West Main

Recently I finished reading a book with the catchy title, I Don’t Believe in Atheists, by Chris Hedges. The author is a former war correspondent for the New York Times who along with his fellow team members won the Pulitzer Prize for coverage of global terrorism. Hedges is no fan of what is commonly referred to in the general media as the Christian Right (think, James Dobson and Pat Robertson), nor of institutional Christianity. While there is much in this book that we would disagree with and flat-out oppose, nevertheless, there is much we would applaud.

In particular, Hedges writes an incisive and cutting critique of the so-called new atheists. In truth there is nothing really new about this latest batch of atheists, however, they represent a popular series of publications attacking traditional Christianity and religion in general. Among the more popular authors of these atheistic writers would include (the now late) Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, and Richard Dawkins. While many of these atheistic writers may be unfamiliar to many of us, they are some of the most prolific and best selling authors worldwide and are certainly not unknown to the majority of college students across America.

What is especially helpful about I Don’t Believe in Atheists is how Chris Hedges exposes not only the elementary and facile understanding of religion these atheists propagate, but more importantly how the new atheists are promoters of another fundamentalist religion: reason and science. Hedges demonstrates how this latest batch of atheistic writers would have us all made in their own image of what they deem the common good and how they employ the language of violence and intolerance toward anyone or religion that dares to go beyond what they define as reasonable. Only materialistic and empirical science can speak to how we should live in this world according to these atheists.

Hedges’ criticism centers primarily on how these popular atheistic authors have a blind faith in human moral progress. The new atheists naively assume that scientific and technological progress translates into human moral progress. Religion therefore, according to these atheists, is simply an obstacle in humanity’s moral march forward with reason and science. However, with devastating writing, Hedges marshals an unassailable content of historical evil committed in the name of science and reason.

Hedges remembers vividly what for many of us has become obscured: the pervasive power of sin in human nature. The world, and in many respects the contemporary church, has a tendency to lose sight of the fundamental teaching of the book of Genesis. Human beings outside perfect obedience to God cannot handle the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 3). The advancement of science and technology based on human reason has permitted such horrors as Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Holocaust to be inflicted on human beings to mention but two.

The book of Genesis teaches us that the science and technology based on human rationality simply allows for the exponential increase of evil. The human heart plagued by sin is not removed with the knowledge of quantum physics or the human genome. The world is like Cain, only Cain with atomic and biologic weapons. The notion that we need only listen to reason as shaped by science and technology to make the world a better and safer place is as naïve as it is dangerous. I am thankful to Chris Hedges for reminding me of a basic and unassailable truth: we are sinners and there is nothing in the world of science, technology, and human reason that can alter that fact. Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ!

– Terry

Our Neighbor to Neighbor Sunday Nights at Lewis Park continue this Sunday evening, August 5, at 6:00 p.m. In addition, we will provide free hamburgers and hot dogs to whomever chooses to come. Please come join us for an evening of fun, fellowship and food and invite your neighbors to come join us! *You might want to bring a lawn chair or two.

Deacons Meeting will be Monday, August 6, at 7:00 p.m. in the Fireside Room. All deacons are encouraged to attend.

Child Protection Policy Meeting  --  On August 12^th, immediately after morning services, there will be a meeting for all members who work with our children in any capacity, including camp, in the nursery and in children’s worship. Anyone who would like to work with children in the future should also plan to attend. The purpose of the meeting is to review the West Main Child Protection Policy and to update you on some changes in the background check policy. Our children’s safety is of great importance to all of us, so the Elders strongly encourage you to plan to participate in this meeting. If you have any questions please talk with one of the Elders. Thank you all for your continuing work in His service.

Our Third Annual Summer Worship Encampment at Emigrant Lake will be held on Sunday, August 26, at 10:00 a.m. We will have lunch and activities following the morning services. Parking fees are $4.00 per car.

Please bring your lawn chairs, games, and a potluck dish to share. We will provide the meat, but ask that you bring the side dishes.

Services at the building will begin at 10:15 a.m. for those not going to the Worship Encampment. We will have NO Bible Class and NO Nursery Care that morning and NO Evening Worship that day.

PRAYER REQUESTS . . .  For the mother of Anna Lake, Martha Pigeon, who is struggling with her health - please pray for answers for her health problems...Larry Albright is healing well from his bruised chest - praise God that he did not have a heart attack...Reed and Shirley Barlow request your prayers for their friend, Peggy Sutherland, as she recovers from surgery and as she deals with chemotherapy...For all of our members who are at PUMP this week and that they have a safe trip home from Portland...Bob and Lee Stapp want to thank you for your prayers and support throughout their adoption process - it is almost complete...For Mike Ash as he recovers from heart problems and having a stent put in...Cora and Barbara for their spiritual growth and outlook on life, and for David Mayes to be more Christlike...For our President and all of our military men, women and families.

Neighbor to Neighbor Sunday Evenings at Lewis Park at 6:00 p.m. on the following dates:

August 5 & 12

Aug 6: Deacon’s Meeting; 7:00 p.m.; FSR

Aug 26: Worship Encampment at Emigrant Lake; 10:00 a.m. More info to come next week.