In “The Absurdity of Life without God,” William Lane Craig argues persuasively that if God does not exist and if there is no afterlife then life has no ultimate meaning, value, or purpose. Of course, a person’s life can have a relative significance on earth in relationship to events here, but if we are “a doomed race in a doomed universe” then what difference does it make if we existed at all? What difference does it make that the universe ever existed? If there is no immortality then there is no accountability, which means that it ultimately makes no difference how you live your life because your destiny is not related to your behavior, so you can live as you please. Since there is no objective standard of right or wrong within a naturalistic worldview, then we cannot condemn anything as evil or praise anything as good. Without God there is no goal or purpose for which the universe exists.
THE NOBLE LIE
In part two of this series, I pointed out some of the inherent contradictions of atheism such as the fact that atheists attack the Biblical Worldview by using science, logic, and even morality. However, science presupposes uniformity, which cannot exist without God, and both logic and morality are immaterial, which cannot be explained within a naturalistic worldview. This is also demonstrated by atheists who say that they are humanists and can live meaningful lives without the existence of God.
The simple truth is that a universe devoid of God and an afterlife has no ultimate meaning, value, or purpose, therefore, any meaning that one comes up with is ultimately contrived. Furthermore, by giving anything meaning they are not living consistently within their worldview. It’s like a moral relativist telling me that my morality is wrong. It just doesn’t fit because it contradicts its own worldview, therefore, it is self-refuting.
To live consistently within an atheistic worldview an atheist must be an existential nihilist, which says that traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and existence is senseless and useless. I am humming the song “Dust in the Wind” from Kansas just thinking about it because that is all we are from an atheistic worldview. Any attempt by an atheist to give life meaning, value, and purpose is inconsistent because it refuses to carry a universe without God or an afterlife to its natural conclusion – they are living the Noble Lie. King Solomon ruminated on these issues in the book of Ecclesiastes and concluded that only a life lived for God has any meaning, value, or purpose.
STATISTICS ABOUT SKEPTICS
In The Seven Faith Tribes by George Barna, a survey of American atheists and agnostics revealed that they are twice as likely to engage in adultery; are more likely to cohabitate; are major consumers of pornography; are more likely to drink heavily; admit to a tendency to lie, gossip, and use profanity in public; donate far less money to causes and offer less to poor people; register as Democrats 73% of the time (so there is a good reason why one conservative pundit described democrats as “godless”); oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment (6 to 1); oppose creationism being taught in schools (4 to 1); strongly favor the murder of preborn children by abortion; and oppose parental notification for abortion (67%).
In The Proven Health Benefits of Staying Young at Heart by Tamar Nordenberg, people who attend religious services are healthier, live longer, become less depressed as a result of illness, and handle stress better. According to Religion and Philanthropy by Thomas Jeavons, 74% of those who participate (at least occasionally) in worship service give to charity, while only 50% of those who never attend do so; and the more often one attends the more likely one gives. The contributions from religiously active households are not only given to houses of worship, but also cover a broad range of charitable causes and accounts for 90% of such giving. Meanwhile, the typical no-faith American donated just $200 in 2006 while religious Americans gave $1,500 on average. When you remove donations given to their congregations, religious Americans still outgive no-faith Americans two to one.
These statistics reveal that a worldview devoid of God and an afterlife results in the devaluing of human life (i.e. abortion), it promotes sexual immorality (i.e. adultery, pornography, homosexuality), it promotes harmful behaviors (homosexuality, alcohol consumption, lying), it promotes anti-supernaturalism (i.e. opposition to creationism), and adherents to atheism and agnosticism are much less likely to give money to help others because there is no reason for doing so within their worldview.
THE NOBLE LIE
In part two of this series, I pointed out some of the inherent contradictions of atheism such as the fact that atheists attack the Biblical Worldview by using science, logic, and even morality. However, science presupposes uniformity, which cannot exist without God, and both logic and morality are immaterial, which cannot be explained within a naturalistic worldview. This is also demonstrated by atheists who say that they are humanists and can live meaningful lives without the existence of God.
The simple truth is that a universe devoid of God and an afterlife has no ultimate meaning, value, or purpose, therefore, any meaning that one comes up with is ultimately contrived. Furthermore, by giving anything meaning they are not living consistently within their worldview. It’s like a moral relativist telling me that my morality is wrong. It just doesn’t fit because it contradicts its own worldview, therefore, it is self-refuting.
To live consistently within an atheistic worldview an atheist must be an existential nihilist, which says that traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and existence is senseless and useless. I am humming the song “Dust in the Wind” from Kansas just thinking about it because that is all we are from an atheistic worldview. Any attempt by an atheist to give life meaning, value, and purpose is inconsistent because it refuses to carry a universe without God or an afterlife to its natural conclusion – they are living the Noble Lie. King Solomon ruminated on these issues in the book of Ecclesiastes and concluded that only a life lived for God has any meaning, value, or purpose.
STATISTICS ABOUT SKEPTICS
In The Seven Faith Tribes by George Barna, a survey of American atheists and agnostics revealed that they are twice as likely to engage in adultery; are more likely to cohabitate; are major consumers of pornography; are more likely to drink heavily; admit to a tendency to lie, gossip, and use profanity in public; donate far less money to causes and offer less to poor people; register as Democrats 73% of the time (so there is a good reason why one conservative pundit described democrats as “godless”); oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment (6 to 1); oppose creationism being taught in schools (4 to 1); strongly favor the murder of preborn children by abortion; and oppose parental notification for abortion (67%).
In The Proven Health Benefits of Staying Young at Heart by Tamar Nordenberg, people who attend religious services are healthier, live longer, become less depressed as a result of illness, and handle stress better. According to Religion and Philanthropy by Thomas Jeavons, 74% of those who participate (at least occasionally) in worship service give to charity, while only 50% of those who never attend do so; and the more often one attends the more likely one gives. The contributions from religiously active households are not only given to houses of worship, but also cover a broad range of charitable causes and accounts for 90% of such giving. Meanwhile, the typical no-faith American donated just $200 in 2006 while religious Americans gave $1,500 on average. When you remove donations given to their congregations, religious Americans still outgive no-faith Americans two to one.
These statistics reveal that a worldview devoid of God and an afterlife results in the devaluing of human life (i.e. abortion), it promotes sexual immorality (i.e. adultery, pornography, homosexuality), it promotes harmful behaviors (homosexuality, alcohol consumption, lying), it promotes anti-supernaturalism (i.e. opposition to creationism), and adherents to atheism and agnosticism are much less likely to give money to help others because there is no reason for doing so within their worldview.
THE CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW
Within the Christian worldview we value life because all human life is made in God’s image, which means that it has inherent worth and dignity; we strive for sexual purity and avoid harmful behaviors because we are commanded to and our bodies are a temple for the Holy Spirit; we believe that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge and wisdom (Pr. 1:9; 9:10), therefore, science that presupposes otherwise is fatally flawed; and Christians are to give generously because when we give we are (1) demonstrating that everything that we have belongs to God and we are merely stewards of those resources, (2) loving our neighbor as our self, and (3) taking care of the least of these.
Within the Christian worldview we value life because all human life is made in God’s image, which means that it has inherent worth and dignity; we strive for sexual purity and avoid harmful behaviors because we are commanded to and our bodies are a temple for the Holy Spirit; we believe that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge and wisdom (Pr. 1:9; 9:10), therefore, science that presupposes otherwise is fatally flawed; and Christians are to give generously because when we give we are (1) demonstrating that everything that we have belongs to God and we are merely stewards of those resources, (2) loving our neighbor as our self, and (3) taking care of the least of these.
IRRATIONAL AND UNLIVABLE
In the final analysis, the statistics show that those who hold a worldview where God and an afterlife do not exist are more depressed, more selfish, and less charitable than those who do believe in God and an afterlife. Therefore, when you combine the reality that atheism is impossible to prove; it is inconsistent and self-refuting; it leaves people with no ultimate meaning, value, or purpose for their existence; and it leads to selfishness and depression, then it is utterly irrational to hold such a worldview. Furthermore, since atheists choose (as an act of the will) to live outside of their own worldview then it proves that atheism is unlivable as well.
In the final analysis, the statistics show that those who hold a worldview where God and an afterlife do not exist are more depressed, more selfish, and less charitable than those who do believe in God and an afterlife. Therefore, when you combine the reality that atheism is impossible to prove; it is inconsistent and self-refuting; it leaves people with no ultimate meaning, value, or purpose for their existence; and it leads to selfishness and depression, then it is utterly irrational to hold such a worldview. Furthermore, since atheists choose (as an act of the will) to live outside of their own worldview then it proves that atheism is unlivable as well.
8 Comments
November 4, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Interesting. Yet I live as an atheist quite well. Perhaps you should try learning something about atheism first. We are not, as you assert, “more depressed, more selfish, and less charitable than those who do believe in God and an afterlife.” By any measure the least religious societies are in fact the happiest. Try reading Phil Zuckerman’s “Society Without God” which cites many sociological studies demonstrating that this is the case.
I find atheism to be totally rational position. Nothing written here has even remotely made me consider otherwise. Seriously, I can’t even begin to go over where this blog goes wrong. It would be ten times the length, and it’s just the same ol’, same ol’ invalid arguments that only convince those who are already convinced. My life is wonderful and I am not depressed. And I know a lot of atheists, and am totally unaware that any of them are depressed either. But you’ll probably just ignore that because it doesn’t fit in with your straw man view of atheism.
November 10, 2009 at 7:48 am
I was an atheist for a period of time in my life, so I do know something about atheism and my argument is not a straw man. From my experience, very few atheists live consistently with the implications of an atheistic worldview because they seek to contrive meaning where none actually exists. If the least religious societies are the happiest then what accounts for atheistic nations (former Soviet republics) having the highest suicide rates? The statistics I cited are sufficient. I believe that God gives all people–believers or not–a level of grace that allows them to function without bearing the full implication of their sin. This is called common grace and it accounts for any goodness you have in your life. Incidentally, this is part 3 in a series. I agree that what I am teaching about atheism will only be believed by theists because I believe that atheists are in a state of rebellion and are incapable of coming to faith in Christ apart from the grace of God. I suggest you look at parts 1 and 2 for a fuller understanding of where I am coming from. I wish you well and I will pray for your salvation.
November 4, 2009 at 4:49 pm
“If there is no immortality then there is no accountability, which means that it ultimately makes no difference how you live your life because your destiny is not related to your behavior, so you can live as you please.”
We’re accountable to those who live after us and we choose to live well and treat people decently because it matters that we do. It matters to everyone decently treated, whether they believe in a heaven or not. We choose to lead good lives and be good people because to be anything else would be terrible. We don’t have to believe in a god to want to be ethical, moral, honest, faithful, and devoted to our friends and our families.
What we do will live after us. I want to do something I can be proud of.
November 10, 2009 at 7:53 am
Atheism only allows for the material, so an appeal to universal morality is inconsistent with an atheistic worldview. You are borrowing from my worldview to prop up your own. Furthermore, atheism provides no basis for concepts of good or evil. Common grace allows you to function without the full impact of your sin. I wish you well and will pray for your salvation.
November 4, 2009 at 7:38 pm
Argument from consequences is a logical fallacy, you know.
November 10, 2009 at 7:59 am
This is part 3 in a series on atheism. You need to read parts 1 and 2 for a fuller understanding of my position. Actually, I believe in God because of the impossibility of the contrary. In fact, your appeal to logic actually harms your own argument because logic is immaterial and is inconsistent with your material worldview. Meanwhile it reaffirms my own (see part 2). I wish you well and will pray for your salvation.
November 7, 2009 at 11:55 pm
There are so many holes in your logic. I’m not gonna battle you on everything but i do have to pick apart your conclusion. Atheism is impossible to prove but so is any existence of god. You didn’t see our creation so you don’t know. Religious beliefs of any kind (including I believe atheism) are inconsistent and self-refuting, as well as self fulfilling, which in and of its self is paradoxical. The ultimate meaning that atheism gives people is that of knowledge and humanity. Some people that are atheist are selfish and depressed but at the same time atheists are generally liberal and liberals are the people that believe that we should be organized to help one and other, be it a single payer health system or welfare. There are always bad seeds in any group of people but don’t let that destroy the merit of a simple non-destructive ideology. Millions of people have died in religious wars but few, if any, involved atheism. Even with all the murder that has happened over the ages by judeo-cristian groups i still believe in the teachings of jesus christ, without believing he is the son of “god.” And to be clear, I am not an atheist. I am an agnostic. I think your all jumping the gun. Neither of you truly KNOW. Atheists and religious people both have faith in something. Science and scripture respectively. Just be good to people and maybe all will be revealed when you die. Or maybe not.
November 10, 2009 at 8:44 am
Thank you for your response. This is part 3 in a series on atheism. I encourage you to read parts 1 and 2 for a fuller understanding of my position. It is true that I was not present at the creation of the world, but I do believe in God because of the impossibility of the contrary. In fact, without His existence it would be impossible to know anything at all (see part 2).
I once thought the same thing about the generosity of liberals until I discovered that surveys revealed that evangelicals are more generous than liberals. The more often one attends a house of worship the more generous (and more conservative) that person is.
While I agree that there are occassions where war is permitted, I also agree that much of the warfare that took place in the name of Christianity was actually unChristian. I am thinking specifically about inquisition as well as the atrocities that Catholics and Protestants committed during the Reformation. That being said, the deaths caused by Christian rulers over a period of 500 years amounts to only 1 percent of the deaths caused by Stalin, Hitler, and Mao in the 20th Century. Besides it is my Christian worldview that tells me that murder is wrong because of the inherent worth and dignity of every person. An atheistic worldview has no basis for moral good or evil.
I am glad that you believe the teachings of Jesus Christ, but you must realize that you cannot separate His ethical teachings from His divine claims. Jesus claimed to be God and He claimed that those who do not put their trust in Him will be separated from God and will spend eternity in Hell. To those who reject mercy, no mercy will be shown. Jesus was either a legend, liar, lunatic, or Lord. Those are your only options.
I appreciate that as an act of integrity you are stating your position that you simply do not know, but by claiming to not know you are making a decision against belief. I agree with you that atheists and Christians both hold presuppositions about the nature of ultimate reality. Christians do believe in both Scripture and science, which includes observational science usng the scientific method (not historical science), but we are willing to follow the evidence where it leads even if the answer is supernatural. Unfortunately, my friends in the atheistic community have an anti-supernaturalistic bias that prevents the introduction of supernaturalistic evidence or a supernatural interpretation of evidence.
I do KNOW that God exists, but I cannot prove it to you because you already know the truth and are denying it with your agnosticism (see part 1).
There is no good apart from God and one’s moral goodness does not enable us to spend eternity with Him because He is Holy and we are not. It is only by grace through faith in Christ that our sins are forgiven and we are made righteous.
I wish you well and will pray for your salvation.