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The Atheistic Professor and the Student
By Anonymous
Critique by Punkerslut
Image: From "Religion" Gallery from RadicalGraphics.org
Start Date:
June 15, 2002
Finish Date:
June 15, 2002
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Introduction
I found this particular story on the internet. It's awfully written, but what can be expected from an individual who depicts Atheists as little more than horrible people? So, enjoy the criticism.
The Critique
The Atheistic Professor and the Student
This is a true story of something that happened just a few years ago at USC. There was a professor of philosophy there who was a deeply committed atheist. His primary goal for one required class was to spend the entire semester attempting to prove that God couldn't exist. His students were always afraid to argue with him because of his impeccable logic.
For twenty years, he had taught this class and no one had ever had the courage to go against him. Sure, some had argued in class at times, but no one had ever 'really gone against him.' Nobody would go against him because he had a reputation.
At the end of every semester, on the last day, he would say to his class of 300 students, "If there's anyone here who still believes in Jesus, stand up!" In twenty years, no one had ever stood up. They knew what he was going to do next. He would say, "Because anyone who does believe in God is a fool."
Typical that a bigoted Christian would think this of an Atheist -- that an Atheist would say as such. The most bigoted people are those who depict others as always on the offense against them without any evidence. And so it can clearly be seen here, as the Atheist in this story is depicted not as one who is of the similar character of the average Christian, but rather heartless and vindictive.
"...If God existed, he could stop this piece of chalk from hitting the ground and breaking. Such a simple task to prove that he is God, and yet he can't do it." And every year, he would drop the chalk onto the tile floor of the classroom and it would shatter into a hundred pieces. All of the students could do nothing but stop and stare. Most of the students were convinced that God couldn't exist. Certainly, a number of "Christians" had slipped through, but for 20 years, they had been too afraid to stand up.
Well, a few years ago, there was a freshman who happened to get enrolled in the class. He was a Christian, and had heard the stories about this professor. He had to take the class because it was one of the required classes for his major, and he was afraid. But for 3 months that semester, he prayed every morning that he would have the courage to stand up no matter what the professor said or what the class thought. Nothing they said or did could ever shatter his faith, he hoped.
At least the Christian in this story is like the average Christian in real life: their vision is attached to the conclusion rather than the evidence. And so, it can clearly be seen, that he prays not that the evidence for god is strong, but rather that he will believe in the institute of religion (no matter how absurd) even when presented against a plethora of evidence against it.
Finally the day came. The professor said, "If there is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!" The professor and the class of 300 people looked at him, shocked, as he stood up at the back of the classroom. The professor shouted, "You FOOL!!"
Oh, I'm so sure this is a true story.
"...If God existed, he could keep this piece of chalk from breaking when it hit the ground!" He proceeded to drop the chalk, but as he did, it slipped out of his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the pleats of his pants, down his leg, and off his shoe. As it hit the ground, it simply rolled away, unbroken. The professor's jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk. He looked up at the young man and then ran out of the lecture hall.
Again, I find this part to be highly debatable. In 20 years, it's bound that something similar to that would happen, as probability increases with time. Even without that considered, though, why is it that god was asent on the possibly thousands of occasions when the professor conducted this experiment previously?
The young man who had stood up proceeded to walk to the front of the room and share his faith in Jesus for the next half hour. 300 students stayed and listened as he told of God's love for them and of his power through Jesus.
Oh, and I'm sure everyone stayed to listen to his sermon. This story, although claimed to be true, must have been highly exaggerated. The stories of Tolkien don't compare when it comes to fantastic elements. In this particular story, there's a hateful Atheist who persecutes Christians and demonstrates Atheism through a piece of chalk, which god prevented from breaking when a Christian stood up against him, and then a college freshman stood in front of the class and tought everyone about Jesus Christ. Even if I were a Christian, I would find this story to be outlandish and unbelievable. But, it only goes along with the rather unbelievable nature of the story.
Punkerslut,
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