Doubt, Denial and the Death of God
By Chris Park
()
About this ebook
Whilst God himself may not be as popular as he once was, many people find themselves seeking answers to questions about meaning and purpose. Why are we here? What are we here for? Of course, people have many different ideas about what the word 'God' means, and there are many different views of what God is like - absent or present, knowable or unknowable, bossy or loving. This book explores the most common positions adopted by people who say they do not believe in God, and why they hold those views. It explores why some people doubt the existence of God (agnosticism or skepticism), and why many deny the existence of God (atheism), and then sketches out the New Atheist ideas of God as invented by humans to satisfy human needs, before reviewing philosophical and theological debates over the past century centred on the so-called 'death of God'.
Chris Park
Chris Park has been a professional illustrator for over twelve years. Some of his previous clients include TBS, Team Coco, Rolling Stone, American Greetings Co., Cloudco Entertainment, Pro Publica, Sleeping Bear Press, Usborne Publishing and Lightspeed Magazine. He co-authored and illustrated his the picture books Little Sock and Little Sock Makes a Friend with his wife Kia. Chris lives in Minnesota with his wife and two sons.
Read more from Chris Park
Arguments for God Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Personal Experience of God Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5ENIGMA: St Francis of Assisi Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Science and the Challenge to God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsReligion and the Idea of God Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The Nature of Belief Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEarthcare: Towards an environmental theology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTouch the Sky Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTo Love and Serve the Lord. The Story of St Thomas' Lancaster, 1841-2010 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFrancis: Life and Lessons Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Doubt, Denial and the Death of God
Related ebooks
The Nature of Belief Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSummary of The God Delusion: by Richard Dawkins | Includes Analysis Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Necessity of Secularism: Why God Can't Tell Us What to Do Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Everybody Is Wrong About God Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Faith and Reason and Faith in Reason Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRichard Dawkins The God Delusion: A Theist Response Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sam Harris and the End of Faith: A Critique Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAtheists Are Idiots: The Intellectually Challenged World of the Anti-Theist Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Outspoken: Confessions Of A Devout Atheist Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhy Am I An Agnostic? Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Sceptic's Guide to Atheism Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Case for God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTruth - Not Exactly: A Book for Truth Seekers and Those They Care About Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Is for Atheist: An A to Z of the Godfree Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGravity -True For You But Not For Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Disbelief 101: A Young Person's Guide to Atheism Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5From Pastor to Atheist: A Non-God Way of Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsI Married an Atheist ...Thank God! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Mightiest Hoax in the History of Mankind Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wise Things (that other people have said) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNo Need for God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Bertrand Russell Collection Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIs God Dead? Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUnapologetic: Why Philosophy of Religion Must End Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Christian Atheist: Belonging without Believing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Thou Shalt Not Believe Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Bible Thumper To Atheist Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhat If I'm an Atheist?: A Teen's Guide to Exploring a Life Without Religion Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNietzsche is Dead: Proof of God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCaught in the Pulpit: Leaving Belief Behind Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Christianity For You
Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Screwtape Letters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wild at Heart Expanded Edition: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mere Christianity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Loving Others Without Losing the Best of Who You Are Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Law of Connection: Lesson 10 from The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Stories We Tell: Every Piece of Your Story Matters Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Four Loves Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Changes That Heal: Four Practical Steps to a Happier, Healthier You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries Workbook: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Lead When You're Not in Charge: Leveraging Influence When You Lack Authority Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I'll Start Again Monday: Break the Cycle of Unhealthy Eating Habits with Lasting Spiritual Satisfaction Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Grief Observed Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Enoch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Undistracted: Capture Your Purpose. Rediscover Your Joy. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Your Brain's Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5NIV, Holy Bible Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
Reviews for Doubt, Denial and the Death of God
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Doubt, Denial and the Death of God - Chris Park
DOUBT, DENIAL AND THE DEATH OF GOD
Copyright 2016 Chris Park
Smashwords Edition
Thank you for downloading this ebook. Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied or distributed for commercial or non-commercial reasons. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy, and please consider downloading the other books in the series GOD MATTERS, both free from Smashwords.com. Thank you for your support.
This ebook contains material drawn from my book God: Real or Imagined? which was first published in print format by Zaccmedia in 2013. It is part of the GOD MATTERS series, the other ebooks of which are listed in ‘Other books by this author’.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Defining God
Doubting God
Denying God
Inventing God
The death of God
References
About the author
Other books by this author
1. Introduction
"I think humans have always wrestled with the Divine Idea – an idea that unites and separates, creates and destroys, consoles and terrifies. It is virtually certain that religious belief is as old as our species. And it is equally possible that uncertainty, doubt and scepticism about God have existed since prehistoric times." Robert Winston (2005)
The media often take a particular interest in God stories; after all, it sells copy. There was great interest, for example, when Alistair Campbell (his Press Secretary) was repeatedly asked about British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s faith and about whether he had prayed with US President George W. Bush before taking military action in the Middle East, famously said we don’t do God.
Barack Obama told an interviewer a few years before he succeeded Bush as President I have a deep faith. I’m rooted in the Christian tradition. … [but] I think there is an enormous danger on the part of public figures to rationalise or justify their actions by claiming God’s mandate.
Whilst God himself may not be as popular as he once was, there’s no denying the high level of interest amongst the general public in questions about ultimate meaning and purpose. This was clearly borne out in a 2010 survey of 1.1 billion queries made on the website Ask Jeeves (Ask in most countries) since it was launched in 2000, to find the Top 10 unanswerable
questions. The top two, based on the number of times asked, were ‘What is the meaning of life?’ and ‘Is there a God?’. ‘Is there anybody out there?’ came in at number 5, ahead of ‘Who is the most famous person in the world?’ (number 6) and ‘What is love?’ (number 7).
For most people in most places throughout history God was taken for granted, part of the furniture of life. Belief in God was inherited from parents, participation in religious rituals and traditions was part of everyday reality, and the existence and nature of God were rarely questioned.
As British journalist John Humphreys (2008) reminds us, it is only relatively recently that we have been able to question the existence of God and live to argue another day. Through much of European history it has not been wise to admit to doubt. At best you might find yourself cut off from polite society; at worst you might find yourself dangling from iron hooks in a dank cellar and be cut off in a more literal sense.
Wrestling with God
Why doesn’t everyone believe in God? If God exists and is as powerful and all-encompassing as believers say, surely it’s not beyond God to make everyone believe automatically, to hard-wire every person everywhere with religious belief from the moment they are born? Why give us a choice?
The answer to that simple question is complex, but in a nutshell … as a Christian, I believe that God created humans not as thoughtless automatons or robots, fully pre-programmed in every way, but as thinking, feeling individuals with free will and minds to think with. We were made with the ability to choose whether or not to believe that God exists, and what sort of God we believe in.
Even if we are given a choice, why does everyone not appreciate the logic of believing in God, particularly given the apparent benefits of religion and the fact that many people are aware of direct experiences of God? These themes are discussed in the ebooks Religion and the idea of God and Personal experience of God in this GOD MATTERS series
Given these two phenomena - freedom to choose and appreciating the benefits - would it not make sense for everyone to believe in God? But the