The Tragedy of Atheism: To Never Know the Love of God!

The fool hath said in his heart: There is no God, They are corrupt, and are become abominable in their ways: there is none that doth good, no not one. [Psalm 14:1]

Why I'm thinking about atheism this morning is a puzzle. I don't know anyone who proclaims belief in atheism, although I met a pro-life atheist when I was in prison during the 1992 Spring of Life in Buffalo. They held us for 24 days so the 100+ women got to know each other pretty well. I wonder if she's still an atheist almost 25 years later. I think I'll pray for her today and for all atheists. They don't really believe in no god. Their god's name is Chance or Evolution or Accident. They look at the complexity of the universe and reduce its order to the throw of the dice. Calling it foolish seems to me to be an understatement.

In an age of unreason, I suppose atheism makes perfect sense because it's stupid and unreasonable, foolish as the psalm says. If a child asked me if God exists, I would pick up a toy and ask where it came from. Perhaps the question came to mind because the child reached the age where he no longer believes in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy and his disillusion made him wonder if grownups were telling him fairy stories about God as well.

The imaginary conversation might go something like this depending on the age of the child.

Child: Is there really a God or is that just a story like Santa Claus? [I would leave the question of Santa Claus for another time. Maybe I'll do a post on the case for Santa Claus.]

Me: May I look at your toy truck? [Child gives it to me and I examine it.] Where did this come from?

Child: [laughs] You know, Grandma. You took me to the toy store and I picked it out for my birthday.

Me: I'm being silly, aren't I. But where did it come from before that? Who made it?

Child: I don't know, somebody who worked in the toy factory I guess.

Me: How do you know? Did you see anyone making it?

Child: No.

Me: How do you know it didn't just put itself together from all the different parts that made themselves?

Child: That's silly, Grandma.

Me: You're right. That is silly. Nothing can make itself. Remember when we made a model of the solar system? Jimmy told you it was really great when you showed it to him and said you made it.

Child: It's still hanging in my bedroom. I like to look at it.

Me: I know you do. I was so proud of you. It was a lot of work and you did a great job. Do you think the solar system could have come about by accident? Or did somebody who was really smart make it? 

Child: [thinking] I guess somebody had to make it.

Me: You're right! God made it. He said, "Let there be light!" And suddenly there was light. And then he made the sun to hold the light during the day and all the other stars to hold all the light in the universe. And he made the moon to be like a flashlight at night reflecting the light of the sun so we would have a reminder of His love at night. 

Child: I like to look at the stars. It was fun when we went to the park for astronomy night. I like to look at the man in the moon. 

Me: I do too. I think God knew how much we would enjoy the man in the moon and all the pictures the clouds make during the day. He loves us and likes to play games with us, I think. Shall we make some cookies this afternoon or play games?

Child: Let's make cookies. We can make moons and stars.

Me: That's a great idea. You get the cookie cutters out and we'll get started. 

Children need to know the reasons we can "prove" that God exists. Can we see Him? No, but we can see His handiwork all around us. And we can see Jesus in the history books since contemporary historians wrote about Him, not only the apostles and His other followers.

Just because you can't see something doesn't mean it isn't real. Many things are invisible to the eye and to the scientist's tools. We can't measure love with a ruler or courage or integrity, but we know they exist. We know when we've been cheated by a dishonest person. We learn to recognize who can be trusted and who can't, but we can't put someone on a scale to measure his honesty.

God doesn't hide from us. We can see Him in all His creation, just like we see the toymaker in his work. Those who refuse to see God are blind and foolish and what a glorious life they miss!

For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that all who believe in him may not perish, but may have eternal life. 

Let's all pray for atheists today and every day, that they come to know God Who is love. What a tragedy never to know Him.