What to Do When Your Faith is Challenged and Criticized

A few weeks ago I made a big mistake. Well ok, that’s a daily occurrence but let’s just focus on this one.

Photo Credit: Stefan Lins

I have a Facebook friend whom I would term a militant atheist. Other frankly other than that we actually do like each other.

But he often posts quotes attacking faith in God. Most I just pass off as his rant. But a few months ago he posted a particularly obnoxious one which was also illogical and based on a false premise.

So courteously, yes really, I called him on it.

Big mistake. He went ballistic. Then some of his groupies jumped in and in true elementary school fashion began calling me names.

I commented back that when my kids debated and I judged when one side started calling the other side names you knew they had just lost because they ran out of logical arguments.

And yes you can imagine how that went over.

I finally just turned off his feed. I’m not sure how long the comments continued.

But I also realized it was never about discussing to seek out the truth it was only about enforcing his version of the world.

Sometimes I’ve found when my faith is challenged like that it can also cause me to question it.

And no frankly in this situation that really didn’t happen.

Even Jesus faced this. He encouraged people and worked miracles. Yet, he was constantly challenged and criticized.

He summed it up when he said, “John the Baptizer came and lived as a hermit. He fasted and didn’t drink wine. And you said, ‘He’s nuts.’

“Then I went to parties and drank wine. And you said, “He’s a drunken glutton and hangs out with the wrong crowd.’
“But God’s wisdom is shown by the results.”*

Here’s the reality, I can’t prove beyond all doubt that God exists. Wait a minute, hang in there with me.

But atheists can’t prove beyond all doubt that God doesn’t exist. And no science doesn’t either even though some say it does.

So it all comes down to what we choose to believe?

God does or doesn’t exist. Jesus was or wasn’t the true Son of God.

Then from that starting point both positions can be developed logically or sometimes illogically. And no, atheists don’t get off on this either. I have talked to enough who had screwy logic just as some Christians do.

So we each make a choice of what we’ll believe. But the proof is in the results.

And yes I I’ve met some really together atheists and some really wacko Christians.

But I can also tell you that I’ve seen my life radically transformed by God. I literally went from darkness into light.

And I’ve also seen so many other examples of that as well that I simply cannot believe any different. The proof is in the results that I can’t explain any other way.

Your faith will be challenged and criticized at times but through that it also can be strengthened.

How do you deal with this?

Please let me know on Facebook, Twitter or email me.

*Matthew 11: 16 – 19