I watched a video recently with my small group that presents a role-playing situation between philosopher Ken Samples and Second Baptist pastor Ben Young who posed as a non-believer. The “non-believer” presented one question after another, each representing a common attitude regarding Christian faith issues.
Interestingly, my husband had watched the Bill Maher movie “Religulous” (to pronounce that rhyme it with ridiculous, which I believe was Maher’s goal, to equate anyone with religious beliefs to someone ridiculous). Maher professes to be an agnostic who believes all religions are dangerous. However, what little I saw of this movie didn’t seem so much a warning out of a concerned heart as an attempt to make those who have faith look bad. He chose people off the street to answer some tough but pertinent questions—which are actually all addressed in this totally unrelated video put out by Everyday Apologetics (Volume 13) at Reasons to Believe.
The Bible exhorts us to know why we believe what we believe. Like other advice in the Bible, it’s sound. Yet so many of us have a spiritual experience or are reared in the church by loving and trustworthy families and accept our faith more as a culture than something personal. Sometimes it’s left at that rather than digging deep enough to understand (or help others to understand) exactly what we believe.
Some of the questions posed in both the movie and the Christian philosopher’s DVD addressed certain topics. Things like: it’s fine if someone wants to believe in God and Jesus and all that, but it’s not for everyone. Some people just reason differently, and assuming Christianity has an absolute Truth is arrogant. What about other world religions? How can you prove Christianity to be true? Why should we believe in the Bible? I can’t see God, so you can’t prove He exists.
And so on.
I’d love to see the makers of these presentations together for a discussion, or at least someone Maher could hire with a bit more ability to debate someone on a more meaningful basis than simply stopping unprepared people off the street to face a camera, tough questions and a celebrity. An honest debate would be far more interesting—because there are answers to these kinds of questions. Christians are never commanded to believe anything without knowing why. As I said, the Bible tells us in 1 Peter 3:15 to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…”
One of the themes that seemed to permeate through many of the answers to the kinds of questions posed above revolve around the fact that if there are two opposing thoughts or beliefs (Christianity is okay for you, but I don’t need it; the God of the Bible vs. gods of other religions, etc.) then logic demands only one truth can actually be true. It isn’t Christianity that is intolerant; logic is. The Bible tells us to test everything, and it’s in the test that the real truth can be found. Faith, Ken Samples said, should be based upon reason, information and knowledge. First facts, then the ability to believe in something that’s bigger than you are. There are many things we believe in easily without seeing: thoughts, emotions, many elements in science that you can describe but cannot see. I might add, even the wind—we see the trees move because of it, but we can’t see the wind.
I wish I could go into all of the answers that were presented, but it’s already been done through the video presented by Ken Samples. Click here for more info.
Something to think about as you go through your week!
d.c. talk has a song "Mind's Eye" in which Billy Graham says "I've never seen the wind, I've seen the effects of the wind."
People who looked Jesus in the face doubted the goodness of God. It doesn't surprise me that it's still going on today, but it is sad all the same.
I agree, Tina! We may not be able to see a hard heart, either, but we do see the results of having one. 🙁 It's a kind of spiritual blindness or apathy, I think – even when presented with evidence of God's love all around us.
I also believe general suffering is a problem for some, that God would allow suffering (that was one of the other topics in the DVD) – but knowing God was willing to become human then subject Himself to the extreme in physical and emotional suffering (rejection and crucifixion) says that He isn't the source of suffering, but was willing to share in it with us for a greater good.
So interesting…
Apathy is one of the biggest struggles that we run across in ministry. It's hard to believe that people just don't care, but that is what it often comes down to.
Completely agree about the apathy. It seems to be across the board from spiritual matters to politics. Just look at how few people use their right to vote.
It's so surprising to me, but I don't know the answer.