Moral Argument
For thousands of years, societies have developed around common beliefs about protecting and providing for families. Moral law – and the enforcement of it – have been foundational to that protection and provision. If an atheist was robbed at gunpoint and badly beaten, they would have no need to call police to investigate because they don’t believe in moral law. Why would they want police to capture the robber and put him in prison when there are no absolute standards – no moral values? Why would they want the robber to be tried in a court of law when all the robber was doing was what was right in his own eyes? There are no human rights without Moral Law. There is no justice or injustice without Moral Law. There is no right or wrong without Moral Law.
Even though atheists don’t believe in Moral Law, they benefit from it. The justice system is as much for them as for those who believe in Moral Law. The big mistake atheists make is thinking they can enjoy the benefits of living in a society that believes in Moral Law while living their personal lives as if there wasn’t a Moral Law. They can’t have it both ways. Either there is a Moral Law and a Moral Law Giver or there is no Moral Law and no Moral Law Giver. If there is a Moral Law and Moral Law Giver, then atheists have a major problem. If they continue to deny the existence of the Moral Law Giver through the end of their life, they will face Him at their death and suffer the penalty of their denial. If there is no Moral Law Giver, then atheists have no right to protection from society against those who would harm them. I can tell you from personal experience – and the Word of God – that atheism is foolish.
Speaking of foolishness – most atheists I’ve known (including myself many years ago) believe in evolution. Some explain morality from an evolutionary viewpoint – that as the species have evolved by natural selection, so has morality evolved. Evolved to what? One of the problems with this argument of evolutionary morality is that Darwin’s beliefs about the evolution of life assert that only material exists. No soul. No spirit. Just material. Interesting. Material doesn’t have morality – so how can it evolve? If evolution is about natural selection – survival of the fittest and preservation of favored races in the struggle for life – then where does morality fit with that theory? Species destroy species. The conquering species are the fittest – the preservation of favored races. It doesn’t matter how the species survive – the important thing is that they survive. Right? Isn’t that the argument of evolution? There is no morality in the evolutionary drive to survive – even at the destruction of another species or even members of the same species that are weaker. Views on morality can differ – and that may be what evolutionists call evolutionary morality – but it is not truly evolutionary in the Darwinian view of natural selection.
Why would atheists be upset when dictators imprison and kill their opponents? Why would evolutionists be disturbed by the rich and powerful exploiting the poor and powerless? That behavior fits perfectly with the evolutionary “survival-of-the-fittest” mentality. Why would atheists have any problem with what Hitler did during his reign of terror? In fact, wouldn’t it make sense – in light of evolutionary beliefs – for atheists to do the same? If atheists and evolutionists really believe what they profess, doesn’t it seem logical that they would lead a campaign to rid the world of all “inferior” human beings so that the species would be stronger and brighter? Of course that makes no sense. Even atheists and evolutionists have feelings of compassion toward the downtrodden. That compassion does not spring from evolution nor the denial of a moral law – it comes from the law God wrote on the hearts of all people – “… for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.” (Romans 2:14-15)
Atheists have no foundation in their philosophy for why anything is morally right or wrong. Real atheists must state without hesitation that they do not believe murder, rape, incest, pedophilia, torture or any other similar action is wrong. Their belief system will not allow any view of morality because they believe there are no standards, no right, no wrong, no values. The only thing that exists is one’s opinion – and everyone has one. If there is no Moral Law Giver, there can be no morality. If the strongest must survive, then survive they must at any cost to anyone who gets in their way. That is the path and end of pure materialism.
Moral Law can exist only if there is a Source higher than ourselves. Only God the Creator can say what is right or wrong. Only God the Creator can establish absolutes and value to life. He is the Giver of life and His Laws are based on His Nature of infinite love, righteousness, mercy, and justice. It is in God that we all find our purpose and reason for living. It is in God that atheists will find purpose and meaning for their lives. I know – because in God I found my purpose.
In Christ’s Love and Grace,
Mark McGee
Faith Defense
“Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”
Faith & Self Defense 