Top 10 Questions Atheists (and Scientologists) Can’t Answer
In response to REPuckett’s article “50 Questions Christians Can’t Answer” I’ve written this, containing much more profound questions and dropping the sheer stupidity of some of his questions that could be answered by a few 4-year olds I know. I challenge anybody who challenges the Christian faith to read this. You can’t be a critic without knowing both sides, now can you?
REPuckett recently wrote an article that stirred up massive amounts of controversy, entitled 50 Questions Christians Can’t Answer. In no way am I doing this to defame or insult users like REPuckett or Mark Gordon Brown or Vance Lethurin, I simply want people to put some thought into their lives. I was originally going to write an article in response answering each one in detail but after reading them all and reading all the comments, I realized that the Christian commentors had answered him thoroughly enough. Especially since he claimed to have lived much of his life as a Christian and to have attended theology classes, but the logic of his questions showed the maturity of an elementary school student, not a man educated in theology. Keep in mind I’m not attacking the man as a person, I’m simply stating the flaws in his article. We all need a little criticism sometimes, don’t we? 
Before we get to the questions I’d like to explain 4 crucial things.
First of all I’d also like to state that almost all of the religious conflicts in history and atrocities committed by Christians were a result of men that didn’t have an understanding of the faith that they tried to represent. Yes, I’m talking about the Catholic Church of the olden days. The Spanish Inquisition, the Crusades, all such things were a result of men in high positions that made poor decisions based on a lack of understanding. Therefore, such examples mean absolutely nothing in attacking Christianity.
Secondly, any true Christian believes the Bible to be God’s word, as written down by men over a span of about 2000 years. There is nothing in the Bible about the age of the Earth, the history of the events recorded in Genesis was written much later. Those who deny the validity of the Bible apparently don’t understand that it contains no contradictions in it whatsoever. B.I.B.L.E. Basic Information Before Leaving Earth, as my chaplain put it. That’s what the Bible is, its like an instruction booklet to life. And with each new scientific discovery, whadda ya know, the Bible already said that thousands of years ago. Look it up, the Bible backs up science, not the other way around.
Third, most of what people attacking Christianity have to say is about free will and thinking. That is a gift God gave us to use, and the more a person contemplates life, the more that person will see that there truly is a God. Even in an age of science, not everything can be explained with the periodic table and physics. And thinking deeply, scientific explanations are the explanations we humans came up with ourselves to explain this world. They’re called theories for a reason, because we DON’T KNOW that they’re right. Science is based on guesses and experimentation, not fact.
Finally, America was built on a foundation of moral principles. I don’t have time to explain here, read my articles America Today and The Solution to America’s Problems(when they get published) to learn more about that.
Now then… On to the thinking…
- Why are we here on Earth?
- What is the purpose of life?
- If intelligent design and the Bible aren’t correct, then how did humans end up being the masters of every other species on Earth? Why didn’t bears or deer or trout or monkeys or tigers or dogs or squirrels develop intelligence and the ability to speak in thousands of different languages and the ability to build solid structures and the ability to civilize and the ability to master any environmental challenge? Also, where did government come from? You don’t need to answer that one, all historians know the Bible is correct historically, even about Noah’s flood due to recent archaeological evidence. So government was formed by the people of Israel. If no God, they created on based on… Nothing?
- If the universe was entirely empty space except for a small mass of matter that created the universe by spontaneously exploding and steadily expanding throughout empty space… What caused that small mass of matter to explode?
- Have you ever seen the beauty of a newborn child in his/her mother’s arms? In that moment did you not experience the feeling that My gosh, there really is a God?
- If God was created by mankind as an explanation for life and the events that make it up and mankind is by nature evil, as Rousseau said, why didn’t mankind worship themselves or a power of evil?
- If God was invented by humans, then why do so many Biblical stories involve his punishment of humans that went astray? Wouldn’t humans rather create a God that allows them to get away with whatever they want?
- If Jesus really wasn’t the Son of God, and he didn’t really rise from the dead 3 days after his crucifixion, why did a group of men and women that had been hiding in an attic for those 3 days suddenly come out and start preaching about this man in a way that they were willing to suffer gruesome deaths for?(And don’t give me anything about mankind needing an explanation in their minds, any simple “explanation” would be quickly dropped when a man is about to be sawed in two, stoned, crucified, burnt alive, or beheaded.
- You say God doesn’t exist. Why does each person have a conscious then? Why does every person have a knowledge deep within them of right and wrong?
- What happens to us after we die?(I don’t mean our physical body, I know that decomposes back to the dust(another phrase out of the Bible) but I mean to who the person is)
So that’s the top 10. There are more, but I’ll leave them up to individuals that have the capacity to think more about it. In no way am I attempting to change the way anybody lives their lives, I just want people to think about these things even if just for a few minutes of their life. So… One last one. Where will you be 3 minutes after you die?
I just want some people to think about things.
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User Comments
SheBear
On June 18, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Interesting point of view. Religion always seems to be a tricky subject. So many people are sooo passionate about what they believe in. I would like to believe that all religions have some good in them. Each to their own and peace to all.
Stewart the Man
On June 18, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Please, comment, people. I like to see discussion on the subject. And yes, SheBear, most religions do bring peace.
Vance Lethurin
On June 19, 2009 at 1:41 am
It is amazing that you, sir, choose to express your distaste on my article. And this one! Must have read it right? Does it further your distaste?
I have never been in the “pits of hell” of my life because I refuse to believe such a thing.
Every law, principle, and value of religion has it’s human roots–and already many of them have been thrown away as the people of the world slowly accept the truth that science brings forth; truth that has support that may be disputable to some people, but never as disputable as religion will increasingly become.
When I think about it, I can’t help but notice the fact that the most powerful church in the world once held on to the belief that the Earth was flat. Where was God to correct them then? Either there was no God, or there was, and religion could not be trusted to deliver the truth; truth that God should have, at “his” leisure, AT LEAST told us in some way–providing that “he” is as loving and mighty as popular Christianity makes him out to be. If you can’t trust religion–namely Christianity, since I chose to refer to be the belief (one of many) that there is only ONE God–then who are we to trust? God? Well, God himself is a part of religion. If you cannot trust religion, how can you trust that there is a one God out there?
In my opinion there is nothing wrong with the belief in a greater being, the problem is that religion(most obviously a creation of man–because there are too many for there to be just one correct religion) brings with it–not only the belief in God–but values, morals, and PRACTICES that influence our society. If it influences society, it influences me–and that bothers me; therefor I feel the need to express myself.
You might argue that faith alone is indisputable, but whether you like it or not, there are those that would argue against that who believe that their OWN FAITH is indisputable. In their mind, they are right, in yours, you are right. Providing that you believe in human equality(I hope) so how can you claim that you’re the only one who is right?
Truth is…you can’t, I can’t, no one can! And with that, I give my reason for having my own doubts about religion. On a personal not, I grew up, as a small child, clinging to the belief that there was something out there, but as I grew, I couldn’t help but notice the lack of substance in the belief of a higher being. It didn’t work for me, and I not going to unwillingly support something I don’t have confidence in–and I don’t think anyone else should have to either.
So…if this offends you sir, then that isn’t my problem, it is yours. You don’t offend me, but you give me a good excuse to rant. Keep it up!
By the way…
As supported by the above, I don’t think anyone, and sometimes even religion itself, understand what it truly represents. Represents God? Define God? Or represent its own cause, a cause created by humans. Whether it is good or bad is measured by the influence it has on society. War is optional, and the Holy Wars are not an exception; does the conflict in the Mideast ring a bell? Those people have faith, look where it lead them…at odds with one another.
Vance Lethurin
On June 19, 2009 at 1:56 am
{You say God doesn’t exist. Why does each person have a conscious then? Why does every person have a knowledge deep within them of right and wrong?}
…excuse me…WHAT?
So when a suicide bomber blows up a restaurant for what his knowledge tells him is right, should you be fine with that, since you also have that same knowledge? Either there is more than one God, and they give their own “knowledge” that they hand out, or there is one what gives two different definitions of right and wrong, and watches us fight. Which one sounds better to you? You see the problem with this?
Cirrus
On June 19, 2009 at 4:00 am
I didnt read the article this was a response to… but if it was a badly written and logicaly flawed as this than I can see why a rebuttal was required.
I mean, even the title is incorrect; as an atheist (or Person With No History of Mental Illness as we prefer to be known) I went down the list and answered each question in turn and was quite disapointed to find how easy that was.
I would suggest this article title be changed to “10 Puerile Questions Which The Author Thinks Are Clever”.
Stewart the Man
On June 19, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Cirrus, you say that you answered all 10, yet you didn’t mention what said answers were. For example, I’d like to know what you believe the purpose of life is. I know you most likely will never return to this article, but for anybody else that is going to say the same thing, answer question #2 in your comment as well. That’s what I’m most interested to see.
And Vance, yes, wars are started due to choices, good or bad. Everybody makes their own choices, regardless of religion, and a “religious” person’s choices don’t always reflect their religion. Everyone makes bad choices, you must learn from mistakes.
And the situation in the Mideast… Many followers of the Islamic faith have been led astray by leaders that take advantage of the largeness and complexity of Islam, a very sad event to be sure.
The Catholic Church has always been led by a man, the Pope, and therefore the Pope can make bad decisions. In the days when they held on the myth that the world was flat, that institution was led by a group of men that loved power more than God. That example doesn’t support your ideas at all.
What I simply can’t understand is how a person can look at the beauty of the Earth all around them, and not see that there had to be a Creator. Life doesn’t just come from nowhere, science can’t explain why life IS, and it never will be able to. Nature shows it most clearly, that’s why the majority of atheists and agnostics and such live in the city. I don’t exxpect to change your beliefs, people, but I, for one, and my household, stand for the Lord.
Vance Lethurin
On June 20, 2009 at 2:36 am
People of faith often find it hard to believe otherwise, because they refuse to. That is their choice, it is your, and just as understandable, it is mine to not have faith. I won’t dismiss the possibility of some sort of higher power, but I cannot know for certain, and I can’t let something like that heavily influence my life. As random as the world is, its hard for me to accept that there is a creator. Don’t get me wrong, I believe everyone has the right to have faith, they so choose.
Yes you’re right, we must learn from our mistakes, as well as think for ourselves.
Sir Gunfire
On June 20, 2009 at 2:18 pm
1. and 2. are the same question and no one knows the answer to that, not even Christians.
3. Humans are in control because their ability to adapt, when there is a large number of a species it adapts to it’s environment. Just look at all the fossil evidence, sure there’s some holes but you can’t deny evolution. Human’s evolved the same way every other species evolved, just like the dinosaurs evolved from tiny lizards to huge ones over time. Oh that’s right you don’t believe in dinosaurs because they weren’t in the bible right? Or is it because the earth was only 2000 years old? Government came when one man wanted power over them all, and the rest wanted safety. We trade freedoms for safety, that’s government and why.
4. Google “what caused the big bang”.
5. seriously? It’s called reproduction and birth. Every species does it in order to survive.
6. because someone went and wrote things like the bible
7. whoever wrote the bible wanted to show that god was all powerful. They wanted you to fear god and obey the rules.
8. jesus wasnt the only “son of god” at the time. He wasnt even the only “son of god” born from a virgin on december 25th. look it up many people have claimed to be the son of god.
9. A conscious is not something you are born with it’s acquired. Prisons are proof of this. When you grow up people read things to you like the bible, the koran telling you to be good. You also get told to be good all throughout school. Most people are only good for their own selfish reasons like; they dont want to go to jail or hell.
10. what happens before you were born? this is probably the same thing that happens after you die. You came from dirt and you’ll be dirt again.
you have to ignore so many things to keep your faith. I just want you to think about things.
The questions that no one can answer are just that, unanswerable. Religion is just that, people trying to answer them. I understand how we can have these questions and I too have wondered. I have realized that there is absolutely no point to wondering what happens after you die. Just live your life whether you want to be good or bad…then die and rest forever. Seriously you don’t think you’ll get bored in heaven for eternity? Think about it you’d probably go insane if you couldn’t ever die. I might be wrong.
Stewart the Man
On June 21, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Actually, Sir Gunfire, Christians do know the answer to questions 1 and 2, that’s why that’s all I challenged any atheist to answer. You couldn’t answer becouse your lack of faith has blinded you to the answer. You purposefully avoid the question because you don’t want to face the reality that God is real. To answer that question has to involve God, and that would make you a liar and wrong, which nobody wants to be.
And do you really believe that you’ll just go back to dust after you die? Have you ever compared your existence to the age of the Earth?
Secondly, Jesus wasn’t born on December 25th, that’s just when Christmas is celebrated. The holiday was moved to that day because their were already holidays then.
And yeah, on EARTH, you would go insane if you couldn’t die. An eternity in Heaven is nothing like an eternity on Earth but you don’t want to think about it like that because you don’t want to face the fact that you might be wrong.
clay hurtubise
On June 22, 2009 at 3:47 pm
lol, brave man to tackle religion.
Thanks,
Brooke Westen
On June 22, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Another great article!
I would like to add, what it looks like to Christians. This article is getting some people to think about the truth; Amen.
When people start arguing their opinions, and not looking at the facts; it causes more conflict and more conflict. Which is what Satan wants.
A lot of people are confused with all the arguing. Stand your ground, with the original plan; of God, Jesus and the Bible.
Why should anyone start doubting what they were brought up with?
Oh, because Satan says to. NO He’s NOT the way!!!!!!!!!!
Arguing is Satan’s way. “THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE,” God’s Way.
Yea for truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and no oppression!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brooke Westen
On July 6, 2009 at 5:07 pm
When I said, “why should anyone start doubting what they were brought up with,” I meant in the Christian religion. (or should I say anyone who truly worships the Lord.)
Amen
The Third Horseman
On July 9, 2009 at 8:16 am
I’m a liberal atheist, and I feel I can answer almost all of those questions from the top of my head. I’m at work, so I’m not going to, but feel free to mail me at pestilence.famine@hotmail.com for an in-depth corespondance on the matter, I’m always open to conversation.
Banana
On August 11, 2009 at 11:44 pm
i agree wid dis guy im not a christian im actually a muslim but i still believe that there is a god who created us
Abhi
On October 12, 2009 at 1:10 am
These are really silly and stupid questions, go to the nearest library and read any science book, which tells about astronomy, evolution…. all the question would be answered…
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