Belief, Uncertainty and Unbelief Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What is the concept of 'First Cause' in relation to belief in God?

  • God is seen as the only possible explanation for the universe's existence.
  • Everything must have a cause, leading to a first cause that is God. (correct)
  • Belief in God negates the need for scientific explanations.
  • The design of the universe suggests multiple creators.

    • Which argument supports the belief that the universe shows evidence of a designer?

  • Design Argument. (correct)
  • Atheism.
  • Agnosticism.
  • Causation Argument.

    • What represents a key reason for people not believing in God?

  • Scientific explanations of the universe. (correct)
  • A clear understanding of the Cosmological Argument.
  • Personal upbringing in a religious environment.
  • Religious conversion experiences.

    • What does the term 'Religious Nurture' refer to?

    <p>Being raised in a religious environment that emphasizes teachings and practices.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which belief asserts that God does not exist?

    <p>Atheism.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one potential benefit of stem cell research as mentioned?

    <p>It raises the prospect of growing new organs or nerve bundles.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How can a non-religious upbringing impact children's belief systems?

    <p>It can lead to a lack of interest or even hostility towards religion.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What feeling might lead some individuals to question the existence of God?

    <p>A lack of presence of God when praying.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do many Christians believe about the scientific explanations of the universe?

    <p>They can coexist with the belief in God.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to some Christians, how might a 'day' in the Bible relate to scientific explanations?

    <p>It can be interpreted as being billions or millions of years.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common misconception about unanswered prayers?

    <p>There is a belief that one is not praying correctly.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is necessary for the formation of solar systems, according to Christian belief?

    <p>Scientific laws created by God.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What has changed regarding the expectations of death due to recent advancements?

    <p>Hope for survival has increased due to medical advancements.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Thomas Aquinas argue regarding the existence of the universe?

    <p>There must be a first Uncaused Cause.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Leibniz, what is necessary for the existence of the universe?

    <p>An ultimate explanation for everything.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which philosopher is associated with the Teleological Argument?

    <p>Rev. William Paley</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What analogy does Paley use to explain the concept of design in the universe?

    <p>A complex watch mechanism.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the purposes of life that supports belief in God, according to the content?

    <p>The existence of a life after death.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do some argue that the Big Bang is not a sufficient explanation for the universe?

    <p>It does not address the cause of the singularity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characteristic of the universe leads to the belief in its design?

    <p>Its complexity and purpose.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What reason do people have for believing that justice exists in an afterlife?

    <p>The existence of God guarantees moral order.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What defines a miraculous experience in relation to belief in God?

    <p>An occurrence that goes beyond normal science and suggests divine intervention.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What key change occurs during a conversion experience?

    <p>A person undergoes a personal transformation after experiencing the presence of God.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Kant argue is necessary for life to be meaningful and fair?

    <p>God must exist to ensure goodness is rewarded.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How can a prayer experience impact a person's faith?

    <p>By confirming that God has answered their prayer and strengthened their belief.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a reason people may choose not to believe in God?

    <p>Increased independence of humans from their environment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a role of the Christian family in nurturing faith?

    <p>Allowing children to choose any religion they encounter.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does scientific advancement play in the belief or disbelief in God?

    <p>It provides explanations for phenomena previously attributed to God.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is meant by a numinous experience in the context of religious experiences?

    <p>An event where a person feels a direct contact with God.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Kant, what motivates most people to strive for goodness?

    <p>A belief in afterlife rewards distributed by God.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which example illustrates a miraculous experience?

    <p>The Nebraska Choir story indicating divine intervention.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What typically characterizes a first-hand experience of God?

    <p>A personal encounter that leads to belief in God's existence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the Book of Proverbs suggest regarding raising children?

    <p>Parental guidance in faith will lead children to not depart from their teachings when older.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common misconception about the relationship between humans and God according to scientific explanations?

    <p>Humans invented God to explain their surroundings.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key argument Kant makes regarding morality?

    <p>There is an obligation to aim for the highest standard of moral behavior.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does upbringing influence a child's beliefs according to the content?

    <p>Family patterns lay the foundation for children's future beliefs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of religious experiences does 'NUMINOUS EXPERIENCE' focus on?

    <p>Feeling a direct connection to a divine presence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Belief, Uncertainty and Unbelief

    • Objectives: Formulate arguments for belief in God (causation and design arguments), discuss other reasons for believing in God, examine reasons for disbelief (scientific explanations), and analyze conflicting views.

    Key Vocabulary

    • Causation: The system of causes and effects within the universe (suggests a first cause).
    • First Cause (God as): The belief that everything has a cause, therefore there must be a first cause, which is God.
    • Only possible explanation (God as): The belief that the universe requires an explanation, and the explanation is God's creation.
    • Design (of the world/universe by God): The belief that the universe's connectedness suggests a purpose and designer, i.e., God.
    • Designer (God as): The belief that God designed the universe due to its apparent design.
    • (Religious) Nurture: Being raised to follow religious teachings and practices.
    • (Religious) Conversion: Experiences changing a person's outlook on life and religious belief.
    • Agnosticism: Uncertainty about the existence of God.
    • Atheism: The belief that God does not exist.

    The Universe Points to God's Existence

    • Cosmological Argument: The argument that the universe's existence points towards God.
    • Two Versions:
      • Thomas Aquinas' Argument: Everything has a cause, nothing can cause itself, you cannot have an infinite set of causes going back in time. Therefore, there must be a first cause (God).
      • Leibniz' Argument: Everything has an explanation, the universe must have an explanation, God is the only explanation
    • Teleological Argument (Design Argument): The argument that the universe's design suggests a designer (God).
      • Analogy of the Watchmaker: Universe is like a complex watch and thus designed, similar to a watch. A watch requires a designer, so the universe must also have one.

    The Search for Meaning and Purpose in Life

    • Meaning and Purpose: Points to the existence of a higher power (God) as a fulfilling alternative to a purely materialistic view of life.
    • Immanuel Kant: Belief in God is crucial for meaning by giving a sense of obligation and the idea that good acts are rewarded and evil punished, which must happen beyond this life (in an afterlife).

    Religious Nurture

    • Family Influence: Religious upbringing significantly influences believers' faiths.
    • Role of Christian Families: The belief is that upbringing instills a stronger belief because religious ways of life are learned firsthand

    Religious Experiences

    • Numinous Experience: Experience of God's presence.
    • Miraculous Experience: An experience beyond natural laws that is attributed to God.
    • Conversion Experience: A personal transformation motivated or prompted by a perceived encounter with God.

    Scientific Explanations of the World

    • Science and Religion: Reasons that people do not believe in God, based on scientific explanation of the world, rather than religion.

    • Medical Advances: Medical advances eliminate fear of death which reduces the perceived need for religious experiences or belief in an afterlife

    • Humans and the Environment: Humans have greater control over their environment, thus less fear & need for religious rituals or beliefs

    • Non-religious Upbringing: Non-religious upbringing leads to a lack of interest and/or hostility towards religion.

    Responses to Scientific Explanations of the Universe

    • Response One: Scientific explanation of the universe does not exclude God.
    • Response Two: Claims the Bible and Science are compatible by stating that the time-frames in the bible (days) could be vast time-periods which align with scientific findings.
    • Response Three: The idea that science is wrong, creationism is correct, as it offers an explanation for the scientific findings in the origin of the universe, particularly the apparent age of the universe and its organisms.

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    Related Documents

    Revision Notes on Section 1.6 - Belief, Uncertainty & Unbelief PDF

    Description

    Test your understanding of key arguments for and against belief in God. This quiz covers causation, design arguments, and scientific explanations for disbelief. Explore the nuances of belief, nurture, and conversion in religious contexts.

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