Atheism Challenged by Jack Kettler
An Introduction: Pagan Philosophy, Unbelief, and Irrationalism
Biblically speaking, philosophical beliefs riddled with self-refuting contradictions reflect irrationalism or, at times, inexcusable ignorance. Non-Christian philosophies, including atheism, often begin with bold assertions about reality—such as the supremacy of human reason or the sufficiency of matter—yet stumble into incoherence. Take logical positivism, a school of thought asserting that only empirically verifiable statements hold meaning. This empiricism, rooted in the idea that all knowledge derives from sensory experience (e.g., John Locke’s tabula rasa, where the mind starts as a blank slate), wages war on metaphysical claims. Positivists accept “some cars are red” as verifiable but reject “God exists” since God eludes laboratory scrutiny. Yet, when pressed to verify their own starting principle empirically, positivism collapses—its criterion cannot meet its own demand, exposing an internal contradiction akin to saying “there is no truth,” which claims truth to deny it.
Atheists might counter that modern empiricism has evolved beyond positivism’s rigid verificationism, embracing probabilistic reasoning or falsifiability (as Karl Popper proposed) to ground science without needing God. They could argue that logic and morality emerge naturally—logic as a product of human cognition, morality from evolutionary pressures favoring cooperation. But this response sidesteps a deeper issue: if matter alone underlies reality, as many materialistic atheists assert, how do immutable laws of logic or objective moral standards arise from a silent, indifferent universe? Evolutionary ethics, for instance, might explain why we feel murder is wrong. Still, it struggles to establish why it is wrong beyond survival utility—a distinction Christianity addresses through God’s revealed will.
Non-Christian worldviews, mainly atheistic materialism, proclaim belief in science, morality, and logic yet falter when asked to justify their foundations. Critics accuse Christians of circularity for starting with Scripture, but atheists often beg the question, too—assuming reason’s reliability or morality’s existence without explaining their source in a godless cosmos. In a materialistic framework, laws against evils like murder risk becoming mere social conventions, shifting with majority whims (e.g., 51% in a democracy). Secularists might invoke reason or human dignity as anchors, yet without a transcendent basis, and these remain arbitrary or borrowed from the Christian heritage they reject. The Bible, by contrast, defines good and evil through God’s voice (e.g., Old Testament case laws on murder), offering a coherent standard matter alone cannot speak.
God’s Revelation as the Basis for Knowledge
The Christian worldview finds its foundation in Scripture, where God speaks through human language, using logically structured sentences to define right and wrong. For example, Old Testament case laws distinguish premeditated murder from manslaughter, grounding morality in divine authority. This revelation enables Christians to justify the laws of science, logic, and ethics systematically. Science works because God governs the universe with order, which is observable under normal conditions. Logic holds because God’s rational nature underpins reality. Morality stands firm because God declares what is just.
Atheists might argue that science needs no divine order—natural laws could emerge from physical processes, as cosmology suggests with the Big Bang. Logic, they say, is a human tool, not a divine gift, honed by evolution. Ethics, too, could stem from social contracts or empathy, not revelation. Yet, these responses raise questions: Why trust natural laws to be universal rather than contingent? If logic is merely a human construct, why does it apply beyond our minds? If morality is contractual, why does it bind beyond agreement? Christianity posits God as the necessary precondition for these universals; without Him, they risk becoming arbitrary or unexplained.
The strength of this view lies in the impossibility of the contrary—not that atheists cannot use logic or morality, but that their worldviews struggle to account for them without assuming what they must prove. Atheists often sidestep this by asserting reason’s sufficiency, a move akin to “begging the question.” For instance, claiming “killing is wrong because it harms society” presumes society’s value—a premise needing justification in a materialist frame. Christians openly start with God’s Word, but atheists implicitly rely on unproven axioms, revealing a parallel dependence on faith.
Why Atheists Struggle to Find God
Scripture warns that unbelievers “suppress the truth” (Romans 1:18-19), evident in nature— “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1)—yet rejected by those starting with non-Christian premises. An atheist might begin with materialism, concluding God is unnecessary, but this mirrors the Christian’s syllogism: start with Scripture, end with God. The difference lies in outcomes. Non-believing premises often lead to skepticism—e.g., empiricism’s reliance on sensations falters when validating inferences—or nihilism, as William Provine admits: “No ultimate foundation for ethics, no meaning to life.”
Atheists counter that skepticism isn’t bankruptcy but humility, and meaning can be self-made, not ultimate. They might cite existentialists like Sartre, who find purpose in freedom, or naturalists who see ethics evolving with humanity. Yet, if sensations are fallible and matter mute, how do they ground certainty? A rock cannot dictate right from wrong, nor can the moon legislate logic. Provine’s candor exposes the challenge: without a transcendent anchor, atheism risks reducing all to opinion, leaving it inconsistent when claiming moral or scientific authority. Christians argue this inconsistency betrays a borrowed reliance on God’s order, unacknowledged by the atheist.
Atheists and Their Presuppositions
Atheists often deny having presuppositions, insisting reason alone suffices. Yet, Genesis 3:5— “you will be like God, knowing good and evil”—frames their stance as a rebellion to interpret reality autonomously. Christians presuppose Scripture; atheists presuppose human authority. The clash is finite versus infinite. An atheist might argue reason’s track record—science’s success—proves its reliability. But success doesn’t explain its origin. Why does reason work? Materialism offers no answer beyond chance, while Christianity roots it in God’s rational design.
Nietzsche saw this clearly: rejecting Christianity voids its moral framework, leaving “everything permitted.” Atheists might propose secular ethics (e.g., utilitarianism), but these lack universality—why prioritize happiness over power unless borrowing from a prior moral intuition? Without God, the atheist’s system closes off an absolute voice, risking arbitrariness. Matter, as an accident of chance, speaks nothing; meaning requires intent, which atheism struggles to supply.
Unanswerable Questions for the Atheist
Can reason alone answer life’s big questions? Empiricism traces knowledge from sensations to abstractions, but how does it distinguish valid from invalid inferences? Atheists might appeal to coherence or pragmatism, yet these rest on unproven assumptions. Christians argue God’s revelation is the precondition for intelligibility—without it, purpose dissolves, as Bertrand Russell laments: “only triviality, then nothing.” Dostoevsky retorts that atheism’s denial of God should lead to despair, yet many atheists persist, crafting meaning from experience.
The laws of logic pose another hurdle. Are they universal? Atheists might say they’re descriptive and shaped by human minds, but why, then, do they govern the cosmos? Materialism falters here—logic as an emergent property lacks necessity. Christians point to God’s mind as their source, a claim atheists reject but struggle to replace. David Silverman’s “morality is opinion” underscores this: without an objective standard, ethics becomes subjective, yet atheists often act as if it’s not, revealing their practical reliance on absolutes they cannot justify.
Irrationalism in Atheism
Atheism vacillates between knowing (certainty) and not knowing (skepticism). Some claim “no absolutes” absolutely—a contradiction—while others embrace uncertainty yet live as if truth exists. This tension reflects an epistemological gap: matter and sensation alone yield no firm ground. Christians root knowledge in revelation, open to God’s voice through creation and Scripture. Atheists, closing off this source, lean on finite reason, which cannot omnisciently deny God. Their Big Bang—from nothing to everything—echoes spontaneous generation, a notion science itself debunked. How does nothing spark? Materialism offers hypotheses, not answers, while Christianity asserts a purposeful cause: God.
Atheists might argue the universe’s origin is unknown, not proof of God, and reason suffices for practical knowledge. Yet, practicality doesn’t resolve ultimates. If reality is irrational at its core, why trust reason? The Christian system, open to divine clarity, avoids this quagmire, offering a rational basis that atheism cannot match without borrowing from it.
The One and Many Problem
Non-believers face the “One and Many” dilemma: is reality unified (monism) or plural (anarchy)? Communism opts for the one, polytheism the many, neither securing individual rights consistently. Atheists might propose secular pluralism, balancing both via democracy, but this hinges on consensus, not principle—majorities can oppress, as in Nazi Germany. Christianity’s Trinity—unity in plurality—grounds both state authority and personal freedom, historically fostering rights-based societies (e.g., Magna Carta’s roots).
Atheists could counter that rights emerge from reason or empathy, not theology, citing Enlightenment gains. Yet, these often echo Christian ethics secularized—why else value the individual? The Trinity’s balance isn’t just theological; it’s practical, offering a framework materialism struggles to replicate without appealing to ungrounded universals. See R.J. Rushdoony’s “The One and the Many” for deeper exploration.
The Christian Solution to Knowledge
Christianity claims coherence through God’s revelation: Scripture speaks with clarity, aligning human and divine meaning. This underpins logic, ethics, and science, proven by the impossibility of the contrary—atheism’s alternatives (e.g., skepticism, relativism) falter in practice. The 1985 Bahnsen-Stein debate exemplifies this: Stein’s atheism couldn’t justify logic’s universality. Non-believers oscillate between certainty (denying God) and uncertainty (agnosticism), a contradiction born of rejecting God’s truth (Romans 1:18).
Atheists might argue that their uncertainty is honest and not bankrupt, and that science thrives without God. Yet, thriving doesn’t explain foundations—why does science work? Christianity ties it to God’s order; atheism assumes it, risking irrationality when pressed. The non-believer’s “no absolutes” claim, when absolute, mirrors this flaw, exposing a reliance on what they deny.
Conclusion
Without Scripture’s special revelation, general revelation (creation) lacks context—both are interdependent, rooting knowledge in God’s Word. Atheists, suppressing this (Romans 1:18), sink into subjective empiricism, unable to prove universal negatives like “no God.” Their “how do you know?” falters under scrutiny, unlike Christianity’s revelational certainty. Agnosticism’s ignorance isn’t an argument but a confession of limits, while atheism’s bold denials overreach finite capacity.
God has spoken, offering clarity through Scripture: The Christian worldview is based not on human assertion but divine authority, its strength evident in the frailty of alternatives.
The above previously published article was rewritten by Grok 3.0 and perfected using Grammarly AI.
“Study to show thyself approved unto God” (2 Timothy 2:15).
Mr. Kettler, an author who has published works in Chalcedon Report and Contra Mundum, is an active RPCNA member in Westminster, CO, with 18 books defending the Reformed Faith available on Amazon.