50 Simple Questions for Every Christian - Brossura

Libro 3 di 3: 50

Harrison, Guy

 
9781616147273: 50 Simple Questions for Every Christian
Brossura
ISBN 10: 161614727X ISBN 13: 9781616147273
Casa editrice: G38-Prometheus, 2013

Sinossi

Written in a respectful and conversational style, this unique book is designed to promote constructive dialogue and foster mutual understanding between Christians and non-Christians. The author, a skeptic and journalist, asks basic questions about Christian belief.

What is the born-again experience? Why would God want to sacrifice his only son for the world? Do miracles really happen? How reliable is the Bible? What is the rapture? Why isn't everyone a Christian? Each question is followed by commentary and analysis that is skeptical and tough but never argumentative or condescending.

Christians will find the book useful as a basis for developing their apologetics, while skeptics will welcome Harrison's probing rational analysis of religious claims.

Le informazioni nella sezione "Riassunto" possono far riferimento a edizioni diverse di questo titolo.

Informazioni sull'autore

GUY P. HARRISON (San Diego, CA) is an award-winning journalist and the author of Think, 50 Simple Questions for Every Christian, 50 Popular Beliefs That People Think Are True, 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God, and Race and Reality: What Everyone Should Know about Our Biological Diversity. Find him on online at www.guypharrison.com, www.facebook.com/guypharrisonauthor, and on Twitter @Harrisonauthor.

Estratto. © Ristampato con autorizzazione. Tutti i diritti riservati.

50 simple questions for every christian

By Guy P. Harrison

Prometheus Books

Copyright © 2013 Guy P. Harrison
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-61614-727-3

Contents

Introduction...............................................................9
1. Does Christianity make sense?...........................................13
2. What is a god?..........................................................21
3. Is it rude to ask?......................................................25
4. Does Jesus answer prayers?..............................................33
5. Who is a Christian?.....................................................41
6. Does Christianity make societies better?................................45
7. What is atheism?........................................................49
8. What are miracles?......................................................57
9. Does the complexity of life reveal an intelligent designer?.............67
10. Have you read the Bible?...............................................73
11. Why do some Christians do bad things in the sight of Jesus?............79
12. How can we be sure about the resurrection?.............................83
13. How do we know that heaven is real?....................................89
14. Why is God so violent?.................................................97
15. What do prophecies prove?..............................................103
16. How important are the Ten Commandments?................................109
17. Do you know the real Ten Commandments?.................................117
18. Is Christianity good for women?........................................121
19. Is it smarter to believe or not believe?...............................125
20. Is the born-again experience in Christianity unique?...................131
21. Is faith a good thing?.................................................141
22. Should children be Christians?.........................................147
23. Does Jesus heal the sick?..............................................153
24. How do we know that the man Jesus existed?.............................159
25. What about all the other gods?.........................................165
26. Are Christians happier?................................................171
27. Is the United States of America a Christian nation?....................177
28. How can we be sure that Jesus performed miracles?......................183
29. What do evil atheist dictators prove?..................................187
30. Is the universe fine-tuned for us?.....................................197
31. Could we design a better world?........................................203
32. What has archaeology proved?...........................................209
33. Why isn't everyone a Christian?........................................213
34. What is the problem with evolution?....................................219
35. Is it better to be safe than sorry?....................................227
36. Why did God sacrifice his son?.........................................231
37. Did God drown the world?...............................................237
38. Why do birth location and family matter so much?.......................245
39. Why do Christianity and science so often come into conflict?...........249
40. Why do people go to hell?..............................................255
41. Can atheists be trusted?...............................................261
42. Why hasn't the Bible convinced more people?............................269
43. Are angels real?.......................................................275
44. Is Christmas under attack?.............................................281
45. Will the End Times ever end?...........................................287
46. Does Christianity make individuals better?.............................295
47. Why does a good god allow so much suffering in the world?..............303
48. Would you take Jesus's place on the cross?.............................309
49. Should Christians try to be good skeptics?.............................313
50. Will Christianity endure?..............................................321
Notes......................................................................325
Bibliography and Recommended Reading.......................................339
Index......................................................................345

Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

DOES CHRISTIANITY MAKE SENSE?


These may be the most simple and important questions of all:Does this religion make sense? It is true? Am I sufficiently convincedabout this to honestly call myself a Christian? While these mayseem like fair questions to an unsure skeptic, those within Christianitymight consider it impolite, unnecessary, and even idiotic to ask suchthings. Of course it's true. Of course it makes sense. Given the highstakes of this religion's global influence and possible afterlife repercussions,however, shouldn't everyone—Christians included—be askingthese questions?

Does it make sense? This simple question goes far beyond nitpickingcontradictions in the Bible or citing problems with popular claimsabout the benefits of Christianity and the reliability of prayer. It isabout the basic concept, the core claim that distinguishes this religionfrom others. It is, of course, impossible to summarize it in a way thatsatisfies all Christians, but it goes something like this: God sent hisson, Jesus, into the world so that he could die for us. His sacrifice wasa pardon for our sins that allows us to be saved from death and enjoyeternal life in heaven. Without Jesus, we would all be doomed becauseof our inherently sinful nature. In this great act of mercy, God saved usfrom ourselves. And all we have to do in return to accept this gift is torepent our sins and embrace Jesus as our only lord and savior.

This is about as concise as one can describe Christianity withoutveering off into endless doctrinal conflicts. Short and simple as it is,there will still be some, I suspect, who would feel the need to subtractor add, but I hope most would agree that it's an accurate and fair synopsis.So let's analyze it line for line and see what happens.


GOD SENT HIS SON, JESUS, INTO THE WORLDSO THAT HE COULD DIE FOR US.

We are immediately confronted with a huge problem. God is Jesus andJesus is God. How can we say that God sent his son and sacrificedhim for us when they are the same being? I understand that manyChristians don't spend much time thinking about it, but according tothe doctrine of the Holy Trinity, God the father and Jesus the son arethe same being. (The Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, completes the HolyTrinity.) This is no trivial matter, and it's not some minor point thatweasel doubters use to annoy Christians. Sincere skeptics recognize afundamental problem with this story.

The Holy Trinity has long been considered one of the most importantclaims in Christianity. It can't reasonably be ignored in any seriousdiscussion about Christianity because, if true, it means that God senthimself to Earth, sacrificed himself to himself, and then returned to bewith himself. The skeptic can only ask how any of this makes sense. It'snot rude or unfair to attempt to reconcile the "great sacrifice of Jesus'slife" with the concept of the Holy Trinity. It's an obvious and necessaryquestion, isn't it? Christians often juxtapose the horror of Jesus's crucifixionwith the love God shows us by allowing his son to suffer and die.Christians have asked me to imagine how difficult it would be to sacrificemy own son. But it's not the same thing. Temporary pain aside, ifJesus was God and knew that he would return to heaven after his death,where is the big sacrifice? What did Jesus/God give up? These are thethings skeptics wonder about while trying to understand Christianity.It's not about being argumentative or stubborn. It's a basic comprehensionissue. There seems to be a very serious problem with the claimthat God sent his son to Earth as a sacrifice for us because God andJesus are supposed to be the same being.


HIS SACRIFICE WAS A PARDON FOR OUR SINSTHAT ALLOWS US TO BE SAVED FROM DEATHAND ENJOY ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN.

The traditional telling of Jesus's execution presents it as a gruesomeand terrible event that rivals most horror movies. In fact, director MelGibson did depict it in a way some describe as a contemporary horrorfilm. Released in 2004, The Passion of the Christ shocked moviegoerswith bone-crunching sounds and flesh-ripping images. If the crucifixionof Jesus did happen and was even fractionally as inhumane and cruelas Christians claim, then the obvious question that comes to theskeptic's mind is "why?" Why did Jesus or anyone else, god or human,have to suffer and die? Human sacrifice? Really? If this did happen, asChristians say it did and for the reasons they say it did, there needsto be some better reasoning, some rational explanation for why it wasnecessary. Why would a god need to rely on such a disgusting andprimitive act to forgive us and save us from his judgment?

Most societies on Earth realized centuries ago that ritual humansacrifice is as barbaric as it is unproductive. Tossing virgins into avolcano or carving out some guy's heart atop a temple once might haveseemed like sensible investments for better times ahead, but eventuallyit dawned on most that such practices were cruel, stupid, and unnecessary.As an act of punishment and/or religious rite, it is beneath us.We are better than that. So why would God need such an act to offerhumankind an escape clause? Surely he could think of a better wayto save us from death and eternal damnation. But wait, isn't God incharge of everything? Why would he have to do anything to provide uswith a route to salvation and heaven? Couldn't he simply have skippedthe whole slow, agonizing death of Jesus and just forgiven us? Is hebound by some laws that even he must follow? What is going on?

I have asked this sincere and simple question of many preachersand devout Christians over the years. To date, none have come up witha good answer—at least, no answer that would satisfy a typical skeptic.The best they offer is: "We can't understand God's ways." Or they simplyrepeat the alleged point of the act: "Jesus had to take on our sins sothat we could be saved." But why? This is the central most importantevent that Christianity is based on, and it seems completely unnecessaryto many non-Christians. Why did Jesus have to absorb our sins ina manner that involved whipping, punching, stabbing, hammers, andnails? It sounds very much like a story that ancient mortals would tell,believe, and admire, rather than the real-life actions of a god who runsthe universe.


WITHOUT JESUS, WE WOULD ALL BE DOOMEDBECAUSE OF OUR INHERENTLY SINFUL NATURE.GOD SAVED US FROM OURSELVES.

Original sin is such an old concept that it has come to be viewed asfar less bizarre than it really is. But thoughtful Christians who pauseto think about this idea for a moment are likely to recognize thatsomething doesn't add up. We are inherently guilty? Condemned beforewe even learn to walk and talk? What sort of justice is that? To skepticsof Christianity, it seems crazy to view newborn babies as defective anddoomed forever without spiritual intervention. Of course all peopleare imperfect, but hopelessly flawed at birth and deserving of endlessagony in hell? Really?

Let's not dwell on the charge that we are all members of a corruptand "fallen" species by birth. Rather, we should ask why it is we needsaving in the first place. What is it we need saving from? The answeris God. He and his rules are the threat that we imperfect humans areup against. Therefore, God, in the form of Jesus, has offered to save usfrom himself. This is odd, to say the least, yet billions of Christians,generation after generation, say they are profoundly grateful to God forhis gift of salvation. I do not mean this in a disrespectful way, but Godin this context seems very much like a gangster who promises to makesure your business doesn't meet with unfortunate circumstances andhappen to burn down—so long as you give him whatever he asks for. Ifyou don't pay up, of course, he is the one who sets fire to your business.No matter what he says, however, the reality is that the gangster isprotecting you from the gangster.

The Christian salvation story might make more sense if God wasequally matched or somehow the underdog to Satan and was saving usfrom him. But this is not the case; it is supposed to be God who is totallydominant and runs the world. It is God who judges and condemns us(according to most versions of Christianity). If God wants to save usfrom hell, why not simply stop sending people to hell? If he wants toforgive us for being imperfect, then why not just forgive us? I have forgivenpeople in my life many times without requiring an oath of eternalloyalty and love from them. I just forgave them because it seemed likethe right thing to do. If a firefighter intentionally sets a house on fireand then rescues half of the family inside while the other half burns todeath, is he or she really a hero? This is coming from the perspective ofan outsider to Christianity, so it might seem harsh to some Christians,but it's not meant to be argumentative. If anything, many skeptics tendto feel frustrated by their inability to make sense of something thatso many millions of Christians insist makes perfect sense. We simplyacknowledge openly what seems obvious to us: that there is no reasonto heap praise on anyone, a person or a god, who saves people from aparticular harm that exists only because of that person or god.


AND ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS EMBRACE JESUSAS OUR ONLY LORD AND SAVIOR.

This directive sounds so simple, but it is by no means easy for thoseskeptics who value truth and honesty. One cannot sincerely embraceJesus without first becoming convinced that he is a real god. Christiansoften fail to acknowledge this primary obstacle for non-Christians. Allthe details about Jesus's life, words, and offer of salvation matter verylittle to a person who doubts he exists. It is easy to repeat the ancientman's quotes found in the Bible. Anyone can tell the basic story of theMessiah who died for our sins. Describing heaven and hell is effortless.It's a lot more difficult, however, to prove that there is a god namedJesus in our presence right now.

Some Christians tell me that all one has to do is believe first andthen the belief will become real. Start going to church and reading theBible, they say, and I will find Jesus. I know they mean that Jesus willbe revealed to me if I show faith in him, but it sounds a lot like tryingto voluntarily induce a delusion. If I try my absolute best to believein Zeus, would he become real too? If I attend ceremonies at a Hindutemple and pray to Hindu gods for a few years, might they become realto me too? No self-respecting skeptic is going to pretend to know thatany gods exist without proof or very good evidence. Sure, some peoplecan and do fake it. One can adopt the practices and play the role of aChristian while still unconvinced, but how can that be right? Anyonecan show up at church, sing a few hymns and call it a day, but is thiswhat God would want? Wouldn't an omniscient god know if a prayeris spoken with empty words and no confidence? Isn't there a chancethat doing such a thing would insult or anger him? Shouldn't we thinkbefore we believe, if for no other reason than to show respect for thispotentially real god?

Non-Christians who have been encultured and raised by lovingparents to believe in the god or gods of a rival religion have a toughchallenge before them if they are to end up following the "correct" religionand worshipping correctly. Not only must they "find" Jesus butthey also have to jettison their original beliefs. Not easy for most. Thosewho are in the most difficult spot, however, are skeptics, people whoare compelled to put in the hard work of thinking about a claim beforeclimbing aboard. A good skeptic doesn't accept or reject an unusualclaim because it feels right to do so or because of what the majoritysays. Any extraordinary and important claim has to run a gauntlet ofcritical thinking and, if appropriate, survive the scientific process. Thesame reasoning process that so easily pokes gaping holes in astrology,psychics, and ghosts also works for supernatural claims made by allreligions. The idea of gods is certainly unusual and important, sodoesn't it deserve thoughtful analysis too?

Skeptics begin with the same basic questions: Does the quantityand quality of the evidence balance the importance or unusual nature ofthe claim? The bigger the claim, the more evidence required. Are morereasonable alternate explanations more likely to be true? Is there toomuch reliance on authority and tradition with too little attention paidto good evidence and reason? We don't know what the future holds, butso far the supernatural claims of Christianity, like all other religions,have not been validated by the scientific process. If Christianity, or atleast some aspects of it, had been confirmed in this way, then it wouldhave crushed all other religions and would likely be the only one leftstanding today.

Where does this leave the open-minded skeptic who is willing tobelieve but not without good reason? Out in the cold, it seems. Faith,trust, tradition, and confirmation bias may lead many people to the gods,but critical thinking rarely does so. This is one of Christianity's primaryflaws, according to many nonbelievers. Why in the world should thinkinghinder one's belief in a real god? Shouldn't clear thinking be encouraged?Shouldn't the courage to accept reality as it is and not as we would preferit to be an admirable quality? Why aren't skeptics the first to find God?Wouldn't those who make an honest effort to sort out sense from nonsensebe the first people to discover a real god if he is there?

Why would any god who wished to share himself and his messagewith the world make himself invisible and silent to billions? IfChristianity made sense to anyone who analyzed it, if it were obviouslytrue to all sensible people, then it would attract and retain more sincerebelievers than other religions that only relied on faith and tradition. Itwould be so easy to set up Christianity for rapid global acceptance. Andwouldn't that have been the goal of a loving god who wanted the bestfor his creations? How could he not foresee that there would be doubtsand mass rejection of an unproven story about God sending himself toEarth so that he could be killed horribly—for us—before returning toheaven to be with himself? And that this human sacrifice was necessarybecause we are all guilty of a crime we did not commit. (Adamtasted the forbidden fruit, remember, not I and not you.) Furthermore,where is the proof that the important events of Jesus's life really happenedtwo thousand years ago? How can we trust the account of hisdeath and what it means for us? How can we be sure that the deathof Jesus was not entirely a human event with no supernatural componentto it? These are the obstacles that keep many nonbelievers frombecoming believers.

Have I succeeded in destroying Christianity in this chapter? Ofcourse not. Have I disproved the existence of God? I didn't even try.Have I made a compelling case for Christians to abandon Jesus? Thatwas never my intent. The aim of this chapter was merely to show whyso many people are able to hear Christianity's basic claim and walkaway unconvinced. I understand how mysterious this must be for manyChristians who see a divine Jesus and the Bible as obviously real andtrue. Some Christians were raised to believe and have never known anythingelse. They experienced the external case for Christ and acceptedit. Some Christians experienced profound internal events and becameconvinced that Jesus is a real god. But the fact remains that there areaspects of the basic story here that just don't add up for many people whorespect Christians enough to give Christianity a fair hearing. It wouldbe better for everyone if more Christians understood and accepted thisrather than entertaining nonsense notions such as that all nonbelieversreject Christianity because they want to sin, are angry, or are simply tooarrogant to submit to God. For virtually all skeptics, it's about nothingmore than the absence of evidence that makes believing in Jesus so difficult.And for the majority of the world's non-Christians, the barrier thatstands between them and Christianity is another belief system. Theylikely are followers of another religion for no other reason than theytrusted their society, friends, and family to tell them the truth, a situationevery Christian ought to understand very well.

(Continues...)


(Continues...)
Excerpted from 50 simple questions for every christian by Guy P. Harrison. Copyright © 2013 by Guy P. Harrison. Excerpted by permission of Prometheus Books.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Le informazioni nella sezione "Su questo libro" possono far riferimento a edizioni diverse di questo titolo.

Editore
G38-Prometheus
Data di pubblicazione
2013
Lingua
Inglese
ISBN 10 
161614727X
ISBN 13 
9781616147273
Rilegatura
Copertina flessibile
Numero di pagine
352
Contatto del produttore
non disponibile
Persona responsabile
non disponibile