Welcome to our Frequently Asked Questions
At The God or Delusion Project, we believe honest questions deserve honest answers. These questions are designed to engage Southern Baptist Fundamentalists — and anyone raised in a similar tradition — in deep, thoughtful examination of what they believe and why. Our goal is not to tear down, but to challenge, provoke curiosity, and invite courageous, evidence-based reflection. If something here raises your eyebrows or makes you uncomfortable, we encourage you to keep exploring. Sometimes the first step toward clarity is simply daring to ask.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do we know the Bible is completely without error if humans wrote and copied it? Many believe God protected the Bible from any error, but the evidence shows thousands of manuscript differences and centuries of human editing. Perhaps it’s worth exploring how human hands shaped what we now call “inerrant.”
2. Why did God command or allow mass killings in the Old Testament, and what does that say about His character? These passages can feel deeply troubling. Maybe they reflect an ancient culture’s understanding of God rather than God’s true nature — a possibility worth serious consideration.
3. If salvation is a free gift, why is there so much fear of “losing” it? Fear-driven faith suggests something is off. If salvation were truly secure, would fear still be necessary?
4. Why would an all-loving God create a place of eternal conscious torment?Eternal punishment for finite mistakes raises hard moral questions. It may help to ask if this doctrine comes from God — or from people trying to control others.
5. How can we trust the Bible’s authorship if the Gospels were written anonymously decades after the events? Ancient authors rarely signed their work, and traditions attached names later. It’s reasonable to wonder if the stories evolved over time.
6. Why do sincere prayers often go unanswered, even for faithful Christians? If a loving God hears every prayer, why do even the most faithful see no response? It’s honest to ask if prayer works as taught, or if there’s a natural explanation.
7. What evidence do we have that the Bible was inspired by God rather than human religious leaders? While many people feel inspired by reading it, evidence of divine inspiration beyond subjective experience is worth critically examining.
8. Is it possible that “personal relationship with Jesus” is more cultural than universal? The language of a “personal relationship” is very common in the American South, but far less so elsewhere. Maybe that points to cultural shaping rather than absolute truth.
9. Why does a God who loves families so deeply command or condone practices that split them apart? The Bible contains stories of family separation, slavery, and polygamy. Are these divine commands — or human rules reflecting their own time?
10. If God is unchanging, why does His behavior seem so different between the Old and New Testaments? A consistent God should behave consistently. The contrast between vengeance and forgiveness deserves thoughtful exploration.
11. Could it be that the Bible reflects ancient human understanding more than divine truth? It may feel uncomfortable, but asking whether Scripture is primarily human in origin is a powerful path toward clarity.
12. Why do Christians disagree so strongly about what the Bible means if the Holy Spirit guides everyone to truth? Disagreements — even among sincere believers — suggest the Bible is open to human interpretation rather than a perfect divine message.
13. Is it possible the church’s teachings about “submission” and “headship” were influenced by patriarchal culture instead of God? Culture shaped religion then, just as it shapes it today. Maybe “biblical” gender roles reflect ancient societies more than timeless truth.
14. Why do other religions have followers just as convinced of their own truths as we are of ours? If deep conviction equals truth, then conflicting faiths can’t all be correct. Maybe sincere belief isn’t enough on its own.
15. What would it look like to honestly examine our beliefs — even if it leads us somewhere uncomfortable? True integrity means following evidence wherever it leads, no matter how hard. Perhaps that is the highest kind of faithfulness.
God or Delusion? 