Ken Ham Urges Christians to Learn About False Religions Like Atheism
Generations of Christians indoctrinated with an atheistic worldview need to understand false religions like atheism to reach the lost with biblical truths, Answers in Genesis President Ken Ham says.
“One religion that has grown in numbers and cultural significance is atheism,” Ham posted on his Facebook page. “Now, why would we even call atheism a religion? (Answers in Genesis) points out that as a non-theistic religion, atheism is a belief system that attempts to explain everything in our world, including how the universe came to be and how one should relate to his fellow humans.
“As such, it’s a naturalistic, comprehensive worldview (as opposed to a supernatural one) often referred to as secular humanism. Generations of our young people, including many in our churches, have been educated in government-run schools in the religious view of naturalism, which in reality is atheism.”
At a time when the number of religiously unaffiliated Americans is on the rise, Ham says it’s more important than ever for Christians to understand false religions, including non-theistic ones like atheism, because many have “grown in such significance that they have helped the culture lurch into increased secularization.”
“And then armed with this helpful background, Christians can better reach secularized people with biblical truths, especially the saving gospel message,” Ham says.
A study released this week by the Pew Research Center found the percentage of Americans who say they believe in God has dropped from 92 percent in 2007 to 89 percent now. More than 62 percent of Americans say humans evolved over time, while 34 percent say people have always existed in their present form, the study found.
In an article posted on the Answers in Genesis website, “Understanding a World of Beliefs,” Ham and Mark Looy wrote that many Western nations, once very Christianized, are now secularized.
“For Christians, it is instructive to understand the paradox that occurred in this shift: the key role that various religions played in the secularization of Western cultures,” Ham and Looy wrote. “All Christians should make it a point to understand the other faiths and learn how to witness to their adherents.”
Learn more about how to reach out to people with different belief systems in this video.