Posted on 05/13/2007 4:22:19 AM PDT by Kaslin
Paul (not the lead singer of the Beatles, but the apostle Paul) states that God has made Himself known, via creation, to all men. According to the apostle, God’s revealed Himself not just to Christians and to Jews, but to every one everywhere (see Romans 1:18-21).
This means that from Jo-Jo the Brazilian monkey boy, to the Cameroon pygmies, to the whiny lesbian agnostic smoking clove cigarettes at Starbucks, to the beer swillin’ dillweeds (What’s up, dudes? I’ll see after I pen this column! Keep ‘em cold.), to the brooding British atheists, all people know God exists—even if they can’t really put a finger on some of the finer points of His person.
Yes, through what has been made, God has plastered on the souls of earth’s citizenry the general revelation that He’s present. In addition, they also know when they’re being a jack ass and when they’re being cool (more on that next week).
I know the above 411 hurts the atheists to hear, seeing that they’ve staked so much of their imago on God’s non-existence. But c’mon, you know there’s Someone “out there,” so cut the crap, shave your goatee and find some other way to pick up chicks—okay, James Dean?
Look, if Paul’s right and people know that they know Him (even if it’s in some dull sense of the word), why do some trip over themselves and tie their brains in knots in order to curb this knowledge? Why do people go nuts looking for loopholes and supposed contradictions in the scripture, hypocrisies within the church and some shared semblance to an ape in order to convince themselves that God’s not here, there or anywhere and never has been nor ever will be?
Is it because . . .
They are Johnny Quest truth seekers looking to answer man’s $64,000 question?
They are evolutionary luminaries uncommonly endowed with more smarts than us poor cattle and are here to help us club foot our way up the Darwinian ladder and away from such primal fairy tales? Or is it simply because . . .
The existence of God, His standards and a day of personal accountability really, really, jacks with their efforts at autonomy and their chances of getting laid tonight?
The apostle Paul states it’s the latter.
Atheists, according to Santo Pablo, have suppressed the truth because God really cramps their style. It’s hard to persistently indulge the appetites of the flesh if there is a holy God to whom you must give account. The truth is that all men, who have not bowed their knee to God and His way, hate Him and are intrinsically geared against God. (I know that’s tight, but it’s right)
Jesus put it forcefully up fallen humanity’s tailpipe when He exposed why men reject the knowledge of God when He said, “Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. For everyone who does evils hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed” (Jn. 3.19-20).
This is easy math, folks: A man who has no remorse and thus no desire to repent from his sins is probably not going to be a big advocate for the existence, person and work of God.
You know that all the various no-God arguments—which, to be sure, are fun to debate and write about and blah, blah, blah—actually stem from the root of the atheist’s refusal to curtsy to what he already internally knows is true. It is this denial and refusal to embrace the general knowledge of God given through creation that officially pisseth off the Lord thy God and puts the atheist in a precarious position. My advice to my atheist buddies is this: you’d better pray to God that you’re right and that He doesn’t exist—because if you’re wrong, eternity is going to be rough.
To be continued . . .
Doug Giles is the creator and host of The Clash radio shows, winners of seven Silver Microphone Awards and two Communicator Awards in the last three years, and a contributing columnist on Townhall.com.
Can you really consult with others what a supernatural being would have planned for them?
Imago,
In biology, the imago is the last stage of development of an insect
Sure, but only on the things that are universal to us all- such as Jesus' blood sacrifice.
The specifics of your particular life must be downloaded personally from Him though. But you know this already...
Considering according to their own numbers, -- 88 percent of the children raised in evangelical homes leave church at the age of 18, never to return., I would think articles like this and "radical evangelism" are having the opposite effect on the younger generation than you think it is
And there you have it folks.
Two really big flaws in your "stats" right of the bat -- How many non-chrisrian couples never get married and just cohabitate without getting married in the first place? This would knock your divorce rate down a little.
Out of wedlock births? Compare the abortions per pregancy in the "Bible Belt" to Cali or the East Coast and I think you would find a discrepancy there that would explain your datum.
If us christians are doing things so wrong, why don't you show up at church today and tell us hypocrites just how bad we are screwing it up?
Don’t have to. Its alrwady in the instruction manual.
Of course the really cool thing is that when you get a piece of future knowledge about some one, right out of the blue, tell them what that knowledge is, and it happens. I have personally experienced this twice and it is awesome!
Well, astrologers claim to do that as well.
You have never looked into the eyes of another human being that does not matter to God.
For some, this type of discussion, with this type of language, is simply where they are. And where the lost are, that is where we have to go.
Better idea...let's hope Adam keeps it there in his lap.
That's right.
When you find an astrologer that has risen from the dead, please ping or FReepmail me, will you? I will want to talk to that guy.
You’re welcome. I thought it would be of interest
Last week Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort debated two atheists on the subject “Does God Exist?”. It was interesting to watch, but I don’t think either side made any converts that night. The one thing I noticed from watching the debate is how angry the atheists were when they made their argument trying to prove that God does not exist. They were mean, nasty and insulting to Kirk and Ray. I am curious to hear from some of the atheists here on FR as to why there is so much anger among so many atheists? I’m sure these two are not representative of all atheists, but many of the atheists who I have met, or seen on TV, seem to have anger issues. Can anyone explain this to me?
You talked about fortune telling, not stuff that happened in the past though.
Imago,
In biology, the imago is the last stage of development of an insect>
Christian: God doesn't want you to sin but *Wink* *Wink*, God made you a sinner so do what you will...
God gave mankind "free will". That gives you the ability to reject Him. That's what mankind did - historically through Adam as well as ever since. That's not God's fault. That's ours (and yours).
... just somewhere down the road just acept Jesus Christ as your personal savior...
God provided the means to return into a relationship with Him after we have broken it. And, yes, that is through Jesus. It requires almost nothing on our part and everything on His part. It doesn't cost you a dime.
... and put some bucks in the collection plate and all is forgiven and you get to go to paradise for eternity!
You either made this up or you heard it from a fool. There is not a shred of truth in it and you know it. You are just mocking.
Well don't you see? The majority of criminals are Atheist/Agnostics, but once it is demonstrated to them that they are accountable to someone beside themselves for their actions, they see the light and accept Jesus as their personal savior.
Which is why we should throw all Atheist/Agnostics into prison - they'll be saved, and will be glad of being incarcerated in prison in this life, rather than cast down into the lake of fire for all eternity.
We have already started training the force required to carry out this plan, and I dare say their arrival will be completely unexpected.
Mark.
But even if his stat is knocked down a bit, the point remains the same--in contrast to what the article claims. That is, atheists are living their beliefs and don't seem to be in emotional turmoil or the way stereotypes are trying to portray them.
If us christians are doing things so wrong, why don't you show up at church today and tell us hypocrites just how bad we are screwing it up?
I can't answer for qam1, but I can tell you why I don't. First of all, I don't think there's any call to evangelize for atheists. As long as others' beliefs don't interfere with my life, why should I feel any desire to change peoples' beliefs that might provide them comfort? If I'm right, then it doesn't matter whether they believe or not. If I'm wrong, then good for them.
I envy those who have the comfort of faith, yet for me, the disconnect between the beliefs I tried to have (Christianity) and my personal experience with the world made it impossible to think things were "right" until I admitted to myself that atheism seemed to fit best. At that point, I found much more contentment and peace...even though my moral structure tended to remain Christian (contrary to Giles' claims).
Besides, I don't think atheism is for everyone, as many people seem unable to maintain a moral framework without a religious one. As you point out, societal benefits of these people maintaining Christian beliefs exist.
I was disappointed with the whole presentation, not much time given to the actual debate. I'd love to see the same thing in a longer format with Norman Geisler on the side of faith. Dr. Geisler is the best Christian apologist out there hands down.
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