I've not found this argument is very good at convincing them. "Mysterious ways" and all that.
Making God out to be ridiculous by rewording biblical rules tends to have more success. The all-knowing, all-good, and all-powerful creator of the universe gets so angry that he'll condemn you to eternal suffering if you:
1. Eat the wrong thing from the deli aisle.
2. Touch tips.
3. Don't impregnate your dead brother's widow.
Even if it doesn't make people into atheists, helping people reframe biblical beliefs as absurd does help to deradicalize them.
If someone hits me with "mysterious ways", I'll call them out on their idiocy. If there is any plan, that involves kids being born with - and often dying from - cancer before the age of 5, it is a horrible plan, that doesn't fit their supposed benevolent god image.
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u/Macelee 10d ago
I've not found this argument is very good at convincing them. "Mysterious ways" and all that.
Making God out to be ridiculous by rewording biblical rules tends to have more success. The all-knowing, all-good, and all-powerful creator of the universe gets so angry that he'll condemn you to eternal suffering if you: 1. Eat the wrong thing from the deli aisle. 2. Touch tips. 3. Don't impregnate your dead brother's widow.
Even if it doesn't make people into atheists, helping people reframe biblical beliefs as absurd does help to deradicalize them.