Pastor Mark Driscoll: “Atheism: Unyielding Despair”

There are various ways of seeing God. There are, in fact, basically five. We’ll call them worldviews. Ways of viewing the world and your place in it, in relation to God, and what ensues after this life. The first is atheism. -Theos, God. A-, not. So atheism is that there is no God. There is no God. Now, if that is the case, then this life is all with God. There’s no God who made us. There’s no God who knows us. There’s no God who’s come for us. There’s no God to comfort us. And when we die, there’s no God to greet us. Just this life. That’s all that there is. Philosophically, if worked out to its logical conclusion, this is a horrific way to live your life. I’ll give you two quotes. The first is from Bertrand Russell, the “great” atheistic philosopher. I put “great” in quotes, at in my mind. He says this, “That Man is the product of causes which had no prevision of the end they were achieving; that his origin, his growth, his hopes and fears, his loves and his beliefs, are but the outcome of accidental collocations of atoms; that no fire, no heroism, no intensity of thought and feeling, can preserve an individual life beyond the grave; that all the labours of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast death of the solar system, and that the whole temple of Man’s achievement must inevitably be buried beneath the debris of a universe in ruins — all these things, if not quite beyond dispute, are yet so nearly certain, that no philosophy which rejects them can hope to stand. Only within the scaffolding of these truths, only on the firm foundation of unyielding despair, can the soul’s habitation henceforth be safely built.”

Pastor Mark Driscoll, “Atheism: Unyielding Despair” (2010)

We can ignore the humorous theatrical props in the context of the preaching 14 years ago, because, if you look at the newest church, Trinity Church, after the fall of Mars Hill Church, the interior decor and design of the performances are mores what they were: Pastor Mark Driscoll never changed. Let’s begin on commenting, Driscoll remarks on the various ways to see God, the definitions of God, and the, basically, the emotional benefits of believing in God, supposedly. As with most Christian performers, you see the basic premise: Define and frame. It’s not argumentation, evidence, or the like. He’s defining atheism and theism, God, and Christianity. He’s framing Christianity as a benefit emotionally and psychologically. That’s not argumentation or evidence. It’s sophistry. God makes us feel good, as in the God coming for you, making you, knowing you, greeting you, comforting you, and a non-horrific life to live. Look at those people who do not believe what we believe, it’s a “horrific way to live your life.” In short, demonize The Other: atheists. He did quote Bertrand Russell correctly from “A Free Man’s Worship.” If he had referenced the actual article, it may have given his worshippers to read more fully the context. However, a bonus point for Driscoll for correct quoting for sure. He continues:

Here is what he saying, “There is no God. You come from nowhere and no one. You are here for no purpose. If you are hurting or suffering, there is no one to help you or rescue you or comfort you. And when you die, there is nothing awaiting you.”

This seems more or less true, at least in the first sentence, as this amounts to the description of an atheist. Yet, on the premise of nowhere and no one, that makes no sense. Russell is a product of the contemporary period and produced some of it, too. Evolutionary, we came from a long line in the Tree of Life and came from out parents and proto-human ancestors. That’s non-controversial. So, Driscoll isn’t even trying to be fair in this presentation. If the person has loved ones, they have people to help them and comfort them. The evidence seems to show no one awaiting at death. If you do simply assert, as in the Christian claim, then, of course, no one awaits you. He goes on:

What he is saying, “This is the scaffolding for life.” The foundation he says is “unyielding despair.” Richard Dawkins, a more modern day atheist was asked the question, “Doesn’t your worldview leave you to be depressed?” Here’s what he said, “I don’t feel depressed about it. But if somebody does, that’s their problem.” Maybe, the logic is deeply pessimistic. Maybe? The universe is bleak, cold, and empty. But so what? Bleak, cold, and empty, but so what? Logically consistent, emotionally deadly. You come from no one. You come from nowhere. You are here for nothing. No one can save you.

Driscoll and others present as intellectually that which is appealing to the emotions. It’s not that Dawkins or Russell are wrong, but that Russell and Dawkins present something purportedly “emotionally deadly.” It’s not. Simply because on acknowledges no cosmic meaning to life, it doesn’t negate one’s personal valences or the deliciousness of listening to Bach or the sweetness of dark chocolate. These non-sequiturs are merely this, attempts to scare individual members of the flock from fleeing or considering others, and then, in turn, stereotyping atheists. This is the problem. Atheists are a negatively stereotyped population in the North America. These come with a lot of derivative negative emotions and beliefs in te negative social consequences and views cropping out of a single view. Driscoll exemplifies this:

Might makes right, only the fittest survive. If you’re losing, it’s because you’re a loser. If it’s your pain, it is for progress. And so be destroyed in the name of forward advancement. And when you die, there is nothing. There is no one. You go nowhere. The universe is cold, bleak, and empty. But so what? Build your life on unyielding despair. You ever wonder why atheists don’t have great songs? That’s why. Now, where this leads, inevitably, is that when your life really hurts, you’re struggling, you’re hurting, you’re physically injured, you’re diagnosed with cancer, your marriage is in shambles. Your loved one has betrayed you. Your children are wayward. Your boss fires you. You’re nearing your end. Emotionally, you’re undone. Maybe you’re just a tender-hearted, conscienced person, and just life on the earth is very difficult for you. Here’s where you end up going with this ideology: Depression, you’re just depressed. You’re just depressed. It is why the number one category of prescription medications is antidepressants. Not saying that all medication is a sin, but a lot of medication is a functional saviour.

It’s a clean means by which to take all of the social ills in a nation, perceived and actual, and then encapsulate them into a singular poison: Atheism. His characterization comes with a misappropriation of evolutionary analogies in incorrect contexts, then fundamental attribution error as if to blame every person failing in life for their situation on something necessarily innate, pain as a good for progress, and so on. Your loved ones and other beings live after you die. You don’t go anywhere because we have no evidence of anyone coming back. Ask Dan Barker or Steve Martin about good atheist music, or simply any music without a reference to a higher power, by definition, that’s atheistic in character. I still see no necessary connection between cosmic finitude to personal despair. Most humanistic countries seem to be doing more well-off than theocratic ones. There can be argument for antidepressants in nations with more modern technology. Here’s another thing these nations harbour: Proper diagnosis for mental illness and treatments for mental health. Less scientifically informed and modern societies do not have these. Driscoll basic style of performance is take everything a mainstream community deems improper, bad, or unhealthy, list them, then shift blame to those who reject the basic premise of our theology: or, God does not exist. It is the single thread sitting behind the argument. Theology students are, probably, appalled by performers like him pretending to the stature of preacher, pastor, or priest. Driscoll continues:

People who don’t know God, as a result, don’t have hope. It also leads to self-medication, drugs, alcohol, sex, pornography, shopping, violence, entertainment, a consumption culture, a conspicuous consumption culture. Thirdly, it results in suicide. If there’s no God to judge me, no God to help me, and when I die, there is no consequence; then if it hurts really bad, why not just get it over? I’m going to die anyways. Let’s just move the date. Prayed for a gal just an hour ago, balling. She said, “That’s what I believe. I was going to kill myself. What do I do?” That’s consistent. It’s why teen suicide rates are up. The girls cut themselves in junior high. That’s why. That’s why. You know, my sons, they’re 8 and 10. They have a buddy who was diagnosed with cancer, elementary school boy. Good boy, nice boy, sweet boy. Recently took them to the hospital to visit their friend and bring him a gift and pray for him. You know what I didn’t tell the Driscoll boys? “Look, the universe is cold, empty, and bleak, but so what? And the key is to build your life, gentlemen, on unyielding despair. And only the fittest survive. So if your body doesn’t make it, he’s back on the food chain of Darwinian evolution, and that’s what happens to the less fit.”

Driscoll, in some ways, was more honest in his Mars Hill ministry days compared to his Trinity Church days now. He made no qualms about misrepresenting other people and spreading demonization of The Other. He further continues on the demonization of atheism and atheists. He gives a touching personal story of prayer that may or may not be true to bolster a point of a pathological literal-mindedness. What atheist comforts someone like this? I haven’t heard of any in a manner similar to never hearing about fire-breathing feminists. Onwards:

It’s unbelievable that people would adopt this as hope for their life. It’s not hope for their life. It’s certainty of their death.

I find it “unbelievable” too, as I do not know any who believe this.