Atheism is an Anomaly: Here’s Why and a Few Words on the “New Atheism”
Fourth-century theologian and Bishop of Hippo, Saint Augustine, wrote in his book, Confessions: “Man is one of your creatures, Lord, and his instinct is to praise you…. The thought of you stirs him so deeply that he cannot be content unless he praises you, because you made us for yourself and our hearts find no peace until they rest in you.” Augustine captured a profound theological truth in this famous quote: God has placed an intuitive awareness of His existence in the hearts of all people (Eccl. 3:11; cf. Rom. 1: 18-20).
This innate yearning for a relationship with the Divine is a worldwide phenomenon that has been documented countless times. Studies of ancient and recent civilizations confirm that belief in supernatural beings is an ingredient of all cultures. The same is true in America today. Depending on the survey, up to 90 percent of Americans believe in some form of deity (or at least consider themselves “spiritual”). Moreover, to argue, as many atheists do, that religious beliefs are rooted in primitive superstitions fails to account for the multiple millions of bright, educated, modern people from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds that are convinced God does exist and has revealed Himself in ways that can be investigated and experienced. Atheists dogmatically assert that God doesn’t exist, but they can’t adequately explain the worldwide phenomenon of belief in God—nor why so many former, educated atheists, after investigating biblical revelation, have become strong, committed Christians.
The fact is atheism is an anomaly. People are not atheists by birth; they become atheists by exposure to the philosophies of secular culture. This is not to say that there aren’t many functioning atheists—people who profess to believe in God but think, talk, and behave as if God doesn’t exist. More serious yet, and the primary reason why apologetics in defense of God’s existence is important, the majority of our culture’s pacesetters—the intellectual elite who control the media and entertainment industries and our universities—are actual or functioning atheists. They clearly promote a human-centered, widely immoral, godless worldview that has permeated virtually all sectors of modern culture.
The “New Atheism”
Since the 1960s, atheists have been remarkably triumphant in promoting their ideology emphasizing that belief in God is irrational, especially in the scientific community. Nevertheless, although few in number (less than 3 percent of American adults consider themselves actual atheists), they wield tremendous influence in secular society. During the past decade, a group of self-promoting atheists have moved onto center stage to become the spokesmen for what is being called the “New Atheism.” The group is spearheaded by several popular, outspoken atheists who have gained wide publicity through a series of best-selling books, articles, and university lectures tailored for a popular audience. Biologist Richard Dawkins, neuroscientist Sam Harris, philosopher Daniel Dennett, social critic Christopher Hitchens (now deceased), and several other notables have become the vanguard of the New Atheism.
The fact is the New Atheism offers no serious new evidences that cast doubt on the existence of God. Their arguments are essentially restatements of the same old worn-out arguments used by atheists in past generations. Most, if not all of them, have been dismantled by Christian apologists and theologians decades ago.
What’s “new” about the New Atheism is their militant attitude and hostile tactics—and widespread publicity. Unlike atheists of past generations, who generally did not engage in combative or belligerent strategies, this new breed of atheists aggressively seek to jettison, by whatever means necessary, anything remotely religious from the public square. They not only want to aggressively proclaim their atheistic ideology, but they also want everyone else to reject religious belief and join the ranks of the ungodly. To me, this seems rather odd and hypocritical. In today’s postmodern world, everyone is supposed to be tolerant and accept the beliefs of everyone else as being equally legitimate as their own. But then atheism is not known for its open-mindedness and integrity.
Be Prepared
There are many arguments for God’s existence. Peter Kreeft and Ronald Tacelli, in their Handbook of Christian Apologetics present twenty such arguments. In my book The Christian Combat Manual; Helps for Defending Your Faith: A Handbook for Practical Apologetics, I focus what I believe are the four most effective, usable, and durable arguments for God’s existence. They include scientific, philosophical, and subjective evidences. ©
* This article is adapted from my book, The Christian Combat Manual; Helps for Defending Your Faith: A Handbook for Practical Apologetics, which is available in most outlets.