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Conditionalism and the genetic fallacy regarding the immortal soul

by | Oct 11, 2018 | Annihilationism, Minor Groups & Issues

The genetic fallacy is the error in logic dealing with origins. It is the error of reasoning which validates or invalidates a conclusion, information, belief, etc., due to the source of the information.

  1. Example:  The Nazi regime developed the Volkswagen Beetle.  Therefore, you should not buy a VW Beetle because of who developed it.
  2. Example:  Frank just got out of jail last year.  Since it was his idea to start the hardware store, I can’t trust him and it must be a bad idea.
  3. Example: She is very good looking and nice. So, I will trust that she’s telling me the truth.

The genetic fallacy is important in our discussion on conditionalism and the immortality of the soul because the conditionalists try to invalidate eternal conscious torment by attacking the immortality of the soul and saying its origin is pagan.

  • “Today, as a growing host of evangelical (and other) scholars bear witness, the evidence for the wicked’s final total destruction (rather than the traditional view of unending conscious torture, which sprang from pagan Platonic theories of immortal, indestructible souls) is finally getting some of the attention it demands.” (Rethinking Hell: Readings in Evangelical Conditionalism (Kindle Locations 899-902). Cascade Books, an Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers. Kindle Edition.)
  • The immortality of the soul was a principal doctrine of the Greek philosopher, Plato…” (Fudge, Edward William. The Fire That Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of Final Punishment, Third Edition (p. 19). Cascade Books, an imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers. Kindle Edition.)

First of all, similarities of concept between different cultures do not mean one borrowed from another.

Second, logically speaking, whether or not non-Christian thought originated the idea of the immortality of the soul does not mean the doctrine is true or not true. Its origin is irrelevant to its truth.

Third, the truth or falsity of the doctrine of the immortality of the soul must depend on the revelation of God’s word and not an attitude of dismissal and guilt-by-association based on an accusation of pagan origin.

Fourth, such routine fallacies of thought such as this one under discussion (the genetic fallacy), put the whole system of argumentation proposed by conditionalists under suspicion. If they are using faulty reasoning in this area, how do we know they’re not using faulty reasoning in other areas?

Fifth, the sword cuts both ways. If the conditionalists seek to invalidate the idea of the immortality of the human soul based on its supposed origins in paganism (which I do not concede is true), then will they condemn other biblical doctrines that have similarities with paganism? There are common themes between biblical and nonbiblical cultures which include Jonah and its closeness to the “Sumerian myth of Inanna’s journey to the underworld.” Sheol is also found in Ugaritic literature as being the place of the dead. “Canaanite literature from Ugarit describes the trials of King Keret who, like Job, lost seven sons.” “Various biblical texts depicting the God of Israel in battle with the sea and/or a dragon…have been connected to Mesopotamian mythological motifs.” The first use of the phrase “King of Kings” about God occurs in 2 Maccabees 13:4, which is not Scripture.  Biblically, the phrase “King of Kings” is first used by Artaxerxes in Ezra 7:12 and Nebuchadnezzar in Ezekiel 26:7 and Daniel 2:36.  Are we to invalidate the reference to God as King of Kings in 1 Tim. 6:16 and Revelation 17:14 because of its association with Artaxerxes and Nebuchadnezzar?  Of course not.

For more on this line of reasoning, with documentation of the above quotes, see the article Is the immortal soul is a Greek concept adopted by the early church?

Conclusion

My point is that the conditionalist, as well as others, need to be as objective as possible when looking at the issues and not pick and choose which concept they will associate with paganism to attempt to invalidate it. Again, we need to be careful not to commit what is called the Genetic Fallacy which means that since the source of information is bad, therefore the information/conclusion is bad.  Finally, their logic error here and another dealing with Fallacy of Conflation casts doubt on their objectivity and ability to offer logical reasoning pertaining to the discussion at hand.

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