The Laborious Study of Anything

 

I recently heard a quote, and I might not get it exactly right, but here is the gist of it: Laborious study does not lead to disbelief (or maybe it was unbelief); It comes through a love of sin.

From the nature of the quote, assumption could be made that the reference was to belief, or the suspension of it, in the God of the Bible. I don't recall if the word used was disbelief or unbelief. I’m sure it wasn’t nonbelief. In the context of the quote, disbelief seems the correct choice.

But is there really any difference?

From Merriam-Webster:

Disbelief: the mental rejection of something as untrue

Unbelief: incredulity or skepticism especially in matters of religious faith

Nonbelief: absence or lack of belief, especially : absence or lack of religious belief

When I wrote Our Town Atheist, I included this book cover tagline: Can an unbeliever bring revival to a small town in the Bible belt? With Adam Bender’s luck, it could happen.

My publisher changed the wording, and rightly so, from unbeliever to nonbeliever. Not that Adam Bender isn’t incredulous and skeptical, but nonbeliever is the better characterization of an atheist.

The faint disparities between the three words give them leeway in everyday use. But not on a book cover—that’s why God made editors. My concern, at least for this moment, is not the un or non, but the disbelief that comes from the study of something. It might be science, or sociology, or modern culture or politics. It might even come from studying the Bible. A person can believe in love and forgiveness and grace, but falter when it comes to judgment and wrath and the absolute validity of the sin problem. It’s easy to say you’re a believer until you come across some words you just can’t believe. If it’s an easy decision and shut the book and walk away, believer was never your label.

And your belief was shallow if the laborious study of anything brought you to disbelief. You were an unbeliever trying to believe, but you didn't. Or a nonbeliever trying to prove yourself right.

So, how does the love of sin lead to disbelief? You said you believed and you lived like a believer, but the knowledge you think you've gained has led to disbelief. Where’s the sin in that? And how can anyone tell you that you love sin?

You didn’t become a bad person, just one who no longer accepts the notion that God is real. Rejection of God, who gladly reveals His nature and character through His word, is the sin of rebellion. You haven’t lost your compassion; you simply unshackled yourself from outdated ideas. Elevating your own intellect above the wisdom bestowed by God results in the sin of pride. Now your disbelief (rejection of the truth) morphs into unbelief (skepticism) which lands you where you think you want to be: you’re a nonbeliever, an atheist. Because you loved sin? Yes. Because you loved a world ripped loose from God more than a world united with God.

A young, church-going friend of mine recently declared that due to her laborious (she didn’t really use that word) study of science, she is now an atheist. I won’t correct her if she interchanges the words disbelief, unbelief, and nonbelief. I won’t scold her about her studies. I will tell her I’ve studied science longer and harder that she has, and I've never found that God was not there. I will remind her the Holy Spirit leads us to the truth, every time. I will encourage her, and love her, and tell her with a smile and a pat on the back this one thing: Atheism is temporary.

 

 

How I First Met My Make Believe Atheist Friend

Notification came this week that my novel, Our Town Atheist, will finally release in paperback. The e-book hit the market nearly a year ago, and more than a few
people have asked me when the old-school, flip-the-pages edition would be available. Here's the answer: October 15th!  You can pre-order on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3lPOk2W.

By the way, Our Town Atheist recently won an award from NEST, National Excellence in Storytelling!

Excited at the prospect of actually holding this book in my hands, I was reminded of what led to the story. A couple of posts about atheism brought more comments than any other posts I had written, up to that point. Some were not so kind, but others were simply curious about my position. That's when Adam Bender wandered into my writer's head and made himself comfortable. He was a friendly sort, no agenda, no need to criticize believers. He just wanted to blend in, to live an uncomplicated life. Of course, he's the lead character in a novel, so that was out of the question.

Adam Bender, perhaps, softened my view of the atheist. Not that I was hardened in my perception, but that initial blog post might have, to an atheist, come off as being written by someone who didn’t have any atheist friends. Well, I’ve had a few, but none too closely. Until Adam. I know what you're thinking. Yes, I made him up. But to me, he still counts.

Does the story end with Adam coming on over to the other team? I think so, but, perhaps out of respect for the atheist community, Adam never really told me for sure. You, the reader, may come to your own conclusion.

Here’s the post that started it all. If you’re an atheist, don’t take offense. I’m not here to dismiss your opinion or trample on your rights. If you’re a believer, pay attention to what some atheists think about the authenticity of your faith. And make sure they’re not right.

The Faith of the New Atheist

Spreading a post-modern, judicious brand of unbelief.

 

I wonder if even 10% of the people who proclaim their belief in God actually do believe in God.  Daniel Dennett1

 

As one of the leaders of the New Atheism, Mr. Dennett wonders about belief. He questions whether those of us who claim belief in God really possess it. Perhaps we only believe in believing in God, because believing in God is a good thing. Believers, whether genuine or not, might scoff. They’ll likely become defensive or act offended. Personally, I’m glad Mr. Dennett brought it up. Religious people should ask themselves whether they believe, or only believe in believing. Christians need to have an answer as to exactly what they believe. And they ought to know why they believe it. Otherwise, the fair and reasonable wonderment of Daniel Dennett will cut a hole in their flimsy belief in believing.

 

Mr. Dennett stands with a few other authors and thinkers who have earned the title of leader among the New Atheists. They include Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, and probably the most recognized in the pop-cultural movement, Richard Dawkins. Harris expresses worry about people “pretending to know things they clearly can’t know.” In my Christian experience, I’m somewhat concerned about that too. I don’t want to pretend to know what I should know definitively. That is, the truth of Scripture and the message of the Gospel. The late Christopher Hitchens believed “being an atheist is something you are, not something you do.” I hold to that faithful philosophy as well. Being a Christian is not something I do. It’s a much deeper reality than that. Dawkins states that “evolution led him to atheism.” I too was led (by the truth of the Word of God), and it took faith to follow. The New Atheist speaks with the same tenet of belief I hear from Christians.

 

The unbelievers are evangelical and their language proves it. They write books, and their books are not sloppy or lazy. These people are educated, practiced, and convinced. The movement spreads its message not only in bookstores and online, but on billboards. While religion may be banned in schools, there is no rule against atheistic ideals. At the college level, the ethics of atheism spread further and anchor deeper in the worldview of each generation.

 

The faithful atheist becomes a proselytizer. Rivaling Christianity in the number of organizations, the New Atheism offers endless websites, blogs, magazines, newsletters, social groups and clubs. The only organizational distinctions between the atheists and Christians are prayer groups and charities. Of course, some charitable organizations are supported by the New Atheists. At the top of the list is Planned Parenthood. Go figure. Also listed among charities likely to include atheist donors are helpful institutions like Doctors without Borders and The American Red Cross. Christians might support these, even join the cause, out of concern for humankind. But a line is drawn between the atheist donor and the Christian giver.

 

The atheist might say Christians crosses the line with a hidden agenda to use charity as a means for evangelism. But perhaps the same line, with an altered purpose, is crossed by the atheists. They’re aggressive in their quest to spread the message of New Atheism around the world.

 

What is the message? There is no hope, no promise, no eternal life. No God. So…if there is nothing, why the fervent hunt for converts? I think it goes back to what Dawkins said—that he was led by evolution. I’m not arguing evolution with him or anybody else—it’s pointless and useless. But I question if that’s actually what led him. Jumping the chasm to atheism isn’t a direct leap of the intellect. A brilliant, deity-denying atheist can follow Satan’s call as swiftly and unwittingly as a fool.  The end result is the same as it is for the one who believes that believing in God equates being redeemed by God. The faith of the New Atheist binds him to the unseen, completely disregarded, adamantly denied power of darkness. It’s the opposite of heeding God’s call, but it does take faith. And it does promise eternity. The kind not even a fool would want.

Part IV: Theophobia: America Has Turned on Religion

This is part IV of my series. To read previous posts, click on these titles:

Introduction: Another Civil War in America? 

Part I: Racism: The Church, the Media, and the New Definition of Racist 

Part II: Abortion: A Once Private Decision That Became a Celebrated National Demand

Part III: Potusphobia: Fear, Hate, and the President  

A few recent articles. Click on the titles read:

Does the Democratic Party have a God problem?

America’s Changing Religious Identity

How Religious Fear is Shaping the Culture War

Hail Satan?:How a documentary is turning people into Satanists  

Decline of Christianity in America continuing at rapid pace, poll finds

AG Barr Says America Was Founded on Christian Values,Progressive Group Calls Statement “Toxic Christian Nationalism”

Atheists sound the alarm: Decline of Christianity is seriously hurting society

Definition of theophobia: a morbid fear or hatred of God, or an irrational fear of religion.

In my last post, I used a new word, potusphobia, to describe how some citizens feel about the current president. This week's subject, theophobia, is nothing new. This particular fear is recognized, classified, and experienced by a large portion of the U.S. population. Fear of God is not so much an issue—not anymore. Few are left who fear His wrath, His judgment. Perhaps I’ve brought to your mind a cowering fear, a lightning bolt from Heaven anxiety. For those who’ve experienced God, and have been transformed by the gospel, fear of God is not like that. As one redeemed by the blood of Christ, I don’t fear His wrath. But I do fear His discipline. In other words, I have a healthy respect for His awesome power, knowing that He loves me enough to set me straight. But if you don’t believe that He is, then you can’t believe that He will. If you’ve worked Him out of your worldview then you don’t fear Him.

Hatred is another issue. The unbelieving soul hates the God it denies. On some level, this is true of all who are lost in unbelief. It’s in our nature to oppose God. In our post-Christian culture, the idea that some people still consider faith a viable life choice increases the hate and extends it. Hatred is growing against believers, laws supporting the believer’s right to believe, and public displays of belief.

This applies to the Christian Church, but also to other religions. Some believe Islam deserves our government’s protection and support, while others fear the Muslim people, considering them all terrorists. As well, anti-Semitism is on the rise in America and around the world. As fear of religion increases, so do rogue, dangerous religious activities. Satanism and witchcraft are both increasing in popularity.

As evil becomes mainstream, the true Church is blasted as an organization no longer representing America's heritage. No longer do we reflect on our history of Christianity as positive. Christians resist progress. Christians don’t care about the environment. Christians don’t like anyone who’s different. They don’t support the rights of others. It’s the Christians who are the haters. And all the rest are filled with love. 

It’s not that I don’t see how some people, like cattle drawn into a stampede, fall in line with this mindset, with a culture shift leaving Christianity on the barren ground to be trampled upon. I’m not crying about my rights. There is no “woe is me” and I’m not opposed to viewing the Church from the eyes of an outsider. I understand why some people have built a wall against Christianity.

But I won’t ever trade my freedom for the chains of their supposed enlightenment. Christians do value God’s creation. We delight in diversity. As American Christians, we ought to uphold the rights of every religious group. If they lose theirs, we lose ours. Christians, if they truly follow Christ, love others. Those who can’t stand our presence—and I don’t mean this in a hateful way—are filled not with love, but with lies.

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Isaiah 5: 20-21

Even so, if we’re following Christ in truth, we will keep on loving others, including the ones who hate us. The stampede drags in some who don’t know better. They don’t know they’re about to run off a cliff. They don’t even know why they’re running. It’s hatred for God and fear of His Kingdom that goads them. And there is no hope for them apart from the redeeming love of Christ. If I were one of them, I’d be theophobic too.

Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. John 3: 18-19

Is it possible that theophobia will lead to civil unrest? In many ways, it already has. But all-out war? If it happens, I will stand with my brothers and sisters in Christ even to the point of detainment, even unto death. If I remain alive and free, I pray I might offer refuge to Christians, Muslims, Jews, and anyone else imperiled by a war against religion. That's what Jesus would do. Only the Light can dispel the darkness.

Are You a Practical Atheist?

Stephen Charnock, a clergyman who lived in the 1600s, said this: “Men may have atheistic hearts without atheistic heads.”

In other words, a man who only believes in his mind that there is a God may not agree in his heart.

An overt atheist, one fully committed to his unbelief, might indulge in moments of speculation, even though in his head he knows better. I once knew an atheist who asked me to pray for him. In his head, he was an atheist, and in his heart, too. But moments of despair or fear, even enlightenment or amazement, may have led him to consider the prospect of God.

I’ve also known a few who’ve asked for prayer, not expecting that it will be done, or if it is done that it won’t accomplish much. The request from this sort of person is not so much a longing for God, but a grasp at pity. No answer is needed, only acknowledgement that the person’s life is not the way he wants it to be. He’s been cosmically cheated out of what he thought was due him.

In his head, he believes. He assumes God is there, or at least he hopes it. He follows certain rules, but others he ignores because they aren’t easy for him. Maybe he goes to church. He gives something of his money and time and attention. In his mind, he finds the notion of God necessary. But in his heart, God is unknown.

A fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 14:1

The overt atheist denies God because he sees no option. Nothing proves God’s existence to him. In both heart and mind, God is absent. But an atheist in practice—a practical atheist—finds it hard to let go of what God has become to him. The head belief may be built on tradition. It might come from a childhood acceptance of a religious order. Or it could just be fear of the proverbial zap by a lightning bolt for admitting doubt. The practical atheist says there is a God, but he has no desire, or ability for that matter, to love Him or live for Him. He may call on divine rescue from time to time, but he’s practically noncommittal about the ultimate rescue, even if he says otherwise.

Who’s to blame for the practical atheist’s predicament? Did he attend a church which did not fervently preach the gospel? Was he wrongly led to believe that God would grant him a life of good wishes and happy endings? Perhaps he clings to God in his head because deep in his heart he wants God to be true, but he has never experienced God’s truth. So he goes on living as if there is no God, and what a fool he is for it. He lives as he pleases, not caring for God or others. Not abiding in God’s word, even though he says he agrees with it. Not filled with gratitude, but with self-indulgence.

If he keeps up his act within the church, he might be spotted by a discerning brother. He might be outed by a gospel-centered body of believers. He might be called by God. If so, God will win him, and his practical atheism will let him go.

The overt atheist who asks me for prayer will get prayer. Whether or not his request is genuine, I don’t know. The practical atheist who asks for prayer will get it too. Whether or not his request is genuine, I don’t know. God knows, and God is able to rescue heads and hearts from both atheist camps. From the one that declares there is no God, and from the one that presumes there is a God.