Ask the atheist.

Question from Joel:
I spent 5 years outside of the United States within the last decade, and I had the opportunity to travel all over the world. I used the time to define myself and what I believe in. I have close friends and colleagues that claim Atheism, but there are bridges that I just cannot cross. Although I have questioned my beliefs time and time again. In some third world nations I have come across people who can move things. Some seem to only have the power to move things on flat surfaces, where others could literally suspend things in air. They say their talents come from spiritual worship. My question to you would be, can there be a spiritual world and no God?

Answer:
No need for the capital A, as I often say. If it’s theism instead of Theism, it’s atheism instead of Atheism.

To answer your question directly, just about anything’s possible. Many people believe in spiritual energies which are too nebulous to fit common definitions of gods, and yet have the ability to affect physical things in the ways you describe.
- Take for instance the Chinese concept of qi (pronounced chee, sometimes written as chi or ki). Some believers in qi think it comes from gods or godlike beings, but not all the believers do.
- Another instance is karma.
- The most famous such concept in contemporary fiction is probably the Force.

So according to many belief systems, the people you met could be mistaken about the source of their powers, if in fact they’re real. The reality of their abilities is where I would focus my attention: how could we prove or debunk these apparent acts of telekinesis? There might be a reason why they’re done in remote parts of the world, away from scrutiny.

- SmartLX

6 Responses so far | Have Your Say!

1. 

   JD Curtis
   November 8th, 2009 at 5:27 pm #

   I tend to believe that many of these manifestations that are visible and occur in this world are of the god of this world, Satan. To paraphrase Augustus, what man can do with shape and color, Satan can do all that much more.

2. 

   SmartLX
   November 9th, 2009 at 2:56 pm #

   That’s a clever and protective way of looking at the world, JD, when you think about it. If any religion other than Christianity is the right one, physical effects of the real deities or supernatural forces which don’t fit the modus operandi of the God of Abraham can be written off as the work of the devil.

   I’m interested in your statement that Satan is “the god of this world”. Is it standard evangelical doctrine that Satan rules the middle as well as the bottom? If not, what’s your denomination?

3. 

   JD Curtis
   November 9th, 2009 at 6:22 pm #

   Oh, it’s pretty mainstream, Christian theology LX.

   One instance that is often cited is Matthew 4: 8-10

   Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
   Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only”

   If one accepts that Jesus is the Son of God, then why didnt He inform Satan that he can’t give what isnt his? There are other verses as well that state Satan is the ruler of this realm.

4. 

   SmartLX
   November 9th, 2009 at 8:46 pm #

   Thanks for that. Considering only this passage, the next question would be whether Jesus had full access to God’s knowledge and necessarily knew what Satan could legitimately offer, but theology is more up your alley.

5. 

   JD Curtis
   November 10th, 2009 at 10:24 pm #

   I really must cite those statistics that I mentioned earlier from D’Souza. It dispells much of which you posted on your “theology” link. Yes, I do believe that Jesus had God’s knowledge given that he is part of the Trinity.

6. 

   SmartLX
   November 10th, 2009 at 11:42 pm #

   For those who came in late, on his own blog JD mentioned statistics about the growth of Christianity from What’s so Great About Christianity?

   I don’t doubt that Christianity as a whole is growing. Most religions are, by sheer population growth, and Christianity has dibs on a third of that. The effectiveness of Christian theology as an apologetic tool, if it can be measured through population at all, will be indicated by where the new Christians have come from. Are they children of Christian parents, or were they Christians of another denomination (cannibalised) or are they new converts? If the latter, from which other religion or irreligious position have they converted? In short, what demographic does all the apologetic actually affect?

   If D’Souza’s stats have answers to the above, go ahead and finally reveal the relevant ones. The rise of one church in one country, without reference to the others (evangelicals in France), tells us very little.