Strangest reasons for not believing

[Ibelieve]

I had a friend I have been witnessing to for a few months now, finally break open today & tell me a few reasons he "can't" believe. One of them was something I have never heard before:
"With all the people in the world how could everyone go somewhere after they die?"

My response was this: "Too many people for there to be room for them? Look at the expanse of the Universe. This is a huge, real, physical realm. If the physical is so huge. Why would the spiritual not be big enough? there's no limit to that realm. You could easily fit all the people & things ever alive into the universe at the same time."

Do you think this was sufficient?
Also, what would you say to someone who lost faith due to realizing the magic of the easter bunny & santa were fake. As a reason for loosing faith very young?????
I said this, but am still new to openly sharing my beliefs: "As for the easter bunny, santa, the like.... they are american traditions, so i let my son partake. but in the back of my mind i have the feeling these are idols which the bible tells us not to have. so, if i am right, this would explain your falling away after finding out the idols you had were fake........ follow god's word, don't have idols & you wouldn't feel this way today. at least not due to the loss of your childhood idols. answer this, why are there specific idol's, only (except the tooth fairy) for two of the most important christian holiday's? but no others? they take the thoughts, worship, eyes off of the real reason for them. "

[Abiding in His Word]

"With all the people in the world how could everyone go somewhere after they die?"

My response was this: "Too many people for there to be room for them? Look at the expanse of the Universe. This is a huge, real, physical realm. If the physical is so huge. Why would the spiritual not be big enough? there's no limit to that realm. You could easily fit all the people & things ever alive into the universe at the same time."

Do you think this was sufficient?

That was a great response, Ibelieve! I can understand how some struggle to comprehend the spiritual realm with the limitations of our physical mind. Paul said it this way:

1Co 2:14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

Also, what would you say to someone who lost faith due to realizing the magic of the easter bunny & santa were fake. As a reason for loosing faith very young????
answer this, why are there specific idol's, only (except the tooth fairy) for two of the most important christian holiday's? but no others? they take the thoughts, worship, eyes off of the real reason for them. "

I can see how a child may feel as though they've been deceived when they find out the easter bunny and santa claus don't exist, and when you think about it, it is kind of a dirty trick adults play on them, isn't it?

But if I would think that if this is an adult you are thinking of, they would not lose faith in God because the easter bunny was not real. I could be wrong, but as we mature into adulthood, most are able to differentiate between fact and fiction. Right? I mean, you would hope one wouldn't lose faith in God because Huckleberry Finn or any other fictional character wasn't real.

The only difference I see might possibly be that the myth of easter bunny and santa claus are perpetuated by parents whereas other fictional characters are not. That should say something to us as parents.

BTW welcome to the board! I've not seen you here, but am happy you have joined us!

[gospeltract]

Welcome Ibelieve

I agree with the scripture reference (1Co 2:14) given by Abiding in His Word. So, pray for your friend’s salvation, and ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance. However, remember that God will not force a person to accept salvation.

For those people who are sincerely and honestly seeking, I believe that there's enough reasonable evidence for the existence of the God of the Bible. When dealing with people who demand proof, I refer them to what I consider reasonable evidence, then let them do with it what they will. I don’t like to engage in fruitless debate.

A seventeenth-century Christian apologist, named Pascal, once pointed out that although there may not be enough evidence to convince some people, there is “enough evidence to condemn.”

[Edit] I just came across this discussion that addresses the problem of atheism:

http://fulfilledprophecy.com/bb/viewtop ... ves#127609