THE BURDEN OF PROOF

 

 
 

A common ploy of the atheist is to insist that the burden of proof is on the Christian to prove that God exists. This conveniently removes any burden from the atheist to prove his claims. However, you can respond:

 

·       We should both should be obliged to demonstrate that our theory is better than the theory of the opponent.

 

However, the atheist usually insists that he doesn’t have a worldview, and therefore, he has nothing to defend. Instead, he will insist that atheism is simply a claim that there is no evidence for God and demands that you prove otherwise. Relieved of any obligation to defend his beliefs, the atheist can comfortably recline and shoot his arrows at the Christian. His job then becomes quite easy. Whatever evidence or reasons you provide, he can simply respond, “Prove it, prove it, prove it.” If instead you claim that this is my personal experience, the militant atheist you respond, “Prove that you haven’t deluded yourself.”

 

Soon, it should become obvious that there are no proofs that are absolute and certainly none which will satisfy the militant atheist, who is not looking for truth but for victory over his opponent.

 

To illustrate this point, I sometimes respond:

 

·       I would be glad to give you any one of several weighty theistic proofs, but first you need to prove to me that you exist, since it is a waste of my time to prove God exists to a non-entity.

 

He will now realize that this conversation will not turn out as comfortably as he once supposed. This is because he cannot even convincingly prove that he exists! Whatever evidence he offers, you can simply respond, “Perhaps I’m just imagining you,” or “You might simply be part of a great delusion.”

 

This exchange should convey the point that if the atheist cannot absolutely prove that he exists, he has not right to demand that you prove that God exists to his satisfaction.

 

Of course, I wouldn’t use this tactic against someone who is genuinely interested in an honest exchange. However, if the atheist claims that he doesn’t have a worldview, we can be sure that he is either not honest or aware. We all have our beliefs and values, whether true or not. Generally, the atheist believes:

 

·       The material world came about through natural forces.

·       Evolution accounts for the origin of species.

·       Our lives will end abruptly.

·       Life is about enjoying and fulfilling ourselves.

·       The only meaning is the meaning we give life.

·       The only morality is what we create or agree on.

 

If they deny that they have any worldview or that we have no right to speak for them, it is probably better for us to wipe the dust off our feet, move on, and to cast our pearls before those who might value them.