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| One of many clouds I have gazed upon and admired… |
I’ll say this right off: atheists have a lot of good points. I mean that. I can honestly see why people — young people in particular — are tempted to go down that road. In some ways it would make life so much easier to believe that we just transpired out of thin air. Poof! And here we are. Why? Doesn’t really matter.
No one would be atheist if the position didn’t make at least some sense. To a point, all of this religious stuff can seem a little far-fetched. I mean, we can’t see God or anything supernatural, right? So let’s be honest with ourselves. Isn’t it more likely that it’s all just a made-up vision by non-thinking dolts who bypass the tough questions by telling fantastical stories to appease themselves?
If only…
It was my 8-year-old who prompted me to write about this today. He’s my thinker, and on the way to school the other morning he was contemplating life, and how illogical it would be for us to die without there being something more on the other side. He can’t conceive what some believe: that — though we have always known life, known ourselves to be existing creatures — when our time comes to an end…the motion of our aliveness will stop. Forever.
To the limited mind, this is quite plausible. But to those who are able to let go of truth being defined only by what can be observed in a science lab, a whole new world of reality comes into view. Again, to a point, atheism can make sense. But go beyond that point and you’re lost. Just as well, go before that point, and again, you’re left shrugging your shoulders.
Now let me ask this: What sense does it make to start in the middle of things? I find the best way to be truly logical about anything is to start at the beginning, as C.S. Lewis does in Mere Christianity. If you’re looking for a sound, well-reasoned account for the existence of God, read Lewis (a recovered atheist). He brings us all the way back to the starting point. There’s conviction for you, there’s clarity, there’s deep-thinking. But starting in the middle? I’ll be blunt: it’s a cop-out. I know it, you know it, and my 8-year-old knows it.
When confronted with this most important question about the beginning of things, the well-informed atheist might say something along these lines: “Well, yeah, we really don’t know how all this came to be. Someday we might, but for now, we’ll just skip on over that question. It’s not that important.”
My main intent here is not merely to point out the errors of the atheist’s way of thinking. As I said earlier, I can see how atheism can be attractive to some. It’s got to be so much easier to believe in oneself rather than a Being whose mind is above and beyond our comprehension; to place hands on ears whenever the subject of God comes up rather than confront the uncomfortable reality that there is a purpose to this life — and only a short amount of time to make good on the reason we’re here.
What I want most to do is to affirm the Christian readers who have found their way to this post, to remind you that you are far from illogical in what you believe. And if ever you should doubt yourself (as we humans are inclined to do), just go back to the beginning and ask yourself the kinds of questions my young son did. “If things are and always have been in motion, are always moving forward, what was it that set them in motion, and why?”
The Christian has been accused time and again of not asking the tough questions. I’d say it’s the atheist who has been in error in giving up too soon, of fleeing just as things become the most critical.
Q4U: What has helped you rediscover the face of God?
What a thought provoking post – as always – thank you.
Rediscover the face of God… Hmmmm. So many things to consider here.
I guess I think about how I rediscover the face of God so frequently through the faces of people who are hard for me to deal with. Perhaps a co-worker, family member, a stranger in the supermarket, someone who comes to the door of the church where I work. I am reminded of God’s great glory and of who Jesus truly is when I try to reframe that person as Jesus before me.
The results are surprising and always knock me down with grace. God is everywhere and beautifully so.
I do not mean to imply this is so facile – but it is a process I have learned to trust. It is also, like exercise I avoid, a thing to do when I think I cannot or will not.
I sat here a minute wondering if I had any appropriate response to this post. We don’t know. No one does, exactly how our lives here on earth began or what happens when our spirits leave our bodies. But, I think the wondering itself is evidence that there is something beyond our control or comprehension. As writers we’re told that in fiction no one will believe the convenient coincidence. Things don’t just happen for no reason.
Fran and Mary, such thoughtful, beautiful responses. Thank you so much for weighing in this morning. You’ve started my day off right.
If you’re curious about the response of an atheist reader of this post, you can check it out at my mirror blog on Area Voices:
http://peacegardenmama.areavoices.com/2011/10/14/faith-fridays-the-atheist-problem-in-the-beginning/
Well at some point I realized I had always believed in God, but wasn’t always sure what that meant? I started to really learn what relationship looks like, and how to really practice faith, and that attending church is really just a small fraction of it. My desire for a more authentic- more real life-sourced existence is truly what helped me begin to more fully experience the face of God. Roxane, you always challenge me to think of the other side and help shape my beliefs by looking at the other perspective and how it does or does not inform my views. Thank you for that!
Roxanne. I too have nothing but praise for the seach for meaning that is conducted by thoughtful atheists and theists. A Christian has solved the age old dilemma of someone outside of ourselves to whom we are accountable. With God at the center of the human experience by virtue of his incarnation as human and his disclosure of his role as Judge of the Living and the Dead, humans can in putting on Christ share in the immortality which is God’s alone. Our completion as human beings is only possible in a God centered, God ordered reality. The scientific domain may be our physical reality, but the supra-reality which is God is shrouded in mystery, which for Christians is disclosed in the teachings of Christ and the reception of His grace and blessings as we live out our days on this Earth. For those who can not believe in Jesus Christ must yet place God at the center and are yet governed by the law of love as laid out by Jesus, he is very clear that he is more smitten by he or she who rejects his invitation but nevertheless does as he requires of us, than by those of us who say yes to his invitation, but then refuse to do as he commanded us and guided us. The real issue for a Christian is whether a putting on of Christ is a convenience and for advantage and then when tested by the law of love are brought up short. I use to fear the Judge, but now I see that we can not claim eternal happiness without suffering the loss of ourselves and for His greater glory. They shall know we are Christians by our love (by that I mean atheists who look to the content of our lives for the truth that they can not see as yet for themselves).
Vicky, the relationship aspect is so critical! I’m so glad you worked through that. It really does make all the difference.
Richard, you obviously have thought this through and have so much to share on the topic. Thank you for bringing your thoughts to Peace Garden Mama. I love how you approach the non-believer with such hope. 🙂 And I agree. We must demonstrate love, not just to woo others, but because Christ modeled this for us before He died for us, and it’s the least we can do. How can we not be inspired by the love of God to want to go out and spread it around?
What has helped me? Nature. Always nature–its cycles, its intuition, its beauty, its force. All turn me toward God.