A viewpoint on atheism and oblivion.

I think we might agree that life is something to be treasured. Despite the suffering that we may face, somewhere in the mix, we will find joy, we will find love and a deep appreciation of this world. As we grow older our lives are shaped from the lessons we learn, and many of us, me included, might look back on the foolish decisions of youth, or the choices we made that guided us to where we find ourselves today. I have a wife and grown up children, I live in a small house in the countryside and have sufficient money to get along, I am by no means wealthy, but my wife and I seem to manage. All of what I am now has come about through the journey of life and the decisions I made. The distant memories I have are slowly becoming a little more hazy, time tends to blur the clarity of the things that once happened, as time has a tendency to do. We can only ever live in the now, that indefinable slither of the moment that represents our conscious state.

Having said all that, let’s look at what atheism will ultimately deliver, and why to me, it makes no sense at all. If in the end I simply cease to exist, then what was the point of life when measured against the backdrop of an infinite oblivion? If the lessons I learn, through pain and suffering, and the joy of my life is lost forever, then surely it’s reasonable to ask, ‘what’s the point?’ Life is short, incredibly short, why do we put ourselves through it, if the lessons we learn will ultimately dissolve into nothing? If, after I’m gone, my experiences are irrelevant, then why walk the path of existence at all?

We are driven to live, we have a built in sense of right and wrong, and somewhere, deep inside us, we know that life must take the driving seat. The atheists might see life as something to treasure, something that is akin to a gift, and in many ways they are correct. However, the oblivion that is predicted at the end of life’s journey is a twisted and wasteful conclusion to our sense of being. Death is mocking us from afar, and yet, day by day, its call grows louder. If I am to be undone at the point of death, then this life makes no sense at all, unless, there is something more…

In our hearts we seem programmed toward the possibility that there’s more to life than we can know. Many people, like myself, believe in the supernatural. In fact, I like to say that we don’t just occasionally glimpse the supernatural, we are living it every day. The taste of coffee, the smell of freshly mown grass, the deep sense of love for a person or a favourite pet, right through to the creation of life through birth and the wonder of the world we live in. All of it, in my mind, is a supernatural gift.

To me the answer seems obvious. Death is not the end. Our bodies are merely vessels to carry our souls, or consciousness, if you prefer, through the journey of life. We are here to learn, we are here to love, and we are here to experience loss and suffering. All of this shapes us, yet all the answers, from death of the innocents, through to the injustices of this world can’t be fully explained, or even understood by someone such as myself. I just know this, there are two choices at the end of life, to be undone, or to live on beyond the material world. Only one of those possibilities makes sense to me, the other makes a mockery of life and is a sickening waste. I want people to understand that we were created by God, and by Him we can either be undone, or live on after death. 

Somewhere in your heart, I hope you realise the truth of what I’m saying. On your last day on earth you can’t say that you didn’t suspect what your choices have led you to. What is made can be unmade, it can be disposed off and lost forever. You have no rights as you might think you do. None of us would be here, living in this world, if it were not for Him. I hope that one day we might all understand that our free will can either deliver eternal life in the grace of God, or oblivion. I can’t bear to think about those who are so special to me, those who I love, not making the right choice, to open their hearts and understand how important it is. We are conditioned by life to view our existence as being normal, to ignore or explain away anything that falls outside the model that we are willing to accept. Normal means you are rational, you are sensible and you are accepted. We have been conditioned to challenge and dismiss anything that falls outside of the norm, outside of science and what is deemed to be true. This means that making the choice to follow the path of Jesus’ teachings incredibly challenging for many (as it was for me). In my opinion, it is this way by design. I have spoken about free will before, it is your ultimate test and can lead one of two ways. Choose wisely…