Article: I am an astrophysicist. I am also a Christian.

[Heyo]

I haven’t been trying to convince you, Heyo. I know how your mind works, because I was once an atheist who presented the same ‘argument’ you do. I could never convince you, but someone or something might, some day. Or maybe not.

You claim to be quite a rare example of human. Not only do you claim to have reconciled belief with science (which, including you, I have yet to meet an example of) but you also claim to have been an atheist. Now, you didn't say that you have been convinced of your belief, but if you do, that would also be a first. I have yet to meet someone who went from an informed atheist to theist by means of logic.

 

[samtonga43]

You claim to be quite a rare example of human.

No,no, Heyo! There are thousands upon thousands of scientists who are Christian. You haven’t come across even ONE? I wonder, do you live in the Bible Belt? This would explain a lot.

Not only do you claim to have reconciled belief with science (which, including you, I have yet to meet an example of) but you also claim to have been an atheist. Now, you didn't say that you have been convinced of your belief, but if you do, that would also be a first.

Nonsense. As I said, there are thousands of atheists who have been convinced that Christ really is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

I have yet to meet someone who went from an informed atheist to theist by means of logic.

Tell me, have you heard of Rudolf Otto and the supra-rational?

 

[Heyo]

No,no, Heyo! There are thousands upon thousands of scientists who are Christian. You haven’t come across even ONE? I wonder, do you live in the Bible Belt? This would explain a lot.

I live in Europe. And while we have a few Christian scientists here, NOMa is a popular explanation. (I.e. not reconciliation but separation).

Nonsense. As I said, there are thousands of atheists who have been convinced that Christ really is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

As I said, I have never met one. Every now and then someone pops up on RF who claims to have been a former atheists and was convinced of <insert religion here>. It invariably turns out they have never been informed atheists or they went from atheist to theist on a way that didn't involve rationality.
Which arguments did you reject while you were an atheist? Which argument did eventually convince you?
(If one of your answers is "none", you don't qualify as a candidate.)

Tell me, have you heard of Rudolf Otto and the supra-rational?

Nope.

 

[samtonga43]

As I said, I have never met one. Every now and then someone pops up on RF who claims to have been a former atheists and was convinced of <insert religion here>. It invariably turns out they have never been informed atheists or they went from atheist to theist on a way that didn't involve rationality.

Oh. I was a very informed atheist.
Rationality, eh? Would that be rationality in a subjective sense?

Which arguments did you reject while you were an atheist?

The usual suspects… the moral argument, the ontological argument, the cosmological argument, Pascal’s wager, the contingency argument....

Which argument did eventually convince you?

The arguments noted above.

(If one of your answers is "none", you don't qualify as a candidate.)

Ooooh! You’re scaring me now.

Nope.

I recommend it. It leads to lateral, creative thinking.
The Idea of the Holy

 

[Heyo]

The usual suspects… the moral argument, the ontological argument, the cosmological argument, Pascal’s wager, the contingency argument....


The arguments noted above.

That's interesting. You knew the arguments for (the belief in) god(s) and you knew how they failed but then something changed your mind. That must have been a hell of an insight - or a hell of an illusion.
Since I've heard too many stories that didn't add up, you'll understand my scepticism. Could you please choose your favourite argument and explain its flaw as you saw it as an atheist and how you resolved it as a theist?