On Atheism, Quote 1

The Christian faith is good for the world because it provides the fixed standard which atheism cannot provide and because it provides forgiveness for sins, which atheism cannot provide either. We need the direction of the standard because we are confused sinners. We need the forgiveness because we are guilty sinners. Atheism not only keeps the guilt, but it also keeps the confusion. –Douglas Wilson

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7 Replies to “On Atheism, Quote 1”

  1. Quite right.
    The only problem is that the Christian faith provides the guilt in the first place and prolongs the confusion in the second. Not very helpful, is it?

    Instead of telling us why atheists are wrong, since atheists will not agree with you and the rest of us do not care, why do you not try telling us, in positive ways, why you are right, instead?

  2. Ah…interesting questions. Thank you for leaving your comments Hakima.
    If you are expecting some sort of list for historical evidence and scientific data, you are not going to find it here. See some other Christian apologetic website like: apologetics.com
    But if you are seeking an epistemological reason, then, here are two reasons why we are right and you are wrong:
    a) God is the source of all knowledge. Outside from him, human beings cannot account for the laws of logic, morality, reason and rationality. Only by presupposing God can we account for anything in this world.
    b) We are right because God has revealed himself in His written word, the Bible. There it tells us that God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1) and that to deny his existence is foolish (Psalm 14:1)

    I am not sure what you mean about the Christian faith providing the guilt in the first place. I think you make a valid point if you refer to Fundamentalism in Christianity. That is, in my estimation an abuse of the Christian faith and does provide unnecessary guilt. But true Christian expression does not provide guilt, because we are already guilty from birth (Genesis 3).

  3. We are right because God has revealed himself in His written word, the Bible.

    Many religions claim that their god provided them a holy book (including hindus, mulsims, buddhists, christians, scientologists, pastafarians, etc).

    How can you justify rejecting all of those books, and yet are willing to accept the one you’ve come to believe?

    Then for a second, let’s assume you’ve picked the “right” book (which assumes that such a book even exists). This book (the bible) has many different translations. Some of these translations have QUITE different wording, so far apart in fact that in some cases the same passage in two different versions can say conflicting things. How can you be certain you’ve chosen the “correct” translation?

    Then, let’s assume you’ve gotten the correct translation somehow. Many groups using the same translations have very different interpretations of what the bible says. Some people believe that the bible justifies bombing abortion clinics, while others beleive the bible condemns ALL killing (as you might be able to tell, these are two opposing views). Some people protest funerals with signs reading “god hates fags”, and “god hates america”, while others are ordaining homosexual priests/pastors, and others are saying “god bless the USA”. How can you be certain you are interpreting this holy book the “correct” way?

    Perhaps YOU have managed to pick the right god (out of thousands of gods throughout human recorded history), and picked the right version of that god, and picked the right book, and the right translation of that book, and you’re interpreting it the correct way, but how do you KNOW that?

    I go into this topic a bit on my blog: http://potomac9499.wordpress.com/2008/01/30/an-open-question-to-all-believers/

    You may be interested in what some of the others have said on this topic…

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