Hello everyone and welcome back to Deeper Waters where we are diving into the ocean of truth! I ask for your continued prayers and support. I was walking out of our apartment this morning for a counseling session when I slipped on our icy walkway and crashed to the ground. I ended up going to the doctor instead. My wife and I just have one mishap after another so we appreciate your prayers and support in this time. Being unemployed doesn’t make it easier.
We’ve been talking lately about atheist sound bites. Tonight, I’d like to look at the one often heard when an atheist will say “You’re an atheist with regards to Zeus, Thor, and Isis. We just go one god farther!”
At this point, an audience is left in awe as if a major point has been scored against the Christian. Hey! That is true! You are an atheist with regards to all those other gods! It seems like the atheist is being the consistent one! This has been repeated so mindlessly by atheists that you’d almost be tempted to think that there was some substance to the argument.
Why should this be seen as a great point. Yes. I don’t believe in those other gods. The reasons I don’t however are quite different from the reasons an atheist doesn’t. I don’t believe in those other gods not because I disbelieve in deities altogether. I disbelieve in those other gods because of the reason the atheist keeps thinking is a good reason to deny something, and I agree, lack of evidence.
When someone presents me with good evidence to believe in the existence of Zeus, Thor, Isis, or any other deity, I will be glad to listen to that evidence, but until such evidence is forthcoming, I will believe in the God who I believe has left sufficient evidence of his existence, and that is the triune God revealed in Jesus Christ.
Of course, you could say that you do not believe the evidence is sufficient, and you have all right to say that. That does not mean that I do not believe it is sufficient. You could be tempted to say my reasons for belief are entirely emotional, but if I point to rational argumentation instead of an emotional response, then upon what grounds will you do that other than an a priori conclusion that all theistic belief must be for emotional reasons?
The reason I believe in the one God that I do is not for special pleading, but because I find the evidence to be convincing. To just say “I disbelieve in one less god” is not satisfactory. The question is “Why do you believe in one less god?” That is when we finally get to the reasons rather than a vapid saying devoid of any content.
As I have said before however, statements like these reveal to me the real anti-intellectualism of the new atheism. It is a belief system that thinks it alone has reason and that theism can be dismissed with a wave of the hand. The problem is so many Christians are unprepared that they can easily be blown away by that wave.
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