Christ Through the Ages, 30: What the Atheists are Missing & Conclusion

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/christ-through-the-ages-30-what-the-atheists-are-missing-conclusion/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><p>Atheists</p><ul><li>Wrong thinking<ul><li>They will say that Jesus was a man of his time (yet he was <i>counter</i>cultural!).</li><li>A recycling of ancient myths. But there was no ancient dying / rising god before the time of Jesus. If there was “borrowing,” it took place in the opposite direction!</li><li>Remember the bad of Christian history, but nearly none of the good.</li><li>Straw gods (old men in the sky) and distorted Christs.</li><li>Accuse Christians of being intolerant, whereas in fact quite a few atheists are intolerant.</li></ul></li><li>Unfortunate experiences?<ul><li>Poor arguments from Christians<ul><li>Bogus science</li><li>Inconsistent interpretation</li><li>Ignorance of history</li><li>Predictable and pro-establishment positions</li><li>Platitudes and proof-texting</li></ul></li><li>Poor examples in Christians<ul><li>Failure to walk the walk</li><li>Prejudice</li><li>Lack of social conscience</li><li>Infighting</li></ul></li><li>Yet despite the detrimental effects of poorly thought-through faith, or poorly lived faith, atheists are still responsible (Ecclesiastes 3:11; Romans 1:18-32).</li></ul></li><li>As Christian leaders working for many years in atheistic climates (universities worldwide but especially in parts of Europe), my wife and I identify two huge needs – two areas in which the atheists are missing Christ.<ul><li>Relationships</li><li>Evidences. Suggested: <a href="http://www.ipibooks.com/IPIStore/Details/tabid/89/rvdsfpid/25/Default.aspx#.UugMsPZOky4"><i>Compelling Evidence</i></a>, as well as a number of <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/garconinc-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=4">other helpful titles</a>.</li></ul></li><li>So what are the atheists missing?<ul><li>Fundamentally, they’re missing not only a logical understanding of the gospel.</li><li>They are missing <i>Chri