. . .The manifest intentionality and fine-tuning of all creation reveals design of breathtaking complexity. The Creator is of incalculable intelligence and infinite splendor. As I see it, atheism provides a case study in willful suspension of disbelief all to escape, as the God-denier imagines it, accountability for massaging the libertine impulse. . . (from the article)
I cannot believe that any thinking person, theist or not, thinks that this old argument is compelling. The fact that even the author realizes that this notion of fine-tuning is not strong evidence of intelligent design of our biology or the creation of the universe is obvious in the fact that he does not commit to it, but immediately opens with ad-hom attacks on Atheists (the silly no atheists in fox hole fallacy), and then the Psalm 14 quote and trotting out Joseph Stalin the mass-murdering atheist dictator, and finally appealing to authority with the quote from Einstein.
As far as the universe being fine-tuned for life, the idea is literally backwards. The universe as we know it was not fine-tuned for life, but life has evolved to fit within the universe as best as it can. We have been tuned by evolution to fit this world, not the other way around. Sorry, but this seems to be a natural process, there is no evidence of a tuner. To be sure there may be a fine tuner hidden in the gaps, no one can say with absolute certainty that maybe we are all just a dream of Brahma, but there is no scientific evidence of this. The article that the OP posted does not give any. The best case for the theist in this argument is that there is a God of the Gaps hiding somewhere in here.
As far as the ad-homs go, the history of the world has been full of more blood thirsty theist dictators than atheist ones. If the author of the post is willing to claim Genghis Khan, blood thirsty mass murderer and would be world dictating theist, then as an atheist I will claim Stalin. Whats that? Genghis Khan was an animist, and not the kind of theist J. Matt Barber identifies with? Well I am an USAian style libertarian, and have nothing in common with Stalin.
In general there is no Atheist hierarchy. Appeals to Authority do not work very well with us. I dont care if Einstein became a devout Catholic or was a pagan that worshiped Odin. It does not have any basis on this topic. Whether Einstein or Hitler believed in god or not is a silly argument that seem to be important to theists for some reason, but it not that interesting to most atheists. As an aside though, I am always surprised when Christians quote Einsteins religious views as an appeal to support then. Einstein did not believe in a god that they would recognize.
Give all of the above, the last sentence in the quote form the article in particular is one that I want to address. Looking at all the scandals for the past few years with the Catholic Church, and also preachers from protestant tv evangelists and pastors of mega churches, what libertine impulse is beyond the Christian churches? What is J. Matt Barber accusing atheists of? This is a case of a lady protesting too much for sure.
The article the OP posted is clearly just a mean ad-hom attacking atheists.
I have to question what you think posting this will accomplish John Connor. It will certainly not convince any atheist to change their opinion. Do you think that it will change anyones opinions?
