{"id":17122,"date":"2008-12-29T18:10:00","date_gmt":"2008-12-30T00:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=17122"},"modified":"2019-12-20T18:13:11","modified_gmt":"2019-12-21T00:13:11","slug":"what-scripture-is-most-useful-to-challenge-an-atheist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-scripture-is-most-useful-to-challenge-an-atheist\/","title":{"rendered":"What Scripture is most useful to challenge an atheist?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2>Question:<\/h2>\n<p>When speaking to an atheist, what Scripture is most useful to challenge one to understand that God does exist? And how can I convince him that this God is merciful if he has lived life in a body wracked by pain?<\/p>\n\t<h2>Answer:<\/h2>\n<p>You are starting off on the wrong foot since an atheist does not accept the Bible as being God&#8217;s word. It is not a simple matter of turning to some passage which he cannot explain and therefore comes to the conclusion that God must exist.<\/p>\n<p>As I explained in &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-convince-an-atheist-to-believe-in-the-bible\/\">How do I convince an atheist to believe in the Bible?<\/a>&#8221; you must approach an atheist as a long term project. You need to find some common ground where both of you agree and work from there. Small points to show that the Bible is sensible will go further than long, complex arguments. See &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-reach-out-to-my-atheist-roommate\/\">How do I reach out to my atheist roommate?<\/a>&#8221; for a discussion of this.<\/p>\n<p>Are you saying that this person blames God for his pain? Or are you saying that a major roadblock to his accepting God is the fact that he is in pain? The former means he isn&#8217;t a true atheist because to blame God is to acknowledge His existence. If it is the later, points about where suffering comes from and how those against God bring it into the world will make some inroads. The sermon &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-god-make-the-handicapped\/\">Does God Make the Handicapped?<\/a>&#8221; might give you some ideas for starting points.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Question: When speaking to an atheist, what Scripture is most useful to challenge one to understand that God does exist? And how can I convince him that this God is merciful if he has lived life in a body wracked by pain? Answer: You are starting off on the wrong foot since an atheist does&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[184,182],"class_list":["post-17122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-atheism","tag-suffering"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":45327,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-faith-of-an-atheist\/","url_meta":{"origin":17122,"position":0},"title":"The Faith of an Atheist","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 15, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by William J. Stewart Some time ago, I had the opportunity to talk with a self-proclaimed Atheist. I found it to be a rather interesting conversation. He discussed several things which he found to be adequate evidence to discount the existence of God, none of which stood to any measure\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8372,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-convince-an-atheist-to-believe-in-the-bible\/","url_meta":{"origin":17122,"position":1},"title":"How do I convince an atheist to believe in the Bible?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 5, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: How do I convince my friend to believe in the Bible, as well as God?\u00a0 My friend doesn't believe in God, Heaven, the devil, anything that the Bible teaches.\u00a0 This friend told me that, to her, the Bible is complete fiction.\u00a0 I know that I cannot even begin to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":38161,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-prove-that-jesus-exists-and-the-bible-is-true\/","url_meta":{"origin":17122,"position":2},"title":"How do I prove that Jesus exists and the Bible is true?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 28, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: How do I prove to an atheist that Jesus exists and that every word in the Bible is true? He believes in \"om\" and the energy runs the world. That life is made of energy. Answer: This person is not an atheist. An atheist does not believe in any\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Answer&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":55075,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/atheisms-faith-and-fruits\/","url_meta":{"origin":17122,"position":3},"title":"Atheism&#8217;s Faith and Fruits","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 8, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"by James D. Bales, reprinted in The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 8, June 1952. Unbelievers constantly bring against Christians the charge that the Bible is unworthy of a place in a scientific age since it calls for faith but men must walk by sight. By the term faith, they seek\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25548,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-atheists-motives\/","url_meta":{"origin":17122,"position":4},"title":"The Atheist&#8217;s Motives","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 30, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: Proverbs 4:20-27 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Consider the offer \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Atheism offers \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0No absolute morality. Everything is subjective. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a02.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0No meaning to your life. Life is just a span of time, where you suffer for a while before you are squished into oblivion. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a03.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0No hope about your future. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Christianity offers \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A clear, absolute morality\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Audio&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":60995,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/when-we-are-provoked\/","url_meta":{"origin":17122,"position":5},"title":"When We Are Provoked","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 29, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by Sam Stinson \"But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.\" (Matthew 5:39). The following was posted online some time ago: \"An atheist group has unveiled a sign in the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Article&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17122"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17122\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}