Our condemnation of war crimes is strong evidence that God exists. Given the current situation in Ukraine, many people have rightfully condemned the Russian army for attacking civilians. However, if you were to ask the Russian leadership why they are doing this, they would offer various justifications for their atrocious acts of violence against what was once a peaceful neighbor.
They claim these actions are necessary for achieving their “national security goals” or for “liberating minority populations,” goals they believe are morally superior.
To them, this is also a war against Western ideology, including what they perceive as moral decay: the promotion of homosexuality, transgenderism, and other cultural changes they view as threats.
Most people wouldn’t hesitate to say that violence against innocent civilians is wrong. Yet those who commit such violence always seem to have an excuse because they are operating from their own version of morality, not God’s unchanging standard.
Time and again in history, we’ve seen dictators, drunk with power, justify horrific actions in pursuit of a so-called “greater good.” In their twisted reality, they believe they are doing the right thing.
The world is rightly horrified by the aggression and violence of Russia’s leadership against Ukraine. In a rare show of unity, Democrats and Republicans alike have publicly condemned these acts as evil.
And yet, the world is far less vocal when it comes to the oppression of the Uyghurs in China or, dare I say, the American violence against the unborn through abortion. These issues are often ignored or dismissed because they either don’t affect us directly or because we’ve grown to see them as somewhat acceptable.
This is not whataboutism. Yes, the war in Ukraine is horrific and heartbreaking. But so are the things we often overlook like concentration camps, abortion, and pornography, which fuels the demand for sex trafficking.
Without a universal moral standard, we are all vulnerable to turning a blind eye to evil. Left to ourselves, we are guided by unstable emotions, shifting cultural norms, and personal desires. Without a higher standard, we are easily influenced by corruption ours, the world’s, and hell itself. Is it any wonder, then, that our decisions are often so misguided, and sometimes even evil?
As Sartre and Dostoyevsky have been paraphrased: “If there is no God, everything is permitted.” To stop and prevent atrocities, we must agree on a single moral standard one that is constant, just, and true. One that declares that God created every man and woman in His image. One that affirms the worth, dignity, and beauty of every human life, including the unborn.
We need the unchanging, righteous, and objective morality of God to guide our every decision. The emotions we feel when we witness injustice in the world point us to a higher truth. They testify to a real God who has given us the ability to discern right from wrong.
Our revulsion at war crimes is evidence of true justice, real morality, and a loving God who will one day judge the world and make all things right for eternity.
As Dr. William Lane Craig puts it, “God exists because objective moral values exist.” And if this is true, then God will one day judge every perpetrator of crimes against humanity and He will also hold accountable those who enabled or permitted these acts, whether on the battlefield, in concentration camps, or in the womb.
BOOK: A Debate on God and Morality
Discover more from Christianity Culture
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.