Atheism
St Marks Discipleship Class
Agenda
• Overview and History of Atheism
• Types of Atheists
• 3 Proofs why God must exist
• Reliabilty of the Bible
• Practical Atheist – ME
• Conversation with a Professor
• Conclusion
Overview and History
• What is Atheism
• A/theism = no god
• The lack of a belief in God and/or the belief that
there is no God
• A 2004 BBC poll showed the number of people in
the US who don't believe in a god to be about
10%
• A 2009 study reported that two thirds of
teenagers in the UK do not believe in God (5
Million)
The 6 Types of Atheists
Two researchers at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
found that atheists and agnostics run the range from vocally
anti-religious activists to nonbelievers who still observe some
religious traditions.
• Silver and Coleman derived their six types of nonbelievers
from 59 interviews
The 6 Types of Atheists
1) Intellectual atheist/agnostic
• This type of nonbeliever seeks information and
intellectual stimulation about atheism.
• They like debating and arguing, particularly on popular
Internet sites.
• They're also well-versed in books and articles about
religion and atheism, and prone to citing those works
frequently.
The 6 Types of Atheists
2) Activist
• These kinds of atheists and agnostics are not content
with just disbelieving in God; they want to tell others
why they reject religion and why society would be better
off if we all did likewise.
• They tend to be vocal about political causes like gay
rights, feminism, the environment and the care of
animals.
The 6 Types of Atheists
3) Seeker-agnostic
• This group is made up of people who are unsure about the
existence of a God but keep an open mind and recognize the
limits of human knowledge and experience.
• Silver and Coleman describe this group as people who
regularly question their own beliefs and “do not hold a firm
ideological position.”
• That doesn't mean this group is confused, the researchers
say. They just embrace uncertainty.
The 6 Types of Atheists
4) Anti-theist
• This group regularly speaks out against religion and religious
beliefs
• “Anti-theists view religion as ignorance and see any
individual or institution associated with it as backward and
socially detrimental.
• The researchers wrote. “The Anti-Theist has a clear and – in
their view, superior – understanding of the limitations and
danger of religions.”
• Anti-theists are outspoken, devoted and at times
confrontational about their disbelief.
The 6 Types of Atheists
5) Non-theist
• The smallest group among the six are the non-theists, people who
do not involve themselves with either religion or anti-religion.
• In many cases, this comes across as apathy or disinterest.
• “A Non-Theist simply does not concern him or herself with
religion,” Silver and Coleman wrote. “Religion plays no role or
issue in one’s consciousness or worldview; nor does a Non- Theist
have concern for the atheist or agnostic movement.”
• They continue: “They simply do not believe, and in the same right,
their absence of faith means the absence of anything religion in
any form from their mental space.”
The 6 Types of Atheists
6) Ritual atheist
• They don't believe in God, they don’t associate with religion, and
they tend to believe there is no afterlife, still finds useful the
teachings of some religious traditions.
• Silver and Coleman wrote. “For example, these individuals may
participate in specific rituals, ceremonies, musical opportunities,
meditation, yoga classes, or holiday traditions.”
• For many of these nonbelievers, their adherence to ritual may stem
from family traditions.
Fundamental Atheist Beliefs
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•
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There is no God or devil
There is no such thing as a sin
Evolution is a scientific fact
God didn’t create people, people created God
Ethics and morals are relative
• What do you guys think can there be Godless morals and ethics?
• Atheists have a very limited scope of knowledge since they only
accept things, which they can see with their eyes.
Why do I care?
• You will encounter Atheists in your lifetime, how
will you approach them? What would you do if
they approached you?
• Your main goal in this encounter is to prove to
others the reality of the existence of God, but
how? Can you use the Bible?
• Every Orthodox Christian must be ready to
answer anyone who asks you the hope of your
faith…that includes you!!
Proof 1 of the Existence of God
Cosmological Argument
• This is an argument for the existence of a First
cause..meaning – everything in the universe has a
cause
• For every existence there must be a cause and
effect..so the Cosmos exists, there for where did it
come from? Nothing?
• Example – If I punch the wall, and I start
bleeding..what caused the bleeding?
• This means there had to be a FIRST cause,
something can not come out of nothing
Proof 2 of the Existence of God
Theological Argument (Argument from Design)
• This describes the accuracy and precision of the creation
• For example – if I tell you this building was built by chance, the walls,
the chairs, the carpet, it just happened..what would you say?
• There is a builder behind this building b/c of it’s detail and accuracy
• Same things with the laws of physics..any adjustments of the following
would severely destruct human life:
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•
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The Oxygen, perfect level
Force of Gravity, perfect measure
The distance of the sun, perfect distance
The size of the universe, perfect size..There had to be an intelligent designer
• Earth is constructed in such an intelligent way for human life, that we
are able to survive here
Proof 3 of the Existence of God
Argument of Moral Law
• If there is a Moral Law, there has to be a Moral
Law Giver
• Where did this universal sense of right and
wrong come from?
• There is a law inscribed in our conscious
without a written law..our conscious tells us this..
• Murder is wrong, without anyone telling you that
it’s against our religion..where did this feeling come
from? Where did you get this idea from? There had
to be an origin.
• This is why we have a guilty feeling after we commit
sins
• You can’t prove morals in a lab
Proof 3 on the Existence of God
• “As an atheist, my argument against God was that the universe
seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of
just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he
has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing the
universe with when I called it unjust?”- C.S. Lewis
The Reliability of the Bible
• M.A.P.S.
• Manuscripts
• Norman Geisler stated, “The New Testament has more manuscripts,
earlier manuscripts, and more accurately copied manuscripts than
any other book from the ancient world!”
• Over 5700 manscripts thats 30-300 AD
• Archeology
• “Thousands of archaeological discoveries have confirmed aspects of
the Bible either explicitly or implicitly without contradiction.
• Over 30 people in the New Testament have been cited by nonChristian writers through historical documents and/or confirmed by
archaeological research.
The Reliability of the Bible
• M.A.P.S.
• Prophecy
• “It is unlikely that all these events would have converged in the life
of one man.
• Mathematicians have calculated the probability of sixteen
predictions being fulfilled in one man at 1 in 1045.
• That forty-eight predictions might meet in one person, the
probability is 1 in 10157. That is one in ten with 157 zeroes attached.
• Science
• Isaiah 40:22 - “It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and
its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the
heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell
in.”
• Yet, in the Middle Ages, they still believed the earth was flat…
Practical Atheists
• We sometimes, believe it or not, can be compared to an Atheist
• Spiritually, I believe in God. But practically, I live as if He doesn’t exist.
• How is this different from an Atheist?
• Are we who we say we are? Christians?
• “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16
• They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being
abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. Titus
1:16
• You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons
believe—and tremble! Jam 2:19
• Yes, this is hard..but ask yourself what is it you believe in? Which
God will you worship?
Conversation with Professor
• A Convo with Professor
Conclusion
• Atheism is prevalent in the world and you will meet
several atheists in your lifetime
• The existence of God is very clear and can be proven
with or without the Bible
• The Bible is accurate in all its ways
• Doubting is a healthy action that requires follow up
• We too, can be practical atheists and we need to
watch for this
• “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’”Psalm 14:1
Quotes about Atheism
• “Atheists express their rage against God although in
their view He does not exist.” CSL
• “A creature revolting again a creator is revolting again
the source of his own powers—including even his
power to revolt…it is like the scent of a flower trying
to destroy the flower.”CSL
• “I believe in God as I believe that the Sun has risen
not only because I see it, but because by it I see
everything else.” CSL