Confronting Christianity’s hardest questions

We’ve all heard or been asked them, or wondered about them ourselves. Hard questions deserve answers, but do we have the right ones? Knowing, and being able to clearly express what ‘you know in your knower’ too often are two different things.

Dr. Rebecca McLaughlin has spent a decade helping professors tackle such (and other) questions in her work with The Veritas Forum, which itself aims to help university students explore life’s hardest questions.

“Confronting Christianity is the book you’ve been waiting to give to your sceptical friends!” exclaims Dr. Jo Vitale, Christian theologian, speaker, and co-executive director of Kardia, a ministry focused on helping people reconcile with God, others and themselves.

Drawing on her experience working with secular university professors and students, McLaughlin effectively identifies the twelve most commonly-heard objections on college campuses today and responds to them with clarity and concision. Using detailed research and a wealth of statistics, she smashes many of the cultural myths held about Christianity. She paints a compelling picture of a faith that is global, diverse, intellectually robust, and existentially appealing.

Forthwith, the ‘12 Hard Questions about Christianity’  
with super-shortened answers

1. Aren’t we better off without religion?
True faith teaches us to love, forgive, serve others, and live with purpose (James 1:27).

2. Doesn’t Christianity crush diversity?
No. Christianity promotes unity in Christ while respecting different cultures and backgrounds (Gal. 3:28).

3. How can you say there’s only one true faith?
Christians believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Faith must be shared with humility, not forced (John 14:6).

4. Doesn’t religion hinder morality?
It can when misused. Genuine faith encourages justice, mercy, humility, and love (Micah 6:8).

5. Doesn’t religion cause violence?
Religion has been misused to justify violence, but Jesus taught us to love even our enemies (Matt. 5:44).

6. How can you take the Bible literally?
Not everything is meant literally. Scripture must be understood through its context, literary form, and intended meaning (Luke 24:27).

7. Hasn’t science disproved Christianity?
No. Science explores how the natural world works, while faith also explores meaning, purpose, and our relationship with God.

8. Doesn’t Christianity denigrate women?
Men and women share equal dignity as God's creation, although Christians have not always lived according to this teaching (Gen. 1:27).

9. Isn’t Christianity homophobic?
Christian teaching calls us to respect every person's dignity and love others without hatred or discrimination (John 13:34).

10. Doesn’t the Bible condone slavery?
The Bible records and regulates ancient slavery, but its teachings on human dignity and equality challenge slavery (Gal. 3:28).

11. How could a loving God allow so much suffering?
We cannot fully explain suffering, but God does not abandon us. Through Christ, suffering and death do not have the final word (Rom. 8:18).

12. How could a loving God send people to hell?
God desires everyone to be saved but respects human freedom. Hell is the definitive separation from God through freely rejecting His love (1 Tim. 2:4).

Final Reflection

Christianity is not merely about defending what we believe, but living what Jesus taught.

"By their fruits you will know them." [Matt. 7:20]

Our greatest testimony is not always found in our arguments, but in the love, humility, mercy, and kindness we show through our lives.

More dark dazzling from Oswald Chambers

“God called Jesus Christ to what seemed absolute disaster. And Jesus Christ called His disciples to see Him put to death, leading every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. His life was an absolute failure from every standpoint except God’s. But what seemed to be failure from man’s standpoint was a triumph from God’s standpoint, because God’s purpose is never the same as man’s purpose.

“This bewildering call of God comes into our lives as well. The call of God can never be understood absolutely or explained externally; it is a call that can only be perceived and understood internally by our true inner nature.” 

The Teaching of Adversity

From ‘My Utmost for His Highest’ by Oswald Chambers

“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.”  [John 16:33]

The typical view of the Christian life is that it means being delivered from all adversity. But it actually means being delivered in adversity, which is something quite different.

“Whoever dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling….” [Psalm 91:1, 10]

If you are a child of God, you will certainly encounter adversities, but Jesus says you should not be surprised when they come.

“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” In other words, “There is nothing for you to fear.” The same people who refused to talk about their adversities before they were saved often complain and worry after being born again because they have the wrong idea of what it means to live the life of a saint. God does not give us overcoming life, He gives us life as we overcome. The strain of life is what builds our strength. If there is no strain, there will be no strength.

Are you asking God to give you life, liberty, and joy? He cannot, unless you are willing to accept the strain. And once you face the strain, you will immediately get the strength. Overcome your own timidity and take the first step. Then God will give you nourishment: “To the person who overcomes, I will give to eat from the tree of life….” [Rev. 2:7 ]

If you completely give of yourself physically, you become exhausted. But when you give of yourself spiritually, you gain more strength.

God never gives us strength for tomorrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the moment. Our temptation is to face adversities from the standpoint of our own common sense. But a saint can ‘be of good cheer’ even when seemingly defeated by adversities, because victory is absurdly impossible to everyone, except God.

A nugget from C.S. Lewis's 'The Weight of Glory'

Enduring legacies of faithful and foundational service

We of course continue to mourn the loss and presumed loss of two of the best in the mission fields of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East: Bibles for Mideast’s former director, Pastor Paul* (who recently graduated to his heavenly home), and his second-in-command, Pastor Peter Haneef (last known to be imprisoned in Tajikistan). The missionary exploits of these two remarkable men formed the backbone of the ministry, and many if not most of the stories on this site. I will of course let you know if/when we hear any news of Pastor Peter.

Zwemer ‘fitting in’ in the field

A missionary you have likely never heard of, however, is believed to have contributed more to mission work among Muslims in the Middle East and North Africa than anyone else.

Born in in Vriesland, Michigan to Dutch immigrant parents and later nicknamed the ‘Apostle to Islam’, Samuel Zwemer’s work is considered foundational in mission efforts among Muslims. His passionate prayers for the Muslim world mobilized countless missionaries to join the cause.

While he didn’t record or experience instant, flashy miracles, Zwemer’s work was instead marked by profound perseverance, answered prayers, and the miracle of widespread missionary mobilization sparked despite incredibly difficult and hostile environments.

Zwemer was not only a faithful missionary, but a fervent mobilizer for the cause of mission to Muslims. God blessed him with the ability to communicate well and to inspire young people to pray, give, and engage in the mission of God among Muslims.

Writer, Publisher, and Theologian

Today, Samuel Zwemer is best known through his extensive writing and theological contributions to Christian mission among Muslims. Over the course of his life, Zwemer authored over 50 books. He was more prolific with the pen than perhaps any other missionary to Muslims in history. One cannot accurately understand Zwemer’s influence on Christian mission to Muslims without understanding his role as a foundational theologian.

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*You can find more on Bible for Mideast’s former director, Pastor Paul, here: Testimony of Pastor Paul of Bibles for Mideast, a former Muslim.  A search on this site (simply enter his name in the box under Search this site) brings up countless stories of his incredible adventures in the faith, at least the recorded ones.