"All His Thoughts Are, There Is No God" (Psalm 10:4)

An atheistic stance has ancient roots, as the quotation in our title illustrates. In similar vein David wrote in Ps. 14:1 "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God". Asaph also represented the wicked as saying, "How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the Most Hi2h?" (73:11).

The basic darkness and rebellion seen in such attitudes have serious effects in the individual lives of those who adopt them. There is doubtless a percentage of such people in most societies. But in today's world we are faced with governments which are officially atheistic regimes. The USSR is one of these, and through its political system and education policy it seeks to condition millions under its control to accept that there is no God. Freedom of belief is formally enshrined in the constitution, but in practice there has been rigid regulation of churches, synagogues and mosques. Christian churches may function if they register their congregations with the government and do not challenge the prescribed bans on pastoral education, evangelism and distribution of Christian literature. Severe persecution has been experienced mainly by believers who refuse to accept government controls.

From childhood young people are subjected to cleverly orchestrated policies of education in atheism. Yet "religious education" of children under eighteen is illegal! Parents are forbidden to teach their children from God's word or teach them to pray. For defying such restrictions some Christian parents have had their children taken from them to be brought up as atheists in State-run boarding schools. How heart-broken devout believers must feel at such drastic penalties! Doubtless some will be encouraged by the example of Amram and Jochebed whose influence on young Moses before he was taken from their personal care proved to be so deep and lasting. Despite the Idolatrous background of his training in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, Moses when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.

Gospel broadcasts are today reaching listeners in atheistic states of Eastern Europe as well as the USSR. A letter received from some members of

the Young Communist League in Russia in response to these broadcasts illustrates the effect of education in atheism. They wrote: "We decided to write to you after listening to your programmes. Please answer our questions. What is the goal of your broadcasts? Every soviet man knows that god does not exist and that everything you say is a lie. Science proved long ago that god did not create man. Indeed man dreamed up god for himself. In our opinion your broadcasts are foolish. In vain you try to persuade and influence us about god. Only 'dark and simple' people speak positively about your programmes. We speak out in protest against them"(small g for God as printed!).

How effectively Satan has blinded the minds of these young people, lest "the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" should dawn upon them! Yet our constant prayer must be that the Holy Spirit will use the message to convict some of sin and righteousness and judgement, and reveal to them the Saviour of sinners. We cannot be too thankful for evidence that many young people in these countries have realized the spiritual bankruptcy of marxist atheistic thought, and turned to God for salvation as the truth of the gospel has reached them.

There has been a significant shift of policy in USSR since the advent of power of Mikhail Gorbachev. He has called for a greater openness, and taken a more lenient line towards certain dissidents. Perhaps some who have been penalized for religious reasons had hoped this might signal a change for the better in the government's attitude to them. But not so! After twenty-two months in office Mr. Gorbachev made his first public reference to religion. He called for a "firm and uncompromising struggle against religious phenomena

We must be strict above all with Communists and senior officials, particularly those who say they defend our morality and ideals but in fact help promote backward views and themselves take part in religious ceremonies".

The Psalmist's word seems appropriate: "All his thoughts are, There is no God". Yet divine truth towers majestically over all human reasoning, and all will yet acknowledge, "from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside Me: I am the LORD, and there is none else (Is. 45:6).

unknown | Aug 1987
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