[Pearls Episode 136: Answering atheism Tuesday.]
As we finish considering the Prodigal Son, from the perspective of the secular tastemakers, he was just born a few millennia too soon.
The fallen world is rapidly moving to the position that you are not guilty of anything. They’re not in agreement on why you’re not guilty, but they’re pretty sure you aren’t.
New-agey, atheist doctor, Gabor Mate, says it’s because you had a tough childhood: “You did it because you’re programmed to do it by your own childhood experience, which in turn was programmed by your parent’s childhood experience. So there’s nobody at fault, everybody does their best…”
Atheist grand poohbah, Sam Harris, says you are not responsibility because you don’t have free will, you’re just doing what the atoms and molecules of your body program you to do: “If we cannot assign blame to the workings of the universe, how can evil people be held responsible for their actions? In the deepest sense, it seems, they can’t be.”
The “critical theory” crowd are more nuanced (some would say self-serving…) – you’re only responsible if they want you to be. Here’s a winner on criminology, “we must understand how those who engage in crime, who seek to control it, and who study it ‘co-produce’ its meaning.” So, if you want to stop crime, you’re actually a partner in crime with the people committing the crime.
To be sure, free will, and childhood trauma, and root-sources of crime, are all deeply complex issues, and not to be handled lightly. But rather than tackling them head on with a sober understanding of human nature, the spirit of the world is moving society toward one collective exultation of, “it’s not my fault!” The spirit of the world, by the way, is animated by satan. He’s the “wind beneath its wings” as it were.
Satan loves the “it’s nobody’s fault” schtick because it leads to anarchy. Just look at the pandemic of “mostly peaceful shoplifting” in California.
But there is a deeper reason satan pushes the lie that “nobody’s at fault” – it deprives us of some of our most basic needs as human beings – the recognition of our mistakes, seeking forgiveness and making restitution for our mistakes, and offering forgiveness and mercy to those who have “sinned against us.”
Most importantly, satan wants to smuggle in the lie that we don’t need to seek forgiveness from God (some of us, many times a day…). Because the last thing in the world the little snake wants anyone to hear is Jesus say, “Take courage, your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:48)
Blessings on your journey with Christ –
Steve and Karen Smith – Interior Life