christian apolgetics

Homosexuality: Know the Truth, Speak it with Compassion Part3

Sean McDowell — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:25:03 -0700

I recently taught on apologetics at a university. My goal was to show how to make our message persuasive, yet gracious. After the event, I stopped at a local coffee shop for a dose of caffeine before the long drive home.

The barista served up my coffee, then asked about my day. I told her I gave a talk about how Christians can share biblical truth in a more friendly, relational, and winsome manner. “Oh! You need to speak at my university,” she insisted. “We’re sick of ‘evangelistic alley.’ It’s a walkway in the center of campus where Christians hold signs and yell at students. Some of them shout that God is going to judge fags. There’s no discussion with them. They just want to be heard. You should teach them."

Though my heart sunk, I realized the barista was on to something. The Christians of “evangelistic alley” were settling for a short-term goal – declaring that homosexuality was sin that should be “repented” of – while squandering their long-term opportunities. Stopping sin can be worthwhile, but it isn’t the only goal. It certainly shouldn’t be pursued at the expense of making a more critical, long-term impact.

The long-term plan with homosexuals should be obvious – help them to know Christ. It’s the same strategy we have with any non-Christian regardless of their sin. But it’s not a quick process.[i] It rarely is with any non-Christian, but this is especially true with homosexuals. We often act, though, as if our most important goal is to change homosexual behavior in the short term rather than waiting patiently to make a more significant difference in the future.

God can give you opportunities to speak the truth with compassion anytime in a person’s life. Don’t try to make a moral statement today if it jeopardizes your chance of influencing them at a more opportune time tomorrow. Think long-term.[ii]

One time when I was teaching at a church on homosexuality, the parents of a 25-year-old gay man asked me for advice. “He wants to bring his boyfriend over for dinner,” they said, “but we told him that homosexuality is against God’s design. He can come over, but his boyfriend must wait somewhere else. They need to know where we stand.”

I’m sympathetic to their moral concern, but making a moral statement today might lessen their influence tomorrow. It’s also unnecessary. Their son already knows their view on homosexuality. Why hurt his feelings and alienate him? There may come a time when their son is disillusioned about his life and he’s more open to hearing the truth. If his parents have been careful not to judge and harass him unnecessarily,[iii] he’s more likely to turn to them for guidance. If, however, his parents have burned their bridges with him, he’s not likely to turn to them for advice.

Once, while teaching at a church on homosexuality, the parents of a lesbian woman approached me. They were pleasantly surprised by my emphasis on truth and compassion. As they told their story, however, it was clear to me they were living out this principle perfectly.

Their daughter lived at a substance-abuse group home with other gays and lesbians. Every weekend the parents invited their daughter and her gay friends to their home and treated them like family. Their daughter’s friends even called them mom and dad. Loving them was only the first step, though. These gays and lesbians needed both love and truth. So the parents invited them to church. After several months, the daughter and her friends accepted the offer because the parents showed them the kind of love and acceptance they’d expect from their own family. There wasn’t a misguided attempt to make a short-term statement, only the parents’ long-term plan to have an influence.

There may be times when you’re asked a direct question and you have no choice but to respond in a way that sounds offensive. Sometimes that’s unavoidable.[iv] But we don’t want to unnecessarily damage our relationship with gays and lesbians. Remember to focus on the influence you can have over the course of their life.

The Value of the New Approach

Homosexuality is here to stay. In fact, it’s becoming more a part of our culture every day. Each successive generation is more accepting of the gay lifestyle. Barna’s research found that, “People 35 and younger are…substantially more likely to consider homosexuality an acceptable lifestyle; and notably more likely to approve of clergy conducting or blessing gay marriages.” Barna concluded that, “Over the long term, we expect to see a growing acceptance of…homosexuality as Baby Busters and Mosaics, the youngest generation, become more influential in public policy and business policy.”[v]

As a result, we need to know the truth and speak it with compassion more than ever.[vi] Our youth will be our future leaders. They’ll be our doctors, teachers, and lawyers. In 30 to 40 years, one of today’s youth will be leading our country as President. The minds of young people today carry ideas that will affect our world tomorrow. Although Barna’s findings paint a dim picture of our future, we can brighten our prospects by reaching out to young people in the right way. We’ll minimize the drastic changes that are expected in public policy as a result of the influence of pro-gay generations.

Young believers will also find this approach refreshing. Rather than being faced with the choice of keeping their faith or their gay friends, now they’ll keep both. Their lasting friendships will give them opportunities to graciously share their convictions – not only about homosexuality, but ultimately about Jesus.

The most important reason to use this new approach is this: We know it works. It’s been tried and tested. When we know the truth and speak it with compassion we see the difference it makes. We build lasting friendships with gay men and women. We improve our chances to communicate our convictions on homosexuality. Gays and lesbians reconsider their lifestyle. And people who thought Christians only hate homosexuals now know we care.

We still have a long way to go, but our journey now has more direction. Though we’re still locked and loaded, we’ve exchanged our bullets for truth and our clichés for compassion. Once ill-equipped to meet the challenge of homosexuality, now we’re ready to answer the gay community’s need for truth and healing. And though we forced Kyle back into the closet, our new approach will reach in to draw him out.

[i] Certainly some people turn to Jesus quickly, but this is the exception. It’s more common for people to take months or years before they follow Jesus.

[ii] If the opportunity arises when you can make a difference in the short-term, by all means take it. Don’t forsake the immediate opportunity just because you’re only thinking long-term.

[iii] Remember, you’re still likely to irritate people even if you make the right decision. Just don’t irritate them unnecessarily.

[iv] I’m not suggesting abandoning all your convictions to accommodate everything. You still have to stand for what is right and wrong. But take care not to needlessly alienate a gay or lesbian in your life just so things go your way. This will take discernment.

[v] “Born-Again Adults Remain Firm in Opposition to Abortion and Gay Marriage,” The Barna Group, July 23, 2001.

[vi] For more resources on how to live out this principle, see God’s Grace and the Homosexual Next Door: Reaching the Heart of the Gay Men and Women in Your World by Alan Chambers and 101 Frequently Asked Questions About Homosexuality by Mike Haley.

LIVE with Greg Koukl - Wednesday 9/9 @ 10AM PT

Conversant Live — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:58:27 -0700

How Can I Defend My Faith without Sounding Defensive?

Tired of finding yourself intimidated and defensive in conversations about matters of faith? Want to increase your confidence and skill as you discuss your beliefs with family, friends, and coworkers? Greg Koukl, founder and president of Stand to Reason, offers practical strategies to help you maneuver comfortably and graciously in any conversation about your Christian convictions.

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How Can I Defend My Faith without Sounding Defensive? from ConversantLife on Vimeo.

An Atheist Defends Intelligent Design

Sean McDowell — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:54:39 -0700

One of the most stereotypes of intelligent design (ID) is that it is an evangelical Christian movement intent upon forcing religion into the classroom. The release of Seeking God in Science: An Atheist Defends Intelligent Design (Bradley Monton, Broadview Press, 2009) officially puts this claim to rest. Defenders of ID do include evangelical Christians, but also Muslims, Hindus, agnostics, and now even atheists! University of Colorado philosophy professor Bradley Monton is ultimately not persuaded by the arguments of ID (which is why he’s an atheist), but he says that they do have some force, and they make him less certain of his atheism.

For those of you who have followed the ID movement, this should come as quite the surprise. Yes, an atheist actually defends the integrity and merits of ID! Monton argues that criticisms of ID—whether from atheists or theistic evolutionists—are largely unfounded, misplaced, and erroneous. Monton doesn’t so much defend the truth of ID, but he believes it is a reasonable, (somewhat) persuasive, and legitimate scientific project.

The best part of the book (from my perspective) is that Monton sees right through much of the rhetorical tactics commonly used by ID opponents. For example, critics frequently conflate ID with creationism so as to make it an easier target to defeat. Monton rightly observes that some ID arguments are not related to creationism at all and that such comparisons are “sloppy” (31). Critics also love to claim that ID makes no predictions and is not testable. According to Monton: “I would say that intelligent design proponents are making a prediction: they are claiming that, if one looks, one will find evidence that there is a designer” (72).

Monton also criticizes Judge Jones’ ruling against ID in Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District (2005). Darwinists have continued to herald this ruling as an overwhelming defeat for ID. However, says Monton, Judge Jones’ arguments were “fundamentally flawed.” In his attempt to discredit ID, Jones argued that it is not a legitimate science because (among other reasons) it postulates supernatural creation.

Surprisingly, Monton argues that postulating supernatural causation is actually compatible with science! He gives a fictional example of a pulsar that pulses out Morse code. The message claims to be God, and can answer any questions that scientists formulate in their heads. If such a thing happened, shouldn’t the “God” theory be a legitimate option? This is a highly unlikely scenario, but it shows that at least (in principle) science can explore supernatural causes, despite the ruling by Judge Jones.

Ultimately, says Monton, we shouldn’t get caught up debating whether or not ID is science. The most important question is whether or not the claims are true (73). Monton recognizes that proclamations against the scientific status of ID are largely meant to suppress debate so the actual truth-claims of ID can be avoided.

Professor Monton challenges both atheistic and theistic opponents of ID. For example, he critiques theistic evolutionist Kenneth Miller (author of Only a Theory) who claims that intelligent design closes down scientific investigation. According to Monton: “While theistic scientists could choose to stop investigating the world, and be satisfied with the answer ‘God did it,’ they need not. What theistic scientists can do is investigate questions like: ‘What structure did God choose to give the world?’” (112). Miller’s claim that ID is anti-science “doesn’t hold up.”

Surprisingly, Monton agrees that intelligent design offers the best explanation for certain features of the universe. He admits that there are currently no naturalistic explanations for why the universe exists, for the nature of consciousness, and a detailed scenario for the origin of life. Yet rather than believing in design he says: “The truth of the matter is that there’s no explanation at all” (37). To avoid the conclusion that God exists, Monton is forced to accept that certain features of reality simply don’t have an explanation. Rather than offering an alternative explanation, Monton challenges the notion of explanation itself.

Much more could be said about Seeking God in Science. It is certainly refreshing to read someone who desires to transcend the culture wars and to communicate his ideas in a respectful and generous tone. Supporters of ID can learn much from his style and substance, even if they ultimately disagree with his conclusions (as I do!). This is a watershed book in the history of ID, and is hopefully a sign of more to come.

New ID Resource

Sean McDowell — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:18:05 -0700

Those of you interested in apologetics and Intelligent Design may want to know that William Dembski and I just released a new resource on ID. Check it out here:

www.rose-publishing.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=1729.

As you can see, the graphics of the pamphlet are amazing. We've taken some of the information in our book UNDERSTANDING INTELLIGENT DESIGN as well as some more recent findings and written a short/concise pamphlet with Rose Publishing tackling the following issues:

1. What is ID?
2. How does ID Differ from Creationism and Evolution?
3. Why is Design Important?
4. Is Darwinism Scientific Fact?
5. Is ID Science?
6. What is Irreducible Complexity?
7. Can Darwinism Explain Life's Origin?
8. Where Does Biological Information Come From?
9. Is the Universe Designed?
10. What about Bad Design and Evil?

This pamphlet is great for Sunday School classes, Christian School classrooms, for believers who want to go deeper in their faith, as well as for seekers who want to understand the case for ID. Check it out!

The Top Three Things to Remember if You want to be a “Christian Apologist.”

MarkM — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:00:33 -0700

The apologist’s profession had a noble beginning, defined from the Greek as “speaking in defense.” These heroes of the faith storm into the halls of the damned, defending the faith by picking fights in Berkeley. Yes, they get a lot of press. They are often sought after for their opinions, as the Christian faith encounters new and unsavory elements of the unsaved.

But what does it take to be a Christian apologist these days? It seems like they are popping up all over the place, writing blogs and books. They become authoritative by using that old name, “apologist,” but what do they actually need to know to take that hallowed title? For all those aspiring storm troopers of the faith, I give you:

The three top things to remember if you are a Christian apologist!

First, you make your living through controversy.

Like old time ambulance chasers, you always have to be on the lookout for “issues” that people are upset about. Evolution, homosexuality, exploitation of Presidential candidates, whatever. Once you get a volatile and excitable issue, you are set! Before it dies down, write a blog, a book, whatever. Milk it hard, baby, ‘cause you don’t know when the next ambulance will come around the corner! If you prefer to be proactive, forget it. Nobody cares about what they are not currently upset about. The issue needs to be something people are living in fear of, like democrats.

Second, polarization is your best friend.

You, my little Apologist, must love polarization like your sweet mother loves visits on Christmas. In fact, without it, you don’t really have much of a purpose. Just like democrats feed off of not being republicans, conservative apologists feed off of not being liberal. The more you split people on an issue, the more secure you are in your job. Hey, you have kids to feed!

If there is not a public issue you can polarize, then create one. Evolution is always good, and you can call it “Darwinism” if you want to get the older crowd. So, if nothing scary is happening, just take a nice deep breath and holler “EVOLUTION!” It’s like shouting “marijuana” at a jam-packed Third Day concert; it will get them every time!

Third, rhetoric is your only tool.

Blah blah blah. Actions don’t matter, just words. Very little needs to be done, because what can you actually do? I mean, what can any apologist actually do about evolution? Heck, you probably never even studied science! But as the good book says, science doesn’t matter, just theology. Anyway, always remember that because you are an “apologist” you can be an expert on anything! If someone questions your words, just tell them you are an apologist. If they persist, tell them they are a liberal. Even if they don’t shut up, no one else in the church will listen to them.

So, there you have it. If you lost your job in the building industry because of the housing implosion, don’t worry, become an apologist! If you want to write a book, but have no idea what to write, become an apologist! You can make a living by doing nothing, just start arguments, and if you get pushed into a dirty corner by someone who knows what they are talking about, just shout “I’m an apologist!”