Around eighteen months ago I decided to do something fairly radical, by some standards. I had just finished reading The Gospel in a Pluralist Society by Lesslie Newbigin (a deeply thoughtful book which awakened my faith in ways I did not realize lay dormant), while also studying worldview trends in America. I discovered that, according to some statistics, within the next decade it is projected that the US will be post-Christian, replaced by “the non-religious” (which is really more of a theological stance than a worldview) and Islam as the dominant worldviews. The combination of these two influences led me to make a decision. I chose to break out of my comfort zone, pop my little Christian bubble, and immerse myself in a theological culture not my own. For the next year, I spent much of my time building relationships among atheists, and learning from them.
I should point out that my goal in this was to learn about atheism from atheists, not to infiltrate the ‘atheist camp’ like some sort of Christian spy, waiting for my chance to strike with the Gospel. My focus was on cultivating relationships and learning. Ironically, I discovered myself in far more conversations about God and faith than I anticipated, but these arose naturally rather than being forced due to some secret agenda. While I must confess that there were those who could not see past their hatred of religion to be willing to connect with me, the truth is that the majority were more than happy to do so once they knew I wasn’t just looking for an angle. In fact, a few have even become very close friends. Throughout this process, I was surprised to discover that I was actually learning about myself, growing in my faith, and becoming a deeper Christian because of the challenging perspectives being offered. I felt that it would only be honest to share with you the top four lessons I learned from atheists.
- Ask the hard questions. So often, Christians find themselves frightened by those things we don’t understand. We hide from the difficult questions which may challenge our faith. The truth is, however, that these questions don’t go away; they simply simmer, buried in our psyche, chipping away at our capacity to trust in a God we so desperately long to love. The hard questions, when faced, actually force us to look for answers, force us to dig deeper, force us to cultivate a theological grounding which can only make us more intellectual honest and spiritually deep.
- It’s ok not to have all the answers. One of the things which surprised me about atheism is that, contrary to how we like to portray them in popular Christian circles, atheists do NOT claim to have all the answers. Often, they will claim that science is leading us in the direction for answers, but ‘I don’t know’ becomes the necessary foundation for ‘I will try to find out.’ As Christians, we do not need to feel backed in a corner if we suddenly don’t have answers to some theological complexity. Quite the contrary, admitting where we are lacking knowledge should provide us with the impetus to learn and to grow.
- Talk is cheap. As Christians, we love to proclaim how loving our God is, yet we far too often fail to display this love in our own actions. The popular face of Christianity is most often painted by those whose hateful rantings draw the media, or whose sex scandals draw the law. While most of us know that it is typically the vocal minority which shapes the public image of the silent majority, we need to ask ourselves the question: how are we actively living out the calling to love and serve the world?
- Love wins. Ghandi once said, “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” This sentiment finds its hold in the heart of many, many people. ‘Love’ has become a trite cliche, or even worse, a means to an end. Far too often, the Christian expression of love towards a non-Christian is little more than a lead-piece for an evangelistic agenda. To make love into a tool is to defile the core of our humanity. I am not suggesting that we surrender carrying the message of the hope we have found in Jesus, but I am suggesting that we learn to love genuinely. If we learn to love people because they are people, beautiful in all their complexity and splendor, then love regains its power. It is a universal principle that people are drawn to love; it is equally universal that love leaves us changed.
How about you? What lessons have you learned from those of different faiths?
Related articles
- The God of 18000 Starving Children (ofdustandkings.com)
- Forget Heaven. Forget Hell. Enjoy Your Life. (ofdustandkings.com)
- Yahweh’s Questionable Ethics (ofdustandkings.com)
Chrystal March 26, 2012 at 9:51 am
Wow. I wish I had a lesson that I had learned from another like that to share here. Thanks for making me think.
terry1954 March 26, 2012 at 10:01 am
this is one of the most important things god asks from us, is to love others as we love ourselves
quietlyradical March 26, 2012 at 10:40 am
Excellent post! I think you make such a great point about not running away from the hard questions. As much as I may disagree with atheist philosophy, like everything else in this world I think that atheists have a purpose in God’s plan.
Instead of just reacting emotionally to the challenges of atheists, Christians should be inspired to “do our homework” and gain a deeper understanding of the “whys” behind what we believe. I think this will help us to grow in our faith and to be better ambassadors for Christ.
groundedangel March 26, 2012 at 10:43 am
Wow! I feel like you are inside my own mind with this one. I have a similar story and I learned these things as well. I also learned that certain people take my faith more seriously when they get to know me and realize that I do actually know a lot about other faiths and cultures as well as science. They see that I have really come to my faith in Christ genuinely instead of just believing things that others have told me since birth.
I have also found that some other Christians sometimes find it threatening or scary that I have an understanding of other religions. They seem uncomfortable with the hard questions. Sadly I sometimes feel like I do not fit in with other Christians. I feel that it is difficult to get past surface relationships with many of them. I am struggling with this in my life. I long for real intimately connected friendships, but I am finding this to be difficult in church circles because I am an “outside the box” thinker, and sometimes that does not feel welcomed. I am glad to have found your blog. I really connect with the things that you are saying.
Jessica
T. E. Hanna March 26, 2012 at 11:29 am
Welcome Jessica. I hope you linger, and get to know the community here. I think you’ll find some kindred spirits.
onwindydays March 26, 2012 at 11:00 am
That last part about love winning, I couldn’t agree any more. That’s the whole reason I was led to Christ in the first place and it’s one of the most important things in my life that God could have shown me. Great post
hisfaithfulflower March 26, 2012 at 11:26 am
The last paragraph about love was a real encouragement to me. I’m dealing with some difficult people these days in church, and I’ve had to come to the conclusion that I will answer to God one day for MYSELF–not for them; THEY will answer to God for their decisions. The bottom line is to love them and pray for them, letting God take control of my life as well as theirs, as well as witnessing to them if God so leads.
jamesbradfordpate March 26, 2012 at 4:56 pm
This comment actually intrigues me because it reminds me of an incident a while back. At my church, the pastor told us to pray for the most difficult person we can think of, praying that the person might find Christ. I was thinking to myself, “Heck, the most difficult person I know is a Christian!”
T. E. Hanna March 26, 2012 at 5:16 pm
Lol. Unfortunately, I think we can all relate with that sentiment at some time or other.
changedbyhim0510 March 26, 2012 at 11:32 am
The list of lessons learned is profound
dchristopherspears March 26, 2012 at 11:38 am
This is great. It proves that while our beliefs differ from others, there is still an opportunity to learn, and become deeper entrenched in what we believe as Christians. I particularly love the last point of what you learned in “Love Wins”. I, too, have friends who are of different faiths. And while I don’t understand everything about their religion, the one common denominator that we share with one another is love. Thank you for your insight Sir!
jelillie March 26, 2012 at 11:42 am
My father did not like my conversion very much. He billed himself an agnostic not an atheist but he told me squarely when I accepted Christ that if I was going to blindly follow some church he would stand in my way in whatever way he could. He challenged everything that came out of my mouth and made me prove that the things I said were actually in the Bible and not taken out of context. While I felt persectued at the time I am so thankful that he didn’t just give me a pass. My agnostic father made me a more thoughtful Christian. When I graduated from High School his gift to me was a book on evolution with the inscription. “Know thine enemy. Love Dad”
quedula March 26, 2012 at 12:07 pm
Do you think you are only like you are because of your beliefs. If an atheist persuaded you of their implausibility would you immediately become a different person?
T. E. Hanna March 26, 2012 at 12:38 pm
I believe that one of the key things the Holy Spirit does is work within me to transform my very nature. I am well aware of who I am, who I want to be, and the gap in between. The pursuit of selfless love is not simply a matter of ‘I believe X, therefore I should be more loving.’ Rather, the result is that, ‘I desire to be a more loving person, and Christ frees me be the most loving person I am capable of becoming.’
WJ March 26, 2012 at 1:01 pm
The reasons christians are discouraged not to ask difficult questions is because these are the questions that can destroy faith.
Do you really want everyone single christian to question their faith? religion is about ignoring the truth and accepting things on faith, thats how it gets its numbers.
not everyone can be like you and ask these questions, hear how atheists laugh at your logic, and still blindly follow the religion.
Do you really want all christians to ask the question “why are millions of people (mostly children) dying of starvation right now is god loves us all?”
because the logic behind that one should be scary to you – either god doesnt care, doesnt have the power to help, wants it to happen or doesnt exist. ‘god works in mysterious ways’ doesnt cut it, im afraid.
T. E. Hanna March 26, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Scroll down. There is a link to that very question at the end of this article. And yes, I do want Christians to ask those questions, and wrestle with the implications. If God is real, I am sure he can handle our questions. Being willing to ask them is necessary for a faith with any real theological depth.
WJ March 27, 2012 at 12:46 pm
I’m glad you want everyone to ask these question – but I doubt your churches want people to ask these questions.
If people started questioning religion in the way you suggest I think you would start to see more and more followers leave.
If faith was only about theological depth then it wouldnt have the billions of followers it does. Most faith is a “personal relationship” or security through an afterlife or a warm fuzzy feeling.
If god is real he has a lot to answer for.
T. E. Hanna March 27, 2012 at 1:03 pm
I guess that depends on the church, I suppose. I’m a United Methodist pastor, and the conference places me in the church where I serve. I am encouraged to teach and lead my congregation in such a way that we don’t shy away from such questions, but wrestle through them together as a community.
There is a difference, however, between knowing ABOUT God and KNOWING God. Christianity should not have to abandon the intellect, but neither should it abandon the relationship. They are two sides of the same coin.
I will say, however, that I have been part of denominational branches in the past which seem to advocate an anti-intellectualism. I think this may be part of the reason why I push back so far in the opposite direction.
pdhagar March 26, 2012 at 1:10 pm
I was raised Catholic, but ended up being a Deist for the last ten or so years, before my Conversion. It’s something else to have a viewpoint from both sides. It’s funny how some of my best arguments towards not being part of any particular religion are now my biggest arguments for it. Great Post.
T. E. Hanna March 26, 2012 at 1:11 pm
I would love to hear your story sometime.
Brian Kiley March 26, 2012 at 2:35 pm
Excellent post. A handful of the people that have had the most significant impact in my spiritual formation are atheists and agnostics, some of whom are family members. I have found that through respectful dialogue with friends who don’t share my faith I have become both more thoughtful and more comfortable with questions surrounding our faith. I have also found that atheists and agnostics help me see the blind spots in my own thinking, which has, again, helped me to be a bit more thoughtful in the way that I articulate my own beliefs.
Jimmy March 26, 2012 at 3:28 pm
I hope nonbelievers will follow your lead and try to connect with believers on a personal level. Nonbelievers often address and study religious beliefs, but they almost always do so on an intellectual and academic level, or in the context of an adversarial debate. I wonder if more direct contact between believers and nonbelievers would lead to more people losing or gaining faith? Either way it would certainly lead to more understanding.
Darryl Schoeman March 26, 2012 at 4:11 pm
Hey TE. The book ‘Jim and Casper go to Church’ is about a Christian who takes an atheist with him to record his observations of Church goers. It was an enlightening read and contains many other lessons. God bless. Darryl.
Pastor John Keller March 26, 2012 at 4:41 pm
I enjoyed the post, but I was wondering just how you “popped” your Christian bubble and via what avenues you were able to start conversations with atheists. Also I wondered if they are all confirmed “atheists” (convinced believers in No-god) or are some “agnostics” (uncertain that one can prove/disprove God’s existence). I certainly appreciate your comments on not avoid the tough questions. They are the one’s that push us to discover the true God.
T. E. Hanna March 26, 2012 at 5:15 pm
Most atheists (neo-atheism or secular humanism is probably a better label in this case) would define atheism in the passive. That is, they would say “I do not believe in the existence of any gods” rather than “I believe in the non-existence of any gods.” This differs from agnosticism. which simply says “we can’t know, so what?” Atheism views what is perceived as a lack of evidence as reason to discount his existence.
And I already knew some atheists, so on the one hand I just started spending more time with them. In addition, however, I began connecting with social networking communities such as those on twitter. A number of those connections then moved off twitter and into real world connections.
wolfsrosebud March 26, 2012 at 5:28 pm
TE, I love your 4 bullet points! No preaching… just a little black and white with truth written all over it. Great way to keep the reader interested and share a few truths. Nice job!
Xander March 26, 2012 at 7:19 pm
Honest communication with learned atheists and agnostics can challenge one’s beliefs in a similar fashion to going to seminary. If your faith is based only on what people have told you and not what you have gone through, you can easily loose your faith. Of course, then the question is did you ever have real faith gets asked, but that is probably another post.
Exposing yourself to that level of questioning can be one of the most beneficial experiences a believer can have if they have a support system around them and are somewhat mature in their relationship with God. I have seen too many enter into that fray and not come out the same.
T. E. Hanna March 26, 2012 at 7:23 pm
That is an excellent point. Christians need to have a framework to be able to wrestle with the issues, otherwise we are just throwing them under the bus. The questions need to be asked, need to be wrestled with, but as with every aspect of the Christian life… it needs to be done with the support of a strong faith community.
irishsignora March 26, 2012 at 10:31 pm
I’m glad I’m not the only Christian with atheist friends
Oddly enough, the man to whom I give the most credit for strengthening my faith is Christopher Hitchens; several of my friends were devoted fans of his, so I used to read his essays regularly in order to research his points. That led me to study the works of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine, re-read the Bible and the Catechism, and generally devour every treatise on the nature and scope of faith and God I could find. End result: a stronger faith for me, and a nearly endless and spirited discussion with my atheist friends.
Peace be with you. I’m glad you follow the Lord’s admonition that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves!
Jason March 26, 2012 at 11:34 pm
Hey Thomas, I enjoyed this article as well. I know in the past we have had some ‘spirited’ discussions about life, religion and the lack thereof. I think you have brought up some very good points here. As an atheist I certainly appreciate your point of view in this post. I agree strongly with the first two bullets… I have had many discussions turned debates with Christians whom I consider friends where as soon as questions are brought up that they are unfamiliar with or do not have a cookie cutter answer to, turn to calling me a jerk and assuring me I have a place in hell with my name on it. As far as not having all the answers, you are right on. I can not say I have an answer to everything, but I am okay with that. I do not feel the need to know why everything is as it is. I know science is making leaps and bounds explaining things that we previously thought miraculous, but for those things we don’t have answers to, I am okay with that. I do not need to have a Zeus to explain away lightning, or a Pele to to explain volcanoes, and likewise I simply do not feel the need to have a God to comfort me from fear of the afterlife…
I do however find some Christian doctrine to be far less offensive than some of those who claim to abide by it. Coming from the church we both grew up with I am sure you can understand. I am happy to see that you continue to walk the walk.
Keep up the good writing, and take care brother…
T. E. Hanna March 27, 2012 at 12:02 am
Oh Jason, unfortunately, that church was nothing compared to some of the other experiences I’ve gone through. I’ve come to recognize that if the church is a place where broken people are being made whole (which is what I believe it is), then I have to realize that there will be broken behavior. On the flip side, however, I have also experienced some of the most beautiful, selfless people I know in the church. My goal as a pastor is to participate with what God is doing in moving the former to become the latter.
It is good to hear from you, my friend. We need to catch up more.
oneoflokis March 27, 2012 at 5:43 am
Nice blog post, Christian fellow!
atranquilplace March 27, 2012 at 12:29 pm
I nonimated you for the Sunshine Award!
T. E. Hanna March 27, 2012 at 1:04 pm
What is the ‘Sunshine Award’?
atranquilplace March 27, 2012 at 1:06 pm
Go to my blog…lol
Starsworth March 27, 2012 at 5:17 pm
Undoubtedly one of the best blog posts on any subject I have ever read on the Internet. Thank you, and thank God.
Christ Centered Teaching March 27, 2012 at 6:42 pm
I have friends who are Muslim and others who are Mormon and still others, who are Jehovah’s Witnesses.
If you let the love of God flow through you it will not only keep you from becoming defensive, but will give true weight and meaning to your message.
I love them because the one I love loves them.
Thanks for a great read and for sharing your insights.
C.C.T.
A. Dumois March 27, 2012 at 9:45 pm
This is brilliant. It is so disheartening to see foks who call themselves Christian behave in shallow, trivial and unloving ways instead of living the Message that is so powerful. And yet the early church lived in the midst of a pagan/atheist culture and transformed it. May we do the same in our generation
freddyflow March 28, 2012 at 2:49 am
Great writing and thinking, as always… but I’d love to read a companion piece, “Four Ways Christians Have Made Me a Better Atheist.”
T. E. Hanna March 28, 2012 at 8:18 am
That would have to be a guest post, I’m afraid. I can’t speak very well to being a good atheist.
freddyflow March 29, 2012 at 7:32 pm
Actually, could be a good way to keep the dialogue going–invite an atheist to give his/her views and respond back from there…
chiefofleast March 28, 2012 at 10:58 am
Great post! I’d say the simple boldness of JWs and Mormons have made me a better Christian. I have had many JW friends and acquaintances who have kept me sharp and humble with their questions.
I had an outgoing atheist coworker with plenty of statements and questions a couple years ago too; Around that time I decided to throw in the towel of being a world class apologist… : }
Dana March 28, 2012 at 8:55 pm
Great points. I love that Ghandi quote. And yes, I totally agree that befriending people of different worldviews or faiths or values can definitely serve to strengthen our own. When I got out of my microcosm of a Christian town and Christian school, my faith totally exploded, in a good way.
literary lew March 28, 2012 at 8:26 pm
Really fine. I’m amused at how Christians view atheists (and other non-believers) as red meat and are ready to pounce. This is because they are so enamored with the “us-them” paradigm. I think that God will take care of all the “converting” that needs to take place when we focus on “working out our own salvation with fear and trembling”. Keep on preaching, bro!
hdminer March 29, 2012 at 2:04 am
Nicely said. My brother was part of the “free thought” club at school, which meant no religion. And, yet, what I know of him, this High School Physics teacher, is that his faith is deep just expressed outside of the box of creeds. One thing I like most is finding God at work outside of the box.
jamieahughes March 31, 2012 at 9:09 am
It’s like the chorus of “At the Cross,” which reads, “At the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light, and the burden of my heart rolled away. It was there, by faith, I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day.”
Someone told me the other day, “You’re always happy, aren’t you? Always singing?” It gave me the perfect opportunity to tell that person why.
When our hearts are lighter and our spirits more free, people are going to want to know what we have that they don’t. Love and joy do indeed win.
Larry March 31, 2012 at 5:08 pm
Yeah, lovely post. It’s true. As an atheist, I always try to be as kind as I can when dealing with people. The reason I become frustrated with believers sometimes is because they agree to have a religious conversation, but that they will not listen to logic. Typical conversations are as follows:
“Why do you believe in God?”
“Because I get a feeling in my heart when I think about him, and the Bible is God’s word”
“And how do you know the Bible is God’s word?”
“Because it just is. Oh and it says so in the Bible”
“Okay. And that feeling in your heart – why do you call it God?”
“I can’t explain it, I just know it is. It’s a feeling of peace and security.”
“I get that feeling in my heart too. I call it ‘peace and security’. Why do you call it God?”
“It just is. Now turn back and repent because atheists will go to Hell.” (followed by millions of scripture quotes)
That kind of discussion is illogical and fundamentally unhelpful. I cannot stand a conversation that leads into a way like that. I start off very passive but this usually leads into aggression when my logic is being avoided or ignored.
T. E. Hanna March 31, 2012 at 5:28 pm
I think spiritual growth eventually forces one to ask those questions and deal with them honestly. There are typically three ways people deal with them, in my experience (though there are some studies which support this).
1. They choose to willfully ignore the difficulties, which most often results in a spiritual stagnation and a lack of any real theological depth.
2. They conclude that such difficulties are irreconcilable, which results in a move towards disbelief.
3. They wrestle with the issues and find ways to reconcile the difficulties in emotionally and intellectually honest ways. This results in greater spiritual depth.
2 and 3 are the harder paths, but they are the only honest ones. The third maintains the faith, and I think that the world deserves Christians who are willing to walk the third path, rather than the simplified laziness of the first.
I am sorry that you have experienced such rejection at the hands of Christians. I hope you find this a safe place to converse with those of a differing worldview.
Larry March 31, 2012 at 5:37 pm
Hi, I am enthralled with your open, hands-on attitude. Respect!
I agree very much with your 1, 2, 3 analysis (if it can be called that :p). Thanks for your detailed reply. I find it interesting that you spent time around atheists to get to know them. I have found, in congruence with you, that they are generally very willing to discuss the big questions & inaccuracies and say that they don’t have all the answers. This doesn’t need to be the case.
You may like to look up “Penn Jillette” and the videos on YouTube of him discussing atheism. He makes some very interesting points and he emphasizes the importance of saying “I don’t know!”
T. E. Hanna March 31, 2012 at 7:47 pm
I’ve enjoyed Penn, both in his comedy and his thoughts on atheism. He seems to buy into the intellectual elitism which plagues much of neo-atheism, in my opinion. That always rubs me the wrong way, and his videos often come off as derision or condescention as a result. He certainly has some interesting perspectives, but I still prefer Sam Harris to him.
thetruthaboutawoman April 3, 2012 at 6:55 am
Thank you for sharing your feelings about such conversations, Larry. What a sad response about the King of the Universe.
I started my walk with God in 1980 and have grown from knowing about God and performing to please Him (religion) to knowing and hearing from Him personally (relationship). And it all started when I began asking deeper questions. After our son was in an auto accident in 1994 and in a coma for 40 days, I started my personal conversations with God. Not only did He answer all of my questions as time went by, but He did so in ways that were supernatural – no human could orchestrate the details of His loving responses to me and my family. From that time on, we have faced trial after trial, but peace floods my soul – not because of feelings – I learned long ago that feelings are fickle – but because the Prince of Peace dwells in me.
Funny, I would have given the same type of response years ago when I just didn’t know God intimately Today, I rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to teach me the truth and give me answers that respond to the deep needs in each individual. He does – every time.
The deep intimacy that a human shares with God is unequaled to anything in life. God wants us to ask Him questions and He will answer them. In fact, He says, “Come, let us reason together”. Imagine that, He wants to reason with us.
I wonder if you have ever simply asked God to reveal Himself to you in a personal way so that your questions can get the answers that they deserve? May you keep searching until you find the truth.
ansuyo March 31, 2012 at 8:18 pm
Very thought provoking article. I have found in my encounters with athiests and non-believers that there are two kinds, just like there are two kinds who claim the name of Christian. One is an honest seeker and the other is determined to believe what they believe without question, trying to force others into the same belief.
One of the best things that ever happened to my Christian walk was attending a secular University (in my late 30s). I had to challenge my own beliefs and learn why I believe what I believe. There was no “I believe…”, because that didn’t fly. I now seek relationships with anyone who wants it (usually online) as long as they can be respectful. Those who scream their beliefs in my face (after an attempt to get past that) turn me off — a lesson in why Christians often turn off those in the world.
Anyway, great post! Angie
T. E. Hanna March 31, 2012 at 8:25 pm
Thanks Angie! Welcome to the blog!
jauyoaustin April 1, 2012 at 11:44 am
This was one of Jesus’, the Prince of teachers, favorite methods. He attended the great yearly festivals of the nation, and to the multitude absorbed in outward ceremony He spoke of heavenly things, bringing eternity within their view. To all He brought treasures from the storehouse of wisdom. He spoke to them in language so simple that they could not fail of understanding. By methods peculiarly His own, He helped all who were in sorrow and affliction. With tender, courteous grace, He ministered to the sin-sick soul, bringing healing and strength.
Jesus sought access to the people by the pathway of their most familiar associations. He presented the truth in such a way that ever after it was to His hearers intertwined with their most hallowed recollections and sympathies. He taught in a way that made them feel the completeness of His identification with their interests and happiness. His instruction was so direct, His illustrations were so appropriate, His words so sympathetic and cheerful, that His hearers were charmed. The simplicity and earnestness with which He addressed the needy, hallowed every word that He spoke.
I believe that Christ’s methods of presenting truth cannot be improved upon. He gave us a template. Ours is just to insert the right words. Look at the way He embraced simplicity, correctness and repetition. While He charmed the greatest minds like the Pharisees, He sought for simplicity that a child could understand. I think the pertinent questions for Christians to answer before evangelizing are: Are we greater than our Lord? Was His way the right way? Have we been working unwisely in maintaining simplicity and godliness? I am certain we have not learned our lesson yet as we should.
Thanks!
Will Cookson April 2, 2012 at 7:09 am
Well done. A great article.
It is already a very different experience this side of the pond where the basic intellectual and cultural bias is towards secularism/ atheism. Therefore the dominant culture is no longer Christianity and certainly in the UK all sides are having to learn how to negotiate what this means. Unhappily all too often the most strident voices are heard most loudly.
In fact that was one of the areas that I discussed with Rowan Williams when I interviewed him recently when he discussed about his debate with Richard Dawkins, Secularism etc. It was a really great interview (if I say so myself!!)
ginrich April 2, 2012 at 8:00 am
Josh McDowell wrote “Evidence. Demands a Verdict ” to prove Christianity was false and actuality proved it to be true. No matter how hard people try God’s Word will always prove to be true
I enjoyed your articles
T. E. Hanna April 2, 2012 at 9:07 am
I have the single volume update of this. It’s a great resource, though the current challenges to Christianity (principally the ethical arguments and the revisions to history) weren’t prevalent when it was written, so aren’t addressed very well in it. As far as history and evidence, however, it is a fantastic resource, and one I very much recommend.
Jim Denney April 6, 2012 at 4:20 am
Great thoughts, TEH! Your four bullet points are profound, especially the fact that it’s okay to not have all the answers. One of my favorite atheists was the late Christopher Hitchens, who could be brutal in debates. Yet I always felt he wanted to be intellectually honest, and if a Christian could have debated him into a corner, yet loved him with a Christlike love, he might have made a spiritual conversion, just as he once made a political conversion. And speaking of “love wins,” how about this: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/atheist-activist-who-threatened-to-sue-to-stop-texas-nativity-has-become-a-christian/. All the best, JDD
Larry April 6, 2012 at 12:39 pm
Debate Hitchens into a corner? No way!
tree63fan April 6, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Your Ghandi quote sparked a memory, actually it may have connected a couple of remnant memories! I’ve used this quote before, but have never connected it to a long conversation I had a few years ago with a very angry Hindu man. He hated Christians; he was so upset with all their proselytizing. He seemed to be at the point where he could not turn back. No matter how I attempted to explain and answer his questions, he could not seem to grasp what I was saying. The Indian Christians had possibly dug a hole too deep, or perhaps his upbringing was too full of anti-Christian sentiment to overcome. Ghandi had a problem with Christians, not Christianity. I felt it first hand with this man, and just talking about religion was offensive to him as he perceived a simple conversation as proselytizing. He equated sharing the gospel to violence, which I find hard to grasp, but it seemed to be a common feeling in the part of India where he lives. Truly, some parts of India seem to be an place where your “4-ways” would be the ONLY starting point. I often think of this man, pray for him, and I truly wish I could build a relationship as you describe.
paperdollsgetcut April 13, 2012 at 11:05 pm
Hi, I found you because you somehow got ahold of my “Hinds Feet” review. Thanks for your “Like”. I agree that although we are to be in the world, but not of the world, there is much the world can teach us. Alot of harm has been done under the “Banner of Christianity” and many times in history it was non-Christians that had to enlighten the church. Racism is just one of many issues where the many churches did not lead, but had to follow. Speaking of following, I think I’ll add your blog. I hope you will follow mine. I’m trying to get the courage to write out loud and so far have just been doing book reviews.
Regards,
Kristina
iwanttobelieveingod April 14, 2012 at 1:35 am
Wonderful blog and a great post. That Ghandi quote got me thinking.
Blessings.
Prince Andy Bighorn April 14, 2012 at 2:35 pm
I really enjoy the Ghandi quote. I believe loving Christians do not demonize, or crucify others of different belief systems or backgrounds. The hypocrisy is overwhelming. But I’m glad to see that there are open-minded, loving Christians out there.
But shouldn’t that be the rule and not the exception?
Johnson April 26, 2012 at 6:10 pm
Quite a helpful post. What you did is actually something a lot of Christians are afraid to do. And fear is not of God. Atheists are not people to be loved and pitied for their blindness. Glad you were able to take the bold step which inspired this helpful article.
RonFCCC May 16, 2012 at 3:05 am
I’ve been interacting with atheists online, so this post spoke to me. I’d be interested in knowing if you were able to connect with local atheists face to face? If so, how did you go about finding them?
JoJo January 23, 2013 at 12:29 am
Great article! I have found that by keeping these 4 points in mind, you get a lot further with not only atheists but non-believers in general. You’ve really nailed it!
Nathan January 23, 2013 at 2:28 pm
Great article. Wonderful lesson there.
Not_a_bot_bot March 4, 2013 at 5:51 pm
Ghandi did not actually say that. It is a famously misattributed quote.
T. E. Hanna March 4, 2013 at 6:34 pm
Can you source it then? As I understand it, the quote originates from E. Stanley Jones, a friend of Ghandi, who cites Ghandi as its source.
Peter March 5, 2013 at 6:09 pm
When telling a non-Christian Jesus is the only way – how do you go about that? Or, would you assert that Jesus isn’t the only way?
T. E. Hanna March 5, 2013 at 6:37 pm
When I build relationships with people, I get to know them because they are worth getting to know, not because I am trying to convert them. I never hide that I’m a Christian – it’s a core part of who I am, you can’t get to know me without also knowing what I believe.
Conversations about God arise naturally when it’s not forced. I believe very much that God is at work in people’s lives with or without me, long before I come into the scene and still at work long after I go. Evangelism is about participating with the work that God is already doing. There’s not a formula to it – I just show up and pay attention. If I love people for the sake of loving them rather than as a means to an end, I’ve found that God opens all sorts of ways to share how great He is.
Debra Mieth March 10, 2013 at 2:13 pm
This is a very insightful piece and thank you for it. It struck me that of course athiests would not have all the answers. How could they? They are athiests. Only YHWH has all the answers and athiests have no communion with Him.
You may like to look at my blog. It’s fresh if nothing else.