07.09.11_The Existence of God and Atheism
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8/3/2019 07.09.11_The Existence of God and Atheism
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TheExistenceofGodandAtheism
Genesis1:1
Introduction:
EpigramonAtheism:
Iamanatheist,thankGod!Anonymous NobodytalkssoconstantlyaboutGodasthosewhoinsistthatthereisnoGod.
HeywoodBrown
TosweareffectivelymenmustmakereferencetoGod.Imagine,anatheisticevolutionisttryingforablood-curdlingoathbyswearinginthenameofnatural
selection,orbytheslimy,primevalamoeba.ChristianityToday
CalvinCoolidgeoncesaid:Itishardtoseehowagreatmancanbeanatheist.Doubtersdonotachieve.Skepticsdonotcontribute.Cynicsdonotcreate.
G.K.ChestertononcesaiditisoftensupposedthatwhenpeoplestopbelievinginGod,theybelieveinnothing.Alas,itisworsethanthat.Whentheystopbelievingin
God,theybelieveinanything.
DostoyevskiremarkedthatIfGoddoesnotexist,everythingispermissible.1
1Tan,P.L.(1996).Encyclopediaof7700Illustrations:SignsoftheTimes.Garland,TX:
BibleCommunications,Inc.
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Rationalists's Blog
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Interesting Atheism StatisticsPosted on February 23, 2010 | 12 Comments
Here are some interesting statistics in regards to the growth of atheism/agnosticism around
the world:
1. 50% of Israelis who were born ethnically Jewish consider themselves secular.
2. 38% of Israelis consider themselves agnostic/atheist.
3. 59% of Chinese consider themselves non-religious. 32% do not believe in any god, or higher power.
4. In a 2006 New Zealand census 36% ticked No Religion
5. A 2008 survey of Canadians revealed that 23% do not believe in a god.
6. 32 million (15%) Americans claim No religion, according to a 2009 ARIS report
7. Vermont has the highest rate of No religion respondents with 34%, according to a 2009 ARIS report
8. A 2004 poll by the BBC found that more than 50% of Brits do not believe in a god
9. 80% of Swedes do not believe in a god.
10. Turkey has the lowest rate of atheism in the world, with less than 1% not believing in any kind of god
or higher power
Sources:
* http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_atheist.html Top 50 Countries With Highest Proportion of
Atheists / Agnostics
*Eurostat poll on the social and religious beliefs of Europeans (PDF). Retrieved 2006-05-10.
Interesting Atheism Statis tics | Rational ists's Blog http://rationalistsblog.net/2010/02/23/interesting-atheism-statistics/
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1.TheTruthofGodsEternalityisClearGenesis1:11885NoProofinBible
AUniversityofB.C.philosophyprofessor,Dr.PeterRemnant,told1,100studentsin
anoon-hourspeechthatthereisnoproofintheBiblethatGodexists.
Quiteright.TheexistenceofGodistakenforgrantedintheBible.TheScripture
startedwiththesewords:InthebeginningGod(Gen.1:1).2
A.AnEternalGodMeansRefugeforFiniteBeingsWhoFaceCommonDanger
Deuteronomy33:27,TheeternalGodisthyrefuge,Andunderneatharethe
everlastingarms:Andheshallthrustouttheenemyfrombeforethee;
Andshallsay,Destroythem.
Refugemeans:Adwellingplace,astateofsafetyfromdanger.
o Thereisnoneedforsafetyifthereisnostandardthatoutlineswhatisdangerous.
o Ifthereissuchathingassafetyanddanger,whodeterminesthis?Whatisthebasisofthis
determination?
TheWordofGodteachesusthatoureternalGodprovidesusaplaceofrefugeorsafety.
Evenanatheistwouldclaimthatthereareevilthingsinthisworldfromwhichonemustseeksafety.
2Tan,P.L.(1996).Encyclopediaof7700Illustrations:SignsoftheTimes.Garland,TX:
BibleCommunications,Inc.
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o Anatheistcannotdenythatthereisevilinthisworldfromwhichoneseekssafety.
o Toadmitthatthereisevil,onemustadmitthatthereisgoodandastandardforthatgoodthatisabsolute.
ItisthisEternalGodthattheWordofGodgivestousasourRefuge.Thisnotonly
assumeswhatallmenmustadmit,butthistruthgivesushopeinspiteofthe
troublewewillface.ThishopeisonlyfoundintheeternalGod:JesusChrist.
B.ThefactthatGodhasexistedfromgenerationtogenerationprovestheexistenceoftheeternalGod.
Genesis21:33,AndAbrahamplantedagroveinBeer-sheba,andcalledthereonthe
nameoftheLord,theeverlastingGod.
Psalm90:12,Lord,thouhastbeenourdwellingplaceinallgenerations.Before
themountainswerebroughtforth,Oreverthouhadstformedtheearthandtheworld,
Evenfromeverlastingtoeverlasting,thouartGod.
IfGodhasexistedfromonegenerationtothenextoveraperiodofhundredsofyears,whatbarsHimfromexisting
sinceeternitypast?
IfHeiscapableofexistingsince4000BC,whynotsincebeforecreation?
NationalBeliefs:
Haveyoueverconsideredthefactthateverynationhasworshippedsomethingorsomeone?Therehasnotbeena
nationwithoutbeliefinsomeGod,whetherfalseortrue.
o Examples: Genesis3:5,ForGoddothknowthatinthe
dayyeeatthereof,thenyoureyesshallbe
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opened,andyeshallbeasgods,knowinggood
andevil.
Genesis31:30,Andnow,thoughthouwouldestneedsbegone,becausethousore
longedstafterthyfathershouse,yetwherefore
hastthoustolenmygods?
Genesis35:2,ThenJacobsaiduntohishousehold,andtoallthatwerewithhim,Put
awaythestrangegodsthatareamongyou,
andbeclean,andchangeyourgarments:
Joshua24:15,AndifitseemeviluntoyoutoservetheLord,chooseyouthisdaywhomye
willserve;whetherthegodswhichyour
fathersservedthatwereontheothersideof
theflood,orthegodsoftheAmorites,inwhose
landyedwell:butasformeandmyhouse,we
willservetheLord.
Ephesians14:1213,AndtheycalledBarnabas,Jupiter;andPaul,Mercurius,
becausehewasthechiefspeaker.Thenthe
priestofJupiter,whichwasbeforetheircity,
broughtoxenandgarlandsuntothegates,and
wouldhavedonesacrificewiththepeople.
1889ItTakesNoBrainsDwightD.Eisenhowersaid,Ittakesnobrainstobeanatheist.Anystupidperson
candenytheexistenceofasupernaturalpowerbecausemansphysicalsenses
cannotdetectit.Buttherecannotbeignoredthemysteryoffirstlifeorthe
marvelousorderinwhichtheuniversemovesaboutus.Alloftheseevidencethe
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handiworkofabeneficentDeity.Formypart,thatDeityistheGodoftheBibleand
Christ,HisSon.3
ThetruthofthematteristhatAtheismhaspresentedanopportunityformanto
dethroneGod,inmind,andenthronehimself.
TheGodoftheBibleistheEternalGodofthePast!HeistheonlytruthGod.
2.TheTruthofGodsExistenceCurrently
NaturalRevelation:
Romans1:20,Fortheinvisiblethingsofhimfromthecreationoftheworldare
clearlyseen,beingunderstoodbythethingsthataremade,evenhiseternalpowerand
Godhead;sothattheyarewithoutexcuse:
1891TheBigEngineerAbove
ThomasEdisonsaid:Noonecanstudychemistryandseethewonderfulwayin
whichcertainelementscombinewiththenicetyofthemostdelicatemachineever
invented,andnotcometotheinevitableconclusionthatthereisaBigEngineerwho
isrunningthisuniverse.4
Romans2:1415, ForwhentheGentiles,whichhavenotthelaw,dobynaturethe
thingscontainedinthelaw,these,havingnotthelaw,arealawuntothemselves:
Whichshewtheworkofthelawwrittenintheirhearts,theirconsciencealsobearing
witness,andtheirthoughtsthemeanwhileaccusingorelseexcusingoneanother;)
3Tan,P.L.(1996).Encyclopediaof7700Illustrations:SignsoftheTimes.Garland,TX:
BibleCommunications,Inc.4Tan,P.L.(1996).Encyclopediaof7700Illustrations:SignsoftheTimes.Garland,TX:
BibleCommunications,Inc.
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Theseversesanswerthequestionofwhyeverygenerationandnationhavehada
majorityofpeoplewhobelieveintheexistenceofaBeinggreaterthanthemselves.
A.ConsidertheEmotionsofManGenesis1:26Considerthatfactthatmanisanemotionalbeing.Whyisthis?Isitpossiblethat
theWordofGodanswersthis?Yes,maniscreatedintheimageofGod.Thismeans
thathe(man)isatrichotomy.Heismadeupofaspirit,asoul,andabody.Inhis
soul,hehasintellect,emotion,andwill.Someoftheseemotionsare:
- Love- Anger- Happiness
IfthereisnoGod,thereisnolove;forGodislove(IJohn4:78).Ifthereisno
God,thereisnoreasontolove.IftherewerenoGod,Whosetsthestandardfor
love?IfthereisnoGod,thenhatredforpeopleisnotwrong.
Whatisitthatcompelsustoactionwhenweseechildrenstarving?
Whatisitthatcompelsustoactionwhenweseesomeoneinadevastatingsituation?
Itisnoaccidentthatwepossesstheseemotions;itisbecauseourGodisapersonal
God.WearenotsimplyrejectingthefalsehoodofAtheism,butwealsorejectthe
falsehoodofDeism.TheonetrueGodisapersonalGod.
B.ConsidertheEndofMan
Hebrews9:27,Andasitisappointeduntomenoncetodie,butafterthisthe
judgment:
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Thefinitudeofmanisaglaringtruththateveryonemustconfront.Eachhuman
mustfacetherealitythattheirlifeonthisearthisfinite.Togiveadmissiontothe
finitudeofmanistogiveadmissiontoastandardforthefinitude.Toadmitthat
somethingisfinite,itmustbecomparedagainstthebackdropofinfinitude.
Nowthequestionbecomes,IsthereaSourcethatadequatelyanswerswhatthis
eternityis?Yes,theSourceittheWordofGod.TheWordofGodgives
satisfactoryreasoningforwhatwilltakeplaceafterdeath:
- Whilesomereligionsteachreincarnationintolesserbeings.
- OthersteachyoubecomepartoftheONE,inessence,yourindividualexistenceends.
- Othersteachofreceivingopportunitiestobeimmoralforallofeternity.
- TheWordofGodteachesthatfinitemanwascreatedbyanInfiniteGod;andthatthis
InfiniteGodcreatedfinitemanwithan
eternalsoul.
OurEternalGodistheEXISTINGONE:JEHOVAH:Isitanywondertoyouthat
thenameJEHOVAHmeans,theExistingONE?
Illustration:
Inspeakingtoayoungmanonetime,heaskedmeheredidGodcomefrom?Letme
askyouaquestion,WhydoesGodhavetocomefromsomewhere?
Dependentbeingsrequireacause.Ifwelookedatthispulpit,weknowthatitwasmadebysomeone.Inorderforittobehere,itwasputhere.Itdidnotjust
appearhere.Manisclearlydependent:heneedsair,water,andfood.Hence,
manisadependentbeing!Dependentbeingsneedacause,butGodisself-
sufficientandindependent.ThereisONEindependentBeingthatexists.HeisGod.
HeistheUncausedCauseofallthings!
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Genesis2:7says,AndtheLordGodformedmanofthedustoftheground,and
breathedintohisnostrilsthebreathoflife;andmanbecamealivingsoul.
Acts17:2329:
ForasIpassedby,andbeheldyourdevotions,Ifoundanaltarwiththisinscription,
TOTHEUNKNOWNGOD.Whomthereforeyeignorantlyworship,himdeclareIunto
you.24Godthatmadetheworldandallthingstherein,seeingthatheisLordof
heavenandearth,dwellethnotintemplesmadewithhands;25Neitherisworshipped
withmenshands,asthoughheneededanything,seeinghegivethtoalllife,and
breath,andallthings;26Andhathmadeofonebloodallnationsofmenfortodwell
onallthefaceoftheearth,andhathdeterminedthetimesbeforeappointed,andthe
boundsoftheirhabitation;27ThattheyshouldseektheLord,ifhaplytheymightfeel
afterhim,andfindhim,thoughhebenotfarfromeveryoneofus:28 Forinhimwe
live,andmove,andhaveourbeing;ascertainalsoofyourownpoetshavesaid,Forwe
arealsohisoffspring.29 ForasmuchthenaswearetheoffspringofGod,weought
nottothinkthattheGodheadislikeuntogold,orsilver,orstone,gravenbyartand
mansdevice.
GodistheCreator.HeistheFirstCause.HeistheOriginator.Heisthe
UncausedCauseofall.HeisanindependentBeing,andindependentbeingdoes
notneedacause;butmanisadependentbeingforwhichthereisno
explanation,unlessthereisagreatercausebeforehim.
3.TheTruthofGodsEnemies
A.ThetruthofGodsenemiesisseenintheacceptanceofthespiritworld.
Genesis1:2says,Andtheearthwaswithoutform,andvoid;anddarknesswasupon
thefaceofthedeep.AndtheSpiritofGodmoveduponthefaceofthewaters.
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John4:24says,GodisaSpirit:andtheythatworshiphimmustworshiphimin
spiritandintruth.
Peopletodayarereadytoacceptmuchaboutthespiritworld.Toacceptsome
formofnegativespiritworldistogivewaytotheclearreasonthatGodexists,andif
Godexists,whichoneistherightGod?
OneofthekeyelementsthatgivesfurtherfootingtoourEternally,ExistingGodis
thefactthatmancannothelpbutacceptaspiritworld.Consider:
- Mansinfatuationwithsuperstition- Witchcraft- Thegrowingtrendwiththingssuchas:
Palmreading Fortunetelling Psychicforetellingetc
B.ThetruthisthatGodsenemiesbelieveinGodMatthew8:29says,And,behold,theycriedout,saying,Whathavewetodowith
thee,Jesus,thouSonofGod?artthoucomehithertotormentusbeforethetime?
James2:19says,ThoubelievestthatthereisoneGod;thoudoestwell:thedevilsalso
believe,andtremble.
Conclusion:
IfGoddidnotexist,itwouldbenecessarytoinventHim.Voltaire
Theworldembarrassesme,andIcannotthinkthatthiswatchexistsandhasno
watchmaker.Voltaire
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AheathenphilosopheronceaskedaChristian,WhereisGod?TheChristian
answered,Letmefirstaskyou.Whereishenot?Arrowsmith5
333NoWitnessesForAtheism
CharlesBradlaughwastheoutstandingatheistinEngland.Downinoneoftheslums
ofLondonwasaministerbythenameofHughPriceHughes.AllLondonwasawareof
miraclesofgraceaccomplishedathismission.
CharlesBradlaughchallengedMr.Hughestodebatewithhimthevalidityofthe
claimsofChristianity.Londonwasgreatlyinterested.WhatwouldMr.Hughesdo?He
immediatelyacceptedthechallengeandindoingsoaddedoneofhisown.
Hughessaid,Iproposetoyouthatweeachbringsomeconcreteevidencesofthe
validityofourbeliefsintheformofmenandwomenwhohavebeenredeemedfrom
thelivesofsinandshamebytheinfluenceofourteaching.Iwillbring100suchmen
andwomen,andIchallengeyoutodothesame.
Ifyoucannotbring100,Mr.Bradlaugh,tomatchmy100,Iwillbesatisfiedifyouwill
bring50menandwomenwhowillstandandtestifythattheyhavebeenliftedupfrom
livesofshamebytheinfluenceofyourteachings.Ifyoucannotbring50,thenbring20
peoplewhowillsay,asmy100will,thattheyhaveagreatjoyinalifeofself-respectas
aresultofyouratheisticteachings.Ifyoucannotbring20,Iwillbesatisfiedifyou
bring10.
Nay,Mr.Bradlaugh,Ichallengeyoutobringone,justonemanorwomanwhowill
makesuchatestimonyregardingtheupliftingofyouratheisticteachings.
AgainLondonwasstirred.WhatwouldMr.Bradlaughdo?Inanswer,Charles
Bradlaugh,withgreatdiscomfitureandchagrin,publiclywithdrewhischallengefor
thedebate.MorningGlory6
5Tan,P.L.(1996).Encyclopediaof7700Illustrations:SignsoftheTimes.Garland,TX:
BibleCommunications,Inc.6Tan,P.L.(1996).Encyclopediaof7700Illustrations:SignsoftheTimes.Garland,TX:
BibleCommunications,Inc.
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Psalm14:1says,Thefoolhathsaidinhisheart,ThereisnoGod.Theyarecorrupt,
theyhavedoneabominableworks,Thereisnonethatdoethgood.
Psalm53:1says,Thefoolhathsaidinhisheart,ThereisnoGod.Corruptarethey,
andhavedoneabominableiniquity:Thereisnonethatdoethgood.