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GUEST
ARTICLE
Atheists Are “Bright”?
 Richard
Dawkins (photo)
A
recent atheist conference in Crystal City, Virginia included
the usual insistence by atheists that “God is a myth” and “children
must not be taught religion” (Castillo, 2007). Oxford professor
Richard Dawkins unleashed his typical militant, intolerant
tirade against Christians. He insisted: “Religion is not
the root of all evil, but it gets in the way of [determining]
how we got here and where we find ourselves...and that
is an evil in itself” (Castillo, emp. added). Ironic,
is it not, that if atheism is true and there is no God,
no absolute, objective evil even exists. That means that
Dawkins must use the term “evil” to refer simply to his
own subjective opinion.
When
asked to state the main difference between believers and
atheists, Dawkins unhesitatingly quipped: “Well, we’re
bright” (Castillo). Apart from the arrogance, let us make
certain that we have grasped correctly his sentiment. In
order to be an atheist, one must know that God does
not exist. That means that one must possess evidence that proves that
God does not exist. In fact, the atheist must know (and
thus be able to prove) the following (see Warren and Flew,
1977, pp. 7-8,55-58):
1. Matter is eternal,
having existed non-contingently, without a beginning.
2. Matter is all that
exists.
3. Matter has always existed.
4. No one piece
of matter is worth any
more than any other piece of matter.
5. By sheer chance, dead matter
became living matter.
6. By sheer chance,
dead matter became conscious matter.
7. By sheer chance,
dead matter became a human being.
8. By sheer chance,
dead matter developed conscience.
But
the atheist cannot know or prove any of these eight
items! Even modern science acknowledges that the Universe
is not eternal (see Miller, 2007, 27[4]:30-31). These eight
are but a fraction of the insurmountable barriers to proving
atheism. So the atheist cannot prove the very things
that must be proven in order to assert that God does not
exist. Yet, we are assured by one of the world’s leading
atheists that they, in contrast to theists, are “bright.” “Professing
to be wise, they became fools.... [and] exchanged the truth
of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature
rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:22,25).
--Dave
Miller
REFERENCES
Castillo,
Brent (2007), “Is U.S. Ready for an Atheist Revolution?,” The
Wichita Eagle, October 11, [On-line], URL: http://www.kansas.com/opinion/castillo/v-print/story/197554.html.
Miller,
Jeff (2007), “God and the Laws of Thermodynamics: A Mechanical
Engineer’s Perspective,” Reason & Revelation,
27[4]:25-31, April, [On-line], URL: http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/3293.
Warren,
Thomas B. and Antony G.N. Flew (1977), The Warren-Flew
Debate on the Existence of God (Ramer, TN: National
Christian Press).
Apologetics Press
230 Landmark Drive
Montgomery, Alabama 36117
U.S.A.
Phone (334) 272-8558
http://www.apologeticspress.org
http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/3498
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