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Articles by Bob Seidensticker
Revisiting Hitchens’ challenge and the value of hope
Overview: Atheist Christopher Hitchens made a famous moral challenge to Christians. Let’s consider a second Christian response. Reading Time: 6 minutes Atheist Christopher Hitchens had a moral challenge for Christians: identify a moral action taken or a moral sentiment uttered by a believer that couldn’t be taken or uttered by a nonbeliever—something that only a believer could do and an atheist couldn’t. Part 1 is here.
Do science and faith share humility and service?
Overview: Are science and Christianity more compatible than we might realize? I'm doubtful. In this final part of a 3-part series, consider the two remaining shared values, humility and service. Reading Time: 4 minutes A Christian scientist says that science and faith aren’t that far apart—indeed, that important traits of science are found within Christianity. This is a response to an article by Dr. Deborah Haarsma titled, “I am an astrophysicist.
God as Donald Trump: Trying to make sense of praise and worship
Overview: Praise and worship is the last thing that you’d think an all-wise god would want (unless it’s a god in the mold of Donald Trump). Reading Time: 3 minutes President Trump wanted a military parade—a big one with tanks and a fighter jet flyover. Y’know, like those for dictators in the Soviet Union or North Korea. President Trump liked cabinet meetings with public adulation, praise, and flattery.
Christians lie to cover up God’s support for slavery
Overview: What’s the key issue about the slavery in the Bible? Is it that there are different kinds of slavery (indentured servitude and chattel slavery) or is it that God supported both? Reading Time: 4 minutes You’d think that God could defend himself, but Christian apologists must always clean up his messes. What’s interesting about this instance is how readily God’s defenders will lie for him.
Biblical slavery: turn that frown upside down!
Overview: We’ll conclude our analysis of a Christian defense of God’s barbaric Old Testament rules regulating slavery. Though it’s hard to imagine, it’s time to consider the good side of slavery. Reading Time: 4 minutes Here’s an angle I didn’t expect: an interest in the upside of slavery. I’m responding to a recent post, “Did God Condone Slavery?” by Amy Hall of the Stand to Reason ministry.
Biblical slavery: what does God really want?
Overview: We’ll continue our analysis of a Christian defense of God’s barbaric Old Testament rules regulating slavery. What does God really think? And how much leeway must you give a society that has immoral laws? Reading Time: 4 minutes God makes clear that he’s on board with slavery for life (chattel slavery). But is there a loophole? I’m responding to a recent post, “Did God Condone Slavery?” by Amy Hall of Stand to Reason.
7 tips for arguing with a chance of changing someone’s mind
7 tips for arguing with a chance of changing someone’s mind Daryl Davis is a Black man fascinated by hate groups. In researching the KKK, he sought out members and met with them. Here’s what he learned. Reading Time: 5 minutes Daryl Davis is a Black man who is fascinated by American hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan. In researching the Klan in America, he sought out members and met with them. And befriended them. And was the cause of some of them leaving the Klan.
This blog is moving!
This is my last post at the Cross Examined blog. Patheos has been a good host for the last decade, but they’re narrowing their focus. What I write is a now little too edgy for them, so I’m moving on. I’ll be at a new site called OnlySky. Perhaps you can guess where that name came from: “ . . . No hell below us / Above us, only sky.” OnlySky is the world seen through a secular lens. “Cross Examined” has been a descriptive name for the blog, but I’ll be dropping that.
Atheists don’t have morality, apparently
In part 1, we looked at the odd interpretation of atheism by “John the atheist.” Several commenters have suggested that it’s such a bizarre interpretation that it must be a Christian parody. In part 2, we looked at the even odder embrace by Christian apologists of John’s conclusions. I suppose John’s ideas fit their agenda to make atheism look ridiculous, but do they not stop to consider whether John’s views are shared by other atheists? Or if the views are at all defensible?
Do atheists have a nihilistic worldview?
We looked at the odd views of “John the atheist” in the last post. John denies that morality exists (apparently he means that objective morality doesn’t exist). John dismisses aspirations and love as imaginary by equating them with the chemistry that makes them (just because we can understand how love works doesn’t mean it no longer exists). John says that “there is nothing in my world that stops me from killing you and reproducing with your wife” (no, you’re thinking of a sociopath).
Christians who just don’t get it
Christians who attack atheists need to know their opponent. It’s often clear they haven’t been paying attention. I’ve written several posts about supposed atheists who want the atheist community to acknowledge the benefits Christianity has provided to society and the powerful arguments in favor of Christianity. Why doesn’t such an “atheist” just declare himself a Christian? Here’s another example, an atheist who laments the consequences of the atheist worldview.
The Bible defeats its own Resurrection story
The Bible defeats its own Resurrection story December 2, 2021 Bob Seidensticker Step through the gospel’s crucifixion and resurrection story, and you’ll see that some of the popular arguments made by Christian apologists fall apart. Many Christian apologists insist that the resurrection was documented by eyewitnesses. Their motivation makes sense—the resurrection is the punch line of the Jesus story, and the authors can’t simply be passing along a popular yarn.
Saving Haeckel: why “ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny” isn’t so wrong
Saving Haeckel: why “ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny” isn’t so wrong November 29, 2021 Bob Seidensticker Ernst Haeckel published his influential theory of embryology, distilled as “ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny” in 1866, seven years after Darwin’s On the Origin of Species. Haeckel’s theory fell out of favor and hasn’t been part of evolutionary theory for decades, but it’s still cited today as a cause of mischief by modern Creationists.
You probably don’t understand what Leviticus says against homosexuality
You probably don’t understand what Leviticus says against homosexuality November 22, 2021 Bob Seidensticker This is the conclusion of our look at three interesting articles on same-sex marriage.
9 arguments Christians give against same-sex marriage
9 arguments Christians give against same-sex marriage November 18, 2021 Bob Seidensticker Who knew? Same-sex marriage not only makes baby Jesus cry, it’s actually harmful! Luckily, we have “How gay marriage harms people” to set us straight. Each argument is numbered below, followed by my rebuttal. 1. Marriage is part of God’s creation plan “The Bible says that marriage is rooted in God’s creation of mankind (Matthew 19:4–8).” The Bible also says that marriage should be avoided.
Christians’ secret weapon against same-sex marriage
Christians’ secret weapon against same-sex marriage November 15, 2021 Bob Seidensticker Whining about same-sex marriage is always in season in some circles. I’d like to respond to one such article, “The Importance of Your Gag Reflex When Discussing Homosexuality and ‘Gay Marriage.’ ” “Gag reflex”? I doubt we’ll find much respect and compassion in this article.
Is God the good guy or the bad guy?
This is one of my shirts. It makes a fun and provocative statement that often gets a smile, but it also raises an important question. When the Christians think that they’re talking to God, how do they know? If there is a supernatural world populated with both good and bad beings, maybe one of Satan’s little helpers is answering your prayer instead of God, Jesus, or a saint. Now consider the bigger question: who’s in charge?
More reasons why “God” is always the worst answer
More reasons why “God” is always the worst answer November 8, 2021 Bob Seidensticker Why are we here? What is the meaning of life? Christian answers to big questions such as these often involve God, but God is always the worst guess. Let’s conclude our list of reasons why (part 1: 8 reasons why “God” is always the worst answer). 5. It ignores the trend Supernatural explanations are superseded by natural ones, never the other way around.
8 reasons why “God” is always the worst answer
8 reasons why “God” is always the worst answer November 4, 2021 Bob Seidensticker For the answer to any of life’s big questions—questions such as “Why are we here?” or “What is the meaning of life?”—anything with God in it is always the worst guess. Super-smart aliens would be better. Fairies would be better. “I dunno, but there’s gotta be something better” would be better.
You know the photo that came with your new wallet? God is like that.
You know the photo that came with your new wallet? God is like that. November 1, 2021 Bob Seidensticker New wallets sometimes come with sample photos in the clear plastic sleeves. Suppose I kept the photo of the female model and told everyone that she was my girlfriend. Her photo is in my wallet, after all, and I’d be happy to show it to you. You might remember this bit from the movie Napoleon Dynamite.
Has evolution breathed its last?
This is the conclusion of a critique of a Greg Koukl podcast about the death of evolution (part 1 here). Since some Christians refuse to stop embarrassing themselves with this stupid argument, I will continue to see it as a civic duty to laugh at them. The problems with evolution After much overconfident bluster about why evolution has breathed its last, Koukl finally gives the three reasons supporting this conclusion. 1. Abiogenesis.
Christians’ secret weapon against evolution
Christian apologists have a secret weapon against evolution: confidence. This isn’t the confidence you’re familiar with, based on evidence, the consensus of experts, and all that. No, this is the empty, groundless kind. Still, it’s confidence just the same, and it can sound pretty compelling. I started my path to atheism with the evolution/Creationism debate, so I like to check in occasionally. I recently critiqued the recent young-earth Creationist movie Is Genesis History? here.
The frustration of arguing with Christians
Are leeches an important part of a doctor’s medical bag? Imagine that debate between a medieval doctor and a modern Westerner: Doctor: “Leeches are an important way to correct an imbalance in bodily humors. For example, they can cure pneumonia.” Modern: “How do you know?” “This comes from Galen! Anyway, I had pneumonia myself last winter, and I took a treatment of leeches. Look at me now.” “How do you know the leeches were a part of the cure? Maybe you would’ve gotten over it yourself.
Organic material found in T-Rex fossils-evidence for young earth?
Organic material found in T-Rex fossils—evidence for young earth? October 11, 2021 Bob Seidensticker I’m in the middle of reviewing the young-earth Creationist movie Is Genesis History? (part 1 here). I must postpone my shocking conclusion (Is it history? Is it not? Stay tuned!) to pursue one of the movie’s arguments that needs a post of its own. Paleontologists try to recover dinosaur fossils intact. The last thing they’d want to do is break a precious fossil bone.
A hail of flawed reasoning in our last look at “Is Genesis History?”
A hail of flawed reasoning in our last look at “Is Genesis History?” October 14, 2021 Bob Seidensticker Let’s conclude our critique of the young-earth Creationist movie Is Genesis History? (part 1). Proteins in fossils Next up in our succession of Creationist experts is Kevin Anderson, microbiologist. His argument is the one I responded to in my last post: “Organic material found in T-Rex Fossils—evidence for young earth?” Given the two clashing facts—fossils that are 60+ million year old vs.
Guest post: The flat tire and the gospels
This is a guest post by a long-time commenter at this blog, Richard S. Russell. Richard is a retired research analyst (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction) and long-time activist in the realms of atheism, science fiction, and liberal politics. He has more opinions than any ten people should legally be allowed to have but makes up for it by giving them away as fast as possible. He blogs irregularly at richardsrussell.blogspot.com. We begin with a joke.
A philosopher, a Hebrew scholar, and a geologist walk into a movie
A philosopher, a Hebrew scholar, and a geologist walk into a movie October 4, 2021 Bob Seidensticker In part 1 of my rebuttal to the young-earth Creationist movie “Is Genesis History?,” we looked at the argument that Noah’s Flood deposited thousands of feet of sand, silt, and dead animals that was then cut into a canyon. And then, over a few thousand years, this somehow turned to stone. I’m a novice about geology, but still I came up with questions that were sidestepped.
Noah vs. reality: where does the evidence point?
Noah vs. reality: where does the evidence point? October 7, 2021 Bob Seidensticker Let’s continue with our critique of the young-earth Creationist movie “Is Genesis History?” (part 1 here). Undercutting uniform change Our next expert is paleontologist Kurt Wise. He has a PhD in geology from Harvard. In high school he used scissors to cut from a Bible everything that, if taken literally, would contradict science.
Movie Review: “Is Genesis History?”
Imagine squeezing your eyes real tight and wishing hard. What do you wish for? No, not that Santa Claus will bring you all the stuff on your list or for Tinker Bell’s health after she drank the poison.
Stupid arguments Christians should avoid #43: the Little People + religion is useful
Stupid arguments Christians should avoid #43: the Little People + religion is useful September 27, 2021 Bob Seidensticker This is yet one more stupid argument Christians should avoid (with a bonus argument). The list begins here. Stupid argument #43: For the benefit of the Little People, don’t take away their God This isn’t an argument that Christians make but I think it’s worth highlighting. The Little People Argument is made by atheists and agnostics against fellow atheists.
Lee Strobel’s “Case for Christ”: the movie
Lee Strobel’s “Case for Christ”: the movie September 20, 2021 Bob Seidensticker The story of award-winning, legally trained journalist Lee Strobel as told in the book The Case for Christ has become a series of books, which have together sold millions of copies. It also became a movie (2017), about which Lee Strobel said, “It’s been an incredible journey, not only to go from atheism to faith, but to see the raw reality of our lives played out on film.
God’s life is hell
I first heard this story about thirty years ago. One day, a man wakes up on a couch in a field. The setting is new and strange, but he feels at peace. He has a vague memory of some sort of accident. Is this the afterlife? A man with the formal demeanor of a butler comes over and asks if he’d like anything. “Maybe some food?” The butler indicates a table just behind the couch full of exotic snacks. He asks for something to drink and gets all that he could want.
Stupid arguments Christians should avoid #42: Don’t worry about a god you don’t think exists
Stupid arguments Christians should avoid #42: Don’t worry about a god you don’t think exists September 23, 2021 Bob Seidensticker It’s time once again to put on our neoprene waders and gas mask and step in, looking for the stupidest arguments by which Christians embarrass themselves. The list begins here. We’re well past the original target of 25 and still going. Stupid argument #42: Why do atheists worry about someone they don’t think exists?
Bad atheist arguments: “History is unreliable”
Bad atheist arguments: “History is unreliable” August 25, 2021 Bob Seidensticker In our final thrilling episode with the author and his friend Fred, they are in a natural history museum. Fred wonders if he’s Alexander the Great’s chief eunuch. More precisely, how can he prove that he’s not? He then wonders if history in general is reliable. With forgeries, mistakes, interpretation, and conspiracy, how can we trust any of it?
The Argument from Results (a new atheist argument)
The Argument from Results (a new atheist argument) September 13, 2021 Bob Seidensticker Here’s a new argument for atheism. I call it the Argument from Results. People invent gods This looks like a world in which all gods are manmade Conclusion: probably, all gods are manmade Note that because of the qualifier “this looks like” (rather than “this is”) in proposition 2, the conclusion must itself be qualified with “probably.” Nevertheless, “probably, all gods are manmade” is a powerful conclusion.
Maybe people CAN change their minds after all
Maybe people CAN change their minds after all September 10, 2021 Bob Seidensticker If someone has a belief that is objectively wrong—that is, a belief that an unbiased observer equipped with all relevant facts would judge as false—giving the correct information isn’t likely to get them to change their mind. Indeed, they usually double down on their original, false belief. This is the Backfire Effect.
A response to evolution deniers: how complex comes from simple
A response to evolution deniers: how complex comes from simple September 8, 2021 Bob Seidensticker A popular Creationist challenge is, “DNA is a program, programs demand a programmer, and that programmer is God” (I responded here). Let’s turn to a related idea, that DNA is too complex to have evolved naturally.
A flawed analogy fails to justify God’s hiddenness
A flawed analogy fails to justify God’s hiddenness August 30, 2021 Bob Seidensticker The Problem of God’s Hiddenness is the most powerful argument against Christianity. In part 1, we considered a defense of God’s hiddenness by Christian apologist Jim Wallace. Let’s conclude by poking holes in a second argument by Wallace, “God’s Hiddenness Is Intended to Provoke Us,” which has a fresh approach to the problem. God’s hiddenness? It’s a test.
Why is God hidden?
This is the most powerful argument against Christianity. If the Christian god existed, he would at least make his existence obvious to all of us. We’re told he loves us more than we love ourselves, and he knows the consequences of our not believing in him, so he would make sure that we at least knew that he existed. But that this obstacle to belief does exist—a trivial obstacle from God’s standpoint—is strong evidence that God doesn’t exist. Could he have good reasons that we can’t imagine? Maybe.
Bad atheist arguments: “Atheists have no use for faith”
Bad atheist arguments: “Atheists have no use for faith” August 19, 2021 Bob Seidensticker In today’s episode, our hero is about to enjoy a quiet lunch when he spots Fred, who looks shockingly thin. When offered some lunch, Fred not only rejects the idea but knocks our hero’s sandwich onto the ground. “Haven’t you heard of the Panini poisoner of Pimlico?” Fred asks. It turns out that Fred is now terrified of eating a randomly poisoned sandwich.
Cross Examined - An energetic but civil critique of Christianity from an atheist viewpoint
In today’s episode, our hero is about to enjoy a quiet lunch when he spots Fred, who looks shockingly thin. When offered some lunch, Fred not only rejects the idea but knocks our hero’s sandwich onto the ground. “Haven’t you heard of the Panini poisoner of Pimlico?” Fred asks. It turns out that Fred is now terrified of eating a randomly poisoned sandwich.
Bad atheist arguments: “Atheists don’t need God for meaningful lives”
Bad atheist arguments: “Atheists don’t need God for meaningful lives” August 16, 2021 Bob Seidensticker Today our hero dreams that he’s wandering through a penguin colony. He muses that penguins have meaningless lives, but one penguin speaks up and says that, on the contrary, his life has plenty of meaning. He makes his own meaning. And then he gets eaten by a sea lion.
Bad atheist arguments: “Morality doesn’t come from god”
Bad atheist arguments: “Morality doesn’t come from god” August 12, 2021 Bob Seidensticker In today’s filling episode, Fred has become a vegan. They’re at a vegan restaurant, and our hero isn’t happy with his unappetizing vegan pizza. He’s shocked when Fred sprinkles tuna on his half. “It’s not meat if it lives in the water,” Fred says. Ducks live in water, so they’re on the menu as well. And cows live near water, so they’re also kosher.
Bad atheist arguments: a little more “Science can explain everything”
Bad atheist arguments: a little more “Science can explain everything” August 6, 2021 Bob Seidensticker You may be saying that atheists and in particular scientists don’t claim that science can explain everything. I agree. Someone needs to tell Bannister that, since he spent a chapter heroically punching at this strawman. This post will conclude my response (part 1 here.) You know how authors sometimes put a slogan somewhere on their desk to focus their attention on the core idea of their project?
Bad Atheist Arguments: “Science Can Explain Everything”
Bad Atheist Arguments: “Science Can Explain Everything” August 3, 2021 Bob Seidensticker In today’s opening episode, Fred takes our hero to the Louvre but then drugs him in the cafeteria. When he awakes that night, he first thinks that Fred plans to steal the Mona Lisa, but no, he just wants a paint sample to test. Why can’t Fred look up the results of someone else’s analysis? Because he’s a scientist and insists on doing his own research.
Bad Atheist Arguments: “Religion Poisons Everything”
Bad Atheist Arguments: “Religion Poisons Everything” July 29, 2021 Bob Seidensticker In today’s opening story, Sven comes downstairs one morning and finds that all the kitchen appliances don’t work. Hmm—he wants to be scientific about this. What do all the failed appliances have in common? They’re white—that must be the problem! So he paints everything and is surprised to find that they still don’t work. When our hero suggests the circuit breaker box, Sven wants to paint that, too.
Bad Atheist Arguments: “Religion is a Psychological Crutch”
Bad Atheist Arguments: “Religion is a Psychological Crutch” July 26, 2021 Bob Seidensticker In today’s thrilling episode, our hero is tandem jumping out of an airplane. Things are exhilarating at first but then become terrifying when it’s clear that his partner, the experienced jumper, isn’t wearing a parachute and is planning on breaking their fall by landing on a haystack.
Bad Atheist Arguments: “Christianity is Child Abuse”
Bad Atheist Arguments: “Christianity is Child Abuse” July 22, 2021 Bob Seidensticker Who can be surprised that Richard Dawkins, author of the bestseller The God Delusion, is Andy Bannister’s favorite atheist to hate? Bannister imagines Dawkins in the office of his literary agent. The agent reports that things aren’t selling well. What to do? Dawkins says that maybe the world needs The Santa Delusion.
Bad Atheist Arguments: a little more “I Just Reject One More God than You”
Bad Atheist Arguments: a little more “I Just Reject One More God than You” July 19, 2021 Bob Seidensticker The Christian rejects hundreds or thousands of gods, while the atheist rejects all those, and one more. The Christian and the atheist agree that humans have invented countless gods, so what’s the big deal about atheists taking that one final step? Last time, we considered the Christian critique of this atheist argument from The Atheist Who Didn’t Exist by Andy Bannister.
Bad Atheist Arguments: “I Just Reject One More God than You”
Bad Atheist Arguments: “I Just Reject One More God than You” July 15, 2021 Bob Seidensticker Fred is furious because some animal destroyed his garden. He’s considering and dismissing possible culprits—from aardvarks to zebras—while our hero points out the clues for rabbits. Fred says that it’s not rabbits, either. You’ve dismissed all those other animals? Well, he just goes one animal further.
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