How About Some More of That Free Pizza? (an article from 2009)
April 18th, 2011 by BEBloggerFrom a December 12, 2008 Collegian article, I gather atheism is alive and well in Happy Valley. In front of Old Main on December 11, the Penn State Atheist and Agnostic Association offered free pizza to anyone willing to blaspheme the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
On one level this bothers me, as it does anyone whose most cherished beliefs are attacked. On another level, I expect such attacks, since the Scriptures tell us they will happen. On yet another level I can consign this episode to the ranks of a shallow and hypocritical medicine show.
First of all, atheists often claim they are not “anti-religious,” but merely want tolerance as free thinkers. Fair enough; but if bribing passersby to blaspheme God is not anti-religious, what is it? And for those atheists who disdain religious proselytizing, why the attempt to tap allegiance through offering free pizza?
The second reason I shrug off this episode is its predictability. Atheists and assorted non-believers may claim all religions are foolish, but invariably center their attacks on Christianity. Again I think this occurs for at least two reasons.
First, it is safe. Last year Random House canceled publication of the book The Jewel of Medina because they feared its racy portrayal of Mohammed’s child bride Aisha “could incite acts of violence by a small, radical segment.”
After publishing a cartoon that some (including me) thought derogatory toward Jesus, Dilbert creator Scott Adams was asked why he didn’t mock Mohammed in his strip. His reply? Though he defended his treatment of Jesus, he didn’t mock Mohammed for “the blindingly obvious reason that I prefer life over death.”
The point is atheists target Christians because doing so is safe. When will atheists stand in front of Old Main and offer pizza to anyone willing to blaspheme Allah? Not any time soon.
But the antagonism against Christianity runs even more deeply than this. Perhaps atheists target Christianity not only because it is safe to do so, but because they fear it is true. Unlike nearly all other religions, Christianity is a religion of history. Places, names, dates, political conditions, and historical references give the Bible an air of authority and veracity not found in other sacred writings. In addition, our God Jesus Christ, coming to earth in space and time, directly confronts us and exposes our guilt and need for salvation. Attacks on Christianity are thus motivated by a desire to suppress God’s truth while preserving man’s pretensions to demi-god, self-savior status.
Christian, don’t fear the atheist. He has more to fear than do you. Psalm 2 reminds us God laughs at those who dare rebel against Him and His Christ, and will judge them at the proper time. In the meantime, if you’re waiting for the Penn State Atheist and Agnostic Association to offer free pizza in exchange for blaspheming Allah, don’t hold your breath.