On November 21, 2014 I received a letter from Nobel Laureate Harry Kroto and it said:…Please click on this URL http://vimeo.com/26991975and you will hear what far smarter people than I have to say on this matter. I agree with them.Harry Kroto__
Harold W. Kroto (left) receives the Nobel Prize in chemistry from Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf in Stockholm, in 1996.
Soren Andersson/AP
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I have attempted to respond to all of Dr. Kroto’s friends arguments and I have posted my responses one per week for over a year now. Here are some of my earlier posts:Arif Ahmed, Sir David Attenborough, Mark Balaguer, Horace Barlow, Michael Bate, Patricia Churchland, Aaron Ciechanover, Noam Chomsky,Alan Dershowitz, Hubert Dreyfus, Bart Ehrman, Stephan Feuchtwang, David Friend, Riccardo Giacconi, Ivar Giaever , Roy Glauber, Rebecca Goldstein, David J. Gross, Brian Greene, Susan Greenfield, Stephen F Gudeman, Alan Guth, Jonathan Haidt, Theodor W. Hänsch, Brian Harrison, Hermann Hauser, Roald Hoffmann, Bruce Hood, Herbert Huppert, Gareth Stedman Jones, Steve Jones, Shelly Kagan, Michio Kaku, Stuart Kauffman, Lawrence Krauss, Harry Kroto, George Lakoff, Elizabeth Loftus, Alan Macfarlane, Peter Millican, Marvin Minsky, Leonard Mlodinow, Yujin Nagasawa, Alva Noe, Douglas Osheroff, Jonathan Parry, Saul Perlmutter, Herman Philipse, Carolyn Porco, Robert M. Price, Lisa Randall, Lord Martin Rees, Oliver Sacks, John Searle, Marcus du Sautoy, Simon Schaffer, J. L. Schellenberg, Lee Silver, Peter Singer, Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Ronald de Sousa, Victor Stenger, Barry Supple, Leonard Susskind, Raymond Tallis, Neil deGrasse Tyson, .Alexander Vilenkin, Sir John Walker, Frank Wilczek, Steven Weinberg, and Lewis Wolpert,_In the first video below in the 14th clip in this series are his words and I will be responding to them in the next few weeks since Sir Bertrand Russell is probably the most quoted skeptic of our time, unless it was someone like Carl Sagan or Antony Flew.
50 Renowned Academics Speaking About God (Part 1)
Another 50 Renowned Academics Speaking About God (Part 2)
A Further 50 Renowned Academics Speaking About God (Part 3)
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Quote from Bertrand Russell:
Q: Why are you not a Christian?Russell: Because I see no evidence whatever for any of the Christian dogmas. I’ve examined all the stock arguments in favor of the existence of God, and none of them seem to me to be logically valid.Q: Do you think there’s a practical reason for having a religious belief, for many people?Russell: Well, there can’t be a practical reason for believing what isn’t true. That’s quite… at least, I rule it out as impossible. Either the thing is true, or it isn’t. If it is true, you should believe it, and if it isn’t, you shouldn’t. And if you can’t find out whether it’s true or whether it isn’t, you should suspend judgment. But you can’t… it seems to me a fundamental dishonesty and a fundamental treachery to intellectual integrity to hold a belief because you think it’s useful, and not because you think it’s true._
Bertrand Russell’s Why I Am Not a Christian
-A Response
Michael Stone
4/5/2003
C.S. Lewis, in his work, A Grief Observed, writes, “Heaven will solve our problems, but not, I
think, by showing us subtle reconciliations between all our apparently contradictory notions. The
notions will all be knocked from under our feet. We shall see that there never was any problem.”1
When facing the question of whether or not there is a God, and if so, what does that mean for mankind,
can the answer really be that simple? For quandaries such as this, and in the face of skepticism,
“waiting for heaven” might not suffice for a solution. Perhaps a number of of the problems that some
people have in relation to the existence of God truly do lie within their own notions of how this world
was formed, or how life and creation are sustained, but for many Lewis’ answer requires far too much
faith, and far too little reality.
For there to be a definitive answer, there is a logical requirement that there be a pre-existing
problem. As for noted author and philosopher Bertrand Russell, the problem seems to be easily defined
with one word: religion. Seemingly never at a loss for words or desire to defend his positions, Russell
has left us with a wealth of essays and information, including a collection of his essays, entitled, Why I
Am Not a Christian, written to correct what he thinks is the misguided seeking of religious men. Quite
simply he surmises that there is no need to believe that any religion is true, and most certainly “heaven”
will not solve our problems. On the contrary, he seems to think that this faith in heaven only causes
more problems.
Before going any further, I want to make it clear that I am undeniably and unashamedly a
follower of Jesus Christ, my Lord. With that being said, though, as hard as I tried to categorize Bertrand Russell as a fool and a representative of the absurd, I just could not do it. I certainly would not stand
and affirm the truth of his claims in their entirety; nonetheless he makes some interesting points. With
this in mind, I would not classify him as a “friend of the faith”, but rather, as a useful critic to aid in the
examination, strengthening, and sustaining of our Christian faith.
In an effort to better illustrate his apologies of atheism, I would like to take a closer examination
of a two part editorial written by Russell and published in the Stockholm newspaper, Dagens Nyheter, in
1954, entitled, “Can Religion Cure Our Troubles?” Never one for optimism, he begins, “Mankind is in
mortal peril, and fear now, as in the past, is inclining men to seek refuge in God.”2
Immediately, one
can see the background logic that underlies Russell’s thinking. In his opinion, in times both past and
present, men seek God out of fear alone. This assertion seems to dismiss the testimonies of those men
and women, like C.S. Lewis, who claim to have been converted by the joy found in God. If fear is the
only road to God, how can one account for those who claim, not merely to serve or even worship God,
but to actually be enraptured with love and adoration, as illustrated in the Christian metaphor of “the
bride of Christ”. This Biblical thought of Christ as a lover of his bride surely cannot be born of fear.
Rather, it seems to be indicative of love, which stands in opposition to fear. This is not to say that
Russell’s point should be dismissed, though. Can we as Christians deny our tendency to prey on the
fears of those who are not of the faith? I could not possibly count the number of times that I have heard
youth pastors use phrases such as, “What if your bus crashes on the way home from camp?”, or “If at
this moment you are having doubts you might not really be saved”, or describe in vivid detail the pains
and horrors of hell, all in an effort to preempt the invitation at the end of a worship service. In many
Christian-circles we generally dismiss such tactics as appropriate means employed in an effort to “save
some”3
, but indeed we do use fear in much of our evangelism. And why not? Even Russell admits its effectiveness, but does that translate to the goodness of that approach? We will return to this question in
a moment.
The main argument that Russell sets out to combat is the popular notion of the day (and perhaps
equally as popular among evangelicals today), “that if the world returned to Christianity, our worldwide
problems would be solved.” He wrote further, “I believe this to be a complete delusion born of terror.
And I think this to be a dangerous delusion because it misleads men whose thinking might otherwise be
fruitful and thus stands in the way of a valid solution.”4
Though these thoughts were penned in a
different era in history, and arguably they were written of a different world, still they are no less
important in our world today. We live in a time where wars are inevitable and always around the corner.
In the face of terrorism worldwide and weapons, the likes of which no one in history has ever seen,
people are crying out for an answer. On this point, I must agree with Russell. For example, on
November 26, 2001, Barna Research Group released some figures on Americans’ religious feelings after
September 11th. “Not surprisingly, there was a significant upturn in people’s concern about the future. In August of that year, 73% of adults said they were concerned about the future; by November, that figure
had increased to 82%.”5
According to Barna, immediately following the attacks, this concern for the
future manifested itself in increased church attendance and exploration of different areas of faith and
religion. The lasting effects of this increased religious interest is still uncertain, but the point seems
justified, that fear causes humans to seek God. But I cannot as easily concede that such seeking is not a
valid solution. I do not think that we can dismiss the benefits of seeking God on account of questionable
reasons for such searching. Let us, therefore, look further into what Russell has to say, examine his
arguments, and find if we can logically deduce that hope justifiably can be found in God, or if religion is
merely an empty answer to an unanswerable question.
What one might call his experiment is quite simple. He seeks to answer the question of whether
or not societies can practice “a sufficient modicum of morality if they are not helped by dogmatic
religion.”6
He begins with the two divisions of moral rules: that there are those, which have no basis
except in a religious creed; and those, which have an obvious social utility.7
Let us begin with religiousmorality.
He writes “that some very important virtues are more likely to be found among those who
reject religious dogmas than those who accept them…especially to the virtue of truthfulness or
intellectual integrity.”8
A scathing indictment to be sure, but is it accurate? In many ways Christians are
under a microscope. For example, instances of pedophilia are always detestable in our society, but how
much louder a public and media outcry when it involves a Catholic priest or a Baptist pastor. Why not?
As professing Christians we make claims of morality, so perhaps it is simply more noticeable when we
act contrary to our claims than it is when a person outside of a faith in God acts immorally. As for
intellectual integrity, Russell defines it as “the habit of deciding vexed questions in accordance with the
evidence, or of leaving them undecided where the evidence is inconclusive.”9
Isn’t it possible that in a
zealous attempt to claim all things under the Lordship of Christ that many of us have overstepped the bounds of our limited knowledge? As an example, we can use the many hundreds of Christians
throughout history who have made claims of knowing the date of Christ’s Second Coming, only to be
thus far disproved. In reality, scripture gives signs of His coming, but there are no dates or specific
times. Any attempt to pinpoint a time with any accuracy is only guesswork. Why have seemingly so
few been willing to swallow their pride in the face of uncertainty and concede that they do not know the
answer to the question, and withheld final judgment on the issue until further evidence might be found?
The remainder of his arguments center on the latter of his division of morality, what we will call
“societal-morality”. This type of morality exists out of a mutual desire on the part of citizens within a
culture to live prosperous lives. This can be undermined, however, by a vice like theft. Obviously, a
society where every person steals is disruptive for everyone. The ideal environment would be a
community in which everyone was honest except one’s self. This inherent egocentrism, if left
unhindered, would lead to chaos. Hence, the solution is found in social institutions that keep humans in
check. These institutions are necessary “if the interest of the individual is to be reconciled with that of
the community.”10 In Russell’s view, these institutions generated societal-morality, and this is where
organized religion has historically begun. He continues, “If people can be persuaded that there is a God
who will punish theft, even when the police fail, it would seem likely that this belief would promote
honesty.” He adds further, “Given a population that already believes in God, it will readily believe that
God has prohibited theft.”11 Unashamedly, Russell denigrates the role of religion as a mere carbon copy
of preexisting ideals placed under the heading of all-knowing God. Obviously earthly judges cannot
catch and punish every immoral act, but an omniscient God can see and punish all wrongful acts, if not
now, then surely in the eternal realm. This assumed-Deity forces those who wish to serve their own
purposes that are contrary to the good of the society into submission to an ultimate authority, which in
the end amounts only to their own fears.
Russell does not completely discount the validity or effectiveness of this strategy in the past,
because it undoubtedly led to conduct that was beneficial to the society at large. In the long run, though,
he believes the effects of such thinking are detrimental. “Now”, he says, “such good as may be done by
imputing theological origin to morals is inextricably bound up with such grave evils that the good becomes insignificant in comparison.”12 You see, in his opinion, God’s hold upon people’s moral lives
has been loosened. No longer are people concerned primarily with heavenly retribution, they are far
more afraid of earthly punishment, as if “Hell is neither so certain nor so hot as it used to be.”13 Perhaps
this stems from the rise of governments and legal systems, which gives the appearance of retribution for
wrongs, and thereby leaving no need for a Heavenly judge. Perhaps it is equally the fault of Christians,
who have so abused the doctrine of salvation-by-grace that God has been reduced to a powerless,
kindly-old-grandfather, incapable of wrath or vengeance, and always waiting for his children to come
back to him. This emptying of God’s supremacy has seemingly turned the Almighty from being the
gracious father of the prodigal son who rejoices at his child’s returning to the family, and more into an
old man gravelling at the feet of his wayward son, begging him to grace the family with his presence.
For whatever reason, I would have to agree that the cross is continually being emptied of its power,
while through advancements of all kinds, this present world’s power is being strengthened with every
passing year.
This leads to a common defense employed by many Christians when faced with the prospect of
defending their faith. One might conclude that surely Christianity does no harm, regardless of any lack
of good that it produces. Russell says that the problem is, “that as soon as men incline to doubt received
theology it comes to be supported by odious and harmful means.”14 What he means by this is,
historically, Christians will not let “sleeping dogs lie”. Christianity, by its evangelical nature will adopt
numerous methods in order to persuade those who do not believe. Consequently, “the young must be
preserved from hearing the arguments…which the authorities dislike.”15 This censorship of opposing
ideas leads to generations of Christians reared inside a proverbial bubble, unable to intelligently respond to arguments made against their faith. Russell concedes that religion when believed on the basis of its
truthfulness is understandably defended, and even adds that such defense is respectable, but he “can only
feel profound moral reprobation for those who say that religion ought to be believed because it is useful,
and that to ask whether it is true is a waste of time.”16 He is here attacking those Christians who
evangelize only on the basis of Christianity’s benefits towards humanity and not on its truth-merits.
It is with great sadness that I am forced by the bounds of logic to agree with Russell. This forces
me, as a Christian man seeking to further both my intellectual and spiritual development, to face the fact
that in many ways our Christian culture conditions followers of Christ to “just believe” when in the face
of doubt or controversy. This has led far too many people into a neglect of actual truth, and into a blind
obedience to a faith that they have no training in or any interest in pursuing further. It seems that it is far
easier to follow a faith without questioning it than to diligently seek after truth.
The culmination of Russell’s first article is the comparing of Christianity with Communism. I
know, in a Christian society, where historically church attendance has been the norm, and especially at
Dallas Baptist University, where Christianity is heralded to be the greatest of all goods, such a claim is
absurd, but I would submit that his argument has some merit. As he puts it, Christian apologists would
like to “regard Communism as something very different from Christianity…(but) The evils of
Communism are the same as those that existed in Christianity during the Ages of Faith.”17 How so, one
might ask? Through cruelties, damage to intellectual and moral life, and the falsifying of history,
Christians have historically, in Russell’s view, engaged in activities that are no less evil than the grave
evils of Communism that Christians have touted so boldly. “The Communist, like the Christian,
believes that his doctrine is essential to salvation, and it is this belief which makes salvation possible for him.”18 Since they are both central to salvation and one’s very existence, they cannot cohabitate.
Scientists, according to Russell, are nothing like this. He seems to imply a background logic that is
superior to that of the Christian and Communist alike. This scientific-logic suggests humility and a
general concession that scientists’ assertions are only theories, and that two scientists can agree to
disagree until the appearance of further proof. Once more proof is available, those in scientific circles
are inclined to back down and give way to the newly proven truth. Not so among Christendom, though.
“When two theologians differ, since there are no criteria to which either can appeal, there is nothing but
mutual hatred and an open or covert appeal to force.”19 In one reductionist-swoop, Russell absolutely
dismisses Theology in favor of the more exact disciplines that constitute real scientific endeavors.
Russell, like many others before and after him, implies that there is nothing truthful or useful in
Theology, and it should be viewed as subjective fancy, not suitable for the wise or learned. I will be the
first to admit that many a Christian has earned us this reputation, with the over-personalization of God.
Simply by our incessant preempting of our every whim with, “God told me…”, or by insisting that
ancient texts of scripture spoke new meaning, unseen by anyone except oneself, and therefore must be
straight from the lips of God. These ideas, among others, have justifiably tarnished the Christian’s claim
of absolute truth and of Theology as a valid science. In his book The Idea of a University, John Henry
Newman addresses skeptics of the validity of Theology in this way, “How can we investigate any part of
any order of Knowledge, and stop short of that which enters into every order? All true principles run
over with it, all phenomena converge to it; it is truly the First and Last.”20 What we are left with is two
opposing arguments, but both sides jump to the conclusion that the burden of proof lies within the other.
Atheist Kai Nielsen admits, “To show that an argument is invalid or unsound is not to show that the
conclusion of the argument is false…All the proofs of God’s existence may fail, but it still may be the
case that God exists.”21 Paul Copan, a Christian, explains further, “Absence of evidence is not at all the
same as evidence of absence, which some atheists fail to see.”22 Neither side, in the absence of
verifiable proof, therefore, can dismiss the other.
In the second part of his article, Russell turns his attention to University of Cambridge’s Modern
History Professor, Herbert Butterfield. His destroying of Butterfield’s arguments is harsh and thorough,
but he ends this section with a summary of Butterfield’s remarks,
It would be a good thing if people loved their neighbors, but they do not show much inclination
to do so; Christ said they ought to, and if they believe that Christ was God, they are more likely
to pay attention to his teaching on this point than if he were not; therefore, men who wish people
to love their neighbors will try to persuade them that Christ was God.23
Russell’s disgust with Butterfield is that he is a vocal example of the false-dogma that people employ
only to add weight to their arguments, all in an effort to cause a desired effect within society. Theology,
in other words, is nothing more than the “mere embodiment of superstitious taboos”24 We are once again
at a place where we must examine the “selling points” of our faith. Are we pitching a God whose only
goal is to cause morality and good behavior among His followers, or are those outward manifestations of
morality merely byproducts of a transformed life, resulting from the hope, joy, and love found in our
Creator.
So what indeed does the world need? In Russell’s opinion, “What the world needs is
reasonableness, tolerance, and a realization of the interdependence of the parts of the human
family…and not to return to obscurantist myths.”25 What Russell fails to note, and perhaps to his eternal
20 John Henry Newman. The Idea of a University, 29 21 4
Kai Nielsen. Reason and Practice (1971), 143-44. 22 Paul Copan. “The Presumptuousness of Atheism” (2003) 23 Russell, 201 24 Russell, 201 25 Russell, 204
detriment, is that the teachings of Christianity as found in the Bible, a book he dismisses as copied
works of un-credited original thinkers, embody these very same principles. What can be more
reasonable than the wise teachings found in Proverbs, which herald patience, self-control,
morality…etc? As for tolerance, during his ministry on Earth Jesus discriminated against no one.
Whether through His kind treatment of the woman at the well, His healing of the sick and disabled, or
His prayers of forgiveness for those who were in the act of killing Him, Christ has left us such a clear
picture of tolerance for all people. As for the interdependence of the human family, there is no shortage
of passages and examples of the value of the family within the kingdom of God. Maybe no greater
example is given than that of the church. God instituted his church to rely on one another, and to share
in the glory of Christ and of life together.
In conclusion, I find what Russell has to say interesting and thought provoking, and have used
his writings as a tool to sharpen my own faith in God. At the same time, I feel remorse for his soul,
because it seems to me that in the absence of true Biblical knowledge or a willing heart to seek truth in
God, he settled for the oft believed “obscurantist myths” of atheism. I pray that we will step away from
Russell’s essay, not converted to faithlessness, as he might have desired, but convicted by our own
actions that if unchanged might help to produce other such skeptics.
Bertrand Russell pictured above and Francis Schaeffer below:
Francis Schaeffer noted in his book HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE? (p. 182 in Vol 5 of Complete Works) in the chapter The Breakdown in Philosophy and Science:In his lecture at Acapulco, George Wald finished with only one final value. It was the same one with which English philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) was left. For Wald and Russell and for many other modern thinkers, the final value is the biological continuity of the human race. If this is the only final value, one is left wondering why this then has importance. Now having traveled from the pride of man in the High Renaissance and the Enlightenment down to the present despair, we can understand where modern people are. They have no place for a personal God. But equally they have no place for man as man, or for love, or for freedom, or for significance. This brings a crucial problem. Beginning only from man himself, people affirm that man is only a machine. But those who hold this position cannot live like machines! If they could, there would have been no tensions in their intellectual position or in their lives. But even people who believe they are machines cannot live like machines, and thus they must “leap upstairs” against their reason and try to find something which gives meaning to life, even though to do so they have to deny their reason. Francis Schaeffer in another place worded it like this:The universe was created by an infinite personal God and He brought it into existence by spoken word and made man in His own image. When man tries to reduce [philosophically in a materialistic point of view] himself to less than this [less than being made in the image of God] he will always fail and he will always be willing to make these impossible leaps into the area of nonreason even though they don’t give an answer simply because that isn’t what he is. He himself testifies that this infinite personal God, the God of the Old and New Testament is there. We all know deep down that God exists and even atheists have to grapple with that knowledge.Solomon wisely noted in Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God has planted eternity in the heart of men…” (Living Bible). No wonder Bertrand Russell wrote in his autobiography, “It is odd, isn’t it? I feel passionately for this world and many things and people in it, and yet…what is it all? There must be something more important, one feels, though I don’t believe there is. I am haunted. Some ghosts, for some extra mundane regions, seem always trying to tell me something that I am to repeat to the world, but I cannot understand that message.”Take a look at this 7th episode from Schaeffer’s series “HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE? The Age of Nonreason”:
How Should We Then Live – Episode Seven – 07 – Portuguese Subtitles
_Instead of making a leap into the area of nonreason the better choice would be to investigate the claims that the Bible is a historically accurate book and that God created the universe and reached out to humankind with the Bible.
The Bible and Archaeology – Is the Bible from God? (Kyle Butt 42 min)
You want some evidence that indicates that the Bible is true? Here is a good place to start and that is taking a closer look at the archaeology of the Old Testament times. Is the Bible historically accurate? Here are some of the posts I have done in the past on the subject: 1. The Babylonian Chronicle, of Nebuchadnezzars Siege of Jerusalem, 2. Hezekiah’s Siloam Tunnel Inscription. 3. Taylor Prism (Sennacherib Hexagonal Prism), 4. Biblical Cities Attested Archaeologically. 5. The Discovery of the Hittites, 6.Shishak Smiting His Captives, 7. Moabite Stone, 8. Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III, 9A Verification of places in Gospel of John and Book of Acts., 9B Discovery of Ebla Tablets. 10. Cyrus Cylinder, 11. Puru “The lot of Yahali” 9th Century B.C.E., 12. The Uzziah Tablet Inscription, 13. The Pilate Inscription, 14. Caiaphas Ossuary, 14 B Pontius Pilate Part 2, 14c. Three greatest American Archaeologists moved to accept Bible’s accuracy through archaeology.,
____ Related posts:
Top 10 Woody Allen Movies __________ John Piippo makes the case that Bertrand Russell would have loved Woody Allen because they both were atheists who don’t deny the ramifications of atheism!!! Monday, August 06, 2012 (More On) Woody Allen’s Atheism As I wrote in a previous post, I like Woody Allen. I have long admired his […]
______ Top 10 Woody Allen Movies PBS American Masters – Woody Allen A Documentary 01 PBS American Masters – Woody Allen A Documentary 02 __________ John Piippo makes the case that Bertrand Russell would have loved Woody Allen because they both were two atheists who don’t deny the ramifications of atheism!!! Monday, August 06, 2012 […]
THE MORAL ARGUMENT BERTRAND RUSSELL But aren’t you now saying in effect, I mean by God whatever is good or the sum total of what is good — the system of what is good, and, therefore, when a young man loves anything that is good he is loving God. Is that what you’re […]
Great debate Fr. Frederick C. Copleston vs Bertrand Russell – Part 1 Uploaded by riversonthemoon on Jul 15, 2009 BBC Radio Third Programme Recording January 28, 1948. BBC Recording number T7324W. This is an excerpt from the full broadcast from cassette tape A303/5 Open University Course, Problems of Philosophy Units 7-8. Older than 50 years, […]
Uploaded by riversonthemoon on Jul 15, 2009 BBC Radio Third Programme Recording January 28, 1948. BBC Recording number T7324W. This is an excerpt from the full broadcast from cassette tape A303/5 Open University Course, Problems of Philosophy Units 7-8. Older than 50 years, out of UK/BBC copyright. Pardon the hissy audio. It was recorded 51 […]
Fr. Frederick C. Copleston vs Bertrand Russell – Part 1 Uploaded by riversonthemoon on Jul 15, 2009 BBC Radio Third Programme Recording January 28, 1948. BBC Recording number T7324W. This is an excerpt from the full broadcast from cassette tape A303/5 Open University Course, Problems of Philosophy Units 7-8. Older than 50 years, out of […]
THE MORAL ARGUMENT BERTRAND RUSSELL But aren’t you now saying in effect, I mean by God whatever is good or the sum total of what is good — the system of what is good, and, therefore, when a young man loves anything that is good he is loving God. Is that what you’re […]
Fr. Frederick C. Copleston vs Bertrand Russell – Part 1 Uploaded by riversonthemoon on Jul 15, 2009 BBC Radio Third Programme Recording January 28, 1948. BBC Recording number T7324W. This is an excerpt from the full broadcast from cassette tape A303/5 Open University Course, Problems of Philosophy Units 7-8. Older than 50 years, out of […]
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Bertrand Russell as a child.
Nihilism, like atheism and even humanism, seem to stir up both fear and exhilaration, i.e., fear of death, and exhilaration at relying on one’s own discoveries and making one’s own choices in life. I think Christianity stirs up both fear and exhilaration too with its notion of being saved or damned. Certainly many Christians fear for their souls and those of their loved ones and the souls of everyone on earth for that matter, and that viewing one’s self as part of a divine comedy as Dante did, is exhilarating. On the other hand, many Christians also seem to retain a fear not simply of hell, but of death as nothingness, and mourn just as greatly as atheists do when someone they love has died. The thought of anyone becoming a nihilist, including themselves, i.e., accepting that death is the end, also seems to strike a note of fear into Christians. Though ancient Hebrews apparently were able to accept that everyone who died, even the prophets, simply went to the same place as the animals, i.e., Sheol, the shadow land of eternal death, never to return.
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Excellent article. I do think that if you do not think there is a God then you must consider that the words in the song DUST IN THE WIND are correct and our lives do not have a lasting meaning, but are as dust in the wind.
I started studying the Book of Ecclesiastes in 1976 when Adrian Rogers came to my school and preached a message on it. Just two years later I heard the song DUST IN THE WIND, and I told my friends at church that the author of that song had reached the conclusion that no material thing UNDER THE SUN can satisfy the deep longings of his soul. You must look above the sun, and that is what Solomon does in the last chapter.
Twenty-nine times in the earlier portion of the book he mentions this phrase UNDER THE SUN. Christian scholar Ravi Zacharias has noted, “The key to understanding the Book of Ecclesiastes is the term ‘UNDER THE SUN.’ What that literally means is you lock God out of a closed system, and you are left with only this world of time plus chance plus matter.”
Kerry Livgren of KANSAS, who wrote the song noted, “I happened to be reading a book of American Indian poetry and somewhere in it I came across the line, ‘We’re just dust in the wind.’ I remembered in the BOOK of ECCLESIASTES where it said, ‘All is vanity,’ ” Livgren said of the passage that it reminds man he came from dust and will return to dust.
The lyrics from DUST IN THE WIND:
“All we do, crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see, Dust in the Wind, All we are is dust in the wind, Don’t hang on, Nothing lasts forever but the Earth and Sky, It slips away, And all your money won’t another minute buy.”
Both Kerry Livgren and the bass player Dave Hope of KANSAS became Christians eventually. Kerry Livgren first tried Eastern Religions and Dave Hope had to come out of a heavy drug addiction.
I was elated to see their personal testimony on The 700 Club in 1981 and that same interview can be seen on you-tube today. Livgren lives in Topeka, Kansas today where he teaches “Diggers,” a Sunday school class at Topeka Bible Church. DAVE HOPE is the head of Worship, Evangelism and Outreach at Immanuel Anglican Church in Destin, Florida.
Now let me respond to my good friend Ed Babinski’s comments concerning the Jews’ beliefs in the Old Testament concerning the afterlife. It just so happens that a couple of days ago of my nephew asked me this very question. After looking it over the last few days, it seems that there are many scriptures in the Old Testament that speak of the afterlife (see Is 26:19; Jb 19:25ff; Dn 12:2; Ez 37:12; Hos 13:14; 1 Sm 2:6, among many others.)