Evangelizing the Atheists

[rosejmj]

Yes most people are agnostic rather than hard core atheists. They may want to believe there isn’t a god but just as you can’t know a 100 percent a God exists you can’t know a 100 percent that a God doesn’t exist.you can however speculate and reason that one I more likely the case

 

[rosejmj]

So once both parties agree on the existence of God which is the easy part, how do you reason to Christianity? There doesn’t seem to be any well founded reasons and much of it is just accepted by “faith”. Most Christians I have talked to don’t have reasons to believe other than that is what they were raised believing or it resonates with them. Most “evidence” seems to not have a source and just be spread by word of mouth too

 

[JapaneseKappa]

Well, I’d say my beliefs and everyone else’s are highly visible all over this forum, so interested people can find them.

But this is a separate evangelization problem. Different Catholics do believe different things. I have had serious Catholics assert to me on this forum that God has parts like a car. They said that evidence from the CCC, Catholic encyclopedia, Feser, AND Aquinas was not enough to prove that Catholicism believes God does not in fact have parts like a car.

So personal beliefs are not actually a good thing to present to atheists, instead you need to establish how to tell which Christan beliefs are “legitimate.” Otherwise the atheist is going to talk to 3 Catholics, get 3 versions of Catholic teachings, and conclude Catholicism isn’t well defined enough to believe.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

If an atheist cares that much about wanting to know “legitimate” Catholic beliefs, here is the link to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM

He or she can read it.

If an atheist is interested in my personal experience of Catholicism, he can ask me. I will be happy to tell him that Catholics can be very diverse. I would think most atheists have the logic sense to understand that when we’re talking about billions of people, they’re not all going to think in lockstep and some of them will have a better understanding of Church teaching than others.

 

[Veritas6]

So personal beliefs are not actually a good thing to present to atheists, instead you need to establish how to tell which Christan beliefs are “legitimate.” Otherwise the atheist is going to talk to 3 Catholics, get 3 versions of Catholic teachings, and conclude Catholicism isn’t well defined enough to believe.

Personal beliefs might not be enough to convince some, but these people can find the standard from official Catholic resources like catholic.com, CA Live, EWTN, the Vatican, etc. A better understanding of the proper teachings I would say is the best way to reach atheists. I also advocate meeting these people where they’re at, like knowing their story @0Scarlett_nidiyilii, loving them, and being their authentic friend.

 

[JapaneseKappa]

loving them, and being their authentic friend.

but are happily living their free-wheeling meaningless lives

I’ve seen a Catholic bishop give a speech where the first half hour was dedicated to how much better people Catholics were than their secular counterparts, and the second half was dedicated to how Catholics need to treat their secular counterparts with respect in order to evangelize effectively. If the bishop had really believed the second half, he would not have said the things he did in the first half.

This kind of two-faced approach to evangelism is palpable to skeptics.

 

[FiveLinden]

I don’t like to argue unless I’m getting paid.

What is your online rate?

 

[Veritas6]

This kind of two-faced approach to evangelism is palpable to skeptics.

Christians ought to love others as Christ does. Love is willing the good of the other. There absolutely shouldn’t be elitism or arrogance - as we’re all one in the same - but authentic Catholics wish to will the good of the other to heaven. We Catholics believe we have the fullness of Truth, and faulty humans can act arrogantly, but you need to keep in mind the proper intention of love.

This bishop might communicate arrogantly, which isn’t effective to many people, but I’m sure he wills the good of the unbeliever.

 

[commenter]

Christians ought to love others as Christ does. Love is willing the good of the other.

People today seem to say Jesus was kind of a social worker who went around helping people feel authentic and accepted.

The reality is Jesus judged sin, reinforced truths, and urged people to go out there and evangelize.