I
’VE DISCOVERED it is often useful to prepare people for
the gospel by asking them some philosophical questions.
One reason I do this is to help people recognize that truth is
exclusive. In our postmodern culture, people think that we
all create our own truth, so why would it matter what reli-
gion we belong to? Universities claim to teach young people
to think, but most teach relativism and thus undermine even
the most basic distinction between truth and falsehood. So
I frequently help an unbeliever understand the concepts of
truth, knowledge, and the law of noncontradiction.
Sometimes I will begin a discussion by asking a person
how he would answer the “three great philosophical ques-
tions of life” which deal with origin, purpose, and destiny.
I enjoy helping people think through philosophical issues,
and this approach acts as a great launching pad into discus-
sions about Christ and Christianity.
The Great Questions of Life
engaging
unbelieve
rs
philosoph
ically
By Dr. Mark
10
Bird
One day, I walked into a frozen yogurt shop and ordered
a bowl of delicious black raspberry Yagööt. While waiting
for the order, I asked the server, Tatyana, if she’d ever taken
a philosophy course in college. She said she enrolled but
then withdrew because she couldn’t understand it, though
she was interested in the subject. I told her that I taught
philosophy and wondered how she would answer the three
great philosophical questions of life: where did I come from,
why am I here, and where am I going.
Tatyana said, “Well, my science teacher said that we
evolved, and I don’t know why I’m here.” So we talked a bit
about evolution and the need for a first cause before I picked
up my yogurt and went on my way.
What is Truth?
A couple of days later, I took my daughters to the same store,
and Tatyana was there again. I smiled and said, “Tatyana, I
have another philosophical question for you.” She seemed
glad to see me and asked what the new question was. I
asked, “How would you define truth?”
She said, “Truth is what you believe.”
Glancing out the window, I responded with an illustra-
tion. “If I said that it was raining outside this store right
now, would that be a true or false claim?” She said it would
be false.
“Why?” I asked.
She responded, “Because it is not actually raining out
there right now.”