Are There Any Real Atheists? I personally have my doubts.

Atheist - One who disbelieves or denies the existence of a God, or supreme intelligent Being.
Are there really any true atheists? As strictly defined, I am sure that there are some. But, based on behaviors, I personally have my doubts.

LOS ANGELES, CA - There are a lot of people that deny the existence of God as defined by the world's major religions (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.). But, does that mean they don't have their 'gods'? I don't think so.

What do I mean by that? If we look at those that do not believe in God, one usually finds that they do believe in, and worship, something. Probably one of the most common subjects of worship is money - are these people, then, monotheists? They put the acquisition of money, the love of money, above everything else. They are the ones that would 'sell their mothers' if they thought they would make a profit. They may not believe in my God, but they certainly worship and sacrifice to the money god.

Light a virtual candle in prayer

Then, there are those that worship fame - are they fameists? You know these people. They sell their souls (and usually their bodies) to whomever for fame. They don't care if their reputation is good or bad, as long as they have one, and people talk about them. Frequently, they get their notoriety by saying or doing things that disgust most people.

And, common among scientists, are the people that worship mathematical equations - aequateists? These individuals believe that their equations show there is no God. They can calculate everything. With their numbers and symbols, no mystery is too great for them. 'Don't worry, my equations will give you all the answers' they say.

What about worshipers of the state? These are statistics. They believe that an all powerful government is all good. Government will solve all your problems. Government will take care of you. Government is always right. Government will take the place of God.

In actual fact, all of these people are violating the First Commandment - 'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them.' They are worshiping man made idols, no different from the golden calf or the asherim. They are all looking at and worshiping non-living gods, instead of the one living and true God.

It is easy to fall into this trap. You think you are doing for the good of your family. Or you are working for a secure future. Or, you are fighting your insecurities, your inner demons. If you are using any of these excuses to turn from God, you are losing the battle with evil. And, unfortunately, falling into the sin of pride, thinking that you do not need God, is frequently the next step.

If you find yourself in this position, pray. Get on your knees and pray. Go to Church, kneel at the altar in front of Jesus, and pray. Pray for forgiveness. Pray that you do not end up turning your back on God, and losing his grace of faith.

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