How Do You Respond to Atheists?

April_Rose said:

Who question you on how you base your beliefs on faith and not actual facts? Cause I'm having that problem in another topic and I feel like I'm not a strong Christian when they tell me that I'm basing my faith on a bunch of lies and I can go to the library and find out they're right and my faith feels so weak. I love Jesus and I want to have strong faith in Him,.. but it's making me question and doubt myself of the possibility that they might be right and I'm scared of losing my salvation again.

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Gods claim is He created the UNIVERSE and everything in it. That He is the origin of life. He created life.

Science and people of faith agree on one point ... whatever happened to allow for everything to come into being started out in the cosmos.

The universe is massive .... it can not be truly comprehended by us.

All the stars, planets and galaxies that can be seen today make up just 4 percent of the universe. The other 96 percent is made of stuff astronomers can't see, detect or even comprehend. These mysterious substances are called dark energy and dark matter.

Before getting into the debate of "evolution" .... ie ... this turned into that .... the question of how the universe came into being must be answered first .... much less what all caused life to begin within it ... and that science-wise can only be hypothesized and will remain so.

hypothesize
possible but not yet proven explanation for something

anything is possible .... including God being the creator of the universe.

They don't like this statement: Can something come from nothing?

Takes faith to believe either one ... yet (non-believers/atheists) most won't admit that. At least people who believe in God do admit that.

The bible isn't a science book.

1 Corinthians 2:14
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Ephesians 4:18
They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

and so it is .... ;o)

if we are right .... believers when we die we turn to dust and will be resurrected into eternal life with the Lord for eternity. We will receive what we believe and will continue on in life.

with atheism they will turn into dust ... and that is for eternity. They will receive what they believe and will not continue on in life.

If all do indeed remain as dust .... what is gained by that knowledge if correct? Nothing.

Eternity ... is it possible? ... they should really think about that.

Either Jesus was a liar .... a lunatic .... or He was the son of the living God.
C.S. Lewis

Pray for them ;o)

Stay firm in your faith sister ;o)

April_Rose said:

Not too sure a hundred percent of what you guys are saying.

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Most atheists, especially the young ones, just parrot off random websites that have the tag "science" in it. They don't need to know the scientist or what he/she is talking about, they will likely cosign it. Atheism takes a greater leap of faith than Christianity because it is simply stating the possibility that all of this was an accident. The way the universe all the way to the cells in your body operate is very systematical. How do systems just happen with out being designed or engineered?

Most atheists will never admit this though, and will go on with the "i don't know/God of the gaps" line which is really a cop out tactic to avoid the fact that their criticism of "no evidence" is hypocritical because they can't even reference an example of any form systematical operating mechanisms can just randomly happen.

April_Rose said:

Who question you on how you base your beliefs on faith and not actual facts? Cause I'm having that problem in another topic and I feel like I'm not a strong Christian when they tell me that I'm basing my faith on a bunch of lies and I can go to the library and find out they're right and my faith feels so weak. I love Jesus and I want to have strong faith in Him,.. but it's making me question and doubt myself of the possibility that they might be right and I'm scared of losing my salvation again.

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It really depends if this is "real life" or the internet.


I answer both somewhat the same, but you got much more leeway to blow them off / don't waste your time if this is some rando on the internet. I can spend a lot of time talking to unbelievers because I think that is part of my calling etc. But I realize looking back even here quite a few times, it often has been a waste of time because you are often talking to someone who just likes to argue, troll, or act like a spoiler.


For folks you know in person take the time to tell them your story, testimony etc. because if they are a relative, coworker etc. they hopefully have a little more invested in keeping a relationship with you.

I usually have the opposite problem in that I’m continually called an atheist because I’m scientifically literate . I’m a little tired of the no true Scotsman nonsense because frankly you’re not going to change my mind about scientific facts . I don’t get this type of harassment from atheists mainly because they’re more willing to live and let live .

christine40 said:

my best friend in HS was an atheist
I met her attending Catholic HS
she went there because it was a better school than public

one day on the school bus, she told me to stop talking about Jesus
I still stayed her friend & was maid of honor when she married

sadly, believe she is still an athiest

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. Did your friend profess her atheism thru science? I know a lot of people who have lost their faith directly because of the ignorant pseudoscience that creationists spout . Word of advice about that . Don’t attack science, you’ll lose the argument! Especially if the person is more scientifically literate than you are . You can only show her by example of how to be a good Christian and by that I mean being a good person.

April_Rose said:

Who question you on how you base your beliefs on faith and not actual facts? Cause I'm having that problem in another topic and I feel like I'm not a strong Christian when they tell me that I'm basing my faith on a bunch of lies and I can go to the library and find out they're right and my faith feels so weak. I love Jesus and I want to have strong faith in Him,.. but it's making me question and doubt myself of the possibility that they might be right and I'm scared of losing my salvation again.

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1) From an argumentative point of view, you cannot formally "prove" the supernatural to an atheist (as you would in mathematics, for example). What you can do instead is to show them multiple bodies of evidence that together make up a picture in which the supernatural appears as a reasonable explanation.

Some examples of evidence I would show them are:

• Scientific evidence of intelligent design.
• Abundant testimonies of the supernatural from multiple religions and cultures around the world.
• Spiritual experiences that lack scientific explanations such as:
  1. Unexplainable deliverance from years of addictions in a few seconds, without withdrawal symptoms or relapsing and without therapy.
  2. Dramatic shaking, trembling, convulsing and contorting in religious settings.
  3. Overwhelming emotions and sensations described as "waves of electricity", "fire", "heat", "burning all over", etc.
  4. Live recordings of dramatic exorcisms.

None of the above is a definite "proof" of the supernatural, but they fit pretty well with a scenario in which the supernatural is real. (Just a note: there are no definite proofs in Science either, Science only works with falsifiable hypotheses, and the best case scenario for a hypothesis is to be tested and fail to be proven wrong again and again, but even then that doesn't logically entail that such a hypothesis is true necessarily).

2) Additionally, if you have had first-hand experiences with the supernatural, you can share your own testimony to the atheist as additional evidence.

3) Lastly, you can intercede for the atheist and ask God to reveal Himself to the atheist through a life-changing supernatural encounter, sort of like Paul being encountered by Jesus in his way to Damascus (I know this is possible because of testimonies such as this one and this one).

Brightmoon said:

. Did your friend profess her atheism thru science? I know a lot of people who have lost their faith directly because of the ignorant pseudoscience that creationists spout . Word of advice about that . Don’t attack science, you’ll lose the argument! Especially if the person is more scientifically literate than you are . You can only show her by example of how to be a good Christian and by that I mean being a good person.

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What is your take on this though?

Brightmoon said:

I usually have the opposite problem in that I’m continually called an atheist because I’m scientifically literate . I’m a little tired of the no true Scotsman nonsense because frankly you’re not going to change my mind about scientific facts . I don’t get this type of harassment from atheists mainly because they’re more willing to live and let live .

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Just because people are diverse with their beliefs and express them isn't harassment.

All people are free to believe what they want (and they/we do) ... and are also free to express/discuss put forth those beliefs.

Belief is an individual thing.

belief

an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists.

April_Rose said:

Who question you on how you base your beliefs on faith and not actual facts? Cause I'm having that problem in another topic and I feel like I'm not a strong Christian when they tell me that I'm basing my faith on a bunch of lies and I can go to the library and find out they're right and my faith feels so weak. I love Jesus and I want to have strong faith in Him,.. but it's making me question and doubt myself of the possibility that they might be right and I'm scared of losing my salvation again.

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Use common sense. The tinniest of molecules, the tiniest of DNA, our lives, our very existance, the universe and stars around us. They believe all of that happened by random chance. How? How can life create itself by random chance? And ot only that but work PERFECTLY and without error? A sovreign God has to be in control of all of this. All of ghis didnt just happen due to random chance, they happened because God created it all, is in charge of it all, and wills it all to happen. That God in scfkpture is none other than Jesus Christ. It isnt believing in a lie, you bdlieve in Jesus Christ a as creator because he IS the creator. They dong bdcause they are lost souks who will probably never find salvation. You on he other hand are a chosen breed. Revel in being chosen! Praise your creator for all of the wonderful things he's done for you, done for US!

eleos1954 said:

Just because people are diverse with their beliefs and express them isn't harassment.

All people are free to believe what they want (and they/we do) ... and are also free to express/discuss put forth those beliefs.

Belief is an individual thing.

belief

an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists.

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. Science doesn’t work on beliefs . It works on evidence. You can make all the claims you wish but to be a scientific fact you have to have verifiable evidence . God-did-it isn’t scientifically verifiable . If it were there’d be only one religion! Being told that I’ll end up in hell because I accept a verified fact of nature is the type of harassment I’m speaking of . This is the type of nonsense that drives intelligent people away from Christianity. And while i just ignore ignorant people like that I know too many who have lost their faith completely because of the harassment and gaslighting.
You can choose your beliefs but you can’t choose facts. Facts are facts whether you believe them or not .

There is a great difference between Atheists, who flatly reject there is a god or gods, and the Agnostics who have strong doubts. There is some hope for the ignorant Agnostics, but little value in trying to discuss Christianity with an Atheist, I have found ---who have been building such resistance over the years.

If real "born again" Christians (John 3:16) preach eternal life, by the grace of our Creator-God in His beloved Son: the Lord Jesus --"the Christ of God"; and also in a loving manner invite one to at least read the Gospels in the Word of God at John 3; John 14; and Epistle at Romans 8; etc., they just might do that, where God can speak to them ---if they are open to such truth. One might suggest the seeker to visit the science site at Institute Of Christian Research at the site: icr.org to see what sound scientists are saying about creation and a Creator.

1watchman said:

There is a great difference between Atheists, who flatly reject there is a god or gods, and the Agnostics who have strong doubts. There is some hope for the ignorant Agnostics, but little value in trying to discuss Christianity with an Atheist, I have found ---who have been building such resistance over the years.
If real "born again" (John 3:16) Christians preach eternal life, by the grace of our Creator-God in His beloved Son: the Lord Jesus --"the Christ of God"; and also in a loving manner invite one to at least read the Gospels in the Word of God at John 3; John 14; and Epistle at Romans 8; etc., they just might do that, where God can speak to them ---if they are open to such truth.

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I think the only way to convert a hardcore atheist is through an undeniable supernatural experience (like here, here, here and here).

April_Rose said:

Who question you on how you base your beliefs on faith and not actual facts? Cause I'm having that problem in another topic and I feel like I'm not a strong Christian when they tell me that I'm basing my faith on a bunch of lies and I can go to the library and find out they're right and my faith feels so weak. I love Jesus and I want to have strong faith in Him,.. but it's making me question and doubt myself of the possibility that they might be right and I'm scared of losing my salvation again.

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You are overthinking it. Faith is about intangible or improbable or unprovable but still firmly held belief. They want you to prove it? You can’t. Such is what faith is.

They don’t get it, think you are silly, think your beliefs are silly? Who cares? If it bothers you, the question shouldn’t be how to convince them to believe you, but how to convince yourself that opinions about your faith that don’t come from you don’t really matter.

April_Rose said:

Who question you on how you base your beliefs on faith and not actual facts? Cause I'm having that problem in another topic and I feel like I'm not a strong Christian when they tell me that I'm basing my faith on a bunch of lies and I can go to the library and find out they're right and my faith feels so weak. I love Jesus and I want to have strong faith in Him,.. but it's making me question and doubt myself of the possibility that they might be right and I'm scared of losing my salvation again.

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God is the absolute of love and logic. If we pursue both His perfect love and the perfection of His works, we are certain to strengthen our faith in the very best kind of foundation. God has revealed many great truths to the scientist as they embrace their scientific method--despite the fact that many of them deny Him. While some of them are atheists, they clearly respect His laws and in fact crave greater understandings of His marvelous works. So, the atheist uses "logic" to attack faith. It is not difficult for an atheist to punch some holes in the written works of men. The Bible contains many great truths, but includes many falsehoods as well. Those who seek to justify every word can place themselves in the unenviable position of defending outrageous conduct of an "angry and brutal" God. But when we are willing to sort through the accounts of men in scripture, we can see the great truth of Jesus' revelation of a loving Father in heaven. His great love will always remain hidden from those who seek to compromise His great teachings with the accounts and teachings of others included in the Bible. They say, "Of course, God is a loving Father,...BUT". There IS NO BUT!
Be willing to take the time to sort truth from fiction in the Bible. Then, continue in your life to seek truth wherever you can find it. To pursue truth is to pursue Him. Faith founded in love and logic will not weaken or become lost.

You should discern before going too deep into a conversation. Don’t cast pearls before swine.

Pay attention, and if they really want to know more, you’ll know.

9 times out of 10, atheists are not seeking to learn.

April_Rose said:

So,.. in other words?

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Blind faith is the weakest kind. The atheist cannot punch holes in one's faith if that faith is built upon logic. A logical faith need never fear a logical attack. Those of us with a logical faith rejoice at every new discovery. Each new discovery=a new thing about God's wonderful universe. Debate with atheists or agnostics (who you will probably find more responsive) as you see fit, and don't be afraid of what you will find or learn. Many modern atheists today have shut out the possibility of God's existence because they have been exposed to Christians unwilling to consider that the Bible might contain any errors. Accordingly, they dismiss ALL Christians thinking that if there is one error, it must all be false. Of course, all Christians are NOT alike and one error proves little, but it's clear to see that while the atheist professes logical reasoning, their logic comes quite short in this judgement.