“Ruminations”
Does God Exist? 18 Arguments, one challenge – you decide.
March 28, 2016 | 
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I teach Apologetics in a private Christian High School in Cary, NC and one of the topics is answering the challenge of the existence of God. I take the Five Ways of Thomas Aquinas and add 13 more, to provide 18 Arguments for the Existence of God.
You can find it here: Does God Exist
See also: session 2
The arguments move in degree from inquiring if the so-called atheist might actually be unsure, plausibly agnostic, maybe considering theism or actually able and willing to consider Christian theism.
One of the arguments in the middle is an argument from Religion, itself. I argue that there has never been a thoroughly atheistic culture in human history – anywhere . . . anytime. I am using “atheism” a bit broader in definition to mean people who do not believe in any kind of spiritual reality or accountability. That they are more akin to materialists (the philosophical kind that think matter is all there is – not the greedy king that just want the bling.)
As I was giving this argument in another setting, I was challenged to look up the Piraha people of the Amazon Jungle in/near Brazil. There was an episode or two on the television that proposed these people to be just that thoroughly atheistic culture that I was denying existed. So, I did.
My journey took me to a couple of YouTube videos, an article or two, a “Wiki-trail” and finally to Daniel Everett’s book, “Don’t Sleep, There are Snakes: Life and Language in the Amazonian Jungle.”
My conclusion: [THIS SECTION REMOVED FOR NOW, FOR THE PURPOSE OF A CLASS EXERCISE . . . ]
I encourage the reader to watch the videos below, then read the Wiki-articles (I realize Wikipedia is not a legit resource, but these are pretty well documented) about Everett, SIL (the mission org), the Piraha, their predecessors – the Mura, an interesting article and then read the prologue and what you can of Everett’s book on Amazon.com. (I use the “Look Inside” function :))
Links are below and as for the challenge against the argument for religion . . . WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Posted in "Ruminations", Cary Christian School | 
Tags: Agnosticism, Animism, Apologetics, Atheism, Daniel Everett, Noam Chomsky, Piraha, Piraha People, Religion, Spiritism, Spirits | 
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Apologetics Assignment 3
It has been proposed that the Argument from Religion, namely that there has never been a thoroughly atheistic people group in human history (everybody worships something – as a people group) is incorrect because of an Amazonian tribe, known as the Piraha. Let’s research this.
1. Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirah%C3%A3_people and start becoming familiar with them.
2. Now go to http://www.ascentofhumanity.com/chapter2-7.php to go a bit deeper.
3. Finally, go to Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Sleep-There-Are-Snakes/dp/0307386120 and click the book to use the look inside feature and see what else you can learn.
That’s all – just learn. See you tomorrow for Find out Friday, Lord willing.
Apologetics Assignment 2
Let’s go a little deeper in our look at the 18 Arguments for the Existence of God:
1. The Moral Argument: C.S. Lewis is of late the most attributed for the use of this argument. Go to this website – http://www.philosophy.ucsb.edu/faculty/anderson/moral_arguments_for_the_existence_of_God.html – and then summarize this page in about 1/2 Page Essay.
2. The Five Ways: Go to this website – http://www.basilica.org/pages/ebooks/St.%20Thomas%20Aquinas-Summa%20Theologica.pdf – and read pages 163-167 on the Existence of God. Write a 1/2 Page Essay on you opinion of HOW Aquinas communicates this. What do you like about what he says? What else do you think? This is an opinion piece.
Turn in two essays at the end of class if possible. If not, they can be turned in at the beginning of class tomorrow.
Apologetics Assignment
Review PowerPoint presentation below and then take the quiz.
After the quiz, grade it and turn it in.
Tomorrow you will research the Moral Argument and Aquinas’ Five Ways.