Apologetics Common Questions 1 Flashcards
Why do bad things happen?
Romans 5:3-5
Romans 8:28
James 1:2-3
The Bible’s books were subjectively chosen by the early Christians—Why should we trust the canon that we have or not add more?
- The 66 books were first explicitly mentioned in the Easter letter of Athanasius in 367 AD. He noted that these were the only ones that were universally accepted.
- The ones that were accepted came from a long line of tradition and acceptance about their authorship and authority (from a time in which it could have been verified—Mark, for example, wasn’t even challenged by anyone until the 5th(?) century).
Why are we here?
Jeremiah 1:5 1 Peter 1:20 Abraham 3:22-23 1 John 2:1 2 Nephi 9:13 2 Nephi 25:23 (10:24) Alma 22:13 Moses 1:39 Alma 7:11-13
What does God intend with us?
Moses 1:39
What is Zion?
Moses 7:18
Is there foreordination?
Abraham 3:22-23
Jeremiah 1:5(?)
We aren’t special. We’re only animals with greater cognitive abilities.
Genesis 1:26-27
Genesis 1:28
Philosophical view: The importance of a being is determined by how much they’re able to project their subjective will onto the universe around them. Humans are endowed with the intelligence and strength in order to do this. Assuming that we’re excluding the idea of God from the picture, then might is right. Any other view is just built up by the group with the might necessary to establish it.
When did Israel become God’s chosen people?
Exodus 19:5-6
Deuteronomy 14:2
What are the Ten Commandments?
Exodus 20
I don’t think that your God is one that I want to worship
Joshua 24:15
So we can arm ourselves and convert people with our own studies and hard work, right?
Proverbs 3:5-6
I don’t think that God can forgive me…
Isaiah 1:18
We only started existing here on this earth.
Jeremiah 1:4-5
I don’t feel comfortable going out to preach to others…
Ezequiel 3:16-21
[Add a softer one also]
We need to just invite people to pray, there’s no need for all of this researching and debating!
D&C 71:7-10
1 Peter 3:15-16
Where in the Bible does it say anything about the Book of Mormon?
Ezequiel 37:15-17
How can we know what God will do and what he intends for us?
Amos 3:7
Where does the idea of tithing come from?
Malachi 3:8-10
[research it to find something more historical]
People make too big of a deal out of Sundays
Isaiah 58:13-14
You shouldn’t bring up someone’s error if it isn’t harming anyone
Jude 1:3
“That’s the world’s standard, I want to live by the Lord’s standard”
Why would Jesus call the Gentile woman a dog?
Jesus was a special gift to the people of Israel primarily. The woman (probably) came from a people that would accept most any teaching. Dogs don’t distinguish between types of meat/food that they’re given, so it wouldn’t be right to grant this special gift (Jesus’ teachings/miracles) to one that would view Him as just a means and not recognize Him for more than this. When she indicates that she understands and accepts His teachings and says that she knows she will receive Jesus when the right time comes, Jesus says that she has passed the trial of her faith (she’s shown that she recognizes who Jesus is) and that her daughter has been healed.
Answering the social gospel.
Focuses on the wrong thing. In Mark 8:31-38, Jesus reminds us that even if we gain everything in this whole world, it does us no good if we lose our souls. We need to focus on what matters above all, and have things in their correct order. Spiritual matters, and then temporal welfare.
Is there precedent for the Gentiles being accepted into the covenant?
Isaiah 56: 6-8
There are plenty of other scriptures in the OT talking about treating foreigners the same even at religious things. Just search for them (ex: Numbers 9:14, Exodus 12: 48-49)
The apostles and prophets are just men–they’re fallible just like the rest of us!
D&C 1:38
We believe that they have been put in their positions by God, and that when the Lord’s servants speak, it’s the same as Him speaking.
