Atheists (Part 2)

"The passionately protesting atheist, sensitive to suffering, can be welcomed as a partner in a spiritual and moral struggle against evil. [That person's] companionship is a defense against smugness. The intellectually discriminating atheist can be accept as an ally in skeptically rejecting all the popular, half-baked stupidities named "god" that abound in our time and invited into conversations that explore what the best minds thought, and think, about God.
But there is one form of atheism that cannot be treated so charitably. Psalm 14 energetically attacks the one kind of atheism that the world is most tolerant of but of which it has most to fear-the people who say in their hearts, "There is no God." This is a quiet, unobtrusive atheism that never calls attention to itself. These people do not say with their mouths, "There is no God." To the contrary, with their mouths they say what everyone else says about God. They recite the Apostles' Creed and the Lord's Prayer along with the best of them. With their mouths they articulate impressive arguments for God's existence. With their mouths they denouce the godless. With their mouths they demand public prayers and official religion.
But in their hearts they say, "There is no God." Their atheism is never voiced and may not even be concious, but it is lived-with a vengeance."

From Earth and Altar by Eugene H. Peterson.

High on the list of criticisms by my friends and acquaintances that don't believe in God is the way Christians act. Most stereotypes have a shred of truth in them, and christians, including myself, are to blame for creating images of hypocrisy, self-assuredness, isolating, and shaming others. Please understand as a Christ-follower I seek to become more like Christ, but that I will fail over and over again for the rest of my life. But also understand that I understand that.
A warning I gave to friend who wouldn't label herself as "christian" when she decided to send her kids to a christian school was: Don't base your opinion of God on the ignorant ones. I would give that to everyone, don't miss out on Jesus because his followers don't have it all together all the time. Pursue truth. I appreciate that there are people who will hold me accountable to a half-hearted ideation of God. That there are people who don't believe in God that can help me pick apart what I shouldn't believe about God.
Again, for those who cannot stand some of the "popular, half-baked stupidities named "God"", you dont know how close to understanding the way of Christ you are.
Find someone who can introduce you to Jesus, even if they can't act like him all the time, and forgive us in our ignorant times.

Atheists (Part 1)

My reflections this week led me across two quotes I feel compelled to share.
They are both found in a book by Eugene H. Peterson "Earth and Altar"

"The atheist is not always the enemy. Atheists can be among a Christian's best friends. Atheists, for instance, whose atheism develops out of protest: angry about what is wrong with the world, they are roused to passionate defiance. That a good God permits the birth of crippled children, that a loving God allows rape and torture, that a sovereign God stands aside while the murderous regime of a Genghis Khan or an Adolf Hitler runs its course - such outrageous paradoxes simply cannot be countenanced. So God is eliminated. The removal of God does not reduce the suffering, but it does wipe out the paradox. Such atheism is not the result of logical (or illogical) thought: it is sheer protest. Anger over the suffering and unfairness in the world becomes anger against the God who permits it. Defiance is expressed by denial. Such atheism is commonly full of compassion. It suffers and rages. It is deeply spiritual, in touch with the human condition and eternal values."

In both this post and the next post, my mind immediately jumps to the words or Tierra Nueva director Bob Ekblad in a talk I once had the privilege of taking in: "You do not know how close to the kingdom of God you are."
Looking at the injustice in the world, the suffering of humanity, it is not unreasonable for society to quickly jump to the conclusion: there is no God. Ironically, those same people quickly jumping to those conclusions echo the heart of compassion of God. They enter into the same part of themselves that is shaped in Christ's image and take a few steps to the cross themselves in saying, "this should not be, I want it to end." The crucified Jesus couldn't agree more.
This isn't a post to try and explain suffering, or perseverance, or the hope of the Kingdom of God coming, or why bad things happen to anyone. I merely want to state that the heart that many people have towards these evil things display a shadow of the feelings of the creator. While atheists may shudder at my ignorance using their beliefs to further establish my own beliefs in a God that cares, I hope I speak for all christians in thanking you for caring, as we should.