I’ve talked about the Contrarian (part 1 | part 2), and his strawman representation of the Christian gospel.  As it happens, this guy is a gold mine of article ideas for an apologetics blogger.  Sort of a one-stop shopping center for a writer who needs ideas.

Therefore, I couldn’t resist his first challenge to believers.  I have no idea why I answered it.  Along with the second and third challenges, he proves he is only interested in grandstanding for an atheist audience.

Though he claims he is “actually here hoping that someone will prove me wrong and enhance my understanding of reality,” he goes on:

I give the faithful a snowball’s chance in hell that they will actually do so—if past success can help us predict future success—but I must remain true to my scientific convictions.  At any moment, anyone could come forward with proof that would require me to abandon my current perceptions; this is why I dedicate this article to asking questions that I would like answers to. (source)

Yeah, that’s the kind of statement we expect from someone who has already decided the outcome before running the experiment.

Now, on to the second challenge for believers.  As it is written in a make-believe dialogue with Lucifer, I’m not sure why the Contrarian expects anyone to actually take it seriously.

Yet, I’m lending it credibility by answering it.

Go figure.

Anyway, he’s asking for a YouTube video from a believer demonstrating any of the following three things:

1. Levitation
2. Walking on low-viscosity fluids
3. Raising someone from the dead

Why?  Matthew 17:20, of course:

Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.

Now, of course, no believer has ever taken this as meaning that we’d actually command a mountain to jump to a new location.  We’ve always understood Christ to be using a rhetorical device common among Semitic people even today — hyperbole.

Why can’t this be a rhetorical device?

The Contrarian doesn’t say.

Of course, the best answer to his drivel is found in the comments section, from Saffa in Asia:

After months of watching this religion bashing and the pointless back and forth arguing, I have come to the conclusion the only way to end this stupidity is for theists to totally ignore the rants and raves of atheists.

If you don’t react, they will become bored and move on to something else where they can get a reaction, for it is the reaction that feeds them.

Ever tried to fight with someone who doesn’t fight back? Rather frustrating. So, don’t feed the trolls. Theists and atheists have made their relevant points over and over again and we are still at square number one.

I know for sure I will get lots of thumbs down and lots of snide comments about being a coward, deluded, stupid, ignorant etc, etc but who cares? Not me.

So I bid you adieu and I trust others will follow suit.