The other day I came across an article in which the British actor Stephen Fry was interviewed. In it, the staunch atheist was asked what he would say to God if he was “confronted with God.” At first, his answer made me sad because I really like him as an actor. I first became aware of him through his very funny collaboration with Hugh Laurie (“House, M.D.”) in Jeeves and Wooster, their adaptation of P.G. Wodehouse’s series of short stories of a hapless aristocrat and his wise butler.
The more I thought about it, though, I started to realize how he answered is typical of how most atheists would respond to God, if they acknowledged his existence that is. So, today, I’m going to write an open reply to Mr. Fry and examine some of his statements.
“I’d say [to God], bone cancer in children? What’s that about?”
I understand what you’re getting at, Stephen. Cancer is an awful thing, cutting short too many lives left and right. It’s even more grotesque when you consider that children are not immune to its death grip. But, yet, I could ask you the same question: What about it?
What does the allowance of such reality mean about God other than that God lets reality be a free reality, where consequences, however good and however unfortunate, are free to happen? Your first question to God is based on the presupposition that life is supposed to be easy, painless and free from all strife with God’s intervention and prevention. You assume that if there is a God, then the existence of suffering, whether it is cancer or something else, is wrong and mean-spirited on God’s part.
This presupposition continues in your next statement.
“How dare you? How dare you create a world to which there is such misery that is not our fault. It’s not right, it’s utterly, utterly evil.”
First, I’d ask you where you got this idea of “evil” from if there’s no God. If there’s no God, then there’s no such thing as good or evil. There’s just our reality with all of its good and bad bits. Every action is equally appropriate in respect to the reality when there is no higher immutable standard of morality, only what we as a human collective decide is right or wrong at any given time.
If there’s no God, then there’s no such thing as good or evil. There’s just our reality with all of its good and bad bits.
Additionally, while I would agree with you in the fact that the world is populated with people who are under such misery that is not their fault, it is not accurate to say all the world’s misery is all God’s fault and none of ours. We live in a world where we possess free will, the ability to do whatever we want, and sometimes other peoples’ free will collide with ours in such violent ways that cause misery to emanate from the collision. For instance, I have the ability of being an adult of legal drinking age to purchase alcohol. I also have the freedom to drink as much as I want. I also have the freedom to jump in my car and try to drive myself home. Unfortunately, in my drunkenness, I caused a car accident that claimed the life of someone else who was innocently driving home at the time. Let’s be clear here. I caused the misery, not God. I’m the reason that this particular misery exists in the world, not God.
Here is an important statement I will concede to you, however: While I may have caused the misery to myself and others, God did allow it to happen. Why?
In order to have free will, you need a free reality. Free consequence is a necessary component for a free reality–even the consequences we seemingly couldn’t help or do not deserve, but were free to happen, like cancer. But let me be clear here. Consequence isn’t always about fault with us, nor a blame towards God. Cause-and-effect are free to happen, just like gravity will always make things fall down. This doesn’t mean God set terrible things up to happen nor does it mean that God doesn’t care about the effects of our savage collisions with each other. Quite the contrary.
Be careful with your assertions, Stephen. Do not assume that the presence of misery among men would be an indication that any such God must be evil.
“Why should I respect a capricious, mean-minded, stupid God who creates a world that is so full of injustice and pain. That’s what I would say.”
I’d be careful who you’re calling stupid, Stephen. In my last section, I hope I showed you that God did not create a world that was full of injustice and pain. As a matter of fact as Genesis says, God made the world “very good” (Gen. 1:31).
Be careful with your assertions, Stephen. Do not assume that the presence of misery among men would be an indication that any such God must be evil.
The Bible also makes it very clear that God is the opposite thing of capricious. In fact, He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow (Heb. 13:8). He is also interested in justice. In fact, a deep analysis of the Old Testament will show that God had the most progressive laws and policies towards women, children, slaves, the poor and underrepresented. His heart is indeed most focused on those who are on the fringes of society. Don’t believe me? Read the Bible. There are over 2,000 verses in the Bible that are dedicated to children and poverty. One of my favorites is Deuteronomy 15:11.
[When asked if he thought he’d get in Heaven] “But I wouldn’t want to. I wouldn’t want to get in on his terms. They are wrong.”
Do you understand, Stephen, that eternity is a long time? You can have an eternity of peace or an eternity of regret. Don’t make the arrogant assumption that you know more and better than your Creator. His terms are His terms. Once you’ve created your own universe, you can do what you want. God so respects your ability to choose your own future that He will respect your choice for eternity: life with Him or life without Him. Spoiler alert: Life without Him is not the most pleasant thing seeing that all good flows from Him.
Don’t make the arrogant assumption that you know more and better than your Creator.
I want to also touch on, one more time, the ideas of misery, injustice, and pain since those are things that you are obviously the most concerned about. I want to make sure you understand that even though this current world is full of those awful things, it is not the end result. God has fully planned for a way for us to not to have to deal with those things forever; God does not intend for things to remain the way they are. Temporarily, yes, but what is a few years compared to eternity of full justice and peace?
Ironically, God’s plan included pain, misery, suffering, and even death – the very things that you rail against – for Himself in the form of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the cross. Why, what for? Well, for eternal justice and freedom from death and pain – like bone cancer in children – for us, the people you claim are under the yoke of a mean-spirited God.
God’s terms mean that “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” [Rev. 21:4]
So, yes, I think you would want to get in Heaven.
“So, atheism isn’t not just about not believing there’s a God, but on the assumption there is one, what kind of God is he?”
You tell me, Stephen.
Sincerely,
Matt
atheismcancerDeuteronomydivine planevilfreedomfreewillGenesisGodgoodheavenHebrewsinjusticejusticeplanrealityRevelation
My Reply to Stephen Fry
February 2, 2015
Devotionals
Comments Off on My Reply to Stephen Fry
Matt
The other day I came across an article in which the British actor Stephen Fry was interviewed. In it, the staunch atheist was asked what he would say to God if he was “confronted with God.” At first, his answer made me sad because I really like him as an actor. I first became aware of him through his very funny collaboration with Hugh Laurie (“House, M.D.”) in Jeeves and Wooster, their adaptation of P.G. Wodehouse’s series of short stories of a hapless aristocrat and his wise butler.
The more I thought about it, though, I started to realize how he answered is typical of how most atheists would respond to God, if they acknowledged his existence that is. So, today, I’m going to write an open reply to Mr. Fry and examine some of his statements.
“I’d say [to God], bone cancer in children? What’s that about?”
I understand what you’re getting at, Stephen. Cancer is an awful thing, cutting short too many lives left and right. It’s even more grotesque when you consider that children are not immune to its death grip. But, yet, I could ask you the same question: What about it?
What does the allowance of such reality mean about God other than that God lets reality be a free reality, where consequences, however good and however unfortunate, are free to happen? Your first question to God is based on the presupposition that life is supposed to be easy, painless and free from all strife with God’s intervention and prevention. You assume that if there is a God, then the existence of suffering, whether it is cancer or something else, is wrong and mean-spirited on God’s part.
This presupposition continues in your next statement.
“How dare you? How dare you create a world to which there is such misery that is not our fault. It’s not right, it’s utterly, utterly evil.”
First, I’d ask you where you got this idea of “evil” from if there’s no God. If there’s no God, then there’s no such thing as good or evil. There’s just our reality with all of its good and bad bits. Every action is equally appropriate in respect to the reality when there is no higher immutable standard of morality, only what we as a human collective decide is right or wrong at any given time.
Additionally, while I would agree with you in the fact that the world is populated with people who are under such misery that is not their fault, it is not accurate to say all the world’s misery is all God’s fault and none of ours. We live in a world where we possess free will, the ability to do whatever we want, and sometimes other peoples’ free will collide with ours in such violent ways that cause misery to emanate from the collision. For instance, I have the ability of being an adult of legal drinking age to purchase alcohol. I also have the freedom to drink as much as I want. I also have the freedom to jump in my car and try to drive myself home. Unfortunately, in my drunkenness, I caused a car accident that claimed the life of someone else who was innocently driving home at the time. Let’s be clear here. I caused the misery, not God. I’m the reason that this particular misery exists in the world, not God.
Here is an important statement I will concede to you, however: While I may have caused the misery to myself and others, God did allow it to happen. Why?
In order to have free will, you need a free reality. Free consequence is a necessary component for a free reality–even the consequences we seemingly couldn’t help or do not deserve, but were free to happen, like cancer. But let me be clear here. Consequence isn’t always about fault with us, nor a blame towards God. Cause-and-effect are free to happen, just like gravity will always make things fall down. This doesn’t mean God set terrible things up to happen nor does it mean that God doesn’t care about the effects of our savage collisions with each other. Quite the contrary.
Be careful with your assertions, Stephen. Do not assume that the presence of misery among men would be an indication that any such God must be evil.
“Why should I respect a capricious, mean-minded, stupid God who creates a world that is so full of injustice and pain. That’s what I would say.”
I’d be careful who you’re calling stupid, Stephen. In my last section, I hope I showed you that God did not create a world that was full of injustice and pain. As a matter of fact as Genesis says, God made the world “very good” (Gen. 1:31).
The Bible also makes it very clear that God is the opposite thing of capricious. In fact, He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow (Heb. 13:8). He is also interested in justice. In fact, a deep analysis of the Old Testament will show that God had the most progressive laws and policies towards women, children, slaves, the poor and underrepresented. His heart is indeed most focused on those who are on the fringes of society. Don’t believe me? Read the Bible. There are over 2,000 verses in the Bible that are dedicated to children and poverty. One of my favorites is Deuteronomy 15:11.
[When asked if he thought he’d get in Heaven] “But I wouldn’t want to. I wouldn’t want to get in on his terms. They are wrong.”
Do you understand, Stephen, that eternity is a long time? You can have an eternity of peace or an eternity of regret. Don’t make the arrogant assumption that you know more and better than your Creator. His terms are His terms. Once you’ve created your own universe, you can do what you want. God so respects your ability to choose your own future that He will respect your choice for eternity: life with Him or life without Him. Spoiler alert: Life without Him is not the most pleasant thing seeing that all good flows from Him.
I want to also touch on, one more time, the ideas of misery, injustice, and pain since those are things that you are obviously the most concerned about. I want to make sure you understand that even though this current world is full of those awful things, it is not the end result. God has fully planned for a way for us to not to have to deal with those things forever; God does not intend for things to remain the way they are. Temporarily, yes, but what is a few years compared to eternity of full justice and peace?
Ironically, God’s plan included pain, misery, suffering, and even death – the very things that you rail against – for Himself in the form of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the cross. Why, what for? Well, for eternal justice and freedom from death and pain – like bone cancer in children – for us, the people you claim are under the yoke of a mean-spirited God.
God’s terms mean that “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” [Rev. 21:4]
So, yes, I think you would want to get in Heaven.
“So, atheism isn’t not just about not believing there’s a God, but on the assumption there is one, what kind of God is he?”
You tell me, Stephen.
Sincerely,
Matt
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