I often find many atheists, agnostics, and irreligious people to be incredibly amusing. Mostly, this comes about because modern non-deists hold up science as one of the ultimate forms of knowledge and that faith is a fairy tale. It’s gets even more fun when you challenge their beliefs and ask if they would remain atheists if a Muslim held a gun to his head and told him to convert or die.
Now, I’ve encountered my share of atheists online and debated many and I’ve probably been a giant dick to a few. I know better now and I don’t bother to browbeat them with the “Love of Christ.” That doesn’t win any favors from them and it makes you look like a fanatic. I regret the way I’ve behaved to others in the past, but I’ve taken my share of lumps, so don’t worry, I got it much worse in return. The sad thing is that I only realized the poetic justice only recently.
The main problem I have with non-deists is that they cannot answer a simple question: show me where in science that you can determine and justify morality. This one will stump most non-deists because they cannot justify their morality solely on any science, be it soft or hard sciences.
The bottom line here is that a non-deist cannot justify why murder is wrong. For Christians we are told by God that murder is wrong. In essence, we know that a higher being, who created us in His own image, has told us that the shedding of another person’s blood is wrong. I know it seems a bit like cheating, but getting our standard of living being who is perfect and not only knows the difference between right and wrong, but can live it, I think I’ll take His standard.
Still, I’m sure there are plenty of attempts. The problem is, there is no rational basis for morality without some kind of divine reasoning. Human beings never evolved into morality because morality is not an evolutionary trait.
Still, I don’t hold it against them, so long as they are living a peaceful lifestyle. In other words, as long as they are not actively seeking us out and killing us for our faith, I won’t hold their lack of faith against them.
I don’t fault them for being atheist either. Personally there are days when it is difficult to believe in God, let alone follow him. I doubt the reverse is true for the non-deist, as unbelief is so much easier.
I do wish, though, that atheists would respect my faith more, but I suppose that is too much to ask. After all, I find them just as ridiculous as they find me, so I suppose it’s just going to be one those things. I promise, though, that I won’t mock your unbelief with petty insults. But don’t worry, as a Christian I don’t hold non-Christians to my standards.