The Fight for Faith

It seems that atheists are in need of publicity. The British Humanist Association along with the support of scientist and author, Richard Dawkins, raised some $200,000 in a campaign to promote an atheist message. It recently unveiled its advertisements on 800 buses across England. "There's probably no God," the ads say. "Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." Other countries are planning to follow suit.

What's interesting about this effort, aside from the fact that these people feel that they need to promote such an idea in an already secular and largely unbelieving society is that their message is not even atheistic! They say, there's "probably" no God. This isn't the robust atheism that declares unequivocally that there is no God, no heaven, no spiritual life. This is a meek form of agnosticism that sits on the fence, unwilling to go either way in its pronouncement.

They even have the psychology wrong. Committed believers as well as atheists don't worry, they're too busy believing or disbelieving. It's the ones dithering between the two who wring their hands in stressful uncertainty. As an ad campaign this one fails miserably because it only reinforces the doubt of the ones who paid for it without winning any new converts.

I think Christians should mount a similar campaign. Only one slogan would be needed. What King David said in Psalms 14:1.

The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God."

May the Lord keep you and bless you this week.