I have been reading a series of comments between Matt, a friend of mine and fellow Mars Hill student, and the well educated and thoughtful Austin Cline of about.com.  Austin does some work in the area of digital design, and also some study and writing in the area of Atheism and Agnosticism.  Here’s a great question that he raises, “Both atheism and agnosticism are neglected in popular culture. When was the last time you saw an openly atheist politician, an article on atheism in a major periodical, or anyone discussing secular humanism as a serious alternative to religion?“

Here’s what I learned from the series of comments:

1.  Atheism is a very broad and complex concept.  (as is Agnosticism)  Honestly, this was a surprise to me.  But it has been good for me to even just read the wiki that is linked above, because I am finding myself in more relationships and conversations with atheists and agnostics than I do with religious people.

2. It is important to think about how we state opinions.  It is easy in a medium like a blog to state opinion in a matter of fact way, which can be misunderstood or can come across as a statement of fact.  It is essential to use phrases like, “I think, or it has been my experience” and to carry that tone throughout (unless of course we are looking for debates or arguments).

3.  And in follow up to #2 it is important to cite and linke as much as we can.  Of course we don’t need to post research papers or follow  APA or Chicago rules of citation.  Linking and mentioning where we get our information is helpful to give a context for where we’re coming from as well is provide some validity to what we’re saying.

4.  It really is most effective to begin with asking questions and moving toward answers instead beginning with answers that beg questions.

With all of that said, what I am left wondering today is, is there a place for dialogue between the religious person or group and atheists and/or agnostics?  Or are the differences too vast and put each other on completely different playing fields?  I have heard about inter-faith dialogue.  Some think this is a good thing, while others do not.  In terms of say an atheist and a christian, I haven’t really heard of any dialogue, but mostly debate and attempts at conversion.  Am I wrong in this perception, and if I’m not, then is there another way to approach the issue?  Or are the rules of debate the only ones to follow?

I’ll end with an example of a conversation I was a part of with Mark and a group of seminarians over breakfast in Portland a few weeks ago.  Mark (I don’t even know his last name, or have any links for him) is in the midst of starting a new community that centers itself around nature, health, and Jesus.  Of course he is unable to do this within his tradition, so he, like so many other emerging church people are leaving the denominations in order to do community and mission the way they need to.  What is really intriguing to me is the fact that he is a self professed Christian, and his wife is a self professed atheist.  Marks wife is an intrigal part of that small community, and helping shape it by bringing her atheism into the Christian community, and the Christian community welcoming her beliefs as important to them.  I’m not romantic enough to think this is an easy thing to make work because I imagine it is very difficult.  Mark even said so himself.  He said sometimes he goes home on a Sunday afternoon thinking that their worship time together was great, and then his wife will express her concerns and it leads to several hours of discussion.  It is important to understand that Marks wife (I really wish I knew her name so this post didn’t sound so possessive) turned to atheism because of her painful experiences as a woman growing up going to church, and a significant amount of her hurt came from language.

I look forward to any thoughts, experiences, or words of wisdom around this area.