REBOUND QUESTIONS:  WHY ASKING SKEPTICS THE SAME QUESTIONS THEY ASK US IS GOOD APOLOGETICS

 In this present series of blog posts, I’m suggesting ways to put the burden of proof on skeptics who ask questions, during apologetic and evangelistic discussions, which they think are unanswerable by Christians. The idea, as we saw in the previous two blog posts, is to challenge skeptics to clarify, justify, and explain why they believe their position on the issue at hand is true. Often they can’t because they are merely parroting what they heard in popular culture.

Another way we can apply this “offensive” apologetic tactic is to ask skeptics the same kinds of questions they ask us. I call these rebound questions. The idea is to help them see for themselves that their religious or secular worldviews face even more daunting challenges that the Christian worldview, in terms of resolving the issues they raise. At the very least, rebound questions will stimulate conversation and allow believers to present evidence for the Christian position on the topics under discussion.

 Unbeliever: “If the Christian God exists, how do you account for the existence of evil and suffering?”

Christian:   “If God doesn’t exist, what is your solution to evil and suffering?”

Unbeliever:  “You Christians can’t prove what you believe!”

Christian:   “Then you prove what you believe!”

Unbeliever:  “How do know the Bible is true?”

Christian:   “How do you know it’s not true?”

Unbeliever:  “Christians are so narrow-minded. You only think your religion is true!”

Christian:  “Don’t you believe your view is true? How does being narrow-minded make                      something untrue?”

Unbeliever:  “I think people are free to decide their own moral standards.”

Christian:   “Then infanticide is OK if someone thinks it’s morally acceptable?”

Unbeliever:  “What makes you think Christianity is true when it contradicts my religious beliefs?”

Christian:   How do you know your religion is true when it contradicts Christianity?”

Unbeliever:  “If a woman wants an abortion, it’s her right to do whatever she wants with her own body.”

Christian:   “Since an unborn baby is a human being, why wouldn’t it have the same right to live as the mother?”

 Unbeliever:  “Science disproves miracles like the resurrection.”

Christian:   “How can science disprove anything in history, since it depends on observation and experimentation?”

 Unbeliever:  “We don’t need a God to set standards of good and evil. People can make their own moral choices.”

Christian    “Does that mean gang rape and sex trafficking are acceptable for people who decide to engage in it?  Look at it like this. If God doesn’t exist, and people or societies disagree on what’s moral, how do you determine who is right and who is wrong? Was Hitler in the right since society in Germany during World War Two accepted killing Jews” ©