WARNING some may find the content in these links disturbing
The Rational Response Squad were recently given airtime on ABC Nightline to discuss their blasphemy challenge.
Their aim in life? To prove that God does not exist.
Brian of the Rational Response Squad used to be a Catholic, then a born again Christian and now he’s a self proclaimed atheist running a weekly internet radio show to ‘cure theism’. The Squad have set out to call atheists to publicly deny God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and people seem to be responding and with ABC’s recent broadcasts and their pages on You Tube, more people will foolishly do the same. In fact, one respondent has dubbed herself Dominique666.
With sites like this and ardent adversaries what is the challenge for women coming into ministry or who are already in ministry? Is there anything the church can do to counter the ads which the Squad has post on websites aimed at young people? To what extent is this indicative of the work we are faced with and how can we use a full ‘toolkit’ (what ever that might be) to counter the impact this kind of thing has on the very people we are dedicating our lives to working with? These are only questions I know, but these are questions which are particularly pertinent in a day and age where young people have so little hope that they will take up a knife or gun and critically wound a fellow classmate without knowing understanding or thinking of the eternal impact and consequences.
On the other hand, is this the sort of thing that we need to be coming together to talk about or is ministry and studying for ministry taking up so much of our time that we don’t’ have the space in our calenders, the energy or the will to deal with the Brian’s and the Kelly’s of this world?
The other questions this recording left me with was, isn’t this proselytising? I don’t know about you, but in this clip, I heard their own atheist liturgy, prayers and there was plenty of evidence of their outreach programme!
Carole Williams
1 comment:
I think that seeing that clip just makes me sad. It doesn't change my job as a woman minister or as a minister full stop. My role is to present Christ. If you want to accept Christ you will and if you don't that is your choice.
As for proving the existence of God that is not my job. Just as it is impossible to prove He doesn't exist its impossible to prove he does. Faith is our key and thats that.
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