A Christian Perspective on Atheism
Contrary to what some may imagine, there are different varieties of atheism, as discussed here and here. No matter the professed type of atheism in view, however, a Christian perspective boils an atheistic mindset down to a willful rebellion against the triune God who is. As per biblical teaching, this rebellion is sustained via a filtering of God's created truth through the lens of an unbelieving worldview--a fact with moral, spiritual, and psychological ramifications.
The Bible is clear. Whereas various men and women claim epistemological uncertainty in their rejection of God, and others a professed certainty, they are morally culpable for it. According to Romans 1:19, this is due to the fact that "what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them" (ESV). Verse 20 asserts that creation itself testifies of God, and two verses prior, we are told that those who reject God "suppress the truth" (v. 18). They suppress it, and therefore, divine wrath is held against them. They are "without excuse" (v. 20).
As outlandish and/or offensive as it may seem to some, this is what the Bible teaches, and all who claim allegiance to the lordship of Jesus Christ have as their duty a willful submission to the clear teaching of the biblical text. This means that they are to believe what God says about atheists over any and all claims to the contrary, no matter who they're from. God's word is their ultimate authority, and naturally, this puts them at odds with those who claim for themselves a different ultimate authority, whether that authority is autonomous human reason, experience, a differing religious text, or what have you. A Christian perspective on atheism is, quite plainly, that it's inexcusable.
Good article! Nobody will ever have a good excuse when standing before the White Throne..
Would you prefer for them to lie about what they believe in? I thought you were interested in truth and the whole creation spoke of it.
Hey, @tommycordero. I don't believe atheists are necessarily deceptive about their own, respective belief systems. Self-deception is a real phenomenon, after all. For example, famed atheist Richard Dawkins believes that we may have come from aliens. He may very well be convinced that it's a possibility, but in order to believe such a thing, he must suppress the truth of God revealed in creation.
So the truth was revealed to them when they were born but they decided to suppress it?
Why would anyone want to do that?
The truth of God revealed in creation is inescapable for creatures living in God's created universe; hence, a suppression of it must happen on a daily basis. In answer to your question, however, men and women are in a natural, uncoerced state of rebellion against God as fallen sons and daughters of Adam, who sinned. This is so apart from the redemptive grace of God. There are no inherently "good" people, ultimately.
I don't know that it's healthy for anyone to walk around thinking there are no good people and looking for signs of Christianity to know whether it's safe to deal with them. Even if it was true and people weren't good at their core, like I believe they are, how does it help to look at them with those eyes?
Isn't all the creation by the hand of one that is good? How can then his creation not be good?
If truth matters (and it does), it "helps" to look at everything as it truly is, and as per a consistently Christian worldview, that includes the total depravity of man--a reality rooted in the Fall of humanity as recorded in Genesis 3. The "total" in total depravity means that all aspects of man have been affected by sin (e.g., the mind, will, etc.) and not that man is as bad as he could potentially be. The gracious, restraining hand of God prevents the latter, and hence, you're not inclined to murder all of those around you right now; you might even wish to do them well.
Thanks for that post. I am a german evangelist and also a presuppositional apologist. Keep up the good work and may God bless you! :)