Believing In God

Question 1

Main features of a Christian upbringing

Answer 1

Worship
Baptism
Church school
Praying
Parents examples
Confirmation
Sunday school

Question 2

How a Christian upbringing may lead to belief in God

Answer 2

Prayer: direct contact to God
Church school: learn about their faith, religious community
Sunday school:children hear about God
Confirmation:make their own choices about belonging to the Christian faith

Question 3

Types of religious experience and they may support/lead to belief in God

Answer 3

Conversion:give self to God
Numinous:presence being God
Prayer:direct contact strengthens faith
miracles: only God could do so

Question 4

What’s the design argument?

Answer 4

1 design=intelligent thought
2 universe shows evidence of being designed
3 suggests intelligent being designed universe
4 a complex universe not by chance
5 only God is powerful enough to have designed it

Question 5

Why don’t atheists believe in God?

Answer 5

Science
No physical proof
Miracles can be explained by science/coincidences
Evil and suffering

Question 6

Arguments against design

Answer 6

• Can’t prove only suggest God is earths designer.
• design=result of evolution?
• Evil and suffering, designer would have put in more care
• earths designer could be another powerful being

Question 7

Causation argument

Answer 7

1nothing happens by itself
2 everything has cause
3 universe needs cause
4 powerful cause was necessary 
5 cause has to be God

Question 8

Arguments for and against causation argument

Answer 8

For:-universe needs 1st cause only God is powerful enough
-something can’t come from nothing
Against:-can’t be proved
-universe doesn’t necessarily have a cause
-Big Bang theory
-what caused God?

Question 9

Why scientific explanations of the origins of the world may lead to a rejection in belief of God?

Answer 9

• Big Bang makes sense
• evolution + natural selection=God didn’t create= why change the earth in order to improve it?should be perfect
• science offers proof, God can’t be

Question 10

Christian responses to unanswered prayers

Answer 10

• thinks God isn’t listening and doesn’t care
• question their belief, reject him, believe he doesn’t exist
• may believe their faith needs to be strengthened
• God will answer their prayers but in unexpected ways
• God doesn’t answer selfish prayers
• not part of gods plan

Question 11

Why evil and suffering leads people to reject belief in God

Answer 11

If God is:

• omni-benevolent, he’d WANT to remove it as he cares for his creation
• omniscient, he would KNOW HOW to remove it
• omnipotent, he’d be ABLE to remove it

Question 12

How Christians respond to evil and suffering

Answer 12

• some believe it gods test
• it’s part of gods plan and should be trusted
• it allows people to follow Jesus’ example in the bible
• result of free will, God has no control over this
• they help others/volunteer to support them

Question 13

Examples of the media that support the belief in God

Answer 13

Vicar of Dibley, Bruce almighty

Shows how religion can benefit the life of an individual and can be a positive thing