Comments on: "Good luck; our thoughts are with you." http://bnonn.thinkingmatters.org.nz/good-luck-our-thoughts-are-with-you/ developing the mind of Christ Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:12:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Dominic Bnonn Tennant http://bnonn.thinkingmatters.org.nz/good-luck-our-thoughts-are-with-you/#comment-409 Dominic Bnonn Tennant Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:06:07 +0000 http://bnonn.thinkingmatters.org.nz/?p=58#comment-409 Steve, thanks for your comment. I think you're right that I should have qualified my statement—"the atheists" does sound particularly broad. I have amended this now. The reason I chose this turn of phrase is simply that I was reflecting back on the various encounters I have had with atheists over the years (primarily online), and on how I myself viewed Christianity before I was converted. These encounters were frequently one-sided in the sense of there being numerous atheists and very few Christians; and while some of the atheists were generally polite, there always seemed to be at least one spokesman who would trot out the "crutch" argument. I don't recall anyone in the group ever disagreeing with this argument, and so it has tended to become generalized in my mind to the whole group. I must admit that this general view has not dissipated as I have matured. In terms of attitude, you are a relatively unusual specimen. Nearly all the atheists I have encountered online have contributed to this general image. Perhaps it is simply because these kinds of people tend to be interested in frequenting Christian sites and engaging in debate. Perhaps it is because I tend to be quite forceful myself in how I put forward arguments (I have mellowed somewhat in my old age, though). I suspect also that the high-profile efforts of Dawkins and his ilk have not done anything for my general perception of atheists. The reason I focused on this particular issue is that I know I am by no means alone in being sneered at; it is an experience common to probably all Christians at one point or another. That said, I can hardly expect everyone reading this post to understand who "the" atheists are in my own mind. And I would not wish to appear to be reviling when reviled (cf 1 Cor 4:12). I have therefore made some adjustments (: Regards, Bnonn Steve, thanks for your comment. I think you’re right that I should have qualified my statement—”the atheists” does sound particularly broad. I have amended this now. The reason I chose this turn of phrase is simply that I was reflecting back on the various encounters I have had with atheists over the years (primarily online), and on how I myself viewed Christianity before I was converted. These encounters were frequently one-sided in the sense of there being numerous atheists and very few Christians; and while some of the atheists were generally polite, there always seemed to be at least one spokesman who would trot out the “crutch” argument. I don’t recall anyone in the group ever disagreeing with this argument, and so it has tended to become generalized in my mind to the whole group.

I must admit that this general view has not dissipated as I have matured. In terms of attitude, you are a relatively unusual specimen. Nearly all the atheists I have encountered online have contributed to this general image. Perhaps it is simply because these kinds of people tend to be interested in frequenting Christian sites and engaging in debate. Perhaps it is because I tend to be quite forceful myself in how I put forward arguments (I have mellowed somewhat in my old age, though). I suspect also that the high-profile efforts of Dawkins and his ilk have not done anything for my general perception of atheists. The reason I focused on this particular issue is that I know I am by no means alone in being sneered at; it is an experience common to probably all Christians at one point or another.

That said, I can hardly expect everyone reading this post to understand who “the” atheists are in my own mind. And I would not wish to appear to be reviling when reviled (cf 1 Cor 4:12). I have therefore made some adjustments (:

Regards,
Bnonn

]]> By: Steve Zara http://bnonn.thinkingmatters.org.nz/good-luck-our-thoughts-are-with-you/#comment-408 Steve Zara Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:59:13 +0000 http://bnonn.thinkingmatters.org.nz/?p=58#comment-408 I am very glad for you and your wife got through this OK, but I have to say that to use a post like this to mention "sneering atheists" seems in poor taste to me. For someone who seems so well versed in logic, it should be apparent that such generalisation is wrong in principle. Atheism in itself says nothing about the holder of that point of view. Many atheists are religious, and have faith, but simply don't believe in Gods. Atheists like me have many close religious friends and would never mock their faith or sneer at them in times of crisis. To generalise about so many people you have never met seems wrong to me, and I found it rather dissapointing to be honest. Best wishes Steve I am very glad for you and your wife got through this OK, but I have to say that to use a post like this to mention “sneering atheists” seems in poor taste to me. For someone who seems so well versed in logic, it should be apparent that such generalisation is wrong in principle. Atheism in itself says nothing about the holder of that point of view. Many atheists are religious, and have faith, but simply don’t believe in Gods. Atheists like me have many close religious friends and would never mock their faith or sneer at them in times of crisis. To generalise about so many people you have never met seems wrong to me, and I found it rather dissapointing to be honest.

Best wishes

Steve

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