Angry Atheists
If you've visited your local bookstore lately you've probably noticed a disturbing trend—an unusually high number of atheist books lining the store’s shelves. The books bear audacious titles like The God Delusion, God is not Great and The End of Faith.
Unlike the atheists of the past, who couched their denials of the divine in tangled academic prose, these new skeptics are popularizers—writers bent on leveling their arguments at the average reader. And their efforts are paying off. In the past couple of years several of their books have topped the New York Times bestseller’s list.
The movement even has a name: the “new atheists.” But title is a misnomer. There’s absolutely nothing new about what the “new atheists” are saying. They specialize in drudging up the old arguments against God’s existence and pedaling them to a credulous and undiscerning public. What’s new is the attitude. They’re confrontational. Angry. Militant. The movement's de facto leader Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion) is on a crusade to stamp out religious belief by making it "too embarrassing" to believe in God. Christopher Hitchens, author of the runaway bestseller, God is Not Great, spares no believer in his assault on religion. Speaking of the late Mother Teresa he proclaimed, “I wish there was a hell for that (expletive) to go to.”
How can we respond? What do we say to a neighbor who has been influenced by these new books? First, study the arguments for God's existence and read up on the authenticity of Scripture. Visit our Web site to read a list of the arguments. To familiarize yourself with the basis for Scripture you can start with Lee Strobel’s book, The Case for Christ.
Knowing the arguments is crucial. We don’t want to be blindsided in a debate. But I believe it is most important to exude the love of God. The new atheists are hostile. Let’s be passionate but gentle. They’re combative. Let’s be warm and inviting. Ultimately people do not turn to God because they are cornered by a logical argument. They usually see the light when they witness the love of God reflected in our lives.
Unlike the atheists of the past, who couched their denials of the divine in tangled academic prose, these new skeptics are popularizers—writers bent on leveling their arguments at the average reader. And their efforts are paying off. In the past couple of years several of their books have topped the New York Times bestseller’s list.
The movement even has a name: the “new atheists.” But title is a misnomer. There’s absolutely nothing new about what the “new atheists” are saying. They specialize in drudging up the old arguments against God’s existence and pedaling them to a credulous and undiscerning public. What’s new is the attitude. They’re confrontational. Angry. Militant. The movement's de facto leader Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion) is on a crusade to stamp out religious belief by making it "too embarrassing" to believe in God. Christopher Hitchens, author of the runaway bestseller, God is Not Great, spares no believer in his assault on religion. Speaking of the late Mother Teresa he proclaimed, “I wish there was a hell for that (expletive) to go to.”
How can we respond? What do we say to a neighbor who has been influenced by these new books? First, study the arguments for God's existence and read up on the authenticity of Scripture. Visit our Web site to read a list of the arguments. To familiarize yourself with the basis for Scripture you can start with Lee Strobel’s book, The Case for Christ.
Knowing the arguments is crucial. We don’t want to be blindsided in a debate. But I believe it is most important to exude the love of God. The new atheists are hostile. Let’s be passionate but gentle. They’re combative. Let’s be warm and inviting. Ultimately people do not turn to God because they are cornered by a logical argument. They usually see the light when they witness the love of God reflected in our lives.
posted by Drew Dyck at 1:09 PM
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