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Ray Comfort on Responding to Atheists
- 02/02/09
- 14
Ray Comfort is setting out on a blog tour to support his new book You Can Lead an Atheist to Evidence but You Can’t Make him Think. Knowing that many of the readers of this site are admirer’s of Comfort, I decided to participate. I solicited questions from readers and here is one that Comfort was eager to respond to.
I often respond to the questions/arguments posed by atheists not so much because I think I can convince them they’re wrong, but because of the undecided people who might be the audience. If atheists claim they are well grounded in reason and logic, and no one stands to oppose them, I’m thinking huge numbers of people will assume that Christians concede the argument. I want people on the fence to know that there are well reasoned, rational arguments in favor of theology. How much time and energy do you think we should spend responding to atheistic claims?
I have preached open air (soapbox style) over 5,000 times. This is different from the doomsday street-corner folks that yell at passersby. I try and engage people in healthy discourse.
If you have ever been in a good open air meeting, you will know that at times there’s a sense of excitement, as people ask genuine questions about Christianity. In those situations you often have what is called a “heckler.” He is usually a colorful character who is upset. He is loud and somewhat aggressive. He is the one who attracts the crowd (who’s going to gather around to hear a boring preacher?). It is his presence that holds the crowd long enough for me to share the gospel. While I am directing myself at the heckler, I am also speaking to the crowd.
That’s what’s happening on my blog (“Atheist Central”) where we have more than one nasty “heckler.” They give the blog the life it needs to keep people coming back. But there’s a crowd listening (the blog gets emailed out daily). That’s why I am pleased to have atheists there. As a fisher of men, I don’t mind admitting that I bait them with some attractive morsel, and they usually bite. Most of them have said that they are closed to the gospel, but the others who are on the sidelines may have an open mind. Those are the ones to whom I am speaking—unsaved fence-sitters.
For your interest, here is an example of a colorful heckler:
However, when I witness one-to-one to a professing atheist, I am careful to take the time to patiently answer his questions, but not go down rabbit trails. I pray for God’s help daily, because I have a clear agenda—to go through the Ten Commandments to bring the knowledge of sin, then bring the remedy of the gospel and the necessity of faith and repentance. The time and energy I spend on him is dependent on whether or not I discern sincerity on his part.
You can find out more about Ray Comfort and his ministry at livingwaters.com.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
Releasing on April 1, The Next
Published in 2008, this book
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Comments (14)
I’ve never read any Ray Comfort but I feel compelled to comment that the cover for this book is the type that makes me cringe. I’m sure your not suppose to judge a book by it’s cover but I must confess that I do and generally will not read a book if the cover gives me the response that this one has. Just being honest.
I like the cover and the title. It is memorable. I also appreciate the work of Ray and his gang. It spurs me on to speak up for my convictions. I purchased the million dollar bill gospel tracks at living waters. I try to pass out at least one every time I go out. A small step until I can be as bold and as well versed as Ray!How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!” Romans 10:15
Thanks for hosting Ray during his virtual book tour. I hope your readers will not only visit Ray’s website, but also his blog at http://raycomfortfood.blogspot.com/ Both are very helpful in understanding Ray’s ministry.
Wishing you all the best,
Cheryl
How true it is on my own part early on during my conversion that I stayed away from atheist due to there seemingly large capacity for information and argument preparation. Later, thanks to people like Ray, I discovered they were storing up wrath and a lot of foolishness in order to avoid kneeling before an almighty God and giving Him the due praise. People will believe anything as long as it is not in the Bible. We have the truth, they have a lie. What are we waiting for?
I love the way Ray speaks to the false converts in the church. I think it may be the number one problem for the Church in America, false disciples.May the Lord help Ray to continue the fight in this arena, as he also reaches out to unbelievers. Amen.
Hey, I thought you were going to ask Ray our questions? Is he coming back?
Something about Comfort has always rubbed me the wrong way, but I respect that he’s actually out there doing stuff. Cliff Knetchle used to come to my university every year and do a several-day session out on one of the public concourses. I thought he was very gracious.
http://www.givemeananswer.org/main/home/index.html
I thank God for Rays ministry, and it is one of a few that God used to bring me to the knowledge of the truth. Though I don’t always agree with him and his theology in every area, he has a solid foundation and preaches the truth without compromise.
Because of his commitment to go out into the world to preach the gospel(something we all fall short on doing) I have more often found myself opening my mouth and proclaiming the truth in the most unexpected places. Praise God that there are those who, as in the early church and throughout history, go outside the church walls and preach to the lost (which is commanded to every believer)who otherwise may not hear the truth. I pray Ray will always stand firm and continue to reach out to the false converts and fools who say there is no God.
Here is an interview from MacArthur by Kirk Cameron, Rays ministry partner.http://www.gty.org/Resources/Videos
So is the banana thing a well reasoned, rational argument? *shudder*
I can’t really criticize Ray too harshly because he is bolder than I could ever hope to be and he does actually preach the gospel, but I think his approach is a little off. What I mean is that this “heckler” was raising questions about God, and instead of actually answering the questions he just continued with his “pitch.” I think that if we are going to preach the gospel we do our best to really listen to the concerns of our hearers and address those particular issues with the good news. Also, he could use a good dose of presuppositional apologetics, cause as the comment above notes, that banana proof just aint cuttin it.
Richard”So is the banana thing a well reasoned, rational argument? *shudder*”
You do realize thats kind of like a joke? He’s poking fun and showing how foolish the theory of evolution really is.
Evan, when you’ve preach on the street, as in Rays case, thousands of time to crowds of people who hate God the same old “rabbit trails” continue to come up. Rather than continually, over and over again answer the same disingenuous questions that nearly always lead to confusion and misunderstanding (without deeper study and explination) Ray stays on track, he gathers his crowd, uses the law to bring a knowledge of sin, and transitions to the gospel. Keep in mind, he only has a few minutes to preach crowds begin to dissipate.
You may also notice that Jesus and the apostles didn’t answer questions from their crowds as we may think they should have.
May I ask, how would you handle questions from the crowd of hecklers when you preach the law and gospel to people? If you come up with an answer, try it, then we will discuss this further and then I will take your opinion into account.
Curtis, Ray’s banana argument is indeed a joke, but Ray was completely serious when he made it. It became a laughingstock so quickly that he was forced to backpedal and then claim he was only joking.
(Ray’s argument was along the lines of: “See, the banana proves that the Christian God designed humans, because the banana — with its pop top, easy-to-remove peel, and handy ridges — is just perfect for a snack.” I’m sure I don’t need to spell out how absurd — on multiple levels — Ray’s “logic” is.
beatrice81, you missed the entire point.
Beatrice, I think I DO need you to prove the absurdity of Ray’s argument further. Bananas are only one SMALL example of design in our very large universe. Here’s a list of some others:
Apples:(can fit easily in hand for food AND for those extreme environmentalists are completely biodegradable)Trees and photosynthesis:Animals: What about symbiotic relationships? How would one animal live if the other had not evolved yet? (And a million other questions)The water cycle: We take this so much for granted but if you study this cycle, you will be amazed at the ingenuity of such a system.Our Earth is so well designed that it takes years to study just one portion of Earth Science: Oceanography, Geology, Etc.The Law of Conservation of MassWhy are there even laws in a Random Chaotic Chance-filled universe?The Law of EntropyThe human body (tell me what essential body system or function you could live without-is there any such thing as “irreducible complexity”)Hands-What about the hand does not scream design? If we see a paper on a table that is perfectly straight, we assumed the paper was placed there by a design, not randomly tossed about. Why do evolutionists/atheists not make this leap?Ears-Have you studied the ear? How amazing is the fact that we can hear? No design there…Eyes-I am so thankful that I can see. The eye is the window of the soul. Please look out of them and see God’s beautiful creation. AND then study to find that the God of the Bible is the one true God. Bow to him today and repent before there is no tomorrow. God Bless!