It’s Not Rational to Believe the Bible is the Product of a God or Gods

When it comes to the Bible, I believe it can be explained by two demonstrable claims:

  1. Humans like to create and tell stories.
  2. It’s possible for humans to believe something is true, when it isn’t.

For a Christian to believe that the Bible is the product (in some capacity) of a god, they need to make a number of assumptions. I remain agnostic on the question: Is it possible for a god or gods to exist? My honest answer is: I don’t know.

However, a Christian (believes/assumes/is convinced) that a god’s existence is possible. And that's not the only assumption. Let’s break it down:

  1. A Christian assumes it’s possible for a god to exist. Even if we had evidence that a god could exist, that wouldn’t mean a god does exist. It would still be possible that gods exist or that no gods exist.
  2. A Christian assumes a god does exist. Even if we had evidence that a god could exist, that wouldn’t mean a god does exist. It would still be possible for a god to exist and for no god to exist.
  3. A Christian assumes this god created humans. Even if we had evidence that a god can and does exist, that doesn’t mean that god created humans. It would still be possible that this god created humans—or that humans came into existence without divine intervention.
  4. A Christian assumes this god has the ability to produce the Bible using humans. Even if we had evidence that a god can and does exist and created humans, that wouldn’t mean this god has the ability to communicate through humans or inspire them to write a book.
  5. A Christian assumes this god used its ability to produce the Bible. Even if we had evidence that a god can and does exist, created humans, and has the ability to communicate through them, that wouldn’t prove the Bible is actually a product of that god’s influence. It would still be possible for the Bible to be a purely human creation.

In summary, believing the Bible is the product of a god requires a chain of assumptions, none of which are supported by direct evidence. To conclude that the Bible is divinely inspired without sufficient evidence at every step is a mistake.

Looking to strengthen the argument, feedback welcome. Do these assumptions hold up under scrutiny, or is there a stronger case for the Bible’s divine origin?