Can You Be Good Without God?

In 2002, Five by Two produced a film that was, to say the least, thought provoking. Time Changer is the story of Dr. Russell Carlisle, professor in a Bible Seminary in 1890. It begins as Dr. Carlisle is presenting a manuscript for approval to other staff at the school. But approval is not unanimous. One professor, Dr. Norris Anderson, will not endorse a document that teaches Christian morality without the person of Christ is still effective.

The struggle between these two men intensifies until finally Carlisle accepts the invitation to visit his adversary at his home. There he is introduced to a time travel machine, invented by Dr. Anderson. Carlisle is transported through more than a 100 years of time to see the result of teaching morality without God in the very community where he lived. The few days’ experience motivated Carlisle to rewrite his manuscript.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn was asked what is wrong with society. He answered, “It has forgotten God.” In other words, emphasis on kindness and love and morality is not enough. It only takes a generation to forget why they are acting that way at all. Daniel Boorstin stated, “Trying to plan for the future (conduct) without a sense of the past (foundation of conduct) is like trying to plant cut flowers.” George MacDonald said, “No teacher (including story writers) should strive to make men think as he thinks, but to lead them to the living Truth, to the Master himself, of whom alone they can learn anything.”

For example, consider a school in the south where character is the daily focus. Honesty, diligence, and other qualities are in fact tiled in mosaic at the entrance. Recitations are said in unison every day in the fifth grade: “I am wonderful; I am important; I am worthwhile; I make a difference; I am smart; I care about myself; I smile a lot; I am brave; I am successful; I am confident; I am strong inside; I can say No; I keep trying; I am a precious worthwhile mistake-making person.” This is a public school so, of course, God cannot be mentioned. Without Christ at the foundation, what does this list mean? Will reciting it daily convince a student it is true? Now add the Person of Jesus Christ. ‘In Christ I can make a difference. In Christ I am precious to God. In Christ I have strength to continue.’ Placing the focus on God instead of self makes all the difference.

Teaching character without God is similar to the story of seven tailors who wove the invisible clothes for the king. Only the wise saw the clothes so no one would admit they didn’t. On the day of the presentation, everyone spoke of the magnificent wardrobe until a small boy yelled, “The king is naked.”

Without God character is also naked of the foundation on which it must stand. Without that foundation, it can do nothing but collapse. The next generation will say, “Why should we act that way?” There is no reason. Ultimately, the motive for doing right must be to please God.

The author of this article has tried to remedy this situation by writing stories that teach character building with a clear foundation. There are also several biographies he has written which are available online, including people such as Florence Nightingale and Peter Cartwright.