the so-called evangelical atheist

Joshua Moran writes:

I've put a lot of thought over the past year or two into men like Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris, whom I would consider evangelical atheists. Their books The God Delusion and Letter To A Christian Nation are two of the "best" attacks against Christianity today. Last time I checked both authors were in the top 100 best sellers, I think with Dawkins staying in or around the top ten (I think Harris was 33rd). I'm not writing this to give out a critique to all of their thought, I've thought and come up with my own critiques in the past and can honestly say that their thoughts neither frighten me nor hinder my faith. However, their thought has harmed many Christians over the past few years and the since the Enlightening Christians have had a hard time dealing with the ideas of faith and reason. I'm going to offer two thoughts in this note, one on Dawkins and Harris and one, albeit loosely, on the idea of faith and reason. Here it goes.

"1. I can't take full credit for this idea. It's one that [another Christian] and I talked through last year at the gym. It's not worth getting mad at Dawkins and Harris. We shouldn't scathe every time we think of them nor every time someone brings them up. We shouldn't blame them for the doubt that has come up in our own lives or in those around us. Rather we should PRAY for them. My last note was on grace and how it comes free and should cost us all something. Grace is there for Dawkins and Harris. We should pray for them. Pray that they would receive power from on High. And not one of those stereotypical holier than thou prayers but a prayer of sincerity because we value their souls, we value their eternal beings. Also, we should think back to the church in Acts being prosecuted by one of the best evangelical "atheists" ever, Saul of Tarsus. Think about the impact Paul has made since his conversion, there's no reason to think that Dawkins and Harris can't do the same thing. Prayer works. do it.

2. Last night as I lay in my bed, I was thinking about men like Dawkins and Harris and anyone else that I've come into contact with that has been closed off to the gospel, or to take it a step further, anyone who has been closed off to seeing the power of God today. I wonder why is that, why are people closed off to God. I think the answer is a lack of imagination. Honestly. I think that we've begun rely only on results, creativity gets you no points. Kids in America today are involved in eight different activities at the same time, so they can boost their college resumes, so they can get into a good grad school, so they can start in six figures. They base everything on results, results, results. There's no time for daydreaming, no time for pondering, no time for imagination. I think this keeps people from God. I see it in college students, students who only want to rely on what they've seen, what they've felt, and think that's all there is out there. I'm a culprit of this myself. I often stop myself short of what God has for me because I don't think it's possible, because I have no imagination as to what God can do. All I have is my own experience, all I have is reason. I love reason and the enlightenment movement, but reason without imagination is no good at all. God is the Creator God, the creativity and imagination required to from the world out of a void is astounding, it's silly to think He doesn't want us to be creative also.