Tough Questions about Christianity

[Zak]

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For #10, he asks someone how they can believe the silliness of one religion but dismiss the silliness of another. No devout person considers his own beliefs to be "silliness," and if they did, there would be no argument here.

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I think you've missed the point. He asks how can a devout believer of one religion dismiss as silly, for example, another devout religious man's belief that the Universe was shat out by a cosmic cow, while simultaneously dismissing the sillyness of his own belief that Man was molded from dirt, Woman from his rib, and that a talking snake tricked them into damning all Mankind for eating a piece of fruit.

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Wow, you got all that from #10? I better go study some more theology.

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He was simply giving an example of what the other poster was writing about. He rephrased it to make it more clear. His point is valid.

[J. Stew]

I'm not a Christian but I'll give it a go for the Christian in all of us!

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1. What purpose would humanity serve for an omnipotent god? Is he so pathetic that he must create beings to follow his rules and worship him in order to satisfy himself? Must be lonely at the top.

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God didn't create humans, life created humans, God is creation itself, the suchness of everything manifesting moment to moment.

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2. Why must a powerful God necessarily be a good god? What evidence suggests such goodness? And don't say "we have life" because that life is not inherently good if it must be lived according to some list of rules to receive conditional benefits or eternal punishment.

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The 'rules' in Christianity are guidelines for purification of the small self. Same as in all religions, you don't have to follow them, you choose to follow them cause you want the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

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3. Why do you teach silly concepts like "Son of God"? These silly anthromorphisms illustrate the absurdity of humans trying to make sense of the unknown using ignorant short-sighted perspective.

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Actually short-sightedness is good. If you can look at what's in front of your face without thinking about it you can come to know what God is all about. Son of God means, a manifestation of God, a manifestation of life, of the creative energy that is God, how else would you say it?

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4. If such a God existed and even somehow had a son, what sacrifice would it be for an eternal, all-powerful "Son of God" to endure a few hours of torture knowing that the Kingdom of God is his? This is hardly much of a sacrifice.

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God didn't rear a son like out his arse or something like that, Jesus was born like everyone else (sorry Christian fundamentalists). Jesus just saw that he came from the nothing-therefore-somethingness which is God, that he came from the suchness that is God. Jesus knew there was an infinite part of himself that torture couldn't touch, that's all.

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5. Why the correlation between the decline in God's direct observable miracles and the rise in human knowledge? If God was so "jealous" of a silly Tower of Babel, he sure seems silent on interplanetary travel, atomic weaponry, and other human accomplishments. Maybe this decline has something to do with a lot of events that would otherwise seem "miraculous" or divine 4000 years ago, no longer seem so with today's knowledge? Hmmmm.

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Yeah, the interpretation of God as 'man in the sky' is obviously outdated and obsolete, aren't we past that yet?

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6. If a god really did exist, would he be more likely to reward you or punish you for believing the Bible is true? It would seem that an omniscient God might not value ignorant faith as such a virtue.

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God doesn't reward and punish, that's man in the sky God. You punish and reward yourself. If you want to figure out who you are then that's a different story.

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7. Do dogs go to heaven? If not, then every argument about the meaningless of human life without a God goes right out the window!

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I don't know. My girlfriend's cat acts differently when I love it more than I yell at it. Maybe love has something to do with God. Hmmm. . .

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8. Do dogs sin? If not, then every argument about the absolute morality based on God's laws should also go out the window.

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Dogs don't know what sin is, they are stupid, but they still know what love is. Hmmm . . . maybe love is not conceptual. Maybe God can't be fully encapsulated in conceptual terms.

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9. Shouldn't those who procalim themselves as the "chosen people" be met with a considerable amount of skepticism as they clearly have a vested interest in spreading their beliefs?

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Agreed. People who preach to conform are bogus. People who preach to share are saints.

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10. Lastly, how could people be so ignorant as to believe the silliness of western mythology (Judeo-Christian teachings) while at the same time scorn the silliness of other forms of mythology and mysticism?

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Because they are misinterpreting what the Bible points to.

[NotReady]

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Let me know you're up there. Come on. Love me, hate me, kill me, anything. Just let me know it."


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What we have here is a failure to communicate.

[JoshuaD]

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Let me know you're up there. Come on. Love me, hate me, kill me, anything. Just let me know it."


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What we have here is a failure to communicate.

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Some men, you just can't reach. So you get what we have here. And I don't like it, any more than you do.

[godBoy]

I'll give it a go, cause no other christian has bothered to answer.

1. What purpose would humanity serve for an omnipotent god? Is he so pathetic that he must create beings to follow his rules and worship him in order to satisfy himself? Must be lonely at the top.

No, he's building people who are willing to serve Him in heaven as well as satisfying himself. Even the crap I make gives me a sense of accomplishment.

2. Why must a powerful God necessarily be a good god? What evidence suggests such goodness? And don't say "we have life" because that life is not inherently good if it must be lived according to some list of rules to receive conditional benefits or eternal punishment.

If we are created by 'a' God, then it is fitting to worship Him. Simply the size and complexity of God would reason worship(placing worth on God).

3. Why do you teach silly concepts like "Son of God"? These silly anthromorphisms illustrate the absurdity of humans trying to make sense of the unknown using ignorant short-sighted perspective.

Son-of-God is used because people can relate to it. With God there is a Person of Jesus Christ. The father-son relationship describes their relationship...sorta... to humans.

4. If such a God existed and even somehow had a son, what sacrifice would it be for an eternal, all-powerful "Son of God" to endure a few hours of torture knowing that the Kingdom of God is his? This is hardly much of a sacrifice.

No one knows the true weight of sin, no one has carried what Jesus had to. But the Persons of the trinity are so close together(intimate) that seperation of this truly loved thing and suffering even though he should be worshipped is agony.
Probably the closest thing to it would be seeing your innocent wife crucified then feeling the feelings of guilt and shame and hatred of every person who ever lived. Is a hell of a sacrifice, no pun intended.

5. Why the correlation between the decline in God's direct observable miracles and the rise in human knowledge? If God was so "jealous" of a silly Tower of Babel, he sure seems silent on interplanetary travel, atomic weaponry, and other human accomplishments. Maybe this decline has something to do with a lot of events that would otherwise seem "miraculous" or divine 4000 years ago, no longer seem so with today's knowledge? Hmmmm.

Well, i've personally witnessed miracles. But that aside.. Jesus could not perform some miricales in some towns because the people had such little faith. Perhaps this is the reason, miracles happen around faith filled people.

6. If a god really did exist, would he be more likely to reward you or punish you for believing the Bible is true? It would seem that an omniscient God might not value ignorant faith as such a virtue.

If the bible recorded what God wanted to say to his people, then, if they rejected it God would naturally be unpleased.

7. Do dogs go to heaven? If not, then every argument about the meaningless of human life without a God goes right out the window!

No, dogs do not have an eternal spirit.
If not, then every argument about the meaningless of 'Dog' life without a God goes right out the window!

8. Do dogs sin? If not, then every argument about the absolute morality based on God's laws should also go out the window.

I really don't understand where you are coming from with these windows... but no dogs don't sin, they don't have the will that comes with an eternal spirit to choose what is right. Dog's are far less complex creatures tham humans.

9. Shouldn't those who procalim themselves as the "chosen people" be met with a considerable amount of skepticism as they clearly have a vested interest in spreading their beliefs?

Sure, I think any belief should be met with skepicism, not just accepted.

10. Lastly, how could people be so ignorant as to believe the silliness of western mythology (Judeo-Christian teachings) while at the same time scorn the silliness of other forms of mythology and mysticism?

Because of the person of Jesus Christ.

[KingNeo]

How can you possibly say dogs don't have an eternal spirit?

Tyrus those were excellent questions and there are thousands of others just like them.

For the Christians answering these questions, I hope you realize that you are just stating your "beliefs", you are not giving factual answers.

You see the thing with religion is that there are no FACTS, it is FAITH.

[sweetjazz]

My question to God would be: "How come Catholics and Mormons aren't Christians anymore?"

[godBoy]

Oh you're a dog lover... sorry dude.

"they don't have the will that comes with an eternal spirit to choose what is right. Dog's are far less complex creatures than humans." This was in my previous post.

I do realise that these are personal beliefs, mostly because this is what I have interpreted from the bible. I have 'tested' the bible by applying what it says and seeing what happens, I don't just accept it.

there are plenty of facts that you can figure out yourself, or you could continue on like you are, so sure of what it is ,yet having no clue.

[godBoy]

I have said quite a few times, God is interested in the attitude of the heart, not a church you attend. If you earnestly seek God I believe you will find Him.

[godBoy]

Obviously you are referring to "The passion of the Christ".
It's the story of what my God did, the life of Christ has inspired people for 2000 years.