As a cold-case homicide detective, J. Warner Wallace called himself a hardcore atheist and "evidentialist" because he believed the truth was always tied to the evidence. But at the age of thirty-five, he took a serious look at the evidence for Christianity and became a follower of Christ. Here's how Wallace summarized his conversion:
As an atheist, I was very comfortable as the captain of my own ship … I had been a police officer for nearly ten years and was used to being in charge in difficult situations. I didn't like intrusions, and there was no room for God in my life. I am not a theist today because I was raised by believers—I wasn't. I am not a believer because I was hoping for heaven or afraid of hell—I had no sense of value for either. I am not a theist because I was trying to fill a "void" or satisfy a "need"— I felt none. I believe God exists because the evidence leaves me no reasonable alternative.
Warner added:
Jurors evaluate evidential cases every day across our country, and they are asked to make a decision even though they don't have every question answered or every possible detail explained. When the overwhelming evidence points to a reasonable conclusion, jurors make a decision … The standard of proof (SOP) in the most critical of criminal trials is "beyond a reasonable doubt," not "beyond a possible doubt." I've never conducted the perfect investigation, and we've never presented the perfect case before a jury. But in my career as a cold-case detective, I've never lost … If there's enough evidence to make a decision, they're asked to make a decision. When it comes to the case for God's existence, there's enough evidence.
