ATHEISM - IITB 01.01

 

Chapter 1. 1

Atheism

An Atheist is a free-thinker

that is free from religion

and knows that there is no god.

 

 

First Thoughts

        Having read many “arguments” on this subject, it’s hard to address Atheism because scripture is not considered a viable argument.  - So I write to the Believer[1], not to the Atheist.

Webster: Atheist – A person who believes that there is no God. – rejects all religious belief – rejects supernatural revelations – rejects anything that cannot be proved scientifically.

Wikipedia - There is no one ideology or set of behaviors to which all atheists adhere.  Many atheists hold that atheism is a more parsimonious worldview than theism, and therefore the burden of proof lies not on the atheist to disprove the existence of God, but on the theist to provide a rationale for theism

Ockham's razor also known as “Parsimonious” is a principle, urging one to select from among competing hypotheses that which makes the fewest assumptions and thereby offers the simplest explanation of the effect.

Evidence - There is no evidence that God does not exist; therefore, the Atheist must hold his position by his “Faith”; not because of evidence, so you could say the Atheist has a “sort of” faith.

 

A Few Terms

Agnosticism – The belief that the existence of God is not knowable.

Deism – The belief that there IS a God, but that God is NOT involved in the world.

Freethinker – A person who forms his opinions about religion and God without regard to revelation, scripture, tradition, or experience.

Humanism – The system of philosophy based upon human reason, actions and motives without concern of deity or supernatural phenomena.

Naturalism – The belief that all phenomena can be explained in terms of natural causes and laws.

Relativism – The view that truth is relative and not absolute.  It varies from person to person, from time to time.

Lost – Those who embrace the above. – The things of the Spirit are foolishness to them.[2]

 

The Paradox – The rock

     If God is OMNIPOTENT, then can He make a rock so big He can’t pick it up?

If He can’t make the rock, then He’s not omnipotent; If God can’t pick up the rock, then He’s not omnipotent, therefore God does not exist. - If everything was created, then who created God?

Why do you believe in Jesus and not Santa Clause? – You can’t see either one. - The questions posed are nonsense questions, just like “What does Yellow smell like”?

 

The Belief

     Evolution is a scientific fact.  Everything is material, MAN. EARTH and the UNIVERSE.  

There is no God; no Devil, no Sin, no Miracles and no Supernatural.  Morals, ethics and truth are relative.

 

Right out of the chute

     There is no argument or defense of the existence of God written in scripture, just the presentation and unfolding of God; “In the beginning was the Word.”[3]   The believer believes Point blank.  The Atheist is perishing[4].   The Book was written to believers not to unbelievers.   It’s foolishness to the Atheist, who does not have the spirit and has only the wisdom of the world.  The Book says right out of the chute, only a fool[5] would say that there is no God.

 

The Reason - ME

     Having employed hundreds of employees, I have noticed that there is a common thread woven concerning making decisions.  How does the decision affect me?  Whether vocalized or not, decisions are ME driven. – What’s in it for ME.?

     “I’m not buying it” an employee told me as I shared about Christ.  He was seeing a married woman and would not give that up.   That’s the conundrum; is life about ME or about HIM?  God told us in advance; most people “will not buy it”.  They are on the broad road[6] that leads to destruction.   I must say that years later, he sought me out to tell me he had “bought it”.  Praise God

 

Wisdom

     The Atheist seeks wisdom to scientifically nail down everything he believes.  God says that seeking Him is the beginning of wisdom, knowledge and understanding[7].

     The believer finds wisdom through the eyes of his soul, through the eyes of his faith.  He has revealed Himself plainly in his creations[8]. God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood therefore man is without excuse[9].

     Does unbelief in God nullify His’ existence?[10]  Shake your fist in the air, kick up dust, tear your clothes and shout obscenities.  None of this nullifies the existence God.

 

The Atheist would say, “Show me where God is”

and I would say, “Show me where He isn’t”.

 

They Know

     The Atheist already knows about God; in his heart, conscience and thoughts[11], because it accuses them and they must defend themselves.  They have a need to be a freethinker, to form their opinions about life without regard to revelation, scripture, tradition, or experience.  To be free to do what they want; it’s all about ME.

     A friend once told me that he didn’t want to even think about God right now.  He had a life style that he would have to give up and he just wasn’t ready to do that.  There is no need for God when things are all going your way.  It’s when you hit bottom[12] you get the “FOX HOLE” religion.  Blessed are those who seek God, knowing that they have nothing to offer.

 

The Take Away

     If you don’t believe in God or you believe there is a God, but just haven’t accepted Him, is of little difference.  Those without Christ are all in the same bucket regardless of titles.

Atheists are not evil or crazy people; in fact they are, for the most part, smart people who just like us, have other people in their lives that they lovingly care for.

Theist – Believe in God, but do not accept Him as Lord of their Lives – Maybe one day later.

Deist believes in a god; but just not in a god who has anything to do with them.

These are all just people who have NOT been drawn by the Holy Spirit to God.

According to scripture; very few are drawn. - They are lost, and die in their sins.

Predestination:  Atheists are not predestined to “not believe”; all men already do not believe, doomed to hell.  God has issued a “clemency” on some; gave them the “ability” to seek God. There is nothing man on his own can do to merit salvation.  It is a gift from God[13].

Atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair and her 16 year old son William Murray had a court battle in 1963 that resulted in the U. S. Supreme Court decision to ban prayer in public schools.  A few years later William refuted Atheism, became “born again” and apologized publicly for his part in the law suit.   Today, June 2012, at our local high school, a law suit has been filed by some students because a prayer was said at their graduation although all the students had voted on it.

We are not responsible for planting[14] the Gospel seed – That’s the Job of the Holy Spirit.

We are not responsible for the Harvest[15] of the planted seed – That’s God’s Job.

Our job is to water[16] the seed and with God’s blessing, get to witness the harvest.

Praying, Sharing and Caring “Waters” the unbeliever – Reach out – they are perishing.[17]

 

If there is a POSSIBILITY that God exist; then He does.  

 

 It’s in the Book

---

[1] John 6:44-45 – No one comes to God unless the Holy Spirit draws them - NKJV

[2] 1 Corinthians 2:14 – The things of the spirit are foolishness without the Spirit NIV

 

[3] John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God

[4] 1 Corinthians 1:18 – The Atheist is perishing

[5] Psalms 14:1 – The Atheist is a fool --  1 Corinthians  1:21-22 -- The Atheist has the wisdom of the world

[6] Matthew 7:13-14 – The road of the world leads to destruction.

[7] Psalms 111:10 – God is Wisdom -- Proverbs 1:7 – God is Knowledge -- Proverbs 9:10 – God is understanding

[8] Romans 1:19 – God has made Himself plainly known to man

[9] Romans 1:20 – Man is without excuse

[10] Romans 3:3-4 – Unbelief does not nullify God.

[11] Romans 2:15 – Atheist reject what they know in their hearts

[12] Matthew 5:3 – Knowing you are at the bottom and can offer nothing

[13] Ephesians 2:8-9 – It is a gift from God

[14] Matthew 13:37 – The Holy Spirit is the sower -- John 6:44 – The Holy Spirit plants the seed -- Luke 8:11-12 – The seed is the Word of God -- 1 Corinthians 3:6 – God made the seed grow

[15] Revelation 14:15 – God will do the harvesting

[16] 1 Corinthians 3:7-9 – Our job and calling is to water

[17] Romans 3:23-24 – All sin and fall short of the standard that God has set

 

EVOLUTION - IITB 01.02

 

Chapter 1. 2

Evolution

In the beginning God created the heavens

and the earth and the earth became void. Gen 1:1

 

 

First Word

     As a Christian I believe The Bible is without error and is the final unchanging authority.   All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.[1]  After reading Genesis 1:1; in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth; I could close the book; short study. This Word study was over in the first sentence, but I will press on.

 

The Bible

     Cannon of the Bible:  A collection of books (over 2,800 manuscripts from the 9th century) The Greek term cannon means straight rod, rule or measure and was “THE RULES” upon which manuscripts were chosen to be included or excluded from our Bible. [2]  In Christ’s day there were writers of highly imaginative and fantastic stories about Jesus, His family and His childhood; the authorship of some of these stories were often falsely attributed to His disciples in order to get acceptance.

     The Council of Nice came together to settle the disputed issues.  The majority of the OT writings had already been settled and they were just dealing mostly with the NT writings.  The Greek word Biblia means book or “The Books” and later came to be known as THE BOOK and finally Ta Biblia; The Bible.

     The ordinary reader couldn’t read Hebrew or Greek; it became evident there was a need for different versions in order to be an effective Christian.  The KJV Bible is still the standard to which all the different versions are compared, notwithstanding the Original Manuscripts.

     The Old Testament is divided up into 39 books and the New Testament has 27 books for a total of 66 inspired books.  The Bible is not a book of mysteries.  All the so called mysteries are unfolded, unpacked and revealed in the 66 books; precept upon precept and line upon line.  The Bible is only a veiled mystery to those that are perishing.[3]  It’s in the Book

     The Apocrypha contains some 14 books with writings that were excluded from the KJV Bible because of their high imagination and silly stories.  Only six of these are found in the Catholic Bible. I do not discount these additional books, but use them for “seasoning” of my own thoughts to get an insight into the cultural mindset and thinking of men of that day. 

     Josephus the Jewish Historian discounted the books of the Apocrypha stating that the only inspired writings are the books we have now.

 

     The Bible is not a book for a specific age; but a book for all ages and all times.  It shows how God deals with man Past, Present and Future.  It does not just CONTAIN the Word of God; it IS the word of God; all of it.  God spoke forth his powerful message through Holy men of old; not by their own thoughts, but as they were moved by the Holy Spirit to speak.[4]

     I count some 24 writers both old and new testament spanning some 4,000 years of history; all writing about the same God who reveals himself in both the OT and NT.   Jesus Christ is interwoven from Genesis to the Revelation.  Old Testament history and prophecy is foreshadowed and realized in the New Testament.  The OT and the NT are actually one book.

 

Side Bar

     The first Bible translated from the Latin Vulgate was around 700 A.D. and has progressed over the past 1200 years.  The first English version Bible was printed in 1535 by Miles Cloverdale.   The Geneva Bible was produced in 1560 A.D. 

     King James in 1604 authorized 47 men to come up with a translation of the Bible from the original language of the Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek.  It took about 7 years and in 1611 they produced what became known as “The King James Version” of the Bible, which is still the most accepted Bible.

 

Evolution 101

     Evolution is made up of conjecture, theories and deep thoughts of “enlightened man”, all of which have not presented any hard proven factual evidence that has withstood the testing of its own scientific community. 

     Wikipedia; Evolution is the change in the inherited characteristics of biologic populations over successive generations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organization, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.

     Simpler said; all forms of life come from modifications of earlier simple life forms moving to more complex forms. Things that are complex were developed from something that was simple. A progression from lower forms to higher forms.  That is evolution.

     Creationism; I present the Bible which records 6000 years of history beginning with Adam, documenting the supernatural creation of the universe by the hand of God which of course evolutionist reject.   Evolution is a rejection of God.  You can’t have some of both.

Supernatural; Evolution denies the existence of God and the “supernatural” documented in the Bible.  If you can remove the supernatural from the Bible; you make the resurrection null and void.  If Christ was not raised from the dead then the Bible is only a history book and our faith is useless[5]. There would be no sin, no hell, no heaven and no Messiah.

     Evolution says the Bible cannot be taken literally.  Man was not made in the Image of God, but was made in the image of a Monkey.[6]  The man Jesus was merely a product of evolution.

     Quoting Dake/Huxley; “It is clear that the doctrine of evolution is directly antagonistic to that of creation… Evolution, IF consistently accepted makes it impossible to believe the Bible”.

     Interestingly; Evolutionist accept that some molecules and their laws of operation were present in the beginning for everything to start the evolution process, but they ignore where these molecules came from. Evolution shouts at God saying; “Hey, we know how to make a man out of dirt too”, and God responds by saying; “fine, BUT GO GET YOUR OWN DIRT”.

 

Cosmic/Organic - Finis Jennings Dake

Evolution - Nothing and Nothing bumped into each other and made something.

Cosmic Evolution claims that from lower units of matter (atoms and molecules) the vast material suns, moons, stars, planets and universes were formed by themselves.

Organic Evolution teaches that the vegetable and animal kingdoms evolved from lower forms of life to what they are today.

     Some say the earth is no more than 10,000 years old; others say millions of a year old, which is what I embrace, but that’s another study called “The Other Flood; Lucifer’s Flood, The Gap theory”.  If you are a student of the Word, I would suggest Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible.

 

     The Bible in its entirety condemns the theories of both cosmic and organic evolution.  It declares in no uncertain terms that God created (brought into existence) all material and moral creations; the animate and inanimate things[7] and that He is the first and the last cause of all existing universes and the things there in.  Those in the Church who try to harmonize evolution with the Bible rule God out in spite of themselves and are enemies of both God and the Church.  Finis Jennings Dake

 

Big Bang

     The Bible says God spoke and then BANG it happened.[8]  The first scripture in the Bible says that God created the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. [9]  Then evolution started; took about six days to “evolute” and on the seventh day God rested from “evoluting;” It was finished.[10]

     Degeneration: The law of nature PROVES that nothing reproduces anything greater than itself.  If left to its self all nature will degenerate; not evolve.   Without the Word of God, man will degenerate; which is witnessed by Noah’s Flood.  “Every inclination of the thoughts of their heart was evil all the time” and TODAY by the removal of prayer and the Ten Commandments out of the schools, look at where we are.  When the soul is neglected, man reverts to a worse and lower type of man, to ruin and depravity.[11]

     If you would consider for a moment that the Cave man; the Peking man and the Neanderthal man could have de-generated because of rebellion in a pre-Adamic world millions of years ago.  It’s referred to as “Lucifer’s Flood”, a flood that happened before Noah and Adam.  This law of nature is fixed, it has not changed in 6000 years.  Every one of the millions of things created “reproduced after its kind”.[12]  No amount of un-intelligent matter can produce intelligent matter.  Intelligent matter must start with intelligence.   Dead matter cannot produce live matter.

     Quoting DAKE again: “The sponge is still a sponge and has not become an oyster, octopus, a turtle, frog, fish or crab.  None of these have ever reproduced anything except their own kind.  No lowly earth worm has ever turned into a tortoise, snake, or crocodile; no bug, bird or animal has ever changed from its own kind or reproduced another kind which was fertile and could produce a new kind.  No monkey has ever produced a man and the missing-link is still missing and always will be”.

 

Transmutation

     I want to mention transmutation, which in theory is a slow and gradual change or alteration in nature of mutation of one lower species to a higher species which is opposite of the Bible.  All life is dependent on other life.  Reproduction is a higher condition to evolution.  

     An egg can’t reproduce another egg; you have to have a “Higher” parent form to produce the egg.  Nature has demonstrated that there is over 1 million variations within the species of the insect world, but they have never produced something different other than what they are; only a VARIATION.

So if you don’t get a new species you do not have evolution.

 

     The theory of NATURAL SELECTION and the SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST has failed. No single example of evolution from one species to another can be cited

     The MULE is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse; this crossbred mule is born sterile, it cannot reproduce itself.

     MONKEY Evolution:  If you check the scriptures you will see that God made Man FIRST before He ever made the monkey, therefore in evolution[13]; that would mean that Man “dis-evolved” to become a monkey. He went from a higher life form to a lower life form. If the LAW OF EVOLUTION is true, then why do we not see evidence of it working today?  Because it’s BULL.

 

Heavens, Earth, Man

     God created and founded the earth to be inhabited[14].  Then He created man both male and female[15].   He created all the flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air including eagles and buzzards[16], and the fish of the sea including whales[17].  He created the heavens, sky and the sun, moon and the stars.[18]   He put it all in motion with a circuit of night and day and provided warmth from the sun.

 

Literally & Supernatural

     God literally made man in ONE DAY[19] and supernaturally spoke every living thing “after their kind” into existence [20].   It didn’t take millions of years of evolution to accomplish it.

     Jesus Christ was literally supernaturally born.[21]   He literally supernaturally rose from the dead[22] and literally and supernaturally appeared to men.[23]  He’s literally and supernaturally coming back.  The Bible is literal and supernatural.

 

Deception

     Satan cannot create; all he can do is corrupt; he disguises himself as “Enlightened Intelligence” and after all, everyone wants to be thought of as enlightened and intelligent.  Satan was thrown out of heaven and became bent on blinding the hearts of man; God’s greatest creation.[24]

     In the end times, many will run to and fro with their ears itching for “new knowledge” and “enlightenment” but will still not gain the knowledge of the truth.[25]   Satan rebelled against God… he sinned without a tempter; he has no excuse; he is doomed.  Man sinned because of the tempter and has the HOPE of the redemptive Messiah.

     There is evolution; those who accept Christ will evolve from mortal to immortal, those who are blinded by Satan and DO NOT receive Christ are evolving to God’s wrath and anger.[26]

 

You cannot be neutral; Neutrality is a rejection of Creationism; a rejection of God.

 

 

     Editorial; we enter into every discussion with a load of BS; our Belief System, our Worldview; the most progressive man is the one who sees he is on the wrong road and turns back the soonest, he changes his BS; his worldview.  Jesus seeing the children with believing open minds told His disciples to allow them to come to Him, for such was the Kingdom of Heaven.[27]  The natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned.  God sent the Holy Spirit to enable man to change his BS; to come with an open mind; otherwise it is just foolishness to him.[28]

The Take Away

     Evolution is the belief that in the beginning, “something” already existed and somehow “something” with its laws of operation bumped into “something else” that was different and they had a baby.  This “new something” evolved over millions of years into its highest final form which today we call a “man”.  This man was made in the image of a monkey.  Life forms evolve from lower forms to higher forms.

     Creationism is the belief that in the beginning there was “nothing” and God supernaturally made something out of it.  He formed it all; the heavens, the earth, vegetation, man, animals, birds, fish and insects and they were commanded to “reproduce after their kind” and that’s what they have been doing ever since.  Since that time there have been thousands of variations within the individual species, but no new species.

     It further teaches that if man is left to himself he will revert or degenerate to a lower life form to depravity.

Life forms degenerate from higher life forms to lower life forms.

 

 

Given the choice

Which one would a LOGICAL person choose?

 

GOD OR NO GOD

 

---

[1] 2 Timothy 3:16 – All scripture is God breathed -- Hebrews  4:12 – The word of God is quick and powerful

[2] Daniel 9:2 – The Books -- Isaiah 28:10 – Mysteries revealed precept upon precept

[3] 2 Corinthians 4:3 - The Bible is a veiled mystery only to the perishing

[4] 2 Peter 1:16-21 – The Holy Spirit spoke through men

[5] 1 Corinthians 15:14 – No resurrection – Faith is useless

[6] Genesis 1:27 – Man created in the Image of God

[7] Genesis 1:1 – It was all created by God

[8] Genesis 10:25 – The earth was divided; EARTHQUAKE

[9] Psalms 102:25 – The foundations of the earth

[10] Genesis 2:2 – Took six day to “evolute”

[11] Hebrews 2:1-4 – We will drift away – degenerate without the word -- Genesis  6:5 – Man degenerated to evil and wickedness

[12] Genesis 1:20-21 – Things reproduce according to their kind

[13] Genesis 2:19 – Man was created first then the monkey and Adam named him.

[14] Isaiah 45:18 - God created the earth to be inhabited

[15] Genesis 1:27 – God created mankind both male and female

[16] Psalms 8:1-9-  God made man, animals, birds and the heavens  

[17] Genesis 1:20-21 - God created the whales and eagles and buzzards

[18] Psalms 19:1-7 – He made the SKY and the SUN

[19] Genesis 1:27-31 – God created man in ONE DAY

[20] Genesis 1:21 – 25 – They were made and reproduced after their kind

[21] Matthew 1:18 – Jesus was a Supernatural Birth

[22] John 10:17-18 – He authority to lay down His life and pick it up

[23] Matthew 28:6 – He is not here but Supernaturally risen -- Acts 1:3 – He supernaturally showed Himself to men

[24] Revelation 12:9 – The great dragon deceives the whole world -- 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 – He disguises himself as intelligent light. -- 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 – The evolutionist are blinded – They are perishing

[25] Daniel 12:4 – Many will run to and from after knowledge -- 2 Timothy 4:3-4 – Your ears itch to hear what suit your own desires. -- 2 Timothy 3:7 – Ever learning but no knowledge of the truth

[26] 2 Timothy 1:10 – Those that accept God Evolve to immortality -- Romans 2:8 – Those that reject truth Evolve to wrath and anger

[27] Luke 18:16 - Let the children come to me, for the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children

[28] 1 Corinthians 2:14 – Spiritual things are spiritually discerned; otherwise they are foolishness