Evangelical apologist Curt Blattman wrote:
You see the atheist must indeed lead a lonely life since he does not believe in a divine Creator. By definition they must believe that they have no soul and no immortality. Since they came into existence by chance, and not divine design, any meaning they find in life is but a by-product of random occurrences. Even the great mysteries of our universe that cause us to ponder just who we are and why we are here, are a closed corridor of thought, to those who place God as something that exists only in one’s imagination.
If the atheist can show that the disciples were lying and the whole Christian story is a fabrication, then he must conclude that he came into existence from nothing and when he dies he will go back to nothing. And somehow in between these two states of nothingness he is supposed to find meaning in life!
Since the atheist has no god to believe in he places himself as the supreme person in his universe and spends the rest of his life searching for a reason for his existence. Searching every pathway, every byway, overturning every stone, examining every philosophy, and experiencing every feeling, as he comes to the end of his journey, the answer he finds is that none exists!
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What does the life of an atheist offer its followers but a life of no meaning, no accountability, and no hope for a life to come. And in the last analysis if there is no God then the atheist can enjoy his sin since he doesn’t have to worry about being accountable to a holy God. Thus, he can do what is right in his own eyes. So, who would die for a lie? The Christian is betting his eternal destiny on Jesus. The atheist if he is right loses big time. My friends I know that Jesus is who He says He is because He transformed my life. Jesus is no lie – He is the way, the truth, and the life!
Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
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I recommend Peter Wessel Zapffe’s brilliant short essay, The Last Messiah, which is freely available on the web.
This is a rant against anyone who is not a Christian the way this person is a Christian.
I am an agnostic and I just found meaning a few minutes ago I got my cat (without my pushing) to climb the foam cat-stairway up to the bed. She is 20 years old and she cannot jump straight up to the bed anymore. I enticed her with food.
I can find meaning by caring about my cats and giving them as comfortable an old age as possible.
I do not need a “higher” being to give me meaning. I can find it by being kind to others.
I am an atheist and have been since about the age of 5. I do find meaning in my life by treating everyone as well as I can, but being fair and honest and helping people — ALL people — when I see a need. I’m sure a belief in a higher power, an all-seeing, all-powerful being is comforting, and I never criticize those who believe in what I consider mythology. However, I do criticize those who believe they have a right to shove their beliefs down the throats of others. Live and let live is my motto.
Like others have said we all find meaning in our lives in different ways and it doesn’t require religious belief. Having said which, what do we mean when we say ‘meaning’? God belief might give comfort to many people, because the nature of our existence is mysterious. Why do we exist at all? Why is there something and not nothing? Why does the moon appear still in the sky and not coming crashing ‘down’? Inventing answers to these questions in the form of god isn’t giving meaning, or even purpose, to our lives it’s making us feel better.
Isn’t that what we all aspire to? Living our lives as best we can, understanding that we cause as little harm to others as we can, basking in the love of family, and all the other things that make life worth living. Then when our time comes our bodies disperse to contribute to the formation of other matter (because we neither came from nothing and nor do we return to it). If people find positives in their lives via religious belief then great, and I know churches can be sources of community (and also less noble things!), but I don’t want those people telling me constantly that theirs is the only way.
Curt: “and not divine design”
Zoe: God designs us. He is present and choses the sperm and the egg? Is this what he means by “devine design”?
Bruce, I’ll just address Curt. Yes Curt. Even when I “did” religion, I always thought I came into existence by chance and not divine design. I’m OK with that. It certainly never bothered me. I’m OK with the random occurrence of my existence.
You write: “If the atheist can show that the disciples were lying and the whole Christian story is a fabrication, etc…”
No Curt, you can’t demand atheists, agnostics, nor anyone else disprove your fantasies. YOU show us your Christian story is NOT a fabrication. Inasmuch as your position is irrational and even preposterous on it’s face, I submit the burden of proof is on you. Please offer some objective evidence that the desciples ever existed, or if they did exist, reported truthfully, or that they ever said anything specific, or that the entire Christian story is fact based. Your turn Curt.