|
Quotes from Answers to the Atheist Handbook Go to: "35 Proofs of God's Existence" "Strategies for Dialoguing with Atheists"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Existence of God : Empirical Approach Atheists use the following flawed logic: "Has anyone heard God?" -- "Has anyone touched God?" -- "Has anyone seen God?" -- In conclusion they declare, "Then there is no God." The Christian response: 1. Atheists surround themselves with like kind. Of course none of them have seen, heard, or touched God. If so, they would no longer be an unbeliever. 2. Yours Truly [this writer] has touched God almost every day I can remember since 1981. 3. I have not heard God, but many persons that I know have heard God, and I personally have heard people speak out a particular thing about me or about someone else that ONLY God could know. 4. I have heard of reputable, solid people that have seen God. 5. There have been established recorded miracles such as eyes growing back into the heads of formerly blind people, and emaciated bodies gaining 50 pounds of muscle in 50 minutes. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Below: from the Witnessing Tips column of the Christian Research Journal, Winter/Spring 1989, page 7) by Ron Rhodes. The Editor-in-Chief of the Christian Research Journal is Elliot Miller. ------------- No one is born an atheist. People choose to become atheists as much as they choose to become
Christians. And no matter how strenuously some may try to deny it, atheism is a belief system. It
requires faith that God does not exist.
When dialoguing with atheists, it is helpful to point out the logical problems inherent in their belief
system. If you succeed in showing an atheist the natural outcome of some of his (or her) main
claims and arguments, you are in a much better position to share the gospel with him. Let us
consider two prime examples here.
(1) "There is no God." Some atheists categorically state that there is no God, and all atheists, by
definition, believe it. And yet, this assertion is logically indefensible. A person would have to be
omniscient and omnipresent to be able to say from his own pool of knowledge that there is no
God. Only someone who is capable of being in all places at the same time -- with a perfect
knowledge of all that is in the universe -- can make such a statement based on the facts. To put it
another way, a person would have to be God in order to say there is no God.
This point can be forcefully emphasized by asking the atheist if he has ever visited the Library of
Congress in Washington D.C. Mention that the library presently contains over 70 million items
(books, magazines, journals, etc.). Also point out that hundreds of thousands of these were
written by scholars and specialists in the various academic fields. Then ask the following question:
"What percentage of the collective knowledge recorded in the volumes in this library would you
say are within your own pool of knowledge and experience?" The atheist will likely respond, "I
don't know. I guess a fraction of one percent." You can then ask: "Do you think it is logically
possible that God may exist in the 99.9 percent that is outside your pool of knowledge and
experience?" Even if the atheist refuses to admit the possibility, you have made your point and he
knows it.
(2) "I don't believe in God because there is so much evil in the world." Many atheists consider the
problem of evil an airtight proof that God does not exist. They often say something like: "I know
there is no God because if He existed, He never would have let Hitler murder six million Jews."
A good approach to an argument like this is to say something to this effect: "Since you brought
up this issue, the burden lies on you to prove that evil actually exists in the world. So let me ask
you: by what criteria do you judge some things to be evil and other things not to be evil? By what
process do you distinguish evil from good?" The atheist may hedge and say: "I just know that
some things are evil. It's obvious." Don't accept such an evasive answer. Insist that he tell you
how he knows that some things are evil. He must be forced to face the illogical foundation of his
belief system.
After he struggles with this a few moments, point out to him that it is impossible to distinguish
evil from good unless one has an infinite reference point which is absolutely good. Otherwise one
is like a boat at sea on a cloudy night without a compass (i.e., there would be no way to
distinguish north from south without the absolute reference point of the compass needle).
The infinite reference point for distinguishing good from evil can only be found in the person of
God, for God alone can exhaust the definition of "absolutely good." If God does not exist, then
there are no moral absolutes by which one has the right to judge something (or someone) as being
evil. More specifically, if God does not exist, there is no ultimate basis to judge the crimes of
Hitler. Seen in this light, the reality of evil actually requires the existence of God, rather than
disproving it.
At this point, the atheist may raise the objection that if God does in fact exist, then why hasn't He
dealt with the problem of evil in the world. You can disarm this objection by pointing out that
God is dealing with the problem of evil, but in a progressive way. The false assumption on the
part of the atheist is that God's only choice is to deal with evil all at once in a single act. God,
however, is dealing with the problem of evil throughout all human history. One day in the future,
Christ will return, strip power away from the wicked, and hold all men and women accountable
for the things they did during their time on earth. Justice will ultimately prevail. Those who enter
eternity without having trusted in Christ for salvation will understand just how effectively God has
dealt with the problem of evil.
If the atheist responds that it shouldn't take all of human history for an omnipotent God to solve
the problem of evil, you might respond by saying: "Ok. Let's do it your way. Hypothetically
speaking, let's say that at this very moment, God declared that all evil in the world will now simply
cease to exist. Every human being on the planet -- present company included -- would simply
vanish into oblivion. Would this solution be preferable to you?"
The atheist may argue that a better solution must surely be available. He may even suggest that
God could have created man in such a way that man would never sin, thus avoiding evil
altogether. This idea can be countered by pointing out that such a scenario would mean that man
is no longer man. He would no longer have the capacity to make choices. This scenario would
require that God create robots who act only in programmed ways.
If the atheist persists and says there must be a better solution to the problem of evil, suggest a
simple test. Give him about five minutes to formulate a solution to the problem of evil that (1)
does not destroy human freedom, or (2) cause God to violate His nature (e.g., His attributes of
absolute holiness, justice, and mercy) in some way. After five minutes, ask him what he came up
with. Don't expect much of an answer.
Your goal, of course, is not simply to tear down the atheist's belief system. After demonstrating some of the logical impossibilities of his claims, share with him some of the logical evidence for redemption in Jesus Christ, and the infinite benefits that it brings. Perhaps through your witness and prayers his faith in atheism will be overturned by a newfound faith in Christ. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 1994 by the Christian Research Institute. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Quotes from Answers to the Atheist Handbook by Richard Wurmbrandfounder of Voice of the Martyrs http://www.persecution.com(Quotes translated from Spanish)(Book also available in English.) Regarding Darwinism: p.6 "How is it that sheep survived?--that they were not eaten by wolves?
The wolf produces 6 or 7 offspring per year; the sheep, only one. The wolf has speed, claws, and
teeth. The sheep has no means of defense. Why do we yet have sheep? Today, man protects them.
Animals, according to Darwin's theory, existed before man. Who protected the sheep then? Just as
the four-footed sheep could not exist without God, neither could the beloved two-footed sheep of
Christ that were defenseless against the cruel persecutor since the beginning of the church."
p.8 "We [Christians] consider it an advantage to be criticized. It is to the detriment of atheists that
they impose a dictatorship in communist countries. How can one know that he has a good reason,
if he cannot tolerate criticism? In all the Christian countries of the West the atheists have full
liberty for their propaganda. The Christian doesn't have the slightest reason to fear it. In free open
debate, only Christianity can win."
p.8 "Darkness cannot overcome the light of the candle because [darkness] is not energy--it is
absence of light. Only the light, being energy, can triumph. So that the room that was in darkness
is made visible, transformed by the lit candle."
p.15 "Christianity is so sure of the Truth that it possesses that it is open to all criticism of that
Truth, even receiving it as a stimulus to greater affirm its Truth. Faith comes by means of a
continual rejecting of errors and constantly accepting inspiration of others that have had the
experience of new truths."
p.18 "We [mankind] had lived for thousands of years without knowing of the influence of viruses
and microbes on our lives? ... Who has recorded the infinite universe to be able to be sure that
there is no God? ..." The Bible says: [1 Cor. 8:2] "And if anybody thinks that he knows anything,
yet he knows nothing as he ought to know it."
p.29 [RE: logic without emotion] "And you, my opponents, do you fear anything? Without
complete liberty of investigation and expression, whether your points of view are correct or false,
[your] logic cannot give correct results. Your reasoning is prejudiced by a feeling----fear!"
p. 30 "Atheism is also founded on faith. ... It is based on the sentiment that it is worth the effort to
go through life denying that which is 'nonexistent'."
p. 33 According to atheists, "Nature created all, being itself not created. But that is what we
believe of God!" They say, "Nature is infinite and eternal. ... Our impression is that he [the atheist
author] only has substituted the word, 'nature', for the word, 'God', toward Whom he feels
aversion." [i.e. atheism is a religion]
p. 34-5 THE PRIMARY DOGMA OF ATHEISM: From Eternity has existed matter in continual movement, the which has created life. The famous astronomer, Hoyle, deduces proofs of the contrary, in Nature of the Universe he writes: To avoid the question of the creation it would be necessary that all the material of the universe should be infinitely ancient. This is impossible for a practical reason. If it were so, there would remain nothing of hydrogen in the universe. As I believe I demonstrated when I spoke of the interior of the stars, the hydrogen is converted permanently into helium throughout the universe, and this conversion is a unidirectional process, that is to say that hydrogen cannot be produced in any appreciable quantity by means of the decomposition of other elements. How can one explain then that the universe consists almost entirely of hydrogen? If material were infinitely ancient, this would be greatly impossible. So we see that the universe, being as it is---the theme of the creation simply cannot be evaded. Also we know that according to the second law of thermodynamics, in every physical process observable in the universe, some of energy becomes less available. The universe is wasting away. Since it is far from having wasted itself away totally, it must have had a beginning. p. 36 OOPS!! by atheists in crisis: Stalin when St. Petersburg was surrounded by anti-communist troops of General Kornilov during the Russian Revolution: "Oh, that God would permit us to flee!" Stalin in World War II: "Oh, how I would like God to give success to the invasion of North Africa!" Mao, supposedly a staunch atheist, as a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, when he was gravely ill, asked to be baptized and was baptized by a monk. When his wife was killed by the troops of Chiang Kai-Shek, he composed a poem, "The Immortals". In an interview with the English publication, Snow, in 1971, he said: "Soon I have to appear before God." Answers to Atheist Handbook continued - Both atheists and Christians claim to have at least two common goals: 1. To take care of the widows and orphans. 2. He that gathers much shall have no surplus, and he that gathers little shall have no lack. In practice, however, the communist countries have fewer and cruder orphanages and retirement homes than those found under other forms of government. In God's economy, He gives sunshine and rain to the just and the unjust. In atheistic communism, those who are not of the Communist Party suffer much lack.
p. 42 "Atheism suffocates the reproaches of the conscience as opium alleviates physical pain."
p. 56 "No kingdom has existed for 2000 years the way the Christian kingdom has survived the
persecutions, hatred, and deprivation of twenty centuries."
p. 61 "Why do the atheists try to stop the people from possessing Bibles that the people might form their own opinion. Beliefs ought to be based on evidence open to examination. That which knowledge implicates is not so much the importance of a determined truth, but rather the right to seek out the truth and extend its usefulness without restrictions. Beliefs determined only can survive when they are justified against the opposition." p. 65 "The simple fact that the atheists keep us muzzled while they write, shows that they are unjust and therefore unworthy of trust." p. 71 "They rejoice at the 'death' of God. Now they no longer have to worry about their conscience, truthfulness, and love. They can do whatever they want." p. 81 "In the Atheist's Handbook is the denial of the ancient flood even at the price of the denial of the historical evidence." p. 98 "Voltaire wrote that in one hundred years the Bible would be a book antiquated and forgotten, found only in museums; but one hundred years after he wrote that--his own house was being used by the Biblical Society. The Bible has been translated into 1,300 languages and millions of copies are sold each year, but who bothers to read Voltaire?" p. 112 "I challenge my opponents to give me the name of one man that is in prison in the U.S., Britain, or West Germany for being an atheist." "Marx advocated 'permanent revolution', an expression created by himself. Permanent revolution for what? Never a goal to be obtained? Not even a utopia as a goal. That is sadism." "Christians never forget that the first rebel was the devil. They don't easily resort to rebellion, not even to rebellion against the communist regime." p. 116-117 "There are moments when the sun is covered by clouds. Those that desire to see it have to wait. If God desires to hide Himself only to be discovered by those that seek Him anxiously, I must respect His will." p. 152-153 Prophecy being fulfilled concerning Jews: "I will make of you a great nation." 1. More than 70% of the winners of the Nobel prize are Jews. 2. Nobody doubts that the Jews of today retain the coffers of the world's money. Wherever they have gone they have become the 'wizards' of finance. 3. Before World War I, a careful computation of the European college professors, excepting Britain, demonstrated that about 70% were Jews. 4. Even Marx and Trotsky were Jews. Lenin was half Jewish. 5. Hebrew is the only ancient language that had died and has been revived. Not so with Latin or Greek and many others. 6. During the Six Day War, Israel defeated three nations. At that time, one Israeli tank defeated
100 enemy tanks in a day.
Words of dying atheists: p. 180 Talleyrand: "I am suffering the blows of the condemned." Mirabeau: "Give me laudanum [an opiate] that I might not think about eternity." Voltaire: "I am abandoned by God and by men. I will go to hell. Oh, Christ, Oh, Jesus Christ!" Carlos IX, King of France: "What blood, what murders, what bad advice I have followed. I am lost. I see it clearly." Thomas Paine: "I would give worlds, if I had them, if The Age of Reason [an anti-Christian book]
never had been published. Oh, Lord, help me, Christ, help me. Stay with me. It is hell to be
alone."
Scientific Truth: p. 191 C. Chant, professor of astronomy at the University of Toronto says, "I don't hesitate in saying that at least 90% of astronomers have arrived at the conclusion that the universe is not the result of a blind law, but it is regulated by a Great Intelligence." Regarding the other 10%: many of them are Soviets and do not have the liberty to say what they think. p.203 The probability of a molecule of protein forming by chance is--the number one divided by the
quantity: ten to the 160th power.
[Among others, DeVinci, Galileo, Kepler, Isaac Newton and Louis Pasteur were Christians. An atheist in his youth, Einstein came to believe in God. He was not necessarily a Christian, but he claimed to have derived the Theory of Relativity from Genesis chapter one.] Einstein spoke of a Superior Intellect Who is revealed through nature: "Man finds God behind every door that science manages to open." p. 182 It was Einstein who said, "The majority of people say that it is intellect that makes a great scientist. They are wrong; it is *character." *moral or ethical strength [American Heritage Dictionary]
Epilogue: the author of Answers to the Atheist Handbook, Richard Wurmbrand, is a former atheistic Jew converted to Jesus. He was tortured fourteen years in a communist Romanian prison for his faith in Christ. (See also: www.persecution.com) |
home | biography | library | apostles | prophecy | revival | rapture | beliefs | links | e-mail