atheism -noun 1. the doctrine or belief that there is no God. (dictionary.com)
Did you catch that? Taking a position that there is no God is in itself a doctrine and requires belief. How cool is that! It allows for the fact that you can’t be sure, so you must believe such — just like the rest of us.
Not many people go through life without questioning their existence, as well as their mortality. A recent AARP poll noted that the older folks get, the more they begin to believe in God and the afterlife. Those who make it to their twilight years and face death’s door often see it as fish-or-cut-bait time; invariably, they will go with some type of religion in order to hedge their bets.
Have we ever seen God? Not really. Some have claimed it, but their testimonies are unverifiable. Few of us have seen the burning bush or heard the voice of thunder often attributed to God. So how do we hear about him? Most heard from their parents when they were children, then were introduced to the Bible and preachers at some point in time. But all of this boils down to people who wrote the Bible and other people who interpreted it.
Scientists start with theories, then proceed to assemble facts and conduct experiments in order to test the theories in a controlled environment. Since God can’t be poked and prodded, and since evidences of intelligent design fall short of locating the Designer, they must keep God at arm’s length. Some Christian scientists make grand assumptions to prove God’s existence, but the truth is that they must build on a premise of faith.
G. K. Chesterton said that “if there were no God, then there would be no Atheists.” I believe that all human beings have deep within them the light of their creator. Cannot God operate only through the forces of nature and within our hearts? Must he conform to our requisites in order to prove his existence? God = Hope. How futile our lives would be if this is all there is — birth, work, play, sickness, death!
Sadly, many choose to not believe in God because of the unacceptable image that is put before them. The God of the Muslim, who tells them to terrorize and destroy. The God of the Jew, who pre-selected one people, then punished them repeatedly for their disobedience. Or the God of the Christian Right, who encourages them to advance the Kingdom by force, take over governments, impose the Gospel, and convince the world that most of them will burn eternally in a fiery hell.
We are God’s light. We are the true hope. God is love. We must love. Therein is proof enough. Truth and love will prevail with or without our help. Dante said, “The worst moment for the atheist is when he is really thankful and has nobody to thank.”
Thank you, Lord.
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