As a Christian growing up in the traditional church we always heard that atheists were our enemy. They deny the God we love and say he does not exist.
As time has gone on I have found that only part of that way of thought is correct. Atheists are not our enemies. In fact, they are no different than anyone else with the exception that they do deny that there is a God or any gods. I have several friends that are Atheists and believe it or not, they are normal people just like you and me.
According to statements made on atheists.org, “Atheism is one thing: a lack of belief in gods. Atheism is not an affirmative belief that there is no god nor does it answer any other question about what a person believes. It is simply a rejection of the assertion that there are gods. Atheism is too often defined incorrectly as a belief system. To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods. Atheism is not a belief system nor is it a religion”.
The idea that Christians and Atheists are enemies and cannot get along is the wrong way to think. So many Christians see things differently and interpret the bible in so many different ways, yet we are all part of the body of Christ. We all have our unique and individual thoughts, interpretations, ways of life and interests. In the same way, although Christians and Atheists see things differently there is no reason why we cannot get along and treat each other respectfully and with kindness.
Christians and Atheists are the same in the fact that, again quoting from atheists.org “All atheists are different. Atheists come in a variety of shapes, colors, beliefs, convictions, and backgrounds. We are as unique as our fingerprints. Atheists exist across the political spectrum. We are members of every race. We are members of the LGBTQ community. There are atheists in urban, suburban, and rural communities and in every state of the nation”.
Christians come in all the same areas as mentioned above. We are all unique and, coming from a Christian perspective, we are all created in the image of God and are loved by God.
I understand that Atheists do not think this way, and that is OK. Rather than condemn one another and argue and name call, we should accept that we are different and we see things differently. Unfortunately, I see this happen from time to time from Atheists and Christians alike. I wish we could accept that we are different in this one area and treat each other with respect and decency.
One last quote from atheists.org “Being an atheist doesn’t mean you’re sure about every theological question, have answers to the way the world was created, or how evolution works. It just means that the assertion that gods exist has left you unconvinced. Wishing that there was an afterlife, or a creator god, or a specific god doesn’t mean you’re not an atheist. Being an atheist is about what you believe and don’t believe, not about what you wish to be true or would find comforting”.
Not much different from Christianity. We cannot prove anything spiritually or in regard to creation or evolution or if God is real or not. We certainly believe in God. We believe Jesus came to show us that God is love, yet we cannot prove it one way or another.
I am certainly not an expert on Atheism and as a Christian I do not think Atheism is the correct way of thinking. Yet Atheists think the same way about us Christians. The main point for me is to be accepting, loving, kind and respectful to all people no matter how they choose to believe, not believe or what they do not accept. Under all the labels such as Christian, Atheist, LGBT, Muslim and so forth we are human beings who have a variety of interests in life, we want to be happy and live a good life. There is no reason why we have to act as enemies due to a different perspective on God.
From my viewpoint, God is able to take care of himself. We can talk until we are blue in the face but that will not change most people. It is the Spirit that leads people to the Father. He will convict people of what needs to be changed in their lives, it is not our job. Until God makes himself known in a way that Atheists come to know there is a God, we should accept the differences and continue to love God and love others just as they are.
(Quotes taken from atheists.org About page at https://www.atheists.org/activism/resources/about-atheism/)
I appreciate the attempt at reconciliation, however, the definition of “atheism” in the above is highly inaccurate, and as a consequence is misleading. Atheism is not an absence of belief in God, if it were then beetles, chicken legs and even agnostics would be counted as atheists. Jaguar’s “Christians are atheists regarding Zeus” idea is simply confused. This definition is a debate trick that no Christian should repeat, I hope for the future benefit of Bible believing Christians that this kind of untruth is removed.
Atheism is a rejection of the existence of God. It’s a positive belief in the reality of a godless universe.
Atheists and Christians aren’t so different. Both eat burgers, both wear jeans, both drive cars and wear shorts in the summertime.
Christians and atheists aren’t so similar. Only one repents of their sins, only one believes in the God of the universe, only one can have an assurance of salvation, only one is transformed everyday due to being indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Only one has accepted the gift of Jesus’ sacrifice upon the cross.
I notice you’ve made no changes in your LGBTQIALMNOP+ rhetoric, Jim. 🙂 Nor is there any let up on your anti evangelical material. God bless you, sir. I hope these opinions of yours change and you join Christians everywhere in sharing the gospel, and not sharing atheism.
2 Corinthians 5: “Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. . .Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
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Thanks old-school for sharing your opinion.
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Thanks for the perspective and the guidance. I’ve heard atheists give three reasons for why they do not believe in God. The most troubling to me is that many see the absurd portrayal of God by Christians and reject the image that is presented. I applaud their insight in this case. Perhaps some atheists have a better understanding of what God is like (or in their minds, what God would be like if He existed) than many Christians do.
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That is so true Norm. It is sad that so many Christians give off such negative and unloving views of God. Fortunately not all do. Thanks for the comment.
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Good clarification. Thanks.
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Thanks for the comment.
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Written with such a heart of love and grace. I so enjoy your posts, Jim. I think of atheists as being pretty spiritual people who give thought to the unseen and the unknown. I think they are often more spiritual than many of us Christians.
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Thanks jem. I agree, underneath the labels of Christian or Atheist is a human being just like everyone else. Thanks for the kind remarks.
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Great article … I’m an atheist BTW … former Christian. I can say that as a Christian I was taught that atheists are immoral, guided by the devil and just want to sin. Now that I am on the other side I see how wrong that description was … many atheists are concerned about their fellow man, despite what Christians think they do have morals and hold themselves to it. Do atheists get angry and lash out at Christians unfairly … sure I would agree with that but I try to explain it this way … watch Leah Remini’s show about former Scientologists …. they are very angry at what they feel they have been lied about for years, they have lost years believing a certain way…. I understand that feeling. But here is the funny thing many of those people who were teaching about Scientology are leaving now too … you realize they are just victims of a belief system too ….. I was angry at my parents at first but finally realized they did what they thought was their best to raise me and I have to be appreciative of that.
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Thank you Uzzah for your reply. So true, the main difference between us is an acceptance or God or not. Good point about the scientologists also. My wife and I enjoy watching Leah Remini’s show. Thanks again for reading and commenting on my article.
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