Rational Faith
A Resurrection Day Response

The Holy Bible
I was asked by multiple atheists - what if some other religious book were true? Here is the response.
 


In the song "Nada One" Heart's Nancy Wilson sings about an ephemeral,  nocturnal  love who has glowing, night creature eyes that frequents her dreams. This mysterious love seems to appear only in dreams where no one can see him. For even when wandering through streets, she describes this scene:

"Nobody seein' where I've been
Nobody feels what I've done
Nada One"

With such descriptions, one questions the reality of his existence. Indeed she herself seems to harbor a doubt or two since she must  reminder herself "you are as real as I feel." The one thing that's not mysterious in this song, is what she means by "nada one."  Clearly "nada one" is a play on the  sound of the phrase "not a one," yet still, one must wonder - since it is always  capitalized -  if she's using it as a proper noun - speaking or referring to a being named "Nada One." The Wilson sisters were purposefully ambiguous for artistic purposes. But as we'll see God is purposefully clear and unambiguous to eliminate doubt and nurture faith.

I was reminded of this song as I awaited responses to a question I had posed.  Let me step back and explain.  I saw the below tweet that informed people that last Thursday was "National Ask an Atheist Day."

This seemed like  a perfect opportunity to re-query the unbelieving regarding a  question I had asked in a previous post: If the Bible is true, what does that say about your future?"  The typical response from most atheists is to dodge the question and ask me "what if the Bible isn't true?", typically phrased as "what if the Koran (or some other "holy" book) is true?" And my experience has been they typically still don't answer the question posed even when you point out that they haven't answered the question.  So I was pleasantly surprised to find one (and only one) atheist in my (not at all scientific) survey who actually answered the question and said:

If the Bible is true, then your all-loving/forgiving God will light me on fire to suffer forever for a temporal offense.

Good to know that some who refuse to believe at least acknowledge - even if in sarcastic unbelief - what the Bible says awaits them if they don't believe.  Amazing that he doesn't seem to recognize the disrespect and contempt he's showing for a  Holy God in his answer, sort of like those for whom Jesus had to pray "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23.34)
 
Since they do not know the one of whom they speak, it isn't too surprising that even in the answer he is still indicting God, accusing him of being unrighteous for the way he punishes.  In response to that question - how can God punish eternally for a temporal sin, see this article: Why Would God Punish Finite, Temporal Crimes in an Eternal Hell? 

As for the question posed to me by most the rest - namely what if the Koran (or some other religious book) is true - that question has already been answered for me - by God in the Bible.  The question is in essence asking what if the Bible is not true?  The heart of the Bible is the gospel, and the heart of the gospel is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to save us from our sins.  So let me just give you the answer of God speaking through the Apostle Paul to that question:

12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

The Holy Bible - 1 Corinthians 15.12-20

So the short answer is - if any other religious book besides the Bible is true, Christians are "to be pitied more than all men." But the fact of the matter is (and Christians celebrate it on this day, Resurrection day, better known as Easter) the Bible is true, and Christ has been raised from the dead. (And was seen alive after his crucifixion and death by more than 500 witnesses.  1 Cor 15.6)  Furthermore, Christians  know that just as "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4.12), likewise there is no other religious book that can offer salvation from being "lit on fire", nor is any other correct in its worldview. So for Christians, there are no questions about the destiny of those who trust in Christ. Not a one.  And we look forward to our destination - with Christ in heaven. And best of all there are no fears about our destination. Not a one.

Duane Caldwell | posted 4-20-2014