Atheism Reveals Its True Purpose, TQFD 21.01.2008

In December of 2006 a group of atheists billing themselves as the Rational Response Squad issued a challenge on the internet. Named "The Blasphemy Challenge", the group solicits people to commit the unforgivable sin of blaspheming the Holy Ghost, to record their action on home video, and then upload and post the video to YouTube where they can be viewed by others and thus bear public witness to their action. In exchange, the promoters of the "challenge" promise the blasphemer a free copy of the anti-Christian film, The God Who Wasn't There.

"The Rational Response Squad is giving away 1001 DVDs of The God Who Wasn't There . . .

There's only one catch: We want your soul.

It's simple. You record a short message damning yourself to Hell, you upload it to YouTube, and then the Rational Response Squad will send you a free The God Who Wasn't There DVD. It's that easy."

- From the blasphemy challenge website

The site explains how the challenge is based on Mark 3.22-30 and that the objective for the prospective sinner is to do as the scribes did and accuse the Holy Ghost of evil. The sponsors seem to be ignorant of the fact that many pastors and theologians understand that it was not the scribes' action itself that resulted in their damnation; rather that their action revealed their hearts as so hardened that they would never accept Jesus as Messiah and Lord. And that it is the persistent denial of the Spirit's witness of Christ that constitutes the blasphemy known as the unforgivable sin. (Such persistent denial is the equivalent of calling theHoly Ghost a liar, thereby blaspheming the Spirit and cutting one off from the only means of forgiveness and salvation.)

Some of the videos on the site are truly tragic. In some you can detect the false bravado of adolescent rebellion such as the young man who boasts of coming from a Christian family and being the grandson of a minister while wearing a shirt that has "F--K JESUS" (the shirt does not omit the missing letters). In other videos one can read the fear the person has about what they are doing; and in still others the sadness and depression that is obviously influencing the speaker.

Equally troubling is the film the site offers to those who accept the "challenge", The God Who Wasn't There.

The title of the film is a parody of a book by the late Francis Schaeffer called The God Who Is There, and according to Newsweek, it "Irreverently lays out the case that Jesus Christ never existed." In spite of the fact that the existence of Jesus is not something doubted by any serious historian whether Christian or not, the film purports to be a documentary and claims that:

"Jesus is likely a fictional character, a legend never based on a real human."

"The Jesus passed down to us in the gospels bears a striking resemblance to other ancient heroes and the figureheads of pagan saviour cults."

"Contemporary Christians are largely ignorant of the origins of their religion."

"Christianity is as obsessed with blood and violence now as it was in the 1st century."

According to the film, "Jesus was not the first character to be born of a virgin, to be adored by wise men, to heal the sick, to suffer and die on a tree or a cross, to be buried in a tomb and to rise again on the third day only to ascend into the sky, this had happened before. This was an old story. . . . And Christianity's way of dealing with the problem is to ignore it." This is a complete misrepresentation of history. It is true that there are saviour figures in some of the mythologies and pagan religions of antiquity, but to imply that Christianity made use of these is simply false. This topic is dealt with by Christian apologists, e.g., C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity, and the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry (see their article at http://www.carm.org/evidence/mithra.htm).

That many of today's Christians are largely ignorant of the history of the early church is probably true, though the history the film makers have in mind and the reality are not the same as witnessed by the assertion that first century Christian were "obsessed with blood and violence." First century Christians were no force to be reckoned with as far as power and might go. Rome ruled Christianity capriciously during its first 300 years of existence, oscillating between tolerance and open persecution mandated by imperial decree. From being dressed in animal skins and fed to wild beasts in the arena as entertainment to imprisonment to being crucified or beheaded to being used by Nero as human torches to light the imperial gardens at night, most all of the events involving first century Christians and blood and violence consisted of the Christians providing the blood while others provided the violence. Still, the film makers prefer to follow the Nazi practise of fabricating history in order to demonise the object of their hate. Witness another quote from the film, "They [Christians] will march for Jesus. They will hate for Jesus. They will kill for Jesus."

The film is hosted by Brian Flemming (who proclaims himself an apostate from Christianity), as well as such notables from the atheist camp as evolutionary biologist and author Richard Dawkins, (who, in addition to claiming that the Bible is immoral, has expressed a view that equates teaching Christianity to a child with child abuse); Sam Harris, author of The End of Faith and Letter To A Christian Nation, who argues that organised religion is dangerous; Robert Price, a professor of theology, editor of the Journal of Higher Criticism, and Jesus Seminar Fellow; and others.

And it is through this film that atheism reveals that ultimately its true purpose, its real objective, is not theism or religion in general, but specifically the elimination of Christianity. To achieve this goal they are willing to go to virtually any lengths. The film reminds one of the Nazi propaganda films produced to move the German people to see Jews as sub-human and as vermin, as the source of Germany's problems, and ultimately as unfit to live.

When one looks that the campaign by atheists against Christianity (and Christians) in courts, in university, in television, in print, and now through the blasphemy challenge and the film The God Who Wasn't There, it becomes apparent that the true purpose of atheism, is the destruction of Christianity. As Pope Benedict XVI has said, "Secularism is no longer that element of neutrality, which opens up space for freedom for all. It is beginning to change into an ideology which, through politics, is being imposed. It concedes no public space to the Catholic and Christian vision, which, as a result, runs the risk of turning into a purely private matter, so that deep down it is no longer the same. In this sense, a struggle exists and so we must defend religious freedom against an ideology which is held up as if it were the only voice of rationality, when instead it is only an expression of a 'certain' rationialism."

Trying to hide behind science and allegedly rationality (numerous apologists have demonstrated that there is nothing inherently irrational or illogical about Christianity, e.g., see Handbook of Christian Apologetics by Kreeft and Tacelli, Christianity as the Best Explanation at www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5240, and The Christian Handbook of Reason and Insight for Scientists and Technologists at www.christianapologetic.org) those in the secular humanist camp have eliminated God and prayer from schools, rewritten history eliminating America's Christian heritage, indoctrinated a generation into the lie that humans are nothing more than animals, and are working to eliminate Christianity completely. And the battle is not just here in America but also in England and Europe. For example, in Germany Christian parents who home school have had their children taken away by the government. Given statements like Dawkins' about child abuse, it is not difficult to discern that similar ideas are in mind for America. Another example is bill number 666 (seriously) put forth this month in England's House of Commons which calls for the disestablishment of the Church of England (thanks to Debbie for bringing this item to my attention).

There was a time when I thought that those who claimed secular humanists were out to eliminate Christianity from America and the West were over reacting. Given the now militant position and viewpoints of prominent atheists like those involved in this collaboration as well as the work of others followers of secular humanism (e.g., the call by atheist scientists to prevent Christians from receiving degrees in science or tenure1) it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that the movement is working toward the day when Christianity can be outlawed and its followers prosecuted and denied rights. The title of atheist as it turns out is really nothing more than a smoke screen, antichrists is more appropriate; for now we see that their opposition is not nearly so much against theism as it is specifically against Jesus.

While Scripture speaks of those who suppress the truth and consequently end up given over to increasingly perverse thinking and beliefs (Romans 1, 2 Thessalonians 2.11), it also speaksof the persecution of followers of Jesus (Matthew 10.16-42, 24.9, John 15.18-16.4, 1 Peter 4.12-13). Therefore, we should not be surprised at the events taking place nor when those who oppose Christ drop their mask and reveal their true intent. Let us then make best use of the time because the days are evil (Ephesians 5.16), always being ready to give a defense of our faith in Christ Jesus in gentleness and with respect so that those who revile our good behaviour may be put to shame (1 Peter 3.15-16), knowing that "it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4.17) For God Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13.5).

1. See NYT article at www.nytimes.com/2007/02/12/science/12geologist.html and Weekly Standard article at www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/733rlosv.asp

Toda raba!

God always gives us what we need and never more than we can handle; therefore the task ahead of you is never greater than the power behind you. So be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might (Ephesians 6.10) for He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13.5).

Jude 20-22

Quote

"Christianity, and nothing else, is the ultimate foundation of liberty, conscience, human rights, and democracy, the benchmarks of Western civilization. To this day, we have no other options. We continue to nourish ourselves from this source. Everything else is postmodern chatter."

- Jurgen Habermas, German philosopher and self described "methodological atheist", in his 2004 work, Time of Transitions.

2 Timothy 4.1-2

May God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, that we may make His way known on earth, and His salvation known among all peoples (Psalm 67.1-2). Amen.

God Bless, God-speed, and dread nought for He is with thee!

Tags: atheism, secular humanism, blasphemy challenge

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Atheism Reveals Its True Purpose, TQFD 21.01.2008