Philosophy of Religion - Hick: Ch. 3 (A)

(Originally written January 16, 2007 in Book 7)

Philosophy of Religion
John Hick
Chapter 3 - The Grounds for Disbelief in God

The responsible skeptic is not concerned with denying that religious experiences happen. They only aim to show that these experiences can be explained in naturalistic terms.

The Sociological Theory of Religion
-Developed mainly by 20th century French sociologists, particularly Emile Durkheim. It states that the gods people worship are "imaginary beings unconsciously fabricated by society as instruments whereby society exercises control over the thoughts and behavior of the individual" (Hick, 31).

Linehan: what about house gods or personal gods? How is an individual or an individual family's god molded by society to control its behavior?

A holy, all-powerful God that demands monotheistic worship is a reflection of a society's absolute claim of loyalty on its members.

The human animal has created God in order to preserve its own social existence.

H. H. Farmer offered the most comprehensive critique of this theory:
1. "If the call of God is only society imposing upon its members forms of conduct that are in the interest of that society, what is the origin of the obligation to be concerned equally for all humanity?" (Hick, 33).

2. The sociological theory does not account for the ethical progress or moral creativity of the prophetic mind. If there is no God, then how do the prophets come to new, more far-reaching claims of morality?

3. What about when men of God go against society? If God is society and men of God go against it, aren't the men of God going against God?