Success Of Atheistic Arguments Against Religious Belief Flashcards
(4 cards)
P1 - Some may argue that religious responses to New Atheism have been successful due to the rejection of the mutually exclusive relationship of science and religion.
Ex1 - Alister McGrath argues that evidence and belief in religion is akin to evidence and belief in the natural sciences. Both involve showing that there are good reasons for thinking something is right, without having total confirmation.
R1 - In response, New Atheism’s positive stance of science dictates that it has the potential to explain almost everything and thus divine conclusions are no longer necessary. They believe science provides answers in terms of natural explanations. For example, Arthur Brown observed that the ozone layer is precisely the right thickness to protect humanity from dangerous rays.
Ev1 - This is a weak point however, as Striner believed that radical atheists had blurred the lines between belief and science and had themselves become what they condemn, a dogmatic belief system, naming them ‘devout atheists’. He states ‘The devout atheist holds the idea that nothing should be sacred to such a degree that the idea itself becomes sacred to a non believer’.
L1 - Therefore, religious responses to New Atheism have been successful.
P2/Ex2 - Others may argue however, that religious responses to New Atheism have been unsuccessful as New Atheism, as a movement, has been exceptionally and very publicly critical of all forms of religious belief and has openly challenged and attempted to undermine religious influence in the twenty first century. This suggests religious responses have been unsuccessful in preventing the rise, spread and influence of the movement.
R2 - In response, the counterculture reactions to new atheism has shown an increase in the interest of spirituality and certain religious practices through the growth of new religious movements as evidenced through national surveys. This may be due to the fact that New Atheism has in some areas actually strengthened religious belief and increased fundamentalist attitudes within religion as New Atheism is seen as a weak attack on religion. This is supported by Karen Armstrong who describes New Atheism as “theologically illiterate”.
Ev2 - This is a strong point supported by the fact that New Atheism finds expression via violent responses that journalist Jeff Sparrow described as ‘writings that sound less and less like the old Atheists which were incarnations of pure reason and more and more like your Islamophobic uncle after he chugs his sixth pint’. Religious belief on the other hand, has found expression in its reaffirmation of beliefs, a promotion of positive morality and a demonstration of community relations between the sacred and secular sphere which essentially undermines the New Atheist movement.
L - Therefore, religious responses have been successful.
P3 - It can be argued that religious responses to New Atheism have been successful as the large platform given to new atheism’s intense criticism of all religion has ironically given rise to a much greater need for those of faith to confirm and justify beliefs.
Ex3 - Religious apologia has shown religion to have its own high profile proponents, for example Alister McGrath who states ‘Atheism is the religion of the rational autonomous human being who believes reason is able to uncover and express the deepest truths of the universe’.
R3 - In response, New Atheist challenges have resulted in diminishing relevance of religious authority in contemporary culture as traditional values of religious authorities compete with voices of New Atheism on matters of public debates and ethics. This is an interesting point yet Julian Baggni, an atheist himself, concludes that religion has virtues we need to learn from.
Ev3 - These responses to the aggression of atheism indicates resilience of the religious community to criticism. Although Dawkins would argue this is merely a display of faith, his argument fails as McGrath states ‘arguments do not create conviction’, which reveals a fundamental problem in the way New Atheism have gone about expressing their views.
L3 - Thus, religious responses have been successful.
P4 - In conclusion, some may also argue that religious responses have been unsuccessful due to the increased secularisation in society, suggesting that New Atheist views are spreading in society.
Ex4 - Christopher Henry Dawson states ‘the process of secularisation arises not from the loss of faith, but from the loss of social interest in the world of faith’. The effect of this can be seen through the high profile received by the writings of Dawkins, whose book ‘The God Delusion’ was a bestseller after release, suggesting New Atheism is growing in popularity.
R4 - In response, reactions to New Atheism have seen an increased interest in spirituality and certain religious aspects. These national surveys and reports of many atheists finding positive experiences with mindfulness much akin to Buddhism show that perhaps criticism is having a backwards effect.
Ev4 - This is a weak point however as Buddhists focus on the self and complete absence of any concept of the divine, which shows that anti theists are still consistent in the rejection of God, despite exploring various cultural outlooks. Further, mindfulness does not equate to belief in a divine and this misconception of equivalence between western theism and eastern spirituality does nothing to defeat new atheism.
L4 - Therefore, religious responses to New Atheism are unsuccessful.
