This was the theme of the Tuesday evening broadcast of Chronicle HD on Boston's Channel 5 (ABC). Several atheists were interviewed, including Greg Epstein, who serves as the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University. Epstein has written a book entitled Good Without God, which Channel 5 obviously borrowed as their label for last night's program. Epstein declares, "God is the greatest literary character we as human beings ever invented."
In describing his own spiritual journey, Epstein says that while he grew up wanting to believe in God, he eventually came to the realization that "what I really wanted was not a God to care for me, but for other people to care for me." Epstein says that miracles and other things pertaining to the supernatural are "no longer helpful." He believes that people have an inclination toward morality because they're aware that they get only one shot at life, and they need to make it count for good.
My son Matthew had urged me and his mother to watch this show with him, because scheduled to appear on it was another atheist named Zachary Bos, whom Matthew had met while doing open-air evangelism at Boston University with his friend Kaleb and two evangelists from our church (along with a few others who joined them). Zachary Bos is the Director of Boston Atheists and refers to himself as the "friendly neighborhood atheist."
"Aggressive atheism" is on the rise. Books denying God's existence have become best-sellers (e.g. The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, and Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris). "Over the last 20 years," said Alan Wolfe of Boston College, "the number of people willing to tell people in surveys that they don't believe in God have pretty much doubled." Even Congress has its first self-professing atheist, Rep. Pete Stark (D-California).
Celebrity atheist Christopher Hitchens, while a guest on "Good Morning America Weekend Edition," said that American believers should recognize they live in a secular state. Says Hitchens,
It would be better for them if they didn't give themselves false conciliation. My challenge is really to say, "Can you name me a moral action or a statement that has been made by a believer that couldn't have been made by a non-believer?"
To that question the Bible provides a ready answer, a response that more than meets the challenge and gets to the heart of the matter:
For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.- Romans 2:14-16 ESV
Far from disproving the existence of God, Hitchen's challenge actually affirms what the Bible teaches about man's sense of morality, how it originates from God, and how it renders man accountable to God.
When confronted by atheists - or any other advocate of false religion - we can respond with confidence, knowing that what we are giving them is not the word of men but the word of God. Atheists resort to mere rational arguments aimed at the head, whereas believers declare God's Truth which penetrates the heart (Heb. 4:12). The sword of the Spirit is infinitely more powerful than the plastic fork of human rhetoric. Therefore, precious believer, remember:
who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.- 1 Peter 3:13-16 ESV
I praise God not only for our open-air evangelists who boldly proclaim the Gospel in the public square, but also for those believers who speak the truth of God in love in their classroom, place of employment, with their neighbors, hair-dresser and whoever else. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17).