Note that my question is not whether presuppositional apologists misunderstand Romans 1 but whether they tend to misapply the text.
Let us consider the relevant portions of the text:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
Presuppositional apologists appeal, primarily, to this text’s reference to God’s wrath being rightfully revealed because of the ungodly and unrighteous nature of those who are not ignorant of but specifically suppress the truth and do so in unrighteousness for the specific reason that what is known about God is evident within them already since God made it evident to them.
Natural revelation, as theologians have termed it, denotes that God’s attributes, eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made: the creation. This is why they are without excuse. They knew God, and so are not ignorant about God’s existence yet, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations and their foolish heart was darkened.
This darkening of heart caused them to become fools even whilst professing to be wise. What they did is to know God but to purposefully exchange the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures—think of it in terms, perhaps, of applying to nature, and nature alone, the ability to bring about life, etc.
This leads so to, for example, some becoming ritualistic Pagans who worship the Earth and others to become philosophical Pagans (such as Atheists) in that both kinds of Pagans exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator—some worship the Earth as Gaia and some revere the Earth, with equal vigor, as she who brought life into being even if uncaused, unplanned, randomly, blindly, etc.; by an evolutionary process (beginning with chemical evolution).
Based on these concepts, presuppositionalists will assert and, in fact, demand that Atheists know that God exists but resist that knowledge, deny that truth and rebel against Him. While this is quite accurate, the issue is whether they are misapplying this Romans 1 concept when they assert and demand as much to Atheists and the Atheist denies it. Some Atheist are dumbfounded at Christians who tell them, in an assertively demanding manner or otherwise, what the Atheist really believes even without knowing it. The exchange can be characterized quite simply as: Christian: “You know that God exists and are simply denying it” (resisting, denying, rebelling, etc.).
Atheist: “Say what?!?!” (or, words to that effect).
To reiterated, it is quite accurate that Atheists know that God exists but resist, deny, rebel, etc. Yet, there is a key factor which appears to result in the possibility that the Atheist who responds with the likes of “Say what?!?!” may actually, truly and honestly believe that they are not resisting, denying and rebelling but are genuinely uncertain about God’s existence or certain that God does not exist (depending on the denomination of Atheism to which they adhere—see Atheism’s Sects).
Note that I specified that the Atheist “may actually…believe” as much.
This is due to a key portion of the text which specifies that when a person knows God but suppress the truth in unrighteousness, do not honor Him as God or give thanks, becomes futile in their speculations, have their foolish hearts darkened, profess themselves wise whilst being fools, etc. God gives them over to impurity, to dishonor, to exchange the truth of God for a lie, to worship and served the creature rather than the Creator, etc.
Thus, that they are given over seems to imply that the Atheist may have reached that point at which they have resisted, denied and rebelled sufficiently to have been given over to the lie as “they exchanged the truth of God for a lie” and are given over to believe the lie.
The scenario is one whereby, due to the aforementioned natural revelation, a person knows that God exists but begins to resist, deny and rebel against the God whom they know to exist; which results in Atheistic Paganism. They may have actually been given over to believe their delusion and thereafter all that they see, hear and think will be interpreted via the worldview which they build for themselves with Atheism as a core. All is seen as further evidence of the lie which they believe.
The Atheistic core will, like a multi tentacle octopus, reach out, touch and inform, as it were, their every view. Thus, their views on science, history, morality, politics, etc. will be made to adhere, via thought restriction, to the Atheistic core.
My purpose is to strengthen the employment of Romans 1 towards presuppositional ends. This elucidation should he avoid a discussion that runs something to the effect of, “You claim to be an Atheist but you believe in God,” “I do not,” “Yes you do,” “Do not,” “Do too,” “No, I do not and do not tell me what I believe,” “You do know it but you suppress it, etc.” The added bonus is to explain that they believe or believed in God but suppressed and were given over to believe otherwise (if, that is, they actually do believe otherwise since you may meet Atheists who know they are suppressing, resisting, denying, rebelling, etc.). Many Atheists will admit to having believe in God previous to becoming Atheists which results I them setting the table for you to elucidate the Romans 1 issue in toto.
Thus, I have affirmed the Romans 1 concept which affirms that God is known by and/or to all, I have applied a key portion of the text which may help in Christian dialogues with Atheist and visa versa and I have explained how and why Atheists become Pagans.
…they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval
to those who practice them.