They offer degrees in apologetics? That is hard to wrap my head around. That there are books devoted to how to convince your atheist friends to become Christian...also very weird.
There is a lot of criticism of Loftus here, based on the fact that he is basicaly an apologist for atheism. Perhaps I should be glad he exists, given the crazy amount of resources going into converting people in the other direction.
I would never criticize someone for being an apologist for atheism. We defend what we believe, that's no problem. There are certain rules of fair play, however, by which discussion of those beliefs must proceed.
I think there has to be a prior commitment to truth, to intellectual honesty. Then, subsequent to that, if you do believe, the dialogue should point us in the direction of that truth that is indeed important to you. If you care more about who is persuaded than you care about sustaining a fair discussion, then you go wrong. This can happen on the Christian side just as easily as it can happen on the skeptical side.
99% of the criticism directed at Loftus has nothing to do with his being an apologist for atheism, but is rather concerned with his combative, and frankly embarrassingly condescending, attitude. That, plus his shameless self promotion, fuels the negative responses to his postings.
>Perhaps I should be glad he exists, given the crazy amount of resources going into converting people in the other direction.
OTOH what kind of world would you like to live in given a choice between easy going Christians who hope you may believe one day, pray about it but not get in your face in an intrusive way OR a world filled with anal retentive militant New Atheists Loftus/Dawkins types who constantly harangue you for not being "Atheist enough" because you tolerate religious folk and don't automatically buy their latest bad argument (i.e. I prayed for a Pony & god didn't give it to me thus there is no god)?
Of course turn about is fair play. Ask me sometime if I'd rather live in a neighborhood of easy going Old Atheist types (Sagans, Robert llewellyn, Michael, Nagel's etc) vs a bunch of "Catholic" followers of the SSPX or other kneejerk Radical Traditonalist moron types?
4 comments:
They offer degrees in apologetics? That is hard to wrap my head around. That there are books devoted to how to convince your atheist friends to become Christian...also very weird.
There is a lot of criticism of Loftus here, based on the fact that he is basicaly an apologist for atheism. Perhaps I should be glad he exists, given the crazy amount of resources going into converting people in the other direction.
I would never criticize someone for being an apologist for atheism. We defend what we believe, that's no problem. There are certain rules of fair play, however, by which discussion of those beliefs must proceed.
I think there has to be a prior commitment to truth, to intellectual honesty. Then, subsequent to that, if you do believe, the dialogue should point us in the direction of that truth that is indeed important to you. If you care more about who is persuaded than you care about sustaining a fair discussion, then you go wrong. This can happen on the Christian side just as easily as it can happen on the skeptical side.
Bob Prokop writing:
99% of the criticism directed at Loftus has nothing to do with his being an apologist for atheism, but is rather concerned with his combative, and frankly embarrassingly condescending, attitude. That, plus his shameless self promotion, fuels the negative responses to his postings.
>Perhaps I should be glad he exists, given the crazy amount of resources going into converting people in the other direction.
OTOH what kind of world would you like to live in given a choice between easy going Christians who hope you may believe one day, pray about it but not get in your face in an intrusive way OR a world filled with anal retentive militant New Atheists Loftus/Dawkins types who constantly harangue you for not being "Atheist enough" because you tolerate religious folk and don't automatically buy their latest bad argument (i.e. I prayed for a Pony & god didn't give it to me thus there is no god)?
Of course turn about is fair play. Ask me sometime if I'd rather live in a neighborhood of easy going Old Atheist types (Sagans, Robert llewellyn, Michael, Nagel's etc) vs a bunch of "Catholic" followers of the SSPX or other kneejerk Radical Traditonalist moron types?
Go ahead ask me.
Cheers BDK!:-)
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