From: nestabro@nova.gmi.edu (Noel Estabrook)
Subject: Re: What do you do when your child thinks Metallica is cool?
Organization: GMI Engineering&Management Institute, Flint, MI
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 17:34:45 GMT

ajw@cbnews.cb.att.com (andrew.j.whitman) writes:

>In article <nestabro.721874832@nova> nestabro@nova.gmi.edu (Noel Estabrook) writes:
>Believe me, Noel, before I was a Christian I had *plenty* of conversations 
>with people who quoted Scriptures to me, and they wre *not* pleasant
>occasions for either the quoters or for me.  A typical conversation
>went something like this:
>Me:  I don't believe in God.
>Quoter:  The Psalms say that those who don't believe in God are fools.
>Me:  Get the #@*&&# out of my dorm room.

I definitely wouldn't agree with that approach, either.  Scripture can be
used much more powerfully than simply telling someone they are a fool.

>During this time I was reading a bunch of Existentialist philosophy,
>specifically Jean Paul Sartre's novels and plays and Albert Camus' novels.
>And it wasn't until I encountered a Christian in my dorm who had 
>*read* this stuff and who actually knew what it was saying that 
>I had even a smidgen of respect for Christianity and Christians.  
>There followed a year of intense discussions and arguments at 3:00 a.m. 
>in dorm rooms.  Christians argued with me, point for point.  And

In those arguments, did they primarily use Scripture to invalidate
Neitschke's arguments?  (just curious).

>they dragged me reluctantly to campus fellowship meetings, where
>I would call out "Touchdown!" whenever people raised their hands to
>worship the Lord.  
What an incorrigible :-))

>Maybe I was a particularly obstinate and obnoxious case (I can believe
>that).  And looking back on it, I can clearly see the hand of God
>working in the situation.  But I also see a bunch of Christians who
>were willing to spend *enormous* amounts of their time and energy in
>meeting me where I was at.  

Do you think this can't be done with just primarily a knowledge of 
Scripture?  I have shared with lots of people without being experts in
their world-views and have still been effective.  What do you think?

>You seem to feel that Christianity and Philosophy are polar opposites.

No, not really.  In fact, in the truest sense, Christianity IS a 
philosophy.  It's just that any philosophy besides Christianity is 
inconsistent.

>You asked in an earlier post what possible value could be found in
>studying someone like Friedrich Nietzsche, a philosopher who rejected
>God and attacked Christianity.  Probably not much.  About the only
>thing I can think of is that it might help you understand who I
>was twenty years ago, and how you might lead me to Christ.  Is that
>kind of study worth your time and effort?  I don't know.  I can't

I guess my only point is is that I think I can probably have a pretty good
idea of where you were without studying that stuff.  Scripture lays out the
condition of all men without Christ.  I see your point, I'm just not sure I
wholly agree with it.

BTW, thank you for a very good response.  Even though this is a tough
subject, you've managed to handle it without sending it down a rathole.
--
Noel Estabrook			|	Your religion is what you
nestabro@nova.gmi.edu         --|--     do after the sermon is over.
Instructional Design & Tech.    |     
Michigan State University       |               Romans 12:2