Sunday, June 29, 2008

For my atheist friends...

Dr. Will Provine...  Featured in Ben Stein's new movie, eXpelled released in April of this year, is a name that I have not often heard in evolutionary circles...  Though, I am not an evolutionist, and I don't study evolution to the extent that some do...

However, the name Richard Dawkins is prominent, and some guy named Higgins, not to mention Charles Darwin who, as it turns out, is going to have an 18-month celebration carried out in his honor in good old England from the 200th Anniversary of his birth, until the 150th Anniversary of the publication of the Origin of the Species...



So, as I was reading through Ray Comfort's Blog I referenced Dr. Provine several times in comment posts, therefore, I thought I would share a video snippet that I will no doubt be accused of taking out of context...  

However, I want to bring your attention to the final 15-30 seconds of the video where he lists his views of what "modern evolutionary biology tells us" which he asserts are, "basically Darwin's views..."

Now, I've spoken to many, many atheists who claim that atheism has ethical foundations, and that the meaning of life is to "enjoy it now, 'cause it's all you've got."  And invariably, when attempting to share the Truth with an atheist, they will invoke the idea that man has free will to make whatever choices they want with their lives.

In my opinion, those statements, like the assertions that "there is no god or purposive forces" and "there is no life after death" would be, as in a Summary of Biblical Understanding, considered essential beliefs of those truly committed to the cause...  Yet evolutionist and atheists disagree...  Why?

2 comments:

The Amiable Atheist said...

whoever told you atheism had "ethical foundations" was wrong.

what they should have said is that human beings have "ethical foundations".

as an atheist, i do not believe that one needs the 10 commandments or the fear of punishment in order to behave good. most of us are born with empathy, and have an inner urge to help others or atleast not to want to see them suffer.

my morality has nothing to do with my atheism and it has everything to do with me being a thinking and feeling human being.

Benjamin - The Sower said...

You say po-TAY-toe - they said po-TAH-toe...

As a CHRISTIAN I ALSO do not believe that one needs the 10 commandments or the fear of punishment in order to behave [well]...

Where our roads diverge in the woods is here... You believe that we are all born basically "good" - which is where I would question your testimony of being "deeply religious" is the same as being a Christian.

I believe, and the Bible is true when it states clearly that we are all wicked to the core... You lie, and call it "white" or a "fib" so as to justify it, when God calls it condemnable...

You steal and say that it's no big deal that you took an extra five minutes on your break time, or that the government won't miss the money...

You commit adultery by looking with lust, and take God's name in vain and say that what you do with your eyes doesn't hurt anyone, and that what you're committing is a victimless crime - when the God that you claim to have worshipped for 18 years says that you are guilty and worthy of an eternity in hell.

You justify your sins so that you can ignore the fact that someone cared enough about you to take your place in death and punishment.

You may claim that you were a Christian, however, you cannot walk away from something you were never in possession of...

I'm not suggesting that the reason you should believe in God is because He wrote out 10 Commandments, or even because He created hell in order to punish those who would reject His free gift of salvation - it's because Christ was so kind to take your place in punishment...

Fear God, yes - Proverbs tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom... And look at the Commandments, yes... But don't stop there...

See the Commandments for what they are, and what they were meant to be - a representation of who God is... and what we can - in this present body and life - never be...

Everything I wrote about you above, is true about me as well... I'm not claiming that I'm better than you in any way... I'm simply better off because I have come to the point where I realize that, in and of myself, I cannot atone for my sins... I need a Savior to do that for me...

And so do you...

I do not have any morality apart from Christ's morality that He has applied to my account at the point of His crucifixion and resurrection...

I could write you a book based upon all of the things I used to do before Christ brought life back to my dead heart... But I won't bore you with information you'll reject out of hand...

Bottom line is this... Your ability to do anything "moral" by your own definition is by your own power - kind of like a smoker trying to quit cold turkey... You're doing it under your own power...