I am part of a gaming community. We kill each other online…all over the world…it’s great fun. The other day I was talking, during the game, between bullets, to a guy I find out lives near me. He finds out that I am a pastor…and wants to talk about Jesus. He wants to follow Jesus but finds it so hard to be good…sounds just like everybody I know, including me! So, he is going to send me his contact info and we are going to get together and talk about Jesus! All because we blow each other up online…cool, huh!

The exchange between Lee and the atheist in, Day 34, Passion for people, brought to mind a personal lesson I learned a few years back; also one I am at least to some degree, sorry to say, still struggling with today.

My lesson (you may not have this problem) is dealing with atheists, that criticize Christianity, in a loving manner instead of forcefully crushing their lies, and making them look like fools. I will tell you the story but be careful when you read it because you may initially embrace the spirit of “yeah, right on, give it to them,” however, remember that I could have, and should have, handled it in a more loving Christian manner.
The incident took place on a cruise ship several years ago. I had checked out a book from the ship’s library. It was authored by a well know atheist named Christopher Hitchens (I had not heard of him at the time). The book had a bright yellow cover and the title “god is not great” caught my attention. As I read through each chapter I wanted to personally confront Mr. Hitchens about what I felt was his stupid reasoning, but since it was just a book, that obviously was not possible; however, I was soon to meet two atheists that would become his segregate. I will explain………
I had finished the book, it was late afternoon and I had returned to the ships library to turn it back in. The ship’s librarian was not at her desk so I decided to just sit for a while and look out the window at the sea until she returned. I placed the book on the table next to me and within a few minutes a man and his wife, that I had briefly met earlier in the day, sat on the sofa across from me. They appeared to be in their late 60’s (a few years older than myself), one was a psychologist, the other a psychiatrist, and they said that were both semi-retired. The lady saw the book and the conversation went something like this:
“Oh I see you are reading Christopher Hitchens\’s latest book, how do you like it?”
My response was “The guy is an idiot.”
To which she responded “Well he has written quite a few books, and he has quite a following.”
“I’m sure he does, a following of like minded fools I imagine.”
Her husband then responded: “Am I to assume that you are offended by his challenge to whatever your religion is?”
“I am a Christian, but no I am not offended by his attacks on my personal beliefs because they are so shallow that I would easily shred him in an open debate.”
(*Note…I have learned that I do not need to be smarter than someone to win a debate, all I need is the truth and to be able to articulate it)
We were now beginning what was to become a long debate between atheism and Christianity, and as it progressed we started to gather quite a crowd. It began civil and respectful, however, as they lost one argument after another their demeanor changed. The lady’s posture of the helpful atheist mother correcting this poor deluded man, and her husband’s posture as the psychiatrist, leaning back, looking down his nose while straightening out his poor Christian’s delusions, soon went away. Their voices began to raise and the final insult came when I responded to this statement he made, which was, “Karl Marx said “religion is the opium of the people.’”
From here the debate went something like this:
“You really didn’t just quote Karl Marx did you?”
“Of course I did!”
“Ok, before I make you eat those words, I will give you the opportunity to take it back and I will pretend you never said it.”
“No I’m not taking it back, I said it, I stand by it, if it insults you, too bad.”
“Ok, I gave you the opportunity to take it back. First off it doesn’t insult me but it will make you look like a fool. Now let’s understand what just happened; we are having a debate on atheism vs. Christianity, and you quote one of the biggest failures that has ever walked the face of this earth as part of your argument? Karl Marx was a failure in almost everything he did.

1. he was a failure as a husband; his wife had to scrounge to keep the family from starving and freezing to death.

2. He was a failure as a father; his children committed suicide.

3. He was a failure financially, he sponged off of Engles for most of his financial support while he ran around putting together his ridiculous Communist philosophy.

4.And then, every place Communism has been applied it has led to failure, with over one million people murdered in the last century under Karl Marx’s Communism. Also, if that isn’t enough, one thing ever Communist nation has is secure borders, but not to keep people out but to keep their people in. The guns pointing in because their people are risking their live to escape!

WOW! You are really smart, maybe you can find someone even dumber to quote; like Hitler or some other idiot. And you consider yourself educated? I’m glad I’m just a dumb fireman so I’m not infected with the intellectual inbreeding of you atheists.”
Obviously neither one of them had much to say after that so the debate did not last much longer, and since I was already late for my dinner seating I needed to leave anyway. The next day when we again crossed paths they ignored me would not even return my “good morning” greeting. I really did not care.
Now here is what I learned. Yes atheism was crushed in that debate but I was also shown to be a fool. As a Christian this is the way his Karl Marx quote should been handled:
“Karl Marx said  “religion is the opium of the people.”
“Well I know that is a famous quote by Karl Marx but if you take the time to analyze it you find that he is really not the person we ever want to quote. Actually Karl Marx was a failure in almost everything he did.

1. he was a failure as a husband; his wife had to scrounge to keep the family from starving and freezing to death.

2. He was a failure as a father; his children committed suicide.

3. He was a failure financially; without the money from Engles he would never have been able to putting together his Communist philosophy.

4.And then, every place Communism has been applied it has led to failure, with over one million people murdered in the last century under Communism. Also, if that isn’t enough to keep us from quoting him, one thing ever Communist nation has is secure borders, but not to keep people out but to keep their people in. The guns are pointing in because their people are constantly risking their live to escape.

So yes, I know you were only quoting him, but is that the type of person we want to use as our example of intelligence? I think we both agree that he isn’t. Anyway, I need to leave now for my dinner seating and maybe we can meet again before the trip is over. I know you don’t believe in God but I’ll say it anyway; May God bless both of you.

So that was my lesson, hopefully you can learn from my mistake.
And,
May God bless.
Joe

Hi Kevin

You wrote in an email:

How is this “adventure” going for you?  Great! I am so glad you suggested this book. Hope there are others to follow. This seems to be one way to consistently grow a little each day and get some feed back in doing so. IMHO

Has is been challenging keeping up the reading?   No, each days reading is short and to the point which holds my interest. I actually look forward to the time each day that I do get to read. I have no set time so there is never any pressure. Also, I have found even if it’s late at night, because I’ve had to wait until the end off the day, the chapters are maybe 6 pages so no problem for me to read them before bed.

Have you checked out the website? Kinda

Take care…

you can check out this facebook cause – people are talking, join the conversation!

I had to laugh when I read this chapter this morning. Yesterday I had two conversations with folks that had such similar experiences – thinking that they had to do so much more than God intended from them. Just like Mark thinking he needed to be a theologian to his friend Kyle, the following stories illustrate that this partnership with God calling His own to Himself is more natural and rewarding than we might expect.

“We were trying to find a church!”

I’ve got a buddy who is a counseling pastor. He’s a GREAT counseling pastor. He claims he is a lousy evangelist. He sends me all his hard cases. I send him all my impossible (impossible for me) counseling cases. 

The short story he told me yesterday was that after sailing last weekend with his wife he bumped into a couple of nurses who were having fun sailing the bay as well. They struck up a friendly conversation that led to them asking what he did for a living. When he told them that he was a pastor they both shieked “We’ve been searching for a church!” They traded contact info and are headed for his church this weekend.

So there’s the formula – talk to people and answer their questions! Sounds challenging? Sounds natural to me. Simply partnering with what God is already doing.

“Persuasive Speech”

A young lady brought a wise friend of mine her idea for a persuasive presentation in her college speech class. She planned to persuade everyone to go to church. She was really nervous. My friend said that she’d be nervous trying to do that speech as well. She suggested that instead she might take “In Times of Trouble”, a great book of testimonies from real people who have had amazing experiences with God,  and simply presuade them to read the book by sharing a couple of the stories. The college student loved the idea!

She brought enough books for everyone in the class. Not only did this turn out to be a great presentation but many of the students were persuaded to pick up a copy of the book and later told her that it really spoke to the trial that they were going through.

Like Mark said in this chapter, we are a team – a family – and we have resources and wisdom that we don’t realize.

Keep Posting!

Convicted.

Who am I regularly praying for? Who  have I “given up on” – by my lack of prayer?

The good thing about this conviction is that it is easily “overturned” by simply commiting today. I’m writing down the people who the Holy Spirit prompts me to pray for and praying for them consistently.

How did you respond to this chapter?

This was a walk down memory lane for me. Sometimes I really hate looking back and wincing at all the mistakes that I have made.

Stumbling though life, offending other people etc. etc. etc. Oh well, life is a growing process and recognizing that repenting and moving forward into the image of Christ step by step daily is the path that I am now on.

It’s so simple but sometimes so hard to focus and ignore all the distractions that the world has to offer.
Still, I have read the end of the book and know with Jesus… I WIN!

I’ve been camping at the beach this week and the computer went down, so this is my first chance to check out what you guys have been up to and to share what I’ve been hearing during this adventure. “Living intentionally” keeps popping up.

During this week I’ve been waking up praying “Lord, who and what do you have for me today? Give me eyes to see and the courage and wisdom to seize the opportunities that you trust me with. I lay down my lazy, casual life for You today.”

This adventure is a different way of life. It’s really living. What do you think?

Today’s chapter deals with atheists. A while back I wrote a six page letter to a dying atheist friend and I will send it to anyone that wishes to read it (there may be something in it you can use some day). Just email me at qualt@hotmail.com with the title “send atheist letter” and I will send it to you as well.  God bless. Joe

This segment hits home.

I think by design I am some what adventurous and  will take a lot of risk…it is just the way I am wired….as far as I can figure.  I have a lot of faith but must be careful it is not misplaced. That has happened in the past and now I am a bit more cautious…a little anyway.

More than once I’ve stepped into something that if not divine intervention I would have been destroyed, one way or the other. Physical, financially, mentally without Gods guidance when mistakes are made it can effect relationships that may never recover. It’s truly scary looking back and fully understanding what the consequences could and should have been. The Lord has really been good to me and my family in so many areas.

I am reading and studying a book entitled “ The Richest Man Who Ever Lived” by Steven K. Scott this is a keeper. I am going to also read “The Greatest Words Ever Spoken” same author and it has every word Jesus spoke to us.

Maybe these books would be of interest to you. I got them from the library and am now going to buy them… maybe on Amazon at a discount. Anyway, if you have any good books to share I for one would just love to know about them. Take care…