Delusions.

This evening a group of us watched a debate between Richard Dawkins, a contemporary Darwinist who is recently well-known for his book "The God Delusion" and a Christian mathematics and scientific philosophy scholar John Lennox. It was put on by a ministry known as "Fixed Point Foundation", (you can watch the debate and learn more about the ministry here http://bit.ly/RA1Fh).

Obviously this debate is not set up for Dawkins to look favorable, but even putting the structure of the debate aside, both Dawkins and Lennox brought up great points about faith, God, science, and evidence. If I didn't know the God of the universe in an intimate and profound way, I could see where Dawkins' arguments have some standing. But his strong atheism has brought him to a point where he actually is forced to believe very improbable things about the origin of the universe in order to remain in opposition to the idea of Intelligent Design.

Some funny points: When discussing whether or not we need God to have morals, Dawkins refers to "something in the air" that helps us to understand what is right and what is wrong. This implies that there is more to morals than just following social conventions that were put in place by humans who were simply seeking to preserve their group. In fact, if morals are relative, as Dawkins claims, then why haven't we eradicated those that benefit society and not ourselves as individuals, since we now have no need for them? For more eloquent thoughts on morals and how they point to God, read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

I'm not a scholar, and my thoughts probably wouldn't hold up in a debate against Dawkins, but Lennox is and did make amazing claims, both for the logic of faith in God, and also against the logic of Darwinism. The most compelling part of the debate was the end when Lennox touches the core of his beliefs and the disparities among the two debators' worldviews.

I would remind you that the world Richard Dawkins wishes to bring us to is no paradise except for the few. It denies the existence of good and evil. It even denies justice. But ladies and gentlemen, our hearts cry out for justice. And centuries ago, the apostle Paul spoke to the philosophers of Athens and pointed out that there would be a day on which God would judge the world by the man that he had appointed, Jesus Christ, and that he’d given assurance to all people by raising him from the dead. And the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a miracle, something supernatural, for me constitutes the central evidence upon which i base my faith, not only that atheism is a delusion,but that justice is real and our sense of morality does not mock us.

The resurrection, you know, the holiday we just celebrated, is at the center of our faith, and regardless of science or Darwin, the origin of the cosmos or postmodernism, we Christians believe that the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are the points on which the rest of history are fixed; where God's justice and mercy meet. And we can argue all we want about the cosmos and never find an answer. The real question we must ask ourselves is do we think rightly about God or are we just delusional?