The Atheist and the Editorial

Once a month I write an article for our newspaper in the Opinion Section as part of a Writer's Group. That article springboards off of a local or state or national event and then seeks to give a biblical viewpoint. The newspaper has an online site where the day's articles are put in cyber space. For every article there is a chat room set up for folks to give comments. The comments that are made on my articles are probably 95-98% negative. You find out real quickly that true believers don't spend too much time in comment chat rooms. I think that is wise. In those chat rooms you have nameless, faceless critics who may say nearly anything with impunity.

As well, occasionally someone will write a letter to the editor to give critique of an article like mine. Hey, it's a free country and folks OUGHT to be able to respond and disagree and take divergent stances and to express that in the media.

Today the head of the Minnesota Atheists had an opinion piece published that took issue with my latest article. He sought to show how the Bible actually glorifies and encourages such things as polygamy and child abuse and slavery and hating one's parents. In the end he made this statement, "A lifestyle based on God-belief collapses when no evidence for gods exists. A lifestyle based on atheism and humanism has a greater chance for success because it is reality-based."

How should one think of such responses? Here's my thoughts:

• I think this man has as much right to express what he believes as I do. The question of whether it is right and true is another matter. I must respect his right to take issue with what I believe.
• In giving opposing viewpoints, I do expect the evidence martialled to be accurate and fair. This was not the case. Perhaps the writer felt that it was. But the support for his view included the usual litany of verses from Israel's history that sought to prove the Bible condones murder and abuse. He even quoted Jesus' words about "hating father and mother" etc. in comparison to one's devotion to and love for Him. This was supposed to prove that Jesus taught his followers to hate their parents. Is that what Jesus was teaching?
• I do not feel compelled to respond to such critiques. I am not saying that I should never nor that others should not respond to them. I have in the past. My thought is that this man's evidence and reasoning were so weak and erroneous that any thoughtful person would dismiss it at once. The only individuals who might rally around his article, in my opinion, would be those who are looking for support for their already chosen anti-biblical stances. Could this article push someone over into atheism from theism? Anything is possible, I guess. But I DOUBT it.
• Another thought is: IF I felt compelled to respond or if I was in a face to face encounter with this gentleman, COULD I defend what I believe? The Scriptures are clear that I should "always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is within you..." 1 Peter 3:15. Challenges, even poor ones, should cause me, not to HIDE behind cliches or my own weak logic but to seek to know what I believe ever more clearly and to be forearmed with the very Word of God.
• When we respond or do our own critiques of the work of others, HOW should we do it? Peter follows in the passage quoted above with instructions on HOW we are to make our defense: "...Do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame." v.16. Many a believer has "out-truthed" an opponent but lost the argument due to ungodly attitudes when responding. I must respond by SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE and treating ALL men as created in the image of God and carrying the dignifying marks of the Creator.
• I seek not to take PERSONALLY opposition, even vitriolic oppostion. We fight in a war for the souls of men and all men are EITHER on Christ's side or Satan's side. There are no spiritual-Swiss who remain neutral. Jesus said that if He was opposed, we will be also. John 15:18-21. If we will follow Christ, His critics will be ours. If we are opposed for His truth, we are sharing in His suffering. If we are opposed for being mean-spirited...well, we are called to repent and present a godly attitude the next time.
• We should make our core agruments the very Word of God itself. All my impressive logic (if I ever had any!) is without power to change one heart. But the Spirit of God will use the Word of God as a sharp-double edged sword to open hearts to the piercing gaze of God. The Word is like a hammer that crushes rock (Jeremiah 23:29), the rock of a heart of stone. Share the Word and be CONFIDENT that God will use it. I am called to reason and make sense and to offer arguments that man's wisdom cannot resist, but I must do so giving a priority place to Scripture. LEARN the Word!

May the Lord use us to share His truth in a world that has lost truth so that by His Spirit's work many may come out of darkness into His marvelous light.