How to approach atheists

[AndersenKC]

Ok so I want to poor out my heart on this subject because it's been bugging me ever since I had my last encounter with an atheist.
I'll be honest, I am terrified of witnessing to atheists. I have a very soft heart, and I get mad easily when an atheist tells me I am delusional and God is dead. I don't know why, but I get downright furious when someone says God is dead. It is the most disrespectful thing I have ever heard! I just wanna tape their mouth's shut so they can't say it anymore. What bugs me even more, are when they get media attention by attacking Christians for praying in public or displaying Christian literature. Every time I hear a story about Christians being persecuted atheists the anger in me gets all stirred up.

I just wish the atheists would go away, so we can worship God the way we want without them interfering. I must be feeling the same way the the Protestants did before they left England, France and Spain after the Reformation. Anyways, please I need some prayer and advice on how to deal with this. I'm to the point where I think everyone outside the church is an atheist. I've been bullied by atheism! Also, does anyone notice that atheism is one of the most tempting cults to get caught up in? It's like a spiritual black hole created by Satan.

Also, atheists need not apply on this thread....

 

[Merrily]

Very faithful people are some atheists.
They really do believe in their atheism.
I'd not sweat witnessing directly to any that obviously don't want to listen;, total waste of your time and emotional energy.
The ones who need to and are prompted to will approach you as a rule.
They tend to be able to sense that Spirit ( in which they don't believe) within believers.
Red rag to a bull for some of them that is but to others it's a gentle attractant.

 

[JohnDB]

Two verses come to mind:

Do not answer a fool according to his folly

and

The fool has said in his heart (where his reasoning and emotions cause actions) "there is no God".

I think you need to study your Bible just a little more. Proverbs and Ecclesiastes to be specific.

And as far as "God is dead".

The Abrahamic covenant where God (described as a smoking fire pot) walked the blood path to seal the contract was ended when Jesus/God was crucified. There was an acrostic made upon the charges when posted above his Cross that did form the Tetragrammaton. So in essence God did die...but He came back to Life and is Alive.


In the meantime...have a listen


Newsboys - God's Not Dead - YouTube

I love this song.

 

[Jonathan95]

Very faithful people are some atheists.
They really do believe in their atheism.
I'd not sweat witnessing directly to any that obviously don't want to listen;, total waste of your time and emotional energy.
The ones who need to and are prompted to will approach you as a rule.
They tend to be able to sense that Spirit ( in which they don't believe) within believers.
Red rag to a bull for some of them that is but to others it's a gentle attractant.

We ought to witness whether people want to listen or not.

 

[writtenword]

Hello Anderson,

I'm not any kind of minister, so take this as one person's opinion.

Atheists tend to hit a nerve on believers by making what amounts to a personal accusation (that you are some sort of delusional fool). No one appreciates being called stupid, particularly not from a know-it-all high horse. The majority of atheists do indeed toss out insults about others' intelligence at the drop of a hat.

Naturally, this habit then extends to the God a believer serves. Once a person thinks it's okay to insult other people with impunity, it's a short distance to insulting their beliefs.

Here are a few things to keep in mind, though.

For one, atheists are taught by the establishment to dismiss/ignore conflicting evidence at all times. I remember the day when a good friend of mine first learned that I believe in young earth. He was literally shocked. Then he mumbled something about dinosaurs and assumed the debate was over. I didn't launch into a sermon to change his mind overnight. I just had a friendly chat with some well-placed questions, and soon he realized that this self-professed independent thinker who railed against 'the establishment' had never bothered to doubt the establishment public school narrative. That tiny nugget of introspection landed somewhere deep with him. In a few years since, he has moved his belief from atheist to agnostic.

These people are subject to propaganda and all-out brainwashing 24/7. They're told that Christians are to be treated like outsiders.

Secondly, the world's treatment toward us should serve to reinforce what the Bible says about wisdom coming from God. Atheists in their insulting and accusatory ways show us what happens to a person without God's guidance. Human intellect in the absence of Godly wisdom will be corrupted.

Third (and perhaps most importantly) as believers we must remember that the burden is on us to show grace to others. We can't assume that we are entitled to polite behavior from other people. There's a reason why they need God's help, and that will manifest itself in bad behavior.

Remember what Jesus said on the cross: forgive them for they know not what they do. Think about those words and let them sink in. No matter their intellect, no matter how sure they may sound, the fact is that they don't know what they're doing.

On a final point, I'd also encourage you to remember that no sin is worse or more severe than other sin in the eyes of God. I am the chief among sinners. This is NOT me saying that you can't judge an atheist - this is simply to say that true righteous anger is offended by all sin equally, so if one particular sin seems to push your buttons more, then I would look for a personal reason as to why that is.

Atheist witnessing is a very tough battlefield. I would suggest taking a break to reassess and build yourself up.

 

[ezeric]

Many if not most atheists come out of the church, they often come from Christian homes because they have seen christian religion and not GRACE.

Note: GRACE is where the power is...

They have heard words, sermons and teaching with no power.
They are looking for the GOD that answers in power.
They are looking for a change in their lives that overcome their sins and weaknesses.

They've had lots of goofy (what we call church stuff) thrown down their throats and it hasn't produced fruit or power.

Paul said "I didn't come to you with words, but rather the SPIRITS power".

Here is the scripture: "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power." 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

We don't have any real teaching unless its backed by POWER.
POWER in this new life that changes us from sins and from darkness.
Healings and miracles - that is what they are looking for ....looking for the real!

-eric

 

[forGod1]

Ok so I want to poor out my heart on this subject because it's been bugging me ever since I had my last encounter with an atheist.
I'll be honest, I am terrified of witnessing to atheists. I have a very soft heart, and I get mad easily when an atheist tells me I am delusional and God is dead. I don't know why, but I get downright furious when someone says God is dead. It is the most disrespectful thing I have ever heard! I just wanna tape their mouth's shut so they can't say it anymore. What bugs me even more, are when they get media attention by attacking Christians for praying in public or displaying Christian literature. Every time I hear a story about Christians being persecuted atheists the anger in me gets all stirred up.

I just wish the atheists would go away, so we can worship God the way we want without them interfering. I must be feeling the same way the the Protestants did before they left England, France and Spain after the Reformation. Anyways, please I need some prayer and advice on how to deal with this. I'm to the point where I think everyone outside the church is an atheist. I've been bullied by atheism! Also, does anyone notice that atheism is one of the most tempting cults to get caught up in? It's like a spiritual black hole created by Satan.

Also, atheists need not apply on this thread....

so, a ball of space exploded and here we are. Where were we before the ball of space? it just happened out of nothing? imaginary magic is more easier to understand? magical monkeys?

 

[sunshine456]

Why would any of this anger you?

Seriously, as Christians we are persecuted routinely according to scriptures. If we are not persecuted then by all means I question the validity of someone being a true believer and a Christian.
Becoming angry at someone for their disbelief is misdirected. Replace it with love and preach to them in a befitting manner by not leaning on YOUR own understanding, but on the grace of GOD through his son lord JESUS CHRIST.

Standing up for the true faith is an integral part of every Christian by sharing the gospel, preaching and sharing the gifts of the spirit. Love is the golden rule and we shine as lampstands when we understand by GOD through his son JESUS how to represent that truly. Understanding that love as intended by GOD the heavenly father can only be obtain by............


John 14:6-8

New International Version (NIV)

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know[a] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Praise be to GOD the heavenly father and his son lord JESUS CHRIST forever>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[AndersenKC]

First of all I want to say a kind thank you to your responses, this is an important issue. Because atheism is getting larger everyday.

Many if not most atheists come out of the church, they often come from Christian homes because they have seen christian religion and not GRACE.

Note: GRACE is where the power is...

They have heard words, sermons and teaching with no power.
They are looking for the GOD that answers in power.
They are looking for a change in their lives that overcome their sins and weaknesses.

They've had lots of goofy (what we call church stuff) thrown down their throats and it hasn't produced fruit or power.

Paul said "I didn't come to you with words, but rather the SPIRITS power".

Here is the scripture: "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power." 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

We don't have any real teaching unless its backed by POWER.
POWER in this new life that changes us from sins and from darkness.
Healings and miracles - that is what they are looking for ....looking for the real!

-eric

I have seen the power myself, when my church was passionate for the Lord. It was time, where sermon after sermon after sermon hundreds of people would get saved. And during the Behold the Lamb plays, hundreds of people would get saved in one showing. People's lives were changed! There was passion and sincerity, the power of God was really there and I saw it with my young beading eyes. Now, my church is but a fraction of what it once was and the passion and power is gone. I'm trying to figure out what the church was doing right at the time, but I was to young to really understand everything the church was doing. Maybe it was the sound following of the Scriptures that gave the church good direction and consistency?
I understand what you say, I really do.


[q]Becoming angry at someone for their disbelief is misdirected[/q]

It's just not any someone, it's an atheist. A special brand of disbelief. They believe in nothing. I'm angry with them because they frustrate me. They don't see their illogical thinking even if you put it in plain terms for them. That is why I've come to a place where I don't even talk to them anymore. I just recently unfriended a few of them this year. I didn't tell them why, I just said I can't associate with them anymore. Their life style was very toxic and I needed to beat it before it influenced me. I sound angry don't I? That's because I'm venting, I apologize.

 

[writtenword]

To be fair, many people have sin in their lives that they won't change despite correction presented to them in plain terms. You can give a smoker a million reasons why they should quit smoking, laid out in plain terms with compelling evidence that any logical person would admit, and yet the smoker will resist. The fact is that logic rarely works to change any person's heart.

 

[LilLamb219]

Wow.

Your posts sadden me.

The best way to be a witness to anyone is to live your life like a Little Christ and then form relationships with people. Answer their questions when asked but don't try to push God on them or it will backfire.

I have some atheist friends and I pray for them. I'm not a Christian because of anything I've done...it's all because of our triune God. So I pray that some day they too will come to faith.

 

[seeingeyes]

I just wish the atheists would go away, so we can worship God the way we want without them interfering.

God doesn't want you to worship Him without interference. Anyone could do that...

 

[AndersenKC]

To be fair, many people have sin in their lives that they won't change despite correction presented to them in plain terms. You can give a smoker a million reasons why they should quit smoking, laid out in plain terms with compelling evidence that any logical person would admit, and yet the smoker will resist. The fact is that logic rarely works to change any person's heart.

Ya you are right on that, but on the other hand you have stirred my thinking. I'm gonna stretch your analogy a bit more.

A bad smoking habit is an addiction case and point. So does that mean being an atheist is addictive? LOL. Ok and the addiction in the cigarette is caused by nicotine. What would the catalyst for becoming an atheist be?

 

[AndersenKC]

God doesn't want you to worship Him without interference. Anyone could do that...

Sorry I didn't mean that in an immediate sense, I meant by trying to pass laws to restrict our 1st amendment rights. Like taking out the 10 commandments, suing people for praying in public, going into schools and bashing the bible. Stuff that causes distraction to the believer, and it's purpose to drive fear into Christians.

 

[writtenword]

My smoking analogy boils down to this: when a person feels pressure (whether from an addiction, an emotional attachment, fear of being laughed at, or other factors) and the pressure to resist is stronger than the logic, the pressure will win.

This is why Jesus told us to be of good cheer because He overcame the world. The power of your persuasion must overcome the power of their strongholds. Atheism is a disease of the intellect, a perverted outcome of human intelligence being used by the enemy. Logic doesn't work on illogical people.

I'm not telling you to go out and keep engaging atheists whether you feel like or not. Sometimes we have to take breaks from things. But I see a lot of pain and anger in your posts here, and I don't want you abandoning atheists simply out of unresolved anger.

 

[AndersenKC]

I'm off to bed, but thanks everyone for your kind replies. I'll talk to yall later today. If you are wondering I work an overnight security job, that is why I sleep during the day. Peace be with you all.

 

[Daughter of His]

Third (and perhaps most importantly) as believers we must remember that the burden is on us to show grace to others. We can't assume that we are entitled to polite behavior from other people. There's a reason why they need God's help, and that will manifest itself in bad behavior. [ I needed to hear that!!!! Thanks for posting writtenword!]

 

[seeingeyes]

Sorry I didn't mean that in an immediate sense, I meant by trying to pass laws to restrict our 1st amendment rights. Like taking out the 10 commandments, suing people for praying in public, going into schools and bashing the bible. Stuff that causes distraction to the believer, and it's purpose to drive fear into Christians.

How has any of this affected you directly? How does any of this affect your faith in Christ Jesus?

 

[thatforumguy77]

Okay, there is a large belief that we must witness to ALL people, and this is not exactly true, certainly because it is physically impossible, but also because we have to be careful on who we send God's message to. Remember that in the beginning of the Parable of the Weeds (Matthew 13), God planted the wheat, and sometime in the night, the Enemy planted weeds to grow alongside them. Both will grow together, but will be divided during judgement day. Also, Jesus warned us not to throw our treasures to dogs, and our pearls among swine (Matthew 7:6) for they will destroy it and then us.

What does this tell us then, for our Great Commission? Should we avoid them? Certainly not, but we must use wisdom and discernment in understanding who can be reached with sharing the Word and who could not. Plant the seed, and God will either make it grow or not - do not push unnecessarily, the result is not because of our own strength nor our own iniquity, but through God's plan. Nothing else. God plays the long game, and we may not necessarily see the end of it, only that we must believe that whatever the end may be, it is for the best.

That said, I know many atheists, and I do not witness to them using the words of the Bible, they have already prepared walls against that, instead, I witness through example and inspiration. Be Christlike, it never fails! At this moment, many of them gained some respect for me and my beliefs, how rare gentlemen are in this day and age, and had at more than one time asked what was my religion. Time will come when their curiosity would lead them to read a verse, then perhaps lead them to salvation... God will either lead them or not, but as for me I will only follow the Lord.

 

[AndersenKC]

Well, I can still read my Bible I can still go to church without getting arrested which is good. I've been affected by atheists through public school and the internet. I've seen some of the most vile things said to Christians on YouTube. After awhile, I started really resenting the atheist philosophy, because of the amount of damage and pain it can cause. I will say it has shaken my faith but never destroyed it. In my serious times of doubt, God has always been there to grab my attention to not loose faith.