Frequently Asked Questions
Motivation
What is the purpose of this site?
Some people keep a prayer journal, I on the other hand keep a Bible journal. When I started my re-read of the Bible in May (from Genesis to Revelation as opposed to random chapters at random times), I decided to keep a journal with my thoughts on the passages I read. The journal contains questions, answers, and realizations that come about while I read. This site is essentially a public version of my Bible journal (the site provides links and references and in some cases, more detailed explanations).What prompted you to create this site?
When I began keeping my Bible journal, my dad mentioned wanting to see it. I also had a desire to share it with my grandfather (who is a preacher), my cousin (also a preacher), and close friends. Since, I live 10½ hours away from most of these people, showing them the physical journal is basically impossible. I figured I'd put it online and not just share it with those close to me, but anyone who might stumble upon it.Background on the Author
Are You A Christian?
Yes.Why Do You Believe in God?
This is probably the most frequently asked question by atheists and agnostics, and also one of the hardest questions to answer. Belief—not just in God, but in general—is something that is rarely measured in tangible quantities or qualities. It is just as easy for an atheist or someone with agnostic views to attribute a blessing or miracle of God with luck and coincidence as it is for a Christian to attribute the act to God. The non-believer will argue luck of the draw, while the believer will say God worked in his/her favor—the believer cannot prove God acted on his/her behalf and the non-believer cannot prove that God didn't have a hand in the act. So how do you explain to someone who has already made up their mind that God doesn't exist, why you believe He does?I've been a believer since birth, and there has never been a time when I didn't believe or doubted the existence of God. I was christened in an African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E.) when I was too young to even know I was in the world. I joined the Sunday School at the Baptist Church across the street from my house when I was 5. Thanks to the diversity in my family members' choices in denominations, my childhood saw me attend A.M.E., United Methodist, and Missionary Baptist church services. I attended a Methodist pre-school, and had a short stint in a Catholic after school program. By the time I was 12 I had a friend who was Mormon and a friend who was Jehovah's Witness. I was learning about Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, and Islam—of which I would also acquire friends who were practicing Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims by the time I graduated from college. I think the exposure to so many versions and interpretations of God, gods, and life is one of the most secure bricks in the foundation of my belief.
When I was young, I often wondered about the passage in Exodus where God causes the pharaoh's heart to wax cold. Why would God purposely make the pharaoh cold hearted? What was the purpose of performing such miracles only to force the pharaoh into harsher ways and more disbelief? It didn't add up (much like many atheists will claim about scripture in general). However, after studying, experiencing life, and studying some more it finally made sense to me. Take a piece of steak and a scoop of ice cream; if you set them both on a grill for a period of time the steak will become edible but the ice cream will melt. Take instead an oak tree and bicycle. If a strong wind blows it is unlikely that tree will move; the bicycle, however, will fall over and may be tossed around depending on the strength of the wind. People are like this as well—we each have different personalities, pet-peeves, likes/dislikes, interests, and goals. Some people are easily offended or quick to anger, while others are easy going and difficult to incite. Some people wear their feelings on their sleeves, while others keep them caged behind steel bars. There are people who always need approval and seek to conform to latest trends, but there are others who pride themselves on being different, refusing to conform. It is easy to see how these differences effect our views and reactions to God. No one wants to hear that something they love, strongly support, and/or enjoy is not acceptable. When God told the pharaoh to let the Israelites go, the pharaoh did not want to concede, so it angered him. Instead of seeing God's display of power for what it was, he rationalized the events so that it could keep the Israelites enslaved. He told himself it was coincidence because he didn't want to give up his power, he didn't want to believe that there was someone more powerful than him (particularly someone he couldn't control and was siding with his slaves), and he didn't want to admit that he was wrong. Similarly, when we practice behaviors that are unacceptable to God or when God's beliefs do not align with our own, our instinct is to reject Him.
The combination of being inquisitive and exposed to many ideologies from a very young age allowed me to seek out God (through studying) with an open mind. In the spirit of an open mind, I was able to see and hear Him without my sins and desires convincing me to pull away. I was lucky that in the moments I witnessed God miracles, felt His love, and heard His voice, my perspective was not tainted with pride and rejection. From giving me an inexplicable and uncanny amount of self acceptance from a young age to directing my natural interests to positive things, from a remarkable gift of discernment and ease in assessing people's character (also from a very young age) to a desire to help my fellow man even when I can't stand them. I've experienced the peace of mind that comes with knowing God, and once you've experienced that, you just know.