Store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven
where moth and rust cannot destroy and thieves cannot break in and steal

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Does God Lie?


 . When God says that the universe was brought into being via His Word, can we Christians trust that?
. When the Bible describes forming and filling the earth in six days, can we Christians know what that means?
. When science says that the material cosmos is 14 billion years old – give or take - and that it came into being from literally nothing material, without a cause, can we trust that?
. When science says that matter, in some form, has always existed, can we trust that?
. When science says that matter created itself, can we trust that?
. When science says, almost as a statement of fact, that our universe is one of an infinite number of universes (for which there is zero evidence), can we trust that?

Bottom line, it's pretty hard to reconcile both the scientific and Biblical accounts of Creation. It doesn't appear that the findings of science are wrong regarding the age of the universe. Yet, as Francis Crick noted, and as scientists studying both the macro and micro universe are forced to concede, “We have to keep reminding ourselves that what we're seeing is not designed.”

The thing is, IF God is saying the universe is much younger than 14 billion years old, wouldn't that make God a liar? Science and a literal reading of the Bible can't both be right – can they?

Some have tried to accommodate these two conclusions by saying that just as God created Adam and Eve as mature individuals, He also created a mature universe. Light only appears to have been travelling for billions of years.

That's not impossible, but again, wouldn't THAT make God a liar, or at least deceptive in how He deals with us?

I suggest the latter. And I also suggest that there is nothing wrong with Him doing that. As Pascal said, “God has given us just enough evidence of His existence that those who are being drawn to Him will be able to find Him, AND He has given us just enough evidence so that those who are rejecting God will not be able to find Him accidentally.”

As many an atheist has truthfully told me, “I couldn't become a Christian even if I wanted to.”

We know from Scripture that God is going to send to His enemies “a great delusion.” Now, that particular verse is dealing specifically with the anti-Christ. But I think those who are fighting against God are experiencing a delusion on many, many levels. Jesus Himself says that many people can't understand His teaching because “their ears have been kept from hearing and their eyes have been kept from seeing.” He's talking about their inability to discern spiritual truths (2 Corinthians 4:4). It's what I”m talking about when I say atheists are spiritually dull of mind and slow of thought. It's like they're colour blind and can't see a little piece of red plastic lying in the green grass. Atheists just can't get it.

The thing about this is,
IF God created a universe that looks 14 billion years old when it isn't, it isn't a lie as long as He has also given us the actual truth, right there in His Word.
IF God has made it look like life came from non life, if it only looks as though humans are the end result of an impossibly complicated series of mutations over eons, it isn't a lie if He's given us the truth right there in His Word.
IF God has kept those who are going to reject Him from seeing or hearing the truth of what is right there before them, how can they blame Him? They don't want anything to do with Him anyway.

Like Chris Hitchens said, “For me to be in heaven would be hell.” So God gave him what he wanted. Is that wrong? Besides, there is nothing, literally nothing beside God Himself that can open our spiritual eyes so that any of us can believe in the reality of Creator God (John 6:44). Our corrupt nature precludes a decision that “In the beginning, God created the universe.”

As Jesus said to those who were rejecting Him, “Even if I rise from the dead, you won't believe.” 

10 comments:

  1. science says that the material cosmos is 14 billion years old – give or take - and that it came into being from literally nothing material, without a cause
    Lie #2

    science says that matter, in some form, has always existed
    Lie #3

    science says that matter created itself
    Lie #4

    science says, almost as a statement of fact, that our universe is one of an infinite number of universes
    Lie #5

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  2. You remind me of Western Buddhists. Always, always, always reincarnated into a higher state.

    Like them, you just make it up as you go. Pick a little bit from here. Take a little bit from there. Make up your brand of atheism as you go. It doesn't matter what implications must logically flow from "no God."

    Whatever gets you through the night, right?

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  3. You remind me of Western Buddhists. Always, always, always reincarnated into a higher state.

    It's funny that I would remind you of Buddhists since they are more like you in terms of religious beliefs; they believe in supernatural events because it makes them feel good to think that they will live forever somehow.

    you just make it up as you go. Pick a little bit from here. Take a little bit from there.

    In general, yes, that's exactly what I do, because that's the rational thing to do. My views are changing based on facts.

    Make up your brand of atheism as you go.

    That is not correct though. You are incapable of having philosophical discussions on what it means to be an Atheist because you still don't understand how to approach the issue, even after all these years. Fascinating really.

    It doesn't matter what implications must logically flow from "no God."

    You are incapable of doing proper critical thinking when it comes to analyzing the implications of a universe with a god or without a god. Each time I tried to address this with you, you quit by writing insults since you have nothing to say.

    Go read the few exchanges we had after you "resurrection". You were super nice at first, even asking me how my life in California was, only to switch to insults after only a few comments, without actually addressing the content.

    This is the only way you are able to discuss these things: with your gut. It does not really matter what I write or how I write it. You probably don't even try to read and understand because your own feelings make you believe that no matter what I write, as an Atheists, is wrong since God cannot possibly not exist. You don't care that this notion is irrational and unsupported by any logical argumentation.

    You are literally incapable of understanding the difference between beliefs, opinion and facts. You are incapable of understanding the difference between true, false, not true and not false statements. You are incapable of understanding the various logical fallacies you commit all the time. You are incapable of seeing the lies you write (not on purpose) almost on a daily basis.

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  4. Says the man who is going to choose his wedding date based on the most auspicious phase of the moon.

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  5. You like to prove me right; don't you? Your response is completely illogical, does not address anything I wrote and make you sound like a teenager who is annoyed by an adult schooling him. It's pathetic how afraid you are to discuss "hard" topics and resort to childish behavior.

    Here's the truth regarding your last comment: it's called being accommodating. Do I care about the date? Of course not! Does my fiancée care about the date? No. Does it mean she (and I by extension) should say 'fuck you mom and dad; we will get married whenever I want'? Our opinion is a strong NO, because we are ACCOMMODATING. She grew up in a culture that cares about these things so we are going to follow the rules to show respect for that culture.

    Was it that hard to figure out by yourself?
    Or did you actually understand all this and prefer to act like an ass just for fun?
    In other words, are you really that stupid or simply an asshole?

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  6. No, it just shows a pattern of hypocrisy, and lying, like pretending to care about the duties of a God-parent. Are you a typical atheist or worse than most? Lying but calling it accommodating. Pfft!

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  7. Oh I see, so the answer is that you are really incapable of understanding. You are not an ass; you are just stupid. But wait, your answer also makes you sound like an ass; so you are both? Interesting...

    it just shows a pattern of hypocrisy, and lying, like pretending to care about the duties of a God-parent

    Now you bring yet another topic. How retarded does someone needs to be to jump from one topic to another like that? No wonder you wrote a book called Trolling for Atheists; you are literally a troll. What's funny though is that you don't do it on purpose I suppose; otherwise you would be the biggest liar ever and that would not make you the biggest sinner ever at the same time; someone that deserved nothing but Hell according to the beliefs you hold to so dearly.

    In any case, no, I am not a hypocrite, I am not lying and I don't pretend to care about the duties of a godfather. The problem is that you did not stop for 1 second to think of what it means to be a godfather in the context of my family. Who are you to judge what my family thinks and does? You think your own relationship with your pet god, that happens in your head, gives you insight on what my family should do?

    Or perhaps you think I was a hypocrite in front of the Catholic priest that the baptism took place? I doubt you thought about that since you are so simple minded but yes, in that case, there is some hypocrisy because I could not care less about what he is doing. However, if he were to ask me... I would not lie, but it's just not in the nature of such event to ask the participants what they think.

    Or yet again, perhaps you meant I am a hypocrite and a liar regarding my fiancée's family, since we follow the customs only to please them without really caring? That would be completely wrong again because they know I was raised Catholic and that I am now an Atheists. They actually appreciate the way I embrace their culture and show respect to their family.

    Are you a typical atheist or worse than most?

    Probably worse according to you, since you are a bigot and judge Atheists without any rational reasons.

    Lying but calling it accommodating. Pfft!

    Misunderstanding and juvenile reactions. Impressive Rod.

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  8. Oh I see, so the answer is that you are really incapable of understanding.

    Hugo, I think it'd be more accurate to say that Rod is UNWILLING to understand. I'm pretty sure he's perfectly capable - but he spends most of the time in these comments avoiding a confrontation with the consequences of his ideas. Clearly, he's afraid of examining what he says and claims to believe.

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  9. WEM, I will have to disagree with you on this, at least partially. After "discussing" with Rod for a few years now, I can assure you that my conclusion that he is too "stupid" to understand certain things is warranted. (Sorry for not having a better word than "stupid" here; that's simply a shortcut.)

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  10. Fair enough, Hugo. You *do* know him better than I do.

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