The Potter analogy

One of the favourite analogies used by Christians is that God is  like a potter who has made a pot. Since he has made that pot he is well within his moral right to do whatever he pleases with it. This analogy is one way in which human suffering is explained. However.

1. The analogy fails when you add the element of love. If the potter were to make a pot which he then professed to love, it would not be possible for him to smash it or damage it or put it through hardship - his love would stop him from doing so. Claiming that God is well within his rights to send a flood just because he made us ignores the supposed 'fact' that he 'loves' us.

2. The analogy fails even harder, imagine if I am a skilled potter and I create a pot that holds exactly 1L of water. Imagine then if I expected it to hold 2L of water. Imagine further, that if it failed to do this I would get angry, and vengeful and cast it from my house. Is there any Christian who would say that I am being a reasonable potter? Surely not. If I have all the power to create the pot in any way that I so choose, then it's flaws or failings are not only my responsibility - but they are my fault. The existence of these faults are a reflection on me, not on the pots themselves because compared to my vast creationist power they have no choice in what they are able or unable to do.

It is with this analogy that I judge your Christian God and find him wanting. The story of Adam and Even is not one of man's failure, but of Gods.

Hello and Welcome!

Let me begin by saying that I am not an atheist, I could be accurately described as an agnostic; one of the great fence sitters of religion. However, whilst I am vaguely in favour of the fact that there was some sort of creator I find the Christian conception of this creator to be abhorrently illogical and implausible.

 I have spoken at great length to many Christian friends, bible study leaders and pastors and have come to the very sad conclusion that they are wrong. I would love nothing more than to be converted to Christianity (and have sought this for years), I would love to believe there to be a veritable paradise awaiting me in the afterlife but I have simply been unable to overcome my skepticism and rationality.

I think Christians are in some ways similar to overly confident obese women. They are similar in the regard that they both possess this self confidence and self assurance that they are simply not entitled to, one because they are fat and the other because they have ‘faith’. Also, I find the majority of both to be rather irritating.

Which is why I would like to share with you some of my objections to Christianity, in the hopes that these logical, rational arguments might shake your faith and that as a result you will be able to make some positive changes in your life instead of relying on the crutch of faith (this is similar to when I say things like “Prisilla, you are wearing so much make up that you look like a $10 whore, also if you look up fat in the dictionary there’s a photo of you” - hopefully resulting in positive change such as their using less make up or eating a salad).

Lastly, let me say two things;

1. Please do not be overly offended or take my writing as a personal affront. That I have several Christian friends attests to the fact that I am not actually a super dickhead and in fact in many instances I am not even trying to be deliberately offensive.

2. I challenge you to read my arguments with the same ‘open mindedness’ that you request of others when you try to spread the word of God. Please feel free to comment and provide rational rebuttal (along with specific references to the scripture) but please do not resort to something along the lines of “at the end of the day, its just about faith”. If your rebuttal is something along these lines then I sincerely wish you had been aborted as a foetus.

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Lastly, for those who have yet to see what has to be one of the best parodies on the internet, enjoy:

Cheers guys!

Damien.

p.s I owe sincere thanks to many people for having the patience and intelligence to speak with me, thanks to Moses, Maz, Sam Gough, Kenny, Rae and several others. But mainly thanks to me for being really eloquent and great.