Sorry, Even the Adversary Knows There is a God - That's What the Cross Was All About

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Feb 23, 2012 at 19:04

It is a strange proposition to claim 'all are atheists' based upon the supposed contention contained in this last post; that of faith being belief without proof. In actuality, it has been proposed that atheists are all the more involved in a 'lack of belief' system in an attempt to obtain a clear conscience of not being responsible for irresponsible actions.

In matter of fact, I do believe that an entity named Zeus did (does?) exist as part of a belief system that gave him powers over an ideological mindset that fomented one of the great world powers of its time – Rome (but I think they actually called him Jupiter). Watonka exists/existed for the American native, 'allah exists for Muslims and all of the other deities from uncounted cultures from throughout history had their time. In further matter of fact, they all have a Biblical basis, though for reasons of Biblical clarity, their deity is questioned many, many times.

So how does that square with the contention made by the previous writer, that 'we are all atheists?' It's a matter of perspective and how dearly one wants to hold onto that view. Atheists have a hard time with all of it because in the face of the belief systems that have been around in world history that claim a deity of some sort, atheists have been in the minority for an awful long, long time – and it will never get better for them.

This reader assumes the answer to the question of 'why the Ecumenical Movement Could Never be Consummated with Islam' from a non-atheist's position for one very simple reason, that at worst at some time in the past, I would have been more likely called a pantheist, believing in the many in the absence of any valid argument that there is no god. But I was 'saved' from the dilemma; that from a basic belief I was given a gift of love, that Jesus Christ was made real to me and He has become part and parcel of my life.

Therein lays the imperative of faith-that of where one puts it. This further leads to the complication also presented, that in order to be 'ecumenical' in the world scheme of things, one would need to be pantheistic; and that is contraindicative to a believing faith in Jesus Christ. And this is where most atheists have their greatest problem; that the cross of Jesus Christ is an offense to them because it requires an introspection none can suffer without suffering indignities to their pride. They try defending an atheist's view with reason; and that's what the Adversary counts on.

Islam works differently, not by denying a god, but by denying Jesus Christ is Almighty God. And that is why ecumenicalism will never work with Islam, because in the end Jesus Christ will have the world know that faith in Him was, and is, the only way to get past the insanity of this world system in spite of Islamic and atheistic objections.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".