Section 2.1 Believing in God

Question 1

Explain how a religious upbringing can lead to, or support belief in God

POINT 1

Answer 1

P: Bible stories
E: Children can learn about God and his involvement in history from an early age
E: This means that they learn about God at an impressionable age

Question 2

Explain how a religious upbringing can lead to, or support belief in God

POINT 2

Answer 2

P: Going to church
E: Church teaches children more about God whilst being around people with the same faith
E: This gives children a sense of community and the teachings also enforce the belief

Question 3

Explain how a religious upbringing can lead to, or support belief in God

POINT 3

Answer 3

P: Church schooling
E: Going to a religious school means children are taught Christian beliefs and lifestyle. It also encourages worship.
E: Authority figures such as teachers back up what they ve already been taught about God

Question 4

Explain how a religious upbringing can lead to, or support belief in God

POINT 4

Answer 4

P: First Communion
E: Important celebration where children receive the sacrament of bread and wine for the first time
E: Important step in becoming a complete member of the Church

Question 5

Should parents be allowed to bring up children in a particular religion?

FOR POINT 1

Answer 5

P: Free will of parents
E: Parents are responsible for their children
E: They should have the freedom to chose how they want to raise their children

Question 6

Should parents be allowed to bring up children in a particular religion?

FOR POINT 2

Answer 6

P: Christians make an oath at their wedding to raise their children in the religion
E: So they shouldn’t break that promise

Question 7

Should parents be allowed to bring up children in a particular religion?

FOR POINT 3

Answer 7

P: Religion can help children feel like a part of a community
E: At celebrations like Christmas children can participate in an event like Nativity
E: This can offer them support and get through tough times

Question 8

Should parents be allowed to bring up children in a particular religion?

FOR POINT 4

Answer 8

P: Gives children an experience of a particular religion
E: By going to Church or praying
E: They can also change their mind when older

Question 9

Should parents be allowed to bring up children in a particular religion?

AGAINST PONT 1

Answer 9

P: Children should have their own free will
E: Be able to decide what to believe when they are older

Question 10

Should parents be allowed to bring up children in a particular religion?

AGAINST POINT 2

Answer 10

P: Raising them in a particular religion is brainwashing them
E:
E: Children are very impressionable

Question 11

Should parents be allowed to bring up children in a particular religion?

AGAISNT POINT 3

Answer 11

P: Could negatively impact on their future
E: Making children go to Church on Sunday could waste their time instead of doing something productive

Question 12

Why might religious experiences lead to belief in God?

POINT 1

Answer 12

P: If a person witness a miracle
E: A person being suddenly cured of a disease
E: This may be so unimaginable that people believe that God must have done it

Question 13

Why might religious experiences lead to belief in God?

POINT 2

Answer 13

P: If a person had a conversion experience
E: God has purposely entered their life
E: God has a plan for them, lead to belief

Question 14

Why might religious experiences lead to belief in God?

POINT 3

Answer 14

P: God helped them
E: If a person saw a loved one cured from illness as a result from prayer
E: God must exist and care for them

Question 15

Why might religious experiences lead to belief in God?

POINT 4

Answer 15

P: If a person has an experience which scares them and appeals to God to save them
E: Near death experience
E: The person will be thankful and therefore believe in Go

Question 16

Can miracles happen?

FOR POINT 1

Answer 16

P: God is omnipotent
E: He parted the red sea
E: He can anything, including miracles

Question 17

Can miracles happen?

FOR POINT 2

Answer 17

P: Miracles happened in the sacred text
E: Resurrection of Jesus, water to wine
E: Since God is eternal, miracles can still happen

Question 18

Can miracles happen?

FOR POINT 3

Answer 18

P: Miracles still happen today
E: The Toronto Blessing where people were slain in (moved by) the Spirit and laughing and crying uncontrollably

Question 19

Can miracles happen?

AGAINST POINT 1

Answer 19

P: Some believe that God doesn’t exist
E: Miracles are defined as breaks the laws of science and makes you think only God could have done it
E: Miracles can’t happen

Question 20

Can miracles happen?

AGAINST POINT 2

Answer 20

P: They can be explained by science
E: People thought that God created the universe but we now know it was caused by the Big Bang

Question 21

Can miracles happen?

AGAINST 3

Answer 21

P: The laws of science cannot be broken
E: Applies to everything
E: Laws of science summarise data from countless experiments

Question 22

How does the design argument lead to belief in God?

POINT 1

Answer 22

P: The world is complex
E: The Golden Ratio reflected in everything and world able to support and grow itself through evolution
E: Random things don’t exhibit patterns but designed thing do so God must be the designer

Question 23

How does the design argument lead to belief in God?

POINT 2

Answer 23

P: The world is beautiful
E: We appreciate beautiful things like sunsets and have things that aren’t essential for human life
E: Must be God

Question 24

How does the design argument lead to belief in God?

POINT 3

Answer 24

P: The world is perfect for human
E: If Big Bang was more/less violent by 1 millionth we wouldnt’ exist
E: Probability of the universe being just right very small so a loving God must have created it

Question 25

How does the design argument lead to belief in God? | POINT 4

Answer 25

P: A designed world needs a designe E: Paley likened the world to a watch in that both have different parts and wouldn't work if arranged differently E: Therefore the world requires a designer

Question 26

How does the causation argument lead to belief in God? | POINT 1

Answer 26

P: Everything has a cause E: There is an infinite chain of cause and effect which must have started with an uncaused cause E: God is the uncaused cause because something outside the universe must have brought it to existence

Question 27

How does the causation argument lead to belief in God?POINT 2

Answer 27

P: Agrees with Genesis E: 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth' E: Means the rest of the Bible is probably true

Question 28

How does the causation argument lead to belief in God? | POINT 3

Answer 28

P: God is the only logical cause of the universe E: Since the universe exists, it requires an explanation so by induction argument God is the conclusion E: People believe

Question 29

How does the causation argument lead to belief in God? | POINT 4

Answer 29

P: Leads to the classical, theistic God E: Says that God began everything and is omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent E: Unlike lots of other arguments, it means that God is loving and present

Question 30

Why may the problem of evil and suffering lead to people not believing in God? POINT 1

Answer 30

P: Moral evil exists E: Murder and terrorism E: If God is omnibenevolent and omnipotent he would have ability and motive to stop moral evil

Question 31

Why may the problem of evil and suffering lead to people not believing in God? POINT 2

Answer 31

P: Natural evil exists E: Earthquakes and tsunamis E: f God is omnibenevolent and omnipotent he would have ability and motive to stop natural evil

Question 32

Why may the problem of evil and suffering lead to people not believing in God? POINT 3

Answer 32

P: God has stopped suffering before E: Story of Moses (freed Jews from Egyptians) E: According to this, God is able to stop suffering but he doesn't now so he doesn't exist

Question 33

Why may the problem of evil and suffering lead to people not believing in God? POINT 4

Answer 33

P: God might not be omnipotent and omnibenevolent E: Evil exists E: This opposes the classic theistic God so why should we worship him?

Question 34

How do Christians respond to the problem of evil? | POINT 1

Answer 34

P: God gives people free will E: People's choices will be meaningful and not pre-decided E: God can still exist as it should be our responsibility to make choices and accept consequences such as suffering

Question 35

How do Christians respond to the problem of evil? | POINT 2

Answer 35

P: Original Sin E: Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil E: When this happened, evil and suffering were brought to this world

Question 36

How do Christians respond to the problem of evil? | POINT 3

Answer 36

P: Balance of nature E: God creates the world but allows it to function independently E: Adam and Eve upset the balance of nature with original sin

Question 37

How do Christians respond to the problem of evil? | POINT 4

Answer 37

P: Suffering is part of God's plan E: Human beings do not know and cannot understand God's plan E: God can still exist because God's plan will be for the overall good of the person even if suffering is part of it

Question 38

Why might scientific explanations of the origins of the world lead people to not believe in God? POINT 1

Answer 38

P: The Big Bang E: Scientist believe that the universe was made by a massive explosion of matter and energy. E: The universe is not God's creation

Question 39

Why might scientific explanations of the origins of the world lead people to not2believe in God? POINT 2

Answer 39

P: Evolution E: All the main stages of evolution of the horse has been preserved E:All living things have descended from common ancestors and were not created by God

Question 40

Why might scientific explanations of the origins of the world lead people to not believe in God? POINT 3

Answer 40

P: Natural selection E: The weakest of species die out E: A world created by God would not be so evil

Question 41

Why might scientific explanations of the origins of the world lead people to not believe in God? POINT 4

Answer 41

P: Science provide evidence E: Evidence of radiation from the Big Bang can be detected with telescopes E: Religion does not offer clear evidence of God's existence

Question 42

How do Christians respond to scientific explanations of the origins of the world? POINT 1

Answer 42

P: God is responsible for the Big Bang E: Big Bang did happen but God caused it E: Scientific explanations are still compatible with this

Question 43

How do Christians respond to scientific explanations of the origins of the world? POINT 2

Answer 43

P: The Bible is not literally true E: Genesis is a myth which tells people about God's relationship with humans E: Scientific explanations are compatible with this

Question 44

How do Christians respond to scientific explanations of the origins of the world? POINT 3

Answer 44

P: God created the world E: The Big Bang still happened, but God upholds the world and keeps it going E: Works along side scientific explanations

Question 45

How do Christians respond to scientific explanations of the origins of the world? POINT 4

Answer 45

P: God does not directly interfere with the running of the world E: He interferes through people and their attitudes E: Scientific explanations are compatible with this

Question 46

Explain why unanswered prayers may lead people to not believe in God POINT 1

Answer 46

P: People pray to ease their suffering E: Recovering from an illness E`: Makes them question why God won't answer their prayer as he would want their suffering to ease