7. How Do I Talk to an Atheist?
Atheism is the belief system that there is no God. Atheism is the ultimate conclusion of a secular humanist worldview. Some people that affirm atheism may admit they are more likely an agnostic during in-depth conversation. An agnostic is someone who believes the existence of God is unknown. The foundation of atheism is materialism, or the belief that the material world is all that there is. The existence of an immaterial or supernatural realm necessitates the existence of a deity. Atheists subscribe to the theory of evolution to try to explain the existence of life without a Creator.
There are many possible reasons a person may reject God or be content to remain ignorant of the divine. However, the people we will most often encounter who consider themselves as atheist likely choose this affiliation as the result of (1) the lack of exposure to or acceptance of a biblically coherent framework for creation, suffering, and sin, or (2) a negative religious experience. These two possibilities will be briefly addressed, but you are highly encouraged to familiarize yourself with the recommended resources to better understand the cultural arguments against God, especially as the upcoming generations in our nation are projected to increasingly align with no religious affiliation.
Even though we live in what is known as the “Bible Belt,†there are a number of people who have never truly investigated the biblical case for creation, suffering, and sin. Darwinian evolution, the theory by Charles Darwin to explain the origin of the species solely by natural processes, has gained widespread acceptance in our nation. This theory of life without God has infiltrated all facets of society including education, science, politics, pop-culture, and even children’s cartoons. The evolutionary mindset has given way to skepticism of biblical authority and therefore the God of the Bible is often subsequently dismissed. Those who embrace “intelligent design†as an explanation for our origin are often berated as foolish or anti-science. A person growing up in the U.S. today does not have to be intentional about building a framework for life based on an evolutionary philosophy, it will likely happen by consensus if not presented with the biblical alternative. Ironically, the evidence increasingly points to a world that has been intelligently designed when viewed without presuppositions informed by naturalism. Anthony Flew, once one of the world’s foremost atheist defenders, changed his position to belief in God in 2004 at the age of 81. He stated, “The most impressive arguments for God’s existence are those that are supported by recent scientific discoveries†and that “the argument to Intelligent Design is enormously stronger than it was when I first met it.†He believed you had to follow the argument where it led. Flew was even part of a petition by scholars to the British government in 2006 to teach Intelligent Design in state schools.
The issue of suffering may be cited by some as a reason for denying God’s existence. People sometimes surmise that if a loving and powerful God existed, then this God would not allow evil to exist. Some use this argument purely as a reaction to global suffering, while others have experienced very real heartache that leads them to deny the existence of a God who could have prevented their pain. However, a person cannot even make an objective judgment about what is truly good or bad in life without appealing to God. There is an intrinsic worth we assign to humanity that can only be explained by a theistic worldview. Furthermore, in a naturalistic worldview, all suffering is ultimately meaningless. The biblical worldview presents that God is indeed both loving and powerful. In power, He created the world good. It was the disobedience of humanity that allowed sin and brokenness to enter the world. Because God loves humanity and desires a relationship with them, He promised in response to man’s sin to provide the way to remove the penalty for sin and ultimately the pain caused by the consequences of a broken world with broken people. Motivated by His love, God sent His Son into our world of suffering to endure a horrible death at the hands of sinful people in order to pay for the sins of humanity. This ultimate act of suffering assures that those who place their faith in the resurrected Jesus have the assurance that one day in heaven God “will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away†(Revelation 21:4). So the person who chooses to live without God because of their experience with suffering has as a result chosen to ignore the One who can fully sympathize with their experience. Unfortunately, this person has also chosen to extend their suffering in eternity by separating themselves from the One who has prepared a place free from pain and brokenness for all those who come to Him by faith in Jesus. The worldview without God offers no satisfactory solution to pain that people encounter.
Other people may have had an unsatisfactory or even hurtful experience with religion that has caused them to distance themselves from all religion and possibly to reject God. These experiences have usually either been with a misleading religion or a disingenuous Christian or church. These people have experienced unmet expectations at a minimum or possibly even trauma or abuse. Their view of God has been distorted by people who claim to know God. We know God does not approve of this type of behavior because faulty religion is disdained throughout in the Bible. From the rebuke of the religious Pharisees taking advantage of widows (Luke 20:47) to the admonition not to show partiality to the wealthy over the poor (James 2:1-7), the God of the Bible desires that all those who come to Him by faith in Jesus live an honorable life of love and compassion toward others. A terrible experience at a restaurant would not cause one to give up eating but would likely cause one to choose a different restaurant. A negative religious experience does not logically negate God, but rather confirms the reality given in the Bible that people in the last days will “have a form of godliness but deny its power†(2 Timothy 3:5) of love toward God and others. As hurtful as these experiences with a “religious†person may have been, the responsibility for this harm should not be assigned to God. Rather, the Father understands this pain as His son Jesus was mistreated, abused, and killed at the hands of religious people acting in their own self-interest. The God of all comfort can meet anyone in their pain, if they will turn to Him.
CONVERSATION TIPS
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
There are many possible reasons a person may reject God or be content to remain ignorant of the divine. However, the people we will most often encounter who consider themselves as atheist likely choose this affiliation as the result of (1) the lack of exposure to or acceptance of a biblically coherent framework for creation, suffering, and sin, or (2) a negative religious experience. These two possibilities will be briefly addressed, but you are highly encouraged to familiarize yourself with the recommended resources to better understand the cultural arguments against God, especially as the upcoming generations in our nation are projected to increasingly align with no religious affiliation.
Even though we live in what is known as the “Bible Belt,†there are a number of people who have never truly investigated the biblical case for creation, suffering, and sin. Darwinian evolution, the theory by Charles Darwin to explain the origin of the species solely by natural processes, has gained widespread acceptance in our nation. This theory of life without God has infiltrated all facets of society including education, science, politics, pop-culture, and even children’s cartoons. The evolutionary mindset has given way to skepticism of biblical authority and therefore the God of the Bible is often subsequently dismissed. Those who embrace “intelligent design†as an explanation for our origin are often berated as foolish or anti-science. A person growing up in the U.S. today does not have to be intentional about building a framework for life based on an evolutionary philosophy, it will likely happen by consensus if not presented with the biblical alternative. Ironically, the evidence increasingly points to a world that has been intelligently designed when viewed without presuppositions informed by naturalism. Anthony Flew, once one of the world’s foremost atheist defenders, changed his position to belief in God in 2004 at the age of 81. He stated, “The most impressive arguments for God’s existence are those that are supported by recent scientific discoveries†and that “the argument to Intelligent Design is enormously stronger than it was when I first met it.†He believed you had to follow the argument where it led. Flew was even part of a petition by scholars to the British government in 2006 to teach Intelligent Design in state schools.
The issue of suffering may be cited by some as a reason for denying God’s existence. People sometimes surmise that if a loving and powerful God existed, then this God would not allow evil to exist. Some use this argument purely as a reaction to global suffering, while others have experienced very real heartache that leads them to deny the existence of a God who could have prevented their pain. However, a person cannot even make an objective judgment about what is truly good or bad in life without appealing to God. There is an intrinsic worth we assign to humanity that can only be explained by a theistic worldview. Furthermore, in a naturalistic worldview, all suffering is ultimately meaningless. The biblical worldview presents that God is indeed both loving and powerful. In power, He created the world good. It was the disobedience of humanity that allowed sin and brokenness to enter the world. Because God loves humanity and desires a relationship with them, He promised in response to man’s sin to provide the way to remove the penalty for sin and ultimately the pain caused by the consequences of a broken world with broken people. Motivated by His love, God sent His Son into our world of suffering to endure a horrible death at the hands of sinful people in order to pay for the sins of humanity. This ultimate act of suffering assures that those who place their faith in the resurrected Jesus have the assurance that one day in heaven God “will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away†(Revelation 21:4). So the person who chooses to live without God because of their experience with suffering has as a result chosen to ignore the One who can fully sympathize with their experience. Unfortunately, this person has also chosen to extend their suffering in eternity by separating themselves from the One who has prepared a place free from pain and brokenness for all those who come to Him by faith in Jesus. The worldview without God offers no satisfactory solution to pain that people encounter.
Other people may have had an unsatisfactory or even hurtful experience with religion that has caused them to distance themselves from all religion and possibly to reject God. These experiences have usually either been with a misleading religion or a disingenuous Christian or church. These people have experienced unmet expectations at a minimum or possibly even trauma or abuse. Their view of God has been distorted by people who claim to know God. We know God does not approve of this type of behavior because faulty religion is disdained throughout in the Bible. From the rebuke of the religious Pharisees taking advantage of widows (Luke 20:47) to the admonition not to show partiality to the wealthy over the poor (James 2:1-7), the God of the Bible desires that all those who come to Him by faith in Jesus live an honorable life of love and compassion toward others. A terrible experience at a restaurant would not cause one to give up eating but would likely cause one to choose a different restaurant. A negative religious experience does not logically negate God, but rather confirms the reality given in the Bible that people in the last days will “have a form of godliness but deny its power†(2 Timothy 3:5) of love toward God and others. As hurtful as these experiences with a “religious†person may have been, the responsibility for this harm should not be assigned to God. Rather, the Father understands this pain as His son Jesus was mistreated, abused, and killed at the hands of religious people acting in their own self-interest. The God of all comfort can meet anyone in their pain, if they will turn to Him.
CONVERSATION TIPS
- Questions – Every person has a different spiritual background and reasons for being skeptical of the God of the Bible. Ask questions to determine what a person believes about God and what led to those conclusions. Example questions: How did you arrive at the spiritual place you find yourself in? What would “proof†for God’s existence look like? Do you think people are basically good? How do you explain the presence of evil in the world? Have you ever considered that you might be mistaken about your view of God?
- Relationship – You cannot argue someone into having faith. You can seek meaningful relationships with people who consider themselves as non-religious Be willing to share how your faith has changed your life and guides you daily. Allow your life to reflect a Christlikeness that is attractive to others. Be ready to share the hope that you have in Jesus when asked about your life.
- Extend the Conversation – Keep conversations cordial and simple. Focus on the truth claims of Christianity. Share some resources (books, websites, YouTube links) to further consider some of the points you made.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
- The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
- Can Man Live Without God by Ravi Zacharias
- When God Goes to Starbucks: A Guide to Everyday Apologetics by Paul Copan
- Evidence That Demands a Verdict: Life-Changing Truth for a Skeptical World by Josh McDowell
- Apologetics for a New Generation: A Biblical and Culturally Relevant Approach to Talking About God by Sean McDowell
- Christian Apologetics by Norman Geisler
- Stealing from God: Why Atheists Need God to Make Their Case by Frank Turek
- Darwin Devolves: The New Science About DNA That Challenges Evolution by Michael Behe
- Talking with Your Kids about God: 30 Conversations Every Christian Parent Must Have by Natasha Crain
- If God Is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil by Randy Alcorn