I remember reading a bumper sticker that read "April Fool's Day is the national holiday of atheism." Of course this is based on the Proverb that says "The fool says in his heart there is no God." Then I see other bumper stickers that have a Christian fish on it with four little feet growing out of the belly. Inside the fish the words "Darwinism" are written. Then I'm driving home last night and I pull up behind a car that says "Coexist," but for each letter there are different religious symbols that represent the majority of the world religions. It's a nice thought; co-existing I mean. Some might say, "it's the devil's thought and if it's accepted it will prevent the spread of the Gospel." Yet, I can resonate with the idea of peace more than I can the back and forth bickering and cheap slogans that poke fun at people who believe differently than I do. The scripture comes to mind that "Peacemakers who sow in peace shall raise up a harvest of righteousness."
At the end of my last blog I concluded with questions rather than answers. Too many times we Christians like to give pad answers based on some teaching we have heard without really understanding the depth of the situation at hand. I'm okay with not having *all* of the answers, because no one really does, especially when it comes to God and other people. I do understand one thing about God, though. He loves us(As in everybody). "While we were yet sinners Christ died for us." I never knew what love was until I encountered God in an intimate and tangible way. Yet, my experience is not everyone else's. Just because I had this experience does not mean it will impact those who's experience is quite contrary to mine. So, how can we as Christians better communicate God's love with an atheist? I think there are several ways that we can.
I think the first thing a Christian must be willing to do is listen. We like to preach, but we need to learn how to listen as well. This can be very hard when conversing with an atheist. Many of them like to bring up issues that could send our blood pressure through the roof in a heartbeat. At times we just need to bite our tongue. They already think they know the truth and are trying to educate us out of our "midevil beliefs." Yet, we're sitting there on the other hand thinking "this dude is going to hell and he's completely ignorant of it, he's just wrong." If we respond with this in mind we're going to come across like self-righteous, condescending bigots. Which will only serve to reinforce the atheist's position. Hence the verbal sparing of one upping the other person isn't going to work here. Now, that doesn't mean we can't have a healthy debate. Paul debated with the Athenian philosophers of his day and some came to Christ as a result. Yet, we need to have a respectful debate that is on neutral ground (devoid of "Christianese" or "church talk"). If it deteriorates into mud flinging then it would be time to exit the debate in a respectful manner. Another problem with not listening is that we are so busy thinking about what we are going to say next that we don't actually consider what the other person is saying. Sometimes an atheist will bring up something like "Did you know Mithras actually inspired the myth of Jesus? In his story he was born of a virgin, baptized, performed signs and wonders, was wrongfully killed and was raised from the dead." I personally was thrown off by this argument for a time , but upon a little research into the mythological god, Mithras, I found that this statement was completely false. If we respond too quickly without considering their content we will unwittingly make an assumption of our own without having any data to back it up and in the process end up looking like idiots. After listening it is better to say, "I don't really know anything about that and I'll have to do a little personal research and get back to you." Most importantly, if we are willing to listen you show that you care about the person on some level. We're giving them the time of day and that counts for something. So, be quick to listen.
We must be a presence of love, as well. Showing them love and respect, in spite of the strong differences that exist, better demonstrates what living for Jesus is all about . Treat them like you would a friend or a nice neighbor. Serve them. Buy them lunch. Ask them about their family, job, and hobbies. Fact is atheists are just people like you and me. They have lives that have meaning to them and therefore are important. When we remove the barrier that says "they're the enemy" or "they are ignorant" and see their humanity we can actually begin to have compassion for them. Remember God desires "compassion not sacrifice." Though at times it might feel like a sacrifice to be in the company of those who challenge our beliefs. It can feel draining to love somebody and not get anything back but grief. Yet, this proves to be a great lesson in humility and helps us become a little bit more like Jesus.
Pray for them. Prayer lays the ground work that God will utilize to touch a person's life. Understand that just because we pray for them doesn't mean they will automatically come to know Christ. God will not manipulate someone into coming to know His son, but the Holy Spirit will knock on their hearts through various circumstances, situations, and encounters with others throughout their lives. While their is air in their lungs their is yet hope. Have faith. Pray.
Finally, the work is the Lord's and we are co-laborers with Him. We should NEVER feel that another person's salvation is dependent on our efforts, but we can rejoice in that God includes us in the process. No matter how much we know, how hard we try, how much we pray, or how much kindness we can show a person it is ultimately the Holy Spirit who leads a person to the cross of Calvary. We can be co-laborers and help people come to an understanding of salvation, but the work is always our Lord's. "Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith." We sow, we water, but God gives the increase. His is the harvest.
To Him be the Glory!
I hope you found this little blog helpful,
'Till the next time...
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Atheism
Atheism
"It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God, but create him."
-Arthur C. Clark
"It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God, but create him."
-Arthur C. Clark
Just recently in the news it was reported that an atheist group put up a billboard in the Billy Graham Parkway that reads "One Nation, Indivisible." Obviously the "Under God" had been left out, only to be spray painted on the billboard by some disgruntled Christian. I'm sure that went over real well with the growing atheist community around the world. Nothing like giving them ammunition to further prove the bigotry and narrow mindedness they think they see in us. I think we as Christians need to really meditate on just what means to be "wise as a serpent and gentle as dove." This is one of the problems that atheists see today when they look at us. They see a bunch of religious fanatics that don't look very much like this Jesus they are always preaching about. That is also what kept Gandhi from becoming a Christian. Yet, we as Christians, cannot and should not ignore the atheism that is spreading rapidly throughout the western world. But how should we deal with people who stand for everything that we stand against? Tough question to answer.
Over the past couple of years I have engaged many atheists in debates, asked a lot questions and tried to genuinely understand how people could be so aggressively against the notion that there could be a creator out there somewhere. The following within this two part blog will be some of my thoughts and observations that have come out of my journey up until this point....
The first point that I would like to mention is that we do have many things in common with these people. Even if you are a Christian, you are an atheist in regards to your view on the Greek pantheon. We believe no other gods exist except for the God of Israel. If someone walked over to us and said "I just got done praying to Zeus so that he might strike Osama Bin Laden with a lightning bolt." We would think that person was crazy or was smoking something they shouldn't have been. This is much the same way an atheist perceives a Christian. They think we are delusional and are opposed to clear headed rational thinking. When we say "the Bible says" they have pretty much written off whatever will be said afterward because the Bible to them is just an ancient fairy tale book that feeds our delusions. Defending the Christian position becomes tricky when one thinks our belief in God is comparable to a child's belief in Santa Clause.
Now, there are many different kinds of atheists. I have heard some Christians say that atheism is really just another form of religion, but the word atheist is a blanket word. In 2008 a Gallop poll was taken that showed the number of those who were considered "non-religious" had nearly doubled over the past 20 years. It went from 8% of the US population to 15%. Most of those atheists are what I would call agnostic atheists. I used to be one of these before I came to Christ. They belief there could be "something out there" but certainly not any god that is known to us through organized religion. Then we have a our religious atheists, like our Anton Levey (Founder of the church of Satan; author of the Satanic Bible) followers. They call themselves Satanists even though they do not believe that such a being even exists. These are a minority. There are even some religions that are atheistic in nature, like Buddhism for example. Then there are what I would call the "aggressives". They are the ones that try to push anything having to do with God or religion out of schools, off the dollar, and out of the pledge of allegiance. They usually are on the higher criticism side of things and have a major influence on secular institutions of education (which is where most atheists find their re-enforcement for what they believe.) Richard Dawkins is perhaps one of the more notable figures within this group. It is this type of atheist that poses a real threat to people's faith in God. They use very effective methods of thought and argument to back their stance and make Christians seem foolish. Everything from philosophy to science to trying to show contradictions within the Bible; they usually show up with their metaphorical cannons loaded. Most Christians I know would not be able to seriously defend their point of view underneath the onslaught of arguments "the aggressives" dish out. They say that the burden of proof lies with us, with the Christian. They don't have to disprove that God exists (which is a double negative), but we must prove that He does exist. Tough thing to do on the spot.
One of the more interesting things I have noticed while getting to know some of these people is that beneath the intellectual vernier and the their dogmatic loyalty to Darwinism there is usually someone who has been hurt or is disillusioned by personal experiences. Truth be told, I probably wouldn't be a Christian if the Holy Spirit did not make himself real to me in a very powerful and life changing way. Imagine a person living in U.S. today who was raised by professing Christians, went to Bible classes as a kid, prayed on a frequent basis but nothing really happened. Then they get older, they get more educated and learn things like Santa Clause and the Tooth Fairy don't really exist. They still profess to be a Christian, but really aren't sure what that means anymore. They think "come on, can we really take this Bible thing literally?" Then their best friend gets into an accident. For the first time in a long time they begin to pray. They ask God to help. They ask God to intervene. Nothing happens. Their friend dies. Whatever is left of their fledgling faith has been all but pulverized. "Certainly," they think to themselves, "there is no God." This story has been fabricated, but so many who are considered hardcore, aggressive atheists have a similar story to share.
What do we say then? Does God in His sovereignty choose before hand that these people are nothing more than vessels of his wrath? Why does God show up for some, but not for others? Does He really love them? How could He when they are completely against Him even existing? I'm pretty sure He does still love them; just as much as any sinner who has ever been forgiven through Jesus...
How we approach this matter will be the topic of my next blog...
Over the past couple of years I have engaged many atheists in debates, asked a lot questions and tried to genuinely understand how people could be so aggressively against the notion that there could be a creator out there somewhere. The following within this two part blog will be some of my thoughts and observations that have come out of my journey up until this point....
The first point that I would like to mention is that we do have many things in common with these people. Even if you are a Christian, you are an atheist in regards to your view on the Greek pantheon. We believe no other gods exist except for the God of Israel. If someone walked over to us and said "I just got done praying to Zeus so that he might strike Osama Bin Laden with a lightning bolt." We would think that person was crazy or was smoking something they shouldn't have been. This is much the same way an atheist perceives a Christian. They think we are delusional and are opposed to clear headed rational thinking. When we say "the Bible says" they have pretty much written off whatever will be said afterward because the Bible to them is just an ancient fairy tale book that feeds our delusions. Defending the Christian position becomes tricky when one thinks our belief in God is comparable to a child's belief in Santa Clause.
Now, there are many different kinds of atheists. I have heard some Christians say that atheism is really just another form of religion, but the word atheist is a blanket word. In 2008 a Gallop poll was taken that showed the number of those who were considered "non-religious" had nearly doubled over the past 20 years. It went from 8% of the US population to 15%. Most of those atheists are what I would call agnostic atheists. I used to be one of these before I came to Christ. They belief there could be "something out there" but certainly not any god that is known to us through organized religion. Then we have a our religious atheists, like our Anton Levey (Founder of the church of Satan; author of the Satanic Bible) followers. They call themselves Satanists even though they do not believe that such a being even exists. These are a minority. There are even some religions that are atheistic in nature, like Buddhism for example. Then there are what I would call the "aggressives". They are the ones that try to push anything having to do with God or religion out of schools, off the dollar, and out of the pledge of allegiance. They usually are on the higher criticism side of things and have a major influence on secular institutions of education (which is where most atheists find their re-enforcement for what they believe.) Richard Dawkins is perhaps one of the more notable figures within this group. It is this type of atheist that poses a real threat to people's faith in God. They use very effective methods of thought and argument to back their stance and make Christians seem foolish. Everything from philosophy to science to trying to show contradictions within the Bible; they usually show up with their metaphorical cannons loaded. Most Christians I know would not be able to seriously defend their point of view underneath the onslaught of arguments "the aggressives" dish out. They say that the burden of proof lies with us, with the Christian. They don't have to disprove that God exists (which is a double negative), but we must prove that He does exist. Tough thing to do on the spot.
One of the more interesting things I have noticed while getting to know some of these people is that beneath the intellectual vernier and the their dogmatic loyalty to Darwinism there is usually someone who has been hurt or is disillusioned by personal experiences. Truth be told, I probably wouldn't be a Christian if the Holy Spirit did not make himself real to me in a very powerful and life changing way. Imagine a person living in U.S. today who was raised by professing Christians, went to Bible classes as a kid, prayed on a frequent basis but nothing really happened. Then they get older, they get more educated and learn things like Santa Clause and the Tooth Fairy don't really exist. They still profess to be a Christian, but really aren't sure what that means anymore. They think "come on, can we really take this Bible thing literally?" Then their best friend gets into an accident. For the first time in a long time they begin to pray. They ask God to help. They ask God to intervene. Nothing happens. Their friend dies. Whatever is left of their fledgling faith has been all but pulverized. "Certainly," they think to themselves, "there is no God." This story has been fabricated, but so many who are considered hardcore, aggressive atheists have a similar story to share.
What do we say then? Does God in His sovereignty choose before hand that these people are nothing more than vessels of his wrath? Why does God show up for some, but not for others? Does He really love them? How could He when they are completely against Him even existing? I'm pretty sure He does still love them; just as much as any sinner who has ever been forgiven through Jesus...
How we approach this matter will be the topic of my next blog...
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Tension.
The New World Dictionary records one of the eight definitions of the word as "a force or combination of forces tending to cause extension against the resistance of the material." Or as another definition puts it, "a balancing of forces and elements in opposition."
In this post-modern age we live in, and in every age that has ever gone before it, there exists great tension. Ideas, opinions, loyalties, worldviews, ethics, religion and cultural values all swirl together to create a climate that pushes and pulls at us. Voices come out of every area of life vying for our attention. Many of us come to find our place and take a stand to become one of those voices. We become a force for our values, our ideas, and our deepest beliefs. Yet, we also come across opposing voices that challenge us to our very core.
Should we ignore these opposing forces and pretend they don't exist? Should we take a stand against them and resist them at any opportunity given? Should we learn from them and try our best to understand them without judging? Should we open up a dialog and let these forces stretch us in hopes that ours may influence them? Perhaps at certain times any of the above could apply.
The fact of the matter is that behind these voices and forces are people. As people we like to identify ourselves with many different things. Unless we wish to become hermits or some kind of monk we will have to deal with other people who see things differently than we do. Human nature tends to pull us towards people that share the same ideals and beliefs that we do. We also tend to avoid those whom we might find ourselves in conflict with. This is all well and good, but should we remain too confined how can we become a voice? How can we relate to those different from us? How can we be a positive force in the midst of great tension?
In this blog I will explore many ideas on religion, worldview , current events, and other issues that may to most folks be controversial in nature. My stance is rooted in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. My voice will be to represent the truth to the best of my ability. Sometimes what I have to say might make you angry (even if you are a Christian). Please understand it is not my intention to be offensive, but I probably will offend at times. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. My word is not the final authority. My words are not God's words, unless of course I quote the scriptures. Ultimately I am being a voice that stands for what God stands for (hopefully). I am being a force in a world of forces that are opposed to mine.
So herein lies the tension. It is time to face it, head on.
The New World Dictionary records one of the eight definitions of the word as "a force or combination of forces tending to cause extension against the resistance of the material." Or as another definition puts it, "a balancing of forces and elements in opposition."
In this post-modern age we live in, and in every age that has ever gone before it, there exists great tension. Ideas, opinions, loyalties, worldviews, ethics, religion and cultural values all swirl together to create a climate that pushes and pulls at us. Voices come out of every area of life vying for our attention. Many of us come to find our place and take a stand to become one of those voices. We become a force for our values, our ideas, and our deepest beliefs. Yet, we also come across opposing voices that challenge us to our very core.
Should we ignore these opposing forces and pretend they don't exist? Should we take a stand against them and resist them at any opportunity given? Should we learn from them and try our best to understand them without judging? Should we open up a dialog and let these forces stretch us in hopes that ours may influence them? Perhaps at certain times any of the above could apply.
The fact of the matter is that behind these voices and forces are people. As people we like to identify ourselves with many different things. Unless we wish to become hermits or some kind of monk we will have to deal with other people who see things differently than we do. Human nature tends to pull us towards people that share the same ideals and beliefs that we do. We also tend to avoid those whom we might find ourselves in conflict with. This is all well and good, but should we remain too confined how can we become a voice? How can we relate to those different from us? How can we be a positive force in the midst of great tension?
In this blog I will explore many ideas on religion, worldview , current events, and other issues that may to most folks be controversial in nature. My stance is rooted in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. My voice will be to represent the truth to the best of my ability. Sometimes what I have to say might make you angry (even if you are a Christian). Please understand it is not my intention to be offensive, but I probably will offend at times. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. My word is not the final authority. My words are not God's words, unless of course I quote the scriptures. Ultimately I am being a voice that stands for what God stands for (hopefully). I am being a force in a world of forces that are opposed to mine.
So herein lies the tension. It is time to face it, head on.
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