Christian patience, forgiveness and long-suffering towards atheists

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Jesus Christ said to pray for those who persecute you and love your enemies (Matthew 5:44).

Although it is not reported in the press often, due the press preferring to focus on controversy and conflict, as it garners more viewership/readers, many Christians quietly pray for atheists/agnostics - even those of the militant variety such as Richard Dawkins.[1] The late atheist Christopher Hitchens had many Christians praying for him before he passed away and they were saddened when he died.[2]

Richard Wurmbrand, who endured years of torture by an atheistic communist government and wrote the wrote the book Tortured for Christ, indicated that he had a compassion even for those who tortured him by "looking at men .. not as they are, but as they will be ... I could also see in our persecutors ... a future Apostle Paul ... (and) the jailer in Philippi who became a convert."[3]

Jesus Christ said to pray for those who persecute you and love your enemies (Matthew 5:44).

Hate crimes in the United States against atheists/agnostics are very low in number

See also: Persecution of atheists

Compared to many countries/areas in the Western World, such as secular Europe, America is significantly more religious and hate crimes against atheists/agnostics are few in number.[4][5]

According to a 2007 Pew Forum survey, about 4% of Americans are atheists/agnostics.[6] A 2008 Gallup poll showed that 6% of the U.S. population believed that no god or universal spirit exists.[7]

According to 2013 FBI statistics, 6/10 of a percent of hate crimes were against atheists/agnostics.[8][9]

Prominent Christian apologetics ministries and their views of interaction with atheists

Fixed Point Foundation

The Christian organization the Fixed Point Foundation tends to take a very diplomatic approach to dealing with the atheist/agnostic communities. For example, the atheist/misotheist Christopher Hitchens (who declared that "religion poisons everything") said of the Fixed Point Foundation, "Seeking vainly to be a still center in a turning world, Fixed Point nonetheless succeeds in upholding a very high standard of fairness and care in the presentation of the issues."[10]

Ratio Christi

The Christian apologetics organization Ratio Christi indicates on their website that they provide "a safe and charitable venue for atheists, agnostics, skeptics, and adherents to any religion to investigate the claims of Christianity, discuss religious beliefs, and seek truth without fearing reprisal. While this is a distinctly Christian organization, any student is able to become a member, learn, debate, and explore the connection of faith and reason."[11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Richard Dawkins upset that public doesn’t like him by Warren Nunn, Published by Creation Ministries International 13 May 2014 (GMT+10)
  2. ↑ Christians Grieve Death of Christopher Hitchens; Share Hopes for Deathbed Conversion by Eryn Sun, Christian Post Reporter, December 16, 2011
  3. ↑ dc Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs. Jesus Freaks: Stories of those who stood for Jesus: the ultimate Jesus Freaks. Bethany House Publishers, 1999, p. 67
  4. ↑ 2013 FBI hate crime statistics
  5. ↑ Atheism: The Next Civil Rights movement, Vlad Chituc, The Daily Beast, 4-6-2015
  6. ↑ Pew Forum Religious Landscape Survey - Key findings
  7. ↑ Belief in God Far Lower in Western U.S. Gallup.com. Retrieved on 2012-02-05.
  8. ↑ 2013 FBI hate crime statistics
  9. ↑ Atheism: The Next Civil Rights movement, Vlad Chituc, The Daily Beast, 4-6-2015
  10. ↑ Quote is taken from the main page of the Fixed Point Foundation website
  11. ↑ Ratio Christi - Goals, Strategies, & Values
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