Joe Keysor
Puritan Board Freshman
For those who might like to spend some time in the enemy camp I heartily recommend the forum at RichardDawkins.net - The Official Richard Dawkins Website.
As you know, Dawkins is one of the world's leading atheists, and he has set up this forum to provide atheists with a meeting place. The forum rules do allow non atheists to join and debate, and theists show up there from time to time.
There is a Faith and Religion section that does not show up on the forum until you log in.
The rules forbid preaching, but I got into some lengthy debates and said quite a lot before I finally got banned. The issue was not that I was saying "You need to repent and besaved," which I was not, but that people would misrepresent biblical views, and I would present verses to correct them. This was allowed for a while but eventually they got tired of it and banned me for two weeks for preaching.
For a short time, I found it to be a good experience. Some people were openly hostile and abusive, but some were reasonable, and asked serious questions.
I several times referred to a couple of basic principles of Christianity they had not heard of. One was, that (as Paul says in I Corinthians), the principles of Christianity are foolish to the natural mind. They cannot be believed and understood without divine illumination.
Another was, how do we know the bible is true? Because of evidence, logic, facts, and archaeology? Those have a role to play, but ultimately we believe because of the illumination of the Spirit. The heavenly mysteries must be revealed by God.
One argument I found effective was: There are theistic evolutionists who say evolution is a scientific fact, but it works as it does because God is behind it. What scientific evidence do you have to say they are wrong? None. Your rejection of theistic evolution has nothing to do with science and is only personal preference.
As you know, Dawkins is one of the world's leading atheists, and he has set up this forum to provide atheists with a meeting place. The forum rules do allow non atheists to join and debate, and theists show up there from time to time.
There is a Faith and Religion section that does not show up on the forum until you log in.
The rules forbid preaching, but I got into some lengthy debates and said quite a lot before I finally got banned. The issue was not that I was saying "You need to repent and besaved," which I was not, but that people would misrepresent biblical views, and I would present verses to correct them. This was allowed for a while but eventually they got tired of it and banned me for two weeks for preaching.
For a short time, I found it to be a good experience. Some people were openly hostile and abusive, but some were reasonable, and asked serious questions.
I several times referred to a couple of basic principles of Christianity they had not heard of. One was, that (as Paul says in I Corinthians), the principles of Christianity are foolish to the natural mind. They cannot be believed and understood without divine illumination.
Another was, how do we know the bible is true? Because of evidence, logic, facts, and archaeology? Those have a role to play, but ultimately we believe because of the illumination of the Spirit. The heavenly mysteries must be revealed by God.
One argument I found effective was: There are theistic evolutionists who say evolution is a scientific fact, but it works as it does because God is behind it. What scientific evidence do you have to say they are wrong? None. Your rejection of theistic evolution has nothing to do with science and is only personal preference.