Which of these "10 alternatives" do Christians most often use as answers to defend against criticisms?

Question

Whenever the bible is challenged by Atheists, christians generally get very defensive. However, they almost exclusively never answer the question itself but resort to respond with a set of pre-programmed alternatives to every given question. These are the alternatives christians have been programmed to choose their answers from:

1. You are taking the verse out of context.
2. Read the Bible.
3. God Bless You.
4. It was mistranslated.
5. It was meant to be taken metaphorically.
6. They throw a bible verse at you.
7. God works in mysterious ways
8. The devil is messing with your minds.
9. Jesus fullfilled the laws.
10. Accept Jesus or burn.

Which of these do christians mostly use?

Answer 1

"God bless you", or "I'll pray for you" or "Jesus still loves you" are all probably in the top 5.

Answer 2

"1. You are taking the verse out of context." Christians use this most when the questioner misses the lead-up to the verse in question. Any plot ending is confusing when you skip the beginning and the middle.

"2. Read the Bible." Christians use this when they are too lazy to give a straight answer.

"3. God Bless You." I don't see this used very often.

"4. It was mistranslated." I don't see this very often.

"5. It was meant to be taken metaphorically." The Bible is composed of several different types of literature, such as historical narrative, allegorical, song, proverbial, and so on. Some passages are meant to be taken literally, others figuratively. If you've seen the old Get Smart series, you've seen the comical effects of Hymie the robot taking literally what Agent 86 meant figuratively: "Shake a leg, Hymie!" "Hop to it, Hymie!" In the same way, questioners can get thrown off the track by not knowing the type of literature they are quoting from.

"6. They throw a bible verse at you." This happens often if the Christian believes the Bible has a plain answer. However, I think the verse should be explained clearly as to WHY it was an appropriate answer.

"7. God works in mysterious ways" I don't see this used much, but I believe God has explained a lot about how He works in the Bible. I wouldn't use this answer myself.

"8. The devil is messing with your minds." This answer usually is not helpful. Too vague.

"9. Jesus fullfilled the laws." This answer is not clear to a nonbeliever.

"10. Accept Jesus or burn." Again, this answer, pretty often used in several variations, is overused and usually does not contribute to the discussion.

I'd say 1, 2 and 6 are used the most. (I am a Christian.)

Answer 3

I am Christian, and I think most Christians are the ones that 1 take the Bible out of context, probably because they don't actually 2 read the bible. And will 3 God bless you, if you read a book when 4 it was mistranslated? Perhaps 5 it was meant to be taken metaphorically the way 6 they throw a Bible verse at you. But who really knows since 7 God works in mysterious ways, or was that just 8 the devil messing with your mind. But clearly since 9 Jesus fulfilled the laws, you must 10 accept Jesus or burn.

But honestly I can't imagine any Christian using any of these preprogrammed statements. they are ridiculous sounding.

Anyway, God bless you, and read your bible, or you will burn in hell if you don't accept Jesus.

Answer 4

I am assuming that you are an atheist and I am assuming that you have been hit by at least a few of these so-called answers to your questions, or should I say challenges of the Bible. If you quote something from the Bible & it is taken out of context, then that takes care of #1. If you haven't read the Bible in it's entirity, then that takes care of #2. I say God bless you to anyone who sneezes. #4 I'm not sure what metaphorically means. I even looked it up, & still don't know. Sorry on #5.If you are talking to someone who knows the Bible enough to repeat a Bible verse from memory, then you better not forget it. It takes alot of time to memorize the Bible! God does indeed work in mysterious ways. Look at the way He made the universe---in 6 days. Look at the way He made you & me---you asking a snotty question and me giving a snotty answer.The devil works with ALL of our minds---24/7. You have to be one up on him at all times. Jesus did fulfill the laws in the OT. That doesn't mean that we ignore them. Not at all. If we have Jesus in our heart (another pre-programmed notion that alot of us Christians say) we automatically want to do the things God wants us to do. Now #10 is something else again. I would never tell you that. But I would tell you that Jesus loves you so much that He wants another life for you. Both this physical life, and the ever-lasting life with Him & His Father. I wouldn't tell you about the burning part---because you already know that. Now you want to know which of these do Christians use most often? Couldn't tell ya.

Answer 5

When the Bible is challenged, it's a toss-up between 1 (taking the verse out of context) and 10 (accept Jesus or burn). When questioned about homosexuality, I've found it's a tie between 2 (read the Bible) and 6 (throwing a verse)--or sometimes both at the same time. When asked a logical question about God... it depends on the question.

I've noticed this pre-programing, as well. Especially during the time when I was questioning my own faith as a Christian. A conversation might go something like this:

ME: If God exists, then why do good people suffer so much?
CHRISTIAN (abbreviated in the future as CR for simplicity): It's all part of His plan.
ME: Yeah, but it sounds hateful. I mean, God's a God of love, right?
CR: Yes. Of course He is.
ME: So the answer is....?
CR: It's not our place to question God's will. His plan is perfect, and always turns out for the better.
ME: So you don't know, then.
CR: It's not for any of us to know.
ME: But it always turns out for the better?
CR: Yes.
ME: So my friend committing suicide so that he wouldn't have to endoure dying from cancer is for the better? Is that right?
CR: Your friend exercised free will. That's not God's fault.
ME: If he exercised free will, and it's not God's fault, then it wasn't part of God's plan, was it? If that's true, then God is not all powerful.
CR: Free will is part of God's plan.
ME: You just said it wasn't! You said that God is not to blame for free will.
CR: Well... He's not. If you'll read the Bible (pre-programed number 2 coming into play), you'll see that--
ME: I DID read the Bible. Several times.
CR: Who are you to question God's plan? Our purpose is to follow His will.
ME: You mean free will, right?
CR: No... God's will.
ME: But free will IS God's will if it's part of His plan, right?

And so the conversation continues until the Christian in question--even if it's a pastor--grows frustrated and gives a canned answer about my understanding when God is ready for me to understand. Which CR just said--earlier--wasn't my place! Circular logic reigns supreme.

Answer 6

Ohh, you completely left out some random assertion that free will makes everything alright, and the increasingly common rejection of the Old Testament as not indicative of the Christian God whenever it is convenient to assert that (perhaps that relates to your number 9, not sure...).

I'd say, of the ones that you have given, 1 and 2 must be the most common, with 6 being second place, and number 5 not too far behind...

Actually, to be honest, I blackout everytime I hear one of those answers, so I can't really tell you how often they tend to occur...I am normally in drunken stupor after going through many of these as well...so, it could be a tie for all I can tell.

Answer 7

Alternatives 1, 2, and 5 are related.
"A text, taken out of context, is a pretext". -attributed to Dr. Eugene Garcia, Arizona State University.

Answer 8

Students will often become frustrated with a teacher's answer when it doesn't answer the question they way they think it should be answered. I encourage questioning- especially higher level questioning. I also encourage in depth study of everyone's answers to questions; and keeping one's mind open to possibilities, even when they seem unrealistic or out of the box thinking. I don't like "criticism". If you want to understand, that is honorable; if you want to criticize, that results in circular thinking.

Answer 9

I'd say probably 1, 3, and 8, although you do see all 10 choices at an overwhelming rate.

Answer 10

I think #5,it was meant to be taken metaphorically.
There are so many "scenes" in the bible that defy physical science.

Answer 11

Me personally, I get a lot of #1 and #2, but also a fair amount of #5 and #6.

Good question! Star for you!