10 questions that every intelligent Christian must answer?

Question

Ok, since my last attempt at this resulted in...no one actually taking the time to see that it wasn't about healing amputees. So, I'm not going to ask any question like that...instead I'm just going to describe the video I would like you to watch and comment on.

The video contains 10 questions that are often asked of Christians. The answers usually given result in like God's Will and all kinds of things and to explain them, you have to come up with a strange excuse for God that is so strange that you don't think about it anymore because it doesn't fit with your image of a loving God...it makes you feel uncomfortable.

So I challenge you to watch this video and maybe try your own answers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDHJ4ztnldQ

Answer 1

Intelligent Christian????

LMAO!!!!

Answer 2

A perhaps intelligent Christians response:
1) If the director of the video wouldn't mind, I will illustrate something:
Are we saying that God heals things that are considered eventually fatal, and not curing things that are not considered fatal?

I think there is an intelligent thought in that question. Even Atheists who are intelligent would have to admit that it was an interesting question.
We do not know that God completely ignores amputees. So that is an assumption by the creator of this video.
Some people, Christian or not, might not stop thinking about it because it's uncomfortable. That's another assumption. While some Christians might stop thinking about it because they wouldn't buy into the first assumption, there are others who might stop thinking about it because they know what Hebrews 11:39-40. Still others will stop thinking about it because you are boring.

You know, that kind of stuff.

2) Now it's the age old starving people question? I was hoping this would be intelligent questions! Come on! What is this crap? How many times have you heard the verse where Jesus says, "The poor you will have with you always" ?! YOU DON"T BELIEVE A THING HE SAID! We know already!
Now this guy has posted video after video trying to seem like he's intelligently covering the issues of deluded Christians. In every case that I have seen, he's not that smart. What's more is that he misses the most obvious things. Things like; If you don't like something, don't do it. And: If you want to seem intelligent about a subject, it's good to understand both sides of it.

Since I hope that this guy has done neither one of those obvious things, then he is just like all the other nuts who think that they are 'specially talented' at what they are performing, but to the scholarly world to which I have been exposed to, he really is a simple sort of person, thinking that his bad is doing something good. That's a nut who does that.

Answer 3

I watched it. It was interesting at first. That is, until the questioner began assuming certain things about my faith.

I am a Catholic Christian -- most of these questions are actually not difficult to respond to.

I personally don't believe that prayers are answered. Obviously every Christian on earth would have received all they'd ever prayed for. Obviously that hasn't happened. I believe that prayer is our form of communicating with God -- praying to Him is not about receiving a miracle, but rather is, in a sense, like running back to our parents when things are going wrong. They can't always help out, but just the comfort of knowing that they're there to support you is enough to help you through. When I pray to God, I do not selfishly ask Him to intervene in my life -- he rarely does, if ever. Instead I pray because I need a reminder (just a mental one will do) that someone still loves me and supports me no matter what happens.

So question 1 is thus invalid. Question 2 goes along the same lines. God has provided us with the means to end world hunger -- we certainly have enough food to end it -- but it is by human fault that others are starving today. He's not going to clean up our mess for us -- that is our job. He already gave us the means.

As for Question 3, the Old Testament was written under the common assumption by Hebrews of the time that God was an angry, vengeful God. Due to limited scientific understanding of the world around them, Hebrews assumed that disease, crop failure, plagues, etc. were punishments from God. So... I don't hold high credibility with the accounts of the OT.

Question 4. I don't interpret the Bible as a literal, historical account.

Question 5. Same thing.

Question 6. It's life, get over it. God doesn't make life easy for everyone -- who knows why.

Question 7. Do you know how long ago those miracles were performed?

Question 8. Like I said, God doesn't answer prayers like you'd think. Prayer helps us be comforted by God. Jesus wouldn't waste his time doing as you suggest.

I won't waste my time with the last two questions. God is real. If you don't like that idea, that's fine. Keep it to yourself, or at least allow me my own beliefs. Respect mine and I'll respect yours.

Answer 4

First understand, these aren't just ten questions; they are ten questions coupled with every fallacious argument known to logic and reason in an attempt to persuade people to believe something other than what they know to be the truth.

Interesting how the movie starts out talking about logic and reason, but continues to every fallacious argument identified in the study of logic.

After each question, the narrator gives his idea of the "correct" answer and dismisses, in advance, every answer that does not agree with him as being "nonsense."

Most fallacies are presented so smoothly and convincingly, that the audience does not catch them.

This piece committed the 6 fallacies of distraction and the 6 fallacies of logic that deal with the argument itself.

1. The ad hominem fallacy. This is an attack on the people who hold a particular position rather than on the position itself.

2. Poisoning the well fallacy. This is an attempt to invalidate the opposing view because the individuals who hold the view do not come up to a standard that the author of this piece set.

3. The "Ad populum" fallacy or an appeal to the people. This fallacy enlists time-honored figures or symbols in support of a cause that is often just the opposite of what they origninally represented as their opinion.

4. The "Ad misicordium" fallacy. The writer attempts to get you to side with an object or pity or sympathy.

5. The genetic fallacy. This is an attempt to trace somone's convictions back to a personal prejudice or some other shortcoming.

6. The "Ipse dixit" fallacy. This means "He said it himself." This is an attempt to shore up an argument by appealing to an authority that the audience might respect. The fallacy is using an authority figure that may not actually be qualified to make a judgement on the current issue.

7. The Equivocation fallacy. This is a careless use of words in which the person presenting the argument uses a word that may have several different meanings, acting as though it had the same meaning in every case.

8. The fallacy of Begging the question. The presenter asks you to accept an unproven assumption as an argument, assuming that everyone is on common ground with the argument.

9. The fallacy of over-generalization. The presenter attempts to draw a broad conclusion from a small body of evidence.

10. The Either/or dilemma. The presenter attempts to artificially limit the possibilities, such as presenting only two options (one being obviously disagreeable) when there are many more available, thus oversimplifying the issue.

11. The Post hoc fallacy. This fallacy assumes that a prior event is the direct cause of a given result. Although the result may be true, the evidence as to the cause is lacking.

12. The false analogy. This fallacy uses misleading comparisons, whereby the comparison differs from the real-life issue at a crucial point. Analogies, even when accurate or helpful in illustrating a concept, are not proof.

The person who created this "intelligent," "rational," "logical," argument, violated the rules of logical argument.

He wasn't satisfied with just asking the questions, but insisted upon telling us the "correct" answer while dismissing any others as irrelevant, uneducated, ridiculous, unfounded, convoluted, irrational, strange rationalizations.

If you choose to be led astray by someone who uses these techniques, it is your choice. If you believe that a body of ancient texts that were written over a 3,000 year period by a multitude of men can be summed up in these ten questions, you have the right to make that choice.

If you want to know more about the Christian faith, get into a Bible study. Keep an open mind and don't be fooled by those who purport to be educated and know what they are talking about, yet use the fallacious arguments cited above.

It's easy to see, isn't it?

Christians believe that they should:
Love God with all their heart, soul, strength and mind,
Love their neighbor as themselves, and
Love one another as Jesus loved us.

Now, go to 1st Corinthians, chapter 13. It explains in great detail what Christian love (agape) really is. It's much more than a mere feeling.

Keeping these things in mind, now read through the Bible. It all makes much more sense. We can also differentiate between allegorical text, historical text, and the commands of God.

A Bible study will help you understand the customs and idiomatic word usage, both in Hebrew and Greek, that may give one a false perception of their meaning. You will also gain an understanding of the customs and laws under which the people interacted, giving you a more complete understanding of what the Bible really says and means. You will realize that there are no contradictions in the Bible.

The truth is, the narrator of this video does not know what he purports to know about God. He does not use the "logic" he purports to understand to reach his conclusions. He does not have the education he implies in the introduction, although he never specifically gives his credentials.

No one has committed greater atrocities than the atheistic communist regimes of this world who slaughtered millions. No one has helped more starving children or more people suffering from disease than Christian organizations and missionaries.

The fact that some purport to have faith in Christ who do not, does not make God a liar. It makes those people liars. The fact that people choose to disguise themselves as Christians while following a treacherous path does not make God treacherous. It makes those people treacherous.

For someone who purports not to believe in God, why blame him for everything that is wrong in the world? It makes no sense, does it?

Be careful where you place your trust my friends. God bless you.

Answer 5

The author of the video assumes that God owes man temporal happiness. However man is not owed anything. This creation was created to serve God, and how does man use it? The creation itself groans as mankind uses it for his own sinful purposes. If it was not for the mercy of God, this earth would swallow us up. Why does God allow anyone of us to live another day is my question?

I knew a Christian amputee, which just loved the Lord and she knew how blessed she really was. How can she be joyful, she's an amputee? Jesus Christ has come into the world to do a far greater miracle then restoring a body which will only die anyway. All the people that Jesus healed while on the earth are dead today. However everyone that has received the miracle of salvation, where you heart is changed and you are adopted into God's kingdom, it's forever!! I would far rather be an amputee and go to heaven, then be perfectly healthy and go to hell.

Answer 6

I watched this video a few days ago and it is very true. Christians will try to make up an excuse for their God, and stop thinking about it, because it really is uncomfortable. When I was near returning to Christianity, I thought about these questions, plus many others, and how I could answer them reasonably. And I couldn't. I came up with lame answers like the ones mentioned.
The God from the Bible is not a loving God if he is letting these things go on for so long.

Answer 7

Don't waste 10 minuets of your life every one I'll post the questions!
1. Why Doesn't god heal Amputees?
2.Why are tere starving people in the world?
3.Why did god demand so many innocent deaths in the bible?
4.Why is the bible antiscientific nonsence?
5.Why is god a huge proponet of slavery in the bible?
6.Why do bad things happen to good people?
7.Why did the miricals in the bible leave no evidence?
8.How do you explain the fact that Jesus never appeared to you?
9. Why did Jesus want us to eat his body and drink his blood?
10.Why do christians divorce as fast as non-christians?


my answers haha:
1. Men aren't starfish we dont have the body chemistry to regrow limbs! Take care of your body!
2.There are starving people in the world because rich countries and certain people insist that if they give the starving countries the food rather than burning it burying it or paying farmers and ranchers not to produce it some how the world economy will collapse. Would the world economy colapse if we oly fed the kids whos ribs we could count with their bellies bloated with air because the stomach is eating itself? -oh probibly, darn...
3.Because when the bible was written the christians were the minority and in the day it was be majority or die so if your going to take land, you kill everyone and let god sort out the good ones, or you get killed off yourself. Women were property and working on sunday would point out a nonchristian and during the era when christians were violent they had to eliminate the competition.
5. Keep in mind the bible was assembled by man. Slavery was common in the day so they kept the books that said it was.
6.There can be no bad or good if the bad people do nothing wrong. the idea is that in the end the good who were harmed go to heaven and the bad pay for it in the end.
7.Miracles like.... what? your god science says there was a time when a majority of the earth was covered in water, that's a big one... Or miricals like jesus walking on water? Water don't leave foot prints buddy!
8. When i was christian I believed Jesus appeared to me, and i never asked him to-he's not a pop star. Now i think it was just divinity, and I don't call him jesus any more.
9.Body and blood thing is used by every ignorant non-christian out there. The Body is the word of god, the blood is his meanings and teachings. you are suppose to take it into you and be nourished and grow with the help of god. Common most intelligent anythings know what a euphemism is.
10. the-What got has put together let no man seperate-. thing God didn't stick them togeather, god would stick you with who you need, to feel happy. yea the priest asked god to stick them togeather, but I didn't hear a booming voice shouting "I'm on it!" while pulling out the duct tape. Maybe a failed marrage is gods way of saying. no. God loves you and wants you to be happy? He'll match you with a good mate.

What do you think? Can I get one thumbs up? This is my theories and some facts.
How much time did you waste on that video? Hopefuly not as much time as I wasted in answering it.
I like challenges. I'm pagan but this is my parents religion show some love. lol

Answer 8

Your ten questions they are summarized in this one'

IS GOD UNCARING AND HARDHEARTED?

Many people think that the answer to that question is yes. ‘If God cared,’ they reason, ‘would not the world be a very different place?’ We look around and see a world full of war, hatred, and misery. And as individuals, we get sick, we suffer, we lose loved ones in death. Thus, many say, ‘If God cared about us and our problems, would he not prevent such things from happening?’

Worse yet, religious teachers sometimes lead people to think that God is hardhearted. How so? When tragedy strikes, they say that it is God’s will. In effect, such teachers blame God for the bad things that happen. Is that the truth about God? What does the Bible really teach? James 1:13 answers: “When under trial, let no one say: ‘I am being tried by God.’ For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone.” So God is never the source of the wickedness you see in the world around you. (Job 34:10-12) Granted, he does allow bad things to happen. But there is a big difference between allowing something to happen and causing it.

For example, think about a wise and loving father with a grown son who is still living at home with his parents. When the son becomes rebellious and decides to leave home, his father does not stop him. The son pursues a bad way of life and gets into trouble. Is the father the cause of his son’s problems? No. (Luke 15:11-13) Similarly, God has not stopped humans when they have chosen to pursue a bad course, but he is not the cause of the problems that have resulted. Surely, then, it would be unfair to blame God for all the troubles of mankind.

God has good reasons for allowing mankind to follow a bad course. As our wise and powerful Creator, he does not have to explain his reasons to us. Out of love, however, God does this. But rest assured that God is not responsible for the problems we face. On the contrary, he gives us the only hope for a solution!—Isaiah 33:2.


.

Answer 9

OK, I'm listening to the video.

I use my college degree every day to think about God.

1. I've seen God do this once. He was a Vietnam vet I knew in San Diego. I knew him before and after the Lord healed his leg.

2. There are so many starving children because of sin and corruption in the world. There is enough food. Distribution is the problem. In India the problem is false religion, its not that they won't eat the cows, the problem is that they refuse to kill the rats which eat half of their grain crops.

3. They were not innocent people they were sinners. Those laws were canceled when Jesus died for our sins on the cross.

4. The Bible contains no anti science none sense. You are lying about that. I majored in math in college, I can prove Evolution is not possible using Mathematics. Next question?

5. God regulates slavery, He never endorces it.

6. Free will is why God allows bad things to happen to good people. Jesus will fix all these things and wipe away all our tears when He comes back to the earth.

7. The evidence was recorded in the Bible.

8. Jesus never promised to appear to anyone until the rapture which has not happened yet.

9. Eating and drinking Jesus body and blood is a figure of speech, its not canibalism. Roman Catholics have a crazy view of this, I will agree with that.

10. Christians get divorced because they are still sinners.

None of your objections have dented my beliefs a bit.

If I was delutional, why do the Mental Hopsitals in the State of Illinois trust me to take NGRI prisoners out of their mental hospitals on day passes. They know I'm very rational. And I've never lost one of their patients yet!

Pastor Art, BS - Illinois State University - Major: Math

PS: Your name is Dr. Bologna and you expect anyone to talk you seriously?

Answer 10

So here is question #1: Why won't God heal amputees? The answer is found when you look at what would happen if He did. We are in the era of faith. What would you, personally, do if someone with a missing arm or leg woke up one morning with a completely restored limb? What would you "really" do? So the second question is: Why are there so many starving people in our world? Because people have rejected God. They don't want God involved in their lives. Third question: Why does God demand the death of so many innocent people in the Bible? Look up these verses: Innocent? God wants you too to understand the ultimate fate of those who reject Him. The Bible is not a science book. Nonsense is subjective.

Answer 11

LIFE IS SHORT AND FULL OF TROUBLES TO DEATH

Jesus gave an example of what will happen in his kingdom of the heavens at his second coming, the sick are healed, the dead are raised and his Rev.20:1-6; 1000 year judgement begans. Heb.9:27; 1Cor.15:22-28,51-53; the heavenly for the new heavens are over [ the resurrected ], earthly for the new earth.
We are souls born in the imperfections of sin, anything can happen to us at any age, the truth we know each day is that we will die. The resurrection of the soul is a promise to all things made new and perfect 2Pet.3:13; Rev.21:1-5; ALL POSSIBLE IS SAVED.