Imagine you have a bottle of bleach. Take the label off and replace it with one that reads 'whiskey'. Now ask yourself "What is in the bottle?". Have the contents changed just because of the label on it? Of course not.

It's important to understand that if someone calls themselves a Christian, it does not automatically make everything they do an act of Christianity, even if they say it is.

If you are to suppose that natural reasons are the cause of everything, then it can only lead to the conclusion that consciousness is an illusion.

If Captain Jean-Luc Picard asked you to serve him aboard the starship Enterprise, you'd likely be happy to. You would recognise him as a great leader and a good man, and so you wouldn't have any problem following his orders. This is basically the relationship God wants with us - not slaves, not pets, not possessions, we would be co-workers and friends.

God's being good does not somehow magically make all Christians good.

As far back as history records people thinking, thinking peoplehave been befuddled by the mysteries of life and existence.

Desire, problem solving, and communication are all signs of intelligence and awareness. My cat has these, so it's quite possible he has a soul too.

God could easily at any moment prove he existed beyond doubt with some amazing show of power which would have everyone kneel to him in awe. That is not what he wants. Real belief can't be gained by a dazzling show and a loving relationship can't be won through force.

Naturalistic atheism debunks itself. It has no power to explain even some of the most basic principles of the universe and existence. It cannot even explain how its own claims can be reasonably believed.

If it is the case that we are merely slaves to the natural processes computing our advanced fight and flight responses, then we are never truly thinking, which means that logic and reason - the things we hold so dear - do not exist either.