11 questions

I´m not an "atheist" (sensu stricto) but on a lazy summer day, I can´t help responding to these rather short anti-atheist arguments from a Christian YouTube channel. The presenter, S J Thomason, became a Catholic two years ago, but this short clip was presumably made during her Protestant (?) period. Judging by context, she is an Old Earth creationist. The title is "11 Questions Atheists Can´t Answer", which frankly sounds like click bait...

"How do you explain why the early Christian martyrs preached for decades saying they saw the risen Christ."

How do you explain why the original witnesses to the Book of Mormon preached for decades saying the Book of Mormon was true and that they saw the golden plates and in some cases the angel Moroni? Even those who subsequently left the Mormon Church insisted that the Book of Mormon itself was true...

"How do you explain the rise of Christianity between five and six million by the year 313 when it was finally legalized from such humble roots".

How do you explain the rise of the Mormon Church despite humble beginnings and persecutions?

"What powered the inflation of the universe"

Perfectly legitimate question, but why does it have to be Bible God? And where does the Bible even mention the Big Bang and "inflation"? Personally, I don´t think the Big Bang happened at all...

"Why are humans spiritual"

Most humans aren´t spiritual. That being said, yes, it´s certainly possible that our spirituality is a response to something from a spiritual realm. Of course, an atheist would respond that spirituality is a delusion and/or has natural causes. So it´s certainly a question atheists *can* answer, even though it may be the wrong answer!

"Where did consciousness come from"

Another legitimate question, and one materialists really can´t answer!

"How do you explain what some have called our sixth sense"

Presumably a reference to ESP. I assume all materialists (by definition) deny that ESP even exists. If it exists, it´s a strong argument against materialism, of course. 

"How did the earth overcome what MIT and Stanford physicists call statistically miraculous odds to have habitable conditions."

Nobody can really calculate those odds, so the anonymous physicists are groping in the dark, like everyone else. It´s just as likely that life in some form or another is quite common in the universe. 

"Why does humanity cherish humility and honesty over pride and deceit"

They don´t! This is actually a strange question from a Christian. Shouldn´t Christians believe in original sin? 

"Why do almost all feel compelled to do what´s right by helping neighbors, why is there a norm of reciprocity"

Once again, there are *many* people who don´t feel particularly compelled to do this, believe me. Reciprocity can be given an evolutionary explanation ("reciprocal altruism") and is the norm in a social species, but since humans are intelligent, they can come up with ways to cheat their neighbors and frequently do, unless restrained by the community...

"What is our greater purpose"

Atheists don´t believe in a "greater purpose" in the Christian sense, so this question really presupposes what should be proven. Interestingly, however, there are atheists with an almost "Messianic" attitude, for instance Communists and certain anarchists, who thus believe that their greater purpose is to usher in utopia on Earth. Personally, I don´t know what our "greater purpose" is. Do we need to have one? It may be "great" for us to merge with the Great Beyond, but spirit-beings on a higher elevation might not give much damn.

"Why is there evil in the world"

Why can´t an atheist answer this? From an atheist viewpoint, material suffering is "evil". Indeed, an atheist would turn this question around and ask the Christian some pointed question about theodicy!

Over and out.