Leading atheist comes to faith: What was he thinking?

In different cultures and at different times there are different gateways for the gospel.

The thought process behind someone coming to faith in a knowable creator is different, depending on a person’s presuppositions. The path will be different for someone who’s presupposition is that there is a unknown higher power (Eastern belief) – as contrasted to someone will be different to someone who thinks there is no spiritual power at all (atheistic belief).

Culture also have their prejudices – like our own with a strongly entrenched narrative suggesting religion causes wars and evil – when extrapolated out to say ‘Christianity is a religion – so Christianity is the same’.

• This posits Christianity as a part of the problem.
• A few cherry-picked stories then quickly give the impression of an equality between the religions.
• A prejudice against religion as ‘silly superstition and even the source of evil’ then takes root.

Here in New Zealand, like throughout the West, the path toward an embrace of the Christian faith has changed recently. The following example illustrates well.

 

Josh Timonen’s story

Richard Dawkins has lost a few of his allies lately.

I highly recommending listening to Josh Timonen’s full 16min testimony – https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p_AYA_kEr2E&pp=0gcJCRUKAYcqIYzv

Josh had a Christian upbringing – but then embraced ‘new atheist’ beliefs and ended up working directly with Richard Dawkins in filmmaking.

Three things stand out from Josh Timonen’s above story which I identify to be common in many stories I am hearing of people who are now coming to faith essentially by themselves.

1. He realised that evil exists. This propelled him toward an acceptance of the reality that a spiritual realm and God also exist.
2. He then investigating the rational foundations for the faith. This involves a study of evidence from history, archaeology, texture criticism and more. For any person who is at all rational, an amount of this kind of learning seems necessary, to show that Jesus really could be who he claimed to be.
3. The experiential evidence of the difference in Jesus makes to our lives and societies then validated what was otherwise now becoming rationally plausible.

From there, it’s a small step to realize that something seeming both rationally and experientially true might actually be factually and objectively true.

I have given other current examples of this same change in thinking in an article titled “The Quiet Revival in New Zealand – a change in public thinking” found here – https://alltogether.co.nz/quietrevivalandthinking/.

• This includes four or five current stories from NZ young people,
• the American political comedian JP Sears,
• the British actor and political commentator Russell Brand,
• and the Scottish actor and political commentator, Neil Oliver.

To reference just one more example, Jordan Peterson will not reply to say “I am a Christian”, but if pushed will say “Christianity has to be true.”  Why? Look at the good it brings? Also look at the objective evil that exists in the world – which Christianity has uniquely fought against and won. The benefits are so great “it has to be true” and “Jesus has to have risen from the dead.” The alternative is too unthinkable!

 

Hearing testimony from Ayaan Hirsi Ali is likewise powerful. As a synopsis, fleeing a Muslim marriage in Africa she emigrated to the West. Embracing new atheism – escaping the bind of religion which she considered oppressive, she became one of its most vocal advocates. However, she then saw the emptiness of atheism – while realising that all religions weren’t equal. Why was the West so blessed? Why the prosperity? Why the freedom of religion? Why the freedom of speech and thought, the rational culture, the science and technologies, the economic freedoms and prosperity, the charity – and more? She then embraced Christianity – and now travels as a spokesperson for it, from both a rational and pragmatic point of view, because it clearly works; it makes life better; it makes sense!

 

What then is the trend?

These aren’t ‘light-weights’ who are turning to the Christian faith. What in their thinking is catalysing or enabling their enlightenment?

The following three things seem to ring true for those traversing the stormy seas of current cultural memes to make a personal and spiritual decision for themselves.

1. They come to an understanding of evil
2. They realise there are many rational reasons for believing this faith to be true – including arguments not only from the natural world and sciences (including archaeology, textual criticism etc…) but also from human experience. The benefits of Christian faith in culture are unique – and we benefit from these every day.
3. Reaching out in faith then experience the reality of what is on offer. Theory then takes on a profound reality.

These points are true to the above examples – as also those in the article I wrote prior to this.

If we study the thinking of those now coming to faith, these observable points stand out.

 

In application: Let’s make sure our conversations, stories and local church preaching affirm

• the problem of evil
• rational reasons for believing the faith
• experiential reasons for believing the faith.

Every sermon could, within its content, contain these elements.