Today is the day when Christians believe Jesus was crucified by the Romans at the behest of the Jewish authorities for blasphemy.
To my Christian readers, how do you discuss this particular Christian issue with non-Christians?
Non-believing readers, what could compel you to concede that Jesus’ resurrection is even a plausible ecplanation (or at least not impossible) for the genesis of the Christian faith? Do you doubt Jesus’ existence altogether?
Sifting Reality 
In all honesty, it just doesn’t come up for me when talking to the non-Christians I know.
Kunoichi
It wouldnt come up for me except I make it. Mostly because I like to debate and the confrontation.
http://throughthesewoods.blogspot.com/2014/04/on-this-black-friday-when-we-remember.html
Something like that.
~Dan
Wow. Leave it to Dan to take something of God and make it something of the world. Peter tried to rebuked Jesus’ announcement that he would have to suffer and die. “No way!” said Peter. But Jesus turned and rebuked Peter for having his mind on the things of the world rather than the things of God.
I haven’t had the opportunity to speak with non-believers specifically about the events of Good Friday, except peripherally. By that I refer to historical facts surrounding the event on which even non-believing historians/theologians agree, and with them point to the Christian description as having the most credibility. That means introducing what are known by some as the “minimal facts” about the Christian claims. I then hope to encourage them to think on those facts, how only Christianity explains and ties them together and what they must then mean for them.
Marshall…
Leave it to Dan to take something of God and make it something of the world.
? John asked how we shared. I answered. Must every comment you make be a negative one?
And how is standing against oppression and injustice NOT something of God?
Perhaps we run across different sorts of non-theists, Marshall, but the ones I meet and know care about peace and justice issues and responses like this you just offered are a real turn off to them. “I like Jesus and his message,” they’ll say, “it’s his followers that are hard to like…”
~Dan
As my church is in the process of trying to leave a denomination that continues to drift from it’s doctrinal base. I’m much more aware of the fact that we’ve got “christian pastors” who are preaching that God doesn’t exist, that Jesus was just some guy who ticked off the powers that were, and the the whole thing is just one big made up story.
Just a few examples pf what passes for a Palm Sunday sermon on the world of Progressive Christian world.
“Even though the passion narratives, the stories about his arrest, trial, and execution, take up a third or more of the material in each of the four gospels, they are creative narratives, that is, not history in our modern understanding of history. They were early attempts to make meaning out of his life and in particular his death.”
?I will ask an impertinent question: Why is his (While speaking of Jesus, note the failure to capitalize the pronoun) death more meaningful than anyone else’s? And another impertinent question follows: Why is his death more meaningful than his life? ”
“The answer, the obvious answer to my questions is that Jesus is God’s revelation or to put it more bluntly, Jesus is God. I tend to find that answer less than satisfactory. ”
“Jesus was nobody. He wasn’t interesting. Just another poor soul bloodied by the machine.”
“My Jesus does not have universal consciousness. He does not think God’s thoughts. He does not reside in heaven, nor is he embraced in light. He didn’t rise from the dead, but I do think many of his teachings survived him and thus inspire me.”
“Despite the gospels’ narratives of a trial before Pilate and so forth, it is doubtful that even happened. He was likely strung up on Rome’s torture device along with thousands of others without a second thought. ”
“If I am to look at Jesus, to care about Jesus, I am forced to realize that it isn’t about him at all. The meaning of Jesus is not about Jesus.”
“? John asked how we shared. I answered. Must every comment you make be a negative one?”
“Negative” Dan? Hardly. But it seems you can’t help, after spending all year long pontificating about our obligations to “the least of these”, to use the day used to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ for something other than commemorating the death of Jesus Christ. The day, at the very least, Dan, means something significantly more than worldly things. Indeed, your “pontifications” are allegedly based on the teachings of Jesus, teachings we likely wouldn’t have if not for His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection. His death has a significance that is eternal, and without which, you’d be just another Gentile without hope. At some point, Dan, at least a passing mention of the purpose of His death might be appropriate, and if not on the day set aside to remember that death, when? But then, you “anabaptists” can’t be bothered with the single most important reason for the existence of Christ on earth, can you?
I don’t believe, so that’s one thing.
That I see this as just religious folklore makes sense.
But I do not understand those who call themselves Christian and claim that the narrative is just a story — not history in our modern understanding of history. [That] they were early attempts to make meaning out of his life and in particular his death.”
Whether Theist or Atheist, I do expect consistency.
I have much more respect for Christians who take the gospels as word of God.
Me too vince. If the bible is just fictional myth designed to teach something spiritual, then you dont need to believe any of it so long as you understand the point and then apply the point to yourself.
Paul said that if Jesus didnt actually rise, then theres no point in believing any of it.
Marshall…
Dan, at least a passing mention of the purpose of His death might be appropriate, and if not on the day set aside to remember that death, when?
Marshall, Jesus taught us that whatever we do for the least of these – the oppressed, the poor, the down and out, the marginalized – we do FOR HIM, TO HIM. Given that, when I stand up for the oppressed and against oppression, I am quite literally standing up for Jesus, if you take Jesus at his word.
Dan
Marshall…
Dan, at least a passing mention of the purpose of His death might be appropriate, and if not on the day set aside to remember that death, when?
Beyond my point above, Marshall, I point to my actual words…
On this black Friday
when we remember the sacrifice paid by Jesus
let us not forget that
black Fridays still continue.
~Dan
Ah. So you’ve proven a minor aspect of my point to be untrue. You DO give at least a passing reference to the point of the day. Great big kudos to you for doing absolutely the very least.
My point stands. On this day, this GOOD Friday, which is good because of our sins being washed away by His great sacrifice on the cross, we need remember nothing else. THIS day our thoughts should be on that Great Purpose of God having given us His only Begotten Son. It is the reason for the season, and the reason we can someday be in God’s presence. That is a weighty enough thought for this entire weekend.
You can go back to being your usual socialist, kumbaya hippie self on Monday.
Marshall, Jesus taught us that whatever we do for the least of these – the oppressed, the poor, the down and out, the marginalized – we do FOR HIM, TO HIM. Given that, when I stand up for the oppressed and against oppression, I am quite literally standing up for Jesus, if you take Jesus at his word.
This Black Friday – Black, because of the death of the Innocent, Black because of unjust oppression, Black, because we remember the dark day our Lord was killed – recalling the others that are also killed and vowing to work against oppression is a good and reasonable way to honor that Life and that Death. Working for that Great Day of Resurrection.
Feel free to spit on the work against oppression if you wish.
~Dan
Way to spin it, Dan. Way to engage in slanderous talk on this weekend commemorating the death and resurrection of our Savior.
It’s “GOOD” Friday, Dan, because He died for you so that you won’t have to pay the price of being the sinful creature you are.
Or do you mean that this particular day is when all the oppression in the world happens?
I don’t “spit” on real work against oppression, Danny-boy. I DO spit on your crap attitude and attempt to portray yourself as “holier than thou”.
Have a blessed Easter, y’all.
~Dan
It was Friday,
dark and fearful,
but Sunday has arrived!
http://throughthesewoods.blogspot.com/2014/04/good-is-stronger-than-evil-love-is.html
Dan, stop posting links to your blog with little to not text or context. This is the second time and I dont appreciate it.
If you want to make a point by summarizing a post of yours, then post a link to something which elaborates fine. But no posting links with nothing preempting it.
I do apologize, John. But the first link was my direct answer to the direct question of this post. To your direct question…
To my Christian readers, how do you discuss this particular Christian issue with non-Christians?
…my literal, direct answer is literally what I linked to. That is What and How I share that particular Christian issue with non-Christians. In my experience, telling things by way of art, or poetry, or music… this is a good and helpful and effective way to deliver a message. I could have described the art and message, but I thought the most direct answer to your question would be a link. My apologies for not describing it, instead. I did not know it would offend.
In the second case, I wanted to wish you and you all a Blessed Easter. To that end, I painted a picture for you that I then shared via my blog, because I don’t know how (or if it’s possible) to share a link in messages. Again, my apologies, no offense was intended. I only intended to wish you a Blessed Easter Day. I won’t do it again.
~Dan
Dan
Its not personal toward you. Youve been here long enough that I dont mind if you link to your blog. Its just a pet peeve of mine if its only a link. Just give a summary along with it.
If you painted a pictue for me id like to see it. Ill check it out.