Old fashioned and judgmental. These are the two terms that topped the list in a recent survey asking Americans how they perceived Christianity. Unfortunately, many Christians give the impression this is true, the impression that Christianity is antiquated, incompatible with a modern, rational, scientific worldview; the impression that God is a cosmic killjoy, a moral policeman intent on taking all our liberty and fun away.
However, nothing could be further from the truth. The REAL Jesus is the source of all true joy, freedom, grace, mercy, and love. And Christianity is the most intellectually compelling worldview.
The Raising Jesus website is designed to open up a dialogue that will be an antidote to this perception of a mean, joyless, and irrational kind of Christianity; a safe and non-threatening place for anyone who wants to examine the evidence behind the Christian faith in a fresh and unfiltered way. Unlike many other sites that deal with these topics, this site is not meant to be adversarial or argumentative. It won’t bludgeon people in a debate, but rather, open up a dialogue, the kind of dialogue that can lead believers to a deeper understanding of their faith—and therefore a more passionate discipleship—and skeptics to conversion. As an added bonus, it can equip believers living in our skeptical world to give a more effective witness to their faith.
What makes this site most unique is that I have great sympathy for the skeptic, because, at heart, I am one. A skeptic myself, I need to see to believe. Hard evidence. Compelling proof. Solid logic. This is what I believe in. So, I’m a fellow skeptic walking in solidarity with other skeptics.
In this era of alternative facts, it can be hard to know who to trust. There are so many voices claiming to have the Truth. I get that. When I first went in search of the evidence, I didn’t know where to begin. I read every conceivable argument on both sides of every question and everything in between. It was a long and arduous journey!
But as a result, skeptics and believers alike can trust that the answers presented here represent the best, most balanced, and most trustworthy scholarship. Coming from a skeptical perspective, this is the only kind of evidence that would convince me.
Weekly blogs, videos, and (coming soon) podcasts address the common questions and objections to faith. Visitors to the site can submit their own questions and objections which will be addressed in future blogs.