Hello, Iím an agnostic and Iíve decided to give your church a try tomorrow. Here are some of the things Iím going to be looking for:
1. Is there a genuine joy? Is there something different about these people who have gathered together that attracts me? Or is it the same old sad thing that Iíve seen in churches in the past? People together alone.
2. Iím an agnostic, which is not to say Iím an atheist, which is also to say Iím NOT hostile. But it does say Iím thinking and Iím looking for reasons to believe. Iíll listen if you have some that donít insult my intelligence.
3. When I say Iím an agnostic, what Iím saying is, I donít have enough proof yet. Iím on the hunt and Iím open. But understand, from my point of view, you have to convince me.
4. Iím an agnostic and Iím listening closely to the words you use. Are you making “fun” of people like me? Do you insult our intelligence? Do you say things like, ìYouíd have to be stupid to be an atheist,î or ìYouíd have to be crazy to be an agnostic?î Insulting me will not convince me.
5. Are you the kind of person who wants to carry on a dialogue or conversation? Or are you just a person who wants to scream your points of view so loud that I canít be heard.
6. Iím an agnostic, but I am looking for someone secure in their faith. Do you need me to believe it in order for you to believe? Are you confident enough to honestly sharing whatís worked for you as well as what is not working?
7. Iím an agnostic and want to know why religious people can be, on the one hand, so merciful and on the other hand, so mean.
8. Iím an agnostic and convince me I can be a part of your group without believing everything you do and that youíre open to my questions and doubts.
9. Iím an agnostic and I donít carry a Bible and I donít read it. I take pretty much for granted what other people have told me. So what are you going to do today to help me get into the Bible, not just listen to your words about it?
10. Iím an agnostic and Iíve been wounded in the past by religion. That wound is deep and festered. How are you going to honor that and yet confront my assumptions?
11. Iím an agnostic and like you, Iíve believed in a lot of things Iíve been told. Help me honestly rethink some of the things that Iíve just accepted by faith.
12. Iím an agnostic and Iím looking for a reason to have faith again. If you talk about obscure passages and ideas, theological constructs that have nothing to do with my life, Iím probably not going to be back.
These are some of the things agnostics are looking for. What are they finding when they come and see you?