First of all, I have to say that David Robertson is a lovely person and the most reasonable Christian I have ever met. The sarcasm/humour used in this email is in the spirit of the conversations I have had with him, it is not at all meant in an aggressive way. This email is here for reference, please feel free to comment.
Dear David,
I hope you are well and managed to get back to Scotland safely after your visit to Brighton a few weeks back. I wondered if you have had the chance to read the copy of Steve Taylor's The Fall yet? I'd be very interested in your thoughts on his comments about the early gatherer-hunters and the amicable ways of life pre-religion.
I have been reading the copy of Ravi Zacharias' The End of Reason that you gave me and I've found it very interesting. I'm afraid I'm still some way from being converted, but I have at least realised what frauds Dawkins and Harris are recently.
It's been a very interesting experience listening to you and reading the discussion from the "other side". I think some of my atheist friends are worried about me because I have a new-found sympathy for Christianity. I've made an effort to start reading the Bible and though I am a very slow reader (I'm currently at Genesis 28, and I started reading a month or so ago, but hey, at least it means I'm doing something useful while sat on the toilet), I'm starting to see how convincing it is. My problem thus far is that it's still all very convenient, and there's so little justification for so many of God's actions that I can't take it's moral structure seriously. Maybe that will change as I read through.
I'm also starting to believe that there's a significant middle ground here. I think previously I wanted to be an evangelist for atheism, but I think that was the effect Dawkins and Harris had on me. Though I still agree with a lot of what they have to say (i.e. I still don't believe that religion should be enforced on children), I'm more happy now to live and let live. Indeed, if atheism is to be successful in spreading then I think that is how it has to be. You said to me that only God can convert me to Christianity - no one else can do it. Well, I now think that only an individidual can convert oneself to atheism - through knowledge and understanding - because in my opinion, in atheism "God" is oneself. I think Zacharias makes a great point when he says
Your comment about your realisation that you are a bad person has also been resonating in my head lately. This is of course true for all people, religious or not, but something has been nagging away at me about that theory, I'm not sure what it is.
I'm not actually sure what I'm getting at here. I didn't intend to write this much but I'd be interested in your comments nonetheless. I've also been writing a blog: Love, Life and Reason which is more of a sketchpad for my thoughts. I may well post this email there for my own reference. I think this is what day sat on your own in your bedroom does to you...
Anyway, best wishes to you and your family. I do hope all is well.
Guy
Dear David,
I hope you are well and managed to get back to Scotland safely after your visit to Brighton a few weeks back. I wondered if you have had the chance to read the copy of Steve Taylor's The Fall yet? I'd be very interested in your thoughts on his comments about the early gatherer-hunters and the amicable ways of life pre-religion.
I have been reading the copy of Ravi Zacharias' The End of Reason that you gave me and I've found it very interesting. I'm afraid I'm still some way from being converted, but I have at least realised what frauds Dawkins and Harris are recently.
It's been a very interesting experience listening to you and reading the discussion from the "other side". I think some of my atheist friends are worried about me because I have a new-found sympathy for Christianity. I've made an effort to start reading the Bible and though I am a very slow reader (I'm currently at Genesis 28, and I started reading a month or so ago, but hey, at least it means I'm doing something useful while sat on the toilet), I'm starting to see how convincing it is. My problem thus far is that it's still all very convenient, and there's so little justification for so many of God's actions that I can't take it's moral structure seriously. Maybe that will change as I read through.
I'm also starting to believe that there's a significant middle ground here. I think previously I wanted to be an evangelist for atheism, but I think that was the effect Dawkins and Harris had on me. Though I still agree with a lot of what they have to say (i.e. I still don't believe that religion should be enforced on children), I'm more happy now to live and let live. Indeed, if atheism is to be successful in spreading then I think that is how it has to be. You said to me that only God can convert me to Christianity - no one else can do it. Well, I now think that only an individidual can convert oneself to atheism - through knowledge and understanding - because in my opinion, in atheism "God" is oneself. I think Zacharias makes a great point when he says
After years in the academy I have learned a trade secret: If you know enough about a subject, you can confuse anybody by selective use of the facts.I believe this is the essence of the problem in the Christianity/atheism discussion. The reason that I did not dismiss you (or Zacharias) as I would many other religious writers is because of your forthright honesty. Dawkins and Harris have proved themselves (in my eyes) to be deceiptful and manipulative. This makes me dislike them as much as the street preacher with the megaphone and lecture of how we're all going to hell.
Your comment about your realisation that you are a bad person has also been resonating in my head lately. This is of course true for all people, religious or not, but something has been nagging away at me about that theory, I'm not sure what it is.
I'm not actually sure what I'm getting at here. I didn't intend to write this much but I'd be interested in your comments nonetheless. I've also been writing a blog: Love, Life and Reason which is more of a sketchpad for my thoughts. I may well post this email there for my own reference. I think this is what day sat on your own in your bedroom does to you...
Anyway, best wishes to you and your family. I do hope all is well.
Guy
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