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Atheists are people who do not believe in the existence of a Supreme
Being, called God. Some do not believe in God because no one ever told them
about Him, and they never came across a thought about God themselves. Others do
not reject the existence of God in principle, though they live so as if He and
His Law are not for them. These can be counted as practicing atheists. Finally,
there are people who principally reject the existence of God, and who wish to
justify their disbelief by scientific or philosophical arguments. These can be
called convinced atheists. Theoretical, principal atheism often turns into
active theomachism, implanted by violence, as it
occurs in communist countries.
Theoretical atheism is in its essence an
anti-religion, because it is also based on belief. As religions are formed on
faith in the existence of God, so atheism builds on the belief that He does not
exist. Indeed, if God is a spirit, then how can material devices “prove” that
He does not exist? This is comparable to rejecting the existence of the Earth’s
magnetic field on the basis of barometric readings. Atheism replaces belief in
God with a belief in self-sufficiency of matter and laws of nature.
As a mass phenomenon, atheism has come
into existence over the last two hundred years. It is the result of separation
of humans from direct contact with nature, which occurred when significant
amounts of population started to move from countryside to towns. Psychology
believes that humans have an inherent desire to comprehend the cause and
purpose of existence. Contemplating the fundamental questions of existence, man
comes to faith in the Maker of the Universe. Nature helps man on his way to the
Deity, for at his every step nature’s beauty, splendor, harmony and
purposefulness speak of God, His omnipotence and goodness. In the past people
used to be closer to nature, and an atheist was a rare bird. It is common
knowledge that since pre-historic times the idea of a supreme being has been
widely spread among people at all stages of development. “Look at the face of
the earth,” wrote Plutarch (1st century AD), — and you will see townships
without fortification, sciences or hierarchy, you will see people without
permanent dwelling, not knowing money, having no idea of the fine arts, but you
will not find any one human community without a belief in a Divinity.” This
testimony is still in force when applied to people who live close to nature,
though their concepts of God may be imperfect and childishly naive.
On the other hand, the life of modern townspeople
flows in daily fuss, traffic noise, a jungle of
concrete, smoke and crime. It gives no noble, lofty feelings; quite on the
contrary, it mutilates and spoils any spiritual properties. It is therefore not
surprising that atheism, and a variety of psychiatric deviations, propagate
predominantly among megalopolis inhabitants.
Religion-less and anti-religious
teaching systems in a few modern educational institutions also facilitate the
spread of atheism. The Biblical narrative about the origins of the world and
man is often criticized in textbooks and classrooms. Instead of adding data to
expand on the Bible’s information, scientific discoveries are set in opposition
to the inspired truths, in order to forge a conflict between faith and
knowledge. Sometimes, teachers or professors ridicule the principles of faith
and moral in the open. Not many youths have enough independence of thought to
see that their educators’ anti-religion assaults are not based on objective
scientific data, but on private opinions of people reluctant to religion. These
students’ parents need a lot of knowledge and skill to save their belief in
God.
Sin casts gloom over intelligence and
dulls conscience, and unruly living tends to loosen faith in God. It happens
that youths, brought up in religious families and ardently believing during
childhood, give up to temptation of sinful pleasures and get stuck in the
spider web of fleshly passions. After several years of sinful life, they retain
very little of their former innocence, modesty and goodness. They become
impudent, evil and shameless. Religious doubts arise alongside vice, and can
lead to faithlessness, unless youths recollect themselves and turn to God in
repentance.
One consequence of atheism is despair.
It is not usually recognized by non-believers, but it takes roots in his
subconscious and begins to determine his style of life. Once there is no God,
there is no afterlife, no reward for labors and good works. That is why an
atheist, while still alive, has to hastily use all life’s available pleasures.
Once there is no God, moral law is relative and man defines the difference
between good and evil. Of course, laws of state, shame,
fear or merely practical concerns may to an extent restrain the desire to grasp
the pleasures and delights of life by any means, but they would not change an
essentially atheistic mindset. Beasts and insects can be cruel to their prey.
But there is no creature more dangerous and brutal than a man without supreme
moral guidance. A man like that can cause harm not for benefit, but for some
perverse pleasure. He takes revenge on others because of his own bad luck. But
he is unfortunate because he has no future. This explains why the most
senseless and brutal crimes are committed in countries governed by atheism.
How can man come to faith in God, or
strengthen belief in His existence? Philosophy and apologetics have the
so-called “arguments for the existence of God.” They say that admission of the
existence of God logically comes out of observation of the order of nature,
spiritual qualities of humans and historical facts. Retelling these arguments
here would take too much space. We only wish to say that no external proof of
the existence of God can substitute for man’s convincing inner spiritual
experience. God is a Spiritual Being and may not be studied by any regular
scientific methods, but the human soul, created in His image and after His
likeness, can be in touch with Him. When a man makes an effort and throws off
the darkness of vanity, in which his life is depleted, and takes his heart to
follow the Divine light that surrounds, then he can see and hear God. This
intimate sense of Divinity cannot be proven or explained to others because it
is in the realm of inward experience. Whoever does not have such experience
will not realize what you are speaking about.
This personal experience of fellowship
with Divine Grace becomes to man the most convincing proof of the existence of
God. It obliges him to change his moral life and to learn to sacrifice himself
for the sake of obedience to the Supreme Will. Many people are afraid to bother
their consciences, and are not willing to give up their sinful lifestyle, and
therefore make no attempt to improve themselves and have fellowship with the
light of the Divinity. But those who are in fellowship with this light find in
it a source of spiritual power, peacefulness and heavenly joy.
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