How The Foolishness of Atheism Changed My Heart


Over the past couple years there has been an atheist uprising.  Books, speeches, blogs, and even a recent “revival” in DC are determined at best to elicit more converts or at worst to ridicule the religious.  Some think it is funny to demean and belittle “faith-based” living, and unfortunately there is much silliness in the name of religion.  Sadly, the “god” often rejected by the new atheists is nothing but a religious fiction. 

Ps. 14:1 “The Fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’.”

This passage screams through my head, whenever I hear these new atheist voices.  I can’t help but think of Richard Dawkins, Bill Maher, or Christopher Hitchens (God rest his soul). 

How can they question the existence of God?  What are they thinking?  Isn’t it obvious?  This life, this universe, the eye in my head is too complex to emerge from chance.  Are the religious feelings arising from a hike through the mountains or a view of the ocean nothing more than random chemicals bursting through my brain sending waves of awe rushing through my body?

Fools, fools, fools, they are!  How dare they?

But I am the fool.  They may say in their minds there is no God.  I proclaim Him with my lips, yet in my heart I whisper, “There is no God”. 

This whisper travels through my whole being justifying all manner of sin and unloveliness. 

My head generates syllogisms defending the existence of God, and the beggar gets no coin from my full pockets, because in my heart there is no God. 

I recite the Creed proclaiming His Threeness in One, and bitterness wells up at past wrongs, because in my heart there is no God. 

I can expound about God’s Essence and Energies, how He is far yet near, and pride surges when I see the mighty fall or the lowly upholding my self-image, because in my heart there is no God. 

I believe in the faith that established the universe, and anger bursts from my pores at the slightest infraction from my children, because in my heart there is no God.

I stand in my prayer corner offering intercessions, and fear grips my throat refusing to share my faith or defend righteousness among the crowd, because in my heart there is no God. 

Fool, fool, fool, am I. 

Recently, a story emerged from a Texas town about a local man renowned for his aggressive atheism burning every religious person in his path.  He stumbled upon hard times, and Christians in his town gathered together to support him financially and emotionally.  Overwhelmed by their act of courage and love, his atheism melted away and he embraced the faith of his comforters. 

Atheism died, because in their heart they said, There is God!  

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