Now, I know what is happening, or what has just happened. Many people who already believe the Bible to be true, agree with what I'm saying. Many of those, who don't believe, are shaking their heads and beginning to think of words of attack; if they haven't done so already. Maybe they're thinking thoughts that ridicule the Bible and Christians, or they're reminding themselves of why they don't believe the book. They're most likely thinking in "attack" mode. But the reality is that a person can't adhere to strict logic and, at the same time, overlook the huge facts that exist. To believe evolution, one must ignore the fact that there aren't billions of transitional fossils as the theory requires. Also, to diminish the abnormal fame of Jesus, one must downplay the extraordinary. You have to act as if it's normal that all of society would reference all of time to the birth of a man who doesn't matter -- a man who is supposed to be insignificant. None of this is logical, but you have to defy logic in order to convince yourself.
I'm writing all of this for a few reasons. I was first inspired by that online conversation that took place a little over a year ago. I responded to a message that a young Christian had posted in a forum. He had a spiritual question, and I answered it. As a result, a long conversation ensued in the forum, from those who were not Christians. As you might expect, there was extreme conflict and no common ground could be found. Instead of answering questions, we were just butting heads. I was reminded of what the Bible says about trying to reason with those who don't believe. We could never agree on anything, and useless arguments should be avoided. So, I abandoned the conversation.
The heated discussions that arise in online forums isn't new. Paul certainly dealt with it in his day. He was called by God in order to preach God's message so that people could make a choice. The Bible says the following about Paul:
"I will rescue you from the people of Israel and from the Gentiles to whom I will send you. You are to open their eyes and turn them from the darkness to the light and from the power of Satan to God, so that through their faith in me they will have their sins forgiven and receive their place among God's chosen people."
-Acts 26:17-18
Paul did what God told him to do. The Bible also shows us how some people responded:
"Paul went into the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly with the people, holding discussions with them and trying to convince them about the Kindgom of God. But some of them were stubborn and would not believe, and before the whole group they said evil things about the Way of the Lord. So Paul left them and took the believers with him, and every day he held discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the people who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Gentiles, heard the word of the Lord."
-Acts 19:8-10
I have since tried not to engage in heated forum discussions for this very reason. Most people aren't looking for answers. The discussions go nowhere and there is really nothing to discuss, or debate. There's simply one message to be said, and people will ultimately make their own choice. That's one reason why I'm writing this. It's to say what needs to be said while avoiding useless arguments.
Another reason I'm writing this is to encourage and remind Christians, who do choose to engage in such discussions, of what the Bible says. There will be conflict. There will be no common ground. So don't be discouraged when this happens. Those, who don't believe, aren't stupid by any means. But their minds are blinded. It's important for Christians to remember this when engaging in such discussions. It's not just a matter of logical thinking. There's spiritual opposition, which is why logic fails.