Philosophy of Religion |
Chapter 5 Arguments for the Existence of God: Experience |
Section 8. Final Questions |
Are
there reasons to think that the reports of mystical, religious and
psychic experiences are not reliable? Can
the reports be accepted as being true? Can
they be verified? Do
they need to be? Can reports of
mystical, religious and psychic experiences be used as support for a belief in a deity, the supernatural
realm? Are there reasons to think that the reports of Miracles are not reliable? Can the reports of Miracles be accepted as being true? Can Miracles ever be verified? Do claims of Miracles need to be authenticated? Can reports of Miracles be used as support for a belief in a deity, the supernatural realm? In the end what can be made of all the proofs and arguments for and against the existence of god. It appears that each and every one of them has strong points and weak points as well. It appears as if no one argument is definitive. No one argument is powerful enough to convince everyone to accept it. No argument or proof is psychologically convincing or logically compelling to the point where the non-believer in a deity would become a believer.
Then,
just what good are the proofs?
Concerning
these proofs it has been said that: Believers do not need themUnbelievers
will not heed them
The
following Philosophers have offered these views concerning the arguments
that attempt to prove the existence of a supernatural deity.
Stephen Cahn:
morality can exist without a belief in or a proof of God’s existence
S.T.
Davis
The "god" of the proofs is a being
similar to other beings The "god" of the proofs is not the
"Ground of Being"- P.Tillich
So
then one may ask: What good are the proofs?
The
benefits
(purposes) of a successful proof for God’s existence:
However , in the end once again it is affirmed that: The proofs remain optional for theists!!!
Considering that the
burden of proof should be on the person who makes the claim
that X does exist then it might appear that skepticism or atheism is well
warranted where the claim is that a supernatural being, a deity, exists.
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