1. TRANSCENDENTAL ARGUMENT, a.k.a. PRESUPPOSITIONALIST
- If reason exists then God exists.
- Reason does exist.
- Therefore, God exists.
2. COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT, a.k.a. FIRST CAUSE ARGUMENT
- If I say something must have a cause, it has a cause.
- I say the universe must have a cause.
- Therefore, the universe has a cause.
- Therefore, God exists.
3. ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT (I)
- I define God to be X.
- Since I can conceive of X, X must exist.
- Therefore, God exists.
4. ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT (II)
- I can conceive of a perfect God.
- One of the qualities of perfection is existence.
- Therefore, God exists.
5. MODAL ONTOLOGICAL ARGUMENT
- God is either necessary or unnecessary.
- God is not unnecessary, therefore he must be necessary.
- Therefore, God exists.
6.ARGUMENT FROM DESIGN, a.k.a. GOD OF THE GAPS, a.k.a. TELEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT (I)
- Check out the world/universe/giraffe. Isn’t it complex?
- Only a supreme being could have made them so complex.
- Therefore, God exists.
7. ARGUMENT FROM BEAUTY, a.k.a. DESIGN/TELEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT (II)
- Isn’t that baby/sunset/flower/tree beautiful?
- Only a loving creator could have made them so beautiful.
- Therefore, God exists.
8. ARGUMENT FROM MIRACLES (I)
- My aunt had cancer.
- The doctors gave her all these horrible treatments.
- My aunt prayed to God and now she doesn’t have cancer.
- Therefore, God exists.
9. MORAL ARGUMENT (I)
- Person X, a well-known atheist, was morally inferior to the rest of us.
- Therefore, God exists.
10. MORAL ARGUMENT (II)
- In my younger days I was a cursing, drinking, smoking, gambling, child- molesting, thieving, murdering, bed-wetting bastard.
- That all changed once I became religious.
- Therefore, God exists.
11. ARGUMENT FROM INTIMIDATION, a.k.a. TOMAS DE TORQUEMADA'S ARGUMENT
- See this bonfire?
- Therefore, God exists.
12. ARGUMENT FROM NUMBERS
- Billions of people believe in some sort of supreme being.
- They can’t all be wrong, can they?
- Therefore, God exists.
13. ARGUMENT FROM INCOMPLETE DESTRUCTION
- A plane crashed killing 143 passengers and crew.
- But one child survived with only third-degree burns.
- Therefore, God exists.
14. ARGUMENT FROM POSSIBLE WORLDS
- If things had been different, then things would be different.
- That would be bad.
- Therefore, God exists.
15. ARGUMENT FROM CROCKERY
- Pots don’t go around giving orders to the potter who made them.
- Therefore, God exists.
16. ARGUMENT FROM CREATIVE INTERPRETATION
God is:
- The feeling you have when you look at a newborn baby.
- The love of a mother for her child.
- That little still voice in your heart.
- Humankind’s potential to overcome their difficulties.
- How I feel when I look at a sunset.
- The taste of ice cream on a hot day.
Therefore, God exists.
17. ARGUMENT FROM POSTMODERNISM
- I’m going to prove to you that God exists.
- [Insert any of the other arguments on this page in here.]
- [Atheist refutes argument.]
- I cannot prove there is a supreme being any more than anyone of us can prove we really exist in a tangible world.
- Therefore, God exists.
18. ARGUMENT FROM FORTUITOUS COINCIDENCE
- What are the odds of that happening?
- Pretty long, I’ll bet.
- Therefore, God exists.
19. ARGUMENT FROM MYSTERIOUS USE OF PREPOSITIONS
- It is impossible to disprove God with your puny human intellect unless you are above God.
- Are you higher than God?
- I’ll take that puzzled look on your face as a ‘No.’
- Therefore, God (being the highest thing ever) exists.
20. ARGUMENT FROM HURT FEELINGS
- God exists.
- [Atheist makes counterarguments.]
- I am deeply offended that you do not believe what I do.
- Therefore, God exists.
