Answering ATHEISM. A look at Alex O'Connor and Richard Dawkins
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
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Summary
In this episode of Catholic Unscripted, Katherine Bennett and Mark Lambert discuss the arguments presented by Richard Dawkins in his book 'The God Delusion'. They explore the rise of the new atheists in the late 90s and early 2000s and the impact they had on the Christian community. They also discuss the popularity of Alex O'Connor, a new atheist who has gained a large following on UA-cam. The hosts express the importance of addressing these arguments and providing responses to them, and they plan to do so in future episodes.
Keywords
Catholic Unscripted, Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion, new atheists, Alex O'Connor, arguments, responses
Takeaways
The rise of the new atheists in the late 90s and early 2000s had a significant impact on the Christian community.
Alex O'Connor, a new atheist with a large UA-cam following, has brought renewed attention to the arguments against God's existence.
It is important for Christians to address these arguments and provide thoughtful responses.
The Catholic Church has a rich tradition of addressing these questions and providing answers.
Understanding the arguments and responses can help strengthen one's own faith and engage in meaningful discussions with others.
Titles
Responding to the Rise of Alex O'Connor
Exploring the Arguments of Richard Dawkins
Sound Bites
"We're going to do a playlist for you here, which you can use in your defense of the faith, looking at some of Dawkins' arguments."
"These new atheists found a space that had been created by the internet and appealed to a post-enlightenment materialistic vision."
"Dawkins knows that we've just set up this situation where people are questioning their faith and there's a vacuum where the answers should be."
Chapters
00:00
Introduction to the Discussion: The Impact of Richard Dawkins and New Atheists
06:47
The Influence of Jordan Peterson and Modern Atheists
I pray with all my heart that Catholic Unscripted will gain and even supersede the number of subs that Jordan Peterson and Alex O’Connor have. Your voices open up a horizon of light and hope for the future of the Church and of Western civilization.
Will you pray for the victims of abuse in the cathoolic church?
Thank you 🙏
@@catholicunscripted You're welcome!
@@troig43of course we will pray for victims of abuse in the Catholic Church.
@@catholicunscripted Do you acknowledge that the catholic church is still blocking compensation claims from abuse survivors?
Back in the day, post 9-11, Dawkins thought he could get away with equating all religious belief with islamic extremism to make his atheistic point.
do you support the right of god to kill anyone he feels like? cos you are no different to a muslim, you are a traitor to humanity, you will back god over your fellows. you think you're pious but your sick.
My generation trusted Catholic education via schools, and see what a mess we have allowed to occur. I’m reminded of the Catholic evidence guild with what you are discussing.
Today one is advised ‘never discuss sex or religion’ and yet both are the very centre of life’s problems. Abortion and love of God.
In each case,it takes a great deal of courage to stand up and be counted and one would suggest group training.
Dawkins hypothesis that science could explain everything is falling apart with advances in science. The universe was already getting seriously weird when he wrote the book, but since then we've "found" (or more accurately inferred the existence of but so far failed to find) dark matter and dark energy. With every new discovery it gets harder to believe the universe (or multiverse) could have somehow created itself out of nothing. I think the problem we have now is a younger generation who simply take it for granted that God doesn't exist. For most of them the idea is never challenged or explored (not in school, not in secular society, and possibly not in some churches). They probably never even consider how the universe could have begun or how something can come of nothing. Where do you start?
can you tell me how "god did it" can make even something as simple as aspirin? there is no science in god, god is the epitome of ignorance, god it the idiots answer to all problems "god did it" science is doing everything for you from the phone you're using to your car and electricity in your house, you're either too think to notice that science beats god everytime or you're just dishonest - and both apply to religists in my book.
and "something from nothing" - either god had a universe in stock, i which case he didn't create, or he had nothing and create it, so don't be so flippin dumb. you're no better off than science on that, although science says the universe is eternal, the big bang marks the start of the expansion and physics.
@@HarryNicNicholas Did you watch the video? Science is the how, God is the why!?
@@tco13v And have you watched Answers in Genesis ??????
@@fentonpeter1582 Yes, I have followed Ken for a while, some things I agree with and some things I disagree.
@@tco13v I am sure Ken is a nice person but unfortunately like all YECs they are spellbound by literal translation of the Bible which for texts and writings of over 2000 years is foolhardy. Trying to conjure up reasons and excuses to fit their narrative does nothing to help open minded Christians retain their faith and beliefs.
cheers
People can come at me with differing viewpoints, that's fine, and I can state my position as best as possible. But in the end, if someone has adopted a hardened position, especially in matters of faith, it is just about impossible to create an "ah-ha" moment where some life-altering epiphany will take place. The best you can do in most cases is plant a seed, pray to God, and trust in the power of the Holy Spirit. I'm okay with that. I've seen apologetic videos, especially among the Sola-Scriptura crowd, where people will engage in a form of pretzel logic as they try to account for every word contained in the Bible and answer every point or question posed to them while accepting the premise of the person asking the question or making the argument.
What I seldom see is someone asking the atheist to expand on their point or explain why they have arrived where they have, in other words, challenge their premise before responding, or at least understand it. If someone asks a question there is nothing wrong with responding with a question, such as, why do you ask, before jumping in with both feet. But that's me.
Admittedly, apologetics isn't my thing. It's not that I don't know scripture, it's that I believe there is more to faith than what you get from a book. But as I say, that's just my take on it. When I was an educator I used to figure out if someone was making a point, or trying to win an argument. Understand what people believe and why they believe it before engaging. I found that to be a good strategy for starting a conversation and avoiding an argument.
Yes, I'd agree with your comments.
There was nothing new about the atheism. I've heard similar from childhood, and I'd guess that its similar for ever. Because I think, atheism is a correlate of certain personality traits. One of these traits is lack of curiosity, no interest, no questions.
The atheism is a kind of cover or deceit that many sleepless days and profound meditation passed until atheism dawned and I was free.
i would have thought it obvious that the talking snake and donkey cult was mythology, and that a god who creates a universe but needs a family to build a boat, to save animals he created - is just a stupid story full of ploy holes, and they are ALL stupid stories full of plot holes - how can an immortal become mortal? then die, then come back to life, then claim to be immortal again? talk about gullible, that book is chock full of stupid.
@@hazchemel i've always been atheist from the moment i was told adam was made from dirt and eve from ribs i thought you people were lunatics, and you are.
people who say "god has the right to kill you cos he made you" are sick, you need therapy.
Why should the atheist explain his or her position or how they arrived at it? An atheist is someone who is not a theist. So in regards to the theist claim that a god exists, who also reveals himself and is knowable, the theist has to explain why he thinks that claim is true. And since the claim is pretty significant the explanation should be pretty good. "A god exists" is a positive claim like "dogs exist" or "a bigfoot" exists. But until the claim is substantiated, the default position should be to not believe the claim.
@@joeyssymank1035 Okay, but why shouldn't the atheist explain his or her position first?
This is a great initiative! 🔥 I was raised secular and graduated high school right when this book came out and I became a militant atheist after reading it.
I eventually became Catholic but a series like this could have saved me so many years of searching so I think it’s a great idea! Will pray for its success.
Also I totally agree with Katherine when she said that Alex has enormous intellect and as a young man merely (hopefully) hasn’t had the time and formation to develop commensurate wisdom.
I found myself saying exactly that while watching his recent interview with Pageau.
Have followed him for years and echo everything said here. His cognitive abilities are second to none so it causes massive whiplash when you discover he’s an emotivist. I cannot understand how someone so intelligent could hold such a hilariously absurd position but alas, if nothing else God has a wonderful sense of humour.
Addendum: forgot to mention that like both of you I really appreciate Alex and his hunger for truth and the way he conducts himself in his conversations. Will pray that he finds his way home. 🔥❤️
What Alex O'Connor fails to address is the profoundly metaphysical nature of his position. He passes it off a variety of common sense, the default of all intelligent people and by definition everything else is snake oil, obfuscation and self-delusion. It's worth reminding people what materialists actually believe: first, that the universe is deterministic and free will cannot exist, second, that biology is exhaustive and therefore human consciousness must be an illusion of biological complexity. Having accepted the unavoidable corollary of one and two, we can behave as if neither of them are true and extrapolate into realms of meaning that are orthogonal to our core assertions.
you wrote a lot of words but said nothing. great stuff.
@@HarryNicNicholas "Word salad", is the materialist's go to insult. Brute self-evidence or intellectual legerdemain are the only options, apparently.
@@HarryNicNicholasI understand why you'd say that. "Word salad" and equivalent statements are usually excuses not to undergo intellectual rigor (usually from lazy or incapable minds)
Going through the chapters one by one is a brilliant idea. I was persuaded out of my christian faith around 2008 by Dawkins and hitches etc. I came back a few years ago but defo have certain people around me ridiculing me and asking Dawkin type questions thst I don't feel fully equipped to answer. I really wish such resources as this had been around back then, I may have not lost my faith
This is an excellent idea for a series.
Excellent, really looking forward to this. As a recent convert hearing the Catholic counter to objections to our faith from the magisterium, the church fathers etc will be hugely helpful in many ways.
Very glad to see this new series
Why are people who purport to be atheists (and I don’t really think anyone is an atheist) so interested in God and religion?
I don’t play golf, I don’t like golf, so I don’t spend the whole of my life discussing golf.
If these people really were atheists then they simply wouldn’t bother expending so much time and effort on these questions at all. At the end of the day it’s only a belief in truth that motivates them and it’s only belief in God that determines the belief in truth.
It could be because religion takes up so much spacein society. If you are not careful other people will do their best to get you to follow the rules of their religion.
If no one tried to affect laws etc based on religion, I think a lot less would care.
As an atheist, let me answer your question.
Note that i can only speak for myself.
2 main reasons.
The first is curiosity. We all believe something and i think its of key importance to know why you believe certain things.
Blind faith is not a good thing. The best way to test your own believes is to challenge them with opposing views.
Engage with people who think differently and see if your idea's hold up.
Second is because religion (mainly Christianity) has a large influence in politics and education.
2 places i don't think religion should have any influence. You should be free to apply religious rules/restrictions to yourself, but not to me.
And as long as they try too, i will be there to point out how religion is a personal conviction but not a fact.
@@aidanya1336 You're displaying a rather remarkable lack of self awareness if you think you aren't religious, even if you think you think you don't believe in God.
@@hughoxford8735 So if i said to you that you are displaying a remarkable lack of self awareness if you think you are religious and that you sacredly know god does not exist.
How would that feel to you? It would feel like utter BS because you know fool well that you do believe and god does exist.
This comes across the same way to me.
You are acting like you know better what is in my head than i do. When i say i don't believe and you say i do. This also leads you to the only conclusion i must be lying. But if your starting point is that i must be lying, there is absolutely no point in having a conversation.
@@hughoxford8735 If you don't like golf, wouldn't you be pissed if your family constantly tried to talk to you about it? Or shunned you if you don't join the same golf club as them? Or that your taxes are used to fund large golf courses? Or that golf organisations don't have to pay taxes? Or that the golf club you were born into manipulated you and left you with lifelong psychological damage? Or that prominent golf players use heir charisma to find vulnerable people that can be easily parted from their money? Man... if golf had that kind of impact on society I surely would be discussing it, even if I'd hate it to death.
Thankyou for this excellent discussion. Having already watched the various podcasts you mention, I had many queries.. which you have addressed and given me more to reflect on. Look forward to the next instalment! Keep up the great work. Deo gratias 🙏🏼
Peterson recently invoted and met with O'Connor. It can be viewed on UA-cam. Peter Hitchens who is a Christian understands his brother and can explain Chris just enjoyed the fight and struggle to win.
Yes we discuss the Peter/O'Connor interview in this video.
There are some intellectuals, Constantin Krisin, Tom Holland, and Jordan Peterson have expressed weaknesses and flaws in atheism and the tide of unbelief is on the turn.
Sadly this is not true. Non-religious groups are still growing in every western country.
Also Konstantin Kisin? Really... The man doesn't even know the difference between left, woke progressive and atheism.
and those three are lunatics.
Being in Christians in Science (an ecumenical venture, not specifically Catholic), have you come across a book written by Professors Alister McGrath and Denis Alexander entitled "Coming to Faith Through Dawkins: 12 Essays on the Pathway from New Atheism to Christianity" -featuring interviews with people who came to faith through reading "The God Delusion"? Professor Dawkins has won more converts to the Christian faith than Pope Francis has managed!!
Katherine's memory is not totally askew. Dawkins did have a debate with an Australian bishop. It was Cardinal Pell.
ua-cam.com/video/0HI_nqppIM4/v-deo.html
pell the guy who went to prison?
@@HarryNicNicholas 13 months gaol, but then acquitted!?
I did say that!
Peterson is indeed using a very different metaphysical terminology than the traditional Catholic one because he is an Existentialist not an Essentialist. ua-cam.com/video/97be48vkat4/v-deo.html&t The fact that he is connecting far better should give us pause for thought.
@27:00 Kudos to Mark for pronouncing “often” correctly.
I'm always here for you TP!
And if not always, often.
Hitchens etc through media platforms has created thousands of atheists with the same hatred of religion and o,Connor is creating a new atheist argument and has become a leader to the atheist youth
I don't think he created any atheists. He merely reinforced prejudices and ill founded ideas that were already there. People start with beliefs or wishes to believe (and atheism is a belief, no matter how much atheists deny it) and then look for evidence to support that belief.
@@philiphumphrey1548
They created a belief for atheists to follow
@@philiphumphrey1548Atheists don't "deny" that atheism is a belief. It's just not what the word means. The Greek prefix "a-" means "not, without, (having) no". And I suppose we agree, that a theist is someone who believes in a god, who also reveals himself and is knowable. An a-theist therefore is someone who is not a theist. So the atheist doesn't have a belief in a god, since that's the thing defining the theist. Nothing more, nothing less. How then is the absence of a belief a belief in itself? That's just a contradiction...
@@philiphumphrey1548 no, not really, that's how christians are made, by reinforcing the silly ideas, that's why you NEED apologists, to make up crappy excuses for an immoral god "god can kill whoever he feels like and it's good" sorry but being atheist is simple, i don't believe anything you people say cos you can't be trusted when you glorious leader is coercing you 24 / 7
@@martinmartin1363 sorry but i came to my atheism without any help and i continue to be atheist after 65 years without the need of apologists, it's christians who "follow" you have to be taught god and indoctrinated and constantly reassured you're not "silly" or "immoral" by apologists who lie through their teeth to make an immoral, barbaric and unnatural god look presentable.
it's not me needs apologists.
I am no atheist, but the scientific revelation of how old life on Earth really is and for how many millions and millions of years before man emerged, animals were eating each other, suffering and dying (and still do, of course) raises serious questions about the CHARACTER of the Creator. To my knowledge, no Catholic theologian has faced this issue post-Darwin. Aquinas understood that animal predation predated the Fall and so was directly willed by God, but made no further reflections. But he did not know the enormity of that regime.
be an atheist, there is no god to worry over.
Have you ever considered the possibility that time is created phenomenon?
@@leojmullins I never assumed otherwise.
@@polemeros How do you define and explain time? If you can successfully answer that question, you will be up there with Einstein.
There all aways two ways to handle these types of problems imo. One that caste into doubt God's good nature and one that doesn't. Generally, from my experience people tends to fall into either side. Often those who questions God's good nature tend to never run out of questions regardless how many questions get answered. Of course, answers come just not always in the timing we would like.
I am reminded of reading a ton of questions on higher biblical criticism that have been posed in the last several hundred years. So, many of these questions or problems get answered in time like the Hittites or the Book of Daniel predating Christ. The Dead Sea Scrolls answered many criticisms originally posed by long dead people. Of course, the modern ones ignored all the answers and just found more questions. It is interesting to me how shepherd boys tend to bring things to light too. I wonder if Gobekli Tepe will one day do something similar.
If angels fell before humans and tempted mankind to disobey, I wonder who much easier it would be for them to do that to animals? Wasn't Satan in the form of a serpent? Wasn't there a legion of demons that occupied some pigs? If demons can possess a person how much easier so for animals?
@@jesuslovesaves2682 You do love to hear yourself talk, don't you?
"He's trying to win the debate and make himself look clever". If true, you shouldn't give this Alex guy the time of day or waste time discussing him. He sounds quite dishonest. I'm impressed you are able to understand his mind and his true motivations.
Fair point. I don't think they are fair to Alex.
Not sure how the doctori
Viva Cristo Rey!
I am uncertain how to convince someone my Father exists. How do you convince someone your spouse exists if they have never met him or her? If someone won't take the witness of people who know the person or evidence of the person then how can you convince them? I know He is real just like I know my biological father exists. I know him personally. You can call me liar, but you have to do the same for how many people who have met Him and provided a witness for Him for you.
So, the question to the atheist is can you imagine someone saying your father doesn't exist and demanding proof he does? The fact you exist is thus then denied as proof by posing the question.
How hard was it for Jesus to convince people who His Father was? For the Apostles to convince people of the Resurrection? Why did He send them? The Holy Spirit be with them?
Prior to the modern world how many people would have met the leader of an empire? Can you imagine telling Ceasar's representative sorry I just don't believe he exists. Do you think that would get you off the hook on following him?
The story of the rich man and Lazarus has a lot of interesting information in it. The nation of Israel was also quiet an interesting witness. It is interesting how the Jews could worship their God alone under Rome from pre-existing arrangements. How the records were kept from various Empire to another, and some agreements honored is also interesting. Especially, the reasons why.
How bad do you want to meet the King? How humbly to you implore Him? In looking how humbly do you expect Him? Can you find something you are looking for if you don't believe it exists? If you don't know how One exists how do you know where to look? Things aren't always as they appear, and people are much less clever than they suppose. Sometimes simple humility goes further than we can possibly understand.
Hilarious.
Theist: "My imaginary Supernatural Sky-Daddy created the Universe especially for me. He thinks I'm special, he loves me and he won't let me share the inevitable fate of every living organism, because I'm so very special".
Atheist: "I don't believe you".
Jesuslovesaves: "Sometimes simple humility goes further than we can possibly understand" (!?).
@@donthesitatebegin9283
I guess it is less humble to deny your actual Father exists because you don't like Him then accept reality? Your bodily father is a symbol pointing to your Spiritual Father the Father of all. You are more dependent of Him that your bodily father whom you can equally deny exists if you so choose. It takes humility to accept reality to which I it appears you think I am not, and you are. Time happens for all of us.
One day at a chosen time you will meet Him and then as for as all you will still have free will. Even Peter who knew Jesus denied Him three times but by the grace of God was given the time to repent.
@@jesuslovesaves2682 You're right, it does "take humility to accept reality" - whereas you completely lack even the slightest trace of modesty or humility. In fact you live in a totally self-centred megalomaniacal dream-world with you as the main character at the very centre of the Universe - a fantasy-world propped up by distortion, self-deception and magical thinking.
It's called Narcissistic-Grandiose Personality Disorder and no doubt in your case it is pathological.
I would never recommend Von Balthazar’s book as his views in line with Globalism and modernism and there is no Hell of damnation which is heresy
Poor von Balthasar. Once seen as a reactionary as he was a friend and colleague of St John Paul II and Benedict XVI, but now in the doghouse, thanks to some Rad Trads.
@@edwardbell9795
Can John Paul and benedict be wrong of course they can and I don't condemn them it's God's will.
And I've never been to a Latin mass and know nothing about it
Sorry to disappoint you 👍😁
I hadn't assumed that you were a Rad Trad. It's just some Traditionalists have taken agin von Balthasar. It's worth engaging with Bishop Barron's and Larry Chapp's defence of Von Balthasar Catholic orthodoxy. @@martinmartin1363
and you are a nobody.
@@martinmartin1363 paul had no idea what jesus looked like, that's some "eyewitness". "hey i'm jesus, here's five bucks, get a religion going for me".
Hmm. "Bishop Barron took Alex O'Connor to the cleaners?" I don't think so. Alex remained calm and courteous throughout the exchange, and presented issues which the bishop talked around rather than addressed. On hearing Barron's definition of "faith" as "the response of of the revealing God," Alex's reply was an appropriate expression of bemused incredulity. Jordan Peterson? A persuasive secular advocate for Christianity? These days, after some years of serious illness, JP has become a true word salad meister: he makes Deepak Chopra look like a exemplar of rational debate. JP's response to any probing question is either a prolonged expression of agonized indecision or a piece of verbal handwaving like "It depends what you mean by [x]." Peterson's daliance with Christianity is essentially a way to keep himself interesting: a necessity for any narcissist.
Word salad is code for any assertion that does not fit our belief system. What Alex O'Connor fails to address is the profoundly metaphysical nature of his position. He passes it off a variety of common sense, the default of all intelligent people and by definition everything else is snake oil, obfuscation and self-delusion. It's worth reminding people what materialists actually believe: first, that the universe is deterministic and free will cannot exist, second, that biology is exhaustive and therefore human consciousness must be an illusion of biological complexity. Having accepted the unavoidable corollary of one and two, we can behave as if neither of them are true and extrapolate into realms of meaning that are orthogonal to our core assertions.
You sound upset that Bishop Barron's definition of faith didn't reinforce your atheist strawman definition of the term.
Barron's definition is very much in-line with the Catechism and the Catholic understanding of faith. Sorry that understanding makes it inconvenient for you to dismiss in the same way "le believing without le evidence" does.
Maybe try being more humble with respect to religions you disparage. You might learn something.
Also I have issues with JBP but I have bigger issues with uncurious individuals such as yourself believing (without evidence) that "word salad" is a rebuttal for anything.
Please, for your sake and everyone else's who has to deal with you, have some intellectual rigor.
@@newglof9558 I didn't offer a defintion of faith: I merely quoted that stated by Bishop Barron. "Believing without evidence" is clearly in line with Hebrews 11.1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.." (KJV) "Word Salad" is not a "rebuttal" - it is an observation that JP will do anything to avoid being pinned down to a definite position on anything. I admired the Peterson of some years ago for his forthright denunciation of troubling issues "wokeness" and the idiocy of the "pronoun" controversy, but these days he seems to prefer to hide in an atmosphere of carefully curated vagueness. I would think that "intellectual rigour" would require him to state his religious convictions with clarity. Bishop Barron, to do him justice, presents his views clearly and offers definitive arguments for them.
Hi
Lo
Over half an hour wasted with condescending ad hominems...