conclusion that a god(s) exists. 5. Of the 46 logical syllogisms I have encountered arguing for the existence of a god(s), I have found all to contain multiple fallacious or unsubstantiated premises. 6. I have never observed a phenomenon in which the existence of a god was a necessary antecedent for the known or probable explanation for the causation of that phenomenon. 7. Several proposed (and generally accepted) explanations for observable phenomena that were previously based on the agency of a god(s), have subsequently been replaced with rational, natural explanations, each substantiated with evidence that excluded the agency of a god(s). I have never encountered _vice versa._ 8. I have never experienced the presence of a god through intercession of angels, divine revelation, the miraculous act of divinity, or any occurrence of a supernatural event. 9. Every phenomena that I have ever observed has *_emerged_* from necessary and sufficient antecedents over time without exception. In other words, I have never observed a phenomenon (entity, process, object, event, process, substance, system, or being) that was created _ex nihilo_ - that is instantaneously came into existence by the solitary volition of a deity. 10. All claims of a supernatural or divine nature that I have encountered have either been refuted to my satisfaction, or do not present as falsifiable. ALL of these facts lead me to the only rational conclusion that concurs with the realities I have been presented - and that is the fact that there is *_no good reason_* for me to acknowledge the existence of a god. I have heard often that atheism is the denial of the Abrahamic god. But denial is the active rejection of a substantiated fact once credible evidence has been presented. Atheism is simply withholding such acknowledgement until sufficient credible evidence is introduced. *_It is natural, rational, and prudent to be skeptical of unsubstatiated claims, especially extraordinary ones._* I welcome any cordial response. Peace.
"Of the 46 logical syllogisms I have encountered arguing for the existence of a god(s), I have found all to contain multiple fallacious or unsubstantiated premises." This claim is clearly mistaken. I think it's more likely that you're not trained in how to analyze an argument and are *assuming* they are fallacious or unsubstantiated based on your preconceived atheistic assumptions.
Stanford encyclopedia of Philosophy defines atheist as the denial of theism. I see no reason to accept the claim that denial is the rejection of a substantiated fact. In fact that makes you delusional since a fact is something that happened in reality and denying reality makes one delusional.
Nice work. Mine is way more simple than yours but i feel just as effective. My mind cannot wrap around any truth from a book so old and overhauled so many times. If God really wants me to believe, he really doesn't communicate with me very well.
@@CP3CP3CP3 i appreciate your time. I've been through church, religious school and would Gladly welcome it to be true. When your hardwired to not believe just because of faith it just doesn't work. Kinda like someone's sexuality .
@@paulbolton4929 God is, but no god is, We don't need Mike, but he is good, and praise be to God for him, Wrong interpretation lead to wrong and incorrect and incoherent and incomplete knowledge.
@@niccolopaganini1782 You honestly think capitalizing a letter makes your argument coherent? It seems with over 30,000 denominations of Christianity, that a lot of people could have the wrong interpretation...including you?
I have a one and half hour commute to work (one way!) so your videos are absolutely perfect my drives. Don’t apologize for the duration, the content should drive your video times. You’re doing such a great job!
Q:Why do you reject Thor? A:I don't, the bible talks about him and other gods (though not always by name) all throughout the old testament. Psalms 82 most explicitly. These are the Watchers of Daniel and their children. Dr. Michael Heiser covers this topic extensively in his books: "Unseen Realm" and "Reversing Hermon" Which he refers to as the Deuteronomy 32 worldview. The issue with Thor is not whether there was some supernatural entity who has called itself Thor, it is whether Thor fits the category of the "Most High" or if he fits the category of a lesser created being such as a fallen angel.
Kalt Warraith Because that’s not what King David is not talking about it’s actually quoted by Jesus Himself in John 10 for the Pharisees. It’s a Messianic Prophecy!
@@davidbermudez7704 I know that Jesus quoted it. And it would not make sense for Him to have quoted it when he did unless the verse was talking about other gods. If you take the view that the elohim in psalms 82 are men then Jesus' claim is essentially that he is just a man. And I would assume you do not believe that to be true. He quoted that verse in defense of his divinity.
The one thing I'd add to the first argument would be that many Christians DO believe in little g gods like Thor - we just call them demons and we don't worship them. Many 'gods' from pagan religions are acknowledged as real spiritual powers in the Old Testament, so I have zero issues with the claim that Zeus and Krishna are still "walking around," unlike an atheist. But these spirits have no power against their Creator whom they rebelled against, and so there is nothing to gain from their worship. They have nothing to offer.
Well said, Mike! Every time I thought you exhausted the Christian rebuttals of an argument, you came forward with another one that completely dismantled a pillar of pop-atheism. I especially liked how you addressed the “problem of evil” from multiple angles. I was reminded of God’s response to Job concerning his suffering. We really shouldn’t expect to always know why God does what he does, especially since he has made it clear time and time again over thousands of years that his intentions are beyond good for us.
@@sincerelyzee521 He didn't need to, but it was to prove a point to Satan. When people say "God is all-loving and Omnipotent, then He wouldn't allow bad things." they forget to include that He is Omniscient. He knows WHY bad things must happen. He doesn't control humanity. He influences them, but God isn't holding you by the puppet strings. Most things are your own choice.
The article itself is unfair to Nietzsche. He was, for all his failings, a genius, many many levels above the kinds of atheists who talk about "Extraordinary claims requiring extraordinary evidence". He understood Christianity pretty well too, and criticized it for promoting love and charity and taking care of the weak - that is he actually had the guts to reject Christian morality and otherwise take atheism to its natural conclusions (Including that logical reasoning is fairly useless on an atheist worldview). He also described the fall of religion (Which he accurately predicted) as a terrible disaster, and everything he wrote after that was almost self-admittedly a cope with the fact that there is (In his eyes) nothing worth living for.
I was an atheist. I really am not trying to be antagonistic, but I encourage atheists to ask the Lord to soften their heart and for eyes to see Him. God is unshakable. If it is your desire to keep proving he doesn't exist, he'll let you. You have free will. Keep up your videos!
What I really want to know is this. What made the writers of the Holy Scriptures decide to write what they did. What made them all ,from such a diverse group of people from Royalty to fishermen. From doctors to tentmakers ect,sit down a write such things that was so much beyond what was believed at that time. Example: People at one time,even upto today believed that if the ships that they sailed went too far they would fall off the Earth. A Earth that was at that time believed to be held up on the backs of four giant Elephants and Turtles. When all along the Holy Scriptures of God held the truth within it's pages that the Earth is a globe hanging upon nothing at all. We have only been able to photograph the Earth from Space since the Sixties and with thanks to NASA. And what the Holy Bible had told us was absolutely right. How is it that ALL of the books of the Holy Bible written by about FORTY different writers from different lands ALL have the ONE CENTRAL theme running right through them. That of a forthcoming Saviour and his incoming Kingdom. There are lots and lots of other examples of what people believed Centuries ago that the Holy Bible had the true answers to that only a Supernatural Being would know. But I will leave it at that. It is way beyond any doubts that the Holy Bible is as it says "inspired of God." It tells of mankind's history that didn't actually happen till decades later. Which Kingdoms would rule the Earth and when their rule would end and which one would take over. From the Roman's onwards. This is only one of the reasons that I believe there is a God there are many more. Suffice to say this.... There is ONE TRUE God who wants to show his love and care for you. And He IS THERE if you want to get to know him.
Just to add my data point, I am an atheist. Your video actually reconfirmed my stance. It was interesting but as you refuted each point, I found myself squarely in the atheist camp.
Completely agree. I am the same. Isnt it funny how we take what we want from these videos. I would add, I really don't think these are 'the best' arguments in favour of atheism.
@@watchandjewelryloft4713 welcome to the fold 🙂. Yep, this guy really doesnt make great points and yet sort of arrogantly points out how bad a lot of atheist thinking is.
@@watchandjewelryloft4713 he name drops hitchens at one point, hitchens would have annihilated him 🤣. I always find the 'you're all atheists for every other religion' argument a funny one for them. It's easy to argue against it based off the idea that Atheism by definition is a disbelief in God. I always think the best way to make the point is...how do you know you are right? With all these religions, across the entirety of human history, how do you know your particular branch of your particular religion is right?
Not all religious people are only religious because that's how they are raised: My mom was the first in her family to become a Christian, when she was a teenager. She had never been taught Christianity before that. She eventually convinced her parents and brothers, who all became Christians. Naturally she taught me about Christianity from an early age. Since then I've examined the evidence for Christianity carefully and solidified my beliefs. I would not be a Christian today, had I not been convinced by the evidence.
Bought the Clay Jones book. Very excited to read it. Edit: Not sure if edits get read by you: but this video was truly excellent. Felt like true articulations of arguments I make all the time.
I just got it on audible and have listened to it all evening. It surly has answered many questions. Great explanations on “ there is none good not even one” verse and so may others. It is eye opening.
@@hi2cole They argue that God’s seeming lack of interaction with Mankind is an argument against His existence. I would recommend InspiringPhilosophy’s video on the subject of Divine Hiddenness.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Thank you Mike. You are an answer to a lot of prayers from so many people who are trying to figure out how to share truth with skeptics. I may not agree with every single point you make but I really do appreciate the way you research your subject and your exogetical approach to all things scriptural.
Mike isn't sharing truth with skeptics. His audience are believers. Most atheists will be put off by Mike's clips, because they understand how he is not only misrepresenting their reasons for not believing, but he keeps denigrating those who do not share his beliefs. He is doing christian apologetic a disservice.
First, I really like your videos and many things about the way you think and study. I take issue with the idea of "blind faith" or that faith is just a "choice to trust". As I see it, faith is the "reason to trust". There is always a "why" behind choice. The reason behind why you make a choice to trust is faith. Faith is therefore the "claim to knowledge or understanding". It is your personal reasons to trust something or someone. Without this reason to trust your beliefs, you cannot choose or act. This is also why an attack of your faith is always an attack on the reasons why you believe what you do. This is also why we are charged to: "Always be ready to give an answer to anyone that asks you for the reason of the hope that is in you" -Peter Biblical faith is described as: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (invisible)." -Author of Hebrews. I say that faith is therefore the substantive evidence for why we hope or trust. This is why faith is not just the trust or belief in and of themselves and is rather the reasoning behind them. Faith is a free gift leftover from creation, given to all people that leaves them without an excuse on the day of judgment. "For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made (faith from natural law), so that people are without excuse" -Author of Romans. We are being told that we should be able to use faith (the reasoning and understanding of the evidence) to discover the God of the bible in the natural universe. In some ways faith is the evidence base case we make for our belief in God. I am still working to figure out many things and don't have all of the answers, this is presented as food for thought.
GREAT DEFINITION... AND WE don't have too UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW...... IM still getting on board that airplane 🛬 . EVEN THOUGH I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW IT FLIES.... BECAUSE... I have good reason too believe...... IT WILL.. .
Nah, Mike! Don't listen to them! You do seem like a genuinely nice person who's annoyed with disingenuous people who try to impose their own, sometimes not properly thought out, atheistic beliefs on others, especially those who don't know any better. Went from being a christian, though not devout and not "having a reason for the hope that lies within me", to an atheist due to these "pop atheists". Luckily I was rational and inquisitive enough to rethink and then pray to God for his holy spirit to guide me to the truth. By the grace of god, I was brought back to christ! Thank the lord for people like you! I genuinely feel they should start teaching arguments for Christianity, and like you said critical thinking and basic philosophy, in Sunday School/bible school. God bless, Pastor Mike!
I have a real genuine question. I'm a believer but I've struggled thinking this through... Why did Yah create people that were made for destruction? Whether the individual was born during a time where the gospel did not reach them; or a place where they were culturally brought up to believe in a false god. All those souls are damned. And I would think it better for them if they had never been born to begin with if their whole existence was without a chance of hearing the truth. Please help!!!
Sister: Ahava v’Shalom (Love and Peace). This is a good question or, potentially, series of questions if all the issues herein are addressed. I came across this by chance and thought it deserves an answer. Of course, if we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, we should deeply care about the state of grace of our neighbors, even those separated from us in time, space, or culture. First, it does not seem that Yah (blessed be He) made anyone for destruction, as it is written, “‘Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?’ says The Lord GOD, ‘and not that he should turn from his ways and live?’” (Ez 18:23, also, see Ez 33:11, which echoes this point) Also, Saint Paul, writing to the Romans, asks a question about God’s sovereignty when he asks, “if God, wanting to show His wrath and make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction”. (Rom 9:22) Note that Saint Paul is doing a number of things: He is talking about God’s sovereignty in this situation, not making an argument that human beings were made by God for destruction and he is using the passive voice, even though he uses an active voice in verse 23. From this passage, we cannot be dogmatic that God is preparing these vessels for destruction, and, if He was, He would seem to be contradicting what He said about Himself through His messenger Ezekiel. Second, Saint Paul also talks about those who were in ignorance in Romans 2. Specifically, in verse 7, he says that God will render “eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality.” So, these people, for whom The Master (bbH) died, will be given “eternal life.” Notice that this is not universalism...these people, who through some level of moral understanding and general revelation have believed in The Promise, are saved and receive remission of sin by the same mechanism as do we who believe in The Promise Fulfilled: The shed blood of Jesus (bbH). They are NOT justified by any good works they have done (Rom 3:20-22) any more than are we who know the strong Name of Jesus (bbH). Also, consider the tzadikim (saints) of old. Did they know that The Messiah (bbH) would be some guy named Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth, and, knowing, have Life in His Name? (Jn 20:31) Probably not, but they believed in The Promise, and that seems adequate, at least for Moses and Elijiah, who appeared in glory on the Mount of Transfiguration with Our Lord (bbH). And this is not a change in how The Almighty (bbH) works, as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4b, also quoted by Saint Paul in this context in Romans 1:17) We, through our fortune, have the opportunity to know things that “prophets and righteous men” (Matt 13:17) wanted to know, but did not. We should share those things as we are commissioned. (Matt 28:18-20) Regarding those worshipping other gods in ignorance, Saint Paul tells us, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked”. (Acts 17:30a) This does not mean that “all roads lead to God” (see above...there is only one way to The Father, bbH), nor is it an excuse for His disciples to be lax in spreading the Gospel. This is evident because Paul continues his discourse by saying that God “now commands all men everywhere to repent because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the work in righteousness by the Man Whom He has ordained.” (Acts 17:30b, 31a) Finally, all souls, everywhere, at all times, are damned; that is, under condemnation, as it is written, “for all have sinned” and “the wages of sin is death”. (Rom 3:23 and Rom 6:23) However, praise Yah (bbH) for making a way to defeat this condemnation! We can join with the Evangelist and say, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 Jn 3:1) I hope this helps. Credit where credit is due: William Lane Craig makes a more compact version of the Romans 2 argument in his book “On Guard.” Blessings on you as you consider these things.
@@joegeorge9869 thank you for taking all that time to bring me those scriptures. I never got the notification that you responded, so im just reading this now 2 years later. I have found some peace in just trusting Yeshua's righteous judgement.
Thank you Mike this is exactly what I was looking for. My son is finally asking questions and I don't always have a full answer for him. I was thinking of getting him to listen to Inspiring Philosophy but I think maybe Michael is a bit to intellectual for him. I have not been able to explain circular reasoning to him. Thank you again.
As an atheist, Mike's arguments are dishonest and misrepresent atheism in many ways. If they work for you then all power to you, but if your son has genuine questions, this video will not be enough out in the real world.
Forgiveness. So very important. Good program, Mike. God has given you such wisdom, insight, and understanding. I appreciate your work and how you stay right on track with Scripture. God bless.
I have tried very hard to continue to believe but it’s so incredibly difficult when you learn that entire bible is based on earlier Myth stories. Even down to the 10 commandments that are so obviously based on the the code of Hammurabi. I just don’t get how God/Yahweh is such a cruel God…. As a mother I could not keep making excuses for a God that only cares about some of his “children”. It is just too ludicrous, it is most definitely not agape love. I’m still processing this but have yet to find anyone that can convince me to see Him as our actual Heavenly Father.
@sean pick I don’t think he was accusing atheists of desperation; he was pointing out that when people say that “religion is desperation” as an argument, it is bulveristic question-begging. Edit: see 50:35
'biological design shows evidence for a creator'. The term 'biological design' is already a conclusion. To follow it with 'shows evidence for a creator' is redundant. Biology is the study of living things in the natural world. The term 'biological design' is not a scientific term and not used by Biologists.
The Problem of Evil - Time Stamps: Multiple Theodicies-a cumulative approach: 1:05:48 1. 1:07:35 Soul Building Theodicy 2. 1:08:53 Free Will Theodicy 3. 1:09:40 Natural Law Theodicy 4. 1:11:00 Skeptical Theism Clay Jones (book): Why Does God Allow Evil?
Really growing to enjoy your work Mike. I love the personality and effort you put in. Dawkins is a philosophical failure - and in fact, reading TGD started my journey back to Christ.
8:03 So you don't understand the argument after all. If you don't believe in Zeus, you ARE an atheist with regards to Zeus... Dawkins is NOT trying to say that "therefore you are no different than an atheist with respect to the god of the bible". This is not even an argument for atheism. This is just an illustration to show believers that being an atheist is not scandalous as many believers think because they are atheists too, it's just that they are atheists with regards to other gods.
If you don’t eat horse meat you are a vegetarian “with regards to” horse meat. The point of the claim “we’re all atheists” doesn’t mean anything if that’s the reasoning behind it. Cool, you can in your logic call christians “atheists” now... but we’re still christian. Next question please.
The burden of proof is on the person making the claim, and in this example it is the christian. The atheist is not making a claim that god does not exist. All the atheist is saying is that he doesn't accept the christian's claim.
What the atheist is truly saying is that he doesn't accept the evidence around him. I'm a Christian, and I don't believe that the burden of proof is on me to prove God's existence. Even the bible doesn't seek to prove that God exists, but rather starts out with the words, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" on the premise that His existence is already self evident. The bible says that God has revealed Himself to us in such a way that we are without excuse; it says: 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 (Romans 1:18-21). Therefore God has given undeniable proof of Himself throughout your whole life, so that you are without excuse if you deny Him! Yes, a person can suppress the truth and become hardened to it, but he will have to stand before God for that choice. Put it this way, if you say the evidence isn't enough NOW, don't worry, it will be an overwhelming reality when you die. But that is not a mistake you want to leave until it's too late and your fate becomes irreversible. If you believe in Jesus Christ (John 8:24; Mark 16:16), then repent of your sins before God (Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30), and are willing to confess Christ and be baptized (immersion) in His name for the forgiveness of your sins; you will be saved(Matthew 10:32-33; Acts 2:36-38, Acts 8:35-39) providing of course, you die faithful in the Lord ( Matthew 10:32-33; 2 Timothy 2:12; Matthew 25:21). "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). Kind regards, Aidan
@@aidanmcmanus2752 No. That is not what I, an atheist, am saying. I am stating clearly that I am not convinced of the claim that a god exists for I have not been presented evidence that would justify my acknowledgement of such existence. It is natural, rational, and prudent to be skeptical of unsubstantiated claims, especially extraordinary ones. Wouldn't you agree?
@@aidanmcmanus2752 If I make the outlandish claim that fairies exist, the burden of proof would be on me. It would be ridiculous to expect someone else to have to disprove someone else's claim. That is one of the fundamental premises of any reasonable and logical discussion. I don't dispute that you can look at the world and formulate your own ideas how it must have come about. But I can list 1000s of equally plausible ways the world came about that do not involve a christian god. For example, the UFO cult - raelians believe that aliens were responsible for creating life on earth. The vikings believed that odin and his brothers created the world. Why discount these in favor of yours? Using your own holy book as proof is akin to me writing a book about a magical seahorse and using that story as proof that he created the world. Cheers, and thanks for your reply.
@@theoskeptomai2535 But you have been presented evidence by God Himself. "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse" (Romans 1:20). He has clearly made it evident to you; but you have suppressed it, and still do. How much have you looked?
@@aidanmcmanus2752 What was the evidence I was supposedly presented? When was this evidence supposedly presented to me? These are two straightforward questions. I look forward to the excuses you will provide for not answering them directly.
You did an Excellent job, especially when you talked about Epicurus. Thanks so much! A lot of it made me laugh, you have a humble and honest sense of humor.
When an atheist friend asked me, give me an evidence, ....I always said, I have peace that surpasses all understanding down in my heart! Because I asked the lord, and believed!
That is beautifully said. And, that is what I say also and I feel so deeply for people who rely on their own principles and morality. I was there once and there is no comparison.
Good morning Mike, I stumbled on your posting, though I subscribed to your blog but had not been following. I stayed glued to and even saved today's posting on the best arguments of atheists. I was blessed by your views. One thing I will point out to Christians is that sincerity in the faith is rewarded with amazing revelations that we will always hold onto during stormy times. But hypocrisy or stunted christianity does not offer any anchor in turbulent times. It was not in vain we are instructed to study to make ourselves approved. It amazes me that people will accept views expressed by others in various aspects of human existence in ancient times, but not those on worship of God, no matter how convincing. Think of the prophecies that went forth before the coming of Jesus Christ and their well documented fulfilment, which atheists resist and reject with all their beings.
43:29 "What kind of evidence would you expect to find if it was true?" That sounds like assuming a conclusion, then looking for evidence that leads to that conclusion. Aren't we supposed to let the evidence lead us to a conclusion rather than vice versa?
Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
1. 6:23 We Are All Atheists
2. 24:46 Religion Only Exists Through Indoctrination
3. 33:10 Atheism Is Instinctual
4. 48:06 Religion Is Desperation
5. 1:00:58 The Problem of Evil
during an old testament history there are people who do not believe in God, they say "there is no God, God did not exist, they called them athiest. What is God response on them. Psalm 14:1 the fool hath said in his heart, There is no God, they are corrupt, they have done abominable work, they are not doing good righteousness. God said the athiest or people who said "there is no God, God said they are insane or mentally ill person. because they do the horrible evil they want to do. They are people without fear to do evil and they are doing worst those who believe God. The Bible testified that there is a God, there are many characters from the Bible Moses and the prophets and the deciples and apostles as an eye witness testified that there is a God the creator. In the old testament. Man has directly communicate to God they heard the voice of God from heaven one of those Moses. Moses who wrote the the book of Genesis the creation and the 4 penteteuch book up to Deutoromy. God Command to Moses to write the book of scripture God dictate written by his hand Exodus 24:4 God Yaweh said to Moses wrote all the word of God. Moses is eyewitness all evidence that there is a God by performing sign, wander miracle and supernatural phenomenon that no one could do this only a God creator. God Yahweh of Israel is a true God among all the heathen God idol of all nation that cannot move, nor save their heathen idol god. Exodus 14:21 Moses as eyewitness saw the supernatural power of God the water from the sea split out and divided by strong whirlwind and the sea divided became a dry land road wherein Israel walking by to escape pursuing Egyptian. When the Egyptians crossed a dry land sea to attack Israel God folded the sea to bring back a natural and many Egyptians drowned and died. This is the evidence that God of Moses is true. Exodus 7:14-24,Moses saw how God make the water, the river, the stream and the sea turned to blood, Exodus 9:23,24 Moses saw God Command the lightning and the thunder to flush down to the earth and it rain a big block of cube ice, Exodus 13:21 Moses and Israel saw that God send a pillar cloud at the day, and and pillar fire at the night from heaven as a guided of Israel the the direction of location the way they should go. aside from these God Command to rain the fire from earth, God Command the land and mountain to be shaken, God Command the sun not to be light and the whole earth to be darkness, God Command the wind to make whirlwind storm, these were the evidence God is exist and God create all things in heaven and earth seen and unseen, living things and in living things all God created. These were all written by Moses in the book of Genesis How God created every thing by means of his word spoken. not only Moses but also all the prophets in the old testament prove that God exist by means of God supernatural power phenomenon and they heard the voice of God communicate from them. The prophet wrote the scripture that God Command them to write by their hand. Jeremiah 20:2-4 The Lord God said to prophet Jeremiah wrote the book all the word of God spoken to you. Habakuk 2:2 and the Lord God said to Moses write the vision and make it plan on the tablet.
The Bible says in other words, that we are all Theists. Lol That is why the "Atheist" Communists are without excuse. If they didn't know God existed, then they wouldn't be guilty. The universe proclaims His glory. They just hate Him and His commandments. It exposes them. He exposes them. Praise Jesus Christ, my Lord and God.
Atheism is ignorance.
☆ If God does not exist, why are the prophecies of the holy book and the prophecies of the Prophet Muhammad proven true?
☆ how could a systematic universe, created by explosion.
1. Obviously there are prophets' graves
2. The Quran is scientifically proven
3. Syarifudin ibrohim from Taznia is proof that Islam is a 100% true religion
- he is from a Catholic family, refuses to be baptized, memorizes the Koran and 5 languages from a young age without learning (miracles)
4. Religion with evidence and reason, not lies
5. Clean yourself from arrogance, hatred, love of the world, doing bad things. (humans must die)
- all scriptures say god 1
- Islam means submission to God, God 1
- Islam is recognized by the holy book, namely the Quran Surat Ali - Imron verse 19
- just say yourself islam, don't belong
- I am Muslim, explanation of aqidah = ahlus sunnah waljamaah by ...., explanation of fiqh by ...
- don't divide the manhaj. By becoming Islam means following all the prophets, prophet Muhammad, Jesus, Buddha, Brahman, the companions of the prophet and the pious people.
@@general9625 I would recommend Islam Critiqued's YT channel. If you want, I could tear apart your arguments for Islam 1 by 1.
@@general9625 The god of the Qur'an (allah) is deficient in the great-making attribute of love since his love is conditional. If a being is deficient in any great-making attribute, that being cannot exist as a maximally great being (God).
Can you explain to me how allah is forgiving and merciful? According to the Qur'an, you have to cross As-Sirāt and retaliate against other muslims in order to reach paradise. This is a means of "purification".
As-Sirāt is the narrow bridge above hell which every person will have to cross before entering paradise. While you're crossing As-Sirāt you will be scorched by the flames of hell and hooks will grab out parts of your flesh; you will only be recognizable by your "marks of prostration". After muslims cross As-Sirāt, "they will be stopped at an arched bridge in between hell and paradise where they will retaliate upon each other for the injustices done among them in the world..." (Sahih al-bukhari 2440).
“You had an unthinking Christianity and then you went and moved to an unthinking atheism, through slogans and bad reasoning.” This was me. I was raised in the church and started doubting. Slowly I sought out answers online and over time became an atheist, I thought that everyone around me was a fool for going to church and believing a lie. I hated God and I wouldn’t admit it. Thank you Lord for: • opening my eyes to the reality of you • breaking my hardened heart and helping me each day to Your truth. Moral of the story, people doubt, so if you doubt, it’s normal. Just reach out to believers in your church who have been where you are and don’t be afraid to express your feelings. Going online is risky and pray to God to show you His truth, to answer your heart AND mind questions.
@Lon Spector your Calvinism is showing
@Lon Spector Romans 10:14 - How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
It is hearing the gospel (which is preached and shared by men) which gives us the opportunity to believe.
Everyone has the ability to choose to believe the truth of the gospel and cry out to God for forgiveness or reject the truth of the gospel and die in their sins. That's why God is just for punishing those who reject His Son.
If they never had the ability in the first place and needed God to give them a new heart before they could admit that they had a wicked heart and were in need of a Savior then God would be unjust to punish them...for they could do no other but to reject.
Watch DITRH.
Awesome testimony!! All glory to God! Thank you for sharing this, Jessie. Gives me such encouragement for my adult children.
You forget one minor thing. You can't force your mind to believe something it does not want to
Mike, Please don't apologize for recording long videos. They are excellent and deeply appreciated...by me at least.
I agree. My main complaint for solid theology videos is they are too short and don’t get into the weeds enough
I agree with you both!
Pastor Mike is an awesome Brother!
Completely agree.
Absolutely agreed. His humble personality and intellectual honesty is a great quality in these types of in-depth studies.
Same for me! I love his long videos.
I read Dawkins God Delusion because I thought I would relate to it, I loved slinging crap on Christians. But it was bad. I became a Christian about 1 year later.
Wonderful! What changed?
I remember while reading his "central argument" I thought to myself, even a CHILD could see the holes in this argument!
What would you say was bad about it, if you remember specifics, of course, I hardly remember anything about it. And can you attribute your conversation to Christianity to anything in particular?
LOL You actually read his garbage???
Shortly after becoming a Christian, I read "Why I am not a Christian" by Bertrand Russell to see what a genius atheist believed. What I love about being a Christian is that I can read anything I want to, do a little research on the counter argument and come away a stronger Christian. As C.S. Lewis wrote the light of Christ illuminates everything.
How come, every time I click one of your videos planning only to watch 10 minutes, I end up sitting through the whole 1.5 hour video? Great work!
Confirmation bias
@@Jonas-gl9ke Ha ha i was about to type in there, and clicked on the 1 reply, lo, there it is - confirmation bias.
@@Jonas-gl9kePraying for you🙏✝️
@@euginrobinsonPraying for you as well🙏✝️
I was an atheist for 40 years, born to a family that was indifferent to God. I met a Christian girl when I got to college and she became my wife, she witnessed to me over 20 years patiently and meticulously - thank you God for being so patient with me. Love your work Mike, you are excellent at explaining just how reasonable and rational the Christian faith is and you have a gentle spirit that comes across in every video.
Praise Jesus brother!! 💜✝
What an amazing testimony and thank God for His work through you and your wonderful wife!
Thank you for your testimony. This gives me so much hope as someone who is married to an unbeliever.
That’s an awesome testimony man, heaven itself went absolutely crazy when you converted!
Amen, brother!
Stuck in bed with Covid-19. So grateful for this ministry
Also I used to be an atheist, now a freshman in Baptist college
I hope you recovered...
How are you doing now? I was also an atheist, only became a Christian two years ago.
Is it as exaggerated as I think it is??? It's probably just a bad cold. I mean it was created in China, by the CCP... it won't last long.
I hope you are well now!!
Wasn't raised in a Christian home, became a Christian at 23, after being an atheist since I first had the ability to think about such things. I now find the evidence for God to be overwhelming mixed with my own anecdotal evidence in my personal life.
What is some of the anecdotal evidence? I'm not trying to trap you or disprove you, I'm genuinely curious about an atheist seeing something in their personal life that brings them to God.
Same raised in a non Christian home when I was 18 I thought something was missing in my life so I started learning about different religions ...stuck with a Christian church after 7 years today I’m questioning “faith”
@@josephsantillan3817 Just looking at nature and beauty and the intricacies of life is enough for me to prove anecdotal evidence of a good God. But evil is real, too.
@@VJ-jl4zs that’s not a valid argument for the existence of God. other religions could use that exact same argument
@@dilfhunter5645 it's anecdotal for a reason lol.
When the atheist puts Richard Dawkins out as a proponent of great arguments against God then we know that this atheist is very shallow. Richard Dawkins does not offer any logically convincing evidence against God.
There is no evidence against God...theres also no evidence for God either
@@skindred1888
There is evidence for God. Historical and Philosophical.
@@davidnewhart2533 historical ? There's historical evidence for a god...really ? Because...historians disagree with you haha. Arguments steeped in philosophy is just mental masterbation. Nice that you're thinking about stuff...but when there's no evidence...it means nothing
@@skindred1888 There is, if you just open your eyes.
@@opticalraven1935 ahhh yes ... Very profound, just doesn't help. Eyes are open. All my sense are open to receiving something
Your channel has been such a blessing God has truly given you a gift to do this. You have cleared up so many doubts, May God Bless you
Pastor Mike, I appreciate you so much for your teachings. I pray that this video will change my sons mind. Once a christian, now claiming to be an atheist. Your teaching style is truly a gift from God. Prayers for you and your family. Peach
I'm glad your son escaped indoctrination, hopefully he finds a video to convince you
@@SlightlyDazed. I’ll pray for you brother. Peace be with you.
this video will not change anyone's mind. mike is preaching the the sheep. atheists laugh at his nonsense.
@@louiscyfer6944 Okay I'm an Athiest but there is no reason to be a jerk about this he's just stating his view on this which I respect!
@@blueunstopple4289 why would you respect his views? stupidity needs to be called out.
I hear you, brother! One of the things that brought me to Christ was the skeptics' argument that there were so many so-called prophets and messiahs at the time of Jesus of Nazareth that "he" was just one part of a general movement. All I had to do was ask the question, "So why do we only know about Him?"
I think the skeptics watched an old Monty Python movie and thought it was a documentary.
We don't. If you read Josephus he mentions other ones lol
@@MrLoonytoon1024 there have been false prophets and false messiahs for centuries. Jesus warned us about them.
@@KN-ul5xe that's a seperate argument
@@MrLoonytoon1024 no, it's not.
Winkie Pratney:
Q: if there is a creator God, why do the innocent suffer.
A: If there is no God, why are they innocent and who cares if they suffer?
Paul Robbertze God doesn’t allow suffering the reason it happened is because of sin and unrighteousness and the things that we do yeah somethings are terrible like kids having cancer or people being starve to death Are terrible but we can help with the hunger look at the United States how much money we spend on our military alone 400 billion you are now also even Jesus closest followers suffered Paul was beheaded John was poisoned Peter was crucified upside down all of them suffered and these people were gods closest friends and apostles yes there is suffering in the world but do not blame God for it when God comes back he will and suffering earth is just like a giant test and yes I may not agree that they should be people dying but if that’s what happens when there’s evil in the world that is my Christ came for a free us from God is not evil because he allow these things you have to look at the universe with Ying and yang if you look at the yang just a bed in the world sounds terrible but if you look at Just the Ying I can look too perfect or without any flaws you have to take both in consideration yes I may not be hard to understand but we are in God we have no idea who deserves to live and die how things will plan we could barely plan our own lives never mind millions and billions of people through hundreds of thousands of generations and years so in the end God is not evil for this you just have to look at the world an open I there will be some benefit is also good thank you have a good day👍
Good Q and A.
I care if innocent people suffer and so should you. If your God isn’t going to do anything about it then it’s up to us. It’s frightening that you need to be told what is right and what is wrong and that you need a reason to be a good person. Your response shows how little morality there is in religion.
@@marquisinspades1 That’s not very true yes you should care about people who are innocently getting suffers doesn’t mean we don’t care nor saying that god doesn’t help make him unjust u font need to be told that to know that
@@webslinger527 ok so you agree that his answer is bad - you don’t need a God to care about people suffering.
Never argue with the person but the ideas the person is presenting
How do we do that?
@@aeolian7556 what does arguing mean?
@@Eagle-zl4gz first definition I found was "an exchange of diverging or opposite views, typically a heated or angry one." However I was told I have Alexithymia so it is difficult for me to tell when that happens
@@aeolian7556 enter into conversation with love.
then ask many questions to learn what the other person believes.
once you understand what they believe. never attack them as a person but the beliefs/ideologies they have. take a test drive down their world view and see where it ends up, where it contradicts itself, or where it doesn't make logical sense. and show that person how you come to that conclusion. again...attacking the idea not the person
This should be told to people arguing more often
In the problem of evil, when the guy talks about logic, I want to know what his materialistic basis for the existence of logic is?
Why would you assume logic is material in nature?
@@MoNtYbOy101 it's not... he as an atheist, and therefore most likely a materialist or naturalist, so laws of logic and physics are not to be trusted on that basis.
@@hamsarris8341 you are an idiot. atheists are not necessarily materialists. there is also philosophical naturalism and methodological naturalism.
@@MoNtYbOy101 logic is based on observations.
@@hamsarris8341 why do you think the laws of physics are not to be trusted? they are descriptive.
That argument of “we are all Atheists” bores me now. The definition of Atheist is: a person who does not believe God or gods exist. How can any person who believes in God or gods be an Atheist? It’s stupid to even think.
The point is, by accepting only one god, you're rejecting all the others.
@@jonescrusher1 I don’t deny them.
@@EndOfNumberz Fine, if you literally believe in all gods ever devised by man. But you obviously don't , that would be silly.
@@jonescrusher1 think of it this way... thou (you) believe in evolution, which follows the possibility of life on other planets (extraterrestrials) which there is no evidence for; and (myself) do not believe in aliens, but I don’t deny the possibility of their existence. Same with the other gods. I don’t believe in them, but do they exist? It’s possible. I have not searched the whole entirety of the Universe to say these gods don’t exist or to say aliens don’t exist. Just as thou have evidence God doesn’t exist; it’s merely something thou believe in.
@@EndOfNumberz I'm not sure why you're using the word 'thou', but I agree with what you're saying, apart from assuming that an acceptance of the theory of natural selection means that I would automatically believe in ET life. Yes, I cannot disprove the existence of any god described in the course of human civilisation , but that doesn't lend the possibility of their existence any more credibility .
Fossil records exist to prove evolution is a process in action. Although no evidence exists of ET life, we can use maths and science to come to a reasonable assumption that it does exist somewhere.
No evidence of equivalent value exists for the existence of a god or gods. We have no reason to even assume that a god exists.
I think Richard Dawkins spends more time trying to use a play on words to trick people into believing him than he does making good arguments.
So does Mike Winger.
What about the God of the Gaps?
@@machows2992 Name an example
@ Jason Name an example
@@machows2992 how does Richard Dawkins tip taste bro?
I'm evidence against Atheist argument number 2. My parents were members of an Episcopal church, and I fell away from faith when I was in high school and was a loud-mouthed Atheist throughout high school. I kind of dragged my Mom's faith away with my own, and they're no longer members of that church. My Dad didn't really lose his faith but he doesn't like to go to church either, still doesn't. I became a true Christian while I was in college, and became a member of a local Bible Church. My mom joined me and became baptized on the same day as me. So if anything I helped renew/strengthen my own Mother's faith.
Wow bro... this helped me so much. Thank you for posting this
All this shows is that argument 2 doesn't apply in all cases absolutely, many religions throughout history have used indoctrination and fear to spread themselves you can't deny that.
I don’t see how this is evidence against the impact indoctrination has had on the spread of religion. You can pretty easily see it’s impact through a much bigger lens when observing how religion clusters and does not shift from generation to generation. If your parents are Hindus, you will most likely be a Hindu, if your parents are Muslim, you will most likely be a Muslim, if your parents are Christian, you will most likely be a Christian. It also follows that if your parents are atheist, you will most likely be an atheist. But still this does not change the fact that what your parents teach you has a much bigger impact than what you yourself actually think
@@freshcarrot2253 True, but the same could be said about atheism- if your parents have atheist beliefs, you could logically be more likely to adopt atheism as well. “Indoctrination,” i.e. teaching a set of values with the premise that this values set is correct (and hypothetically precluding all others’ validity) is not exclusive to religion. It’s quite literally the way teaching works, in all areas of life, unless one holds to pure relativism (which even then is exclusionist in its own right.)
How is this evidence?
May the LORD anoint you, Mike. You are on the "Front lines."
We ALL need to Wise up and defend the Truth!
To whom is he defending the truth? To you, the already converted? What is the point of that? It should be the heathen he is trying to reach. And yet, we just laugh at his ill-conceived, condescending, strawmanning garbage. Some anointing that is.
Just found you a week ago. I‘m super impressed by your work. Love that your really dig deep into scripture 😍
In school here in Germany we have a subject called religion where we learn superficially (what I think as a believer) about Christianity and now in 13th grade we talk about critics on religion such as Freud, Feuerbach, Nietzsche and such. Your video helps me to get a point on it that I can state in class and it can be a very good foundation to try to discuss on a higher level
Love your work and I’m going to tell my friends about you
Love from Germany 🥰🙌🏼
Hold up, you guys have a 13th grade? Is it mandatory? Cause that sounds awful.
@@jerrys1 so in some of the federal states in Germany you have to finish 13th grade in order to do your Abitur, which is the highest possible graduation from school and which is normally needed to get into university.
So if you want to study at university you normally have to do the 13th grade if it’s there in your school district/federal state😅
@@carolinafedermann6659 love and blessings from the US of A
How does religion "disassociate from reality" when it was religion-Christians specifically-who by and large lead the charge to serve and take care of those in worst straits than them who lived with the harshest aspects of reality: housing and feeding the poor, stopping slavery, stopping abortion, taking care of pregnant mothers, starting and running orphanages, starting and running hospitals, etc? Serving those who experience the worst of reality requires you to accept and face reality. The argument doesn't hold water.
This is what helps me to understand my belief in God when I can have struggles and doubts. Even if I was not a Christian, I would believe in God. In other words, I'd be a theist. Try as I may, I could not deny the nagging belief that rings true. It is mind blowing: Such a brilliant, fine-tuned universe, the complexity of human beings and other living beings, the broadness of nature and beauty in this earth (despite the ugliness of sin) , the ability of our minds to create amazing things (despite our ability to destroy what was made).
A world with no purpose ...other than to eek out an existence and than die... goes against everything that makes up our lives.
Just one example: Everything in our home was designed by someone, the walls, the windows, the floors, the appliances, the furniture, the pots and pans, shampoo, soap, tooth brushes, clothes. Obviously, I could go on and on. Everything has a purpose, with no exceptions. If you could ask the person why something was made or designed, some invention, the answer is never going to be, "I don't know".
Yet atheists treat this world, the universe, human beings, the animals, and nature like it has no other purpose than a brief experience to keep life going. I've heard that "we make our own meaning". Well than who is to judge if that meaning is right or wrong?
"This is actually just dumb-dumb level thinking" - I fell off my seat and laughed like a horn!! Best Mike Winger quote yet 🤣😍🤣
I read your comment just as he said that. Made me giggle lol
God is good. This really helped with a debate I have coming up. Bless you brother.
"God is good" might be a great answer in your debate!
If you want to win the debate, slap whoever you're debating in the face and see if they get mad. If they do, it's because they know deep down that they're human beings created in the Image of the Living God. We all need to go around and slap them ... Just right in the back of the head - hard.
😁👍🏻
Mike, I just wanted to say I love you. Your lessons are helping the kingdom in immeasurable ways. I hope your new neck is able to withstand the weight of all of those crowns. At least until you have a chance to cast them at His feet.
That point #4 made me pause the video for inner-monologue. "Religion is desperation from disgust of our world and hope for a new world." I immediately thought of another argument that I hear all the time called the Problem of Evil, and found these two contradictory. If God and evil are a paradox, then religious people wouldn't see the evil, and thus wouldn't have answers for evil, and thus wouldn't turn to religion to escape evil. But, if people are driven to religion to escape evil, then they would be driven to a religion that accounts for the Problem of Evil. "No atheist" I thought "could use both of these; they have to choose one or the other." ...
Mike: "Problem #5: the Problem of Evil."
Kenton: *Facepalm.
Lol same thing happened here
I just found your channel and I have only listened for 15 minutes so far. I haven't heard of you before but I can already easily conclude that you are a serious heavyweight in your field. Your arguments and explanations are flawless and simply presented because you understand the entire subject inside out, backwards and upside down. It is such a treat to find something so very valuable at 4 am on a Sunday. Thank you so much for all your hard work and thank you for sharing the fruits of your intelligence with the world.
If you love Mike also check our others from Calvery Chapel Like Paul from
Calvery Chapel Ontario and also try commentary from David Guzick all are amazing teachers
Erm...I hate to burst the bubble, but Mike is extremely dishonest in how he presents these arguments. You can see how he switches the wording of arguments to better suit his agenda. He quotes nietzche saying that he was speaking personally about how he found atheism. Only to then take that and say all atheists demand you believe atheism without question. That is not what neitzche said, nor has any atheist. It is not a set faith to believe. You just don't believe in a god. It's upto you to believe what you want.
Mike has to misrepresent the points because, again, he often sidesteps or evades the actual argument. Regarding the idea that we are all atheists really, he genuinely tries to argue against the point based on language and what the definition of the terms are. Being a bachelor is not the same as atheism. It's a weak point. He then just dismisses claims of other religions, even though there is just as much evidence for them as there is christianity.
Mike just tries to tell you these arguments are 'lowest rung' atheism, becauae he is trying to diminish them and dismiss them. incidentally he never defines what higher rung atheism is, surely, being a Christian, he is predisposed to disagree with atheist ideas anyway, so ranking them seems odd.
@@JonGrove-ub8cv Good summary of Mike's dishonesty.
I’m listening to this while cleaning house, wishing I had my notebook for notes instead!
I’ll be coming back to this! ❤️
I'm fairly new to this channel but it's been extremely helpful for me.
Thank you in particular, Mike, for this video. It was very informative and much needed! 🙏
Thank you Mike for your hard study and eloquence and patience in presenting. A service of love.
Athiest: "I'm a good person!"
Jesus: "No one is good--except God alone."
Paul: "none are righteous, no, not one"
So who was right, Jesus or Paul? 🤔
@@Apanblod They are both right because they're both referring to mortals.
No one is good. God is good.
God is not a one. God is a trinity, People are ones. Jesus is a people, but isn't a one because first he's a trinity.
Word games are fun.
Anton Ekstrand When Paul says no one or righteous he’s not referring to Jesus he saying that about normal people everyone’s born and does some sin that’s why Jesus is called the sinless he’s the only person ever beat satan and died so you can be in paradise Jesus is a righteous man when Paul refers to no one is racist he’s talking about us even himself and obviously God is righteous considering he’s literally called holy divine and righteous
Would it have been that hard for there to have been a "save God alone"? It's kind of an important concept. This is the place we are to learn God's words...
@@123mneil
If you're looking for clarification there's lots of passages on the goodness of God and depravity of man, for instance, the several psalms Paul's referencing. Paul is writing God inspired philosophy. If you read the context you'll see he's talking about people both Jew and gentile. God is neither Jew nor Gentile, as he pre exists people.
This is a pretty easy concept.
Mike is completely missing the point about the one less god argument. Mike knows what it is like to be an atheist with respect to Thor or not lose sleep fearing going to Islamic hell. That’s how atheists feel about your religion as well.
Well we're both bachelors with respect to Scarlett Johansen, so thats how everyone feels about your wife.
So like... what does that tell you? That you shouldn't have a wife? Like what- whats the point being made here, and how are you helping it?
You handled this topic very well. Good job Mike
Thank you for this video, Pastor Mike. I was actually dealing with an acquaintance that recently threw out the Epicurus argument. This person also, like you said, loves to boast in hopelessness and trounces on God. I appreciate your insight not so I can go and use this against this person; but, so I can be better informed.
I realized that I have been attending a book club, speaking on the book but never understood the book. This is how I felt and I believe that’s what atheist do too.
These atheists were once my heroes. They were because I came from a distant, troubled relationship with God where I understood nothing about him, to atheism. And that's where I stayed for 15 years. Only now, as a new Christian, do I realize how simple these atheist questions are.
Which are the simplest? The worst? The best?
Always love your videos, no matter how long they are! They have never been a waste of time yet!
Your videos are boring as hell!!!
“Atheism is instinctual “ 😂 if that’s the case , then why have the vast majority of societies, across the world and throughout time, had some form of religious belief? History indicates that belief is a part of human instinct, not the opposite.
Lol I know, right?
Say it louder for the people in the back!!
I'm interested in the evidence that 'belief is a part of human instinct'. What do you mean by 'belief'. Is it instinctive for a child born in Saudi Arabia to believe in Allah? Societies have developed supernatural explanation for things they cannot explain. The extent to which this is necessary has reduced significantly over centuries as science and understanding has developed. This does not make religions false - just that they are not not needed as an explanation for the world around us. It all works without god - but you can insert one if you like.
religion is made when people did not have an answer for natural occurring phenomenons, now that we have science, religion just seems to be a dumbass belief
What ideas does a newborn have about a god or religion when it's born??? I'll wait.
AS Christian, I care very much that my fellow humans end up in heaven with me, therefore I will try to introduce them to Christ. Same for many other religions, they want the post-earth-living benefits for their friends etc.
Why do Atheists care so much to disprove God to me? Why would they care whether I believe or not?
Each atheist has his reasons. Here's my question, what should I do if I have no desire to live forever?
Because a belief in a God comes with a lot of baggage attached. One good reason is voting on policy in this country.
If Muslims ever find themselves in the majority here we would have common goals to convert or deconvert as many as we could to try to discourage the implementation of sharia law as a national or state law.
The new independent fundamental Baptists have stated unapologetically that if they ever gain a political foothold that they will institute the death penalty for homosexuality according to OT laws. If they're being consistent, then probably the death penalty for adultery too. Which I am not in favor of.
@Caleb Ford then send me to hell.
@Lon Spector I have no desire to die anytime soon. You are right. My husband does need me. It is quite unlikely that he could deal with my death. I knew what I was getting into when we started dating. I did not know how heavy the weight would be.
@Lon Spector I hate the new policy the hospitals put in place. When he went in to get his annual scan I was not able to go with him.
Thank you so much for this video. Praise God for the hope we have in Him! No other worldview compares. Your ministry is such a blessing, Mike!!! God bless you!
The 4-year old voice caught me off guard. 🤣
Thank you so much for refuting these arguments which seem impossible to engage with. My brain gets so tired when dealing with atheists - not because their claims are good, but because I do not even know where to start with refuting them in an eloquent and **patient** way.
They frustrate me because it seems that, with all their "critical thinking" and "logical arguments", they don't actually *want* any answers.
I really feel this comment.
As a nonbeliever I will say that I think the title here is pretty misleading. These are certainly not the best arguments for atheism, and some of them are pretty weak or ill-worded.
I appreciate that Winger did add a disclaimer that this article would be low hanging fruit, but if it helps to any theists reading, I'll extend that warning and say: please do not assume that these are the only, the best, and/or the most comprehensive arguments that support atheism, especially if you are intending to use this video in any form of communication with a non theist. Thank you
First time I've seen your videos. Instant subscriber! You do a fantastic job of laying out arguments, refuting them and are very kind and loving in the process.
The one thing I keep coming back to is the necessity of proof. You can spend your entire life trying to refute the existence of God. You can look at evidence and say it insufficient, you can look at people's personal experience and brand them as fanciful or lunacy. On the other hand if God reveals himself to you and you have the personal experience (which I would argue is necessity to truly being a Christian and being born again and baptized by the holy spirit), then you have a definitive answer for yourself. You might struggle with doubts but you can solidify your belief over time with more experience of God. Eventually you come to a point when you can truly no longer deny the plethora of experience of God you have. But atheism is built on total rejection and debunking. You change the standard of what convinces you. You look the other way at compelling evidence and dismiss the experience of others summarily by categorizing their mental state. It's a lifelong pursuit and it will never fully satisfy your claim. Or if you want to be coy you can simply always say you reject rather than it is a belief. Either way it is a pursuit of eternal dismissal and no real truth about Gods existence. You will never fully be able to disprove God. One path leads to truth you can count on. The other requires eternal work to discredit and reject. Your work is never done. There is no rest. Nietzsche went mad in the end. Was it his maddening path of denial that ultimately sealed his fate?
My life as well as that of others may be anecdotal but, powerful nonetheless. I always thought I knew what Christians meant by saying "born again". Until the Holy Spirit changed my heart, desires and life radically from loving sin and the world to loving God, His Son, His Word and righteousness. Now I understand... and until it happens to you, I don't believe you can conceive of what the Holy Spirit changing your heart is or feels like. Jesus saved the life He gave me for His own glory. Praise God for the teachers and preachers who never give up on the world!! If the Lord can find me He can find anyone. Thank God for you Mike and praise God for the passion, dedication and patience He has gifted you through His Spirit! Much love to you all in Yeshua, our saviour Jesus Christ!
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the parable of the farmer applies extremely well to epicurus' argument. Jesus says that the farmer finds that someone has planted weeds in his crop fields. His workers ask if they should dig them up, but the farmer says he did not want them to dig up the crops because it will uproot the harvest as well, and that he wants to wait until harvest to separate them out. This, the way I see it, is a fantastic explanation for the existence of evil. If God ended all evil today, many would be lost to the flames of hell that may have turned from their sins. God says that he desires none to perish, but that all should come to him and be saved.
34:32 If atheism is natural then how come every tribe, people group, especially those that are in the wild with no TV and no communication with the outside world all seem to believe in a higher power, great spirit, or God?
Because of our developed quest for knowledge. All knowledge is based upon an initial observation. This observation leads to questions for which some civilization have'nt the technical tools or stored knowledge sets (science) of which to provide informed answers. The explanation of spirits, gods, and fate seem to be the only kind if answer from which to begin the journey of better informed answers which eventually replace those answers exemplifying mythologies.
Because humans have always tried to make sense of the world around us, in spite of the lack of evidence in our theories. People believed in many things in the past that has now been debunked. Next.
Thinking about the Epicurus argument: we need to remember that God is perfectly just and for him to “put a stop to all evil” is to put a stop to all of us. “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:11. We seem to feel like God should do something about the rapists, murderous, the greedy. But what about the liars? The lustful? The covetous? We are ALL guilty of sin. So is God evil for letting us live and carry out our evil desires? No. He instead gives us Grace and the opportunity to repent. As evildoers who deserve judgement and eternal punishment, we are forgiven only because we are loved. For this God is so GOOD. There will be a time when this grace expires and evil is punished, so let’s be thankful to God for the grace and forgiveness we were given. In Jesus name.
Maybe your all-knowing god should of not made "rapists, murderous, the greedy," to quote you. Also under your worldview your god causes all actions, he is as responsible for all acts committed as those whom commit the acts themselves. If one bad deed sends me to hell the same should hold true to him, if he were "just."
@@ryanb2576 If you believe that my worldview is that “God causes all actions” than you don’t understand my worldview or the worldview of most Christian’s. The reason there is rapists, murderers, and the like is because God gave us free will and free will with conditions isn’t actually free will. We are the cause of our own actions and they are very frequently not the actions God would want us to make. Thankfully, He often finds ways to make good out of our evil and is graceful to us for our sinful decisions. He gives us opportunities to right our wrongs and make better decisions in the future. God hates sin, and every person chooses sin every day “in thought, word, and deed. By what we have done and by what we have left undone”. Not only are we given grace we have been atoned for by God himself. God loves you so much that He gave up His glory and suffered a very painful death for your salvation. He could have just said “Ryan is evil and deserving of eternal punishment, so let it be” which would would be true, it’s true for me too. But instead he said “Ryan is evil and deserving of eternal punishment but I want to see him washed of all sinfulness, of all pain, of all suffering. I will die in his place and all that he has to do is turn away from his sinful desires and choose my forgiveness”. This is another aspect of our free will. We don’t have to follow God if we don’t want to, we have every right to turn away from him and live out our sinful desires. He won’t force you. But he wants you to choose his salvation. And you don’t have to be perfect or fill any sort of quota to receive this salvation, you simply just have to believe. We will continue to sin as Christian’s, even though we try not to, and yet we are forgiven every day when we don’t deserve it.
@@bridgeeeena5798 Let's ignore that fact you claim your god creates people inherently "sinful." If I were to shoot a person with a gun is it the gun's fault? I only pulled the trigger, somehow a bullet he the other guy. Thus, an all-powerful, all-knowing creator god inherently determins all outcomes.
@@ryanb2576 I didn’t claim that God creates people inherently sinful, that’s not a part of christian worldview either. God created us in His image, but again He gave us free will because forced obedience isn’t actually obedience. Our sinfulness comes from Adam and Eve as they committed the first sin and sinfulness passes through us like a hereditary disease. So because of our bloodline we were born sinful into a sinful world, but we were created non-sinful in a perfect world. Born and created may seem similar in wording but have major theological differences. And with your second thought on the gun thing, I agree with you. If I shoot someone it’s not the guns fault it’s mine, however it’s not a fair comparison to what I am trying to convey because a gun is an inanimate object. It would be a better likeness to say if a bitter person hires a hit man to kill someone is it the fault of the bitter person or of the hit man? Well in such a case it is both of their fault because they both have the morality to know it was wrong and shouldn’t have happened. However, God doesn’t fit the “bitter person” in this scenario because He always encourages us not to sin and never sins Himself. Yes He knows the sinful decisions we will make before we make them but that doesn’t mean He makes us sin. Again coming back to conditional free will and forced obedience. We aren’t puppets that God controls, we make our own decisions and perform our own actions. We are unique individuals and He loves that about us, but He acknowledges that it comes alongside our sinful condition. So we receive grace until the time comes for justice.
@@bridgeeeena5798 I'm sorry their were three people that weren't born sinful. I have never heard of humans existing prior to their birth, are you saying that humans are perfectly good while in the womb? Are you saying that the human body carries the weight of original sin so the soul of a person is pure while the body is tainted? Now the hitman thing, the reason I used an inanimate is because a human is entirely predictable to an all-knowing god thus when your god places a person into this world he is resoncible for both the good and bad that person commits. Additionally, there is biblical evidence of your god forcing people to commit sin "the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart" (Exodus 9) so he even fits your hitman analogy.
Thank you Mike. I have listened to so many hours of your videos and I'm glad you take the time to do them and make them long so you can't fit more info into them. Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put in
Hello. I am an atheist. I define atheism as suspending acknowledgement of the existence of gods until sufficient evidence can be presented. My position is that *_I have no good reason to acknowledge the existence of gods._*
And here is the evidence as to why I currently hold to such a position.
1. I personally have never observed a god.
2. I have never encountered a person whom has claimed to have observed a god.
3. I know of no accounts of persons claiming to have observed a god that were willing or able to demonstrate or verify their observation for authenticity, accuracy, or validity.
4. I have never been presented a valid logical argument which also employed sound premises that lead deductively to a conclusion that a god(s) exists.
5. Of the 46 logical syllogisms I have encountered arguing for the existence of a god(s), I have found all to contain multiple fallacious or unsubstantiated premises.
6. I have never observed a phenomenon in which the existence of a god was a necessary antecedent for the known or probable explanation for the causation of that phenomenon.
7. Several proposed (and generally accepted) explanations for observable phenomena that were previously based on the agency of a god(s), have subsequently been replaced with rational, natural explanations, each substantiated with evidence that excluded the agency of a god(s). I have never encountered _vice versa._
8. I have never experienced the presence of a god through intercession of angels, divine revelation, the miraculous act of divinity, or any occurrence of a supernatural event.
9. Every phenomena that I have ever observed has *_emerged_* from necessary and sufficient antecedents over time without exception. In other words, I have never observed a phenomenon (entity, process, object, event, process, substance, system, or being) that was created _ex nihilo_ - that is instantaneously came into existence by the solitary volition of a deity.
10. All claims of a supernatural or divine nature that I have encountered have either been refuted to my satisfaction, or do not present as falsifiable.
ALL of these facts lead me to the only rational conclusion that concurs with the realities I have been presented - and that is the fact that there is *_no good reason_* for me to acknowledge the existence of a god.
I have heard often that atheism is the denial of the Abrahamic god. But denial is the active rejection of a substantiated fact once credible evidence has been presented. Atheism is simply withholding such acknowledgement until sufficient credible evidence is introduced. *_It is natural, rational, and prudent to be skeptical of unsubstatiated claims, especially extraordinary ones._*
I welcome any cordial response. Peace.
"Of the 46 logical syllogisms I have encountered arguing for the existence of a god(s), I have found all to contain multiple fallacious or unsubstantiated premises."
This claim is clearly mistaken. I think it's more likely that you're not trained in how to analyze an argument and are *assuming* they are fallacious or unsubstantiated based on your preconceived atheistic assumptions.
Stanford encyclopedia of Philosophy defines atheist as the denial of theism. I see no reason to accept the claim that denial is the rejection of a substantiated fact. In fact that makes you delusional since a fact is something that happened in reality and denying reality makes one delusional.
Nice work. Mine is way more simple than yours but i feel just as effective. My mind cannot wrap around any truth from a book so old and overhauled so many times. If God really wants me to believe, he really doesn't communicate with me very well.
@@CP3CP3CP3 i appreciate your time. I've been through church, religious school and would Gladly welcome it to be true. When your hardwired to not believe just because of faith it just doesn't work. Kinda like someone's sexuality .
@@CP3CP3CP3 Please explain how my 'standard' is on the "wrong foot". First, what is my standard? And second, what do you mean by "wrong foot"?
Mike Winger is so intelligent am glad to have him on our side of Christianity
Why? Isn't god on your side? lol
@@paulbolton4929 yes
@@paulbolton4929 He is a good critical thinker, no god is not my side but God is definitely on my side
@@paulbolton4929 God is, but no god is,
We don't need Mike, but he is good, and praise be to God for him,
Wrong interpretation lead to wrong and incorrect and incoherent and incomplete knowledge.
@@niccolopaganini1782 You honestly think capitalizing a letter makes your argument coherent? It seems with over 30,000 denominations of Christianity, that a lot of people could have the wrong interpretation...including you?
Brilliant video my brother. I'm always surprised at just how many atheists strawman or simply misquote Nietzsche.
Liked. Subscribed, finally. Good job, Mike. Thank you. Greetings from Finland.
Serious question: did you just not understand the first argument?
I have a one and half hour commute to work (one way!) so your videos are absolutely perfect my drives. Don’t apologize for the duration, the content should drive your video times. You’re doing such a great job!
Wonderful thank you for the time you spent on it! Well worth it 👍
Q:Why do you reject Thor? A:I don't, the bible talks about him and other gods (though not always by name) all throughout the old testament. Psalms 82 most explicitly. These are the Watchers of Daniel and their children. Dr. Michael Heiser covers this topic extensively in his books: "Unseen Realm" and "Reversing Hermon" Which he refers to as the Deuteronomy 32 worldview. The issue with Thor is not whether there was some supernatural entity who has called itself Thor, it is whether Thor fits the category of the "Most High" or if he fits the category of a lesser created being such as a fallen angel.
I love it. Sounds like something I'd say!
You put out of context Psalm 82
@@davidbermudez7704 how so?
Kalt Warraith
Because that’s not what King David is not talking about it’s actually quoted by Jesus Himself in John 10 for the Pharisees.
It’s a Messianic Prophecy!
@@davidbermudez7704 I know that Jesus quoted it. And it would not make sense for Him to have quoted it when he did unless the verse was talking about other gods. If you take the view that the elohim in psalms 82 are men then Jesus' claim is essentially that he is just a man. And I would assume you do not believe that to be true. He quoted that verse in defense of his divinity.
The one thing I'd add to the first argument would be that many Christians DO believe in little g gods like Thor - we just call them demons and we don't worship them. Many 'gods' from pagan religions are acknowledged as real spiritual powers in the Old Testament, so I have zero issues with the claim that Zeus and Krishna are still "walking around," unlike an atheist. But these spirits have no power against their Creator whom they rebelled against, and so there is nothing to gain from their worship. They have nothing to offer.
Well said, Mike! Every time I thought you exhausted the Christian rebuttals of an argument, you came forward with another one that completely dismantled a pillar of pop-atheism.
I especially liked how you addressed the “problem of evil” from multiple angles. I was reminded of God’s response to Job concerning his suffering. We really shouldn’t expect to always know why God does what he does, especially since he has made it clear time and time again over thousands of years that his intentions are beyond good for us.
are they? if god is all powerful, he didn't need to test job's faith. he already knew what the outcome would be.
@@sincerelyzee521 He didn't need to, but it was to prove a point to Satan. When people say "God is all-loving and Omnipotent, then He wouldn't allow bad things." they forget to include that He is Omniscient. He knows WHY bad things must happen. He doesn't control humanity. He influences them, but God isn't holding you by the puppet strings. Most things are your own choice.
GOD BLESS THIS MAN
The article itself is unfair to Nietzsche. He was, for all his failings, a genius, many many levels above the kinds of atheists who talk about "Extraordinary claims requiring extraordinary evidence".
He understood Christianity pretty well too, and criticized it for promoting love and charity and taking care of the weak - that is he actually had the guts to reject Christian morality and otherwise take atheism to its natural conclusions (Including that logical reasoning is fairly useless on an atheist worldview).
He also described the fall of religion (Which he accurately predicted) as a terrible disaster, and everything he wrote after that was almost self-admittedly a cope with the fact that there is (In his eyes) nothing worth living for.
I was an atheist. I really am not trying to be antagonistic, but I encourage atheists to ask the Lord to soften their heart and for eyes to see Him. God is unshakable. If it is your desire to keep proving he doesn't exist, he'll let you. You have free will. Keep up your videos!
No thanks, humans could convince themselves of anything. Doesn't mean it's true.
What I really want to know is this.
What made the writers of the Holy Scriptures decide to write what they did.
What made them all ,from such a diverse group of people from Royalty to fishermen.
From doctors to tentmakers ect,sit down a write such things that was so much beyond what was believed at that time.
Example:
People at one time,even upto today believed that if the ships that they sailed went too far they would fall off the Earth.
A Earth that was at that time believed to be held up on the backs of four giant Elephants and Turtles.
When all along the Holy Scriptures of God held the truth within it's pages that the Earth is a globe hanging upon nothing at all.
We have only been able to photograph the Earth from Space since the Sixties and with thanks to NASA.
And what the Holy Bible had told us was absolutely right.
How is it that ALL of the books of the Holy Bible written by about FORTY different writers from different lands ALL have the ONE CENTRAL theme running right through them.
That of a forthcoming Saviour and his incoming Kingdom.
There are lots and lots of other examples of what people believed Centuries ago that the Holy Bible had the true answers to that only a Supernatural Being would know.
But I will leave it at that.
It is way beyond any doubts that the Holy Bible is as it says "inspired of God."
It tells of mankind's history that didn't actually happen till decades later.
Which Kingdoms would rule the Earth and when their rule would end
and which one would take over.
From the Roman's onwards.
This is only one of the reasons that I believe there is a God there are many more.
Suffice to say this....
There is ONE TRUE God who wants to show his love and care for you.
And He IS THERE if you want to get to know him.
the more I learn about Dorkins, the harder it is to believe how so many people take him seriously
Lol the amount that this writer misinterpreted Nietzsche’s quote will perhaps never be overstated
Just to add my data point, I am an atheist. Your video actually reconfirmed my stance. It was interesting but as you refuted each point, I found myself squarely in the atheist camp.
Completely agree. I am the same. Isnt it funny how we take what we want from these videos. I would add, I really don't think these are 'the best' arguments in favour of atheism.
I'm a recently out JW(last year.) And now Atheist. Ended up on this channel tonight. Plenty of eye rolls. Ugh.
@@watchandjewelryloft4713 welcome to the fold 🙂. Yep, this guy really doesnt make great points and yet sort of arrogantly points out how bad a lot of atheist thinking is.
@@JP-je6jg I'm watching him debate Matt. This should be interesting. 🤣
@@watchandjewelryloft4713 he name drops hitchens at one point, hitchens would have annihilated him 🤣.
I always find the 'you're all atheists for every other religion' argument a funny one for them. It's easy to argue against it based off the idea that Atheism by definition is a disbelief in God. I always think the best way to make the point is...how do you know you are right? With all these religions, across the entirety of human history, how do you know your particular branch of your particular religion is right?
Not all religious people are only religious because that's how they are raised:
My mom was the first in her family to become a Christian, when she was a teenager. She had never been taught Christianity before that. She eventually convinced her parents and brothers, who all became Christians. Naturally she taught me about Christianity from an early age. Since then I've examined the evidence for Christianity carefully and solidified my beliefs. I would not be a Christian today, had I not been convinced by the evidence.
Bought the Clay Jones book. Very excited to read it. Edit: Not sure if edits get read by you: but this video was truly excellent. Felt like true articulations of arguments I make all the time.
I just got it on audible and have listened to it all evening. It surly has answered many questions. Great explanations on “ there is none good not even one” verse and so may others. It is eye opening.
I think "divine hiddeness" is a good one not on this list.
What argument is that?
@@hi2cole They argue that God’s seeming lack of interaction with Mankind is an argument against His existence. I would recommend InspiringPhilosophy’s video on the subject of Divine Hiddenness.
Devine hiddenmess is only another trick, behind the curtain, with a priest and a little boy. Amen
That is one of a few good arguments for sure
Thank you for your video on this topic! It was an eye opening discussion for me!
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Love this!! So helpful. Thanks brother 🙏🏻❤️👍
Thank you Mike. You are an answer to a lot of prayers from so many people who are trying to figure out how to share truth with skeptics. I may not agree with every single point you make but I really do appreciate the way you research your subject and your exogetical approach to all things scriptural.
Mike isn't sharing truth with skeptics. His audience are believers. Most atheists will be put off by Mike's clips, because they understand how he is not only misrepresenting their reasons for not believing, but he keeps denigrating those who do not share his beliefs. He is doing christian apologetic a disservice.
First, I really like your videos and many things about the way you think and study.
I take issue with the idea of "blind faith" or that faith is just a "choice to trust". As I see it, faith is the "reason to trust". There is always a "why" behind choice. The reason behind why you make a choice to trust is faith. Faith is therefore the "claim to knowledge or understanding". It is your personal reasons to trust something or someone. Without this reason to trust your beliefs, you cannot choose or act. This is also why an attack of your faith is always an attack on the reasons why you believe what you do.
This is also why we are charged to:
"Always be ready to give an answer to anyone that asks you for the reason of the hope that is in you" -Peter
Biblical faith is described as:
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (invisible)." -Author of Hebrews.
I say that faith is therefore the substantive evidence for why we hope or trust. This is why faith is not just the trust or belief in and of themselves and is rather the reasoning behind them. Faith is a free gift leftover from creation, given to all people that leaves them without an excuse on the day of judgment.
"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made (faith from natural law), so that people are without excuse" -Author of Romans.
We are being told that we should be able to use faith (the reasoning and understanding of the evidence) to discover the God of the bible in the natural universe. In some ways faith is the evidence base case we make for our belief in God.
I am still working to figure out many things and don't have all of the answers, this is presented as food for thought.
GREAT DEFINITION... AND WE don't have too UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW...... IM still getting on board that airplane 🛬 . EVEN THOUGH I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW IT FLIES.... BECAUSE... I have good reason too believe...... IT WILL.. .
Personal testimony is some of the most powerful. God has saved my life at least four times that I know of and three of them were for sure supernatural
Nah, Mike! Don't listen to them! You do seem like a genuinely nice person who's annoyed with disingenuous people who try to impose their own, sometimes not properly thought out, atheistic beliefs on others, especially those who don't know any better. Went from being a christian, though not devout and not "having a reason for the hope that lies within me", to an atheist due to these "pop atheists". Luckily I was rational and inquisitive enough to rethink and then pray to God for his holy spirit to guide me to the truth. By the grace of god, I was brought back to christ! Thank the lord for people like you! I genuinely feel they should start teaching arguments for Christianity, and like you said critical thinking and basic philosophy, in Sunday School/bible school. God bless, Pastor Mike!
Delusional
It's good to see someone with passion and of strong learning call those know-it-all atheists out.
Evil is what brought me to consider God. Of course God brought me, but he opened my eyes to evil being an unanswerable conundrum without Him.
I have a real genuine question. I'm a believer but I've struggled thinking this through...
Why did Yah create people that were made for destruction? Whether the individual was born during a time where the gospel did not reach them; or a place where they were culturally brought up to believe in a false god. All those souls are damned. And I would think it better for them if they had never been born to begin with if their whole existence was without a chance of hearing the truth. Please help!!!
Sister:
Ahava v’Shalom (Love and Peace). This is a good question or, potentially, series of questions if all the issues herein are addressed. I came across this by chance and thought it deserves an answer. Of course, if we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, we should deeply care about the state of grace of our neighbors, even those separated from us in time, space, or culture.
First, it does not seem that Yah (blessed be He) made anyone for destruction, as it is written, “‘Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?’ says The Lord GOD, ‘and not that he should turn from his ways and live?’” (Ez 18:23, also, see Ez 33:11, which echoes this point) Also, Saint Paul, writing to the Romans, asks a question about God’s sovereignty when he asks, “if God, wanting to show His wrath and make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction”. (Rom 9:22) Note that Saint Paul is doing a number of things: He is talking about God’s sovereignty in this situation, not making an argument that human beings were made by God for destruction and he is using the passive voice, even though he uses an active voice in verse 23. From this passage, we cannot be dogmatic that God is preparing these vessels for destruction, and, if He was, He would seem to be contradicting what He said about Himself through His messenger Ezekiel.
Second, Saint Paul also talks about those who were in ignorance in Romans 2. Specifically, in verse 7, he says that God will render “eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality.” So, these people, for whom The Master (bbH) died, will be given “eternal life.” Notice that this is not universalism...these people, who through some level of moral understanding and general revelation have believed in The Promise, are saved and receive remission of sin by the same mechanism as do we who believe in The Promise Fulfilled: The shed blood of Jesus (bbH). They are NOT justified by any good works they have done (Rom 3:20-22) any more than are we who know the strong Name of Jesus (bbH). Also, consider the tzadikim (saints) of old. Did they know that The Messiah (bbH) would be some guy named Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth, and, knowing, have Life in His Name? (Jn 20:31) Probably not, but they believed in The Promise, and that seems adequate, at least for Moses and Elijiah, who appeared in glory on the Mount of Transfiguration with Our Lord (bbH). And this is not a change in how The Almighty (bbH) works, as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4b, also quoted by Saint Paul in this context in Romans 1:17) We, through our fortune, have the opportunity to know things that “prophets and righteous men” (Matt 13:17) wanted to know, but did not. We should share those things as we are commissioned. (Matt 28:18-20)
Regarding those worshipping other gods in ignorance, Saint Paul tells us, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked”. (Acts 17:30a) This does not mean that “all roads lead to God” (see above...there is only one way to The Father, bbH), nor is it an excuse for His disciples to be lax in spreading the Gospel. This is evident because Paul continues his discourse by saying that God “now commands all men everywhere to repent because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the work in righteousness by the Man Whom He has ordained.” (Acts 17:30b, 31a)
Finally, all souls, everywhere, at all times, are damned; that is, under condemnation, as it is written, “for all have sinned” and “the wages of sin is death”. (Rom 3:23 and Rom 6:23) However, praise Yah (bbH) for making a way to defeat this condemnation! We can join with the Evangelist and say, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 Jn 3:1)
I hope this helps. Credit where credit is due: William Lane Craig makes a more compact version of the Romans 2 argument in his book “On Guard.” Blessings on you as you consider these things.
All I know is God is the perfect Judge. Who is YAH?
@@joegeorge9869 thank you for taking all that time to bring me those scriptures. I never got the notification that you responded, so im just reading this now 2 years later. I have found some peace in just trusting Yeshua's righteous judgement.
@@dulls8475 Yah is short for Yahuah, it is "Gods" name.
Thank you Mike this is exactly what I was looking for. My son is finally asking questions and I don't always have a full answer for him. I was thinking of getting him to listen to Inspiring Philosophy but I think maybe Michael is a bit to intellectual for him. I have not been able to explain circular reasoning to him. Thank you again.
Mike vs Michael! Haha!
As an atheist, Mike's arguments are dishonest and misrepresent atheism in many ways. If they work for you then all power to you, but if your son has genuine questions, this video will not be enough out in the real world.
Forgiveness. So very important. Good program, Mike. God has given you such wisdom, insight, and understanding. I appreciate your work and how you stay right on track with Scripture. God bless.
I have tried very hard to continue to believe but it’s so incredibly difficult when you learn that entire bible is based on earlier Myth stories. Even down to the 10 commandments that are so obviously based on the the code of Hammurabi. I just don’t get how God/Yahweh is such a cruel God…. As a mother I could not keep making excuses for a God that only cares about some of his “children”. It is just too ludicrous, it is most definitely not agape love. I’m still processing this but have yet to find anyone that can convince me to see Him as our actual Heavenly Father.
“Religions is desperation” =
“You know how I know you’re wrong? Because you’re desperately denying that I’m right!” 🧠
I'm an atheist and I dont desperately deny anything. I calmly and reasonably present arguments.
@sean pick
I don’t think he was accusing atheists of desperation; he was pointing out that when people say that “religion is desperation” as an argument, it is bulveristic question-begging.
Edit: see 50:35
This video was encouraging to me. Thank you.
'biological design shows evidence for a creator'. The term 'biological design' is already a conclusion. To follow it with 'shows evidence for a creator' is redundant.
Biology is the study of living things in the natural world. The term 'biological design' is not a scientific term and not used by Biologists.
I’m new to your channel (loving it btw so thanks!) Can you recommend some books on apologetics?
Tactics by Greg Koukl
@jennifergeorge7280
Books by Frank Turek, Josh and Sean Mcdowell, J Warner Wallace, Gary Habermas
"MINDS" Rendered SENSELESS & USELESS & Professing To Be Wise THEY Became FOOLS - ROMANS 1:18-32 🔥🤗🔥
It's so true, how people suppress the
truth
Do you people never tire of reciting that ridiculous and irrelevant quote?
@@colinmatts You people have your own mantras...
@@dulls8475 I don't have mantras
@@colinmatts good for you.
The Problem of Evil - Time Stamps:
Multiple Theodicies-a cumulative approach: 1:05:48
1. 1:07:35 Soul Building Theodicy
2. 1:08:53 Free Will Theodicy
3. 1:09:40 Natural Law Theodicy
4. 1:11:00 Skeptical Theism
Clay Jones (book): Why Does God Allow Evil?
Really growing to enjoy your work Mike. I love the personality and effort you put in. Dawkins is a philosophical failure - and in fact, reading TGD started my journey back to Christ.
FYI: Link for the argument from Beauty appears to link to the same video as the Kalam link. (Mike and Braxton)
I think I fixed it. Thank you
8:03 So you don't understand the argument after all. If you don't believe in Zeus, you ARE an atheist with regards to Zeus... Dawkins is NOT trying to say that "therefore you are no different than an atheist with respect to the god of the bible". This is not even an argument for atheism. This is just an illustration to show believers that being an atheist is not scandalous as many believers think because they are atheists too, it's just that they are atheists with regards to other gods.
If you don’t eat horse meat you are a vegetarian “with regards to” horse meat. The point of the claim “we’re all atheists” doesn’t mean anything if that’s the reasoning behind it.
Cool, you can in your logic call christians “atheists” now... but we’re still christian. Next question please.
You know... In my testimony I would tell you that I found atheism to be very UNNATURAL and the reality the God exists to be very NATURAL.
The burden of proof is on the person making the claim, and in this example it is the christian. The atheist is not making a claim that god does not exist. All the atheist is saying is that he doesn't accept the christian's claim.
What the atheist is truly saying is that he doesn't accept the evidence around him.
I'm a Christian, and I don't believe that the burden of proof is on me to prove God's existence. Even the bible doesn't seek to prove that God exists, but rather starts out with the words, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" on the premise that His existence is already self evident.
The bible says that God has revealed Himself to us in such a way that we are without excuse; it says:
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 (Romans 1:18-21).
Therefore God has given undeniable proof of Himself throughout your whole life, so that you are without excuse if you deny Him! Yes, a person can suppress the truth and become hardened to it, but he will have to stand before God for that choice. Put it this way, if you say the evidence isn't enough NOW, don't worry, it will be an overwhelming reality when you die. But that is not a mistake you want to leave until it's too late and your fate becomes irreversible.
If you believe in Jesus Christ (John 8:24; Mark 16:16), then repent of your sins before God (Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30), and are willing to confess Christ and be baptized (immersion) in His name for the forgiveness of your sins; you will be saved(Matthew 10:32-33; Acts 2:36-38, Acts 8:35-39) providing of course, you die faithful in the Lord ( Matthew 10:32-33; 2 Timothy 2:12; Matthew 25:21).
"Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24).
Kind regards,
Aidan
@@aidanmcmanus2752 No. That is not what I, an atheist, am saying. I am stating clearly that I am not convinced of the claim that a god exists for I have not been presented evidence that would justify my acknowledgement of such existence. It is natural, rational, and prudent to be skeptical of unsubstantiated claims, especially extraordinary ones. Wouldn't you agree?
@@aidanmcmanus2752 If I make the outlandish claim that fairies exist, the burden of proof would be on me. It would be ridiculous to expect someone else to have to disprove someone else's claim. That is one of the fundamental premises of any reasonable and logical discussion.
I don't dispute that you can look at the world and formulate your own ideas how it must have come about. But I can list 1000s of equally plausible ways the world came about that do not involve a christian god. For example, the UFO cult - raelians believe that aliens were responsible for creating life on earth. The vikings believed that odin and his brothers created the world.
Why discount these in favor of yours? Using your own holy book as proof is akin to me writing a book about a magical seahorse and using that story as proof that he created the world.
Cheers, and thanks for your reply.
@@theoskeptomai2535 But you have been presented evidence by God Himself. "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse" (Romans 1:20). He has clearly made it evident to you; but you have suppressed it, and still do. How much have you looked?
@@aidanmcmanus2752 What was the evidence I was supposedly presented? When was this evidence supposedly presented to me?
These are two straightforward questions. I look forward to the excuses you will provide for not answering them directly.
One thing I almost never see addressed is the assumption that suffering is never merited and undeserved.
As Christians we are told ..... blessing or curses ..... which will you choose ....choose life ! Even Christians reap what they sow !
You did an Excellent job, especially when you talked about Epicurus. Thanks so much! A lot of it made me laugh, you have a humble and honest sense of humor.
When an atheist friend asked me, give me an evidence, ....I always said, I have peace that surpasses all understanding down in my heart! Because I asked the lord, and believed!
Beautifully said
Atheists can have peace too
That is beautifully said. And, that is what I say also and I feel so deeply for people who rely on their own principles and morality. I was there once and there is no comparison.
The evidence is all around. The creation is a great evidence.
@@aaronarhelm9113 I've never met a peaceful atheist when it comes to God.
I am in full agreement with you Mike. Have you considered speaking with Jordan Peterson?
Hi Mike, I for one would like to hear your testimony of how you became a Christian
Dishes do talk. Just watch animated Beauty and the Beast. He called it whoooa.. lol jk keep up the awesome work Mike!
😂😂😂😂😂
Good morning Mike, I stumbled on your posting, though I subscribed to your blog but had not been following. I stayed glued to and even saved today's posting on the best arguments of atheists. I was blessed by your views. One thing I will point out to Christians is that sincerity in the faith is rewarded with amazing revelations that we will always hold onto during stormy times. But hypocrisy or stunted christianity does not offer any anchor in turbulent times. It was not in vain we are instructed to study to make ourselves approved.
It amazes me that people will accept views expressed by others in various aspects of human existence in ancient times, but not those on worship of God, no matter how convincing. Think of the prophecies that went forth before the coming of Jesus Christ and their well documented fulfilment, which atheists resist and reject with all their beings.
43:29 "What kind of evidence would you expect to find if it was true?"
That sounds like assuming a conclusion, then looking for evidence that leads to that conclusion. Aren't we supposed to let the evidence lead us to a conclusion rather than vice versa?
There is such a thing as a hypothesis, believing something and then trying to prove it
@@logan3741 You don't 'prove' a hypothesis, you 'test' it, which includes trying to prove the opposite of what you believe.