Have you heard of Penn Jillette from the magic/comedy act of “Penn and Teller? If so, you know that he is an avowed ATHEIST. He actually claims, “I cross the word ‘God’ off of every [dollar] bill I touch.”
So, what would you expect him to do and to say if he were to be approached by someone wanting to give him a Gideon New Testament? Well, it actually happened. His response was astonishing and most instructive to us as Christians. Please read carefully his response below:
“It was really wonderful. I believe he knew that I was an atheist, but he was not defensive, and he looked me right in the eyes…and then gave me this Bible. I’ve always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell, or not getting eternal life, or whatever, and you think that, Well, it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward…How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that? I mean if I believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe it, and that truck was bearing down on you, there is a certain point where I tackle you—and this is more important than that…He cared enough about me to proselytize and give me a Bible.”
What can I say? Wow!!!