Biblical Christianity gives us a construct for

understanding the world, even to the point of

explaining behavior, evil, pain and purpose.

Mr. Dawkins simply does Mr. Dawkins simply does not like where this not like where this construct leads. construct leads.

Straw-man Straw-man argumentargument

“I am against religion because it teaches us to

be satisfied with not understanding the world.”

- Richard Dawkins

Something is very wrong with the world.Something is very wrong with the world.

Something is very wrong with the world.Something is very wrong with the world.

Natural disasters, disease, racism, et alNatural disasters, disease, racism, et al..

Something is very wrong with the world. Something is very wrong with the world. Even Even atheists see this.atheists see this.

Morpheus:Morpheus:

It’s that feeling you have had all your life. That It’s that feeling you have had all your life. That

feeling that something was wrong with the feeling that something was wrong with the world. world. You don’t know what it is, but it’s there, like a You don’t know what it is, but it’s there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad, driving splinter in your mind, driving you mad, driving you to me. But what is it?you to me. But what is it?

Something is very wrong with the world. Something is very wrong with the world. Even Even atheists see this.atheists see this.

Morpheus:Morpheus:

It’s that feeling you have had all your life. That It’s that feeling you have had all your life. That

feeling that something was wrong with the feeling that something was wrong with the world. world. You don’t know what it is, but it’s there, like a You don’t know what it is, but it’s there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad, driving splinter in your mind, driving you mad, driving you to me. But what is it?you to me. But what is it?

There is a form of something that should be There is a form of something that should be followed; a standard that this is (we are) not followed; a standard that this is (we are) not measuring up to. We measuring up to. We know this as certainly as we know that we need to know this as certainly as we know that we need to draw draw our next breath.our next breath.

Something is very wrong with the world. Even Something is very wrong with the world. Even atheists see this.atheists see this.

““Things ought to be different or better.”Things ought to be different or better.”

One cannot compare this with that One cannot compare this with that unless you have a basis for the comparing. unless you have a basis for the comparing.

Which car is better?Which car is better?

It depends on your basis for comparing.It depends on your basis for comparing.

I love to

I love to

restore

restore

antiques!

antiques!

I value speed

I value speed & &

performance

performance

Something is very wrong with the world. Even Something is very wrong with the world. Even atheists see this.atheists see this.

““Things ought to be different or better.”Things ought to be different or better.”

One cannot compare this with that One cannot compare this with that unless you have a basis for the comparing. unless you have a basis for the comparing.

Who was better?Who was better?

To what standard do you appeal?To what standard do you appeal?

Something is very wrong with the world. Even Something is very wrong with the world. Even atheists see this.atheists see this.

““Things ought to be different or better.”Things ought to be different or better.”

One cannot compare this with that One cannot compare this with that unless you have a basis for the comparing. unless you have a basis for the comparing.

This basis must be “outside” of the this or that.This basis must be “outside” of the this or that.

Even if the basis is just an ideal, Even if the basis is just an ideal, the ideal must point to a base outside the ideal must point to a base outside

of itself to justify its superiorityof itself to justify its superiority

Something is very wrong with the world. Even Something is very wrong with the world. Even atheists see this.atheists see this.

““War is a complex moral question.”War is a complex moral question.”

““It is wrong to inflict suffering on another being.”It is wrong to inflict suffering on another being.”

““It is bad to hate gays and lesbians.”It is bad to hate gays and lesbians.”

““Our country is heading in the right direction.”Our country is heading in the right direction.”

Something is very wrong with the world. Even Something is very wrong with the world. Even atheists see this.atheists see this.

““This ought to be different or better.”This ought to be different or better.”

Trying to find ethics when there can be none.Trying to find ethics when there can be none. "The existentialist . . . thinks it very distressing that "The existentialist . . . thinks it very distressing that God does not exist, because all possibility of finding God does not exist, because all possibility of finding values in a heaven of ideas disappears along with him; values in a heaven of ideas disappears along with him; since there can no longer be an apriori Good, since since there can no longer be an apriori Good, since there is no infinite and perfect consciousness to think there is no infinite and perfect consciousness to think it. it. No where is it written that the Good exists, that we No where is it written that the Good exists, that we must be honest, that we must no lie; because the fact must be honest, that we must no lie; because the fact is that we are on a plane where there only men. is that we are on a plane where there only men. Dostoievsky said, "If God didn't exist, everything Dostoievsky said, "If God didn't exist, everything would be possible." That is the very starting point of would be possible." That is the very starting point of existentialism. Indeed, everything is permissible if God existentialism. Indeed, everything is permissible if God does not exist, and as a result, man is forlorn, because does not exist, and as a result, man is forlorn, because neither within him nor without does he find anything neither within him nor without does he find anything to cling to, he can't start making excuses for to cling to, he can't start making excuses for himself . . . if God does not exist, we find no values or himself . . . if God does not exist, we find no values or commands to turn to legitimize our conduct . . .”commands to turn to legitimize our conduct . . .”

Something is very wrong with the world. Even Something is very wrong with the world. Even atheists see this.atheists see this.

““This ought to be different or better.”This ought to be different or better.”

Trying to find ethics when there can be none.Trying to find ethics when there can be none. "The existentialist . . . thinks it very distressing that "The existentialist . . . thinks it very distressing that God does not exist, because all possibility of finding God does not exist, because all possibility of finding values in a heaven of ideas disappears along with him; values in a heaven of ideas disappears along with him; since there can no longer be an apriori Good, since since there can no longer be an apriori Good, since there is no infinite and perfect consciousness to think there is no infinite and perfect consciousness to think it. it. No where is it written that the Good exists, that we No where is it written that the Good exists, that we must be honest, that we must no lie; because the fact must be honest, that we must no lie; because the fact is that we are on a plane where there only men. is that we are on a plane where there only men. Dostoievsky said, "If God didn't exist, everything Dostoievsky said, "If God didn't exist, everything would be possible." That is the very starting point of would be possible." That is the very starting point of existentialism. Indeed, everything is permissible if God existentialism. Indeed, everything is permissible if God does not exist, and as a result, man is forlorn, because does not exist, and as a result, man is forlorn, because neither within him nor without does he find anything neither within him nor without does he find anything to cling to, he can't start making excuses for to cling to, he can't start making excuses for himself . . . if God does not exist, we find no values or himself . . . if God does not exist, we find no values or commands to turn to legitimize our conduct . . .”commands to turn to legitimize our conduct . . .”

Something is very wrong with the world. Even Something is very wrong with the world. Even atheists see this.atheists see this.

““This ought to be different or better.”This ought to be different or better.”

Trying to find ethics when there can be none.Trying to find ethics when there can be none. "The existentialist . . . thinks it very distressing that "The existentialist . . . thinks it very distressing that God does not exist, because all possibility of finding God does not exist, because all possibility of finding values in a heaven of ideas disappears along with him; values in a heaven of ideas disappears along with him; since there can no longer be an apriori Good, since since there can no longer be an apriori Good, since there is no infinite and perfect consciousness to think there is no infinite and perfect consciousness to think it. No where is it written that the Good exists, that we it. No where is it written that the Good exists, that we must be honest, that we must no lie; because the fact must be honest, that we must no lie; because the fact is that we are on a plane where there only men. is that we are on a plane where there only men. Dostoievsky said, "If God didn't exist, everything Dostoievsky said, "If God didn't exist, everything would be possible." That is the very starting point of would be possible." That is the very starting point of existentialism. existentialism. Indeed, everything is permissible if God Indeed, everything is permissible if God does not exist, and as a result, man is forlorn, because does not exist, and as a result, man is forlorn, because neither within him nor without does he find anything neither within him nor without does he find anything to cling to, he can't start making excuses for to cling to, he can't start making excuses for himself . . . if God does not exist, we find no values or himself . . . if God does not exist, we find no values or commands to turn to legitimize our conduct . . .”commands to turn to legitimize our conduct . . .”

Isaiah 24Isaiah 24

4The earth dries up And withers, the world languishes and

withers, the exalted of the earth

languish. 5 The earth is defiled by its people;

they have disobeyed the laws,

violated the statutes and broken the

everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore a curse consumes the earth;

its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up,

and very few are left.

Something is very wrong with the world. Something is very wrong with the world. Even Even atheists see this.atheists see this.

Romans 8Romans 8 19The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

Something is very wrong with the world. Something is very wrong with the world. Even Even atheists see this.atheists see this.

Romans 8Romans 8 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Something is very wrong with the world. Something is very wrong with the world. Even Even atheists see this.atheists see this.

"Son,'he said,' ye cannot in your present state understand eternity . . .That is what mortals misunderstand. They say of some temporal suffering, "No future bliss can make up for it," not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory. And of some sinful pleasure they say "Let me have but this and I'll take the consequences": little dreaming how damnation will spread back and back into their past and contaminate the pleasure of the sin. Both processes begin even before death. The good man's past begins to change so that his forgiven sins and remembered sorrows take on the quality of Heaven: the bad man's past already conforms to his badness and is filled only with dreariness. And that is why...the Blessed will say "We have never lived anywhere except in Heaven, : and the Lost, "We were always in Hell." And both will speak truly."

— C.S. Lewis (The Great Divorce)

This event, so long ago in the Garden, helps us to understand a lot, Mr.

Dawkins.

Pain, suffering and the depravity of the human condition.

1414So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you have done this,

““Cursed are you above all the livestock Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dustand you will eat dust all the days of your life. all the days of your life.

It would be safe to assume that the serpent was It would be safe to assume that the serpent was gottengottento first, seeing that he is punished. Would God to first, seeing that he is punished. Would God punish punish an innocent creature that had not control over the an innocent creature that had not control over the

situation.situation.

Whenever you see a snake, remember . . .Whenever you see a snake, remember . . .

1414So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you have done this,

““Cursed are you above all the livestock Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dustand you will eat dust all the days of your life. all the days of your life. 1515And I will put enmity And I will put enmity between you and the woman, between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers;and between your offspring and hers;

““enmity” ~ hatred and strife. enmity” ~ hatred and strife. The feud has begun!The feud has begun!

This goes beyond girls and snakes . . .This goes beyond girls and snakes . . .

1414So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you have done this,

““Cursed are you above all the livestock Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dustand you will eat dust all the days of your life. all the days of your life. 1515And I will put enmity And I will put enmity between you and the woman, between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers;and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head,he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” and you will strike his heel.”

Proto~evangeliumIs it merely the snake that is being talked to?

1414So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,you have done this,

1616To the woman he said, To the woman he said, ““I will greatly increase your pains in I will greatly increase your pains in

childbearing; childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children.with pain you will give birth to children.

1414So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you have done this,

1616To the woman he said, To the woman he said, ““I will greatly increase your pains in I will greatly increase your pains in

childbearing; childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children.with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” and he will rule over you.”

““desire” ~ a reaching fordesire” ~ a reaching for

““rule over” ~ rule overrule over” ~ rule over

relational frustrationrelational frustration

getting along won’t be easy anymoregetting along won’t be easy anymore

1717To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’you, ‘You must not eat of it,’

Adam seems to held to full responsibility here.Adam seems to held to full responsibility here.Eve is not confronted about the tree directly.Eve is not confronted about the tree directly.

1717To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’you, ‘You must not eat of it,’

““Cursed is the ground because of you; Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.all the days of your life. 1818It will produce thorns and thistles for you, It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.and you will eat the plants of the field.

1717To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’you, ‘You must not eat of it,’

““Cursed is the ground because of you; Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.all the days of your life. 1818It will produce thorns and thistles for you, It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.and you will eat the plants of the field.

Isaiah 24 Isaiah 24 44The earth dries up And withers,The earth dries up And withers,

the world languishes and the world languishes and withers, withers,

the exalted of the earth the exalted of the earth languish.languish. 55 The earth is defiled by its people; The earth is defiled by its people;

they have disobeyed the laws, they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes violated the statutes and broken the everlasting and broken the everlasting

covenant.covenant. 66 Therefore a curse consumes the earth; Therefore a curse consumes the earth;

its people must bear their guilt. its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up,Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up,

and very few are left. and very few are left.

1717To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’you, ‘You must not eat of it,’

““Cursed is the ground because of you; Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.all the days of your life. 1818It will produce thorns and thistles for you, It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.and you will eat the plants of the field. 1919By the sweat of your browBy the sweat of your brow you will eat your foodyou will eat your food

Frustration and difficulty in getting done Frustration and difficulty in getting done what need to get done.what need to get done.

1717To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’you, ‘You must not eat of it,’

““Cursed is the ground because of you; Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.all the days of your life. 1818It will produce thorns and thistles for you, It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.and you will eat the plants of the field. 1919By the sweat of your browBy the sweat of your brow you will eat your foodyou will eat your food until you return to the ground, until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; since from it you were taken; for dust you are for dust you are and to dust you will return.”and to dust you will return.”

EcclesiastesEcclesiastes

1717To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’you, ‘You must not eat of it,’

““Cursed is the ground because of you; Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.all the days of your life. 1818It will produce thorns and thistles for you, It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.and you will eat the plants of the field. 1919By the sweat of your browBy the sweat of your brow you will eat your foodyou will eat your food until you return to the ground, until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; since from it you were taken; for dust you are for dust you are and to dust you will return.”and to dust you will return.”

2020Adam named his wife Eve, because she would Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. become the mother of all the living.

2121The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. and his wife and clothed them.

Our effort and idea never adequately deal Our effort and idea never adequately deal with the problems that we have created. with the problems that we have created.

Some thing(s) had to die to deal with Some thing(s) had to die to deal with one consequence of what they had done.one consequence of what they had done.

Does this prefigure the sacrificial Does this prefigure the sacrificial system which could only cover sins?system which could only cover sins?

2121The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. and his wife and clothed them. 2222And the LORD God And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. knowing good and evil.

We were not designed to know this. We were not designed to know this. We cannot handle it.We cannot handle it.

Are we better off knowing about sin? Are we better off knowing about sin?

2121The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. and his wife and clothed them. 2222And the LORD God And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”and eat, and live forever.”

The tree of life offered eternal life. Something The tree of life offered eternal life. Something about it would keep our physical side going about it would keep our physical side going infinitely.infinitely.

God would not allow us to live like this . . .God would not allow us to live like this . . .

Two levels of death are involved here. Two levels of death are involved here.

Soulish/Spiritual & PhysicalSoulish/Spiritual & Physical

Interpersonal relationships Interpersonal relationships

2121The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. and his wife and clothed them. 2222And the LORD God And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” and eat, and live forever.” 2323So the LORD God So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. ground from which he had been taken. 2424After he After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.of life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But in the end, we get to go there again. Revelation But in the end, we get to go there again. Revelation 2222

All that is wrong with the world is our fault.All that is wrong with the world is our fault.Corporately, we bear the blame and Corporately, we bear the blame and consequence consequence for our own demise. for our own demise.All evil and bad is traced back to us.All evil and bad is traced back to us.There are individual implications as well.There are individual implications as well.

How much of the difficult in my life How much of the difficult in my life may be traced back to my sin(s). may be traced back to my sin(s).How much can be traced to the sins of How much can be traced to the sins of others? others?

There is but one good; that is God. Everything else is good when it looks

to him and bad when it turns away from him.

~ CS Lewis

Sometimes it is like we are spectators at a tennis match . . .

Colossians 3:1-4

There is but one good; that is God. Everything else is good when it looks

to him and bad when it turns away from him.

~ CS Lewis

Sometimes it is like we are spectators at a tennis match . . .

Colossians 3:1-4