What are common criticisms of Christianity by unbelievers?

Unbelievers often criticize Christianity based on personal conjecture rather than objective evidence. Some assume the Bible is unreliable due to alterations by medieval monks, relying on conjecture rather than research. Hostile critics may dismiss the Bible's historical accuracy without considering available evidence or scholarly consensus. Unbelievers may reject the possibility of miracles due to their metaphysical beliefs, but if God exists, miracles are plausible. Critics once ridiculed the Old Testament for mentioning the Hittites, a tribe unknown outside the Bible until their discovery in 1871 by archaeologists.

What philosophical biases do unbelievers exhibit?

Unbelievers often exhibit unargued philosophical biases, assuming certain beliefs without justification. They commonly dismiss biblical miracles due to a preconceived notion that such events are impossible. Unbelievers' claims about the predictability of nature and the impossibility of miracles lack a solid rational foundation. The limits of possibility are determined by one's worldview, highlighting the importance of recognizing and questioning unargued philosophical assumptions. Unbelievers may unknowingly hold Epicurean philosophical biases, assuming all knowledge is perceptual and living for pleasure.

How do presuppositionalists critique materialistic worldviews?

Presuppositionalists aim to show the flaws in materialism by questioning the basis for rationality, the origin of life, scientific inference, general principles, and morality, highlighting the philosophical problems inherent in the materialist worldview. Materialists struggle to justify rationality, leading to philosophical inconsistencies when pressed on the basis for being rational. The atheist's inability to account for morality in a naturalistic worldview highlights the absence of absolutes, ethics, freedom, and dignity. Materialists face a dilemma in justifying scientific inference in a chance-driven universe lacking personal control or uniformity. The atheist's reliance on immaterial categories like similarity and laws of logic contradicts their materialistic beliefs, raising questions about the basis for such reasoning.

How does Christianity provide a rational basis for beliefs?

The Christian worldview provides the preconditions for intelligibility, rationality, and morality. Different theistic worldviews require internal critique to assess their rationality and coherence, with Christianity offering a rational basis. Living apart from God leads to condemnation and guilt, with no apologetical argument possible due to arbitrariness. Christianity differs from Confucianism and Buddhism by offering historical and philosophical evidence for its beliefs, making sense of life and history. Muslims and Mormons, while appearing as competitors, are dependent on the Bible, which can be used to refute their beliefs through internal critique.

Reasoning With Unbelievers - Dr. Greg Bahnsen

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Christian apologists should challenge the arbitrary opinions and prejudices of unbelievers, emphasizing the lack of reasoned arguments and pointing out underlying philosophical presuppositions. Materialistic, atheistic, and dualistic worldviews struggle to account for rationality, morality, and the origin of life, leaving Christianity as the only viable option for providing the preconditions of intelligibility.

Insights

Apologists must challenge the arbitrary opinions and prejudices of unbelievers, emphasizing the need for reasoned arguments rather than unfounded conjecture.
The reliability of the New Testament is supported by early manuscript evidence and scholarly assessments, countering claims of textual tampering.
Presuppositional apologetics aims to demonstrate the inadequacy of materialistic worldviews by questioning the basis for rationality, morality, and scientific inference, highlighting inherent philosophical challenges.

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Recent questions

What are common criticisms of Christianity by unbelievers?
Unbelievers often criticize Christianity based on personal conjecture rather than objective evidence. Some assume the Bible is unreliable due to alterations by medieval monks, relying on conjecture rather than research. Hostile critics may dismiss the Bible's historical accuracy without considering available evidence or scholarly consensus. Unbelievers may reject the possibility of miracles due to their metaphysical beliefs, but if God exists, miracles are plausible. Critics once ridiculed the Old Testament for mentioning the Hittites, a tribe unknown outside the Bible until their discovery in 1871 by archaeologists.
How do apologists counter unfounded opinions of unbelievers?
Approximately 80% of apologetics work involves countering unfounded opinions of unbelievers. Christians should press unbelievers for reasons behind their opinions rather than accepting arbitrary statements. Apologists challenge arbitrary opinions and prejudices of unbelievers, emphasizing the lack of reasoned arguments. They should point out the underlying philosophical presuppositions of unbelievers and challenge their arbitrary opinions. Dialectical tensions in an unbeliever's philosophy, like inconsistencies or incoherence, should be identified and addressed.
What philosophical biases do unbelievers exhibit?
Unbelievers often exhibit unargued philosophical biases, assuming certain beliefs without justification. They commonly dismiss biblical miracles due to a preconceived notion that such events are impossible. Unbelievers' claims about the predictability of nature and the impossibility of miracles lack a solid rational foundation. The limits of possibility are determined by one's worldview, highlighting the importance of recognizing and questioning unargued philosophical assumptions. Unbelievers may unknowingly hold Epicurean philosophical biases, assuming all knowledge is perceptual and living for pleasure.
How do presuppositionalists critique materialistic worldviews?
Presuppositionalists aim to show the flaws in materialism by questioning the basis for rationality, the origin of life, scientific inference, general principles, and morality, highlighting the philosophical problems inherent in the materialist worldview. Materialists struggle to justify rationality, leading to philosophical inconsistencies when pressed on the basis for being rational. The atheist's inability to account for morality in a naturalistic worldview highlights the absence of absolutes, ethics, freedom, and dignity. Materialists face a dilemma in justifying scientific inference in a chance-driven universe lacking personal control or uniformity. The atheist's reliance on immaterial categories like similarity and laws of logic contradicts their materialistic beliefs, raising questions about the basis for such reasoning.
How does Christianity provide a rational basis for beliefs?
The Christian worldview provides the preconditions for intelligibility, rationality, and morality. Different theistic worldviews require internal critique to assess their rationality and coherence, with Christianity offering a rational basis. Living apart from God leads to condemnation and guilt, with no apologetical argument possible due to arbitrariness. Christianity differs from Confucianism and Buddhism by offering historical and philosophical evidence for its beliefs, making sense of life and history. Muslims and Mormons, while appearing as competitors, are dependent on the Bible, which can be used to refute their beliefs through internal critique.