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Apologetics Class 11/19/2017

Here is the video we watched in class today – Frank Turek vs. David Silverman Debate Part 1 – What better explains reality, theism or atheism?

Here is the note-taking form I handed out:

What better explains reality, theism or atheism?

Frank Turek Opening Statement (C.R.I.M.E.S.)

Cosmos
1. “The Big Bang represents the cr_______ e______, the creation not only of all the matter and energy in the universe, but also of space-time itself.” – Paul Davies, physicist – ASU.
2. “With the proof now in place, cosmologists can no longer hide behind the possibility of a past eternal universe. There is now no escape, they have to face the problem of a cosmic beginning.” – Alexander Vilenkin, Tufts University.
3. “Astronomy leads us to a unique event, a universe which was created out of n_________, one with the very delicate balance needed to provide exactly the right conditions required to permit life, and one which has an underlying, one might say s________________, plan.” – Arno Penzias, Nobel Laureate.
4. If the Universe had a begin______, then it must have had a Begin____.
5. If this Being created s___, t___ & m_____, He must be spaceless, timeless & immaterial.
Reason.
1. “With me, the horrid doubt always arises whether the convictions of man’s mind, which has been developed from the mind of the lower animals, are of any v_________ or at all trustworthy. Would anyone trust in the convictions of a m_________’s mind, if there are any convictions in such a mind?” – Charles Darwin.
Information.
1. Observation: Amoeba doesn’t say m_______ by God or made by natural forces on it!
2. Science doesn’t say anything, sc______________ do.
3. Messages only come from m______. Then, where does the message in DNA come from?
4. In an amoeba, you have about a thousand volumes of an encyclopedia of i___________.
5. Like believing L__________ of C___________ resulted from explosion in a printing shop.
Morality.
1. If no standard beyond us, only o_________ – no moral rights, & no objective moral laws.
2. If God does not exist: The Nazis were not w______. Love is no better than rape. Blowing up innocent people watching a marathon is morally no different than feeding the poor. Religious Crusades are not wrong. Tolerance is no better than i_________. There are no human rights. We’re just overgrown g______, we’re no different from any other animal.
Evil.
1. Evil is actually an argument for God, objective evilàobjective goodà God.
2. “As an atheist my argument against God was that the Universe was seemed so c_______ and u__________. But how would I got this idea of a just and unjust? A man doesn’t call a line c___________ unless he has some idea of a s___________ line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust?” – C.S. Lewis.
3. In order to have shadows you have to have sunshine & you can’t have evil without good.
Science.
1. “The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is at all c______________.” -Albert Einstein.
2. We’re reasoning from e______ to c_________ to learn that God is immaterial, timeless, spaceless, rational, extremely intelligent, has purpose, morally perfect & personal.

David Silverman Opening Statement

#1 reason that he gets is the “G______ of the G________”
Central Idea: “I don’t know” = Proof of a god
Not proof at all, rather an attempt to r__________. Ignorance of fact is not evidence for fiction.
Religion was started by the Neanderthals
The space for God gets smaller and smaller as time goes on
“God of gaps” exists (needed to explain) before the b_____________ of the universe
“The tide goes in, the tide goes out. You can’t e_____________ that.” – Bill O’Reilly
First Cause – How did the u_____________ come to be? I don’t know, therefore a god did it.
Design Argument: Why does the universe l________ like this? I don’t know, so god did it! The universe has about a trillion trillion stars, many with planets – 95% of the universe is either dark matter or dark energy (100% dead). The Earth is 15% h_________ by humans. It’s 75% water but only 3% of the water is d_______. If you had the power to design a planet, you could do better.
Moral Argument – Who invented objective immorality? Must be a god!
Preference – Wouldn’t you prefer it if my god were r_______? I_____________.
But Then There’s Real (Atheistic) Learning
First Cause – Don’t know, good ideas, based on discovery/research. “I don’t know” v___ a_____.
Design: Physics yields everything-no e_________ of supernatural/intelligent design of Universe.
Morality – There is no o_______________ morality. All morality is fluid which is why there is genocide, slavery, and incest portrayed positively in the Bible. Why is there no commandment against r__________, but there are four about obeying religion?
God made man in his own image – proven wrong; evolution is a scientific f__________.
God made the earth before l______, less than 10K years ago – proven wrong, over & over again.
Theism NEVER admits it is wrong, even when proven beyond doubt. Atheism 100% track record.
Theism’s art of lying: Evolution is “just a th_______”. Bible is “t_________ because it says so”.
About 7% of the scientists in this country believe in a god, but not for scientific reasons.
There are more d______________ in Christianity than there are sentences in the Bible

Discussion Questions

What is a “God of the Gaps” argument? How would you reply to the charge that we Christians use “God of the Gaps” arguments to make our case?
What is the difference between “proof” and “evidence”? Do we have proof of God’s existence? Do we have evidence of God’s existence?
Have you ever used “preference argument” in talking to non-believers? How did they respond?
Explain the following arguments for the existence of God:
1. Cosmological argument (First Cause)
2. Teleological argument (Design)
3. Moral argument
How is it that Frank says that existence of evil is actually an argument for the existence of God?
Did Bill O’Reilly give a good argument for the existence of God?
How would you respond to David’s charge of no evidence of intelligent design in the universe?
Has evolution been proven as a scientific fact? How would you respond?
Do the universe, the solar system and earth look like they are designed for humans?
Are genocide, slavery, and incest portrayed positively in the Bible? What about rape?