I was raised by atheists. As a teen, I labeled myself agnostic. Finally, I became a Christian because it was proved to me that God did exist. That is a long story by itself, but proof, I think means a lot to all Atheists.
As a child, I admired my Dad. I thought my Dad was right about everything. So, when he’d argue with Christians and tell them how ridiculous it was to believe in a place called Heaven or God, it made sense to me that these things didn’t exist because we could not see them or prove that they did exist. Death was simply death just as it is for any animal. So, I didn’t believe I would feel anything after death and I lived most of my life thinking there was no such thing as sin since there was no God.
However, I think some Christians really push Atheists away by having the attitude that Atheist are bad people. I had Christian Morals such as do unto others. My Mom said this many times to me. AS a Human with emotions, I could understand that I should treat others fairly and with love. I had Christians ask me if I worshipped the devil. I thought that was so ridiculous. IF I don’t believe in God or life after death etc. because of no proof of it, then why believe in the Devil!
I think Atheists may be able to be reached if people approached them with the idea that they misunderstand the Bible by interpretting it too literally and that evolution can be believed by Christians without denying that God created everything.
I think atheists grow up thinking Christians are simple minded and know very little about science and therefore, they dismiss what many Christians try to explain to them. Also, I think Christians use too much terminology that an atheists can not understand. For example the comparisons of light and darknes. It meant nothing to me until I was baptized. Only then could I see the darkness that I left or should I say only then could I see the light. These phrases sound ridiculous to an atheist, so I think they should be avoided. An atheist needs to be approached with things they do understand and then build from there in my opinion. Many atheists may want to believe in God as I wanted to, but until I had some proof of His existence, I couldn’t believe. Perhaps if someone would’ve talked to me about Love instead of Adam and Eve, then I may have progressed to Christianity sooner. I think it is best to avoid arguments such as when the earth was formed or who was the first human being because that is not the heart of Christianity. I think a discussion of Love would best represent a Christian and perhaps an atheist wouldn’t label them as simple minded. I pray that most atheists, don’t have to see to believe, but allow themselves to open up their minds until their hearts are eventually led to Jesus through baptism.
By the way, people who posted that atheists know God exists are wrong. I did not know. I do believe that “God is with everyone”. No one is abandoned, but a human may not know this. After all, we are human and limited in our understanding and our minds/consciences are formed as we grow and our parents have such a great influence on us. I person may not know that God exists, just as some people don’t know that birth control is wrong or that pre-marital sex is wrong, or homosexuality. It sometimes takes a long time for us to feed our minds with the right stuf to eventually understand things that made no sense to us. Most of what a Christian could say to an Atheist will not make sense, so I think a person has to go very slow and avoid arguments about the Bible. Simply thinking about Love and where it comes from, since we can’t see it either, might be a good starting point for some.
God Bless.
