The big game was on today - Manchester United v Chelsea in the Champions League final. HUUUUUGE match. Anyway, my boss asked me where I'd be watching the game, but I said I have bible study and therefore won't be watching it, which led on to the conversation about what exactly I believe and why etc. He reads a lot of different books, and in his opinion has an open minded/well rounded view on things.
He asked me my opinion on evolution and Dawkins' 'The God Delusion', but not having read the book couldn't really say much about it. So, at lunch time when he was buying himself some books at the shop he bought me a copy of it. His words were something like 'not necessarily my opinion, but it's always good to hear the other side of the argument'.
I agree with him. If I'm going to be discussing atheism and evolution with people, I need to understand what their argument is. This made me think - if a christian giving a christian book to a non christian is evangelism, then is a non christian giving a christian a non christian book 'devangelism'? In the preface to the book, Dawkins writes 'If this book works as I intend, religious readers who open it will be atheists when they put it down'.
Anyway, it should be an interesting read. It's really big though, so if anyone out there in the blogoverse has read it, any chance you could write me an abridged version? It's therefore down the list of reading priorities, as I've just started Knowing God, and borrowed a book from my minister on church history.
Also, I assume some Christians would say Christians shouldn't read it. What are your thoughts? If people were Christians because of their own logic, then I might get worried by Christians reading this book. But since it's 100% the work of the spirit, I see no problems in understanding the other side so to improve and target evangelism.
He asked me my opinion on evolution and Dawkins' 'The God Delusion', but not having read the book couldn't really say much about it. So, at lunch time when he was buying himself some books at the shop he bought me a copy of it. His words were something like 'not necessarily my opinion, but it's always good to hear the other side of the argument'.
I agree with him. If I'm going to be discussing atheism and evolution with people, I need to understand what their argument is. This made me think - if a christian giving a christian book to a non christian is evangelism, then is a non christian giving a christian a non christian book 'devangelism'? In the preface to the book, Dawkins writes 'If this book works as I intend, religious readers who open it will be atheists when they put it down'.
Anyway, it should be an interesting read. It's really big though, so if anyone out there in the blogoverse has read it, any chance you could write me an abridged version? It's therefore down the list of reading priorities, as I've just started Knowing God, and borrowed a book from my minister on church history.
Also, I assume some Christians would say Christians shouldn't read it. What are your thoughts? If people were Christians because of their own logic, then I might get worried by Christians reading this book. But since it's 100% the work of the spirit, I see no problems in understanding the other side so to improve and target evangelism.
6 comments:
i think it's good to read other stuff... i think it's also good to do deals with friends - you'll read their book if they read your book!
i don't think it's devangelism.
i think it's simply evangelism with a different evangel. if it's not about Christ crucified - then it's really no gospel at all... but our culture preaches many different gospels whether it's the dawkin's gospel or the north shore gospel (have lots of money and die with the most toys!)
good convo turns. I reckon you should definitely give it a read before you leave the UK so you can have another chat about it.
I am keen to read it at some stage.
I seem to recall some kind of talks on it at CBF sometime last year... Can't remember whom it was though... Maybe the guy from Barney's
Do you have any recollection Mr. T??
What book will you suggest for him to read?
Ive heard that even alot of athiests think that book sux and its not written so well. I havent read it but some dude gave me a book that is basically a reply from a christian (a bunch of those books around). It was funny in the god delusion it talks about this christian school and this guy who funded them (according to the book i read). The day i read about that we had just played at the school and i had met the guy. It was a little strange.
Hey all
Yeah, doing a deal was definitely in the front of my mind. The only problem is which book. He's an extremely intelligent guy, and very well read, so any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Chong - yeah, I recall a talk about that too. No idea who it was by though.
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