Unbelievable Atheist Delusions

Although I had to admit defeat when it came to David Bentley Hart's The Beauty of the Infinite (see here), I thought I might have a stab at the author's Atheist Delusions: The Christian Revolution and Its Fashionable Enemies, Yale, 2009. I've only dipped into the intro so far as I'm saving the rest for summer holiday reading. 

So, I was interested to hear DBH debating with Terry Sanderson of the National Secular Society on Premier Christian Radio's Unbelievable programme, here. The image on the right shows DBH receiving the Michael Ramsey prize for theological writing from the hands of Rowan Williams for Atheist Delusions. The key argument of the book is that many of the key values of Western culture are not the product of rationalistic humanist thought, but are parasitic on the "Christian Revolution". The trouble is that we have largely forgotten the extent to which the Christian faith changed the moral outlook of the ancient world.  Notions such as the unique dignity of every human being are testimony to the continuing impact of Christian thought in our so-called post-Christian world. However, with the weakening of Christian influence, the unique vale of human life is being undermined. Some humanistic thinkers advocate eugenics and tragically, abortion is now an accepted part of Western society. Anyway, have a listen to the programme for yourself.  

But what if there is?

Here in the UK a bunch of atheists have scraped together £140,000 to have this slogan plastered on the side of buses,

"THERE'S PROBABLY NO GOD. NOW STOP WORRYING AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE"

What spectacular timing. Oh, I see, we're in the grip of an unprecedented economic crisis, unemployment is rising and no one knows quite what to do about it. But don't worry, God probably doesn't exist. We'll have to get through this one all on our own. Very reassuring!

But what if there is a God? What if that God has revealed himself to us in the world that he has made? According to the atheists behind the slogan, the universe is the product of random and impersonal forces. There is no grand meaning or significance to life on our little planet. But what if the heavens declare God's glory and the earth if full of his goodness? What if God has made us for a purpose, that we might know him and experience the reality of his presence in our lives? Yes, we mess things up, and often live as if God did not exist. But what if God loves human beings like us? What if he sent his Son, Jesus Christ into our world to bring us back to him?

Knowing this God as Father means that we don't have to worry. He knows our needs and has promised to provide for all who trust in him. Believing in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ doesn't suck all the enjoyment and pleasure out of life. Not at all. It is God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. In his presence is fullness of joy and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

I can think of a much better slogan,

"THERE IS A GOD OF UNIMAGINABLE GRACE AND LOVE. YOU CAN BECOME HIS CHILD BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. NOW STOP WORRING AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE!"

The Dawkins delusion

Does Richard Dawkins actually exist? An interviewer sounding very much like UK politician William Hague interrogates Dr Terry Tommyrot.

The mysterious luminosity of God

But while the deity is in one sense the most mysterious of all objects of knowledge, in another sense, he is the most luminous. No idea impresses universal man as the idea of God. Neither space nor time, neither matter or mind, neither life nor death, not sun, moon or stars, so influence the immediate consciousness of man in every clime and in all his generations, as does the "Presence" which, in Wordsworth's phrase, "is not to be put by". This idea of ideas overhangs human existence like the firmament, and though clouds and darkness obscure it in many zones, while in others it is crystalline and clear, all human beings must live beneath it, and cannot possible get from under its all-embracing arch. The very denial of the Divine Existence evinces by its eagerness and effort, the firmness with which the idea of God is entrenched in man's constitution. A chimera or a nonentity would never evoke such a passionate antagonism as is expressed in the reasonings of atheism.

From Dogmatic Theology by W. G. T. Shedd p. 57 (Klock & Klock 1979 reprint).

Is God really a delusion? by Alister McGrath

Alister McGrath

Listen to Alister McGrath's response to Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion

Is God a Delusion? Atheism and the Meaning of Life (MP3)

Richard Dawkins

Dawkins' God by Alister McGrath

Today, The Independent Newspaper carries an article by Richard Dawkins "Darwin's Rottweiler", entitled in large print, "GOD the root of all evil?". In this piece, Dawkins introduces his forthcoming TV series entitled, The Root of All Evil? He rehearses his old arguments about religion being the cause of untold suffering in the world and that Darwinism has made God an unnecessary construct. Dawkins repeats his claim that bringing up children in a religious context is tantamount to "mental child abuse."

It was interesting the read this article after just finishing McGrath's courteous yet systematic and devastating critique of Dawkins atheism. McGrath is well placed to write such a book as he holds a doctorate in biophysics and is an eminent theologian. McGrath shows that Darwinism has not eliminated God from the universe. Darwinian evolution cannot in itself adjudicate on the God question. He refutes Dawkins' assertion that natural selection must lead inevitably to atheism.

McGrath subjects Dawkins' theory of "memes" that enables him to label religion as a "virus of the mind" to sustained criticism at every level. The author demonstrates that "memes" have no empirical, scientific basis. He also points out that even given the validity of "meme" theory, atheism could just as well be a "virus of the mind", making Dawkins' argument self-defeating.

The author questions Dawkins' definition of faith as irrational blind trust and urges him to take a more evidence-based approach to the relationship between Christianity and science. He concludes by saying,

Scientists and Theologians have so much to learn from each other. Listening to each other, we might hear the galaxies sing. Or even the heavens declaring the glory of God. (Psalm 19:1).

McGrath does not utilise the arguments of Intelligent Design. He cautiously accepts the Darwinian account of the origin of species and takes an Augustinian view of the Genesis creation account. He notes that Theological conservatives such as B. B. Warfield reacted favourably to Darwinism. Six day creationists may disagree with McGrath on these points. But he has done us a great service in subjecting Dawkins' aggressive, but unfounded and irrational atheism to rigorous scholarly analysis. In the light of this book, perhaps "Darwin's Rottweiler" should scurry away with his tail between his legs, rather than continuing to bark out his atheism in the press and on TV.