Responses to Atheists and Your Toughest Faith Questions

So how do we answer some of the toughest, most difficult pressing questions of the faith stage for the line of fire with your host activist, author, international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown your voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution Michael Brown is the director of the coalition of conscience and president of fire school of ministry get into the line of fire valves like always 866-34-TRUTH that's 866-34-TRUTH your again is Dr. Michael Brown.

It is great to be with you today on a lot of hard time coming away from Hamilton, Canada appear for a couple days of special meeting and talk with you today about the real issues of faith will be focusing on atheism this week we've been talking about responding to atheists were talking about problems that atheists have with the faith.

If you're listening now you consider yourself an atheist or agnostic or your struggle. You want to believe, but having a hard time or you used to believe you don't anymore.

I give us a call. Love to talk with you. 866-34-TRUTH 7884 866-34-TRUTH.

Or maybe you're listening as a believer you're committed believer but you struggle answering some questions some atheist question some questions about the Bible.

Some struggles you have with people from other religions and in their weighty questions on the tell you about Ashley about any verse of the Bible were discussing doctrinal issues in the church out of big faith questions. Are there major faith questions that you have for that you been confronted with that you have a hard time answering. By all means give me a call today 866-348-7884. I do want to talk about something else first.

When the midst of the Olympic Games, and of course these are the greatest athletes in the world, seeking to be in the greatest shape of their lifetimes. And some of them are competing side-by-side in and maybe at the end of a race. It's it's 5/100 of a second or two, 100 for the second separating. If you think it everything they have and yet the competition is that close that Pierce and and there's a lesson for us spiritually and I want you to hear this. Paul writing in first Corinthians 9 do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize so wrong that you may obtain it now. Paul was writing to the Corinthians who were familiar either with the Olympic Games or with certain games that were just held in their region but they were familiar with these athletic activities. They were familiar with people pushing to the limit and running and doing various routines and competing against each other so he says really runs the only one receives the prize, so you should should live you should live your life, you should run your right race so as to obtain the prize numbers you go to when you're Rick's but now listen to this. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things they do it to receive a perishable crown. We an imperishable crown now on a perishable wreath versus a perishable wreath. Now we normally put the contrast there with their doing this for earthly reward.

We are doing is for an eternal reward, but Paul is saying something slightly different. Yes, that's true. But notice his emphasis.

Every athlete exercises self-control things they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

We also exercise self-control in all things. Our goal is an eternal goal. Our reward is eternal reward, but as the people of God what to say. He saying that we also like athlete exercise control in all things is that your life as a follower of Jesus on the tell you about being a physical athlete and be in the world's best shape to compete against of the Mark Phelps of the Michael Phelps of this world will be the fastest swimmer the fastest runner the highest jumper or whatever it is is a no-no. But he saying that we as followers of Jesus exercise self control in all say that your life that think about my life is part of our calling in DOS I will tackle some faith questions will become less and it's the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown, the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown is no supernatural dimension. There is no rescue coming to us from the unseen, there's no such thing as salvation and we are as alone as of the species in this in this struggle so dialoguing with William and are talking about God or talk about goodness of God there are atheists who become atheists because of difficult spiritual experience because what seems to be the absence of God in a given situation where you would expect his justice or his intervention to become atheists based on intellectual issues, questions arise and they don't know how to answer them or respond to them.

Many times it can be. Science versus the Bible perceive difficulties there. Sometimes it's it's a personal disappointment. I've seen people who who have gone through a church split or been hurt in a relationship and then it ends up little by little, they get embittered towards the church as a whole and in the get embittered towards God. There others were it's a purely intellectual processor issue there others that were raised in a nonstate setting and can't relate to believing I spoke with the Russian atheist. One time man, probably in his 50s and he said he and his wife and daughters tried to believe these are the tried religion.

They tried to believe in it just didn't work for them.

The absolute what they quote tried but we wanted to, but the premise really didn't work you raised in atheism that our time coming out of their course. Many of you came out of atheism had experience with God to change your life. You are confronted with intellectual arguments that raised issues to and and those drove you to the truth about God, but if you have a faith related question.

If you have a faith related question of any kind something you're struggling with, and is raising issues for you or you run into it. Are you here it from other people.

You don't have a solid answer. Give me a call 866-34-TRUTH 784 and remember all this week. You can download the new Ray comfort movie. The atheist delusions you can download from our website.

60 Minutes eye opening very impacting. You will be blessed either.

The many testimonies from viewers about the impact it's had. We ordered this week from our website. Array coverage ministries donating half of the proceeds right back to us so we are blessed as you are blessed as well. That's an answer to Brown ASK TR Brown dot org all right.

Let's go to the phones will start in Bayonne, New Jersey Ricky, welcome to the line of fire. Dr. Mike, how are you doing well. Thank you. Have a question for you Doc may not be one of like you know spiritual desperation are nothing but in first Chronicles.

It really relates to David being said, son of Jesse, but then in first Samuel. It talks about how when Samuel went to see Jesse and Jesse brought out his first seven songs and Samuel didn't anoint any of them. And then, yes, Jesse do you have any other sons and Jesse said well yes, but he's a young one outstanding sheet and he called for David and that's when Samuel and David that would make David, son of Jesse. So my question is do you want, not a theologian might try calling you is Jesse is David the seventh son of Jesse, as it says in first Chronicles, or the son of Jesse, as it says in first Samuel. It is an interesting question. And you're right it's not one of the life and death issues, but it is one that that has puzzled scholars over the years. To be honest I look at it. Someone raised it to me. I just not noticed it, casually reading see the same number 770 and anything okay. Just the David for the seventh within one account would seem to indicate you had seven sons plus David of there is no clear scholarly answer.

That's a definite okay we we don't we don't have something that absolutely tells us. For example, we have manuscript evidence is overwhelming that says 11 textured say six and you know that within make David the seventh who wasn't there.

Of we don't have anything definitive on it. We have possible answers, but nothing for sure. Is it possible that that one son dies later in and that's why seven are mentioned instead of 806 you know it's it's possible. Is it possible that what it says it really brought out all seven sons that the David was just not in the picture. You know these very kind of hidden and it was explained that if it's possible we just don't know for hundred percent certainty of the only thing I can say though is that generally speaking, when you when you when you have these apparent contradictions. They are just that there apparent because of lack of information and if you had more information then it would it would make it essential.

I'm looking. Of course, is the passage here in in first Samuel of the 16th chapter verse nine Jesse made Shama protection for Samuel Lisa Jolley. Also, such as this one, and Jesse made seven of his sons passed before Samuel continues its Jesse.

Jesse always chosen any of these insensitive Jesse all young men.

He said yes these are the youngest still remains. But look, he is shepherding the flock send and bring him cannot sit down to the company. So again, that would seem to say 1/8 of the Chronicle's text makes reference to seven so was that her son died and is no longer listed there did something else happen where he got disinherited. We don't know was that the seven just use because it was looked at as an ideal number two below was actually eight. It was just mentioned seven likes or might these around number two round something up that's possible but were not hundred percent sure of and to be honest, I looked at a little bit and I thought okay I don't have an answer. Not sure I will be have more information could be a simple textual or word were some techs at seven instead of eight may be described remembered 70 where is actually eight and then in the miss copied it and the miss copying got got incorporated. Sometimes we have more manuscript evidence of the Dead Sea Scrolls which happened over a number of years is that discoveries have been made and we found here. Even older manuscripts that say it in a way that seem more logical and that's explained for us. But beyond that we are not hundred percent sure we just have to kind of leaders? And like you said some of the big issues is a minor one, of but this? Not limited just mentioned this to you of II will of distiller in a few minutes. Give a little bit more data a little bit more background in terms of what smaller of the scholars for in terms of the apparent contradiction of but it's not that we study Scripture as carefully as we can and should in multiple languages so we can read the original manuscripts of the original manuscripts. A copy of the original manuscripts you study multiple languages so you can read the ancient translations.

For example, the Greek translation of the Old Testament that we call the Septuagint and some other Greek translations equivalency adoption and summative closure. Ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament you have the Aramaic targums, which are translation/paraphrased history of the Syriac sheet to which is an ancient Syriac translation. You have the, the Vulgate, and in various traditions of Latin translations, etc. scholars look at all of these and then you look at the manuscripts and thankfully we have thousands and thousands and thousands of manuscripts and normally when you put everything together you can come up with a working solution when you can't. You remember okay the biblical editors the one to copy these things out the will to put them together. They weren't troubled by the apparent contradiction over example of the apparent contradiction between Matthew's gospel in Luke's gospel it becomes valuable to Solomon one through three, Nathan sons of David as a couple of other issues. I believe the best explanation to that is is one that sees Matthew's genealogy is referring to, to Joseph and Luke's genealogy is traced back to Miriam Mary and there's some other exclamations on the way but that all that to say what I know the people that were copying these things and then giving us these texts as sacred.

Didn't struggle here that I think okay there must be something that I'm missing. It's not that we stick her head and fences. Quite the opposite. Biblical scholarship is robust and and and very very serious but you also have the simple explanation that we get for eyewitness accounts of the same event during a traffic accident and if you weren't there or if you don't have angles smaller different cameras. You did the witness contradict each other and yet they are accurately each telling what happened from their particular vantage point and I've had many a situation rusted.

There's no answer. I've looked at this.

What a shame. There is no logical answer and then when I dug deeper take missing information missing perspective so that is one of them got a break coming up after the break up, you still listing all I'll mention a couple of things in terms of how scholars might resolve so all along answers they were not sure. But along answer to say there's a lot that goes into try to come up with answers. And when you say we just don't have one, is visiting with universities has evolved don't have a say so. Manuscript of things that I hate you Russ that addresses is filed if the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get into the minor fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown friends to modify the anyway from Hamilton, Canada today, 866-34-TRUTH is number to call 866-34-TRUTH 7884 or you can hit with as major questions sharing the gospel with some of the recent major faith issue you you struggled with believing certain things along the way in your own life you've encountered online issues and questions that have a hard time answering what are those who dress and allow the air to the 866-34-TRUTH salt. The sweet thing about the Internet is a result trash on there but there's there's a lot of information that is readily had readily attainable and if you just type in loose David the seventh. Psychologist David seven son you really see how many sons did Jesse father, King David, have so first Samuel 1610, 11 clearly implies that Jesse, the father of Israel's King David had at least eight sons which David was the eighth first Chronicles, two 3315 indicates that Jesse had only seven sons. The date was the youngest, which Texas text is correct and they offer this solution both text and no doubt correct is most likely that one of just two sons died before making any significant impact exhibits rain the spring of no account to the Chronicle eulogy first Chronicles 213 to 15 does not state that if he only had only ever had seven son simply named seven of his sons, including David and two of his daughters for his Jesse sons had died before being married without having any children result. I suggested that simplex relational one die without ever having done anything particularly noteworthy not be unusual for snake to be omitted from the written record and first Chronicles. Even today, it's often common practice except informal genealogical registers to refer to only the surviving children and again these are the types of ways that you you look at it it's okay. Is there any other explanation. And why would things that seem to be saying things differently be the listener but it's funny. This is a bunch of websites that that address this. The answer is really quite simple. It seems that one of Jesse sons showed to Samuel Pepper must've died while younger without posterity. One time David was the youngest of eight sons. Another time he was the youngest of seven sons again it's it's a logical answer and wanted to so it's not not so big an issue of okay another explanation that Jesse was with another woman and she was the mother of the other seven and in one account there all considered sons of Jesse and another counter not yet having their there are numerous possible choices for Carlos thank you for calling in with that suggestion I appreciated. Let me come back to something very very important up knowing about your calls.

I am always thinking about what God is doing in society what is doing in the church was doing in the world. I was getting ready to fly out of Canada after a radio show yesterday just finishing up dinner and I was working a number of articles I'd written recently message myself. I do not want a right.

I do not want to write another article on gay and lesbian issues as well.

Take a break from while I don't want to write another article that and then I see this news report about 36-year-old mother reunited with her son, 19 she given up for adoption.

The reunited another passionately love their women to go to jail for their love and I thought I need to address this again if love is love, then why not if love is love, then what's what's wrong with the grandmother consensual relationship with her son that was adopted at an early age. She never knew what's wrong with it. While it's wrong of course is wrong. Of course it's grown yeah I agree but but based on what based on what if the mantra behind same-sex marriage is love is love and love wins and of the rights my the one I love you that's true that's not you that's an absolute statement. That's not it is that's that's right but it's not. So it is not right. There is not absolute will then on.

On what basis you to redefine marriage it what's good for the goose is good for the gander. As they say. So I wrote an article you can read it by going ask Dr. Brown double-clicking on latest articles. If love is love, why can't a mother marry her son and II raise this issue because once you get away from the consciousness of God in society. Once you get away from foundations that God has established in society. You open the door of possibility.

You open the door of possibility of all types of things being changed for the so-called progressive Christians who are more enlightened and and they don't need certain scriptures anymore.

They can tell us what they don't partially want to Leviticus 18 of the Bible because this� The law of Moses in a recess range in Israel to homosexual practice was forbidden and that was under the water to supply the date while that chapter is primarily dealing with incestuous relationships that are forbidden your throat to chapter out what your foundation for saying that incest is also wrong, what your foundation. Be careful what you tamper with be careful about moving the ancient boundary stones, 8663 for 878840, let's go to Des Moines, Iowa Kathy, welcome to the line of fire. I think I am calling today. I is associate editor and it did nominate Ali eBay, but the leadership coming out right now our meeting at Montana Minnesota and Iowa.

She in her experiment is the need for the board of and I was obviously very it ended by that I mean the world is offended by that and you visit it what we miss that left and I don't believe in all and not enough so my answer might have been at the start, the denomination and any baseball Bible leaving member throughout the denomination or were getting overwhelmed by people who are not taking the word of God. By, and I'm wondering you know our ordinate (nominate, and how unfaithful are we being or are we being unfaithful. If we pay and try to fight this step four is the is that Christian thing to do. The bail yeah I can't believe you should use the painful issues because you serve in a denomination for years you honor that denomination. You have many friends you see the good that they do the best thing to do is to confront the error. The best thing to do is to with respect to address it to to press the issue to take a copy of the message to go to higher ups and say do you embrace this, this trust is a fundamental denial of the faith that must be repudiated if it ended.

Press the issue to get an ultimate word from higher authorities. Either they embrace that in which case you must move on or they will repudiated and corrected. It may take a little while and that's where your patience and wisdom kicks in.

As to to to wait it out, but it must be renounced it must be denounced. It must be repudiated. If not, then you have first confronted make that effort say God give you grace and wisdom like friends website ask Dr. Brown.org download a few solutions, today you will be blessed. It's the line of fire with your host activist authors, international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown voice of more cultural and spiritual revolution get into the line of fire now by calling 66343 here again is Dr. Michael Brown.

The beautiful thing about is the refusal to believe in something that's destructive or misguided or bad for the world. That was the voice of Rob Bell yes Rob Bell speaking about the beautiful thing about atheism is a beautiful thing that I think atheists which I think most atheists are thinking beautiful thing about atheism is just refusal to believe in something that's destructive or misguided or bad for the world this is Michael Brown listen to the line of fire or focusing in particular on issues that are raised.

Consider the faith.

Major faith objections issues that atheists raise Roger in the ridiculing white.

I think many atheists raise three powerful points.

I think many atheists point to a morality whether the morality comes from God. Ultimately, of course, my friend Frank Turk Dr. Frank Turk in his book stealing from God makes a great argument is to the only way that atheists can make an argument against God is by by saying there is justice there is morality there is good and evil. And of course without God.

How can you maintain that those things are even reality to produce completely natural material beings leisure to ridicule the objections of atheists or the questions Christians ask, in fact, many are probing. Many are important. Many are difficult. Many are challenging and they cause us to think, but our Rob Bell in many ways has departed from some of the foundations of the faith and of him in my view, has repudiated the gospel and in certain key critical way so right now and I'm not dealing with hammers as a brother, with whom I have dispute for the sum of these denied certain fundamentals of the gospel golf courses is judge but that this is a bit more what he has to say and I want to interact with it well equipped number two Rob Bell done a short video talking about atheism. What I find so fascinating is how many people I know my friends who are atheists. We talk about the God that they don't believe in. I don't believe in that God either. And some people who when you will ask them so you're an atheist telling about the God you don't believe in, and they tell you about the image of God. They were handed perhaps growing up. You think the only healthy response to that image of the divine would be atheism rejection of that so religion has done horrible things in the world a lot of violence has been done in the name of God in the atheists as I refuse to participate in something that brings destruction and chaos to the world.

On the one hand, Rob Bell makes a very valid point. In other words there. There are misconceptions about God and many times when some of those lawyers. Why don't believe in God and they go through all the reasons your responses on believing that God either. So you in that respect. I agree, but the idea that religion is not always bad things in atheist multiparty subnets are destructive. Safety is taken a whole a whole analyze atheism's been guilty of all kinds of destruction atheist is for the long-suffering of the world is of the black book of communism documents what 100 million lives taken by atheistic communism.

So let let's put things in the right perspective, but it is is that all there is to it. In other words, is is there no issue ultimately of an atheist having to bow the knee to God. Is it ultimately that we don't stand in judgment on God but God stands in judgment on us. Rob Bell goes through his thoughts on this and getting people look at the wondering on mistreating this self-consciousness and that brings us to Santa Cruz. This median there must be a goblets makes very other some very odd comments. Otherwise, about how the human race is progressing normal slaves anymore, and noticed this anymore know that the more actually, this probably more people in slavery right now around the world and any time in world history to the higher number and human beings are committing every kind of unimaginable atrocities every single day.

Regular basis sinners seating God's getting started in the right direction here.

Humanistic approach to demonstrate God's work will be right back, and it's the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown your voice and more cultural and spiritual revolution.

Here again is Dr. Michael Brown thank you much for joining us along of fire Michael Brown from Canada old Toronto. I don't think great meeting with leaders this morning and another meeting tonight and broadcast from all I think Buffalo New York tomorrow and then head back home.

866-34-TRUTH 87884. If you've got a major faith related question, not just host one with disbursement. The major faith related question give me a call. Let's go to Queens, New York Danielle, welcome to the line of fire. How are you doing well. Thank you Mike about being unequally yoked in marriage when the word of God says do not be unequally yoked.

I would like to understand that God mean only spiritually. For example, if I am a believer and I have a potential mate who believes in God but may not believe in Jesus Christ but had not considered a Christian and I like to marry down does God sprout up time that it's you you're certainly asking for a lot of trouble if you remember that when Paul was writing he was writing to believers in Jesus and Corinth and the Corinthians, the general population. They believed in all kinds of other gods, and Paul had to say no.

There's only one real God the father of one real Lord Jesus so outside of that is light being united with darkness because there is a very specific call a very specific path that Jesus has for us and if you're getting on a plane, it's going to specific destination and some analysis is getting on a plane, it's going somewhere. I can arrive in the same place and it it's it's practical.

Also Danielle. In other words, when when you are building a life together are becoming one flesh. Your values are going to center around Jesus, your husband may reject that you may want to be very committed to a local church address my two knees believe in Jesus you are start teaching your kids and training your kids and helping them to grow. The fees are on with you. Often he can be working against you so unequally yoked is is really talking first and foremost about spiritual union and and asked the question from this angle.

If people are lost without Jesus of Jesus is truly the only Savior, and the only Redeemer then if they die without him there lost so you really be separated at that point so you don't want to marry someone that she you're to be separated from the world to come.

You don't want it that you go to be with the Lord, and he goes to a place of judgment. Obviously you're not spiritually united once with the Lord one is not so it may be painful if you find someone used to be a great guy carrying and in all of that, but ultimately there's a spiritual separation and it's one thing if you are married and then you came to faith those which we got married 10 years ago and you came to faith also take maybe you can save your husband may be considered. Why stay together and be a good influence but going into it.

You do not want to go into an unequally yoked marriage I've seen over the years.

So many people go through so much hardship. Many, many struggles and then years later regret regret that they did it, yet your your your very welcome and listen if you honor the Lord will honor you to put in first in our Lord, how long are you all right here you're very welcome and what Danielle was asking for herself or for someone else. Same answer 866342, number call and do I want to get to this political thing. I not yet not yet� Stay right here with faith related questions.

Cary, North Carolina Eric welcome to light a fire. Thank you for your program needs ask you about some situation were in the gospel. It says that the angel told Joseph to flee to Egypt to avoid the killing of the innocent and in another place. It says that Mary went to the temple after 40 days for purification of that work together all yeah certainly the fleeing is looking at the chronology here right the the fleeing is is take place in a later time.

Okay, so if it were ever looking we know that Jesus is born in Bethlehem right right. We know that Harry finds out about this, but and and and wants to kill kill the babies the right, right. We also know that on the 40th day that she would they would been in the temple dedicated so it's obviously after that time that there frame she Civil War the flame and because obviously there was still still a concern to find this discharge about time we get to Matthew the second chapter and in the accounts there with the wisemen or that the Magi of this is this is now a leader. Already this is this is not the same as the shepherds in Luke's gospel soul of yet. You might read as if it's all happened like one day after another.

Right okay so baby born in Bethlehem, get out and hurry out. They go to Egypt in the way weight if you're Egypt I can be in Jerusalem but there fleeing to Egypt would be subsequent to the Temple dedication. I remember values of the work any other way more than you think that they they went at each of them came back that quickly before Scott just looks like a the two the two description don't count. No, they don't correspond each of yet what we when you say is there a another option is so so one option is that you draw your own story and one of them got it wrong or both of them got it wrong right that's one option, and for those who from the Scriptures to be trustworthy that this work. The other option is I said is that the Matthew to account is later rented the Matthew to account his subsequent to the temple. A dedication and many people think of the Magi coming to Jesus. Like I say just the moment he was born. Others would say notice your you're looking at a subsequent subsequent period of time and and then going out to Egypt is definitely later. And then of course he he comes back comes back and settles the settles the family and in Nazareth. But you know that the only other same district to remember is that we are reading things account of a flat way on a page where for example your reading about Isaac and Rebekah, and she can have children, so he prays and she has a child right when you actually read the account and realized it was 20 years before she have a child so years can go by and and it's not recorded in that way and in the ancient world. In particular, it's, it's not like you notice the latest Internet news you have years of fiber tenure. It is recorded as if it's consecutive events; if it all right hate was very very for a question and I do appreciate you asking accomplishment. Thank all right 86634 let's go to Liz in New York City. Thanks for calling the line of fire. The goal here are able to record care program, Kern. My question is not an APS leader but I dare push it overrate you want unequally.

Eric Darrell Bol�var. I noticed that he where are my when we were engaged very crane care account okay thank Garrett generally felt like that. Like you gave me the cream] great fit with me on the reader is difficult to monitor and crank it now.

I'm trying to get the crosscheck on bilateral and correctional dysfunctional a lot of weight and strength and blocks to patient and a lot of on M1 area involvement called chimeric strike under Linux. Trying to get over my heart. She is Christian. The truth crank the heat.

Why should I wait I just shake my chest. The nature yet during the term the way of current Question for you. I believe the word of God that I just don't trust where I stay right there and tobacco use of the BRCA1 continues to look your best to help your house the light a fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get into the line of fire now by calling 86630. Jim is Dr. Michael Brown, are you an atheist.

I am so you're an atheist yes and what happens and you don't like out of this compelling footage from the very powerful blue Ray comfort will be the atheist solution real eye-opening your watch people confronted with truth atheist sincere atheists in front of your eyes and what happens to them when they are downloaded from the website asked Dr. Brown.org escaped your Brown.org.

Remember when you do this week.

Half of the proceeds being donated back to our ministry to recover its ministries to take advantage of this to the website asked Dr. Brown.org great for you. Great for friends that don't believe. Great for those who used to believe and are struggling atheist solution on the website asked Dr. Brown.org 866-34-TRUTH we talk about struggles of the faith real issues, so Liz a couple of a couple of thoughts with regard to your husband and then you can you can fill me in it for missing something but on the one hand, sometimes we have to get to a crisis point like we pray like there's no tomorrow we pray, we cry out in this case God touch my husband got get hold of him. God impact his life.

Make yourself so real to him that the questions will vanish, and sometimes it's only someone really close. You can carry the burden that intensely and you may pray for for years, but you finally get to that point were you as we say pray through. We take you know you don't tell them you know you don't announce attempt, but just you fast you really go after God for breakthrough. And God knows how to intervene. God knows how to get hold of us in a way with the doubts vanish. We know that we know that we know that we really encountered him.

The other thing along with that is to say, listen, if you believe the Bible is God's word but do not sure were interpreting it right. Let's dive in together. How about we do that. How about we get a Bible you know any of the standard study Bibles that exist have great notes for let's read it through together political cover to cover and let's look at the study notes.

Let's see if it were reading it rightly and if these notes make sense or people try to put their interpretation on all and it reminds me of a friend of mine who's been on the mission field for over 40 years and when he came to faith. He was the whole hippie lifestyle as I had been at that same time. Late 60s early 70s but when he came to faith, he said to his brother-in-law Bullock have been raised Catholic but what about all the things that Catholicism believe so he should listen read through the Bible cover to cover and make a note of everything that's in the Bible that the Catholic Church does that our church doesn't do you read through the whole Bible is not make getting out 30 rose okay we are following the Scriptures. Here is not with non-Catholics would simply say, tells me the Scripture that's our foundation. Do you think that he be willing to take that plunge with you.

It's okay. Let's really really through and NCF were rightly interpreting it and and, for some issues they can be willing to do that part follicle quarrel regarding current educational challenge. I cannot let it go online to your first high chair nature and just a quick like a gentleman encountering Christ part much affection feeling weary that all your encouragement. It particular to treasure your your way from that year. Here, article, cost reading carefully. I wait on ER eight hearing will definitely any permanent. Thank you.

Pray pray for God to complete an opportunity to meet the work you Are yeah I understand things currently I understand right you could be opening up a can of water into someone's not approaching it the right way and that.

That's why that's why asked Dennis to fill me in anything I was missing. Listen when I when I start with prayer. It's not like, well, we got like 30 options and we try prayer.

Prayer is always the number one thing that that we can do and I remember over the years a few situations with praying for. We we knew a particular husband was not a believer and he was always hostile to his wife.

The involvement in church services and would fight her was always try to pull her back into smoking pot different things and and we pray for him for some years anyway are radically saved him and when he started coming to church services. We all we ate. We had a hard time relating to him initially because he was so changed he was so different like you're not acting.

This is real and and I think of another follows a psychology professor and being very imposing guy's wife, faithful, faithful, devoted believer.

I preached it the church. She was part of for years and she often come up. Her husband was Jewish nonbeliever into interiors.

Pray for them. Preferably so hostility so lost when he got so radically saved that he would set up a keyboard on the street corner and play the keyboard and sing and preach the people and the other to this day it's been a while since a scene about what I would see him.

I was just I would always be amazed and there is a psychology precedent.

Prof. New Jersey guy, no rough, tough cookie and absolutely devoted to the Lord. So of be encouraged a goddess touch many when when you add fasting to leisure able and then pray in secret God will work and situate with the producer I wanted you listen, and thank you very much for the kind words and amount of time but everybody listening many of you are prayer warriors.

Some of your bit older, you can't get around as much. You listen to the radio regularly and your greatest ministries ministry prayer can I ask you to pray for Liz and her husband, the God would bless her with the richness of his presence beyond what she's known richness of his reality to that she could really walk in in great harmony and fellowship with the Lord beyond what she's noted be a great shining lights were husband and that God would get hold of him, that God would still get to that, to the ultimate needs in his life, and the ultimate issues and bring into a place of ultimate surrender, Lord, do it for Liz and her husband do something amazing in this man's life. May we get a call in the months to come about his amazing transformation and see it with our lives. We ask in Jesus name. A thank you so much for the call takers providential that we had this talk today God will hear. Look at Luke 18, Luke 18. The opening verses you understand why you get there) go to website if you haven't asked Dr. Brown.org.

Order your copy of CCC is downloaded logically today, showing Tracy's today exam is less. My bottom line. We serve a God is real and living God will be cry out for him. You smear a biochemist has some helpful tips on sharing the gospel with atheists is time for the line of fire with your host activist, author, international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown your voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution Michael Brown is the director of the coalition of conscience and president of fire school of ministry get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH. That's 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown (15 Michael Brown County away from Hamilton, Canada. Momentarily we are going to be joined by Dr. fuzz Rhonda biochemist working with reasons to believe as we continue to talk about atheism dealing with atheists and questions of the faith. Major faith issues that people have an experience and fuzz is a compassionate man a caring man well educated man, a scientist and willing to talk about atheism and if you have a question. If you have a question about science and the Bible you have a question about science and the faith of the date they seem to be contradictory and may be may be in school begin confronted with stuff in biology classes and stuff but evolution. If you're unsure how to respond. By all means give us a callable supreme take some calls as well. Today, 866-348-7884 is the number to call before I do that though. All right, this is controversial, but we just cannot get into it very very briefly. Joey grabbed clips number four and five Julian us on our repressive last name of Wikileaks fame or infamy has raised a very very serious charge.

The hacked emails of the DNC who was behind it was the accusation. Russia was behind it. He has a different take on a code number four what was going to significant efforts to get very significant risks is a 27-year-old works for the DNC were shot in the back noted, just to make scared from the online reasons as he was walking down the street in Washington so some of that was just a robbery. Douglas wasn't not that's there's no finding service. That is, what are you suggesting I am suggesting that outsources take risks, and I have they become concerned to see things occurring like that, but was he one of socialism coming return comments on her outsources alignment. The suggestion about a young dieting shall in the streets of Washington because that we have to understand how high the stakes are United States. I will not comment on it so join us on suggesting that the one behind the leaks from the DNC very very damaging leaks that this is actually some of the work for the DNC and was shot and killed for his wallet.

His ID were not taken the money was taken to shut the back and killed the number five on the squad something to just listing what you doing all that others have have suggested that we investigating to understand what happens in that situation with Seth. I think it is a concerning situation is not a conclusion that we wouldn't be willing to stay conclusion but we are concerned about. More importantly a variety reviewing sauces are concerned when that kind of thing happens. I think the interviewer was raising some very fair questions which is if you're not going to save your sources are then why suggest something until I can see if that person is involved. Looks like that of an evocative and killed for the take a very high risk essentially resources. All we can say that so that that seems odd. The system critical piece of information were missing. But this accusation is out there. I am one that is very slow to believe in conspiracy theories and things like that but we know that the system was hacked. We know that there is a death that was on a robbery of someone that document a thousand other reasons for the strategists of the South, but the accusations out there addresses more information will the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution.

Here again is Dr. Michael Brown so we've been focusing on on atheism wanted to atheists the projection responded to other questions of faith and I want to mention that my wife Nancy will be met were both 19 I've been a believer about two and half years at that point she was a staunch atheist it's it's real miracle.

She would step into a church building at all. So we got to know each other. I started to witness to her God work in life ultimately God opened drive saved her, but she has always help me to understand atheism better because of their been atheist and always try to put myself in other people's shoes and try to understand what it is that produces their thought processes but are certain things I can do better than others, and when I had dialogue with atheists or agnostics. She's often sat with me to locate your argument doesn't hold water to atheist us, why not. She expires okay now I see it better.

Now I understand it better. Also, when we deal with these objections, there things are ridicule the other. Maybe we could objections, but there are many that are substantial that are serious but need to be taken seriously and that my guess Dr. fuzz Rhonda biochemist with reasons to believe they are premier website explaining how science accurate science and the Bible are in harmony and fuzz also has a heart to to reach atheists with the gospel is to others on his team. The website is reasons.org you go there, you'll find the place for yourself, your nonbeliever, your believe your believer questions you're out of your child, you find a place for yourself or you can get lots of great information so far as it is great to have you on the air with us today. Welcome back to the line of fire. Michael, thank you for always a pleasure to talk with you will fuzz.

How did how did you develop this particular interest in atheists and atheism. You know I like you Michael. I never was very kind and my wife I would call myself an agnostic, but I never really Animosity toward the notion of God's existence and so you know I don't really have that insider's perspective is such a life spent almost 20 years and in active ministry engaging atheist in all kinds of different venues in all kinds of different formats from one-on-one conversation through social media debate and dialogue on university campuses during Q&A sessions in that process of of learning the hard way through experience. I really think I I've come to appreciate much better. What is necessary for us to develop in order for us to be effective at reaching atheist right now.

It is also a biochemist and that that means that you studied with biology professors and is looking at 2011 survey that was done and at that time 3% of the American population identified as atheist 4.1% as agnostic among college professors surveyed those numbers were 9.8% and 13.1% respectively felt about three times higher than general populace, but when it comes over to a biology professors 33.3% were agnostic and 27.5% were atheist would you say that you ran into percentages like that to the extent you knew whether your professors had faith or not you in fact it was more common for mediator undergraduate student and a graduate student and even as a postdoc to no faculty members in the Wi-Fi who were atheist, or who were agnostic.

Many of them just were so enamored with find that they really didn't think about philosophical and theological issues but there were some that were rather rather quite angry towards any kind of religious belief, particularly Christianity, and so it was very commonplace in fact a part of what's happening in biology in particular is that the claim as part of the evolutionary paradigm is that mechanism alone can account for the origin and the history of life and the design of living systems and of course if mechanism can account for those features then the viewpoint would be wise a creator, even necessary. I don't need a Creator to explain what I see and so many times that viewpoint really fuels I think and drives atheistic belief of work in the sciences, so you do not have the double pleasure if you will, of interacting not only with atheists but atheist to base their atheism, at least superficially on scientific evidence right right now.

Let's let's break things down just like there's a diversity among believers.

There is a diversity among nonbelievers or unbelievers, and there are aggressive atheists, and there are seeking agnostics. Is this a whole range, but there are some that have a moral problem with God.

They don't want there to be a God. They have plainly said they don't want to bow the knee. There are others that seemed would gladly believe, but they're struggling in one area or another to think sometimes is that sherbet is due to out of many possible scenarios you think sometimes is the church that we have, monolithic way of the way we look at atheists and therefore we don't reach out properly. Yeah, I think that very much the case and argue no we can. The thinkers of atheism is not only being trying to one size fits all worldview. But in addition to that we I think often oftentimes think of atheist as the enemy of the state in and granted you know atheists can do significant damage when you're young excluded. Whether your speaker or a Christian student into in a college in a classroom setting in the life sciences. You will very well be confronted with professors you probably admire and why quite a bit will use that platform to promote atheism and link it with again scientific credibility. In fact, a very very damaging message to hear you have new atheists that again are using science as a way to advance their agenda for a few can do a lot of damage. I can understand why Christians would Stephen as the enemy but the fact of the matter is we have to look at the end of the mission field. God is the enemy, and that's a very difficult thing to do, but I think it's absolutely essential if we really want to reach atheist as individual and as a as a community now III know you got some practical tips. Some suggestions based on your your own approach, but be before we get into that through the ministry through reasons to believe through your own interaction. What kind of fruit. Have you seen with with people who are say intellectual atheists may be biologists maybe scientists may be others who know the arguments there thinking people have you actually seen people like that over the years come to a living, vibrant faith in Jesus that we actually have seen a number of examples. One high-profile instance where the ministry reason could we have a huge impact with her Nobel laureate in chemistry named Rick Smalley who is considered to be the father of narrow science and he was an outspoken atheist. He was vitriolic and yet he had a good friend at Rice University who was sharing the gospel with him with a colleague in his department, a well-respected organic chemist in your question control gift chemist called us into interact with Rick Smalley and we gave them books and things like that and you know he wrote back saying after he read origins of life that I co-authored with you off because I think evolution is been dealt with deathblow and read who was out of many, he felt like that was a really powerful work that showed a scientific basis for the Christian faith in fully healthy people like Rick Smalley go from no staunch atheism to be open to the gospel to responding to the gospel and gave his life to Christ. About a year before he died of leukemia, so her tragic death took him way too young, but the point is we feel most kind of dramatic conversion, but it can be a very slow process.

I had a friend who was a PhD in engineering idle University here in Southern California took him seven years to come to faith in Christ and it took him a number of years to come in faith and Coptic faith in Christ, after he was convinced there was scientific evidence. You know, for the creator and invite my friend.

While it say, you know, don't give me this Jesus was the drunk 2+2 have to be for before even going to listen to, but I have seen it happen where the objections were largely intellectual nature and it really what you're describing with with your friend here is very similar to the CS Lewis story were intellectually we went from atheism to theism and then was able to encounter the Lord and become born-again so that many times the apologetics is the pre-evangelism.

It's the preparing the way we saw was actually willing to to hear the rest of the message. So we come back and speak with Dr. fuzz Rana about sharing the gospel with atheists about practical tips about open approach that can be used that you can find very very helpful and above all, the biggest thing always have God's heart to have God's heart to genuinely genuinely love the people that you're interacting with, and even if someone is hostile. Maybe it's a university professor is hostile. Maybe they love the new atheism of the Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens just said person may be an enemy of the faith loved by God places. There has been all right right that second fuzz Rana. His website reasons the Lord the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown. Your voice is more cultural and spiritual revolution. Your exam is Dr. Michael Brown is only it's your God and your God is infallible, it can't fraud some of the rules just because you don't like them. That was let there many people in popular media that are atheist and some of them quietly, atheists would note some of them more openly and some of them are moved by issues of justice and fairness and how can there be a God and these things go on around you there many many different atheist people become atheists for different reasons and the fact is there is there is no one cookie-cutter method in reaching out, but there are things that are practical that are helpful that are useful. I'm joined by Dr. fuzz Rana biochemist with reasons to believe their website is reasons.org lots of resources there to download to read to watch in the notice for can be purchase so it's it's a great place to go, especially for questions about science and the Bible so fuzz. Not everyone has your scientific background. I certainly don't hear you have that advantage because so many objections about the Bible come from the realm of science but take us through what would you recommend what would you suggest how can we learn to better share the gospel with atheists yet regular weekly regarding talk about the idea that I think love is really a very important component that until we can convince ourselves that we truly love the people that were reaching out to including a fierce we probably are better off not trying to engage them in an apologetic, or with arguments for the for the faith or against their worldview. I think it's also really important that we roll up your sleeves and do the hard work of trying to understand not only why they have the particular objections they have to the Christian faith. But really try to think through and in and put yourself into that worldview and and try to understand the logic of how their reasoning and and and from that, then begin to develop kind of an apologetic argument and I think it's really important to to be positive in and by that I mean that we present reasons why we think Christianity is true why God exists why Scripture can be trusted. Why Jesus lived and evidence for his his death and resurrection. I think it's important to to be able to positively communicate the experiences that we've had is Christian but how you clean God work in a wide very important to make a positive case as opposed to spending time trying to argue with people why their perspective isn't valid. You know when it comes to the area of science. A lot of apologetics is centered on why Georgia White could not of happened through evolutionary means by the history of life for the design, the wife could happen through evolutionary means that in my mind is a necessary component, but it should be the dominant component in the way we engage nonbelievers, particularly in the arena of science and get out and in many kinds two we end up. I think arguing against strawman or caricatures of a particular position. I see this quite a bit when people try to challenge evolution is a challenging ideas that are 34 years old in the scientific community as opposed to the ideas that are at the cutting-edge and when I find when you take the time to try to understand the argument, the logic behind the argument you try to understand the worldview and then you engage appropriately. The ideas that the individual or that community actually holds to get a lot further along in the conversation in the interaction and you get a lot more respect. I think about because they they realize that you understand what you're talking about and I appreciate the fact that you actually taken the time to do your homework to engage the conversation intelligently, so your average believer. It's one thing to love others. It's one thing to have God's heart for those who don't believe it's one thing to make an effort to understand the roots to genuinely listen. People can tell whether we're listening or not and if they say here's the objection. Maybe I don't get it. I don't see it. It seems silly to me, rather than market, but okay. Explain that I don't see this until I can see it from their viewpoint. Okay we can do that but there's so many objections from so many angles. If we can get equipped before going to get built up where we start. We just start whatever the conversation as we had okay I need to study science more.

I need to study philosophy for the extent of the moral issues more how people to get adequately equipped with that nonbelievers can see. Hey, you've really done your homework.

Yeah, the way I I've approach that is you note. Based on the person I'm interacting with in their particular objections as to learn everything I can about that particular issue that particular concern that objection. How to respond to it. I have great resources from a number of different ministries that are available for Christians that are introductory that are intermediate better advanced but you start someplace. And as you begin to develop an appreciation and understanding that area involved in the other area. Another area and another area you know it. It's the old adage.

Have you even elephant one bite at a time. Media jargon doing this you note, usually 20 years. And on top of that it had no number of years defined education frontages roll out of bed one day and decided I was going to do this. It took a lot of preparation, but I preparation with large, initially motivated by one of the questions people are asking one of the objections people are asking what we focus on those and then as I got good opposed and understood those who draw the next one to the next one before you know it to be actually fairly knowledgeable and fairly adapted. I think engaging intelligently with with people who have very real substandard objection to the faith. I'm so glad you sure that this is for most of us that's how we grow in our knowledge we get challenge in a certain way we get interested and we start to learn and start to dig in and then it's almost like layers. You just keep learning and reading and learning and reading and I interact. Now some of his hate. Can you teach llama negative. Dig a little deeper.

Estimate comes with another objection that she had in or around five bioscience reduce objections to Jesus and then supplemented with other material about that was good. I got thrown throat and deep in the lake of Jewish objections and had a figurehead answer it and respond. But basically wherever we are.

Whatever level we are. That's where we go.

And that's that's where we we grow and I got a bunch more questions for you, but positive folks go to the recent stellar website now. What are some of the things are defined there while we got all kinds of articles, podcasts and videos that are accessible to people for no cost to cover a full range of issues in the fine faith arena and then the awful course of a number of books and DVDs that the people can purchase as well, but we have virtually any kind of area five people might be interested in. We've got resources that will help people see how those in fight for that particular area contribute to a scientific case for God's existence and the reliability of Scripture are terrific reasons.org when we come back because I wonder about things that one generation back.

We were told science sure on this. This is clear. And now those things are now dismissed. In other words, the claims of science is powering. Maybe this is how is life.

Think was a challenge Scripture transfer the assets around the salad copy of the atheist solution will direct that it's the line of fire with your host activist authors, international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown and voice of more cultural and spiritual revolution get into the line of fire now by calling 66343 here again is Dr. Michael Brown walking back to the line of fire. This is Michael Brown delighted me away from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada today Toronto do some ministry in the morning and after the before and after radio heading back to the states tomorrow and let it have on the air with me. Dr. fuzz Rana. He is a biochemist and he publishes articles, books without podcast different material with reasons to believe their website reasons Don Ward and we often hear about the assured results of science and of course the massive scientific development learning many Christians through the centuries have been at the forefront of scientific development. Contrary to this notion that that the church is always been at war with science but yet we hear from generation to generation that this new discovery disproves Scripture at this assured results of science makes the scriptural data questionable and are not assigned to settle the how to respond to the scientific arguments pitfalls are there things that scientists are pretty sure about the generation or two ago that the Connecticut opposite a very different conclusions. Now yeah and that the quintessential example of that would be something called junk DNA. When the human genome was sequenced initially and in the draft sequence was published. This would been in 2000 but what people argued is that that data indicated that about 95% of the human genome was made up of garbage DNA sequences that were left over vestiges of an evolutionary history.

Maybe at one time had function in our evolutionary history, but that that function was lost in the sequences are just retained as molecular scars in our genome and that is a very difficult position to argue against, creation/ID standpoint, and I remember when I first started with reasons to believe one of the first articles I wrote for the ministry was on the possibility that junk DNA may have function of. But I was grasping at straws if I want it on frank with you. It was a real significant challenge because why would God introduce garbage into genomes of the ghetto of human beings who are supposed to be the crown of creation fearfully and wonderfully made in yet. Over the last 15 years there been discovery after discovery after discovery showing that we thought was John turns out actually to be functional.

In fact, kind of the dam burst in the fall of 2011 with something called "project researchers published results that indicated at minimum 80% of the human genome involved in function and that like it's likely that that number will go closer to 100% so extraordinary we have very different view of the human genome or what was at one time really very powerful evidence for an evolutionary view of humanity's origin actually turns into a very powerful argument for design because it now looks like the human development genome spoke much more sophisticated than anybody could even imagine a 15 years ago. And so, in my experience many times what seemed to be nagging scientific issues for the Christian faith actually turned out to be very powerful.

Evidence is when the dust settles and we actually develop a full understanding of that particular system yet and it was so remarkable about this is that this is recent science not talking about 50 years ago or hundred years ago or 500 years ago. Determine 1516 years ago I remember hearing argument would within probably the last three or four years artificial had not been fully informed about the circle junk DNA.

Not nothing junk. After all, in fact it was one of the first questions I asked you in an early broadcast because you still have this thing circulating and yet it was simply a matter we did understand it was and it was not a matter of proof of evolution is a matter that we actually said it was our experience that was exposed, I will be right back with Dr. fuzz, and it's the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown into the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown anyway.

Now how can that be your movies are so great.

How can any moving event in the last and then going lying now is I trying to say now change you you are about to be recovered will be the atheist delusion really been moved to see how people would be moved to seen it.

I've been open discussions have begun that a been super fruitful lives changed through it. You can download the DVD at 60 minutes from our website and then yours to do it is to please her multiple formats which are downloaded of the semester to Brown the Lord asking your brother toward the Dutra website because this week. Recovered ministries donating half of the proceedings that the of the proceeds back to us to choose for radio and the ministry that we are doing so asked her to Brown.org is the place to go on the air with Dr. fuzz Rana biochemist with reasons to believe. I will bring on a caller to Chris from Richmond of you consider yourself agnostic atheist. Is that correct and yet another that's Christian brother was extremely Christian and you all the brothers regard might might. My point was I was raised Baptist" by all decided to come fall off� My mom mom I a group in the Virginia don't backtrack them all she could teach a garbage can pressure us and by my brother wants to think about what we need structure at that time but I was growing up, I really was all about his gray superstar because of that nature, but is very concrete organized religion in my whole point is we have great discussion my mind about not, but I II guess, but I have a problem with now is what seems to change my beautiful honey somehow I'm an enemy or adversarial and your mentor, about juvenile were enemies to the fate of fellow adult estimate is in a group come anybody's home knock on the door if excuse me, we would like to spread logic to you know that way because the Christian religion called you to try to give Christ and the idea of Christ. Other people your your the Christian you you are almost dictated that you should share the gospel and already I am fine with his grace, and then I am not, I will want your fuzz to have ever a dollar for a moment okay but what is certainly there plenty of atheists were not enemies of the faith in any way shape such a form. I was referring to those who are in other words, I had enough experience in college and grad school and have enough college experience where you have professors who are aggressive in other words, it is their mission to the converted people. It is their mission like a Richard Hawkins, Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens or Sam Harris or others that that feel that religious faith is real enemy. That's dangerous and harmful. So there are those who are aggressive, but certainly similar to some disbelieving Donna look at them as an enemy of the faith and was there aggressively trying to to attack those things look very bring of fuzz on hereto and let you chat for a minute. Yeah, hi. I really appreciate your comments and you know II would echo much of what Michael said and that is part of the bike pointer part of what I'm trying to encourage Christians to do it for not view the atheist or agnostic and in your case as enemies of the faith but really, as is essentially a mission field are people you are a person that we want to reach to reach with the gospel and want to do that because we love you because we believe you have inherent worth and value which are the object of God's love that you know that Jesus died and the cost for your sake, as well as for my sake and Michael sake. And so you know that's why we want to reach out to you, but often times the church" use atheist and agnostic as a threat to the faith and can take the posture that the people like you are really enemies and then approach you nodded without the goal of building bridges trying to get to understand you trying to serve you administer to you with the hope that through that process.

You see the love of God, the love of Christ.

The rather date they try to respond as if you were an enemy, but Michael said there's good news is that because you know as a front I didn't come to faith in Christ in college or graduate student in in graduate school, working on a PhD in biochemistry as an undergraduate I was an agnostic, but even as an agnostic. I saw how microstructures this would've been in the early 1980s I saw Van how they treated people who would identify themselves as Christians in the classroom.

They know lifetime very blinding to them. I totally get that project understand why I'm in Chesterfield, Virginia. I can look through every registration I have on a.m. a minute tell you that 98% of it is conservative, 90% of it is a Christian family and to speak of it might might specifically talk.

I think Christians are fine.

I think you're doing great. There there establishing their own bases and all other medical but here's what scared little bit.

I think a minute Christian got involved in politics. I think something changed.

Just my opinion but I think that's when you started the more aggressive and sensitize the source of Agoura phobic attitudes. If you're not in it. If it is not drinking what I'm drinking but I'm not going to associate with and and and and I'm I'm just saying based on my experience only. I am African-American. I have three beautiful boys. I am all business way.

I am just a regular old guy and I am here to tell you that I've been ostracized more for the fact that I do not attend church and my children have been then color or class or anything else and I think that said something about Christians in terms of not all of them but there's something happening with this marriage between Christian politics, but doing something different to the Christian faith, and I think allowing for absorption range. I want Christians to be a part of society integrated my brother homeschooled light. I really wish you would've stayed in his public school and tried to fight that fight. I II don't want to see Christians marginalize themselves as such a degree that they are no longer feel only hear that you limited knowledge of their own voices. Doug and you know I think God you know I would share many of your concern and you know we want it that reason to believe that Christians to become part of the scientific community.

We encourage young people. Consider careers in science. The idea that their presence in defiance helps clear combat the view that that that Christianity is anti-scientific, but I think increasingly within science issues of ethics and morality are coming to the forefront in a very prominent way, particularly the emerging biotechnologies and I think it's important to have a Christian voice in that community can offer media a counterbalancing perspective to some ideas and in some applications of biotechnology that frankly, I think under my human dignity and human worth a given value so I would very much agree with you but I think the point I would make is that while this may be an unfortunate occurrence in your opinion that Christians are becoming involved in politics and as a result, may be there some things that are positive doesn't necessarily render Christianity untrue because at the end of the day to me. The question is, you know, does God exist. You know, did Jesus exist. Did he die on the cross will be raised from the dead, and I think you can make some pretty compelling arguments from Syphon history for those ideas. If that's the case then I think we have to really confront that reality. The fact that Christians may not do things that you think they ought to do. Given what you know of the Christian faith is sad. It is discouraging, but Christians are sinners are that's what best, but the point of the gospel is that we all are sinners and that it's only through the blood of Christ, that we have hope that we have salvation and and as we enter into that relationship with Christ were going through a process of spiked dictation were were growing. Hopefully becoming more and more like Christ as we engage the world but Christians are sinners, we fail and sometimes we feel horrible, but I just want to jump in with one for the crystal session there to celebrate. Should Christians of God is involved in the battle against slavery in 1800 mile line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get another minor fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown on the line of fire. Enjoyed speaking with Chris somehow left us just right before the break. There, but on the air with fuzz Ron Dr. Rhonda biochemist from the biochemist with a reasons to believe reasons.org is their websites fuzz. I appreciate what Chris was saying in terms of what can be certain negative perception towards an atheist, as if the person is is an aggressive proposal to the faith. But of course we run into those certain and their works are the ones that are that are better developmental responded to our office in writing of the aggressive public attacks and I do understand that there's an issue of politicizing the gospel or being connected with a political party, but obviously Christians are called to get involved in social and moral issues. If we don't were not being faithful to to justice and and and righteousness and other things that affect estate by date, but you think that there has been so much of an evangelical identification say with the Republican Party that that is created a bit of a mixture for some people yeah you know I think I there is a like a lot of confusion.

Perhaps about the relationship between Christianity and a particular party perspective, but to some degree. It is understandable why Christians might gravitate towards a more conservative party. Just because the nature of the Christian faith and the nature of conservativism affiliates understandable white why that gravitation would happen about Christians and why that association might exist but you know I think it's very important that Christians are involved in a inner culture that we are engaging our culture. You know what reasons to believe we think about this more from the standpoint of science.

Another thing before break, it's very important that Christians are involved and find particularly as were looking at things like stem cell research and now even ideas that are broaching trans-humanism. Christians are not involved in fines. In that way. It really is a frightening future that will looking at. I think right if we are called to be salt and light Christians are as smart as anybody else.

And if we have the wisdom of God is the fear the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom, then there's a perspective we can bring that is beyond what anyone else can bring in in terms of of ultimate truth in dealing with moral absolutes and an even reminding people of the existence of these things having her added MUC to the table and a homeschooling is is great and awesome for many and many of these kids get up, get in the elite universities having that's been proven that with the key thing is a certain point, we have to infiltrate society. I'm I'm all for homeschooling. Most of most my friends are homeschoolers that the ones with younger kids and under stress reference that because the previous caller did, but then at what point do we engage at what point, then we going to the world and make our impact and we can just drop out because things are bad.

I made at the very moment Christians are most needed. That's often the time of her most AWOL because we think surely Jesus is coming in a minute and end were only hurting others in the process. Do you believe fuzz that the door is open, that people want to get involved as Christians in the sciences. Do you think that the door is open or have universities and sizes close their doors on conservative believers that I think the door is open automated. If you can be a very complex and difficult landscape to navigate.

We actually developed a facet of our ministry targeting high school student could young college student will have a mentoring program.

We put them in contact with Christians who are in science there is. In science as a career to help again. Give them a vision for how they can function as Christians within science in such a way that they are serving the Lord, but also giving them advice practically how to navigate can be sometimes very difficult circumstances.

I tell you this, Michael. If you're good in defiance of there's always a place for you regardless of your philosophical or religious perspective. And so one of the things we tell young people is be the best scientists that you can be the best student defined.

You can be. And from that platform. You can have opportunities and will be opportunities to share your faith. From a position where people expect you and admire you so you get the doors open at more difficult today. Perhaps it was 20 or 30 years ago, but the door is open if you are willing to walk through that door. You know and have the proper support system. I think in place of the young person excellent and I'm so glad you're doing it.

It needs to be done are just finishing one book about how believers can positively impact the nation and Emily Santos talking about is getting involved in some of the areas of society and getting involved in a serious level in the secular universities and then continuing to raise up solid Christian schools that can rival any in terms of intellectual rigor, but he was a great moral foundation and there so many errors in society.

We look at it. We think all man.

This is not right or this is not good. Well here we are at let's get involved but make a difference.

Let's bring about positive change and and fuzz.

We've only got a couple a couple of minutes, but in your own life. What was the biggest thing that that strengthen you in your faith in Jesus was arrested key moment with your key event. The key truth. Well, two things. One, it was what brought me to faith in Christ. That is just the marvelous elegant design of the way in which chemical system function inside the cell. Got back to me this day impresses me in and I just marvel at it but actually what probably have the biggest impact on the was what brought me to faith in Christ and that was what I will call religious experience whereas I was reading the sermon on the Mount.

The overwhelming strength of the present in the room with me is that there was a person in the room with me and I had this overwhelming sense of that. What I was reading in Scripture is absolutely true. So I had an encounter with the living Christ through the pages of Scripture and in the moving of the Holy Spirit and in filling my view, that is what convinces me to this very day. But if I look at places where Christians have impacted the world in in an almost miraculous ways by getting involved in our society by getting involved in culture. I'm also convinced through seeing that happening that the gospel is true because there scratching the collar and the gospel time and time again as Christians are willing to step out and engage your culture and engage our world and engage with people who have different will be perspective in a man that with you on that and here you encounter God intellectually encounter God in the heart transformed born anew and you can love him with heart, soul, mind and strength. We appreciate what you doing reasons to believe.

It's great to be in this together and may the Lord usually do when many atheists or agnostics to the Lord in the coming years. Thank you Michael and Linda same blessing for you. Thank you.

Received transits reasons.org for the reasons to believe website okay how do you get your own copy of the atheist illusion you go to my website right now after two Brown.org and you see right on the homepage. Watch the brief video to find out more glass stirred eyes will be open. A great tool for witnessing and answering all questions have the proceeds will be donated right back to us to recover my bottom line today. God is God certainly is making itself known