Here is a report that I had to do for Senior Projects the other day. Seeing as how the teacher of the class praised my work on multiple occasions (even though the cited works is a bit inaccurate due to time constrictions and brain-deadness at the wee hours in the morning), I figured it would be worth putting online.

Alex C.
Senior Projects
Christianity in General

Is Christianity just another religion that people chose to believe in for hope? Is there something special about it that makes it different from all other religions? Why are we here, who created us, and can we ever find out?
Does God exist? The atheist would say there is no God, simply because there is no scientific evidence that a god of any type ever existed. The problem with that however, is the fact that there has been no evidence to disprove an existence of a higher Deity. “When you are arguing against Him you are arguing against the very power that makes you able to argue at all.” (Mere Christianity) Agnostics believe that there is no way of disproving or proving a god, so they are left in the middle of the issue, clueless of any truth. “All that we call human history–money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery–[is] the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.” (Mere Christianity) Yes, there really is no scientific way of proving that a god of any sort exists, but there are other facts pointing to the same conclusion that cannot be overlooked. Firstly, the existence of morality within each human is an undeniable fact that the morality had to come from somewhere. (Mere Christianity) Furthermore, the fact that morality (or a conscience) had been set universally for all humans (bendable as it is). “Human beings, all over the earth, have this curious idea that they ought to behave in a certain way, and can’t really get rid of it.” (The Case for Christianity) Scientists explain this phenomenon with something called evolution, which gives reason to morality as being a “fit trait” for survival. But if the point of evolution is for an individual to be fit enough to survive, why are some animals willing to sacrifice themselves for others (humans included) even though it may bring death to the “fittest”? Another reason is the high improbability of the current design of the universe. (EveryStudent.com) The Earth is in its perfect shape for sustaining life, just the right distance from the sun, and the atmosphere has just the perfect composition of gasses for the survival of many species. Something like water, though seemingly common and insignificant, is a fluid with many unusual features that other compositions do not have. For example, water has a high boiling point and low freezing point so it can remain in a wide variety of environments to sustain life. It is chemically inert, a universal solvent, and is highly used and reused. Neither of these things could have happened by chance, seeing as how even something like creating an amino acid from proteins at random is a one in a 1×10^40,000 chance. The other fact that points toward an existence of a God is that almost every culture, nation, and tribe on earth believes in an existence of a creator or god. (EveryStudent.com) God reveals Himself through the Bible and even that mentions that God reveals Himself through nature – “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)
Is the Bible a myth or is it historically accurate? Many believe that the Bible may be filled with imaginary stories and fairy tales thrown together into a book to entertain people, like the Mormon bible. The truth, in fact, is that the Bible is used in many colleges and universities for the simple reason that it is historically accurate and is a great addition as a history textbook. There are many events and occasions that occur in the Bible that also are recorded in other scrolls and records. All the cities found in the Bible exist today, and those that do not were found with archeological digs. The only cities that currently cannot be found are Sodom and Gomorrah for a very good reason – they were destroyed by God and totally wiped out from the face of the earth. “The whole land will be a burning waste of salt and sulfur—nothing planted, nothing sprouting, no vegetation growing on it. It will be like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in fierce anger.” (Deuteronomy 29:23) Even though the Bible was written by over 40 authors over a span of 1500 years in various languages, the message remained the same throughout those years and then a few thousand more. No inconsistencies were found anywhere in the Bible. (Gospeloutreach.net) The Bible is also considered to be somewhat prophetical.
How can God allow evil to exist? This question is quite tough to answer. If a universe could have been created without any sort of evil, then why not have it made that way? Why is there evil in the first place, where did it come from? If God is righteous and holy, does that mean He can create any sort of evil or does it mean that it simply exists right along with God? Looking back at the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were presented with a choice – to live holy and righteous, or to disobey God and eat from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. They could discern between good and evil after they ate the fruit and lived further on making choices of whether to be good or evil, essentially. So, the only evil they really knew of in the Garden was to disobey God, and that “vocabulary” just increased once they did disobey. What is evil? Basically, it’s something morally wrong. (Encarta) How can one create evil? Using the tools that have been made available to do good. One has a hand to pick things up, assist others, but it can also be used to kill. “Badness is only spoiled goodness.” (The Case for Christianity) Evil is simply a choice, a choice that was available upon the creation of the Earth with the tree, a choice. The simple fact of the matter is, that God will not use evil for any circumstance simply because He is incapable of it. It seems a little illogical, but it is almost like the rock question – “Can God create a rock that He cannot lift, since He can do anything?” If He could, then He wouldn’t be God because He couldn’t lift it. A better question is why should He create a rock like that? James 1:13 answers the question of God and evil: “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.” The other part of the matter is that God gave us a choice to live righteously through His son or give into sin. “Without sin, the universe is a Solemn Game: and there is no good game without rules.” (A Preface to Paradise Lost) The choice we can make is what brings glory to God and that is ultimately what He wants from us. (Revelation 4:11)
Was Jesus more than a man? Mormons specifically believe that Jesus was a good man who became a god – He was human at one point or another and worked His way up. Some believe that He was just a good man. Well, in one sense of the term, Jesus was fully man. He ate, drank, communicated with others, and was even tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1) Well, wait, tempted? Is God not supposed to be tempted? “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.” (James 1:13) The same verse fits into multiple situations, if Jesus was God, why was He tempted? My personal opinion on this matter is that while Jesus was fully God, He was also fully man simultaneously. Thus, He had His own identity from the Trinity of God as a human form of God as well as the Son of the Father part of God. That human part of Him was the part that was tempted, so God wasn’t actually tempted, because He cannot be. “God has landed on this enemy-occupied world in human form…The perfect surrender and humiliation was undergone by Christ: perfect because He was God, surrender and humiliation because He was man.” (The Case for Christianity) Also, Jesus performed many miracles in many cities upon many people recorded many times in the Bible. “Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.” (Mark 1:34) Jesus also rose from the dead on the third day after he gave up His life (roughly 40 hrs.) – “He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.” (Acts 10:41) People still claim He was just a good man verses the alternative. Yet the Bible clearly states Jesus’ position on the matter in various locations. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58) “God said to Moses, I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” He also had the authority to forgive sins. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’” (Mark 2:5) “Then Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’” (Luke 7:48) Either Jesus is who He says, or He was a liar. There is nothing “good” about a liar, so if one admits He is good, they might as well acknowledge Him as God.
Is there a life after death? If there is no type of afterlife, then another question arises – what is exactly the point to life? Sure, to procreate and make new life, but what does that in turn do? It gets you right back to where you were. “Atheism turns out to be too simple. If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning…” (Mere Christianity) The only point to the life you live would be to live and make sure not to die at any means or cost necessary. “100 per cent of us die, and the percentage cannot be increased.” (The Weight of Glory) Ironically, in the end days, “men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.”(Revelation 9:6) Until then, the purpose we serve here is to glorify God, and according to the Bible, there will be eternal life after death – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Quite a few other religions have beliefs about an afterlife, and while it cannot be scientifically proven, it is somewhat logically derived from the fact that there must be something after death, or else what are we living for? “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” (Mere Christianity) Furthermore, there have been quite a few reports of people who clinically died and later came back to life with experiences of “another” life. They could move around and see what was going on around them, but they couldn’t be seen by anyone else. When they came back, they could tell the doctor what went on in another room while they themselves were “dead”. Scientists have done a few controlled studies with near accurate results, signifying that there may perhaps be a spiritual world of some sort that can be accessed when the physical body can no longer function properly. (NewsNet5.com)
Are miracles possible? Most people believe that miracles are merely unlikely, scientifically explainable events. A miracle is described as an event that appears to be contrary to the laws of nature and is regarded as an act of God. (Encarta) The Bible is filled with examples of Jesus healing people, casting out demons, and resurrecting people from the dead. “When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified.” (John 6:19) The question is, do miracles still occur today? Here is an incident:
A Muslim man in Egypt killed his wife and then buried her with their infant baby and 8-year old daughter. The girls were buried alive! He then reported to the police that an uncle killed the kids. 15 days later, another family member died. When they went to bury him, they found the 2 little girls under the sand ALIVE! The country is outraged over the incident, and the man will be executed. The older girl was asked how she had survived. “A man wearing shiny white clothes, with bleeding wounds in his hands, came every day to feed us. He woke up my mom so she could nurse my sister,” she said. (BibleProbe.com)
No human could live without food and water for 15 days. Neither could a human live with that kind of oxygen deprecation for 15 days and still survive. Another incident tells of a pastor that had been dead for more than 48 hours and came back to life. There are also thousands of other incidents and they occur daily. What’s more is that life, by the definition of a miracle, can be considered miraculous. Though it may seem like a common thing now, the distinction between a group of organized cells and a living organism is just that, life. No human can replicate life, no human can create it; it is only God who has the power to create a life. Miracles do happen because God didn’t just create the world and left it to run without any sort of involvement.
Is Christianity the only true religion? Taking a look at Mormonism again, their basic fundamental belief is that there is a God, and that with enough good works, a person can become a God themselves. The Mormons believe in the Bible, as well as their Book of Mormon. Christianity believes only in the Bible, and believes that there is only one way to get to heaven – through the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 14:6) “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) This verse brings a self-contradictory statement towards the Mormon belief, seeing as works will not save a person. Furthermore, Christianity is the only religion in the whole world that says there is only one way to heaven, and it is one of the religions that stood through 2,000 years of scrutiny, persecution, and martyrdom. The extension of the Old Testament Jewish beliefs incorporate itself into the Christian belief, adding another good 3 or 4 thousand years to that figure. The Bible also was put under scrutiny and has endured through those years as true and prophetic. So much so, that there were 48 prophecies about Christ written that actually came about to be real. Imagine this scenario: The whole state of Texas is covered with silver dollars, two feet deep. One of these dollars is marked. The chance of 8 prophecies about Christ becoming true is the same chance that a person could pick out the marked dollar from the two foot deep, Texas wide pile on their first try. There were 48 prophecies fulfilled – do the math. (Carm.org)
Why has Christianity survived this many years? It’s plainly because it’s the only religion that really makes any sort of sense. There was a design to this universe, the Bible is historical and prophetical, evil exists as a choice for us for God’s plan, Jesus is God, there is an afterlife, and miracles are possible. “Reality, in fact, is always something you couldn’t have guessed. That’s one of the reasons I believe Christianity. It’s a religion you couldn’t have guessed.” ~ C.S. Lewis
Works Cited
Encarta Dictionary Tools 2006, Microsoft
New International Version of the Bible, February 16, 2006
<www.biblegateway.com>
Matthew Slick, Is Christianity the Only True Religion, 2003
<http://www.carm.org/questions/onlytrue.htm>
Bible Probe, Real Miracles and Angel Visits, 2004
< http://www.bibleprobe.com/miracles.htm>
Christian Courier Publications, Is the Bible Historically Accurate, February 2, 2006
< http://www.christiancourier.com/questions/historicalAccuracyQuestion.htm>
Robert Carroll, Miracles, February 13, 2006
< http://skepdic.com/miracles.html>
Harinder Sandhu, Life after Death, July 05, 2005
< http://lifeafterdeath.info>
Assembly of YAWEH, Is Jesus God, January 8, 2003
< http://trueisrael.tripod.com>
Thaddeus Williams, Evil; Just Whose Problem Is It, 2001
<http://www.gto.org/question/evil.htm>
Matt Perman, Why the Bible is the Word of God, March 14, 2006
< http://www.gospeloutreach.net/bible3.html>
Marilyn Adamson, Does God Exist, March 14, 2006
< http://www.everystudent.com/features/isthere.html>
NewsNet5, Scientist Claims Proof of an Afterlife, March 04, 2004
< http://www.newsnet5.com/news/2893543/detail.html>
C.S. Lewis, The Case for Christianity, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1943
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1952
C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1952
C.S. Lewis, Preface to Paradise Lost, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1941