My argument will be structured as follows.
Argument #1 | The Problem of Evil
Argument #2 | Problems with the Bible
Argument #3 | More Complex Explanations of Reality
Argument #1 | The Problem of Evil
The Problem of Evil is an internal critique of theistic worldview, which states that the level of observed evil is compatible with the idea that there is a benevolent god who has personal affection for each human being. I feel that the best way to portray this argument is to tell actual stories from history. Not just of particular people's experiences, but of massive impacts from the very spread of Christianity itself.
In the mid 1800s China was a powder keg, economic decline, natural disasters and humiliation at the hands of the British in the First Opium War left the Qing dynasty on the brink. This defeat by the British also opened up avenues for missionaries to begin spreading the gospel. One pamphlet landed in the hands ofa man, Hong Xiuquan who had been studying and failing to pass the civil services examinations. Upon one such failure, he had a nervous breakdown which led to a vision where he discovered he had a heavenly family, and that god lamented that all the people were worshiping demons instead of him and that the demons infesting heaven should be slain.
It would not be for a few years, when he failed the exam for the fourth time that he pulled out the pamphlets again, and the interpretation for him was affirmed. That he was the younger literal brother of Jesus Christ and that he was going to destroy the idolatry of Buddhism and Confucianism.
Due to the disruptions already taking place in China, many flocked to his cause and established a rebellious Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. This Total War became the largest internal conflict in Chinese history, and perhaps the deadliest in all of history. Estimates for the death toll from this war that started in 1851 and ended in 1864 range from 20 million to as high as 70-100 million people on the high end. (
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It is said that perhaps 1,000,000 people were executed when this "Heavenly Kingdom" was brought down. The Yangtze region's population was so diminished that labor became more expensive than land. Suffering experienced in this conflict is unimaginable, and if one were forced to endure or witness such a thing, I can scarce understand how they could believe there is a benevolent god who established this world.
Even if this is a "fallen" world, it seems that even spreading the "good news" can lead to untold tragedy, just by obeying the command to go to all the corners of the world to share it. This would then lead to many in China hating Christianity, quite understandably, but of course on Christian dogma this would portend their doom in Hell for rejecting the messiah. Kind of a double whammy to the Chinese people that this god is alleged to care about.
Argument #2 | Problems with the Bible
Recent Biblical scholarship has yielded a lot of ground on the falsehoods that were previously claimed by apologists and preachers concerning the books of the Bible. Largely none of them were authored by whom they have been historically claimed to be. Moses did not write the Pentateuch, and none of the gospels were written by their alleged authors. Paul is thought to have only authored 6 of the existing letters, with others missing (did god lose some books, why would those not have been included if found?).
Why should we trust individuals who often misuse a name, such as the pseudapigraphas written in Paul's name to be representative of god, when they are from the outset misrepresenting themselves? We have no idea how the vast majority of the Bible was constructed, who wrote the books, when exactly did they write them, etc. If the reports of Jesus are written by some random dudes who weren't even there, why should your eternity be destined on such an decision?
Much more could be said about the problems with the Bible, but ask me your questions or give me your challenges regarding how I would answer arguments in favor or against the Bible. I think this particular issue of their unreliability makes all the other dominoes fall, so to speak.
