Simply Illogical
By Ben Love ~
The first and most basic reality we must observe is that Christianity simply doesn’t make any sense. It is, to put it bluntly, absolutely illogical. This is in fact so obvious that it really shouldn’t even need to be stated. The Christian, however, may disagree. But if by some chance he does agrees that his religion is in fact illogical, then he will also assert that God intended it to be so. He will likely smile and say something like this: “Yes, that’s true. It doesn’t make sense to man’s wisdom. But man’s wisdom is foolishness to God, and the wisdom of God is foolishness to man.” However, we can recognize this for what it is: purposefully ambiguous jargon designed to allow the Christian to “be right” even when he is proven wrong. In any case, even if we were to concede that an Omni-Creator-Being (or God) would orient his revealed religion in such a way, we would also have to accept that this God intentionally oriented this religion to exclude most of his creations from embracing it. After all, there is an extremely large segment of the human population that relies heavily on logic, reason, and rationalism. For a God to deliberately establish a “path” that forces humans to abandon logic, reason, and rationalism is to make it extremely difficult for many if not most of his creations to reach him, a counterproductive and therefore decidedly unwise move on his part if he really does want everyone to be saved.
Either way, if the Christian does indeed answer by asserting that “God’s wisdom is foolishness to man,” he is still acknowledging the main point: Christianity is illogical. To assume that “God wants it to be that way” is circular reasoning. In fact, it’s not even circular reasoning. It’s doublespeak. What the Christian is actually saying is this: “God’s ways don’t make any sense because the ways of God don‘t make sense.” In other words, the Christian is willing to accept that the very religion to which he is adhering is illogical because God, whom he wouldn’t believe in without the theology of that same religion, is also illogical. The intelligent human ought to instantly see the problem here.
Moreover, would a true God actually go out of his way to make his revelation illogical? Is it reasonable to allow that an infinitely intelligent God would deliberately make believing in him a psychological feat that few can accomplish? Or, think about it this way. All of theism is based on revelation. That is what sets it apart from everything else. The theist maintains that he believes in God A, B, or C because God A, B, or C has revealed himself to humanity at large and to him specifically. We will explore the many problems with revelation in great detail later in the book; for now, let us ask just one question. Suppose that God B is the correct God. Suppose also that God B wants his creations to know of him, to know about him, and to ultimately know him personally. Would this God therefore intentionally circumvent his own desires by failing to meet humans on ground they can comprehend? Wouldn’t it make the most sense for this God to tailor his revelation in such a way as to ensure that most if not all of his creations will hear the message with the kind of understanding that will prompt them to belief? Seems logical. Apparently, however, the illogical God of Christianity doesn’t see it that way. Furthermore, we must recall that Jesus allegedly said that the road to heaven was narrow. If that is true, and if he really was the “Son of God,” then he neglected to also mention that the road is narrow because his father made it that way.
A rational person must reject the idea that the “God of the Universe” would knowingly and willingly ensure that his wisdom was categorically separate from the wisdom he gave his creations (who are apparently made in his image), so much so that it strains credibility to believe in him. A rational person would have to demand (and would be right in so demanding) that any revelation from whatever deities exist be not only discernable (otherwise, what’s the point of the revelation?) but also thoroughly comprehensible. If humanity cannot make sense out of the revelation, then the revealing party has wasted his time as well as ours. Furthermore, to ask us to believe in this revelation anyway, regardless of whether it makes any sense, is to impose upon our species an expectation that is directly contrary to our nature. Why would a God be that foolish? Why would a true God create us one way and then require us to act in a contrary way in order for us to “be saved?” To take it one step further, why would a truly all-loving God create us one way, then expect us to act in contrary way, and then punish those who choose not to do so? The punishment, by the way, is allegedly for all eternity. And this is called “good?” Some among us might question that.
Why would a truly all-loving God create us one way, then expect us to act in contrary way, and then punish those who choose not to do so?Perhaps you’ve never considered Christianity to be illogical. Perhaps you think it makes perfect sense. If so, ask yourself whether you grew up with Christian doctrine, or have at least spent most of your life believing it. Consider that prolonged exposure to something usually results in our failure to see it objectively. You therefore might be desensitized to the absurdity of the Christian religion. Perhaps you have been immersed in it for so long that its illogicality seems all too normal to you. If this is the case, would you mind trying a mental experiment? Pretend you are the visiting ambassador to a new planet. You are the extraterrestrial, the messenger sent to a foreign planet to establish contact with the species found there and to study their ways. After your arrival, you begin to observe their customs and traditions. In so doing, you become familiar with their religion. To your astonishment, they believe in deity that resembles them in every way. This deity is, for all intents and purposes, just an infinite version of their finite view of themselves. The people believe that this deity is angry with them for being what they are, even though they believe this deity created them this way. They therefore believe that simply being born into their species incurs the wrath of this deity; a wrath which translates into an eternity spent in a place they believe embodies utter suffering and torment. As if to contradict this thought, however, they also believe that this deity is good and kind and the perfect embodiment of absolute love. They worship this being by symbolically eating the flesh and drinking the blood of his son (who somehow is just another version of the same deity). Why do they do this? This son’s innocent death paid the penalty for their natures, which they didn’t ask for and didn’t design, and which exist only because this very same deity created them to be so. Now ask yourself, what would you think of their views?
Imagine also that the species of this foreign planet believes that their conceptions of this deity apply to the entire Universe. Imagine that they think their religion’s answers to existential questions are the final word for all planets everywhere. Imagine that members of this species war each other and brutally kill each over interpretations of this religion. Imagine that some within the same segment of this religion toxically bicker over the semantics of their ancient doctrines. Imagine that a father will turn on a daughter, a son will turn on a mother, and a brother will turn on sister, simply because one of them might deviate from the accepted norm, the reasons for which are to be found in this dissident’s biological tendency toward this divergent behavior. Imagine that hearts are broken in the name of this religion, that friendships are torn apart in the name of this religion, and that each person thinks his way is the best way, to the alienation of others. Imagine also that these people believe their religion’s presence on the planet is a good thing. Tell me, where is the logic in any of this?
We could go on and on with further observations of Christianity’s illogic. In fact, we will do so, as these essays progress. For now, these preceding points will suffice. Christianity simply fails to measure up to any conceivable standard of logic. Moreover, it fails to adequately answer questions as to why this should be the case. Instead, it asks you to invoke faith and demands that you accept the unacceptable without a single shred of justifiable evidence or suitable reasons for doing so.
And if all of this was damming enough, we also have to contend with the adherents of this illogical religion. The Christian is, after all, one of the most irrational creatures to inhabit this plant. He willingly shuns this life by putting all of his hope in the so-called “next life,” the existence of which he is not sure of but merely believes in through faith. In so doing, he prevents himself from living fully now, preferring to wait for the rewards of heaven, of which he is not guaranteed. He willingly turns off his mind if and when rational thinking contradicts the text of his holy book, a set of documents written thousands of years ago and which are riddled with more than enough errors and discrepancies to force the open-minded to reject them, a most justified and necessary conclusion. The Christian partitions himself away from the rest of society, shunning “the world,” interacting with it only insofar as creating new Christians. He glories in murder by affirming through song and dance that God saw fit to kill the innocent to absolve the guilty. He closes his mind to enlightened ideas, choosing instead to judge the actions of those who practice alternative lifestyles not condoned by his aforementioned book. He battles progression, scorns the further evolution of humanity, stands against new concepts by demanding the rest of the world pay homage to his timeworn traditions. He does everything he can to undermine science and knowledge, preaching a brand of perpetuation that can only be likened to the proverbial ostrich with its head in the sand. Thus, he is to be pitied.
I used to be one of these. I shudder at the thought now. Indeed, the very memory of my previous immersion in this kind of theistic brainwashing almost makes me physically sick. And yet, at the time, I was fully convinced that I was exactly where I needed to be. I was every bit the good Christian zombie, thinking I was alive when in actuality I was beyond dead. Only now, having thrown off the confines of this insanity, have I finally found the life that as a Christian I never really had.
http://hereticforum.weebly.com/
Either way, if the Christian does indeed answer by asserting that “God’s wisdom is foolishness to man,” he is still acknowledging the main point: Christianity is illogical. To assume that “God wants it to be that way” is circular reasoning. In fact, it’s not even circular reasoning. It’s doublespeak. What the Christian is actually saying is this: “God’s ways don’t make any sense because the ways of God don‘t make sense.” In other words, the Christian is willing to accept that the very religion to which he is adhering is illogical because God, whom he wouldn’t believe in without the theology of that same religion, is also illogical. The intelligent human ought to instantly see the problem here.
Moreover, would a true God actually go out of his way to make his revelation illogical? Is it reasonable to allow that an infinitely intelligent God would deliberately make believing in him a psychological feat that few can accomplish? Or, think about it this way. All of theism is based on revelation. That is what sets it apart from everything else. The theist maintains that he believes in God A, B, or C because God A, B, or C has revealed himself to humanity at large and to him specifically. We will explore the many problems with revelation in great detail later in the book; for now, let us ask just one question. Suppose that God B is the correct God. Suppose also that God B wants his creations to know of him, to know about him, and to ultimately know him personally. Would this God therefore intentionally circumvent his own desires by failing to meet humans on ground they can comprehend? Wouldn’t it make the most sense for this God to tailor his revelation in such a way as to ensure that most if not all of his creations will hear the message with the kind of understanding that will prompt them to belief? Seems logical. Apparently, however, the illogical God of Christianity doesn’t see it that way. Furthermore, we must recall that Jesus allegedly said that the road to heaven was narrow. If that is true, and if he really was the “Son of God,” then he neglected to also mention that the road is narrow because his father made it that way.
A rational person must reject the idea that the “God of the Universe” would knowingly and willingly ensure that his wisdom was categorically separate from the wisdom he gave his creations (who are apparently made in his image), so much so that it strains credibility to believe in him. A rational person would have to demand (and would be right in so demanding) that any revelation from whatever deities exist be not only discernable (otherwise, what’s the point of the revelation?) but also thoroughly comprehensible. If humanity cannot make sense out of the revelation, then the revealing party has wasted his time as well as ours. Furthermore, to ask us to believe in this revelation anyway, regardless of whether it makes any sense, is to impose upon our species an expectation that is directly contrary to our nature. Why would a God be that foolish? Why would a true God create us one way and then require us to act in a contrary way in order for us to “be saved?” To take it one step further, why would a truly all-loving God create us one way, then expect us to act in contrary way, and then punish those who choose not to do so? The punishment, by the way, is allegedly for all eternity. And this is called “good?” Some among us might question that.
Why would a truly all-loving God create us one way, then expect us to act in contrary way, and then punish those who choose not to do so?Perhaps you’ve never considered Christianity to be illogical. Perhaps you think it makes perfect sense. If so, ask yourself whether you grew up with Christian doctrine, or have at least spent most of your life believing it. Consider that prolonged exposure to something usually results in our failure to see it objectively. You therefore might be desensitized to the absurdity of the Christian religion. Perhaps you have been immersed in it for so long that its illogicality seems all too normal to you. If this is the case, would you mind trying a mental experiment? Pretend you are the visiting ambassador to a new planet. You are the extraterrestrial, the messenger sent to a foreign planet to establish contact with the species found there and to study their ways. After your arrival, you begin to observe their customs and traditions. In so doing, you become familiar with their religion. To your astonishment, they believe in deity that resembles them in every way. This deity is, for all intents and purposes, just an infinite version of their finite view of themselves. The people believe that this deity is angry with them for being what they are, even though they believe this deity created them this way. They therefore believe that simply being born into their species incurs the wrath of this deity; a wrath which translates into an eternity spent in a place they believe embodies utter suffering and torment. As if to contradict this thought, however, they also believe that this deity is good and kind and the perfect embodiment of absolute love. They worship this being by symbolically eating the flesh and drinking the blood of his son (who somehow is just another version of the same deity). Why do they do this? This son’s innocent death paid the penalty for their natures, which they didn’t ask for and didn’t design, and which exist only because this very same deity created them to be so. Now ask yourself, what would you think of their views?
Imagine also that the species of this foreign planet believes that their conceptions of this deity apply to the entire Universe. Imagine that they think their religion’s answers to existential questions are the final word for all planets everywhere. Imagine that members of this species war each other and brutally kill each over interpretations of this religion. Imagine that some within the same segment of this religion toxically bicker over the semantics of their ancient doctrines. Imagine that a father will turn on a daughter, a son will turn on a mother, and a brother will turn on sister, simply because one of them might deviate from the accepted norm, the reasons for which are to be found in this dissident’s biological tendency toward this divergent behavior. Imagine that hearts are broken in the name of this religion, that friendships are torn apart in the name of this religion, and that each person thinks his way is the best way, to the alienation of others. Imagine also that these people believe their religion’s presence on the planet is a good thing. Tell me, where is the logic in any of this?
We could go on and on with further observations of Christianity’s illogic. In fact, we will do so, as these essays progress. For now, these preceding points will suffice. Christianity simply fails to measure up to any conceivable standard of logic. Moreover, it fails to adequately answer questions as to why this should be the case. Instead, it asks you to invoke faith and demands that you accept the unacceptable without a single shred of justifiable evidence or suitable reasons for doing so.
And if all of this was damming enough, we also have to contend with the adherents of this illogical religion. The Christian is, after all, one of the most irrational creatures to inhabit this plant. He willingly shuns this life by putting all of his hope in the so-called “next life,” the existence of which he is not sure of but merely believes in through faith. In so doing, he prevents himself from living fully now, preferring to wait for the rewards of heaven, of which he is not guaranteed. He willingly turns off his mind if and when rational thinking contradicts the text of his holy book, a set of documents written thousands of years ago and which are riddled with more than enough errors and discrepancies to force the open-minded to reject them, a most justified and necessary conclusion. The Christian partitions himself away from the rest of society, shunning “the world,” interacting with it only insofar as creating new Christians. He glories in murder by affirming through song and dance that God saw fit to kill the innocent to absolve the guilty. He closes his mind to enlightened ideas, choosing instead to judge the actions of those who practice alternative lifestyles not condoned by his aforementioned book. He battles progression, scorns the further evolution of humanity, stands against new concepts by demanding the rest of the world pay homage to his timeworn traditions. He does everything he can to undermine science and knowledge, preaching a brand of perpetuation that can only be likened to the proverbial ostrich with its head in the sand. Thus, he is to be pitied.
I used to be one of these. I shudder at the thought now. Indeed, the very memory of my previous immersion in this kind of theistic brainwashing almost makes me physically sick. And yet, at the time, I was fully convinced that I was exactly where I needed to be. I was every bit the good Christian zombie, thinking I was alive when in actuality I was beyond dead. Only now, having thrown off the confines of this insanity, have I finally found the life that as a Christian I never really had.
http://hereticforum.weebly.com/
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