Apologetics to the Glory of God

Atheist John Loftus Calls It Quits

I won’t comment other than to point out that 1) John Loftus has finally given up, for which we can all be thankful and 2) we have interacted with Loftus in the past as may be seen in the links provided below the quote.

Loftus made his announcement yesterday on his blog:

http://debunkingchristianity.blogspot.com/2012/05/okay-time-has-come-im-done.html

I have no more desire to engage Christians. They are deluded, all of them. I have never been more convinced of this than I am now. I have better things to do. I spent 39+ years of my adult life on a delusion. If I add the years of my childhood that’s almost my entire life. Yet this is the only life I will ever have. It’s time to move on, or at a minimum take a very long hiatus. I just finished what may be my last book, on The Outsider Test for Faith, to be published by Prometheus Books early next year. How many times do I need to kick the dead horse of Christianity? I don’t think I need to say anything more. If what I have written isn’t good enough then nothing is good enough for some Christians. What I intend to do is turn this blog over to a few qualified people. I’ll still be a part of it and I suppose I’ll post something from time to time. But I see no reason to waste large chunks of my time on this delusion anymore.

Choosing Hats posts and contributors interacting with Loftus and his material (see the URLs for post descriptions):

https://choosinghats.org/2011/01/a-case-study-in-apostasy-by-zaothanatoo-guest-post

https://choosinghats.org/2008/12/john-loftus-on-control-beliefs

https://choosinghats.org/2008/12/more-on-john-loftus-and-control-beliefs

http://razorskiss.net/2008/06/loftus-and-his-forgotten-trinity-education

Other relevant posts:

https://choosinghats.org/2012/05/why-christians-are-stupid-and-atheists-are-not

https://choosinghats.org/2012/03/the-argument-from-atheistic-activism-aaa-the-achilles-heel-of-internet-atheism-revisited

https://choosinghats.org/2012/03/modified-common-consent-argument

Au revoir!

 


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6 responses to “Atheist John Loftus Calls It Quits”

  1. JL Avatar
    JL

    Nice!

  2. Stephen B Avatar
    Stephen B

    Well, apologists have often argued that it makes no sense for atheists to argue against something they don’t believe in. In other words, by merely arguing, the atheist is scoring a point for the apologists. By that logic, it must be a (minor) strike against such apologists that a reasonably high-profile atheist says they’re not going to argue any more.

    1. C.L. Bolt Avatar
      C.L. Bolt

      Maybe it helps their case that even a “high-profile atheist” (embarrassing for atheists) has realized how right they are.

      But I don’t know who those apologists are, nor care; that is not much of an argument as stated.

    2. Ben W. Avatar

      It is also important to note that from the non Christian worldview, it is also inconsistent for the atheist to reason that he should not argue with Christians.

      What we’re arguing here is not that he is inconsistent in arguing simply because he doesn’t believe, but rather that he cannot account for the argument taking place from his own standing point.

      Likewise, his decision not to debate the Christian is inconsistent, because his worldview still doesn’t account for his reasoning.

      On the ther hand, the Christian Theist is justified in either the decision to present an argument against non-belief, or to decide not to present such an argument, because he has a worldview which can account for either decision:

      Answer not a fool according to his folly,
      lest you be like him yourself.
      Answer a fool according to his folly,
      lest he be wise in his own eyes.
      (Proverbs 26:4-5 ESV)

  3. jeff Avatar
    jeff

    Jeremiah 10:3 For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. 4 They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. 5 Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.” 6 No one is like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is mighty in power.
    Isaiah 44: 9 All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. 10 Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit nothing? 11 People who do that will be put to shame; such craftsmen are only human beings. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and shame. 12 The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint. 13 The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in human form, human form in all its glory, that it may dwell in a shrine. 14 He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow. 15 It is man’s fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it. 16 Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.” 17 From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, “Save me; you are my god.” 18 They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand. 19 No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, “Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”
    Psalm 115 2 Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?” 3 Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. 4 But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. 5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. 6 They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. 7 They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, no can they utter a sound with their throats. 8 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.
    Psalm 135:15 The idols of the Nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. 16 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. 17 They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. 18 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

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