On March 1, 2025, our team took a trip out to Charlottesville, VA to do campus engagement and apologetics at University of Virginia. It was there that we encountered Jay, a UVA student raised Hindu, who currently doesn’t identify with any particular belief system. Jay is a curious and open-minded individual, and is eager to explore different worldviews. That very morning, before we met him, Jay had decided to dive deeper into various perspectives, including Islam, atheism, and Christianity. To start his exploration, he had even rented a book by Richard Dawkins from the library, planning to begin with atheism. Over the course of an hour and a half, we engaged in a wide-ranging discussion with Jay, touching on topics like the origin of the universe, the nature of time, the identity of Jesus, human and animal suffering, the meaning of love, and many other profound questions and ideas. We shared our views on Christianity and how it addresses these issues, contrasting them with the ideas found in the other worldviews Jay was exploring. By the end of the conversation, Jay was determined to read the Gospels, the Koran, and other resources on atheism to continue his search for truth. We encouraged him to pursue his journey of inquiry, reminding him of the promise that “whoever seeks will find” Matt 7:7-8. We were excited to see his genuine curiosity and commitment to exploring different perspectives with an open mind and heart.
