What do you think about this statement?

Question

Christians shouldn't always turn the other cheek and ignore the attacks of secular thought, says one prominent conservative writer. They need to step out and meet the atheist critique.

Atheists use science to argue that there is no soul, as there is no physical evidence of one. "If the atheist universe were true, there would be no free will in it," says D'Souza. The world of science, of atoms and molecules, is one in which there is no free choice because the actions of the atoms and molecules determine the outcome, he argues. Atheists believe the only things that exist are the material things that can be seen under the microscope and smelled and touched to which there is empirical evidence, he adds.

"There are dimensions of reality that cannot be captured in purely material terms. When has science ever located a thought or a feeling or a choice?"

Religion has caused history's wars, murders, and violence

The number of people killed in religious wars such as the Crusades or the Spanish Inquisition is infinitesimal compared to those killed during modern atheist regimes, the author notes. "We have to keep a sense of proportion," he says.

Dawkins had argued in an earlier debate that atheists never commit atrocities in the name of atheism while religious people do so in the name of their faith.

........ disagrees. "Somebody should send Dawkins a copy of 'The Communist Manifesto' [because] the truth of the matter is that these secular ideologies of the 20th century were explicitly opposed to religion."

"Communism was explicitly atheistic. It committed attacks against the church, imprisoned priests, shut down prayer meetings ... in the name of creating atheist utopia freed from the shackles of traditional religion and traditional morality," said the conservative author.

Answer 1

Sis, this is by far one the very best questions and narratives on this subject I've seen on R&S.
BTW, to answer your question in short form; when you study the whole turn the other cheek passage from a Hebrew perspective, it doesn't actually mean to let peole just run over you all the time and never defend yourself, but that is another story.
Communism is still a danger, it has only taken a back seat for a short period.

This question nearly blessed my socks off.

Answer 2

Funny how they like to pick and choose their facts.
The fact is the laws of science and nature are man made laws and God defies those laws. God has always been the same, Science is ever changing. The 'Science' group has been continuously proving their selves wrong, this is the same group that told everyone the world was flat and then that our world is the center of the universe. did you know that know they are just coming up with a new theory? That we are made of cosmic dust as is everyone else. Actually they have been wrong so often that they are quite laughable. Your question is fantastic and well presented.
They said on the news yesterday that all of the shooters in all of the school shootings can be directly linked to forms of atheism. It is also quite clear that for being so smart atheists can't even understand what free will is.

Answer 3

D'Souza is correct about the lack of true free will; in principle, if one knew every bit of information that a person had acquired in his lifetime, one could predict his action in any case. But clearly that is impossible; free will is simply a model that works well. But this doesn't really bear on the theist-atheist debate; the theist can claim that there is no true free will because god runs the whole show.

In discussing communism, it is necessary to remember that the idea was principally economic; religion was very much a side show. In its attempt to be rational, communism properly condemned religion, and attempted to stamp it out, but the problems of communism do not arise from that, nor can communism be taken as an exemplar of atheism in general.

Answer 4

I agree. Look what has happened in our school systems. One woman who did not believe in God was able to lead a movement and have spoken prayer stopped in the schools. Pictures of Christ were removed from the walls in schools. I also believe the increased violence we are seeing in the schools can be attributed to the New Age Movement. The deterioration in our schools is ample proof that there has been a passive attitude towards evildoers.

Answer 5

I agree totally. Christians are called to turn the other cheek, and for years I truly misunderstood that, and was just a doormate for everyone, had no joy or hope, so sad a lot . We are to turn the other cheek, to forgive and still love over and over again. And we arent to accept their bait of offense, and feel a need to attack back with evil like they do us. God is clear on that, vengence is HIS. But, silence is saying THIS IS OK. So, we are called to lvie Gods truths and to speak them. WHen opportunity presents itself, we must speak. SO many things allowed to go on thru the centureis and still does because Christians remain silent. Silence gives permission to stay the same, nothing changing, nothing improving.
The Holocaust was allowed due to silence. How about prayer being removed from schools, or when they made abortion legal. .... How many Christians were out there speaking and voting about this ????? Its Gods job to do the convicting. But we are called to be like Jesus, living like Him, speaking like HIm, loving and forgiving like Him. and yes turning the other cheek. We are to speak without fear or compromise, being BOLD with His truths, doing all in love and compassion but boldness. Jesus didnt go round ignoring all sin . Jesus spoke up, named what was sin, and said GO and do it no more. He was clear what would happen if they didnt say NO to sin. Since we are called to be like Him, have His excellent character... why would we think any less is required of us????
God bless you for the question... I could go on, so many instances of silence and all the hearatche it brings, but I made the point. God doesnt want us to be doormats to anyone. WE can lvoe and forgive, but if someone only wants to hurt us, dust the sandles off and keep moving. forgive and pray and move on with God. He will get us thru everything, if we just stay with Him in obedienc to all of His truths. amen

Answer 6

....."compared to those killed during modern atheist regimes..." There is a difference between being atheist and anti-theist, check it out. One doesn't necessarily mean the other.

I've read some of what this D'Souza guy has to say on-line and he seems to be just another nut job to me.

Answer 7

What does YOUR Bible state about meaningless worldly debates?

1 Timothy 2:8

"Therefore I desire that in every place the men carry on prayer, lifting up loyal hands, apart from wrath and debates. Likewise I desire the women to adorn themselves in well-arranged dress, with modesty and soundness of mind, not with styles of hair braiding and gold or pearls or very expensive garb, but in the way that befits women professing to reverence God, namely, through good works".

1 Timothy 6:4

"If any man teaches other doctrine and does not assent to healthful words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, nor to the teaching that accords with godly devotion, he is puffed up [with pride], not understanding anything, but being mentally diseased over questionings and debates about words. From these things spring envy, strife, abusive speeches, wicked suspicions, violent disputes about trifles on the part of men corrupted in mind and despoiled of the truth, thinking that godly devotion is a means of gain".

This means don't print nonsense or ask question that prove to be meaningless worldly debates. Stay on that NARROW PATH TO LIFE foresaking "what if's" and inflaming others with a tyrade of meaningless jibber jabber. It serves no redeeming value for ANY HUMANS yet it causes chaos, dissention, and inflammatory response.

Do you understand this now? Now, go and don't do this anymore. Anything you share with any other human beings, make sure it has redeeming value and is from God and not plagued with demonic inference.

Only preach the good news of the kingdom to anyone and not overbearingly, but with courtesy and wisdom obtained from your own proper private Bible studies, and constant prayer to help guide you to do right.

Pay attention from here out.

Answer 8

The Holocaust alone speaks for It's self ! Amen I couldn't agree more.

Answer 9

That comment about 'a feeling, a thought and a choice' is an overall description of the soul. And the only free-will we have is what degree of evil to choose.

Answer 10

No comment.

If there is a soul. Do you think you will save or you will know what it brings to you after desth. Or simply nohting,

I rather to show my love because in love everything is love.