Born Atheists? By Doy Moyer (www.focusmagazine.org)
William Edelen, a former professor of religious studies and anthropology, wrote a commentary article in a Palm Springs, California newspaper under the title, "We're all born atheists and brainwashed to believe." In the article, he argues that if we were really "born again," then we would all return to atheism because "that is the way we were born the first time around." He says that every baby born into this world has no belief in "god, goddesses, Jesus, Buddha, Lao-Tzu, Shiva or anything else until such time as we brainwash, indoctrinate, threaten or coerce them into some adult belief system, the same one usually that we were brainwashed into as children." He continues:
"Through acculturation, we become something other than what we were at birth. That is the definition of atheism. The only reason that you are a Christian is because you were born in America."
He continues throughout the article in a similar vein, charging that "religious belief systems are only an accident of birth." He thinks that the "Christian myth" will soon die out, and concludes: "The resurrection of a free human spirit from this dying monolith will turn out to be one of the most significant events in the history of civilization. Like the Phoenix, the spiritually free will rise alive from the ashes."
Mr. Edelen has a few problems with his own "belief system." Setting aside his misconception about being "born again" (i.e., not a return to what we were but an entrance into an entirely new life), I challenge his concept of atheism. Atheism is not as passive as Mr. Edelen tries to make it sound. Atheism is not having any belief at all; atheism is an active belief that there is no God. Babies are not atheists; they are just ignorant. They have no beliefs in anything whatsoever because they have not developed the capacity to think and reason. If Mr. Edelen's article says much at all, its consequence is that a return to atheism is a return to ignorance, since that's what babies really are. I don't think he would want to accept that conclusion. But it's only logical.
From what he says, atheism is becoming something other than what we were at birth through acculturation. Huh? Again, what we are at birth is ignorant. Now I wonder if Mr. Edelen teaches anyone that there is no God. If so, is he also guilty of the acculturation, brainwashing, indoctrination, or coercion with which he charges everyone else who believes in something?
He argues that the "only reason" anyone is a Christian is because of this acculturation. Children come to believe in whatever their parents teach them. But if Mr. Edelen is correct in the idea that there is no God, then would he not have to admit that there was a time when someone, somewhere first believed in God without being taught it by parents? If so, what was the "only reason" that this person became a theist? And I doubt he or she was born in America.
It's also very poor scholarship to suggest that the "only reason" anyone is a Christian is due to being "born in America." That's not a very scientific statement. Now I would agree that many people are what they are religiously because they have been "born" into a family with this religion. But to suggest that this is true of everyone? I don't think I'd have to travel very far to find someone who can disprove that. I wonder if he would appreciate the statement that the "only reason" he or anyone else is an atheist is because they have been indoctrinated by atheists who tell them that smart people are atheists.
There is a subtle suggestion that Christians have no real minds of their own; they have blind faith and no evidence to back up their beliefs. That's another article, though. It's interesting that he accepts things that supposedly happened 150,000 years ago, even though there are no documents, eyewitnesses, or anything else to back it all up, but then calls something a "myth" that has plenty of historical evidences, including eyewitnesses and early documents. What was that proverb about the legs of the lame? By the way, I wonder if he would call macro-evolutionary theory a myth? Think there's any "brainwashing" going on there?
Mr. Edelen would probably not admit it, but atheists also have a religious belief system. It's called secular humanism. Atheists deny it's a religion, but then watch them turn around and defend it with ardor and zeal, trying to "evangelize" people into believing that there is no God. That's what his article is doing. He'll avoid religious-sounding terms (e.g., "think" instead of "believe"), but this is just playing around with words to avoid the undeniable consequences. The god of atheism is just materialistic instead of spiritual.
In the end, Mr. Edelen's article is an attempt to coerce people into believing there is no God; after all, only brainwashed people believe in God. I guess we just don't get it, do we? Shouldn't we have figured out by now that only intelligent people are atheists while everyone else is brainwashed and enslaved? I guess he's enlightened.
"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse ... Professing to be wise, they became fools" (Romans 1:20-22).
"Judge not, that ye be not judged" - Matthew 7:1
by David Smitherman
Whenever someone voices a criticism about the religious beliefs
and/or practices of another, this verse quickly comes to the mind
and out of the mouth of the individual who feels that such criticism
should never be engaged in. Just as the thief on the cross is
the most popular thief in town, this passage seems to be the most
popular verse of scripture in town and one of the few that many
people are able to quote. According to some, "judge not"
means "criticize not." Before we examine the context
and give the significance of this statement, let's take a look
at the consequences of this position.
1-It manifests a misunderstanding of what is involved in judging.
Judging is not always a negative or critical action, i.e., speaking
against someone or something. Oftentimes judging involves that
which is positive and taking a stand in favor of something (read
carefully Acts 15:19; 16:15; 1 Cor. 10:15; 11:13.) Thus if we
are never to judge anyone or anything it would mean we could not
only never take a negative position but we wouldn't be able to
take a positive one either.
2-Such a position contradicts numerous passages that tell us to
judge and how to do it. See Jo. 7:24; 1 Cor. 6:2.
3-It is inconsistent with the conduct of Christ and the apostles.
Controversy, in which they were critical of various beliefs and
conduct, was a consistent part of their lives ( Matt. 23; Acts
6;7;17; 1 Cor. 5:3; Gal. 2:11-f.)
4-This "judge not" = "criticize not" interpretation
of our text involves a person in a self-contradicting and inconsistent
position. If it is wrong to be critical of ("judge")
the beliefs and practices of others, then those who are critical
of people who are being critical are themselves guilty of "judging"
because they are being critical and thus are doing the very thing
they are accusing others of doing.
The Context: The sentence immediately following the Lord's
"judge not" statement begins with "for" and
thus explains the statement just made. The following verses make
it clear that it is a particular kind of "judging" that
Christ is saying we are not to engage in. It is significant that
in the context there are at least two statements which indicate
that we are to "judge": Vs. 5 tells us that it is appropriate
to seek to remove the mote out of a brother's eye and vs. 6 tells
us not to give what is holy to dogs or cast pearls before swine.
How can we engage in removing someone's "mote" (fault)
without making a judgment that they have such? Likewise, we must
make a judgment that certain people are "dogs" and "swine"
(that is, they have no appreciation for truth as animals have
no regard for what is valuable) and thus unworthy to have truth
given to them.
The Meaning: Jesus is condemning the attitude that is manifested
in trying to straighten out faults in another's life without first
seeking to remove those in mine; such is hypocrisy, vs. 5. Can
we "judge" (make a determination) that someone has a
"mote" (fault) and then seek to remove it? Certainly;
the latter part of verse 5 says so. But to do so thinking "I
am not as the rest of men, extortionists, unjust, adulterers,
or even as this publican," Lk. 18:11; or that I am something
when I am nothing, Gal. 6:3; or not "in a spirit of gentleness;
looking to thyself, let thou also be tempted," Gal. 6:1,
I am in violation of what Jesus is teaching. Let us not judge
by appearance (Joshua 22:9-29) or on the basis of our subjective
opinions (Rom. 14; 1 Cor. 8) or inconsistently (Rom. 2:1,21) but
let us judge righteous judgment, Jo. 7:24.
Is what we've said about this text correct? Well......you be the
judge.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
"Discontent is the penalty we must pay for being ungrateful
for what we have."
"One of the weaknesses of our age is our apparent inability
to distinguish need from greed."
"We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of
heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity;
we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation
has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the
gracious hand, which preserved us in peace and multiplied, enriched,
and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness
of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some
superior wisdom and virtue of our own." - Abraham Lincoln
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