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52 God Memes that will either make you laugh or angry (depending on your theology)

By Jeremy Myers
31 Comments

52 God Memes that will either make you laugh or angry (depending on your theology)

As I write about the violence of God in the Bible and have conversations about this with various people I interact with during the week, I often tell people that one of the reasons this is such an important topic is because Christians need a better answer to provide the world than the ones we have always given. Usually, the stock Christian answer to the violence of God in Scripture is “God is God and can do what He wants.”

I am not fond of that answer.

In fact, let me go so far as to say that if what God wants to do is slaughter people because they don’t do what He wants, then I don’t mind it so much if people decide not to worship a God like that.

Anyway, one of the objections I occasionally get (but not too often, thankfully) to this whole series on the violence of God is that we don’t really need a better answer to give the world, because the world isn’t too concerned about the violent portrayals of God in the Bible.

I think I understand what people mean when they say this. I think they mean that most people in the world aren’t thinking too much about whether or not God is violent. That’s probably true. Maybe.

Yet in my conversations with people who do not believe in God or who want nothing to do with Him, it seems that more often than not, the issue of His violence in the Bible is often mentioned in the first few minutes of the conversation about why they cannot believe in the God of the Bible. Maybe it’s just who I talk with…

Anyway, I was looking for some images recently for one of my blog posts on the violence of God in the Bible and came across a whole series of internet God memes, and guess what? A large number of these God memes are about the violence of God in the Bible.

Frankly, I found most of these God memes quite humorous, but also quite telling. If one of the common themes in this God meme is about God’s violence in the Bible, doesn’t this imply that people are thinking about it? Maybe it’s just atheist trying to mock the Bible, but even if so, don’t we need a better answer than “God is God and can do what He wants”?

I think so.

Anyway, I though I would include some of the God memes I found online for your viewing enjoyment. Some of you might get upset at some of these. Don’t. If we cannot laugh at ourselves, or of we are too thin-skinned to allow others to laugh at us, then we should not be doing theology and should not spending time online.

Here then, are the 52 God Memes I found online. Most follow the same “meme” pattern, but there’s a few at the end I threw in for good measure.

And yes, there may be some repeats. Deal with it.

52 God Memes

allmygodmemes

 3ff948_3439583

 violence of God memes

 trollphotou1

  god_slavery_meme

049-God-Logic

 christian-belief-vik-religion-1384474908

 008-God-created-Hell

 

036-God-PWNS

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: atheists, God memes, humor, laugh, salvation, Theology of God, violence of God, When God Pled Guilty

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How to Answer Questions from Atheists

By Jeremy Myers
4 Comments

How to Answer Questions from Atheists

A reader recently sent in an email about some questions from atheists that they had encountered. Here is the email that was sent in:

I am a believer, but I am troubled by an atheist’s questions. I was talking to an atheist the other day, and he said that God doesn’t know what it’s like to lose a son because he knew all along that Jesus would rise in three days, so he only lost him for the weekend! He also questioned that if God is Jesus, why did he beg to be saved from the cross when he was in the garden? Also, shouldn’t Jesus already have known he would rise again in three days? Why did he ask God, “Why have you forsaken me?” Wouldn’t he know that he’s only going to be dead three days?

Whew! This is a multitude of very tough questions! I initially tried to answer them in one blog post, but it soon grew to over 5000 words (I seem to have a problem with that), and so I decided to break up my answer into several posts.

So here is the order I will answer these questions:

  1. How to Answer Questions from Atheists (This post)
  2. 2 Traditional Explanations for How God knows what it is like to Lose a Son (both of which I reject)
  3. 2 Ways God Knows What it is like to lose a Son
  4. Why did Jesus say, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

questions from atheists

To begin with,ย let me offer some praise and encouragement for taking the time to discuss such matters with atheists.ย I hope that all of us feel comfortable having conversations with people who disagree with us, and when there are disagreements, that the conversation can continue in a way that is full of love and grace, and does not end with heated tempers and angry words.

In fact, this post is not just when talking to atheists, but toย anyoneย with whom you disagree aboutย anything.ย It might be politics, parenting styles, personality differences, or theology. The goal in every conversation is to listen to what the other person is saying, grow in love and understanding with them, help them know that they are valued, and win another conversation. Notice I didn’t say win the argument, prove your point, or convince the other person they are wrong. If you win the argument but the person never wants to talk to you again, you have ultimately lost.

This is true when dealing with questions from atheists as well.

So here are a few practical suggestions on how to answer questions from atheists (or whomever).

1. Usually, people ask questions because they want to know the truth

While people sometimes ask questions simply to trip you up or confuse you, most people ask questions because they want to know the truth. Or at least, they want to know what you believe about a particular topic.

questions from atheistsAtheists often get a bad rap among Christians, but in my experience, many atheists are atheists simply because they have the courage to ask questions many Christians are afraid to ask, and when Christians hear these questions from atheists, the Christians either condemn the atheist for asking such questions, or gives some answer that is not really an answer at all.

In other words, some people become atheists because they stop to ask the hard questions about God, Scripture, life, and Jesus Christ, while many Christians are too afraid of these hard questions, and run away from them whenever and wherever they surface.

My conviction is that truth can stand up to all questions. If what we believe is true, there is no question we need to fear.

So if what we believe is true, we do not need to fear any question or challenge.

2. If you don’t know the answer, say so!

While there may be an answer to every question, this is not the same thing asย knowingย the answer to every question.ย 

So when questions come up with you cannot answer (and they will!), rather than accuse the person of questioning God, or rather than get angry and storm off in a huff, or rather than tell them to just go read the Bible, the best way to respond is to say these magic words:

That’s a GREAT question. I don’t know the answer. Let me look into it and get back to you.

Remember, the number one goal of any conversation with any person is not to win the debate or argument, but to win another conversation. The simple statement above affirms the person who asked the question and invites them to continue discussing these matters with you. This statement praises them for thinking things through so carefully, tells them that it is safe to voice their doubts and fears, and indicates that you are willing to learn along with them.

However, everything I have said above gets thrown out the window in one certain circumstance. This is the third thing to remember when trying to answer questions from atheists or anybody else.

3. When a person is in pain, they are not really looking for answers.

I do not know the context of the conversation that was held between the person who sent in the email above and the atheists who asked the questions.

I do know, however, that I have heard these sorts of questions before, and often they are asked in the context of great pain. Most often, they are asked because a parent has just lost a son or daughter, and a Christian comes along trying to console the parent by saying, “God understands what you are going through. After all, He also knows what it is like to lose a son.”

Most people are too polite (even in their pain) to object to such a statement, but some people will respond negatively.

questions from atheists

Some people will ask questions like the ones above. “What do you mean God knows what it is like to lose a son? He knew the death of his son was coming. I didn’t! He knew his son would rise again. I don’t! He knew his son would only be gone for three days. Mine is gone forever! They had eternity together before God lost a son, and eternity together afterwards. I have neither of those things! What does God know about losing a child? Nothing!”

I do believe there are answers to such questions, but I have learned that when a person is suffering or in pain, this is not the best time for theological debates and discussions. When a person is in pain, this is not the time for Christian platitudes and cliches.ย When people are suffering and in pain, the best thing to do is just to be with them, love them, serve them, and keep your mouth shut.

This is even true when people ask questions about God. When people cry out, “Why is God doing this to me?” they really don’t want you to attempt an answer. People in pain and suffering don’t need lessons in theology. They don’t need Scripture quotations. What they need is sympathy, compassion, love, and the reassurance that while we do not know why certain things happen, God is not angry, is not punishing them, and God is not out to destroy their life or that of their family members. It is the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy; not God.

I often think that Job’s friends did a great job comforting Job, all the way up until one of them opened his mouth. Once they started trying to explain Job’s pain, that is when they became miserable comforters.

So when people ask, “Why me?” they don’t want you to answer. They just want you to be with them in their pain. If you answer at all, the most you can say is, “I don’t know.”ย ย This is also the most honest and truthful thing to say, because youย don’t knowย why bad things happen in this world.

Whenever you are dealing with questions from atheists, consider the context of the questions, and remember that whether you know the answer or not, your primary goals are to respect them as people, value them as human beings, be with them in their pain, and love and serve them in ways that win you the chance for another conversation.

Having said all this, the next post will begin to offer some possible answers to the questions from atheists that were stated above.

Until then, what suggestions can you offer about how to handle difficult questions from people with whom you may disagree?

God is Redeeming Theology Bible & Theology Topics: atheists, Bible and Theology Questions, Discipleship, evangelism

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No Foolish Atheists

By Jeremy Myers
8 Comments

One of the things I try to do in following Jesus is spend time reading Scripture. It is certainly more difficult now than when I was a pastor, but the struggleย to “fit it in”ย is helping me learn just how difficult (and important) Bible reading is for theย “working Joe.”

Aboutย six years ago, I started using the M’Cheyne Bible Reading plan. I certainly have not done it completely all six years, but I find it one of the best plans available because of the variety of readings it gives me every day.

Anyway, I think that one thing I might do occasionally is post a few comments on this blog for the reading from that day. That way, if you are reading along the same plan, what I write here will sync with what you were reading that day.

Today, one of the chapters in the reading was Psalm 53. It begins with a quite famous verse: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.'”

Lots of Christians love to use this verse to bash atheists. “Look!” they say. “The Bible says that atheists are fools! How can they be so ignorant as to not see that all creation speaks of the existence of God?” Then the Christian turns to Romans 1, or to some of the logical arguments for the existence of God.

However, this reading of the text is probably not what David had in mind. He was notย writing against atheism. After all, atheism is really only a few hundred years old. Prior to the Enlightenment, everyone believed in the existence of some sort of god or gods. So Psalm 53:1 has nothing to do with atheism.

Rather, the author is writing against the person who chooses to live “as if” God were absent, not caring what we do, not watching over our lives. It is the one who believes God exists, but refuses to read God’s Word, listen to God’s voice, and instead, simply does what one pleases, without any thought of what God might desire.

In other words, who is the fool in view? It is the one who believes God exists, but refuses to obey what He says.ย ย And if you read the rest of Psalm 53, that is what the Psalm is all about: the foolishness of disobeying God. When viewed this way, the biggest fools of all are those of us (myself included) who pray to God, and read His Word, but do not do what He says.

This truth is also explained in passages like Matthew 7:24-29 and James 1;22-25.

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: atheists, Bible Study, Discipleship, disobedience, Psalm 14, Psalm 53

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Is our Culture Becoming Post-Christian?

By Jeremy Myers
14 Comments

Is our Culture Becoming Post-Christian?

post ChristianI recently read John Burke’s book No Perfect People Allowed. This is another book that every Christian should read.

In the book, he makes the statement that we no longer live in a postmodern era, we now live in a post-Christian era (p. 15).

Is our Society Post-Christian?

Apparently, Christianity has already lost the war against postmodernism.

(I personally don’t think it was a war that ever should have been waged in the first place. Christians are to engage, embrace, and redeem culture, not fight against it.)

In his book, John Burke explains how the church can operate and function in a culture that is “post-Christian.”

Atheists think Christianity is Growing

Ironically, as I was reading this book about how to live as Christians in a post-Christian era, I ran across an exchange between atheist Christopher Hitchens (author of the best-selling book God is Not Great) and Suchin Pak (correspondent for MTV news). She announced to him that our culture was becoming increasingly Christian. She said, “Our audience is more religious and conservative than we assume.”

When he heard this, Hitchens replied, “I really hate to hear that the young are becoming more Christian. If that’s true, that’s the worst news of the night!”

So here we have two leaders both coming to different conclusions about our culture. The Christian says we are becoming post-Christian, while the atheist is alarmed that we are becoming increasingly Christian.

I guess it’s like the debate over global warming. Some say the polar ice caps are melting while others, who note that this it the coldest year in a century, are predicting a new ice age.

So what do you think? What have you observed in your community and with your friends? Is our society and culture “Post-Christian”?

The Great “Post-Christian” Opportunity

If you want to know what I think, the following picture sums it up nicely.

post Christian pre Christian

While institutional Christianity is quickly dying, there is rapid expansion in the number of people who are seeking to follow Jesus in organic, missional, relational ways. While the number of people who “go to church” might be decreasing, the number of people who seek to “be the church” is increasing.

In my opinion, this is a good and healthy thing, and provides a great opportunity for a post-Christian church to truly live and love others like Jesus in the world.

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: atheists, be the church, Christianity, culture, Discipleship, evangelism, going to church, mission

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The Atheist-Sensitive Church

By Jeremy Myers
4 Comments

The Atheist-Sensitive Church

Jim & Casper Go to Church - an atheist and a Christian talk about churchI recently readย Jimย & Casper Go to Church by Jim Henderson and Matt Casper. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy the book, but I also appreciate the various blogs managed by Helen (see chapter 5 in the book) over at Off The Map. Go check them out.

The set up for the book is that Jim Henderson “rented the soul” of Matt Casper on EBay for $504. ย Jim took Matt to several churches around the country to see what Matt thought of Christianity and the way we “do church.” The book records what happened.

Encouraging Things about Jim & Casper Go to Church

Theย two main things I took away fromย this bookย is that there is incredible value in (1) visiting other churches, and (2) inviting (or hiring) people who don’t believe the way we do to come and brutally critique our churches.ย Doing these two things would probably change the way most of us do church, and for the better. (As a side note, check out what LeadershipNow says about why businesses should hire “Insultants.” The same thing applies to churches.)

What I found mostย encouraging about the book is that Matt Casper, the Atheist, had many of the same critiques of modern “churchianity” as I do. Since I want to embrace and engage people just like Matt Casper, it was encouraging to see that in some ways, I am on the right track. His concerns about what is going on inย the churches he visited with Jim areย similar to many of theย concerns I have.

Challenging Things aboutย Jim & Casper Go to Church

The most challenging aspect of the book is how Jim, the Christian, rarely tried to correct or fix Casper’s views. Casper, as an “outsider” really did misunderstand what some churches were doing and why. I sometimes found myself thinking, “Why doesn’t Jim explain that to Casper?”

But at the end of the book (pp. 149-150), Jim explains why he didn’t.

There are three basic reasons: First,ย when people visit a church, they generally don’t have someone there to answer their questions and refute their misconceptions.ย Second, most Christians in the pews wouldn’t know how to respond to Casper anyway. Third, most of us Christians are too defensive and argumentative toward people who criticize the church. Instead of trying to develop genuine relationships with people, we most often try to win arguments. That’s no way to reach out. Rather, we should let their critiques stand, and maybe change the way we do some things.

I could go on and on about this great little book (even though there were some things I disagree with). Let me just give you a few of the best quotes:

Jim: “A while back (1,700 years to be exact) the church drifted into the religion business. I call it beliefism — the worship of the right beliefs — and what you’re hearing today is a version of beliefism. Rather than Christians giving priority to what we do, we’ve been taught a view that tells us what’s really important to be known for is what we believe” (p. 7).

Casper: “Is that what Jesus told you guys to do? Put on aย  Christian rock show that’s visually and sonically indistinguishable from a non-Christian rock show, change the words, and call it church? Is that pulled from the Bible?” (p. 18; cf. similar statements on pp. 39, 67).

Casper: “Outreach only lasts so long. The first step is always pretty good, polite outreach: ‘Would you like to come check out our church?’ Then it’s ratcheted up a notch: ‘Have you thought about where you’ll spend eternity?’ And then, they throw in the towel: ‘Have fun in hell, sinner!’ Maybe I’m exaggerating, but you get my drift” (p. 95).

Casper: “I understand that Christians believe Jesus was free of sin, but my impression is that he didn’t focus on that. He wasn’t like, ‘Look at me! No sin at all! Be just like me!’ Based on what I’ve read, his main thing was going out and helping the poor and those who were suffering, and instructing others to do the same” (p. 100).

Casper (note this from an Atheist!): “If the Bible is really the Word of God, it’s very, very important to not take it out of context. I mean, that’s the rule that applies to most every phrase ever said, so you’d think it’d apply tenfold to the Bible! …You can’t take a snippet of the Bible out of context and misuse it, or spin it, to support your particular pitch. That’s twisted” (p. 141).

The book abounds with such insights from an Atheist. I recommend reading it, and then going out and finding an Atheist or two to come visit your church and tell you what he or she thinks. Tell them to be brutal.

Then, when they are brutal, don’t try to defend yourself. Just listen. Whatever you do, don’t do this as some sort of marketing pitch to get Atheists to attend your church. That’s just dishonest. Be genuine. Be real. Just try to make friends. Andย if you can’t make friends with atheists, I suggest shutting down your church because you’re not doing anybody any good.

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: atheists, Books I'm Reading, Christian books, church growth, Discipleship, evangelism, ministry, Theology of the Church

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