Questions Atheists Ask
You can see some interesting things on the internet. Not all of it is good, in fact much of it is borderline at best. Yet occasionally there are things worthwhile. Recently I saw a post that listed “questions that atheists ask.” As all of us who are Christian seek to, “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, always ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (I Peter 3:15-16), thinking ahead about such questions is good. Here are the questions and my response.
1. Why does God allow suffering? All people, Christians included, can struggle with this question at times, if we or a loved-one is suffering from illness or injury. We are emotional beings; it is natural to have such struggles. But in our mind, we can know the answer. We suffer because we live in a sinful, messed up world. For God to create a world of free will, with non-robotic people, this was necessary. But that comes with consequences as we all make bad choices, as we defy God and go our own way. There is a cumulative effect from this, causing good people to suffer from the actions of others, as well as from our own actions. Can’t God stop it anytime he wants, we might ask? Yes, but other than occasional times when he does miracles to provide proof of himself or to protect his salvation plan, he generally does not, to protect our ability to make independent choices. One day, in heaven, there will be no more crying or sickness or death (Rev. 21:4), but until then suffering is a result of sins impact.
2. What proof is there that God exists? People can choose to believe whatever they want to, and some choose to push God away, so they often deny his existence. But honest thinking people can look around at the world and universe we live in and see undeniable evidence of God, the Creator. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork.” Do you know what the odds are that this complicated universe could happen by chance? That the planet earth could exist for humans to live and breath upon as an accident of nature? The odds are astounding against such! Could evolution result in the human brain, more complicated than the most elaborate computer humans have ever been able to “create”? It defies logic. We could go on and on, the evidence surrounds us. Or we can believe what we want and push God away.
3. Why do Bible texts contain contradictions, if it is the Word of God? An example would be how the gospel authors (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) describe the resurrection story. Matthew says, “for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and going to the tomb, rolled back the stone” (Matt. 28:2), and Mark refers to “a young man dressed in a white robe (an angel), sitting on the right side” (Mk. 16:5). Yet in Luke’s account we are told the women took spices to the tomb, but they did not find the body of Jesus, and “while they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them” (Luke 24:4). John’s account doesn’t mention angels at all, just that Mary Magdalene ran to tell the disciples the stone had been removed (John 20:1, 2). Was there one angel or two angels or no angels? Such things help us know the Bible account is not fabricated, because multiple witnesses always provide unique testimony, rarely are their stories exactly the same. It appears there were at least two angels, but Matthew and Mark only mention one of them, Luke mentions both, and John just doesn’t include them in his telling of the story. There are answers for the critics of these seeming Bible contradictions, if we search for them.
4. How do you reconcile science and the Bible? The critics will mention the flood, for example. How could a worldwide flood really happen? If we accept the first words of the Bible, “In the beginning God created…” then his ability to do such miracles should be apparent. The truth is, such a flood can account for many things that scientists claim took millions of years of evolution (the Grand Canyon, one example). We find fish fossils buried on mountain tops, how did that happen? Many mysteries can be answered if we just start by believing the Bible.
There are many other questions the critics throw out. I’ve provided few details above, which if you are truly interested you can research. Just know there are answers and we need to have some basic understanding to solidify our own faith, and to be ready when such conversations occur. (One resource: Lee Strobel’s books.)
Cross Point: “Preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season…” (2 Timothy 4:2).
Check out Rick’s blog – Vetus Via, at: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com
1. Why does God allow suffering? All people, Christians included, can struggle with this question at times, if we or a loved-one is suffering from illness or injury. We are emotional beings; it is natural to have such struggles. But in our mind, we can know the answer. We suffer because we live in a sinful, messed up world. For God to create a world of free will, with non-robotic people, this was necessary. But that comes with consequences as we all make bad choices, as we defy God and go our own way. There is a cumulative effect from this, causing good people to suffer from the actions of others, as well as from our own actions. Can’t God stop it anytime he wants, we might ask? Yes, but other than occasional times when he does miracles to provide proof of himself or to protect his salvation plan, he generally does not, to protect our ability to make independent choices. One day, in heaven, there will be no more crying or sickness or death (Rev. 21:4), but until then suffering is a result of sins impact.
2. What proof is there that God exists? People can choose to believe whatever they want to, and some choose to push God away, so they often deny his existence. But honest thinking people can look around at the world and universe we live in and see undeniable evidence of God, the Creator. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork.” Do you know what the odds are that this complicated universe could happen by chance? That the planet earth could exist for humans to live and breath upon as an accident of nature? The odds are astounding against such! Could evolution result in the human brain, more complicated than the most elaborate computer humans have ever been able to “create”? It defies logic. We could go on and on, the evidence surrounds us. Or we can believe what we want and push God away.
3. Why do Bible texts contain contradictions, if it is the Word of God? An example would be how the gospel authors (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) describe the resurrection story. Matthew says, “for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and going to the tomb, rolled back the stone” (Matt. 28:2), and Mark refers to “a young man dressed in a white robe (an angel), sitting on the right side” (Mk. 16:5). Yet in Luke’s account we are told the women took spices to the tomb, but they did not find the body of Jesus, and “while they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them” (Luke 24:4). John’s account doesn’t mention angels at all, just that Mary Magdalene ran to tell the disciples the stone had been removed (John 20:1, 2). Was there one angel or two angels or no angels? Such things help us know the Bible account is not fabricated, because multiple witnesses always provide unique testimony, rarely are their stories exactly the same. It appears there were at least two angels, but Matthew and Mark only mention one of them, Luke mentions both, and John just doesn’t include them in his telling of the story. There are answers for the critics of these seeming Bible contradictions, if we search for them.
4. How do you reconcile science and the Bible? The critics will mention the flood, for example. How could a worldwide flood really happen? If we accept the first words of the Bible, “In the beginning God created…” then his ability to do such miracles should be apparent. The truth is, such a flood can account for many things that scientists claim took millions of years of evolution (the Grand Canyon, one example). We find fish fossils buried on mountain tops, how did that happen? Many mysteries can be answered if we just start by believing the Bible.
There are many other questions the critics throw out. I’ve provided few details above, which if you are truly interested you can research. Just know there are answers and we need to have some basic understanding to solidify our own faith, and to be ready when such conversations occur. (One resource: Lee Strobel’s books.)
Cross Point: “Preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season…” (2 Timothy 4:2).
Check out Rick’s blog – Vetus Via, at: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com
Posted in Cross Points