I was discussing Christianity with a nonbeliever the other day when he made the comment that the biggest problem he had with Christianity was believing in the supernatural things the bible describes. He mentioned the burning bush, the talking snake, and the parting of the Red Sea as examples. He mentioned that some of the stories seemed like fairy tales to him, and that any non biased person who had never heard of the bible, who was then presented with the stories in the bible, would have a very hard time taking it seriously.
Of course, I disagreed, but don't feel like I had a very good answer. So how would you guys respond to this?
How do you respond to the nonbeliever
Re: How do you respond to the nonbeliever
If a person is coming from a naturalist/materialistic worldview (anti-supernatural bias), Christianity won't make sense. Christianity has, as an underlying premise, the existence of a supernatural God. If one accepts the Christian worldview, none of the 'stories' in the Bible are unacceptable.
I can think of 3 decent strategies for reaching your friend.
1. Just live like Christ and wait till the Spirit gains some ground in their heart and they start opening up to the possibilities of a different worldview.
2. Aggressively focus on Jesus. Agree to put OT narratives on the backburner for now.
3. Try to establish evidence for miracles (if you're friend is pretty educated and open to reading, perhaps Craig Keener's book on Miracles would be helpful).
No matter which strategy or combination of strategies, prayer for your friend will be essential. And the word 'strategy' isn't really intended to sound as cold as it does. All of this should take place in the context of genuine love and relationship, as I'm sure it does.
I can think of 3 decent strategies for reaching your friend.
1. Just live like Christ and wait till the Spirit gains some ground in their heart and they start opening up to the possibilities of a different worldview.
2. Aggressively focus on Jesus. Agree to put OT narratives on the backburner for now.
3. Try to establish evidence for miracles (if you're friend is pretty educated and open to reading, perhaps Craig Keener's book on Miracles would be helpful).
No matter which strategy or combination of strategies, prayer for your friend will be essential. And the word 'strategy' isn't really intended to sound as cold as it does. All of this should take place in the context of genuine love and relationship, as I'm sure it does.
Re: How do you respond to the nonbeliever
That is an excellent response. Thank you.
Re: How do you respond to the nonbeliever
If someone won't listen to the Bible as a holy text, trust the historical accuracy of the New Testament, or accept the miracles in the stories, my strategy is to agree with them as much... I will show them what the most liberal, secularist scholarship, the Jesus Seminar <gasp!> says what we _can_ know about the life and teachings of Jesus and Paul. I take away their arguments so that they are confronted with the "scholarly, historically accurate" story of the gospel that exists, regardless of their criticisms. Then saying "now let's get down to business."
This is the case I make.
a). Historically, we know Jesus existed. That is not in dispute.
b). Even the most liberal scholarship, believes that we can know historically (from their scholarship, which to most Christians is dubious, but nonetheless..) many things that Jesus said. They are primarily recorded in Mark, and "Q," so we can start there.
c). Romans, 1Corinthians, 2Corinthians, Galatians, Phillipeans, 1Thessalonians, and Philemon are considered "undisputed" letters of Paul by all scholars. (Think about that from a Christians discussing the gospel with a secularist: "This was really Paul. Yes. That Paul!"
The gospel represented by these "historically accurate" teachings of Jesus and Paul is v e r y radical. I am confronted about the pride of self-sufficiency. My life has no heavenly merit based on how "good" I live it. I am incapable of managing the madness of my life on my own. It is only through God that sense can be made out of my life. "The state" [kingdom of this world] is shown to be ungodly, replaced with the upside down kingdom of God, a radical way of living that is higher than any laws, spiritual and legal.
This Jesus is v e r y radical, preaching an upside down kingdom, and demanding his hearers to follow him.
Then you can tell them.. "If you want to know what Christianity is about.. you can trust these things."
And I'll betcha I know what will happen. They won't take the time to read it or engage it. Because those historical, miraculous and scientific doubts aren't their reasons for not believing anyway. They just don't want to follow God. Those are merely excuses.
But what if they do read those texts? They are life-changing. Can you imagine getting to talk about those teachings on their merit alone? The miracle excuse, the inerrancy excuse, the scientific excuses... all gone. Now what are you talking about? You are talking about Jesus and the early church. Powerful stuff.
And that is all that the early Christians had anyway. Sayings.. letters.. incomplete.. but the power of the Holy Spirit coupled with the impact of Jesus' story and sayings, and the foolishness of preaching. That's the core. You've stolen there arguments. "Now let's get down to the business."
This is the case I make.
a). Historically, we know Jesus existed. That is not in dispute.
b). Even the most liberal scholarship, believes that we can know historically (from their scholarship, which to most Christians is dubious, but nonetheless..) many things that Jesus said. They are primarily recorded in Mark, and "Q," so we can start there.
c). Romans, 1Corinthians, 2Corinthians, Galatians, Phillipeans, 1Thessalonians, and Philemon are considered "undisputed" letters of Paul by all scholars. (Think about that from a Christians discussing the gospel with a secularist: "This was really Paul. Yes. That Paul!"
The gospel represented by these "historically accurate" teachings of Jesus and Paul is v e r y radical. I am confronted about the pride of self-sufficiency. My life has no heavenly merit based on how "good" I live it. I am incapable of managing the madness of my life on my own. It is only through God that sense can be made out of my life. "The state" [kingdom of this world] is shown to be ungodly, replaced with the upside down kingdom of God, a radical way of living that is higher than any laws, spiritual and legal.
This Jesus is v e r y radical, preaching an upside down kingdom, and demanding his hearers to follow him.
Then you can tell them.. "If you want to know what Christianity is about.. you can trust these things."
And I'll betcha I know what will happen. They won't take the time to read it or engage it. Because those historical, miraculous and scientific doubts aren't their reasons for not believing anyway. They just don't want to follow God. Those are merely excuses.
But what if they do read those texts? They are life-changing. Can you imagine getting to talk about those teachings on their merit alone? The miracle excuse, the inerrancy excuse, the scientific excuses... all gone. Now what are you talking about? You are talking about Jesus and the early church. Powerful stuff.
And that is all that the early Christians had anyway. Sayings.. letters.. incomplete.. but the power of the Holy Spirit coupled with the impact of Jesus' story and sayings, and the foolishness of preaching. That's the core. You've stolen there arguments. "Now let's get down to the business."
When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.
JeffreyLong.net
Jesusna.me
@30thirteen
JeffreyLong.net
Jesusna.me
@30thirteen
Re: How do you respond to the nonbeliever
the comment that the biggest problem he had with Christianity was believing in the supernatural things the bible describes. He mentioned the burning bush, the talking snake, and the parting of the Red Sea as examples.
I would discuss how the universe was created and if you believe in a starting point like a big bang then how could order be the end result from a chaotic explosion. This is not something that lies within the laws of nature or materialism therefore would require a supernatural intervention. Also where did the material for the big bang come from. Now scientists believe the universe may have originated from some material the size of an egg, how is this possible without a Supernatural Creator?
There are other questions which the laws of nature don't answer, like how was DNA created, How do millions of cells work intelligently together within a living being? How did life begin from lifeless material?
The point is that one can respond to this by saying " i don't know" or conclude a Creator must exist so by extension miracles can happen and by extension the bible may be true.
I would discuss how the universe was created and if you believe in a starting point like a big bang then how could order be the end result from a chaotic explosion. This is not something that lies within the laws of nature or materialism therefore would require a supernatural intervention. Also where did the material for the big bang come from. Now scientists believe the universe may have originated from some material the size of an egg, how is this possible without a Supernatural Creator?
There are other questions which the laws of nature don't answer, like how was DNA created, How do millions of cells work intelligently together within a living being? How did life begin from lifeless material?
The point is that one can respond to this by saying " i don't know" or conclude a Creator must exist so by extension miracles can happen and by extension the bible may be true.