Do atheists require a higher standard of proof in favor of Christ and Christianity than they do for their doubt and disbelief?
Is there a bias that accepts more easily one type of evidence and reasoning (away from belief in God)? Is there a bias that rejects more easily another type of evidence and reasoning (towards belief in God)?
Philosophical justification for belief in a god includes:
Evidence of Christianity includes:
Quote:
"The only way to doubt Christianity rightly and fairly is to discern the alternate belief under each of your doubts and then ask yourself what reasons you have for believing it. How do you know your belief is true? It would be inconsistent to require more justification for Christian belief than you do for your own, but that is frequently what happens. In fairness you must doubt your doubts. My thesis is that if you come to recognize the beliefs on which your doubts about Christianity are based, and if you seek as much proof for those beliefs as you seek from Christians for theirs – you will discover that your doubts are not as solid as they first appeared." - Tim Keller, author of The Reason For God
Is there a bias that accepts more easily one type of evidence and reasoning (away from belief in God)? Is there a bias that rejects more easily another type of evidence and reasoning (towards belief in God)?
Philosophical justification for belief in a god includes:
- Everything that exists has a cause outside of itself. Therefore, the universe must have a cause outside of itself (God)
- Life exists and has never been shown to originate from non-living things. Therefore, life must have a cause outside of itself (God).
- More
Evidence of Christianity includes:
- Sacred and secular histories (Josephus,etc.) dating back to the first century A.D.
- Many early manuscripts for the Bible going back within a few generations of the actual events.
- Evidence of Acts being written before the death of the Apostle Paul (circa 67 A.D.)
- The long history and endurance of the nation of Israel
- The long, diverse history and endurance of the Christian Church
- The faith and endurance of martyrs including early martyrs in the first century A.D.
- Long-standing observances such as the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles and the Lord's Supper
- Testimonies of the changed lives of Christians
- Fulfilled prophecy such as the virgin birth and Christ's birth in Bethlehem according to prophecies from Isaiah and Micah that were approximately 700-800 years old when they were fulfilled.
- Archaeological evidences
- More
Quote:
"The only way to doubt Christianity rightly and fairly is to discern the alternate belief under each of your doubts and then ask yourself what reasons you have for believing it. How do you know your belief is true? It would be inconsistent to require more justification for Christian belief than you do for your own, but that is frequently what happens. In fairness you must doubt your doubts. My thesis is that if you come to recognize the beliefs on which your doubts about Christianity are based, and if you seek as much proof for those beliefs as you seek from Christians for theirs – you will discover that your doubts are not as solid as they first appeared." - Tim Keller, author of The Reason For God