Question:
Hi...umm...I kind of have a problem right now, and I'd really like some help and prayer here. I'm sixteen, and have believed in God for like, ever. Got saved at like, age seven or eight, and received the gift of speaking in tongues at age fourteen. I've always wanted to be a minister since I was like, ten years old, and hope still to become a leader wherever God wants me to be in my life. But today in my math class, there were a few guys that were reading off a loooooooong list of contradictions that the Bible has. (if any of you remember JerryLove or Quingu, who used to post other claims like that in the Apologetics forum, that's kind of like what these seventeen year old guys were reading.) Most of them were taken grossly out of context, and I could see right through that. But a few small ones were unmistakeable to see. HELP ME!!! I know God exists, and I'm very aware of Him. But does He exist exactly like we know Him to??? Please help me; I'm not sure I am going to be able to keep up my life like this if I don't get some advice here!!!!!!!
Answer:
What exactly do you mean by "as we know it" or "like we know Him to?"
Answer:
What were they saying that was "unmistakeable". The Bible does not contradict itself. Also, God exists how the Bible says He exists. It doesn't matter how we think He exists.
Answer:
Originally Posted by hope_4_heaven Hi...umm...I kind of have a problem right now, and I'd really like some help and prayer here. I'm sixteen, and have believed in God for like, ever. Got saved at like, age seven or eight, and received the gift of speaking in tongues at age fourteen. I've always wanted to be a minister since I was like, ten years old, and hope still to become a leader wherever God wants me to be in my life. But today in my math class, there were a few guys that were reading off a loooooooong list of contradictions that the Bible has. (if any of you remember JerryLove or Quingu, who used to post other claims like that in the Apologetics forum, that's kind of like what these seventeen year old guys were reading.) Most of them were taken grossly out of context, and I could see right through that. But a few small ones were unmistakeable to see. HELP ME!!! I know God exists, and I'm very aware of Him. But does He exist exactly like we know Him to??? Please help me; I'm not sure I am going to be able to keep up my life like this if I don't get some advice here!!!!!!! List some of the specific examples that are bothering you and let's hash through them and see if we can't make heads or tails out of what's really being said.
Answer:
I'd like to know why those guys were reading off that stuff in the first place. That's kind of a strange thing to be doing in class. Were they using them to try and challenge the faith of Christians in the room? I wouldn't grant much credibility to an atheism-biased source; this wouldn't be the first time I've seen some ridiculous claims arise from liberal interpretations of a verse.
However, with this said, be open-minded about your conception of what and who God is, because sometimes a person's idea of what God's character "should" be like is quite far from the Biblical truth of the matter.
It would be helpful to post specific examples.
Answer:
Originally Posted by hope_4_heaven Hi...umm...I kind of have a problem right now, and I'd really like some help and prayer here. I'm sixteen, and have believed in God for like, ever. Got saved at like, age seven or eight, and received the gift of speaking in tongues at age fourteen. I've always wanted to be a minister since I was like, ten years old, and hope still to become a leader wherever God wants me to be in my life. But today in my math class, there were a few guys that were reading off a loooooooong list of contradictions that the Bible has. (if any of you remember JerryLove or Quingu, who used to post other claims like that in the Apologetics forum, that's kind of like what these seventeen year old guys were reading.) Most of them were taken grossly out of context, and I could see right through that. But a few small ones were unmistakeable to see. Here's the thing, for at least what I know the Bible doesn't for sure contradict itself, usually it is a misunderstanding. For the proof of the Bible I recommend you read "The Case for Christ".
Originally Posted by hope_4_heaven HELP ME!!! I know God exists, and I'm very aware of Him. But does He exist exactly like we know Him to??? Please help me; I'm not sure I am going to be able to keep up my life like this if I don't get some advice here!!!!!!! Here's what I know, besides all the proof and non-proof of the Bible and God, I know that for a fact I wouldn't be alive if God wasn't real, because a few years ago I was suicidal and I know that for a fact if I didn't have my faith, I would have given up and I would not be here today, if it weren't for God that offered my only hope to get out of my depression.
I don't know if that helps but I sure hope it will.
Answer:
You can't really "prove" God's existance. Nor can you prove his non-existance. If we could prove that God existed, there would be no need for faith. That being said, people are still going to try to "prove" either point, depending on their opinion of religion / Christianity.
In my uneducated opinion, if there were any true contradictions in the Bible, with the number of scholars who have studied it/wrote on it, it would be much more prevalent than some website thrown up by an athiest or other non-Christian looking to prove something that has a few "reasons Christianity is not real" that they've copy and pasted and never even taken the time to consider.
Though I think I've gotten a little bit off topic here, let me try to confirm what I'm saying. While I in NO way think that debates between Christians and non-Christians about the truth of the religion is a bad thing (defending the faith when someone makes gross remarks against it is called for), I do think that there is a line often crossed between defending the faith and excess. Some people just have their minds made up and debate only fuels their flame. For these people...prayer, set a good example, be their friends if you can.
But you can't let the "oh, the Bible isn't true because of x, y, and z" sway you really. It sounds like you've already had God's influence on your life. It would be extremely hypocritical of me to say that you just need to strengthen your faith, but be sure of yourself. God expects us to doubt, but working through those doubts is how we get stronger. If you have any specific examples of their arguments, you could take them to a youth pastor or post them on here. Or pray about them.
Just don't let others' ignorance and hatred of a religion change your mind about it. It's between you and God.
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Originally Posted by Flyguy You can't really "prove" God's existance. Nor can you prove his non-existance. If we could prove that God existed, there would be no need for faith. That being said, people are still going to try to "prove" either point, depending on their opinion of religion / Christianity. Yes, you can, by the impossibility of the contrary. Christianity is the only worldview that doesn't completely destroy the foundation for knowledge.
Answer:
Originally Posted by ICTHUS Yes, you can, by the impossibility of the contrary. Christianity is the only worldview that doesn't completely destroy the foundation for knowledge.
Impossibility of the contrary ... in other words impossible for God not to exist? But then who says that the "Christian" God is the right God? Who says it has to be our God and not Buddha, or the Muslim God or any other God?
Eh...I've sort of dragged things off topic. You are right, and I'm far too uneducated to have any sort of reasonable discourse on the topic. So let's just leave it at that for me.
Answer:
Doubts are not necessarily a BAD thing. For one, you are actually thinking critically about what you believe and WHY you believe it, that is very essential for a Christian. Just like persecution during church history has purifiedChristendom and caused it grow in strength and boldness, the same with the personal Christian life in that when a persons faith is tried, they come out stronger and more bold on the other side.
This could be a turning point for you as a Christian because you are now thinking, instead of relying on everything you KNEW that was correct. You are now wanting answers of why and who. Who is God and Why do we exist.
God is bringing these guys into your life for a reason, don't be so scared about the confrontation and them testing your faith and trying to prove to you that you're a retard for believing this little "cotton candy wanna-be God" Hold fast to your convictions and your trust in God, the way you handle yourself will be fundamental, you have to keep your composure and not crumble under the circumstance. If you can't answer a question they have just say, "im sorry, im not a scholar in this area of Christianity, but if you like i will bring you a book that will answer the questions you do have." or if they keep doing it go tell him to talk to the mormon kid about the contradictions in his book, because there is more in there. Why fight Christianity so much??? maybe, because it's true.
if you want a book to read that will cause you to think of this world around us and how we know a supreme being exists, read the book, "I don't have enough faith to be an atheist" by norm geisler and frank turek. It's amazing
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Originally Posted by raggedyandy7 Doubts are not necessarily a BAD thing. For one, you are actually thinking critically about what you believe and WHY you believe it, that is very essential for a Christian. Just like persecution during church history has purifiedChristendom and caused it grow in strength and boldness, the same with the personal Christian life in that when a persons faith is tried, they come out stronger and more bold on the other side.
This could be a turning point for you as a Christian because you are now thinking, instead of relying on everything you KNEW that was correct. You are now wanting answers of why and who. Who is God and Why do we exist.
God is bringing these guys into your life for a reason, don't be so scared about the confrontation and them testing your faith and trying to prove to you that you're a retard for believing this little "cotton candy wanna-be God" Hold fast to your convictions and your trust in God, the way you handle yourself will be fundamental, you have to keep your composure and not crumble under the circumstance. If you can't answer a question they have just say, "im sorry, im not a scholar in this area of Christianity, but if you like i will bring you a book that will answer the questions you do have." or if they keep doing it go tell him to talk to the mormon kid about the contradictions in his book, because there is more in there. Why fight Christianity so much??? maybe, because it's true.
Right on. Listen to these guys, they know what they're talking about. I had something very similar to this happen to me. I was to the point were I questioned everthing I was ever taught. Wondering how any of it could ever be possible. It was these type of guys that helped me through that time. And I'm always open for PM'ing.
Adam