Objections to Presuppositional Apologetics
Why the Common Critiques Don’t Actually Work
Some people really don’t like Presuppositional Apologetics. They’ll say it’s circular, that it could “prove any god,” or that Christians are cheating by starting with the Bible. But when you slow down and actually look at what’s being said, the objections fall apart fast.
Here’s a simple breakdown of the six biggest objections—and why they fail.
1. “TAG Works for Any God!” (Flying Spaghetti Monster, etc.)
What people say:
“If your argument works, then it could prove any made-up god too!”
What’s actually true:
Presuppositional Apologetics is not arguing for a made-up god or a generic god. It argues for the real God of the Bible and all of His revealed attributes and character the only one who can explain:
why logic exists,
why nature is orderly,
why knowledge is possible.
Fake gods or silly imaginary beings can’t explain the real world.
Only the Triune God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) can handle the “unity and diversity” we see in nature.
Now do not miss this final point! When atheists try to copy the God of the bible and give this god a different name to try and stump the presuppositionalist Christian then all that does is give even more credibility and power to the Christian view.
Imaginary gods work great in memes… not in reality.
2. “You’re Using the Bible to Prove the Bible! Circular!”
What people say:
“You’re just assuming God exists to prove that God exists!”
What’s actually true:
Everybody reasons in a circle when talking about their ultimate authority.
You use logic to prove logic.
You use your senses to prove your senses.
You use reason to prove reason.
That’s normal.
But here’s the key:
The Christian circle is a forward spiral (healthy).
The unbeliever’s circle is a trap (unhealthy).
The Presup view is circular in the same way a slinky or a spring is:
It loops
but it moves forward
it expands into real-world reasoning
and it always returns to its solid foundation—Scripture.
Unbelievers are stuck on a flat circle.
Christians walk a spiral of truth.
3. “Can Other Religions Use Your Argument?”
What people say:
“Couldn’t Muslims or Hindus use the same argument for their gods?”
What’s actually true:
Nope.
Their gods:
aren’t Triune
aren’t eternal in the right way
contradict themselves
or act more like humans with superpowers.
The Christian God is the only one whose nature actually explains:
logic,
moral laws,
science,
unity and diversity,
human dignity,
and the structure of reality.
Other gods fall apart under internal critique.
If the “god” you defend is basically a Marvel superhero or some mysterious unknowable deity… he’s not accounting for logic, morality, and the laws of nature.
4. “Presuppositionalists Reject Natural Revelation!”
What people say:
“You guys don’t believe creation shows God exists!”
What’s actually true:
Presuppositionalists love Romans 1.
We believe:
God does reveal Himself in nature.
Everyone does know God exists.
The problem is not evidence—
the problem is their rejection.
Unbelievers aren’t lacking information; they’re running from it.
It’s like someone wearing sunglasses complaining that the sun “isn’t bright enough.”
5. “Presuppositionalists Think Unbelievers Know Nothing!”
What people say:
“You guys claim atheists can’t do math or science!”
What’s actually true:
Of course atheists can do math and science.
The point isn’t that they can’t know things.
The point is that their worldview can’t explain why they know things.
They borrow logic, morality, and order from the Christian worldview—even while denying the God who gives those things meaning.
It’s like using your parents’ credit card to claim your parents don’t exist.
6. “You’re Confusing Ontology and Epistemology!”
What people say:
“You mix up existence (ontology) and how we know things (epistemology).”
What’s actually true:
Presuppositionalists keep them separate but connected.
God exists (ontology).
We know He exists because God reveals Himself in His creation and his word, the bible (epistemology).
You can’t have real knowledge of God without revelation, and revelation wouldn’t matter if God didn’t really exist.
They work together.
It’s like a phone (ontology) and Wi-Fi (epistemology).
You need both to actually communicate.
Takeaways
1. Critique the real position—not a fake one.
Many people attack what they think presuppositionalists believe.
2. We share “common notions,” not “common ground.”
Christians and unbelievers share experiences like logic, morality, and senses.
But we do not share a neutral starting point.
There is no worldview-free zone.
3. Presuppositionalists do substantiate claims.
They just don’t start with “generic theism.”
They start with the God of Scripture, because without Him, nothing else can be proven at all.
Bottom Line for Youth
Presuppositional Apologetics doesn’t dodge objections.
It exposes the fact that most objections collapse under their own weight.
No other worldview can:
justify logic,
explain morality,
account for human dignity,
or make sense of science and truth.
Only the Christian worldview can.
Because only the Christian worldview is true.