Good questions Atheists ask Theists...

[BetheButterfly]

Hello

 

One of my friends is an Atheist who greatly enjoys interfaith discussions. He likes to observe, often with insightful remarks, the timeless debate between Christians and Muslims. I consider him to be like an amused spectator watching a game of ping-pong with an invisible ball lol.

 

He is kind, funny, intelligent, a humanitarian, and quite objective in interfaith discussions, since he does not ascribe to any belief in God, nor is he a military atheist out to attempt to destroy the beliefs of others. Rather, his interest is in peace and freedom.

 

Anyways, below are 2 very good questions he has asked:

 

1. "How can you believe in a God you don't see?"

 

2. "If God is good, why does He/She/It allow pain and suffering, diseases and natural tragedies, and crimes?

 

I think the above are excellent questions. My answers to him, which did not of course persuade him to believe the same, but rather helped him understand what I personally believe, are the following:

 

1. I believe in Him like how I believe in the wind... I see what the wind moves,so I therefore believe wind exists. I see what God touches, so I therefore believe God exists. From my personal experience, I have felt touched by both God, and by the wind. Other people have also felt the "touch" of both God and the wind, so they believe they both exist.

 

2. I don't know. I really wish God would not allow any pain or harm to anybody or anything. I hate that!!! (I don't hate God... I love Him very much, but I have to admit I don't understand why God allows pain.) My only explanation that satisfies myself a bit is that God didn't create life to be robotic, but rather free will = the ability to inflict pain on others as well as the ability to care for and give blessings/help/pleasure/good things to others. I also believe much of life is a test, which I don't completely understand, but then again, I believe that people are to God like grasshoppers are to people... we are not the same species, with the exception that I personally believe God came to earth in human form as Jesus.

 

What are other good questions that Atheists have, that do not include any negative terms/insults/hostility towards what believers in God believe, but rather are good, thought-provoking questions that seek to understand why people believe what they do?

 

Now again, my Atheist friend is still an Atheist, and his questions do not come out of a desire to be convert to a Theism, but rather as an attempt to understand people who believe in a Supreme Being. My answers are not to attempt to persuade him to become a Theist, but rather honest speculations based on what I personally believe.

[BetheButterfly]

Another question he's asked is,

 

"How do you know God is a "He"?

 

My answer: because in the Tanakh and the New Testament, God is called a "He."

[samsungxoxo]

A good question would be:

And where exactly did ''god'' come from? When was he born and by whom? It sure can't be out of nothing and that suddenly it's just there.

 

If everything has an origin then I would assume ''god'' does too.

[mercy]

Years ago I had an atheist friend. I used to tease him that his atheism was a religion, his non belief was as strong as my belief, he even had a "church"/organization that would meet to discuss their non belief. Well, we have to believe in something even if our faith is in nothing.

[irin]

the only question i ask religious people, is how can you believe in something that contradicts it self so much, not necessarily how can you believe in god.

 

its more about the religious texts, teachings, and explanation they provide.

[BetheButterfly]

A good question would be:

And where exactly did ''god'' come from? When was he born and by whom? It sure can't be out of nothing and that suddenly it's just there.

 

If everything has an origin then I would assume ''god'' does too.

 

Yeah those are excellent questions. I have asked something like that before to my Dad, though I don't remember how exactly I worded it or his exact words. I do remember discussing with him (and my Dad was on the verge of becoming an Atheist in different times of his life) about the concept of origins.

 

My Dad's answer was something very philosophical, about how we humans are beings with a noted origin: which many of us consider to be when we are born. Others consider conception to be when we individually began to exist. Because of this, we assume that everything must have an origin, including God. However, because God is outside of time and is not an earthly being, He is not confined to the same method of thought as earthly beings which require a beginning and an end. Because humans and earthly physical life forms have a beginning (conception and/or birth) and end (death), that doesn't mean that spiritual beings have a beginning or end.

 

To me, that's a bit confusing. However, I do think that since God is not originally human nor is any other animal nor plant on earth, He doesn't necessarily have to have a beginning or end in the terms of the earthly experience of time and origins/endings. Most believers in God believe that God is not confined to either time or space.

[BetheButterfly]

the only question i ask religious people, is how can you believe in something that contradicts it self so much, not necessarily how can you believe in god.

 

its more about the religious texts, teachings, and explanation they provide.

 

Yeah this is a hard and good question. My Atheist friend who I'm quoting in his questions has also asked me how I could believe that a "loving" God would order people to kill others, like it says in the Old Testament. His point is basically if God exists, then how could He be loving and yet order the Israelites to kill other people in their quest for the Promised Land and for being a people "set apart" for God. Those are very reasonable and hard questions, especially for a pacifist like myself to answer.

 

I'm still praying and searching to even begin to know how to understand that question.

 

About your question, "how can you believe in something that contradicts it self so much", that is a really good question and I think a lot of it has to do with humans being naturally contradictory in some areas of their actions/desires. For example, I contradict myself a lot in my desires. I love chocolate and sweets, yet I don't want to gain fat. I contradict myself in eating what i know will help me gain what i don't want to gain. The temporary pleasure that I experience the moment I place the food on my tongue fights against my knowledge that I am actually hurting another desire of mine by taking those bites. So, you could say that I experience bittersweet thoughts concerning my desires that contradict.

 

In the same way, I believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Jesus who on one hand I believe is Good, Loving, Merciful, and Forgiving, and on the other hand has no problem destroying His Creation, which doesn't seem loving at all. On the one hand I wish that God had made people more like robots, where we didn't even have the option to disobey any commands (or programs) He makes, but on the other hand the thought of not being free to disobey or not "run with the program" sickens me.

 

I believe Atheism can also have contradictory thoughts. On the one hand there is the idea of "survival of the fittest" which basically includes the implied idea that those "superior" (or the fittest) can conquer/destroy/eat those "inferior" (the not-so-fit) and on the other hand, there is the idea of helping the weak and the "strong" serving the "weak", with no desire to decide who/what is superior/inferior.

 

So basically, it seems that life in itself is contradictory. People can love and hate. There is peace and war. There is kindness and meanness. A person can be polite one minute and rude the next. There is beauty and ugliness. People can tell the truth one minute and lie the next. People can give one minute and steal the next. There is conflicting research on whether coffee is good for people or not. The amount of contradiction one experiences in life is mind-boggling! Beliefs are just another area where contradictions happen.

Edited July 22, 2012 by BetheButterfly

[BetheButterfly]

Years ago I had an atheist friend. I used to tease him that his atheism was a religion, his non belief was as strong as my belief, he even had a "church"/organization that would meet to discuss their non belief. Well, we have to believe in something even if our faith is in nothing.

 

Yeah, believing is a part of life, and we believe about things we don't know will happen in the future. For example, I believe my husband and I will be married for life. I guess that kind of belief = hope. I have no guarantee, but I hope so and that is one of our goals/objectives and we plan on working to accomplish it.

 

I think believing is a part of moving in a direction, regardless of what direction that is. What one believes can help influence how life goes. If my husband and I didn't believe that we could live together for life, I don't think I would have married him. Belief influences choices we make, if we truly believe in something/someone.

[Tulsy]

...

 

1. I believe in Him like how I believe in the wind... I see what the wind moves,so I therefore believe wind exists. I see what God touches, so I therefore believe God exists. From my personal experience, I have felt touched by both God, and by the wind. Other people have also felt the "touch" of both God and the wind, so they believe they both exist.

 

2. I don't know. I really wish God would not allow any pain or harm to anybody or anything. I hate that!!! (I don't hate God... I love Him very much, but I have to admit I don't understand why God allows pain.) My only explanation that satisfies myself a bit is that God didn't create life to be robotic, but rather free will = the ability to inflict pain on others as well as the ability to care for and give blessings/help/pleasure/good things to others. I also believe much of life is a test, which I don't completely understand, but then again, I believe that people are to God like grasshoppers are to people... we are not the same species, with the exception that I personally believe God came to earth in human form as Jesus. ....

 

About comparing God to the wind....

Unlike God, although you technically cannot see the "wind", you can see the physical effect it has right in front of your eyes.

 

About why God allows pain and harm....

You hate it....so admittedly, you hate what God allows to happen.

 

So how can you love this, which you can not see, and what you attribute it does, you admit that you hate?

 

Do you understand why this seems ridiculous?

 

 

Someone broke into my yard and killed my dog. I loved that dog, and even though I didn't see who did it, I hate them. But, unlike God, there was evidence left behind, so I know it was perpetrated by a human being. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a supernatural being who killed my dog, and I'm also pretty confident it wasn't the wind.

 

I will also never forgive the person for killing the dog.

[Zaphod B]

1. I see what God touches, so I therefore believe God exists.

From my personal experience, I have felt touched by both God, and by the wind. Other people have also felt the "touch" of both God and the wind, so they believe they both exist.

 

How do you or they know it's God touching them? Personal feelings or emotions do not prove God's existance. Muslims, Hindus and pretty much every other religious person in existance claims to have been touched by their personal version of God. Would you consider that proof that their Gods exist?

 

What are other good questions that Atheists have, that do not include any negative terms/insults/hostility towards what believers in God believe, but rather are good, thought-provoking questions that seek to understand why people believe what they do?

 

I have a mass of them. But here's a couple, but really they need threads of their own:

 

1) Why did God curse all species of snakes when it was Satan masquarading as a snake that tempted Eve?

 

2) Why was Christ's death necessary to avoid the penalty of hell when God will automatically give a free pass to small children, mentally handicapped and those who have never heard the gospel? Doesn't that make his death redundant and it all ultimately comes down to who God wants to forgive and cleanse? (This question is directed at those who believe these people will not go to Hell. I know some Christians believe they do go to Hell)

[BetheButterfly]

About comparing God to the wind....

Unlike God, although you technically cannot see the "wind", you can see the physical effect it has right in front of your eyes.

 

Hello, I can't sleep and decided to look through past threads I wrote. I'm sorry; I didn't see this till now.

 

Understood, but the thing is for many people, they can feel the emotional and physical effect of God in their souls, sorta like people can feel the wind on their skin; it's a really amazing feeling for those who have experienced it. Now, some people can say oh it's just a chemical high, but the point is that the effect does impact people who experience God.

 

About why God allows pain and harm....

You hate it....so admittedly, you hate what God allows to happen.

You could say that, yeah. I wish pain did not exist. If I were god, I would not have made pain to exist, and I would not have given my Creation free will. However, it's possible I would not truly experience love, if in my created world I did not allow an alternative to love, you know?

 

I forgot when or where or why, but I was joking once with another poster about how if I could make my own world, I would make unicorns, and I wouldn't let anyone who hurts unicorns in my "Lala Land" I just simply wouldn't allow it. However, I am most decidedly not God! While I enjoy "creating" art, I cannot make my art alive.

 

So how can you love this, which you can not see, and what you attribute it does, you admit that you hate?

Because I understand that God is superior to me and his way of thinking is not like mine.

 

Do you understand why this seems ridiculous?

Sure, but the word "ridiculous" triggers memories of being bullied for some reason... I don't know why because I was bullied by being called "ugly", not "ridiculous." But, for some reason I respond negatively to the word "ridiculous", as well as the word "ugly" though I'm trying not to now.

 

Anyways, I am not answering questions to try to persuade you to believe what I do. I'm answering to explain why I believe what I do.

 

Someone broke into my yard and killed my dog. I loved that dog, and even though I didn't see who did it, I hate them. But, unlike God, there was evidence left behind, so I know it was perpetrated by a human being. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a supernatural being who killed my dog, and I'm also pretty confident it wasn't the wind.

 

I will also never forgive the person for killing the dog.

I understand that, and I would have a very hard time to forgive anyone who'd kill my darling dog. It is very difficult to forgive, and I would have a very hard time obeying Jesus' command to forgive.

[BetheButterfly]

How do you or they know it's God touching them? Personal feelings or emotions do not prove God's existance. Muslims, Hindus and pretty much every other religious person in existance claims to have been touched by their personal version of God. Would you consider that proof that their Gods exist?

 

 

 

I have a mass of them. But here's a couple, but really they need threads of their own:

 

1) Why did God curse all species of snakes when it was Satan masquarading as a snake that tempted Eve?

 

2) Why was Christ's death necessary to avoid the penalty of hell when God will automatically give a free pass to small children, mentally handicapped and those who have never heard the gospel? Doesn't that make his death redundant and it all ultimately comes down to who God wants to forgive and cleanse? (This question is directed at those who believe these people will not go to Hell. I know some Christians believe they do go to Hell)

 

These are awesome questions, and I need a lot of time to answer them. Right now though I need to go. I hope to answer them later, and other Christians can answer according to how they believe too.

Edited March 17, 2013 by BetheButterfly

[quankanne]

in a nutshell ~ I believe that I am his and he is mine because my faith is my gift from him. I can't tell you how or why it works, just that it does.

 

why God allows bad things to happen? God's not behind evil deeds, man is. If we believe that the earth is in our charge, and all its inhabitants, too, then as much as we are responsible for keeping it clean and green so the generations after us can enjoy it, then we also are responsible for quelling those murderous urges that over take us when someone does something displeasing to us/someone we love. As for the other kinds of bad things that pop up – horrible accidents and terminal illness ... that's working on a whole other level, with many different kinds of variables involved. My personal belief? These horrible things are how we are purified, how we become closer to God because our relationship gets redefined when we put our trust in him. Or, simply put, those bad "things" are opportunities for us to grow spiritually even as we physically suffer ...

 

the cursing of snakes? Because they're damn creepy :laugh: just kidding. A big part of me suspects that it's the Gospel writer's personal hatred of them, so he wrote the role of the snake as the bad guy.

 

Why was Christ's death necessary to avoid the penalty of hell when God will automatically give a free pass to small children, mentally handicapped and those who have never heard the gospel? Doesn't that make his death redundant and it all ultimately comes down to who God wants to forgive and cleanse? (This question is directed at those who believe these people will not go to Hell. I know some Christians believe they do go to Hell)

 

excellent question, Zaphod.

 

again, my personal take? Jesus tells us to be like the little children (trusting in God and not so taken up with those things that draw us into sin) ... those who are mentally challenged are childlike, because they're not really conscientiously doing those things to keep them from God, they see his face more clearly than a sinner can at times ... so they get a "free pass." Those who don't know of God simply get the benefit of his love ~ what a joyous thing to know that there are people out there who innately follow that divine spark of goodness God has instilled in all of us because there's something inside that says "*this* is the way I'm supposed to be." The rest of us sinners ... ah, they're the ones Jesus has worried about and sacrificed for ~ because while we have that same instinctual goodness in us, we sometimes do things to ruin the line of communication between us and God (sinning) ... it's those of us who keep making those decisions and are so very much in need of his loving help.

 

kinda like a family that's got one bad character: Even though that child breaks his/her mama's heart and pisses Daddy off to no end, he/she is still their beloved child and they do what they can to help him/her out of love. Because for them, it's the love that's the most important factor of the relationship, not the child's badness. I think God is like that ~ he sees past all those things that keep us apart for him and did the one thing he could to save us, to give us eternal life with him: Be born as a human, make very human decisions and suffer greatly and sacrifice himself so that we could be saved not only from hell, but our own stupidity

[pureinheart]

Years ago I had an atheist friend. I used to tease him that his atheism was a religion, his non belief was as strong as my belief, he even had a "church"/organization that would meet to discuss their non belief. Well, we have to believe in something even if our faith is in nothing.

 

What a trip, I was just pondering this. My conclusion was (though most Atheists would disagree) that in fact faith in nothing is still faith in something even though it's nothing:)

[pureinheart]

If you believe that the Bible is literally true, how do you know it is? Please answer without any variation of, "Because it says so in the Bible"--you wouldn't even believe how many times I've heard that circular argument.

 

This is a way cool question!

 

This was my main reasoning:

 

 

 

Evidence for the Bible

 

 

Evidence for the Bible can take many forms. There is, for instance, physical evidence. We have copies of the manuscripts and throughout history these copies show that the Bible has been transmitted accurately. Despite common skeptical claims that the Bible has often been changed through the centuries, the physical evidence tells another story. The New Testament records are incredibly accurate. There are minor differences in manuscripts, called variants, but none of these variants impact or change key Christian beliefs or claims.

 

Other physical evidence includes archeological finds. The Archaeological Study Bible presents many notes and articles documenting how archeology has again and again proven that the Bible does correspond to historical reality.

[pureinheart]

About comparing God to the wind....

Unlike God, although you technically cannot see the "wind", you can see the physical effect it has right in front of your eyes.

 

About why God allows pain and harm....

You hate it....so admittedly, you hate what God allows to happen.

 

So how can you love this, which you can not see, and what you attribute it does, you admit that you hate?

 

Do you understand why this seems ridiculous?

 

 

Someone broke into my yard and killed my dog. I loved that dog, and even though I didn't see who did it, I hate them. But, unlike God, there was evidence left behind, so I know it was perpetrated by a human being. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a supernatural being who killed my dog, and I'm also pretty confident it wasn't the wind.

 

I will also never forgive the person for killing the dog.

 

I am so sorry about your fur baby, I can't even imagane your grief:( ((((((((((hugs))))))))))

 

Personally God IMO God hates pain and suffering too, but because He gave us a free will, people do bad things to others... this is why He offers us eternity without any pain and suffering for those who believe in Him and accept Him as their Lord and Savior.

 

According to how I believe, we are not on this earth for our own pleasure, we do have pleasures in life of which I am completely grateful. So in essense, if I were to speak the mindof God, I'd say that it's not about this life, but eternity.

 

Back to your puppy, I understand completely what you are saying, and I need to work on forgiveness in this area, as my precious little fur baby was hit by a speeding car, although survived. I chased the guy down and had I found him (he hid in anothers house) I probably would have ...well you know. Again I can't tell you what a cruel person that must have been to do such a thing:sick::sick:

[BetheButterfly]

What a trip, I was just pondering this. My conclusion was (though most Atheists would disagree) that in fact faith in nothing is still faith in something even though it's nothing:)

 

A joke my Atheist friend told me one day, and I forgot exactly how it goes, but it's something like this:

 

An Atheist told a Christian: "You're an Atheist too. I just believe in one less God than you do!"

 

That's very clever! (though some Muslims debate Christians as to whether Christians are truly monotheists or not, but I believe Christian beliefs do believe God is one: just three in One = triune. I believe people are triune too in being soul, spirit, and body.)

[BetheButterfly]

How do you or they know it's God touching them?

It depends. Some people have visions/dreams where they hear God's voice or see God, Jesus, or an angel. Others have supernatural experiences where they realize God is the reason for that experience.

 

Personal feelings or emotions do not prove God's existance.

Feelings/emotions simply prove we are human and react to stimuli. For example, when I feel sad, usually the reason is due to the existence of having an issue with someone or something. When I feel happy, usually the reason is due to the existence of the reason I am feeling happy, like when my hubby comes back from work or when my darling dog greets me with her little tail wagging. In the same way, personal feelings/emotions brought on by reason of experiencing God prove to that person God's existence.

 

Muslims, Hindus and pretty much every other religious person in existance claims to have been touched by their personal version of God.

True.

Would you consider that proof that their Gods exist?

That delves into a whole new set of questions.

 

Basically in the case of Muslims, there is evidence that Muhammad truly existed and taught/let people, though the reason why Christians are not Muslims is because we believe Muhammad is a false prophet. Now, some Christians believe that Muslims worship another god or satan, but I don't think that's the case actually. I think more the case is concerning the extreme differences between Jesus' teachings/example accounted in the Bible and by his followers verses Muhammad's teachings/example through the Qur'an and accounted in the hadiths. There's a really cool book, called Jesus or Muhammad: A Question of Assurance, written by an ex-Muslim who's now a Christian, that addresses this issue a bit.

 

So, yes I believe the "Muslims' God" exists and is the same God as the one I believe, but I believe Muhammad is a false prophet who should have but did not follow Jesus' teachings/example once he was powerful. Do I think all Muslims go to hell? Nope! I do believe those who follow more the ideology of Jesus instead of the ideology of conquering one's enemies do go to Heaven, though many other Christians disagree with me on that. Only God knows.

 

As for the Hindus gods and other gods, I think that there are valid reasons they have for believing in gods. I wish one could go back in time and see how these beliefs came to be, same as with my own belief. Since I believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel), I would LOVE to go back in time and observe how Abraham experienced God, as well as Jacob, as well as Moses, as well as see Jesus and all he did.

 

I have no idea if eventually time travel can be possible, but that would be so awesome, to go back in time and see how beliefs in God came to exist!!!

 

I have a mass of them. But here's a couple, but really they need threads of their own:

 

1) Why did God curse all species of snakes when it was Satan masquarading as a snake that tempted Eve?

Good question. I don't know. I like green garden snakes by the way, and many snakes are so beautiful!!!

 

2) Why was Christ's death necessary to avoid the penalty of hell when God will automatically give a free pass to small children, mentally handicapped and those who have never heard the gospel? Doesn't that make his death redundant and it all ultimately comes down to who God wants to forgive and cleanse? (This question is directed at those who believe these people will not go to Hell. I know some Christians believe they do go to Hell)

God is perfect and is superior to humans. Humans are not perfect but are rather created beings: living works of art, if you will. Christ's death was sadly necessary because of how God created the world. Just like there is a law of gravity, so there is a law of consequences for disobedience. The first animal sacrifice recorded is possibly when God made clothes for Adam and Eve out of animal skin, after they had disobeyed the only "No" command He gave them.

 

Throughout the Tanakh, as well as interestingly in many other religions, animal sacrifices were done. Christians consider the animal sacrifices to be a picture of what Jesus Christ would someday do, as the "Lamb of God." We believe Jesus Christ fulfills the Law and the Prophets, and a part of that Law was animal sacrifices.

 

I despise the idea, by the way, of animal sacrifices but God didn't ask me for my opinion. I wish that no animals were ever killed for humans (and yes I'm being a hypocrite in the respect that I eat fish and chicken so animals are continuing to be killed for me to eat - how sad. If I could be a vegetarian, I would, but my husband is a very happy omnivore that loves eating meat, and as a bodybuilder, he eats tons of protein).

 

Anyways, I think a lot of my worldview is because of being after Jesus' ministry; it is possible that if I lived in the time before Jesus, I would not have an issue with animal sacrifices...

 

Christians believe that Jesus Christ fulfills the "Law of consequence" for all the disobedience of people: God's living art forms made in His image, by his death and resurrection.

 

Hebrews talks a bit about this: (I boldened some, and I recommend reading Hebrews in order to understand a bit better Christian beliefs)

 

Hebrews 9 NIV - Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle - Now - Bible Gateway

13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,[c] so that we may serve the living God! 15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

16 In the case of a will,[d] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19 When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”[e] 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."

 

Thanks for your interesting and thought-provoking questions. While I know and understand why you don't agree with my answers, I am explaining what I believe as a Christian and why. I'm not trying to persuade you to believe the same, but rather am trying to provide insight as to why other Christians and I believe what we do.

[elplague]

I've gone around the mill countless times with questions to theists of any stripe. Christians, specifically, because of course, I live in the US, and most of the folks here are christian.

 

1. Why is the resurrection this huge defining moment in Christianity? Historically, records indicate (even in the bible) resurrection was a rather normal happening during those times, at least literally. The bible refers to entire cities being resurrected in celebration at various points. Why, specifically, is this one given more creedence then the rest, if it was so common?

 

2. Why the absence of tangible evidence? Throughout the bible, god visited people. Via Angels or fiery chariots or other happenings. Where are they now? Did god simply surmise that this time would be the time he would hide? The bible pays alot of lip service to faith, even though it itself was written by folks who witnessed these events. so who's really doing the talking here?

 

3. Why the hypocrisy? Many christians are pro-war and pro-death penalty, yet are anti-choice in the abortion debate.

 

4. Why the slaughter of the Caananites and Midianites? Christianity teaches a suitable version of morality when it comes to accepting others, tolerance, etc. Yet, these peoples were killed and the virgin women given to the Israelites for purposes undescribed.

 

5. Creationism. The bible claims God created the world and universe in 6 days 6,000 years ago. We now know for certain this is an impossible claim. Since this is a founding principle of christianity, and it is a false one based strictly on the time it claims, what makes the rest of the bible valid at all?

[Grumpybutfun]

As spirituality is a personal faith based journey, there are no real questions or answers except for the ones your own soul seeks. The soul calls for different things in life, and some seek for a power that lies within and without and some do not. This is a personal choice therefore, when I speak to Athiests, I don't presume to argue this personal choice with them. Since I am not religious, I know how people trying to "convince" me their religion is the right one or the right path only leaves me feeling amusement. So, I don't need to convince others of the energy of God as I see God. God, even as I see God, is not as others do, which is this man in the sky. To me God is an energy of light and darkness combined which flows through every living thing.

I think, in my humble opinion, the things we should be discussing and questioning is how can my role in this world help and support others? How can I be the most supportive of the energy around me that it isn't imposing or negative? In order for others to recongnize a great energy or God working through my life, how can I be a positive energy in this world? Questions for Theists or Atheists are perhaps a fun excercise in debate, but as I have to utilize all of my energy just to make sure I am following my spiritual practices correctly and with purpose, I do not engage. I understand that religions have to witness in order to follow their tenants of their dogma, so this is just my viewpoint and not meant to be advice.

Grumps

[dichotomy]

Hello

 

2. "If God is good, why does He/She/It allow pain and suffering, diseases and natural tragedies, and crimes?

 

 

We had a paradise, we blew it, free will is a bitch, we OWN the fact that evil exists in this world - we just HAD to know of good and evil. So its our fault - not God's. Stop blaming HIM, we did it.

 

Genesis 3 - Cursed is the ground....all your life you will struggle..in pain you shall eat....thorns and thistles for you, etc...

 

Note God cursed the ground - this world - and not Adam. Christ's later sacrifice did not save us from this fate in this world - but rather offered to save us from the fate in the next.

Edited March 18, 2013 by dichotomy

[BetheButterfly]

If you believe that the Bible is literally true, how do you know it is? Please answer without any variation of, "Because it says so in the Bible"--you wouldn't even believe how many times I've heard that circular argument.

 

Christians can answer this in different ways, and not just "because it says so in the Bible"

 

From my perspective, I do believe that the Bible is literally true. However, I also believe that due to a span of __ thousand of years of scribes copying a specific manuscript (and the Bible is a compilation of many manuscripts), some small errors are found in the copies of the different manuscripts. Humans are naturally prone to error, and it is no surprise for scribes who laboriously write down copies to accidentally make a few mistakes.

 

Also, translations make things difficult. The original documents in the Tanakh were Hebrew, yet they have been translated into Greek as well as into other languages. Concerning the manuscripts of the New Testament, most scholars believe the originals of most of the manuscripts were originally Greek, which makes sense in a way, since Greek was much like English now because in that time period, Greek was the language learned and spoken by many people for business purposes and for writing for people of different native languages to read.

 

As a translator, I know that sometimes translating literally from one language does not make much sense in the other language. So, that adds to the complications that Bible students (or students of any ancient text that is not in the native language of the student) face. That's why it's very important too to study the culture of the people from which came that ancient text.

 

As to your question, I do not 100% know that the Bible is true, but I do 100% believe it is true. What I have read and researched concerning the ancient Scriptures and how they came to be, as well as how they were preserved, reaffirms my belief that the Bible is literally true, with the exception of small errors that are the fault of scribes/copyists and translators.

 

One thing that strikes me as cool and remarkable is the emphasis a long time ago in oral recitation and memory. Although there were no computers in those days, the Jewish people made it a point to remember their Scriptures and recite them, which is fascinating. The New Testament is mostly written by Jewish people (with the exception of Luke, a Greek convert to Judaism) who grew up in a culture where memorization and oral recitation met with reading their Scriptures from scrolls.

 

While I wish we could travel back in time and observe to see if what is accounted in the Bible truly happened, I do think that some archeologists have found and will continue to find clues to the past that show that the events accounted in the Bible occurred. The Bible, especially the Tanakh or Old Testament, is in a way a history book of the Jewish people. Of course it is written subjectively, but one thing that strikes me is that it records the good, the bad, and the ugly of what happened in the history of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel). As for the New Testament, it is in a way a history of what Jesus said and did, as well as the early followers of Jesus, mostly seen through the eyes of witnesses and through letters to various churches/people.

 

So to answer basically, I don't 100% know that the Bible is true, but I believe it is true due to history, the remarkable traits of memory/oral recitation and preservation of their history and accounts of their experience with God, by the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Again, I wish people could go back in time and observe to see if it's really true, but also due to my own experience with God, I believe the Bible is true.

[pie2]

Why is the resurrection this huge defining moment in Christianity? Historically, records indicate (even in the bible) resurrection was a rather normal happening during those times, at least literally. The bible refers to entire cities being resurrected in celebration at various points. Why, specifically, is this one given more creedence then the rest, if it was so common?

 

What is your definition of resurrection?

 

Which biblical and non-biblical examples of literal resurrection are you referring to?

[quankanne]

Why is the resurrection this huge defining moment in Christianity? Historically, records indicate (even in the bible) resurrection was a rather normal happening during those times, at least literally. The bible refers to entire cities being resurrected in celebration at various points. Why, specifically, is this one given more creedence then the rest, if it was so common?

 

great question! Best answer I can give is that in the case of Christianity, the resurrection isn't an isolated event, but part of a larger equation that begins when Jesus rode into the city of Jerusalem pretty much like a rock star (modern day reference to understand the adulation), but several days later was shunned and mocked, and scorned by the very same people. THEN they condemn him to death, and he gets crucified. The resurrection rounds out the whole story of salvation, because without one, the tale is incomplete. At least, this is how Father Mark explained it the other day!

[elplague]

What is your definition of resurrection?

 

Which biblical and non-biblical examples of literal resurrection are you referring to?

 

I think my definition is a rather standard one, that of the dead coming back to life.

 

There are many isntances throughout the bible alone. Paul being stoned to death and raising, being one. I'm not mentioning specifically the spiritual resurrection, but physical resurrection. The very nature of which seems counter to what the entirety of the bible claims as a finality for piety, that of eternal reward in heaven. Being that that is the case, wouldn't resurrection be a torment? Bringing these folks (And Jesus raised many more throughout the bible) are supposedly dead and in heaven, I would think it would be a terrible thing to bring them back into a world filled with pain, grief and sorrow.

 

And that's just christianity. There are many cases throughout human history in which resurrection of the dead is written as historical happenings. In every major religion there is some resurrection clause. Even in areligious documentation, theories about "necromancy" or raising the dead is a common myth, but we know these to be against the laws of psychology and physics.

 

Hence my question. Not only does resurrection seem to be a punishment as written in the bible, but in every other religion it seems to follow suit as well.