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Glad you asked

14th September 12 to 2pm, in Grafton Campus, University of Auckland.
Organised by Christian Medical Fellowship Auckland Students.

Panellists
Dr Brian Krum (BK):
Teaching and development pastor at Greenlane Christian Centre.
Doctor of Ministry in Missional Church Leadership.
Theology of Transformation.
Rev Dr Carolyn Kelly (CK):
Minister with Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.
University of Auckland Chaplain
Doctorate in Theology and the Arts
Dr Colin McArthur (CM):
Intensive care medicine specialist at Auckland City Hospital
Quality and safety research
Research in intensive care
Dr Graeme Finlay (GF):
PhD in cellular immunology.
Bachelor's in theology
Research in Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre.
Dr Jacklyn Ting (JT):
2nd year house officer

Why do you believe in God?

GF: He has revealed himself through Jesus.
CK: I have sought for God, meaning, and transcendence. However, it was actually God who
found me. God has made himself known to be through Jesus.
CM: Belief in God provides answer to what science doesnt. For example what is the
meaning of life? Science only answers how, but Christianity answer the why part of the
question. CS Lewis; I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only
because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.
BK: I have seen many people go through hardship, which I saw through my work in
counselling. However, I was impressed with the hope, and how the trust in God gave them
strength.
JT: To me the gospel made sense to me. I believe the Bible is both accurate and true.
Summary: God has revealed himself through Jesus. Christianity gives great strength, and
hope to its believers. It answers the why part of the question. In addition, because the bible
is true and accurate.
What is the point of Christianity?
BK: The decision to believe that Jesus is the son of God. Believing that Jesus has resurrected
from the dead and we have to follow him. Jesus loved me, I want to love him back.
JT: Christianity is the point. The Bible, Christianity teaching about life after death; heaven or
hell. Heaven is where there is no pain, misery, injustice. Hell is just the opposite of hell, not
like the stereotypical representations. The reason I believe in Christianity, is because we can
never meet the true standard. With the true standard being God.
CM: It give me purpose in our life (it makes our life complete).
GF: Christianity is about following God. He calls us to work with him. To live for him, bring
his plan to fruition. It is not about my own blessedness and happiness, it is not selfishness.
Summary: Following God and Jesus. Which is the purpose of life.
Cant I just be a good person?
CM: we are fallible, and bad, we cant achieve the goodness. History shows man has failed a
lot and done many terrible failings. We cant reach to standard of goodness.
BK: Only God is good. That is why Jesus came to pay the price of our failings. We are
messed up. Are we willing to accept the gift?
JT: Goodness is relative. Gods standard is what is good. Is a rapist who in the end gives all
of his savings to the poor a good person? It is God that is removing us from sin. Have you
ever lied, have ever stolen anything, have you committed adultery (Jesus definition;
everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her
in his heart).
GF: Science cannot tell me what being good is. St. Paul; I know good does not live in me
We cannot see ourselves as morally superior to people of other religions, we are just forgiven.
Summary: We are not good people. We will only be good from the power of God
Arent all religions praying to the same God? How do you know that the Christian God is
true? Are other religions legitimate? Are there multiple Gods?

JT: They are not the same. Hindu has multiple Gods. There is only one God according to the
bible.
CM: There is a fundamental conflict between religions. People have different views about
Jesus. There being multiple religions, and gods show that we all have the capacity to find,
think about God.
CK: Only one God is true to her. Other people think their beliefs are true. I see that others are
different. On contrary, it is in conflict with other faiths. However, we dont say what they
believe is wrong. Dont be confrontational.
Summary: There is only one God. For Christians other religions are different.
Why does God let so many horrible things happen? Why would God allow natural disasters
to occur?
GM: Gods values his creations, because of that he gives it a life of its own. The freedom to
make their own decisions. He doesnt want a mechanical world, where everything runs
according to his rule. He wants us to love him, because we love him, not because we are
made to. We can only understand God from the long term, but we do not live very long to see
his whole plan. An Oxford Geophysicist said he cant conceive of life in a world without
Earthquake. We cannot ask God to make 2 + 2 = 5, suffering is necessary in a real world. I
worship a God that suffers (for example Christ died on the cross). God himself suffers when
people do stupid things (World of War I). Greek gods doesnt give a damn.
BK: Sin came to people, it affected all of creation. It was our free choice. Where is God in
the midst of all this? Why do not people think about how many disasters has he stopped? The
miraculous savings he has performed. Death, suffering is the enemy of God, it is not used to
prove a lesson. Why would God kill babies to prove a point that abortion is wrong? Do not
attribute causality of events to God.
JT: Book of Job; Satan said Job likes you because you blessed him, and God just asks
Satan to not kill Job. Therefore, Satan takes everything away from him (money, children, and
health). We see that people around him tell him he is suffering from his sins. In reality, it was
just Satan, not God.
Summary: God values his creations. We do not see the long term picture of Gods plans.
How can I trust the Bible? Does the evidence found in history, science and logic point
unequivocally to the God of the Bible, or does it simply allow for him?
JT: Accurate: very close to how it was originally written. Bible has been translated many
times, and has many versions. However the New Testament is the most represented in ancient
literature, with most number of manuscripts founds. It is so extensively cited that the New
Testament can be reconstructed from its citations alone. Minimal facts defence; resurrection
of Christ; old scholar (Christian and non-Christian) concluded that Jesus was crucified, and
the tomb was empty (make your own decision, as to whether Jesus resurrected. Science
cannot disprove God, science has many bias and issues (cannot change the environments,
exposure), we need faith to make connections (science is like a religion in this way). Nothing
can disprove God. Bible; God is the only one who can open your eyes.
BK: Archaeological proof (Roman army notes), Jewish oral tradition (lots of checks and
balances). Sociologist; after 2 generation, the facts become affirmed, locked into truth, as

there are lots of eye witnesses to check facts. Bible tells the story of God, how he showed
himself through history. I believe it is about 75% correct, so you make the call.
Summary: it is accurate and true.
Can someone lose their salvation?
CK: God is the judge. Salvation is God coming to us. And we acknowledge God is our
saviour. We make the decisions. We are free, and human beings. We have the freedom to
choose.
BK: Salvation is a gift, so he wont take it away. There is nothing wrong with having doubts
about God, but dont ignore it.
Summary: Only God knows, because he gives us salvation.
What could be a first step I could take to learn more about Christianity?
The Language of God by Francis Collins; an atheist turns Christian after determining the
structure of DNA?
Surprised by Meaning by Alister McGrath.
Now thats a good question by RC Sproul.
Watch a Christian, see if you like them. Dont expect them to be perfect