Materialism is not a humanism

My comments are given with [VFT] markers…

There are plenty of legitimate criticisms of religious faith that can be made, and should be made. And atheists, more than any other faith group, are in a unique position to make these criticisms.


[VFT] Will you make a distinction between ‘religious faith’ and truth? Will you agree with Christ that ‘Thy word is truth?’ [John 17] Yes, you can criticize the imperfect church, but will you criticize God’s revelation in the New Testament? Since the Bible characterizes the atheist as a fool it’s hard to take their criticisms seriously. Do you believe that they are spiritually dead without understanding in the things of God? Name one criticism from an atheist that has any merit based on revealed truth?


However, materialism is an intellectually dishonest position for atheists to take. It fails the test of radical empiricism, that is to say it fails to capture the totality of human experience. For example, it is reasonable to be skeptical about miracles. However, it is unreasonable to be skeptical about more prosaic experiences such as falling in love, or entering a room and sensing a "bad atmosphere".


[VFT] I first came across this argument in the writings of Francis Schaeffer. He used the word personal to describe what you call human experience. You are right; they have no answer for the origin of the personal. This is a powerful argument, but remember you are talking to men who are spiritually dead. We have no power to raise the dead. That is the realm inwhich God works.


These experiences are part of the human condition. To continually resort to quotes from New Scientist magazine when you should be refering to your own personal experiences of life shows just how dehumanised and morally bankrupt the secular left has become.
How is it possible to form a genuine friendship with someone who genuinely believes that you are nothing more than a collection of atoms and molecules; bones and flesh?


[VFT] You are right that they are left with an incomplete and faulty view of men. All men possess infinite worth because they are created in the image of God. A Christian culture has no need of diversity training because we understand that even though men are fallen into a state of sin they are worthy of respect based solely on who they are. The left has lost this concept with their adoption of naturalism as their religious belief.


Such a nihilistic position is abhorrent. There have been plenty of intellectuals from the secular left who have not stooped to such a level, and whilst they may have had a very anti-religious world view they have provided important insights into the human condition - Jean Paul Sartre and Albert Camus to name two.

I for one, would rather listen to a diatribe from Christopher Hitchens than any number of cold-fish analyses from Richard Dawkins, because I am more interested in understanding life than in listening to someone elucidate the narrowest of narrow world views.

Reality is more important than ideology.


[VFT] You are looking in the wrong place for understanding life. These men are dead in trespass and sin. They are outside the covenant of life. In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. We are complete in Christ for in Him dwells all the fullness of God. You would do better to study His words and the divine commentary on His words given to us in the New Testament. Regards.