The Folly of Atheism, Part 1
Reflections on Psalm 14:1
This series represents some reflections on the opening verse of Psalm 14: “The fool in his heart says there is no God.”
In the past, I have commented on the cultural shifts occurring in the West, particularly among intellectuals. Much of this has been surprising but satisfying. Through a confluence of events and trends, often driven by bad policy, Americans and Europeans alike have realized that what they value in Western culture cannot be sustained without Christianity. In many ways, Europe is a continent in decline. Secular humanism has left it empty and aimless while radical Islamism has left it mortified and muted. The erosion of culture and common sense has reached a breaking point. Sometimes God has to shock a people out of their slumber.
The West has dug itself into a hole far too deep to climb out of with disastrous consequences. In many ways, government has been the problem so government cannot be the solution. It is at least part of the answer if law and order is to be restored, but government is not a value system. It reflects a value system. For decades now we have yielded more and more power to the state, trusting it to take care of us, to solve society’s ills and to lead us toward a promising and prosperous future. Well, how did that turn out?
They have failed us miserably, but the fault lies with the masses for trusting in man instead of trusting in God. There was a period not too long ago when the New Atheism was in vogue. Although atheism itself is nothing new, it experienced somewhat of a revival in the 2010s. Led by the self-described Four Horsemen — Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Daniel Dennet — the movement shoved its way into the public square and noisily declared the need to remove religion. The result of that movement was nihilism which has never and can never support a civilization. The Bible says, “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord … But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him” (Jeremiah 17:5,7).
The Founding Fathers saw a direct link between virtue instilled by Christianity and the continuation of the American Experiment. John Adams stated, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” It was James Madison who said, “To suppose any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without virtue in the people is a chimerical [or fanciful] idea.” The Founders recognized that for their new democratic republic to endure, society had to cultivate virtues at the private and public level. From where does one derive these transcendent virtues? Historically they came from Christianity.
Since Europeans have experienced the catastrophic results of the secular humanism, nihilism, and unvetted multiculturalism to a greater extent than Americans, the remedy seems more evident to them. Perhaps we can learn something from our friends across the pond. In recent years, leading European intellectuals have admitted that the freedoms they cherish can only thrive in a society that values Christianity. Some go further and insist we must fully embrace the Christian faith. Last month, the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) held their second international forum in London. Among the speakers were Os Guinness, Douglas Murray, and Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
Os Guinness ended his address with these words:
“We’re at the showdown moment in Western Civilization. Will the radical revolutions regenerate society as they promised or not? Will the secular enlightenment of liberalism encourage humanity to go forward and progress with reason alone without God or not? But also, is the God of Sinai, the God of the burning bush, the God of the burning mountain, and the Lord with all of Galilee, are these things true or not? The Christian faith will not do anything for civilization if it’s viewed as useful. It will do nothing to civilization if we turn it into a psychological construct. It will only be effective if it’s understood to be true and you have enough people who are citizens who have an ultimate loyalty to what they see as ultimate reality.”
Arnold Toynbee … always points out that what’s critical in the rise of civilization is a creative minority. But what’s critical in the turning point of a civilizational moment is also a creative minority. Will there be sufficient citizens with sufficient faith and ultimate loyalty to ultimate reality to prevail against the challenges? I remember hearing a debate on the BBC between Lord Sacks and Richard Dawkins. And at one point in the debate Rabbi Sacks says to him, ‘Richard, you’re tone deaf. You just don’t hear the music.’ To which Dawkins replied famously, ‘You’re right. I am tone deaf but there is no music.’ For my self, it was sixty years ago that I first heard the music and I hear it daily. And I hear it as I cross the world still. And I hear a growing symphony. And I hear a growing chorus. May all of us who understand these things be part of that creative minority who, at this crucial moment in Western civilization, truly make a difference.”
Next week, we’ll continue to examine the folly of atheism that leaves a void only Jesus can fill.