Christian theology is shattered by these three factors
For centuries, the devout—determined to preserve and protect their faith—have ignored reality. They have turned off curiosity and critical thinking. That just doesn’t work anymore.
There are major brick walls that Christian theology smacks into—and these should put a stop to belief in the god it claims to adore, follow, and worship. Let’s consider three of these brick walls.
Brick Wall Number One: Horrendous Suffering
Clergy and apologist theologians have gone to extraordinary lengths to make excuses for their god’s tolerance—for thousands of years—of horrible, horrendous suffering, worldwide. But I do wonder if the folks in the pews accept these excuses all of the time, or some of the time—or at all. Ordinary folks, without theology degrees, have to face the brutal realities of life—and their faith might not be as secure as it appears when they show up at church. They could very well agree with Stephen Fry’s blunt response during an interview in 2015, in which he was asked what he would say to god if, upon his death, he finds out that god is real, after all:
“Bone cancer in children? What is that about? How dare you. How
dare you create a world in which there is such misery that is not our fault. It’s not right. It’s utterly, utterly evil. Why should I respect a capricious, mean-minded, stupid god which creates a world that is so full of injustice and pain?”
For those who are truly curious—who are committed to critical thinking—John Loftus’ anthology, God and Horrendous Suffering, 2nd Edition has recently been released: Kindle version and paperback version. [Full disclosure: I wrote three of the chapters included in this book.] Loftus lists 19 other anthologies on the topic of god and suffering published between 1991 and 2023. Many serious thinkers have realized that Christian theology is in serious trouble—as summarized pretty well by Stephen Fry—because of massive human and animal suffering. Loftus states the case well:
“…the degree and amount of horrendous suffering in the world entails that either God is not powerful enough to eliminate it, or God does not care enough to eliminate it, or God is just not smart enough to know what to do about it. The stubborn fact of horrendous suffering in the world means that something is wrong with God’s ability, or his goodness, or his knowledge.” (page 26, Kindle)
This second edition, which includes 24 essays, is vital homework in the study of this enormous theological problem. It doesn’t take much serious thought to realize that the favorite hymn, He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands is silly, mediocre theology. It’s a sentimental cover-up.
Brick Wall Number Two: Catastrophic Superstitions
The basics of Christian theology, which the devout learn as toddlers, are actually ancient superstitions that were common in the environment that gave rise to Christianity. How can we get the devout to snap out of belief in human sacrifice? Bloody Jesus hanging in a cross is precisely that. Do they really want to hold fast to the idea that their god could forgive them only by having Jesus killed? Many times I have recommended Richard Carrier’s 2018 essay, Dying-and-Rising Gods: It’s Pagan, Guys. Get Over It. Here he describes nine other deities who were widely worshipped because they offered the promise of escape from death. Yes, they’re different cults, with differing mythologies, but with the same basic aims. The author of John’s gospel went full-throttle magic with his claim that eating Jesus’ body and drinking his blood are vital for achieving eternal life. Indeed, this is catastrophic superstition that should be abandoned.
Brick Wall Number Three: A Vicious God
Many of the devout may react to this: “Say what? Our clergy assure us that God is Love.” Here’s my challenge: read the Bible. Quite a few non-believers have noted that the Bible itself destroys the idea that God-is-love. In Genesis we read about the genocide inflicted by god on humanity because there was so much sinning. Also be aware that, as a punishment for disobedience in the Garden of Eden, god assures women that they will always have pain in childbirth, and men will have to toil endlessly to survive in the world. This Bible god also hardens Pharoah’s heart, so that divine terror can be visited on the people of Egypt—which included the death of the firstborn, people and animals alike. In the conquest of the promised land, Bible god gives brutal orders for how the conquered peoples are to be treated.
“But we can put all this behind us when we turn to the New Testament.” Such is the claim of many devout Christians. Which means they haven’t read this document either. One of the first verses I was taught as a child was “God so loved the world…”—not quite grasping the meaning of “that he gave his only son.” Namely, that he was given as a human sacrifice. In Jesus-script in the Sermon on the Mount we find the warning that not a single Old Testament law—not even a fragment of the law—can be ignored (Matthew 5:17-20). In Matthew 25, Jesus-script explains that people who fail to be sufficiently compassionate will burn forever: “You who are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels…” (v. 41).
Dan Barker’s 2018 book, God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction offers abundant details about this reality, as does Steve Wells’ 2013 book, Drunk with Blood: God’s Killings in the Bible. Also, be sure to see Barker's chapter in this 2nd Edition, Supernatural Evil.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that the function of Christian clergy is to cover-up the frightful texts that we find in the Bible. Divert attention elsewhere, especially through soothing sermons, impressive ceremonies and rituals, all performed in beautiful houses of worship. How well I remember the processional hymn we sang every Sunday when I was growing up in a Methodist Church in rural Indiana: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty.”
Come on folks. It’s all a huge scam. Snap out of it.
David Madison was a pastor in the Methodist Church for nine years, and has a PhD in Biblical Studies from Boston University. He is the author of Ten Tough Problems in Christian Thought and Belief: a Minister-Turned-Atheist Shows Why You Should Ditch the Faith, now being reissued in several volumes:
· Guessing About God (2023),
· Ten Things Christians Wish Jesus Hadn’t Taught: And Other Reasons to Question His Words (2021). The Spanish translation of this book is also available.
· Everything You Need to Know About Prayer But May Not Want to Admit (2025)
His YouTube channel is here. At the invitation of John Loftus, he has written for the Debunking Christianity Blog since 2016.
The Cure-for-Christianity Library©, now with more than 500 titles, is here. A brief video explanation of the Library is here.
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