Christmas and Atheists

Christopher Hitchens, perhaps our day's most noted atheist, has died.  He is at least one atheist who will not be fighting nativity scenes in public places this Christmas.  Not that Hitchens would have bothered much with something as mundane as nativity scenes but many other atheists seem to think Christmas is a key battle ground.

In Santa Monica, California, churches have been placing nativity scenes in designated areas in a park for over 60 years.  This year atheist groups used a coordinated effort to book up almost all of the sites.  They not only kept nativity scenes out, they used them for their own message about the "myth" of Jesus as a real person.  The man who spearheaded the effort does not even live in Santa Monica.  Of course there is controversy over all of this.  It also helps the atheists get publicity.

But not all atheists are alike.  A new study found that 17 percent of atheists attended a religious service in the past year.  The most popular time for an atheist to go to church?  Christmas. Perhaps the committed atheists are trying to reach out to the less committed atheists to keep them from celebrating Christmas.

This week my wife Judith was speaking with a woman who was looking for the type of help that Perpetual Help Home (the women's ministry where my wife works) provides - housing, job training, spiritual help.  This woman had grown up in a family of atheists.   The family had fallen apart and now she was looking for help.  Judith explained the program to her and the mandatory spiritual element of being required to attend church if you get into the program.  The woman was interested in that. As they continued their conversation, Judith found this woman had recently begun to read a Bible that someone had given to her.  She was finding a love she said she had never experienced before.  As Judith explained the basic tenets of the gospel to her, Judith asked if she was ready to put her faith in Jesus and commit her life to Him. She said yes.  Now she is a former atheist.  Now she knows personally a love she never knew existed.  Now she has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ for Christmas.

One of the things that is really hitting me this year is God sent His son into the world and made Christmas not just for Christians but for atheists too.

For the journey...

Tim