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Christianity Today, October, 2007 |

Global Prognosis

Puncturing Atheism

Fourfold God Squad brilliantly takes on Dawkins, Hitchens, & Co.

David Aikman | posted 10/31/2007 09:03AM

You would have to have been hitchhiking across Siberia to have missed a striking new phenomenon: The atheists are back. Not just back, mind you, but globally parading in triumph across tv, bookstores, ...

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Mike Willmore

Posted: November 13, 2007 1:25 PM

I am really pleased that some of our molecular bilkologists are at last putting up evidence against atheists who believe that science has all the answers to creation which disproves the theists assertions of creation. Most of the young people I have come across who have had serious doubts thrown on their christian beliefs are on the grounds of scientific arguement starting with Darwins theoriy and progressing through to Relativity and the latest findings of astonomy, astro physics and microbiology ie DNA etc. It really important that we can face down counter arguements to christianity by showing how science is complementary to theological arguement and highlighting areas where we can reasonably refute propositions. Thanks , as always, Mike Wilmore

Marilyn LaCourt

Posted: November 09, 2007 2:35 PM


Atheists have not declared war on religion. Religion has declared war on reason. Marilyn LaCourt

Ken	Posted: November 07, 2007 10:18 PM

The problem with Dawkins is that he may bask in the sun for now and are full of intelectual knowledge in the highest degree. But he,like all of the rich and famous who deny the existance of God,will at the Great And Terrible day of the Lord tremble uncontrolaby when the anounce comes to them that they are so disgusting that God will spew them out of His mouth. Hell will come as a great surprise when the verdict is announced. Dawkins did accomplish what he intended to do from the beginning.He caused an upset in the religious community and lifted himself in pride and arogance.God is never scilent about people like him.His great admiration for the evolutionary "genious" charls Darwin, is as decptive as he himself. Yes,delusion about God dose exist,but only to those who are too ignorant to know it they are in fact living in a dulusion that he dose exist.My mesage to Dawkins and his kind:party in your prison and dance in your fetters.

Anonymous

Posted: November 05, 2007 12:45 PM

You fundamentalists just don't get it. Atheists are not suddenly "back", as if we were ever gone. Atheist books were being written 20 years ago at the same pace they're being written today. What's changed in recent years is that America in general is growing more and more interested in reading them. What's given atheism its recent surge in popularity in America has largely been the behavior of fundamentalist Christianity. George Bush told an interviewer that the voice of God had commanded him to invade Iraq. Needed medical research is being denied on the basis that one can endanger souls by trapping them in a petri dish. And park rangers at the Grand Canyon cannot even tell visitors how old the place really is for fear of provoking a faith-based retaliation. None of this has been without consequence. The plain fact is that Americans are just getting fed up with religion. They are finally ready to believe that the world would be a better place without it.

Marc in Philly

Posted: November 04, 2007 11:38 AM


I agree with Beau that there is no dialogue between atheists and theists. Unfortunately theists consistently refuse to acknowledge much less respond to the core argument that there is no evidence to support the religious claims of Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, etc.

John Marlin

Posted: November 02, 2007 3:27 PM

I have a relative -- a nephew -- who is quite taken with the position of the New Atheists. If I've made any mistake with him in our ongoing engagements, it's that in the beginning I took it as my job to win an argument (but please forgive me, as you know that arguing with a teenager can be quite vexing). Silly me. My first duty as a Christian is to have compassion for the lad, to meet him at his point of need, to understand him and then act as God leads to do my bit, whatever that is, to lead him from darkness to light. And that might mean not arguing with him, but rather showing him, ever and always, my genuine concern for him and his future in all things. Faith is a matter of the heart, not the head.

Karl in Texas

Posted: November 02, 2007 9:04 AM

Thanks for the article on the Christian response to the atheistic resurgence. The upcoming movie, The Golden Watch, is an example of this upsurge. Hearing about those Christians who are willing and able to debate atheists is encouraging. God bless those who stick their neck out fearlessly for God. I suppose we, the Church, need a challenge to help us make the corrections in attitudes and actions God would like to see in us.

glen christian

Posted: November 01, 2007 12:05 PM


Psalm 53:1 (Read all of Psalm 53) The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.

Bruce in Orlando

Posted: November 01, 2007 11:32 AM

Evangelicals have nothing to fear from us 8-14% (depending on the poll) minority of atheists in America. Unless evangelicals are trying, as the title of your article states, to 'puncture' us atheists. Ouch! As you state, we atheists weren't terribly vocal until President Bush tricked you evangelicals into being his decisive electoral group. Now it seems to be all the rage to insist that tax funded entities should include or respect the majority religion. I know you won't agree with that statement. But you will find us a strange but welcome ally when Muslims or Mormons ask the gov't to respect their religions with our tax dollars. Oh and about the phrase God-hater. Are you Baal-haters or would you consider it ridiculous to hate something you don't believe in? Really - if you insist on petty name calling, try to get it right.

Patrick

Posted: November 01, 2007 8:06 AM

Loved the article. I haven't yet read any of the atheists' books, but I suspect that most of them somewhere mention the Religious Right and Bush's misuse of religious language in order to push questionable policies. Christians may applaud the intellectual pushback of the shallow arguments of Hitchens et al., but if they have abetted the marriage of evangelical churches to conservative politics then they need to do a little soul-searching and take some responsibility for the resulting backlash against people of faith in this country.

Ephrem Hagos

Posted: November 01, 2007 7:59 AM

A warning to the theist and the atheist, alike: neither take God for granted nor throw the baby (or God) with the dirty water (or religion)! There is only one litmus test in the holy scriptures of Jews, Christians and Muslims, distinct from their distantly corresponding religions, namely: the cause and effect of Jesus Christ's death on the cross. I challenge anyone to go carefully through the evidence before passing any judgement!

John Reynolds, Jr

Posted: November 01, 2007 7:32 AM

One may be encouraged by this, the uprising of prominent atheists infiltrating our society. We know what they stand for.....or in this case DON'T stand for. May I boldly submit Dinesh D'Souza's name amongst the aforementioned God Squad? He has fervently debated Mr. Hitchens on the reality of God and has somewhat made Mr. Hitchens look totally our of place. There is a link to a story on the debate that WorldNet Daily published. I was quite impressed by Mr. D'Souza's stance for what truth is. As far as Al Sharpton goes, methinks he needs to concentrate on gospel-related issues moreso than just the civil rights movement of 40+ years ago. However, I do support anybody's stance against rampid atheism. The bible tells us that time as we know it is coming to a close. Pray for these atheists souls to be born again, and to accept Jesus as the Son of God. amen??

Carlos

Posted: October 31, 2007 10:40 PM

Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, and others of his ilk, who seek to write Almighty God out of the Universe He created and sustains, then propagate their true agenda, which is in fact, a philosophical ideology of rampant atheism, couched, veneered and convoluted in maze of pseudo-scientific jargon, which then continues to deceive many who simply have not taken the time to examine the true scientific facts, the preponderance of which overwhelmingly support and confirm the creationist model, as outlined in Genesis 1 and 2. The fact of the matter is that the Fossil records, from Microorginisms to Fish, right through to the origin of Mammals, and the origin of Man, are all destitute, devoid of any true factural support for this vile, despicable and contemptible theory of Evolution. Dawkins and his fraternity of atheists, are the most intellectually dishonest scholars one can encounter. They want a world without meaning, no accountability, hence no God! It can't work, not logical!

JMM	Posted: October 31, 2007 8:58 PM


I’m so glad the Lord has brought about this resurgence of atheism. One thing it’s going to do is to cause the people of God “to think” in order to “outthink” the pagans. Today’s popular Christianity is a mindless madness. Turn on your Christian channel and see.

Jay	Posted: October 31, 2007 7:02 PM


Funny thing is, many of the scientist defending the faith mentioned in this post hold beliefs (evolution, etc.) that the majority of evangelicals are fighting against. It is good to see them calling out people like Dawkins but lets not forget that they are fighting many evangelicals too.

Matt	Posted: October 31, 2007 3:33 PM

One of the difficulties and joys of Christian faith is that even the simplest objections to it seldom have simple answers. However, it seems that a somewhat common response to those who are convicted to learn as much about the world around them is, "spend your energy somewhere else." What is usually implied by such statements is that we should spend our energy "saving souls." However, can we honestly expect people to embrace a faith that they see as full of holes, one which we are incapable of defending? Granted, there is a reason that our faith is called a "faith" and not a "fact," but I believe the "facts" point toward faith.

Tom in NY

Posted: October 31, 2007 3:10 PM


Enjoyed the article bery much, but you are wrong that Hitchens is against abortion. What he says is that life obviously begins at conception. But he's not against abortion and has aborted some of his own children. He's made the statement "there's no choice, but choice." Go here for confirmation. http://users.rcn.com/peterk.enteract/Progint.html

Brian

Posted: October 31, 2007 12:42 PM


Another possible reason for the current rising (and book sales) of atheists is that so much of the bloodshed around the world right now is (at least nominally) in the name of religion. People don't want to believe in a deity that compels folks to kill each other in his name. That makes them more predisposed to listen to atheistic arguments.

Art Vesterdal (Canada)

Posted: October 31, 2007 12:23 PM

Paul was willing to debate on Mars hill and I am so pleased when others like this author are also eager to take a place in the battle lines. Paul said "I am all things to all men so that by all means I might win some" and that is what reasoning with Atheists will do. As those taking the contrary position, I doubt that we will win the Hawkins of this world over. But we may convince and win over some, perhaps many, of their disciples. With heaven and hell at stake we can do no less than endevour to rescue the lost.

Beau in NC

Posted: October 31, 2007 12:14 PM

There is a Spanish saying, "You're wasting spit by the bucket." This kind of debate always makes me feel that way. The atheists and the theists alike aren't really having dialogue with each other, they are just revving up their constituencies. Spend you energy somewhere else. Besides, we aren't called to be theists. We are people called by the LORD. There is no connection between the two, except that theists think there is.

Raymond Takashi Swenson

Posted: October 31, 2007 11:40 AM

It's interesting to know about people who are rebutting the public atheists. The impression one gets from published excerpts and reviews is that these atheists writers display an unabashed ignorance about what religious people actually believe and of the centuries of theological debate and analysis that has gone into addressing the very arguments against God that they seem to think are so triumphant. The real problem confronting atheists is that there are millions of people who are manifestly both highly educated and intelligent AND who are religiously faithful. The argument of the atheists devolves down into "Religion is stupid, so if you believe in religion, you are stupid." Elementary logic dictates that when one's deductions lead to a conclusion that is contradicted by observed facts, your assumptions are flawed. That is the essence of the scientific process which the atheists allegedly worship. But they clearly are unwilling to follow reason and logic in this case.

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