War: Only One Common Thread

Watching several debates over the last few years has been very informative, particularly when it comes to the formalized allegation against people of faith. Most of the debates I’ve watched have pitted atheism against theism as the two opposing parties fend for one position or another before an intellectually hungry audience.

The allegations, however, are always the same; “religion is responsible for the greatest atrocities of history and therefore,” so goes the argument, “all religion is bad.”  The implications is, if not already too obvious, “get rid of religion and we rid ourselves of those atrocities that bear the religious banner.”

Answering such an allegation isn't that difficult. In fact, pointing to the fact that atheistic regimes have killed and oppressed exponentially more people than religious folk says it all; but we still have evil and war. So what is the problem?

The issue that I want to discuss here may not be “obvious” to some; but I think it warrants some thought.  Perhaps the first thing we should do, if possible, is find a common denominator.  Religion can’t be the common denominator because atheists have killed their multiplied millions. The common denominator can’t be atheism either; because while their atrocities outweigh the religious ones exponentially, they still have quite a few to their own credit.

The one common denominator, the most basic reason for war, without any further explanation at this point, is the inherent evil within man. Inherent evil, is such a part of our being that to deny it is to deny the obvious. G.K. Chesterton was once asked by a distraught letter writer, “Mr. Chesterton, what is wrong with the world!?” Chesterton wasted no time and responded with the simplest of responses, “I am.”

Even the renown physicist Stephen Hawking, an agnostic at best, chimes in on the basic condition of the human heart.  “The trouble is,” he writes, “our aggressive instincts seem to be encoded in our DNA…unless we can use our intelligence to control our aggression, there is not much chance for the human race.” (Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays, p.137) While Hawking would probably take issue with defining the problem as “sin,” he does concede an inherent, serious and universal problem that threatens our very existence if not resolved.

The problem is universal, inherent, and recognized by the “brainiest” among us. It seems that this common denominator suggests that we as human beings are “broken” and no answer, at least judicially and/or politically, is available.

That is where the biblical account of the Fall comes in. It explains the origin of our deep-rooted problem and defines it as sin. Our historical separation from our creator at the historical Fall had some very logical fallout. As a result, we are now at war with God, with ourselves and with our fellow man. We want our autonomy from God and it comes with a great price. War seems as natural to human nature as talking; and the common thread that links it to every era, including our own, is the inherent, universal and deep-rooted sin nature.

Tony Watts

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