Matt Barber makes a hackneyed argument. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.
Those who deny the existence of their Creator are delusional.
This is not an insult. It’s not a personal attack. It’s not a pejorative.
It’s a fact.
They’re also “fools.”
It’s a fact
, huh? Then I presume he’ll show me the evidence or reasoning. You will not be surprised to learn that his argument consists entirely of quoting the Bible.
God’s Word declares, “The fool hath said in his heart ‘there is no God'” (Psalm 14).
When the Creator calls God-deniers “fools,” He’s not saying they’re stupid clowns. Merriam Webster defines “fool” as “a person lacking in judgment or prudence.”
Psalm 19:1 observes: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
Romans 1:20 likewise notes, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”
That’s so circular, I’m dizzy. But what, you might ask, has inspired to him to regurgitate such banal boilerplate? Ray Comfort has a new movie! Or does he? I watched the trailer, and I think I’ve seen it all before — it’s Ray wandering around southern California, sticking microphones in the faces of random people, recording their responses to predictable questions, and then editing the heck out of them and splicing them together, just like he did with his Evolution vs. God movie. Isn’t this format threadbare and played out yet?
But wait until you see Barber’s hyperbole!
Recently, Ray contacted me and sent me a review copy of a new documentary he’s releasing this summer called, “The Atheist Delusion: Why Millions Deny the Obvious.” He asked me to watch it and give him some feedback. My only regret is that I waited so long to do so. To say the film is powerful is a gross understatement.
“Ray, please forgive me for not getting back to you sooner,” I responded. “I’ve just had a chance to finally watch this. I’m a 260-pound former professional boxer and ex-cop who’s sitting here balling like a baby. This is, bar none, the most compelling and comprehensive piece of its kind. I guess I can’t even say ‘of its kind’ because it’s totally unique. I’ve never seen anything so comprehensive. It’s visually stunning, winsome, compassionate, intellectually unassailable and moving to the extreme. Somehow you managed, in about an hour, to make the case, beyond any reasonable doubt, for the Creator God, and bring it home to the Truth of Christ. This is your masterpiece. Let me know how I can help you get it out far and wide.”
I mean it when I say “The Atheist Delusion” is the most persuasive and captivating answer to atheist questions I’ve ever seen on film. Without giving too much away, let me just say that non-believers and believers alike will be moved emotionally, spiritually and intellectually. I have no doubt that many who claim atheism at the beginning of the film, will be left well on their way to admitting His existence and infinite glory toward film’s end.
Wanna bet?
There is absolutely nothing unique or comprehensive in the trailer, or in Matt Barber’s arguments. It’s safe to say that atheists will be totally unmoved by it, and in fact, will probably be repulsed and simply see in it further confirmation that religion is a toxin that wrecks people’s brains.
But I’m willing to risk it. Go ahead, Ray, send me a review copy. I’ll watch it. Think what a publicity coup it would be if I suddenly found Jesus, inspired by your pseudo-documentary. That would be far more impressive than winning over a gullible, Jesus-gobbling primitive Christian like Matt Barber.
“balling like a baby”? I’m going to assume he means “bawling.”
I think Ray might have even patented that approach. I expect lawsuits to be filed any day now.
yes, lets do that.
ew.
better yet, wait for God Awful Movies to review it, and listen to that instead.
Ah, yes. Because the book that I don’t think is true, claims that it’s true, it must be true. This is sure to be very convincing for people who don’t already agree with you, apologist. What was that bit about building houses on sand?
I watched the trailer and it quotes Kevin Sorbo as saying “Remarkable!” That’s the best celebrity endorsement they could come up with?
“Did you know that every year 54 million people die?”
What? People die???? Damn, in light of this new information, I should really rethink my life. /snark
I don’t think I could think of a more infantile argument than that if I tried.
I looked at that and did an immediate *headdesk*
/on rant
How often do the rationality deprived have to repeat the same delusional arguments concerning deity and atheism?
If you present these persons with actual facts then they just shout and deny them. Point out that the Gospel Jesus is a ventriloquist’s dummy, mouthing warmed over Greek Philosophy and Palestinian myth and you will be accused of hating God. Demonstrate to them that the Bible was not even completed until sometime in the 4th Century CE and you will be treated with with utter contempt and your actual evidence waved away. If you show them where Paul actually denies their understanding of the divinity of the Christ they will deny Paul has any importance; but immediately after they cite Paul as the source for some other contentious piece of nonsense.
People like William Lane Craig offer fraudulent cosmologies with no hint of logic or consistency. Others propose systems of ethics that, conveniently, are utterly ignored by their God and show no embarrassment at the failure of these systems.
These believers show no honesty at all in their intellectual pursuits and then attempt to corrupt the rationality of others. Far from atheists hating God, it is these believers who loathe God – as long as that is the God of other sects
/rant off
So basically we’ve got:
1/ Making a statement, not providing any proof or backup for the statement, but simple stating it is ‘fact’.
2/ Using his own holy book to prove the holy book is correct.
3/ A weirdly worded Pascal’s Wager.
4/ Appeal to popularity.
5/ A strawman of atheism.
Yeah, I somehow doubt this propaganda piece will “make the case, beyond any reasonable doubt, for the Creator God”.
Responding to the question of the title — you see “same old schtick”; Comfort, Barber, and other Christians see “tried and true evangelism”.
Whenever Christians actually try being innovative, bad things happen (the Inquisitions, Crusades, Mormonism, modern political evangelical movement, and so on). So “same old” is probably a good thing.
He cites Psalms? I’m no Biblical scholar, but I understand that some of that originated as part of worship services for Baal. So, if snippets from a mix-tape of ancient temple songs and slogans is supposed to make me believe in a creator god, I have to ask, which one?
There’s that word “winsome” again. Why is this suddenly everywhere in apologetics? Do they even know what it means? Did they have a group viewing of Something Funny Happened on the way to the Forum?
I thought balling babies was a catholic priest thing. The more you know…
Speaking of “obvious” and “delusion”…., I’d love to make “enlightened” people read Letters from Earth by Mark Twain.
What’s this bit about millions of people dying? Is that just the start to another attempt to threaten people with a hell they don’t believe in?
Anyway, when I see a line like “Why Millions Deny the Obvious” I just want to walk up to Comfort, smile and say with all the enthusiasm I can muster: “Ray, you were right. You were so right, it was so obvious. Thank you for enlightening me, Ray. I never would have made the leap on my own, but now I can say it: I’M A HINDU NOW!”
… because I have the “delusion” that they will understand the “obvious” fallacies. Darn, that’s what they think about this video, too! Does that make me just as delusional as them?
He’s a typical christian, ignoring his own faith’s teachings when it’s convenient for him.
Such as Matthew 5:22.
Which is how I shut these assholes down, “Come back to me when you actually follow your own faith, well, faithfully”.
Those who deny the existence of Odin are delusional.
This is not an insult. It’s not a personal attack. It’s not a pejorative.
It’s a fact.
They’re also “fools.”
(Now all I need are a few references to Odin from the Eddas. That should be enough to convert Matt Barber.)
I’ve done a few posts on Barber’s paranoia fueled rants, I feel filthy every time I find myself at his site.
Oh no. For those who don’t know, this is the new code word for apologetics of every kind. I had a recent post on Christian bioethics, and the use of winsome really jumped out:
Barber says this is “the most persuasive answer to atheists ever put on film”. The sad thing for him is he’s right.
Zeno @6: Chuck Norris was probably unavailable.
#12:
blockquote fail.
This was the quote.
What do you call it when your fingers are dyslexic?
@Susannah #23: Dyslexia. It’s the interpretation engine and control center that has dyslexia, not the fingers, eyes or ears.
I’m dyslexic, it usually sneaks up on me when I’m fatigued.
One upside to my dyslexia is, I see straight through camouflage, both natural and artificial.
winsome …losesome
’nuffsaid
Oh Susannah, [sigh]
That’s the problem with clever thoughts – somebody else beat you to it.
naturalcynic #26
Always. Always.
“Why Millions Deny the Obvious”
Maybe they mean Billions? Here’s a hint, Ray, not everyone who disbelieves in your god is an atheist.
If anyone needs a remedy:
I’d be willing to sign up for a review copy as well. It would be fun, and I could really exercise my snark muscles.
…or be converted. Ya never know!
For people who live and die surrounded by other religious fanatics, “the Bible is right” is an obvious statement that needs no further support.
Atheists are not exactly the target for the movie: it’s a feel-holier-than-thou for the religious, who run away from learning what atheists actually think because Satan!
These people are willingly disconnected from reality, and Comfort knows well hot to tap into that.
Ray truly is a piece of shit.