How to Refute Christianity - A Handy Guide
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The following is taken from http://standtherefore.com/blog/how-to-refute-christianity-a-handy-guide
The Bible makes many claims that can be scientifically and philosophically tested – and if these claims are falsified, Christianity will crumble. So here is a handy guide I’ve developed for those who would like to refute Christianity.
This guide highlights the major testable Christian beliefs and provides suggestions on how the skeptic should go about the refutation process.
Step 1: Falsify the First Law of Thermodynamics
Christians hold to the doctrine of creation ex nihilo which says that God created the universe out of nothing (Genesis 1). The First Law of Thermodynamics (or the Conservation of Matter & Energy) seems to verify this doctrine when it says, “energy (and matter) cannot be created by natural processes”. Dr. Walter Brown characterizes the Christian position from a physicists prospective:
A corollary of the first law [of Thermodynamics] is that natural processes cannot create energy. Therefore, energy must have been created in the past by some agency or power outside and independent of the natural universe.”1
However if energy can be shown to originate through purely natural causes, then the need for a transcendent cause would be effectively eliminated. This would severely jeopardize the creation account found in Genesis 1.
Suggestion: As you know, the standard model of the Big Bang theory strongly supports creation ex nihilo - that is exactly what the Big Bang proposes. Therefore you should focus your efforts on creating new models for the beginning of the universe. Specifically ones that exhibit the ability of natural processes to produce energy. Note however, that theories such as inflation and multi-verse are not detrimental to Christianity because they presuppose the existence of energy (see A Quantum Merry-Go-Round).
Step 2: Falsify the Law of Biogenesis
Christians believe that God is the giver of life (Genesis 2:7). This doctrine is supported by the Law of Biogenesis which says that natural processes could not have created life. Nobel Prize winning Atheist, George Wald explained the Atheistic dilemma:
“There are only two possibilities as to how life arose. One is spontaneous generation arising to evolution; the other is a supernatural creative act of God. There is no third possibility. Spontaneous generation, that life arose from non-living matter was scientifically disproved 120 years ago by Louis Pasteur and others. That leaves us with the only possible conclusion that life arose as a supernatural creative act of God. I will not accept that philosophically because I do not want to believe in God. Therefore, I choose to believe in that which I know is scientifically impossible; spontaneous generation arising to evolution.”2
However the Christian position can be falsified if life can be shown to arise from non-life by unguided natural processes.
Suggestion: Focus your efforts on developing a sound model for chemical evolution. This model must explain the unguided, natural organization of chemicals to amino acids, amino acids to proteins and proteins to a living cell. Atheist, Paul Davies admits:
“Nobody knows how a mixture of lifeless chemicals spontaneously organized themselves into the first living cell.”3
Step 3: Overhaul Information Science
Genetic information (DNA) is a biological blueprint that codes for the development and functionality of all known organisms. However no known natural process has ever been observed to give rise to biological information. Dr. Stephen Meyer explains:
“…no purely undirected physical or chemical process – whether those based upon chance, law-like necessity, or the combination of the two – has provided an adequate causal explanation for the ultimate origin of the functionality specified biological information..”4
In the absence of any evidence for the natural generation of genetic information, the Christian position stands supported. However if genetic information can be shown to arise from purely natural processes then the need for a mind would be eliminated.
Suggestion: Provide evidence of inorganic matter creating genetic information via unguided physical processes……
Step 4: Disprove the Existence of Jesus
Christians believe that Jesus was the very Messiah prophesied of in the Old Testament. Consequently Jesus is believed to be God – the second Person of the Trinity (Titus 2:13). If it can be shown however, that Jesus of Nazareth never actually existed, then Christianity would collapse in despair.
Of course this task would require an explanation as to why Jesus is mentioned as a real person by a number of ancient authors including: Pliny the Younger, Tacitus, Suetonius, Mara bar Serapion, Thallus, Lucian, Celsus, Clement of Rome and Polycarp. Also explanation must be given as to why Jesus is mentioned in the extra-biblical Gospels including, The Gospel of Thomas, The Gospel of Peter and The Gospel of Judas – the same follows for the canonical Gospels and Epistles.
Suggestion: Do not attempt to disprove the existence of Jesus – it’s a waste of time. There are too many ancient documents that speak of Him as a real person in history.
Step 5: Discover the Body of Jesus
Game over.
Step 6: Challenge Natural Theology
Natural Theology is the philosophical and scientific practice of developing arguments for the existence of God based upon things that are empirically verifiable. These arguments have become extremely sophisticated in every area they touch.
Suggestion: Focus on refuting the arguments in The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology. If you succeed, you will have eliminated arguments from Christianity’s foremost defenders.
- Brown, Walter T. “Part I, Astronomical and Physical Sciences, 54.” In the Beginning: Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood. 8th ed. Phoenix, Az.: Center for Scientific Creation, 2008. Print [↩]
- ((Wald, G. 1954. The Origin of Life. Scientific American August: 44-53 [↩]
- Davies, Paul, Australian Centre for Astrobiology, Sydney, New Scientist 179(2403):32, 2003 [↩]
- Evolution News & Views. Web. 02 Apr. 2012. http://www.evolutionnews.org/2011/10/of_molecules_and_straw_men_a_r051601.html. [↩]
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Christians hold to the doctrine of creation ex nihilo which says that God created the universe out of nothing (Genesis 1).
Genetic information (DNA) is a biological blueprint that codes for the development and functionality of all known organisms. However no known natural process has ever been observed to give rise to biological information.I dun see a crumbling in Christianity but a crumbling of knowing God genesis. Probably Christians may be apprehended on the creation of ex nihilo, that deterring its breakthrough. likewise to biological information, there is also no known natural process has ever observed to give rise to God....
Who/what/when/where/why/how create nothing and God.
A desire for God to create the universe out of nothing?
Upon universe is created,sub classes like female, male, donkey, pig, cow, hen...?
there is DNA and atom?
there are classes developing such as Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Catholic, Hindu, Taoists, parents, human, animals, earth.....
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Originally posted by bycai:
I dun see a crumbling in Christianity but a crumbling of knowing God genesis. Probably Christians may be apprehended on the creation of ex nihilo, that deterring its breakthrough. likewise to biological information, there is also no known natural process has ever observed to give rise to God....
Who/what/when/where/why/how create nothing and God.
A desire for God to create the universe out of nothing?
Upon universe is created,sub classes like female, male, donkey, pig, cow, hen...?
there is DNA and atom?
there are classes developing such as Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Catholic, Hindu, Taoists, parents, human, animals, earth.....In the first place why would you be looking for a natural process to "give rise" to a supernatural God? Christians is looking at it from the other way. In any case, Christian theology does not have a created God. God is uncreated. In philosophy they would call God a necessary being.
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if God is uncreated, purely wow! love this purely. there is no basis for god to create universe that resulted for this impure creation of How to Refute Christianity - A Handy Guide and many others. Is God and beings two different entities?
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Originally posted by bycai:
if God is uncreated, purely wow! love this purely. there is no basis for god to create universe that resulted for this impure creation of How to Refute Christianity - A Handy Guide and many others. Is God and beings two different entities?
Why do you think there is no basis for God to create the universe, fallen as it is now?
God is a Spiritual Being, so there's no necessary dichotomy here.
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If God is uncreated, purely wow!
How abt if infinity cannot be valued, purely wow?