He totally wrecked me when he said it. I couldn’t disagree with him because he was right. Penn Jillette, the American magician and comedian, mostly known for his work with fellow magician Teller as half of the team Penn & Teller, spoke truth one day.
This guy is intelligent, funny and a little dark. And if I’m being uncomfortably transparent with you, you probably wouldn’t find this girl chomping at the bit to share my faith with this outspoken atheist. In his mind, he’s got the “There is no God" thing figured out.
Plus he’s like a 6’6” and I’m kinda scared he’d gobble me up.
But one day a Christian man approached and complimented him after his show and gave him a Gideon Pocket Edition New Testament with Psalms. Penn was impressed by this guy. He says, “He was truly complimentary. It didn't seem like empty flattery. He was really kind and nice and sane and looked me in the eyes and talked to me and then gave me this Bible."
Now, this encounter didn’t change Jillette’s atheistic view. As far as I know, his denial of God's existence remains. However, he wasn’t offended by this man’s desire to share Jesus with him. In fact, Jillette made a profound point that deeply impacted me . I think I could listen to ten sermons and still not be as challenged as what he said that day.
"How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize?" Jillette asked. "How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that? If I believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that a truck was coming at you and you didn't believe it, and that truck was bearing down on you, there's a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that."
How much do you have to HATE someone? Ouch.
I don't believe it's actual "hatred" that keeps us from sharing our faith, but more of not wanting to feed into the idea that Christians are know-it-alls, judgemental, unloving, intolerant, etc. but this was definitely a reminder for me that if I truly care about others, I shouldn't hold back telling them the greatest love story they'll ever hear.
That is a good question. Penn Jillette has always impressed me with his insights. I enjoy hearing his point of view and thinking how I would answer. Of course I consult with Ravi when I have no idea what to say, haha.
Haha! Yes, @lydon.sipe. Ravi (when I can keep up with him) is pretty amazing. Once I wanted to meet him so badly I ambushed him on his way to the bathroom. I felt like a groupie. haha.
Haha, I'm sure he smiled and made eye contact with you.
No, we actually talked! Well, I kind of stuttered and giggled. Haha!
Haha! That is a memory. :)
I've heard Penn tell this story before. While I understand the sentiment, it's important to keep in mind that proselytizing some people will have the same effect as pushing them in front of a bus. You can't drag someone into belief.
Still, he makes a solid point about Christians who don't seem to care about the rest of the world.
Thanks so much for commenting @garthfreeman! I guess it depends on your definition of proselytizing. You are right, you can't drag someone into belief because that is the work of the Holy Spirit. Being pushy, arrogant, and unloving can cause some to stumble. But sharing TRUTH in LOVE is what Christ calls me His followers to do.
Yeah, I agree with sharing the truth in love. I guess what I really mean is that you can go around trying to tell everyone you run into about Jesus, but in the end you'll probably do more harm than good with that approach. There needs to be some sort of relationship building going on first, before someone is ready to listen. (I know there are exceptions)
Most people just aren't in a position to hear and understand the message. It's like trying to explain Bitcoin to people for the first time: they just can't wrap their heads around it and you may come off sounding fanatical. I think this is why we have so many people who hate Christians these days. They are just walking along, going about their day and then some Christian comes along and tells them they are a crappy person who is going to burn in hell forever unless you join our group and convince the rest of the world.
I'm just saying... The approach matters. Now, if we were walking around emptying hospital emergency rooms with miraculous healings...
I couldn't agree with you more! Building a relationship can be everything. Walking out our faith in front of others (especially difficult times) is everything. How we love is everything. Still, I can't count how many times I've neglected telling others because it might have been uncomfortable for me.
P.S. Your bitcoin analogy is brilliant because I still can't wrap my head around it all. haha
God does forgive and we are called to share the good news. Some may accept it and some may not. However we are called to try and trust. How we present ourselves to atheists and agnostics and folks of other religions has a big impact on how they look at Christianity. We represent Christ and Christianity. We have a responsibility to exhibit ourselves is a good way. AND we need to consider how that other person will interpret our behavior and words. What perspective will they take away. I often believe the presentation has more to do with it than we realize. We can plant the seeds of grace and growth or we can plant the seeds of hatred and hostility toward Chrisianity - Without even knowing it. Missionaries often live with the culture that are witnessing to. Perhaps we should take time to get to know the person and people we wish to help to gain their trust and communicate in their language to better bring them to Christ. Great read. - Thanks. - Troy
Amen. Thanks @enjoywithtroy! I love this quote by Wiliam J. Toms: Be careful how you live; you may be the only Bible some people ever read.
Sadly I have two friends of mine who have been shaded and jaded by the careless self-righteous acts of certain Christians and churches. It happens more thank one realizes. We may not be able to control how they think and believe but we have a responsibility to God to set some sort of example to them. We are here as servant and not our own self interests so we do nave some influence and accountability on and for others. Thanks again.
I do agree that there's a lot of lukewarmness in the church, and not caring about the lost, too.
On the other hand, though, I think when the church is being criticized, we should consider the source.
We can weigh what an atheist says, but the Bible says those who don't accept the Lord have been taken captive by His enemy, Satan, to do his will.
And, too, Revelation calls Satan, "the accuser of the brethren."
Satan doesn't offer constructive criticism, but has destructive motives. He offers destructive criticism, though he may try to make it look constructive.
So often unbelievers come along and offer to take the mote out of the eyes of Christians. We should listen to them, but again, always remember the source. Satan will utilize legitimate criticism as a tool to try to undermine believers.
Atheists in our part of the world have had the benefit of knowing the Gospel their whole lives. The Good News is still Good News of course, but it's not news in the same way that it is in places where people have never heard of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. In the book of Acts, Paul preached in Athens to people who'd never heard of Jesus, and some scoffed, while others wanted to hear more, and even believed. When you hear accounts of missionaries going to remote places and bringing the Good News, they often mention people who are overjoyed to hear it. They've been living without the hope of a just and merciful God, and instead with idols that require all sorts of evil things, including sometimes human sacrifice.
Yes, God often touches the hearts of many people who have grown up with Christianity around them but have rejected it, so that suddenly they truly hear the Good News for what it is, but with many other people, they've heard the Gospel their whole lives and never accept it.
We can't know who might accept it after rejecting it, but when people who have rejected it and continue to reject it criticize the church, we have to wonder about their motivations when they offer us their opinions on Christianity.
When I hear so many atheists speak, they seem to assume they have moral superiority over the church, and that the church should strive to live up to their standards and what's good in their sight. In their view, they have clean hands, while Christians have dirty ones. Of course, they reject the idea that they're sinners who have trespassed against a holy God.
Atheists might not entirely realize they're trying to undermine Christians, or that they're doing Satan's bidding, but that doesn't change anything. And if we're not careful, we can assume their criticisms of the church are well-intentioned. And because we do believe we're sinners, and take the Lord's chastisements of the church seriously, we can easily accept the criticisms of atheists as is. But I think we shouldn't do that. In the case of Penn Jillette's words, it sounds like he's suggesting that the Gospel must not be true, because if it was, then Christians would be acting differently. Many Christians will reject that, but to some, and often the young especially, that sort of argument sounds good to them. "IF the Gospel is true, you Christians would be doing a lot more to save people," Jillette is saying, "You'd be rescuing them. That's what I would do if I was a Christian. I couldn't sit around while people were in such danger." I think that's a crafty way to combine some legitimate criticism with destructive criticism and even some lies (ultimately we ourselves can't save anyone - it's Jesus who performed the life-saving work - but they also have to recognize their need to be saved). I think the danger isn't in the legitimate criticism, but in the lies that are mixed in with it.
Thank you @doule for such a thoughtful comment. I really do appreciate you taking the time to read and reply. When you said: In the case of Penn Jillette's words, it sounds like he's suggesting that the Gospel must not be true, because if it was, then Christians would be acting differently. Many Christians will reject that, but to some, and often the young especially, that sort of argument sounds good to them. "IF the Gospel is true, you Christians would be doing a lot more to save people," Jillette is saying, "You'd be rescuing them. That's what I would do if I was a Christian. I couldn't sit around while people were in such danger." I guess I didn't get that at all. I took what he was saying was that although he didn't agree, he respected the man and it meant a lot to him that the man took the time to care about his salvation. The love the man showed him made an impact on him. I did watch his interview and he seemed genuinely touched by the act.
I love your boldness. Thanks for sharing!
As an Atheist I really like this post and hearing about Penn Jillette's experience. For me I really don't mind listening to Christians share their faith. My best friend of 15 years is deeply religious (her father's a minster) and different beliefs has never affected our close friendship. I might not believe certain things but if the person is kind and accepting of me then I enjoy hearing their perspective about things. I find religion to be a beautiful thing in the hands of good people. One of the reasons I became an atheist was because of the behavior of Christians who abused me by forcing their views on me and treating me like I was a horrible person for questioning the faith. The world needs all the kindness and understanding it can get. No one should punish another person for having their own mind and thinking differently than others.
Oh @marxrab thanks for sharing!
I've questioned my faith many times. Questioning the faith doesn't make you horrible, in fact, I think it means you actually care. I'm so thankful that God can handle all of my questions and doubt. In the end, I've found that it's a supernatural truth and faith I can't explain. (Sorry if that sounds weird, I'm really not. haha)
I'm sorry to hear that you've been abused and hurt by Christians. I hate that.
Saint Augustine once said, "Never judge a philosophy by its abuse." Thank you for respecting the Christian faith in spite of the actions of others.
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