Apologetics
A Sense of Purpose
The Humanist Manifesto II proudly declares that there is no divine purpose in life. We alone are responsible for what we are or will be. "No deity will save us; we must save ourselves." If there is to be any purpose or meaning to life, it will be solely decided by humans. How do they know this? They don’t.
Humanists have a problem. Who ultimately decides meaning and purpose? Who decides what is right or wrong? If it is all up to humans, then what happens when we disagree? If there is no standard for values and morality, for purpose and meaning in life, then we are in trouble. "We decide," one might respond. But what if another "we" decide something different? What if they think the first "we" are dangerous and need to be eliminated?
Humanists get upset at "religious" people who try to "push" their morality on others. How dare anyone who believes in God to declare meaning, purpose, or values for others. Yet, humanist propoganda is filled with the language of how we "ought" to live or what we "should" or "should not" do. They can fuss about theists pushing morality, but they do a little pushing of their own.
In truth, we humans all have a sense of what is right or wrong. We all have a sense that there should be purpose and meaning to life. Where does this come from? How can evolution possibly explain such a sense? Why is it that of all sentient beings, humans are the ones who struggle with purpose? After all, how many of us have seen dogs and cats debating the meaning of life?
Left to their own devices, humans have not been very successful in figuring out why they are here. In some cases, the results have been tragic. Whenever God has been taken from the picture, humanity has delved deeper into misery. "But look at all the evil caused by religious fanatics of the past." True. Look at it. It only serves to bolster the point, for those engaging in evil in the name of religion are not doing so based on the truth about God.
I would challenge any atheist to explain the purpose of life on this earth. If we are products of chance evolution, and if, when we die, there is nothing else beyond this life, then what is the point? Why would human life be any different than the lives of cockroaches? What ultimate difference would it make if we lived our lives like Hitler? Who can say that it would be wrong?
Most, at some point, will ask the big questions of life: Who are we? Why are we here? Where are we going? I submit that humanists/atheists cannot sufficiently deal with these questions. They try in vain, but, to borrow from Ingersoll, all they hear is the echo of their wailing cry. In contradistinction, the Scriptures contain sufficient answers for all of these questions. God gives purpose and meaning. He gives a reason to live, to live, and to work. He gives a hope that can never be matched by a humanist agenda.
So, I suggest to you that our real sense of purpose comes from God. We may try to deny this, but even without God we will try to figure out why we are here. But then we will keep coming up with empty answers. One wise man put it this way: "Vanity of vanities; all is vanity."
When all is said and done, the conclusion is this: "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole of man" (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
Doy Moyer
July 2000