Who killed JFK?-Ray Comfort <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

"[We are being] told that our atheism is an 'intellectual embarrassment' by a man who actually believes that he's going to literally fly in the air like some kind of bird one fine day: 'For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord' (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). As an atheist I love it when Christians try to lecture me about the logic of atheism!" C.H. If you think human beings being able to fly is crazy, think about what you and your fellow unbelievers believe. A staunch atheist believes that there isn't a "creation," that nothing was "designed," neither was it "created" or "made." He also believes that he has no beliefs, because that would mean that he has some sort of "faith," which is another word that has connotations about you-know-Who. When pressed about his beliefs, the average atheist will admit that he believes that 14.5 billion years ago the universe came into being, from something. But he doesn't know what the "something" was, although he is adamant that it wasn't God. Then, through the miracle of evolution, the something that wasn't God brought into being everything we see. Someone once said that (with all our technology) we have trouble trying to figure out who killed JFK. That was only 45 or so years ago, and 14.5 billion years is a long time to be sure of anything. A mere million years ago is a long time, let alone more than 14 thousand million years, but that's what's necessary for the miracle of evolution to work. Of course, that figure has changed a number of times in recent history, and no doubt in a 100 years time, science will laugh at what is now believed. I choose rather to call creation "creation," and to love and serve the Creator who bought creation into being. I have no trouble believing that He made man as male and female, and that He gave them the ability to procreate after their own kind. I have no trouble believing that He brought animals to Noah, flooded the earth to the highest mountain, opened the Red Sea, stopped the mouths of Daniel's lions, guided the stone from David's sling, fed the 5,000 fresh bread and fish, died on a cruel cross for our sins, and then rose from the dead on the third day. It's easy to believe in miracles because I see the unspeakable genius of God's handiwork every time I watch a bird fly. It has been 100 years since we first flew, yet we still can't make a plane land with the agility of the common sparrow. In most modern landings someone is gripping the armrest, and most thank God when they hear the "thud" as we come back to earth.

The atheist and faith

"'Faith' -- as far as I can see from general practice, and from your use of the word -- implies 'beliefs one holds without being conscious of any good logical or evidentiary reasons for holding that belief.'" JSKBanks are built on faith. You trust the bank with your money. Wall Street is build on trust. Marriage is built on trust. If you lose faith in your marriage partner (you don't trust him or her) you have in essence lost your marriage. Friendships are built on trust. If I don't trust you and you don't trust me, then we have no basis for a friendship. Trust is what holds a doctor-and-patient relationship together like hyphenations. Trust is what you exercise every time you swallow a pill or receive a booster shot. Faith is there when you allow your dentist to drill and fill. You trust both his ability and his integrity. It's there when you let a surgeon operate, or when you let a stranger prepare your food in a restaurant or at a drive-through. You trust that his hands are clean and that the food is fresh. You have trust when you ride a rollercoaster, or put on a parachute, when you cross a bridge, or fly in a plane. You have faith in your car when you drive it, in the gasoline when you pump it, and when you put on its brakes. You trust the driver on the other side of a yellow line will stay on his side of the road. You have trust when you sit down on a chair, drink a can of coke, bite into a candy bar, or spread ketchup on hot fries. We have faith in history books, science books, newspapers, and often a misplaced trust in politicians. We even trust elevators, knowing that they can let us down. Trust me, there are some people who don't know the meaning of trust in God, despite having it written on our currency. They think that someone who has faith in God "believes" in His existence, without a hint of evidence. However, eternal life comes from trusting in the person of Jesus Christ, not simply in a belief in His historical existence. Look at how the Bible differentiates belief from an implicate trust: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is [a belief in His existence--clearly evidenced by creation to all but a fool--see Psalm 14:1, Romans 1:20], and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (trust]." (Hebrews 11:6).If a man refused to have trust, he wouldn't cross a bridge, ride an elevator, fly in a plane, go to a doctor, or use a banker. Such a person would live in paranoia. I knew a man like that once. He was an atheist. He was afraid to fly. He was afraid of crowds because he thought someone might try and kill him. He was so paranoid, he didn't even use his real name.May you and I always remember how "trust" is the oxygen of human relationships. It is the oil that makes things work, and it's the means of exchange between God and man.