Q&A with Tim Keller - Reason for God? Belief in an Age of Skepticism

http://www.veritas.org/media - Is there reason to believe in God? What about suffering? What about injustice? What if God is just an illusion of the mind? Hasn't science disproved God? Can we really know what Jesus actually said? Why are Christians so intolerant? Tim Keller fields these questions and more from two heavy-hitting interlocutors, NBC journalist Martin Bashir and Columbia University's David Eisenbach.

Over the past two decades, The Veritas Forum has been hosting vibrant discussions on life's hardest questions and engaging the world's leading colleges and universities with Christian perspectives and the relevance of Jesus. Learn more at http://www.veritas.org, with upcoming events and over 600 pieces of media on topics including science, philosophy, music, business, medicine, and more!

Q&A with Martin Barshir

0:18 - Why did you write Reason for God now?
2:22 - Are faith and reason contradictory?
5:35 - Is God just a projection of our cultural circumstances?
9:10 - Is belief in God a mental defect?
11:39 - Is it narrow to believe in one God? Is everyone else going to hell?
18:30 - Is the Bible trustworthy?
23:59 - What about the behavior of so-called Christians?
30:33 - Are you resolutely convinced today that Christianity is true?


Q&A with Dr. David Eisenbach

35:25 - How could God allow evil and suffering?
44:04 - Is there any reason to believe in God in a chaotic world?
45:48 - Does giving a reason for faith undermine its value?
48:49 - Does it take faith to be an atheist?
50:48 - What does Christianity have against homosexuals? Are they going to hell?
57:29 - Why is Christianity so exclusive?
1:03:58 - What do you believe about politics?
1:11:25 - How do you get to heaven?
1:13:13 - Why would God make people who sin?
1:16:58 - Why did God put that tree in the Garden of Eden to begin with?
1:199:34 - What happened for you to have so much peace?

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Education

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[RGuerra1980]

Is it just me or did he seem really squishy and uncomfortable giving answer about the fate of those who aren't in Christ (listen starting at 14:00)? We need men who can give clear and direct responses to those type of questions. His answer seemed cloudy, muddled and unconvincing.

[indigokiller]

@RGuerra1980 i agree. i understand that he's trying to be diplomatic about it but replacing the word "hell" with a phrase like "Christless eternity" doesn't do anyone any favors. the fact is, some people who don't like Christ would be quite comfortable with the idea of a "Christless eternity". also what disturbed me was his almost rob-bell-sounding answer about not knowing the eternal future when it comes to divine judgement. the "i'm on a need to know basis" argument doesn't sound very firm.

[TheWilliet21]

Dr. Keller for me, does a wonderful job articulating the reasons for needing God in our lives and the overwhelming faith one must have to believe. In reading and studying the Bible, my interpretation of why God allows for evil and suffering is solely based on the sin of man. As humans, we have totally rejected God and sinned against him. We deserve nothing but hell and enternal suffering. But by Gods wonderful grace and mercy, he offers all of us a way to be with him forever, and that way is Je

[DanceDiggy]

@justsaynotodrugs Just because you believe in your heart that a god exists does not mean he exists, how naive is that? Give me one shred of undeniable proof God exists and you can convert me on the spot.

[justsaynotodrugs]

@DanceDiggy The fact that you have expressed your perspective of Jesus as a "kid with an antfarm" tells me that you in fact had no relationship with Jesus Christ but rather a relationship with religion. To refute your previous statement, it is very possible to have an afterlife without Jesus that is what hell is in fact. Glad we got that out of the way. Just because you chose to believe in your mind that God does not exist does not in fact make him cease to exist, how naive is that? hah.

[DanceDiggy]

@justsaynotodrugs The difference is water is necessary for survival...we can prove that. We cannot prove an afterlife, and we definitely cannot prove Christ is necessary for an afterlife. I was raised religous and knew Christ/God and decided that he doesnt exist; and if he does exist I refuse to worship a kid with an ant farm torching his "servants" for not doing what he wants.

[TheJdrocker]

@RGuerra1980 Uh, that's an affirmative. The Lord Jesus says that everyone and anyone who does not repent and believe in him is going to be burning eternally in a lake of fire. He likens them to trash in a burning garbage dump. Next question? I can't stand this kind of yuppie church "diplomacy". This sounds just like Joel Osteen avoiding the same question on Larry King. For heaven's sake, just speak the truth in love. If the word of God offends, then so be it.

[fittguy]

Tim Keller is Awesome. What a gift. many of those questions were tough,. However, he managed to give fairly decent responses.(excellent responses in my opinion)

[justsaynotodrugs]

@ndzoko By no means is it closed to anyone. "all who call upon the name of the lord will be saved" ROM10:13, You choose to not be the elect, Just because God knows the outcome does not mean that he chose your destiny.

[ndzoko]

@justsaynotodrugs Why is the path narrow. Did you ever ask yourself that question ? Why would a loving god limit his eternal bliss to a few elect..? Didn`t tell a parabel inviting the homeless to the banquet ? If your father acted like god, people would hang him on the spot.

[justsaynotodrugs]

@ndzoko Thats bible, the path is narrow my friend. If an atheist believes there is no God and wants nothing to do with the Idea then hell is God only giving you what you wanted in the first place. Total absence of God, which is hell as you cal lit "in a nutshell". Of course I wouldn't expect anyone just to realize these things without first seeking God for themselves. Do yourself a favor.