The Path to Atheism. . .

Posted by Dan C. on

How does any person come to the place of professing to be an atheist? I hesitate to say that anyone actually becomes an atheist, if we define ‘atheism’ as  believing that there is no God. What I see in the quotes below from John Bunyan and the Apostle Paul is a progression from what is known in the heart of every person ever born to a state of denial of that which is planted in every heart – the knowledge of God.

“When wicked and unprincipled persons have gone on in a course of sin to the degree that they can scarcely hope for a pardon and find that they have reason to fear the just judgment of God for their sins, they begin at first to wish that there were no God to punish them, which they think would be in their best interests. And so, by degrees, they come to persuade themselves that three is no God. Then they determine to find arguments to back their opinion in order to prove what they are willing to believe.” John Bunyan – Visions of Heaven and Hell

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness, because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened. 

Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor their bodies among themselves. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions.

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done.” The Apostle Paul-Romans, Chapter 1

Furthermore, I do not think for a second that the knowledge of God really disappears, but rather, it is intentionally buried under successive layers of sin and en ever increasing hatred of God. Why else would those who profess to be atheists become so vitriolic and spiteful towards those who do believe in the one true God? In discussing the existence of God with professing atheists I have encountered the same thing over and over again. After their ‘scientific’ reasoning has fallen flat, when faced with facts of science pointing to an intelligent designer far more compelling than those used to ‘prove’ the non-existence of God, they are left with little more than name-calling, slandering and attempting to destroy the lives of those who refuse to deny their God.

P.S. In case you are wondering, I did just see the documentary Expelled and I would call it a ‘must see’. This is not however, strictly an advertisement for the film. Seeing this film only reinforced what I already believed to be true.

29 responses to “The Path to Atheism. . .”

  1. Furthermore, I do not think for a second that the knowledge of no god really disappears, but rather, it is intentionally buried under successive layers of arrogance and an ever increasing hatred of people who are different.

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  3. Hi Michelle! I’m glad you appreciated the film. May folks who can make a change in academia to allow freedom of expression of ideas will also see and act. It’s the students who suffer the most.

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  4. My kid is one of those students – wanting to go into the research end of the field yet not sure if he’s up for the fight. I keep praying he won’t step away from a dream, but if God wants him to be part of the “battle” it has become…

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  6. “When wicked and unprincipled persons have gone on in a course of sin to the degree that they can scarcely hope for a pardon and find that they have reason to fear the just judgment of God for their sins, they begin at first to wish that there were no God to punish them, which they think would be in their best interests. And so, by degrees, they come to persuade themselves that three is no God.”

    This was exactly me before I gave my life to Christ. I had grown up in a home of believers, ran away at 16 with a man, and sunk my life into a whirlwind of sin, pain, guilt….anything that stood for what Jesus did not. I began to convince myself there was no God, for those very reasons above. I couldn’t bear the guilt and conviction for the life that I was living, denying Jesus with every breath, yet neither would I lay down my pride and concede that my parents were right in their passion for Him. So rather than invite Him to wash me clean of all of my sin and guilt, I simply told myself He didn’t really exist.
    The only problem with that….He didn’t believe that I didn’t exist! He knew right where to find me, and find me He certainly did!! And when Love chases you down and offers life where you should be given death…well…I fell hard and fast. Thank God!!

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  7. Kelly,

    Thanks so much for sharing that. Your comments about the guilt and conviction from which you tried to run are especially significant! Did not Jesus say “I came to seek and save the lost?” What a wonderful testimony!

    What I find incredibly sad is that so many these days share about that amazing love, but leave out anything to do with sin and repentance, as if they are just side issues

    I never tried to deny His existance during the years I spent as the ‘Prodigal’ but when I finally yielded my stubborn pride and surrendered, I realized in that moment that he had been there all the time. Then later John 6:44 stripped the remaining vestige of pride in ‘my decision’ by telling me I would not have even decided unless he first drew me to hmself!

    How amazing a love is that!!!!!!

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  8. Hi there

    I think you’ve found the wrong atheists to talk with. Most atheists like me doesn’t really like to argue and ‘destroy’ theists’ lives. In addition, I’m quite certain that facts of science points towards evolution and atheism. Of course, there are some atheists who try really hard to assault theists- but that’s just the same case as theists trying to slander atheists.

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  9. Lee,

    I think you might find more real science that points to intelligent design than evolituon and atheism. My entire point is that there are no true atheists because we are all given proof that God exists in creation itself, and we are born with the knowledge of God. Lately evolutionists have come to use the term ‘natural selection’ tather than plain evolution because there never has been scientific evidence that evolution crosses species, but only evidence of evolution within species which is verifiable.

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  10. Hi again,

    Well I think it’s based on your premise of an existant God that there are no true atheists.
    I do agree with you that there is no evidence of cross-species evolution.. YET.
    Another thing is, real science do points towards evolution- the facts are massive and clear. It’s just how a person interprets the evidences.

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  11. It’s not a premise. He is evident in creain itself, and yes that is the basis of my assertion that there areno true atheists. Even you know that God exists, you just deny Him and are in rebellion against Him. That is the nature of man from the womb, according to Scripture.

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  12. I am an atheist. I do not believe God exists, and how are you going to prove otherwise? =/
    There is NO evidence of any god, except a book that mentions it. If you have any evidence despite the bible, please mention it, because I believe it’s a partial fictional book.

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  14. “It’s just how a person interprets the evidences.”

    This totally cracked me up. The facts are clear…you just need to interpret them the right way.

    LOL

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  15. Panther,

    Prof outside the book? You might start with the complexity of all living organisms, however I sense you are not so inclined.

    Is this where I congratulate you for possessing ALL knowledge by your insertion that there is NO evidence for creation? That’s what it would take for you to be right.

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  16. Can you prove the complexity of living organisms is the work of a god? I don’t think so… your beliefs have grown out a book that you do not know whether it’s true or not… If you have any objective, underbuild theories, I would love to hear them.

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  17. Panther, can you prove it’s not the work of an intelligent being, or that it all just ‘happened’ by itself? I don’t expect an answer nor will engage in long drawn arguments trying to ‘prove’ God exists. He has done a much better job of that in cration itself. Due to the complexity of living organisms I would submit however, that it’s far more humanly rational to believe that an intelligence is behind it all than believing it all ‘just happened’.

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  18. I hate to step into the middle of this. Lately, i have learned that it is a pointless exercise. But here goes anyway…

    Dan, whom I respect, is a presuppositionalist in that he presupposes the TRUTH of the Bible…through personal revelation. (If that is in error Dan feel free to correct me.)

    As for myself and I suspect you, Panther, we too are presuppositionalists too…but of a different sort. You and i presuppose that nature is all that there is…to us the super-natural does not exist. We are naturalists. We look at the universe and see evidence for natural causes for that which we observe. We base our understanding of the natural world not upon supernatural revelation but upon empirical evidence.

    Dan does not see the universe the same way that you and I do. That doesn’t make him somehow less intelligent.

    There is such a thing as ultimate truth, neither myself nor Dan are of the post-modernist ilk who seem to think that there are many truths.

    As naturalists we believe the truth can be found through rigorous and science based reconnaissance of the natural world. We’ve come far in the few hundred years we’ve been at this, but we’ve also a long way to go. May mysteries to solve and questions to answer. 🙂

    My point is there is NO point in arguing this here. As very different presuppositionalists we work from different realms and neither will change the others mind.

    R.

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