Mosab Yousef’s book, Son of Hamas, is destined to create controversy.

Mosab is the son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, an Imam, founder and leader of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.  After being captured by Israeli forces, he became convinced that Islam is not true. In his book, he criticizes the Qur’an. For taking this position, and also admitting to have collaborated with Israeli intelligence agencies, Mosab’s life is now in danger, and his father has disowned him.

Although he criticizes Islam in his book, he notes in his interview with GQ magazine that “I point to the book, to the god. I am not pointing to the people.” He still cares for his people in Palestine, he says, and so he tries to point away from the individual towards the ideology.

Mosab explains one of the reasons he chose to embrace the Christian faith:

“In Christianity, it’s very clear that the god we worship is equal to love. The bible says, ‘God is love’. The god we worship was sacrificed, crucified on the cross, tortured, spit on, and was still forgiving. This is our highest example.”

It may not be coincidence that Mosab’s book was released around Easter time, the holiday when that God that he talks about was crucified.

Do you have Muslim friends? How do you relate to them with the gospel message without being offensive? As one Christian speaker put it, “The Gospel is offensive enough, don’t add any more offense to it; but we dare not remove the offense that is inherent to the Gospel.” (Gregory Koukl) Do you see what Mosab is doing as being a helpful and valuable witness, or ultimately harmful and not productive?

Mosab Yousef’s book, Son of Hamas, is destined to create controversy.

Mosab is the son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, an Imam, founder and leader of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. After being captured by Israeli forces, Mosab became convinced that Islam is not true. In his book he criticizes the Qur’an. For taking this position and also admitting to have collaborated with Israeli intelligence agencies, Mosab’s life is now in danger and his father has disowned him.

Although he criticizes Islam in his book, he notes in his interview with GQ magazine that “I point to the book, to the god. I am not pointing to the people.” He still cares for his people in Palestine, he says, and so he tries to point away from the individual towards the ideology.

Mosab explains one of the reasons he chose to embrace the Christian faith:

“In Christianity, it’s very clear that the god we worship is equal to love. The bible says, ‘God is love’. The god we worship was sacrificed, crucified on the cross, tortured, spit on, and was still forgiving. This is our highest example.”

It may not be coincidence that Mosab’s book was released around Easter time, the holiday when that God that he talks about was crucified.

Related: I Hated the Christian Life – Although raised as a Christian in a mostly Muslim country, this woman (who asked not to be named) grew to hate the Christian way of life

Throughout history, people have used Christianity as an excuse to persecute others. Were these people actually following what the Bible said, or were they misinterpreting it?

watch video by Michael Horner
Much error has taken place in the name of Christianity. However, who knows if the people doing these things were actually Christians? In any case, yes, the Bible has been taken out of context, misinterpreted, and often not followed at all.

Slavery is talked about in the Bible, but nowhere does it mention that slaves should be treated as anything but equal human beings. “Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven” (Colossians 4:1). “…Knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him” (Ephesians 6:9). And just because slavery is talked about in the Bible doesn’t mean it was “biblical” to bring people from Africa to America against their wishes and under inhumane circumstances. Remember, God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. If God were for something, why would He deliver people from it?

There are laws in the Old Testament for Israel forbidding witchcraft (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). However, nowhere does it say that Christians are to burn people who engage in witchcraft.

The organized Christian church confiscated land and killed Muslims during the Crusades. But nowhere does the Bible say that Christians are to take Jerusalem by force or murder people in the process. In fact, Jesus said that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). True members of the church are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20) and are looking to the heavenly Jerusalem, not the earthly one (Hebrews 11:10). And Christians are to fight only with the sword of the Spirit — which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17).

There is a future for national Israel, but God will accomplish that through the Jews, not through Christians. In fact, He’s already begun the process (1948 – Israel; 1967 – Jerusalem). Plus, it would be wrong for Christians to confiscate the earthly Jerusalem anyway, since it has been promised by God to be the city for the Jews.

The Inquisition, also, certainly was not biblically mandated. In fact, many real Christians were called heretics because they believed in the supremacy of Scripture over the traditions of man and/or refused to vow allegiance to Rome or become Roman Catholic. As a result, these Christians were burned at the stake, tortured, etc. during the Inquisition. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that one denomination is supreme over another, and certainly there’s no mandate for Christians to kill other Christians.

Closely linked to the Inquisition was the expulsion of Jews from Spain. This happened about the same time that America was discovered by Columbus (1492). The same royalty that commissioned Columbus, along with the church in Spain, kicked Jews out of the country unless they surrendered to becoming Catholics (by reciting a creed and being sprinkled with water). But nowhere does God give Christians the charge to do such a thing. In fact, the Bible says that Gentile Christians are to live closely to non-believing Jews and love them — so that they will become jealous over Gentiles receiving the benefits of knowing their Messiah (Romans 11:11).

Having said all this, it should be pointed out that many people have used “religion” as an excuse to do horrible things to other people, not just “Christians.”

Also — and this is even more important to realize — the test for Christianity is not Christians, but Christ. The whole point of true, biblical Christianity is that all of us are screwed up, whether we’re Christians or not. That’s why we need Jesus. So ultimately it comes down to who Jesus Christ is, not what His screwed-up followers have done (if they really were His followers).

The real question is one Jesus asked His disciple Peter, “But who do you say that I am?” (Luke 9:20)

Used with permission © 2001 EveryStudent.com.

Please open your Bible and read Ephesians 4:11-16.

Our Christian beliefs form a mental grid through which we determine the validity and usefulness of what we hear. We know that a filter with large holes isn’t very successful at keeping out impurities and unwanted material. The same is true of our mental filter – it must be tightly woven with scriptural truth in order to separate out ungodly values, unbiblical opinions, and erroneous thinking.

Knowing what we believe prevents us from being misled by error and false doctrine. Remember how the Adversary has made our minds his battlefield? He wants to create holes in the helmet of “biblical thinking” that protects us. If we allow our mental grid system to include worldly thinking as well as scriptural truth, then there will be weak spots or openings the Enemy can penetrate with his deception. Satan fooled Adam and Eve by disguising his lies with partial truths. (Genesis 3:1-7) He tries to deceive us in this way too. The more we understand God’s character and plan, the quicker we will recognize error, no matter how it is camouflaged.

Our beliefs also protect us from fear and intimidation. By being well grounded in the Scriptures, we can stand firm when our convictions are aggressively challenged. But without a protective covering of faith, we could find ourselves fearful about discussing our beliefs and intimidated into silence when “hard” questions are asked.

It is essential that we know what we believe and that our faith is based on God’s truth alone.

Question: How well protected is your mind?

About this Author: Charles Stanley

“Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3

Maybe you’ve gone through the acts of religion and faith and yet found yourself more often than not at a dry well.  Prayers seem empty.  Goals seem unthinkable.  Christianity becomes a warped record full of highs and lows and off-key notes.

Is this all there is?  Sunday attendance.  Pretty songs.  Faithful tithings.  Golden crosses.  Three-piece suits.  Big choirs.  Leather Bibles.  It is nice and all, but…where is the heart of it?…

Think about these words from Paul in 1 Corinthians, chapter 15.  “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures”

There it is.  Almost too simple.  Jesus was killed, buried, and resurrected.  Surprised?  The part that matters is the cross.  No more and no less.

Question: How does this simple message (which is really the most profound we’ll ever hear) affect our daily lives?

About this Author: Max Lucado

“Contrary to popular belief, there is no hope.”

What gloomy thoughts. The first came from the classified section of a college newspaper, the second from an anonymous inscription on a classroom blackboard. Both exhibit what psychologists call “existential anxiety”—frustration with a meaningless existence.

I was plagued by similar anxiety as a college freshman until some friends exposed me to the claims of Jesus Christ as found in the Bible. After accepting Him as Savior and Lord, I found that He freed me from slavery to anxiety. As a psychology major, I was fascinated, first to observe that many serious psychological disorders stem from smaller problems, and in turn to watch Jesus deal with these problems in my life.

Let’s consider two definitions and then examine four main causes of anxiety.

“Anxiety” represents a state of emotional turmoil characterized by fearfulness and apprehension.{1} It is not external stress, but an internal reaction to strenuous circumstances.{2} A “Christian” is an individual who has recognized his lack of fellowship with God and placed his complete trust in Jesus Christ as the only means of restoring that relationship.

Four causes of anxiety are guilt, fear, lack of interpersonal involvement and lack of meaning in life.

Guilt

Failure to achieve standards (internally or externally imposed) often results in guilt feelings. Often psychologists attribute these feelings to problems in the past or to following legalistic moral codes. Many persons do have these problems, but a more plausible explanation for guilt feelings is that a person has them because he is guilty. If this is true, then therapy for a person experiencing guilt feelings would include admitting his guilt. This, however, can be rather difficult.

O. H. Mowrer, a psychologist at the University of Illinois, points out the dilemma:

Here, too, we encounter difficulty, because human beings do not change radically until first they acknowledge their sins, but it is hard for one to make such an acknowledgement unless he has “already changed.” In other words, the full realization of deep worthlessness is a severe ego “insult,” and one must have a new source of strength to endure it.{3}

Jesus provides the strength needed to endure it. We must come to Him, admitting our sin and worthlessness, but the moment we accept Him as Savior, God forgives all our sins— past, present and future. The Bible says that “He (Jesus) personally carried the load of our sins in His own body when He died on the cross . . . “{4}and “. . . paid the ransom to forgive our sins and set us free….{5} Each year we spend thousands of dollars in the hope that psychology and psychiatrists will solve our guilt problems. Yet the complete forgiveness—freedom from guilt— Jesus offers is free of charge.

Fear

Let’s consider two types of fear: of death and of circumstances. Fear of death is perhaps man’s greatest fear. When I was a sophomore in college, the student rooming next to me was struck by lightning and killed. His death shocked the men in my house, and they began to consider seriously the implications of death. Anxiety struck.

The person who accepts Christ as his Savior has no problem with death. The moment he receives Christ, his eternal relationship with God begins. The apostle John writes to Christians, “. . . God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life. . .{6} For the Christian, death loses its terror.

Fear of circumstances can also produce anxiety. Daily anxieties common to all of us include fear of inadequate finances, of social inadequacy, and fear for our personal safety and health.

All of these fears tend to occupy our minds and to keep us from enjoying the privilege of being alive. Enough worry and we soon find ourselves merely existing. But can we really be secure?

Financial security is tenuous, injury and danger are as near as the car whizzing by on the highway, and we can never be certain that everyone likes the way we act.

One summer I drove from Washington, D. C., to California with four girls. After that experience, I know the meaning of fear. Facing this responsibility, I became somewhat apprehensive. What would I do if a car broke down or one of the girls got sick? What if we had an accident? Also, the girls expected me to make all the decisions for the group.

At times, I became fearful, until I remembered what Jesus told His disciples: “Men, don’t worry about what you are going to eat or drink or wear. Your Father in heaven loves you and knows what you need. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”{7} And it works.

Lack of Involvement

William Glasser, a medical doctor, writes in his book, Reality Therapy, that every man experiences two basic needs—the need to feel a sense of worth to himself and to others, and the need to love and to be loved. He says that the best way to satisfy these needs is to develop a close friendship with another person who will accept him as he is, but who will also honestly tell him when he acts irresponsibly.

Interpersonal relationships are important, but people are only human and do let us down and err in judgment. Wouldn’t the ultimate therapy be to become involved with our creator? He is faithful and righteous,{8} never lets us down, and always has the best advice. Because He loves us, the Christian experiences freedom to love others.{9} We are worth much to Him: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”{10} A person forgiven values himself, because he is “a new creature.”{11} He is secure in Christ. The apostle Paul writes: “I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.{12}

Lack of Meaning

Another doctor conducted studies of 31,000 Allied soldiers who were imprisoned in Japan and Korea during the 1940’s. He found that, although sufficient food was offered to them, more than 8,000 died.{13} He diagnosed the cause of many deaths as “despair.”

Contrast this situation to that of thousands of Christians who have spent years in prison for their faith in Christ, only to be released to continue sharing God’s love, especially to those who persecuted them.

The Savior’s love sustains them and motivates them as “ambassadors for Christ.”{14} What greater purpose could there be than serving as an ambassador for the King of kings?

A Common Question

Frequently it is suggested that Christianity could be merely a psychological “trick” or gimmick. After all, the reasoning goes, if someone thinks that the Bible is God’s Word, couldn’t he convince himself that what it says sounds true, and that through following the Bible he has found a groovy lifestyle?

After doing some research, I must conclude that Christianity could not be an illusion. There are three reasons for this.

The first concerns the object of the Christian’s faith—Jesus Christ. The evidence for His deity, His resurrection, the prophecies He fulfilled and the lives He has changed present an overwhelming case for the validity of His claims. Because the object of my faith is valid, I believe faith in that object to be valid as well.

The second reason has to do with the nature of human personality, which is composed of intellect, emotion and will. Psychologists feel that our will does not have complete control over our emotions.{15} Nor does it seem likely that our intellect can completely control them. Yet some like those who have been imprisoned find it possible to love those who tortured them. Such behavior seems impossible, apart from supernatural intervention.

The third reason concerns the book that presents Christ’s answers to our problems—psychological and otherwise. The Bible, although written over a period of 1,500 years, in three languages and by 40 different authors (most of whom never met), has proved itself to be thematically coherent, internally consistent and historically accurate. Completed more than 1,800 years ago, it contains the cure for the psychological problems experienced by countless thousands of people today. The Bible is a supernatural book!

As a college student, I was curious to see what a professional psychologist would think of these views. Having written a term paper for my abnormal psychology course investigating how Jesus treats anxiety (this article contains some thoughts from that research), I sent a copy of my paper to the author of our textbook.

In his reply, he expressed an interest in the content. Several months later, I visited him personally, and he told me that he would like to have a personal relationship with Christ. After I shared with him the claims of Christ as contained in the “Four Spiritual Laws” (see page 38), he prayed inviting Jesus Christ to come into his life. The latest edition of his text includes a short statement about the fact that many people today are finding psychological help through Christ.

Men everywhere are searching for freedom from fear and guilt. They need to know that God loves them. If you have never asked Christ to be your personal Lord and Savior, I encourage you to do so today. If you have, tell others how they can know Him.

He frees us to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”{16}

Copyright © 1972 Rusty Wright. This article appeared in Collegiate Challenge, Vol. 12, No. 1, Spring 1973. Used with permission of author.

No one doubts anymore that Jesus actually existed. Most people also believe that he was a great moral teacher. Religious and political leaders throughout the world, including many of the great opponents of Christianity, hail the moral superiority of his life.

The New Testament documents record the radical servant-like attitude which lent power and credibility to Jesus’ teachings. He expressed compassion and humility, as well as anger against evil and hypocrisy. Jesus combined a realistic understanding of human nature with an idealism for what human beings could become. His words have tested and challenged the minds and hearts of millions.

Of course, this is not the whole story. When we begin to consider Jesus’ claims about his identity, the controversy begins. This is where people have problems. This is where the label “moral teacher” is put to the test. It begins to seem inadequate, if not naïve.
A thirty year old peasant carpenter turned itinerant teacher, Jesus laid claim to be more than a mere man. He operated on the assumption that he was God himself.

How do we know this? From his explicit statements and the way he lived. He claimed equality with God. He said he had lived before the Jewish Patriarch Abraham. He assumed the right to forgive sins. He accepted worship. There seems to be no escaping it.

Jesus of Nazareth could not be simply a harmless moral teacher. He steps out too far from the crowd of moral teachers and philosophers. We call him a liar. We might even discuss his mental imbalance. But the tag of “only a great moral teacher” doesn’t stick.

It was never an option in his own day. Some of his contemporaries thought him mad, others loved him. He was regarded with disdain and sometimes even hatred, or alternately with amazement and adoration. But he never received mild approval.

Neither is it an option for today. We have to shut him up or hear him out. What are we to make of this man? What of his moral integrity? His fulfillment of prophecies? His prediction of his own death and resurrection? What are we to make of his claims to be the one and only God-man of history? What are we to do with this great moral teacher who makes such impossible claims?

Myth # 2: Christianity stifles personal freedom.

Christians are often accused of having a negative religion. Many people think that Christians are boxed in by an extensive list of “do’s” and “don’ts.” They seem to be opposed to life and freedom. Both their personality and behavior are constricted. Theirs is an uptight and boring religion.  But this does not characterize the biblical perspective on Christian life and values.

The Christian ethic is distinctive on both personal and social levels.  The basic Christian conviction on values is that God’s norms result in freedom. We are not forced into a straitjacket. Rather, God’s standards act as a skeletal structure which gives life form and meaning.

The Christian ethic is structured, but it is also deeply personal. It is based on, and motivated by, a personal relationship with God himself. It is not arbitrary, chaotic, or irresponsible. It is discovered in living richly within the parameters God has set out. Here we find our identity and fulfillment. Christians don’t have to fit into a mold; they are not meant to be clones. Instead, the guidelines God has given unleash creativity. Christians are motivated to express themselves in fresh ways, thereby bringing life and vitality to others.

God’s norms also orient us towards our neighbor. They move us in the direction of a positive, constructive, and caring lifestyle. At the same time, they move us away from a selfish, bigoted, and destructive one. These norms, based on the character of a perfect God, provide a foundation upon which we can build our lives, discern right from wrong, and they provide an reference point to resolve relational conflicts. The Christian ought to be oriented to making an unselfish contribution to humanity. Thus, the Christian ethic has form and freedom to prevent the extremes of irresponsibility and legalism.

Moreover, Christian norms go beyond individual relationships. Christians are mandated to be concerned about social justice, the poor, the environment, and the sanctity of life. While they do not have ready-made answers, Christians at least have a firm starting point and a framework within which to work and think. They are challenged with God’s perspective on life and are called to love God and all humanity with all they are and have.

Far from stifling freedom, Christian values are challenging and liberating. They provide what is, in fact, a very strong affirmation of life.

Myth # 3: Christianity is just a crutch for the weak and helpless.

Some people see Christianity as a hospital religion, irrelevant to the healthy majority of society. They consider it something of an out-patient’s clinic or a periodic religious fix for those who can’t cope with real life. It’s a crutch for the weak.

Perhaps we have grown accustomed to crutches. We see around us a desperate search for emotional and economic security or a mad quest for intimacy and pleasure, attained only at the expense of a resultant substance abuse, religious faddism, crime, workaholism, sexual promiscuity, and regular visits to the psychiatrist. But not all props are so obvious. Many people rely on a good job, or a romantic relationship for security. Others turn to social activism or the power of positive thinking. In ways such as these, people try to meet their basic needs for meaning and fulfillment, or to neutralize the ineffectualness of their lives.

Some see Christianity as just another way to prop up a broken life. But the healing Jesus provides goes beyond superficial treatment. Christianity is a restorative religion. It is not a crutch at all. Its aim is healing, renewal and wholeness, not simply the ability to cope.

The Christian faith challenges its adherents with a whole fresh approach to life. Character is improved; relationships develop depth; community flourishes; self-understanding increases. Nothing less than a vibrant relationship with the living God is offered through Jesus Christ. But this does not mean that Christians are perfect. Far from it. They know they are needy people. In fact, the recognition of brokenness is the first step to genuine healing.

But most of us don’t even see our injuries. Or we won’t admit them. But unless we face the reality of our wounds, we are condemned to hobble painfully through life. Our makeshift crutches don’t really help. We desperately need radical healing. And that is what Christ offers.

Is Christianity really a crutch for the weak and helpless? It can be intimidating to face the possibility that the living God has an absolute claim on one’s life. And it challenges our delusions to think that we cannot be healed without him. But we must honestly confront that option. The issue cannot be simply our own comfort or security. It is precisely when we shed our concern for our comfort that we begin to see ourselves for who we really are.

Read the next page 1.2.3.

“Free Flight: Rio de Janeiro to Miami, Florida.”

I wasn’t the only person to hear about the offer but one of the few to phone and request details. The courier service offered an airline ticket to anyone willing to carry a bag of mail to the States.

No company makes such offers anymore. But this was 1985- years before intense airport security. My dad was dying of ALS, and airline tickets were expensive. Free tickets? The offer sounded too good to be true.

So I walked away from it.

Many do the same with John 3:16. Millions read the verse. Only a handful trust it. Wary of a catch perhaps? Not needy enough maybe? Cautioned by guarded friends?

I was. Other Rio residents saw the same offer. Some read it and smelled a rat. “Don’t risk it,” one warned me. “Better to buy your own ticket.”

But I couldn’t afford one. Each call home to Mom brought worse news. “The doctor says it’s time to call hospice.”

So I revisited the flyer. Desperation heightened my interest. Doesn’t it always?

When desperation typhoons into your world, God’s offer of a free flight home demands a second look. John 3:16 morphs from a nice verse into a life vest.

Some of you are wearing it. You can recount the day you put it on. These words have kept you company through multiple windswept winters. I pray they warm you through the ones that remain.

Others of you are still studying the flyer. Still pondering the possibility, wrestling with the promise. One day wondering what kind of fool offer this is, the next wondering what kind of fool would turn it down.

I urge you not to. Don’t walk away from this one. Who else can get you home? Take Jesus’ offer. Get on board. You don’t want to miss the chance to see your Father.

Thanks to the courier folks, I was present at my father’s death. Thanks to God, he’ll be present at yours. He cares too much not to be.

Believe in him and you
will . . .
not . . .
perish.

You will have life, eternal life, forever.

From 3:16, The Numbers of Hope
Copyright (W Publishing Group, 2007) Max Lucado
Used by permission

Question: What do you think causes a lot of people to reject God’s gracious offer of salvation?

About this Author: Max Lucado

Please open your Bible and read Isaiah 1:10-20.

How do people know that you are a Christian? Is it because they know that you go to church on Sunday, go to Bible studies, and go on retreats? Is it because you spend most of your time with other believers and avoid tempting environments? Is it because you don’t drink, smoke, or wear immodest clothing?

As Christians, sometimes we are so concerned with pleasing God and appearing holy that we forget God loved us first, in our brokenness. God loves us deeply as we are and desires for us to love Him in gratitude. God wants us to share this love with others.

In Isaiah chapter 1 we see the Israelites doing all of the sacrifices that their religion requires, without a repentant and open heart. They are mindlessly following a cultural tradition. They have forgotten God loved them first and are instead completely concerned with what they thought an obedient follower of God should be doing.

God responds to the Israelites’ “sacrifices” with hate and refuses to look and listen to them (Isaiah 1:14-16.)

God does not ask us to become Christians of our own accord. He offers a flowing, ceaseless river of life that can cleanse us of our worldly habits and teach us how to live in Christ (Isaiah 1:18.) This can only happen when we admit our dependence on God and his Holy Spirit.

God begs us to let Him wash us clean of our faithlessness and, “Learn to do good, seek justice, help the oppressed, defend the orphan, and fight for the rights of widows.” (Isaiah 1:17, NLT)

May the living water of our faith attract thirsty souls to the cleansing water of Jesus Christ. Pray that those with a thirst for God see our actions not as cultural tradition but as true life.

Question: What are some of the misconceptions about Christianity that hinder people from accepting its life-giving power?

About this Author: Whitney Thompson

The headline in The Times of London grabs your attention:

“As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God”

The tagline is even more pointed: “Missionaries, not aid money, are the solution to Africa’s biggest problem – the crushing passivity of the people’s mindset.”

What kind of atheist is this? Matthew Parris, Times writer, award-winning author, and former Member of Parliament, is not your typical atheist.

Recent projects promoting atheism or agnosticism include bestselling books: Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion, Sam Harris’ The End of Faith, and Christopher Hitchens’ God Is Not Great. Bill Maher’s film Religulous calls “anti-religionists” to unite against religion’s dangers and “enshrine … rationality.”

In Illinois and Washington state capitols, the Freedom From Religion Foundation countered government-sanctioned Christmas nativity displays with signs declaring religion false, heart-hardening and mind-enslaving.

It is unusual for an atheist to write favorably about faith. What led Parris to his surprising conclusion?

Parris grew up in Africa, and returned recently to cover a nongovernmental development organization for The Times. The NGO, Pump Aid, helps provide clean water to rural communities. The organization is secular, but several of its “most impressive” African representatives are devoted followers of Jesus. Their character evoked memories for Parris:

“Travelling in Malawi refreshed [a] belief … I’ve been trying to banish all my life, but an observation I’ve been unable to avoid since my African childhood. It confounds my ideological beliefs, stubbornly refuses to fit my world view, and has embarrassed my growing belief that there is no God.”

“Now a confirmed atheist, I’ve become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes people’s hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good.”

Interestingly, Parris’ carefully considered conclusion, based on empirical observations across Africa, resonates with biblical statements: Jesus told a first-century leader, “You must be born again … of the Spirit.” Paul, an early skeptic-turned-believer, affirmed “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

Parris emphasizes Christianity’s impact on the individual, beyond the good works it spawns. Living in Africa, he observed “the Christians were always different.” Their faith seemed to have “liberated and relaxed them.” They exhibited a liveliness, curiosity, engagement and directness that seemed absent in traditional African life. The Christian Pump Aid workers he met stood out for their honesty, diligence and optimism.

Parris bemoans tribalism for fostering an attitude of fear and “exaggerated respect for a swaggering leader.” He credits Christianity’s emphasis on a direct, personal relationship with God for encouraging an individuality that can help “cast off a crushing tribal groupthink. That is why and how it liberates.”

Whoa! Christianity engenders individuality and frees the mind? Is this the same Christianity that some criticize for breeding a herd mentality among undiscerning followers—something like “a crushing groupthink”?

Actually, it isn’t. Parris specifies Christianity based on a personal relationship with God. He observes that such Christianity “smashes … through” the traditional collective mindset. No surprise. Jesus overturned Temple tables and blasted religious leaders for supplanting God’s ways with their own. Criticisms of Christianity/religion as mind-enslaving and heart-hardening likely respond to devotees—and there are many—tainted by misguided thinking or misplaced devotion, not led by the biblical God.

Though atheists and Christians might debate the mechanism, atheist Parris finds the fact undeniable: when God is personal, Christianity changes African hearts, lives and communities for the better.

Related reading:
Questions about God – Philosopher Michael Horner explores some of the most commonly asked questions in this 7-part series
The Uniqueness of Jesus – What’s so special or great about him anyways?
Contact us – Have questions about life? Struggling with circumstances? People are here to listen.

Rusty Wright is an author and lecturer who has spoken on six continents. He holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Theology degrees from Duke and Oxford universities, respectively. His work is distributed through Rusty Wright Communications.

Meg Korpi is senior research scientist with the Character Research Institute. She holds a PhD from Stanford University, and has lived on four continents—including Africa.