Atheist Comedian turns to GOD after Hearing These 5 Words!

Summary

In this reflective script, the narrator recounts a personal journey from materialism and atheism to a profound realization of life's meaninglessness without God. Initially dismissive of the Bible, a series of life challenges and a friend's persistent encouragement lead to an exploration of Ecclesiastes. The narrator finds solace and purpose in the teachings, which resonate deeply, challenging the secular view of life as a mirage and offering a Christian perspective on finding true meaning and happiness through faith in Jesus Christ.

Takeaways

• 🤔 The speaker initially pursued materialism and career success to find meaning in life but found it unsatisfying.
• 🏌️‍♂️ Through golfing, the speaker encountered a friend who introduced the concept of wealth accumulation through a relationship with God, initially met with skepticism.
• 📖 The friend suggested reading the Bible, which the speaker dismissed as archaic, but was challenged to consider its teachings.
• 🤨 A debate on atheism ensued, with the friend arguing that to be an atheist one must have infinite knowledge, a self-defeating proposition.
• 💡 The speaker was invited to a church in Denton, Texas, to explore the Bible's teachings without prejudice.
• 📦 Despite initial reluctance, the speaker received Bible tapes and a Bible, which were initially ignored.
• 🔄 A turning point occurred when the speaker's wife challenged him to listen to the tapes or discard them, leading to a moment of introspection.
• 📚 Opening a Bible tape, the speaker was struck by Ecclesiastes, which spoke to the meaninglessness of life without God.
• 🌟 The realization that life without God lacks purpose led to a profound change in the speaker's perspective and behavior.
• 🛣️ The speaker's journey illustrates the struggle to find meaning and the transformative power of spiritual revelation.
• 🙏 The narrative concludes with the assertion that Christianity provides a more satisfying and coherent explanation for the human desire for meaning and purpose.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial approach to life and career?

The speaker initially focused on materialism and getting stuff, believing that would help get life back on track. He planned to focus on comedy and restarting his career, leveraging his good reputation in the club world.

What was the turning point in the speaker's life that led him to reconsider his beliefs?

The turning point was a conversation with a friend on the golf course who introduced the idea of a relationship with the Creator as a prerequisite for enjoying creation, which sparked the speaker's interest in the Bible.

Why did the speaker initially reject the idea of reading the Bible?

The speaker initially rejected the idea because he considered the Bible archaic and didn't believe in God, associating the Bible with New Age ideas that he wasn't interested in.

What argument did the friend present to challenge the speaker's stance on atheism?

The friend argued that to be an atheist, one must have infinite knowledge to absolutely negate the existence of an omnicient being, which is a self-defeating argument since no human can have such knowledge.

How did the speaker's wife influence his decision to start listening to the Bible tapes?

The speaker's wife gathered all the Bible tapes that had been collecting dust and told him to listen to them or she would throw them out, forcing him to confront the material.

What book of the Bible did the speaker first open and why did it resonate with him?

The speaker first opened Ecclesiastes, which resonated with him because it spoke about the meaninglessness of life without God, a concept that deeply affected him given his search for meaning.

What conclusion did Solomon reach in Ecclesiastes that impacted the speaker?

Solomon concluded that nothing on Earth can give lasting joy and happiness outside of God, which made the speaker reflect on his own life and search for meaning.

How did the speaker's understanding of Ecclesiastes change his perspective on life?

The speaker realized that life without God has no meaning, and without meaning, life has no purpose, leading him to a deeper exploration of faith and spirituality.

What role did the speaker believe Ecclesiastes played in his spiritual journey?

The speaker believed that Ecclesiastes was used by God to lead him to Jesus, as it exposed the emptiness of seeking meaning and happiness outside of a relationship with God.

How does the speaker describe the Christian worldview in contrast to a naturalist worldview regarding the desire for meaning?

The speaker describes the Christian worldview as providing a satisfying explanation for the human desire for meaning, as it aligns with a purposeful creation by God. In contrast, a naturalist worldview fails to explain why humans have such a deep desire for meaning if they are merely purposeless biological beings.

What final conclusion did the speaker reach about the purpose of Ecclesiastes and its relevance to salvation?

The speaker concluded that Ecclesiastes aims to make readers wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, by exposing the meaninglessness of life without God and driving them towards a relationship with Him.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Discovering Life's Meaning Through Ecclesiastes

The speaker shares a personal journey of seeking meaning and wealth, initially focusing on materialism and career. During a golf game, a friend introduces the idea of a relationship with the Creator as a prerequisite for true enjoyment and wealth accumulation, pointing to the Bible as the source. Initially resistant, the speaker is challenged on his atheism, leading to a series of discussions about the necessity of infinite knowledge to deny the existence of an omnipotent being. Intrigued, the speaker begins to explore the Bible, particularly Ecclesiastes, which profoundly impacts him by conveying the meaninglessness of life without God. This revelation prompts a significant shift in the speaker's perspective on life, purpose, and the pursuit of happiness.

05:01

🌟 The Transformational Power of Biblical Wisdom

Continuing from the first paragraph, the speaker delves into the transformative effect of Ecclesiastes on his life. He describes an intense personal engagement with the biblical text, which leads to a profound realization of the transient and meaningless nature of life without a connection to God. The speaker reflects on Solomon's conclusions in Ecclesiastes, which emphasize the ultimate futility of seeking happiness and meaning through worldly pursuits. He contrasts this with the Christian worldview, which provides a satisfying framework for understanding human desires for meaning and purpose. The speaker also addresses the secular perspective, questioning the inherent desire for meaning in a naturalistic worldview and highlighting the fulfillment found in faith and a relationship with Christ.

Keywords

💡Materialism

Materialism in this context refers to the belief that acquiring material possessions is the key to happiness and fulfillment. It is central to the speaker's initial philosophy of life, where he believes that by focusing on accumulating wealth and reviving his career, he can find meaning. The script illustrates this when the speaker decides to focus on comedy and his career to 'get his life back on track.'

💡Wealth Accumulation

Wealth accumulation is the process of increasing one's wealth or financial holdings. The speaker expresses his desire to learn how to accumulate wealth, which leads to a conversation about the relationship between creation and the Creator. This concept is pivotal as it transitions the speaker from a materialistic pursuit to a spiritual one, as indicated when his friend tells him, 'in order to even enjoy the creation you have to have a relationship with the Creator.'

💡Comedy

Comedy is a genre of entertainment intended to make people laugh. In the script, the speaker mentions that he had a good reputation in the 'club world,' indicating his involvement in the comedy scene. Comedy serves as a backdrop to the speaker's journey, showing his initial focus on career and material success before his spiritual awakening.

💡Atheism

Atheism is the lack of belief in the existence of deities. The speaker identifies himself as an atheist, rejecting the idea of God and the Bible as archaic. This stance is challenged by his friend, who argues that to be a true atheist, one must have infinite knowledge, a point that makes the speaker reconsider his position. The script highlights this when the friend says, 'you're not an atheist, you're an any man.'

💡Bible

The Bible is a sacred text in Christianity, which the speaker initially dismisses. However, it becomes a catalyst for his spiritual journey. The speaker's friend suggests reading the Bible, which leads to a series of revelations about the meaning of life. The script illustrates this transformation when the speaker starts listening to the Bible tapes and becomes engrossed in the teachings.

💡Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes is a book in the Bible that discusses the meaning of life and the pursuit of happiness. The speaker finds the book's teachings about the meaninglessness of life without God profoundly impactful. It is a key text in the speaker's spiritual awakening, as shown when he opens a tape and hears 'meaningless, meaningless, everything is meaningless,' which resonates with his own feelings.

💡Salvation

Salvation, in a Christian context, refers to the deliverance from sin and its consequences through faith in Jesus Christ. The speaker's journey leads him to understand that true meaning and purpose can only be found through salvation. The script mentions this when discussing the purpose of Ecclesiastes, which is 'to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.'

💡Meaninglessness

Meaninglessness is the state of lacking meaning or purpose. The speaker grapples with the idea that life is meaningless without a connection to God. This concept is a central theme in the video, as the speaker explores the emptiness of material pursuits and the ultimate meaning found in faith. The script encapsulates this when the speaker reflects on Ecclesiastes 1:2, 'everything is feudal, fleeting, meaningless, and absurd.'

💡Revelation

Revelation, in a spiritual sense, refers to a disclosure of divine will or truth. The speaker realizes that he needed not just an explanation of God but a personal revelation. This realization is crucial to his transformation, as it signifies a shift from intellectual understanding to a profound, personal experience of faith. The script describes this moment when the speaker says, 'I needed a revelation from God without the Revelation the explanation means nothing.'

💡Naturalist Worldview

A naturalist worldview is the belief that everything arises from natural processes, without supernatural elements. The speaker contrasts this with his newfound Christian beliefs, arguing that a naturalist worldview cannot satisfy the deep human desire for meaning. The script uses this concept to highlight the limitations of materialism and the emptiness of life without a spiritual dimension, as the speaker questions why beings created of only natural processes would have a desire for meaning.

Highlights

The speaker's shift from materialism to focusing on comedy and career after realizing the emptiness of material pursuits.

A conversation about wealth accumulation that leads to a discussion about the necessity of a relationship with the Creator.

The speaker's initial resistance to the idea of reading the Bible, considering it archaic.

A challenge to the speaker's atheism based on the logical inconsistency of denying an omnicient being without being omnicient oneself.

An introduction to Tom Nelson's teachings and an invitation to attend his church in Denton, Texas.

The speaker's wife's ultimatum to either engage with the Bible tapes or have them thrown out.

The impact of Ecclesiastes on the speaker, particularly the theme of life's meaninglessness without God.

The realization that life without purpose is not worth living, leading the speaker to a deeper exploration of faith.

Solomon's conclusions in Ecclesiastes about the fleeting nature of earthly pleasures and the pursuit of happiness.

The speaker's transformation from a self-affirmation approach to a spiritual awakening through the teachings of Ecclesiastes.

The idea that without God, all earthly achievements are ultimately meaningless.

The speaker's newfound understanding that the Bible is not just a religious text but a guide for finding life's true meaning.

The role of Ecclesiastes in shepherding readers towards a Christ-centered understanding of life's purpose.

The contrast between the naturalist worldview and the Christian perspective on the human desire for meaning.

The speaker's reflection on the emptiness of chasing wealth, success, and love without an ultimate purpose.

The conclusion that Christianity provides a more satisfying answer to the question of life's meaning and purpose.

The assertion that every knee will bow to Christ, highlighting the ultimate submission to God's sovereignty.

Transcripts

I figured if materialism is it if it's

just about getting stuff I'll get stuff

I can get my I get my life back on track

I'll focus on the comedy and I'll work

on getting a career going again and um I

still had a fairly good reputation in

the in the club world and um anyway uh I

decided that that's what I'll do so I'm

I'm working now I'm focused on this and

now we're golfing him and I and uh I

asked him how do you accumulate wealth

nobody ever taught me how to accumulate

wealth I mean wealth and uh he said in

order to even enjoy the creation you

have to have a relationship with the

Creator and I thought boy that sounds

neat you know like new Agy sounded new

ay so where's that at he goes it's in

the Bible oh okay couple holes went by

said something else I go that's great

where'd you read that he goes it's in

the Bible I said stop it with the Bible

he goes what do you mean I go I mean

really who reads the Bible he said I do

I go really he goes what's your problem

I go I don't believe in God I mean

God really God's word it's a little

archaic don't you

think he said well let's back up what's

in the Bible that you don't think is

true maybe I can help you out I go I

don't know I never read the Bible he

goes then then you're not an atheist

you're a

and any man who suffers from an

anger problem knows the hair in your

neck stands up your stomach gets a

little tight I think I want to punch

this guy for saying that but then I

would have lost access to some really

nice golf courses so I said how so he

said I'll give you the short answer to

Discount and throw away an infinite God

in an infinite Universe you yourself

have to have infinite knowledge of the

entire universe it's a self-defeating

argument you cannot defend an absolute

negative what you're denying exist is an

omnicient being in order to deny that

you yourself have to be

omnicient you can't defend it and I

looked at that man and said

what he said trust me Jeff I say this

out of love you are not smart enough to

be an atheist I said yeah he said I'd

like to help you out uh I go to a church

in Denton Texas Tom Nelson's Denton

Bible he said he teaches the Bible uh he

does not tell you to check your brain at

the door he he makes you reach

intellectually and he says I think you

would enjoy that and I said uh will it

cost me any money he goes nope I'll sign

you up and then uh can I send you a

Bible I go if it doesn't cost me

anything you send me whatever you want

uh so the Bible came I threw that in a

junk drawer the tape started coming and

for a year and a half those tapes came

and we had a friendship who was

basically revolved around comedy and

golf and uh uh he never once said to me

I sent sent you tapes uh did you listen

to him I sent you a Bible did you open

it up he'd end every conversation the

same way hey uh how are you and Tammy

doing I go not too good Phil we're going

to get that divorce at some point I got

to fill those papers up for a year and a

half and we went home and uh we tried I

we tried summer came that year and she

says I'm taking the kids to Ohio to go

with my to be at my parents and while

I'm gone you got to get your life

together if you don't want to do comedy

don't do comedy but you got to do

something we're losing the house we were

a couple months uh uh uh out of our

mortgage at that point and they were

contacting us and uh I said I I'll work

on it she gathered up these Bible tapes

year and a half's work they were

everywhere on the fridge under the you

ladies can imagine she's been cleaning

around them for a year and a half

collecting dust everything she gathers

them all up and she brings them into the

living room and she throws them on the

floor before she leaves and she says you

either listen to these things or I'm

throwing them out now I got a bunch of

God's words sitting on the floor and

this struggle comes in it's nothing but

biblical trash that's when at one point

my head screamed at me it's biblical

trash I start to walk away and it's like

open one up so I finally just walk over

there like it's on fire and I rip One

open and I throw them on the floor and

and it's Ecclesiastes I and it starts

out meaningless meaningless and I went

what's meaningless what's meaningless

and it went on to talk about Solomon's

conclusions and the Book of Ecclesiastes

and years later Christians said to me

the first time I shared this at a church

somebody grabbed me God used

Ecclesiastes God used the Book of

Ecclesiastes to lead you to Jesus I go I

don't understand you he goes well it's a

fairly cynical book I go well you didn't

know me like God knew me trust me

I found Ecclesiastes the most

exhilarating thing i' ever heard

meaningless meaningless it's all

meaningless everything is meaning

there's no purp everything I was like

and what I got out of that first tape

was this life without God will have no

meaning without meaning to your life

there's no purpose to your life without

purpose to your life you might as well

off yourself and I'm thinking wow that's

in the Bible so I ripped open every

envelope looking for more Ecclesia

clausy tapes there's got to be another

one in here so and I put that in there

and this is it this is another one of

Solomon's conclusion iions again

paraphrasing what was in the in the in

the book by this pastor but it was if if

happiness was an act of human will we'd

all be happy you ask anybody in this

room what you want out of life I just

want to be happy well what is that how

do you define that if it's the next iPod

the next man the next woman the next job

the next car the next ad infant item

you're in for a long haul while you're

down here on Earth Solomon's conclusions

were nothing nothing of this Earth will

ever give you lasting joy and happiness

outside of God so I'm listen to this and

I knew this because I did this I went

you know to the mirror and I went affirm

yourself oh what a load of garbage that

turned out to be all I wanted to know is

I'm like I'm listening to this and

something is happening inside of me and

at one point I wanted to run on the lawn

and hold the Bible up is then what a

book I was doing studies in my car

staring with my leg making notes in my

Bible I almost met Jesus before I met

Jesus I mean people I'm running them off

the road they're waving at me one finger

at a time I'm like I love you too you

know

wow I have no idea why there was this

moment in my life where God said this

guy has had enough for the first time I

realized that I didn't I wanted an

explanation for all these years I wanted

somebody to explain to me God so that I

I got it so that I understood it and it

made something a difference in my life

but the truth was I needed a revelation

from God without the Revelation the

explanation means nothing and all of a

sudden everything was starting to change

the way I talk to people people the way

I looked at people Ecclesiastes 128

gives the final assessment which is the

same as the first assessment in

Ecclesiastes 1:2 everything is feudal

fleeting meaningless and

absurd the conclusion helps us

understand the purpose behind exposing

the meaninglessness of Life Solomon

wants us to realize that God imposed a

curse on the World to show us the

meaninglessness of following our own

devices and ultimately to drive us to

him thus the point of Ecclesiastes like

every book of the Old Testament is

ultimately to make you wise for

salvation through faith in Jesus Christ

per 2 Timothy 3:15 when we see death up

close in hospital visits the suffering

of a loved one or the passing of a

friend it signals there is something

better out there that's the point of

Ecclesiastes everything is meaningless

without Jesus

we see this in the conclusion Solomon

wrote Ecclesiastes to Shepherd the

reader with words that are pleasing true

convicting and wise his words are like

gos spiked sticks that prod cattle down

the right path that's an excerpt from

Christ centered Exposition exalting

Jesus in Ecclesiastes authors David

Atkin Jonathan Atkin the human drive for

meaning without God is ultimately a

nonsensical

Mirage why do we have an indwell desire

hunger for meaning what is that if we

are purposeless Pon scum our desire for

purpose is

nonsensical why would beings created of

only natural processes have a desire for

meaning you may find a lot of discussion

among secularists about meaning

but they never really get to the point I

mean why do we have a drive for meaning

in the first place within the Christian

world view it makes sense there is an

alternate meaning we can't have

salvation and experience a god forever

we can be part of his glorious infinite

plan without that our desires for

meaning are a

mirage if we Chase wealth it's vapor if

we Chase success it's Vapor if we Chase

love even then that is vapor but if

these things are ultimate if they can

contribute to some type of ultimate plan

if they are forever then that meaning

isn't a mirage a naturalist worldview is

just deeply unsatisfying it doesn't

provide us the why why do we have deep

desires for meaning if we're merely

purposeless biological beings

that evolved of natural processes whose

thoughts exist only of natural processes

whose every decision and choice is

predetermined that's what stepen Hawking

concluded Christianity makes a whole lot

more sense Christ is King every D will

bow absolutely