A matter of faith

Earlier this week I watched a debate between Bill O'Reilly and the head of an atheist organization.  It was a very interesting discussion.  O'Reilly was asking what this group hoped to gain by posting billboards ridiculing God and those who believe in Him.  The atheist leader denied ridiculing Christians but only in what they claimed to believe.  He said that religion is a scam, that most people realize it is, and even that many people sitting in church pews each week are atheists and they hope to give these people the courage to admit it.  He kept claiming to be giving facts to prove his various claims, but when questioned by O'Reilly he could not substantiate a single one of them.  I think he believed he had accomplished something by appearing on the program, but in my opinion the only thing he accomplished was showing how empty atheism really is.

As O'Reilly pointed out in the discussion, this individual was not relying on facts; he was relying on his beliefs.  He is certainly entitled to have his beliefs the same as any American, but that does not make his beliefs true.  Throughout history atheists have written books designed to disprove the existence of God, and quite often they point to certain facts to back up their claims.  In recent years we have seen an increase in these books by people such as Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and others who claim all kinds of scientific evidences to disprove the existence of God.  If you want to read an interesting response to their writings I would encourage you to read The Devil's Delusion: Atheism and It's Scientific Pretensions by David Berlinski.  Berlinski is a secular writer who challenges their claims and shows how false they really are.  You'll also enjoy his humor as he asks some questions of the atheists that poke huge holes in their "scientific findings."

Atheism is a belief system, not a scientific fact.  The thing that I find so interesting is the question of why atheists try so hard to prove the non-existence of a God they don't believe exists.  If He doesn't exist, they why should they care if someone else believes He does?  What difference does it make to them?  Why would someone invest their entire lives trying to prove something doesn't exist or isn't true?  Would it not be a better use of one's time and intellect to find solutions that would benefit mankind?

The fact is that atheists do believe in a god.  They believe in the god-of-the-gaps.  They can't explain how the earth came into existence; they cannot explain creation without a creator; they cannot explain the existence of intelligence without a source for that intelligence; they cannot explain anything without pointing to unknown gaps in time in which these things occurred on their own without any creator making them possible.  My question then is which God requires the greater faith?  Is it easier to believe in the God of the Bible or the god-of-the-gaps?  I find it much easier to believe in the God of the Bible who created the universe and gives it purpose and meaning and who offers life even beyond this one than a pseudo-science belief system that offers no answers, no hope, and no purpose.

For many years I have preached that atheists hold on to their beliefs, not because they make sense, but because they fit the moral values and lifestyle they want to practice.  If they admit the God of the Bible is true they would have to address how they live their lives.  If there is no God then there are no moral absolutes, and each person is free to live as he or she pleases.  However, if God does exist then there are moral absolutes that cannot be violated without consequences, and this they do not want.  I will close with one more question.  If there are no moral absolutes, then why are our prisons full of people who have violated the laws of our nation?  Where do we get the authority to create laws if there are no moral absolutes, and what is the basis for that authority?

Like the atheists before them the new atheists will soon be gone from the scene.  Others will rise to take their place and spout their own "scientific" facts disproving the existence of God.  However, the one thing that will not change is that God will remain continuing to offer hope and purpose to all who will believe in Him.  This is what you and I have been called to proclaim.