In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
This post mushroomed into a debate with an atheist. I engaged in it against my better judgment… or so I thought. I am sure God does not want us to curl up and say nothing when an atheist speaks.
So much of what we hear about “Science” etc. is just so much jaw-flapping. Nevertheless, because we don’t know who else may be listening, or reading, we have a duty to stand up for God’s Word and Our Lord Jesus Christ. We do the best we can.
Look at the passion poured out–for abortion. Who wants to get into a debate with these wackos?
We are given different spiritual gifts. Life would get kind of boring if we were all the same.
I have not been given the gift of verbally fencing with atheists and enjoying it. The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, excelled at it–and he did it without making anybody angry. Now that’s a gift. My friend and mentor at Chalcedon, Martin Selbrede, has it. But I don’t.
So I once confessed that I had no desire to debate, and what that did was provoke a blizzard of angry comments from atheists, most of which had to be deleted.
They would have you believe they’re a mighty multitude: that they are the mainstream and Christians this weird little minority whose only function is to annoy them. Being in tight with teachers’ unions and Hollywood gives them a lot of high cards to play with. I was going to say “trump cards,” but that would only get them mad.
My hat is off to Christians who can and do debate with atheists. I stood in awe when former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams debated atheist bigwig Richard Dawkins at Oxford–and won. Beat the bad guy on his home turf.
But of course he didn’t convert Dawkins, and I have yet to meet a Christian who says his arguments swayed any atheist–although I live in hope that someday I will.
Meanwhile, I don’t know how they do it. “I know I’m not going to convince the atheist,” says one, “so this is for anybody else who might be listening.” I salute that: stand up and cheer.
I can’t do it. To me, atheism never sounds like anything but High School Charlie “Look how smart I am,” blah-blah-blah. And I get emotionally involved, which makes my logic suffer. I don’t have the patience for it. You never make any headway with them; it’s like debating with a chair.
So I’m glad that others are able and willing to shoulder this burden. I am sure God blesses their honest efforts.