How To Read Atheists' Blogs

A noble apologist is driven by an active love of God that seeks deeper knowledge of God. Faith seeking understanding. If you are Christian’s apologist bloggers who wishes to effectively communicate your worldview in a language, beliefs, values, symbols, traditions and practices that are already familiar to atheists, then reading atheists’ blogs could be the key and a treasure mine to help you understand their diverse atheistic worldviews.

As a Christian, who love to learn, think and share reasons for what I believe and why I believe it to be true, reading opposite worldviews and see how they challenge my Christians worldview is an important part of correcting, reforming, changing or abandoning some weak or false perspectives that I hold. It also helps me communicate Christian worldview in a way I can be understood.

Here are 10 stages that will help you enjoy and respectfully engage with atheists bloggers as you read and trying to understand their worldview in their own context, finding the common grounds, challenges, edifying ideas, and provocative positions that will ignite deep thoughts and reflections.

How To Read Atheist’s Blogs: Modified Adler & Doren’s Method

1. Find what the article is about. Find the major subject matter. Define the problem(s) the blogger is trying to solve or setting and try to correctly outline the whole article.
2. Come to terms with the blogger by interpreting his key words, grasping leading propositions in his most important sentences.
3. Know the blogger’s arguments by finding them in, or constructing them out of, sequences of sentences.
4. Do not begin criticism until you have completed reading and rereading the article, correctly interpreting the blogger’s words, understand and outline his argument. “Do not say you agree, disagree, or suspend judgment, until you can say “I understand.”- Mortimer J. Adler
5. Do not disagree disputatiously or contentiously.
6. Demonstrate that you recognize the difference between knowledge and mere personal opinion by presenting good reasons for any critical judgment you make.
7. When criticizing, try to use as few, clear and kind words to show wherein the blogger is uninformed, misinformed, illogical or incomplete.
8. Avoid disagreeing on minor details.
9. “Pick your battles”. Do not comment on the topic you are not familiar with. Study, ponder, and come back when you are familiar with the topic at hand.
10. Be quick to point out your own errors. Quick to admit you were wrong, and quick to correct your mistakes.

Remember, a noble apologist seeks proofs of certain doctrine of her faith not for the sake of attaining to faith by means of reason, as Anslem of Canterbury once said, but that she may be delighted by understanding and meditating on those things which she believes and always ready to convince any one who demands of her a reason of that hope which is in her.

Go be a noble apologist who walks in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. May your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person with love, gentleness and compassion for the glory of our risen God. (Col. 4:5-6, 1 Peter 3:15)

Recommended Reading: How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Lincoln Van Doren