Intro Questions “I Don’t Have Enough Faith To Be An Atheist”

Question 1

Define the meaning of life

Answer 1

Real, ultimate, unchanging meaning depends on a real, ultimate, unchanging being - God. If God exists, then there is ultimate meaning and purpose to your life. If there is purpose to your life then there is a real and wrong way to live it. In which case the choices you make now not only affect you here but for eternity

if there is no God, then your life ultimately means nothing. Since there is no enduring purpose to life, there is no right or wrong way to live it. Then we are just molecules in motion. Our destiny is dust and we live for a short time and then cease to exist.

Question 2

Without God does life have any ultimate meaning?

Answer 2

There cannot be meaning to life without God. If there is no God, then life has no purpose because there is no greater intelligence overseeing the universe. We are all accidents - no one cares what happens to us or how we treat others - and there is no greater destiny for us to fulfil

Question 3

Atheist Richard Dawkins quote on no meaning to life without God:

Answer 3

“Nature is not cruel, only pitilessly indifferent. This is one of the hardest lessons for humans to learn. We cannot admit that things might be neither good nor evil? Neither cruel nor kind, but simply callous - indifferent to all suffering, lacking all purpose”

Question 4

State 3 reasons why it is important that God exists

Answer 4

If God exists, then:

1) There is ultimate meaning & purpose in life

2) There is a right and wrong way to live

3) The choices we make not only affect us now, but also affect us in eternity

Question 5

List and describe 3 obstacles why belief in Christianity may appear to be problematic

Answer 5

1) Perceived INTELLECTUAL objections (the problem of evil, etc)

2) EMOTIONAL Obstacles (Christian exclusivism, doctrine of hell, and hypocrisy of those that call themselves Christians!)

3) VOLITIONAL Obstacles (namely Christian morality, which seems to restrict our choices in life since most of us don’t want to answer to anyone, yielding our freedom to an unseen God is not something we naturally want to do

Question 6

VOLITIONAL means

Answer 6

Something done on purpose; the power of choosing/determining; relating to our own will

Question 7

Name 3 common reasons the world gives for its claim that religion does not hold the answers to life

Answer 7

1) It’s unreasonable to believe one religion is exclusively true because that would mean millions of people would be going to hell and those would think they have the truth could be intolerant of others

2) some pieces of life seem to defy explanation / they don’t appear to fit any box top (existence of evil)

3) because only science yields truth, any box top based on religion couldn’t be legitimately proven. Science deals in matter of fact, while religion should stay in realm of faith

Question 8

Name 3 objections that cause many people to doubt Christianity can be true

Answer 8

1) Intellectual - problems with evil and scientific objections like fact vs faith

2) Emotional - things like exclusivity, the doctrine of hell and hypocritical Christians

3) Volitional - ultimately based on not wanting to submit to God and his rules for moral living

Question 9

List the “12 points that show Christianity is true”

Answer 9

1. Truth about reality is knowable
2. Opposite of truth = false
3. The Theistic God exists (Cosmological argument, Teleological Argument, Anthropic Principle and Moral Argument)
4. If God exists, then miracles are possible
5. Miracles can be used to confirm a message from God
6. The New Testament is historically reliable (evidenced by early testimony, eyewitness testimony, authentic testimony & eyewitnesses who were not deceived)
7. The NT says Jesus claimed to be God
8. Jesus’ claim to be God was miraculously confirmed by the fulfilment of prophecy, his sinless life and miraculous deeds, and his prediction and accomplishment of the resurrection
9. Therefore, Jesus is God
10. Whatever Jesus teaches is true
11. Jesus taught the Bible is the Word of God
12. There it is true that the Bible is the Word of God (and anything opposed to it is false)

Question 10

5 most consequential questions of life:

Answer 10

1. Origin: Where did we come from?
2. Identity: Who are we?
3. Meaning: Why are we here?
4. Morality: How should we live?
5. Destiny: Where are we going?

Question 11

What someone believes about God affects ____

Answer 11

Everything

Question 12

Belief requires assent of the ___ and ____

Answer 12

Belief requires assent of the MIND and WILL

Question 13

True or False:
Facts are central to all religions because all religions make truth claims

Answer 13

TRUE

Question 14

Difference between “proving” a proposition and “persuading” someone to accept a proposition - Why is evidence not always enough to persuade someone?

Answer 14

While relatively simple to intellectually prove that a proposition is true, it’s a much harder task to persuade someone to believe that proposition and it’s impact on their life.

Belief requires assent not only of the mind but also of the will. Evidence may not be enough to convince someone who just doesn’t want to believe.

Question 15

Name the difference between open-mindedness and empty-mindedness.

Name 3 problems with this kind of thinking:

Answer 15

Difference between open-mindedness and empty-mindedness lies in believing that truth exists AND being willing to accept facts when they are presented.

Empty-mindedness is a problem because:
1) makes you doubt existence of truth itself
2) reveals you haven’t thought through your beliefs and are relying on others to do the heavy lifting for you
3) leaves you vulnerable to the latest intellectual fads which usually have no basis of truth

Question 16

Why is agnosticism a decision to be empty minded?

Answer 16

Some may think that a person who simply doesn’t know whether God exists, an agnostic, is being open minded. But there’s a difference between being open-minded and empty-minded.

In light of evidence, I think agnosticism is a decision to remain empty-minded because after all, isn’t the reason we should be open-minded so that we can recognise truth when we see it? Yes. So what do you do when there’s enough evidence that points you to the truth?

For example, what do you do when we see evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that George Washington was in fact the first president of the United States? Should we remain “open minded” as to who the first president was? No, because that would be empty-minded. Some questions are closed. There is enough evidence in Christianity to draw a reasonably certain conclusion