Posted on 11/13/2010 7:33:36 PM PST by pastorbillrandles
I have a young friend, an acquaintance by e-mail, who was raised as an evangelical christian, as a young man entered into liturgical christianity, became greek orthodox for a while, and has recently come out as an Atheist!
He is very articulate and highly educated, but tells me that he just can't remain a christian, or even a theist, and maintain his intellectual integrity.
We exchanged several e-mails, he was touched that I cared for his soul, and agreed to dialogue with me. I was going to give him an apologetic,(from 1 Peter 3:15, "always be ready to give an apologia for the hope you have in Christ...") that is a reason for my hope.
But in the preliminary exchanges I mentioned to him that I really do not believe Atheism is an honest position. He took an exception to that, feeling I had already impugned his character. I explained that I was coming from Paul's letter to the Romans, which gives an analysis of the mindset of the godless, that they suppress the truth in unrighteousness, making them liable to God's wrath.
I assured him that I believed that he was operating in good faith with me, but that he was deceiving himself , but it was too late. The dialogue was called off, he is not open to hearing anything more from me, because I believe that Atheism is a suppression of truth, a denial of that which is known of God.
I have to confess that I am grieved. This encounter has made me more aware of the ravages of what is called "the New Atheism" on young people, as well as the bitter, toxic fruit of our increasingly secularized education system, which is to the point of being hostile to God and religion, (unless of course, it is Islam)..
There are a good many young, bright, articulate young people who are not ashamed to identify themselves as Atheists. They are going on you tube and other venues to present their sophisticated philosophical rebuttals of christianity and Theism in general.
Oh, another contributing factor to this Atheistic revival,is the man centered, shallow but pervasive "evangelicalism" of the last forty years, that in the interest of being relevant, have presented a contemptible spirituality, denuded of the real gospel, the real Jesus and the true Spirit of God.
What would I have said to him if I could have? He claimed that he had weighed the claims of christianity; scientifically, historically, epistemologically, and empirically and found them wanting. Where to begin my apologetic?Believe me when I tell you I prayed earnestly about it.
God gave me a direction, point to fulfilled prophecy. The Word of God is unique, there is no other "Holy Book" like it. We serve a God who makes predictions through His prophets, amazing predictions that come to pass in startling detail.
...I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:(Isaiah 46:9-10)
I would have begun with Israel, the Billboard of God that shouts out to the world, God is Real! The Bible is indeed the Word of God! Look to God and Be Saved O Ends of the Earth!
* The Bible proclaims that in God's sight there is something special about the Jewish people, and it has nothing to do with their own 'goodness' it is an election of God himself.
For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
* In the first book of the Bible, the promise is given to these people, that Gd himself would "bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you, and that in you all families of the earth would be blessed!"(Genesis 12:3).
History has born this fact out , that those who curse the Jews have always been cursed and those who have blessed them have consequently been blessed! Just in the last century, ask the British, Germans, and Soviet Russians, all of whom were punished for what they did to the Jews.
* The Prophet Daniel predicted that the Messiah would come to this people, and that he would be "cut off", but not for himself but for the sins of the people. Daniel predicted the Messiah's coming to the very year. Also that His cutting off would occur before the second temple would be destroyed by the Romans. (See Daniel 9). This had to occur before 70AD.
* It also predicts that this people, so loved and favored by God would one day defect from Him, and consequently be scattered from one end of the earth to the other, by God! The time would come when there would be no Jewish nation, only a scattered oppressed people.
And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you. (Deut. 4:27)
I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them. (Jer 9:16)
* But here is the billboard part; the Hebrew prophets predicted that after a long time, the Jewish people would be gathered back into their ancient land, over the objection of the rest of the world, And this ingathering would precede the end of days.
Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; 6. I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; 7. Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. (Is.43:5-7)
For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. 4. And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. (Jer. 30:3-4)
Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: (Jer. 32:37)
Of course this is it in a nutshell, I would 'flesh out" the details. The miracle of 1948 up till now, the gathering of a people, literally dead and scattered to the winds, and the fact that this very people, and the disposal of the God-given land they now dwell in, takes up more than a third of the time of the U.N., is a Billboard shouting to the World repent while there is still time!!!!
But this is no mere academic excercise, I weep and mourn for the soul of RV and a whole lot of other disaffected young people, who have listened to the slick "New Atheistic" message, and cast off any faith in God. God help us to reach them!
We will have more to say to and about this "New Atheism" ahead...
What more can be said, if they will not believe, and He does not lie.
God made the universe and man. Man made his ego the size of the universe.
Why not just agree to disagree about religion and keep him in your thoughts and prayers... Its good to be able to respect people of all faiths.
Send him a copy of Lee Stroble’s “A Case for Christ,” and a copy of C.S. Lewis’ “Mere Christianity.”
<<”Oh, another contributing factor to this Atheistic revival,is the man centered, shallow but pervasive “evangelicalism” of the last forty years, that in the interest of being relevant, have presented a contemptible spirituality, denuded of the real gospel, the real Jesus and the true Spirit of God.”>>
Yep. Exactly.
What do you mean by “respect people of all faiths”? In your mind, are all faiths equally valid?
Thanks but the highest respect I can imagine is to engage him in his ideas, in the name of Jesus.
Sadly true, and can you believe that even he had quoted to me, “The heart is decietful, who can know it” out of Jeremiah 17? How ironic!!
hi pastor bill,
yes i feel your frustration and pain. i think your honest approach is likely not the way to deal with atheism, as a person who takes that position is all ready in the process of rejecting god.
my two cents: don’t reject atheism out of hand. provide a frame work including history, philosopy and people to explain the rise and purpose of atheism (as a faith in itself, having it’s own creation story in the theory of natural selection) and how it is at bottom a marxist manipulation in order to gain power over the atheist.
explain why people in power what you to believe in atheism.
hope that helps.
Thanks Dadfly- I appreciate the insight, I have got to get the “wise as serpents “ part down...
Is he smart enough to see that exchanging an eternal, uncreated deity for an eternal, uncreated universe gets him no closer to the truth? In that context the only answer that makes sense to me is the metaphysical one.
Not saying that this is the only possible approach, but I find that all ills and philosophies and intellectual masks come down to a misunderstanding or rejection of these foundational Scriptural truths:
1. Holy God
2. Sinful man
3. Grace through Christ
Each apprehended in proper sequence resolves nearly every other question; it also puts one in the proper relationship to God for the Holy Spirit to work.
ping- hi everybody!
good point- thanks
No, not all faiths are equal, but all humans are born pretty much equal... how much respect I give each person depends generally on how well that person behaves in society.
Your right on brother- thats what it comes down to-
Where does it stop? I can't “respect” i.e., go along with/accept, sin which hurts those who practice it. I love people too much for that. And SIN does hurt people..just see the results: guilt/sadness/pain/
Where does it stop? I can't “respect” i.e., go along with/accept, sin which hurts those who practice it. I love people too much for that. And SIN does hurt people..just see the results: guilt/sadness/pain/
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