How conclusion made

In reading Dr. Earl Babbie’s column “Ultimate Reality: What Comes After This,” I find that he makes some troubling assumptions about those who believe in God. Dr. Babbie seems to argue that people who have a strong belief in God do so because they were taught this in their upbringing and simply hold to a creation worldview without considering evidence to support it (the same can be said about atheists and agnostics). Moreover, he later appears to assert that belief in God is based on faith lacking evidence and logic. Arguments of this nature are not compelling because they do not take into consideration the diligence, volume, depth, forthrightness, and reasoned conclusions of Biblical and extra-Biblical scholarship.

Certainly some people base their faith upon beliefs held by their parents, family, and community; however, we cannot assume that their faith is baseless or without evidence and reason. Could it be that much of what they are taught is based on reasonable evidence and logic derived not only from the Bible but from scholars and philosophers throughout history who have strong academic credentials with doctoral degrees in physics, biology, mathematics, and philosophy? Could it be that faith is not belief without evidence but that it is confidence in a worldview based on eyewitness testimony, historical accuracy, and transformed lives and communities? We have many ways of gathering reliable knowledge in life which does include scientific inquiry but is not limited to it.

Finally, Dr. Babbie concludes that upon death we cease to exist and only nothingness remains, yet it appears from his experience that he came to this conclusion based on feeling or intuition. We certainly have no evidence or even reasoned speculation that only nothingness exists after death.

KEVIN ROWELL

Conway