A Christian Response to an Atheist Perspective

I have an athiest friend who pointed out once that part of her reason for not believing in God is because so many bad things happened because of religion. This perspective gives me pause sometimes as I read through the New Testament through Christ's life. She is absolutely right that many religious people have caused a tremendous harm, however, this morning I find myself considering the following:

First, Christ, the son of God, condemns the leaders of religion in his day, namely the Pharisees, Sadducees, and members of the Sanhedrin. He was constantly under attack by them. They were always trying to trick him into saying something they could use against him.

Secondly, I always love how people will paint Christ as this incredibly kind person, who would never do anything remotely harsh. But I often feel that we construe him to be as we wish him to be and overlook the full extend of his character. It is true that he does heal the sick, blind, deaf, and did sacrifice his life for the world. So yes, he is exceptionally kind. But he was not a person without a backbone either. When it came to hypocracy, he was out and out against it. Being called a "viper" isn't exactly a compliment. He was outspokenly harsh and condescending and against hypocrites, most especially the religious leaders of his day.

Matt. 3: 7

7 ¶ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

This comes from Matthew 23

13 ¶ But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
• • •
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and canise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
• • •
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

Lastly, Christ was actually killed by the religious leaders of his day. During his life they were always trying to publicly trick him. They knew or had a pretty good idea that he was the son of God. They had talked to people who had their vision healed, they had seen and witnessed what he was able to do. But they wanted him out of the way and did achieve it.

I was watching a Shakespeare play either this year or last, I cannot remember which one, and the most horrible character in the play at one point dresses up as a priest. While everyone is looking he piously reads his large bible for all to see. But the minute everyone is not looking, he is up to his rotten antics. As I watched the play I thought, this guy is the quintessential example of the people who incorrectly reflect religion.

But as a Christian, my atheist friend's arguments, although I completely see where she is coming from, do not prevent my continued belief in God. I believe that Christ is the Son of God, and he was ironically killed by church leaders in his community despite the fact that they knew he was innocent. Everything about Christ's life was done with great purpose and symbolism. And I do not think that the irony of my athiest friend's point of view was missed by God.