This is Why I Don't Believe in God

Summary of the Video’s Main Arguments (Against Theism)

The speaker, Alex, gives an opening statement for a debate titled “This is Why I Don’t Believe in God.” He argues that an honest look at lived experience and the observable features of the world undermines the idea of a supernatural Creator.

1) Hiddenness of God: non-resistant non-belief

Alex focuses on the problem of divine hiddenness: if God is perfectly loving and wants a relationship with willing people, why don’t many sincerely searching people receive evidence or any “response” from God?

He draws on philosopher J. L. Schellenberg’s distinction between:

• Resistant non-belief: people actively resisting or refusing to believe
• Non-resistant non-belief: people who genuinely want to believe but find no basis

Alex claims non-resistant non-belief exists and argues that a loving God shouldn’t allow it.

To illustrate the scope of non-belief, he cites a poll from the YouTube channel The Atheist Experience, claiming 85% of respondents say they would not worship God if one existed (framed as a rough illustration of widespread non-belief, even if not all cases are “resistance”).

He also presents himself as an example: after years of study and religious exploration (churches, Bible groups, a theology degree, prayers, and reading major theologians/philosophers), he says he experiences only “radio silence,” which he interprets as evidence that God is absent or inaccessible.

Conclusion: If a perfectly loving God existed, non-resistant non-belief should be rare or nonexistent; since it appears to happen, theism is unlikely.

2) Geographic distribution of religion

Alex argues that belief in God tracks geography: people tend to inherit the religion dominant in their birthplace.

He uses statistical comparisons such as:

• Saudi Arabia ~95% Muslim
• Thailand ~95% Buddhist
• Massachusetts ~75% theistic (per one statistic he mentions)

Alex argues that it is implausible that an equal-access, loving God would allow such arbitrary location-based differences in belief.

Conclusion: Naturalism/atheism (religion as cultural and social inheritance) explains regional patterns better than theism.

3) Gratuitous (meaningless) suffering—especially minor harms and animal suffering

Alex distinguishes suffering that could be framed as purposeful (e.g., character-building) from gratuitous suffering—unjustified, unwarranted, or meaningless pain.

He argues that not only major tragedies (e.g., the Holocaust, earthquakes) matter; instead, the deeper challenge for theodicies is small, everyday, seemingly pointless suffering, such as:

• stubbing toes
• getting caught in rain
• minor accidents that are quickly forgotten and don’t plausibly build souls or serve grand plans

He claims a successful theodicy must explain both:

• human suffering, and
• animal suffering

He argues animal suffering is especially hard for theism to justify because:

• animals don’t fit the typical “free will” defense,
• they likely aren’t morally responsible in the same way humans are,
• and, on many views, they aren’t compensated in an afterlife

He gives examples (e.g., predation, disease, hunger) to argue that the amount and randomness of animal suffering fits what we’d expect from a natural, amoral struggle for survival—not from benevolent supervision.

Conclusion: A world with pervasive pointless human and non-human suffering fits better with atheistic/naturalistic explanations than with theism.

Overall Claim

Alex’s central thesis is that atheism/naturalism provides a better account of three “crucial facts”:

1. Divine hiddenness (non-resistant non-belief)
2. Geographic predictability of religion
3. Gratuitous suffering (including minor human harms and large-scale animal suffering)

He ends by saying he is eager to hear how his debate opponent (Jonathan, a Christian) can reconcile these issues with theism.

Presenters / Contributors

• Alex (speaker; philosophy/theology graduate and YouTuber)
• Jonathan (debate participant; referenced as a Christian)
• Brian (mentioned as part of the event/participants)
• J. L. Schellenberg (philosopher referenced: non-resistant vs. resistant non-belief)
• Steven Matton (referenced regarding geographic distribution claims)
• “The Atheist Experience” (YouTube channel referenced for the poll)
• C. S. Lewis, William James, Rudolph Otto (referenced among authors/works Alex says he studied)
• Aquinas, Augustine, Athanasius, Julian of Norwich, Katherine of Siena (referenced among authors/works Alex says he studied)
• Ed Feser, William Lane Craig, Michael Murray, Richard Swinburne, Alvin Plantinga (referenced among authors/works Alex says he studied)
• Marx, Durkheim, Freud (referenced among sociological/psychological thinkers Alex says he studied)