I have just visited a site where atheists vent their spleen against
Christianity.
I looked at about three dozen comments, possibly more, and they
divided neatly into two groups:
1) The people who feel that they cannot believe in God. I would say
'fair enough' but that means that they are lost and as a Christian, I must care
about them. Maybe they have had bad experiences with those purporting to be
believers - or (perhaps more rarely) with those who are believers but have
managed to be crass. Evidently, some people they had not investigated before
making a decision. Some were intellectually lazy and others merely confused.
Pray for them.
2) The second group contained: the nasty, the hubris-laden, those with closed minds, the mean, the mean-spirited, the supremely arrogant, the dismissive, the spiteful, the malevolent, the mockers - and yes - some who were simply evil. Jesus wants us to pray for these too. They are God's enemies and God The Son had the Grace to say "Father forgive them for they know not what they do.''
Many times I have encountered people who are atheists and, if I get the chance to tell them my testimony, they arbitrarily deny the miracles I can put to them which form part of my experience - one such in three distinct parts and impossibly complex. Far too difficult to cast away. In their own minds you can see them determine that I must fall into one of two categories. I must be either deluded or mendacious. Easy cop-out, isn't it? It then means that to disprove me they would have to investigate my claims. Only, they prefer not to do that. Pray for all you know who are like this. Pray when they do not want you to. Join me in my prayers for Richard Dawkins and his cronies.
Remember - even the rank atheist, CS Lewis, ended up 'Surprised By Joy.'
2) The second group contained: the nasty, the hubris-laden, those with closed minds, the mean, the mean-spirited, the supremely arrogant, the dismissive, the spiteful, the malevolent, the mockers - and yes - some who were simply evil. Jesus wants us to pray for these too. They are God's enemies and God The Son had the Grace to say "Father forgive them for they know not what they do.''
Many times I have encountered people who are atheists and, if I get the chance to tell them my testimony, they arbitrarily deny the miracles I can put to them which form part of my experience - one such in three distinct parts and impossibly complex. Far too difficult to cast away. In their own minds you can see them determine that I must fall into one of two categories. I must be either deluded or mendacious. Easy cop-out, isn't it? It then means that to disprove me they would have to investigate my claims. Only, they prefer not to do that. Pray for all you know who are like this. Pray when they do not want you to. Join me in my prayers for Richard Dawkins and his cronies.
Remember - even the rank atheist, CS Lewis, ended up 'Surprised By Joy.'
