Believing is easy… suspend reality, rational thought processes, logic and reason – stop thinking critically and all of a sudden what do you have?

Faith.

How do I know that believing is easy?

I used to believe; for a very short while. Until I was eight. About the same time I stopped believing in Santa, I also stopped believing in a god.

Prayer was comforting, it gave me the sense that merely by thinking repetitive thoughts that those people whom I cared about and indeed myself would be kept safe by some invisible, magical being.

It was also nice, when people I loved passed away, to think of them watching over me and that when I too passed away, I would see them again.

Actually, that isn’t comforting or nice, it is really pretty sick and twisted and a complete abdication of rational thought.

This isn’t the time to discuss a topic which has been done to death however.

What I am interested in tonight is becoming a theist again.

Yes my fellow heathens, heretics and godless ones; you heard me correctly.

I am prepared to become a theist.

Of course this comes with a caveat; what doesn’t these days?

I am hereby offering my reason, my logic, my rational thought, my reality as a prize to any theist who can meet a very simple challenge.

Show me that I am wrong.

The rules are quite simple, all you have to do is prove that something in the list below is true beyond any reasonable doubt, using logic, reason, critical thinking and rationality; and I will convert to your poison of choice.

There has to be an asterisk in there somewhere, and of course there is.

• If you wish to quote a holy text as irrefutable proof of your supposition, you must be able to demonstrate that you abide by *everything* within that text and view it as the literal word of your deity without exception.
• Anecdotal evidence is not permitted. We all know some guy who knows some girl who had this aunty who chewed peppermint leaves and beat cancer.
• You must demonstrate a knowledge of the complete history of your religion of choice.
• You must provide compelling evidence for your lack of belief in pagan gods and goddesses and/or the deities of other religions.

Quite simple really…

Anyway, my list, prove any one thing on this list in accordance with my rules and I will convert without question:

• Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven
• Homosexuality is evil
• The holy spirit exists
• Believers will be rewarded with immortality upon death
• Marriage is a blessing from god that can only exist between a man and a woman
• Jesus existed
• A sky god created the world
• A god exists
• Humans have a soul
• atheists are immoral

That is it, a few to choose from I think.

If you want to take up the challenge, please leave a comment below.