Matthew Parris, writer for The Times and former Member of Parliament, is not your typical atheist, for he wrote in an article on 27th Dec, 2008, saying, “As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God. Missionaries, not aid money, are the solution to Africa’s biggest problem – the crushing passivity of the people’s mindset.”
As a result of researching a story on aid organisations in Africa, Paris wrote: “Travelling in Malawi refreshed a belief I’ve been trying to banish all my life, but an observation I’ve been unable to avoid since my childhood. It confounds my ideological beliefs, refuses to fit my world view and has embarrassed my growing belief that there is no God.”
He goes on to say: “I’ve become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christianity makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular and government organisations and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. Christianity changes people’s hearts. It brings spiritual transformation.”
So, even atheists are discovering that no one is doing very well without Jesus. Without Jesus, Africa reverts to tribal warfare, abusive overlords and urban gangsterism. Parris says that removing Christianity from Africa risks “leaving the continent at the mercy of a malignant fusion of Nike, the witch doctor, …and the machete.”
If atheism and indifference to God is not working very well for you, perhaps you’d better re-connect with God and be what you were intended to be.
