Some time ago Catholic apologist Matt Fradd posted an exchange we had discussing God’s not Dead in which I offered some serious criticisms of the film. A reader recently posted a comment in response to the article which included the following passage:
“I disagree [with Randal] that we should have a ‘sympathetic and a generous portrait of our ideological opponents’, namely atheists, in our times. Yes I’m sure our Christian faith should espouse those virtues, but in our present days, where our Christian faith is being attacked all the more by the powers of darkness, this is no time to be generous to those who are against us in our belief in God.”
Think about that. This commenter is claiming that Christians cannot presently afford to observe the Golden Rule in our intellectual exchanges with atheists. In short, we cannot afford to be generous and fair in our exchanges lest we thereby cede ground to the “powers of darkness”.
The irony is palpable. And the proper rejoinder is clear: he who flouts the Golden Rule for fear of ceding ground to the powers of darkness that lie without has already ceded precious ground to the powers of darkness that lie within.
