This post is the second of two posts on some of the inconsistencies in the Atheistic worldview. If you have not read the first entry, you may want to do so by reading the previous post entitled “A Quick Look At Atheism – Part I”.
OK, let’s check out the next two inconsistencies in atheism that Dr. Bahnsen addressed. First, we covered the problem of inductive inference, detailing how Atheists cannot rely on past occurrences/information to draw conclusions about the future, since they believe all processes are governed by random chance. Next we touched on their inability to employ logic and concepts in reasoning. Considering that atheism holds that all reality consists only of matter, the consistent atheist is unable to accept the existence of non-material concepts and ideas like humanity, justice, and the laws of logic. In this post, we’re going to conclude with two more stumbling blocks in atheism: the problem of the mind and the problem of moral absolutes.
3. The Problem of the Mind
To an atheist, the mind is essentially an arbitrary concept that is, as far as he is concerned,nonexistent. Because atheism reduces all of reality down to material things, the closest thing to the mind would be the brain. As a result, thought, speech, and all other actions that the brain initiates are simply the result of electrical synapses going off at random. No one can help what they say or do because their brain just spews out the information. In that case, whatever the brain produces doesn’t really have any purpose, and therefore shouldn’t even be deemed worthy of consideration. If there is no mind, no ability to even think about actions, words, or ideas, then all you are left with is a brain that produces a bunch of random information. If atheism were correct on this point there really wouldn’t be any reason to debate if atheism were true or not, since you would be unable to prove it true. If all I had was a brain that processed information haphazardly, there would be no way for me to bring order and meaning to the words in this sentence, much less defend my worldview. You can’t reason by using your brain alone. A mind, something that can access ideas, concepts, etc. must be present.
4. Moral Absolutes
Let’s say I’m arguing about something with an atheist. I’m getting tired of trying to prove my point, so I want to end the debate quickly and efficiently. So, I decide to knock him out. Now, what’s going to happen when I share my plan with him? Well, he’s obviously not going to be too keen about it, and he would be sure to tell me that I would be wrong to slug him. Notice that word “wrong”. According to atheism, there is no way of telling if something is right or wrong. Morality is simply a matter of opinion, and no one can refer to an objective standard of morality. Therefore, he can’t tell me that I’m “wrong” to end the argument by punching him. If there is no way to tell whether something is wrong or not, then there is no issue! The only way that the atheist can tell me that I am wrong to punch him is if he accepts that there is a transcendent source for morality that is outside the physical universe. You can be sure that that is the last thing he wants to admit, but the truth is that he lives as if he believes it, whether his words are in agreement with his beliefs or not.
So there you have it. Four inconsistencies in the materialistic atheist worldview that are practically fatal to its philosophy. Hopefully you are able to see just how weak this worldview truly is. Despite the horrendous holes that riddle it, many prominent and extremely intelligent people ardently cling to atheism and proclaim it with the utmost fervor. But why? Why would so many people accept such a system of belief? Romans 1:18-20 provides the answer:
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what had been made, so that men are without excuse.”
The reason that so many people, not just atheists, don’t want to accept that there is a God is because they are suppressing the truth by their wickedness. People naturally don’t want to hear that they are sinful, and they don’t want to hear that they are going to be held responsible for their sins by a holy, righteous God. Keep this in mind. When a person’s worldview is cast down in a heap of mangled ruin, they aren’t often going to be very open to the opposition’s viewpoint. Simply destroying someone’s worldview is rarely going to encourage them to become a Christian. Once the inconsistencies are brought into the light, only the Holy Spirit can work in the unbeliever’s heart to draw he or she to the Father. The Christian’s job is to simply be the vessel God uses to reach the unbeliever.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
