lOMoARcPSD|21126671
Essay - grade A+
Philosophy and Contemporary Ideas (Liberty
University)
lOMoARcPSD|21126671
S 1
Taylor S
Jech Alexander
PHIL 201-D37
Response Paper
Walking outside right now we are able to view trees, water, birds, grass, and the sky.
These things are called organic. They were created to serve a purpose in life to humans and
animals, also they were created by a higher being who is God. God gave us these things to
cherish in our life. Among cherishing them, we were told by Him that we have to take care of
what he created and gave to us. The article “On Being an Atheist,” was written by H.J.
McCloskey talked about classical arguments for God’s existence and he offers the problem of
evil and states reasons why one should not believe in God. Within his article he talks about
cosmological and teleological arguments.
McCloskey denied God’s existence and says that evil proves that he is right. He called
this proofs, referring to the argument of theists’. I believe that the “proofs” McCloskey talks
about are not logical and cannot describe or provide enough proof of God’s existence. Some
atheist ask the question “If God is so powerful and created humanity, why did he create bad
people?” I believe God created the body, heart, mind, and soul. However, God did not create a
person’s actions or how they respond to certain situations. In addition, Satan challenges people
and can bring gifts into your life. It is up to the person to recognize the “gifts” that he brings as
trouble and it is also up to the person to not accept them and wait till God gives you something
that you can accept.
lOMoARcPSD|21126671
S 2
Cosmological Argument
McCloskey states, “The mere existence of the world constitutes no reason for believing
in the existence of such a being.” McCloskey believed this because he thinks that the way the
world looks is a reason to not believe in God. In addition, the cosmological argument is about the
universe. In response to this, Manis and Evans believe that God does exist because there is a
world and as long as there is a world they believe that God controls it. Within Evans and Manis’s
argument they mentioned objections. Evans and Manis say that in their first objections atheist
will claim that the universe has always existed. Evans and Manis’s argument simply states that
they do not claim to know the age of the universe but they believe that it exists. The second
objection is, if everything requires a cause for its existence, then God must require a cause for
His. According to Evans and Manis, “God is not a contingent being. It is not arbitrary to deny
that God has a cause, because, if God did have a cause, he would not be God.” (Evans and
Manis, 71). McCloskey claimed and stated that the cosmological argument “does not entitle us to
postulate an all-powerful, all perfect, uncaused cause” (H.J. McCloskey, 1968). In response to
Evans and Manis final paragraph, I would say, I find it hard to make an assumption or state a fact
to something that I know little information about. I would like to know as much information as I
can so my argument sounds logical and I am able to provide facts.
Teleological Argument
McCloskey mentions the teleological argument he states, “To get the proof going,
genuine indisputable examples of design and purpose are needed” (H.J. McCloskey, 1968).
When McCloskey talks about indisputable examples, he states it is evidence that cannot be
proved wrong. To show an example I will state, if I put my hand on a hot stove and my hand
got burned, I have logical evidence showing that it was the hot stove that burned my hand. I
believe
lOMoARcPSD|21126671
S 3
that McCloskey’s evidence simply shows that he is unreasonable and so is his evidence. The
truth can never be disputed and the world was made from God. He made the heavens, earth,
animals, water, and trees. God also made humans who have a body, heart, mind, soul and we
are all able to have heart beats that keep us alive. If God did not make humans in his body then
who did? This is why I believe we are God’s flesh and blood and God himself is reasonable.
Evans and Manis’s argument states, “Nature contains many instances of design. Designed
entities are the result of the designer. Therefore, nature is probably the work of a designer.”
(Evans and Manis, 80). I believe a strong example of this would be the human body. The human
body is sophisticated within its design. We are able to breath, smell, taste, hear, touch, and feel.
Including the 6 senses that the human body has, we also have a heart, brain, and nervous system
that is connected to our brain. Within our nervous system we are able to feel emotions, if we
touch something that is too hot our brain tells us “Hey! That’s too hot, it hurt!” We can feel our
heart beat if we are too excited and if something hurts our feelings we feel the pain in our hearts.
The human body also has lungs that help us breathe air so we can live. Who else could have
created such a remarkable body besides God?
McCloskey believes that evolution is the creator of humans and the universe. I believe
that God is the divine creator of humans and the universe. God created humans and the universe
with such intelligence and beauty. The minds of man simply could not know how to create a
human being. We have knowledge of how a human body works today because God created us.
We have doctors that have learned about the human body and the nervous system and our
organs to know how they operate or how they can fail.
In McCloskey’s argument he claims that the world is imperfect and that it does not agree
with the divine design that God created. The world is not perfect; however, God did create a
lOMoARcPSD|21126671
S 4
perfect world which we know has the Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve. God told Adam and
Eve to not eat fruit from the trees. They were told to refuse all sin and keep their faith within God
but Adam and Eve ate from the tree and believed Satan. This is why there is sin within our world.
God gave us a choice and voice but we refused His love and offer. Therefore, Jesus died for our
sins. As I mentioned earlier, God does not control the actions and responses a person can make.
God can guide us in the right direction to do the right thing, but it is up to us to listen to him
and keep our faith and His love in our hearts. There are bad people everywhere in this world but
one day they will have to face the judgment of God.
The Problem of Evil
In response to McCloskey’s beliefs that no being would have created a world where there
was no violence and suffering done to innocent people, I believe God created right and wrong to
insure people that there is a higher power. Evans and Manis believed that nobody would believe
there is a God if we lived in a “perfect world” where violence and suffering did not exist. If this
was so, there would be some people challenging the thought that everything “seems too good to
be true.” I believe God created suffering to allow us to feel the pain and to care for others. Every
time there is a school shooting or a wrongful death committed on an innocent person and it is on
ever news channel it should bring people closer and give them insight on what caused the
suffering. It also makes you care for the innocent families that have lost a loved one. It brings
strangers together who have lost loved ones in terrorist attacks that do not know each other but
they share the common interest of losing a loved one so they care for each other’s families.
Caring and love and coming together as one is what God wants. Tragic incidents should bring
humanity together as one to remind us that life is short and we should not waste it bickering with
others.
lOMoARcPSD|21126671
S 5
Although man does choose what is right or can be right. We have to make that decision
ourselves and we must truly believe from our hearts that we are making a good decision. God
gave us the choice to decide what is right and what is wrong. He told us what is wrong, but it is
up to us to decide if we will follow in his footsteps and hear His voice. However I find free will
to be as an example of living in the United States or any of country. We have “free will” but we
have to abide by laws and rules set amongst people that we do not know. If we do not listen to
their laws and rules then we face the consequences. This then gives people the choice to believe
what is right and what is wrong; however, we are governed by people that we do not know and
do not meet or talk to on a daily basis. So how are they to tell us what to do and how to live?
In conclusion, McCloskey believes that atheism is reliable and comforting. William Lane
Craig argued it does not matter how you lived your life but you behavior to be the judge. He
also argues that God is the reason for morality. I believe that morality is a huge factor in
humanity.
Without morality there would be unjustified violence within our world. Other religions or
cultures may view reality different than the way God perceives it. Therefore, God’s morality is
more reliable despite how other people may view His morality.
lOMoARcPSD|21126671
S 6
Works Cited
Stephen, Evans C., and Zachary R. Manis. Philosophy of Religion: Thinking About Faith 2nd
Edition. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2009.
Print McCloskey, H.J. On Being an Athiest. Question 1. February
1968.
