A few years ago, I was at just the right place where I was questioning my Christian beliefs. I saw this video and I pretty much was instantly an atheist. This is the perfect video. Thank you.
+Theoretical Bullshit You've played a major role in the reconsideration of my Catholic beliefs. Some nights I would research theology topics because I wanted to learn about the philosophy behind my religion. I've found the usual theologians like William Lane Craig amongst others. However, I found some of your videos, ASSUMING you were defending Christianity. My cognitive dissonance was THICK while listening to you and it, at that time, strengthened my well evolved confirmation bias. Now that I've listened to you and others, I'm a confirmed atheist using my college animation skills and my "radio voice" to support the atheist community and scientific literacy on my RU-vid channel. Give it a gander if you'd like.
I watched this in January as a Christian. This is the single video that kicked off my inner questioning of my values & faith. After much "soul" searching, I now consider myself a militant anti-theist. This one video sparked an insatiable search for truth. This video caused me to educate myself in a vast array of topics, fact checking, scripture reading, and ultimately deciding, everything I thought I knew, was a load of bullshit. Thank you for this video, it means a lot to me. A true eye opener.
Melissa Xo Search for the channels TheJinnAndTonicShow, Klingschor, TheRationalizer, and StopSpamming1. All these channels challenge Islam. Also study Islam for yourself.
I was a gung ho Christian (I have the tattoos to prove it). Life happened. Prayers for healing weren't answered for people close to me (we fasted, begged, group prayers, special services, etc). That caused me to look closely into my faith. The three main questions that I cannot make sense of. #1 If the Bible is the word of God, why wouldn't God preserve it? Like in some place and in some manner that would make it clear that this info came from God? Literally the most important information ever in the history of the world and it wasn't supernaturally protected. #2 If God wishes that none shall perish than why make faith so arbitrary (you have to be lucky enough to be born in the right family or start dating the right person or be born in the right place, etc)?. Just doesn't make sense to me. God could take 30 seconds to appear to each of us in an undeniable way and then people will have the free will to accept or not accept His ways. #3 If the Bible is the word of God why all the contradictions and promises (for miracles for instance) that aren't true? If they were for a specific time period why not mention that? I've heard so many testimonies of answered prayers but there always stuff that kind of happens anyway (so and so recovered from cancer or a heart attack or got a new job or narrowly avoided a car accident, etc.). You never hear about how a young man returned from Iraq with missing limbs or burnt skin and went to his church where he was prayed over and healed. Why not? It's right in the scripture. My Christian friends tell me there's a mystery to it. God's ways are not our ways. That's why it's called faith. Etc. But come on, it kind of needs to make sense to be believed right?
openyoureyes Why only you? Why not everybody? If god wants to be believed in and worshipped, then where is he? Why does he have the rest of us rely on archaic texts from the Bronze Age instead? Such arrogance to genuinely believe that you are some “chosen one” instead of accepting the much more likely possibility that you may have been dreaming, hallucinating, or mistaken. Try Occam’s Razor once in a while, will ya?
"there's a mystery to it" is just a way to make a claim un-falsify-able... _nothing_ could definitively show that the hypothesis of god's existence is false, when _anything_ can be interpreted as god being "mysterious". Beware this trap. It creates what some call "not even wrong"...
@@openyoureyes4799 How do you know it was "god.? Did he impart to you what is his best representation? How come he doesn't do the same for the rest of us?
Brilliant! Never underestimate the allure of a thought-provoking argument of civil nature, intelligent humor, and an impressive vocabulary...compared to the monosyllabic drivel the general populous is inundated with on the daily.
YES. These are my thoughts exactly when Christians try to debate me. I might start showing them this video every time now because you explain it so much better than I do. Of course, actually listening and considering would require an open mind and logical thinking which, you know, doesn't seem to be all too common.
You and I need to make a really cool, professional (maybe with some animation?) video of this list. It's truly fantastic!!! You do some great work here. Thanks for all the effort you put into it. This is valuable, thought-provoking stuff.
OMG, how have I not been aware of this channel until now?!? Your arguments are sound AND your tone is reasonable and thoughtful. This is a wonderful combination. Thank you! I'm going to become a supporter as soon as I finish listening to this video.
I often wonder how many theist actually listen to and understand the whole of the video as presented. Or does the mental dissonance kick in and force them to start yelling at the screen?
Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! And you can tell from the number and temperature of the negative reactions, that you have hit the nerve that makes them jump the highest. I know the Christian bible, the Christian message and the Christian delusion very, very well; from the inside the box. Starting with my indoctrination as a child through my decades of self-imposed devotional study as an adult and finally culminating in my thorough dissection of the entire enterprise in search of the truth. It took me until age 46 to understand the true nature of the Christian belief system and the mechanisms of it's proponents. But even at my current age of 52, I could never state those truths so succinctly and deliver them so powerfully, as you do in this video. Your writing talent and presentation skills are surpassed only by your ability to think critically. And I'm envious! :o)
ThePharphis Interestingly, even professional Christian apologists admit there are logical inconsistencies. Psalm 137:9 says, "Happy is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks," which runs contrary to Jesus' central message of loving your enemies. William Lane Craig argues these types of passages are a human authors personal emotions and opinions. The excuse is that it's not the word of a god, instead it's human authors saying contradictory things.
A short time after realizing I was atheist, I came across your video. If there were any lingering questions, your well thought and articulate exposition put all to rest. I’m pretty sure I slept a little better. Anyway just wanted to say “thanks” and “well done!”
I was a Christian for 40+ years, i left a couple months ago after having a crisis of faith, asking myself what actual reasons I had to believe. I just this video just now and it affirmed everything I have been expressing to myself lately. What a video.
Cold, cutting, and accurate. This video really highlights how stupid some religions are, like...all the Abrahamic ones. (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, all three come from Abraham)
This video encompasses just about every major issue I've had with Christian dogma that tends to come up in "debates" (I use that word with a full knowledge that most such exchanges rarely end up following the form of a proper, classic debate). Moreover, it does so in a way that I would struggle to accomplish. Well done, sir. This is the sort of thoughtfulness that we need to encourage.
Well done. And strikingly good looking too. You can sway a thousand men by appealing to their prejudices quicker than you can convince one man by appealing to his logic. -Robert A. Heinlein
Just found this, nigh on 11 years after it was uploaded, and... friggin' amazing. I know you're largely on to other stuff now, so I'll just say: I'm glad you've left the archives around. I hope you add to them now and then, when you feel inspired to do so. :)
still a very good video. I like to come back to this time to time just to hear your overall points with very nice editing and quick subject to subject.
Speaking of false generalizations... "I do find it intriguing how those who deny God's existence, spend so much time trying to demonstrate it." Takes one to know one - even if you missed my point the first time.
Enjoyed this thoroughly. I catch glimpses of Hitch while listening to your cohesive, logical reasoning & direct yet witty manner of speaking. Brilliantly executed👏
I saw this video early in my Christian life. It left a dent in me for a long time that eventually lead to my painful deconversion. Thank you for every second of it.
Hi, where can I contact you ? I'm just going to debunk this video: 1. I don't even know if that is an argument or not? 2. Yes God created the being Lucifer, when we talk about God's knowledge, we talk about Molinism. In other words, there is natural knowledge this means that God knows every single possible way how future could have happened but then God also has middle knowledge which means that God knows every single possible way with free will. So in the case of Lucifer, we don't know, perhaps God needed to create lucifer to create us? or perhaps God didn't know that Lucifer would choose to be evil. 3. YES HELL EXIST, because people choose to not be with God. 4. not sure if this is an argument, but he is talking about command theory. I recommend you watch this debate between two philosophers, 5. not sure where got this information from, he need to back it up 6. God did not design a physical universe, everything is mental. Idealism baby
I absolutely LOVE this! A tour de force!! I wish I had a transcript, so I could savor every point. Would you be able to post as link to a transcript? In any case, WOW!!
I know this is years later, and you are not really making RU-vid videos anymore. I just wanted to thank you for this video. I stumbled across it a couple years ago and it really opened my eyes. The video really helped me move to Atheism.
I'm not an atheist...in fact, I was raised a Christian. But you've hit my beliefs head on. I am so tired of people claiming to be loving Christians think they know everything without compromise. And I hate how those who claim to be Christians hide behind God to justify their hatred and stupidity.
Melinda Kinnaird I agree, we “followers of CHRIST” ought not try to imply we are perfect or any better because we are not. We are merely forgiven and, hopefully, repentant but we are far from perfect and we still make the same mistakes as the rest of mankind. The ONLY difference is we have accepted the gift of forgiveness made possible by HIS sacrifice not by ANYTHING we did or do! Otherwise it wouldn’t be a gift now would it?
Until I can gain any evidence on these claims being within the bible (I haven't read the bible and I prefer not to read it off the internet as it could be tampered to just make someone like myself think that's how it goes. Best to get a proper copy, maybe borrow one off an actual Christian so that they can't say I'm reading a false one) or any other holy documentation, this video shall be one of my favourites. Also on a funny note, I was a Christian once but a rather curious one; two preachers (I believe) came by my living space and I as the curious type asked them about how earth became populated. I mean, I never heard of the children of Adam and Eve ever being Female, I also had the belief that incest may not work all too well for the continuation of our species since the flood. It was funny that they didn't really seem to understand how to answer the Question, I'm also concerned that I may have accidentally offended them by asking such questions.
ronaldov09 Ah, but I know of the stories of Noah's Arc, Jesus' ride upon a donkey, his death and Resurrection and how God is apparently perfect. Upon looking at this world I conclude that God is not so good as they would have us believe.
Really interesting observation and commentary there Scott. You are extremely intelligent and significantly articulate and I am so impressed with the in-depth knowledge and research at the foundation of your sharing. I happen to have a relationship with this "Being" you have here on trial ;-) and would for just a moment wish you life in my world with "Him". The view from where I happen to be standing is vivid, peaceful and although a difference in proximity to yours, you, my friend are an intricate part of a plan that will soon be made clear. You are right where you were meant to be from the start. Keep searching and sharing and remain teachable.
How can you claim to have a relationship with something never proven to exist? That's like me saying I have a relationship with Peter Pan or Harry Potter.
Jw's speak like this lady. Its deep indoctrination. The mere fact that she's commenting on here, is a great sign!! She's open to actual-factual ideas.. Cold hard facts. If she'll take her own advice & KEEP SEARCHING... I'd say, she's got a good chance!! Try anything from Richard Carrier- debunking Christianity w/ science.. That's a great starter. And research just how many "gods" have the same darn story that jesus does... Down to the letter& all of them were ages before jesus was ever thought up.. Then, read The Cross & the Magic Mushroom. Great read, there's literally mountains of evidence. Peer-reviewed, published facts- all debunking Christianity (&the other two, as well) Get woke🎯💪😊🔬
lewis72 What an asinine comment. I can criticize a video I disagree with. What does being "forced to watch" it have anything to do with my right to express my opinion on it? Ever read any atheist comments on Christian videos?
All you've said is you disagree, without reason, without any real substance. You can explain WHY you think it's a strawman argument for starters. None of this didn't come directly from christian scripture or doctrine. I challenge you to demonstrate otherwise, or render your assertion of a strawman argument unfounded. Go on, validate your statement and take responsibility for your words.
Nikki Seven Solos I'm under no obligation to substantiate anything and you're free to disregard my opinion for that reason in turn. This is a comment on RU-vid, not a submission to a peer-reviewed journal. I can type what I want. Chances are, at any given time I'm facing at least one or two other dissenters from some other comment I've made. If I answered every single one, that number could possibly be ten or more. I do enjoy piddling around on this site, but I've got to pick my battles or I wouldn't have a life. Generally, I like to answer interesting objections or something likely to get me researching a new topic. If it isn't patently obvious to you that TB has presented many silly caricatures of the Christian God, then really, we'd only be wasting each others time in a debate. Have a good day.
Love all mankind.... Check! DO make yourself available and able to be found VERY easily... Check! Provide a way for EVERYONE to be forgiven and be saved... Check! Be graceful and understanding of all..even though they despise you as creator.... Check! Provide health and take care of creation to sustain life 24/7, even though your creation don't believe in you... Check! Keep on providing and take care of everything and provide ample time for everyone to find you and get to know you and be in a living relationship with you.... Check! Be sad about every lost soul who did not seek you and lived in your grace with no care or gratitude ... Check! You mist a few checks Scotty!
Love all mankind? What about the malnutrition and aids in Africa? Available and easy to find? Where? Take care and sustain life? What about the tsunami and all the tornadoes to name only a few? Be sad about lost souls?? So god is sad and would choose to remain that way even though he has another choice? Nope. You've posted nothing but baseless, emotional garbage. Wishful thinking because of fear of death does not make it true. Try reading your buy bull sometime. It's self-contradictory and downright nasty.
take care of creation. Until you flood them and order the death of them multiple times. Take care of everything, don't put warnings in the bible about genocide or over hunting of animals, do have animal sacrifice, don't put in human or animal rights. Be sad about every lost soul who did not seek you out, don't be sad about Native Australians, Americans who couldn't have possibly heard the bible while it made its run through Africa and Greece, kill them anyway. Check. Be graceful and understanding of all... Except in Judges where you order armies upon armies to slaughter each other. Dude, hate to say it. God, if he is real, and he isn't, is a tyrant.
@ richwfd2002, All of the things you mention here regarding famine and disasters etc, are all due to us. Hope you are not shocked to hear that the bad things that you are noting here are actually giving reason and purpose to the existence of God. It must really sting that there is no irrefutable fact to deny the existence of God, and in fact the more you dig into it, the more you will find proof of it. I believe God exist and in Jesus Christ. Facts that have been really scrutinised about the existence of the Son of God can not be swept away. Jesus was real. Not only can the existence of God be proven, denying the proof undermines rational thought. I am not getting into a persuasion that God exists and that what I said is true. Scot here has made some claims here that I don't agree with. If you guys want to persue this deeper with me, feel free to do so on one on one with me. We dont have to write on Scot's page, write on mine. I'll happily defend my statements.
How do you know for sure?? In fact why did you even bother to make this statement to me? The very fact that you are making this denial about God, is that you can convince yourself God does not exist. I am telling you that God is real. It can and is proven and any person who denies that, denies himself his own ability to think rationally.
The video made me laugh but i still think a lot of Atheists can be such irritating, arrogant know it all's. I'm on the fence at the moment, I'm not on anyone's team, i have an open mind on the subject. Nobody really knows the truth so why pretend you do? And why feel the need to ridicule someone's beliefs? Why feel the need to try to get people to believe in what you believe? Atheists can be just as bad as some Christians in that regard. For the record when i read the Bible i thought the Adam and Eve story was obviously metaphorical..
If you ever want to bounce some questions off me to get the Christian perspective, it'd be my pleasure to here listen do my best to answer. I think the theism/atheism question is important and has some pretty big ramifications for how we live our lives.. Hope you give it more consideration. Best to you.
Regardless of what is true, there has to be some integrity your beliefs. I find that, even if it is proven to me that a god exists, I can't follow him or praise him. If my life is to be mine, I have to stand firmly by my actions and my beliefs. So, if I believe that it is the quality and integrity of a person's life that counts, I have to stand by that and not act like it ultimately matters to have a certain label put over you. However, if you are to be a Christian, do so because you are willing, not because you see it as a requirement for some price. If god is love, then the rules of love shall be applied. That means, loving yourself and others for who they are not for who you want them to be.
Captain Crunch Owns Count Chocula Which of the many sects of Christianity are you, and which of the rest do you think are all going to burn in hell, and why?
Xyander I don't have a sect. I believe in Jesus and try to follow his teachings. I'll defer to God's judgment in separating the sheep from the goats in due time.
And another irritating thing about this is that you all pride yourselves on such reason and logical intelligence and yet judging by the arguments like this, that i see all over the place.. You actually base your Atheistic beliefs on the Bible. You read it and decide what a lot of rubbish, i don't agree with this book and so you conclude that there is no God? I find that supremely illogical, it's like for example someone reads some governmental policies say, they disagree with what they read there and so decide that the government doesn't exist.. lol really.. Why not just accept that you don't know shit and get over it already.
lol, shhh. dont tell atheists that if they are right, our thoughts are literally the determined static of the universe. They enjoy living in their "we are only guided by the evidence" fantasy, lol. They think you can judge other worldviews from a vacuum, lol.
I didn't mean to sound like i was judging every Atheist. By "you all" i meant the comments i was reading as well as the video. Personally i don't really care what anyone believes, as long they're not hurting anyone else, everyone should have the freedom to choose. It's not like i go around making it my life purpose to ridicule Atheists and make videos about it, i was just stating my thoughts on the video is all. I have been seeing Atheists going around saying that a lot though. I just think the Christian bashing all the time is uncalled for, what's the point? I was pointing out the same could be said about you guys in this case. Maybe you all got your ideas from Ricky Gervais and base your beliefs on a comic sketch i don't know;)
I think the best counter-argument to "God's plan" is laid out by DarkMatter2525. Christians use God's plan as a justification for contemporary evil by saying that evil is part of God's plan and is therefore needed to achieve his benevolent goals. However, even the Bible itself states that the vast majority of humans who will ever live will go to hell, which means the ultimate end result of God's plan will still lead to evil that far outweighs the good.
Hey, this is the first time I came across this video and I must say that his vantage point was unique and refreshing. His understanding of Christian history is accurate and I enjoyed his take on ridiculous nature of the Judeo-Christian deity...trinity...thingy. Cheers.
Great video! Articulated, funny and thought provoking. I hope this hits home with people sitting on the fence. I find that when there's no god to restrict how I'm allowed to think or perceive the world, my mind is truly free to analyse and wonder. I think people who have spent their lives clinging to an idealogical belief system based around religion would find this freedom of thought frightening, and understandably so. I am made from the stuff of stars. My morals are born of empathy. My fear of death is consoled by the fact that I even exist, despite such unfathomable odds. After my inevitable end has come and my body is no more, the atoms I once consisted of would have dispersed into the universe. Those atoms, and the ones that cycled throughout my body during my lifetime, were never separated from the universe, they had just formed a different shape for a moment in time. One that allowed the universe to look back at itself through curious eyes. My eyes. My world view is based on logic and reason, and it has never had a need for a god. Especially the one this video discusses lol.
Very well structured. To the person who never believed, the sarcasm of the video probably just comes across as laughable. To the ex-believer, like I am, it comes across as just one more reminder that I used to be an idiot. I have deconverted completely now but it took me 25 years to finally "come out" as an atheist. I have also had to let go of my spiritual beliefs outside of Christianity. That has also taken some time and in a way, has been even more difficult. I look forward to watching more!
If this weren't so well phrased and perfectly proposed as the alternate explanation for this strange mythology, I would swear you really meant that all of that. ; )
I left Christianity almost 30 years ago after spending 15 years in a miserable cult like sect of the church. I wish I'd had this video then!! I relied on Michael Shermer's books to dig my way out of the cognitive and emotional cesspool I was in, especially "How We Believe" which I think is a must-read for anyone recently de-converting. This video is fantastic and hits every important point that makes religious belief just ludicrous.
He was created to bring God glory, as was everything God created. He was also given a free will, as were humans. We are given free will so that God can know that our love for him and others is genuine. He wanted relationship, and the only way a true relationship works is if both sides choose for themselves to love. God gave Lucifer no reason to dislike him, but he still tried to overthrow God, out of a desire to be one himself. That doesn't fully answer the question but I only have so much space
There is a harsh side to God and Christ that many Christians do ignore only emphasizing the lovey dovey parts. Once you see how evil we are and how holy God is, it is a wonder that He doesn't strike us all dead this very instant. We are evil to the core and as long as we keep our minds in human pollution we think we are safe.
so sad to miss out on the awesome feeling of belonging to the One who made everything. Feelings of assurance that you belong to this magnificent Creator when you survey His nature. So sad not to embrace meaningful love, wisdom, guidance and peace that is personally available from Him everyday. God quenches my ever longing heart, until I see Him face to face, as He promised. I cannot give answers to the dilemma you present, I just know He is, and I love Him.
To any christian out there that is watching this video. Please refrain from being angry of defensive. God allowed this guy to exist and knowingly he allowed this list to be made based off of observations. Do not become irate at this video for it is part of the checklist.
No need for a yardstick if God is omniscient. You'd think that he'd be just enough to *not* condemn us to hell for any breach of 'His perfect will'. I mean, the Judeo-Christian account of free will is a contemptible one. We're given this lovely free will of ours, just to be commanded to discard of it in exchange for God's perfect will. So free will is nothing more than a nice sentiment. We aren't created as automatons, just commanded to become them. Much better.
Spirituality is striping your awareness from any cognitive concept, like I, time, body, feelings etc., proceeding to a prejudice free state, where you fully accept and embrace the now. If you succeed to master this kind of meditation you will arrive to a new quality of awareness, it could be described as love, peace and joy in being, this is the entrance for your spiritual development. Then there start theistic and atheistic spirituality, the theistic one start to assume there is an intention.
