Argument against Divine Revelation

This is by no means an argument against the existence of God, nor is it an argument against universal revelation – that the Divine reveals truths in nature that can be comprehended through reason. It is rather an argument that an omniscient and good God will not provide prophets or saviors with exclusive revelations.

Exclusive revelations inevitably result in division between believers and nonbelievers – those who maintain faith in their particular revelation and infidels. Since different religions claim different exclusive revelations, the believers of one must oppose all others, for tolerance of others’ revelations would constitute a denial of faith in their own revelation and in their own God. Every one of these supposed revelations has already led and will continue to lead to persecutions and wars in which innocents are banished, tortured, maimed, and killed. Thus, exclusive revelations result in evil.

An omniscient God knows that an exclusive revelation will result in evil. A good God will not create evil. Therefore, an omniscient and good God will not impart an exclusive revelation through a prophet or savior.

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Illustration: Exclusive/Divine Revelation

versus

Universal/Rational Revelation

Exclusive/Divine Revelation:

On my left, line up all those who have been banished, tortured, maimed, and killed in the name of the Savior.

Next to them, line up all those who have been banished, tortured, maimed, and killed in the name of the Prophet.

Finally, line up all those who have been banished, tortured, maimed, and killed in the name of the Lord of Hosts.

Universal/Rational Revelation:

On my right, line up together all those who have been banished, tortured, maimed, and killed in the name of Socrates, in the name of Plato, and in the name of Plotinus.

Conclusion:

Which approach is more becoming to a good God?

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Another Argument

Suppose a man came up to you and said he had encountered a giant snake eating its own tail and yet not being consumed. And the man said that the Lord God spoke through the serpent and commanded him to lead his people and told him to tell his people that they must obey the man lest they sin against God. Would you follow him?

Now suppose a man came up to you and said he had encountered a bush that was burning and yet not being consumed. And the man said that the Lord God spoke through the bush and commanded him…

God made humans with reason. It is absurd to think that God would want us to abandon this divine reason in order to show faith to anyone claiming to have spoken with God. It just doesn’t make sense.

Realization through God-given reason – not obedience to some human’s supposed revelation.

On  Revealed Scripture

Believing a particular set of scriptures because they promise the best afterlife is like assigning a particular mathematical formula because it provides the easiest calculation. (No, no, dear reader, I do not refer to your scriptures, which are holy, fine, and correct. I refer rather to someone else’s.)

–TDG