During the time in my life when Christianity didn’t make sense, I didn’t want to be a Christian. If it weren’t true, I didn’t want to waste my time with it. Religion makes a lame hobby!
People are often surprised to hear that Christians actually think that Christianity is true in a, “gravity exists and is true” sort of way. Our culture seems to think that religion — or “faith” — is a crutch that weak people use to get through life. While this may be true for some, this does not describe Christianity at it’s core.
I’m going to share with you three examples of how Christianity makes more sense — matches reality better — than atheism.
1. We exist
Atheists believe that only material things exist. So, this universe and its material (atoms) are all that there is. However, modern science points to the universe having a start. In other words, there was a time when it didn’t exist, and then it came into being.
So, how do you explain that there is “something” rather than nothing? If you’re an atheist, you think the universe popped into existence without a cause and from nothing.
A powerful, immaterial, and intelligent being (God) makes much more sense as a cause than “nothing”. The fact that we, and everything, exists
Find out more about how our existence is evidence of God’s existence.
2. We Make Choices
If only material things exist, then there is no soul, mind, or immaterial self. We are just animals. Our consciousness is an illusion. Our “choices” are not the consequence of us making a free will decision. They are the result of chemical reactions in our brain. The whole universe, and indeed our “choices” are no different than a complex version of pool balls colliding off of each other and into other ones.
Does this make sense of reality? Or do you feel like you make decisions? If you think you’re a robot, then atheism makes sense. If you think you have free will and make real choices, Christianity makes better sense of reality and our experience.
3. We know Good From Evil
If we are just the most evolved animals, and atheism is true, then there is no such thing as morality. If morality is real, it is immaterial. So it doesn’t fit in an atheistic (or materialistic) worldview. However, everyone (with few exceptions) knows right from wrong, and makes moral claims and has a moral sense.
Morality puts others first, but evolution is about my survival, my good. So, if evolution is true, then morality makes no sense. So, once again, the question is: which view makes the most sense of reality? If you have a moral sense, this fits best in a Christian worldview, where morality is real, not in an atheistic one, where morality doesn’t fit or exist.
Find out more about how morality (and evil) are evidence for God’s existence.
Summary
Each of these areas could have entires books devoted to them, but they are enough to get people thinking. I always try to help people see that Christianity has explanatory power – it makes the more sense of reality than any other worldview.
The fact that everything exists and had a cause, the fact that we make choices, and that we know good from evil all point to a Creator, a soul, and a Moral Law Giver, AKA God.
When a person sees order, we intrinsically know there is a force bringing order to be. "Nothing" is not a scientific force or building block of "something," especially an entire universe. Also, as an aetheist until my early 30s, I saw how living with the worldview of "your born, you live, you die, then your dust-get over it." simply did not bring forth a life with meaning.
That’s a great point! Studies have shown that children innately see life as being designed, even without being taught. Thank you for sharing your experience too!
Brian
Very good article! Thanks Brian
Thank you Andy!
One problem with number 3 – regardless of if the Bible is true or not, without God humans would have come up with their own ideas of right and wrong. People in the past, including Christians, thought all sorts of things were morally right – slavery and child abuse and labour among them. And different cultures have different ideas of morality. Altruism has been observed in other animal besides humans, it would have evolved because it was advantageous.
Hey Keniko,
I agree that people (apart from God) would come up with their own moral standards, in the same way that people do not have to know God to behave morally. However, I think the best explanation for this is that a Creator God exists. Evolution is a bad grounding for our innate moral sense, since as I said in the [brief] article, "Morality puts others first, but evolution is about my survival, my good." Many of the most heinous crimes are actually the most advantageous, from an evolutionary perspective. On the other hand, the Bible explains why we have this innate knowledge ("God’s law is written in their hearts"). So, it become a question of which worldview best explains reality.
Lastly, far from defeating this point, the fact that different cultures all act as if morality exists is a evidence for man being created with innate moral knowledge. There is great agreement on what is right and wrong across cultures (murder theft, adultly, etc.). Christianity also explains why everyone is unanimous on this though: Man is in rebellion against God and his nature was damaged at the Fall (as described in Gen 3).
What do you think about those points? (I know the article didn’t cover that much! 🙂 )
Brian
interesting article, but responding as an atheist:
This is a classic straw man. "If you’re an atheist, you think the universe popped into existence without a cause and from nothing." That’s not what I believe at all. I don’t have any original creation story I believe in. I do, however, think that science has successfully debunked the creation story put forth by Christianity (and pretty much any other major religion). There are many matters of fact that I don’t know the answer to – our creation is simply one of these matters of fact.
You’re pre-supposing the premise. Determinism has not been disproven. Consider this thought experiment: when was the first time a chunk of matter decided to roll up a hill? It might be uncomfortable to think we have no free will, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we have free will.
Again, pre-supposing the premise of universal morality. Morality may seem universal if shared by all those around you, but you’d find that muslims, buddhists, native tribes and ancient greeks all had differing views on key moral issues. Morality may well be the sum of our genetics (predispositions toward beliefs that ensure our survival, such as a mother wanting to care for her child) and our culture.
Rich,
Thanks for interacting.
Due to limited time, this response has been delayed, and it’ll be shorter than I’d like.
If that’s you view AND I was talking to you, yes that would be a straw man. But since I’m addressing atheism in general, it’s not a straw in general. There are many notable atheists who believe the universe came about from nothing, for no reason, and for no purpose.
If morality is the sum of our genetics, then why is rape wrong? It provides and evolutionary advantage. The same goes for murder, theft, lying, etc. All of those aid in the survival of the fittest individual.
Further, you addresses how people KNOW morality, not where it comes from. Just because people see something differently doesn’t mean there isn’t a right answer. Men, woman, and color-blind people all see color differently, but that doesn’t change the objectivity of the right answer.