Monday’s thoughts
“What Do You Say To An Atheist?”
Sermon for July 15th
This is one of the most difficult questions we face. What can we say to someone who does not believe in God? How do we interact with those who seem to have no understanding of what God is, or how God is, or where to experience God?
Atheism is often presented to us by people who are very sincere and very logical in their understanding. They have well developed arguments against the idea of God and will tell us they cannot accept the fact that there is something beyond us.
Some will suggest that religion is one of the most dangerous aspects of human life because it encourages a subservience to something greater than ourselves and that, in turn, supports an attitude that does not allow us to take control of our lives. It leads to a life of irresponsibility.
Some will be quick to point out how much pain has come into the world because of religion. They will point to the Crusades and to the current evidences of terrorism brought forth by Islamic radicals who are willing to die for their belief in God.
Where do we begin? How do we answer the question of atheism and how do we talk theologically to someone whose thinking does not include the possibility of a belief in God?
We begin the only place we can begin with our experience of God and how that has helped us. We can acknowledge the difficulty of belief in God by pointing out that faith does not begin with a sense of certainty. We, as the atheist, have doubts. We acknowledge our doubts, but we move beyond them. Where do we experience God and what does that do for us and for the way we live our lives? That’s the place to begin.
Secondly, we begin to pursue with an atheist what kind of God they disbelieve. They may have rejected a God concept that we would reject as well. Many atheist have a distorted idea of what God is and haven’t been able to see God in ways other than what they have rejected.
The issue of atheism is important. It pushes us to seek to understand more clearly what we believe and it challenges the way we talk about God so as to maintain a greater consistency with what we believe and how we speak about that belief.
How do you talk to an atheist about God? Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your comments click on the ‘comments’ box below and other members of the community can answer you as well as respond to my ideas. I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
