Agnosticism’s Questions

I have a lot of grace for those who are agnostic, that is, unable to commit to believing in a god. There are rational reasons to believe that life doesn’t amount to much other than life, itself. People are born, they live lives with more questions than answers, and they die. Some die of incurable diseases, some of old age, and some in wars that ultimately cause more problems than they fix. In the midst of humanity’s suffering and pain, how can there be something more spiritual than physical?

It doesn’t help that America’s de facto religion, Christianity, isn’t always as loving as advertised. Why would an agnostic look for answers to questions from people who claim to know everything? By nature, agnostics want people to not understand everything.

Fortunately, some Christians attempt to live lives that don’t default to this life of contradiction. Some even go so far as to attempt to respectfully find answers to some of these questions, in branches of Christian thinking like theodicy. The truth is, not all of the agnostic’s questions have flawless answers. Even more revealing is the truth that not all Christians’ questions have flawless answers. In fact, sometimes we have more questions having bought into the Bible’s life-narrative than one might expect.

Christians have answers to questions most questioners fail to ever question. In fact, the Bible takes time in what historians say is the very first portion written to introduce some of these questions. They are delivered by a man named איוב (Job) who was truly having the worst day of his life. In the midst of going crazy, he begins shouting questions about the injustice to God. In a surprising twist, a tornado shows up and begins asking Job questions. The Bible says God was highly involved in the tornadic activity and asked Job questions only God could probably answer like:

• Who set up systems of measure?
• Does rain have an origin?
• Who put the ability to have wisdom in minds?
• An ostrich has wings that she waves proudly, even though they have no purpose
• How do horses prance so powerfully?
• How did hawks first learn to fly?

The questions seemed endless. Perhaps we can think of some more.

• How is the sun exactly the right distance from Earth?
• Humans are self-aware but other animals are not. How?
• Dogs seem to naturally desire to serve humans
• The human blood stream is a very long and complex system
• Lightning is extremely amazing to watch
• The hummingbird’s wings are amazingly fast – its as if he can hover in place effortlessly

It is very difficult to consider all these intricate systems of color and sound and order without asking the question, “How?”

I would respectfully offer my answer – the Christian God is the God of wonders.