http://cnn.com/video/?/video/living/2010/03/25/sam.harris.ted2010.cnn

Somehow people who are atheists believe it doesn’t require faith to believe what they do… It’s strange to me that there is this ‘intellectual supremacy’ this people group claim over other beliefs. I mean, it’s not hard to come up with just as much, if not more, evidence about why to believe there is a god versus why there’s not. Do the research yourself.

But maybe it’s all our fault. Maybe what atheist’s need is to experience followers of Christ having more valuable impact on the world than any other people group… Let’s face it; Christianity in western culture is blowing it at large. We are known for things Jesus was never known for, and we’re rarely identified with who and what He actually stood for! Love, mercy, creativity & joy, these aspects of Jesus would rarely be linked to western Christianity. It would be far more likely to be labeled as hypocritical, divisive, gay hating & boring…

The sad thing is this: I can’t argue with them, their perception is basically right… However, I do know that this IS NOT the reality of a small movement of Christ followers in the west today. There are people all over America living passionate lives of faith led by the Spirit of God and making huge impact for the Kingdom & in the world today. I will trade in my discouragement around the “Christian perception” in the west for hope of what is to come. May the western church rise to the occasion, and love the world through the Spirit like we’re called to!