Mike Day:- This House Pt. 29 :Flourishing in Exile, Pt. 9: Credible Witness: Aren’t We Better Off Without Religion?

Mike Day:- This House Pt.29 :Flourishing in Exile, Pt. 9: Credible Witness: Aren’t We Better Off Without Religion? "This House" series titled "Aren't we better off without religion?", dated 27 September 2026. Core Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15, encouraging believers to sanctify Christ as Lord and be ready to defend their hope with gentleness and reverence. I. What is New Atheism? Characterized as an aggressive, antitheist movement asserting that religion is positively harmful and "poisons everything" (noted by figures like Christopher Hitchens and Gary Wolf). Key literature discussed includes works by Christopher Hitchens, Peter Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, and Alister & Joanna Collicutt McGrath. II. New Atheist Criticisms of Religion The Stupidity of Religion: Accusations that faith means "blind trust" or belief without rational justification/evidence. Counter-arguments note that biblical faith involves placing trust in what one has reason to believe is true. The Immorality of Religion: Claims that religion causes historical conflicts and human tragedies. Comparisons show stark contrasts in estimated deaths between religious conflicts (e.g., Spanish Inquisition: 5,000–6,000 over 350 years) and secular/non-religious conflicts and regimes (e.g., World Wars I & II: 80 million; Stalin: 20 million; Mao Zedong: 10–50 million). The Improbability of Religion: The suggestion that atheism or meaninglessness functions as an instrument of liberation from morality and accountability, driven by a desire for autonomy rather than pure objectivity. III. Are We Better Off? Deficiencies in the Secular/Atheistic Worldview: Inexplicable origins of reason. An impoverished, purposeless vision of life originating from chaos and returning to nothing. A reductionistic understanding of human beings (reducing humans to mere neurons or "purposeless stardust"). Inability to account for other key aspects of life. Value of Christianity: Explores how Christian descriptions of the world and human nature align with experience over the shaky claims of secular materialism.