Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Contrasting Atheism and Christianity

Everyone has a terminal illness. It is called life.
--Unknown

Concerning Humanity
We each of us live under the same indefinite stay of execution. Every one of us is standing before the veil, waiting for our turn to walk through. But not all of us agree as to what is on the other side of death. As a child of the modern Western civilization, I have come to regard two worldviews as the only ones worth serious consideration: Atheism and Christianity. Here are my observations on what they have to offer.

Concerning Purpose and Hope
  • The Atheist looks at life and calls it pointless, then faces death without hope and calls this dignity.
  • The Christian looks at life and calls it God’s plan, then faces death with hope and calls this bravery.

    Concerning What Matters
  • The Atheist says that love and death are the only things that truly matter to a person. (Inspired by Arthur C. Clarke’s 3001: The Final Odyssey)
  • The Christian says that love and life eternal are the only things that truly matter to a person.

    Concerning Passion and Weakness
  • The Atheists claim that their acceptance of no life after this one brings zest to the short time they have. Then a surprisingly large number of them will go on to become addicted to alcohol, drugs, work and sex, eventually becoming chronically depressed and suicidal people.
  • The Christians claim that their expectation of life after this one brings a passion to do good to those around them. Then a surprisingly large number of them will go on to overcome their addictions to alcohol, drugs, work, and sex, eventually becoming hopeful, loving, and happy people.

    Concerning Relying on Ourselves
  • The Atheist teaches that we can only rely on ourselves to improve our lives.
  • The Christian teaches that we should work to improve our lives, but with humility before God, for we cannot save ourselves, no matter how much we improve.

    Concerning Science and Faith
  • The Atheist claims that science has disproved the Bible and that God has given no credible sign of his existence.
  • The Christian claims that while our understanding of Scripture may change, it will always be the True Word of God. God gave us his Scripture as evidence of his love for us with the warning that we must live by faith and not by sight.

    Concerning Sexual Morals
  • Atheists think that Biblical sexual morals are outdated and even harmful.
  • Christians think that venereal disease, broken marriages, and fatherless children hurt more than following God's rules.

    Concerning God’s Nature
  • The Atheist says that the self-contradictory nature of an omnipotent God proves he can’t exist.
  • The Christian says that this only proves that Atheists aren’t smart enough to understand God.
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