Note to reader: Please cite this paper properly because it is archived at Barclay College and the copyright is held by Shariee Jones. It can only be used for educational purposes.
Letter to a Beloved Atheist
Shariee Jones-Systematic I
Barclay College
Original: November 5, 2012
*Revised: February 21, 2016
Dear brother or sister of Creation,
I am writing you this letter because I love you. I know that you have been going through a hard time at work and home. I know that this is the last thing that you want to hear but I mean this sincerely. I am praying for you. I am praying that you speak to someone about your burdens. I have really good news for you; you don’t have to carry your burdens alone. I know that you are a very private person and don’t like to share your burdens with others, but I know someone who doesn’t share your problems with anyone. God. Yes, there is a God and he loves you more than you know. He really exists brothers and sisters, and there is freedom knowing Him.
The Greek philosopher, Plato, believed in the “theory of Forms.” “The truth is, something that can be made known can been seen.” Jesus Christ as **logos made “the order of creation visible to humanity.” A follower of Plato, Clement of Alexandria, stated that “the logos proceeds from God was the cause of the creation. Then the logos himself was begotten (effected), when he becomes incarnate, in order that he may become visible.” Aristotle even had an indirect influence on creationism theory of the presence of God. He and Thomas Aquinas believed from a scientific view that “everything that is moved is moved by something else.” Aquinas views was influenced heavily by Aristotle. Aquinas expressed in The Five Ways that all of this action is none-other than God. Aquinas suggested evidence that
• There is motion in the universe
• Things do not move by themselves
• There cannot be an infinite regression of things being moved by other things.
• There must be a prime mover who is not moved by other things.
• This unmoved prime mover is God. (McGrath 2011)
God’s sovereignty means that God is all-powerful. He is over the natural world and gives us freedom. God is the revealer of all things and Aquinas argued that belief in God is obvious because His existence provokes
• The cause of change that is not changed by anything.
• The existence of cause and effect in the world in which all things must be traced back to a single original cause.
• The fact that we are here needs explanation.
• Where does truth, goodness and nobility come from?
• The mind seems to have a purpose and must had been designed by someone or something else.
• If you would give this entity a name… why not God? (McGrath 2011)
If philosophers and scientists believe that something created us, then why shouldn’t we? The Spirit of God exists and He exist inside of all of us. He loved us so much that He designed us so that His Spirit can dwell within us. It is time to activate the Holy Spirit inside of you and let God reveal His message. (McGrath 2011)
Brothers and sisters, it is possible that God is trying to reveal something to you that only you would understand. God is revealing in our joy and pain. These are the training tools to gain experience within this life. Pain exists so that you can appreciate and understand the joy in your life. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe that God causes anyone pain but since negative energy exists then He uses it to help you gain wisdom.. wisdom to share and help others. I mean, how would you be able to help others get over their obstacles if you’ve never experienced some of these obstacles to know which road to take. I believe that God is allowing you the free will to choose a path in life and learn from it. I pray that you find your way back to Him because with the choice of given us free will, it has lead others away from Him and they have continued to corrupt this world. He longs for you to call out to Him and ask for his guidance. He is ready when you are ready. Don’t give up and don’t think that God doesn’t hear you. Two things in life that can pull you back to Him: faith in Christ and good works. Have faith and put one foot in front of the other. Let God order your steps. With God by your side you can accomplish anything in this life and the everlasting life. God is divine and forming a personal relationship with God will become a great adventure because He is a sovereign and caring God. I hope that you take this into consideration because I have personally found happiness and inner peace with knowing Him. You can now experience the joy of faith in Christ, like I have by believing. If you believe in God, you believe in yourself. If you believe in yourself, then you believe in God.
Love you always and in Christ,
Shariee,
your sister of Creation
***P.S. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. (Matthew 21:21) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ… (Roman 5:1)
__________________________
* The original letter was to a family member and I wanted to protect the identity of the person. I took out the first two lines of this letter but didn’t add to it, except for neutrality and clarity.
** Logos in this letter means title, representation or brand.
***Having faith can change situations because of the belief that the spirit of Christ will guide you.
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