A Manual for Creating Atheists

by Peter Boghossian

If a belief is based on insufficient evidence, then any further conclusions drawn from the belief will at best be of questionable value. Believing on the basis of insufficient evidence cannot point one toward the truth. For example, the following are unassailable facts everyone, faithful or not, would agree upon: There are different faith traditions. Different faith traditions make different truth claims. The truth claims of some faith traditions contradict the truth claims of other faith traditions. For example, Muslims believe Muhammad (570–632) was the last prophet (Sura 33:40). Mormons believe Joseph Smith (1805–1844), who lived after Muhammad, was a prophet. It cannot both be the case that Muhammad was the last prophet and someone who lived after Muhammad was also a prophet. Therefore: At least one of these claims must be false (perhaps both).