Deuteronomy 12

Today's reading tells about where the Israelites are to sacrifice to God when they enter the promised land: the Lord would select locations in each tribal area to be sacred where offerings could be given. It also forbids worshiping the gods followed by the peoples they would dispossess, and even worshiping the Lord in the ways of those people.

It isn't directly related, but what struck me while reading this was that atheism is a fairly recent occurrence. Nowhere in the Bible that I am aware of are people warned not to start disbelieving in the supernatural altogether: the warnings are always to obey God and not follow other deities. I wonder when the first atheists - people specifically not believing in any god or religion - started popping up. I personally can't see how the world can be explained without a Creator, and while I can understand that folks may not know or follow the One True God it baffles my mind when people don't acknowledge the existence of any higher power.

I've been reading a very good book recently, which is made up of essays by fifty scientists about why they believe in the Biblical creation account - and it is fascinating. Well-trained men from all the various scientific disciplines are represented, and they each have a unique take on why there must be a Creator, and why the God of the Bible is the most logical answer. It is a great read for anyone with an inquisitive mind.