(This post is a follow-up to “From Nothing To Eternity”)

I just received your answer.  However, it has only spawned more questions.

You say that the Bible says the earth is round, and the Bible has written of this.  But what about all the verses of the Bible that suggest that the earth is flat?  “Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea” (Job 11:9)… just to name one (other than all the verses that talk about the ends of the earth).  And how Matthew talks about how the devil took Jesus to the top of a mountain to view all the kingdoms of the earth?  You can't do this within a sphere.

About the contradictions, I know of one that I've personally noticed while reading the Bible during my confirmation.  (Exodus 33:11) “And the Lord spake to Moses face to face, as a man speaketh to his friend.” Compare that to Exodus 33:20: “Thou canst not see My face, for there shall no man see Me and live”.  This is only nine verses later!

About the Bible being widely distributed, that's not a big deal to some. The Iliad was written more than 500 years prior to the Bible, and it's unchanged.

I was raised in a religious family, and I have a lot of problems with Christianity.  I have never been able to get straight answers on most topics.  I even read Lee Strobel’s book... I thought it was garbage and biased.  I don't know if I'll ever believe again but would really like answers because if I'm wrong, well, I need to know if I am.

Sincerely,
Thoughtful Again

Dear Thoughtful Again,

We’ll handle your questions one at a time.

1. None of the verses you mentioned state that the earth is flat.  Job 11:9 simply compares the expanse and width of the earth to the depths of God’s wisdom (Job 11:7)… a figurative comparison, not a literal one.  Furthermore, all the verses that discuss “the ends of the earth” are exactly the same as when we use that terminology today.  People will often say things like, “I would go to the ends of the earth to find my true love”… that doesn’t imply the earth is flat – it is simply a common turn of phrase that is used in multiple languages.  Lastly, when the devil showed Jesus the kingdoms of the earth from the top of a mountain, you failed to read the rest of the passage.  Lk 4:5 says that the devil showed him all the kingdoms of earth in a moment of time – this was obviously a miraculous occurrence, not a topographical issue.
2. Ex. 33:11 is another case of taking a phrase out of context.  Moses spoke to God “face to face” only in the sense that he talked to God “as a man talks to his friend”.  You have to remember to take context into account with everything that you read.  It is a very common problem for people to “cherry pick” verses out of their context and miss what a verse is really saying.
3. The Iliad is not nearly as widely distributed as the Bible.  The less than seven hundred ancient manuscripts that exist of The Iliad are only in agreement 67% of the time.  On the other hand, there are over 17,000 ancient manuscripts of the Bible… they are in 99% agreement.  A pretty huge difference in quality.
4. As far as your belief that Strobel’s book is biased… how do you account for the fact that he was an atheist before he began writing it?  Also, he isn’t the only author to write on this subject.  We would be happy to recommend dozens of books on this topic if you are interested.

We are so thankful that you are willing to honestly examine the evidence.  You may have never received straight answers in the past, but as you can see… we are happy to offer them here.  This is the most important subject you will ever look into.

I want to live by God.  I’m only twenty years old, and I want know how.  I have heard people say no scary movies, no cussing, and the Ten Commandments have to be followed.  I’m Pentecostal; there are so many things that have to be done, like reading the Bible (which I don’t understand completely… too many big words I don’t understand) and I want to get into this, but I don’t’ know how to go about it.  I have done many bad or horrible things in my life, very bad things, and I cuss like a steam engine.  Will God forgive me?  I’ve never been baptized or saved.  I’m ready to change; can God forgive me and give me a chance? And I heard I have to give ten percent of my money to the church (and all my money goes to my kids and bills, literally)… something about the Bible speaking of pay your tithes.  Can you help me get started with God; I would so appreciate it.  Thank you.

Sincerely,
A Fresh Start

Dear A Fresh Start,

The easiest way for us to help you is to put you in contact with a congregation near you.  The reason you are confused is because so many churches teach things that aren't in the Bible.  God isn't confusing (1 Cor 14:33); manmade religions are confusing (Jas 3:16).  The Pentecostal church is full of things that you won't find in the Bible – that is probably why you have had so many difficulties understanding what it takes to be saved.

We would be happy to get you in touch with a preacher or congregation in your area that can teach you what it takes to become a christian (and don't worry... we are interested in your soul, not your money).  If you would like our help, simply e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org with the part of the country you live in, and we will try and find a faithful group in your area.

I am an atheist who is actively searching for belief in God.  Is this something that can be achieved?  Can somebody with an open mind shift beliefs?

Sincerely,
Thoughtful

Dear Thoughtful,

Your question is one of the fundamental questions of life: “Does God Exist?”  It is important that everyone asks this question at some point in their life.  It is a basic question that is worthy of an honest answer.  We here at AYP believe that anyone with an honest heart can examine the evidence and change.  We believe in God because of the evidence.

We will try to give you some key points that there is a Creator, but we will also point you in the direction of some resources that may help you in your quest for answers.  So here we go:

1. Look at a watch and ask yourself the question, “Is this designed?”  Of course, a watch is designed – just like a house, a car, a camera, and other modern technological marvels.  You know they are designed because they are complex, they have purpose, and they are organized in a meaningful way.  Now look at your eye, your hand, even a single follicle of hair.  Are they designed?  They are infinitely more complex than a watch.  They have very distinct purposes, and they are all organized in a meaningful way.  You were designed by God; you have a Designer.  If you believe in watchmakers, you can believe in God.
2. The most basic laws of science tell us that nothing ever comes from nothing (1^st Law of Thermodynamics).  Einstein made it clear that nothing can be destroyed; energy can turn into matter and matter into energy, but everything that is here has always been here.  That begs the question, “Where did it all come from?”  Scientists all agree that everything we see had to come from somewhere, but the only logical answer to that question is ‘God’.  God, a supernatural deity not bound by the laws of physics, created all that we see and enjoy in this universe.
3. God’s Word is also proof that God is.  The Bible is a book that only God could write.  It has prophecies that are fulfilled hundreds of years after they are spoken.  It has remained unchanged by tradition or persecution for thousands of years.  It makes statements about how our world works hundreds of years before scientists realized the concepts for themselves.  The Bible is a book composed by over forty different writers over thousands of years, and yet it has no contradictions within it.  The Bible could not have been written by anyone but Deity.

These are just three reasons to believe in God; there are many more that space prevents us from mentioning.  We also recommend you go back and read through the posts in our EVIDENCES category.  You will see that you aren’t the only one who has questions about God, and you will also see that there are answers to every question.  We also recommend reading I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist by Geisler and Turek and Has God Spoken? by A.O. Schnabel. Both books are well worth the read.

My wife bought a gift for me as a symbol of love only; it is a piece of jewelry called an Italian horn.  We both love the Lord with all our heart; we aren’t superstitious in any way.  I looked up what this piece of jewelry depicted, which is a moon goddess.  This is in no way an idol to me; I serve the Father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob only!  Jesus Christ is my Lord, my Rock, and my Salvation.  My question is: am I in sin by wearing the Italian horn around my neck?

Sincerely,
Italian Accessorized

Dear Italian Accessorized,

Many people wear jewelry that depicts ancient idolatrous behavior (almost all Native American artwork falls into this category).  As Paul said, "we know that an idol is nothing" (1 Cor 8:4).  The jewelry has no intrinsic evil to it; it is only if it is perceived as an item of worship that it becomes sinful.  If people believed you were wearing the jewelry for religious purposes (or if it offended your conscience), you would have to stop (1 Cor 8:7-9).

Paul mentions a brother in Christ named Linus in 2 Timothy 4:21.  According to christian historical sources, Linus went on to become the second bishop of Rome, possibly ordained by Paul himself.  The earliest witness is Irenaeus, who in about the year 180 AD wrote: "The blessed apostles, then, having founded and built up the Church, committed into the hands of Linus the office of the episcopate.”  Linus is presented by Jerome as "the first after Peter to be in charge of the Roman Church, by Eusebius, as "the first to receive the episcopate of the church at Rome, after the martyrdom of Paul and Peter by John Chrysostom as "second Bishop of the Church of Rome after Peter", while the Liberian Catalogue presents Peter as the first Bishop of Rome and Linus as his successor in the same office.  There seems to be an extensive list of bishops of Rome from Peter to the Emperor Constantine, attested to by early church fathers such as Eusebius of Caesarea (Ecclesiastical History), Tertullian, Origen, Augustine, Ignatius of Antioch, etc.  Why do some christians believe the Catholic church began with Constantine in the fourth century when there is clear historical evidence to the contrary?

Sincerely,
Swiss Guard

Dear Swiss Guard,

Actually, there isn’t clear historical evidence… most of those early church writers were very vague (and sometimes even contradictory) about what the church was doing at that time.  Furthermore, the church is supposed to have bishops… just not Catholic bishops!  1 Tim. 3:1-7 outlines the biblical requirements for a bishop – even if Linus was a bishop (also known as an elder – Tit 1:5) in the congregation in Rome – that doesn’t mean it was a Catholic church.  The Catholic church with a pope, cardinals, archdioceses, etc. didn’t begin to truly form until the days of Constantine when the Roman empire tried to control Christianity by making it the state religion (a practice that has been repeated in many countries throughout time).

In the end, Catholicism is a false religion because it isn’t built upon the Bible.  Any religion that doesn’t use the Bible as its standard of measure is false (Gal 1:8).  The Catholic church calls its priests “father” which is wrong (Matt 23:9).  It tells people that they can’t eat certain foods, and it tells their priests that they can’t marry – which is wrong (1 Tim 4:3).  The Catholic church teaches that the Pope is directly in contact with God and that people should follow him… once again, wrong.  Christ is our direct connection to God (Heb 1:1-4), and the Bible is what we should follow (2 Tim 3:16-17).  Everything about the Catholic church’s organization is in direct opposition to the Scriptures.  The question isn’t how old a church is; the question is whether or not Christ is its head (Eph 5:23).  There is only one pattern for the church (Eph 4:4-6), and the Catholic church is not it.