Dear Dr. Craig, for nearly 20 years ago, I have ruminated on a personal experience I had with you and your wonderful wife, Jan,

in San Francisco. In an act of kindness, you agreed to have dinner with me during a theology

conference you were attending. I was and remain an atheist and a perpetual part-time philosophy

student with an interest in Christianity. I also was,

and remain, a philosophical nobody. Even so, you took the time for me, one-on-one, with John

sitting with us. I still appreciate that. Before we dug into the apologetic issues, the three of us chatted

about personal matters, and I told you that I was going through a difficult time in my life.

I am quite certain I exuded sadness that night. You and I then got into my reasons for

doubt about Christianity. We discussed Mainism, the truth status of

free-will counterfactuals, and other issues that I felt were problems for your religion.

You answered my questions in your brilliant and articulate way, and also reminded me that the

evidence available to us only takes us so far. It does not compel belief.

Gian did not say a word, but she was very attentive

and she seemed to me to be feeling compassion and care towards me.

You and I had a great discussion.

After dinner, we walked out the door to say goodbye.

I noticed that despite your intellectual and scholarly superiority over me, our discussion had left me feeling more comfortable with my doubts about Christianity.

I was actually less favorably disposed towards it than I had been before dinner.

This was in no way due to some failure on your part. Your

position had problematic issues that you were stuck with, not your fault. But then something

happened that I will never forget. You and I shook hands out on the street and as I reached

to shake John's hand, she gave me a warm and

...