Are Christians consistent in the standards of truth they use for Christianity vs. what they use for other religions? Or do they hypocritically apply an easier standard for their favorite religion?

(These Bite-Size Replies are responses to “Quick Shots,” brief Christian responses to atheist challenges. The introduction to this series is here.)

Challenge to the Christian: Christian hypocrisy proves Christianity is false.

Christian response #1: And does atheist hypocrisy prove atheism false? Everyone is hypocritical!

The hypocrisy that I notice is Christians giving their god a pass that they’d never give another religion. For example, there’s a worldwide pandemic right now, which would be an excellent opportunity for God to do something, anything, in an overt and public way. But he’s perpetually hidden, and his human handlers can always invent some excuse. Would Christians accept this from another religion?

Or think of the many clues that we don’t live in a world with a god. God needs praise and worship. Religious beliefs are just cultural traits. Life on earth is trivial in an unimaginably vast universe. Prayer doesn’t work. There is unnecessary pain. Does this look like a world with a god?

Or consider Bible contradictions. The Bible tells us that Christians sin (or don’t). Women proclaimed the news of the empty tomb (or didn’t). No one can see God (or can they?). Faith saves (or maybe it’s works). Jesus predicted the End in the lifetime of his hearers (didn’t happen). People deserve punishment for their ancestors’ sins (or not).

Christians don’t see the double standard but would spot these problems in an instant in another religion.

God is hidden, the Bible contradicts itself, and our world looks like a world with no god. Christians don’t see the double standard but would spot these problems in an instant in another religion. [Click to tweet]

Christian response #2: The Christian moral standard is grounded in God’s perfect moral nature. Of course Christians will fall short of the mark!

“God’s perfect moral nature”? Guess again. Any person who committed the atrocities that God did in the Old Testament isn’t moral. God defined the rules for slavery, creating an institution pretty much identical to slavery in the United States. He called for genocide. He demanded child sacrifice from the Jews. He imposes eternal punishment in hell. His morality in the book of Job was “might makes right.”

What moral standard does God follow? Certainly no moral standard acceptable in the Western world today. Maybe God’s morals weren’t bad compared to other Bronze Age gods of the Ancient Near East, but that is far from perfect morality.

As for people falling short of the mark, blame my imperfections on my Creator. That God created imperfect people and then is outraged that they don’t meet his high standards is a doctrine unworthy of any thoughtful person. Christopher Hitchens lampooned this by noting that, in Christianity, “We are created to be sick and commanded to be well.”

Maybe God was pretty good compared to other Bronze Age gods of the Ancient Near East, but that is far from perfect morality. [Click to tweet]

(The Quick Shot I’m replying to is here.)

Continue to BSR 4: Who created God?

For further reading:

• Top 20 Most Damning Bible Contradictions
• 25 Reasons We Don’t Live in a World with a God
• Yes, Biblical Slavery Was the Same as American Slavery
• God ♥ Genocide
• God Loves the Smell of Burning Flesh: Human Sacrifice in the Bible
• Can God Be Benevolent if He Sends Your Children to Hell?

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Image from Federico Pitto, CC license
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