Atheism: Its Great Challenge.

On August 7, 1961, Soviet cosmonauts orbited our planet and safely returned. In an interview at the World’s Fair on May 7,1962, Major Uri Titov was recorded as saying” Some say God is living there in( space).I was looking around very attentively. But I did not see anyone there. I did not detect angels or gods……I don’t believe in God. I believe in man, his strength, his possibilities, and his reason.” The communist press quickly picked up on his remarks, and soon there appeared cartoons depicting space travelers searching for God in outer space.

Titov’s challenge was not new. In Psalm 42:3,10, the existence, care, and provision of JEHOVAH GOD were questioned in a sarcastic manner. In 2 CHRONICLES 32:10-16, we read of God’s existence, care, and provision and leadership being challenged with Assyrian arrogance and sarcasm. Note verse 15: “Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you like this, and do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less shall your God deliver you from my hand? “.

Throughout history man has heard the clamor or atheistic proponents. Today children are taught atheistic principles in schools and colleges. What used to be shrugged off as ignorance about ALMIGHTY GOD has now become the standard of “reason” in societies. What can be said about atheism ?. Does God really exist, or is HE only a “psychological necessity” ?.

RISE OF ATHEISM:

A survey of history provides an interesting discovery as to how SATAN has manipulated forces to achieve his evil ends. Let’s consider the most prominent in our modern history. The character of Charles Darwin presents an interesting study in the development of atheistic philosophy. His theory of man’s origin shook the bedrock of Christian faith. Darwin’s hypothesis redefined man and woman as beings which had arrived upon earth through natural causes. Cynics rejected God, believing that there was no suggestion of the supernatural in man’s origin.

Another figure in the strategy was Karl Max. Here was a bitter enemy of religion. Max supreme goal in life was to destroy the influence of religion. He saw Darwin’s theory as the means by which he could eliminate religion and establish the long sought “classless” society. Then came Sigmund Freud. This man used a biased view of religion as basis for theories that would further destroy the credibility of religion. Freud saw religion as the culprit in all deviant behavior. He saw all compulsions rooted in repressive, religious morals, and ethics as a dangerous hindrance to man’s true self. He branded the beliefs of the Church as the “future of an illusion”. Recent research has revealed the corruption of his thoughts.

Abraham Maslow propagated Freud’s atheistic principles and suggested in his books that man has the ability of “self –actualization” within himself. B.F. Skinner’s writings and theories further removed God from man and reduced him to the level of a mere animal. They spread the idea that man is a pawn of his environment. Another figure was Frederich Nietzsche, a German philosopher. His writings were wildly read and respected. HITLER, MUSSOLINI and STALIN were influenced by Nietzsche. His philosophy led to the “God is dead” movement in the twentieth century. This man claimed that the existence of objective “right and wrong” was a tenet held by ignorant fools. Nietzsche looked at earthly life where God was missing and saw an agonizing picture. Those following him would live in a world that had no mind behind existence, no transcending voice giving counsel, no light at the end of life giving hope, man’s accountability to God was denied. Nietzsche’s philosophy pictured an abject loneliness of existence on a planet that has no future. He saw a world that had “killed” God and suggested that the twentieth century would be marked by two dare facts? (1) The twentieth century would be the bloodiest century in man’s civilization, and (2)It would be an era of universal madness. One has only to consider the daily media reports to see that he was right. Without God, man experiences nothing but tragedy !!.

These factors fit masterfully into Satan’s purpose and helped to bring the crisis we’re facing(moral and spiritual crises.) Nietzsche considered the BEATITUDES(Matt 5:1-48) to be damning in life. To him they only emphasized weakness. A society ruled by beatitudes would be a society of “losers”. Hence he urged the strong to persevere, to dominate, and to crush. If God is “dead”, it is absurd to claim absolute right and wrong. Absolute morality is rejected in favour of situationalism.

A simple principle exposes atheism as an erroneous philosophy .Error is always contradictory and this is seen in atheism. It is a philosophy riddled with inconsistencies and contradictions. Yet those who expouse its tenets fail to see this point.

Our parents still recall the events of Christmas day 1968. On that day three other “space travelers” would offer an observation regarding DEITY. Three Americans were the first humans to travel around the “dark” side of the moon. Having fired their rockets, they were homebound on Apollo 8. They saw the planet earth as no human eyes had seen before. Most of us had seen the photo of the earth as those on Apollo 8 saw it coming from behind the moon. Earth rose over the moon’s horizon, draped in a beautiful mixture of blue and white. It was bordered by the glistening light of the sun against the void of black space. At this awe- inspiring moment,( my parents and uncles told me), the first words heard from the crew who had gone where no other humans had gone were” IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED…….”. Their conclusion were quite different from Titov’s.

What shall modern man do with the challenge of atheism?.Let’s follow King Hezekiah. When he was confronted with Assyrian cynicism, he trusted in the Almighty for vindication(2Kings 19:14). His faith did not waver. His resolve did not weaken. Hezekiah rested confidently, knowing that GOD would be vindicated(2Kings 19:22,28,34,35, 2Chronicles 32:21b).

To God be the glory.

“Stay tuned for more”

By :

Obourba Asante Taado.

Ref: King James version of the Holy scriptures.

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