07.09.11_the existence of god and atheism

8/3/2019 07.09.11_The Existence of God and Atheism

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TheExistenceofGodandAtheism

Genesis1:1

Introduction:

EpigramonAtheism:

Iamanatheist,thankGod!Anonymous NobodytalkssoconstantlyaboutGodasthosewhoinsistthatthereisnoGod.

HeywoodBrown

TosweareffectivelymenmustmakereferencetoGod.Imagine,anatheisticevolutionisttryingforablood-curdlingoathbyswearinginthenameofnatural

selection,orbytheslimy,primevalamoeba.ChristianityToday

CalvinCoolidgeoncesaid:Itishardtoseehowagreatmancanbeanatheist.Doubtersdonotachieve.Skepticsdonotcontribute.Cynicsdonotcreate.

G.K.ChestertononcesaiditisoftensupposedthatwhenpeoplestopbelievinginGod,theybelieveinnothing.Alas,itisworsethanthat.Whentheystopbelievingin

God,theybelieveinanything.

DostoyevskiremarkedthatIfGoddoesnotexist,everythingispermissible.1

1Tan,P.L.(1996).Encyclopediaof7700Illustrations:SignsoftheTimes.Garland,TX:

BibleCommunications,Inc.


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Interesting Atheism StatisticsPosted on February 23, 2010 | 12 Comments

Here are some interesting statistics in regards to the growth of atheism/agnosticism around

the world:

1. 50% of Israelis who were born ethnically Jewish consider themselves secular.

2. 38% of Israelis consider themselves agnostic/atheist.

3. 59% of Chinese consider themselves non-religious. 32% do not believe in any god, or higher power.

4. In a 2006 New Zealand census 36% ticked No Religion

5. A 2008 survey of Canadians revealed that 23% do not believe in a god.

6. 32 million (15%) Americans claim No religion, according to a 2009 ARIS report

7. Vermont has the highest rate of No religion respondents with 34%, according to a 2009 ARIS report

8. A 2004 poll by the BBC found that more than 50% of Brits do not believe in a god

9. 80% of Swedes do not believe in a god.

10. Turkey has the lowest rate of atheism in the world, with less than 1% not believing in any kind of god

or higher power

Sources:

* http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_atheist.html Top 50 Countries With Highest Proportion of

Atheists / Agnostics

*Eurostat poll on the social and religious beliefs of Europeans (PDF). Retrieved 2006-05-10.

Interesting Atheism Statis tics | Rational ists's Blog http://rationalistsblog.net/2010/02/23/interesting-atheism-statistics/

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1.TheTruthofGodsEternalityisClearGenesis1:11885NoProofinBible

AUniversityofB.C.philosophyprofessor,Dr.PeterRemnant,told1,100studentsin

anoon-hourspeechthatthereisnoproofintheBiblethatGodexists.

Quiteright.TheexistenceofGodistakenforgrantedintheBible.TheScripture

startedwiththesewords:InthebeginningGod(Gen.1:1).2

A.AnEternalGodMeansRefugeforFiniteBeingsWhoFaceCommonDanger

Deuteronomy33:27,TheeternalGodisthyrefuge,Andunderneatharethe

everlastingarms:Andheshallthrustouttheenemyfrombeforethee;

Andshallsay,Destroythem.

Refugemeans:Adwellingplace,astateofsafetyfromdanger.

o Thereisnoneedforsafetyifthereisnostandardthatoutlineswhatisdangerous.

o Ifthereissuchathingassafetyanddanger,whodeterminesthis?Whatisthebasisofthis

determination?

TheWordofGodteachesusthatoureternalGodprovidesusaplaceofrefugeorsafety.

Evenanatheistwouldclaimthatthereareevilthingsinthisworldfromwhichonemustseeksafety.




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o Anatheistcannotdenythatthereisevilinthisworldfromwhichoneseekssafety.

o Toadmitthatthereisevil,onemustadmitthatthereisgoodandastandardforthatgoodthatisabsolute.

ItisthisEternalGodthattheWordofGodgivestousasourRefuge.Thisnotonly

assumeswhatallmenmustadmit,butthistruthgivesushopeinspiteofthe

troublewewillface.ThishopeisonlyfoundintheeternalGod:JesusChrist.

B.ThefactthatGodhasexistedfromgenerationtogenerationprovestheexistenceoftheeternalGod.

Genesis21:33,AndAbrahamplantedagroveinBeer-sheba,andcalledthereonthe

nameoftheLord,theeverlastingGod.

Psalm90:12,Lord,thouhastbeenourdwellingplaceinallgenerations.Before

themountainswerebroughtforth,Oreverthouhadstformedtheearthandtheworld,

Evenfromeverlastingtoeverlasting,thouartGod.

IfGodhasexistedfromonegenerationtothenextoveraperiodofhundredsofyears,whatbarsHimfromexisting

sinceeternitypast?

IfHeiscapableofexistingsince4000BC,whynotsincebeforecreation?

NationalBeliefs:

Haveyoueverconsideredthefactthateverynationhasworshippedsomethingorsomeone?Therehasnotbeena

nationwithoutbeliefinsomeGod,whetherfalseortrue.

o Examples: Genesis3:5,ForGoddothknowthatinthe

dayyeeatthereof,thenyoureyesshallbe


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opened,andyeshallbeasgods,knowinggood

andevil.

Genesis31:30,Andnow,thoughthouwouldestneedsbegone,becausethousore

longedstafterthyfathershouse,yetwherefore

hastthoustolenmygods?

Genesis35:2,ThenJacobsaiduntohishousehold,andtoallthatwerewithhim,Put

awaythestrangegodsthatareamongyou,

andbeclean,andchangeyourgarments:

Joshua24:15,AndifitseemeviluntoyoutoservetheLord,chooseyouthisdaywhomye

willserve;whetherthegodswhichyour

fathersservedthatwereontheothersideof

theflood,orthegodsoftheAmorites,inwhose

landyedwell:butasformeandmyhouse,we

willservetheLord.

Ephesians14:1213,AndtheycalledBarnabas,Jupiter;andPaul,Mercurius,

becausehewasthechiefspeaker.Thenthe

priestofJupiter,whichwasbeforetheircity,

broughtoxenandgarlandsuntothegates,and

wouldhavedonesacrificewiththepeople.

1889ItTakesNoBrainsDwightD.Eisenhowersaid,Ittakesnobrainstobeanatheist.Anystupidperson

candenytheexistenceofasupernaturalpowerbecausemansphysicalsenses

cannotdetectit.Buttherecannotbeignoredthemysteryoffirstlifeorthe

marvelousorderinwhichtheuniversemovesaboutus.Alloftheseevidencethe


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handiworkofabeneficentDeity.Formypart,thatDeityistheGodoftheBibleand

Christ,HisSon.3

ThetruthofthematteristhatAtheismhaspresentedanopportunityformanto

dethroneGod,inmind,andenthronehimself.

TheGodoftheBibleistheEternalGodofthePast!HeistheonlytruthGod.

2.TheTruthofGodsExistenceCurrently

NaturalRevelation:

Romans1:20,Fortheinvisiblethingsofhimfromthecreationoftheworldare

clearlyseen,beingunderstoodbythethingsthataremade,evenhiseternalpowerand

Godhead;sothattheyarewithoutexcuse:

1891TheBigEngineerAbove

ThomasEdisonsaid:Noonecanstudychemistryandseethewonderfulwayin

whichcertainelementscombinewiththenicetyofthemostdelicatemachineever

invented,andnotcometotheinevitableconclusionthatthereisaBigEngineerwho

isrunningthisuniverse.4

Romans2:1415, ForwhentheGentiles,whichhavenotthelaw,dobynaturethe

thingscontainedinthelaw,these,havingnotthelaw,arealawuntothemselves:

Whichshewtheworkofthelawwrittenintheirhearts,theirconsciencealsobearing

witness,andtheirthoughtsthemeanwhileaccusingorelseexcusingoneanother;)


BibleCommunications,Inc.4Tan,P.L.(1996).Encyclopediaof7700Illustrations:SignsoftheTimes.Garland,TX:



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Theseversesanswerthequestionofwhyeverygenerationandnationhavehada

majorityofpeoplewhobelieveintheexistenceofaBeinggreaterthanthemselves.

A.ConsidertheEmotionsofManGenesis1:26Considerthatfactthatmanisanemotionalbeing.Whyisthis?Isitpossiblethat

theWordofGodanswersthis?Yes,maniscreatedintheimageofGod.Thismeans

thathe(man)isatrichotomy.Heismadeupofaspirit,asoul,andabody.Inhis

soul,hehasintellect,emotion,andwill.Someoftheseemotionsare:

- Love- Anger- Happiness

IfthereisnoGod,thereisnolove;forGodislove(IJohn4:78).Ifthereisno

God,thereisnoreasontolove.IftherewerenoGod,Whosetsthestandardfor

love?IfthereisnoGod,thenhatredforpeopleisnotwrong.

Whatisitthatcompelsustoactionwhenweseechildrenstarving?

Whatisitthatcompelsustoactionwhenweseesomeoneinadevastatingsituation?

Itisnoaccidentthatwepossesstheseemotions;itisbecauseourGodisapersonal

God.WearenotsimplyrejectingthefalsehoodofAtheism,butwealsorejectthe

falsehoodofDeism.TheonetrueGodisapersonalGod.

B.ConsidertheEndofMan

Hebrews9:27,Andasitisappointeduntomenoncetodie,butafterthisthe

judgment:


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Thefinitudeofmanisaglaringtruththateveryonemustconfront.Eachhuman

mustfacetherealitythattheirlifeonthisearthisfinite.Togiveadmissiontothe

finitudeofmanistogiveadmissiontoastandardforthefinitude.Toadmitthat

somethingisfinite,itmustbecomparedagainstthebackdropofinfinitude.

Nowthequestionbecomes,IsthereaSourcethatadequatelyanswerswhatthis

eternityis?Yes,theSourceittheWordofGod.TheWordofGodgives

satisfactoryreasoningforwhatwilltakeplaceafterdeath:

- Whilesomereligionsteachreincarnationintolesserbeings.

- OthersteachyoubecomepartoftheONE,inessence,yourindividualexistenceends.

- Othersteachofreceivingopportunitiestobeimmoralforallofeternity.

- TheWordofGodteachesthatfinitemanwascreatedbyanInfiniteGod;andthatthis

InfiniteGodcreatedfinitemanwithan

eternalsoul.

OurEternalGodistheEXISTINGONE:JEHOVAH:Isitanywondertoyouthat

thenameJEHOVAHmeans,theExistingONE?

Illustration:

Inspeakingtoayoungmanonetime,heaskedmeheredidGodcomefrom?Letme

askyouaquestion,WhydoesGodhavetocomefromsomewhere?

Dependentbeingsrequireacause.Ifwelookedatthispulpit,weknowthatitwasmadebysomeone.Inorderforittobehere,itwasputhere.Itdidnotjust

appearhere.Manisclearlydependent:heneedsair,water,andfood.Hence,

manisadependentbeing!Dependentbeingsneedacause,butGodisself-

sufficientandindependent.ThereisONEindependentBeingthatexists.HeisGod.

HeistheUncausedCauseofallthings!


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Genesis2:7says,AndtheLordGodformedmanofthedustoftheground,and

breathedintohisnostrilsthebreathoflife;andmanbecamealivingsoul.

Acts17:2329:

ForasIpassedby,andbeheldyourdevotions,Ifoundanaltarwiththisinscription,

TOTHEUNKNOWNGOD.Whomthereforeyeignorantlyworship,himdeclareIunto

you.24Godthatmadetheworldandallthingstherein,seeingthatheisLordof

heavenandearth,dwellethnotintemplesmadewithhands;25Neitherisworshipped

withmenshands,asthoughheneededanything,seeinghegivethtoalllife,and

breath,andallthings;26Andhathmadeofonebloodallnationsofmenfortodwell

onallthefaceoftheearth,andhathdeterminedthetimesbeforeappointed,andthe

boundsoftheirhabitation;27ThattheyshouldseektheLord,ifhaplytheymightfeel

afterhim,andfindhim,thoughhebenotfarfromeveryoneofus:28 Forinhimwe

live,andmove,andhaveourbeing;ascertainalsoofyourownpoetshavesaid,Forwe

arealsohisoffspring.29 ForasmuchthenaswearetheoffspringofGod,weought

nottothinkthattheGodheadislikeuntogold,orsilver,orstone,gravenbyartand

mansdevice.

GodistheCreator.HeistheFirstCause.HeistheOriginator.Heisthe

UncausedCauseofall.HeisanindependentBeing,andindependentbeingdoes

notneedacause;butmanisadependentbeingforwhichthereisno

explanation,unlessthereisagreatercausebeforehim.

3.TheTruthofGodsEnemies

A.ThetruthofGodsenemiesisseenintheacceptanceofthespiritworld.

Genesis1:2says,Andtheearthwaswithoutform,andvoid;anddarknesswasupon

thefaceofthedeep.AndtheSpiritofGodmoveduponthefaceofthewaters.


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John4:24says,GodisaSpirit:andtheythatworshiphimmustworshiphimin

spiritandintruth.

Peopletodayarereadytoacceptmuchaboutthespiritworld.Toacceptsome

formofnegativespiritworldistogivewaytotheclearreasonthatGodexists,andif

Godexists,whichoneistherightGod?

OneofthekeyelementsthatgivesfurtherfootingtoourEternally,ExistingGodis

thefactthatmancannothelpbutacceptaspiritworld.Consider:

- Mansinfatuationwithsuperstition- Witchcraft- Thegrowingtrendwiththingssuchas:

Palmreading Fortunetelling Psychicforetellingetc

B.ThetruthisthatGodsenemiesbelieveinGodMatthew8:29says,And,behold,theycriedout,saying,Whathavewetodowith

thee,Jesus,thouSonofGod?artthoucomehithertotormentusbeforethetime?

James2:19says,ThoubelievestthatthereisoneGod;thoudoestwell:thedevilsalso

believe,andtremble.

Conclusion:

IfGoddidnotexist,itwouldbenecessarytoinventHim.Voltaire

Theworldembarrassesme,andIcannotthinkthatthiswatchexistsandhasno

watchmaker.Voltaire


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AheathenphilosopheronceaskedaChristian,WhereisGod?TheChristian

answered,Letmefirstaskyou.Whereishenot?Arrowsmith5

333NoWitnessesForAtheism

CharlesBradlaughwastheoutstandingatheistinEngland.Downinoneoftheslums

ofLondonwasaministerbythenameofHughPriceHughes.AllLondonwasawareof

miraclesofgraceaccomplishedathismission.

CharlesBradlaughchallengedMr.Hughestodebatewithhimthevalidityofthe

claimsofChristianity.Londonwasgreatlyinterested.WhatwouldMr.Hughesdo?He

immediatelyacceptedthechallengeandindoingsoaddedoneofhisown.

Hughessaid,Iproposetoyouthatweeachbringsomeconcreteevidencesofthe

validityofourbeliefsintheformofmenandwomenwhohavebeenredeemedfrom

thelivesofsinandshamebytheinfluenceofourteaching.Iwillbring100suchmen

andwomen,andIchallengeyoutodothesame.

Ifyoucannotbring100,Mr.Bradlaugh,tomatchmy100,Iwillbesatisfiedifyouwill

bring50menandwomenwhowillstandandtestifythattheyhavebeenliftedupfrom

livesofshamebytheinfluenceofyourteachings.Ifyoucannotbring50,thenbring20

peoplewhowillsay,asmy100will,thattheyhaveagreatjoyinalifeofself-respectas

aresultofyouratheisticteachings.Ifyoucannotbring20,Iwillbesatisfiedifyou

bring10.

Nay,Mr.Bradlaugh,Ichallengeyoutobringone,justonemanorwomanwhowill

makesuchatestimonyregardingtheupliftingofyouratheisticteachings.

AgainLondonwasstirred.WhatwouldMr.Bradlaughdo?Inanswer,Charles

Bradlaugh,withgreatdiscomfitureandchagrin,publiclywithdrewhischallengefor

thedebate.MorningGlory6


BibleCommunications,Inc.6Tan,P.L.(1996).Encyclopediaof7700Illustrations:SignsoftheTimes.Garland,TX:



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Psalm14:1says,Thefoolhathsaidinhisheart,ThereisnoGod.Theyarecorrupt,

theyhavedoneabominableworks,Thereisnonethatdoethgood.

Psalm53:1says,Thefoolhathsaidinhisheart,ThereisnoGod.Corruptarethey,

andhavedoneabominableiniquity:Thereisnonethatdoethgood.

07.09.11_the existence of god and atheism

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