[Lera]

It’s really hard when this happens to someone we are close to but you have to have faith and put in him God’s hands. Pray the seed will be planted and someone will come and water it .

[wastoute]

We each have a choice. We can believe Creation was an “accident” and all events since have been random or we can believe He created things and everything since has been toward His purposes. We each get to examine the evidence and decide for ourselves. I suspect most believe the latter but then “leave it there”. If one is serious one needs to do what I heard the pastor say one Sunday. “Read the first sentence, if you believe it finish the book. If not, play golf on Sunday.” He continued, “but if you believe it, it should make a difference in your life.”

Your priorities become, God, spouse, family, community, country, profession, those in need, and somewhere way down the list, self. Here is why most refuse to admit they actually do believe, they will not change their priorities from Self, spouse, etc. and way down the list, God. Of course there are many in pews each Sunday who are “still rearranging their priorities...” but then I suppose we all are to some degree.

[Titan Magroyne]

As a never-believer, I’ve noticed that often (tho not always) former-believers experienced a betrayal of their faith. That is, a great disappointment allowed (by God) to befall them caused them to turn their backs in anger.

If this applies to your friend it should change your method of approach. If he believed once, it’s possible for him to do so again, I’d suppose.

[vanilla swirl]

Let me share an experience I am having.
A dear friend of mine (who btw witnessed to me in high school about being “born again”) has a son who is now a young adult, moved to a foreign country, and completely turned against God.
We have had several discussions on facebook. He isn’t a classical Atheist but he has rejected the Jesus of the Bible. He has become a Pseudo-intellectual, spouting off crazy stuff. He has even called Mitchell Heisman his hero. He’s the guy who committed suicide on the steps of Memorial Church of Harvard University in September 2010.I have tried to have an intellectual dialogue with him but I think it is impossible. Quoting scripture is useless to one who rejects it out of hand.

I’m starting to think that atheism is the same mental illness as Marxism/Communism/liberalism. Perhaps even a spiritual “possession”.

[StonyBurk]

What I would have said to Pastor Bill R. is this—is it not written that those who do not believe are condemned already? Is it not said that those of this world cannot understand the heavenly things? Some save by fear plucking them from the fire
hating the very garment defiled by sin. A young PK was visibly shaken at her Assembly of God church production of Heavens Gate and Hells Flames. She got angry at me for reminding her that we can’t save everyone.(in truth we save nobody-it’s all God) It breaks on choice.All we can do is sow seed, and tend the soil.

[Mariner]

Please remove me from your ping list.

[onedoug]

Agnosticism I can see. But atheism? How is one certain there is nothing amidst everything?

[magellan]

Quoting scripture will do nothing for the New Atheist inspired non-believer. One has to use logic and fallacies to get the non-believer to question his own non-belief, the way he once questioned his belief.

C.S. Lewis did this with his Trilemma. The New Atheists know Lewis' Trilemma is powerful logic, so to get around it they have endorsed and evangelized the Jesus myth theory, that the existence of Jesus was a fiction.

Likewise, to counter Lee Strobel's arguments in The Case for Christ, the New Atheists attack Strobel, claiming he never was a non-believer, and attack the experts he interviews as being evangelicals, not intellectuals. The New Atheists do not, however, counter the arguments Strobel presents.

So you have to be very selective in how you counter the New Atheists.

The following videos from Australia's Centre for Public Christianity provide one way to powerfully rebut the New Atheists:

The New Atheists questionable history part 1

The New Atheist's questionable history part 2

[grame]

I heard the testimony of a man in his late 30’s on Sat about how he had the mindset of the ‘atheist’, for many reasons not the least of which it was repeatedly presented to him in his college experience without balance or even a competing mindset. More than 20 years this was his thinking even though his wife and in-laws were believers. This past year, his eyes were opened. Hallelujah. He is a college professor who has a unique perspective from which to testify. And yet I heard the same frustration in his voice that he could not convince other atheists of the same things he would not believe.

And they will know you by your love. Regardless of how they respond to our words, if we die to self(Rom12:1) and allow ourselves to be filled with the Spirit which also allows the unconditional love of God to flow through us, they will remember. People remember when and who loved them and are drawn to that in time of trouble.

Our discussion this evening at Bible study was, even though we can't force people to decide against their will and neither will God, we can and should continue to grow in our intimacy with God and in our understanding of His great and mighty attributes so that our consistent offering of a loving, helpful, nothing expected in return, attitude can change their hearts. And our prayers for these lost souls are not unheard. What better place for their names to be laid than at the foot of the Throne of the Author and Finisher of our Faith.

Just my humble opinion at this early hour of the morning.