"Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me."
- John Lennon
WHY THIS CHAPTER?
Pre-judging another person's opinion is not a problem restricted to one group, but a universal hindrance to communication.
This section is an admonition to believers to always treat others as the unique creations of God that they are.
Expanded!
"Here's what nonbelievers really think!"
"Religion interferes with life and, being false, it necessarily interferes very much to the detriment of the sound human interests of life."- E. Haldeman-Julius
Pardon the sarcasm of my title - the point is that it's always best to let people speak for themselves. Never assume what another person might believe - just ask them, or listen, or read.
You can find typical expressions of skepticism about the Bible and Christ on internet sites posted by self-proclaimed freethinkers and their organizations. These organizations include the American Atheists, Freedom From Religion Foundation, and many others.
Their sites feature a variety of viewpoints ostensibly united in the name of truth bearing several common goals. Expect these goals to include:
- refuting the idea that one can believe with certainty that God exists,
- discrediting the claims, origin, and nature of the Bible,
- defending the Darwinian theory of macro-evolution as fact,
- charging that Christians, the Bible, and, to a lesser degree, all spiritually minded people are the major sources of the world's problems, and...
- arguing for the belief that truth, if it exists, is relative.
Not all unbelievers hold to each of these goals, especially the latter two. Neither do unbelievers feel that they must establish a well-defined alternative to the biblical worldview. Like defense attorneys in court, they don't assume the job of providing a rational or logically consistent alternative to every assertion a believer might make. They feel they only need to raise reasonable doubt to win their case. And, at least in each other's minds, they are often confident they have.
Advice to believers: When you express confidence in your own position, your confidence is something to which certain unbelievers may object; partially because they do not share that same confidence; and partially because confidence can easily come across as arrogance. Arrogance is offensive and is strongly condemned throughout the Bible. Therefore always take care when expressing yourself to avoid being received as arrogant or condescending, and only exhibit the confidence you honestly possess.
See also:
How to improve the argument for unbelief