Addressing Atheism's Difficulty With the Supernatural

These thoughts came as a response to some friends of mine we've been discussing addressing atheistic/agnostic/new-age ideas and realizing that the proponents of such ideas are not irrational, not always dishonest in their approach, and should be treated with respect, not dismissal. Richard Dawkins, the prominent atheist was one example mentioned. One of their problems is that they just cannot accept the supernatural claims of Christ. I can't remember the exact context that this occurred to me a little while ago. It seems the reason that they look at us in frustration is because they associate our position with "magic". After all, we believe in supernatural things, and that's the same thing in their minds as carriages turning into pumpkins at 12:00. How do we hold to one thing and deny the other?

It's interesting, that when you study the new birth (read Piper's new book, I highly recommend it, "Finally Alive") that it is the, if I can use an evolutionary term, "big bang" of all spiritual life. By it is created a new life, a new nature, a new attitude, a new thinking, new desires, new passions, new pursuits, new understanding, new action, new effects; What is not is made to be, by the word of God. The pattern of creation is repeated in the soul of the one who is regenerated, God speaks life into being.

This is miraculous in the literal sense of the word. It's not like saying, "oh, I got saved from being run over a bus, that was miraculous." That's not literally a miracle, the laws of nature were at work (unless you were saved by teleportation or the like), and it safe to say that how you were saved from that bus can be naturally explained - cause and effect. Of course God was involved, but he didn't need to supersede the laws he created for you to be saved from the bus. The new birth is a technical miracle in the literal sense since the laws of nature cannot account for it. How a rebellious, determined sinner becomes a permanently God-pursuing saint is without satisfactory human explanation. It is, if you want to put it crassly, true magic.

The irony is that the person who reacts against this as "magic" is denying the very thing that he or she needs in order to experience the existence of the thing that he or she denies. Therefore, this is a self-limiting belief system.

I reiterate, it is true that these people are rational, that many of them are attempting an honest pursuit. But their very approach, as I think I have shown, is self-limiting. How do you explain the existence of light to a single blind man but by relating your own experience? If he denies it, because his experience tells him otherwise, you'd call him a fool - but he is undeniably consistent in his own system. But if a million blind men lived together, then all of a sudden their belief that light is a myth takes on a new strength, and becomes a valid belief system. But that doesn't change the truth... no matter how rational their argument. And we should realize the parallel is very much the same. It's just that there are more blind people than light-exposed in the spiritual realm, that is why the power of their belief is so palpable, if misguided.

In this context, it is interesting then, what John says (from John 1):

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it...
...9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.

The light analogy here is vivid. And I'll relate it to my point. They cannot see the light, therefore they reject the light. And why?

3:19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

While rationality cannot be denied of those who reject Christ... it all comes back to one thing... their sin keeps them from Christ.

On one hand, it can be very discouraging. But on the other hand is God, who is outside the system, who supersedes it. He is the only one who can and does intervene, and because He is who He is, and because He is who we are not, it is why we are not cowed in the face of an onslaught by the blind Richard Dawkinses of the world. For we can face the onslaught with a secret smile, knowing, that just by one word by the Lord whom he denies, Richard Dawkins would bow His knee and come to love Jesus, who is the one true Lord and eternal life. It is not for us to cause the change, and this is good news both for both the Richard Dawkinses and those who preach Christ to him.

We don't need to "save" Christ as Deepak Chopra so snarkily puts it. We just preach Him, and He does the saving.

So stand strong, in Christ.