Dr. Craig Appears on Fox News
December 08, 2013 Time: 11:33
Summary
Dr. Craig is interviewed on Fox News discussing God's existence! What happened during the interview and what did Dr. Craig emphasize?
Transcript Dr. Craig Appears on Fox News
Kevin Harris: Breaking news! Dr. Craig appears on FOX News. Welcome to Reasonable Faith with Dr. William Lane Craig. I'm Kevin Harris. This media appearance was just one of many as Dr. Craig blitzed New York City talking about the work of Reasonable Faith and his new book A Reasonable Response: Answers to Tough Questions on God, Christianity, and the Bible. Today we would like for you to hear Dr. Craig's interview on FOX News. Now, personally, I think this message is rocking the world. Multitudes of people will realize, after seeing this interview, that they had misconceptions about God. Think about it, Christians and people of faith will be revolutionized in their thinking about how faith and reason work together, and they will no longer fear doubts and hard questions. Atheists, agnostics, and various unbelievers will perhaps take a second look. Thinking that they had the corner on the market on reason and that Christianity was just blind faith, they'll have some real thinking to do. So we hope you realize how important the work of Reasonable Faith is and that nationwide spiritual revival could break out when followers of Christ engage their minds and allow God to use them in deeper ways, ways very relevant to where we are in societies all over the world. Now there are some things to listen for in this interview. First, listen how Dr. Craig makes good use of his time. In the short span of a news segment he must be very succinct. Also listen how Dr. Craig appeals to both the intellect and the hearts of viewers. He differentiates between personal attacks and defending one's view; and when views clash, to be cordial. And also he quickly corrects a misconception and then gives an answer. Just some of the things to listen for in this interview. So without further ado, here's Dr. Craig on FOX News.
Lauren Green: Hello, and welcome to A Spirited Debate, I'm Lauren Green, chief religion corespondent for FOX News channel. Well 'tis the season for conflict over Christianity, religion, and whether or not God exists—yes. Well it's the reality we live in as more atheists and agnostics challenge the faith of believers with billboards and movies and whatever. Research Professor Dr. William Lane Craig has written a book to offer answers to the hard questions asked as to whether or not you can be sure if there is a God. And the book is called A Reasonable Response: Answers to Tough Questions on God, Christianity, and The Bible. And Dr. Craig joins me now. Welcome.
Dr. Craig: Good to be with you, Lauren.
Lauren Green: This is a fascinating book and, as I've told you before, that a lot of your stuff is very, very, like, high end, I mean it's very complicated logic stuff and math stuff but this is very user friendly so that believers really can find some of the answers. Why do you think it's important that people who have a faith in God have these kinds of answers?
Dr. Craig: Well I think there are three reasons. First of all, if Christians are to make a cultural impact upon American society we need to be able to give reasons for what we believe that will be acceptable to a non-sectarian audience. Secondly, I think it's vital for the believer's own faith. If your faith is just based on emotions and feel-good thinking then you're going to ride the roller-coaster of emotions. You need to have good solid reasons for what you believe. And thirdly, then, I think it's vital for winning unbelievers to the Christian faith in our culture today. I find that when young students are presented with good reasons to think Christianity is true they are much more apt to respond positivity to the message of the Gospel.
Lauren Green: You know, you bring up a point that has been a big criticism on Christians which is, you know, why do Christians feel like they have to share their faith? We live in a pluralistic society when tacitly everyone believes that everybody's religion is, sort of, you know, true for themselves but there's no absolute truth. What is you response to that, because I'm sure it's one of the questions?
Dr. Craig: Yes, Christianity is a missionary religion. Jesus commanded the disciples to go and make disciples of all the nations, to carry this message throughout the globe. And the reason for that is exactly what you just said, namely, that Christians believe that this is the objective truth about reality. This is not a matter of fashion, or culture, or fad, but this represents an objective truth about the way the universe and reality is.
Lauren Green: Yeah, you're really asking Christians to take it to another level and actually come in conflict with a lot of nonbelievers, right?
Dr. Craig: Oh, I think that's very true. We don't want to conflict with people on a personal level, but in terms of worldviews, views certainly do conflict with each other, and we can treat one another charitably and with love and civility even as we charitably disagree on certain fundamental issues, like whether or not God exists.[1]
Lauren Green: Now, before we get there, because I do want to get to that question, but one of the things I thought was very interesting in your book: you want to present these answers on a non-biblical worldview, because you're not going to start quoting Scriptures and say, this is why God exists, because, you know, Isaiah says this, or, the Gospel of John says this, or anything like that. Why is that important?
Dr. Craig: Well, as I said, in an increasingly secular society we need to be able to give reasons that are non-sectarian, that is to say, they don't just appeal to people who already believe what you believe, otherwise you're preaching to the choir. So when I share evidences for the reliability of the Gospels, I'm not treating them as holy, inspired Scripture, but the way any ancient historian would treat documents from ancient history – from Thucydides or Suetonius or so forth – and then examine their historical credibility for the life and claims of Jesus of Nazareth.
Lauren Green: Is there proof that God exists or do you really need to have any proof that God exists?
Dr. Craig: I don't think it's necessary but I do think that there is such a thing. So it's icing on the cake, so to speak.
Lauren Green: What would be the proof that God exists?
Dr. Craig: Well, I can think of at least five arguments for God's existence that I will often use in debating on university campuses. God is the best explanation for the origin of the universe at a point in the finite past. God is the best explanation for the fine-tuning of the universe for intelligent life. God is the best explanation for the existence of objective moral values and duties in the world. God is the best explanation for the historical facts concerning the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. And fifth, God can be personally known and experienced. And I think together these constitute a powerful cumulative case that God does, in fact, exist.
Lauren Green: Now, I know that you've debated atheists and on every one of those points the atheists have an answer. I'm not going to bring those up now because you can probably find that online. But I wanted to . . . the book basically is made up of a lot of questions that people have asked you.
Dr. Craig: Yes, they're real questions from real people.
Lauren Green: What is the most common question people ask you?
Dr. Craig: I think probably people doubt whether there's any evidence for God. Unbelievers have almost been taught this slogan – “there is no evidence for God” – and if you can lay out for them five or six arguments (like the one's I listed) it really sets them back on their heels because now they've got to interact with your arguments. They've got to deal with the evidence, and it's no longer enough just to cite slogans.
Lauren Green: Now, what was the most troubling question that you were asked, or the most difficult to answer?
Dr. Craig: Well, I think, emotionally, the problem of suffering in the world is the most difficult emotionally because so much of the world's suffering seems unnecessary and pointless. But intellectually speaking, as a philosopher, I would say it's extraordinarily difficult to mount any kind of a good argument against God from the suffering in the world because the atheist would have to prove that God cannot have a good reason for permitting the suffering and evil in the world, and we're just not in a position to make those kind of probability judgments with any sort of confidence.
Lauren Green: But it really . . . you know, pain and suffering really does get at the heart of what you feel about God, though, too; because if you think he is a God who just wants everybody to be happy then pain and suffering can't fit into that paradigm.
Dr. Craig: Ah, that's a very good point. I saw a book on the table in the waiting room as I was coming in that says “God wants you to be happy” and I thought, that's very misleading. I do not think that God necessarily wants us to be happy in this earthly life, this earthly existence is not our home.
Lauren Green: But there is room for happiness in this life, though, isn't there?
Dr. Craig: There's what?
Lauren Green: There's room for happiness in this life?
Dr. Craig: Oh, certainly. And I think a deep-seated happiness is to be found in the knowledge of God, that's the fulfillment of human existence. But God's purpose for us on this planet is not to give us an easy life, a bowl of cherries that we enjoy. For many people this life will involve incredible suffering and hardship before they go to be with God in eternity.
Lauren Green: You know, one of the things that I'd never heard of, looking at your book, I've never heard of a term called “apatheism.”
Dr. Craig: Apatheism.
Lauren Green: Apatheism is a combination of apathy and atheism; it's a person who basically just doesn't care if God exists or not. This is a whole new realm, isn't it?
Dr. Craig: Right, apatheism is the person who just doesn't care, he's apathetic about God. And I think this person is far more difficult to reach than the atheist because atheists typically care passionately about this issue and therefore they have to deal with argument and evidence. But the apathetic person is very difficult to reach because he just doesn't care and so he won't even listen to you.[2]
Lauren Green: Wow, well, you give a very good answer to this question. And I was taken aback by that, like, “Why don't you care?” But it's like, you know, some people don't. And there are emotional and psychological reasons for that. The book is wonderful. The book is called A Reasonable Response: Answers to Tough Questions on God, Christianity, and The Bible by Dr. William Lane Craig, and thank you very much for being on A Spirited Debate.
Dr. Craig: Thank you, Lauren. It was a delight to meet you.Kevin Harris: Well, that was a great interview, and if you're not a Christian or you're an unbeliever and you put emphasis on the intellect and reason you should commend Dr. Craig for his emphasis on the same thing, even if you disagree with him. If you're a follower of Christ you should celebrate that we have an articulate spokesperson like William Lane Craig whom God is giving more and more opportunities to speak in the big platforms of public discourse. Please support Reasonable Faith. You can do so by purchasing Dr. Craig's new book A Reasonable Response: Answering Tough Questions on God, Christianity, and The Bible. It's available at ReasonableFaith.org. And you can click on support Reasonable Faith there on the front page of ReasonableFaith.org. We would be truly blessed by any gift which would enable us to continue production on these podcasts and provide other resources for people all over the world. Go right now to ReasonableFaith.org and let us hear from you. I'm Kevin Harris. Thanks for being here. We'll see you next time on Reasonable Faith with Dr. William Lane Craig.[3]