Peter Byrom, Contributor to Coming to Faith Through Dawkins, shares his journey from atheism to faith influenced by Richard Dawkins. He discusses the arguments in 'The God Delusion' and the appeal of new atheists. Byrom talks about transitioning from apathy to obsession with atheist arguments and his fascination with William Lane Craig's debates aligning with Dawkins' expectations.
Dawkins' argument from complexity fails to consider God as an unembodied mind, as highlighted by Christian apologist William Lane Craig.
New atheism's perceived intellectual credibility and emotional appeal contributed to its attractiveness, until encountering Christian apologists challenged its persuasiveness.
Deep dives
The Impact of Richard Dawkins' Arguments on Faith
Peter Vayon explores his journey from apathy towards religion to becoming a proponent of new atheism through his obsession with Richard Dawkins' arguments. Dawkins' central argument against the existence of God, based on the complexity of a divine designer, initially seemed compelling. However, Vayon's dissatisfaction with this argument grew as he encountered Christian apologists like William Lane Craig who provided logical responses. Vayon highlights the misunderstanding in Dawkins' reasoning, as he treats God as a physical entity rather than an unembodied mind. Atheist philosopher Thomas Nagel also criticizes Dawkins' perspective, emphasizing the different kind of explanation that the hypothesis of God provides. Vayon's interest in Craig's rigorous logical approach and transparent arguments eventually led him to question the credibility and persuasive power of new atheism.
New Atheism: Drawn to Intellectual Credibility and Emotional Appeal
Vayon shares his attraction to new atheism, particularly its perceived intellectual credibility and engaging rhetorical style. Compared to religious individuals he encountered in debates and YouTube videos, new atheists like Dawkins and Hitchens appeared more intellectually persuasive. Moreover, Vayon's emotional connection to new atheism stemmed from his negative association of Christianity with closed-mindedness and bigotry. Rejecting the idea of a cosmic authority, new atheism offered him the opportunity to carve his own path in life. Thus, both the intellectual and emotional dimensions of new atheism contributed to Vayon's attraction and obsession with its ideas.
Dissatisfaction with New Atheism and the Influence of Christian Apologists
While engrossed in new atheism, Vayon's dissatisfaction arose when he discovered Christian apologists like William Lane Craig. These apologists presented reasoned arguments and evidence for the Christian faith, effectively challenging the central arguments put forth by new atheists. Vayon highlights Craig's ability to address Dawkins' demand for evidence and logical reasoning. Craig's arguments demonstrated that Dawkins' understanding of God as a physical entity was flawed and did not account for the concept of an unembodied mind. Vayon further emphasizes that even an atheist philosopher, Thomas Nagel, recognized the misunderstanding in Dawkins' arguments. Ultimately, Vayon's encounter with Christian apologists led to doubts about the credibility and persuasiveness of new atheism.
In the first episode of this three-part series, Peter Byrom shares his fascinating story as told in the chapter he contributed to Coming to Faith Through Dawkins. He outlines how he encountered the apologist William Lane Craig via the New Atheists and discusses his growing disillusionment with Dawkins' "devastating" argument from complexity.
For more on some of these arguments, see Unbelievable? Is there a new New Atheism? https://www.premierunbelievable.com/unbelievable/unbelievable-coming-to-faith-through-dawkins-part-2-is-there-a-new-new-atheism-alister-mcgrath-and-alex-oconnor/16306.article
For Coming to Faith Through Dawkins: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coming-Faith-Through-Dawkins-Christianity/dp/0825448220
• Subscribe to the Unapologetic podcast: https://pod.link/1622170986
• More podcasts, free ebook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com
• Watch Unapologetic YouTube playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2Ds_nyh5gM_0OQDM3me0ZjLcNg2345GX
• For conference & live events: http://www.unbelievable.live
• For our apologetics courses: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training
• Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow
• Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
