When Arguments Against the Christian God Fail: Intellectual & Logical Reasons Why You Should Believe

By Marius Lotz

This book is written for ordinary people with enquiring and skeptical minds about the Christian God. The author defends the Christian faith (apologetics) by covering a wide spectrum of topics like the credibility and compatibility of the Bible with science, the Big Bang, evolution and the age of the earth.
Christianity is an intellectual logical religion and you can believe in God the creator and also accept that God caused the Big Bang to happen, use evolution to create and although human beings may originate from the great apes they are unique and special once God made them into His image by putting his spiritual soul in them.
The individual today gets more than ever bombarded with attacks on Christianity by prominent atheists, scientific discoveries, different religions and philosophies. The intellectual levels of individuals increases all the time and as knowledge increases often so does more questions arise even for believing Christians like why is there so much pain and suffering in the world.
Considering the limited time people have, this book attempt to save time for busy individuals who cannot take a book or two out on every topic that bothers them. Covering many controversial questions and arguments with counter arguments a strong case is being made that the arguments against the Christian God fail.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Mar 26, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491896877

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© 2014 Marius Lotz. All rights reserved.

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"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,

Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."

Published by AuthorHouse   10/30/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4918-9669-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-9668-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-9687-7 (e)

Librabry of Congress Control Number: 2014904024

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CONTENTS

PREFACE

PART - I CREDIBILITY OF THE BIBLE

The Bible: a Unique Book

• Manuscript Authority

• Archaeological Proof

• Fulfilled Prophecies about Jesus

How Do We Know the Bible Is God’s Word, and Trustworthy?

Science and the Bible

Is the Bible Scientifically Correct?

PART - II PERCEPTIONS ABOUT GOD

Introduction

What Is Your Perception of God or a God?

Questions about God

Are All Religions Not Referring to the Same Object or God?

The Will of God

PART III HUMAN BEINGS

Why Are Homo Sapiens Different from Other Animals?

Freedom of Choice

Worldwide Occurrence

Involvement of the God of the Bible with His People

Awareness of Existence and Non-Existence (Death)

How Does the Human Being Become Aware of the Spiritual or Religious Experience?

Why, Then, Are There So Many Religions?

PART - IV CREATION AND THE BIBLE

The Beginning

The Big Bang

The Age of the Earth

After Creation

How Did God Create Light?

PART - V THE BIBLE AND EVOLUTION

Introduction

Intelligent Design – Science or Religion?

Theistic Evolution (TE)

Biologos

PART - VI ATTACKS ON CHRISTIANITY

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens

PART - VII SOUL, SPIRIT, MIND, BRAIN, AND CONSCIOUSNESS

Soul and Spirit Are Not the Same

The Mind, Brain, and Consciousness

PART - VIII COMPARISONS BETWEEN WORLD RELIGIONS

Doctrine of God

Forgiveness of Sin

Ultimate Goal

PART - IX FREEDOM OF CHOICE – INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY AND GOD’S SUPREMACY

Freedom of Choice – the Individual’s Responsibility

• Introduction

• Personality and Religion

• The Four Main Personality Types

• Individual Responsibility

• Actions to Salvation

• Resistance to Salvation

• How to Obtain Salvation

• Time Frame

• Summary

God’s Supremacy and Interference with Man’s Free will

• Introduction

• When God Influences Individuals to Reject Him

• When God Influences Individuals to Accept Him

• When God Leaves Individuals to Do What They Want

• Election

• Summary

PART - X CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

To my children,

Ruan and Cleo

PREFACE

This book’s purpose is to cover a broad spectrum of topics without going into too much depth and yet covering crucial and uncomfortable questions that most individuals may often rather avoid. It is intended to be easy reading for those with enquiring and sceptical minds. I am a businessman with business-management degrees, and the chief executive officer of an international group. During my thirty-five years of working, I have travelled extensively to most parts of the world, spending almost 30 per cent of my time in these places. Consequently, I encountered many different people and experienced many different reactions to Christianity from them. These were reactions from ordinary people – colleagues, friends, customers, and suppliers – and they showed me that a lot of questions and, unfortunately, false perceptions exist about Christianity among atheists and people of different religions; and there are uncertainties from committed Christians as well. So I am not a pastor or a clergyman, but a businessman who was prompted to write a book that will touch on many topics related to Christianity, and I have elected to explore all these topics in one book instead of writing a single book per topic.

Now more than ever before, individuals are bombarded with attacks on Christianity, whether from prominent atheists, scientific discoveries, different religions and philosophies, or other sources. The intellects of individuals increase all the time, and as knowledge increases, more questions often arise. It is certainly not easy for churches to cope with these tendencies; besides, many are not open or equipped to have discussions on topics like evolution, for example. I am also fully aware that many individuals will never approach the church to address these issues, as they often don’t have confidence in the church or the abilities of its leaders. That is why this book was written by a layman, not a clergyman, in order to answer in a simple and relaxing manner the many questions that ordinary people may have, but without going into too much depth. Considering the limited time people do have, this book will attempt to save time for busy individuals who cannot take a book or two out on all the topics that bother them. It is strongly recommended that any topic not covered sufficiently in this book be further studied in in other books that provide greater detail on the topic(s). So, if you do not even think you have the time to read this book, you can start with the last part, which sums up the conclusions that have been made.

I absolutely believe, after studying these topics with an open mind and considering latest scientific discoveries and other religions, that Christianity is the most logical faith of all to believe in, and that means belief in the God of the Bible. By means of apologetics (defending the Christian faith) in a logical manner, any doubtful mind should after reading this book at least give the benefit of doubt that God exists and fully seek Him. As the arguments against the Christian God fail, it is my sincere prayer that you, dear reader, will give God a genuine chance to work in your life. He is available always and will open the door when you knock.

Some people find it easier to believe than others do, but those with enquiring and sceptical minds must all be respected and accommodated. Nor does this take away that the Holy Spirit can at any point in time convince any individual to totally believe. This is a miracle, and billions of Christians all over the world can testify what happened to them when the Holy Spirit touched them. We do not all have the same personality types; there are extroverts and introverts, intellectuals and creatives, and all sorts in between. Some are more receptive to new ideas and challenges, whereas others are more rigid in their beliefs and customs. And yet, there is room for all to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Realizing that individuals may not always have the time to search for books on topics of concern to them – or even have time to search the Internet – this book will cover many controversial topics, as well as different religions and those who attack the Christian faith. Again, this book by no means attempts to go into great depth on any topic, and you are encouraged to get more information from other references and sources should any topics discussed not cover all the points of concern and should you not yet be convinced.

As mentioned, many of the topics covered in this book are controversial and not common practice to be discussed in churches. Some topics are complex, and easy, short answers cannot be given, although this book aims to be an easy reading and relaxing. It is of absolute importance for all individuals to know why they believe what they believe. Only then can you be totally committed to what you stand for in life. With this book, I welcome those individuals who doubt the Bible, God’s existence, and Christianity in general. It is essential to achieve God’s purpose for you in your life.

Book Structure and Organization

This book is comprised of ten parts organized in the following manner:

Part I lays the foundation for the credibility of the Bible as an authoritative book of reference. I have included this section because there are a lot of references to the Bible, and I realize that many of you may not trust the Bible as reference to argue a point.

Part II establishes who God is, and you will be challenged to think outside the box in order to have the correct perception of God. When the character of God is better understood, questioning God will happen from a different perspective, as God is not a man and so cannot be evaluated, judged, criticized, or debated on the same level and with the same criteria as a fellow human being.

Part III focuses on human beings and why humans are different than all other living creatures. Human beings are made in the image of God, and God endowed them with free will. God will never force Himself on anybody, and He always allows freedom of choice for every human being. The search for a God is an intrinsic characteristic of the human race, which can be noticed worldwide from ancient times right through to today. The superior intellect of human beings places them in a position to think outside the box, to search for a God and meditate on deeper questions, such as: Where do we come from? How did the universe come to exist? Is there a creator? Is there a meaning and purpose for me in this life? Is there an afterlife?

Part IV discusses Creation and the Bible. Such aspects as the big bang theory and other scientific discoveries will be explored, as well as how compatible the Bible is with the latest scientific discoveries. This is important, as many disqualify the Bible as an authoritative book on religious matters because they feel the Bible is out of touch with the latest scientific discoveries; as a result, the Bible has lost much credibility.

Part V covers aspects regarding evolution and the Bible, a debate that has gone on for many decades and still continues today. Aspects like intelligent design, against Darwin’s theory of evolution, will also be considered, along with various explanations and a discussion of whether you can be a Christian and still believe in evolution. The discussion will clearly motivate you to understand why you can believe in both God and evolution, a process that God initiated as part of Creation.

Part VI analyses some attacks that prominent New Atheists are making on Christianity. Many of the attacks repeat the some questions and concentrate on the same arguments against Christianity, with various degrees of aggression. In the context of this book, only two books – namely, The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins and God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens – will be dissected and analysed as two of the most prominent New Atheist books with wide circulation and popularity.

Part VII discusses the relationships between the soul, spirit, mind, brain, and consciousness, and their influence on the individual’s decision-making. This is important, as the difference between the soul and the spirit is discussed. Materialists cannot explain where the soul (or spirit) comes from, as it does not consist of physical matter like the flesh of the body.

Part VIII compares a few of the world’s most popular religions, including atheism. This comparison is just an overview, given the limited scope of this book. Some people are of the opinion that all religions leads to the same God, or to a god, and it is therefore not important to which religion you belong, as long as you are just a good person. But it should become clear with these comparisons that there are vast differences that cannot be compatible with Christianity, which claims there is only one way to God, and that is through His Son, Jesus Christ, who was crucified for our sins. The reference to the word God is per se, not in the name only, but for what that name stands for.

Part IX discusses the freedom of choice of the individual to either accept God or not. It also refers to God’s supremacy and influence on the decision-making of the individual as to accomplishing His goals and purposes.

Part X brings the reader to the point of decision-making to either accept God or not. Perhaps the facts presented will strengthen the faith of believers, giving them more confidence to know why they believe in Christianity, especially if, as Christians, they have been exposed to too many attacks against Christianity or to rejection from friends and family.

A Word about Christianity

References to Christianity or the Christian faith in this book rest on the basic belief that there is only one God (the Creator of all things), as defined in the Bible, and that Jesus Christ is His only Son. That God consists of three persons – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – which operate as the Trinity. To become a Christian means to believe Jesus Christ was crucified for your sins and paid the price for the forgiveness of all your sins, which you acknowledge and confess, and for which you genuinely ask forgiveness. You do know that on your own as a human being you will fail to live a 100 per cent sinless Christian life, but you deliberately plan to conduct your life as a true Christian should. When you repent as you fail on the way, there is forgiveness for you, as God loves you. As the gift of salvation, you will inherit eternal life with God. Christianity is in the long run a thing of unspeakable comfort, but it does not begin in comfort, as there must be an uncomfortable feeling that you need forgiveness, repentance (of your sins), and desire to be a Christian.

The foregoing provides the simplest of descriptions of what Christianity means and what this book in its broadest sense defends. I say broadest sense, as there are many divisions within Christianity which involve points of specific theology. The basic points of belief, as mentioned above, need at least to be agreed on in order to be defined as a Christian in terms of this book.

A Word about My Life and Background

I was brought up in a Christian home and accepted Jesus Christ at the age of 17 (about forty-one years ago). Although the conversion was as serious a decision as a seventeen-year-old could make, having grown up in a protected Christian environment, I must admit I had no clear perception of what it would mean to be a committed Christian, to accept that I was a sinner and to acknowledge that Jesus Christ was crucified for my sins and so now I must be a good boy. Once I started my university studies, I was challenged by friends with different opinions and lifestyles, which I started to follow. My parents regarded me as somewhat of a rebel, with long hair like the hippies of that time, and they advised me not to talk about my loud music, parties, etc. while at church.

The most important thing to understand about this is that during all the many years I spent in a good church, the controversial topics were never discussed or lectured about. So, as a student at university, when I was confronted by atheists and those of other religions, I found I could not defend my faith because of my lack of knowledge. You may find it funny that at one point I recall I was so desperate to prove God’s existence to another student that I accepted a challenge to park my car in the dark and ask God, If You exist, let my car lights go on!

This book is an attempt to provide some knowledge to defend the Christian faith with confidence. Although through all the many years of being a Christian I never rejected God or the Christian faith, I certainly drifted far away from what a Christian should be. I always thought I was okay and could come to God to pray because He loved me. But that is not okay, and it is a very dangerous place to find yourself in. Committed Christians should always check the state of their relationship with God, as to be lukewarm opens you up for attacks. Only in the last twelve years have I become a more committed Christian, a bit closer to what you should be when you claim to be a Christian. Today the most uncomfortable feeling for me would be to not experience God’s presence and guidance in my daily life on a personal level, and it scares me stiff that I could think for more than twenty years of Christian life that I thought I was okay when I was not, according to what a Christian should be. In the last part of this book, where we reach conclusions on the book as a whole, there is a section that asks the question, What is a Christian? The answer is a summary of what it entails to be a Christian, from my point of view.

You may wonder, during all the years of being a Christian, at times a better Christian than at other times, how I experienced God personally. I can recall three particular incidents where God did reveal himself in my life. All three times it was to save my life. The other and most enduring experience of this is the constant awareness that we do not fight life’s battles on our own. Yes, there were times (by the way, at a point in my life when my relationship with God was good) that I experienced severe attacks on more than one front, all at the same time. It was an unfair attack on my marriage, children, and business. It was a combination of the September 11 attacks in the United States, when we lived in Los Angeles, and it affected my business severely, as well as my family and my marriage. I could not understand it, and prayers did not work. In fact, it challenged my faith in God. I blamed God and questioned what was the use of my religion if I did not get help when I needed it; I even wanted to take revenge, but it was then that God revealed a message to me. It became crystal clear to me that while on earth every human being will be exposed to dramatic trauma which cannot be prevented. The Devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy. During such times, what a blessed assurance it is that you are not alone, but in prayer can find the comfort to face the circumstances. I realized then, once again, how fortunate I was to know God, and instead of seeking revenge, I prayed for those who harmed me and experienced peace of mind that cannot be explained. I just never want to be without that assurance again in my life.

But I also need to mention another incident which is very special to me. As a child, until the age of 7, I suffered from chronic bronchitis. The doctors were about to give up, as nothing helped. With a bag full of antibiotics, the family was advised to go on a holiday in an area with a better climate, as I was too weak to walk or eat and needed to be close to a hospital. My grandmother, who was a woman of great faith, was with us, and she was praying for me one evening. Suddenly, she got up and threw all my medicines down the drain. Now if you were to know my mother, who worked in a pharmacy for more than thirty years, you would understand how reckless she would regard that move by my grandmother. After all, in my mother’s view, based on the doctors’ advice, she had a child who was about to die. To make a long story short, for the first time in six weeks, I was wide awake in the morning (and at five o’clock, no less) and asking for food (also for the first time in weeks). By seven that morning, I was playing in the children’s playground, riding a horse and fully recovered.

But even by stating the above about my experiences and recalling the particular three life-saving incidents, I still cannot know how many other times I was spared by God, how many times God was guiding me when I was not even aware of it. Such as when I might have looked one more time before crossing a street, just as a motor car travelling at high speed skipped the stop light; and also decisions made about careers, job opportunities, which vacations to pick, and many other aspects of life. All these comprise the silent assurance you do have as a Christian that God is with you, to which millions of Christians can testify. God’s great love for me is absolute and constant, so much so that He did not throw me away totally when I was reckless, going around thinking I was a Christian but living a lifestyle that would not be recognized as that of a Christian, and when I should have known better. That is amazing grace!

It is my belief that the arguments against the Christian God (as defined above) fail, and with the facts and logical arguments presented, the Christian God of the Bible deserves to be given a chance in your life, from an intellectual perspective, should you not be a believer or should you be a believer in doubt.

This is my prayer for all non-believers and believers in doubt:

With gentleness correcting those who are in opposition,

If

Perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to

the knowledge of the truth,

and they may come to their senses and escape

from the snare of the devil,

having been held captive by him to do his will.

—2 Timothy 2:25–26

PART I

CREDIBILITY OF THE BIBLE

The Bible: a Unique Book

In this book, there are many references to the Bible. You may argue that you do not believe in the Bible, so you are not convinced when Bible Scriptures are quoted or used as a reference. Perhaps this section will give you the opportunity to become as convinced as I that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, which has stood the test of time more so than any other book in history.

Christianity is not a blind faith but an intellectual faith. The heart, however, cannot delight in what the mind rejects as false. So it is important from an intellectual and logical point of view that the Bible be found to be the most trustworthy ancient book of all time. The facts below should convince those in doubt that the Bible is a unique ancient book that miraculously survived. It was preserved and protected by many individuals who suffered persecution in the process. Furthermore, archaeology has confirmed the historical memory of the Bible. A person who looks for the truth will certainly look for a book with such qualifications as those of the Bible. The Bible is transformational, as it is capable of bringing about personal, spiritual, and eternal change in the life of an individual.

The Word of God is not accepted because people believe it not to be the truth. Rather, it is accepted by the people of God because it is the Word of God.

You may ask yourself why it is so that this book (the Bible) is still read by more people in more languages than any other book. The Bible is the most constantly circulated book in the world. The Bible was written over a 1,500-year span, by forty authors, and on three continents (namely, Asia, Africa, and Europe). One of the first major books translated into Greek was the Hebrew Old Testament, in 250 BC.

The Bible was written on material that could perish, but it was recopied for hundreds of years by Jews who preserved it letter by letter, by people who dedicated their lives to full-time involvement in preserving the Bible. The Jewish people greatly respect the Scriptures and the accuracy of those that copied the Bible. To such an extent, in fact, that the material it was to be copied on was strictly determined, as was the size of the columns. There was also a religious ritual which had to be performed before the name of God could be written down. Even the kind of ink to be used and the spacing between words was determined. Any single mistake would lead to the destruction of the entire manuscript. It is perhaps the custom/culture and determination of the Jewish people that ensured that accurate manuscript evidence could be found of the Old Testament.

Many were persecuted for preserving the Bible, and many brave missionaries today still smuggle Bibles to countries where freedom of religion does not exist. Voltaire said that the Bible would be extinguished within a hundred years, but only fifty years later, Bibles were printed from his own press (after his death).

There is more manuscript evidence of the Bible than the total of ten other ancient writings put together. No documents of the ancient period are as well attested.

You may ask why it took so long to compile the Bible in one volume when it was accepted by the disciples so very early. It was not until the Council of Hippo in AD 391that the unified church recognized the canon as we now have it in our versions of the Bible. This most likely was because of persecution, as Christianity was still illegal. Furthermore, the scrolls were very large, unlike books today and in the more recent past, and so it was harder to keep all the volumes in one place.

Regardless of its physical form – scrolls or bound books – Bible Scripture is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16), and it is the result of the Holy Spirit’s guidance of human authors.

2 Peter 1:20–21

But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,

For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will,

but men moved by the Holy Spirit

spoke from God.

The Holy Spirit helped the Apostles to recall what Jesus taught them, as stated in John 14:25–26. But it should be understood that although it is inspired by God, it does include a human element. Jesus also did many things which are not recorded in the Bible (John 21:25).

The primary purpose for reading the Bible is not just to know what is said in the Bible, but, rather, to know God by reading the Bible.

Let’s look at the credibility of the Bible in terms of:

➢ Manuscript authority

➢ Archaeological proof

➢ Fulfilled prophecies about Jesus

➢ Scientific correctness

Manuscript Authority

The complete New Testament, except for eleven verses, could be found in the manuscripts of the early church fathers of the second and third centuries.

The Bible is the most accurate ancient book in the world, and the Old Testament’s reliability is based on the abundance, dating, and accuracy of its manuscripts. Most works of antiquity survived on only a handful of manuscripts: 7 for Plato; 8 for Thucydides; 8 for Herodotus; 20 for Tacitus; 10 of Caesar’s Gallic Wars. Only the works of Demosthenes and Homer number into the hundreds. Yet, before 1890, a scholar named Giovanni de Rossi published 731 Old Testament manuscripts. Since that time, some 10,000 Old Testament manuscripts were found in the Cairo Geniza, and in 1947, the Dead Sea caves at Qumran produced over 600 Old Testament manuscripts. Comparative studies reveal word for word identity in 95 per cent of the text.

The number of New Testament manuscripts is overwhelming, with almost 5,700 Greek manuscripts, compared with 7 to 10 manuscripts for typical books from antiquity. Homer’s Iliad has the most, with 643 manuscripts.

The number, early dates, and unmatched accuracy of the Old and New Testament manuscripts establish the Bible’s reliability well beyond that of any other ancient book.

So, in terms of whether the Bible text of today relates at all to those written many years ago, yes, it does, as is evident from the