Why Do Christians Call Atheists Fools?
Sometime ago I made a video about Atheism and posted it online and there were several responses to it.
In one of my rebuttals I told someone, “God is the One who called Atheists fools, I’m simply quoting Him.”
Based on that reply another Atheist then accused me of hiding behind my God to which I gave him the following reply:
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I am not hiding behind my God.
I AM calling Atheism foolishness and those who practice it, fools!
I’m just saying the concept didn’t originate with me. It’s not my original idea. It’s God’s.
But make no mistake, I 100% endorse the idea that if you can observe the complexity, intricacy and specificity of this meticulously functioning universe and decide it all came from a causeless cosmic accident then, oh absolutely, you are displaying stupidity of the highest order!
I make no apologies for saying that.
I would be remiss however, if I did not share the rest of the story with you and let you know that we were ALL fools at one time or the other.
This distinction is not reserved for Atheists.
Every human being is basically born stupid and until we positively respond to the revelation knowledge of who Jesus Christ really is and the priceless Gift He offers each of us, we only grow in our inherent stupidity.
The same Bible that says you are a fool for not acknowledging the existence of God is the same Bible that says I was an enemy of God working wickedness before I came to repentance. Colossians 1:21
This scripture is experientially true of me. I was involved with drugs, the occult and was even demonized when I received salvation back in 1988.
So, when I tell you you’re being foolish for not acknowledging God, it’s not from the perspective of, “Hey, you idiot! Look how stupid you are and look how smart I am!”
That’s not it at all.
I know that we Christians come off like that sometimes but that’s entirely incorrect!
The correct perspective is, “Hey Bro, I was once where you’re at and it’s not a good place to be. If you stay there you’re courting disaster and you seriously need to re-evaluate your situation.”
For instance, if someone were poisoned and didn’t know it, but you knew and had the antidote, how would you approach the situation to help them?
Would you just walk up to them and try to force-feed them the antidote or would you first make their situation clear to them by explaining the danger they’re in?
I know we Christians don’t always succeed in cultivating the right approach to non-Christians but believe it or not, this is what we’re actually trying to do.
When we say, Atheism is foolishness we’re trying to say, you have been poisoned.
When we share the Gospel we’re saying, here’s the antidote.
Your response is based on your free will so it’s entirely up to you to take the antidote or not.
On behalf of myself and every other Christian who has failed in the past to make this situation clear to you.. I apologize.
It is my hope that you will forgive our own ignorance and short-comings and differentiate between the messengers and the message and see the virtue in the latter.
I have heard the message, many times, my parents were some of its better messengers. Have you, as a messenger, listened to the message from the other side? Do you understand biology, statistics, chemistry, calculus and so on? If you can’t hear or understand the message from the other side how can you understand what it’s messengers are saying when you talk with them?
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I have been hearing the message from the other side for years now and it’s as redundant and nonsensical as it ever was.
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That’s just because he didn’t get the message from ISIS yet. He doesn’t understand that the Muslim god can get pretty violent 🙂 Once that happens, I bet he’ll be praying for more atheists!
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Hahahaha
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I recently read an excellent testimony of a former atheist who is an astrophysicist -a person well acquainted with biology, stats, chemistry, and so on. This astrophysicist came to Christ as a result of their studies.
Sometimes, it is easier for people to relate to others who were once in the same state of ignorance, or circumstances.
In the Bible, Christ says,”My sheep here my voice.”
Christ is appearing to many unbelievers in visions and dreams and creating new Evangelists to effectively reach these lost ones -just as Saul was reached on the Road to Damascus.
Only those Called to God will open their ears to the Truth.
So what can Christians do to help the lost find their way home?
It is important to do as Christ commanded : “Love one another as I have loved you.”
By showing the Love of Christ to others, we leave the door open for further discussion.
When someone thanks us for something, we need to remain humble and acknowledge God’s hand in our lives. We can tell people, “The thanks belongs to Jesus, it is only because of Jesus that I can do anything.”
I have heard many testimonies of people delivered from all sorts of afflictions, because they were able to reach out to Christians who had shown quiet faith and love towards them in the face of scorn and ridicule.
We need to shine with the Love of Christ and be beacons to guide people safely through the rocks and stormy seas, back home into God’s Love and acceptance.
Remember , God was not in the raging storm, the earthquake, nor the fire,but in the still small voice. I Kings 19:11-12
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Brilliantly stated, Suzanne! I couldn’t agree with you more.
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