Why Do The Heathen [Atheists] Rage? (Psalm 2:1)
Posted: Thursday, January 17, 2008
by Joel Hendon
http://hebronics.org/index.html
Don't take this wrong. This is a free country, so far, and I thank God for it. I'm not complaining that there are atheists, nor trying to deny them a voice. But I do resent and despise their trying to convince me to become one of them. I regularly read the "letters to the editor" column in our local newspaper and any other paper that I happen to get my hands on. I often reply to many. It seems as if there is at least one letter per week, espousing atheism and, showing much ignorance of biblical knowledge, harshly criticizing the Holy Scripture. The last decade or two has shown a marked increase in their "coming out of the closet". Once many kept their theories to themselves for fear of losing friends, or in some cases, of reprisals.
There are several reasons I choose to accept the writings of the Holy Bible over that of atheism or any other religion for that matter. First of all, I am totally convinced that it is absolute truth, that it is the word of an almighty God who created this universe and gave this word to us by inspiration (God breathed) of men. There is more than adequate evidence of that statement being fact when studied without prejudice.
Secondly, it is the only assemblage of writings which tell us how and why man came to be here, what he is here for, and where he is going from here. These inspired books were written over a period of some 1600 years, the last of which was shortly before 100 A.D. All were written long before much of our present day technological, geographical, astronomical, oceanographical and biological knowledge was even dreamed of. Yet, in every reference to any of this information, there are no contradictions to scientifically proven facts. For instance, each time it is mentioned that someone went up to another location, or went down to another location, or even over to one, it is always accurate with the terrain. Let us look at a couple of examples which shows the accuracy of what I say.
Usually when we refer to locations on the map, we refer to those north of us as up, and south of us as down. Maps are even drawn that way. Mark 2:1 tells us that Jesus was in Capernaum preaching and healing the sick,, etc. all through the chapter and into chapter three. Now Capernaum is some 80 miles north of Jerusalem and in chapter 3 verse 22 says: "And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of devils casteth he out devils." It would appear that anyone would refer to moving 80 miles north as up rather than down. Yet, when it is examined, we find that Jerusalem is 2500 feet above sea level while Capernaum is only 1300 feet.
Another instance is found in Acts 16 and is often referred to as the "Macedonian call". As Paul and Silas were on their third missionary journey and were in the city of Troas which was located in the region of Phrygia, We read this in verse 8: "And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia and help us." Now Macedonia was a region north of Phrygia some 125-150 miles distance. But, there is a bay off the Great (Mediterranean) Sea between the two regions which has to be crossed by boat from Troas (Phrygia) to Philippi (Macedonia). So you see, the term "come over" was perfectly appropriate and accurate. These are just a couple of the dozens that could be noted, and only one aspect of the accuracy of the Bible.
The atheists insist that the Bible is full of errors and contradictions. Not so. Admittedly there are some verses which are difficult to understand and there are minor errors in all of the English translations, even the King James, which I use more than any other version. But the most accurate versions do not have translation mistakes that will cause one to live in error. Some of the most modern versions are not translations, but opinionated commentaries.
The many things proving beyond doubt that the Bible is what it claims to be are far too numerous to explain here. However, more tightly knit to our subject is the question as to why atheists want to convert Christians to atheism. It is quite natural, I suppose, for anyone to desire to have people agree with themon any matter. And particularly when one's beliefs are in the minority. I have many such beliefs that I know are very much in the minority and I would like to have everyone agree with me. Some of them make others angry. Just because I differ with them! I wish that weren't true. I do not become angry when anyone disagrees with me. I do sometimes become angry when someone tries to make me appear a fool because I believe a certain way.
But I ask the atheist, does your belief offer me a choice of eternal life in bliss? Does it , in fact, offer me anything? No, it offers me horrible suffering to think that I will be obliterated at the point of death. Or that my loved ones no longer exist in any form. Their philosophy is that we just accidentally happened to be here and that we will just naturally be gone for ever. They have no explanation whatsoever for the existence or destination of anything. But when they are discussing their matters with me, they regularly refer to reason, common sense and logic. Whose reason, common sense and logic? Whose common sense tells them that we just happened to be here? Whose reasoning is it that says the universe started from nothing but something formed into a ball the size of a small orange so dense that it exploded and built a working virtually endless universe, capable of supporting life where an amoeba evolved into a biochemist with a PhD? Or maybe all that is logic. Whose logic was it that said the ball became so dense? What prevailing circumstances (seeing that the ball from nowhere was all that then existed) caused it to explode? Certainly not the same mysterious cause that made it grow so dense.
I recently read a letter to the editor from a man who stated that he became an atheist by reading the bible. His letter was in reference to the new proposal by the Alabama State Board of Education that the bible be taught as literature in state schools. The writer was approving of it because he felt others would become atheists if they were exposed to the bible. I replied to the letter, agreeing that most atheists became one by reading the bible. I added that they did so when they learned they must submit to a higher power, and they began to find a way of escape.
Then, yesterday, another atheist responded to my letter. Here are the last 2 paragraphs from that letter:
"The Bible can give a moral sense, but so can non-religious sources. Atheists don't believe in "nothing" but have an ethical system whose precepts are built on reason and empathy and not faith. The laws/rules of the Christian deity or any other God can't be based on him because if they are they are either his whims or are above him. If the latter, then logic/reasoning can find those same moral rules.
I do not fear the Bible, Mr. Hendon. I do not believe it is true and I do not believe it is the foundation of a moral sense. But, unlike you, I do not give false motives to people who don't believe like me."
Profound indeed. I rest my case.
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