Butler seems to think that the "enlightened" opponents of traditional Christianity are not nearly as reasonable as they claim. What does Butler seem to think motivates them? To what extent are his criticisms valid?
Thursday, July 17, 2014
The Unreasonableness of Reason (Joseph Butler)
Butler seems to think that the "enlightened" opponents of traditional Christianity are not nearly as reasonable as they claim. What does Butler seem to think motivates them? To what extent are his criticisms valid?
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Butler believed that you could not be able to just justify Christianity based on Christianity. He says on his "Analogy of Religion" that "the general analogy between the principles of divine government, as set forth by the biblical revelation, and those observable in the course of nature, [an analogy which] leads us to the warrantable conclusion that there is one Author of both." In other words, by what is told in the Bible and what has been observed in history, he concludes that there must be a higher power of design. That is what's most interesting to me about Butler.
ReplyDeleteKent Johnsen
I’m not quite sure what Butler thinks motivates the opponents of Christianity, but it might be our sinful nature. He says that some who reject Christianity simply live life seemingly free from the restraints of religion, never thinking much of it, while others take things much further. “They deride God’s moral government over the world: they renounce his protection, and defy his justice: they ridicule and vilify Christianity, and blaspheme the Author of it; and take all occasions to manifest a scorn and contempt of revelation.” What would make someone go to such lengths? Why do some seem to not only disagree with Christianity, but to literally hate it and all who follow it? I think at least some blame must be placed on our tendency to sin against God. Are Butler’s criticisms valid? I think so. He, as well as the other apologists we’ve read, took their job seriously. They presented logical arguments and attempted to prove their viewpoints through reasoning. An unjust, emotional, illogical attack based on hatred and ignorance would’ve likely been the least-respected way to counter their Christian beliefs.
ReplyDeleteButler is an interesting character considering he believed that people can't justify Christianity with Christianity. This clearly makes the point that Christianity can be explained by non-Christianity. How is this helpful to people trying to get their friends or others to join the Christian church or convert them to Christianity? The truth is, it doesn't. With this quote in mind, they must be careful in what they say to their friends because if they say something too Christian, their friends may not believe them, but if they say something with a mix of both Christianity and philosophy, or strictly just philosophy, their friends are more likely to listen and convert to Christianity.
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