Article authored by pastor Alin Patularu.





I used to identify as an atheist when I was a teenager, but I didn’t really know why. I had never thought through the implications of what it meant to be an atheist and just assumed I was one because my favorite bands identified with Godlessness. Granted, I was not an obnoxious, arrogant atheist who thought everyone was stupid except himself. I was just your average teenage kid who listened to death metal, loved professional wrestling and lived life on my own terms. However, now that I look back on what I just typed, I can see how maybe I wasn’t average after all, but I digress. When God began to get a hold of me I began to think over the implications of atheism, and soon came to discover how utterly deficient it is as a worldview.



Atheism takes many forms in our crazy backwards culture, but logically it can only lead to a naturalistic worldview. For if one denies the existence of a supernatural Creator God, than you are only left with the natural universe, the material before us. Author Dan Story defines naturalism like this, “At a foundational level, naturalism is the direct opposite of theism in one fundamental way. For a theist, God dominates; for a naturalist, any concept of God is vigorously denied. Reality is composed only of matter—there is nothing but nature, and everything has a natural explanation. The universe itself is a closed system that has always existed—it’s eternal. It operates like a gigantic machine according to unchanging natural laws. Nothing outside this closed system (the physical universe) exists” (Story, 1998, 122).



This is a major problem for atheism, especially modern evangelical atheism. Scientific inquiry has already proven that the universe, time and matter all had a beginning. The material universe we inhabit has not always been here, there was a time when it was not. The big bang, in an effort to discredit the Biblical God has actually confirmed what was said in ancient days, mainly the assumption that states, “In the beginning”. In a universe of cause and effect, eternality of material is logically impossible. Carl Sagan said, “The Cosmos is all that is and all that ever will be” (Sagan, 2002). The logic is that nothing comes from nothing. Something is. Therefore something always was. Many atheists deny this in favor of other explanations that affirm the beginning of the universe. However clever they may become in concocting a theory, all they do is intellectual gymnastics that ends up giving no real answers when all the jargon settles. The reason is, studying the natural cannot answer the question of its causing agent any more than studying the internal mechanism of a gear can answer the question, “How did this thing come to be?” You must go outside the gear to a transcendent creative agent to get your answer. You may answer a lot of important questions about the gears composition, elemental properties, how it works together with other mechanisms and so forth, but you will never be answer the question of how it came into existence. You’ll be a gear expert, but you will still be baffled as to why there is a gear in the first place. This is where we are now. We are experts in a lot of the sciences and know a lot about biology, astronomy, geology etc. But naturalism is still baffled by why all this uniformity and beauty surrounds us. Why is it all here in the first place?



We are the finite trying to understand how the finite came into existence by studying the finite. The finite cannot explain its existence without the infinite. Why? Because finite begets finite. It’s an infinite regress, which we know is not possible because space, time and matter all had a beginning. Eventually you will get to the beginning and discover that only an infinite, immaterial, timeless agent could give birth to finite material space and time. The first cause cannot be finite because that cause would have to have a cause. I hope I am not losing you here. The basic principle here is a universe that is linear composed of time, space and matter can only be explained by a timeless, immaterial, infinite cause. Any other effort to explain our reality is futile and doomed to eventual scorn. It is no wonder that the Psalmist said, “The fool says in his heart ‘there is no God’” (Psalm 14:1).



Atheism reduces people to nothing more than matter in an enormous universe of other matter. It cannot explain (with any real clarity or consistency) the existence of morality, the reason for human dignity, intelligent life or the purpose of existence. In all the atheists hard toils and efforts to explain away God, he unknowingly (or knowingly and just not caring) has explained away all his arguments because they don’t really matter. His intelligence is nothing more than material interacting with other material in a chaotic mess of chemical reactions that have no real direction or reason for being other than they just are. This is why atheism is a monumental waste of time. Atheism often criticizes Christianity for hypocrisy. “If Christians really believed what they believed then they wouldn’t do this or that”. Well if atheists actually believed what they believed then they wouldn’t waste their time trying to discover the origin of reality which is guided by nothing in particular and is simply a mish mash of chemical reactions and the like.



I can hear the atheist say now, “I am interested in why we are here, I want to understand the universe and how it works”. Of course you do, because you are made in God’s image. The very impulse that leads the atheist to want to discover and learn about the Cosmos is the very impulse that proves the existence of a personal loving God. If you really believed there was no God, then you wouldn’t waste your time. What are you going to discover? More material? WOW, good job. “No”, the atheist replies. “I want to make my life easier by scientific discovery. I want to create medications that heal and technology that improves our quality of life”. Of course you do, because you are made in the image of a personal, loving God who has put dignity and worth in the human. The Scripture has been (and is continually fulfilled) which says, “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” (Romans 1:25)



You see, no one will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and have an argument. God has created us in His image and given us all we need to know Him. We have these impulses in us to learn, discover, create, serve and help. Did these come from mindless material causes? Is love nothing more than dopamine increases and the effects of an organ in our skull? The problem is we have chosen to harden our hearts against God and live in sinful independence from Him. At the end of the day, atheism does not reject God because of purely intellectual reasons, atheists reject God because they don’t like Him. We love our sins and don’t want that pesky YHWH of ancient days to get in the way of our modern sophisticated lifestyle. We are an enlightened scientific society who does not need a dusty bible to tell us how to live. We have cell phones, the internet. We sleep on posture pedic beds manufactured by intelligent men and women in labs. We will not take our cues from that Jesus of Nazareth who slept on dirt floors. We are ATHEISTS!



We think we are so smart, but our arrogance and pride has led us to fall greatly. We may be able to put men on the moon and have video conversations with people half way across the world. But we don’t know the difference between male and female anymore, we kill our own children in the womb, we exploit women as sex objects and our children bring guns to school and kill each other. We have simultaneously become the most intelligent and confused society in all of human history.



The answer for atheism is Jesus Christ. That ancient Rabbi who rose from the dead. He brings order and reason into a worldview that is filled with chaos. Our sin is the real problem, and Jesus came to deal with that. It is time to turn from human reason and cling to God’s truth. It is not intellectual suicide to throw your deficient, human reason, to the mercy of the infinite, Godly reason. Actually, it is intellectual suicide to NOT do that. God is waiting, He loves you and will not cast you out. All who come to Him are accepted by Him. I have found in all my seeking of God, He was actually not that far off after all. God bless you all.



https://jamesbishopblog./2015/04/02/the-deficiency-of-atheism/

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Some persons would still come here and say HE WAS NEVER AN ATHEIST. Make I book space sha...will comment later. God bless u bro.

naijadeyhia:
Some persons would still come here and say HE WAS NEVER AN ATHEIST. Make I book space sha...will comment later. God bless u bro.

Amen. Thanks bro.

naijadeyhia:
Some persons would still come here and say HE WAS NEVER AN ATHEIST. Make I book space sha...will comment later. God bless u bro.

help me keep two seats... one for me and another for Scholar8200

This debate is neither here nor there.

I have come to understand that "God" is a title.

I have come to understand that there were many "Gods" in the Bible, which explains the changing nature and character of God.

I have come to understand that the "God" Moses worshipped is not the one Jesus talked about.

I have come to understand that "God" was/is flesh and blood for he created us "in his image and likeness.

I am a Believer.

Of course if things are hard I'll turn Pastor to Noting more fun that deceiving gullible folks

Nice thread bro...

Deicide:
Of course if things are hard I'll turn Pastor to Noting more fun that deceiving gullible folks

Nawa oo.
Can you just try to read the article?.

Deicide:
Of course if things are hard I'll turn Pastor to Noting more fun that deceiving gullible folks

You enjoy deceiving yourself . Why ?

menxer:
This debate is neither here nor there.

I have come to understand that "God" is a title.
....
I am a Believer.

When we talk about God the atheist are expecting to see a Great Grand Pa with white beard like Gandaf (of LOTR). They were so confused that His word never change especially in the area of Judgement on sin.

But my conclusion for them is HIS WORD and Judgement can never change but HIS NAME can change

Today Terrible God, Tomorrow MERCIFUL GOD
Today Jealous God, Tomorrow LOVING FATHER
etc

But in their feeble mind, they always considered HIS side of judgement because of their sinfulness and never considered how LOVING AND MERCIFUL HE CAN BE. The Book of Jonah has such a powerful message of God Mercy that all atheist must read. The Bible never record and covenant between God and Nineveh but he still pardon after repentance.

I salute the courage of Generals here God make stand and stablish you all

Ranchhoddas:
Nice thread bro...

you'll only beat me when it comes to posting this first

Nice thread bro

Nice threads nowadays.
Abeg let me keep space before they start coming.......
#TeamOccupyTillHeComes

winner01:
Article authored by pastor Alin Patularu.





I used to identify as an atheist when I was a teenager, but I didn’t really know why. I had never thought through the implications of what it meant to be an atheist and just assumed I was one because my favorite bands identified with Godlessness.

Need I say more? The Pastor was an atheist because it was cool there was no logical reason behind his worldview and therefore I am not surprised that he became a christian. In the end, as long as he is happy with finding Christ, I wish him well but some of us have better reasons to disregard religion especially Christianity.

God has a great sense of humour winner01 and kingebukasblog....do you know that Peter Hitchens the immediate younger brother of the late Christopher Hitchens (the super Atheist) Has accepted Christ and is actively preaching him now? You really really need to research the guy and create another awesome thread from that.

naijadeyhia:
God has a great sense of humour winner01 and kingebukasblog....do you know that Peter Hitchens the immediate younger brother of the late Christopher Hitchens (the super Atheist) Has accepted Christ and is actively preaching him now? You really really need to research the guy and create another awesome thread from that.

I remember reading that He set fire to his copy of the King James Bible as a15-year-old at boarding school.

I think one of his quotes that moved me was when he humbly described coming to an awareness of his own sin, writing that "my large catalogue of misdeeds replayed themselves rapidly in my head...I had absolutely no doubt that I was among the damned, if there were any damned".

Hmmnn, It takes humility not to be our own god and to hand over to Jesus.
After Christopher famously published God is not Great, He wrote his own book, The Rage Against God in response.
God really moves in mysterious ways. I bless God for his life.
What saddens me is when I think about all the lives that might have been affected, all the souls that might have been damned, by their actions against God.
Imagine someone like seun eventually coming to the true knowledge of the most High God, would you begin to imagine the number of lives he has affected right here on this forum with his deliberate campaign against God.
Its so unfortunate

Ranchhoddas:
Nice thread bro...

KingEbukasBlog:


you'll only beat me when it comes to posting this first

Nice thread bro

Thanks my bosses. I hail you

KingEbukasBlog:


you'll only beat me when it comes to posting this first

Nice thread bro

It's not about beating anybody. It's about truth- truth which is devoid of any form of emotional or religious bias. It's what many people here; believers and unbelievers alike fail to grasp.

winner01:
I remember reading that He set fire to his copy of the King James Bible as a15-year-old at boarding school.

I think one of his quotes that moved me was when he humbly described coming to an awareness of his own sin, writing that "my large catalogue of misdeeds replayed themselves rapidly in my head...I had absolutely no doubt that I was among the damned, if there were any damned".

Hmmnn, It takes humility not to be our own god and to hand over to Jesus.
After Christopher famously published God is not Great, He wrote his own book, The Rage Against God in response.
God really moves in mysterious ways. I bless God for his life.
What saddens me is when I think about all the lives that might have been affected, all the souls that might have been damned, by their actions against God.
Imagine someone like seun eventually coming to the true knowledge of the most High God, would you begin to imagine the number of lives he has affected right here on this forum with his deliberate campaign against God.
Its so unfortunate

Yes lets not relent in prayer and the word. Seun is next! in Jesus name.

naijadeyhia:



Yes lets not relent in prayer and the word. Seun is next! in Jesus name.

A thunderous Amen to that.

Ill see if i can compile something on Peter Hitchens though.

Ranchhoddas:
It's not about beating anybody. It's about truth- truth which is devoid of any form of emotional or religious bias. It's what many people here; believers and unbelievers alike fail to grasp.

Remember we chatted on whatsapp and i sent you some screengrabs from a certain female nairalander? Well that person whose husband was suicidal due to hardship and no job and inability to feed or pay rent or school fees and she herself about to become an atheist? remember? Well their story and their troubles are over after God intervened and opened my eyes to their issues and gave me the solution for them...

Guess what?

Someone very close to them just gave them 4million to begin a business with....now he is going to be an employer of labour and not a salary earner...From grass to grace after years of nothing and emptiness and in Just one month their story has CHANGED!

Someone else just paid their 600k rent and their children school fees without them spending a kobo

You need to embrace this God.

She will be sharing her testimony live on nairaland very soon.

Great article... But will Seun and lalasticlala send this type to front-page??

winner01:
I remember reading that He set fire to his copy of the King James Bible as a15-year-old at boarding school.

I think one of his quotes that moved me was when he humbly described coming to an awareness of his own sin, writing that "my large catalogue of misdeeds replayed themselves rapidly in my head...I had absolutely no doubt that I was among the damned, if there were any damned".

Hmmnn, It takes humility not to be our own god and to hand over to Jesus.
After Christopher famously published God is not Great, He wrote his own book, The Rage Against God in response.
God really moves in mysterious ways. I bless God for his life.
What saddens me is when I think about all the lives that might have been affected, all the souls that might have been damned, by their actions against God.
Imagine someone like seun eventually coming to the true knowledge of the most High God, would you begin to imagine the number of lives he has affected right here on this forum with his deliberate campaign against God.
Its so unfortunate

The guy was as radical as his brother if not more...but before his brother died he had several debates with him and now that his brother is gone, God has beamed the spotlight on Peter....All for Jesus or nothing.

naijadeyhia:


Remember we chatted on whatsapp and i sent you some screengrabs from a certain female nairalander? Well that person whose husband was suicidal due to hardship and no job and inability to feed or pay rent or school fees and she herself about to become an atheist? remember? Well their story and their troubles are over after God intervened and opened my eyes to their issues and gave me the solution for them...

Guess what?

Someone very close to them just gave them 4million to begin a business with....now he is going to be an employer of labour and not a salary earner...From grass to grace after years of nothing and emptiness and in Just one month their story has CHANGED!

Someone else just paid their 600k rent and their children school fees without them spending a kobo

You need to embrace this God.

She will be sharing her testimony live on nairaland very soon.

I am unable to conjure an appropriate response to this.

naijadeyhia:


Remember we chatted on whatsapp and i sent you some screengrabs from a certain female nairalander? Well that person whose husband was suicidal due to hardship and no job and inability to feed or pay rent or school fees and she herself about to become an atheist? remember? Well their story and their troubles are over after God intervened and opened my eyes to their issues and gave me the solution for them...

Guess what?

Someone very close to them just gave them 4million to begin a business with....now he is going to be an employer of labour and not a salary earner...From grass to grace after years of nothing and emptiness and in Just one month their story has CHANGED!

Someone else just paid their 600k rent and their children school fees without them spending a kobo

You need to embrace this God.

She will be sharing her testimony live on nairaland very soon.

Another monicker of yours I see

donnie:
Great article... But will Seun and lalasticlala send this type to front-page??

Highly unlikely.

hopefuLandlord:


Another monicker of yours I see

excuse me?

The post above notes that scientists agree that there was a beginning, what it fails to mention is that scientists don't know if this is the first big bang, or if it has happened before and what we're currently in is a new universe.
God is imaginary. See the light

The post above notes that scientists agree that there was a beginning, what it fails to mention is that scientists don't know if this is the first big bang, or if it has happened before and what we're currently in is a new universe.
God is imaginary. See the light
www.godisimaginary.com

naijadeyhia:


Remember we chatted on whatsapp and i sent you some screengrabs from a certain female nairalander? Well that person whose husband was suicidal due to hardship and no job and inability to feed or pay rent or school fees and she herself about to become an atheist? remember? Well their story and their troubles are over after God intervened and opened my eyes to their issues and gave me the solution for them...

Guess what?

Someone very close to them just gave them 4million to begin a business with....now he is going to be an employer of labour and not a salary earner...From grass to grace after years of nothing and emptiness and in Just one month their story has CHANGED!

Someone else just paid their 600k rent and their children school fees without them spending a kobo

You need to embrace this God.

She will be sharing her testimony live on nairaland very soon.

I'm glad to see this testimony . In the Lord's Chosen , this type of testimony is so common - per angusta ad augusta through God's intervention .

naijadeyhia:


excuse me?

You're excused