A Skeptic’s Biggest Objection to Christianity
I recently read an article entitled My Biggest Problem with Christianity, by Jakub Ferencik. I subscribe to this author because he is thoughtful, his writing has substance, and because he is a gentleman toward those who disagree with him. I think his arguments are flawed, but they are arguments that can be analyzed and responded to, which is rare to find these days.
Because this is his biggest objection to Christianity, I want to respond to his argument, which he distilled in the following two paragraphs:
Unfortunately, Christians today are not typically marked by their difference from “the World.” Research suggests that the behavior of Christians is no different than that of atheists when it comes to materialism and the poor, domestic violence in marriage, divorce rates, pornography usage, and racism.
So, in a nutshell, that is my problem with Christianity. Orthodox Christians take themselves too seriously, when in reality many Christians behave in precisely the same way as their secular neighbors, despite not talking about Jesus for decades of their life.
I want to note here that this was not presented as the biggest problem with Christians, but as the biggest problem with Christianity. Presumably, this is the strongest argument against the fact claims of the Christian Faith, and I am going to treat it as such.
Essentially, we have an argument that says: According to unnamed studies, many people who identify as Christians behave poorly, therefore there is no God, the fact of the Resurrection is falsified, and the universe came into existence from nothing and ordered itself with the illusion of design and purpose.
I will challenge the studies that Ferencik claims exist by pointing out that studies in the real world show no such thing. Protestant Christians who actively attend Church are far less likely to divorce than those with no religious affiliation. I certainly do not endorse The Gospel Coalition. That said, according to the data presented in the following article, the claim that divorce rates among Christians are just as bad as those in “The World” is simply not true.
What appears intuitive is true. Couples who regularly practice any combination of serious religious behaviors and attitudes — attend church nearly every week, read their bibles and spiritual materials regularly; pray privately and together; generally take their faith seriously, living not as perfect disciples, but serious disciples — enjoy significantly lower divorce rates than mere church members, the general public, and unbelievers.
FactChecker: Divorce Rate Among Christians (thegospelcoalition.org)
As for the objection that Christians behave poorly, or reject reason, I agree, they often do. And sadly, I have failed to live up to the standards of my Faith many, many times. That is why we seek forgiveness because we are not perfect, and Biblical Christianity has never claimed that we are. Quite the opposite, Christianity says that we are sinful creatures who cannot hope to be good enough on our own to stand before a perfect and Holy God.
To say that Christianity is wrong because Christians fail to uphold God’s moral standards is a classic non-sequitur. Donall and Conall explain this to Richard Dawkins in a recent video from Lutheran Satire.
As for the infamous question of what Athens has to do with Jerusalem, Jacob Brunton gave a compelling answer in a debate of the same title. It amazes me, however, that Christians can be so ignorant of the importance of philosophy when the New Testament authors quoted and referenced the classic philosophers so many times!
There are those who dismiss the importance of philosophy out of hand, without even knowing what philosophy is. Indeed, many Christians are so ignorant that they are incapable of understanding that they don’t know anything. This is an unacceptable state within the Church.
To be fair, Ferencik rightly points out that our lives as Christians should be a living witness to the Pagans, however as R.C. Sproul points out, a Christian is not a perfect man; he is a beggar telling other beggars where to find bread. Even if Ferencik’s claims about divorce rates etc, were correct, it would have nothing to do with refuting God’s existence or the historicity of the Resurrection. It would just mean that there are a lot of religious men who are actors (hypocrites) in our time, just as there were in the time of Christ.
Conclusion
The fact that Christians behave poorly or ignorantly is no argument against the historical truth or falsehood of the Bible. The fact of the Resurrection is completely divorced from whether my “Christian” cousin behaves properly or not.
Sadly, many use arguments like Ferencik’s as an excuse to walk away from God and live however they want to live. But God’s moral law, the straight and narrow path, is meant to bring freedom. It is Sin that brings the prison. It is Christ who sets us free.
