Growing up in a world...

[Alyssabee10]

Hey all my name is Alyssa, I'm new to these forums. I'm 19 years old, attending college. I was just wondering, how do you all(people around my age) deal with the everyday hassles of let's say...scientists, atheists, etc..bashing God and saying he is not real? Lately these people have been really getting to me and bringing me down and I just need encouragement from those my age on how they deal with these issues. Thanks all.

 

[tcwoods91]

I encourage you to stand in the truth of scripture and be a witness for Christ no matter what gets thrown your way. Christ will be your strength! I used to get discouraged easily about such things, but as I sought to know God more and more I began to see God's heart for these people. God loves atheists. They're lost, but God isn't giving up on them. You may be the one person in their life that can show them Christ. They may laugh, they may mock, but I encourage you to never be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! For what do we have to lose? Shine God's love and never give up! You may be the only Jesus they ever see!

May God bless you mightily my sister!

Trevor

 

[Alyssabee10]

I have a question, Trevor. You said that God loves atheists...I don't understand how, I mean , they don't believe in him, so why would he? Not that I am against that idea at all, just kind of confused about that.

 

[tcwoods91]

God's love is not dependent on anything we can do. He gives freely. Love is not something that can be earned. Love is a choice that is made. God chooses to love us. One way that I know that God loves atheists is that He continues to pursue them and call them to himself. I have heard of people who were atheists, but because God continued to pursue out of His love for them they finally came to believe.

God hates the sin, not the sinner. It is also worth mentioning that God is Love. It is in His very nature to love

Here are some verses that might help too.

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8

It was while we were still sinners that God died for us. This is the biggest way that God has demonstrated His love for each and every one of us.

"This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:3-4

I don't think God would want all to be saved if He didn't have love for them.

I hope that helps! I know it's hard to see how He can love atheists, but I think of it this way. It is hard to see how He can love me, after all that I have done to deny Him in my own life. But He still does! It's nothing that I have done.

 

[EyesOfKohl]

Do good to those who do bad. Yeshua said "If you love those who love you, what reward do you get?" and if they ask you to go one mile, go with them two miles. That way, their conscience will get to them and they will think better. Be a light to the world, through your good works they shall seek G-d.

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.

 

[stacymay]

Hey all my name is Alyssa, I'm new to these forums. I'm 19 years old, attending college. I was just wondering, how do you all(people around my age) deal with the everyday hassles of let's say...scientists, atheists, etc..bashing God and saying he is not real? Lately these people have been really getting to me and bringing me down and I just need encouragement from those my age on how they deal with these issues. Thanks all.

I feel you. Most of my family doesn't believe, and I go to a Liberal Arts college. My take on spiritual defense is usually to coexist and deal with the fact that not everyone is going to agree with my viewpoints. After all, people's hearts are shrouded in mystery and we have no way of knowing why they believe what they believe. However, it's a different story here on the Web and in more tumultuous situations IRL, when people are bold and brash and openly insult our Lord and our faith. In these moments, it's important to remember that they need prayer, lover, and guidance more than anything else. God doesn't need us to defend Him, but when we feel the need to defend His good name, where we stand, or the beliefs we hold dear, the best thing to do is pray for wisdom and always maintain patience.

Christians today are labeled as ignorant, radical, hypocritical, you name it. People assume that we were "brainwashed" or that we see the world through rose-colored glasses. However, I see it as quite the opposite. True faith is a choice we make, a choice God makes, and it's one of the most difficult things to hold onto in today's world. Having faith and following Christ is the opposite of taking the easy way out. However, it has nothing but benefits in the long run. Though some may mock us, disrespect us, or even hate us, this was inevitable from the beginning (as stated in the Bible) and the best thing we can do is prove their preconceived notions wrong with love, patience, and empathy. As for scientific arguments, remind them that some of the greatest minds in history believed in at least a higher power and that while He cannot be proven, He cannot be disproven either. Just tell them to open up their minds and hearts; living life shut off from ideas is wasteful, and faith is a real agent of change and improvement. One has to be open-minded in order to believe in God.

Sorry for the novel. Don't know why I always do that. Huh. Anyway, I deal with the bashing by praying for bashers and using any argument I can muster to try and show that Christians aren't all ignorant and that we have good reason for believing what we believe. Always deliver your message with kindness!

 

[Alyssabee10]

Wow everyone, thank you so much for all of those comments, especially stacymay and tcwoods! I'm a little opposite of you, stacymay, in the fact that I have grown up in a family who does Believe, but it is nice to hear that even though you didn't, you have still became a Christian. And don't worry about your "novel" everything you wrote really helped shed the light on my question!

 

[stacymay]

Wow everyone, thank you so much for all of those comments, especially stacymay and tcwoods! I'm a little opposite of you, stacymay, in the fact that I have grown up in a family who does Believe, but it is nice to hear that even though you didn't, you have still became a Christian. And don't worry about your "novel" everything you wrote really helped shed the light on my question!

Glad to know! God bless ya!

 

[Unix]

I got strenghtened in faith by buying
* NABRE 2010 whole Bible (New American Bible Revised Edition). Today I read Zechariah from it
* Revised English Bible (1989) New Testament and Apocrypha
"Revised English Bible" sacred - AbeBooks
REB is in English, (i.e. different from American). I read 2 Esdras from it and I think that is scripture. Gospel of Matthew quotes 2 Esdras and Baruch 3.38 "Thus she has appeared on earth, is at home with mortals. (NABRE Baruch 3.38 prediction of Messiah.) And I also read James first.
* And reading a book where pope Benedict XVI teaches about the Holy Trinity

 

[KTskater]

First, let me say that the conflict between science and faith is one you will have to conjure up in your own mind. I am a biological anthropology major with a minor in chemistry and I have found that many of the arguements against the God of the Bible stem from biological theories (most of these are only problematic with a literal inperpretation of Genesis), while there is incredible support for God found in physics (especially quantum mechanics). Even the sciences disagree. If science has you bogged down, read from some good Christian scientists. Francis Collins has a Ph.D in molecular biology, an M.D. and was head of the Human Genome Project and he is a believer. You can find a lot of his talks on youtube.

Don't be discouraged! God is still a miracle worker (I saw my friend healed of blindness last Wednesday!), He is still doing things in this world that validate his power over the beings He created. He is not silent, and He is not still. Seek after Him daily, and try to find a body of believers that will encourage you either on campus or off-campus at a church. They will be invaluable to you and your ministry.

 

[solarwave]

Others have given good answers so I'll just say that one problem with what some atheists say is that they try to distil a personal thing down to cold hard evidence. There are good arguments for theism, but it is more than that.

First, let me say that the conflict between science and faith is one you will have to conjure up in your own mind. I am a biological anthropology major with a minor in chemistry and I have found that many of the arguements against the God of the Bible stem from biological theories (most of these are only problematic with a literal inperpretation of Genesis), while there is incredible support for God found in physics (especially quantum mechanics). Even the sciences disagree. If science has you bogged down, read from some good Christian scientists. Francis Collins has a Ph.D in molecular biology, an M.D. and was head of the Human Genome Project and he is a believer. You can find a lot of his talks on youtube.

Don't be discouraged! God is still a miracle worker (I saw my friend healed of blindness last Wednesday!), He is still doing things in this world that validate his power over the beings He created.

Your friend was fulling blind and was prayed for a healed? What happened? Details please if thats ok?

 

[KTskater]

Your friend was fulling blind and was prayed for a healed? What happened? Details please if thats ok?

He has been completely blind in his right eye since birth, and the doctors told him he would never see again because the main nerve was completely destroyed. He had just been to an eye appointment a week or so earlier.
We had our weekly inter-denominational college Bible study/prayer meeting and we felt led to pray for this to be healed. The Holy Spirit fell like fire (I imagine the upper room in Acts 2 probably looked something like this). We prayed for him for probably ten minutes, and he started rubbing his eye. We all fell completely silent, and then one friend told him that if he wasn't healed yet, his healing was stored up in Heaven. My blind friend looked up and said, "I'm not saying it's not there...because I can definitely see".
We checked him to make sure, covering his good eye and holding up fingers. Needless to say the room erupted into the most undignified display of worship I have ever seen in my life. It was truely life changing.
God is still in the miracle working business and He can use 12 college students to do it!

 

[solarwave]

He has been completely blind in his right eye since birth, and the doctors told him he would never see again because the main nerve was completely destroyed. He had just been to an eye appointment a week or so earlier.
We had our weekly inter-denominational college Bible study/prayer meeting and we felt led to pray for this to be healed. The Holy Spirit fell like fire (I imagine the upper room in Acts 2 probably looked something like this). We prayed for him for probably ten minutes, and he started rubbing his eye. We all fell completely silent, and then one friend told him that if he wasn't healed yet, his healing was stored up in Heaven. My blind friend looked up and said, "I'm not saying it's not there...because I can definitely see".
We checked him to make sure, covering his good eye and holding up fingers. Needless to say the room erupted into the most undignified display of worship I have ever seen in my life. It was truely life changing.
God is still in the miracle working business and He can use 12 college students to do it!

That's pretty amazing! Do you know what his doctor has said?

 

[KTskater]

He hasn't gone back yet. I'm really excited to see what they say.

 

[treeking]

Hey all my name is Alyssa, I'm new to these forums. I'm 19 years old, attending college. I was just wondering, how do you all(people around my age) deal with the everyday hassles of let's say...scientists, atheists, etc..bashing God and saying he is not real? Lately these people have been really getting to me and bringing me down and I just need encouragement from those my age on how they deal with these issues. Thanks all.

If they say something ridiculous I have learned to ignore those things as it leads nowhere and it is generally a waste of time to answer nonsense.

More or less for me it is not about defending God from being bashed as anything they say to "bash" is generally false to begin with so I do not think a lie could put a dent in God's armor.

 

[exalius]

Hey all my name is Alyssa, I'm new to these forums. I'm 19 years old, attending college. I was just wondering, how do you all(people around my age) deal with the everyday hassles of let's say...scientists, atheists, etc..bashing God and saying he is not real? Lately these people have been really getting to me and bringing me down and I just need encouragement from those my age on how they deal with these issues. Thanks all.

I remember when I was in my first year of University (4 years ago now... and that's scary!) one of my classmates was an ardent atheist and she started attacking God. I (whether wisely or foolishly, I don't know) countered with some apologetics. It shut her up pretty quick.

They all seem to argue the same things: that science has disproved God, right? (At least in my experience anyway). But more evidence points to the idea of a creator, rather than not - a big one being cause and effect (the cosmological argument). I was had someone argue that that quantum physics has "disproved cause and effect". If that were the case, why study science, which is all about effects and their causes?

Sorry, I tend to go off on a tangent... To answer your question...

When I was confronted with that kind of opposition, I turned to apologetics (Answers in Genesis - Creation, Evolution, Christian Apologetics) - very good reading: faith-building and equipping. Other than that, reading the Bible and prayer (for yourself and for the scoffers).

God bless!

 

[StudentofScripture55]

I have a question, Trevor. You said that God loves atheists...I don't understand how, I mean , they don't believe in him, so why would he? Not that I am against that idea at all, just kind of confused about that.

Hey Alyssa,

God's love is unconditional-He loves all of us, in good times and bad, through faith and through doubt.

Think about Jesus' sacrifice, what that means. That's the kind of love God has for us.

 

[jrp1765]

Hey all my name is Alyssa, I'm new to these forums. I'm 19 years old, attending college. I was just wondering, how do you all(people around my age) deal with the everyday hassles of let's say...scientists, atheists, etc..bashing God and saying he is not real? Lately these people have been really getting to me and bringing me down and I just need encouragement from those my age on how they deal with these issues. Thanks all.

Hi Alyssa!

I'm a junior at a secular liberal arts college, so I totally understand the feeling. I took a religions class a couple years ago, and it really hurt so much to hear the way that people talked of my God and Savior; filled with hatred for someone that loves them so much. But I prayed about it, asking God HOW? He gave the ultimate sacrifice for them and they reject Him completely.

BUT, He showed me that they are no different than believers, except that we have been given the amazing, life-changing privilege of seeing the truth. Some people just can't wrap their minds around the idea of there being a God. As one atheist friend told me, "for me to believe in God would be kind of like you, starting to believe in Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny." Only the Holy Spirit can change their heart, to make them open to the Truth. And He did that for you; it's a gift.

So just pray for and LOVE the people that bash your faith and your God. Because they are lost. Don't get angry; instead have compassion on them, because we'd be in the same boat if He hadn't saved us.

And one more thing: DON'T try to argue with them. You'll never get anywhere, and they most likely just resent you for it. If I've learned on thing by being in a secular college it's that most people are set in their beliefs--including us (which of course is why we're always called close-minded..). So trying to argue, based on logic, is not going to work. They'll crush you. The same atheist friend I mentioned before, often tells me she hates talking about religion (then proceeds to discuss it with me for several hours..). I have told her though several times, when I talk about things she doesn't believe, that yes. Maybe I could be wrong. No, I cannot 'prove' scientifically God's existence. But by the ways He has worked in my life I have no doubt He does exist and lives in me. And I know she appreciates that because she's told me. And because she has not put up a defensive wall to me, God will be able to use me in her life if He so chooses.

Sorry for the long post.. Good luck!

I encourage you to stand in the truth of scripture and be a witness for Christ no matter what gets thrown your way. Christ will be your strength! I used to get discouraged easily about such things, but as I sought to know God more and more I began to see God's heart for these people. God loves atheists. They're lost, but God isn't giving up on them. You may be the one person in their life that can show them Christ. They may laugh, they may mock, but I encourage you to never be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! For what do we have to lose? Shine God's love and never give up! You may be the only Jesus they ever see!

Amen!

 

[Paulie079]

Hey Alyssa, I know your thread has been around for awhile now and a lot of people have added some awesome things. I just thought I would add to check out The Reason for God by Tim Keller. It is one of the greatest apologetics books ever written! It was SO helpful to me and it would even be a good read to suggest to friends that are atheists, even just so they can gain a better understanding of the Christian worldview.

 

[Johnny Todd]

Hey all my name is Alyssa, I'm new to these forums. I'm 19 years old, attending college. I was just wondering, how do you all(people around my age) deal with the everyday hassles of let's say...scientists, atheists, etc..bashing God and saying he is not real? Lately these people have been really getting to me and bringing me down and I just need encouragement from those my age on how they deal with these issues. Thanks all.

surround yourself with Godfearing friends very few from your generation will make it, strength comes in numbers, a cord of three strands is not easily broken, I'm telling you this because these words are not my own but from the Spirit of God, I always can tell when this happens because tears are rolling down face, because I can feel how much God loves you, and wants you to overcome the world. I rarely have such a strong warning for a young person, but The Lord says "bad company corrupts good character" The most important thing in your life at this stage is finding Godly friendships