Expert: Dr Tim Gladu - 9/22/2007

Question
I was a devout Christian for my entire childhood. There was nothing anyone could say that made me doubt anything the bible or God had to say. Until I was about 14. I had to take a class on Greek mythology and one of the young men in my class, who was and still is a faithful Catholic, asked how could the Greek people actually believe that a woman was raped by Zeus and turned in to a cow that was followed by a gadfly...etc Because from any standpoint all of the Grecian religious stories sound ridiculous. My teacher said isn't it just as ludicris to believe that a virgin gave birth to a child? Ever since she said that I have been an atheist, but it wasn't entirely her fault. It was the first time I rejected God's existence and I desperatly tried to regain my faith. I was in such religious turmoil and by the time I was 15 I was a wreck. So I turned to the Bible for support like a good Christians should when they are confused. While I was reading through the Bible I came arcoss some scripture that really sickened me. In the book of Leviticus I believe it said that if a woman didn't scream while a man was raping her it was just as much her fault as the man's or if a man raped a woman in the country and no one saved her she had to marry him and he apologized to her father?! not her? That along with God punishing children for their father's mistakes made me so angry. At first I didn't want to respect a god who does not respect me as a woman who might actually not want to live with her rapist. Then as I continued reading my teacher's words popped into my head again all of the Bible's stories sound just as practical as the Grecian myths do. My question is What makes Christianity so much more practical than any other religion and if there is a God what's wrong with him why is he so cruel to Ham's children and so disresepctful to women, treating them as possesions to be aquired and nothing else?

Answer
Ashley,

I do see that you are in a crisis of faith. I also want you to think about just a couple of things. God sent His son to die for you. The Bible gave plenty of evidence to prove itself. When God made a prophecy it came true. Men did pen the Bible with the Holy Spirit along with them. The Bible was written by over 40 writers over a period of 1500 years in over 20 different countries. The unique part of the Bible is that it always agrees and is centered on one central point. God loves us and will do anything for us. He is about justice and He did not create us to sin we did that by our own free will. If you do not believe in God then how do we explain so many of lives incredible and beautiful things. If you just look at how we as humans process our thoughts and how our bodies work. God created us and the entire universe. I am not saying that the Old Testament is not at times a little disturbing. The fact that the good and the bad are all mixed up in there together is also even more proof of the Bible. Most of the time when men forms cults they will only include the good and avoid the bad. Just look at the Mormons. Most of them think that their founder Joseph Smith was some kind of saint. He was a con-man that created a religion so he could get women. They estimate that he fathered over 130 children. He was killed because there was a local newspaper that was printing the truth about him and his band of guys that each had a string of at least 5-10 wives. These guys used this religion to repress women and gain power. The Bible has been used by the Smithsonian to find historical events and proved many of the events of the Bible. I just want you to reconsider what your faith is and also if you are going to a church that challenges your belief and faith then find one that you feel the Spirit of God.