The way we believe will impact our entire lives. Today, it
is not uncommon to regard humans as just another animal. If we believe this
way, we will eventually treat our fellow humans just like another animal, to be
eaten, thrown into a cage, or even exterminated.
A placard reading, “SAVE THE PLANET, KILL YOURSELF,” was
being paraded by intelligent looking university students. If suicide is the
right thing to do, then too is murder.
In “The Death of Humanity,” historian Richard Weikart
relates an incident from 2006, which reflects humanity’s alienation from themselves:
·
A biologist and professor at a major research
university…received a prestigious prize for being an outstanding scientist.
While accepting the award, he gave a shocking speech in which he suggested it
would be beneficial if 90 percent of the world’s human population was wiped out
by ebola. Indeed, he told the audience he hoped this would occur. He also
suggested that humans were no better than bacteria. When he completed his
lecture, he received a standing ovation.
This speech was presented before the Texas Academy of
Science. The standing ovation indicated that this educated audience agreed.
It is not surprising that these beliefs percolate into the
minds of students and the public, even if expressed in less sophisticated ways:
·
…serial killer and cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer [was]arrested
in 1991 for brutal sex crimes. He explained in a TV interview how his actions
didn’t occur randomly, but were influenced by his worldview. He had always
believed that “the theory of evolution is truth, that we all just came from the
slime, and when we died . . . that was it, there was nothing—so the whole
theory cheapens life.” With this vision, he saw no reason not to kill and eat
other men. As he confessed, “If a person doesn’t think there is a God to be
accountable to, then what’s the point in trying to modify your behavior to keep
it in acceptable ranges?” (Weikart)
Eric Harris was the co-conspirator behind the Columbine High
School massacre in 1999. Just prior to this, he had been wearing a tee-shirt
reading “Natural Selection.” In his diary, he had written:
·
“I say, ‘KILL MANKIND’ no one should survive,”
he also remarked, “theres no such thing as True Good or True Evil, its all
relative to the observer. its just all nature, chemistry, and math. deal with
it.” Earlier he had written, “just because your mommy and daddy told you blood
and violence is bad, you think its a law of nature? wrong, only science and
math are true, everything, and I mean everything else is man made.” (Weikart)
While we might not hear evolutionary biologists express
themselves in this manner, their worldview leaves them defenseless against such
sentiments. According to evolution, this is a meaningless and purposeless world.
While the evolutionist might value his neighbors and friends, the only
justification he can give for this is personal, no more scientific or
substantial than Dahmer’s preference of ridding the world of a few humans, a
greater liability upon the environment than maggots.
Pekka-Eric Auvinen had nicknamed himself “Natural Selector.”
His behavior fell in line with his beliefs. He murdered eight students at a
high school in Finland in 2007. He explained:
·
Humans are just a species among other animals
and world does not exist only for humans. Death and killing is not a tragedy,
it happens in nature all the time between all species. Not all human lives are
important or worth saving. Only superior (intelligent, self-aware,
strong-minded) individuals should survive while inferior (stupid, retarded,
weak-minded masses) should perish.
Most evolutionists will not regard themselves as “Natural
Selectors” and then act upon it. However, the National Socialists, believing
that they were creating the master race, did act upon their beliefs,
demonstrating the close relationship between what we believe and do.
Although humans come equipped with an endowment of
compassion, this resource can be easily overruled by our beliefs and experiences.
While few will become murderers, lacking an objective meaning and purpose for
their lives, they will succumb to temptations and the pressures. They have no
resources to resist, once compassion erodes. “Enlightened” pragmatism can just
as easily result in cheating and lying as it can in virtue, as history has long
testified. Why not cheat and lie for your department head if this will buy you
tenure and security for your family. You might argue, “I have my principles. I
wouldn’t lie” But without a principled universe, there is no basis for
objective principles, just personal preferences. These might enable you to feel
better about yourself, but tenure will make you feel even better!
Weikart cites the case of the software engineer and musician
Gil Dodgen, who was raised by an atheistic professor of chemistry. Dodgen
revealed that, from his youth, “[I] believed that I was just a complex piece of
biochemistry that came about by chance.” As a result, he had contemplated
suicide for the next 36 years. Weikart relates that:
·
All this changed for him in 1994 when at age
forty-three he converted to Christ. From that time forward he was filled with
joy, recognizing that he was created for a purpose and his life had meaning.
Never since that time has he contemplated suicide.
I am convinced that Christ is not only our personal Savior
but also the Savior of our deteriorating society. Knowing the destruction that
would soon overtake Jerusalem, Jesus looked down upon this blind city and
prayed:
·
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the
prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered
your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were
not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate.” (Matthew 23:37–38)
Without Him, we too face desolation.
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