Questions about Christianity

All good questions. I’m going to answer them, to the best of my abilities, as a Christian who has asked a lot of the same things and has found at least some of God’s answers to be more than satisfactory:

1)Why doesn’t God show Himself or leave proof of His existance? What is so important about Faith? I don’t have any problem with the fact that Jesus is proof of God’s existance, and that He is how God showed Himself. The words of Jesus in the Gospels are absolutely mind-blowing. They are not like any other religious teachings (and that includes the rest of the Bible, in many ways). The people who heard Him were amazed. You do need faith to believe in Him, but not a lot. You can ask Him for more faith and I can say from my own experience I’ve been given it.

2)Why does God punish people who do not accept Christ if they do not know Him. Sense He leaves no proof. The Christian teaching has got skewed here (not just by you - by lots of us too). Hell is the place where anyone who cannot keep up with God’s perfection should go. The Christian teaching is not that ‘we’re good - the rest of you get punished’, it is (or should be) ‘Jesus has given us a way out - quick, take up the offer!’. I still find your question a bit difficult - I am confident that the answer I’ve given you is basically correct but I would like some more understanding about ‘people who do not accept Christ’ myself. I hope you appreciate that I’m being honest with you, rather than trying to imply I know all the answers.

3)If God is loving and Almighty, why is there evil and suffering in the World? Does God not care, or does know what is best for all His Children? Well, I am certain on this one. I know that God has given all of us (religious or otherwise) a basic conscience. He has then given Jews and Christians more than that - laws which deal with the treatment of other people which were summarised by the phrase ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself’. Other religions have similar laws and the conscience of non-religious people also tells them something similar. If this law were fully obeyed, the suffering caused by war, poverty and famine would end quickly. The suffering caused by natural disasters would be reduced or more easily dealt with. Christians should be, and often are, heavily involved in work that helps suffering people around the world. So are other people - we should all be working together on this.

4. Why does nothing exist, instead of God, and how does God exist? If God is eternal what was he doing before he created everything? And why did he suddenly deside to?Any thoughts? Fantastic and unanswerable question. I can answer just one part of it. Thoughts, only, as you say. It is apparantly totally Biblical to say that basically, God was lonely. God is a ‘relationship’ sort of guy. He created the universe because it’s in His nature to make wonderful things and He created humans to get to know Him. As one of the millions who does have a relationship with Him (this is open to all - I’n not claiming some kind of nutter’s privilage here) then I would say that getting to know God is really good.

5)How did God create all of us if we are created from our parents? God created all the basic biological processes, by which we are created. He then also oversees individual biological events - Jesus said ‘not a sparrow falls’ without God knowing about it. It doesn’t mean He knocks the sparrow down, and it doesn’t mean He is involved in our creation at a physical level, but He knows, understands and cares about every stage of life.

6)Because Adam and Eve Sined, we suffer from them.. How is that fair? And why didn’t God change it. Well (start throwing brickbats now) I believe that the Adam and Eve story is as much allegory (story-telling with a message) as it is fact. The statement ‘Adam and Eve sinned’ means that ‘humans always choose to go their own way instead of God’s way’. It’s the reason for the suffering in the world that we discussed in question 3. So I don’t believe in some kind of original sin, beyond the fact that all humans do sin - that’s our inheritance from Adam and Eve, if you like.

7. If God loves us and created us, why is there Hell, and why does God think we belong there, and our only hope is accepting Jesus Christ? Oh boy, I wish I had a really good answer to this one. I find that some of the answers Christians can give sound smug. Philosphers argue that it’s impossible to have Good without Evil, and that Hell is basically the inevitable opposite you’re going to get if you have perfect good, or a perfect God. If we choose to be with Jesus in life, we are forgiven our sins and covered with His perfect good. This gives us the chance to be with Jesus forever, which means in Heaven. If we don’t take up that offer, we will have to risk our own goodness, which I honestly wouldn’t want to try.

8)Why did the crucifiction had to be done? What was it was the crucifiction a sacrifice that had to be done, or a persecution? The word ‘persecution’ doesn’t really cover it - it was torture, frequently used by the Romans to teach rebels a lesson. But theologically, it was a sacrifice, so that’s the right word to use. The Jews had a relationship with God where they would sacrifice animals for the temporary cleansing of their sins. Jesus became the sacrifice ‘once and for all’ - no more animal sacrifices, no more getting ‘clean’ but then ‘dirty’ again. Jesus’ sacrifice means that anyone who accepts Him is ‘clean’ forever. Not perfect, but viewed as forgiven by God.

9. How is Jesus the saviour if he was persecuted and only came up with teachings anyone could have? ANYONE COULD HAVE? That really is the only thing you’ve said that makes me a bit cross. ANYONE could have made up the things He said??? You should look at the religions of the time (my background’s in archaeology/history) and see that they’re sexist, selfish and all about manipulating fate in order to get your own way. The only reason that Jesus’ teachings sound rather familiar now is that they became rather popular, so we’ve got used to them. But if you actually go to read the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, 6 and 7) you’ll still find his teachings revolutionary and counter-cultural. Sorry I got angry there - it’s just because that’s the first time you sounded un-informed - the rest of your questions are very reasonable. Deep breathing… calm down, Floss… So, why was He persecuted? Poor people loved his upside-down view of the world. The establisment hated it. The Jewish leaders hated him for sending out messages that he was the Messiah and God (and fair enough, if he’d been lying they would have been right to object). The Romans were wary of anyone who stirred up religious feeling in an already rebellious province. God was able to use that hatred and fear to create the perfect sacrifice.

10)If all your sins will be forgiven and all sins are the same in Gods eye.. What is the point of Christianity? I give you a gift. You grab it and run away. How do I feel? You teach me a good lesson. I ignore it and carry on messing up my life and other peoples’. How do you feel? God has taught us well and given us the gift of forgiveness. Christianity is (or should be) just the way in which we continually say ‘thank you’, learn more, and work out the good advice of God.

11)How do you know the Bible is true and how do you explain all the times the Bible has been wrong? I believe that the Bible has been INTERPRETED wrongly many times. I believe that some of the Bible is allegory and story, telling the truth through images and pictures. I believe that much of it is history, and some of that history is pretty ugly. I believe it is the word of God, and that, if we are open to Jesus through the Holy Spirit, God uses it to teach us both in general terms and about our specific lives. As a history/archaeology student I’ve seen no arguments that can conclusively tell me that my understanding of the Bible is wrong. As a Christian I can say that my own experience of trusting Jesus and studying the Bible has worked for 20 years and is still working.

Thanks for your questions!

“2)Why does God punish people who do not accept Christ if they do not know Him. Sense He leaves no proof. The Christian teaching has got skewed here (not just by you - by lots of us too). Hell is the place where anyone who cannot keep up with God’s perfection should go. The Christian teaching is not that ‘we’re good - the rest of you get punished’, it is (or should be) ‘Jesus has given us a way out - quick, take up the offer!’. I still find your question a bit difficult - I am confident that the answer I’ve given you is basically correct but I would like some more understanding about ‘people who do not accept Christ’ myself. I hope you appreciate that I’m being honest with you, rather than trying to imply I know all the answers.”

That sounds like the same sort of cheap trick a telemarketer would use. He’s not damning you, he’s saving you! But only if you follow his rules.

In my book, anyone capable of saving someone from something as horrible as “eternal damnation” with absolutely no personal effort, who doesn’t, is pretty evil.

I’ve been wondering about the answers for a long time in my short life. I;ve been through a lot of suffering and pain in my life and during those times, I always wonder,

where is God?

why has he chosen me 2 suffer?

if God knowns all, why does he allow his children 2 suffer? I’ve never done anything that I think would cause God 2 make me and my family suffer.

if God helps those who help themselves as the Bible says, why do those who struggle 2 make a betther life for themselves and their family constanly suffer while the evil deceive the rest of the world and get away with millions?

why do the good die young?

why is there evil in the world?

if the 1st 2 humans in the world were Adam and Eve, how are there so many different types of people and families?

how did we all come from 2 people?, that would mean that some of the children would have 2 mate with wach other 2 create the total population of the world. why is it that good people are assassinated while the evil seem 2 cause an eternal world of pain?

with all of the questions that I have, I still believe in God, but I still wonder what will happen 2 me when I die and when all of my questions will be answered

I agree, there are some holes in the rule and story of God, but every time I think of how lucky I am compared 2 other people in the world, I figure that there is someone up there watching out for me

Is that because there’s a spelling mistake in it? lol - I know it isn’t but I was a bit ashamed to see you quoting a section with my obvious error. Oops…

No… the ‘Jesus being proof of God’s existence’ part…

He’s not ‘proof’ …just evidence to support your beliefs.

captain assassin:

[flossheal] **I don’t have any problem with the fact that Jesus is proof of God’s existance*

This is the only statement of yours that I have a problem with.*

Is that because there’s a spelling mistake in it? lol - I know it isn’t but I was a bit ashamed to see you quoting a section with my obvious error. Oops…

[flossheal] I don’t have any problem with the fact that Jesus is proof of God’s existance

This is the only statement of yours that I have a problem with.

1. because he doesn’t exist
2. because he if does exist, he’s a jerk
3. because he’s not loving or almighty
4. he was probably just sitting around with nothing else to do
5. I think it’s like those Pyramid schemes
6. because he’s not fair and he has no power
7. because he has a twisted sense of humor
8. they had to come up with some reason to make people feel guilty, I guess
9. Is that like executed? I get them mixed up.
10. It’s kinda like Santa Claus, it’s his way of making sure everyone’s good. I don’t know about the other part.
11. I think it’s all fiction

But, I’m Agnostic. I’m not so arrogant to say whether there is or isn’t a God. There certainly are a lot of holes in the story though.

1. Gods don’t exist, don’t care if we believe in them, or are unable to show themselves
2. There is no evidence any god ever punished anyone
3. see #1
4. nothing can not exist. existence is the default position
5. there is no evidence any gods ever created anything
6. The bible is a collection of propaganda and fairy tales
7. There is no evidence of any afterlife or gods
8. see #6
9. see #6
10. The point of christianity is to spread christianity. It’s a self replicating mental virus. 11)see #6

Well, the ‘personal effort’ involved was crucifixion, so if you see that as no effort…

If you read the bible… all the answers that you seek, are there.

IF YOU ACCEPT JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOUR HE WILL PROVIDE THE ANSWERS THAT YOU NEED THROUGH HIS WORD

My thoughts exactly :}