A Word of Caution

Over the years we have been interviewed by hundreds of newspaper reporters and media personalities for television and radio programs. We have also debated secularists in public venues. Each request for an interview or a debate is carefully considered, and it is the exception that we don’t agree to such requests. However, because of the behavior of certain journalists or the mocking nature of a particular TV or radio program, we will sometimes refuse a request, for we believe it only opens the door for God’s name to be mocked and blasphemed.

AiG and other biblical creationists have debated many evolutionists over the years, though debates are becoming rare because evolutionists have had bad experiences in them. (By the way, we have an interesting debate possibility in the pipeline right now. We’ll tell you more when negotiations are finalized.) AiG is interviewed constantly by hostile media as well as friendly media. We are certainly not ones to shy away from probing questions or debate. But we do draw the line (and everyone has to) when we know the sole purpose is to ridicule, to blaspheme, etc.

In relation to this, AiG board chairman Pastor Don Landis has written a powerful article for our website today titled “Response to Persecution.”

He begins the article this way:

Persecution by the world against Christians comes in many forms. But its central core is the rejection of God and the resulting attack on those who follow Christ and claim He is the supreme Lord and the only way to salvation. Persecution has been growing more prevalent in recent years; however, in order to understand the persecution of today, we will first consider the persecution that has taken place in the past.

We have noted within the last several years a serious, growing antagonism and hatred being shown toward Christians—specifically Christian leaders such as Ken Ham. . . . Ken and the staff at Answers in Genesis believe the biblical view that God exists, His Word is true, and He is the Creator of all things. This automatically leads to complete confidence in the authority of Scripture, God’s inerrant Word. Because of this strong stance, Ken and others like him have become lightning rods for those looking to vent their anger and rebellion.

The truth that God’s Word is inerrant and completely authoritative must be denied and destroyed by those who suppress the truth. They must attack it in order to silence the external and internal evidence God has given mankind of Himself. I have proposed that the increased anger we see in atheists’ attacks demonstrates they are doing all they can to silence the voice of God. The angrier their attacks become, the more they are attempting to suppress the truth. Their anger actually becomes evidence of the truth of God and His Word.

The relativist who absolutely claims “everything is relative” destroys his own view by making this claim, since an absolute statement cannot be relative. In the same way the atheist attacks, slanders, maligns, and curses the name of God and all He stands for, all the while confirming God’s existence. How? Because God Himself predicted and described the nature of the rebel and the character of the attack!

So a word of caution! Be careful not to entangle yourself in debate with a person whose heart’s desire is to deny and destroy God. It might be helpful to point out what his behavior evidences and is exactly what we expect in the Christian worldview he so desires to destroy. However, our ultimate purpose in “debating” (speaking with) an atheist must be to share the gospel in love:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. (Romans 1:16)

The gospel is the message we have been sent to spread, and thus when we speak with unbelievers, it should be our goal to present the gospel and explain what Christ did on the Cross and in His Resurrection.

It is important to remember that we must pity these fellow human beings who have not seen the light of Christ, for they cannot stop their behavior or alter it. While unbelievers may not fully express their depravity, as a rule they fail to be civil and demonstrate the character of a God-fearer. They are in the state that we would still be in if it were not for God’s grace (cf. Titus 3:1–7).

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,

Ken