TEN QUESTIONS OF AN ATHEIST ANSWERED

BY ALAN JAMES

(A video containing 10 questions (posted by a true atheist) have been the most discussed video in the popular website – youtube.com. I have answered these 10 questions to the best of my ability; however, I request that you post an article that would answer these questions better. I have read several of you articles from the website- thevoiceoforthodoxy.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDHJ4ztnldQ

The above link contains the video that has these 10 questions. The “atheist” who posted this video justifies that if we believe that God exists the answers to these 10 questions would make no sense at all; however if we believe that God is imaginary, then the answers to these 10 questions make complete sense. He has also posted discussions of these questions at this website – http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/10questions.htm

I have answered these 10 questions below to the best of my ability to justify the existence of God and defend our orthodox faith; however, I humbly request that you post an article that would answer these questions better.)

READERS: PLEASE COME UP YOUR OWN ANSWERS TO THESE QUEATIONS. WE WILL PUBLISH THEM IF THEY ARE IN BASIC AGREEMENT WITH OUR ORTHODOX POSITIONS- Editor

Question #1: Why Won’t God Heal Amputees?

There are certain extends to which God does miracles and we are not to depend solely on the miracles of God to rectify every bad situation we face in life. This is just like asking why God wouldn’t bring back people who already died (just because you prayed for it. Atheists would always be able to find some excuse or reasoning that would prove (to them) that God does not exist since this is what they do (try to find these reasons to disprove God’s existence). God wants us to have faith in Him NOT through His performance everyday miracles that would support his existence; however, rare miracles done by God makes us stronger in our faith (See Answer to Question 6).The true test of faith is NOT believing in everything that is only scientifically and rationally explained.

Question #2: Why are there so many starving children in our world?

When God created our world, he intentionally did not create it to be a paradise like heaven. We are only passing by during our life in this world. He wants us to face the worldly trials and tribulations with faith, prayer and courage. Again, blaming every problem in this world on the non-existence of God is a typical reasoning of an atheist.

Question #3: Why does God demand the death of so many innocent people in the Bible?

The bible is NOT an instruction booklet that determines how a Christian should act. Understanding pertinent facts from the bible coupled with firm belief in God’s existence and daily prayer is what makes a true Christian. Overanalyzing the bible and finding flaws about the ethics and morals of God (as interpreted by the reader) is the path taken by atheists to undermine the credibility of the bible.

Question #4: Why does the Bible contain so much anti-scientific nonsense?

See Answer to Question 3

Question #5: Why is God such a huge proponent of slavery in the Bible?

See Answer to Question 3

Question #6: Why do bad things happen to good people?

To someone who is over-analyzing the bible, the book of Job gives you a very good example to why this happens. Job was a very religious man, who was also very prosperous with seven sons and three daughters. Satan approached God, stating that Job is only devout because he is prosperous and so if God were to give Satan permission to destroy Job’s possessions and his family, Job would not be as pious. All of Job’s possessions were destroyed and all of his children were killed by Satan with the permission of God. However, Job did not curse God, but instead shaves his head, tears his clothes and says “Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return: the Lord has given, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord”. Satan, convinced that he could get Job to curse God if his (Job’s) person was afflicted as well, solicits permission from God and smites him with terrible boils which led Job to sit in ashes, scraping his skin with broken pottery. When asked permission, God had made one thing clear- Job’s life was not to be touched. During these sufferings, Job’s wife had urged him to “curse God and die painlessly”, but even then Job replied “Shall we accept only good from God and not trouble?”. After going through all these trials, God told Satan “You will not hurt him anymore”; He restored Job’s health, gained back double the riches he had before and had 7 sons and 3 daughters. The new daughters of Job were the most beautiful in their land and were all given inheritance along with their brothers. Job is again blessed as he lives for another 10 years after these trials to see his children to the fourth generation and died peacefully of old age. His new daughters were the most beautiful in the land, and were given inheritance along with their brothers. Job is blessed once again and lives on another 140 years after the ordeal, living to see his children to the fourth generation and dying peacefully of old age. Job was a good man, but he had to go through certain trials that test his faith. These trials actually made Job stronger in his faith since he became closer to God because of these trials. Why do bad things happen to good people? By good people, I assume you mean good people who are not necessarily prosperous. Even if they are prosperous, these trials (which you call bad things) such as the ones Job had are the ones that bring good people closer to God, since they would pray more and become closer to God through their sufferings. We might not be tested to the extend Job was; however we would have to go through certain trials that test our faith. But like Job, good people who do not sway away from their faith and suffer through these trials with strong faith and prayer will eventually gain back more than what they lost during these trials and will also gain something more important- a closer relationship with God.

Question #7: Why didn’t any of Jesus’ miracles leave behind any evidence?

This goes back to my answer to the Question1 – The true test of faith is NOT believing in everything that is only scientifically and rationally explained. Moreover, there are many things in our world today that we believe happened, even though there is no strong evidence to support these claims. A devout person with a strong bond with God through prayer would not even think about these kinds of questions as their faith is not based on pure evidence (because then it cannot be called faith), but rather a close relationship with God.

Question #8: How do we explain the fact that Jesus has never appeared to you?

There are several claims of people who believe that they have seen Jesus through their strong prayers. Most of the skeptics to these claims are atheists or those who do not have a strong relationship with God through prayer. The Holy Spirit inside of us is what makes our conscience stronger and let us know what is right from wrong. If we keep ignoring the Holy Spirit by committing sins and not praying to God for forgiveness, the Holy Spirit inside of us will become weaker and weaker till it reaches a point when we will not be able to clearly distinguish right from wrong. This is what happens to people who start with small sins and eventually escalate to doing bigger sins with no remorse at all. Hence it is imperative that we not lose the power of the Holy Spirit inside of us since it is what protects us from committing sins by letting us know right from wrong.

See this video about the Miracle of Damascus about a girl – Mirna Nazzour, who had several visions of Mary and Jesus and even to this day receives holy oil from two pictures of Mary and Jesus at their home.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtCPqCHW02I&feature=channel_page

Question #9: Why would Jesus want you to eat his body and drink his blood?

 During the Passover supper, Jesus stood up and took a loaf of bread, gave thanks for it, broke it, and gave a piece to each one of His apostles.  As Jesus did this, He said, “Eat this, for this is My body which is broken for you”.  Then He took a cup of wine and handed it to each of His apostles in turn while saying, “Drink this, for this is My blood which is shed for you and for many”. The bread and wine, blessed by the priest and offered on the Altar in Church becomes the Body and Blood of Christ. Jesus wants us to do this in remembrance of Him. Again, a religious person who has a strong relationship with God through prayer would not even think about these kinds of questions as they don’t feel the need to doubt their one belief because of their strong bond with God.

Question #10: Why do Christians get divorced at the same rate as non-Christians?

This again goes back to my answer to Question 6 (about the trials we might have to face in this world). It is not God’s job to make sure that Christians don’t get divorced no matter how badly they live their lives after their marriage, although you would need the grace of God to maintain a healthy relationship. Blaming every bad thing that happens to someone who believes in God on the non-existence of God is again the argument of an atheist.