Frequently Asked Questions

QUESTIONS & OBJECTIONS

"Man is the master of his own destiny!"

If man is in total control of his future, then he should at least be in control of his own body. Instead he is subject to involuntary yawning, sneezing, breathing, swallowing, sleeping, salivating, dreaming, blinking and thinking. He can't even control hair and nail growth. He automatically does these things, irrespective of his will. God has set his body in motion and there is little he can do about it. He also has minimal control over his daily bodily functions. His kidneys, bladder, intestines, heart, liver, lungs, etc., work independently of his will. It is ludicrous to say that man controls his future when he has trouble predicting the stock market, political outcomes, earthquakes, and even the weather, let alone having control over these things. The following questions are taken from the web site of a Hollywood atheist organization. As they have stated, this information is useful for those who "haven't thought much about religion since childhood and want to test their faith with adult questions...These questions are worthwhile only to those who think reason is the most valid tool in forming opinions."

1) How would you define God, and why are you so convinced that there is one?

God is the Creator, Upholder, and the Sustainer of the universe. He revealed Himself to Moses as the one and only true God.

2) If everything needs a creator, then who or what created God?

No person or thing created God. He created "time," and because we dwell in the dimension of time, reason demands that all things have a beginning and an end. God, however, dwells outside of the dimension of time. He moves through time as we flip through the pages of a history book; this can be proved by simple study of the prophecies of Matthew 24, Luke 21, and 2 Timothy 3. He dwells in "eternity," having no beginning or end. This is a dimension in which all humanity will dwell when God withdraws time.

If you find the thought that no one created the creator and that god is outside time hard to believe than ask yourself the following, if atheists are right in saying the universe was created by the big bang then "What caused the big bang"? Scientists speculate that the cause of the big bang is found in M-theory, which proposes that big bang was caused by two objects [immortal beings] coincidently bumping in to one another in an alternate dimension where there is no time and the physics of our universe do not apply, and the result of the collision was the big bang and thus our universe. When we bring the two ideas, Christian creation and Big bang creation, down to the same level, there are only two core differences, Christianity states that there is one god and this god purposely created our universe. And big bang/M-theory states that there were two immortal beings that accidentally created our universe. Now take a look at your life, your experiences and the world around you and ask yourself, "Is this all one big coincidence, a cosmic accident or was this designed." ask yourself "Do I have a purpose in life?", "Does my life have meaning?", if you answered yes, or would like to, then Christian creation is your answer.

3) How can something that cannot be described be said to exist?

The color blue cannot be accurately described to a man who was born blind. Just because it cannot be described doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. There is plant life on the bottom of the deepest oceans that has never been seen by man, let alone described by him. Despite this, it still exists. Does the (unseen) far side of a planet fail to exist merely because man cannot describe it?

4) Since countless religions in the world today claim to be the one true religion, why do you think yours is truer than theirs?

No religion is "truer" than another. "Religion" is man's futile effort to try to find peace with God. The Christian doesn't strive to have peace with his Creator. It was given to him in the person of the Savior. The uniqueness of Jesus to Nazareth is His statement, "The Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins." No religion of man can do that. Christianity is not a manmade "religion," but a personal relationship with the one true God.

5) Can more than one of these religions be right?

In one sweeping statement, Jesus discards all other religions as a means of finding forgiveness of sins. Jesus, who claimed to be God, said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). The Bible says about Jesus, "There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5) and, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). See also Answer #4.

6) If you feel in your heart that your religion is the right one, how do you answer those of other faiths who claim the same thing?

Christians don't base their faith on feelings; their feelings are irrelevant to truth. If I am flying from Los Angeles to New York, my feelings about whether I am going in the right direction have nothing to do with that fact. We can know with our intellect that Christianity is true, regardless of our feelings. The Bible's thousands of fulfilled prophecies, historical accuracy, and many infallible proofs attest to its reliability.

7) How do you settle the debate and find out which of these religions, if any, is the right one?

Jesus promises that He and the Father will reveal themselves to all who love and obey Him. This is the ultimate challenge to any skeptic. If you repent and place your faith in Jesus Christ, He will give you eternal life and you can know that your eternity is secure.

8) Why does God allow all these false religions to exist?

Because God wants mankind to worship and love Him, He gave Adam and Eve the free will to choose whether to obey or disobey Him. People have chosen to reject God's way and instead seek to establish their own righteousness through works-based religions. God allows these false religions and atheism to exist for the same reason He allows sinful humans to exist. The Bible tells us that God is not willing that any should perish (regardless of whether they are religious or profess atheism), but that they all come to repentance.

9) Is the bloody history of Christianity consistent with what is supposed to be a religion of love, or does it simply illustrate the consequences of abandoning reason for faith?

The Bible commands Christians to love their enemies and do good to those who spitefully use them. The terroists in the World Trade Center tragedy carried out their agenda in the name of Allah (their god). This is nothing new. The Crusaders and others who have committed atrocities in the name of Christianity were also evil men who were carrying out their depraved agendas. A thinking person can distinguish between those who use the Christian faith for their own political or "religious" ends and those who are true followers of Jesus. In other words, just because someone claims to be a Christian doesn't mean that he is. He could be what is commonly known as a hyprocrite, or an imposer.

10) If everything is the product of a "grand design" by an omniscient, benevolent designer, why is the history of life a record of horrible suffering, blundering waste, and miserable failures?

God's original creation was "good," but because of mankind's sin we now live in a "fallen" creation. Before sin entered the world there was no suffering, disease, decay, or death. The Bible's explanation of suffering actually substantiates the truth of Scripture.

11) Why did God intervene so many times in human affairs during antiquity (according to the Bible) and yet not do anything during the Holocaust of the Second World War?

No human can claim to know whether or not God intervened in the affairs of humanity at any time between 1939 and 1945. However, the Old Testament makes it very clear that there were times when God didn't intervene in the affairs of His people. He purposefully allowed their enemies to overpower them so that they would turn back to Him. Throughout history and throughout the world, all cultures acknowledge the existence of God. Besides, why should one's inner convictions about the non-existence of God indicate that He doesn't exist outside of that person's mind? Our personal convictions and beliefs do not affect reality. God simply is.

12) Can a God who would abandon His children when they needed Him the most still be considered "all good"?

One of humanity's great errors is the misinterpretation of the meaning of "good". A "loving" judge who dismisses a case against a vicious killer because he loves him is not a good judge. Justice and goodness are inseparable. Many times God chastened Israel (gave them their just dessert) because of His goodness. He wanted them to turn back to Him for their own good.

13) If the God of the Bible is "all good," why does He Himself say that He created evil (Isaiah 45:7)?

The word translated "evil" in that verse ("I make peace, and create evil") means "calamity" or "suffering" - God uses both good and bad events in our lives to bring us into a right relationship with Him. However, because God is sovereign over all events, He did allow evil to come into being. God gave mankind a choice to have a loving relationship with Him. The original sin was when Adam and Eve chose to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Once man knew both good and evil, he had to choose between the two. Because God wants people to worship Him freely out of love and enjoy His incredible blessings, He tells each one of us: "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil..., therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live" (Deuteronomy 30:15,19).

14) If something is not rational, should it be believed anyway?

At one time, the concept of a thousand-ton aircraft flying through the air seemed irrational and absurd. But after man studied the laws of physics, it was discovered to be quite rational and believable. If one studies God's word and understands His Law, Christianity is seen to be infinitely rational and believable.

15) Is there a better way than reason to acquire knowledge and truth?

No. That's why the Bible says, "Come now, and let us reason together' says the LORD." That's why when the apostle Paul spoke "the words of truth and reason," King Agrippa said, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian." That's why Paul "reasoned" with Felix (the governor) about "righteousness, self-control, and judgement to come." And that's why Felix "was afraid."

16) If you would answer #16 with "faith," then why are there so many contradictory faiths in the world?

There are many faiths because all nations recognize that there is a Creator. No one has ever found an atheistic tribe.

Continue to part 2