Caleb Harrelson
[Originally published as the first part Why do you believe?]
What would you say if someone were to come up and ask you: “Why are you a Christian?” or “Why do you believe that Christianity is true?” Or, if you are not a Christian, “why do you believe that your perspective on reality is true?”
Here are a few of the common responses I hear from various worldviews:
“I am a Christian because:
- I experience God’s love every day.
- I prayed to God and felt like I got an exact answer!
- I have experienced God when I worship
- I have experienced the supernatural.
- I am a Christian because I grew up that way.
- I was welcomed into the church and since people were so loving, I knew it must be true.
- I have a testimony- I overcame a bad addiction or painful circumstance in my life through trusting in Christ. Therefore, I know Christianity is true.
- I like to serve others and Christianity teaches us to do that. Thus, Christianity must be true.
- I can receive forgiveness when I come to Christ.
- I read the Bible and it felt like it was speaking directly to me.
- Christianity is true.”
Most of these answers are good and valid. I am a Christian and believe Christianity is true and these answers can be reflections of legitimate experiences with God.
However, what happens when we hear similar answers from someone with another worldview. Below are a few examples:
I am a Mormon because:
- I prayed about it and felt like God gave me an answer as to why it’s true.
- I felt so welcomed into the Mormon Church (i.e. Latter Day Saints/LDS). People are so caring, and service-oriented there, so it must be the true church.
- I read the book of Mormon and I feel like Joseph Smith is a true Prophet.
- I have a testimony of overcoming my doubt by the assurance that God gave me a “ (a feeling in my heart that LDS gospel is true is a true prophet).” Therefore, I testify that Joseph Smith is a true prophet and has restored the gospel and the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthood and the book of Mormon is true.
- I have had a supernatural experience confirming to me that the mormon gospel is true.”
I am a New Age/Buddhist/ Pantheists because:
- I feel like I get to use my connection with the energy in the cosmos to help people (tarot angel cards, channeling, reiki energy healing, etc.).
- I feel like yoga helps me connect with the universe and disconnect from my false self.
- I feel like it is the most accepting viewpoint because we don’t judge anyone. Therefore, it must be true.
- I have experienced spirits that are comforting to me and assure me that I am of service to the rest of all of humanity. I have seen the supernatural. Therefore, it must be true.
- I believe that we are all one in the universe anyways and must learn to tap into that oneness and power within ourselves.
- meditation makes me feel more relaxed and like I’m discovering who I really am and connect with the universe more.
- I feel like if I follow the 8 fold path and get rid of my ego I will have good karma.”
I am Secular Humanist (atheism) because:
- I don’t think there is any need for God. I can determine the purpose of my existence by myself and do what makes me feel good.
- I believe in “personal autonomy” and don’t want to submit to a divine being that I’m not even convinced exists or is good. If He is good, why is there evil and suffering in the world?
- I don’t need God to live a moral life.
- “Science” has shown that there is no need for God to bring everything here today. Evolution explains away any need for God. Any religious text written in the past is just a reflection of wishful thinking of trying to control the masses or make you feel better yourself. Jesus was probably just a good teacher and then religious zealots distorted his message.
- I think that “empathy” is the best way to determine morality. If we just thought about how other people might feel more, then we would have a better society.
- I have overcome my bad habits and addictions through some self-help programs. I am my own higher power. I believe in the power of human will; thus, why should I listen to Christians talk to me about a need for God?”
Do you see the similarities?
Almost every worldview (excepting secular humanism) bases their starting point for why they believe what they do off of these basic reasons:
- Feelings- what makes you feel loved, have belonging and/or purpose.
- Connection with others or the supernatural.
- Service to others.
- A Testimony of life improvement/change.
The secular humanist reasons for rejecting belief in God can be summed up as follows:
- Arguments from morality, science, the problem of evil, and bad historical arguments dealing with the motivations of the first-century disciples of Jesus.
So what are we supposed to do?
The starting point for Christians about why they believe they understand the truth needs to be stronger than merely personal experience — real as these can be — since other religions offer similar subjective testimonies. What if someone feels more welcomed around atheists, Mormons, Muslims or New Agers? Does that make it true?
If your starting point is mainly your experience, then you can easily be persuaded to abandon your views for a different experience. If your starting point isn’t grounded in good reasons and the inerrant word of God, then any “fine-sounding argument” (Colossians 2:4) can persuade you to another view.
You need to have God’s objective Word as the filter and standard by which you test all things against (1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 John 4:1).
This is why the seemingly circular statemnt “I am a Christian because it is true” is a good starting point once it is explains. We aren’t claiming that Christianity is true because it’s true, but rather opening up a discussion of how well Christianity corresponds to reality. Truth is that which corresponds to reality. Truth is, by definition, exclusive to that which is false and is unchanging. Nothing else in all of reality makes sense unless Christianity is true.
To be continued…
