Here is my latest discussion with Janet Parshall ‘In the Market’ on Moody Radio. In this one we look at Stephen Fry’s outburst on RTE. The response to this has been tremendous – not least from one man whose child does have bone cancer and is dying – and who found Fry’s comments crass and ignorant.
http://www.moodyradio.org/radioplayer.aspx?episode=156228&hour=1
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
I would just affirm what I have said before about complimenting your comments towards Fry with regard to everything being created good and then if you take away God then what is the solution to bone disease or worms that burrow into childrens’ eyes. Also this in the light of Russell Brand’s response talking of the duty within each one of us firstly to address the evil that is inherent within each one of us.
Yes I agree that there can be bad responses from Christians either wanting to throttle people or giving a “nice” reply which ironically represents God in a way that Stephen Fry represents God to be affirming his views!
So then challenges and opportunities on both sides of the argument?
Why do you get upset over atheists who don’t like bone cancer and other harms? Theists seem to take attacks against their gods so personally… kind of as if their god is an extension of themselves.
Why do you feel the need to defend your god?
Psychologically, this can be explained from an atheistic/scientific perspective, but can the theist account for their emotion for defending their concept of God?
Brent – an excellent question. But the premise is wrong. I don’t get upset over atheists who don’t like bone cancer. I hate bone cancer. I don’t like the arrogance which presupposes that humans have the ability to judge God. I don’t need to defend God – but I will proclaim his glory in the face of the illogical and irrational emotive non-sense spouted by atheists…
So then someone attacking God is acknowledging the existence of God. A reasonable question to ask therefore is why a non – theist would attack someone or something that doesn’t exist in the way they see things.
Hi David,
Atheists don’t judge God. That would be absurd. Remember, God is a figment of your imagination, not mine!
What we judge is the claims of Christians like you who claim that this God character is all good, despite the existence of suffering in the world.
Now knowing you, you will evade this point and jump to your stock answer that atheists have no basis to say that suffering exists. Which is also absurd, but nevertheless irrelevant to the point in question which is; how can the Christian account for suffering in the world?
And you have no answer. All you can do is shrug your shoulders and say well God must have a good reason for all this suffering, but blowed if we can figure it out because we can’t judge God!
In other words, a statement of blind faith. If you can’t judge God, then you have no rational basis to claim he is good. It’s illogical to claim otherwise, which means the arrogance is all yours.
It’s no wonder that Stephen Fry’s high profile dénouement of the theistic claims of a good God has got you so upset!
And I hate to break it to you, but your irrational and illogical spouting of emotive nonsense is simply underlining the point!
best wishes,
Linear C
Posted 12:35 1st March
Linear – its interesting that again you may misrepresent what I say and then argue against your own misrepresentation! I don’t argue that atheists have no basis to say that suffering exists. I do argue that you have no basis to say that evil exists because you have no basis for good and evil. Once you work out the difference feel free to get back to me…