UnApologetics

What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence.

-Christopher Hitchens

Background

Disclaimers
While I have read and studied the Bible extensively, I am not a Bible scholar. I have not studied ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek. I maintain, however, that this is a minor issue. The fact is, numerous true scholars have collaborated on the various Bible versions we have today, and in most cases, their translationContinue reading “Disclaimers”
(Un)Apologetics
The world seems to be full today of Christians, some well meaning, and some obvious charlatans, who make their livings in the field of Christian Apologetics. For reference, let’s look at the definition of “apologetics”. From Merriam-Webster online dictionary: 1: systematic argumentative discourse … in defense (as of a doctrine) 2: a branch of theologyContinue reading “(Un)Apologetics”
Overview
This blog is a compilation of essays that are directly aimed at answering the most common arguments of Christian apologists. My focus on the Christian religion(s) is for two reasons: Having been raised Christian, and been a Christian for most of my life, it is the one religion that I have substantial direct knowledge of.Continue reading “Overview”
About Me
Hi! My name is Rich Prendergast. Like many other atheists, I’m a deconverted Christian. I was born an atheist (as is everyone), raised Catholic, and in my mid-teens, left the Catholic Church for a Protestant denomination (Congregational United Church of Christ) and shortly thereafter, became a “Born Again Christian”. I became “Unborn Again” in myContinue reading “About Me”

Blog Posts

Why Christianity is IncoherentJuly 19, 2023
The Christian faith is fundamentally incoherent. The reason is simple. 1. God is described as omnibenevolent – perfectly good, loving, just, and merciful. 2. Purportedly, God created humanity with the overarching command that we worship him. According to most (not all) Christians, those who fail to do so (or who simply disbelieve) are punished forContinue reading “Why Christianity is Incoherent”
When Does Human Life Begin?October 25, 2022
The essence of the pro-life argument against abortion is their belief that “life begins at conception”. They declare that this isn’t just their opinion; science itself says so. They claim that biologists are in broad agreement on this fact. And if we’re simply talking about the organism itself, they’re 100% correct. When an egg isContinue reading “When Does Human Life Begin?”
The Moral Bankruptcy of William Lane CraigJanuary 21, 2022
William Lane Craig is well known as a purveyor of sophistry. I only recently came across his bizarre and reprehensible take on the ancient Jews’ campaign of genocide against the Canaanites, as detailed in the Old Testament. From Craig: “So whom does God wrong in commanding the destruction of the Canaanites? Not the Canaanite adults,Continue reading “The Moral Bankruptcy of William Lane Craig”
The Criterion of EmbarrassmentDecember 12, 2021
Introduction Christian apologists will frequently argue that the Criterion of Embarrassment adds credence to the Bible. The argument is essentially claiming that any stories which cast a protagonist in any sort of unfavorable light, are less likely to be fabrications. A couple of commonly cited examples include Peter’s denial of Jesus and the fact thatContinue reading “The Criterion of Embarrassment”
The Argument from Fine TuningOctober 14, 2021
The Argument from Fine Tuning comes in a variety of forms, each making the claim that various features of our planet, our solar system, the universe (including a variety of physical constants) exist within an extremely narrow range of values that allow life to exist. They argue that these are each individually unlikely, and areContinue reading “The Argument from Fine Tuning”
Why Do Atheists Care?September 28, 2021
In response to criticisms by atheists, theists frequently ask the question, ”Why do atheists care?” This is often supplemented with ”Why do atheists spend so much time attacking a god in whom they say they don’t believe?” Some further express the opinion that either we hate god, or we’re just trying to convince ourselves ofContinue reading “Why Do Atheists Care?”
The Gospel According to MeApril 26, 2021
Here’s a new gospel, given to me by the one true god. 1. You humans have finally developed enough for me to reveal myself to you. 2. I’m actually not the only god. There are lots of others like me, but they have absolutely no involvement in your universe. 3. All the thousands of otherContinue reading “The Gospel According to Me”
The Ontological Argument for GodMarch 30, 2021
Classic Version of the Ontological Argument The Ontological Argument for God was first advanced by Saint Anselm, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1033 to 1109. in the Proslogium: [Even a] fool, when he hears of … a being than which nothing greater can be conceived … understands what he hears, and what he understandsContinue reading “The Ontological Argument for God”
The Big Bang and the Laws of ThermodynamicsMay 13, 2020
A popular argument by apologists is the claim that the First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics prove the universe had a creator. The argument goes as follows (from “The First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics and the Origin of the Universe” Dr. Danny Faulkner, 2019) Excerpt: “The first law of thermodynamics is the familiar conservation of energyContinue reading “The Big Bang and the Laws of Thermodynamics”
No, Atheism is Not a ReligionMay 6, 2020
Many theists claim that atheism is a religion, but that claim is inherently a dishonest one. As evidence, they often refer to the following Merriam-Webster definition of religion. re•li•gion \ri-ˈli-jən\ noun [Middle English religioun, from Anglo-French religiun, Latin religion-, religio supernatural constraint, sanction, religious practice, perhaps from religare to restrain, tie back — more at rely] 13th century 1 a : the state of a religious 〈aContinue reading “No, Atheism is Not a Religion”
God is Not GoodFebruary 24, 2020
A common claim of Christians is that “God is good.” Some go even further, saying, “God is good – always.“ The two variants are assumed to be synonymous, as I’ve never heard any suggestion from believers that God is good just some of the time. This claim can be evaluated in two ways: In neitherContinue reading “God is Not Good”
The Kalām Cosmological ArgumentFebruary 22, 2020
(Updated May 6, 2021) One of the most popular arguments of Christian apologists is the Kalām Cosmological Argument. Kalām is so-named because it originated within Islamic discipline of scholastic theology, known as Ilm al-Kalām, which is commonly abbreviated as Kalām. Its history actually predates both Islam and Christianity, going back (at least) to Plato andContinue reading “The Kalām Cosmological Argument”
The Second Law of ThermodynamicsFebruary 20, 2020
Christian Apologists often attempt to use the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics as an argument against evolution. The 2nd Law states that total entropy of an isolated system can never decrease over time, and is constant if and only if all processes are reversible. In simple terms, entropy is the randomness or disorder in a system,Continue reading “The Second Law of Thermodynamics”
The Spherical Earth ConspiracyFebruary 12, 2020
Introduction. While this isn’t strictly a apologetics issue, it is loosely related, since the Old Testament has numerous passages that only make sense if interpreted within a flat Earth paradigm. And no small number of flat earthers justify their fierce defense of their bizarre beliefs, by pointing to the Bible. But to be clear: TheContinue reading “The Spherical Earth Conspiracy”
The Moral Argument for GodJanuary 30, 2020
The Argument from Morality has been framed in a variety of ways. The most prevalent today is as formulated by William Lane Craig, or some similar variant. Craig states the moral argument as follows: 1. If God does not exist, objective moral values do not exist. 2. Objective moral values do exist. 3. Therefore, GodContinue reading “The Moral Argument for God”
The Myth of Objective MoralityJanuary 21, 2020
A topic commonly discussed by Christian apologists is that of morality. There are three common arguments: They declare that the atheist has no basis for making moral decisions, whereas Christianity has an absolute basis for morality, given to us by God in the Bible. This argument is often supplemented by accusations that the atheist isContinue reading “The Myth of Objective Morality”
“Abortion is OK” – GodJanuary 18, 2020
It would be a mistake to declare the Bible to be either pro-choice or pro-life. While there are several verses relevant to the discussion, none condemn abortion, and none suggest that women should have a choice in the matter. In fact, since the Bible is overtly patriarchal throughout, any decisions with respect to the unbornContinue reading ““Abortion is OK” – God”
Pascal’s WagerJanuary 15, 2020
Blaise Pascal was a brilliant 17th century mathematician, physicist, and inventor. He made enormous scientific and mathematical contributions from his teens, through his early 30s. At age 31, following a religious conversion, he shifted much of his focus to religion and philosophy, becoming (unfortunately) somewhat less productive in mathematics and science in the process. Pascal’sContinue reading “Pascal’s Wager”
Born Again and Unborn AgainJanuary 15, 2020
(My Conversion & Deconversion) In this article, I’ll recount the story of my own religious journey, up through my “deconversion”. I’m sharing this story for three reasons: So here’s my story: I was born into a Catholic family (the sixth of eight sons), so I was raised Catholic, which included a number of typical andContinue reading “Born Again and Unborn Again”
Irrationality of Christian TheologyDecember 20, 2019
In my debates with Christians, I sometimes discuss my opinion that, when read objectively, the Bible and Christian theology make no rational sense. Some examples: God sacrificed his son (who is also himself) to himself, as the means of absolving the sins of many billions of humans, past, present, and future. Jesus died, went to hell,Continue reading “Irrationality of Christian Theology”