I am an atheist. Why should I consider becoming a Christian?

Answer

If you identify as an atheist with a genuine interest in truth, there are several crucial aspects of Christianity that we believe are important to grasp. It’s essential to note that, as a Christian ministry, we do not have a motive to defend other religious beliefs; therefore, this article focuses solely on the biblical Christian faith.

Truth is significant, irrespective of one’s beliefs.

Integrity is paramount. It is crucial for you, as an individual, to be capable of explaining why you accept or reject a particular worldview. Your explanation should accurately represent the beliefs under consideration. This principle applies universally, even if you choose to define your atheism as simply “a lack of belief.” We highlight this because misrepresentations of religious beliefs often overshadow the actual essence. It is common to encounter descriptions of Christianity that significantly differ from what Christians truly believe.

In essence, you cannot claim to have genuinely considered the message of Christianity unless you have a clear understanding of that message. Dismissing the existence of George Washington based on myths, such as stories of him throwing a silver dollar across the Potomac, is not sound reasoning. We must not let a distorted representation overshadow the actual facts and then form judgments based on that misrepresentation.

We are not implying that all atheists lack knowledge. On the contrary, we recognize that many atheists can accurately articulate the Christian standpoint. However, in our observation, a considerable number of self-professed atheists, when asked to explain Christianity, present a simplistic view. We emphasize this point because misinterpretations of Christianity frequently play a significant role in atheists’ arguments.

Christianity does not advocate for “blind faith.”

Many atheists grapple with the concept of “blind faith,” but the assertion that Christians are required to have “blind faith” is inaccurate. There is no

Place in the Bible where human beings are told, “Believe this, just because.” This misunderstanding is due to a mistaken definition of faith. The Bible’s view of faith is best described as “trust.” This is certainly different from “proof,” but faith is never presented as belief without evidence or against all evidence. In fact, the Bible consistently points to historical events as the basis for our faith (Numbers 14:11; John 14:11).

Consider that “absolute proof” is actually rare in human experience. There are virtually no circumstances where anyone has the ability to prove—mathematically, logically, infallibly—anything before he acts. Does this mean we cannot act? No, but it does mean we are constantly acting when we have good reasons but not absolute proof. That, in a nutshell, is the “faith” that the Bible calls for. Rather than calling us to place faith—trust—in the world or other people, Christianity calls on us to place faith—reasonable trust—in God and His message to us.

As an atheist, you exhibit “faith” of this kind every day. The difference is in the object of that faith, not in the substance. You exhibit faith—reasoned trust—every time you sit on a chair without first checking it for stability. You exhibit faith every time you ride in a car without performing an exhaustive inspection. You act on faith whenever you eat food cooked by other people or take medicines provided by a doctor. You cannot have absolute proof that any of these things are reliable, each and every time. But you can have good reasons to trust in them.

Ultimately, you place the same “faith” in your view of the world, atheism. We ask you to consider the fact that, no matter what you believe—or do not believe—you cannot claim to have “proof.” Not in an absolute sense. The reality of human experience is that we cannot know everything. We have no choice but to act inTrust—faith—based on what we have good reason to believe, even if we can’t prove it. Christianity is not an escape from reason or a freefall into blind faith. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite: a truth that draws even unwilling converts on the strength of evidence.

Christianity is uniquely tied to reason and evidence.

The Bible is unique in its approach to reason and evidence. Even Jesus Christ appealed to evidence when He was challenged. In John 5, Jesus acknowledges that others won’t—or can’t—believe what He says on blind faith. So He offers three lines of evidence as reasons to trust Him: human testimony, observations, and written records (John 5:30-47). The earliest believers constantly referred to facts and evidence as support for their message (1 Corinthians 15:13-14;2 Peter 1:16;Luke 1:1-4).

God doesn’t ask us to follow Him blindly «Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. », (1 Thessalonians 5:21) or ignorantly «These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. », (Acts 17:11) or without doubts «And of some have compassion, making a difference: », (Jude 1:22). Rather, Christianity offers reasons to believe: evidence in nature «The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth his handywork. », (Psalm 19:1), in science «In the beginning God created the heaven and the

earth. », (Genesis 1:1), in logic «Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. », (Isaiah 1:18), in history (Luke 1:1-4), and in human experience (Romans 1:20-21;1 Peter 5:1). Our website has a large amount of material on each of these areas of evidence.

Modern atheists frequently point to “science” as a catch-all counter to religion. It should be noted that, without a Christian worldview, what we call “modern science” would be impossible. It wasn’t until a culture approached the universe from a Christian perspective that the modern scientific method was born. Science as we know it assumes that the universe is rule-bound, repeatable, knowable, and subject to human manipulation—all of which are uniquely theistic (particularly Judeo-Christian) concepts. Atheism, like modern science, can co-opt those tenets, but they all flow from a theistic worldview.

Also, it bears mentioning that interpretation is not always the same as fact. This is as true in religion as in science. Rejecting or disproving one particular facet of a belief system doesn’t necessarily mean the entire idea is wrong. It might only be that particular idea that is in error. Non-fundamental doctrines, such as the age of the earth, are ultimately secondary to the core message of Christianity. The so-called war between science and religion is truly a myth.

Christianity has the support of experience.

It’s important, at least for the sake of argument, to consider what happens when people actually apply a particular philosophy in the real world. Naturally, no

Two individuals may share the same comprehension of how to embody a specific concept. People frequently act in direct opposition to their professed beliefs. However, examining world history allows us to discern which concepts prove effective and which do not.

Beliefs yield outcomes. Atheism, like most ideologies, lacks a compelling rationale to regard human beings as valuable, equal, or significant. Just as contemporary science can be attributed to theism, so too can the principles of ethics, democracy, and human rights. The beneficial influence of Christianity is evident in historical events and current affairs. Notions of equality, self-rule, social welfare, and more are all grounded in Christian tradition. Presently, societies with a Christian heritage significantly surpass non-Christian societies in the ethical matters that most atheists deem significant.

Mainstream culture often asserts that Christianity promotes abuse. Take, for instance, the assertion that “religion incites conflict.” According to secular scholars like Charles Phillips, Gordon Martel, and Alan Axelrod, religious motives contribute to only about 6 or 7 percent of all conflicts in human history. Exclude Islam from this analysis, and the figure decreases by more than half. In reality, Christianity’s emphasis on empathy and peace has been far more effective in averting and mitigating violence than in instigating it.

If you are an atheist who dismisses Christianity due to its alleged anti-scientific, blind faith, or abusive nature, I urge you to reconsider the evidence. These accusations are founded on erroneous narratives and oversimplifications. Despite the incessant repetition of these claims by comedians and celebrities, they remain unsubstantiated.

Atheism implies that Christianity merits contemplation.

If the tangible repercussions of a belief system hold significance in a society, they are equally relevant in an individual’s life. Atheists of various persuasions throughout history have highlighted a fundamental flaw in atheistic reasoning: nihilism. Belief in strict naturalism or the absolute absence oIf any deity has logical implications.

Force of logic leads atheists to reject objective morality, meaning, purpose, and so forth. This is a dominant struggle in atheistic philosophy: how to stave off nihilism or cope with its implications. This is the reason atheism, more than any other worldview, has lent itself as justification of the atrocities of dictators.

Ironically, this means that atheism itself presents good reasons to at least consider the Christian worldview. Why? If there is no meaning, purpose, or ultimate plan, then we might as well choose the worldview that leads to the best results: one that provides intellectual satisfaction, personal fulfillment, meaning, order, and morality.

The best possible option—the one that leads to the best results—is Christianity. Not that this makes Christianity true by default or that anyone can convince himself against his own will. But it’s at least a reason to take the claims of the Bible seriously. And, of course, Christianity deserves better than a shallow, meme-driven, or cartoonish approach. Atheist pundits have sometimes spoken of acting “as if” there is meaning when they “know” there is none. In that context, it’s hardly unreasonable to nominate the Bible as a reasonable option for voluntary belief.

Christianity offers hope and meaning.

As you’ve seen, our view of Christianity is in no sense driven by “wishful thinking.” We firmly believe that reason, logic, and evidence are important aspects of a vibrant faith. At the same time, we acknowledge that intellect and reason are not the complete picture of human experience.

Every person has his own reasons for his beliefs or lack thereof. Often, these reasons are more emotionally driven than we’d like to admit. The message of the gospel is not one human beings instinctively prefer. But, once a person truly understands the biblical Christian worldview, the caricatures and myths fall away, and what’s left is compelling and powerful.

To you, the atheiFirst, we would like to respectfully summarize the biblical message as follows:

God loves you so much that He provided a way for every sin to be forgiven, so you can spend eternity with Him. The Bible states that every person needs salvation, as “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23), every individual can be saved, as “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16), and God desires all individuals to be saved, as “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).

What separates us from God is sin. Regardless of how good we perceive ourselves to be, we are all sinners, for “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:10). Since God is perfectly holy, everyone deserves eternal separation from Him, as “And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.” (Romans 5:16). No amount of effort, good deeds, money, talent, or achievement can remove this guilt, for “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6).Fortunately, God does not want us to be separated from Him, so He made a way to mend what is broken (John 3:16-17).

The one and only way is through faith in Jesus Christ “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”, (John 14:6). God Himself came to earth as a human, living a perfect and sinless life “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”, (Hebrews 4:15). He willingly died as a sacrifice to pay the debt for our sins “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”, (2 Corinthians 5:21). According to the Scriptures, anyone can be “saved” — forgiven by God and guaranteed heaven — through faith in Jesus Christ “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”, (Romans 10:13). This is not a call for blind, ignorant belief (Acts 17:11;1 John 4:1). It is an invitation from God to submission and trust “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”, (James 4:7). It is a choice to let go of everything else in order to rely entirely on God.

Christianity still has more to offer.

We fully understand that no single article, answer, or conversation can completely cover every possible detail. There are thou

There are countless legitimate questions and concerns regarding the Christian faith. We value all individuals, including atheists, who are eager to explore truth deeply.

Even if you do not believe in the truth of Christianity, we genuinely hope you will continue to discover more about it. You have nothing to lose. At worst, you will gain a more precise understanding. At best, you will come to recognize what many other skeptics have: that Jesus is indeed the truth.

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