Objection 2: Since Miracles Contradict Science, They Cannot be True

Next up, the interview with William Lane Craig. Portions of this chapter deal with theistic evidences beyond our scope, and on these points we will not reply to Jacobsen's commentary.

Jacobsen allows that if God did "create all of the physical laws, He certainly could suspend them if He saw fit." I would add to this a certain point: I do not consider miracles any more of a "suspension" of natural law than one of us picking up a box is a "suspension" of the law of gravity. There is no miracle attributed to God in the Bible (other than perhaps ex nihilo creation) that is not a matter of something we could do with the right technology and enough energy. Therefore it is a false start to speak at all of miracles as "suspensions" or violations of natural law. Note 1/27/05 -- Jacobsen has (it seems) updated his reply on this point and now offers an analysis not far from my own, merely criticizing Craig's imprecision, which I do not dispute of necessity, though I consider the critique inappropriate for a popular work.

Jacobsen begins by addressing Craig's retort that "an honest investigator should include all options, including supernatural explanations, in the 'pool of live options' to explain an event." To Craig's first sub-point on this, Jacobsen presses a panic button, thus:

So, if you allow supernatural explanations into the pool of options, how do you determine whether or not a supernatural event occurred? Craig offers his ideas on this. First, he says, "you would have to investigate to see if something cannot be accounted for in terms of the natural forces that were operable at that time and place." The problem is, how can you know this for sure? How can you know that you have in fact accounted for all the natural forces that were operable at that time of a purported miracle? For example, if something appears to be levitating and defying the laws of gravity, and you cannot find any natural force to account for it, how do you know that you haven't missed something?

How is this determined? For one thing, it should only be considered a "live option" if some above-nature being takes credit for the act, as happens in the Bible. A Skeptic recently hoisted the strawman of noting that serious historians do not claim that, i.e., our WW2 victory over Japan was the work of a deity. That is so, but no deity has claimed responsibility for the act, and the events in question (unlike levitation or loaves and fishes) were not beyond the ability of natural causes. Therefore, while it is of course theoretically possible that some unknown force or forces -- whether a deity, an alien, or some human organization otherwise unknown -- "pulled strings" for WW2 undetected and unclaimed, to bellow "how do you know" is of no point, and likewise, to insist we must account for "all the natural forces" is like saying we need to exonerate all other possible terrorists before we can finger Osama bin Laden. As for that floating object, it does not speak, presumably, and if no one has left a note behind, what does Jacobsen suggest? "Causes -- unknown" would be my choice. But if God said from the clouds, "I'm holding it up," would Jacobsen be satisfied that God was behind it? For this reason, Jacobsen's example of lightning is beside the point. Lightning flashes do not come with attached messages claiming responsibility; that was merely assumed by those who do a "God of the gaps" theory. The miracles Craig speaks of are not open for "God of the gaps" explanations, but were those performed by God and His prophets, and were not usually so far removed (like lightning) such that one could attribute the matter to some other natural cause, or to coincidence; they are also so distinctive that it would take bias or cockeyed explanations to say that they might be explained away naturally (once one is past the usual charges of lying about what happened). By the same token, Jacobsen's proposed defendant who blames Satan for a murder lacks one thing he needs: Satan's own testimony that he did it. (Not that it would work for me as a preterist, either!) This is more or less what Craig means when he speaks of a need for a "religio-historical context" (and he uses it more for the sake of identifying an event as a candidate for a miracle, rather than using it circularly as proof). It is not enough for Jacobsen's proposed defendant to claim that he was appointed by God and Satan was out to get him. Oh, really? Then convict him and let God break him out of jail like Peter. Maybe God wants the man in prison for a reason -- tell him that and see what happens. It's very easy to defeat claims of "religious significance" like that one.

Jacobsen then asks, "...doesn't God do miracles that don't have any particular religious significance? For example, does God ever do a supernatural intervention to save somebody's life?" I happen to think not; and I think those who say so are in error and need to step to the plate with proof. In any event, with respect to the miracles Craig is most concerned with, like the Resurrection, this is obviously not a matter of issue. Jacobsen also asks about Satan -- as a preterist, I think Satan is bound and not participating in anything but a head-clonking.

That said, with great integrity, Jacobsen allows, "...I concede that I cannot prove that supernatural events do not exist. If they do exist, I argue that verifying them is problematic--but they could still exist." He then moves to discuss miracles of Jesus. It is first said:

Craig, unsurprisingly, argues that the miracles of Jesus were indeed genuine miracles. He says, "if you believe God exists, then there is no good reason to be skeptical about these events." Hmm. Jews and other non-Christian theists would beg to differ, don't you think? I think the events need to be examined for validity whether or not you believe in God already.

I think here as well Jacobsen misses Craig's point, which is that once you admit that God exists, you cannot reject a miraculous explanation on the grounds of there being no one who can perform the miracles. Obviously Jews, et al could disagree, but not for the specific reason of, "miracles are not possible," which is the point and title of this chapter. Jews, et al would agree that God could resurrect Jesus, but would say that God did NOT do it (or as in the case of Pinchas Lapide, that God did do it, but that it meant something other than what Christians claim).

Jacobsen says of the rez and the healing in John 9, and the claim by Craig that there is more evidence for the former than the latter, "Nonsense. There is one source of evidence for both events--the Bible. One sentence or a thousand pages is still the same amount of evidence!" I think Jacobsen needs to recognize that Craig has written several books on the Resurrection explaining the evidence, examining arguments, and dealing with the data; as have I (see here for example) and others. His "nonsense" reply is too pre-emptory and unwarranted until he deals with what is offered therein. To his credit, Jacobsen defers discussion on matters of the Gospels as independent sources, acknowledging his lack of expertise.

Now on the matter of "the Resurrection is an extraordinary event and therefore it requires extraordinary evidence." Jacobsen is aghast that Craig denies this, and does point out a flaw in Craig's lottery analogy that is similar to a flaw I pointed out in atheist George Smith's reasoning (see here). Nevertheless what stands above all of this is detailed arguments for the Resurrection that are not present in CAF but found in other works by Craig and others. I think Jacobsen may wish to grant Craig some leeway for being pressed to create an analogy in an on-the-spot interview.

It is after this that Jacobsen deals with Craig's theistic proofs, and here as well that out comments end as they go beyond out scope. I would only note in closing that we have our own reply to the work of Doherty that Jacobsen recommends (see here) and several pieces and reading recommends dealing with the Resurrection.