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Skeptic's Night Warm-up

Posted by tom | Oct 5, 2006

IVCF-Dickinson has invited me to take the stage on their annual Skeptic's Night Fourm on Wednesday, October 25. Please take a moment to post some questions that you'd bring to the table (those of your own or of your friends), if had the opportunity to probe Why follow Christ? Why Christianity? Can't you see, you're making all of this up (or being duped by someone or some structure) for some particular end? I think you get the drift. Fire away and I'll do my best to post some thoughts/responses.

In addition, please pray for

1. the Father to guide the proceedings and bring those whom He desire to speak to through the invitations of the chapter members, the publicity materials, and word of mouth

2. the Word of God to dwell in me, speak through me w/clarity, and compel others to follow Him

3. pray for the Spirit to fill me w/physical strength, patience, and gentleness

Para-Academy Musings | Comments (9) | Trackbacks (0)

9 Comments & 0 Trackbacks of "Skeptic's Night Warm-up"

    If it was always God's plan to bless all the nations and draw them unto Himself through the sons of Abraham (biological and spiritual), why did He endorse the genocide of the Canaanites and punish the Israelites for not killing enough people?

    Posted by Andy, Oct 5 2006, 21:19

    If a particular event is God's will, ex. a horrible tragedy or devestating illness, why should we bother to pray that He would spare us from such events?

    Posted by Carl Ginder, Oct 7 2006, 08:08

    I had just told the story of the resurrection to a group of 6 year olds, when one asked, "Is this a true story?"

    What an opening!!!

    Another question - this time it's mine:

    What can we as parents and grandparents do to prepare our children and grandchildren to be responsible adults and God-fearing men and women?

    Posted by June Armstrong, Oct 7 2006, 10:19

    I think the two most difficult questions to answer are the problem of evil and "why is God not more evident?"
    The problem of evil can be stated in many different ways. I like this one:
    1. God creates people
    2. The people go through life, sometimes with little, somtimes with lots of suffering. They do good and bad things during their lifetime.
    3. After they die, they are judged.
    4. Bad people go to hell.
    5. Good people go to heaven where there is no suffering and noone does evil.

    Why can't God just skipp 2-4 and just create good people and put them straight into heaven?

    The "why is God not more evident" is a more personal question. Many people (believers and non-believers) state that they don't see a lot of evidence of God in their life, even after trying for a long time (e.g. praying for a miracle).

    Posted by Christoph Mertz, Oct 7 2006, 13:19

    Doesn't it seem to be a paradox that people (believers or not) can suffer in all sorts of ways while doing good? I mean you are just trying to help your neighbor or be a good person and you don't get any reward or recognition. Wouldn't God be pleased with you trying to do good?

    Why does it seem that some people who have no desire to know God, have such "great lives" and don't seem to suffer at all and go unpunished for anything they do wrong?

    Why doesn't God intervene more in the lives of those who are suffering if He is truely so kind and compasionate? Isn't it obvious that children around the world need food and clothing and shelter and yet many die each day from the lack of these basic things. There is a deeper issue here of life being (or not being fair) and why God allows evil/sin to persist at all.

    And even more contradictory, how do you explain the actions of supposed "Christians" who seem to have an agenda, yet say that they are acting in God's Will? So, for example, I heard that the Baptist church that protests at military funerals was actually thinking of coming to Lancaster to protest at the Amish girls funerals this week, before somehow deciding not to come. When things are done under the guise of "God's will" does that upset God?

    Posted by Andrea Shissler, Oct 9 2006, 09:08

    I've heard several variations of the same idea from agnostics and atheists - equating religion with the belief that the entire point of our earthly life is one big test. I know that's not in question form, but still it seems to be a common misunderstanding.

    I second Andrea's second question: why follow a God whose church seems so misguided at times.

    I'll keep thinking...

    Posted by Amy, Oct 10 2006, 17:40

    Job 6:1-4, 8-10.
    If only my anguish could be wieghed, and all my misery be placed on the scales! It would surely outwiegh the sand of the seas--no wonder my words are impetuous. The arrows of the Almighty are in me, my spirit drinks in their poison. God's terrors are marshalled against me.
    Oh that I might have my request, that God would grant me what I hope for, that God would be willing ot crush me, to let loose his hand and cut me off! Then I would still have this consolation--my joy in unrelenting pain--that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.

    14-17 are good too, but my hands are pooped. Somehow, this does not constitute "cursing God and dying."

    Job 16:6-17
    Yet is I speak, my pain is not relieved; and if I refrain, it does not go away. Surely, O God, you have worn me out; you have devastated my entire household. You have bound me--and it has become a witness; my gauntness rises up and testifies against me. God assails me and tears me in His anger and gnashes his teeth at me; my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes. Men open their mouths to jeer at me; they strike my cheek in scorn amd unite together against me. God has turned me over to eveil men and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked. Alll was well with me, but he shattered me; seized me by the neck and crushed me. He made me his target, his archers surround me. WIthout pity, he pierces my kidneys and spills my gall on the ground. Again and again, he bursts upon me, he rushes at me like a warrior.

    I have sewed sackcloth over my skin and buried my brown in the dust. My face is red with weeping, deep shadows ring my eyes; yet my hands have been free from violence and my prayer is pure.

    Thank goodness for a few thousnad years and New Testament perspective! But what is that, in this situation? Whoa, victim complex? I don't think so. I hope I never have it this bad. How terrifying! How much of our perspective is just off?

    janine

    Posted by janine, Oct 11 2006, 09:19

    It's kind of the opposite of what you were looking for, but might keep those mental gears turning anyway...
    http://www.atheist-community.org/faq/

    Posted by Amy, Oct 17 2006, 02:56

    1. Given textual variation between manuscripts and given the multiplicity of non-cannonized works about Christ, how can you be so sure you have the "right" Word of God?

    2. Why would God go to all the trouble of making us and allowing humanity to fall, sending countless souls to hell? If it is about love, why not set up the scenario so we all end up in heaven and do not rebel? If the answer is that God wanted us to have free will and worship him of our own accord, then why can we not follow him without his first calling us and why does God talk about the elect and those not elected?

    Posted by Jason, Oct 17 2006, 21:51
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