Puritan Sailor
Puritan Board Doctor
Thomas Halyburton wrote this interesting insight in his Memoirs. He recorded how the Lord helped him work through the attacks of Atheism and Deism in his day. One of the insights that helped him reject atheism was the fact that their attacks were largely superficial and never dealt with the truly serious difficulties that more studious Christians are aware of. Note the quote below:
"I must observe, also, the wise providence of God, that the greatest difficulties that lie against religion are hid from atheists. All the objections I met with in their writings were not nearly so subtle as those which were often suggested to me. The reason of it, from the nature of the thing, is obvious- such persons do not take a close-up view of religion; and while persons stand at a distance, neither are the difficulties that attend it nor the advantages of it discerned. Again, Satan finding all things quiet with them, keeps all so; and finding that they are easily ensnared, he does not use force (Luke 11:21). It is where he is in danger of losing a person that he uses his utmost efforts, when Christ is ready to cast him out, then he rages and tears poor souls (Mark 9:20). Besides, the Lord, in His infinite wisdom, permits not all these hellish subtleties to be published, in tenderness to the faith of the weak." (Memoirs, pg. 82)
This is an interesting insight, and one I have certainly found true at least in conversations with average unbelievers who are skeptical. They usually don't offer a serious critique because they don't know the important nuances which answer their criticisms.
But would Halyburton's analysis still be true today? Are there more sophisticated and informed attacks on Christianity now, or do they all still remain fairly superficial? He doesn't list what "greatest difficulties" he had in mind, but what do you think they might be?
"I must observe, also, the wise providence of God, that the greatest difficulties that lie against religion are hid from atheists. All the objections I met with in their writings were not nearly so subtle as those which were often suggested to me. The reason of it, from the nature of the thing, is obvious- such persons do not take a close-up view of religion; and while persons stand at a distance, neither are the difficulties that attend it nor the advantages of it discerned. Again, Satan finding all things quiet with them, keeps all so; and finding that they are easily ensnared, he does not use force (Luke 11:21). It is where he is in danger of losing a person that he uses his utmost efforts, when Christ is ready to cast him out, then he rages and tears poor souls (Mark 9:20). Besides, the Lord, in His infinite wisdom, permits not all these hellish subtleties to be published, in tenderness to the faith of the weak." (Memoirs, pg. 82)
This is an interesting insight, and one I have certainly found true at least in conversations with average unbelievers who are skeptical. They usually don't offer a serious critique because they don't know the important nuances which answer their criticisms.
But would Halyburton's analysis still be true today? Are there more sophisticated and informed attacks on Christianity now, or do they all still remain fairly superficial? He doesn't list what "greatest difficulties" he had in mind, but what do you think they might be?