[Carthonas]

Hello everyone! My name is Jake, and I'm an agnostic on what seems to be a never ending quest for answers about our universe. My problem is, with so many different religions and creeds across the world, how do I know what even begin to believe? Over the past few years, I have studied many relgions in great detal. I've read both the Bible and the Qur'an cover to cover and gained much knowledge about both the Christian and Muslim faiths in my search for answers.

While I was studying the Bible, I wrote down questions and concerns I had regarding Christianity, and I was hoping to have some of them addressed here. These questions all use direct quotes from the Bible. My personal questions I can't ask through scriputre will be saved for another time/board. The only thing I ask is that I get real answers back, prefrebly quoting scripture. Try to avoid answers like "God works in mysterious ways," because that seems too be the all in one ace in the hole I hear all too often when I ask tough questions. Same goes for the answer "God's meaning is so above man's understanding" because since the Bible was written by men and not God directly, I can't see that holding up. Also, as I have lots and lots of questions, you don't have to answer them all immediately if you don't have the time. Thanks in advance.

Scripute Questions:

1) Explain why I should believe that your god is all-good when the only real information we have about him is the Bible, which clearly describes him as both good and evil. (See Isaiah 30:32, Luke 14:26, Numbers 31:17-18, Matthew 10:34, Amos 3:6, Deuteronomy 18:8, Deuteronomy 20:16, Exodus 20:5, Exodus 32:27, Isaiah 45:7, Psalms 52:5, Luke 22:36, and Jeremiah 18:11 for a small sample of Biblical passages which describe Jehovah as having an evil morality at times).

2) Explain why, when racism is clearly wrong, Jesus at times was a racist (see Mark 7:25-29). NOTE: under no circumstances will I believe that racism is morally acceptable.

3) Explain why, when discrimination against women is clearly wrong, the Bible clearly supports the oppression of women. Answering this question entails refuting 1 Cor 11 and 1 Tim 2:11-15. NOTE: under no circumstances will I believe that discrimination against women solely on the basis of sex is morally acceptable.

4) Explain why, when slavery is clearly wrong, the Bible seems to support slavery. Answering this question entails refuting 1 Peter 2:18. NOTE: under no circumstances will I believe that slavery is an acceptable way to structure an economy.

5) Explain why sex, potentially one of the most wonderful, beautiful things in human nature, is considered "bad" by your particular sect. If your sect does not consider sex to be "bad," then refute Matthew 19:12, 1 Corinthians 7 (particularly verses 1 and 9), Galatians 5:17, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, James 1:14-15, Matthew 24:38, Luke 17:27, and Revelation 14:4.

6) Explain why, if Jesus was perfect, he thought that the end of the world was coming soon, when it has clearly not come yet. (See Matthew 16:27-28.)

7) Why would your god deliberately cause sinners to sin? (See Romans 9:15-23 and numerous parts of the book of Exodus where Jehovah says, "I will harden Pharaoh's heart.") Are these sinners still responsible for the sins which your god forces them, against their will, to commit? Justify your answer.

8) In light of Matthew 10:34, explain why Jesus is called "the Prince of Peace."

9) Explain why your "just and merciful" god sent bears to kill forty-two children who called his prophet Elisha "baldhead." (See 2 Kings 2:23-24).

10) If prostitution is wrong, why are there so many examples of it in Genesis? (For instance, Gen 19:8, where Lot offers his daughters to a mob so that his guests can avoid gang rape).

11) If Jesus is perfect, justify the parable of the fig tree (Matthew 21:17-19, Mark 11:14-20).

12) Would it be good for men to castrate themselves? Justify your answer, taking Matthew 19:12 into account.

13) In view of Matthew 6:5-6, shouldn't prayer in public schools be discouraged? Support your answer with scripture quotes.

14) A commonly recited litany in many forms of Christianity is "The LORD is my shepherd." (Psalm 23:1). Given the fact that the only reasons that people raise sheep are to rob them of their clothes and to kill them for meat, and the fact that sheep will often follow the shepherd to their destruction, do you think that this is any appropriate image for your god? Justify your answer.

15) In the Genesis story, your god tells Adam and Eve that the day they eat from the tree of knowledge they will surely die (Gen 2:17). The devil tells them that they will not die, but that their eyes would be opened and they would know the difference between good and evil (Gen 3:5). Wasn't Satan telling the truth here? Is your god a liar? Justify your answer in light of Jeremiah 20:7 and Ezekiel 14:9.

16) Why is 2 Kings 19 exactly identical to Isaiah 37?

17) Matthew 28:11-15 contains an account of a conspiracy between the Jews and the Roman soldiers to spread the story that the disciples stole the body of Christ. How could Matthew have known about this, since no Jews or Romans would have admitted to it? If it was such a transparent conspiracy that an outsider could have seen it, why didn't the other three gospels mention it? Why didn't the Roman soldiers get into trouble?

18) Most Jews seem to believe that people are basically good people and can work to overcome their sinful tendencies. Most Christian sects, following the teaching of Psalms 51:5, 1 Kings 8:46, Ezekiel 18:4, Isaiah 59:2, and Psalm 143:2, believe that people are completely debased and hopelessly lost in sin, and that only your god can lift us out of this state if he decides to bestow his gift of grace on us. Isn't this an incredibly negative view of people? Isn't Judaism a more mature faith just for this reason?

19) Revelation 22:16 says that Jesus is the "offspring of David." Mary was not descended from David, but Joseph was. Doesn't this mean that Jesus wasn't the son of your god at all, but the (mortal and not divine) son of Joseph?

20) Throughout the Bible, your god commands his followers to wage merciless war on unbelievers (Luke 22:36, Deuteronomy 13:8, Exodus 20:23-25, Deuteronomy 20:16, Matthew 10:34, Numbers 31:17-18, etc). If you are one of his followers, why are you sitting at your desk writing instead of out waging merciless war on unbelievers?

21) Numbers 23:21 says that your god "has not seen wickedness in Israel." If this is so, explain why your god burned Israelites for complaining (Num 11:1), why he sent a plague against them for eating the meat he had given them (Num 11:33), why he burned people for using incense (Num 16:35), why he sent a plague against the Israelites who accused Moses of wrongdoing (Num 16:44-49), and why he sent fiery snakes among the Israelites (Num 21:5). Is your god a liar, or was it just more convenient for him to lie at that particular place and time, or what?

22) Matthew says (in Matt 2:21) that Jesus dealt in Nazareth so that he could fulfill a prophecy stating that the Messiah would be called a Nazarene. Where is this prophecy in the Old Testament?

23) In Matthew 1:23, Matthew has the angel say that Jesus would be born of a virgin. However, the prophecy that Matthew is referring to, Isaiah 7:14, uses the Hebrew word almah, which simply refers to a "young woman." It has nothing to do with sexual experience; the Hebrew word for "virgin" is bethulah. How do you explain this?

24) Isaiah 7:16 seems to say that before Jesus had reached the age of maturity, both of the Jewish countries would be destroyed. Where is the fulfillment of this prophecy in the New Testament?

25) If even the contemplation of sinning is a sin (i.e. "sinning in your heart"; see, for example, Matthew 5:28) and if Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert (Matthew 4:5-8, Luke 4:5-9), how can you say that Jesus was without sin?

26) Matthew says that on the triumphant entry into Jerusalem, Jesus was riding on an and a colt (Matt 21:7) How do you explain that the original prophecy (Zech 9:9) stated that Jesus would be riding on only one , and the other gospel writers place Jesus only on one (Mark 11:7, Luke 19:35, and John 12:15)?

27) Do you believe that the Old Testament should be accepted as part of Christian theology? If so, explain how you can worship such a cruel, sadistic being (see Numbers 31:17-18, Deuteronomy 20:16, Proverbs 20:30, Amos 3:6, Deuteronomy 13:8, Psalms 3:7, Psalms 52:5, etc.); if not, explain how you can believe that Jesus is the promised savior sent by your god without the messianic prophecies and the ruling rights of the line of David, both of which are in the Old Testament in books such as Isaiah, Zechariah, Daniel, Psalms, etc. (as opposed to, say, believing that Jesus was an irritating nut wandering around saying things that people didn't like much).

28) At no point in the four Gospels did Jesus claim to be the son of your god. (He said "son of man" quite frequently, and at one point referred to himself as "a son of god," but that was a common Hebrew expression at the time. Someone who was "a son of god" was a Jew. This reflected the Israelites' belief that they were the chosen people of your god. See also Job 1:6). Why, then, do you believe that Jesus was divine? If you don't believe that Jesus was divine, then why do you call yourself a Christian?

Well, that is about one third of the questions I have about the Christian faith after studying the Bible. I eagerly await your responses.

Thanks again for taking the time to clear up my questions. I hope to someday be able to make sense of my spiratuilaty and perhaps someday find a religion of some sort, be it Christianity or Humanism, and clearing these up would be a large step towards the first option.

[Tj3]

I see these questions copied from Atheist websites all the time. I used to spend a lot of time answering each one, but the majority are answered simply by reading the passages in question in context. So, with all due respect, I have difficulty believing that most people who copy these questions from internet are truly seeking answers, especially when you look at the tone in which many of the questions are asked.

Some folks with more time on their hands than I do have documented answers to these questions. Here are some sites to help you out. I am sure you will find what you are looking for here:

BIBLE CONTRADICTIONS ANSWERED -- Biblical Errors Mistakes Difficulties Discrepancies Countered

Biblical "Contradictions" and False Teachings in the Bible?

101 Contradictions In The Bible?

[homesell]

Thanks TJ3 those were my sentiments exactly. Carthonas doesn't really want answers, he wants to justify his non-belief and "do what he sees right in his own eyes" even though he pretends to be an honest seeker that "eagerly awaits our answers" (Spending hours of time in the process) I've been to the websites you recommended and anyone with an open mind would get the answers they sought if they were truly seeking - rather than to come across as superiorly smug to us stupid christians.
Carthonas, when I was an atheist I did the same thing I believe you did and that was search for reasons NOT to believe so I could continue to run my own life. I didn't want to admit that, just like everyone else:
1. I was a sinner(heck, I didn't even do right ALL the time in my own eyes not to mention God's)
2. The payment for sin was death(separation from God,the source and sustainer of all life)
3. I couldn't pay the price since no amount of good works makes up for even one sin.
4. God, in his love and mercy, did for me what I could not due for myself. He became a man and took my place.
5. The Holy Spirit entered into my life and made me a new creature.

[soriel]

I'm not an expert on god no one is
But here's my answer to question

If a human being is capable of evil but chooses to be good they are called good
Even if the only reason is because they don't want to face the consequences of doing evil

God on the other hand is also capable of both good and evil
He can very easily kill us all or send us to hell and start new
With no consequences

Yet he doesn't he is patient and understanding and gives us a chance everyday we have on earth to repent of our sins and forgives us if we slip up here and there

I think that is as good as it gets

[soriel]

Question 2
I don't believe it it was racist statement
The jews were gods chosen people not because of their race but their faith in god

The greeks were worshipers of pagan gods

So what he said to her was a test of her faith

She had faith that he could heal her daughter

Even though she was not a jew just a small bit of his power could do the job (even a crumb)

There is no difference in race to god in his point of view we are all descendents of adam and eve

But there is believers and non believers

[soriel]

question 3

god doesn't discrimnate women men misinterpret the bible to make women think they are
beneath them

woman was created from the rib of a man to symbolize being by his side
she could have been created from the foot if she was meant to be beneath him

men and woman are equal created to be one

jesus is the head of man - man the head of woman- god the head of jesus-

notice how it wasn't in order from most powerful to least powerful

but from jesus back to jesus

jesus is equal to god being god himself born in the form of man to be saviar to the world

woman is equal to man being created from the body of man to be his companion (not slave)

if she was different she would have been dust also

we all start with god are all his creation

jesus = god on earth yahweh = god in heaven = god both creator and savior

MAN = male woMAN = female =huMAN

[soriel]

Question 4

This does not condone slavery jesus himself tells people to be kind to slaves and even free them

This scripture teaches humility and endurance
These scriptures teach us how to deal with injustice of this corrupt world we live in
How to overcome them and be blessed for it
Read the scriptures before it too
It means you'll live in a cruel world if you are a slave be obedient
Cause when I get back that master is in trouble
But if you do evil to him you're an evildoer too

[soriel]

question 5

matthew is just explaining that whatever reason a person is a eunich and they are strong willed enough to live that life its good for them and they are blessed for it but doesn't work for everybody and is not necessary

okay corinthians
its warnings against using sex (gods gift to a man and wife) for sinful reasons
verse 1
it is good for a man not to touch a woman(if he can't control lust)
verse 2
to avoid fornication let every man have his own wife and let every woman
have her own husband (sex between a husband and wife is acceptable just don't commit adultry)
verse 3
have rrespect for each other
verse 4
a husband and wife belong to each other
verse 5
basically it means don't go to long without sex unless you are fasting it
cause it might cause your partner to commit adultry
verse 6
I'm sure you understand that 1
the next 1 into 9 basically says
if your not married or widowed don't have premarital sex it's a sin
but if it is too hard and you can't control your desire
get married and have sex with that person just don't sin

[soriel]

Question 6
God is probably billions of years old a few thousand yrs is soon
Even a hundred thousands yrs if that's what his will is

[soriel]

question 7
you read romans again
cause your getting it wrong (no disrespect)
its talking about making people sin
but gods own will
and how we were all created for his purpose to glorify his name
even the sinners
he hardened pharoahs heart yes
but why
because he created him to be an obsticle to moses in freeing the israelites
that was his purpose
if he was nice how would that have been such a big miracle

I mean if moses went to Pharaoh and said let my people go
and Pharaoh said oh excuse me moses I didn't know slavery was wrong
your all free go in peace

hello wheres the miracle

its not that he makes us sin
yes he does also create sinners (hes an equal opportunity god)
but through him we can not only overcome sins but also those who sin against us

[soriel]

question 8
he is the prince of peace he wins the war of sin with the sword a.k.a word of god
so that all those who suffer with sin and are in bondage can be free because of him
and the peace he has given us

god is the king of peace cause he gave him to us as our savior

[adam7gur]

I see no reason why I should explain why I love my father!

[soriel]

Question 9
Normal innocent children don't mock gods prophet

Either they were demon possessed

Or god knew their future and that's why



If you went back in time and met charles manson as an 8 yr old what would you do

[soriel]

Okay jake I'm done for the night ill get the rest later

But before I go I'm going to answer 1 more question for you


Question: why doesn't jake understand the bible


Answer: mark 4:12 that seeing they may see, and not percieve;
And hearing they may hear, and not understand;
Lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them

[homesell]

If carthonas is truly serious, I will be happy to answer all the questions he can throw at me but one question at a time and one per day is the limit as I do have a life and I don't want to waste it "throwing pearls before swine" so if Carthonas is serious, he can address the question to me and we can finish his "seemingly endless search" in a couple of months. I doubt he'll take me up on my offer but I hope he does since some few people out there might be interested in some of the answers to some of the questions.

[Tj3]

If carthonas is truly serious, I will be happy to answer all the questions he can throw at me but one question at a time and one per day is the limit as I do have a life and I don't want to waste it "throwing pearls before swine" so if Carthonas is serious, he can address the question to me and we can finish his "seemingly endless search" in a couple of months. I doubt he'll take me up on my offer but I hope he does since some few people out there might be interested in some of the answers to some of the questions.

That sounds fair. I agree though, it is unlikely that he will take you up on it, because posting the questions tends to be the entire purpose in order to try to discredit the Bible. Answers will ruin the whole effort. It takes no effort to copy and paste questions from internet. The effort required to examine these claims in context and this put them to rest is only minimally more.

The answers to each of these questions can, from my experience, be found by using the following:

1) Read the context of the chapter (vast majority refuted by reading one verse before and after the quoted verse)

2) Contradictions in fact only exist when the two verses are completely incompatible (mutually exclusive). I have yet to see a single such situation in scripture.

3) Unclear verses must be interpreted in the light of those are clear.

4) Rare cases require additional study in the larger context of scripture, or the original culture/languages of the Bible

5) Often one book gives part of the story and another gives a different part. They are complementary, not contradictory

6) Quotes from the NT may not always be word for word with that of the OT. Translations, for example may make changes or the writer provides the essence of what was said.

7) Some numbers are rounded off.

[homesell]

Tj3,
We are in agreement so often that I can rarely give you rep, but do as often as I can.

[speechlesstx]

Would this contain the rest of your questions?

[homesell]

Since it's been 4 days since Carthonas has been "eagerly awaiting our reply" and hasn't responded, that tends to lean some weight toward
1. he posed as a sincere seeker.
2. He copied and pasted the questions from an atheist or agnostic website
3. He hasn't read the Bible "all the way through" as he stated.
4. He thought many of us would waste a lot of time answering his questions rather than someone sincere.
5. He may have thought what he did was funny
6. He needs prayer and the Holy Spirit urging.

How can I say these things? We didn't have computers back then but I basically did the same thing 40 years ago, thinking I would rile things up, make Christians lose their faith, or waste their time(so I thought) praying for me. It was funny to me then, but I really hurt inside as Carthonas must. I sincerely hope he truly searches - for then he will find.

[Triund]

Dear friends, I appreciate stands you all took on this another attack on Christianity. We always welcome newcomers on this site and help them. I applaude the time and efforts Soriel took to answer some of his questions. There are so many evangilists, televengilists, priests and church leaders etc in North America that he can, also, get his questions answered at these resources. Even though if he is not in North America or any other Christian majority country, there are tons and tons of websites for him. I can bet that after reading Quran(I doubt he read Quran ever), he had guts to post his doubts on any muslim site.

I always wonder that why such attacks are on Christians only. Other religions have also got their holy books translated into English. Why do they not go to those lands and criticise their beliefs, their traditions, their customs? The other day I was watching Dinesh D'Souza debating Christopher Hitchins. You can watch it on Youtube. Chris H is author of "God is not great". Would he dare to challenge any muslim, hindu or sikh cleric to prove that there is God?

May Lord Jesus be with us all and bless us to face the storms stirred by Devil.