Surrounded 1 Atheist vs 25 Christians (feat. Alex O'Connor)
May 29, 2025
Join Alex O'Connor, an outspoken atheist and host of the Within Reason podcast, as he takes on 25 Christians in a riveting discussion. He boldly questions the existence of a benevolent deity in light of suffering, delves into biblical narratives of violence, and scrutinizes the evidence—or lack thereof—surrounding the resurrection of Jesus. O'Connor's critical examination of Jesus' divinity challenges listeners to reflect on their own beliefs, while exploring the intersection of faith and reason in a thought-provoking environment.
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Suffering Challenges Theism
- The prevalent natural selection mechanism involves immense suffering, which is unexpected if an all-loving God supervises the world.
- Atheistic naturalism better explains suffering as a byproduct of survival, making God's existence less likely under theodicy.
Resurrection Narratives Questioned
- The resurrection accounts, including extraordinary claims like graves opening, face issues of historicity and contradictions.
- Such narratives may have theological motives rather than strict historical reliability, challenging their evidentiary value.
Visions as Psychological Phenomena
- Personal visions and miracles cited as evidence for Jesus' resurrection are common across many religions and not unique to Christianity.
- Such experiences likely represent psychological phenomena rather than objective proof of historic resurrection.
