Overview:

Pearce'due south new book is an enjoyable romp through arguments that deconstruct the mutual idea of what God is. Because God isn't.

Reading Time: 5 minutes

"God" is arguably a nebulous term and might well hateful a dissimilar matter to each of the many people who believe in it. In my new book 30 Arguments Against the Being of "God", Heaven, Hell, Satan, and Divine Design [UK], I take the commonality we see in many views, the understanding of classical theism, and attack this iteration.

What is classical theism? OmniGod. This is the idea that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving. And when I say all-knowing, I mean the full divine foreknowledge version where God supposedly knew all futurity events causally before the creation of the universe.

These characteristics are thoroughly problematic, both in terms of the data we take about the earth and universe around us, but also in terms of working internally with each other in forming a coherent notion of God.

The great Dan Barker wrote the foreword to the book, and I am truly grateful to him for doing so.

Written for a general audience, this book breaks down potentially dry or complex philosophical ideas and presents them in a really enjoyable and digestible mode. Although there are 30 main arguments (and a bonus ane!), each chapter (though short) packs other ancillary arguments and quite the punch.

Basically, I dearest this book. Please support my piece of work by grabbing a re-create. The ebook version volition be out imminently.

Hither is the clarification and some endorsements:

The God of classical theism, that which Jonathan MS Pearce calls "OmniGod", is in the crosshairs in the collection of arguments against such a god'south beingness. Omnipotence, omniscience (including full divine foreknowledge of every outcome that will come to pass), and omnibenevolence make for difficult bedfellows. In fact, OmniGod's characteristics are and so flawed when employed together, and when seen in calorie-free of design, heaven, hell, and Satan, that belief in such a being is almost certainly irrational.

This is what Pearce takes aim at – all of these ideas supposedly working in coherent unison – in this book aimed at a pop audience. The book packs a punch equally he handily deconstructs these ideas to evidence that either God does not exist, or that God is not all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving.

People like it!

Alvin Plantinga talks of two dozen (or so) arguments. Rebecca Goldstein speaks of 36.  Jonathan Pearce writes on thirty. I could reduce the arguments downward to five, or three, or i.  The 1 is theOutsider Test for Organized religion highlighted by Pearce, which Richard Carrier says is "1 of the near constructive and powerful arguments for disbelief," while James Lindsay calls information technology a "silver-bullet argument." 2 makes iii with the lack of objective show for biblical miracles, and the problem of horrendous suffering. Three and so five with how the Bible debunks itself, and especially scientific discipline (evolution, biblical archeology, and gratis will).

But since believers aren't unremarkably reasoned out of a faith that they were never reasoned into, the prolific Pearce expertly throws the book at them. I'm a fan of his. Highly recommended reading!

– John West. Loftus, philosopher and counter-apologist with 12 books, including The Case Against Miracles, and God and Horrendous Suffering.

A curtailed but very philosophically sophisticated presentation of xxx evergreen problems for both theism in general and Abrahamic religions specifically. A must for the bookshelves of both atheists (to speedily reference powerful arguments) and theists (to understand the strongest and well-nigh commonly-used points of their opposition).

– Gunther Laird, author of The Unnecessary Science: A Critical Analysis of Natural Police Theory

Philosophical arguments for and confronting the existence of a deity abound, not only in academic circles, but also in the volatile arena of social media. For those wishing to wade into the controversy, the idea of acquainting oneself with the wide variety of philosophical and theological arguments can be rather daunting. Pearce's thirty Arguments Confronting the Existence of "God" provides the reader with just such an introduction. With a down-to-earth and humorous tone, Pearce walks the reader through many of these confusing and complicated philosophical topics. If you are interested in breaking into the discussion on the existence of God, this is the book for you.

– Dr. Joshua Bowen, writer ofThe Atheist Handbook to the Erstwhile Attestation, Volume 1

Why would a perfect god create anything at all in the first place?

Why does God beloved abortion so much when his followers detest it?

Has the theistic moral compass gone completely haywire?

From the God of the gaps to the Devil in the details, Jonathan Pearce asks—and answers—all the deep questions, closes the loopholes and escape clauses Yahweh uses to wiggle out of tight spots, and demonstrates without a uncertainty how the programme of salvation makes no damn sense and the Christian God is a tool (in every sense of the word). The perfect gift for every believing friend and frenemy in your life.

– David Fitzgerald, author ofNailed,Jesus: Mything in Activeness andThe Complete Heretic's Guide to Western Religion series.

Jonathan Pearce has written an outstanding book in which key philosophical arguments confronting the existence of "God" are presented in articulate, easily accessible chapters. I found the book compelling and thought-provoking. Written in Pearce's usual style of distilling philosophy down to articulate prose, this book will allow any educated person to empathise and appreciate the logic behind these arguments. Since I am a biologist rather than a philosopher, I quite appreciated the fact that I did not go distracted by terms and reasoning that might be more suited to the professional person philosopher.

While the unabridged book holds together under a unifying theme, the 30 arguments tin can easily be consumed in small packets. Once I started the book, I was unable to put it downward, and each of the chapters is so intellectually stimulating that I found myself stopping frequently to contemplate the implications of the reasoning. One tin read a few chapters and then accept some time to think almost them.… A reader tin can pick up the book, turn to any chapter, and enjoy the mental stimulation.

This is an excellent book for those who want a articulate philosophical footing for rejecting the idea of an all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful god. In my years as a university teacher, I have witnessed many young people questioning the earth view with which they were raised. This book would be the perfect place from which to start this circuitous just fascinating journeying.

– Dr. Joseph Berger, author of Science and Spirituality: An Introduction for Students, Secular People & the By and large Curious

Jonathan MS Pearce is a talented author with a thoroughly enjoyable conversational way. While I tend to abhor philosophy, this little book provides a very nice, easy-to-read and comprehensive overview of a number of primal philosophical issues pertaining to topics of God, religion and theology. This is an essential read for anyone with an involvement in the viability of faith, whether it be theirs or another.

– Dr. Kipp Davis, author of Gleanings from the Caves and Dead Sea Scrolls Fragments in the Museum Collection

Await no further for the strongest arguments confronting God! This volume really takes the bloviation of philosophy and packages it for all to empathise. Near theists want to outset with philosophical arguments rather than the theological ones because of the absurd ideas presented by their tradition. However, Pearce encourages this and cuts the tree downwards at its roots: No rotten apples to swallow from after reading this book. I accept had the opportunity to watch him use these arguments in argue format with much success. Pearce has an addictive writing manner that gets to the bottom of the age-old questions sparking endless contend on the OmniGod consequence.

– Derek Lambert, host of Mythvision Podcast

30 Arguments Against the Existence of "God", Heaven, Hell, Satan, and Design Design
30 Arguments Against the Beingness of "God", Heaven, Hell, Satan, and Design Pattern

Check out my recent interview on the volume:

A TIPPLING PHILOSOPHER Jonathan MS Pearce is a philosopher, author, columnist, and public speaker with an interest in writing about well-nigh annihilation, from skepticism to science, politics, and morality,...