The family ride needed some new tires so I headed to Firestone today to get the existing ones replaced. While killing time, I picked up a copy of "U. S. News & World Report" from November 13, 2006. Smattered throughout the Letters section were responses to various articles discussing the relationship between science and religion along with answers from both sides to some of the oldest questions posed to each pursuit. Futher into the issue was an article called "The New Believers" by Jay Tolson. What struck me about that article is how the degree of criticism focused on religion, particularly Christian religion, mounts more and more with each passing year. Every ground upon which religion can be attacked...it is. Here, we see science and its proponents trying to discredit religion. Elsewhere, social scientists. On other grounds, economists, politicians, literati...it seems "specialists" all over the world have aimed to rout humanity of its religious nature. Yet, I wonder if any of these folks truly consider what the human experience without the religious dimension will truly be. The critics myopically dwell on the negative history generated by anyone putting for or adhering to a religious affiliaiton as if nothing good has come of human believe in higher power. And, on the other hand, when religious benefits are permitted, they are often allowed begrudgingly with contempt and disdain got their framework.

As a Christian, I see the undermining work of a well-orchestrated attack. The Christian faith now faces legions of assailants, all self-proclaimed prophets of a new vision, a world without religion or Chrisitanity. This may be other religions, "non-religious" groups, such as atheism, secular humanism or any other false religion posing as an "ology". The power of this attack is that there are small pieces of truth in many of these attacks, so the power is real. Yet, the underlying falsehoods that accompany these attacks are often not exposed or refuted as Christians are obliged (A Christian's faith does not rest on clever stories, myths or fables as did the doctrines of the false teachers (2 Peter 2)). One reason seems to be the overwhelming number of these attacks. I think this is the whole key here: the enemy is overtaking Christian's abilities to respond to lies by creating such an abudance of different sources of lies that one simply cannot keep up. The volume of information requiring Christian apologetics is beyond the Christian's ability to meaningfully demolish these arguments and pretensions. I know in my own life that to be able to answer every critique of my belief system would require a doctorate level degree. The number of arenas I see falsehood make it difficult to respond compellingly with truth. But, I have to wonder, is it really my job to refute all of them? Part of me thinks that being unable to defend my faith means I am not able to fulfull my duty as a Christian. Yet, I imagine part of my consolation would be trusting that God is big enough to deal with this through others. In that case, it comes down to, upon which ones am I supposed to focus my defenses? Only God can tell!