Meditation 713
Answers and Evidence
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If you read Talk Back 89, published today, you will find Ben stating
"... your views and those of all Agnostics are simply a more intellectually thought out and "enlightened" cop-out. Your position lies squarely upon your demand for proof before belief."
Yes. Wanting proof is apparently a cop-out. But still, we recognize proof is impossible. Some evidence instead of simple assertion would be nice though.
I was reminded of a Billy Graham column[1] from a few weeks ago which is very much in line with some of what Ben had to say.
Q. A good friend of mine has never wanted anything to do with religion or Jesus, and every time we talk about it he throws up all sorts of questions I can't answer. Is it hopeless to witness to someone like this? I wish I knew how to get through to him.
A. No, it isn't hopeless to share your faith with anyone, even someone who asks questions you can't answer....
But often, people who put up one objection after another aren't really interested in getting answers - and this might be the case with your friend.
The real problem is their will; they simply don't want to yield themselves to Christ and have Him take control of their lives.[2]
...
Wanting answers is also apparently a cop-out. Christians aren't required to consider questions they can't answer when they "witness."
Let me be clear. I am not going to yield myself to an entity I don't believe in so that somehow I will start believing in that entity. Nor are most other non-believers. It is a bootstrapping operation that is doomed to failure. I can't get to point B because the only route there is to begin at point B.
If Billy or Ben want to get me to point B, then I want answers; I want evidence. "Yield yourself to Christ" is neither answers nor evidence; it is the real cop-out for those unable to provide either.
Footnotes:
- My Answer by Billy Graham, The Calgary Sun, Sunday July 6, 2008
- That this paragraph relates to the previous Meditation is just happy coincidence. I wish I could say it was planned.