This is the video that changed my mind completely I am catholic but I had questions and I was skeptic, Mr John Lenox you are a truly man of God for doing what you do, God bless you Sir, I have now restablished my faith ! God it’s incredible, he revealed to me ! I was in complete tears feeling something inexplicable ❤ it was God
@MarisaHoare I want to scream it to the world ! I’ve never felt this peace before, the way I’m conducting my life now it’s completely different, for the first time in my life I can say I am happy to be alive 🥺, I was too depressed and I was smoking marihuana to relieve the pain of living in this materialistic world..
@@Netomp51 Glad to hear you are seeking after God again.. :) Catholozism is different to the Bible though, just saying... It is actually anti biblical the teachings of the catholic church.
@@e.n.6079 maybe you didnt know this and thats fine but Catholics were the oned who decided which books are in the Bible today, so saying catholicism is antibiblical implies ignorance
Why? If Christianity is true, it gives meaning to suffering and hope for redemption. If not, other systems of thought or philosophies need to be explored to address fundamental existential questions. The argument largely hinges on accepting Christianity as true. For some, basing happiness or consolation on a hypothesis can seem fragile. For those who adhere to Christianity, faith in its doctrines and promises can provide a framework of meaning and comfort. However, for others, this faith might be seen as an uncertain hypothesis rather than an established truth.
Sitting here trying to prepare myself everyday for a phone call that my sick twenty five year old Daughter is gone; my only comfort right now is the cross. My saviors resurrection ensures me that no matter what happens, ill will see her again in paradise. GOD bless you Dr. Lennox. Please pray for my Daughter.
Must be a terrible road to walk when a parent lost a child.. I can only hug you and give words of encouragement. 'This is the word of the Lord: we who are alive in Him and remain on earth when the Lord appears will by no means have an advantage over those who have already died, for both will rise together. For the Lord Himself will appear with the declaration of victory, the shout of an archangel, and the trumpet blast of God. He will descend from the heavenly realm and command those who are dead in Christ to rise first. Then we who are alive will join them, transported together in clouds to have an encounter with the Lord in the air, and we will be forever joined with the Lord. So encourage one another with these truths'. 1Thes 4:13-18
Christianity and Judaism are both testable. I tested them both and came to the conclusion that I am Messiah, Shiloh, Joshua, the Branch. Quick question for those who think they truly understand these words: what does the word Shiloh have in common with the name Joshua? The answer to this is the reason that Jews expected the Savior Messiah to be named Joshua (yes, that's my name). Shiloh means something like "He for whom it is," as in, the one for whom the World was made. This is the result of a clearly 'Semitic' existential philosophizing, as in Job: All of this must have some purpose, and so, whoever fulfills that purpose must be the one for whom everything is made (this thinking is similar to some Mesopotamian concepts regarding kingship), and thus, that person is referred to as Shiloh. Now, in the El Amarna letters (if you don't know, go read), the Canaanites of middle 2nd millenium bce used the word ia-ši to mean "for me." Of course, "Joshua" conquered the Canaanites in the Hebrew myth. The glory of the conquering of Canaan was "for him," and so he was named "for me." The Assyrians used the same word, ia-ši with the same meaning. Hebrew scribes exiled in Assyria (a millennia after the claimed time of Joshua) would have noted this word and used it as a symbolic filler for the true history. The true history is preserved in the El Amarna letters, where Canaanite rulers are writing to the Pharaoh asking for his assistance in defending Canaan from invading 'Apiru, who eventually established themselves in Canaan around that time, taking many cities. The 'Apiru/Habiru/SA.GAZ were a class of "dusty" ('Apiru is cognate to Hebrew epher, meaning "dust") people who were known as murderers and thieves. Their history stretches back to Southern Mesopotamia, from which they eventually migrated to Canaan, exactly as the mythical Abraham. The only people attacking Canaanite cities around the time of "Joshua" were the 'Apiru, Hebrews. This is fairly apparent in the record, so the Hebrew descendants of those marauders rewrote history to paint themselves and their claim to Canaan and all of the Levant in a valid light, by way of this idea that God mandated their conquering of Canaan, because it was FOR JOSHUA. Indeed, it was FOR ME.
John would roll out the same old strawman arguments. Sam would call him out on it. John would smile in his best impression of a Teletubby and continue to lie and assert fallacious arguments and declare himself the winner.
@@chikkipop Hey, Dennis: It's no laughing matter that you believe that random mutations of DNA (accidents and chance) resulted in all life as we know it today. It would be easier to believe in the Tooth Fairy than to believe that all life forms today owe their existence to accidents and chance. That would be funny! Take care.
@@thetruthaboutscienceandgod6921 I see you have a limited repertoire, since this is exactly what you said elsewhere. You clearly don't understand evolution, which is by no means all "accident & chance." You ought to read a few science books, but more importantly, you ought to consider improving your character, without which you lack the integrity to examine the issue honestly. This is depressingly common among believers in ancient superstitions.
@@chikkipop Hey, Dennis: You wrote that my repertoire is limited. Well, the truth is the truth and there are only just so many ways to say that. Regarding the theory of evolution, if you've watched my first video, then you know that I state in there that if God did make use of evolution, that's certainly fine with me. Thus, your complaint about my view of evolution is really moot. The real focus of my two videos is on scientific facts contained in the Bible; facts that today's scientists agree with! Let's see if you can refute those facts. But, I'll give you a hint: You won't be able to refute them because facts are facts. Thank you for your comments. Take care.
On suffering - I agree that God shares all our suffering with us, in addition to experiencing it on the cross. But the question "why does God permit suffering" starts with a faulty premise. It assumes we are incapable of preventing suffering ourselves. Mentally and logistically, we're capable of preventing a lot of suffering, what we're not capable of, is getting everyone to agree that we're all in this together. Suffering is the consequence of bad choices... ours, our parents, our leaders, etc. If pain and suffering were not the result of bad choices, we'd have no feedback loop letting us know when we had messed up! We would never, ever learn from any of our mistakes! Is that what any atheist wants?????? And yet, that's the implication of this widespread trope. Mommy saved us from our bad choices as kids, why doesn't God? Uh, 'cause God wants us to grow up? Just like a normal father would do? Hmmm... very interesting...
My mom didn’t bring a rare cancer on herself cause of bad choices She has zero risk factors for any cancer Suffering isn’t always from choices It’s a part of the world god made
Honestly, this guy is one of the few apologists who I believe is truly saved.. With many others you see pride, absent from love for Christ. You see arguments, yet no thought or heart for Christ. He points to Christ, and not his opinion or argument. I usually don't like apologists, because of the pride you see coming from them, the way they look down on people who's eyes have not been opened, yet with him you can see he understands that it is only by grace that his eyes have been opened. I also loved how he didn't say that he believes in Christ because of great reasoning, arguments or scholastic evidences but because of the actual human evidence; the power of change that salvation brings. As Paul said, I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God unto salvation... it truly is powerful and not some dead believe that leaves you unchanged.
Kristian - Yes, but only IF we submit to it. I've been a believer for just over 20 years and I've struggled. But I've seen greater joy in tough times than in good times. Being in the will of God is where we find contentment when the world gives us disease and death.
@@ultimatebugsRavi Zacharias, and all them guys from Apologia Studios (all calvinists) who pride themselves so much on their "knowledge" and eloquence
I wouldn't be quite so dismissive of apologists in general, but you do touch on a truth. Winning the argument against atheism is important in the sense that we have aeons of misinformation to correct. The culture has been at war against Christ for hundreds of years and we can't abandon our children to be at the mercies of these ravenous wolves that we call religious skeptics. That said, if what motivates the apologist is simply the desire to win the argument or make a name for himself, he's doing it for the wrong reason and it may turn out not to be helpful for his own spiritual well-being. "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’" -- Matthew 7:21-23 We have to be on His side, not on ours.
Lennox is way off. In my book Homoexternicus I mention that no one on planet earth knows what god is and that includes Lennox. I would debate him on this point any day but he will avoid me.
This god, John believes in, is an all-loving, all-knowing one "IS IT"? THAT GOD CAN NOT EXIST, but if one does exist, then it is clearly a psychopathic one! you know, allows such a world where 15,000 innocent children die every day, yet we are told it's a loving god?? BS!
*"there is no rationale justification for morality without God; and there is no rationale justification for science without God"* Nonsense, and *very common* nonsense. Morality is a human project. It evolved as we evolved, and does not require some external judge. Science is a method of investigation *humans* developed. How terribly sad that religions teach otherwise, in direct contradiction to what we observe. Furthermore, any thinking person should consider the following: even in the unlikely event that a "god" existed, on what grounds should anyone feel obligated to it (assuming we had a way to know what it wanted)? What if we disagreed with it? I'm sure you've been indoctrinated, and the sooner you learn to think critically, the sooner you will abandon your ancient superstition.
@@vgrof2315 lol .. really!? Then why are you here listening to this video? The truth is that you have an itch to scratch and your inner most being is unsettled and craves connection to it's Maker. Jesus Christ Loves you sir! And that will never change... If only your heart would🙏
@@chikkipop morality has everything to do with God... if there is no God then there is no moral code, beacuse then by what standard do you live, who's standard? Science? Look around and observe as you say! Everything you see and touch is the made from miraculous hands of God. Intelligent design - requires an intellectual maker! Have you driven your car lately? Did design and purpose come together in order to build that machine? Or did evolution suddenly put it together? Your eyeball for example is a marvel of design no lens has ever come close to its replication. Knowing God? If you listened to John Lennox video you would understand that God incarnate is Jesus Christ. He Loves Sir...and that will not change, if only your heart would 🙏
@@SheepDog1974 The "itch to scratch" is the desire to speak out about our fellow humans and their remarkably naïve belief in ancient superstition. YOU don't get to decide anything about our "inner most being," especially given your own blindness to the *indoctrination* that led to your magical beliefs.
The people I see struggling the hardest with these questions are the ones who have never heard what True Christianity says, but they've listened to what this denomination or that denomination says ABOUT what the Bible says. That's like hearing an ignorant neighbor talking about another neighbor and buying into it, instead of going and meeting that neighbor for yourself, and forming your own opinion. Start with the book of John. (The Bible is not chronologic to be read as a novel.) It's YOUR soul at stake, don't let anyone else have the final Word, but God!
>I can listen to John Lennox talk all daylong. Me too...I was so privileged to attend the Cambridge Apologetics Conference in 2023 and this year also and the experience has stayed with me every day.. a C.S Lewis for our age... warmest regards, Karen
We as human beings must place the blame for bombs squarely on mankind's shoulders. Stop trying to lay the blame on God. On the seventh day he rested from his creative work and saw what he had done was very good. That being the case, why has this world of men turned pear-shaped? Man turned his back on God's will and became his own god. It was true 'in the beginning' and it is just as true now. Men have and are turning their back against God and reaping the harvest of that anti-God sowing, i.e. suffering and everlasting separation from truth.. The law of cause and effect is at work in every life, faith in God is not just a one time event, those who have been justified by faith are to also live their lives by faith. Right living is the cause of blessing even in the midst of underserved suffering, but just how much of our suffering is underserved? It is in regards to the suffering of little children that this question becomes harder to answer. However you are not a little child, you have sinned and come short of God's glory (perfection). God is in Jesus Christ reconciling mankind (you) back to himself... what are you doing with Jesus Christ? If God has provided for your reconciliation I am confident he has provided for little children.
I had the high honor of sharing a week long conference with Dr. John. Each of us spoke twice per day. I felt so utterly small; but he was so very gracious, kind, and encouraging. His passion is as prodigious as is his vast intellect. He’s genuinely humble and kind. A treasure to the church.
Thank you God for men like John Lennox, relatable and understandable explanations to difficult questions for believers and non believers alike. I pray that you will continue to raise up more men like John Lennox.
I knew Jesus Christ in my suffering. Not in church, not in family, not in friends, not in school, not while I was peaceful, not while I was happy, but during the darkest struggles of my life. There He was, and the cross. Only then I realized, how in my suffering, compared to Jesus Christ on the cross, Im way too comfortable.
What an amazing testimony. So many Christians, including myself, falter in the face of real adversity. You make me want to do better. Many God bless you. Thank you.
First off, the "question of suffering" is NOT the hardest question we have to face. But, the question of suffering IS directly related and a result of the actual "hardest question". what is it? i will explain: In Genesis, when Adam and Eve rebelled against God and ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad, they were not merely eating from a random tree. it had a title. Titles are given to things of importance or significance. That Tree represented God's authority over mankind. In eating, they stated that THEY would decide right and wrong themselves. notice that i said "would". not "could". we were never given that ability to rule one another successfully. our problems of wars, violence, injustice, hunger, disease, death, etc. all prove that we cannot. Adam and Eve's rebellion led, eventually, to mankind's earthwide governments. therefore, the hardest question we have to ask ourselves is, "will i show myself a rebel also and choose to support Satan's system? will i show support by voting, joining the military, getting involved in politics, etc?" OR "will i follow the bible and trust that God will sanctify His name in the future?" that automatically answers your question of why there is suffering in the world.
The problem of evil is indeed a serious challenge to theism, however, as John lennox makes clear, it is, in many ways, a greater problem for atheism. The question points to morality and is not why such and such is evil but why is it evil? Without recourse to supernatural answer, athesim needs to be able to provide a mdoel for morality that does not reduce to fallacious appeals to force or number. Nothing is true simply because of how many people believe it. Also, to the atheist who believes it is up to the individual, it is worth noting that even the value of 1 is a number and so basing a moral code in that way is logically invalid.
Unfortunately, Mr. Lennox does not seem to understand that the concept of good and bad (evil) is simply a human construct. Good and bad have no meaning outside of human existence. The universe (or nature) is amoral and indifferent to the plight of all living organisms including, or course, H. sapiens.
The reason they wonder about suffering is because they want what they want and they want it now, instead of accepting God's Truth. Jesus said, "daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me but for yourselves and your children". He warned us of evil things coming down the road, but people want God to just fix everything now. He can fix everything now, but that would mean destroying everything now.
Atheists are fond of pointing out various shortcomings in the Bible, which, if one is minded to think that the Bible is inerrant, those shortcomings become significant as they demonstrate the opposite. But I have yet to see an atheist video on the shortcomings of Jesus' teachings. They all dodge the central questions of the Water of Life (the Spirit of Truth) and the Bread of Life (his outstanding teachings), and whether or not it is rational to become more perfect.
And as my good friend who is also a professional chemist and theologian would say. Today's questions about the Bible are beyind anything they ever thought would even be conceived.
@@NSOcarth That's irrelevant. Baptised babies are still pure of faith in Christian/Jewish law. Jesus himself stated that children are pure and free of sin.
I think most of his logic here is pretty poor, to be honest. Morality does have a rational basis - it's what happens when organisms like humans can recognise that the pain certain things cause in them will cause similar pain in others. It's about our brain-state, our emotions, our experiences and logic. To expect morality to be baked into the universe, even to inanimate objects a thousand light-years away, or to be "above" humanity, is silly. Morality is a human social concept. It's real, it's important, and it's a rational part of human life. The idea that the "atheist way" has problems is just silly. Atheism is just non-belief in theology. It doesn't have a specific way of dealing with suffering; there are atheist Buddhists, there are atheist drug addicts, there are atheist counsellors. It's like saying not-stamp-collecting is a bad hobby since it doesn't pass the time. Just illogical nonsense, I think. The Good God/Suffering problem does have a simple answer - there isn't a God.
If you believe God is unknowable you’re still in the dark. It may sound offensive but we are genuinely trying to reach you who don’t know Him. He’s not unreachable, but there is a process to finding him. If you’re unwilling to accept his terms you’ll only come to know Him when it’s too late. That reality is hard to face.
@@coryanderson5210 *"you’ll only come to know Him when it’s too late. That reality is hard to face."* Too late for what? And what *reality* is hard to face? And who is *"Him"?* *"It may sound offensive but we are genuinely trying to reach you"* What's offensive is making very strange claims and not having the slightest reason anyone should accept them.
Death and suffering was not God’s original plan; it was only after man sinned that decay came into the world, and death is a part of that. God is STILL the answer to pain and suffering as well as evil. This is why we pray…. 😎✝️
So God said, “Oops”? He did not know this would happen? Then why was Christ slain “from the disruption of the world”.(Rev. 13:8). That was before Adam and Eve.
Wow! What an apt submission! And no doubts, it is well articulated too. Refreshingly liberating! In summary, it answers to a very large extent the questions bothering our minds on the authenticity of Christianity. Well said Sir!
This is how alcoholics overcome alcoholism. By trusting in a higher power. God. The only catch is you've got to pass it on to someone else. Helping others stay sober helps yourself stay sober. Once the ball begins rolling, your whole life is transformed from the inside out. By gods grace.
Christians have been trying to figure out what the Bible says for two thousand years now arguing so much that there are thousands of denominations. Do some real work instead of babbling about why there is suffering. "The Lord is powerful", and yet he's been sleeping really hard for a very long time, handing over all the work to us humans, without coear instructions but to worship him. What a waste of energy.
@@NSOcarth I've been busy doing meaningful stuff for 11 months since I wrote my comment. What have you been doing? You'd wish the god illusion could meet even the basic standard.
Suffering is like the rain, it falls on the just and unjust. God could minutely control it where it only falls on the unjust. But then the liberty He grants to humanity, would be sorely curtailed. We are free to err, but also free to win. Still in this journey called life we often make mistakes, often are in the wrong place, or just have a scale that must be balanced. And only God knows ALL the answers. This I believe, without God I would be LOST. Thankfully, I have Christ who leads me. Thank You Lord. Godspeed pilgrims.
Here's a short poem I'd like to dedicate to Mr. Lennox and others of his ilk. The poem was penned by Philip Appleman. “GERTRUDE” I wish that all the people who peddle God could watch my mother die: could see the skin and gristle weighing only seventy-nine, every stubborn pound of flesh a small death. I wish the people who peddle God could see her young, lovely in gardens and beautiful in kitchens, and could watch the hand of God slowly twisting her knees and fingers till they gnarled and knotted, settling in for thirty years of pain. I wish the people who peddle God could see the lightning of His cancer stabbing her, that small frame tensing at every shock, her sweet contralto scratchy with the Lord’s infection: Philip, I want to die. I wish I had them gathered round, those preachers, popes, rabbis, imams, priests - every pious shill on God’s payroll - and I would pull the sheets from my mother’s brittle body, and they would fall on their knees at her bedside to be forgiven all their faith.
Jesus cares, he suffered immensely , it’s a broken world we live in, sadly, many “ christian’s” aren’t being the hands feet and taking action for the suffering people, yet, many are. There is evil too, Does this poet have a work aimed at evils influence ? All the best Denny.
Nobody "peddles" God because God is not for sale. You cannot buy his favor. Everyone of us has seen such pain. Human suffering happens. Death happens to each and every one of us. Yes, we have seen this. Yet, we refuse to denounce God and our faith in Christ because we have hope in forgiveness of all our sins when we stand before God on judgement day. That is the day we are resurrected to eternal life where there is no pain, no sickness and not tears. That is worthy of joy.
God can draw straight with crooked lines. He uses secondary causes to move us to the place we were always meant to be - with Him. What is confusing is why the fall happened in the first place. Can't get my head around two people who walked arm and arm with God every day would disobey and turn their back on Him
At 5:54, we have a passage that addresses that: "For WE DO NOT HAVE A HIGH PRIEST WHO IS UNABLE TO SYMPATHIZE WITH OUR WEAKNESSES, BUT ONE WHO IN EVERY RESPECT HAS BEEN TEMPTED AS WE ARE, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."-Hebrews 4:15-16.
Adam and Eve brought pain into the picture - meaning Man - not God. We are the sinners - the gluttons, the avaricious, the Proud, the vain, the lascivious, the wrongdoers, the thieves, the sick minded… not God. It is not whether we believe in Him that matters- It is surprising that He still believes in us. But He does - and the right ones of us will always try out utmost to TRY to be there for Him in perfect symmetry to the degree to which He’s there for us… We raise our lives to the love of Him.
I don't miss that John Lennox position of Dr., Math Prof. at Oxford and mainly as Christian and his message that he is not "looked down on" by his equals to be, unusually, so well-versed with proof and facts. His respect provides him with listening by them ! I hope they respond.
on, and on....blah, blah, blah, the same message, all the time....yesterday I saw a blip, on tv...about suffering, in reference to character building.....that there is a ....good....reason, for suffering, otherwise God, somehow, has let us down.....suffering brings, change, and more importantly, growth....
When we look at what God is growing here, suffering and evil make more sense, don’t they? Isn’t God growing our faith and love? Do suffering and evil help or hinder the development of our faith and love? And doesn’t John answer it beautifully?
Wrong context, bro. People who doesn't have a real connection with God, when they experience evil and deep suffering they will tend to get bitter and deppressed, some even to the point of committing suicide. Only those who are connected in a real way with God and has repeatedly experience His personal love for them filling their hearts, will have the inner strength and wisdom to go through all the tribulations and be victorious. I have seen religious and active church members fall into deep deppression and bitterness when they experienced tragedy in their lives (ex. the death of their most beloved son/daughter).
@@vtino4825 remember the parable of “Wheat and Tares” and “Talents”. We are all together, evildoers and (trying to be) righteous, and we are all given different gifts, and everyone of us are judged by what we have done with our own set of gifts, and are not compared to anyone else, are we?
At 02:57, John Lennox asserts, "There is no rational justification for morality if there is no God." Despite being a frequently advocated argument among theists, this conclusion is flawed for several reasons. Morality, in essence, is fundamentally an evolutionary construction, grounded in the innate desire of living entities to survive. This shared drive for prolonged existence forms the basis of moral principles for both atheists and theists. In contrast, God is immortal and does not rely on a moral framework for survival. In essence, it is erroneous to attempt to reconcile the nature of an immortal God with the temporal concerns of mortal beings.
Darwin and Freud used the excuse of pain to justify walking away from a Creator. Personally, I think the more educated the person is the more they are just looking for an excuse that way they don't have to obey the Creator's Natural Laws. That's not going to work on judgment day. The smart person knows the Creator cannot be "odepus rex'ed" and should start a plea bargain.
John seamlessly moves away from difficult questions changing the subject as he goes. So let's go back to the start and try again. Why does a loving God allow such suffering and tragedy which wasn't man made. If you can't give a straight answer I'm going with Dawkins natural selection, even though it holds no comfort.
No. Theists refuse to look at how incredibly unlikely it is that a supernatural realm exists. They somehow manage to believe that brain cancer killing millions of children over the history of our species is consistent with a good God.
"Where do you get the concept of good and evil from?" Hopefully not from the Bible. The Bible calls for genocide in 1 Samuel 15, and for owning human beings as slaves in Leviticus 25:44-46. Really disgusting. I object to that, and thus, I claim a higher moral ground than the god of the Bible.
1John 5.19 :" We know we originate with God but the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one. " ( Until Jesus returns and establishes God's kingdom rule 'on earth as it is in heaven', this is still Satan World with all the suffering and death that results.) Isaiah65. 17,,, 2Peter3. 13,,, Rev21.1 The Promised New World .
Humans, down through the ages, have prayed to God for a good life -- free from suffering. They shouldn't pray to the Judaeo-Christian God. Dr. Lennox is right. Down through the ages followers of the Judaeo-Christian God, both Jews and Gentiles, have suffered. The Bible is full of stories of suffering. The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16 is the way Jesus storified suffering. The Gospel of Prosperity is not one of the Four Gospels.
he should stick to arithmetic..he knows nothing about outer space . celestial beings and all the other supernatural superstitious nonsense..amen ps he possible knows about Iris Leprechauns
The difference between religious people and athiests is that athiests do not believe in God, but most WOULD believe given ANY actual proof or evidence, and they accept that while not believing, they cannot PROVE God does not exist…..Religious people believe in God, WITHOUT any actual proof or evidence, and they accept while they cannot prove it, they don’t have to. One side believes one thing, but is willing to be open minded to evidence. The other side believes one thing, but keeps their eyes firmly closed to actual evidence. With all the “proof” over thousands of years, that religious people have, they could still not go to court and PROVE he exists.
If Christianity is true, it gives meaning to suffering and hope for redemption. If not, other systems of thought or philosophies need to be explored to address fundamental existential questions. The argument largely hinges on accepting Christianity as true. For some, basing happiness or consolation on a hypothesis can seem fragile. For those who adhere to Christianity, faith in its doctrines and promises can provide a framework of meaning and comfort. However, for others, this faith might be seen as an uncertain hypothesis rather than an established truth.
⭐❤️🕊️🔥👿The problem of the problem of many problems coming from assuming that an innocent or a god took all sins and suffering in a cross is simple (preventing evil people of learning a lesson or to at least to develope some kind of sense of instrospection: the evidence tells u that suffering and evil has multiplied and reproduced and has taken complex delusional forms as society as species as beings... So... Answering that suffering of one brings happiness to others...prove itself as a lie.... Instead of being talking about a "god", why not to have the love of even care about ...also preventing his and/or anyone suffering? We should start doing what we supposedly have as an ideal. But sincerely, all conversation, music, literature, reaction tend to reveal that humanity is addicted to and worship: suffering itself, over any love god person or idea. There u go, I Am Not and I Am. There's no need for a devil, ask any animal what they see when they see u.
A belief in God is commendable - that is, until you are older and are able to observe, discern, and experience God all around you in every moment. The real 'hardest question we have to face' is why we worship a tribal god written into existence by a Middle Eastern people found to be so vile, disgusting, deceitful, and murderous that they have been expelled from 109 Western lands more than 1000 times over the millennia. One might suspect this to be majestic cognitive dissonance - especially since our country was founded under Nature's God and Natural Law, as written in the first sentence of the Declaration of Independence.
There is an explanation for beauty and bombs. Satan is the god of this world as proclaimed by Jesus Himself. But after His Resurrection, He sent the Hiky Sprit to be our Comforter.
So god has suffered as well (on the cross) ... with the "minor distinction" that he resurrected himself, already knew that he would resurrect himself before he would be cruxfied, etcetera. And that's not even adressing the problem that an eternal and omnipotent god cannot die. So basically this god tricked us. Making us believing we need to suffer, because he also suffered (not really). Hence, why should we suffer when he doesn't? What's the point in suffering when he's able to prevent it?
I don't need a fictional book to tell me what is good or bad and none of us ever have. I don't take others stuff because I don't like my stuff being taken, I don't hurt people because I don't like being hurt and so on. Such a lazy argument by an apologist! Fyi if God existed, apologetics wouldn't, fact.
That was so subjective. The proof is in the pudding? Could have used that to apply to any given religion. Other religions have provided succour and transformations too.
It's not too late for you to abandon God, the church and everything associated with it. For years you have been dictated to and told that you are unworthy. How dare any teachings demean you and tell you that you're not worthy or good enough to be in the presence of a God who obviously doesn't care about your fate. You have wasted a good deal of your life on this useless entity and it hasn't done you one skerrick of good. It's time for you to shake off all the hangups associated with Christianity and become a real person, begin to appreciate and enjoy what the world offers you, fun, adventure and hedonism. No more feelings of guilt, paranoia, fear and unworthiness. Banish Jesus, God and all the luggage they have loaded you up with since childhood, explore your potential which has been suppressed for so long, open up your mind without any religious restrictions. Tell Jesus to mount his camel and take a hike. You'll be amazed at how good it makes you feel. Religion is for people who are afraid of life and don't have any faith in themselves.
Very clever. Says "how do know its evil". 1No one calls it evil 2 Why should we see God as the only source of morality. 3 Atheism has nothing to do with morality.
"There is no rational justification for morality if there is no god" - he got that almost right. It's just that it's the opposite. With god, there is no rational justification for morals. Reason one is a systematic one: Before you argue that without god there is no rational justification for morality, you first need to prove the existence of god. Mankind so far has failed in that attempt, and so has JL. It is admitted, though, that JL normally argues from a presuppositionalist standpoint. You may do that for the sake of an intellectual exercise, but irrespective of the outcome, you still have all your work ahead of you evidencing that there is such a "god". Reason two is a historic one: Name a moral statement or action, uttered or performed by a religious person, that could not have been uttered or performed by an unbeliever. You will not find one. But name an evil or immoral statement or act, made or performed by a believer, that can only be attributed to his or her religious faith. And you will have no problems coming up with an endless list. (This known as the "Hitchens challenge".)
The notion that what is good and what is evil comes from God is flawed. The exemplar for the flaw is Buddhism. While some forms of Buddhism have deity-like entities, it intentionally and explicitly excludes the notion of God. Yet in it's Eightfold Path, precepts, radiant abodes it has a more fully formed notion of good and evil than Christianity.
I'm curious 🤔 about how John says Christianity when he is talking about the scriptures and the understanding Christians claim to be the truth when they themselves are under the circumstances of the resurrection the book of Mark explained the true signs of the true believers, Mark chapter 16 read it. The Gospel is preached only with power not of men's religious ideals, the relationship belongs to the believers that whomever can believe to be saved to be reacquainted with his creator and divine Heavenly Father, the Apostle Paul wrote I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is power 😇🕊️
Hazarat Imam Ali AS Atheist asked question that what reason you give me about God existances Hazarat Imam Ali AS answered despites seeing watching God creaters humans beings animals things in the world you dont believe who made world Universe you is it possible world univrrse human beings made themselves Atheist accepted God and become a muslim
The problem of suffering is that God sits by and does nothing about it. I hear that God is sad when people suffer. Big whoop. As for social good and evil, they come from community norms that have evolved in hunans as well as in social animals. The threat of eternal punishment in the afterlife is just a crude way of enforcing norms.
I listen keenly to John when he talks about God in general, but when he tries to make God and Christ same he appears delusional, because Because Jesus never claimed to be God,on the contrary biblical verses clearly show he wasn't
There may be a God and if there is - this beast has good and evil in equal measure within it. Either way you can’t worship evil so the argument is lost. My opinion.
Nobody seems to look at the suffering from a creators view . Imagine for a minute you were God or a creator and you created everything we see and touch . You would know there is a better place if your the almighty. Why would suffering matter to that extent ? To a creator suffering is going to happen if we ever expect to get to his promised land . The reason we see suffering here on Earth as a problem is because we hurt for our loved ones. But take for instance that God could intervene into an earthquake and save lives instead of allowing death , do you not think that those same lives are going to die years later? Those same people who are saved in that earthquake are still going die later . We all are we all suffer. I personally have seen many of my friends pass before me a few died of leukemia , they suffered ....It hurt me as well . We're not going to live forever no matter how many times suffering could be prevented here on Earth . To me saying there is no God because of the suffering that is going on means you expect there to be no suffering for anyone if there was a loving God as if we should be living here on Earth forever . That idea alone scares me because it would mean that every single person who has already died instead would still be living. What a suffering place this would be under that kind of place . There would be no space to live comfortable. The food would become scarce from so many people living here who would want to be here for that?
Does anyone else find the utter pomposity of this man very off-putting? He is very pleased with himself and loves the sound of his own voice. He seems to think he is some sort of Messiah himself. Whatever happened to humility?
I am came to a convincing thought that serves to answer the question where is God in suffering, if he is all good why allow so much evil and pain. The answer I came to is God if he exists would have good reason to justify holding back his power which allows evil to manifest. He has good reason to allow laws of nature to play out on the earth as a natural occurrence of how the nature of physics works. In order to allow the natural world with free world to exist God had good reason to do it the way he did. God has good reason to force himself to operate within the limits of the natural laws he created. What is that good reason we can only speculate on. We might even be able to conceive of what good reason would be to an ultimate intellect that is beyond time itself. Maybe pain and suffering is the only way free will and natural reality can exist. Maybe creating it the way he did was the only way to create a intelligible physical reality that functions logically.
So true deny God and say there is no objective morality only subjective morality then you can no longer use words like good or evil all you can say is my morality is different from yours.
It seems that John Lennox is fed up of losing debates, so he has taken to telling believers, in the absence of non believers, why there must be a god. Frankly he has nothing to say that is relevant!
There are some who wrote about it but very few indeed... Probably it is hard for them to understand it because it seems not related to the common gospel being preached by the evangelists...
@@Truth-Be-Told-USA, Sorry, I don't have an excellent memory, but I have read it somewhere sometime, and I concluded that if someone write it, then there might be some others who write it also among these multi millions of Christians, if I have not read it, will I know it? Did you survey the multi millions of Christians that you concluded that none write about it? Plsase use your brain sometimes if you have time...
@@reynaldodavid2913Jo you need to provide the evidence not me. You believe that event actually happened and yet you have zero evidence. I use my brain and consider evidence before deciding on reality of events
@@Truth-Be-Told-USAthe event actually happening was indeed recorded by non Christian Roman and Jewish historians. I will not be able to tell you all of the overwhelming evidence for that event in a RUclips comment section, but the tiniest research from you will see many answers. I recommend looking into lee strobel and what he discovered
This is the video that changed my mind completely I am catholic but I had questions and I was skeptic, Mr John Lenox you are a truly man of God for doing what you do, God bless you Sir, I have now restablished my faith ! God it’s incredible, he revealed to me ! I was in complete tears feeling something inexplicable ❤ it was God
@MarisaHoare I want to scream it to the world ! I’ve never felt this peace before, the way I’m conducting my life now it’s completely different, for the first time in my life I can say I am happy to be alive 🥺, I was too depressed and I was smoking marihuana to relieve the pain of living in this materialistic world..
@@Netomp51 Glad to hear you are seeking after God again.. :)
Catholozism is different to the Bible though, just saying... It is actually anti biblical the teachings of the catholic church.
@@e.n.6079 do you have any arguments for that ? I would be Glad to refute that statement.
@@e.n.6079 maybe you didnt know this and thats fine but Catholics were the oned who decided which books are in the Bible today, so saying catholicism is antibiblical implies ignorance
Why? If Christianity is true, it gives meaning to suffering and hope for redemption. If not, other systems of thought or philosophies need to be explored to address fundamental existential questions. The argument largely hinges on accepting Christianity as true. For some, basing happiness or consolation on a hypothesis can seem fragile. For those who adhere to Christianity, faith in its doctrines and promises can provide a framework of meaning and comfort. However, for others, this faith might be seen as an uncertain hypothesis rather than an established truth.
Sitting here trying to prepare myself everyday for a phone call that my sick twenty five year old Daughter is gone; my only comfort right now is the cross. My saviors resurrection ensures me that no matter what happens, ill will see her again in paradise. GOD bless you Dr. Lennox. Please pray for my Daughter.
I am speechless to say anything meaningful. All I know is that I will see you both in Heaven one day with the Lord.
GOD Bless you
Must be a terrible road to walk when a parent lost a child.. I can only hug you and give words of encouragement.
'This is the word of the Lord: we who are alive in Him and remain on earth when the Lord appears will by no means have an advantage over those who have already died, for both will rise together. For the Lord Himself will appear with the declaration of victory, the shout of an archangel, and the trumpet blast of God. He will descend from the heavenly realm and command those who are dead in Christ to rise first. Then we who are alive will join them, transported together in clouds to have an encounter with the Lord in the air, and we will be forever joined with the Lord. So encourage one another with these truths'.
1Thes 4:13-18
@@ollenjeffries2535 Our son has CF so we have worried about him all his life. All I know is that my Redeemer lives.
Praying for yourself and your daughter
Thank you !
Christianity and Judaism are both testable. I tested them both and came to the conclusion that I am Messiah, Shiloh, Joshua, the Branch.
Quick question for those who think they truly understand these words: what does the word Shiloh have in common with the name Joshua? The answer to this is the reason that Jews expected the Savior Messiah to be named Joshua (yes, that's my name). Shiloh means something like "He for whom it is," as in, the one for whom the World was made. This is the result of a clearly 'Semitic' existential philosophizing, as in Job:
All of this must have some purpose, and so, whoever fulfills that purpose must be the one for whom everything is made (this thinking is similar to some Mesopotamian concepts regarding kingship), and thus, that person is referred to as Shiloh.
Now, in the El Amarna letters (if you don't know, go read), the Canaanites of middle 2nd millenium bce used the word ia-ši to mean "for me." Of course, "Joshua" conquered the Canaanites in the Hebrew myth. The glory of the conquering of Canaan was "for him," and so he was named "for me." The Assyrians used the same word, ia-ši with the same meaning. Hebrew scribes exiled in Assyria (a millennia after the claimed time of Joshua) would have noted this word and used it as a symbolic filler for the true history. The true history is preserved in the El Amarna letters, where Canaanite rulers are writing to the Pharaoh asking for his assistance in defending Canaan from invading 'Apiru, who eventually established themselves in Canaan around that time, taking many cities. The 'Apiru/Habiru/SA.GAZ were a class of "dusty" ('Apiru is cognate to Hebrew epher, meaning "dust") people who were known as murderers and thieves. Their history stretches back to Southern Mesopotamia, from which they eventually migrated to Canaan, exactly as the mythical Abraham. The only people attacking Canaanite cities around the time of "Joshua" were the 'Apiru, Hebrews. This is fairly apparent in the record, so the Hebrew descendants of those marauders rewrote history to paint themselves and their claim to Canaan and all of the Levant in a valid light, by way of this idea that God mandated their conquering of Canaan, because it was FOR JOSHUA. Indeed, it was FOR ME.
I would be really interested to know how a discussion with Sam Harris and John Lennox would go.....
Sam Harris would make John Lennox look like an idiot.
John would roll out the same old strawman arguments.
Sam would call him out on it.
John would smile in his best impression of a Teletubby and continue to lie and assert fallacious arguments and declare himself the winner.
Please share with other people my two brief videos. Thank you!
I just watched a few minutes of one of them and it was so funny I couldn't stop laughing.
@@chikkipop Hey, Dennis: It's no laughing matter that you believe that random mutations of DNA (accidents and chance) resulted in all life as we know it today.
It would be easier to believe in the Tooth Fairy than to believe that all life forms today owe their existence to accidents and chance. That would be funny!
Take care.
@@thetruthaboutscienceandgod6921 I see you have a limited repertoire, since this is exactly what you said elsewhere.
You clearly don't understand evolution, which is by no means all "accident & chance." You ought to read a few science books, but more importantly, you ought to consider improving your character, without which you lack the integrity to examine the issue honestly. This is depressingly common among believers in ancient superstitions.
@@chikkipop Hey, Dennis: You wrote that my repertoire is limited. Well, the truth is the truth and there are only just so many ways to say that.
Regarding the theory of evolution, if you've watched my first video, then you know that I state in there that if God did make use of evolution, that's certainly fine with me. Thus, your complaint about my view of evolution is really moot.
The real focus of my two videos is on scientific facts contained in the Bible; facts that today's scientists agree with!
Let's see if you can refute those facts. But, I'll give you a hint: You won't be able to refute them because facts are facts.
Thank you for your comments. Take care.
On suffering - I agree that God shares all our suffering with us, in addition to experiencing it on the cross. But the question "why does God permit suffering" starts with a faulty premise. It assumes we are incapable of preventing suffering ourselves. Mentally and logistically, we're capable of preventing a lot of suffering, what we're not capable of, is getting everyone to agree that we're all in this together.
Suffering is the consequence of bad choices... ours, our parents, our leaders, etc. If pain and suffering were not the result of bad choices, we'd have no feedback loop letting us know when we had messed up! We would never, ever learn from any of our mistakes! Is that what any atheist wants?????? And yet, that's the implication of this widespread trope. Mommy saved us from our bad choices as kids, why doesn't God? Uh, 'cause God wants us to grow up? Just like a normal father would do? Hmmm... very interesting...
My mom didn’t bring a rare cancer on herself cause of bad choices
She has zero risk factors for any cancer
Suffering isn’t always from choices
It’s a part of the world god made
@@timSquash do you think the cure for cancer exists?
Honestly, this guy is one of the few apologists who I believe is truly saved.. With many others you see pride, absent from love for Christ. You see arguments, yet no thought or heart for Christ. He points to Christ, and not his opinion or argument. I usually don't like apologists, because of the pride you see coming from them, the way they look down on people who's eyes have not been opened, yet with him you can see he understands that it is only by grace that his eyes have been opened. I also loved how he didn't say that he believes in Christ because of great reasoning, arguments or scholastic evidences but because of the actual human evidence; the power of change that salvation brings. As Paul said, I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God unto salvation... it truly is powerful and not some dead believe that leaves you unchanged.
Like who? Because I'd love to evaluate them myself. Thanks.
Kristian - Yes, but only IF we submit to it.
I've been a believer for just over 20 years and I've struggled. But I've seen greater joy in tough times than in good times. Being in the will of God is where we find contentment when the world gives us disease and death.
@@ultimatebugsRavi Zacharias, and all them guys from Apologia Studios (all calvinists) who pride themselves so much on their "knowledge" and eloquence
I wouldn't be quite so dismissive of apologists in general, but you do touch on a truth. Winning the argument against atheism is important in the sense that we have aeons of misinformation to correct. The culture has been at war against Christ for hundreds of years and we can't abandon our children to be at the mercies of these ravenous wolves that we call religious skeptics.
That said, if what motivates the apologist is simply the desire to win the argument or make a name for himself, he's doing it for the wrong reason and it may turn out not to be helpful for his own spiritual well-being.
"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’" -- Matthew 7:21-23
We have to be on His side, not on ours.
@@leedise2383m
I can listen to John Lennox talk all daylong. What a treasure.
Don’t shove it too far
Lennox is way off. In my book Homoexternicus I mention that no one on planet earth knows what god is and that includes Lennox. I would debate him on this point any day but he will avoid me.
wake up.
100% agree! John Lennox is a beautiful man!!! I Love him too!
I prefer to listen Doug Batchelor and Amazing Facts
How I love this man! An incredible mind and a beautiful heart. Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us, Prof Lennox ❤🇿🇦
This god, John believes in, is an all-loving, all-knowing one "IS IT"?
THAT GOD CAN NOT EXIST, but if one does exist, then it is clearly a psychopathic one!
you know, allows such a world where 15,000 innocent children die every day, yet we are told
it's a loving god?? BS!
Every time I listen to him I say the same thing.
His mind is clouded by religious beliefs. No one on planet Earth knows what god is.
"there is no rational justification for morality without God; and there is no rational justification for science without God"🙏
*"there is no rationale justification for morality without God; and there is no rationale justification for science without God"*
Nonsense, and *very common* nonsense. Morality is a human project. It evolved as we evolved, and does not require some external judge. Science is a method of investigation *humans* developed. How terribly sad that religions teach otherwise, in direct contradiction to what we observe.
Furthermore, any thinking person should consider the following: even in the unlikely event that a "god" existed, on what grounds should anyone feel obligated to it (assuming we had a way to know what it wanted)? What if we disagreed with it?
I'm sure you've been indoctrinated, and the sooner you learn to think critically, the sooner you will abandon your ancient superstition.
BS
@@vgrof2315 lol .. really!? Then why are you here listening to this video? The truth is that you have an itch to scratch and your inner most being is unsettled and craves connection to it's Maker. Jesus Christ Loves you sir! And that will never change... If only your heart would🙏
@@chikkipop morality has everything to do with God... if there is no God then there is no moral code, beacuse then by what standard do you live, who's standard?
Science? Look around and observe as you say! Everything you see and touch is the made from miraculous hands of God. Intelligent design - requires an intellectual maker! Have you driven your car lately? Did design and purpose come together in order to build that machine? Or did evolution suddenly put it together? Your eyeball for example is a marvel of design no lens has ever come close to its replication.
Knowing God? If you listened to John Lennox video you would understand that God incarnate is Jesus Christ. He Loves Sir...and that will not change, if only your heart would 🙏
@@SheepDog1974 The "itch to scratch" is the desire to speak out about our fellow humans and their remarkably naïve belief in ancient superstition. YOU don't get to decide anything about our "inner most being," especially given your own blindness to the *indoctrination* that led to your magical beliefs.
The people I see struggling the hardest with these questions are the ones who have never heard what True Christianity says, but they've listened to what this denomination or that denomination says ABOUT what the Bible says. That's like hearing an ignorant neighbor talking about another neighbor and buying into it, instead of going and meeting that neighbor for yourself, and forming your own opinion. Start with the book of John. (The Bible is not chronologic to be read as a novel.)
It's YOUR soul at stake, don't let anyone else have the final Word, but God!
>I can listen to John Lennox talk all daylong.
Me too...I was so privileged to attend the Cambridge Apologetics Conference in 2023 and this year also
and the experience has stayed with me every day.. a C.S Lewis for our age...
warmest regards,
Karen
What a a man of GOD Dr. Lennox is- I am so honored to find his teachings and his love. God bless you John!!!!
We as human beings must place the blame for bombs squarely on mankind's shoulders. Stop trying to lay the blame on God. On the seventh day he rested from his creative work and saw what he had done was very good.
That being the case, why has this world of men turned pear-shaped?
Man turned his back on God's will and became his own god. It was true 'in the beginning' and it is just as true now. Men have and are turning their back against God and reaping the harvest of that anti-God sowing, i.e. suffering and everlasting separation from truth..
The law of cause and effect is at work in every life, faith in God is not just a one time event, those who have been justified by faith are to also live their lives by faith. Right living is the cause of blessing even in the midst of underserved suffering, but just how much of our suffering is underserved?
It is in regards to the suffering of little children that this question becomes harder to answer.
However you are not a little child, you have sinned and come short of God's glory (perfection). God is in Jesus Christ reconciling mankind (you) back to himself... what are you doing with Jesus Christ? If God has provided for your reconciliation I am confident he has provided for little children.
I had the high honor of sharing a week long conference with Dr. John. Each of us spoke twice per day. I felt so utterly small; but he was so very gracious, kind, and encouraging. His passion is as prodigious as is his vast intellect. He’s genuinely humble and kind. A treasure to the church.
Thank you God for men like John Lennox, relatable and understandable explanations to difficult questions for believers and non believers alike. I pray that you will continue to raise up more men like John Lennox.
I knew Jesus Christ in my suffering. Not in church, not in family, not in friends, not in school, not while I was peaceful, not while I was happy, but during the darkest struggles of my life. There He was, and the cross. Only then I realized, how in my suffering, compared to Jesus Christ on the cross, Im way too comfortable.
What an amazing testimony. So many Christians, including myself, falter in the face of real adversity. You make me want to do better. Many God bless you.
Thank you.
First off, the "question of suffering" is NOT the hardest question we have to face. But, the question of suffering IS directly related and a result of the actual "hardest question". what is it? i will explain:
In Genesis, when Adam and Eve rebelled against God and ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad, they were not merely eating from a random tree. it had a title. Titles are given to things of importance or significance. That Tree represented God's authority over mankind. In eating, they stated that THEY would decide right and wrong themselves. notice that i said "would". not "could". we were never given that ability to rule one another successfully. our problems of wars, violence, injustice, hunger, disease, death, etc. all prove that we cannot. Adam and Eve's rebellion led, eventually, to mankind's earthwide governments. therefore, the hardest question we have to ask ourselves is, "will i show myself a rebel also and choose to support Satan's system? will i show support by voting, joining the military, getting involved in politics, etc?" OR "will i follow the bible and trust that God will sanctify His name in the future?" that automatically answers your question of why there is suffering in the world.
Just brilliant! Oh to be as eloquent and knowledgeable as John Lennox. What a gift God has given him. Christ centred and so powerful.
Thank you for sharing
That is sarcasm?
If made-up superstitious religious nonsense can fool the educated Dr. John Lennox, imagine what it could do to not-so-educated ordinary folks.
Praise the Lord for John Lennox
The problem of evil is indeed a serious challenge to theism, however, as John lennox makes clear, it is, in many ways, a greater problem for atheism. The question points to morality and is not why such and such is evil but why is it evil? Without recourse to supernatural answer, athesim needs to be able to provide a mdoel for morality that does not reduce to fallacious appeals to force or number. Nothing is true simply because of how many people believe it. Also, to the atheist who believes it is up to the individual, it is worth noting that even the value of 1 is a number and so basing a moral code in that way is logically invalid.
He’s right. I’m one of those addicts that discovered Christ who transformed me and rescued me from the domain of darkness!
the man with communication major, love the way his vocabulary paints understanding.
John Lenox is one of the only insanely brilliant people who can make the complex so understandable!!
Not only, there are better than him 😉
Unfortunately, Mr. Lennox does not seem to understand that the concept of good and bad (evil) is simply a human construct. Good and bad have no meaning outside of human existence. The universe (or nature) is amoral and indifferent to the plight of all living organisms including, or course, H. sapiens.
The reason they wonder about suffering is because they want what they want and they want it now, instead of accepting God's Truth. Jesus said, "daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me but for yourselves and your children". He warned us of evil things coming down the road, but people want God to just fix everything now. He can fix everything now, but that would mean destroying everything now.
Atheists are fond of pointing out various shortcomings in the Bible, which, if one is minded to think that the Bible is inerrant, those shortcomings become significant as they demonstrate the opposite. But I have yet to see an atheist video on the shortcomings of Jesus' teachings. They all dodge the central questions of the Water of Life (the Spirit of Truth) and the Bread of Life (his outstanding teachings), and whether or not it is rational to become more perfect.
And as my good friend who is also a professional chemist and theologian would say.
Today's questions about the Bible are beyind anything they ever thought would even be conceived.
@NSOcarth None of that makes sense. Christ taught rational faith not blind faith. He also spoke in parables.
@@NSOcarth That's irrelevant.
Baptised babies are still pure of faith in Christian/Jewish law.
Jesus himself stated that children are pure and free of sin.
God gave us Free Will. A dangerous thing to do. But we have this great power.
Amen! Saved January 6th, 1972. Kept by the power of God.
John Lennox, excellent explanations all the time, genius man of God😇🙌♥️👌
I think most of his logic here is pretty poor, to be honest.
Morality does have a rational basis - it's what happens when organisms like humans can recognise that the pain certain things cause in them will cause similar pain in others. It's about our brain-state, our emotions, our experiences and logic. To expect morality to be baked into the universe, even to inanimate objects a thousand light-years away, or to be "above" humanity, is silly. Morality is a human social concept. It's real, it's important, and it's a rational part of human life.
The idea that the "atheist way" has problems is just silly. Atheism is just non-belief in theology. It doesn't have a specific way of dealing with suffering; there are atheist Buddhists, there are atheist drug addicts, there are atheist counsellors. It's like saying not-stamp-collecting is a bad hobby since it doesn't pass the time. Just illogical nonsense, I think.
The Good God/Suffering problem does have a simple answer - there isn't a God.
All self deluded Apologists pretending to know something unknowable...they should check their sources and face reality
What they pretend to know isn't so much unknowable as absurd and highly unlikely.
If you believe God is unknowable you’re still in the dark. It may sound offensive but we are genuinely trying to reach you who don’t know Him. He’s not unreachable, but there is a process to finding him. If you’re unwilling to accept his terms you’ll only come to know Him when it’s too late. That reality is hard to face.
@@coryanderson5210 *"you’ll only come to know Him when it’s too late. That reality is hard to face."*
Too late for what? And what *reality* is hard to face? And who is *"Him"?*
*"It may sound offensive but we are genuinely trying to reach you"* What's offensive is making very strange claims and not having the slightest reason anyone should accept them.
@@coryanderson5210 All gods turm out to be knowable.
@@NSOcarth You're lucky there is no rule about making sense in order to post comments. 🤔
He is such an unbelievably intellectual apologist. God bless him.
Jesus was in the fiery furnace with the 3 in Daniel. He is with us through all our victories and troubles of we will just turn to seek Him.
Death and suffering was not God’s original plan; it was only after man sinned that decay came into the world, and death is a part of that. God is STILL the answer to pain and suffering as well as evil. This is why we pray…. 😎✝️
So God said, “Oops”? He did not know this would happen? Then why was Christ slain “from the disruption of the world”.(Rev. 13:8). That was before Adam and Eve.
Poor planning.
Science has to ask isthis by design, or chance.
@Scartoons many things can be chaos some very difficult ro put down to chaos , rhere are many discover them yourself.
Wow! What an apt submission! And no doubts, it is well articulated too. Refreshingly liberating! In summary, it answers to a very large extent the questions bothering our minds on the authenticity of Christianity. Well said Sir!
This is how alcoholics overcome alcoholism. By trusting in a higher power. God. The only catch is you've got to pass it on to someone else. Helping others stay sober helps yourself stay sober. Once the ball begins rolling, your whole life is transformed from the inside out. By gods grace.
The hardest question we have to face is how to pay the next electricity bill!!
Christians have been trying to figure out what the Bible says for two thousand years now arguing so much that there are thousands of denominations. Do some real work instead of babbling about why there is suffering. "The Lord is powerful", and yet he's been sleeping really hard for a very long time, handing over all the work to us humans, without coear instructions but to worship him. What a waste of energy.
@@NSOcarth I've been busy doing meaningful stuff for 11 months since I wrote my comment. What have you been doing? You'd wish the god illusion could meet even the basic standard.
Suffering is like the rain, it falls on the just and unjust. God could minutely control it where it only falls on the unjust. But then the liberty He grants to humanity, would be sorely curtailed. We are free to err, but also free to win. Still in this journey called life we often make mistakes, often are in the wrong place, or just have a scale that must be balanced. And only God knows ALL the answers. This I believe, without God I would be LOST. Thankfully, I have Christ who leads me. Thank You Lord. Godspeed pilgrims.
Here's a short poem I'd like to dedicate to Mr. Lennox and others of his ilk. The poem was penned by Philip Appleman.
“GERTRUDE”
I wish that all the people
who peddle God
could watch my mother die:
could see the skin and
gristle weighing only
seventy-nine, every stubborn
pound of flesh a small
death.
I wish the people who peddle God
could see her young,
lovely in gardens and
beautiful in kitchens, and could watch
the hand of God slowly
twisting her knees and fingers
till they gnarled and knotted, settling in
for thirty years of pain.
I wish the people who peddle God
could see the lightning
of His cancer stabbing
her, that small frame
tensing at every shock,
her sweet contralto scratchy with
the Lord’s infection: Philip,
I want to die.
I wish I had them gathered round,
those preachers, popes, rabbis,
imams, priests - every
pious shill on God’s payroll - and I
would pull the sheets from my mother’s brittle body,
and they would fall on their knees at her bedside
to be forgiven all their faith.
Jesus cares, he suffered immensely , it’s a broken world we live in, sadly, many “ christian’s” aren’t being the hands feet and taking action for the suffering people, yet, many are. There is evil too, Does this poet have a work aimed at evils influence ?
All the best Denny.
Nobody "peddles" God because God is not for sale. You cannot buy his favor. Everyone of us has seen such pain. Human suffering happens. Death happens to each and every one of us. Yes, we have seen this. Yet, we refuse to denounce God and our faith in Christ because we have hope in forgiveness of all our sins when we stand before God on judgement day. That is the day we are resurrected to eternal life where there is no pain, no sickness and not tears. That is worthy of joy.
God can draw straight with crooked lines. He uses secondary causes to move us to the place we were always meant to be - with Him. What is confusing is why the fall happened in the first place. Can't get my head around two people who walked arm and arm with God every day would disobey and turn their back on Him
If in this life only we are most to be pitied.... Stephen John Baptist or Abel....
At 5:54, we have a passage that addresses that: "For WE DO NOT HAVE A HIGH PRIEST WHO IS UNABLE TO SYMPATHIZE WITH OUR WEAKNESSES, BUT ONE WHO IN EVERY RESPECT HAS BEEN TEMPTED AS WE ARE, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."-Hebrews 4:15-16.
Love Lennox! Great man of God.
Man.does.appoint.god.dissapoint.adam.and.eve.dissobey..vanity..man.vanity.is.faulse.pride.god.can.dissapoint..to.believe.is.because.you.do.not.know..to.know.is.to.know.to.be.inspired.
god does not exist!
Adam and Eve brought pain into the picture - meaning Man - not God.
We are the sinners - the gluttons, the avaricious, the Proud, the vain, the lascivious, the wrongdoers, the thieves, the sick minded… not God.
It is not whether we believe in Him that matters-
It is surprising that He still believes in us.
But He does - and the right ones of us will always try out utmost to TRY to be there for Him in perfect symmetry to the degree to which He’s there for us…
We raise our lives to the love of Him.
So who's IMAGE was the ELEPHANT MAN made in then!!??
and babies with deformed or missing limbs!!??
Confused & Abused!!!
I don't miss that John Lennox position of Dr., Math Prof. at Oxford and mainly as Christian and his message that he is not "looked down on" by his equals to be, unusually, so well-versed with proof and facts. His respect provides him with listening by them ! I hope they respond.
on, and on....blah, blah, blah, the same message, all the time....yesterday I saw a blip, on tv...about suffering, in reference to character building.....that there is a ....good....reason, for suffering, otherwise God, somehow, has let us down.....suffering brings, change, and more importantly, growth....
Lennox is a Gangsta !
When we look at what God is growing here, suffering and evil make more sense, don’t they? Isn’t God growing our faith and love? Do suffering and evil help or hinder the development of our faith and love? And doesn’t John answer it beautifully?
Wrong context, bro. People who doesn't have a real connection with God, when they experience evil and deep suffering they will tend to get bitter and deppressed, some even to the point of committing suicide. Only those who are connected in a real way with God and has repeatedly experience His personal love for them filling their hearts, will have the inner strength and wisdom to go through all the tribulations and be victorious. I have seen religious and active church members fall into deep deppression and bitterness when they experienced tragedy in their lives (ex. the death of their most beloved son/daughter).
@@vtino4825 remember the parable of “Wheat and Tares” and “Talents”. We are all together, evildoers and (trying to be) righteous, and we are all given different gifts, and everyone of us are judged by what we have done with our own set of gifts, and are not compared to anyone else, are we?
At 02:57, John Lennox asserts, "There is no rational justification for morality if there is no God." Despite being a frequently advocated argument among theists, this conclusion is flawed for several reasons. Morality, in essence, is fundamentally an evolutionary construction, grounded in the innate desire of living entities to survive. This shared drive for prolonged existence forms the basis of moral principles for both atheists and theists.
In contrast, God is immortal and does not rely on a moral framework for survival. In essence, it is erroneous to attempt to reconcile the nature of an immortal God with the temporal concerns of mortal beings.
Darwin and Freud used the excuse of pain to justify walking away from a Creator. Personally, I think the more educated the person is the more they are just looking for an excuse that way they don't have to obey the Creator's Natural Laws. That's not going to work on judgment day. The smart person knows the Creator cannot be "odepus rex'ed" and should start a plea bargain.
It's not simply that you speak nonsense; it's that you speak nonsense which is *SO COMMON.* This is what *indoctrination* does to people.
John seamlessly moves away from difficult questions changing the subject as he goes. So let's go back to the start and try again. Why does a loving God allow such suffering and tragedy which wasn't man made. If you can't give a straight answer I'm going with Dawkins natural selection, even though it holds no comfort.
@messenger ministries Where in the world do you come up with this stuff?! 😄
No. Theists refuse to look at how incredibly unlikely it is that a supernatural realm exists. They somehow manage to believe that brain cancer killing millions of children over the history of our species is consistent with a good God.
@@davethebrahman9870 my sentiments exactly. Nobody knows all the answers but we're willing to consider the realities objectively as we find them
Their you find reality.
Wish I know him in person and that he's my mentor...
Oh well...
"Where do you get the concept of good and evil from?" Hopefully not from the Bible. The Bible calls for genocide in 1 Samuel 15, and for owning human beings as slaves in Leviticus 25:44-46. Really disgusting. I object to that, and thus, I claim a higher moral ground than the god of the Bible.
We can’t fix the pain. Science can’t fix the pain.and reasonable, rational explanations can’t fix the pain. Jesus is the fix,
1John 5.19 :" We know we originate with God but the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one. " ( Until Jesus returns and establishes God's kingdom rule 'on earth as it is in heaven', this is still Satan World with all the suffering and death that results.) Isaiah65. 17,,, 2Peter3. 13,,, Rev21.1 The Promised New World .
Humans, down through the ages, have prayed to God for a good life -- free from suffering. They shouldn't pray to the Judaeo-Christian God. Dr. Lennox is right. Down through the ages followers of the Judaeo-Christian God, both Jews and Gentiles, have suffered. The Bible is full of stories of suffering. The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16 is the way Jesus storified suffering. The Gospel of Prosperity is not one of the Four Gospels.
he should stick to arithmetic..he knows nothing about outer space . celestial beings and all the other supernatural superstitious nonsense..amen
ps he possible knows about Iris Leprechauns
The difference between religious people and athiests is that athiests do not believe in God, but most WOULD believe given ANY actual proof or evidence, and they accept that while not believing, they cannot PROVE God does not exist…..Religious people believe in God, WITHOUT any actual proof or evidence, and they accept while they cannot prove it, they don’t have to. One side believes one thing, but is willing to be open minded to evidence. The other side believes one thing, but keeps their eyes firmly closed to actual evidence. With all the “proof” over thousands of years, that religious people have, they could still not go to court and PROVE he exists.
If Christianity is true, it gives meaning to suffering and hope for redemption. If not, other systems of thought or philosophies need to be explored to address fundamental existential questions. The argument largely hinges on accepting Christianity as true. For some, basing happiness or consolation on a hypothesis can seem fragile. For those who adhere to Christianity, faith in its doctrines and promises can provide a framework of meaning and comfort. However, for others, this faith might be seen as an uncertain hypothesis rather than an established truth.
⭐❤️🕊️🔥👿The problem of the problem of many problems coming from assuming that an innocent or a god took all sins and suffering in a cross is simple (preventing evil people of learning a lesson or to at least to develope some kind of sense of instrospection: the evidence tells u that suffering and evil has multiplied and reproduced and has taken complex delusional forms as society as species as beings... So... Answering that suffering of one brings happiness to others...prove itself as a lie.... Instead of being talking about a "god", why not to have the love of even care about ...also preventing his and/or anyone suffering? We should start doing what we supposedly have as an ideal. But sincerely, all conversation, music, literature, reaction tend to reveal that humanity is addicted to and worship: suffering itself, over any love god person or idea. There u go, I Am Not and I Am. There's no need for a devil, ask any animal what they see when they see u.
human decency doesn’t come from religion, it precedes it.
A belief in God is commendable - that is, until you are older and are able to observe, discern, and experience God all around you in every moment. The real 'hardest question we have to face' is why we worship a tribal god written into existence by a Middle Eastern people found to be so vile, disgusting, deceitful, and murderous that they have been expelled from 109 Western lands more than 1000 times over the millennia. One might suspect this to be majestic cognitive dissonance - especially since our country was founded under Nature's God and Natural Law, as written in the first sentence of the Declaration of Independence.
There is an explanation for beauty and bombs.
Satan is the god of this world as proclaimed by Jesus Himself.
But after His Resurrection, He sent the Hiky Sprit to be our Comforter.
So god has suffered as well (on the cross) ... with the "minor distinction" that he resurrected himself, already knew that he would resurrect himself before he would be cruxfied, etcetera.
And that's not even adressing the problem that an eternal and omnipotent god cannot die.
So basically this god tricked us. Making us believing we need to suffer, because he also suffered (not really).
Hence, why should we suffer when he doesn't?
What's the point in suffering when he's able to prevent it?
I don't need a fictional book to tell me what is good or bad and none of us ever have. I don't take others stuff because I don't like my stuff being taken, I don't hurt people because I don't like being hurt and so on. Such a lazy argument by an apologist! Fyi if God existed, apologetics wouldn't, fact.
That was so subjective. The proof is in the pudding? Could have used that to apply to any given religion. Other religions have provided succour and transformations too.
The concepts of good and evil are just that - concepts...not real things. God is the same. They're all constructs of the human imagination.
It's not too late for you to abandon God, the church and everything associated with it.
For years you have been dictated to and told that you are unworthy. How dare any teachings demean you and tell you that you're not worthy or good enough to be in the presence of a God who obviously doesn't care about your fate. You have wasted a good deal of your life on this useless entity and it hasn't done you one skerrick of good.
It's time for you to shake off all the hangups associated with Christianity and become a real person, begin to appreciate and enjoy what the world offers you, fun, adventure and hedonism. No more feelings of guilt, paranoia, fear and unworthiness.
Banish Jesus, God and all the luggage they have loaded you up with since childhood, explore your potential which has been suppressed for so long, open up your mind without any religious restrictions.
Tell Jesus to mount his camel and take a hike. You'll be amazed at how good it makes you feel. Religion is for people who are afraid of life and don't have any faith in themselves.
Very clever. Says "how do know its evil".
1No one calls it evil
2 Why should we see God as the only source of morality.
3 Atheism has nothing to do with morality.
"There is no rational justification for morality if there is no god" - he got that almost right. It's just that it's the opposite. With god, there is no rational justification for morals.
Reason one is a systematic one: Before you argue that without god there is no rational justification for morality, you first need to prove the existence of god. Mankind so far has failed in that attempt, and so has JL. It is admitted, though, that JL normally argues from a presuppositionalist standpoint. You may do that for the sake of an intellectual exercise, but irrespective of the outcome, you still have all your work ahead of you evidencing that there is such a "god".
Reason two is a historic one: Name a moral statement or action, uttered or performed by a religious person, that could not have been uttered or performed by an unbeliever. You will not find one. But name an evil or immoral statement or act, made or performed by a believer, that can only be attributed to his or her religious faith. And you will have no problems coming up with an endless list.
(This known as the "Hitchens challenge".)
The notion that what is good and what is evil comes from God is flawed. The exemplar for the flaw is Buddhism. While some forms of Buddhism have deity-like entities, it intentionally and explicitly excludes the notion of God. Yet in it's Eightfold Path, precepts, radiant abodes it has a more fully formed notion of good and evil than Christianity.
I'm curious 🤔 about how John says Christianity when he is talking about the scriptures and the understanding Christians claim to be the truth when they themselves are under the circumstances of the resurrection the book of Mark explained the true signs of the true believers, Mark chapter 16 read it. The Gospel is preached only with power not of men's religious ideals, the relationship belongs to the believers that whomever can believe to be saved to be reacquainted with his creator and divine Heavenly Father, the Apostle Paul wrote I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is power 😇🕊️
God is Allah. God gave Isaac the west and Ishmael the east.
Jesus spoke Aramaic. Jesus was a jew. The Aramaic word for God is Allah.
*Charming/lovely man no doubt, but that's just straight up incorrect.*
Hazarat Imam Ali AS Atheist asked question that what reason you give me about God existances Hazarat Imam Ali AS answered despites seeing watching God creaters humans beings animals things in the world you dont believe who made world Universe you is it possible world univrrse human beings made themselves Atheist accepted God and become a muslim
The problem of suffering is that God sits by and does nothing about it. I hear that God is sad when people suffer. Big whoop.
As for social good and evil, they come from community norms that have evolved in hunans as well as in social animals. The threat of eternal punishment in the afterlife is just a crude way of enforcing norms.
Evashe is an accumulation of people conducting such
Chrst God in the flesh, The one The Holy Spirit, The Father made a family and revealed himself to us,image bearers.
Old earth/new earth? What I believe the biggest lie is that we came from monkeys! Or devillution.
I listen keenly to John when he talks about God in general, but when he tries to make God and Christ same he appears delusional, because
Because Jesus never claimed to be God,on the contrary biblical verses clearly show he wasn't
Lennox is ridiculous -
Follow the lines of evidence. If you dare.
He should stick to his subject - Mathematics - out of his depth in the ethereal world of religion and its many belief systems.
There may be a God and if there is - this beast has good and evil in equal measure within it. Either way you can’t worship evil so the argument is lost. My opinion.
Nobody seems to look at the suffering from a creators view . Imagine for a minute you were God or a creator and you created everything we see and touch . You would know there is a better place if your the almighty. Why would suffering matter to that extent ? To a creator suffering is going to happen if we ever expect to get to his promised land . The reason we see suffering here on Earth as a problem is because we hurt for our loved ones. But take for instance that God could intervene into an earthquake and save lives instead of allowing death , do you not think that those same lives are going to die years later? Those same people who are saved in that earthquake are still going die later . We all are we all suffer. I personally have seen many of my friends pass before me a few died of leukemia , they suffered ....It hurt me as well . We're not going to live forever no matter how many times suffering could be prevented here on Earth . To me saying there is no God because of the suffering that is going on means you expect there to be no suffering for anyone if there was a loving God as if we should be living here on Earth forever . That idea alone scares me because it would mean that every single person who has already died instead would still be living. What a suffering place this would be under that kind of place . There would be no space to live comfortable. The food would become scarce from so many people living here who would want to be here for that?
Does anyone else find the utter pomposity of this man very off-putting? He is very pleased with himself and loves the sound of his own voice. He seems to think he is some sort of Messiah himself. Whatever happened to humility?
I am came to a convincing thought that serves to answer the question where is God in suffering, if he is all good why allow so much evil and pain. The answer I came to is God if he exists would have good reason to justify holding back his power which allows evil to manifest. He has good reason to allow laws of nature to play out on the earth as a natural occurrence of how the nature of physics works. In order to allow the natural world with free world to exist God had good reason to do it the way he did. God has good reason to force himself to operate within the limits of the natural laws he created.
What is that good reason we can only speculate on. We might even be able to conceive of what good reason would be to an ultimate intellect that is beyond time itself. Maybe pain and suffering is the only way free will and natural reality can exist. Maybe creating it the way he did was the only way to create a intelligible physical reality that functions logically.
God knew before Lucifer was created that he would be cast out Heaven , how could he not know he's omniscient
So true deny God and say there is no objective morality only subjective morality then you can no longer use words like good or evil all you can say is my morality is different from yours.
It seems that John Lennox is fed up of losing debates, so he has taken to telling believers, in the absence of non believers, why there must be a god. Frankly he has nothing to say that is relevant!
"The proof of the pudding is in the eating"☺️ Amen!
And what a delicious pudding it is 😋
And the pudding of Christ is vile to me.
and big Johnny looks like he's eaten a few
@@williamoarlock8634There's a place void of His goodness. 🔥
@@GodSoLoved.Yeshua a fictional place.
In debates with religious zealots, who take a strand of belief and weave it into a tapestry of fiction.
It's my prayer that God will keep this man much longer in Christ Jesus name 🙏
Its always people who have to tell us why god allows suffering, never god himself - he is silent.
Why did no one write anything about Matthew 27 51 to 53? Think about it. It should be the greatest event in world history
There are some who wrote about it but very few indeed... Probably it is hard for them to understand it because it seems not related to the common gospel being preached by the evangelists...
@@reynaldodavid2913Jo where? Name one who wrote about it?
@@Truth-Be-Told-USA, Sorry, I don't have an excellent memory, but I have read it somewhere sometime, and I concluded that if someone write it, then there might be some others who write it also among these multi millions of Christians, if I have not read it, will I know it? Did you survey the multi millions of Christians that you concluded that none write about it? Plsase use your brain sometimes if you have time...
@@reynaldodavid2913Jo you need to provide the evidence not me. You believe that event actually happened and yet you have zero evidence. I use my brain and consider evidence before deciding on reality of events
@@Truth-Be-Told-USAthe event actually happening was indeed recorded by non Christian Roman and Jewish historians. I will not be able to tell you all of the overwhelming evidence for that event in a RUclips comment section, but the tiniest research from you will see many answers. I recommend looking into lee strobel and what he discovered