Atheism is Not a Religion, But…

Atheism is not a religion, but it is a world-view, and as a world-view it takes on many of the attributes of religion.

1) Seeking Converts

Atheists want everyone to believe as they do and are continuously trying to convert people to their world-view. If you don’t agree, think of Bill Maher, the late Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, that guy with the bow-tie who does kid’s shows, and all the guys on Youtube.

2) Controlling Politics

Atheists want their people in office to create policies which favour the atheistic world-view.

3) Punishing the Heretics

If you are not an atheist, you are not welcome in their society.

4) Preaching Salvation

Salvation comes through atheistic/humanistic moralism and science.

Religious people and atheists do all these things alike. This is why people will say that atheism is a religion. Sure, atheists don’t worship a super-natural being, but they do worship something. We all worship something.

Facing Darker Days

One thing that western Christians need to remember is that the Christian Church does not revolve around the western world. And so, if it appears that the Church is “dying” in the west, that certainly does not mean it is dying worldwide. In fact, the Church is growing worldwide.

But is the Church really dying in the west? Or is this some kind of publicity stunt?

Something that is indeed happening in the west is that the secular and political realms are no longer paying homage to the Church. The “new atheism” we see these days does not just want to deny God’s existence, but it wants to tear down all Christian power in society. And this does seem to be happening; the Church has been and is losing power in the secular and political spheres.

But dying? Well I guess that depends on whether or not people are really getting saved and are joining churches. The numbers of those calling themselves Christian may be down, but how reliable are those numbers anyways? Ten years ago, if a surveyor went to any given house and asked what religion the home’s dweller belongs to, they’d probably get a response like, “Well, I grew up in a Catholic family, so I guess I’m Christian.” Yet the person hasn’t set foot in a church for 25 years. These days I think people are more inclined to be honest and say they are non-religious. They no longer feel the need to show some kind of respectful acknowledgment of religious tradition.

So perhaps the Church is not dying, but rather, with the loss of the Church’s political power, we are just seeing more honesty and realism. This is a good thing. The Church thrived in a hostile Roman Empire. No one dared to pretend to be Christian for personal gain. Nor did anyone sleepily pay tribute to the faith out of some obligation to tradition. Lines were clearly drawn, and no one could be a “casual believer”.

So, as the Church loses religious control over society, no one should lament that the end is near. The Church’s true influence will grow as its false religious and political clout dwindles.

photo credit: “A Letter From Pastor Mark”

Suppressing the Truth

I thought I’d write a quick article to support my last one.

First, take a look at Romans 1:16-32…

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
(NKJV)

This is a pretty hard hitting piece of writing. Notice what is not being said. It does not say that the wrath of God is being revealed against people who are doing depraved things. It says that the wrath of God is (present tense) being revealed against people who suppress the truth. And what does this wrath look like, which is being revealed now? God hands people over to the lusts of their bodies. He removes the restraints. So the cause of the wrath is not depravity, the cause is the suppression of the truth, the result of the wrath is depravity. We see that a suppression of the truth results in homosexuality, futile thoughts, darkened hearts, foolishness, and a bunch of other things as listed in the text.

And what truth is being suppressed? The knowledge of God which is manifest (evident) in all people. And added to this is an unthankfulness. So the truth that God created all things, and that He created all things to be something specific, is suppressed and even despised.

Think of a large spring. To push it down I have to use my whole weight. And once it’s pushed down, I can’t just walk away expecting it to stay down. I have to stay on top of it, always. Even if I let up just a little, that spring is going to pop out from my grip and smack me in the face.

When I write an article against atheism, I do not want to help hold down any springs. I want to kick away the hands holding the springs down. Because I know the world view called atheism is a lie, and people need to be woken up from it. A rude awakening seems to be the only thing that might work.

Careful, those springs have quite a kick.

An excellent book I would recommend at this point is “Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert~An English Professor’s Journey into Christian Faith” by Rosaria Butterfield.

When God Laughs He Laughs at Atheists

I was at this time of living, like so many Atheists or Anti-theists, in a whirl of contradictions. I maintained that God did not exist. I was also very angry with God for not existing. I was equally angry with Him for creating a world.
~C.S. Lewis

A couple of other good titles for this article could be: “Let Us Rage Against the Unicorn” or “When Atheists Lie They Lie to Themselves (and They’re Always Lying)”.

You’ve got agnostics, who are like the potheads of the issue–“Hey man, whatever man”. And you’ve got the atheists, whose two tenets are: 1) “I don’t believe in God”; 2) “I hate God”. Christopher Hitchens described himself as an anti-theist, which meant that even if he acknowledged the existence of God he would still rebel against God. At least he was honest. And this is the funny thing about atheists: the outright rage against something they claim doesn’t exist. It doesn’t make sense. Look, I don’t believe in unicorns, but I’m not seething in anger against those monokeros bastards. I’m pushed to conclude that atheists know God enough to hate Him.

But, of course, the atheist would argue that he does not hate God; he hates Christianity, Christians, and Conservatives. He’ll blame war, human suffering, and intolerance on Christianity. “Remember the Crusades?!”

But when we judge the actions of people, we have to ask if their actions are in line with who they say they are and what they say they believe. A Catholic priest who molests young boys does not represent the heart of Christianity, he is a troll. Let’s use the crusades as an example. In the eleventh century, peace had been imposed by the church in Europe, which was supposed to stop the bloody feuds between competing lords and knights. It was not wholly successful. So when the Eastern Orthodox Church appealed to the European Pope for help in holding back the invading Muslim Turks, Pope Urban II saw a fortuitous occasion to rid Europe of its violent fighting men and to save the Holy Land from the Muslims. The crusaders sent south on those missions were like a bunch of Hell’s Angels bikers who had just completed a six month vow of alcoholic and sexual abstinence. They did not act Christ-like, they acted a lot more like…well, atheists. And the results were devastating, driving a deeper wedge between the Western and Eastern church, and fueling the misplaced rage of atheists for centuries to come.

Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation.” If I want to convert a village to Christianity, I’m not going to recruit a bunch of 20 year old, single, male, atheists to do the job. And 30 years later, when the old village women lament to the atheist documentarian about all the half-breed children they had to raise by themselves, I would rightfully be criticized for being shortsighted in regards to my team selection, but no one could accuse Christianity for being the cause of the village’s distress simply on account of my ineptitude.

A lot of atheists attempt to take the moral high ground and describe themselves as being tolerant, loving, and a bunch of other self-righteous spew. At this time the atheist needs to be reminded that the word ‘atheist’ simply means to not believe in God, that’s it. There is no moral scheme attached to the word. And so, again, when the atheist gets moral, it’s just more fist shaking aimed at the vacant skies. As an example, when someone (atheist or not) says that gay marriage is all about individual happiness, I have to say, “But, if God created us male and female, then should we not strive to remain within those boundaries?” And the response is either, “There is no God, throw off your chains!” or “God is love, throw off your chains!” Both those responses are just unqualified created beings redefining that which was defined by the Creator. Not smart. “So there is no God, and all things can change and morph, and there are no boundaries? Great! Now excuse me while I try to impregnate this chihuahua.”

Consider Psalm 2…

Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
“Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
“Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”

“I will declare the decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’”

Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.
(NKJV)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction.” The second psalm is a no nonsense, ultimate, statement of reality, and if you’re opposed to it, you are on the wrong train.

God has created all things, and not just that, He has created all things to be something specific. Accepting that fact is freedom. A fish in the water is free. A rebellious fish out of the water is dead, and God laughs at it.

“If you ask why we should obey God, in the last resort the answer is, ‘I AM.’
To know God is to know that our obedience is due to Him.”
~C.S. Lewis

Further reading: Bestiality brothels are ‘spreading through Germany’ warns campaigner as abusers turn to sex with animals as ‘lifestyle choice’