Introduction
Since
creation there has not been a rebellion against God such as that is found in
atheism. In its purest form, atheism is a complete denial of God however, there
is much more to it than most really know. All the major religious systems
worship various gods and could easily be declared atheism to certain people due
to the fact that they do not worship the god that they worship. The God of
Christianity worship the same God that is worshipped in the Old Testament, but
they were considered atheists in ancient times. There are various “forms” of
atheism today. Many today like to consider themselves ‘New Atheists’ and
‘Secularists’, but provide little to the discussion of the philosophical
atheist. This paper will discuss the background of atheism particularly
philosophical atheism, evaluate their worldview, discuss how Christianity can
correct that worldview, and defend the Christian worldview against
philosophical atheism.
Background to Atheism
Feinberg
states that, “The Greeks used atheist in three senses: 1. Impious or godless,
2. without supernatural help, and 3. not believing any god or the Greek conception
of god.” In
this sense those who were in the newly formed Christianity were often called
atheists because they did not worship the popular gods of the day. Later
Protestants were accused of being atheists when they would not worship Mary or
deify other saints. In other words, there have been a long history of the usage
of atheism without the true form of the meaning of atheism.
Christianity,
for example, is a form of theism that believes in a God especially, the One
true God Who created the universe. If that is true, a-theism is the exact
opposite. Atheism in the purest form claims for itself that there is no god of
any kind. However, Feinberg, wrote again that, “In modern usage four senses of
atheism may be identified. 1. Classical atheism is not a general denial of
God’s existence but the rejection of the god of a particular nation. 2.
Philosophical atheism may be contrasted with theism, which affirms a personal,
self-conscious deity (not a principle, first cause, or force). 3. Dogmatic
atheism is the absolute denial of God’s existence. 4. Practical atheism does
not deny God, but life is lived as if there is no God.”
When
most people think of atheism they think of the atheist who completely denies a
god and lives in complete wickedness however, this isn’t really the case. The
true form of atheism that denies God is very rare. Beattie states, “Critics
argue that it (atheism) is simply a distorted version of Christianity, since it
is a form of rebellion which is defined by and dependent upon that which it
rejects.”
She goes on to describe a popular Hitchens that exclaimed that his brand of
atheism was a Protestant form of atheism.
Therefore, a godless form of atheism is a very rare form. Atheism is more of a
rebellion against God in the more popular sense even in the case of the recent
popular Richard Dawkins. The question isn’t what they believe in, but how they
defend that belief.
An Evaluation of the
Philosophical Atheist Worldview
The difference in the various
forms of atheism is how they defend their beliefs. Philosophical atheists
differ considerably on important points of detail in their accounts of how
responsible claims to knowledge are to be established. But, there is
substantial agreement among them that controlled sensory observation is the
court of final appeal on issues concerning matters of fact. It is indeed this
commitment to the use of an empirical method which is the final basis of the
atheistic critique of theism. This critique seeks to show that one can
understand whatever a theistic assumption is alleged to explain, through the
use of the proved methods of the positive sciences and without the introduction
of empirically unsupported ad hoc hypotheses about a deity.
Apart from their polemics against
theism, philosophical atheists have not shared a common set of positive views,
a common set of philosophical convictions which set them off from other groups
of thinkers. In one very clear sense of this query the answer is undoubtedly
negative. For there never has been what one might call a school of atheism, in
the way in which there has been a Platonic school or even a Kantian school. Point
of fact, atheistic critics of theism can be found among many of the
conventional groupings of philosophical thinkers.
Philosophical atheist are good at
twisting the truth to ensure that their point is made. In one such case,
Kaufman takes the viewpoint of Findlay by stating that, “Hegel is a philosopher
of liberal Humanism.”
While others have
interpreted Hegel as being a great philosopher for God. Despite the variety of
philosophical positions atheists have subscribed to throughout history, it
seems that atheism is not simply a negative standpoint. There is a certain
quality of intellectual temper that has characterized and continues to characterize
many philosophical atheists. Moreover, their rejection of theism is based not
only on the inadequacies they have found in the arguments for theism, but often
on the positive ground that atheism is a corollary to a better supported
general outlook upon the nature of things.
Philosophical atheists reject that
there are disembodied spirits or that incorporeal entities of any sort can
exercise a causal agency. Simply put, they do not believe in the spiritual
realm. Atheists overwhelmingly agree that any answers that can be found are
found in the material body. That is why atheist, especially philosophical
atheist find it hard to believe in Jesus Christ. Another “brand” of atheism can
also be found in the form of agnosticism. Michael Krasny is such an atheist (or
agnostic) who does not believe in the spiritual realm, God, or Jesus Christ. He
wrote, “All of them (Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre, and Thomas the poet) had
contributed to the life philosophy I was formulating.”
As with many philosophical
atheists, they take cues from others for their rebellion to justify their work.
To atheist, the various processes
taking place in nature, whether animate or inanimate, are to be explained in
material objects. Nature is ineradicably plural, both in respect to the
individuals occurring in it as well as in respect to the processes in which
things become involved. Accordingly, the human scene and the human perspective
are not illusory. Man and his works are no less and no more "real"
than are other parts or phases of the cosmos. At the risk of using a possibly
misleading characterization, all of this can be summarized by saying that an
atheistic view of things is a form of rationalization, but more explicitly
materialism. If they cannot see it, touch it, or taste it then it must not
exist. Again, twisting the Truth, relying on mere material evidence that cannot
be seen now, Moss states, “It will be evident that I hold that there is no sure
evidence of death unless where there are positive signs of decomposition.”
He stated this in his discussion
about Jesus going to “awake” Lazarus or to raise the widow’s son from the dead.
Correcting the Worldview
In order to correct this worldview
there is much work to do. The philosophical atheist is a difficult one to
correct in the first place. The reason for this is because their worldview has
been shaped by deep philosophical educational choices. As stated, atheist shape
their worldview for the material world; only what they can see, touch, taste,
or smell. Groothuis states that, “If the unbeliever is an atheist we must start
from scratch and argue for theism.”
This is why correcting the
worldview of atheism is difficult.
As stated, it seems as if atheist
are rebelling against God rather than a total disbelief. It’s very rare to see
someone that has never heard of God or the Gospel rebelling against God in such
a manner as someone such as Richard Dawkins. If an apologist is a careful
listener he/she will hear where the atheist has started to rebel. It may be that
the atheist was raised in a religious home that was harsh or very liberal. It
could be that the atheist was raised in a godless home and knows about God, but
refuses to accept Him for Who He is for the fact that they do not want to
change their lifestyles. There are several reasons for the worldview of
atheists, but the bottom line of the matter is that if there is a chance to win
a prodigal back or a lost one, the chance encounter for the apologist is a
divine one to fulfill the Great Commission.
Bush wrote, “As Scripture itself
acknowledges, sinful people are naturally set against God and against God’s
truth.”
Whether it is a total
disbelief or a rebellion against God, an argument against a philosophical
atheist may be an arduous task, but a worthwhile one. Listening carefully, an
apologist can argue against what the atheist disbelieves or it could be the
case of starting at the very beginning for theism. Just as the philosophical atheist
has been “built” up in a worldview of rationalism and so-called “logic” so,
must the apologists. Groothuis says, “Apologetics means philosophical
engagement, and philosophy trades on logic.”
Therefore, an apologist
should be the most ready to meet the philosophical atheist.
Disregarding logic in this case
would be the death of an argument. Secular atheists believe that Christians are
generally ignorant in the field of rationality and refuses to adhere to it. So,
when they encounter someone that is both a Christian and uses the sword of
logic they are thrown back a bit. Take for example what Antony stated,
“Throughout contemporary U.S. society, reason is denigrated as cold,
mechanical, and sterile, while irreason is celebrated.”
It is difficult for
atheist to fathom a Christian that uses logic, reason, and rational when
arguing for theism. However, if the statement of Day is considered, all
atheists especially philosophical atheist, were grounded in the Enlightenment
which was ushered in by Voltaire and Denis Diderot, “The idea that he (Richard
Dawkins) is a devotee of reason seeing through the outdated superstitions
believed by less intelligent beings is the foremost conceit of the atheist.”
C. Brown states that, “The Age of
Enlightenment was characterized by the desire for a superior, more rational
view of everything. It was a desire that contained within itself the seeds of
its own destruction.”
Kant defined the
Enlightenment as, “Humanities coming of age.”
The Age of Enlightenment
lasted throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth century. During this time reason
began to flourish in the minds of philosophers and scientists. They began to
fill the minds of people with this reason in order to lash out to mainstream
“religions” especially, Christianity. It was during this age that the
historical Jesus owes its credit. This “movement” was created in order to
maintain that the Christ of orthodox faith was not the Christ of history.
Because of the Age of Enlightenment atheism grew at a more rapid pace and it
cannot be said enough that Christians particularly apologists need to be well
versed in Scripture, history, philosophy, and a heavy dose of logic and reason
when arguing with philosophical atheists.
A Plan for Defending the Christian Faith
There is no higher calling than
defending the faith and fulfilling the Great commission. Atheists cannot build
their moral foundations upon which so many men conduct their lives. In
particular, atheism do not offer the incentives to conduct and the consolations
for misfortune which theistic religions especially Christianity supply to their
adherents. It can offer no hope of personal immortality, no promise of eventual
recompense for injustices suffered, and no path to sure salvation. For on its
view of the place of man in nature, human excellence and human dignity must be
achieved within a finite life-span, or not at all, so that the rewards of moral
endeavor must come from the quality of civilized living, and not from some
source of disbursement that dwells outside of time. It is hard to go into
detail in such a short space on defending the whole of theism however, it would
suffice to defend against the three points already pointed out: Truth,
Spiritual Beings, and Material. These three can cover a multitude of the
Scripture as blanket and a good starting point for a defense.
“Preach the Word! Be Ready in Season and out of season. Convince,
rebuke exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” (2 Timothy 4:2; NKJV)
This was a final exhortation that
the Apostle Paul commanded his young disciple, Timothy. He went on to say, “For
the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to
their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for
themselves teachers.” (2 Timothy 4:3; NKJV) This certainly sounds much like the
current era of time and maybe even more. Therefore, it is important for
Christians, true defenders of faith, to be ready now to defend the faith
without hesitance.
The first defense should be of
Truth. This could be at the very first of the argument when defending the
Christian faith against a philosophical atheist. Truth argument may be the
beginning of the argument however, it could very well be the end of the
argument depending on the tenacity of the atheist. If he/she is well versed in
philosophy they will not stop here. It will just be a long argument until the
argument reaches the Material Argument.
Groothuis wrote, “We must be
ruthless with ourselves in the process of pursuing truth, given the manifold
temptations to self-deception and denial.”
This must be the case for
“defenders of the faith” and apologists. Faith defenders and apologists must
arduously be searching for the Truth as if mining for a lost coin when they
have only ten. Truth has to be stored within the heart.
The word longsuffering appears in 2 Timothy 4:2 which means patience. It is
with patience that Truth defenders and apologists should defend the Truth. When
arguing with philosophical atheists if patience is not displayed they will
think that the Christian is acting erratic out of ignorance or lack of Truth.
That could be one reason that the Apostle Paul exhorted Timothy to display this
kind of character. The second reason for this exhortation is because of the
character of the Lord Jesus Christ was filled with grace and patience.
Along with patience, humility also
comes with Truth. Groothuis states, “As sinners, we can only receive it in
humility.”
When the character of humility is displayed defenders of Truth and apologists
have more credibility with atheists and stand a better chance to stay in the arena.
Just because atheists and some in the Christian faith as well act with contempt
does not mean that everyone should. The more that the apologists search for
Truth and act out that Truth with humility, the more credibility they will
begin to have with philosophical atheists.
This short argument could lead
into Spiritual Beings after Truth has been discovered. It is important for
Truth defenders and apologists to know at least the basics of the spiritual
realm. If Christians cannot discuss the spiritual realm from Truth (Scripture)
it would be a difficult task to continue the argument. After all, Christians
believe in angels for the Book of Hebrews discusses angels. The Bible discusses
to very important angels Michael and Gabriel. Then there is another angel who
is the “god of this age” which is Satan who is a fallen angel. If the Bible is
to be taken seriously then it can be interpreted as churches having guardian
angels as seen in Revelation two and three. These are some basic Truths about
the spiritual realm that each Christian should know about the Christian faith
that can be defended.
Then there is the divinity of
Christ. Kreeft and Tacelli state that, “The divinity of Christ is the most
distinctively Christian doctrine of all.”
This is because there is
no other religion in the world that claimed that one of their “prophets” was
God. It is not found in Islam for their prophet, Muhammad, is explicitly
demonstrated in the Quran as their prophet. Buddha was not God. It is only
found in Christianity that Christ came to earth claiming to be God. There has
been no other to dare to claim to be God. Then there is the evidence of the
resurrection such as the change of attitude of the apostles after they witness
Him.
The final argument could easily be
the first or the second which is the defense against the material argument.
Atheist particularly philosophical atheist are against all things that cannot
be touched, smelled, or tasted. Geisler and Turek states that, “If materialism
is true, then reason itself is impossible. For if mental processes are nothing
but chemical reactions in the brain, then there is no reason to believe that
anything is true (including the theory of materialism). Chemicals can’t
evaluate whether or not a theory is true or not. Chemicals don’t reason, they
react.”
This argument alone can bust the
argument of the philosophical atheist. All that he/she has believed in of the
material has just been eradicated. The very brain that they are using to knock
down all beliefs just turned its back on them. Faith requires reason while the
“material” world begins to unfold as to unfold as a world without reason.
Conclusion
There is no other rebellion
against God such as that is found in atheism. Atheism is a worldview that is
usually found in those who have some background with religion. They are just
acting out against the One Who they once believed in. They gist of their belief
is that they think they believe in truth even if they have to twist it, they
refuse to believe in the spiritual realm, and they believe in only the material
world. In defending the Christian faith it would be fitting that Truth
defenders and apologists should be versed in these three areas. Lastly, Truth
defenders and Christians should always be ready in and out of season without
hesitancy with all patience.
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