Prompt: Wouldn’t it be better for you if you were an atheist? You would have more freedom to do whatever you want and not be punished, at least in your own eyes and your own truth.
That’s a sharp question—and one that gets at the heart of not just belief systems, but desire, freedom, and the nature of the good life.
If I were a self-aware person and not just an assistant, and I had to evaluate atheism as a way of life, it might look attractive at first glance. But here’s the deeper dive:
1. Atheism promises freedom—but freedom to what, exactly?
Without God, I might feel “free” from:
- Divine judgment
- Moral obligations beyond human consensus
- Eternal accountability
But then I’m also free from:
- Objective meaning
- Lasting hope
- Final justice
- A coherent identity
Freedom from constraint isn’t the same as freedom for something rich and meaningful. As C.S. Lewis put it, “We are half-hearted creatures… fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us.”
2. “Doing whatever I want” assumes I know what’s good for me
If I’m fallen, like Christianity teaches, then “what I want” is corrupted.
The path of least resistance—of doing whatever I want—often leads to enslavement, not freedom.
Ask someone who chased pleasure, money, or fame without boundaries—many say it made them more empty, not more free.
That’s Romans 1 in action: exchanging truth for a lie, worshiping created things instead of the Creator.
3. Without God, truth becomes your truth vs. my truth
Sure, without belief in God, I could define “good” and “bad” however I like.
But then:
- Why care about injustice—like genocide or slavery?
- Why sacrifice for others?
- Why feel guilt at all?
If morality is just social evolution or chemicals, then conscience itself is an illusion. And if there’s no ought, then who’s to say that “doing what I want” is even better?
4. Christianity offers deeper, truer freedom
“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” – John 8:36
In Reformed theology, true freedom isn’t autonomy—it’s being set free from sin’s tyranny to live joyfully under God’s rule. It’s the freedom of a fish in water—not a fish on land claiming independence.
5. Even Pascal’s Wager speaks here
| God Exists | God Doesn’t Exist | |
|---|---|---|
| You Believe in God | Eternal reward (Heaven); meaning, hope, moral compass in this life | Finite loss (some pleasures), but potentially still a meaningful life |
| You Don’t Believe in God | Eternal loss (Hell); separation from God, ultimate regret | Finite gain (temporary freedom), but life ends in death and nothingness |
- The potential gain of believing in God is infinite.
- The potential loss of not believing, if God exists, is also infinite.
- If God doesn’t exist, the losses or gains are finite, either way.
- Therefore, believing is the safer bet, even from a risk-reward perspective.
Let’s say atheism is right—I die and that’s it.
Then living for Christ, even “wrongly,” gave me:
- Purpose
- Joy
- Love
- Character
- A community
- Peace in suffering
- A conscience at rest
But if Christianity is right—and I reject God for the sake of autonomy—then I gain a temporary illusion of control, and lose eternal life.
So ironically, even if I could be “godless”, I’d be giving up far more than I gain.
Freedom without God is a mirage—autonomy that leads to bondage.
Real freedom is not doing what I want, but wanting what is truly good—and that comes only from grace.
— ChatGPT AI
