Do most non-Christians, atheists or agnostics TRULY have an EVIDENCE problem driving their unbelief?

[Philip]

WHY many refuse to believe in Jesus and Christianity!

So many non-Christians, atheists and agnostics I've interacted with on this forum want to argue relentlessly over the many available evidences for Christianity. And many of them want to argue for what they consider evidences AGAINST Christianity, or rather, what they consider to be a lack of evidence to support it. And I've found that, for a very large percentage of them, a lack of evidence or understanding of it is NOT their problem, at ALL!

Philip

So, what IS the REAL issue for many unbelievers?

Watch as noted theologian and Christian apologist Dr. Frank Turek explains the REAL issue behind the unbelief of many AND the question Christians should ask them - click HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoPtkO-fHpg

[Morny]

Frank Turek says: "If Christianity were true, would you become a Christian?
If the person hesitates or says no, evidence isn't their problem, they are
their problem."

I agree 100% with Frank! Anyone who accepts the premise that "Christianity is
true", and then willfully and purposely doesn't act as a Christian, either has
catastrophically poor reasoning skills or risks huge problems during eternity.

I would unequivocally and enthusiastically answer Frank's hypothetical
question with a "Yes!!"

I suspect that what Frank doesn't understand is that from non-Christians, the
"No" answer probably means, "No, I don't think Christianity is true."

[Kenny]

WHY many refuse to believe in Jesus and Christianity!

So many non-Christians, atheists and agnostics I've interacted with on this forum want to argue relentlessly over the many available evidences for Christianity. And many of them want to argue for what they consider evidences AGAINST Christianity, or rather, what they consider to be a lack of evidence to support it. And I've found that, for a very large percentage of them, a lack of evidence or understanding of it is NOT their problem, at ALL!

Philip

So, what IS the REAL issue for many unbelievers?

Watch as noted theologian and Christian apologist Dr. Frank Turek explains the REAL issue behind the unbelief of many AND the question Christians should ask them - click HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoPtkO-fHpg

Speaking for myself, I would accept any religion if I found credible evidence of it being true. I can't imagine any reasonable person responding otherwise. I guess a question to you would be; would you reject Christianity if you found credible evidence that it were false?

[Kenny]

Frank Turek says: "If Christianity were true, would you become a Christian?
If the person hesitates or says no, evidence isn't their problem, they are
their problem."

I wonder if Frank Turelk would reject Christianity if it were false. If he hesitates or says no, evidence isn't the problem, he is.

[Philip]

Frank Turek says: "If Christianity were true, would you become a Christian?
If the person hesitates or says no, evidence isn't their problem, they are
their problem."

I wonder if Frank Turelk would reject Christianity if it were false. If he hesitates or says no, evidence isn't the problem, he is.

"... IF it were false" - that's a MASSIVE "IF," Morny!

[Fliegender]

So, what IS the REAL issue for many unbelievers?

Watch as noted theologian and Christian apologist Dr. Frank Turek explains the REAL issue behind the unbelief of many AND the question Christians should ask them - click HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoPtkO-fHpg

I agree with Dr Turek in the video: evidence for Christianity isn’t the stumbling block for atheists, though they often claim it is.

I was raised an atheist by atheist parents and looking back, I consider that I was a “purebred” atheist. During my early adulthood, I attended weekly lectures where other atheists would get together and listen to recorded lectures by well-known atheists in the Objectivist movement. Most of the attendees seemed smart enough (to me at the time) but every once in a while a weirdo would come in, an angry atheist. I met a few of these weirdos and got the impression they had daddy issues. The “smart/logical” atheists in the group didn’t want these weirdos so we would simply not tell them the location of our next meeting. It was a good way of getting rid of them.

Modern atheism - since the Millenial generation, say - is often made up of “emotional atheists”. That’s my term, don’t google it. In my opinion, these new atheists reject God not out of lack of evidence but often because of some family trauma. Divorce, separation are excellent catalysts for emotional atheism.

Now, purebred atheists and emotional atheists look alike and may even sound alike but...it’s a little like a purebred German Shepard compared to a mongrel that looks like a German Shepard. You won’t be able to differentiate the two... however, one dog comes with papers to prove his lineage. For atheists, the purebred was just raised that way. He harbours no anger towards the idea of God, he doesn’t try to prove God doesn’t exist, he doesn’t make claims about being “logical” or religion being “unscientific”, “stupid” or compare belief in God to belief in Santa Claus. On the other hand, emotional atheists do argue about the nature of God, about the veracity of one religion versus another, about “sincerity” or goodness in non-believers. To paraphrase Shakespeare, They doth protest too much, methinks. They are fighting an internal battle...

Dr Turek is right: this group of atheists want to be the god of their own lives.

[Philip]

On the other hand, emotional atheists do argue about the nature of God, about the veracity of one religion versus another, about “sincerity” or goodness in non-believers. To paraphrase Shakespeare, They doth protest too much, methinks.

Yes, Flie - I agree, there passion and emotion - their ZEAL - for their unbelief and their hostility to all things Christian, to me, seems rather strange. I mean, why even care to such a degree? Which is why I think many of them are trying as hard to convince themselves of their position as they do about convincing others.

And your post is helpful in pointing out that atheists are not all the same. And you mentioned atheists with "daddy issues" - well, such emotional issues play out in a variety of ways, sexually, etc. And if one has experienced traumatic family issues or any kind of psychological or physical abuse within their family or from a parent, they are likely to project their anger back at their heavenly Father as well - or hate or deny Him and all He stands for.

I am curious though, Flie, given your upbringing, what ultimately brought you to Christ?

[Fliegender]

And your post is helpful in pointing out that atheists are not all the same. And you mentioned atheists with "daddy issues" - well, such emotional issues play out in a variety of ways, sexually, etc. And if one has experienced traumatic family issues or any kind of psychological or physical abuse within their family or from a parent, they are likely to project their anger back at their heavenly Father as well - or hate or deny Him and all He stands for.

Good point. Since divorce is so common now and the mother is usually the one with custody of the children, it’s natural that some children would project their anger from their dad to their Heavenly Father. These are what I call “emotional atheists”. Their atheism is rooted in trauma ...although they usually claim their atheism to be “logical”. A favourite thing is to say belief in God isn’t “scientific”. As if everything can be proven with science! Indeed, scientism is often the proto-religion of atheists, both of the purebreds- and the emotional-atheists.

I am curious though, Flie, given your upbringing, what ultimately brought you to Christ?

I’ve already answered this question on this site before but here is the abridged version of my answer: I looked around at my life and realized I was hurting myself and people around me so I said something like “God if you exist, take over my life because I make a mess of everything.” Then I went to sleep and the next morning everything was different. God had changed me overnight.

[Kenny]

I agree with Dr Turek in the video: evidence for Christianity isn’t the stumbling block for atheists, though they often claim it is.

I was raised an atheist by atheist parents and looking back, I consider that I was a “purebred” atheist. During my early adulthood, I attended weekly lectures where other atheists would get together and listen to recorded lectures by well-known atheists in the Objectivist movement. Most of the attendees seemed smart enough (to me at the time) but every once in a while a weirdo would come in, an angry atheist. I met a few of these weirdos and got the impression they had daddy issues. The “smart/logical” atheists in the group didn’t want these weirdos so we would simply not tell them the location of our next meeting. It was a good way of getting rid of them.

Sounds liker a religion; perhaps a cult even. IMO you were good to get away from them.

K

[Philip]

I am curious though, Flie, given your upbringing, what ultimately brought you to Christ?

I’ve already answered this question on this site before but here is the abridged version of my answer: I looked around at my life and realized I was hurting myself and people around me so I said something like “God if you exist, take over my life because I make a mess of everything.” Then I went to sleep and the next morning everything was different. God had changed me overnight.

Thanks - either I'd not read your testimony or had forgotten it amongst the gazillion posts over the years.

And so what you said to God in sincerity (yes, sincerity DOES matter when it comes to our relationship or seeking the TRUE God) cut right to your heart and desire to know the truth of the matter. And for many, no understanding of apologetic arguments or evidences will impact them like your approach. Because God WANTS to reveal Himself to us, why don't more of us truly seek Him in such a simple, direct way? Often, I suppose it's that one must first come to the end of themselves in whatever number of ways. Yes, God could play "peek-a-boo" behind the clouds, if all He wanted is mere belief in His existence, but He wants MORE / a relationship in which He is at the core of! Scripture says mere intellectual belief in God is IRRELEVANT! And so, God uses different ways to reach us and draw us to faith. For many, their understandings of the evidences God has provided us (and continues to expand as our knowledge base grows) becomes more clear AFTER they have come to faith.

For many, it's a matter of truly and objectively seeking the evidences He's given us. And, just as Flie's powerful couple of sentences shows, God has already provided a simple and direct way of seeking Him (per how you communicated with Him), not to mention many powerful evidences for both Scripture's truth and per the rational necessity of His existence. But most of us tend to make our search for God complex and confusing. How many who deny God ever do what Flie did? Or how many don't want to acknowledge or attempt to communicate with the God they suspect might well exist? So, yeah - why not put God to a personal test per a simple but powerful question one truly wants to know the answer to? People just need to quit playing silly intellectual games about God's existence and seriously approach Him! And yet, seeking God with our intellect IS important, as it is HE who has provided the answers and evidences. But for many, they insist upon some unreasonable level of supposed "proof" - well beyond what they already have or truly need.

[Fliegender]

Sounds liker a religion; perhaps a cult even. IMO you were good to get away from them.

K

Objectivism is a branch of philosophy originally described by Russian-American author Ayn Rand. It is neither a cult nor a religion. Next time look something up you don’t know about before commenting and exposing your ignorance for all to see.

[Kenny]

Sounds liker a religion; perhaps a cult even. IMO you were good to get away from them.

K

Objectivism is a branch of philosophy originally described by Russian-American author Ayn Rand. It is neither a cult nor a religion. Next time look something up you don’t know about before commenting and exposing your ignorance for all to see.

I wasn't commenting on objetivism, I was commenting on what you described.

[Fliegender]

I wasn't commenting on objetivism, I was commenting on what you described.

Nah...you were just attempting a little jibe, an insult.