I Can't Believe in God, He's Too Evil
I had an Atheist respond on one of my Facebook pages awhile back and I'd like to share that conversation here on my blog. I've modified my response a bit to clarify some points, for the sake of this post, that weren't properly clarified in the original response.
If you think this conversation will help others you may know who are struggling with the same thoughts about God, I pray you will share this with them and also, please pray for this person, "Manda", that her (I assume) eyes will be opened and her heart will be softened to the truth. (It's good that she, at least, acknowledges that some things are unquestionably wrong...rejecting the humanist view that everything is relative.)
Atheist Manda: I don't believe there's a god because circumstantial evidence (a fact for which multiple explanations are still possible) is neither actual evidence, nor proof. I *also* don't want to believe there is an imaginary invisible man who orders people to murder, take slaves, and rape. If such a monster existed, I'd have to drop everything I'm doing and join the army of sane people opposing him like we opposed Hitler. 1 Chronicles 21, Deuteronomy 3, Joshua 6, Judges 21, 2 Kings 10:18--27, Exodus 21:1-11, Judges 11:29-40, Isaiah 13-16, Hosea 13:16, Psalms 127:9.
My response: Only by God's Grace can you understand the scriptures. Without the leading of the Holy Spirit, God's Word will always be a mystery to you. But you don't have to worry about that right now. When you understand that you are a criminal in God's eyes and worthy of damnation, and fall to your knees asking Him to redeem you, He will not only do so (He already has, you just have to accept the gift), but He will give you knowledge you currently don't, and won't ever, have otherwise.
I know this seems unreasonable now. I was an Atheist for a long time, I know where you're coming from. But your evidence is right in front of you, you just don't want to see it and you never will until you're ready to examine yourself and see yourself for what you, what we all, are. If God didn't exist, you would not be breathing right now. Cells don't operate on their own, they are programmed to operate. If you get to the very basic parts of life - cells, hormones, and amino acids - ask yourself, how do they know what to do? And how do they do it so well? Why is it that we've never been able to take carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, etc and create something as "simple" as a living cell? (Hint: they aren't simple at all!) Evolution doesn't explain that and it never could, because each part of a cell must be present in order for the entire thing to work. Evolution says things go from simple to complex. That's impossible and to say it is possible is to deny science which tells us otherwise. Ask yourself, why is it that we are able to think; what evolutionary purpose is the inner mind? Where does the inner mind come from? Where does consciousnesses come from? Evolution says, survival of the fittest, yet our consciousness allows us to make horrible mistakes all the time. You'd think after "millions of years" we'd have evolved to the point to where we'd never make a wrong choice. Yet we haven't. That's because of sin and that's because we haven't evolved at all, but were created, in the beginning, just as we are now.
God is not a monster, we are the monsters. But again, you will not come to that realization until you understand that you need God. Sin is the reason for horrible things that happen in this world, not God. God did not create the world this way, He made it perfect and without sin, but because He takes no delight in being a puppet master, He had to create the world with the option to sin. Without that option, we would not have free will. We have, just as Adam and Eve had, free will to accept or deny Him. He knows who will and who will not deny Him, but He still allows us that choice. He also tells us the penalty of denying Him. If we choose to not believe that the penalty exists, it doesn't change that we will still have to pay it.
While that makes the Atheist's head spin, I know, they seem to forget about the merciful part of God; the God that sent His son to die the most horrible, most humiliating death ever devised for a man to die so He, God, could pay the price for us so we wouldn't have to! That is why Jesus came, to give us eternal life (beyond the expectancy of our mortal cells) and to pay our sin debt for us! We know God accepted this payment from His son, Christ, because Christ was resurrected from the dead and showed Himself publicly as evidence. Christ's sacrifice was a gift to the world, but if we don't accept His gift. It goes back to free will; if you don't want the gift, He will not force it upon you. You have to want it, but before you can want it, you have to see that you need it.
I have no illusions that anything I've said here will change your mind right now, Manda, but you've been presented with both the bad news - you're a criminal in God's eyes (you've broken His commandments, we all have) - and then the good news - God knows you could never pay the price for your crimes (sins) on your own, so He sent His own Son to pay them for you! What a merciful God! Would you send your only son to die at the electric chair as a replacement for the criminal who actually commited the crime? I bet you wouldn't. But God did. He did it as a gift and act of love towards you and me. Now all you have to do is have just a tiny amount of faith and accept His gift. A tiny amount of faith is all that it takes. I will pray that one day you'll develop that tiny amount of faith and that you'll just trust, for even a moment, that what I have said is true. One day, when you're ready, call out to God and ask Him to give you the rest of the story; ask Him to fill in the countless blanks you have right now. I promise you He will! And when you're ready (hopefully soon, you could die in the very next moment!), call out to Him and let Him know you want to receive His gift of salvation. I promise you it won't seem so scary in that moment. Instead, it will seem like the weight of the world has been lifted off your shoulders and an entire world of knowledge will then be open to you that was completely shut off to you before. Ask any born again Christian, they'll tell you the same thing.
Thank you, Manda, for responding to my post, I'll be praying for you. I hope we can meet in Heaven some day.
Do you know, if you were to die today, whether or not you'll go to be with Christ after you die? Are you 100% and completely assured of your salvation? If not, please take the time to read this salvation message today. There is nothing more important than giving your life to Christ and securing your place in eternity. I pray the Holy Spirit leads you to a personal relationship with Christ today, and I pray that you follow with a willing heart wherever the Holy Spirit leads you.
#Atheism #SpiritualJourney #Truth #Salvation #UnderstandingGod
