{"id":9809,"date":"2013-07-16T01:10:12","date_gmt":"2013-07-16T07:10:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/megaphonedesigns.com\/~pathway\/?p=9809"},"modified":"2014-02-06T13:23:07","modified_gmt":"2014-02-06T19:23:07","slug":"what-young-atheists-can-teach-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2013\/07\/16\/what-young-atheists-can-teach-us\/","title":{"rendered":"What young atheists can teach us"},"content":{"rendered":"

Larry Alex Taunton directs the Fixed Point Foundation, which seeks innovative ways to defend and proclaim the gospel. Recently, his organization reached out to college-age atheists nationwide in a unique campaign. As Taunton contacted leaders of Secular Student Alliances and Freethought Societies, he had one simple request: Tell us your journey to unbelief.<\/p>\n

Taunton did not dispute their stories or debate the merits of their views. He just listened. Many stepped forward \u2013 some reluctantly \u2013 but ultimately Taunton found patterns emerging from the young atheists\u2019 stories, and he summarized them in a recent article in The Atlantic.<\/p>\n

There are common threads in their stories:<\/p>\n

The young atheists had attended church. Most participants didn\u2019t begin with a naturalistic worldview, but instead chose atheism as a reaction to Christianity, which they found lifeless, hypocritical, or uncompelling for a variety or reasons.<\/p>\n

To schedule Rob to speak or conduct an apologetics workshop at your church, call 573.636.0400 ext. 304. To download free resources visit www.oncedelivered.net<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Their churches promoted vague missions and messages. The students heard plenty of messages on social justice, community involvement, and good deeds, but they failed to see a connection between these messages, Jesus and the Bible. They knew intuitively that the church exists for more than social campaigns; it exists to proclaim the teachings of Jesus and His relevance to a sinful and fallen world.<\/p>\n

Their churches fumbled the big questions. When asked what they found unconvincing about the Christian faith, the students mentioned a lack of satisfying answers to such issues as evolution vs. creation, sexuality, Jesus as the only way, and the reliability of the Bible. Not only was the church often ill equipped to delve into these issues; it lacked the stomach to tackle them at all.<\/p>\n

They respect ministers who take the Bible seriously. The young atheists expressed grudging admiration for pastors and other Christians who embrace biblical teaching and are not ashamed to say so. As atheist illusionist and comedian, Penn Jillette, famously remarked, \u201cI don\u2019t respect people who don\u2019t proselytize \u2026 . If you believe that there\u2019s a heaven and hell \u2026 and you think that it\u2019s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward \u2026 how much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ages 14-17 are key. While some participants said they adopted atheism as early as eight years of age or as late as college, most admitted embracing unbelief in high school.<\/p>\n

Emotions run deep. Most students said they lost their Christianity for purely rational reasons. However, the more they talked, the more they described a deeply emotional journey from belief to atheism. One young lady said she became an atheist after her father died \u2013 not because she blamed God for his death, but because he was abusive and she did not want to think her father was still alive somewhere.<\/p>\n

Online is everything. When asked about the key influences in their conversion to atheism, not a single participant mentioned the \u201cnew atheists\u201d like Christopher Hitchens, or their books or seminars. Rather, they mentioned YouTube or website forums.<\/p>\n

Getting real:<\/p>\n

There\u2019s much we can do to engage our young atheist friends by listening to them, helping them wrestle with tough questions, and providing a connection between Christ and a broken world. But we also must address the doubts and fears of young people in our own churches.<\/p>\n

If Christianity is not objectively true, rationally compelling, and personally engaging, then why should anyone \u2013 young or old \u2013 want to embrace it?<\/p>\n

Scottish philosopher and skeptic, David Hume, once was spotted in a crowd listening to the preaching of George Whitefield, the noted evangelist of the First Great Awakening.<\/p>\n

Someone said to Hume, \u201cI thought you didn\u2019t believe in the gospel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do not,\u201d Hume replied. Then, nodding toward Whitefield, he added, \u201cBut he does.\u201d\u2002n<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Larry Alex Taunton directs the Fixed Point Foundation, which seeks innovative ways to defend and proclaim the gospel. Recently, his organization reached out to college-age atheists nationwide in a unique campaign. As Taunton contacted leaders of Secular Student Alliances and Freethought Societies, he had one simple request: Tell us your journey to unbelief. Taunton did […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":11936,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_wpscp_schedule_draft_date":"","_wpscp_schedule_republish_date":"","_wpscppro_advance_schedule":false,"_wpscppro_advance_schedule_date":"","_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_selected_social_profile":[]},"categories":[35,5,8,28,30],"tags":[197],"yoast_head":"\nWhat young atheists can teach us<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Larry Alex Taunton directs the Fixed Point Foundation, which seeks innovative ways to defend and proclaim the gospel. 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