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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 12, No. 10. September 20th, 1949

Irrational God

page 11

Irrational God

Finally, all testimony must be rational for us. to accept it; and the testimony that the Deity convinces the senses of men of His excellence can only be admitted by us if our mind considers it less probable that these men should have been deceived than that the Deity should have appeared to them. I maintain, and justifiably I think, that we can never admit the testimony of men who declare that the Deity was irrational; for He commanded that He should be believed, He proposed the highest rewards far faith, eternal punishment for disbelief. How can we command belief, a totally involuntary action? This alone shows that God is irrational if we are to believe those who believe in Him. I suggest very strongly that on such evidence we should not.

From the foregoing argument it is evident that only those who are convinced by the senses can believe, in God—those who rely on reason cannot do so and remain intellectually honest.

Most of Veritas's main arguments were dealt with most ably by F.U. in the last issue. But let me answer the contention he puts forward that Christ was God. None of Christ's sayings, he says in proof, were inconsistent. But, on reading the Bible, I would say that there was not the shadow of a doubt as to the inconsistency of the reported sayings of Jesus. For we are told that He asserted that He was God (Mark XIV 61-64; Matthew XXVI 63-66; Luke X 22; John X 30-33—with acknowledgments to Veritas). And yet we see (John V 43; VI 38) that Jesus also said "I am come in my Father's name"; "For I came down from Heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him who sent me." He makes similar statements in John XIV 28; XII 49; V 30; XVII 1; to quote instances from only one of the gospels. (Veritas very kindly gives an excellent selection of quotations bearing me out.) At one moment He is God—the next He is the Son of God. How, then, is this inconsistency reconciled? By the be-nighted postulation of the Trinity! This explains all yet remains itself inexplicable—as also does the hypothesis of God.

Minor points in your last screed are answered by "Junior Atheist's Anti God Father". I hope they will teach you to take more care when., writing such articles in future.

Swen.