Commonly asked questions by Non-Christians

Bridging the gap between Christians and non-Christians

Welcome to a space of open dialogue and mutual respect at FaithAnswers Press, where we bridge the gap between Christians and non-Christians seeking to understand each other’s perspectives. In a world rich with diverse worldviews, philosophies, and religions, meaningful conversation is both a challenge and an opportunity.

Recognizing this, we have thoughtfully organized our questions and answers into several major groups, each reflecting the common inquiries and concerns pertinent to different audiences. Within this tab, you’ll find resources aimed at addressing these questions with clarity and empathy, whether you’re a non-Christian exploring the tenets of Christianity or a Christian eager to engage in constructive discourse.

Our hope is to facilitate conversations that are not only informative but also foster a deeper appreciation for the varied tapestry of beliefs that shape our global community.

General Objections about the Christian faith:

In this section, we thoughtfully address common objections and questions surrounding the Christian faith, providing insights and answers to help strengthen understanding and belief. Whether you’re a long-time believer or someone exploring Christianity, our aim is to engage with these queries in a respectful and informative manner, fostering a deeper exploration of faith-related topics.

1. There is no scientific proof of God’s existence.
2. Christianity is just one of many religions. How can it claim to be the only true faith?
3. The Bible is full of contradictions and errors.
4. How can a loving God allow so much evil and suffering?
5. Christianity is homophobic and oppresses LGBTQ+ people.
6. Religion causes war and violence.
7. Faith is irrational and blind.
8. If God is all-powerful, why does He not just show Himself?
9. Christianity is repressive and against freedom.
10. The church is full of hypocrites and judgmental people.
11. Science has disproven Christianity.
12. I can be moral without being religious.

Commonly asked questions by Secular Humanists:

Secular humanism is a philosophy, belief system or life stance that embraces human reason, logic, secular ethics, and philosophical naturalism, while specifically rejecting religious dogma, supernaturalism, and superstition as the basis of morality and decision making. (See the following quotes from former secular humanists about their Christian faith.)

1. How does Christian faith concretely impact your daily life?
2. In what ways does prayer influence your decision-making process?
3. How do you reconcile the existence of suffering with a belief in a loving God?
4. What is the role of the Christian community in your life?
5. How do you interpret the Bible in a modern context?
6. What evidence can you provide for the resurrection of Jesus?
7. How can you find meaning in life through Christianity?
8. How does Christianity address the issues of social justice and inequality?
9. Can faith be rational, or is it purely and emotional experience?
10. How do you view other religions and their followers?
11. What role do doubt and questioning play in your faith?
12. How does Christianity deal with the issues of modern science and technology?

Commonly asked questions by Agnostics and Atheists:

Atheism is the doctrine or belief that there is no god. In contrast, the word agnostic refers to a person who neither believes nor disbelieves in a god or religious doctrine. Agnostics assert that it’s impossible to know how the universe was created and whether or not divine beings exist. (See the following quotes from notable former atheists about their Christian faith.)

1. Why does God allow suffering in the world?
2. Can you believe in a God that cannot be seen or measured?
3. Isn’t religion just a way to control people?
4. How do you reconcile the idea of a loving God with the violence in the Old Testament?
5. If God is omnipotent, can He create a rock so heavy that He cannot lift it?
6. Why would a loving God send people to Hell?
7. Isn’t the Bible just a collection of myths and legends?
8. How do you account for the contradictions in the Bible?
9. Can you be moral without believing in God?
10. How do you explain the diversity of religions and deities throughout history?
11. Why should the Christian faith be considered more valid than other religions?
12. How does Christianity reconcile with scientific for evolution and an old earth?

Commonly asked questions by Mormons:

For background information about Mormonism, see the following post: Understanding Mormonism: Faith, Practice, and Interfaith Dialogue with Christianity

The following article includes quotes from individuals who journeyed from the tenets of religious Mormonism to the embrace of Biblical Christianity: Conversion from Mormonism to Biblical Christianity.

1. How do you interpret the concept of the Trinity?
2. What is your understanding of salvation by grace versus works?
3. How do you view the authority of the Bible?
4. What is your belief about prophets and continuing revelation?
5. How do you understand the concept of original sin and the fall of Adam and Eve?
6. What are your views on baptism, and who should be baptized?
7. How do you interpret the end times and the Second Coming of Christ?
8. What is the role of your church organization and leadership?
9. How do you define “Christian”? Do you consider Mormons to be Christians?
10. What is your perspective of the afterlife and the concept of heaven and hell?
11. How do you approach prayer and your personal relationship with God?
12. Do you believe in the necessity of a “restoration” of the original church, as Mormons do?

Commonly asked questions by Jehovah’s Witnesses:

For background information about the Jehovah’s Witnesses, see the following post: Exploring the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses: A Comparative and Dialogical Approach.

The following article includes quotes from individuals who journeyed from the tenets of Jehovah’s Witnesses to the embrace of Biblical Christianity: Conversion from Jehovah’s Witnesses to Biblical Christianity.

1. How do you understand the nature of God and the identity of Jesus Christ?
2. What is your view on the immortality of the soul and the condition of the dead?
3. How do you interpret the use of God’s name, Jehovah, in the Bible?
4. What is your belief regarding the 144,000 mentioned in the book of Revelation?
5. How do you view the significance of blood and the practice of blood transfusion?
6. What is you understanding of the kingdom of God and how it should be established?
7. How do you view the celebration of holidays and birthdays?
8. What is your perspective on military service and involvement in political matters?
9. How do you interpret the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, particularly regarding the last days?
10. What is your stance on the use of images and crosses in worship?
11. How do you approach evangelism and the work of spreading the gospel?
12. Do you believe that the church is part of Christendom, and how do you view Christendom as a whole?

Commonly asked questions by Religious Liberals:

For background information about Religious Liberalism, see the following post: Exploring the beliefs of Liberalism.

The following article includes quotes from individuals who journeyed from the tenets of religious liberalism to the embrace of evangelical Christianity: Conversion from liberalism to evangelicalism. 

1. How can you believe in miracles in a modern, scientific age?
2. Isn’t the bodily resurrection of Jesus scientifically impossible?
3. How can you take the Bible literally?
4. Why do you believe in the exclusivity of Christianity?
5. How do you reconcile a loving God with the existence of hell?
6. Do you not accept evolution and an old earth?
7. How can you oppose women’s reproductive rights?
8. Why are many evangelicals against same-sex marriage?
9. How do you view other religions and their followers?
10. Isn’t the Christian focus on conversion culturally insensitive?
11. How can you deny climate change and not care for the environment?
12. Why do you support capital punishment when Jesus taught non-violence?

Commonly asked questions by Roman Catholics:

For background information about Roman Catholics, see the following post: Exploring the faith and practice of Roman Catholicism.

The following article includes quotes from individuals who journeyed from Roman Catholicism to the embrace of Protestant Christianity: Conversion from Roman Catholicism to Protestantism. 

1. How do you view the authority of the Pope and the Catholic Church?
2. Why do you not accept the sacraments as necessary for salvation?
3. How do you interpret the Eucharist, and why do you reject transubstantiation?
4. What is your stance on the veneration of Mary and the saints?
5. Why do you not recognize the authority of Church tradition alongside Scripture?
6. How do you understand justification and sanctification differently from Catholics?
7. What is your perspective on purgatory and prayers for the dead?
8. How do you justify the absence of apostolic succession in your church leadership?
9. Why do you allow for divorce and remarriage when the Catholic Church does not?
10. How do you reconcile the lack of a liturgical church calendar and traditional liturgy in worship?
11. What is your view on the role of works in the Christian life if not for salvation?
12. Why do evangelical churches often lack the visual beauty and symbolism found in Catholic churches?

Commonly asked questions by Jews:

For background information about Judaism, see the following post: Understanding Judaism: Faith, Practice, and Interfaith-dialogue.

The following article includes quotes from individuals who journeyed from Judaism to the embrace of Jesus Christ: Conversion from Judaism to Jesus Christ.

1. Why do Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah?
2. How can Jesus be both God and man?
3. What is the Christian view of the Law (Torah)?
4. How do Christians interpret prophecies of a literal kingdom on Earth?
5. Why do Christians emphasize faith over works?
6. How do Christians justify the concept of the Trinity with monotheism?
7. What is the Christian perspective on the afterlife and resurrection?
8. How do Christians view the Jewish people and modern Israel?
9. Why do Christians believe in the Virgin Birth?
10. How do Christians reconcile the idea of a suffering Servant?
11. What is the role of prayer in Christianity?
12. How do Christians view the end times and the coming of the Messiah?

Commonly asked questions by Muslims:

For background information about Islam, see the following post: Understanding Islam: Beliefs, Practices, and a Comparative Look with Christianity.

The following article includes quotes from individuals who journeyed from Islam to the embrace of Jesus Christ: Conversion from Islam to Jesus Christ.

1. How can God be both one and three (Trinity)?
2. How can Jesus be fully God and fully man?
3. Why do Christians not follow all the laws of the Old Testament?
4. How do Christians justify the concept of original sin?
5. Why do Christians believe in salvation through faith alone?
6. How does Christianity view the prophets of Islam, such as Muhammad?
7. What is the Christian understanding of Heaven and Hell compared to Islam?
8. How do Christians view the Quran and the Islamic tradition?
9. Why do Christians consume pork and alcohol, which are prohibited in Islam?
10. How do Christians reconcile the concept of free will with God’s omniscience?
11. What role do Mary and the saints play in Christianity compared to Islam’s view of significant religious figures?
12. How do Christians interpret the end times and the second coming of Jesus differently from Muslims?

Commonly asked questions by Hindus:

For background information about Hinduism, see the following post: Understanding the faith and practice of Hinduism and its interplay with Christianity.

The following article includes quotes from individuals who journeyed from Hinduism to the embrace of Jesus Christ: Conversion from Hinduism to Jesus Christ.

1. How do Christians view the concept of God compared to the Hindu understanding of Brahman?
2. What is the Christian view on salvation and how does it differ from the Hindu belief in moksha?
3. How does a Christian understand the concept of sin in comparison to Hindu ideas of karma?
4. How do Christians justify the exclusivity of their faith in light of the diverse paths offered in Hinduism?
5. What is the significance of Jesus in Christianity, and how does it compare to Hindu avatars like Krishna?
6. Can Christians accept the Hindu practice of yoga, and if not, why?
7. How does the Christian end-times view of history compared with the Hindu concept of cyclical time and cosmic epochs (yugas)?
8. What is the Christian position on idol worship in relation to Hindu practices?
9. How do Christians reconcile the existence of suffering with an all-powerful, loving God, compared to the Hindu understanding of suffering?
10. How do Christians view the multitude of Hindu gods and goddesses?
11. How do Christians understand the concept of divine revelation in comparison to the Hindu scriptures?
12. What is the Christian attitude toward death and the afterlife compared to Hindu beliefs in reincarnation?

Commonly asked questions by non-Christian Scientists:

Science and religion address different types of questions. Science focuses on how the natural world works, while religion often addresses questions of meaning, purpose, and morality. Some people, including scientists, find ways to harmonize their religious beliefs with their scientific understanding, while others may keep these domains separate or reject one in favor of the other. Skepticism about religious claims does not necessarily preclude personal faith; it reflects the application of scientific thinking to those claims. (See the following quotes from notable Christian scientists.)

1. How does Christianity reconcile the Genesis creation account with the scientific consensus on evolution and the age of the earth?
2. How do Christians explain natural disasters in the context of a benevolent God?
3. Can Christians explain the Big Bang theory, and how does it relate to the concept of God as Creator?
4. How do Christians account for the problem of suffering and disease from a scientific and theological standpoint?
5. What is the Christian view on the use of technology and medicine, given the belief in God’s sovereignty over life and health?
6. How does Christianity approach the topic of mental health and its treatments in light of scientific understanding?
7. How do Christians interpret the miracles of Jesus in a scientific age?
8. Can Christian doctrine be harmonized with the scientific understanding of human consciousness and free will?
9. How do Christians view the search for extraterrestrial life in the context of God’s creation?
10. What is the Christian perspective on environmental stewardship in light of scientific evidence for climate change and ecological degradation?
11. How does Christianity view the ethical implications of genetic engineering and cloning?
12. How do Christians reconcile the existence of prehistoric humans and hominids with the biblical account of Adam and Eve?

Commonly asked questions by non-Christian Philosophers:

Some philosophers are skeptical of the claims of Christianity for reasons that often overlap with those of scientists, but also extend into the realms of logic, ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology. However, many philosophers also defend and argue for Christianity drawing on logic, ethics, and textual analysis. Philosophy engages religion in complex ways – both defending and questioning it. (See the following quotes from Christian philosophers about their faith.)

1. How does Christianity reconcile the existence of evil with an omnipotent, omnibenevolent God?
2. Can faith in Christian revelation be rational in a post-Enlightenment age?
3. How does Christianity view the relationship between faith and reason?
4. What is the Christian understanding of human nature and its relationship to sin?
5. How does Christianity deal with the diversity of religions and the claim to possess exclusive truth?
6. What is the role of the church in a Christian’s life, according to Christian philosophy?
7. How does Christianity address the problem of historical and biblical criticism?
8. What is the significance of Jesus’ resurrection in Christian philosophy?
9. How does Christianity define the good life and moral virtue?
10. In what way does Christianity approach the concept of personal identity and the soul?
11. How does Christianity confront the challenge of moral relativism?
12. What place does suffering have in the Christian worldview?