RE: Our role(s) as Christians on Atheist Forums
May 7, 2018 at 9:21 am
(This post was last modified: May 7, 2018 at 9:27 am by Neo-Scholastic.)
While each of us Christians may have incidental personal reasons for joining and remaining, those reasons are separate and distinct from reasons a Christian, as a Christian, may have for joining and remaining. My question is if there are differences between AF as an ordinary pastime, as a mission field, and as a learning crucible.
PASS-TIME or MISSION?
A common theme, expressed, by C/L and A Theist, is that we participate to “set a good example” thereby tacitly presenting the Gospel. To this I say, it is already a given that we should represent Christ in all our everyday activities (1 Cor 10:31, Colossians 3:17). As such, there is nothing wrong with a Christian wanting to play games, chat about politics with, and enjoy debating theology with atheists. While I don’t care much for Mafia or Off-Topic areas, I enjoy the verbal joisting and some trash-talking with a select few of the atheist members. But are these activities truly opportunities to incidentally present our testimony, i.e. to “preach the Gospel without word?”
Personally, I find this to be a nice theory but not possible to implement on an open forum. In real life we can tailor our approach to the circumstances. In courser rowdy crowds, the role of a Christian may be to show that we aren’t kill-joy prudes by joining the fun as it were. In a townhall meeting, the role of the Christian may require one to meet harsh criticism with a forceful defense of the faith. Or addressing a insulting remark by a co-worker about the Church with a gentle and respectful rebuke. Because anyone can comment on anything at any time, no one (Christian or otherwise) can know that his or her post will be interpreted in the intended way. Even when carefully qualifying comments about a group with “some” or “many” or “a majority” or a “few” there is always someone ready to say “How dare you!”
For example, I respect a select few AF members for their extensive knowledge of philosophy (I also respect other AF members for different reasons, BTW.) When they call me nasty things, I usually do not take it personally, because I’ve always considered this just goading, playful trash-talk. Except, now I’m seeing more and more that the respect only went one-way. It’s very disappointing to hear people I liked speculate about my mental health. I’ve reached out personally by PM to members with whom I argued and attempted to make peace, revealing more about myself personal experiences, etc., only to have him tell me he didn’t care because he didn’t know me from a can of paint.
Overall, I would not leave a place simply because I could not endure a few insults (stick and stones, after all) but rather because having my words twisted and motives maligned indicates that my effects are probably misdirected even among those I thought I could converse with on a more abstract level. To those who ask, why then are you, Neo, here? I admit that I no longer know. It seems like whatever I thought had here, like playful sparing partners, has turned out to be an illusion.
The above approach, “being and example” is different from doing, say, hospice work or prison ministry. We do these things precisely because we are Christians, serving as the Body of Christ.
WITNESSING for CHRIST
@Drich, GodsCreated – I apologize for not reading your posts more carefully. As I said, this thread came at the wrong time for me leaving me a bit unfocused. Reviewing, I see the theme of correcting common misconceptions about doctrine. This, as opposed to straight out proselytizing. We all know that it is only the Holy Spirit, and He alone that turns hearts, and that our job is merely to show up and remove barriers. I think you both do an excellent job despite some minor differences between us about doctrine. In some ways, I see this as one of the few valid roles for a Christian on AF. I found value in challenging atheist T-shirt memes such as the inane “lack of belief” stance, the category error of comparing a transcendent God with limited beings such as tooth fairies, and providing the proper context for the 5W to dispel straw man arguments about them. For some reason, perhaps because the New Atheists popularized them, some younger, more naive, atheists might think they are profound. So, my thinking, maybe, just maybe, was that at least demonstrating that there was a legitimate debate at a more academic level would encourage such atheists to delve deeper. I’m thinking of one very intelligent young lady, who I always thought could be steered towards a more subtle conversation, but I was sadly mistaken. My challenges only made her, and similar others, dig in more and now she hates me which would be tolerable except that it taints how she might perceive Christians in general. That is something I cannot abide. Don't you ever wonder if, despite your best efforts to witness, you instead find yourself being used as a negative example?
At this point, I’m not bitter, just tired. Like Alpha, participating seems like simply a bad habit. I truly believe that the forum needs more Christians who model themselves after Alva Plantinga and David Bentley Hart. Christians that have graduated from C. S. Lewis (a great mind in his own right, just a different focus) to Kant and Sartre. But I’m not sure if that’s me.
PASS-TIME or MISSION?
A common theme, expressed, by C/L and A Theist, is that we participate to “set a good example” thereby tacitly presenting the Gospel. To this I say, it is already a given that we should represent Christ in all our everyday activities (1 Cor 10:31, Colossians 3:17). As such, there is nothing wrong with a Christian wanting to play games, chat about politics with, and enjoy debating theology with atheists. While I don’t care much for Mafia or Off-Topic areas, I enjoy the verbal joisting and some trash-talking with a select few of the atheist members. But are these activities truly opportunities to incidentally present our testimony, i.e. to “preach the Gospel without word?”
Personally, I find this to be a nice theory but not possible to implement on an open forum. In real life we can tailor our approach to the circumstances. In courser rowdy crowds, the role of a Christian may be to show that we aren’t kill-joy prudes by joining the fun as it were. In a townhall meeting, the role of the Christian may require one to meet harsh criticism with a forceful defense of the faith. Or addressing a insulting remark by a co-worker about the Church with a gentle and respectful rebuke. Because anyone can comment on anything at any time, no one (Christian or otherwise) can know that his or her post will be interpreted in the intended way. Even when carefully qualifying comments about a group with “some” or “many” or “a majority” or a “few” there is always someone ready to say “How dare you!”
For example, I respect a select few AF members for their extensive knowledge of philosophy (I also respect other AF members for different reasons, BTW.) When they call me nasty things, I usually do not take it personally, because I’ve always considered this just goading, playful trash-talk. Except, now I’m seeing more and more that the respect only went one-way. It’s very disappointing to hear people I liked speculate about my mental health. I’ve reached out personally by PM to members with whom I argued and attempted to make peace, revealing more about myself personal experiences, etc., only to have him tell me he didn’t care because he didn’t know me from a can of paint.
Overall, I would not leave a place simply because I could not endure a few insults (stick and stones, after all) but rather because having my words twisted and motives maligned indicates that my effects are probably misdirected even among those I thought I could converse with on a more abstract level. To those who ask, why then are you, Neo, here? I admit that I no longer know. It seems like whatever I thought had here, like playful sparing partners, has turned out to be an illusion.
The above approach, “being and example” is different from doing, say, hospice work or prison ministry. We do these things precisely because we are Christians, serving as the Body of Christ.
WITNESSING for CHRIST
@Drich, GodsCreated – I apologize for not reading your posts more carefully. As I said, this thread came at the wrong time for me leaving me a bit unfocused. Reviewing, I see the theme of correcting common misconceptions about doctrine. This, as opposed to straight out proselytizing. We all know that it is only the Holy Spirit, and He alone that turns hearts, and that our job is merely to show up and remove barriers. I think you both do an excellent job despite some minor differences between us about doctrine. In some ways, I see this as one of the few valid roles for a Christian on AF. I found value in challenging atheist T-shirt memes such as the inane “lack of belief” stance, the category error of comparing a transcendent God with limited beings such as tooth fairies, and providing the proper context for the 5W to dispel straw man arguments about them. For some reason, perhaps because the New Atheists popularized them, some younger, more naive, atheists might think they are profound. So, my thinking, maybe, just maybe, was that at least demonstrating that there was a legitimate debate at a more academic level would encourage such atheists to delve deeper. I’m thinking of one very intelligent young lady, who I always thought could be steered towards a more subtle conversation, but I was sadly mistaken. My challenges only made her, and similar others, dig in more and now she hates me which would be tolerable except that it taints how she might perceive Christians in general. That is something I cannot abide. Don't you ever wonder if, despite your best efforts to witness, you instead find yourself being used as a negative example?
At this point, I’m not bitter, just tired. Like Alpha, participating seems like simply a bad habit. I truly believe that the forum needs more Christians who model themselves after Alva Plantinga and David Bentley Hart. Christians that have graduated from C. S. Lewis (a great mind in his own right, just a different focus) to Kant and Sartre. But I’m not sure if that’s me.
