Season 6 Podcast 3 John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Episode 49 Chapter 9 F “Atheist.”

Season 6 Podcast 3 John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Episode 49 Chapter 9 F “Atheist.” 

As we have seen many bad characters become stumbling blocks to the journey of Christian to the Celestial City. They have just escaped Flatterer. Now they are about to be confronted by Atheist.

Now, after awhile they perceived afar off, one coming softly and alone, all along the highway, to meet them. Then said Christian to his fellow, "Yonder is a man with his back towards Zion, and he is coming to meet us."

HOPE. I see him: let us take heed to ourselves lest he should prove a flatterer also.

The image of “his back towards Zion” makes Christian and Hopeful cautious. Unlike Flatterer, Atheist does not try to deceive them. He is boastful.

So he drew nearer and nearer, and at last came up to them. His name was Atheist, and he asked them whither they were going.

CHRIS. We are going to Mount Zion.

Then Atheist fell into a very great laughter.

CHRIS. What is the meaning of your laughter?

ATHEIST. I laugh to see what ignorant persons you are, to take upon yourselves so tedious a journey, and yet are like to have nothing but your travel for your pains.

Atheist uses an old familiar argument. It was simply this. He had traveled the world and found no such place as Mount Zion. Neither Christian nor Hopeful are taken in. They consider him as another Flatterer trying to lure them away from the straight and narrow way.

CHRIS. Why, man, do you think we shall not be received?

ATHEIST. Received! There is no such a place as you dream of in all this world.

CHRIS. But there is in the world to come.

ATHEIST. When I was at home in mine own country, I heard as you now affirm, and, from that hearing, went out to see, and have been seeking this city these twenty years, but find no more of it than I did the first day I set out.

CHRIS. We have both heard and believe that there is such a place to be found.

ATHEIST. Had not I, when at home, believed I had not come thus far to seek; but, finding none (and yet I should had there been such a place to be found, for I have gone to seek it farther than you), I am going back again, and will seek to refresh myself with the things that I then cast away for hopes of that which I now see is not.

Christian tests Hopeful.

CHRIS. Then said Christian to Hopeful his fellow, "Is it true which this man hath said?"

Hopeful is alarmed that Christian is so taken in. 

HOPE. Take heed; he is one of the flatterers. Remember what it hath cost us once already for hearkening to such kind of fellows. What! no Mount Zion? Did we not see from the Delectable Mountains the gate of the city? Also, are we not now to walk by faith? Let us go on, lest the man with the whip overtake us again. I say, my brother, cease to hear him, and let us believe to the saving of the soul.

Christian reveals his ploy.

CHRIS. My brother, I did not put the question to thee for that I doubted of the truth of our belief myself, but to prove thee, and to fetch from thee a fruit of the honesty of thy heart. As for this man, I know that he is blinded. Let thee and me go on, knowing that we have belief of the truth, and no lie is of the truth.

HOPE. Now do I rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

So they turned away from the man, and he, laughing at them, went his way.

They come to the Enchanted Ground of which the shepherds had warned them.