The Friendly Atheist speaks at church

October 18, 2008 By 13 Comments

Hemant shares what happened when he was interviewed at Kensington Community Church. I’m glad he did that.

If you were invited to speak or be interviewed at a Christian church, would you?

Filed Under: Atheism, Christianity, Questions 13 Comments
  • http://thecrowsdream.wordpress.com/ Hector

    I’ve had some really good conversations with very intelligent and rational believers of many faiths. I have learned to walk away whenever the channels of communication are closed. It may be easier to have a good talk between believers and non believers–assuming both sides are willing to respect the other–than between believers of different opinions, because things turn in to arguments about whose god is better. In any case, I think he had a good experience, and I think that people respected him, so maybe it was worth it.

  • http://www.pandasthumb.org RBH

    Sure. In fact I’ve done so, and will again yet this year.

  • http://www.wazzasworthlesswitterings.blogspot.com wazza

    I guess I would, but maybe not in a mega-church… I’d prefer a smaller format where they can actually see the smile on my face.

  • http://blog.noctua.org.uk/ Paul Wright

    I went on Premier Christian Radio a while back: they have a programme called “Unbelievable” which usually features an atheist talking to a Christian. I was initially a little nervous that I’d be ambushed (metaphorically speaking), but as it turned out, I really enjoyed it.

  • http://larianlequella.com Larian LeQuella

    I tend to get very condescending when I see that someone just doesn’t understand the basics of science. Maybe it’s just that I’ve seen the mental gymnastics soooo often that I am sick of it. I’m glad he went instead of someone like me since I would not have been nearly as understanding.

  • murrowcronkite

    I’ve been reflecting on what I feel is essential to my faith the past few days. It is this;
    We all need at times to feel we are forgiven even if i’ts for something as small as saying an unkind word or commiting an insensitive action.
    Forgiveness and mercy are important for these small crimes and misdemeanors.
    For larger crimes,such as murder we see others commit, we need to feel that justice is served.
    The legal system takes care of the latter, but in human interaction sometimes there is no other way to come to a place of wholeness except by forgiving yourself or others.
    Now do we need religion to do this? No.
    I will give an example from my own life. Sometimes when I feel “the world” around me crashing in on my peace I repeat to myself “Jesus died for my sins (shortcomings).To me sin is better described as missing the mark of best actions or intentions, not as an offense that automatically dooms someone to an eternal hell-fire. The word sin is an old Jewish archery term that literally means; missing the mark, off target, in other words. I don’t believe in hell as is taught in most Christian circles. The word hell in the new testament is translated from the aramaic word, ghenna, which was a garbage dump outside Jerusalem where trash was burned. So saying you’re going to hell is really like saying “if you do that (mistaken action), It will be like rolling around in burning garbage.
    It helps me keep perspective and saneness to, at least, tell myself I’m forgiven when I can’t reach out to friends, family or a support group for that therapy.
    It is obviously not based on any proven fact, just trusting that what the Bible says is true. I don’t consider myself religious, only spiritual. I embrace all science and even critical and intellectual thinking, there are just some phrases or teachings in the Bible that have helped me make sense of the world at times. Crutches maybe, but I’m pretty lame sometimes and need one.
    We are not the center of the universe or “gods”. It helps me to have an idea of something with human qualities, outside of myself that is different than the subjective emotions around me that I might be experiencing.
    I know atheists will have a field day with the above comments.
    I try to consider myself an Alt-Theist, trying to see what truths are available in all things to make the human experience better.
    I know needing Jesus to forgive me is lame but I guess that’s the authority figure I have ascribed in my life. Others would ascribe science and it’s methods as authority but science doesn’t describe or have solutions for all of the varieties of the human condition.
    Psycology and having a good friend and family network is also helpful but not everyone is able to effectively maintain these.
    If there is no God we have to more effectively love one another.
    Anybody studied the science of loving?

  • Dan

    @murrowcronkite: “Anybody studied the science of loving?”

    Yes, Buddhists have been doing it for centuries now. In fact, a lot of scholars of Christianity think that the “missing” years of Christ’s life (that aren’t discussed in the bible) were spent in the East studying buddhism, and that that’s where he got his ideas about compassion and loving your neighbor and all of that.

  • http://www.wazzasworthlesswitterings.blogspot.com wazza

    Psychologists have studied the actual science, too.

  • VorJack

    Dan – “In fact, a lot of scholars of Christianity think that the “missing” years of Christ’s life (that aren’t discussed in the bible) were spent in the East studying buddhism, and that that’s where he got his ideas about compassion and loving your neighbor and all of that.”

    Most of the emphasis on compassion and so forth could easily have come from within the Judaism of the time, particularly the Pharisees. Witness the story of Rabbi Hillel, just as an example.

    It’s a tremendous leap to discuss “missing years” and a trip to India, for which there is no evidence, when the ideas were already circulating within the culture.

  • Proto

    I thought that the missing year’s of Christ’s life had something to do with the fact that all literature describing Christ appeared 60 something years after his supposed death?

  • http://unreasonablefaith.com Daniel Florien

    @Dan: I’d be interested in a few names of Christian scholars who think that Jesus went to the East to study. Sounds more like what a Buddhist scholar would say.

    It sounds completely implausible.

  • http://www.wazzasworthlesswitterings.blogspot.com wazza

    There was trade east as well as west, and there is a long-standing tradition that Jesus traveled west to England for the tin trade with Joseph of A Place (26 hours awake and suddenly I can’t remember where the guy who buried him was from)

    it’s just as plausible that he would head east in the spice trade. It’s roughly the same length of journey east to India as west to Britain. The seas are more notorious for pirates, but an overland route is also possible, considering that Jesus was reportedly honoured at birth by Zoroastrians who would control most of the road east.

    I’m not saying it’s likely… but it’s possible. So is a heavy Pythagorean influence. No one really knows.

  • VorJack

    ” …there is a long-standing tradition that Jesus traveled west to England for the tin trade …”

    I Am Aware of All Internet Traditions, but I’ve never heard of that one.

    Why would the son of a laborer travel across the length of Europe on a trading mission? What evidence is there that such a thing?

    Frankly, it sounds like those spurious tales of the apostles sectioning up the known world and traveling hither and yon to spread the Gospels that weren’t written yet. (Mark to Egypt, etc.)