Tough Questions about Christianity

dknightx · #1 11-03-2005, 05:50 PM

I'm doing a talk on some "tough" questions people ask about Christianity (I'm not considering Catholic, and definitely not Mormon, as "Christianity" in this thread), and would like to know what the curious minds of 2+2 are wondering. Please do not turn this thread into a debate, I simply would like to know what QUESTIONS you have. If these questions spawn seperate threads so be it, but please try to keep to the questions.

A good example of a question is like one outlined in the thread "Dear Christians: why doesn't god DO something?".

Thanks!

purnell · #2 11-03-2005, 05:58 PM

What is "evil"?

godBoy · #3 12-30-2005, 07:26 AM

I guess it is something that goes against the character of God. This is the same reason why we believe our God is perfect I suppose. It only makes sense to attribute wisdom, power, and glory to our creator.
A very interesting question though, still thinking...

MilkMan · #4 12-30-2005, 09:20 AM

I am not a person of faith in the religious sense but I am beginning to form a very strong belief: those who truly value logic, reason and rationality are fated to spend an unnecessarily large portion of their lives arguing with people who place higher value on such things as faith and emotion.

In many ways I respect posters like godBoy's sincere attempts to answer questions within the framework of what they believe.

And still circular-reasoning and conspiciously pious arguments make me want to punch someone in the mouth. Ironic to say the least.

godBoy · #5 12-30-2005, 07:59 PM

I like to think that I place a high value on both logic, reason and rationality and at the same time placing a high value on such things as faith and emotion. I have a lot more to say than "I believes", I know some things for sure, there's a lot more I don't understand though.

timotheeeee · #6 12-30-2005, 08:43 PM

[ QUOTE ]
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.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is false. I did earnestly seek. The only thing I have to show for it is a few years of struggle, pain, and bad memories. Did I disprove Christianity?

godBoy · #7 12-30-2005, 09:41 PM

If you gave up looking then you didn't disprove anything. If you ever assume you know more than you should and this is a bar to truth, you have not disproven this. I don't know of your experience but it's hard to think the only thing you have to show for it is a few years of struggle, pain, and bad memories. What exactly is your experience? Don't have to answer I guess...

timotheeeee · #8 12-31-2005, 12:07 AM

[ QUOTE ]
If you gave up looking then you didn't disprove anything. If you ever assume you know more than you should and this is a bar to truth, you have not disproven this. I don't know of your experience but it's hard to think the only thing you have to show for it is a few years of struggle, pain, and bad memories. What exactly is your experience? Don't have to answer I guess...

[/ QUOTE ]

My experience? I won't get completely into it, but I read Christian books (my favorite was the Case for Christ), read the bible all the time, etc. I pretty much wanted to be a Christian apologist. After a while I realized that I was getting so involved in it to make up for the lack of the feeling of spiritual completion that was suppose to accompany a life devoted the Christ. I figured that if I dove into it as much as I could I might feel something. Hell, I even gave up masturbation, and this was in college, mind you. I often cried at night wondering why I felt empty and without the holy spirt. I offered my life to Christ, I offered a life of complete devotion, and I never felt any relationship at all. This was over a long period of time. So one day I made a really difficult and painful decision to not be a Christian. I mean, how long is one supposed to give to a religion all while feeling empty? How long would you give Hinduism if you felt no spiritual fulfullment? I did as I was taught to do, and I did as I genuinely wanted to, and at the end of the day, as well as at the end of many years, there was just nothing there. My experience lead me to conclude that if there is a god, it is extraordinarily unlike the one described in the New Testament.

Pauwl · #9 11-03-2005, 06:00 PM

Here's a popular one:

"If god loves me and is my creator, then how can he send me to hell for not believing in something that only other mortals have told me to believe in?"

hmkpoker · #10 11-03-2005, 06:30 PM

Believers go to heaven as a reward for their belief in Christ. Non-believers go to hell as a punishment for their lack of faith.

God has the power to intervene at any point. (to suggest otherwise would compromise either his omniscience or omnipotence)

How can someone who commits a finite crime fittingly recieve an infinite punishment, and someone who performs a finite good fittingly recieve infinite reward?