Originally posted by Chin Eng:
actually, that is probably the first answer a Christian can give - faith in God.
if by saying that, all arguments ceases, then that's great - peace to all....
in that sense, Christians (plus followers of most religions) do not need to explain anything more.
however, in a forum like this one, there will always be those who insists on having empirical evidence - then siao liao lor!
also, those who are out and out against Christianity will simply NOT accept anything other than those they define as truth and evidence, sometimes even going the whole nine yards in splitting hairs over minor issues.
The argument would usually start off from a scientific theory which disproves, or rather, challenges the claims made in the bible.
It would continue then, with the religious factions insisting that they are right (or not wrong) despite evidence pointing the other way.
The main issue, as i see it, is that religious factions cannot simply stand up and say that their doctrinal truth is wrong, or even flawed. This would result in the religion's natural death; christians especially since the bible is supposed to be the "the book of truth", and that everything in it = right and you build your personal relationship with jesus and god on the truths. Islam, Judaism and Catholic popes still have their respective clerics and leaders to inteprete it for them.
There are just so many things in the bible which can be held up as untruths. I cannot imagine the ramifications if an authoritive figures even suggests that a single part of the bible may be flawed, especially the central parts such as the resurrection of christ.
Again, I stress, I believe christianity is NOT for everyone.
If I were christian, and assuming I have no institutional respobsibilities, i might simply say,
"ya, well, i'm sure science has its reasons for saying things work in a certain manner. I cannot disprove it. Perhaps you're right, the bible IS flawed.
However, my faith calls for me to believe in something else altogether, and whilst i don't expect you to understand why i would place so much faith in something i cannot prove, do at least understand that spirituality and science are 2 different topics altogether."
