Bible describes atheism as a condition of “the heart” and is all about seeking what is ephemeral, not acting “with insight.” (Psalm 14:1, 2) Thus it rightly says the “whole world is lying” in the attraction of what is ephemeral. (“wicked one” is not a correct translation.—1 John 5:19) Thus even believers who pray to God (for material blessings) are actually atheists as they are not trying to be “poor in spirit.” (Mathew 5:3; Luke 6:24)
Why is world full of atheists? According to Eastern perspective, people stumbled on the very help (physical world) given to mankind. Sages say the physical world is our Teacher, hence they coined the word jagatguru. (jagat is made of first letters of three Sanskrit words which mean—come, remain, and disappear) Thus the physical world teaches that what it has is LIMITED and can only satisfy our needs temporarily. Sages put it in simple terms: Our body is made of solids, liquids, heat-circulation, air-circulation and space they all occupy, hence is exact representation of the physical world. Soul is composed of spirit qualities (Galatians 5:22), hence is exact representation of the Supreme Soul. Hence we are like a jewellery box (jewellery is more important than its container); physical world is for the LIMITED enjoyment and spirit qualities are for UNLIMITED enjoyment.
The above-mentioned FIVE elements (that make our physical bodies and the physical world) have their emergent properties or corresponding FIVE sensations: Smell, Taste, Light, Sound and Pressure (or touch). And there are FIVE corresponding sense-organs in living beings to experience them: Nose, Tongue, Eyes, Ears and Skin. Thus living beings are generally divided into FIVE categories:
ONE-SENSED Plants able to feel pressure through their skin;
TWO-SENSED Worms able to feel pressure through their skin and taste through their tongue;
THREE-SENSED Insects able to feel pressure, taste, and smell through their skin, tongue and nose respectively;
FOUR-SENSED Reptiles able to feel pressure, taste, smell and sight through their skin, tongue, nose and eyes respectively; and
FIVE-SENSED Birds & Animals able to feel pressure, taste, smell, sight and sound through their skin, tongue, nose, eyes and ears respectively.
If one changes the priority, thus tries for full enjoyment from the physical world and gives less importance to displaying spirit qualities, it will be like “nectar in the beginning, but will become poison in the end.” For example, if one crosses the limit with regard to the use of his tongue and become careless about WHAT to eat, WHEN to eat, HOW MUCH to each and HOW to eat, it will ultimately damage his vital organs and invite diseases. So are the cases with the use of other sense organs.
The physical world with all its variety in varying degrees is to teach us about its own limitedness thus to turn us towards going for unlimited enjoyment of spirit qualities. Evolutionist (and materialists) stumbled over this Great Guru called physical world when they saw the five broad categories of living beings and theorized that from space originated ONE-SENSED beings which in turn evolved into TWO-SENSED beings … and finally into FIVE-SENSED beings! People began to put to UNLIMITED use what is meant for LIMITED USE, and reached the present condition!
What is the solution? One can only change himself, not the other person or the world. (That is why all those who tried to change the world were shaved off from the surface of the earth. God did not prevent it because world serves a purpose—it is like a school, or like a bridge for us to pass through, taking lessons). If one resolves to put the sense organs for LIMITED enjoyment, and spirit qualities for his UNLIMITED use, he can enjoy the life!