Have You Settled for Being a “Functional Atheist”? (Psalm 9-11)

A Few Thoughts to Consider

Have you ever wondered why God allows evil people to hurt good people?  

The psalms give us a wonderful collection of ups and downs. In Psalm 9, David recounts all God has done. But then, in Psalm 10:1, an anonymous psalmist asks the tough question many ask in times of turmoil: “LORD, why do you stand so far away?”

The great British mathematician, philosopher, logician, and committed atheist Bertrand Russell was once asked what he would say to God if he met him in an afterlife. Russell responded by saying he would ask, “Sir, why did you take such pains to hide yourself?”

Peter C. Craigie observes that “Of all the striking themes raised in Pss 9–10, there is none so provocative and haunting as that of atheism.” He goes on to say that,

It is not the theoretical issue of atheism which is raised here, but practical or functional atheism, which is a much more dangerous and sinister matter for the theist. The functional atheist is not concerned so much with the theoretical question as to the existence of God; rather, he lives and behaves as if God did not exist. Indeed, the functional atheist may well admit the theoretical possibility that God does exist, but affirms by his speech and behavior that such existence is irrelevant.[1]

Craigie’s point is profound because functional atheism is a massive challenge for followers of Christ today. According to Pew Research, only 4% of Americans consider themselves atheists.[2] However, a study by Probe Ministries found that 70% of professing American Christians do not believe Jesus is the only way to God.[3] Ask the average American if they consider themselves spiritual, and most will say yes. Unfortunately, functional atheism is prevalent, and many say they believe in God, but then they live as though he does not exist.

Functional atheism is often a slow drift. Perhaps you once loved God, but because of some terrible life experiences, you struggle to understand why a good, all-powerful God would allow so much evil. Craigie writes, “It is easy to say that God exists, to affirm that morality matters, to believe in divine and human justice, but the words carry a hollow echo when the empirical reality of human living indicates precisely the opposite.”^[4]