You're a lovely person, too, but your beliefs do worse than suck! Dealing with atheists.

I was watching an atheist video (something I do when I feel spiritually burned out) and a woman was wearing a necklace that said, “God Free.”  My first thought was “poor thing.”  Then I got annoyed.  Why do they have to rain on everyone else’s picnic?  What do they have to offer?  Why can’t they go on their rational way and let the rest of us do our thing?

Well, they feel they are persecuted.  (Boo hoo!  Sorry, God!)  But how am I supposed to react to atheists as a Christian?

Of course, the church will tell them that we have to love them.  OK, then what?  What do we say to our atheist friends?  You have everything to gain and nothing to lose (and vice versa)?  You need never be alone?  You’ll be happier?

Our friends may listen politely, or if they know we like such things, engage in spirited debate.  Will it change their minds?  Or does listening to a believer strengthen their convictions the way listening to atheists strengthens mine?

We can’t know.  All we can do is offer what we have.  The rest is up to them and God.