QUESTIONS FOR THEISTS

[ILOVEJESUS]

One to start off with. If God exists then why does he not appear now.. when he could at least be proved and promoted ( ifyou will) a lot better than he could have been 2000 years ago. Are we not worthy of a visit? Are we to make do with heresay and chinese whispers from people we never met about stuff we have never seen? Does God not want us to believe???? Just to get us started. Lets also have some devils advocate answers too so we can hone these questions. Make sure they are a good source for atheists to use in debates.. you know tried and tested.

[ShimShamSam]

If you really want to stump them, don't give them a question that can easily be answered with, "because it's gods will". It's much more effective to give them a tricky logical question that causes religion to contradict itself. For instance, if in the beginning there was nothing, and because of that, everything since then was created by god, that means god created satan. Which means he intentionally created someone to tempt us, and then can punish for partaking in satans temptations. If god loves us all, why did he create satan as a means to tempt us, so he could punish us, so he could send us to hell for eternity, if he loves us?

That one si a bit trickier to justify than why has god not appeared.

[tacoma_kyle]

...why did he create satan as a means to tempt us...

Because it was his will.




Thats the problem with theists.... They can and will pretty much always use that one. The people dont know so they say the unknown knows. Meaning? No one knows so they bull-shit their way through with empty statements (that are full of understanding to them).

[pjkeeley]

So easy a child could do it (in fact, children seem to be much more effective than adults in this regard). All you have to ask is WHY? Ask repeatedly. Question every answer. Some specific 'why' questions that I came up with:

Why does God exist?

Why did God create anything at all?

Why must God be a mystery?

Why must "God's will" be kept secret from us? Why wasn't it revealed along with everything else in the Bible?

Why did God need human beings to write the Bible?

Why does God require faith?

And so on, ad nauseum.

[SteveS]

Eh, ask them to explain the Trinity?

[Kylyssa]

Good one, Steve!  I've seen theists twist themselves half inside out trying to explain the Trinity.

[Kylyssa]

The real problem is that they can answer EVERYTHING with "God wanted it that way."  You are just pissing into the wind most days if you try to have a logical theological discussion.

[ILOVEJESUS]

but still we must try. its no good just sitting here preaching to the converted ( so to speak). lets think up some questions that can really cause a storm. the one i posted originally actually caused a huge amount of debate amongst some christians i was talking to at a christening no less. it was what god wanted does not answer it. the only answer that was given was... were in a time thats waiting for god to come and destroy us so hedoesnt want to prove hes real till then. and even the gentlemans fellow christian friends looked at him  like he was talking out his cock. lets not give up. how about the famous one.... how many amputees have been cured through prayer? none. why? are they not welcome to this form of medical miracle?

[Will]

Eh, ask them to explain the Trinity?

In honor of this post, I present you with some original work:

[ILOVEJESUS]

v nice.. keep em coming

[SteveS]

Haha - that's as good a description as I've ever come across!

[ShimShamSam]

yes, since theres no way to physically disprove god, the only way is to do so through logic. Again, I'll bring up the Riddle of Epicurus:

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

[freeverse]

My question here is for christians, or other theists, who believe in a just and benevolent God -  

The bible teaches that when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge, only then did they "became like gods, knowing good from evil." If, prior to this moment, they did not know the difference between good and evil, how can they be held responsible for the evil deed of disobeying god? In other words, if they did not know good from evil, how could they have known that to obey god is good, and to disobey is evil? And if they did not know, yet were held accountable for their actions, how can they be said to possess free will? You'd think that a just and loving god would allow a person to fully comprehend what they are choosing between before condemning their choice.

I have yet to hear an even semi-coherent answer to this one

[Will]

Bwahahaha!!! Great argument, freeverse!

[ILOVEJESUS]

excellent question.
why does god need us to praise him? why cant we just behave ourselves?