Copyright © 2022 PJ Stassen
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1. IRONY #001. CAUSE & EFFECT. The atheists charge creationists with the habit of always insisting on invoking the argument of 'cause’ (and ‘effect’) in their debates with atheists; then, paradoxically, the atheists themselves go ahead and invoke 'cause’ (and ‘effect' by saying that “Evolution caused the world”, or “the Big Bang caused Evolution”, or that “Evolution caused the Big Bang” ... or that “’beneficial mutations', 'adaptation', 'speciation', 'natural selection', 'punctuated equilibrium', ‘gene flow’ or ‘genetic drift’ caused the species to evolve and proliferate “over millions and millions of years” (so reminiscent of the Childrens’ fairy tale that begins with, "Long, long ago and far away ...").
2. IRONY #002. ORIGINAL CREATION. Atheists insist that they do not believe in the God (YHWH, Jehovah) of Moses and the Ten Commandments and/or Jesus Christ of the New Testament or any so-called miraculous 'Creator God' of the Bible; then, they go ahead and insist that the blind, random forces of 'Evolution' miraculously called ('created') the world into existence out of nothing by sheer coincidence and total accident without any premeditated design or grand cosmic purpose in mind whatsoever. No wonder the late (admittedly renowned) physicist-atheist Stephen Hawking's final book was (guess what) 'The Theory of Nothing'.
3. IRONY #003. THE VIRGIN BIRTH. Atheists reject the idea of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ; then, they go ahead and insist on the 'virgin birth of the Universe' out of nothing else but “the blind, accidental and random forces of Evolution”.
4. IRONY #004. SCIENCE THE 'ULTIMATE SOLUTION'. Atheists insist that 'science' ('scientism'*) will eventually prove the ultimate (‘silver bullet’) panacea to all of mankind's problems and the answer to all of society's challenges; then, when debating the issue, not a single scientist in the world is even remotely capable of lucidly, coherently explaining to the world:
- Why there is something instead of nothing.
- Who or what we really are.
- Where we come from.
- Why we are here.
- Where we (i.e., the members of the human race) are going.
- How humanity is supposed to know the difference between right and wrong
- Whether there is hope for planet earth.
- Whether there is hope for mankind.
*Scientism: Excessive belief in the power of scientific - knowledge and techniques. [Oxford Languages].
5. IRONY #005. ATHEISTS NOT 'RELIGIOUS'. Atheists insist that they are not religious and that they reject the Holy Trinity of God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit; then, they go ahead and, for all intents and purposes, confess their blind belief in the concocted 'trinity' of Father TIME (for 'billions and billions of years'), Mother NATURE (for 'beneficial mutations', 'species 'adaptation', 'speciation', 'punctuated equilibrium', 'Lamarckism', 'natural selection/survival of the fittest', ‘gene flow’, genetic drift’ etc.) and with their 'messiah of choice' ... Charles Darwin.
This is a quite disturbing, disingenuous stance on behalf of the atheists; I contend that atheists are religious and that Atheism per se is nothing more or less than just another (dysfunctional) suburban religious cult. Main reasons:
5.1 Atheist fanaticism. Atheists adhere to Atheism with religious zeal and fervour, sometimes unmatched even by the fanaticism of some religious groups: Remember the (Atheism-driven) Chinese purges during the communist uprisings in China, Pol Pot's killing fields, Stalin with his pogroms, Mussolini with his Fascism and Hitler with his Nazis and 'Eugenics', just to name a few?
5.2 Atheists’ use of religious terminology. Atheists are often found to use terms like, "We believe in Atheism!", or, "We believe in Evolution!" (The word 'believe' is a term normally associated with religion, not with science. When a scientist thus says, "I believe ..." the listener must always realise that the scientist is engaged in conjecturing, not in the stating of a falsifiable scientific fact, and an unfalsifiable statement in the name of ‘science’ is not bona fide science.
6. IRONY #006. ATHEISM FOUNDED ON 'SUPERIOR KNOWLEDGE'. Atheists insist that Atheism is founded on 'superior knowledge' (i.e., as compared to knowledge derived from the Holy Scriptures) predicated upon such sacrosanct principles as 'the scientific method' and 'empiricism'; then, they go ahead and invoke unfalsifiable so-called evidence for their position such as:
- the age of the Cosmos and the Galaxies (unfalsifiable because nobody can travel back in time 'billions of years' to cosmologically witness and verify their 'science', whether the information is true and valid or not).
- the age of the earth (because nobody can travel back in time 'billions/millions of years' to geologically witness and verify their 'science' whether the information is true and valid or not).
- the origin of the species and the first man on earth (because nobody can travel back in time 'millions of years' to biologically witness and verify their 'science').
P.S. Unfalsifiable information presented as 'factual evidence' is not 'science', but conjecture (an 'educated opinion') that has nothing to do with 'empiricism' or 'the scientific method' that always should demand 'falsifiable evidence'.
Atheists insist that their position as atheists is founded on superior academic, technical and scientific knowledge, and not on religious superstition or unverified scientific fact; then, they go ahead and admit that scientists still only know about 10% to 20% of what is going on in the oceans of the world, and only about 5% of what is going on the in the Universe, describing the rest (the 95% of the Universe that they still know nothing about) as ”undetectable by scientific instruments dark matter + dark energy”.
Honestly ... will the reader stake his life on a philosophy or science that knows only about 5% of what there is to know? Is it not entirely possible that the Creator of the Universe (that August Deity 'YHWH' they do not believe in and insult and deride at almost every opportunity) may be obscured from their observations and their view by the 95% of 'dark matter and dark energy' they still cannot fathom?
7. IRONY #007. THE ATHEISTS’ REJECTION OF THE 'TEN COMMANDMENTS'. Atheists reject the 'Ten Commandments' as God's Holy Moral Law given as a Moral Compass for mankind to live and conduct his business by; but then, when the atheist's car gets stolen, or he is scammed of his million-rouble investment by some wily pyramid-scheme operator, he goes into a fit of rage and rushes to the nearest police precinct to report the theft and to obtain a case number for insurance purposes.
Just a minute before he had rejected the validity of the injunction that 'Thou shalt not steal'; now, suddenly, after it had become convenient for him to do so, he suddenly sees no problem in invoking the Commandment for his benefit and suing the 'perp' out of house and hearth.
8. IRONY #008. ATHEISM AND MIRACLES. Atheists, the ultimate materialists, just love the classical atheist's mantra of, "Miracles are impossible!" In fact, all of their science is probably founded on the principle of 'miracles are impossible'. Imagine how far the world would have progressed by now had scientists only had had more faith in the creativity of the unfettered human spirit that believed that anything in God's creation is possible.
Think about it ... what would you think if the brightest, most learned and gifted scientist in the world were to stand up and say, "It is illegal to break the law!"(?). Wouldn't it be non-sensical ... even downright funny? But then some of the world's most learned and gifted scientists will have the courage to stand up in public and in broad daylight, before God, holy angels and all of mankind and say totally non-sensical things like, "Miracles are impossible!" Some facts about miracles:
8.1 The contradiction of ‘impossible miracles’. Miracles are supposed to be impossible, that is why they are called 'miracles' in the first place.
'Possible miracles' would be a contradiction in terms, because if certain events were always 'possible', they would not really be miracles, would they? Furthermore, the very term 'impossible miracle' defeats the very purpose for which the word 'miracle' was invented in the first place, i.e., to describe what usually would be considered an 'impossible' event' or occurrence that did, against all 'odds', after all, still manage to happen.
A common example is a man winning a lottery with a prize of say $100million ... wasn't it miraculous? What were the mathematical odds against him guessing the winning number? So, it would appear as if what the atheists are referring to as 'impossible' should rather be referred to as (mathematically) 'improbable'.
Creationists do not deny the fact of the existence of such things as ‘highly improbable’ events; however, every so now and then someone wins a lottery with almost ‘impossible’ (improbable) odds stacked against him/her.
8.2 The Laws of Physics. The argument that miracles are impossible because such events or occurrences would be in breach of the 'Natural Laws of Physics' are also similarly non-sensical. In the first place are 'miracles' the very events that are in breach of the Laws of Physics, that is also why they are called 'miracles' in the first place. Events and occurrences that could not be in breach of the Laws of Physics would not qualify as miracles, would they? In other words, for a miracle to happen the first requirement would be for the existence of some law of physics that forbade it to happen. The very fact of the existence Laws of Physics is a non-negotiable prerequisite for miracles to happen, otherwise there could not be such a thing as a miracle.
8.3 The Laws help us see the difference. The Laws of Physics are our allies because they help us to recognise the difference between (i) an ordinary, possible event and (ii) an event that breaches the Laws of Physics (so-called ‘miracles’) otherwise we would never have been able to recognise a miracle or know the difference between ordinary, possible events and extraordinary, miraculous (‘impossible’ or ‘improbable’) events that, after all, sometimes do happen and against all odds too, I might add.
8.4 No Laws, no Miracles. It thus stands to reason that the existence of the Laws of Physics is a prerequisite for miracles to happen, because without such Laws (of which miracles are in breach of) there would be no Physical Laws to be in breach of and, consequently, everything under the sun (metaphorically speaking) would be possible and nothing would ever be a miracle, and that is not how life in the Universe works; just ask all the patriarchs, priests, faith heroes and prophets of the Old Testament and disciples, faith heroes and martyrs of the New Testament and beyond. So, instead of the Laws of Physics precluding the occurrence of miracles, the Laws are those very agents making miracles the things that they are today. It indeed is a matter of no such Laws, no miracles.
8.5 The unknown Cosmos. The very fact that scientists have acknowledged that they only know about 5% of what is going on in the Cosmos (of which planet earth and mankind are part and parcel of) with the remaining 95% being described as 'undetectable by scientific instruments dark matter + dark energy' already affirms the possibility that, hidden in that unknown, undetectable 95%, may lie the very reason for miracles to be possible, i.e., some cosmic extension of the Laws of Physics far beyond the imagination of any scientist that had ever lived and just waiting to be either discovered by future scientists or revealed one day by courtesy of the Creator Himself.
Humanity is travelling on a huge cosmic learning curve, so how can we ever know what cosmic secrets, wonders and supernatural phenomena are still obscured from our view and from the scientists' observations by that mysterious veil called 'dark matter + dark energy'? Do we really believe that we are going to remain stuck with the little pathetic kernel of the mighty preponderance of accumulated knowledge of only 5% forever?
Sometimes the atheists remind me of the illiterate pagan standing in a shop to buy food: Because of his illiteracy and ignorance about modernised commerce and trade, he has to buy each little item one by one, paying and receiving his change as he goes along until he is finished.
Similarly, the atheist has to painstakingly discover every little (natural) scientific wonder at his own deferred, stalling pace as he goes along, simply refusing to take the Creator upon His Word and learning by God's innovative shortcut methods (the Bible) about the Cosmos, Heaven, Earth and the Hereafter. The upshot of all this is that, whereas the Bible remains the rock of immutability, permanency and truth (still the world's bestseller of all times) science has to adapt and improve its theories and textbooks ever so often now and then as new, fresh (archaeological and geological) information about the earth and humankind's origins emerge.
8.6 Miracles are not magic. With the term 'miracle' is not meant the cheap magic of the circus illusionist, the sleight of hand of the oriental mystic and suburban charlatan, or the schoolboy's card tricks at the 'prom'. With that term we are referring to true, Biblical type miracles that may even still be happening from time to time to godly people today ... of that this author can amply testify.
Miracles cannot be demanded on order or conjured up by some magic potion or ‘abracadabra’ type gibberish; they are the prerogative and exclusive domain of the Creator, and are dispensed by Him at His discretion to those He may deem fit. Sometimes miracles may occur spontaneously, unexpectedly; at other times, through many days, weeks, months and even years of persistent prayers and supplications to God the Father, our Heavenly Father.
Rest assured, a God of His stature cannot be 'manipulated' into granting miracles to all and sundry left, right and centre, since no man on earth possesses the stature or cosmic gravitas to ever outsmart the Creator with His assumed I.Q. (Intelligence Quotient) of INFINITY to the power of Infinity.
8.7 He who does not believe in miracles is not a realist. To say 'miracles are impossible' is thus grammatically absurd, philosophically stupid and theologically incorrect. Just read the Bible, start praying and you may soon discover what I mean. The very reason that atheists 'believe' that 'miracles are impossible' lies in the very negative words of denial they speak; after all, how does anyone who confesses unbelief in miracles purport to ever see or experience a miracle? They are what they 'believe'! So, they will, at best, only see and experience what they say, confess and believe in ... NOTHING.
The secret to seeing and experiencing miracles lies in the holy words and promises of the Bible, the very things that atheists outright dismiss and reject as obsolete and redundant mythical Jewish hocus-pocus, and thereby so checkmate themselves, creating their very own 'Catch22' from which it is impossible to escape unless they make that complete volte face and decide to call upon the Miracle-Maker Himself.
Without faith it is impossible to please God! It may behove some atheists to go home and for themselves write out the Scripture reference below ten times or so:
"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is [EXISTS] and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
[Hebrews11:6MKJV].
9. IRONY #009. ATHEISTS AND 'INTELLIGENT DESIGN'. Atheists in general vehemently deny and reject the idea of 'Intelligent Design' (in other words, an 'intelligently designed' creation created by the Intelligent Designer God of the Bible) in Nature, but, instead will insist on the blind forces of random, brainless 'Evolution' as the reason everything exists (their classic confession of faith, i.e., the Evolution sponsored 'virgin birth' of the Universe); then, they go ahead and make no secret of the fact that they only appoint learned people with solid academic credentials and bona fide, accredited qualifications from accredited universities in posts and positions of any importance at their institutions.
For instance, when it comes to appointing incumbents, they make no secret that they have a preference for people with excellent academic references and credentials such as university degrees, advanced degrees, doctorates and even post-doctorate qualifications. Suddenly the objection to 'intelligent design' has evaporated into thin air and, instead, miraculously, as if by some mysterious medieval alchemy, it has been replaced by the 'intelligent design' of intelligently designed university qualifications and curriculum vitae (the ‘resumé’) as the ultimate norm for excellence and the magic guarantor of a quality education.
To add further philosophical insult to their own cause, they have no qualms about using the tools and instruments of 'intelligent design' to intelligently ply their trade, e.g. intelligently designed, state-of-the-art, million-dollar laboratories and research facilities; intelligently designed scientific instruments like telescopes, microscopes, spectroscopes, Bunsen-burners, test-tubes, calculators, slide rules, computers, information technology & computer software, graphic design, GPS, satellite technology, rockets, satellites, space stations, science journals, books, textbooks, encyclopaedias, training manuals, university curriculums, theses and dissertations, lecture rooms, television, radio, telephones, e-mail, the Internet, iPads, cellphones; intelligently designed Internet and websites & blogs, museums, species classification, palaeontological excavations etc.
Atheists, the deniers of intelligent design in nature and of any existence of an Intelligent Designer, in reality are consummate artists and experts in the field of intelligent design.
10. IRONY #010. ATHEISTS AND THE BIBLE. Atheists dismiss the Bible as obsolete and redundant, objecting that it is a book 'too old and ancient' for lovers and adherents of 'rational modern science' to rely on as a source of credible information about the origins of mankind and the world; then, they go ahead and present their position predicated upon (unfalsifiable) 'facts' even older and far more ancient than the Bible (and actually expect us to accept their unfalsifiable statements/facts at face value) e.g.:
10.1 Palaeontology. The field of study of palaeontology biologically traces mankind's primitive origins to millions of years back into the remote past (as compared to the so-called 'old and ancient Bible' that is only a few thousand years old).
10.2 Geology. The field of study of geology traces the age of the earth back 4,54 billion years ((as compared to the so-called 'old and ancient Bible' that is only a few thousand years old).
10.3 Astronomy. The field of study of astronomy/cosmology traces the age of the Universe back 13,7 billion years (as compared to the so-called 'old and ancient Bible' that is only a few thousand years old), thus begging the question:
Who really are the ones investing in ancient, archaic and antiquated (and perhaps redundant and obsolete) information here?
11. IRONY #011. ATHEISTS AND THE HEREAFTER. Atheists dismiss the idea of a Hereafter, a Holy God, eternal rest and peace for those who fear God and retribution (punishment) in the Hereafter for those whom the Bible calls the 'ungodly' and the 'wicked'; then, the very people who revel in science, the power of the intellect and rational observation, go and neglect to observe that Atheism cannot win but can only lose out in the long run. i.e., that there are, in the final analysis, no future advantages and/or benefits for Atheism and atheists in the offing:
11.1 Should the atheist be wrong. Should the atheist in the long run and at the end of the day be proved to have been WRONG all the time, they will receive, in the Hereafter, the fitting retribution from a Holy Creator God in whom they refused to believe for so long, a thought not only too ghastly to contemplate, but also too ghastly not too contemplate!
11.2 Should the atheist be right. Should the atheist in the long run at the end of the day be proved to have been RIGHT, he will anyway still only receive the reward for having been RIGHT all the time, i.e., nothing. (Whereas Bible-believers believe in LIFE-after-death, atheists believe in DEATH-after-death, i.e., nothing). In fact, Stephen Hawking has, ironically, ended his meteoric career with a book titled 'The Theory of Nothing'.
So, why anyone in his right mind would want to live by such a morbid and depressing philosophical code, religious cult or pseudo-theological position as 'Atheism' boggles the rational mind. There can only be one rational explanation: Atheists suffer from clinical depression, not from Atheism, hence all the vitriolic invectives (with the blasphemy and profanity that accompany it), anger, bitterness and cynicism.
Despite all the advances in modern psychology, psychoanalysis and psychotherapy, I have yet to meet a grateful, happy and fulfilled atheist. Such secular advances do not come close to beating the enormous spiritual value of intercessory prayer, Bible reading and a relationship with the Creator of Heaven and Earth. That is the TRUE WEALTH that money cannot buy.
12. IRONY #12. ATHEISM AND 'ABSOLUTE TRUTH'. Atheism is founded upon such secular humanist values as 'moral relativism' and 'situational ethics', whereas Christians and orthodox Jews believe in a Holy God and God's Absolute Truth as articulated by the Bible (i.e., the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament, and the New Testament). The great and inexplicable irony is that Atheists reject the idea of a Holy God and the sacrosanct principle of 'Absolute Truth' ... except for the absolute truth of Atheism.
CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS: 5-BOOK BOX SET
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