God's Answer to Atheism
Recently, I was asked a question I’ve been asked many times: “What do you say to an atheist?” My standard philosophical answer is that I cannot prove there is a God in the scientific sense of the term. Scientific proof requires repeatability. An example is this thesis: when you mix these two chemicals, there will be an explosion. If someone does not believe the thesis, prove it; mix the two chemicals! Clearly, God’s existence is outside the realm of scientific proof.
I have two presuppositions for which there is evidence. My first presupposition is that God exists. The evidence is the universe. The sun is evidence of a sun maker (“Creator”). Furthermore, the universe has “order,” which makes it possible to put a man on the moon. A watch is an illustration. Because a watch exists, I know that somewhere on this planet there is a watchmaker and I know that watchmaker has more intelligence than I do.
My second presupposition is that this rational Creator has revealed Himself. The evidence is in the Bible. Of all the religions in the world, only three claim there is a Creator who has revealed Himself: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Judaism and Christianity are agreed that the Creator has revealed Himself in the Bible. The proof that the Bible is a revelation of the Creator is fulfilled prophecy (for details see G. Michael Cocoris, “Jewish Prophecies of the Messiah,” available at www.insightsfromtheword.com, under Advanced Courses).
Several days after I gave my answer to the latest questioner, it dawned on me, “I should ask what God would say to an atheist.” I concluded God has several things to say to an atheist.
God says atheists are fools (Ps. 14:1, 53:1). Fools are those who despise instruction (Prov. 1:7). Atheists do not listen to God, common sense, or even logic. One of the laws of logic is: a universal negative is illogical because it cannot be proven. It is illogical to say there is no such thing as a six-leaf clover on the planet, because no one has examined all of the clovers on the earth. Atheism is a universal negative.
When confronted with that reality of logic, the honest atheist is forced to admit that he’s really an agnostic. An agnostic is someone who says, “I do not know” (some define agnosticism as that the existence of God is unknowable, but that’s the same irrational position as the atheist). You would think if a person were honest enough to say, “I don’t know,” they would be open to considering the evidence, but most are not. That is why God says something else to atheists.
God says atheists are sinners. The same verse that says, “The fool has said in his heart there is no God” also says, “There is none who does good” (Ps. 14:1, 53:1).
God says to the atheist, “I love you. My Son died to pay for your sin and if you will trust Him for eternal life, I will give you a relationship with Me that lasts forever” (see Jn. 3:16).
© G. Michael Cocoris, 7/30/2013
I have two presuppositions for which there is evidence. My first presupposition is that God exists. The evidence is the universe. The sun is evidence of a sun maker (“Creator”). Furthermore, the universe has “order,” which makes it possible to put a man on the moon. A watch is an illustration. Because a watch exists, I know that somewhere on this planet there is a watchmaker and I know that watchmaker has more intelligence than I do.
My second presupposition is that this rational Creator has revealed Himself. The evidence is in the Bible. Of all the religions in the world, only three claim there is a Creator who has revealed Himself: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Judaism and Christianity are agreed that the Creator has revealed Himself in the Bible. The proof that the Bible is a revelation of the Creator is fulfilled prophecy (for details see G. Michael Cocoris, “Jewish Prophecies of the Messiah,” available at www.insightsfromtheword.com, under Advanced Courses).
Several days after I gave my answer to the latest questioner, it dawned on me, “I should ask what God would say to an atheist.” I concluded God has several things to say to an atheist.
God says atheists are fools (Ps. 14:1, 53:1). Fools are those who despise instruction (Prov. 1:7). Atheists do not listen to God, common sense, or even logic. One of the laws of logic is: a universal negative is illogical because it cannot be proven. It is illogical to say there is no such thing as a six-leaf clover on the planet, because no one has examined all of the clovers on the earth. Atheism is a universal negative.
When confronted with that reality of logic, the honest atheist is forced to admit that he’s really an agnostic. An agnostic is someone who says, “I do not know” (some define agnosticism as that the existence of God is unknowable, but that’s the same irrational position as the atheist). You would think if a person were honest enough to say, “I don’t know,” they would be open to considering the evidence, but most are not. That is why God says something else to atheists.
God says atheists are sinners. The same verse that says, “The fool has said in his heart there is no God” also says, “There is none who does good” (Ps. 14:1, 53:1).
God says to the atheist, “I love you. My Son died to pay for your sin and if you will trust Him for eternal life, I will give you a relationship with Me that lasts forever” (see Jn. 3:16).
© G. Michael Cocoris, 7/30/2013