Article by Cameron Spink

 

One of the silliest arguments I have heard in the ongoing dialogue between Christian and atheist is the question of which worldview has caused the most casualties. The discussion generally goes like this:

 

Atheist: "Religion is the root of all evil."

Christian: "What about Mao or Stalin? They caused great atrocities and they were humanists."

Atheist: "Their actions were not spawned from their worldview..."

 

That is usually as far as the dialogue gets. This discussion is a moot point, regardless. Even if one accepted where the goalposts were (i.e. who is a humanist, who is a Christian and what either was acting upon), added up the body count (which is a disappointing simplification of these atrocities) and reached a final conclusion this wouldn't determine whether a God did or did not exist. It wouldn't even establish which worldview is actually "less evil". No matter what worldview we prescribe to we all do good and bad things.

 

Perhaps this is the actual point. Mao and Stalin were responsible for their own actions, as were all other tyrants in history. But the catch is that we too are responsible for our actions. We are in a war of the worldviews but it is not a worldview that causes the casualties, it is our sin. And sin claims the most casualties of anyone. It is also having the greatest say in government policy decisions in nearly every country around the world.

 

Standing against atheism, Islam or Buddhism is about standing against sin. And we should desire to do so. In our own lives, in our country and in the lives of others around us. This will make us perhaps the most hated people in our community. Very few people like to be told that their actions are not a good way of behaving. Yet, we know there is no freedom in the entanglements of sin. There is nothing to be gained from our sinful lives. As Paul tells us:

 

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

 

It will be said that such behaviours should concern no-one but those participating in them. However, these are the deeds of the damned and should concern us greatly. Sometimes you've got to try and rescue someone even when they don't won't to be rescued. After all that's what Jesus did for us.

 

It may be claimed that "there is nothing about atheism that necessarily leads to mass murder or genocide" but substitute sin for atheism and this sentence makes sense. Atheists are condemning of the followers of religion. When I look at atheism I see what I expect to see. Broken, sinful people. Same as Christianity. However, the ideology behind atheism derives itself from idolatry. It is a flesh-enslaving worldview that chortles as it condemns its subject to an eternal abyss.

 

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Romans 8:5-8