Owning Your Worldview Considers The Case for Faith A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity By: Lee Strobel
Session 7 Additional Objections
Objections from the Book 1. Since Evil and Suffering Exist, a Loving God Cannot. (Weeks 3 & 4) 2. Since Miracles Contradict Science, They Cannot Be True. (Week 6) 3. Evolution Explains Life, So God Isn t Needed. (Week 6) 4. God Isn t Worthy of Worship If He Kills Innocent Children. (Week 6)
Objections from the Book 5. It s Offensive Claim Jesus is the Only Way to God. (week 2) 6. A Loving God Would Never Torture People in Hell. 7. Church History Is Littered with Oppression and Violence. 8. I Still Have Doubts, So I Can t Still Be a Christian.
Objection 6 A Loving God Would Never Torture People in Hell.
There is one very serious defect to my mind in Christ s moral character, and that is that he believed in hell. I do not myself feel that any person who is really profoundly humane can believe in everlasting punishment. Bertrand Russell, Atheist Philosopher
Hell is God s compliment to the reality of human freedom and the dignity of human choice. G.K. Chesterton
Can you comprehend how God is just if He sends people to Hell for all of eternity, even if they lived a finite life in sin?
What emotions do you experience when you consider the reality of Hell? Is your reaction more emotional or rational?
God s Response to Hell Ezekiel 33:11a (HCSB) Tell them: As I live the declaration of the Lord God I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked person should turn from his way and live. Repent, repent of your evil ways! Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Because of our intense emotional reaction to the reality of Hell, we typically frame any argument so it cannot be considered clearly.
Some questions are framed in such a way there is no reasonably acceptable answer. When did you stop beating your wife?
Our emotional reaction also forms how we visualize Hell. Have you ever pictured Hell as a torture chamber filled with endless flames and screaming?
To get a clear picture of Hell we must put our emotions to the side. We must also remember the nature of God. He is compassionate and loving but He is also just, morally pure, righteous, and holy.
Is Hell a punishment for having broken God s standards? or Is Hell the natural consequence of people living a life separate from God?
In Heaven People will be with their creator forever. People will no longer live in a fallen world. People will be able to worship God perfectly and for eternity.
In Hell People will be completely separated from their creator forever. People will live in a completely fallen realm. People will despise and rage against God.
Being banished from God s presence leads to shame, regret, anguish, grief, hatred, self-love, rage, conceit, fury, and endless rebellion. Hell is a horrible place of punishment but the description in the Bible is figurative.
Weeping, Gnashing, and Worms Matthew 13:42 (HCSB) They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Mark 9:47-48 (HCSB) And if your eye causes your downfall, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Have you ever considered it like this? The Case for Faith: Page 188
9 Common Objections to Hell.
#1: How can God Send Children to Hell? You must understand that in the afterlife, our personalities reflect an adult situation anyway, so we can say for sure that there will be no children in hell. Our souls and new bodies will be present not the bodies we currently have. No one will go to hell simply because all they needed was a little more time and died prematurely.
#2: Why Does Everyone Suffer in the Same Hell? it violates our sense of fairness that Adolf Hitler would bear the same eternal punishment as someone who lived a pretty food life by our standards, but who make the discussion not to follow God. We assume that Hell is the same for everyone, but that isn t what the Bible teaches.
#2: Why Does Everyone Suffer in the Same Hell? Matthew 11:20-24 (HCSB) Then He proceeded to denounce the towns where most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent: Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago! But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you. Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
#3: Why are People Punished Infinitely for Finite Crimes? When we punish a murderer do we base the sentence on the time it took to commit the crime or the severity of the crime? Is it wrong for us to put a life sentence on a murderer? Is there any greater crime than rejecting the author of life, who gives us each breath?
#4: Couldn t God Force Everyone to Go to Heaven?
#5: Why Doesn t God Just Snuff People Out? The idea goes by the name annihilationism (a.k.a. extinctionism or destructionism). The idea that at judgement souls will simply be annihilated instead of being punished. This goes against God s perfect justice. God would be unwilling to destroy a being that bears His own image.
#6: How can Hell Exist Alongside Heaven? If heaven is supposed to be a place without tears, then how can there be an eternal hell existing at the same time? If we eventually understand God s larger plan and His perfect will and love then the situation will not grieve us, we will see it as correct and just.
#7: Why Didn t God Create Only Those He Knew Would Follow Him? his purpose is not to keep as many people out of hell as possible. His goal is to get as many people into heaven as possible. It may be logically impossible to create a world with only people who freely follow God.
#8: Why Doesn t God Give People A Second Chance? If people weren t given additional information then there is no reason to expect people would change their views about God. If people were given more information it would undermine their freewill.
#9: Isn t Reincarnation More Rational Than Hell? From a human perspective reincarnation may be more desirable that eternal punishment. Human preference and rationality has no bearing on the truth of something.
D.A. Carson Summarizes Hell? The Case for Faith: Page 205
Objection 7 Church History Is Littered with Oppression and Violence.
Christianity has (by certain people) been used throughout history as an excuse for some of the most brutal, heartless, and senseless atrocities know to man I did not see much in Christianity that I considered to be worth having. Ken Schei, Atheist
Have people done wrong in the name of Christianity? Absolutely. Many people who identify as Christians have committed atrocities. Does each Christian represent all other Christians and the Christian faith? When a Christian does something wrong, does that mean other Christians support them?
Have people done wrong in the name of Christianity? What is the difference between a cultural Christian and an authentic Christian? Do Christians always follow the teachings and example of Christ? Have authentic Christians ever fallen into sinful behavior and fallen far short of Christ s example?
With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion. Stephen Weinberg, Nobel laureate & Atheist
Good People & Religion? What do you think of Steven Weinberg s comment? Can you think of any examples where good people did bad things without the influence of religion? Does his argument really mean anything?
Alternatives Does the critic/skeptic have a superior system where followers will be good people who don t do bad things? Does the critic/skeptic have any formal system that can overcome personal relativism? Does his argument really mean anything?
Rising to the Challenge As Christians our brothers and sisters have done wrong and not lived up to Christ s example and teaching. They need our forgiveness. We have each fallen short and hurt others around us. We must seek forgiveness. We must each strive to follow Christ better every day so that we can bring others to Him and not drive them away.
Objection 8 I Still Have Doubts, So I Can t Still Be a Christian.
Who told you that? God is infinite and we are finite. We can never hope to fully understand Him. Our ignorance will always lead to doubts, questions, or concerns? God knows that faith is a critical component to our relationship with Him. It holds us over until He reveals more information to us.
Doubts are Good Sincere and reasonable doubt shows you are seeking and thinking about what you find. God gave you a mind and He isn t offended or scared when you use it.
Owning Your Worldview Considers The Case for Faith A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity By: Lee Strobel