LEADER TIMES WEEKEND RELIGION ARTICLE FOR
May 30, 2015 by William H. Scarle, Jr. 813-835-0129
Did you ever consider that by reading this article you are proving the existence of God? You see, if God does not exist then all that exists is matter. Matter, even living matter, does not think. The atheist/materialist believes that what we call thinking is simply the arbitrary collision of atoms and molecules in a mass of matter we call our brains.
When I was a tactless teen growing up in Philadelphia I attended a lecture at Temple by a confirmed follower of psychologist B. F. Skinner. Skinner taught that our entire behavior is the result of the unintentional conditioning of our brain. We simply act as we have been programed to act by genetics and environment. When the lecture was over the floor was opened for questions. I raised my hand and reviewed what the lecturer had said and asked if that was correct. When he affirmed that it was I asked whether he intended to collect royalties for the sale of his book, since none of it was his work? As I recall everything went quiet.
Even if Skinner was right there is no explanation here of how one person can communicate his or her accidental brain motions to another person and expect them to understand, since everyone’s programing is totally different. I am fairly confident the lecturer expected us to understand what he was saying, and even collected a fee for saying it.
The truth is that as human beings we take reason for granted. The materialist may teach his classes at the university that nothing exists but matter in motion. But then he goes home to a nice meal cooked by a loving wife to whom he says, “I love you.” If he is fortunate his wife will not ask him what he means.
The truth is we all think. We all know we have free will, and obviously we make choices. You chose to read this article, and hopefully you understand what I am saying. Clearly we think and choose and communicate. Rocks can’t do this. Animals can do some elementary thinking, or at least reacting. They don’t write books and they cannot pass information on to the next generation.
How is this possible? It is possible because “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The God of the Bible is a rational God who structured a rational universe. It is packed with information. Then he created male and female in his own image capable of learning this information so as to take responsibility for caring for God’s garden.
Not only could mankind learn, he could communicate. This makes fellowship possible not only with fellow humans but with God himself.
There is no possible way to explain the information that operates the universe from the galaxies to human DNA without postulating a non-material rational cause. I think we all know this, even though there are some who are vehement in their denial. There is this prideful streak in mankind that wants to be a god, and therefore has to deny the Creator’s existence. In the process they demote themselves to matter in motion, but they write books. They really can’t live that way.
(Bill Scarle can be contacted at ravscarle@verizon.net). END-whs