From the traditional Christian perspective, “atheist” is not a term of endearment. It conjures up negative images. For example, an 8-year old girl, when asked to draw a picture of someone who didn’t believe in Jesus, depicted him as a tattooed, pierced, smoking, cursing, angry-looking man with a frowning unibrow.

This is a misperception.

While doing a writing project on atheism, I connected with Hemant Mehta. He’s a nationally known blogger who runs the friendlyatheist.com website. He wrote “I Sold My Soul on eBay,” chronicling his visits to churches and offering helpful critiques from a nonbeliever’s perspective.

He impressed me with his honesty and openness, so I invited him to be a keynote speaker at an “Atheism and Faith” event sponsored by my church. He would speak, I would follow with remarks, and we would then dialogue.

As the event began, many expected the classic believer/nonbeliever debate. Instead, they heard how an atheist is commonly stereotyped, why nonbelievers are a growing demographic and why Christians should be using more critical thought in approaching their faith.

Hemant described how it feels to be persecuted for not being able to profess a faith while many assume that belief is the norm. Being a minority, when you may be perceived as immoral if you can’t sincerely believe in God, isn’t a fun experience.

He also talked about how important a church may be. He resonated with some of the values a community of faith espouses, such as compassion and social justice. He emphasized the importance of fellowship, which is naturally built into a church but may be hard to establish in the world of atheism.

As he presented, it struck me how not being able to believe in God shouldn’t be synonymous with a moral failing. On the contrary, conversing with unbelievers is a healthy thing.

I believe that atheists can provide insights for Christians. Atheists observe how people of faith are viewed by those outside the fold. They also have the courage to ask questions that we believers may avoid. Reflecting on difficult issues regarding the Bible, God and church should be the duty of every believer. Perhaps responding to doubt with “Just have faith!” is a prime reason why 25 percent of Americans now claim no religious affiliation.

There is common ground between believer and nonbeliever. We all have mutual needs, concerns and questions. We all have the capacity to love our neighbor, forgive our enemy and feed the hungry. Sharing stories, experiences and reflections can help broaden our horizons, regardless of the way we view ourselves.

After the event, a couple approached me with an interesting question.

“Can we be involved in your church, even though we’re atheists?”

I replied that church membership itself includes an affirmation of faith. However, they are welcome to be part of our fellowship. Join a study group. Participate in mercy and justice ministries. Christ would never turn away anyone who had a compassionate heart and an inquisitive mind.

I hope they will take me up on that invitation. We need to be building bridges between our communities, not erecting walls.

SOURCE:

https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/civil-religion/faith-perspectives-atheism-is-not-a-dirty-word/article_85763835-e0bc-5bb0-92d6-03c2931d9dbe.html