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PART 3
Chapter 2
The Religion of Atheism
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1. a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or
absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.
2. a self-contradictory and false proposition.
3. any person, thing, or situation exhibiting an apparently
contradictory nature.
4. an opinion or statement contrary to commonly accepted
opinion.
So, an existential paradox is something that exists as a duality that seems uncommon or unusual or maybe even self-contradictory. Australia is both a continent and a country. That is as unusual as it can possibly get since it is the only country that is also a continent and vice versa. Existentially, Australia is a paradox. Two separate things are true about Australia. We can talk about Australia as a country without ever mentioning it as a continent. For example we know that Australia is one of the two hundred and three countries recognized by the United Nations. We can talk about Australia’s gross domestic product, its indigenous animal population, its unique architecture, geology, etc. We can do all of this without ever mentioning its status as a continent. And then we can talk about Australia as one of seven recognized continents. We can talk about its relative small size in comparison to the other six continents. We can do all of this without ever mentioning Australia as a country. Australia is a true existential paradox. Christianity is the exact same way. On one hand we have the religion of Christianity and on the other hand we have the relationship of Christianity.
A Tale of Two Christianities
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Christianity as a religion is a nasty business. It is responsible for countless horrors and atrocities around the world. For centuries people have used the teachings of the Bible to enslave countless people into dogmas while taking the Bible completely out of context. Not understanding the cross and the new covenant will bring the worst kind of legalism out of anyone. There are verses in scripture that really can be used to do great harm when applied by spiritually ignorant, power hungry demagogues. They form groups who carry around signs condemning people with a fabricated authority to say on behalf of God that He hates this or that group. The fact is that God loves the world. He loves the world so much that He gave His son as a ransom. These religious “Christian” groups make up stories about curses and use a covenant which no longer exists to justify fear mongering tactics to extract money from the people so they can live lives of luxury while others starve. They declare with pious certainty that membership in any other group but theirs will almost certainly lead to hell. If certain days are not kept holy and certain feasts are not performed religiously then not even God Himself can help you. These people who are trapped in the religious system called “Christianity” have no real relationship with God whatsoever. They don’t know Him. They know a bunch of rules and regulations cleverly disguised as Christianity but are nothing but a type of fire insurance. It’s a person’s way of having some sort of guarantee just in case there really is a hell. After all it sure would be nice to get in to heaven if there really is one. Another type of person, who is trapped in the religion of “Christianity”, or any other religion for that matter, is the gullible person who just goes along to get along. After all, that’s how we do things around here, right? I suppose most people would fall into this category. They are born into a religious family and it becomes a generational thing. As the child grows up one of three things will happen to that child. He or she will stay in the area; perhaps get a high school education and wind up working at the local factory, restaurant, or whatever. They get married and perpetuate the cycle. The second option is to get a higher education in a university or college setting which is located outside of the town they grew up in. What transpires next can, and usually does, separate them from their religion. God will either reach them and show Himself strong to that person in which case the religion is gone and a relationship begins or else that person will walk away from anything to do with God whatsoever. Either position is better than the first. To remain religious but lost is a horrible state. You don’t know God and you’re afraid to leave the religious system. I believe the atheist is better off than the religious person who doesn't know God.
Revelation 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art
neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither
cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
The other existential Christian reality is to have a relationship with God that is personal and dynamic. You actually know God. He guides you by His peaceful leading. You are intimate with Him and Him with you. Your daily decisions are made based on His guidance. You don’t make a move unless you have His consent. You do this because you have heard Him express to you and show you that He knows what is best for you. He has a plan for you and you want to walk in it. You have known His favor in this world. He has delivered on His promises to you and you keep falling forward knowing that He will catch you and place you on safe ground. You place one foot in front of the other by His direction all the while looking upward into His face. You know Him. You have a relationship with Him. You know what it means to be adopted as His child out of a dark world. You know what King David meant when he said “when my father and mother abandon me the Lord will take up my cause”. You do not have a religion with its rules and regulations. You say with Paul that all things are permissible for you. You are not bound by religious dogmas. Your heart is filled with the goodness of God that leads you away from sin and dark deeds that destroy others. The laws of God are written on your heart. You don’t just obey to obey but you obey because you love God and you know that to do anything else would break His heart like the father’s heart weeps for the disobedient child. You want nothing more than to please your dad; your heavenly father. You look at the world around you and you know that His return is very near. You read His testimony about the world, the Bible, and you understand it. You see how the unbelief in the world is simply fulfilled prophecy and that you are secure in Him. You experience miraculous deliverance in spite of overwhelming odds against you. You find yourself mysteriously compelled to reach out to others and express to them the urgency of the time. You don’t have a religion; you have a relationship.
A Tale of Two Atheisms
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So, how does all of this pertain to atheism? Well, atheism also is a paradox. When I was an atheist I lived as a common pragmatist. That is what most atheists are. They go on with their lives not wanting to be bothered or to bother with anyone else. They live their lives as if there’s no God and they don’t want to hear any alternatives. They are the very embodiment of narcissism. Their mind is closed to anything outside their very own delusion bubble. When one lifestyle ceases to amuse they move on to another. After all, when you die you rot so the focus is continuously on self gratification. These atheists are seldom successful people although there are few exceptions. They usually earn enough money to get the next high or fix. When the money is drained they get motivated to make more. I burned through one and a half million dollars by the time I was twenty seven. I was a non-religious atheist. I lived as though there was no God and I didn't care about the overwhelming evidence that supported His existence. As far as I was concerned if there was a God He surely didn't care about me and I didn’t care about finding out whether or not He was even real. I wasn't agnostic about it either. If there was any evidence I wasn't interested. When confronted by Christians who were concerned about my soul I would always say there was no God. I didn't say I didn’t believe in God. I would make a positive declaration that God did not exist. I didn't realize that by doing so I was placing the burden of proof on myself which is a logical fallacy since to prove the non-existence of something is to prove a negative and that, ladies and gentlemen, is impossible. That is why I say that agnosticism is the only truly honest position. Otherwise in order to hold on to your atheism and remain honest it must become a religion once confronted with the evidence for His existence or else turn to the proper designation of agnostic. Once atheism is attempted to be defended by its adherent it immediately becomes a religion by default. There are many well known religious atheists out there including Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Pat Condell, etc. They have built entire careers on defending atheism as a viable worldview. It is a religion to them by this definition.
6. Something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point
or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of
fighting prejudice.
This definition from dictionary.com covers a great number of subjects doesn't it? When you have people who devote their lives to defending a cause, position or worldview like Atheism, it becomes a religion. Nonreligious Christianity is a life that is lived in a relationship with a transcendental being. That’s all. The relationship manifests certain acts and attributes which are visible to those around us. The non religious atheist likewise acts and manifests in certain ways which show off the person’s atheism; attributes like pragmatism, narcissism, etc. When the atheist gets preachy about his lack of belief in God, slanders those who do believe in God by calling them child abusers for declaring the existence of eternal punishment, have discernible doctrines associated with their beliefs, openly confront people who have a counter belief by using media and devote all of their time to defending their atheism then that has crossed the line into religion according to definition number six from the Random House Dictionary. They have places of worship (modern university campuses), discernible doctrines (we’ll get to them later), holy books (On the Origin of Species to name one), and prominent preachers who rally the devoted masses into frenzies of united non passive promotion of the cause (see Pat Condell‘s “Aggressive Atheism“). Let’s face it: when you have a live-and-let-live mentality that allows all other points of view and couldn't care less about someone else’s beliefs then you are living the life of an atheist if your belief is that God doesn't exist. You will exhibit your atheism to your friends and family andHow Atheism Ruins Everything co-workers but you won’t be compelled to spread your belief to the rest of the world since by its very nature you have nothing to spread, right? Atheism is the belief in nothing. You were created by nothing in particular and you have nothing to say about God or heaven or some lake of fire that burns eternally. You just live like an animal getting all the living you can get before taking a dirt nap. However, what about the guy who writes books talking about his disdain for Christianity? What about all those videos on Youtube which plunder the thoughts of Christian videos and mock them with vitriolic rants about a flying spaghetti monster and bronzeage myths? What about the many people who seemingly do nothing but make points about their atheism as though it is something to be followed… religiously? They make statements that encourage people to throw off the shackles
of belief in an invisible sky-daddy and join them in their lack. It became very obvious to me a long time ago that this was more than just a non-belief for them. They were, according to definition number six, very religious about this thing they call atheism; very religious indeed.
Show Us God!
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I’ll tell you what I think. I think these people genuinely do want the truth and they aren't really atheists. You see, I was a real atheist. I lived as a real atheist. I never gave the concept of the existence of God any thought at all. The religious atheists have actually made a religion out of the search. They are constantly challenging people like me to “show the evidence”. Now, that’s not just atheism, friend. That’s “evidencism“. “We’re all about the evidence. No, no; not that kind of evidence. The kind of evidence that WE approve of in our atheistic thinking. Give us the evidence that can be measured scientifically. No, no, not that kind of evidence. Give us evidence that can be measured scientifically and that doesn’t require the existence of transcendental realities. Well then, see, you don’t have any evidence“. Do you see the logic here? Me either. This is where the prison mentality comes in. The philosophy of naturalism even governs the religion. It’s like a blind man telling you that you are wrong about the color of your own eyes. Believers interact constantly with transcendental realities all the time and they know it. Truthfully so do atheists. They just don’t know it.
Romans 1:18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of
men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;How Atheism Ruins Everything
19 ¶Because that which may be known of God is
manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto
them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation
of the world are clearly seen, being understood by
the things that are made, even his eternal power
and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they
glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but
became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish
heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became
fools [atheists].
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