In the previous blog post, we discussed why doxastic voluntarism
(DV) is true. This post aims to discuss the pertinent
applications for apologetics. The main application for
apologetics is for the atheist’s claim that “one cannot choose
her beliefs.” This is often said in reply to some version of
Pascal’s Wager (or just a layman offering the old “what have you
got to lose?” line). However, as we have seen, there are at
least some beliefs over which rational agents have control. Is
belief in God one of the ones over which we do have control, or
one over which we do not have control? We are not typically
offered a reason as to why we should think that belief in God
(in a salvific or soteriological way) is the type of belief over
which we have no control. In fact, biblically, we are given
reason to suggest that the power to have faith in the Christian
God resides within each individual (Jos. 24:15; Rom. 10:9-10).
Of course, the objector can simply say he does not believe in
the Bible, and thus he still has no re