How Not to Fight Atheism

[cleanhippie]

How Not to Fight Atheism
By R. Albert Mohler, Jr.|Christian Post Guest Columnist\

There is nothing so short-sighted and unhelpful as Christian insecurity - and this kind of insecurity recently led to predictable results in Fort Worth, Texas. In early December, the Dallas-Fort Worth Coalition of Reason - a group dedicated to raising the profile of secularists, atheists, and agnostics - began running advertisements on Fort Worth public buses that read, “Millions of Americans are Good Without God.”

Some Christians responded with outrage. “The ads are hurtful to the people who do believe in God, and I proudly believe in Jesus Christ,” said one woman. A coalition of Fort Worth pastors called for a boycott of public transportation.

--snip--

These offended Christians called for action by transportation officials, and they did not have to wait long for a response. The Fort Worth Transportation Authority voted December 15 to ban all religious ads on buses. The policy took effect January 1, 2011. According to press reports, “both sides cheered the decision.”

Christians are sometimes our own worst enemy, especially when we claim to be offended. Those pastors and concerned Christians who demanded that the transportation authority ban the atheist ads actually gave the secularists the Grand Prize. By precipitating (and, of all things, celebrating) a ban on all religious messages from this public space, these Christians surrendered Gospel opportunities simply because they were offended by an atheist advertisement. No wonder the atheists clapped.

This is a disastrous strategy. Are Christians so insecure that we fear a weakly-worded advertisement on a public bus? These bus ads represent just how weak the atheists’ arguments really are, but the response from agitated Christians represents a far more dangerous weakness. Instead of responding to the ads with a firm and gracious defense of the Gospel, these activists just surrendered the space altogether, rather than to bear the offense of the cross.

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20110106/how-not-to-fight-atheism/


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Emphasis mine.

[Schema Thing]

1. You'd be insecure too if your god hadn't moved a muscle in billions of years

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. even after all those prayers, eh?

I was heading to court yesterday, and as the elevator was heading up, a woman started praying. Out loud. About the safe journey in the elevator.

It was pretty annoying, especially in a full elevator. I turned to her and told her that not only will her prayers not work to keep the elevator safe, they would never work. I suggested instead, she thank the elevator inspectors and maintenance crew that had just approved the elevator of use as of January 4, 2011. Most of the people in the elevator smiled, one even thanked me for shutting her up.

[cleanhippie]

7. Thats true.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. I subscribe to the hideous AFA

just to see what insanity they promote any particular day.

Their big argument of late has been how badly christians are being treated in America. Atheists and muslims get too fair a deal.

[bowens43]

4. "These bus ads represent just how weak the atheists’ arguments really are"

ROFLMAO!!!!


Atheists arguments are weak? Christians believe in an Omnipotent little old man sitting up in the sky blessing some and smiting others and they say that the atheists arguments are weak?????

bronze age goat herder mythology really has no place in the 21st century.....

[trotsky]

5. Not only do they fear that weakly-worded benign advertisement...

even the liberal ones make the inane comparison saying that it's exactly the same as the worst in-your-face whackjob fundie religious loonies. The false equivalency to try and put themselves in the imagined golden mean is absurd.

[Speck Tater]

6. Curoius how the religious always end up using the word "FIGHT" in relation to those who disagree.

As they see it, there are only two kinds of people: "Christians" and "The Enemy", and the enemy needs to be fought and eradicated. Makes this atheist feel all warm and secure to know I'm surrounded by people who think of me as someone who needs to be fought.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

8. They are taught that from birth. We are the enemy,

we need to be converted, our presence is an insult to their god.

For many christians, freedom of religion means they get to pick which christian church to attend. The idea of freedom from religion never enters the realm of possibility

[Speck Tater]

9. My own "religious" orientation seems even more threatening to the Christians I know.

I consider myself to be a Buddhist Atheist. To me Buddhism is a system of ethics and a collection of psychologically-based meditative techniques that help me better handle stress and maintain clear-minded equanimity through all of life's ups and downs. (See, for example: "Confession of a Buddhist Atheist" by Stephen Batchelor). But as soon as I say "Buddhist" they see me as a heathen who worships a fat Oriental god. In fact, I don't believe in any god or gods and don't worship any such imaginary supernatural entities. But try to explain THAT to a Christian.

[Bad Thoughts]

10. Is that a useful appelation?

I don't mean to attack you, but I'm not certain calling yourself a "Buddhist Atheist" is really all that descriptive. From what I've read of your posts, you seem to engage in spiritual/religious practices (meditation) informed by Buddhism but that preclude any consideration of the existence of deities. It seems more syncretic and creative than what both words can bear.

[Speck Tater]

11. Good point.

In the company of fellow Buddhist Atheists the term is useful since we Buddhist Atheists understand exactly what is meant by it. On the other hand, outside that circle of fellow travelers the term is probably not of much use since for others it conjures up too many associations and requires too much explanation. I'm not sure there is a usable label that I would feel comfortable with outside my own circle. Even after pursuing this course for many decades my mom's reaction whenever I happen to mention being a Buddhist is to snort derisively "No you're not." As if the concept is too ridiculous to even consider.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

12. too many christians think they have a monopoly on

ethics, morals, and good works.

the rest of us are inherently evil.

yo, lil' spud, when did you first develop your buddhist/atheist ideas?

[Speck Tater]

13. Long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

...When I was about 13 or 14, back around 1958 or 1959. I read a book in my Junior High library about Buddhism and got hooked on it.

[Bad Thoughts]

17. Conversely,

I've known a few people who were into Buddhist meditation but called themselves just Buddhists. This really pissed off people who grew up with Buddhism, for whom there are deeper practices, rituals and beliefs than meditation alone. Perhaps in those circles, calling yourself a Buddhist Atheist would make more sense. It's easier for me that I can describe my Buberian form of Judaism (dialogical engagement) as Jewish Humanism or Jewish ignosticism, even though I allow for more mysticism than either appellation suggests.

I think part of the problem comes from the fact that people want to reduce religion to a field or activity, like philosophy, sociology or sport, when it is really a complex of activities and institutions, like the state or the university. Consequently, it seems nonsensical to check off different boxes in different religions: faith -- none, culture -- American, practice -- Buddhist; faith -- ?, culture -- Jewish, practice -- dialogue.

[skepticscott]

14. And does this clueless woman

think that an ad that said "Jesus Saves" would be hurtful to people who don't believe in god? Doubting it here. Rationality is not something one would expect from people who are hurt or threatened just by being informed that there are others who don't share their worldview.

[ZombieHorde]

15. Recommended and bwahahaha! nt

[Name removed]

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