What Fools Say
“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good” (Psalm 53:1). The foolish person relishes the thought “in his heart” that there is no such being as God. Those who are corrupt and do abominable wickedness do not want to be answerable to God, so they simply deny His existence.
However, it is absurd and foolish to deny God’s existence in light of clear evidence to the contrary. One piece of evidence is the moral argument for the existence of God. The moral argument is outlined as follows: 1) If objective moral values exist, then God exists; 2) Objective moral values do exist; 3) Therefore, God exists.
The word “objective,” as it relates to the moral argument, means that moral values exist independent of human feelings, prejudices, or reasoning. In other words, some things are always wrong, regardless of how people feel or reason about those things. Even those who deny God’s existence agree that it would be wrong to torture children for fun, rape, rob, or murder others. These moral values are real and continue to exist, regardless of how others reason or feel about them. That is, these moral values are “objective.”
Suppose a man develops feelings of anger and resentment because he suffers misfortune in life, and decides that he will unleash his anger on innocent people. The angry man then breaks into the home of an elderly couple, and proceeds to beat and rob the couple. The actions of that man would be “objectively” wrong, even if the man thought he had a “good reason” for doing what he did.
But what (or who) is the basis of objective moral values? If there are moral values that exist independent of human feelings or reasoning, what is the source of such values? To say that man is the source of moral values is to say that morals are subjective, not objective. If human beings decide what is morally acceptable, then, a man who decides that rape is a good alternative to consensual sex with a spouse, should not be held accountable. How could the man’s actions be condemned, if man is the source of his own morality?
There is only one viable solution to this moral dilemma: God exists, and His nature and will are the source for objective moral values. “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:8). God is the source of objective moral values. Denying this evident truth is foolish.
