Seven questions

[St. SteVen]

Seven questions:


1) Would a good God punish me for asking the hard questions?

2) Why do I believe what I believe?

3) Is this a good reason to believe in this?

4) Is belief, or faith, a good measure for morality?

5) Have I explored other religions to the extent that I explored Christianity?

6) What if you are the one in the wrong religion?

7) How would my faith community react to my exploring these questions?


Please copy the question you are responding to in your reply. Thanks.

 

[Wynona]

1) Would a good God punish me for asking the hard questions?

No. I think questioning people can often have a stronger faith from wrestling with hard questions. And I think God wants us to engage with Him honestly and "toe-to-toe".

6) What if you are the one in the wrong religion?

That would be unfortunate. I just don't think the right response is to assume that no religion is right.

 

[Instant]

Seven questions:


1) Would a good God punish me for asking the hard questions? That is not for me to say.

2) Why do I believe what I believe? I have read the Bible through more than 20 times, and it makes sense, far more than the alternatives.

3) Is this a good reason to believe in this? I think so. There is an element of faith, but I also spend years seeking the truth.

4) Is belief, or faith, a good measure for morality? Not by itself. Faith without works is dead according to the book of James.

5) Have I explored other religions to the extent that I explored Christianity? No, because it is easy to eliminate most because they make no sense.

6) What if you are the one in the wrong religion? I have absolutely no concerns about that.

7) How would my faith community react to my exploring these questions? Most would discourage it. When I would read extra-Biblical material, that was frowned upon, and I was told not to. There was this fear it would turn me away from Christianity or sound doctrine, but it made my faith stronger.


Please copy the question you are responding to in your reply. Thanks.

 

[St. SteVen]

@Instant wrote:
7) How would my faith community react to my exploring these questions?

Most would discourage it. When I would read extra-Biblical material, that was frowned upon, and I was told not to. There was this fear it would turn me away from Christianity or sound doctrine, but it made my faith stronger.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How did that make you feel about your faith community?
Is Christianity firm enough to withstand the hard questions?

 

[Instant]

@Instant wrote:
7) How would my faith community react to my exploring these questions?

Most would discourage it. When I would read extra-Biblical material, that was frowned upon, and I was told not to. There was this fear it would turn me away from Christianity or sound doctrine, but it made my faith stronger.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How did that make you feel about your faith community? Bothered that their faith in people was so weak, but at the same time, I can understand it. They are concerned for souls and fear people may be led astray.
Is Christianity firm enough to withstand the hard questions? I feel that it is. Try me. Ask anything you want.

 

[RR144]

Seven questions:

1) Would a good God punish me for asking the hard questions?

No.

2) Why do I believe what I believe?

Because I investigated it andf it's the only thing that makes sense.

3) Is this a good reason to believe in this?

Believe in what? What I believe to be Truth? Of course!

4) Is belief, or faith, a good measure for morality?

Both, one needs to have faith in what they believe is True.

5) Have I explored other religions to the extent that I explored Christianity?

That's a lot of religions, so no, I have examined ALL religions, but I have examined those that have crossed my path. Keep in mind that even within Christianity, there are thousands of denominations and sects all believing differently. Examining those alone will take a lifetime.

6) What if you are the one in the wrong religion?

Then I'll take responsibility for my actions.

7) How would my faith community react to my exploring these questions?

I don't think they would care.

RR

 

[GISMYS_7]

Unbelief and rejection of Jesus is the only sin that sends you to eternal hell!!

 

[St. SteVen]

@Instant wrote:
Is Christianity firm enough to withstand the hard questions? I feel that it is. Try me. Ask anything you want.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Did Jesus die to save you from God?

 

[GISMYS_7]

Jesus did not die to save you from God Jesus died to save you from the results of your sins. The wages of sin is death and hell.

 

[St. SteVen]

Thanks for joining the discussion. And answering all the challenging questions.

St. SteVen said:
5) Have I explored other religions to the extent that I explored Christianity?

That's a lot of religions, so no, I have examined ALL religions, but I have examined those that have crossed my path. Keep in mind that even within Christianity, there are thousands of denominations and sects all believing differently. Examining those alone will take a lifetime.

Yes, it's a tall order.
Interestingly, most Christians, myself included, dive deep into Christianity to prove it is the "true" religion,
rather than doing a comparative study including other religions. We trust the apologetics we are fed.

I had to confront the hell doctrine issue a few years back, that has radically changed the direction of my thinking about Christianity.
If we were wrong about hell, what else were we wrong about?

 

[face2face]

What did Paul mean when he penned:

"But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes"

Are there questions we should resist from asking?
What questions did Paul possibly have in mind?
Is there questions in this forum which gender strifes?
If the questions are unlearned, does this bring into question the qualifications of the one asking the question?
Rather than trying to answer the questons raised, should the validity of the question be discussed i.e. should it be asked?
Does the question bring a person into truth or away from it?
Are the above question's vaild?

What is the context to Pauls warning about avoiding foolish and unlearned questions?

F2F

 

[St. SteVen]

What did Paul mean when he penned:

"But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes"

Thanks for weighing in on this. Are you frightened by the seven questions?
Will your faith not withstand that sort of challenge?

We should look at the context of that to determine what he meant,
Do you think it was a "gag order" on believers?
A "duct-tape-over-the-mouth" church?

 

[face2face]

Thanks for weighing in on this. Are you frightened by the seven questions?
Will your faith not withstand that sort of challenge?

We should look at the context of that to determine what he meant,
Do you think it was a "gag order" on believers?
A "duct-tape-over-the-mouth" church?

My post was in response to your OP. Are you not going to show the same courtesy? Or, is it that these questions challenge your faith, or maybe your credibility?

 

[St. SteVen]

My post was in response to your OP. Are you not going to show the same courtesy? Or, is it that these questions challenge your faith, or maybe your credibility?

My apologies for not being clear.
I intended to answer your questions. (even though you haven't answered mine)
But I wanted to explore your point on the meaning of that scripture first.
(for which you failed to supply a reference)
If you could respond to that, I would appreciate it.
I'll address your questions in my next post.
Fair enough?
Hopefully your questions aren't "foolish and unlearned". - LOL
You seem to be the only one causing "strifes" here.
Don't blame me.

 

[St. SteVen]

Are there questions we should resist from asking?

No.
Although I would temper that in consideration for the audience.
Some people can't handle questions calmly.

What questions did Paul possibly have in mind?

Let's look at the context.

Is there questions in this forum which gender strifes?

Gender? Which gender?
I've seen questions about gender. - LOL

What are strifes?
Perhaps an alternative translation would offer a less awkward descriptor.

Let's look at the context.

If the questions are unlearned, does this bring into question the qualifications of the one asking the question?

LOL
Was that supposed to be a personal affront? (ouch)

What makes a question "unlearned"?
Perhaps an alternative translation would offer a less awkward descriptor.

Rather than trying to answer the questons raised, should the validity of the question be discussed i.e. should it be asked?

So, ask if a question can be asked before it is asked?
Can I ask you a question?

Does the question bring a person into truth or away from it?

Is truth a presumptive conclusion not to be diverted from?

Are the above question's vaild?

Yours, or mine?
All questions are valid from my perspective.
No questions are valid from your perspective.
But here you are asking... dare I say it...
foolish and unlearned questions. ???

What is the context to Pauls warning about avoiding foolish and unlearned questions?

That would be the best starting point. Thanks.

 

[St. SteVen]

@face2face

Here's the near context below in a more readable translation.
Paul is addressing Timothy, a young church leader.
Telling him not to address "foolish and stupid arguments" which "produce quarrels."
The next verse say "the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome"
What are you doing on this topic? Avoiding quarrels, or producing them?
Everyone else is behaving themselves. Please join us. Thanks.

2 Timothy 2:22-24 NIV
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness,
faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments,
because you know they produce quarrels.
24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome
but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.

 

[St. SteVen]

My post was in response to your OP. Are you not going to show the same courtesy? Or, is it that these questions challenge your faith, or maybe your credibility?

According to you, I should avoid your questions if they seem foolish, or unlearned, correct?

 

[St. SteVen]

Unbelief and rejection of Jesus is the only sin that sends you to eternal hell!!

PARODY

Person #1: I have a free gift for you.
Person #2: No thanks.
Person #1: I said it was free.
Person #2: There must be some strings attached.
Person #1: Well, of course.
Person #2: I'm not interested.
Person #1: You better take it, or else.
Person #2: Say what?
Person #1: There are consequences for not receiving the free gift.
Person #2: Like what?
Person #1: You will be incinerated.
Person #2: What sort of free gift is that?

Indeed.

 

[Instant]

Unbelief and rejection of Jesus is the only sin that sends you to eternal hell!!

That is not true if you believe the Bible. There is a list of sins that will send you to hell in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, and there are others.

 

[face2face]

My apologies for not being clear.
I intended to answer your questions. (even though you haven't answered mine)
But I wanted to explore your point on the meaning of that scripture first.
(for which you failed to supply a reference)
If you could respond to that, I would appreciate it.
I'll address your questions in my next post.
Fair enough?
Hopefully your questions aren't "foolish and unlearned". - LOL
You seem to be the only one causing "strifes" here.
Don't blame me.

I do believe the ratio of question to answer sits well in truly in my favour.
The only strife I have seen is over your inability to respond to the answers abundantly provided.
I feel that's a fair assessment of the past couple of threads.
F2F