Before you say, “I don’t believe: Introduction
Introduction
Some years ago I wrote a book giving my answers to the questions that people who are not Christians ask people who are. There are 57 questions in all, ranging from why God allows suffering, to whether God forbids the eating of prawns, and who was Cain’s wife! ‘Grill a Christian’ has been published in different editions and has been widely distributed and, I trust, read! It can be read on this website. Click here!
I am conscious, though, that today it is trendy to claim not to be a ‘person of faith’. In fact, it has become fashionable for the movers, shakers and celebrities of society to ridicule both the Christian faith and those who profess to trust Christ. As an Australian magazine editor wrote, ‘It is no longer an act of daring intellectual independence to rubbish Christianity as an outmoded fantasy. It is now a commonplace of our cultural conversation and life; a basic assumption of nearly all the gatekeepers and leaders of our culture. Our whole society proceeds on its way as if Christianity is an historical relic.’[1] This tide of unbelief seems to include most people around us – friends, colleagues, family, everyone in the media and everyone in the movies. So we wonder whether it is really possible or likely that they are wrong. And whilst society forbids the scorning of other faiths – and neither would we want it to – because of fear of reprisals, Christians are known to ‘turn the other cheek’ and are therefore ‘fair game’.
We have also been bombarded with aggressive atheism from people who brazenly insist that anyone who disagrees with their beliefs is ‘stupid’ ….. and that Christians should be mocked and publicly ridiculed with contempt.[2] They say that only those whom they define as ‘elite scientists’ can discern the nature of reality.
‘Before you say I don’t’ is an earnest plea to consider a little of the evidence for Christian belief, and to take a fresh look at the claims of Jesus and the impact He can make on your life. The Gospel writer, John, said of his great book, ‘These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.’ I have written with the same intention. At least, I would lovingly urge you not to blindly follow today’s secularist agenda, but to consider Christ, that you might come to know Him as your Lord and Saviour, who calls us His friends.
Trying to tackle the various aspects of each issue has meant that there is some repetition of information, but I have tried to keep this to a minimum for those who, rather than dipping into individual issues, read from beginning to end. I am conscious that none of the issues are dealt with in the depth that they deserve, but for those who want to pursue any particular topic I would recommend writing to the publisher of this book and asking for websites or books which explore in detail the questions of concern to them.
[1] Tony Payne, in ‘The Briefing’, Nov-Dec, 2012
[2] Richard Dawkins at the ‘Rally for Reason’ in Washington in 27th March, 2012
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