Conversations

Handling attacks from those who disagree with us.  Here’s how I tried to do it!
Recently someone posted a portion of an interview on an atheist website that I did while on American Family Radio.   The ensuing comments were, to say the least, interesting.  I’ve been called names that I’d never heard before and that’s pretty hard with my background.  I won’t show those, but let me share portions of two conversations that I had:
ASB – You believe that dinosaurs were aboard the Ark, despite no mention of them in Bible.  The people commenting may have a point
Carl – If I give you a reason WHY the word dinosaur isn’t used in the Bible & descriptions of them that are in there, will you listen?
ASB – If I explained that god doesn’t exist, would you? I see ‘the Bible’ as a fairytale,manufactured/interpreted by man, out of need.
Carl – Why ask a question if you don’t want an answer? Not trying to be smart, it doesn’t make sense. If interested, I’ll do my best.
ASB – With tongue firmly in cheek, i was pointing out how set in our beliefs we both are.
Carl – Not true here.  My position today is because someone challenged me to look at the evidence for myself.  I care about truth.
ASB – For me, ‘the truth’ is that god does not exist.  I do accept though, that you will disagree.
Carl – What is “truth”?
ASB – Different things to different people. For me? That which I can see/prove/feel/know.
Carl – So what’s true for you doesn’t have to be true for me.  It’s all based on our experience?
ASB – I did say, different things to different people. And that you would obviously disagree.
This conversation didn’t go much further.  Since we can’t agree on what is truth, we can’t really have a complete conversation!
Next up JM who claims to be a Christian.  He lit into me with:
JM – I’m a Christian who is ashamed to have someone like you represent Christianity. Re: the ark, you’re nuts. smh
Carl – What would make you ashamed of a brother in Christ? Because I believe the Bible James??
JM – B/C you dream up things to fit your narrow minded view of the Bible.
Carl – Where am I incorrect in what I said?
Carl – As a brother in Christ you should show me where I’m incorrect and pray for me. We should encourage each other, not tear down.
JM – This meme sums it up and also helps explain why Right wingers are dead wrong, including Bryan Fisher.

  JM – people like you just grasp at straws to try to make things fit your conception of the bible.  AND THEN you try to force it on others
Carl – Seriously! Where am I forcing anything? I’ve not forced anything. I just answered a question. God commands us to do that. 
Well, that ended the conversation.
What’s sad to me is that when we honestly try to have a conversation many times it’s almost impossible to do so.  The non-christian can’t see what we’re talking about because they have “scales” over their eye’s.
The same is true for many “Christians” though.  When we don’t have a common authority we tend to talk past each other.
So, the moral of the story to me is that I’ve got to make sure that I’m not expecting those that don’t know Christ to live as if they do.  And if they do it’s still worthless because that’s just a works based relationship.
For the one that claims Christ as their Savior I’ve got to make sure that we’re working from the same standard.  For us to claim Christ as our Savior and then quote “John Fugelsang” to back up our position!!!!  Well, I just don’t know that is what the one who created us would want us to do.
Keep speaking the truth, do it in love and with meekness and fear.  Remember, we don’t convict or convert, that’s the Holy Spirits job.  We converse.
Stay bold!