For many, religion is the answer to the questions of life they can’t answer. When God is said to be all-knowing, it is easy to assume religion has all the knowledge, but there are many things religion just can’t explain.
The Existence of Evil
Religion is often confused about the existence of evil in a world, said to be governed by an all-powerful deity. Many religious believers accept that evil must have a purpose but what that purpose is unknown. Why the Lord allows evil to walk alongside his children is a hot topic of debate.
Diversity of Religions
Religion can’t explain why diverse beliefs and practices exist worldwide. Christianity.com estimates there are at least 4000 religions across the globe. It is hard to understand why you should follow the teachings of a particular religion when they all disagree and contradict to some extent.
The Origin of the Universe
According to the Bible, God created the world in seven days and the religious text offers a creative narrative on ‘The Beginning’. However, the Bible doesn’t address the scientific complexities of the universe’s origins. The verse ‘Let there be light’ is the only connection to the Big Bang theory.
The Existence of Dinosaurs
While a lot of scientific evidence and archaeological discoveries confirm the presence of dinosaurs walking the planet, it is not something religion can explain. Many religions are taught the story of Adam and Eve, which doesn’t fit with the theory that dinosaurs existed before humans.
Its Supernatural Claims
Religion makes a lot of supernatural claims but has very limited evidence to back them up. This is why things are regarded as religious beliefs rather than religious facts. There is very little proof of many religious stories, but the faithful continue to believe in them.
The Existence of the Afterlife
While there is an almost universal consensus across religions that there is an afterlife, they all fail to explain the afterlife. Life is considered by most to be a test, but where does that test get us? Pew Research found that 72% of U.S. adults believe in life after death, even though no one knows what that is.
Why Natural Disasters Happen
When God created the world, why would he be happy to witness his work be destroyed? Religion struggles to understand why the creator of the universe would allow the world to be destroyed by nature. It is another thing believed to have a reason, but no one knows it.
How Miracles Happen
The concept of religion is heavily based on miracles. While religions claim miraculous events, they lack proof of how or why they happen. The ‘miracles’ that happen in the modern day are a lot less magical than miracles in religious texts, so some question the truth of those stories.
Why Gender Inequality Exists
Although society has taken huge leaps towards gender equality, many religious traditions perpetuate gender inequality. Religion is deeply rooted in patriarchal ideologies which in theory, support gender inequality. However, the Bible teaches that in God’s eyes, men and women are created equal.
Why There Is Suffering
The presence of suffering in the world is one of the main reasons why people lose their faith. Religion tries to explain it as the consequence of human sin. However, it doesn’t explain why all of humanity has to suffer for one human sin.
Why There is Evidence for Evolution
Evolution is a scientific theory that religion continues to discredit. Religious accounts of creation conflict with scientific understanding. It is believed that everything is as God designed it, which does not explain evolutionary evidence. Forbes says that Christianity often rejects evolution as the two theories do not align at all.
The Origins of Disease and Illness
In Christianity, disease and illness are thought to be a punishment for the sins of humanity. Yet, religion can’t explain the origins of disease and illness. God is said to decide who gets ill, but who can say how he decides, why he decides, or how disease or illness starts?
Lack of Divine Intervention in Modern Times
A lot of religious texts talk about the presence of divine intervention. In many religious stories, God and other deities played an active role in changing the course of events in the past. Yet they never pop up in modern situations. Did they give up?
Origin of Consciousness
Cold-Case Christianity says that human consciousness is best explained by the existence of God. However, religion never explains the origins of human consciousness. Religion has issues with the theory of evolution but does not offer an alternative theory to how consciousness developed.
Complexity of the Human Brain
There is nothing more complex than the human brain. When our brains are the product of divine design, you would expect an explanation for why we think and feel how we do. If God intended us to follow certain paths and behave in specific ways, why is our brain so complex?
Why Animals Behave Differently
Religion also can’t fully explain the behavior and consciousness of animals. In contrast to the complexity of the human brain, animals are much more simplistic beings. But religion offers no explanation for why the Lord created life in different forms.
Why Prayers Are Not Answered
Despite staying faithful, many prayers go unanswered, challenging religious beliefs. It is thought that when you believe in God wholeheartedly, your prayers will be answered, but in most cases, they’re not. This religious teaching is one with no follow-through and no explanation for why.
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