I Changed My Mind
I have to say that as of yesterday I have changed my mind about something. I was quite skeptical of the argument from evil as a valid argument against Christian theism. After having read Loftus' chapter on the argument from evil, I have to really credit John for opening up my eyes to the cogency of the argument. I used to be quiet skeptical but I believe that's because I really didn't understand the argument as well as I thought I did. But I have changed my mind. The author whom John quoted in his beginning paragraphs said that those Christians who are not bothered by it don't understand it. I guess all this time I have never really understood it and even as an atheist I never understood it.
I don't know why it just never took me by grip until yesterday. After having read it, I was nearly in tears. I composed an e-mail to John last night telling him that I was just about in tears after having read his chapter. I am now wanting to read Michael Martin's book on atheism and his sections on the argument from evil. I just don't know how I could've not been fully persuaded of it earlier. I am at a loss for why I never was much impressed by it until now.
I was prompted to give it another look after reading from Charles Templeton. Templeton once recalled what killed his faith in the Christian god. He looked at a photograph of a mother holding up her dead child, looking up to heaven, as though expecting an answer as to why god would let her child die, when rain could've helped to prevent a drought bringing about the baby's death. I can see how Templeton would've disbelieved any god of love was capable of letting that happen. I, too, cannot see how a god of love can allowed that to have happened.
I am just not sure why it took so long for me to see the cogency of this argument. Why did it take so long for it to "dawn" on me? I want to say that I am appreciative that John Loftus challenged me to take another look at the argument. I am glad that I did and I credit John, again, with helping me to see how good an argument that it really is.
I am reminded of a fellow skeptic and atheist Richard Carrier. For some time he was skeptical of the Big Bang. He wasn't a outright disbeliever in the Big Bang but honestly didn't know if there had been one. A fellow skeptic and physicist/cosmologist, Vic Stenger helped to convince him that it happened and Carrier changed his mind. I, too, have changed my mind regarding the argument from evil and I am glad that John helped me out!
Matthew
I don't know why it just never took me by grip until yesterday. After having read it, I was nearly in tears. I composed an e-mail to John last night telling him that I was just about in tears after having read his chapter. I am now wanting to read Michael Martin's book on atheism and his sections on the argument from evil. I just don't know how I could've not been fully persuaded of it earlier. I am at a loss for why I never was much impressed by it until now.
I was prompted to give it another look after reading from Charles Templeton. Templeton once recalled what killed his faith in the Christian god. He looked at a photograph of a mother holding up her dead child, looking up to heaven, as though expecting an answer as to why god would let her child die, when rain could've helped to prevent a drought bringing about the baby's death. I can see how Templeton would've disbelieved any god of love was capable of letting that happen. I, too, cannot see how a god of love can allowed that to have happened.
I am just not sure why it took so long for me to see the cogency of this argument. Why did it take so long for it to "dawn" on me? I want to say that I am appreciative that John Loftus challenged me to take another look at the argument. I am glad that I did and I credit John, again, with helping me to see how good an argument that it really is.
I am reminded of a fellow skeptic and atheist Richard Carrier. For some time he was skeptical of the Big Bang. He wasn't a outright disbeliever in the Big Bang but honestly didn't know if there had been one. A fellow skeptic and physicist/cosmologist, Vic Stenger helped to convince him that it happened and Carrier changed his mind. I, too, have changed my mind regarding the argument from evil and I am glad that John helped me out!
Matthew