TESTIMONIALS

First, I would like to thank Dr. Craig and his incredible ministry and all the hard work he does every day for it. I would also like to thank all of everyone who has made Reasonable Faith a possibility and an actuality.

Today, I am over 16 years of age and I am proud to say I've surrendered my life to God, that I have a daily relationship with Him, and that I've never felt so complete. It's a beautiful, awakening experience that I simply cannot explain. But my story is about how I got here. This story is composed of two very complicated and life-changing years of tearing down falsities, seeking new answers, knowing God factually, and knowing Him personally and how He is more present to me than ever before.

At 14 years old, I come home from church camp, on fire for God, but little did I know that my seeds had been sewn in the rocks, for this fire was short-lived and superficial, based in emotion and that I had a lack of understanding of what it is I believed. Me being a gamer, I was playing on my Xbox and encountered someone over chat who was an atheist. At the time, being so eager, I attempted to witness to him, but he said he was an ex-Christian. He'd read the entire bible and only saw it as a religious book and that religion had become nothing but an obstacle to the progression of humanity. I wanted to refute this, but found that I had few and petty answers which had all seemed to be inadequate. He spoke of dark ages and meaninglessness. He spoke of the accidental happening of life, existence, and the universe altogether. I had no idea how to respond, and not to mention when I ended the conversation, I was left with the beginning stages of the viscous cycle of my now-confirmed OCD.

I had no answers for why I believed. I had no refutations for why I was not just delusional. I was stricken by fear and I couldn't seem to shake it. What if everything was a lie; even life itself? With my mental disposition, I was not able to let this go. This had me worried so deeply that what I had believed didn't make sense; that we were all doomed; that everything was meaningless. How could I even live with myself?

My infinitely curious mind sought answers to no end, eventually bringing me to the ever-so-endless database of information: the internet, and there, my infinite questions met infinite answers. I saw atheists suggesting the attractiveness of their view, asserting their claims with pride and arrogance, seeming reasonable in a way that was not truly higher, but that was based in a forced impression of intelligence. The Christian answers were not anything near sufficient. Arguments from ignorance, God of the Gaps theories, and circular, question-begging responses under the presupposition of the truth if biblical texts. My mind could barely handle any of it.

My interpretation of a man in the sky, of the heavens reaching no higher than the Earth's atmosphere, the physicality of God literally sitting on a throne somewhere within contingent space. All of this came crumbling down, and with it, my hope and faith. I felt as if I'd been living in a house that I thought had been safe for so long, but all it took was a single match, and my fortress of blind passion burned to the ground. But then I stumbled upon an article one day while searching Google compulsively: "Is Faith In God Reasonable?"

Upon opening this article, I realized that this was not the same, dry article I had been getting answers from over and over through different unprofessional authors. This article had be carefully pieced together in an airtight, logical, sincere, and intellectual manner that I had not seen before. I bookmarked that article before finding another of which I cannot remember the name of. It had the same, strong and sufficient flavor to it as the previous article and I started looking into the website: Reasonable Faith. I found here that all of the questions I had were accurately presented and answered on this very website every day. This intellectual search I had embarked upon had finally turned up some answers that stuck. I was addicted to listening to those podcasts (and I still am).

For a while, I failed to understand the higher vocabularies and phrasing that were used in them, and so even though things didn't quite stick the way I had hoped, it still gave me a great sense of hope that someone was defending the faith in a way that seemed very intellectually promising. At this point, I had stumbled from an emotively fueled state of Christianity, down to a sober intellectual state of seeking real, foundational answers that could ground my belief. And so, without giving much thought to it, I had considered my question answered by these articles: God existed.

It wasn't long from then when my relentless OCD kept me questioning and doubt had taken control of my life. Sure, I had the intellectual knowledge of God and that he must exist, but I didn't feel able to confirm it. So I went about my life in a state of half-agnosticism, followed by a lack of commitment and a loss of care. I always assumed I'd find out one day. This left me hardhearted and hostile to my church for the longest time. I privately shunned my pastor and the people around me who I didn't think we're intellectually serious and who were careless. A sort of renewed pride and arrogance arose from the shadows in the deepest depths of my heart, taking me without me even realizing it. Over the months of the occasional checking of Reasonable Faith, I began to understand the vocabulary and terminology and things started to make sense and I started actually being able to adjust my mind to that logical viewpoint that created my love and appreciation for philosophy and instigated my passion.

Recently, after this past year and a half wondering around in the dark, half-caring whether or not I could have any relationship with God or anything close to it, I came to a day where I realized something suddenly. It was an epiphany that I will never forget. I realized the reality of time. That every second is fleeting. That every pleasure and every pain was temporary. That nothing in this life will ever truly last. There is pleasure to the flesh in fleshly things, but where is this pleasure when the heart monitor flatlines? Everything in our human lives is a quickly evaporating instance of happening, and when it is gone, it is gone, and eventually, everything contingent would meet this very same fate. What if we, given that we would share this date, die and then there is nothing but oblivion? At the time I was also taking an AP course in psychology and when it came to questions of physicalism and dualism, I found myself doubtful. This very problem was what would end up with me, unable to live, questioning my entire existence and everyone else's. This problem was the one that put me back on my medicine after being unable to deal with the fear it brought affectively.

At this point, everything became very real to me. And so I searched more and more into your work to find that proof that would set me free and would make all of my doubts miraculously leave me. I never could. However, at this point of pursuit, I was much more serious. I had even purchased On Guard and The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology. On Guard developed my case for God broadly, and for even more details, I would read into The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology, not to mention podcasts and articles from Reasonable Faith. I learned and completely understood for the first time all of the major arguments for God. I could now fully articulate the mainline arguments. Not only this, but I had a mindset that was able to handle objections affectively, which I had developed and fell in love with completely. I had began listening to the Defenders podcasts.

All of this information was so beautifully knit into my mind and it made me excited and passionate about philosophy. But although the facts and the evidence helped to satisfy my mind, it could not fill my heart with the same adequacy. I didn't understand this until I had been in Sunday school class with my girlfriend of just over a year.

This particular morning, she had been dealing with some family issues and was depressed. We sat in class while the teacher taught, and I do not remember the topic, only the hardness of my heart and my reluctance to it. Suddenly, after asking my girlfriend to read for us, the teacher began to lay hands on her and prayed over her and the depression that held her. I held her hand in attempts to comfort her, as she wasn't used to this. Afterwards, the teacher had told her she needs to speak out and she asked her to say something aloud so that she could learn to be heard. She did, but not long after, she evacuated the room.

At this point, I had no idea what had just happened. All I knew was my girlfriend who I loved dearly was in distress and that the teacher had continued praying to God and speaking in tongues even after my girlfriend had left the room. I sat there, contemplating my options. I was debating to myself whether or not I should go check on her. I wanted to and I knew I should. I was literally milliseconds from willing my muscles to pick me up out of my chair and go pursue her when the teacher intervened and told me "You are not her savior; Jesus is. He is dealing with her and she will be fine."

I mentally noted this irony, but had no reservations for thinking this was revealed to the teacher by the Holy Spirit until she had then told me very precisely that I should not get lost in my philosophy because it could lead me astray from God. She then pointed to the bible on the table and told me that I would find truth in the bible; in the word of God.

It was then that I realized that things had become all too real. Here I was, in a Sunday school classroom with a woman who knew nothing of my personal life, nothing of my constant search for that completion, nothing of my hobbies or anything about me for that matter, telling me that I am getting lost in philosophy, specifically, and that I am not spending enough time with God in His word. I was convinced here that the Holy Spirit was real and He had revealed Himself to me through my teacher. I even confronted her about it a week later because I felt the need for closure about the situation. She claimed it wasn't a trick of any sort, but that she had been praying for me and that the Lord had revealed this to her. And since I found no other plausible logical explanation, I was forced to accept the reality that God is personal and wants to know and love me and that he wants to be present in my life.

The day after the incident, the Q & A article was released that hit home for me: "You've Ruined My Life, Professor Craig!!" This was exactly where I was, as well. I knew the truth, but I hadn't known God. This article helped me begin my Christian walk on its most sincere and honest route. It was as if in the past, I would pass by God, tell him hello, and walk in a different direction. This time, I saw God and now, I walk with Him rather than away from Him and it has changed everything for me.

Also, even as young as I am, I feel called into the ministry of apologetics and philosophy. Thinking is what I do best, and even though I accept the general truths, I still research. I still study. I still pursue philosophy, but I do not make philosophy my god as I once did. I'm hoping to start somehow in the local, small town that I'm in somehow and I'm looking for ways to share the truth. Recently I've had a burning passion for sharing this knowledge and evidence and hope. What better news can be received than that there truly is a God, that He loves us, that we can know this to be true by faith and by reason, and that we can experience His eternal grace forevermore, as opposed to living in the blip that we call the earthly life, thinking that we are spiritually alone and doomed to parish.

I thank you Dr. Craig and your ministry for being so outreaching. You have inspired me as youth and you have helped lead me to know God. Please continue to reach out and spread the victory over doubt and fear, as well as the eternal life with the eternal Good that we can have confidence in. God Bless!

-Cody

Dear Dr. Craig,

I think it is high time that I went ahead and thanked you for your ministry. After I started becoming serious about my faith last March, I started to grow an interest in providing an intellectual defense for my faith. My first real exposure to Christian Apologetics would have to have been when I watched the movie "God's Not Dead" (unless you count the stuff that you see posted on random blogs...which I don't). After that I read Rice Brooks' "God's Not Dead: Evidence for God in an Age of Uncertainty" (the book that inspired the movie), then Lee Strobel's "The Case for..." series, and it wasn't long before I stumbled across your works, particularly Strobel's interview with you when you presented the 'Kalam' Cosmological Argument in "The Case for a Creator". I swear, when I first read that, I was like, "Holy cow, this argument's powerful!" Because before that moment, I was actually convinced that no argument could be made for God concerning the beginning of the universe! I was convinced that such arguments had been refuted by the cyclic model! After that, I began to read more of your work. I've purchased your books off Amazon. I've listened to your podcasts. I've watched your lectures. I've observed your debates. And I've even used your arguments myself (I even presented your defense of the resurrection in my philosophy class).

I am now a freshman at Indian River State College and currently studying in the field of journalism. However, I also want to earn my master's degree in Christian Apologetics (hopefully at Biola!) and hope to earn a doctorate degree in philosophy so that I can further advance the kingdom of God in the exciting field of Christian Apologetics. I'm even leading a Christian Apologetics life group with my school's Christian Student Fellowship Club (using the "On Guard" DVD study).

Once again, thank you.

Sincerely,

-Addison

Dear dr William lane Craig,
For over a year i have followed your debates and listened to your arguments, and for over a year my faith in Christianity grew larger and larger. I live in Lebanon, a country were religions are a dime a dozen. I just wanted to thank you for your work, and that i hope someday to meet you in person.

Sincerely your friend from Lebanon

-Rakan

Dear Craig,

I had the privilege of hearing your lecture in Southampton. UK and would like to express my thanks to you personally.

Not all Americans can easily engage an English audience but you did it so well and with such elegance and grace.

Your knowledge of your subject was so evident and you were sensitive yet tough when the questions were sloppy or ill formed.

I felt so proud to be a Christian in your presence.

You alluded to hope in your lecture and my conclusion is a world without God is hopeless.

They say you can live for up to 40 days without food, 3 days without water but you can’t live a minute without hope.

We all have our favourite style of music and generally music can lift our spirits and make us dance.

The 17^th century divine George Herbert wrote in 1629

“He that liveth with hope danceth without music”

Your lecture made me dance without music.

With our love and prayers for your ministry

To God be the glory

-Rob

Good Afternoon,

I recently discovered your website and have enjoyed listening to your arguments and debates over the past week or so. I am a Christian and an apologist enthusiast and admire your debates and critiques of atheism. I feel led to pursue a study of philosophy and apologetics more but I have concerns about my own faith walk while studying this.

I have tendency to set aside my pursuit of my relationship with God in favor of my pursuit of the argument. You discuss this frequently in your debates in your fifth argument that God can be personally known. I have had periods of my life where the pursuit of argument and apologetics became my faith. You seem like you spend a lot of time studying, researching and thinking on the issues of new atheism. What do you do to ensure that your own personal relationship is not put in jeopardy?

I have felt led for a long time to reach out to atheists and agnostics as I feel that they are securing their beliefs in a poor philosophical interpretation of good science. The conclusions of Dr. Krauss and Dr. Hawking in their books describing a universe that doesn’t need a cause just theorizes what the programming code language used to create the universe was. It’s like writing a book about a computer program, debating on whether it was written in JavaScript or C++ and then concluding that there was no programmer. It’s a silly example but too often I’m faced with this when discussing that the universe needs a God and am confronted with “Take it up with Stephen Hawking”. It’s an example of science providing a sound theory for the natural order of the universe but then applying ridiculous philosophy to support a presupposed conclusion. Good Science + Bad Philosophy = Nonsense.

Unfortunately, this works the other way too. Sound Philosophy supported by Bad Science is irrelevant and can be dishonest. I do find most of your arguments to have merit with sound philosophy based on sound evidence. The arguments of yours I don’t espouse in my own conversations is the Fine Tuning Argument (mostly because I don’t have a proper understanding of it) and the Personal Experience Argument because it is subjective and, from a non-believer’s perspective, irrelevant.

Too often, I see Christians in discussion with a non-Christians give talking points and rhetoric without truly understanding what they are saying. They get into circular arguments, cite scripture to back up a scientific assertion. Or worse, you see just plain bad philosophy. Here in Houston we have a megachurch where they preach the Prosperity Gospel. To be honest, it’s a little embarrassing and can hurt the overall Christian message. You’ve discussed this when you speak out against young earth creationism. I think of a recent Debate between Bill Nye and Ken Ham and how the secular community must view Christians as a result of it. I think this needs a bigger voice of dissent and separation.

I really do feel led to write about this, lend a voice to the debate with the hopes of quelling the firestorm that comes up whenever the issues are raised. I feel that both sides have good view points that get buried in rhetoric. From a neutral observer, the breakdown in the debates and discussions seem to be simply a matter of defining what we mean by what we say. I feel it’s impossible to debate the issue without a common definitions of the subject. Debating the existence of God is useless unless both sides agree on what “God” is. Otherwise, you have one side affirming a theistic creator and the other side denying the God of the Gaps. Watching some debates is akin officiating a match between a rugby team and a football team playing by the rules of their own respective sports.

However, I am firmly convinced that philosophy and science can and should work together, hand in hand. I feel that science unsupported by philosophy is meaningless and philosophy unsupported by science is dishonest. I don’t feel that one discipline can supersede or replace the other and that both need each other. I would like to define what is meant by “God” “Christianity” “Good” etc, and then reopen the discussion with those elements clearly understood by both sides.

With respect,

-Loran