tim@unc.UUCP (06/28/83)
Besides being ill-documented, Dr. Eby's story does not make sense.
The reasons are very similar to those that make any supposed "rational
proof of the existence of God" nonsensical. This article is an
attempt to make this clear.
Assume that Eby's story is right on the mark -- there is a God and
a Heaven, Eby was returned to spread this knowledge, etc.
Alternately, assume that there is some rational proof of the existence
of God, that is, God has made the Universe in such a way that Its
(God's) existence can be proved absolutely by reason.
Either (or both) of these assumptions leads inexorably to the
following conclusion: God wants us to have proof of Its existence.
(This is a rather facile leap, but I think it is obvious enough; if
challenged, I can defend it.) This seems harmless enough, but when we
consider God's supposed omnipotence we run into problems. If God
really wants us to have proof that God exists, why does It resort to
such obscure channels? Why doesn't God just write YHVH in flaming
letters on the moon, or something equally unmistakable and
independently verifiable? If God is omnipotent, It is not "put out"
by such miracles. If It wants us to have proof, there is no reason
not to make it absolutely clear and unquestionable.
Wait! Don't post that "God works in mysterious ways" followup
just yet. If God is so mysterious, how do you know that It is
benevolent? Its word is only valid if you can be sure It is honest,
but if It is really so mysterious you can't know this. In fact,
Christians only say that God is mysterious when their backs are to the
wall in an argument, and there is no way around a contradiction in
their belief system. Christians routinely speak knowingly of God's
motives and desires, blithely contradicting their statement about Its
mysteriousness.
Another possible response is that God wants us to have faith.
Then why would It send back Dr. Eby or provide rational proofs of Its
existence? You can't have your wine and drink it too. I have no
objection to someone saying that they belong to some religion because
it is helpful to them and they see no reason not to belong, but when
people start talking about "proof" of an omnipotent being's existence
in this universe I draw the line.
In summary, the question is why God would provide us with weak
evidence such as a contestable "after-death" experience or arguable
"proofs" of God's existence, if in fact It does want us to have proof.
It could just as easily, and without violating our free wills, give us
much less ambiguous reasons to believe.
(It may interest some of you to know that my first posting of this
article simply evaporated without a trace, and I have had to spend a
while typing another version of it from memory. Before you go
thanking God for this, ask yourself if It works by suppressing
contrary opinions, and if so whether It is worthy of worship. Just a
thought.)
======================================
The overworked keyboard of Tim Maroney
duke!unc!tim (USENET)
tim.unc@udel-relay (ARPA)
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hillwex@ittvax.UUCP (06/29/83)
To (mis)quote:
"The argument goes something like this:
I, says God, refuse to prove that I exist. For proof denies faith, and
without faith, I am nothing.
But, says Man, the Babel fish is so astoundingly useful that it must be
proof of Your existence. Therefore, You don't exist!
Oh, dear! says God, I hadn't thought of that!
and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic."
(I'm sorry I don't have the book with me now.)
Just trying to liven things up folks! Flames should be sent to /dev/null
--Alan Wexelblatrh@mit-eddi.UUCP (Randy Haskins) (06/29/83)
***********
To (mis)quote:
"The argument goes something like this:
I, says God, refuse to prove that I exist. For proof denies faith, and
without faith, I am nothing.
But, says Man, the Babel fish is so astoundingly useful that it must be
proof of Your existence. Therefore, You don't exist!
Oh, dear! says God, I hadn't thought of that!
and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic."
(I'm sorry I don't have the book with me now.)
************
you forgot to add:
"That was easy," said Man, and for an encore proves that black is
white and gets himself killed at the next crosswalk.
The "real-life" book was HGttG, but this was supposedly from a book
called "That About Wraps it up for God."