Explaining Terms To The Atheist

There has been much news reporting about the case in Washington state where the governor has permitted some document from atheists that has been placed next to the Nativity scene. There has been much protest and outrage from Christians about this and some have suggested that the governor is permitting "hate speech" directed at people of faith and Christians in particular. There are references in this document about religion being superstitious, enslaving and dulling minds, and a host of others that are outraging Christians during this advent season.

I could easily put my two cents in on what I think about the winter solstice atheist document and whether it belongs next to the nativity on government property, but I have something else on my mind. On a talk show a woman representing "The Freedom From Religion Foundation" said that her organization is not about hating anyone but she is just against Christianity, a religion she said and I don't have her exact quote but it was something close to this: Man is a depraved sinner who is in need of redemption and anyone unwilling to Jesus Christ as Savior then will be doomed to hell.

That quote struck me because it was theological and accurate and as I heard this woman say it I could see she didn't like the idea at all. So I have been thinking about just how to explain that quote and define all its heavy terms; depraved, sinner, redemption, savior, hell. This is a tall order and I realize that there is a strong probability that whatever she hears will not make her pleased in the slightest. Still she deserves an answer. And I think it is a just as important to acknowledge that in a world where we wish things would be much better and we could all somehow find a way to get along, the message of Christianity would seem like a sure fire way to piss many folks off.

I'm not sure where to go with this and I think I would tell anyone who defined Christianity in those terms that, yes, it is true. But I would go further on and ask them how do they define those terms and what makes the content of those terms so offensive. But perhaps exploring too much may not be beneficial. Can we instead sit and share coffee or a beer and just get to know each other. Though our thinking may be drastically different on the matter of faith, we still share much in common as human beings.