unit 1 - believing in God

Question 1

what is conversion?

Answer 1

when your life/religion is changed

Question 2

what is freewill?

Answer 2

the idea that human beings are free to make their own choices

Question 3

what is a miracle?

Answer 3

an event that seems to break the laws of science and the only explanation is that it must be God

Question 4

what does numinous mean?

Answer 4

the feeling of the presence of something much greater than you

Question 5

what is prayer?

Answer 5

an attempt to contact god, commonly through words

Question 6

what is design?

Answer 6

when things are connected and seem to have a purpose

Question 7

what is causation?

Answer 7

the idea that everything has been caused by something else

Question 8

what is agnosticism?

Answer 8

not being sure whether or not God exists

Question 9

what is atheism?

Answer 9

believing that God does not exist

Question 10

what is moral evil?

Answer 10

actions done by humans that cause suffering

Question 11

what is natural evil?

Answer 11

suffering that was not caused by humans

Question 12

what is omni-benevolence?

Answer 12

the belief that God is all-loving

Question 13

what is omnipotence?

Answer 13

the belief that God is all-powerful

Question 14

what is omniscience?

Answer 14

the belief that God is all-knowing

Question 15

why would a religious upbringing lead to a belief in God?

Answer 15

they would be taught to worship God on a daily basis from the beginning of their life and would not know any different. it is likely they will be sent to a religious school where everyone is expected to worship god.

Question 16

why would a religious experience lead to a belief in God?

Answer 16

the numinous - getting a feeling that God exists, answered prayers, belief of a miracle happening shows the existence of God.

Question 17

explain why the universe seems to be designed

Answer 17

there are laws (eg gravity) that mean the universe works, humans grow from a tiny blueprint of dna, how the big bang happened shows it must be planned

Question 18

why does the design theory show God exists?

Answer 18

if everything is designed, there must be a designer

Question 19

explain why science may discourage a belief in God

Answer 19

science explains the universe in a clearer and more in depth way than religion. the universe being infinite means there may be no place for God

Question 20

explain the problems with miracles

Answer 20

they only happen to a select few, why would God save some but not others?

Question 21

explain why unanswered prayers could discourage a belief in God

Answer 21

lots of people do not get their prayers answered and believe God would have answered them if he existed. they also may not feel Gods presence and not feel like they’re being listened to.

Question 22

explain the problems with evil and suffering

Answer 22

God is benevolent and would not want suffering in his world. he also has the power to prevent suffering so he would not allow evil.

Question 23

what do Christians think about the problems with suffering?

Answer 23

Christians believe that God wants us to fight evil for personal growth. they also believe God gives freewill to people so cannot stop them from committing acts of evil, this does not explain natural evil though.

Question 24

what do Muslims think about the problems with suffering?

Answer 24

life is a test so evil cannot be stopped, people must learn to fight against it. some Muslims think that God has reasons to allow suffering but humans cannot understand it.

Question 25

explain Christian responses to unanswered prayers

Answer 25

God does not answer selfish prayers. he only answers prayers when the person praying cannot control the suffering they are going through.

Question 26

explain Christian attitudes to scientific explanations of the universe

Answer 26

the big bang must have been planned in order to have created the universe. God is the only one powerful enough for this. only God has the power to make the laws of physics.

Question 27

explain creationism

Answer 27

the universe was made to look billions of years old and that science is wrong. they use the idea of god creating things to look old to explain evolution.