Atheists, You Won't Find God that Way

CARM

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In my many discussions with atheists, I am frequently challenged to prove that God exists. Sorry, no such luck for the atheists.

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It doesn't mean I don't have proof. I think the cosmological and transcendental arguments are proof enough. But it's all useless.

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Atheists just can't, or should I say won't, believe God exists. They can't find

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God because, first of all, they aren't looking, and second, they want to avoid Him. If you don't believe me, do a test.

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First, find an atheist chat room on the net and offer any evidence for God you can think of. Then sit back and count the milliseconds before the evidence is attacked.

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And you'll notice that the longer you defend your evidence, the more fervent will be the attacks on it and, inevitably, on you.

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Be prepared for some mockery and ridicule. You'll be told you're stupid, an idiot, and that you believe in mythology.

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They've got it all figured out. But don't worry. Their insults are just a bunch of words. Anyway, atheists make it impossible to prove

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God exists when they have their eyes closed, their fingers in their ears, and they're calling you names. But that is exactly what we

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Christians should expect. After all, the Bible tells us in Romans 1 that that's what will happen. Unfortunately for the atheists,

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God isn't found under a microscope, in front of a telescope, behind an x -ray machine, or in a sock drawer.

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God doesn't bow to the arrogant whims of atheists who demand He show Himself to satisfy their criteria. Instead, God is a real person, a really big and powerful person, in a celestial form that is, who isn't in the habit of snapping to attention when stunned by the disparaging remarks of mere mortals.

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The Bible says, Atheists need to rethink their approach and shift their criteria to look for a person, not a thing.

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They should realize that attacking someone doesn't encourage a relationship. In fact, it's common sense that when you attack someone, mock his character, dare him to do what you want, and insult his person, he will withdraw from you.

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Let me reiterate. God, the same as any person, is not in the habit of answering the patronizing challenges of the proud.

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Yet atheists treat God as though He were some kind of thing, some object to be judged, some celestial phenomena to be measured in their lab.

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They want to get their hands on Him, to dissect Him, interrogate Him, and satisfy their own requirements to which God should submit.

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Sorry, atheists, it doesn't work that way. I mean, how can any atheist ever expect to find

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God with such demanding attitudes? Oh, wait, I almost forgot. They don't want to find

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Him, so they construct excuses and ridiculous expectations to keep themselves secure in their anti -God delusion.

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At this point, I'm reminded of doubting Thomas. He didn't believe Jesus rose from the dead. He wanted something better than rumor.

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He wanted cold, hard facts. He was a show -me kind of a guy in an ancient lab coat who wasn't going to be taken in by wacko, emotionally unstable

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Jesus followers. Here's the account. It's in John 20, verses 24 and 25. Now, you'd think that Jesus would refuse

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Thomas' request. But amazingly, Jesus provided what Thomas asked for. Let's look at John 20, verses 26 through 28.

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Thomas answered and said to Him, Now, depending on Thomas' presuppositions, he could interpret the evidence in different ways.

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Maybe it was just a simple, elaborate hoax in that Jesus hadn't really died, but was plotting with the

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Jews to overthrow Roman oppression. Perhaps he was looking at the hitherto unknown twin brother of Jesus.

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On the other hand, maybe the man standing before him was really a holographic projection from the future. Or, it could have been that Thomas was suffering from post -traumatic crucifixion of my

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Savior disorder. But still, there Jesus was, standing right in front of him, and it was time for Thomas to make a choice.

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But I have to ask, why did Jesus appear and grant Thomas His request?

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Maybe it was because Jesus simply chose to, or it could be that His testimony was needed to verify for others that Jesus had risen.

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Perhaps it was to address future skeptics, or maybe it's a little of each. Who knows for sure, since we're dealing with the person of Christ and not with the predictable results of flipping on a light switch.

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So, why did Thomas believe? Was it because there was sufficient evidence on which to make a logical decision of faith?

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That sounds reasonable. After all, Thomas saw Jesus right there in front of him. He saw the holes in His hands, and the wound in His side.

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You'd think that would be enough. But maybe not. Maybe there is something more to the story.

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You see, it appears Thomas needed a little help. Notice that Jesus said something very interesting after showing

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Thomas the facts. Actually, it was a command. Jesus said, Be not unbelieving, but believing.

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Verse 27 Jesus commanded that Thomas believe after he saw the facts. Thomas obeyed and believed.