World Religions in a Nutshell (21 page)

[An atheist will often ask you where Hell is, and if you can’t tell him exactly where it’s located, it therefore doesn’t exist. So, ask him where the city of Invercargill is located. More than likely he won’t know (it’s at the bottom of the South Island of New Zealand). Then ask, “So Invercargill doesn’t exist, because you can’t tell me where it’s located? I know Hell exists because I have the greatest authority on this earth—the Word of God.”]

“
I don’t believe God exists. I do not believe in the Bible as the literal inerrant word of God. Thus, Heaven and Hell are, in my opinion, much like God: a feel-good idea that swims in the minds of people, but has little bearing in reality. It’s also a nifty way to control people through fear, but I digress. Personally, I think the idea of Hell points to exceptional cruelty. An eternity of pain? That’s pure evil. Heaven also sounds pretty boring. I’d rather reincarnate (but alas, I don’t believe in that either).”

[The question is often asked, “How could a loving God create Hell?” Think of a how civil judge, who turned a blind eye to murder, would be corrupt and should be brought to justice himself. If the Judge of the Universe is not going to bring murderers to ultimate justice, then He is corrupt. He would be wicked. In the 1990s in the U.S. there were 200,000 murders. Statistics show that during those ten years half of those homicide crimes were unsolved. That means that 100,000 people got away with murder. When we use the Law to show that God is not only loving, but that He is perfect, holy, just, and good, we end up saying, “How can there not be a Hell?”]

Sin

“
I do not believe there is such a thing as sin, mainly because I do not believe that the Bible is anything other than a load of stories. If there is sin, then there must be moral absolutes, which do not exist because our stance on morality has
changed over time. Homosexuality was originally thought of as fine, then the Christians decided it was evil, and now most of us think it is fine again. A continually evolving morality does not have sin, unless the sin were to evolve with it, which makes the entire point of it useless.”

[There’s a big problem when an atheist denies that sin (evil) exists. All you have to do is ask if murder is wrong, and if he says that it’s not, keep on asking if what Hitler did was wrong, or if pedophilia is wrong. You will soon find that he has a moral boundary regarding what is right and what is wrong. God’s moral standard is infinitely higher.]

“
Sin is the Christian concept that there are certain bad deeds that will send you to Hell. Many of these are antiquated, and
part of human nature. Sins are used to scare people into believing that they are going to burn in Hell after they die if they don’t ask for forgiveness from a supernatural deity.”

“
I don’t believe in sin. If something is harmful to others, it is wrong regardless of what God thinks about it. If something causes no one else any harm, it is not wrong regardless of what God thinks.”

[Is it therefore wrong for a pedophile to secretly take photos of naked children? It’s not harmful to the children, since they’re not even aware of it.]

“
There are such things as right and wrong actions, which are derived from the suffering that is averted or afflicted (see: utilitarianism), along with other factors such as privacy,
autonomy, dignity etc. People’s actions are right or wrong based on their observed effects in the real world (this one). However, regarding the concept of ‘sin,’ if ‘sin’ is defined as disobedience to a given deity, then sin is an entirely pointless concept until we have compelling evidence of the existence—and rightful authority—of that given deity in the first place.”

“
Against God or man? It is possible to wrong one’s fellow man, and such could be called a sin. On the other hand, one can no more sin against God than one can sin against Santa or the Easter Bunny. One cannot sin against that which does not exist.”

“
Are there are morally wrong things? Yes. Are there things that jeopardize society? Yes. Are they sins, in that they should
be punished by forces infinitely vaster than our own and condemn them for an eternity (not a while—an eternity!) of pain? No. There is no crime so terrible to merit that. I can’t possibly believe in sin in the religious sense. Some things should be punished for the good of the population and the world as a whole, but for eternity? No.”

“
I do believe in ethics. These, however, don’t come from God but from other people who decide as a group. It’s not as solid a basis as God might be, but it’s all we can work with. A God not existing, there is nothing that God does not want us to do.”

“
A human construct used to describe things that our psychology, culture, and evolution–derived ‘morals’ defines as ‘bad.’ We all have our own embedded feelings of ‘right’ or ‘wrong.’ But these can be subjective. Regardless, there is no such thing as absolute right or wrong. The universe doesn’t care.”

“
I don’t believe there are any actions such that will go against
my salvation (which I think is what sin means), since I don’t think I need to be saved. I do believe there are things that are right and things that are wrong. But they don’t coincide with sin. For example, homosexuality, to me, just is, and is just as right or wrong as being blond.”

Salvation

“
Seeing as I do not believe in an afterlife, the concept of salvation seems ridiculous and unnecessary to me.”

“
Salvation is a concept in many religions that one can only be ‘saved’ by following the rules of the particular religion, thereby avoiding ‘Hell’ and making it in to ‘Heaven.
’”

“
Salvation: From what? I don’t need to be saved. You have to prove that I have a soul to save before you can convince me that you have the cure.”

“
No such thing as ‘sin,’ or ‘Hell,’ so no need for salvation. It would be only after we have compelling evidence of a particular God that such a concept is even worth discussing.”

“
When you die, your consciousness ceases to exist. Salvation
is nothing more than wishful thinking.”

“
There is no such thing as an immortal soul. Everything about who you are—thoughts, emotions, memories, personality—is defined by the chemical and structural makeup of one’s brain and physiology. When your brain dies, so does your consciousness and ‘self.’ Thus, afterlife and concepts such as ‘salvation’ are meaningless. After life there is only nothing.”

“
Salvation implies sin, which I don’t believe in. I do believe people can change (maybe I am just an optimist, but I do), that people can go past their petty crimes and move on, live better. Some people might not be able, either because of the chemistry in their brains or the conviction of their own righteousness or something else entirely; but many people can change. If that’s salvation—and not some feel-good ‘God
will give you an eternity of pleasure if you just do this’—then I suppose I believe in it. It has nothing to do with God or Jesus or the Bible, and all to do with the human mind and our own capacity to overcome our limitations and grow.”

How to Reach an Atheist

To shine the light of the gospel in the hearts of atheists, there are two approaches we could use. We could address their intellect or we could address their conscience.

First, let’s look at speaking to the intellect. It’s a simple thing to prove the existence of God. To do so, let me quote from
The Evidence Bible
(Bridge-Logos):

When I look at a building, how do I know that there was a builder? I can’t see him, hear him, touch, taste, or smell him. Of course, the build
ing
is proof that there was a build
er
. In fact, I couldn’t want better evidence that there was a builder than to have the building in front of me. I don’t need “faith” to know that there was a builder. All I need is eyes that can see and a brain that works.

Likewise, when I look at a painting, how can I know that there was a painter? Again, the paint
ing
is proof positive that there was a paint
er
. I don’t need “faith” to believe in a painter because I can see the clear evidence.

The same principle applies with the existence of God. When I look at creation, how can I
know
that there was a Creator? I can’t see Him, hear Him, touch Him, taste Him, or smell Him. How can I know that He exists? Why, creation shows me that there is a Creator.
I couldn’t want better proof that a Creator exists than to have the creation in front of me
. I don’t need faith to believe in a Creator; all I need is eyes that can see and a brain that works: “For the invisible things of Him
from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made
, even His eternal
power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20, emphasis added). If, however, I want the builder to
do
something for me,
then
I need to have faith in him. The same applies to God: “Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for He that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

As you can see, atheists use numerous arguments to defend their belief systems. So, if you are going to address the intellect (the place of argument), you will find yourself running down a mass of rabbit trails. Instead, do what Jesus did—address the conscience. Consider this analogy.

I’m not big on fishing. I far prefer catching. However, there can be no catching without fishing, so I have made a point of studying the skills that make a difference as to whether I catch or fish.

For example, there are right and wrong ways to bait a hook. Bait should be used to attract fish and at the same time disguise the hook. Fish are not stupid. They aren’t going to bite onto a hook that they can see. So, a wise fisherman baits the hook to hide its deadly barbs. Then, when he sees that a fish is nibbling at the bait, he quickly jerks the line and pulls the hook into the jaw, and reels him in.

Apologetics are wonderful bait. I love even the smell of a good apologetical argument. It can’t help but attract the fish. He doesn’t see anything threatening in an argument about the Bible. He knows he can win any dispute about that book of myths. It has
an aroma that attracts him.

God’s Law is the hook; and it’s that from which he instinctively keeps his distance. It threatens him. That’s because it brings the knowledge of sin (see Romans 3:19,20), so his mind is naturally hostile toward the Law. The Scriptures tells us that his carnal mind is at “enmity” with God, and it’s “not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be” (see Romans 8:7). He isn’t stupid. If he can see the Law, he’s not going to bite. So a wise fisher of men will carefully hide the hook under some good bait.

Jesus did this with the woman at the well. He first spoke of natural water. Nothing threatening here. Then He quickly
pulled the hook of the Law into her jaw, by alluding to the Seventh Commandment to bring the knowledge of sin (see John 4:16).

Paul did a similar thing in Athens. His heart was stirred because the whole city was given over to idolatry (see Acts 17:16). So he baited them by giving an interesting line about their poets, then he quickly jerked the Law into the jaw by preaching against their idolatry (see verses 29,30). They had sinned against God by transgressing the First and Second Commandments; they had “other gods” before Him and therefore needed to repent. The Law brought the Athenians the knowledge of sin.