10 Questions Every Christian Needs To Answer.

[Whateverist]

1. How is the method by which you became a Christian reliable?

I am innocent until proven guilty.

You have a sense of humor. That's a good thing.

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2. Apart from church dogma, how can you know what happens when we die?

I don't. No one has the direct knowledge of what happens when we die. All of us accept what happens 'after death' on authority.

3. What if you and your silly bible are wrong and there is no heaven, hell or afterlife of any kind?

This knowledge is unattainable. Prior to the gaining of this knowledge I would cease to exist.

4. If you are God's unthinking lacky, how can you call yourself moral?

If I'm unthinking how can I answer your question?

Depends upon your standard of morality. If we use the absolute standard of morality, then I don't consider myself moral.

Do you really think morality is simply a question of rule following?

No. The law (rule following) is our schoolmaster. It brings us to the knowledge that we are not moral.

5. Even if there is a God, you are obviously free to do what you want. The prisons are full of Christians. Do you or do you not believe God gave man free will?

We would have to define free will. When you say free will, free from what?

6. If all you do is follow God's rules, how does your life have any meaning? What makes it your life?

'All I do' isn't following God's rules, no one can nor has done such a thing.

If all your being does is follow naturalistic laws then how does your life have any meaning, or how is it your life? Isn't it natures life?

The meaning of my life should be the reflection of God's glory. If I'm not doing that, then it is to my shame.

7. Where did that which you believe created the universe come from? (And if anything can always have existed, why not the universe and all its prior conditions?)

God is eternal. I don't outright reject the assertion that the universe could be eternal, we can certainly view that as a possibility, however the Biblical and scientific evidence shows the contrary.

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8. What about miracles? Aside from the most ridiculous claims, wouldn't most of what technology makes possible today have seemed miraculous to the ancients? So what's the big deal?

Please clarify the question? Are you saying that God used technology to part the red sea? Are you saying that technology could explain how the red sea parted? Something else?

What interests me here is the assumption that what God wants, God gets - without any expertise or skill involved. From God's point of view wouldn't you think there was something He'd do to cause the Red sea to part. How do we know there is no underlying restraints in the problem that wouldn't need finessing by Him? Why assume it is just a wiggle of the nose or a blink and .. presto!

If there was absolutely nothing besides God how would He know He existed? Of what would He be self-aware? Don't get your hopes up. I don't actually think for even a moment that this makes any sense at all. I really don't. But if you do, why must it be magic?

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9. What’s your view of Dawkins, Hitchens and Harris? Do you read anything else but the bible?

Don't know enough about those men to comment but Dawkins intrigues me. Do you have a book recommendation?

Yes, I do read books other than the Bible, mostly academic-style books.
No, sorry I don't have any recommendations. Hitchens is amusing to watch on youtube. The other guys two are also smart as hell but their motivations and insights are suspect. Others might like to chime in with recommendations. I have no interest in reading anything by any of them. Tip of the hat to you for reading widely and being open.

10. If there is but one God, then why does every society have a different religion? [Props to Jenny.]

If there is but one science, why are there different theories?

But seriously I only see two religions on the planet: the works based religion, i.e. belief in being a good person, and the Biblical religion, i.e. man cannot merit being a good person (God saves man). I would place the atheists into the works based position because while he/she doesn't believe in any permanent reward for good behavior, he/she still believes in being a 'good person'.

Do not misconstrue my point here. I'm in no way advocating a person shouldn't seek to do good and not evil, right and not wrong.

Well I expect no reward beyond the instantaneous state of mind that accompanies each act and thought. I definitely don't anticipate any form of afterlife, do you? Neither do I expect there to be any judging.

In another sense, there is much within our psyche (soul if you like) which is a gift not owing to our own efforts or conscious power. I am thankful for good days and insight and inspiration and caring relationships. Nothing should be taken for granted but I don't spend any time thinking how to please some one or some thing beyond myself. There is lots of mystery left in our lives even without gods and certainly plenty to be in awe of when we stop to consider.