Box of Rocks

#561

Box of Rocks

This is the first time I have ever written anything on Atheism. Reared in a Christian home, family on both sides totally committed, dedicated to the church, both my mother and father's families having built the family church, still very much in service, since 1874. My Great Grandfather, Elder P.T. Lucas one of the great preachers of eastern North Carolina, horse and buggy, traveling the rural paths establishing churches, preaching, burying the dead. This man was a great land owner. Left each of his 10 children a large farm. Helped in the establishment of a college. Knowing this, I still give generously to that church, college, denomination and its work.

Honestly, I was not prepared for the Atheism of my state university... mild compared to now... UNC-CH even gave a bible when you graduated. I well remember my first Atheist professor. Obstreperous, resistant to everything spiritual, unruly, even to the point of cruelty to those from religious homes, clamorous as he voiced his objectives to morality. He was probably one of the more remarkable academics that I have known in my life. Always punctuating his lectures with Latin or Greek phrases... Such a magnificent vocabulary. He impressed his students with his diatribes, despising accountability. Often, I wanted to say, What do you use as your authority? Is it just your opinion or do you have some historical dogma for having reached such a conclusion.

It did not take me long to realize that the Bible, Gods Word, is the most despised and objectionable book in all creation particularly among academics. Richard Dawkins, former professor at Oxford and Christoper Hitchens, British journalist now living in America, are perhaps the worlds two best know atheist. Dawkins limits his aggression to biology and science, Hitchens, more vocal goes into many fields. You will generally find that white males usually, bitter at the world about something are the most aggressive atheist. These two, commonly, are trying to force the British government to arrest the Pope when he makes his visit to England this summer... Postulating that the Pope has tried to hide Catholic priest pedophilia. The Pope will visit the Queen in Edinburg.

It is the socio-economic excuses which prompt so much atheist antagonism. Using the excuse of pedophilia atheist discredit the church... Never taking into consideration the fact that it is a small percentage of the 45,000 priest accused. With pastors, as with doctors, lawyers, and, God help us, politicians and even Presidents, it is hard to find perfect people in vocations.

Then, there is the excuse of materialism, why believers in God, are so poor. Then there is the outspoken excuse... believers in God, who talk but do not walk the faith. Pews and pulpits are full of this type and so it has been from the very beginning. But, if the hypocrite is standing between you and your belief in God, then the hypocrite is closer to God than you are, because he is standing between you and God. Only when you understand the parable of the swore, the wheat and the tares, can you understand those of the world mix in with those of God. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matthew 13:30)

Carl Sagan, an avowed atheist, in his television show Cosmos, said, “This is it there is nothing else to it.” If I were a atheist, if, like Sagan, I did not feel I would be held accountable for anything, that it is my opinion and my opinion alone which is right or wrong. I would do any and everything dastardly thing I could think of... Eat, drink, stay drunk, stay married, for tomorrow you may die. The atheist does not believe in justice... certainly the justice of God. What is wrong with murder, says who? What is wrong with stealing, rape, adultery, hatred of your own parents, says who?

The glory of science is perhaps the atheist most satanic excuse. Technology has changed the world but technology has not changed the nature of man. I have known atheist who cling to the laws of naturalism and humanism. The expedient exercise in believing there is some innate good in man. I would be the first to tell you that there is some evil in the best of us some good in the worst of us but, it is only through faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, that mortal man, made in the image of God, can survive the tyranny of the world, the flesh, the devil.

Bob Ingersoll, perhaps one of the worlds best known atheist once said, to a lecture hall, “Just tell me one thing that God has done for you.” Ingersoll, had run for governor of Illinois and lost. One lady, a very brave woman, stood, and said, “He kept you from becoming governor of Illinois.”

Over the years, in talking with applicants for jobs, I can always recognize a Jehovah's Witness. They have been taught, how to act, how to talk, how to make a good appearance. I have asked several, “When you call at a home, can you tell if the people are alert religiously... Can you discern if they are church goers?” Each has told me, they find, that, church people know very little about the Bible. The Apostle Peter, knowing the laziness of people even in the early church, told them to always be ready to give a answer for the hope that is in them. (1 Peter 3:15)

Recently, I heard a lawyer talk proudly about his Atheism... having read one book on the subject... When the Bible, the most attacked book in existence.. when Pagans have written hundreds of book against the Bible. The crux of his argument, the Jewish nation. If you want to prove the Bible, if you want to prove God, you use one 3 letter word... JEW. Historically, there is no doubt about the Jewish people... their slavery in Egypt. Their worldwide existence. The Bible is a Jewish book. The rest of us, Gentiles, are only present because of our relationship with the Jews. He talked about the lack of evidence of David or Soloman. Soloman, much closer to Jewish history then than now. He erected pillars at the Red Sea where the Jewish nation... some 2 and a half million ex-slaves... crossed the sea on dry land. One biblical archeologist has retrieved from the Red Sea the ancient chassis of a chariot. 95% of the worlds archeology is still underground, but for those of us that have visited holy lands many times, have studied in the museums of Egypt and other places. For those of us who live with the blessed word of God in our very being nothing about God is inerrant Word. The cross or Christ must be proved. I believe that faith is a verb, action based on belief, sustained by confidence. I believe that 95% of faith is raw courage. The Christian has the courage to defend his faith. You can have power, money, and the things that money can buy, education and the prestige that education presents, arrogance, and what arrogance contributes but when you have the power, hope, and love of and for God, the relationship with Jesus Christ in your life, you have the ultimate desire of living.

The atheist is always on the defense. Don't depend on his rationality or morality. Even though the human brain is hard wired for religion. (I have traveled every continent of the world, I have not found one place anywhere no matter how remote where the people were not worshiping something.) Christianity is a religion of conversion, we believe in moral absolutes. Christianity is a matter of repentance, a personal relationship with a Savior.

It is hard to find a religion that excuses the torture of babies. Even though we know that some religions, even in the “holy lands” included early Pagans, sacrificed children. Until Christ came into the world, women were a little more than slaves. I have never been able to understand why any woman doesn't honor Jesus Christ. I can not understand why any woman, having experienced the miracle of birth, the magnificence of child development, does not believe in God. I can not believe how any scientist, any academic who will study the absolutes of scientific creation. (periodic table, atomic weights, scientific laws of motion, physics, tones of music, etc.) Can not believe in a omnipotent omniscient, sovereign creator. As a scientist, student of chemistry, physics, geology, world travel, the human body, man's psyche, I can not understand how anyone could not believe in a supreme creator. Charles Darwin, gives little influence to evolutionist. I owned a first addition of his 1859 “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life.” is mostly a book on preserving the races.

Whether atheist or non-atheist consider the COST of your belief. The Christian, one in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, has added up the cost... The cost of not believing the blessed assurance of belief. In Dante's Inferno, over the exit to Hell, there was a sign which read, Last Chance. Don't be as dumb as a “Box of Rocks” Don't put yourself in the “goo to zoo to you” danger.