Dictionary.com defines atheism as "the doctrine or belief that there is no God". It's hard for us as Christians to understand how someone could be an atheist. It doesn't make sense to us, but what we believe doesn't make sense to them. Paul explains it this way in 1 Corinthians 1: "For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."
I wonder, though, if atheists have considered fully the implications of a belief that there is no God. If there is no God, then how did everything in nature come to exist in its present form? If God did not create the universe, the only other option is that it somehow miraculously developed on its own (the theory of evolution). Those who believe in evolution think everything around us is the result of random events over millions of years. If you think about the billions and billions of coincidences that would have to happen exactly right for things to end up as we now know them, evolution is a much bigger stretch of the imagination than a belief in God. The earth orbits the sun at just the right distance for life to exist, the earth rotates on its axis at just the right speed so it doesn't get too hot in the day or too cold at night, plants make oxygen for animals and animals make carbon dioxide for plants, and the list goes on and on. If God did not create the universe, it is the result of so many improbable events that a mathematician would conclude the existence of the universe as we know it is statistically impossible.
So we see that atheism implies a belief in evolution, no matter how irrational evolution may be upon closer examination. But what happens if we follow evolution to its logical conclusion? If we momentarily accept evolution as fact for the sake of this discussion, where do we end up? The theory of evolution says that the strongest (or fittest) survive and thrive at the expense of the weak (or less fit) that perish. The imperfect and weak of the species are either unable to compete with the stronger ones for food or are devoured by predators because they are easier prey. There is no right or wrong: the lion eats the weakest animal of the herd and that's just the way it is. The problem is that man is just another species in this scenario. Since there is no God, no right or wrong, then why not rob & murder the weak? That's just natural selection at work. Does this argument sound insane? Of course. Anyone with any knowledge of German history can tell you that a deranged Austrian corporal named Hitler thought it was perfectly rational. In fact, he didn't come up with the idea himself; it was a rather common notion among 19th century German philosophers, most notably Nietzsche. Hitler implemented this idea in Nazi Germany, and millions of innocents paid with their lives. I'm not trying to insinuate that atheists are morally on the same level as the Nazis; atheism does not necessarily imply a total lack of morality. All I am saying is this: consider carefully the implications of what you believe - you may find yourself in some really bad company.
I have made this argument to others before, and some have taken exception to my definition of atheism. One person defined an atheist as one that "lacks a belief in God because he hasn't seen any evidence that God does exist". Let's use that definition, then. Atheists look at the world around them and don't see any evidence that God exists. Consider what Paul says in Romans 1:20: "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse". Paul is saying that if you look at the world around you and you don't see that God exists, you're not looking very hard. The wonders of nature, the miracle of life in its many forms, all point to the one who created it. My dad was a science teacher & I am an engineer by trade, but that only reinforces my belief in God. When you look at the universe and the underlying scientific principles and mathematics that are its foundation, it's amazing to me that there are people who don't believe in God. For me, the belief in a supernatural being explains everything about the natural world we live in.
I would ask that atheists consider this question: "Is it possible that God exists even though I don't believe there is a God or I haven't seen any evidence that God exists?" In ancient times, people thought the world was flat. It was actually round, even though no one saw any evidence to support that fact. Isaac Newton saw the attraction between objects as an unseen force called gravity. Einstein's General Theory of Relativity shows that gravity is not some unseen force but is actually a result of the interaction between spacetime and matter. My point is that there have always been unknown truths, things that are contrary to the senses or the most current human wisdom but nonetheless they exist. Is it even remotely possible that God falls into this category? For the atheists that say no, I have to marvel at their arrogance, because they believe their sphere of knowledge encompasses all knowledge. It seems to me they do worship an imperfect and flawed God that is really no God at all: themselves.
Everyone is free to choose what they believe. God gave that right to all men, and therefore it is not mine to give or take away. However, consider carefully what you choose to believe. This freedom of choice means that your actions are your own & you are therefore accountable to God for your choices. Jesus says in Matthew 12: "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." Choose wisely, and realize that man's wisdom is not always perfect and is certainly not infinite.
