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“In all his haughtiness, the wicked man makes no investigation. All his thoughts are: ‘There is no God.’”- Psalms 10: 4*
It’s easy to understand why the absence of a God or gods is an alluring concept to many people. For, a non-existent god is the easy answer to why scores upon scores of prayers appear to go unanswered. Then there’s the fact that terrible things happen to “good” and “evil” people alike. But the point seems particularly rational as it relates to the “good” people.
Further, no God seems to explain things like the ongoing extinction of numerous species (both plant and animal), all kinds of horrible diseases along with their unchecked spread and the absolute inequity that occurs when a random so-and-so-who-doesn’t-need-it-at-all wins the lottery.
Let’s not forget those who chose to believe there is no supreme being for the simple fact that it serves to dispel the fear of, one day, having to render an account for their habitual and heinous crimes against humanity. As noted in Ecclesiastes chapter 8 verse 11: “Because sentence against a bad deed has not been executed speedily, the heart of men becomes emboldened to do bad.”
A vast majority grab on to atheism ideology because they cannot nor can anybody they’ve met unquestionably prove they have ever actually seen God. And perhaps science has demystified one too many “miracles” and other preternatural phenomena of our modern times.
It Starts With a W
The fault in all of the aforementioned arguments in favor of atheism lies in necessity. The persistent and absolute yearning to know answers to deeper quandaries. This is to say we, as human beings, desire so desperately to discover who or what might really be running this “show.”
Unlike the dream-addled Dorothy and her travelling companions, Lion, Tinman, and Scarecrow, we’re Toto—squirming loose and running over to pull back the curtain.
Toto was likely just drawn to some odd, repetitive motion the curtain made. Or, perhaps a flash of color from underneath. (I’ve often imagined Toto catching the scent of food after some behind the scenes person popped a can open; just a theory; neither here nor there).
For us humans, though, the flapping curtain and the flashes of color are manifested in the whys—the why of prayers unanswered or even praying at all for that matter.
And don’t say atheists don’t pray.
Are not wishes made before the candle is blown out? Fingers-crossed? Eyes momentarily closed and words whispered into the wind before asking for that job promotion? And dices get blown on. Glasses clinked together. Pauses and deep breaths taken before the leap.
Yes, the whys holds all humanity in suspension. As in: Why am I here? Why are things this way? Why me? Why do I keep trying? Why am I so unhappy? Why are people so…(fill the blank)? And on and on and on.
As much as some might try to deny the existence of God, they cannot stop asking why.
And here’s the clincher:
We cannot stop asking why because Someone put it in us to do so. That someone being—who else—God.
See, here’s the thing—
There’s a lot to being God. Way more than any of us could ever comprehend. But two main components are:
(1) being able to take nothing but energy and make it into something, new, alive, intelligent, and able to exist apart from oneself.
(2) having that same creation acknowledge that, because they are, YOU must be.
The holy scriptures say that He made us in his image. In other words, He made us like He is. In other words, we spring from His spirit, His energy. Therefore, to say He does not exist would be the same as saying we don’t exist. It would be like looking in the mirror and, yet, straight up denying our own reflection. Like pounding your hand with a hammer, fully expecting to feel no pain (barring some kind of powerful numbing agent).
It’s not possible. To truly be atheist. Is. Not. Possible.
Ergo Jesus’ words: “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need.” -Matthew 5:3
Also: “Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every word coming from Jehovah’s mouth.” -Matthew 4:4
Hangry
In his song Imagine, one of the concepts John Lennon proposes is a world without religion. And, although the thought is deeply intriguing, I’ve come to the conclusion that such a world is impossible. The reason is clearly laid out in Jesus’ words quoted above.
To eliminate religion, we’d have to somehow eradicate the spiritual instinct. Instincts (even science agrees) are crucial for self-preservation. To put it plainly, even if all other conditions for life were satisfied, we’d eventually die if the instinct to worship is not met.
True, it may be possible to have a world without religious organizations. But I theorize there would still be practices, rituals, moral and extra-natural doctrines roaming about within human societies. Certainly, those of similar heart and mind would form groups, clubs or whatever term other than “religion” you might choose because, as the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together.
Herein lies the reason so many atheists, from my observation, are very unhappy and bitter people deep down. They’re hangry (hungry to the point of anger) in a spiritual sense. It’s all due to the fact that they keep looking in the mirror and, yet, trying to deny what they are—manifestations of God. Subsequently, they deny the need to feed their own spirituality.
God Re-defined
Some do manage to pacify themselves to an extent. These are those who, while denying a supreme deity per se, simply put someone or something else in His place. The thing acting as god in their lives can be, for instance, money, power, fame, a career, recreation, sports, celebrities, food, or maybe even themselves. Literally anything, anyone, group, pursuit or cause to which they religiously devote the bulk of their time and attention to is god to them. The weird thing is people exhibiting this modus operandi don’t even realize they are indeed paying homage to a god.
It becomes quite obvious who or what is their god when that thing or person fails them on some important level. They are devastated and don’t know what to do or where to turn because (although claiming to be atheist) the god they’ve unknowingly been worshipping for so long is revealed to be false.
Bottom line: atheism is a myth a false belief system which, in truth, is a form of worship that is acceptable to only one being—Satan, the god of lies.
~~~
the sun’s searing rays
spurned by carefully-shaded eyes
skin burned speaks volumes
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