I never thought I’d ever think that, But I really do thank God for them. Let me explain.

A few years ago, at a ministers regional get together, the speaker challenged us by asking, ‘How many non Christian friends do you have?’ I was stunned to realise I had none, not one, zilch, zero. It’s not that I’m an anti social character who finds it hard to engage and make friends, I find it easy. But when you are a busy pastor, with a close family and demanding flock, you just don’t make or retain many friends who are Christians let alone, non Christians. Becoming so wrapped up in the church and all things churchy…well it doesn’t just happen!

So, now that challenge had gone out, the Holy Spirit had spoken to me about my (non) circle of friends, especially those who don’t go to church. Little did I know (God has an amazing sense of humour), not only was I to make some good friends, even some non Christian friends, but some hostile atheist ones as well…..and I enjoy my friendship with them (I’m not sure they would return the compliment though).

Joining the VFR bikers site has to rank as one of the best decisions I ever made. In the winter of 2005, I wanted to meet up with others who had a passion for motorbikes and all things riding, so I searched the mighty world wide web, and happened upon the site. Being a little apprehensive at first (my first foray outside the zone of church comfort in over 30 years), I was surprised at the warmth of the welcome I got, well from most of them. That has now grown into a real friendship, some of them I’ve never met, some from the other side of the world, but have been privileged to share in their joys and sorrows, as well as express some of my own.

But why should I single out the atheists for special mention of thanks? When I call them atheists, this is not a derogatory term, far from it. they would be proud to be associated as such. The ones I refer to are not the non believer who would just use the term as the nearest thing to describe their position, neither would I be referring to the lapsed Catholic/Anglican, who has just fallen out with their church, or the church in general. No, I mean the card carrying, flag waving, militant variety. The one who is well read on the subject, who would belong to a movement espousing the virtues of their particular belief system.
For those I truly thank God for! ‘But why?’ you may ask, and rightly so.

Firstly; I am a pastor of a very small congregation, engaged in social outreach programmes amongst the most disadvantaged and marginalised in the community. Situated right in the middle of the 3rd. most deprived borough in England and Wales, my challenges lay in meeting the needs of the most undeserving. In my daily routine and rewarding church work, I am never stretched theologically (or even intellectually). Being an avid reader I like to read technical publications, but have no real outlet for my learning. For two years now, I have been stretched by my atheist friends, who have probed and harried, questioned and criticised my belief system. They have forced me to answer questions I would never have considered, researched stuff I would not normally look for. I can thank God, that they have strengthened not only my faith but sharpened my mind as well.

Secondly; Whilst it is only right that we read theology books, as Christians we can ignore books written by leading atheists of the day. When we are so wrapped up in ‘the church’, we are ignorant as to what these people are writing about us. There are many Christians who are frightened or intimidated by the likes of Richard Dawkins and his ilk. For my part I would not have read much of his stuff with the intensity as I have if it were not for my atheist friends. Reading his works and numerous publications via the secular societies of Britain and America, I have gleaned so much with regard to atheist thinking. It is absolutely fascinating to read what they think about us, even if their information is so outdated (they’re still pre modernist and haven’t even reached modernity, let alone post modernity) If I didn’t know it before, I certainly do now, why I am a Christian and not an atheist!

Thirdly: The church can be a great place to be, but sometimes it can be so self serving and full of itself, that it does not truly reflect the God is serves. Let’s face it with our miraid of denominations, political machinations, and ‘other worldly’ attitude we have not done ourselves any favours. Atheist are good at pointing out our faults and failures, and (cutting through the hyperbole) we would do well to listen. They can make good sense because they will articulate what the ordinary non atheist, non church goer would think, but not ask for fear of being antireligious or causing offence.
I certainly approach my work as a Pastor with more insight and understanding than before. I would rather be criticized and brought to account, so that I may learn and adjust rather than dismiss those who struggle to understand what it’s all about.

I also now understand my own journey from atheism to faith in God. The man I admired the most, my dad, was an atheist, so it was only natural that I too would embrace his belief system (there was no God in our house!). However, during my discussions with my atheist friends I find that they split into various camps. Just like me and my dad, we both had our reasons for rejecting God, but they were different. For my dad, it was the behaviour of the Christian church during the centuries, his argument was that ‘All religion does is start wars’ I have heard this one many times from members of the site, to them it’s the atrocities committed in the name of God that seals His fate to non existence! I suppose it could have been because of all the things he had witnessed during his service in the 2nd. World war. He too would prattle on about the Crusades and other events even though he (and most atheists) have very little knowledge of their true history. In fact, and my dad would not have known this when his atheism was formed, far more people had been slaughtered (between 80 – 100 million) through atheistic ideologies by Stalin and Mao during merely 60 brutal years, than had ever succumbed to religious maltreatment in two thousand years!
Whilst I shared my dad’s disdain for religion (in particular Christianity), for me it was the delusional. Marx’s ‘Opium of the people’, we were now in a more enlightened era, one where we understood the workings of our planet, nature and in particular the new frontiers of experiences of the mind. It could have been that we were the generation of ‘psychodelia’, fuelled by the heady mix of drugs and rock & Roll. Religion, in particular Christianity had nothing to offer to this bright new world, there were new ‘gods’ to worship now. It was only when I found this stuff transient and unfulfilling, the scientific arguments for atheism unconvincing (now more than ever), that I and many of my generation searched for our ‘spiritual’ dimension .

Without my atheist friends, I wouldn’t have had cause to examine and re examine what I have. Without them I would not now be the Christian I am, or am becoming, so for that I thank God for atheists.!
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