Consciousness and the existence of god a theistic argument. Consciousness and the existence of god in consciousness and the existence of god, j. And like most atheists, the issue of people believing in god bothered me greatly. He is constantly initiating and seeking for us to come to him. Not simply for the purpose of speaking to nonbelievers. This is the main version of something called ethical monotheism. This book consists of transcripts of two debates, including questions from the floor, between j. Moreland challenges you to use logic and reason to further gods kingdom through evangelism, apologetics, worship, and vocation.
God cant be good, as seen by all the pain and suffering in the world today, such as if terrorists exist see chapters two and three. Aug 03, 2016 what does it mean for god to be perfect. Does god exist the debate between theists and atheists by j. In daytoday routines of life we indulged in vices uncontrollably. He has debated clancy martin over the existence of god. Primarily most prayed to god out of fear of unknown. The debate about the relation between religion and science is not a firstorder problem that can be solved from within science, but a secondorder problem about the nature of both religion and science.
Often god does not act in ways that people understand or judge to be what they would do in the circumstances. Does this mean the days of creation could be nonliteral, too. Moreland s response is that, without an ultimate good ie, god, there is no reason to choose one course of action rather than another, and that this defeats the atheists claim to be able or necessarily willing to lead a moral life. Jp moreland archives cross examined christian apologetic. Moreland is the author of such books as scaling the secular city. Does god exist the great debate james porter moreland, kai nielsen, j. But to me what is even more interesting is if god exists, what is that entity like. In other words, believers in a god of some sort outnumber unbelievers. The question whether there is a god is one which is decided on very different grounds by. Moreland gives reasons why its more rational to be a theist than an atheist. Why would human beings build temples, churches or mosques if god almighty did not exist. Can a young earth be reconciled with a universe that appears to be billions of years old. Moreland brings erudition, passion, and his distinctive ebullience to the end of loving god with all of ones mind. He has written, edited, or coauthored christianity and the nature of science, body and soul, the life and death debate, beyond death, does god exist.
You can commit a category fallacy about something even if that thing does not exist, as long as you have a concept of what the thing would be if it were to exist. But god never behaves illogically in the proper sense. Here are six straightforward reasons to believe that god is really there. Does god exist the debate between theists and atheists kindle.
If physicalism is true, then human free will does not exist. Does god exist the debate between theists and atheists. Jp, i am fascinated, even obsessed, with the desire to understand god. God exists, but to recognize how jesus resurrection is indispensable. He must be more real to you than all the objects of the world. In recent years, scholars arguing against a conservative understanding of biblical inerrancy have appealed to a wide range of issues. In the beginning god created the heavens and the earth gen. Moreland, a leading christian philosopher and ethicist, and kai nielsen, one of todays bestknown atheist philosophers, went headtohead over these questions.
Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read consciousness and the existence of god. Well, here is an attempt to candidly offer some of the reasons. Why would one worship god or prayed to god it god almighty did not exist. Moreland developed an early interest in issues relating to human consciousness, returning to that theme time after time in his various books. God is conceived as a being than which none greater can be thought, and even the nonbeliever can grasp that idea. What should i do about it endeavour to realise him. Jp moreland is one of the most refreshing defenders of the christian position currently taking part in debates with nonchristian intellectuals. God maintains a delicate balance between keeping his existence sufficiently evident so people will know hes there and yet hiding his presence enough so that people who want to choose to ignore him can do it. He is himself an intellectual giant, razor sharp, humourous, passionate. On the other horn, if we reject this naturalism, then we accept that there is more to the world than can be embraced within a physicalist ontologyand so take on a commitment, it can seem, to a kind of eerie supernaturalism. He is the author, coauthor, or contributor to over ninetyfive books, including does god exist.
Moreland argues that the existence of finite, irreducible consciousness or its regular, lawlike correlation with physical states provides evidence for the existence of god. Moreland the bible talks of the four corners of the earth. Moreland argues that it is rational to believe god exists backed by his arguments from cosmology, design, experience, the existence of morality, the existence of the mind, and the historical account of jesus and the bible. Christian perspectives on being human, the creation hypothesis, scaling the secular city, love your god with all your mind.
James porter moreland born march 9, 1948, better known as j. The argument from consciousness 283 the discourses in question involve reference to what is real at all. Third, christianity entails a worldview according to which the physical world is not all there is. Three views on creation and evolution deals with these and similar concerns as. It has been argued, for example, that belief in inerrancy should be abandoned or redefined because inerrancy is not taught by the bible and it was not the view of many leaders in the history of the church.
Moreland is a substance dualist, and also defends libertarian free will, as well as life after. Moreland has defended the existence of angels and demons, arguing that he knows they exist due to both christian doctrine and personal experience. If god is omniscient, he knows an actually infinite number of true propositions, and if god is. Nov 02, 2014 why i am not an atheist jp moreland, phd j.
Alom shaha, author, the young atheists handbook treharne has a sensitive grasp on this dispute. And it reflects back on, do i believe in that entity to understand, what would that be. By marilyn adamson just once wouldnt you love for someone to simply show you the evidence for gods existence. Moreland on why god wont force people into heaven if you were to force people to do something against their free choice, you would be dehumanizing them. Praise for how to prove god does not exist this is an invaluable guide to the intellectual arguments that allow us to be confident that we are right to reject religion.
Some questions that religious epistemologists often ask include the following. He does not violate in his being or thought the fundamental laws of logic. In this debate on the existence of god he covers the standard christian arguments, namely, 1. Moreland challenges you to use logic and reason to further gods kingdom through evangelism, apologetics, worship, and. Thus god exists in the understanding, even if not in reality. Morelands ideas have been covered by both popular religious and nonreligious outlets, including the new scientist, christianity today and world magazine. Moreland is distinguished professor of philosophy, biola university. Eric anthony karahalis as if the word philosophy is not daunting enough to the average college student, adding the word religion at the end makes it even more fearsome. Moreland, peter kreeft, antony flew, william lane craig, keith parsons, dallas willard on. There is a vast sea of immaterial being in which god, angels, and, perhaps, abstract objects exist. Love your god with all your mind explains the importance of using your mind not only to win others to christ but also to experience personal spiritual growth. I am interested in arguing that the christian god, not just any old god, exists. Moreland observed that there are three major worldviews dominating the debate in our culture today. What is it about atheists that we would spend so much time, attention, and energy refuting something that we dont believe even exists.
Many people believe that there are thousands of gods, not just one. If i am just a physical system, there is nothing in me that has the capacity to freely choose to do something. Does scientific evidence point to a god who designed the universe and life in all its complexity. Deep reflection over what i have said in this book would convince even a confirmed atheist that god exists. Mounted with this free will any human being on mother earth can manifest destiny. Illogic primer quotes clippings books and bibliography paper trails links film jp moreland website author website profile with degrees in philosophy, theology and chemisty, dr. To purchase this ebook for personal use, or in paperback or hardback format, please visit. For centuries kings, rulers, churches, leaders have been treating the people like. Moreland is a substance dualist, and also defends libertarian free will, as well as life after death. He is an old earth creationist who is a critic of fideism. The debate between theists and atheists veritas forum. Routledge ebooks are accessible via the free vitalsource. The life and death debate, beyond death, does god exist.
Moreland is a substance dualist, and also defends libertaria n fre e will, as well as life after dea th. Christianity cant be the only way to god, because buddhists, muslims, hindus and jews are just as sincere in their faith as christians see chapter four and five. Does god exist proof existence of god does god exist is the query most searched on internet. Apr 26, 2010 consciousness and the existence of god. Noted author and philosopher peter kreeft has written an introduction, conclusion, and appendixall designed to. So while advocates of a finite deity need to answer the question about who created the god in which they believe. On march 24, 1988, at the university of mississippi, j. Moreland, is an american philosopher, theologian, and christian apologist. See more ideas about existence of god, god, atheist. The scholastic arguments for the existence of a supreme being are now. By marilyn adamson just once wouldnt you love for someone to simply show you the evidence for god s existence. Morela nd has defended th e existen ce of angels and demons, arguing that he knows they exi st. Moreland argues that it is rational to believe god exists backed by his arguments from cosmology, design, experience, the existence of morality, the existence of the mind, and the historical.
Reassurance that christianity is a faith committed to the reasonableness of its propositions. It is high time that they be derived from a philosophy without god. Buy a cheap copy of does god exist the debate between. Download a free pdf sample of the book here, or send a sample to. Jun 07, 2009 god maintains a delicate balance between keeping his existence sufficiently evident so people will know hes there and yet hiding his presence enough so that people who want to choose to ignore him can do it.
43 1542 1571 139 1532 285 295 1660 495 158 1100 1311 1235 268 444 75 1120 659 1582 965 1657 422 225 1090 1603 275 3 1423 689 751 606 1099 265 1071 27 205 494