Look at what we've come to. All the leaders and rulers of the earth are clearly in over their heads and flailing. Their glowing promises and honeyed words are now seen as worthless. This is good, because it is the truth. We have far to go if we want to save ourselves and our souls.
Ever since Nietzsche declared in the 1890's that "God is dead", we have witnessed unimaginable horrors The years since then abound with crimes against humanity perpetrated by the faithless. Inspired by Karl Marx - who unambiguously hated religion and sought to destroy all people of faith - his followers have murdered hundreds of millions. When anti-theists are not openly warring against God, they are mocking Him.
Some openly ridicule God out of jealousy, but that's not by any means the worst thing they do. Persecuting those who believe is much worse, and trying to take God's place is worst of all.
Everyone is attracted to the idea of God; that is, the concept of an all-powerful, omnipotent, omnipresent creative force that rules our lives and the universe. The kings of the earth throughout history have drawn on the human need for an earthly god. But the rise of industry and science created a new, educated middle class that refused to put up with the old belief in the "divine right of kings". Industrial democracies were born, but most devolved into tyrannies; and the age of modern dictators arrived. These deluded individuals and the people who kept them in power sought to be gods in a new, godless technological world.
The very definition of God has had to change in order to keep up with the powers and advancements of scientific knowledge. When the whole universe was thought to be no bigger than the Mediterranean world and the visible stars and planets in the sky, it was easy to imagine a human being competing with God. But today we know infinitely more, and know how puny the earth is. Still, the ancient Utopian dream of godlike power persists in spite of all failures. But it is so un-credible that we must wonder how it survives.
In order for God to exist - as humans have always imagined God would exist - requires that God be infinitely more powerful and intelligent than it is humanly possible to conceive.
The universe is far larger, more violent, deadly, and unruly than anyone imagined even a hundred years ago. Our own Milky Way galaxy was thought to be the whole universe until a century ago. At that point telescopes improved so much that we now know that our little Milky Way island galaxy is as a grain of sand on a veritable beach of galaxies, seemingly lost in a staggeringly huge void.
Here at home on planet earth people still dream of unlimited power and wealth; godlike stature. Most who crave it are willing to commit any crime, no matter how heinous, to achieve that power. In order to defeat those who get in their way, people must become amoral and cruel. Imagine how absurd and pathetic that conceit must look to the real God of All Creation.
The way is still open. We can know the Creator of the Universe, and share in God's power. But if we go it alone, trying to be like gods, we mock and degrade ourselves.
Ever since Nietzsche declared in the 1890's that "God is dead", we have witnessed unimaginable horrors The years since then abound with crimes against humanity perpetrated by the faithless. Inspired by Karl Marx - who unambiguously hated religion and sought to destroy all people of faith - his followers have murdered hundreds of millions. When anti-theists are not openly warring against God, they are mocking Him.
Some openly ridicule God out of jealousy, but that's not by any means the worst thing they do. Persecuting those who believe is much worse, and trying to take God's place is worst of all.
Everyone is attracted to the idea of God; that is, the concept of an all-powerful, omnipotent, omnipresent creative force that rules our lives and the universe. The kings of the earth throughout history have drawn on the human need for an earthly god. But the rise of industry and science created a new, educated middle class that refused to put up with the old belief in the "divine right of kings". Industrial democracies were born, but most devolved into tyrannies; and the age of modern dictators arrived. These deluded individuals and the people who kept them in power sought to be gods in a new, godless technological world.
The very definition of God has had to change in order to keep up with the powers and advancements of scientific knowledge. When the whole universe was thought to be no bigger than the Mediterranean world and the visible stars and planets in the sky, it was easy to imagine a human being competing with God. But today we know infinitely more, and know how puny the earth is. Still, the ancient Utopian dream of godlike power persists in spite of all failures. But it is so un-credible that we must wonder how it survives.
In order for God to exist - as humans have always imagined God would exist - requires that God be infinitely more powerful and intelligent than it is humanly possible to conceive.
The universe is far larger, more violent, deadly, and unruly than anyone imagined even a hundred years ago. Our own Milky Way galaxy was thought to be the whole universe until a century ago. At that point telescopes improved so much that we now know that our little Milky Way island galaxy is as a grain of sand on a veritable beach of galaxies, seemingly lost in a staggeringly huge void.
Here at home on planet earth people still dream of unlimited power and wealth; godlike stature. Most who crave it are willing to commit any crime, no matter how heinous, to achieve that power. In order to defeat those who get in their way, people must become amoral and cruel. Imagine how absurd and pathetic that conceit must look to the real God of All Creation.
The way is still open. We can know the Creator of the Universe, and share in God's power. But if we go it alone, trying to be like gods, we mock and degrade ourselves.
