Do You Agree with Dr. William Lane Craig?

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"...if God does not exist, that means that man and the universe exist to no purpose-since the end of everything is death-and that they came to be for no purpose, since they are only blind products of chance.  In short, life is utterly without reason." [1]

 Do you agree with Dr. Craig's conclusion?  Explain why or why not in the comments.  

 This quote from Dr. Craig is part of a much richer argument he makes regarding the absurdity of life without God.  If you are interested in hearing his entire case go here.  Or you can read it here.

 Courage and Godspeed,
Chad

 Footnote:
1. William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith, 3rd ed., p. 77.

Comments

Geoffrey Charles said…
If God doesn't exist, then neither do the purposes and meaning he might give to the existence of mankind. However, it doesn't follow that therefore no various purposes or meaning exist that humans have for their lives.

Your quote is correct insofar as it refers to ultimate purpose, unless some other intelligence created the universe for a different and unknown ultimate purpose.
July 4, 2014 at 1:06 PM
Mo said…
Of course I agree.

I was not raised in a Christian home. We believed in God in the general sense, and at some point in my family's life, we did go to the Catholic church infrequently. I did made my 1st Communion. But that's really as far as any church involvement went in our family.

By the time I reached high school age I had exhausted every philosophy/religion/worldview under the sun, trying to find the meaning and purpose of life. Oh, I didn't study them formally or even know all the names of them. But there are not many options to choose from when you get down to it. God either exists or he/she/it doesn't. The universe/life have a purpose, or they do not. There's life after death or there's not. (Or there's reincarnation.)

I thought all of these things through to their logical conclusions.

And especially when it came to atheism, I figured out in very short time that if there really is no god at all and we really are just products of blind chance... then this means life is utterly meaningless! Might as well kill yourself!

And that's exactly the point I was at when Jesus rescued me at 18 and I read the Bible for the first time. FINALLY, I had the answers as to whether the universe and life had any meaning or purpose at all! FINALLY, I knew why I would wake up each morning.

I don't know how people can make it to adulthood and even old age without even asking these questions, much less finding the answers in the biblical worldview.
July 5, 2014 at 9:21 AM
Alex said…
I do agree with Dr. Craig's conclusion, but I would disagree with him if he believes this constitutes an argument for God's existence (though it explains why His existence would be preferable to His non-existence). I suppose if the hypothetical atheist were unable to let go of a belief in purpose in life, then this argument may show them that rationally either they must give up this belief or else accept a faith in God (or at least some kind of "higher power") to justify said belief. However, it is fairly clear from reading the New Atheists which option they choose, and speaking as a Christian I would not base my own faith in God on the conclusion Dr. Craig draws (however accurate it may be).
July 5, 2014 at 3:17 PM
Chad said…
Hello Alex,

Thank you for taking the time to comment and I hope you are well!

Just for clarity purposes, Dr. Craig does not offer this as an argument for God's existence.

In his book Reasonable Faith, 3rd. Ed.,and the article featured in the post, he writes, in regard to the argument above:

"...in a sense it does not even attempt to show in any positive sense that Christianity is true; it simply explores the disastrous consequences for human existence, society and culture if Christianity is false."
[p. 65]

Godspeed
July 5, 2014 at 10:52 PM
J. Chandler Arnett III said…
I absolutely agree. There would be no ULTIMATE meaning, value, or purpose if God does not exist. The beginning of the universe would have to have happened as a big cosmic accident and as Dr. Craig goes on to say in Reasonable Faith even the secular scientists predict the ultimate heat death of the universe which will result in no life. So if God does not exist there is no after life and this life is all we have and it is brief and without hope. Things done in the this life would only have a RELATIVE significance/purpose. So Dr. Craig and the previous comments seem correct, that there is no ULTIMATE meaning, value, or purpose in the absence of God. Even some of the greater thinking atheists have come to the same conclusion (Nietzsche for one!). Very interesting topic and great for all worldviews to ponder for sure.

July 10, 2014 at 10:05 PM
Doug said…
I agree with Dr. Craig,however, I would go a step further. That if God doesn't exist neither do we, and if we do we don't realize it.
In keeping with the 19th century atheist philosopher Cant, (I think) quote "I know, therefor I exist". If God doesn't exist neither does the philosopher.
July 17, 2014 at 3:03 AM
gary said…
It's a powerful negative apologetic. that is it undermines the unbeliever stance showing he has nothing to stand on. Then the Christian can present the positive defense of the Christian faith, not merely an intelligence but a personal God.
God Bless
Gary
July 18, 2014 at 6:50 AM
Geoffrey Charles said…
@Doug

How does that conclusion follow?
July 18, 2014 at 11:43 AM
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