Dear Atheist Kathleen Sisco O Hara Dear Atheist, I ve been thinking of you. There s a good chance we don t agree on much but please hear me out. You might even be someone who is as committed to his/her views as I am to mine. It s your freewill choice to think what you want, I respect that. However, I would love nothing better than to dissuade you of your skepticism. Without question, there is a God. Having faith in God, peace for your soul and hope for the future is the best way to live life. Since I can remember, I ve wondered what happens to me when I die. You may have your satisfactory answer but for many, death remains the great unknown fear. I believe everyone wants to be convinced God exists. More than anything I want this spiritual break-thru for you, too. I know, because it s what it took, a spiritual break-thru for me to believe God is real. I think this is a good place for us to find common ground: if there s a creation, there must be a Creator. Here s another point that shouldn t cause debate. The Planet Earth was created by a Superior Being and there is more evidence of His creative abilities The universe, and is especially breathtaking on a cloudless night. For some of us it takes only a couple of hours away from the city lights, and we are in for a spectacular view! As of lately, I do most of my traveling via the television and the internet. Fortunately, there are gifted scientists on TV these days who interpret what they ve learned of the universe in layman terms and concepts I can grasp. It reminds me of a cable show aired on the H2 or History 2 Channel, The Universe beyond the Big Bang. This gave me clarity, when it was said, the sciences answer the how and religion answers the why of life. As far as anyone knows, there s no end to the universe. I try to mentally explore it but it becomes too tough a brain-wrap and I ve reached my limit. When this happens, feel as though I need a shuttle back down to earth now, please! 1
We are a privileged generation to see beyond our solar system and to be able to gaze at the other galaxies in the Cosmos. They are stunning in color, dramatic in design and the quantity of stars that make up these galaxies, an incalculable number. Besides the one who created them, credit goes to the dedicated astronomers, astrophysicists, and technology experts not to mention the photographers for their incredible cinematography. Scientist say, looking out in space is like looking back in time. My mind can t stretch that far forcing me once again, to opt out. Due to the scope in size and wonderment of this other being s creations, I think He deserves a more appropriate title, The Almighty Creator. How powerful is He? To hold it all up in outer space s thin air! It only strikes me with more awe. Scientists say life exists because the earth is at a fixed degree perfectly positioned from the Sun. A deviation from this set number would burn us up or freeze us out of existence. The Big Bang has become the acceptable wisdom on how the universe started. I think it s a probability, this Almighty Creator had caused the Big Bang. I find the internet is a great source for information and for Him to have caused the universe He must have no beginning and here s why... cause and effect The universe requires a cause because it had a beginning. God, unlike the universe, had no beginning, no need for a cause. But it is self-evident that things that begin have a cause no-one really denies it in his heart. All science and history would collapse if this law of cause and effect were denied. So, would all law enforcement, if the police didn t think they needed to find a cause for a stabbed body or a burgled house. Also, the universe cannot be self-caused nothing can create itself, because that would mean that it existed before it came into existence, which is a logical absurdity. 1 For me, a being with no beginning is the hardest concept of all. After several lifetime attempts, I ve tried to stretch my imagination to comprehend it but felt my brain would explode and had to hop off that brain train. I m guessing you ve tried it, too. But, I get it and have to resign myself. My mind is finite and this Almighty Creator s mind is far beyond my mine. And God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM. And He said, Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you. Exodus 3:14 Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. John 8:58 2
From now on let s call this Superior Being, God. God alone can say I AM without saying anything more. And why? Because God alone is. Everybody and everything else in the world becomes: but God is. Powerful! We learned this in school at an early age. Our home Planet Earth, rotates every twenty-four hours and revolves the Sun Star, every 365 days. The Bible says in Genesis, Chapter 1, Vs 16, the Sun is the greater light ruling man by day and has this companion star called the moon, the lesser light to rule man by night. There are seven other planets on their own rotation and revolution of the Sun in our Solar System. 2 The Sun is huge in comparison to the Earth and the other seven planets but then it all gets dwarfed of significance in a billion-stars Milky Way Galaxy among other galaxies. The Sun is a major life source on earth but what about this other unique element that contributes to our existence, water. An extraordinary substance in three forms; liquid, solid and vapor. As much as the experts search for signs of water evidence on other planets the results decidedly come up, inconclusive. Of all the planets, God seems to place a premium on Planet Earth and mankind. Besides the universe, we can see firsthand the effects of Him on our own beautiful, bountiful planet. Inspired by God, Apostle Paul eloquently wrote, For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:20 All of creation shouts of His workmanship and the previous verse makes us accountable to know He exists. When it comes to life on other planets, I like to think of it this way. There very well might be life on other planets somewhere, but unless we get concrete evidence and/or somehow, it s revealed to us by the Almighty Himself, the answer is no and think we should leave it at that. The Spiritual. There is more to our existence than just the physical. It s the spiritual. I understand why humanity gets caught up in his physical world because we have much to do with it. Living our daily life requires much of our time, sometimes to near exhaustion. But, I feel this Spiritual component to our being is the best part of my message. The part of us that is often ignored. It s intangible, but, like the invisible wind and electricity we see the effects of both of these. Why can t the intangible, invisible be applied to our Creator? 3
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis Chapter 1, Vs 1. God is the name He gives Himself in the Bible s opening statement, verse 1. In the beginning God had set a time clock in motion. I also get a sense of His awesome power, strength and superior intelligence in verse 1, alone. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis Chapter 1, Vs 2. In verse 2, He says of Himself, The Spirit of God and that to me means invisible. This verse reminds me as an artist, myself and of the times I ve sat before a blank canvas or these days on the computer in front of an electronic blank drawing board. After reading the rest of the verses in Chapter 1, Vs 3-31. Verse after verse, all God had to do was say it and it appeared. This is awesome power! Everything was purposely created as God said, over and over, ten times. He is like the artist with every brush stroke embellishing, putting forth his vision in physical form. Planet Earth is His vision completed. We don t know why God is doing all this until verses 26-27, when man is created. It gets even more interesting. 26 Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis Chapter 1, Vs 26-27 My first chapter takeaway: It s the spiritual that gave birth to the physical. He set the timeclock in motion. God doesn t tell us every detail but I am guessing what He thinks are the most important. Because He s God, He has written all the laws of the universe. God s entity is made up of more than one person as suggested in, Let Us. Man is made in God s image and comes in two editions, male and female. Man has been given dominion over the animal kingdom. We read often, God saw that it was good. Can we conclude, He is a Good God who does good things? Lastly, made in His image implies a kinship relationship to Him and what a privilege that is! 4
To whet your appetite, in Chapter 2, God is a worker and work is good for mankind. After working six days. He sanctioned one day as a day of rest and to worship Him. We get a tremendous amount of information or the whys of life answered when reading the First Book of the Bible- Genesis, alone. In verse 22, woman-adam s companion is created and she is named Eve. I like that God s Word the Bible speaks to me like a storybook. It engages me and I get invested through my physical senses, emotions, intellect and imagination. After the Fall of Mankind in Chapter 3 and an introduction to Satan the evil one the rest of Bible tells us a lot of how God is working with mankind all the way to the end, the Book of Revelation. Mankind s story of redemption, Paradise Lost and Paradise Found. The Happy Ending, the good wins out as God is victorious over evil, Satan. My Break-thru Testimony. It was quite a while ago when I was in my early thirties I felt deflated, defeated and in spite of my efforts, getting further away from my dreams in life. Thought I was a good person, but too many inconsistencies for that to be an accurate statement. I had this striving to be perfection problem but always coming up short and it gnawed at me. Realizing now, I was searching for some truth because life confused me. I was reading anything and everything I thought could fix me but all of it faded into a useless goal. This one particular day, I felt so low all I could do was look up. I felt the need to empty myself to my perception of this Higher Being called God and I said to Him, I don t know what to do anymore. I think God honored it as my white flag surrender. Even though my soul knew, I was deserving of His condemnation. I was expecting rejection. Instead, something supernatural happened. Can t fully explain it but this peace flooded my whole being and my fighting nature ceased. My spirit/soul knew, I had an encounter with the God of the universe and it changed the trajectory of my life, forever. Didn t know it then, but I know it now, this was my spiritual break-thru. I brought nothing to God s table but my broken-ness. So, you see I have no bragging rights. Pride in my own goodness didn t get me feeling any closer to Him. I learned later my goodness is tainted with sin. I clearly see it s God s Grace all the way. I knew of a couple in A.A. who would invite people to a Friday Night 5
Bible Study and took them up on their offer. The rest is history as they say. Today, I know I can face death with the best hope because I have reconciled my regrets and failures to Him. I found hope for my soul in my Creator, Jesus Christ. How do I know Jesus Christ is my Creator? Please read these next few verses in the New Testament. 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1:5 This next verse should endear Jesus to us, because He came into the world, suffered our hardships in life and who else can they be talking about other than Jesus? 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 My relationship to God these days is much more personal because I ve gotten to know Him these past 25 years. I am hoping you might want to learn more on your own, before you reject Him. I say this with pain in my heart for you, eternity is a long time to exist in complete darkness and to miss out on the best ever vacation in your life, eternity in heaven. And He came down to earth out of love for mankind. Keep in mind even though this eternal vacation is at NO COST to you, it cost Jesus the punishment on the cross, a three days physical and spiritual separation from God the Father. His defeat over death by resurrection and ascension into heaven makes it the done deal. Jesus picked up our tab. God the Father s sin satisfaction has been paid in full. All Glory and Honor to Jesus. Even though you have rejected Him, reject Him still, He loves you with an everlasting love. His love is not fickle like mankind s love. Something that seems universal, to wonder about our death or eternity rest and in this next verse, we find God created us this way, to have this hole in our soul just for Him. To have had so much time to get to know Him but the time squandered. Don t do this to yourself. Take the leap of faith and learn from Him. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11 6
Disclaimer: Best we be sincerely humble when talking about your offenses to the Powerful God of the Universe. Confess and ask Him for forgiveness for your transgressions against a Holy and Righteous God. The best part, you get a brand-new beginning in life no matter your age. There s always plenty more good things with God as He doesn t disappoint. Once you have a spiritual break-thru or maybe you re just curious, it s important to get fed the Truth of His Word. 3 Love, Kathleen O Hara 1 My source for cause and effect: http://creation.com/if-god-created-the-universe-then-who-created-god 2 Some of us were taught there was a ninth planet Pluto. The International Astronomical Union ultimately decided in 2006 to call Pluto a "dwarf planet," reducing the list of "real planets" in our solar system to eight. 3 This is as a suggestion. It is best to get spiritually fed regularly, your new food for life. Do a Google search for the nearest, Bible believing church such as Evangelical or Nondenominational, and attend one of their services. I m sure of it, people willing to engage in conversation and/or answer any of your questions. Christians your new family of believers are nonjudgmental and the best loving group that can be found on the face of the planet. 7