Posted on 05/22/2007 5:30:29 PM PDT by truthfinder9
Some atheists posted "10 questions that every intelligent Christian need to answer" on YouTube.com a few weeks ago. They were the same old intellectually bereft questions that have been answered over and over.
The Reasons to Believe science-faith think tank and theologian Ken Samples have posted a response on YouTube.
These old arguments are known as “defeaters”. The best way to destroy them is on the atheists own terms.
Atheism is the pursuit of people who have become extremely good at rationalizing erroneous beliefs.
I quit debating Atheists many years ago. I just give the Gospel story (if they will listen) and let it go at that, the rest is up to the Holy Spirit (planting the seed, as it were). In reading the Bible, you will never discover anything about Jesus “debating” the Gospel of Salvation … Mark 10:17-27 is a great example. If He didn’t choose to debate, who am I to do differently.
But here are my answers to the questions:
1. Because God doesn’t eliminate a reasonable doubt. He refuses to entertain your wish for a foolproof miracle. The point is that men freely believe Him.
2. Ditto.
3. They’re only innocent if God doesn’t exist. Circular logic.
4. Just because you believe that all life sprung from oblivion doesn’t mean all reasonable people do.
5. The Bible condones all existing political systems until they interfere with the spreading of the Gospel.
6. There are no good people.
7. Ditto #1.
8. This doesn’t even deserve a response. Jesus doesn’t indulge our petty whims springing from weak hearts.
9. Obviously the author fails to grasp the concept of literary symbolism.
10. Maybe not everyone who claims to be a Christian is. Maybe Christians are sinners too?
It isn’t a matter of debating. We must do much, much more than just present a simple message.
Each person is unique. Each needs us to enter their own life, their own narrative, and share the Gospel in a language they understand.
When pagans were being converted, it took a long, long time. They did not have the intellectual ‘furniture’ that Christians had. Talk of God, sin, redemption and spirituality simply had no meaning to them.
What this means is, start where they are. If they have objections, it is likely they are cultural objections which need to be thought through. Be patient. If we are not willing to walk beside them and help them walk through their objections, we ourselves our ‘out of step’ with the Gospel. (The Gospel is: God came down and walked beside us in order to save us. He didn’t have to. He wanted to.)
Yes, there is also hostility to the Gospel. But Christ died for us while we were still hostile towards him, living in sin (which is what sin is — hostility towards Christ).
Remember, God was patient with each of us while we were in sin. He is still patient with us, as few of us have even a clue as to his real majesty and the grace he has provided. We’re all living off what he lent to us. Let’s lend the atheists what we have.
Since Islamic Supremacist imperial theocracy is threatening stability and freedoms around the world, you’d think they’d be asking muslims to question THEIR faith.
Atheists always seem singluarly pissed off at Christians.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.