I was not, in posting these, saying that atheists have no answers to them, only that as yet in over forty years of discussion with them I am yet to hear any good ones.
The post generated 2,300 page views and 49 responses in a week and several people attempted to take up the challenge by answering the questions.
I have posted links to these responses below and will add any others to this post that people alert me too.
Those atheists who responded in general seemed to think that the questions were very easy to answer and accused me either of advocating ‘God of the gaps’ or of posing ‘loaded’ or ‘meaningless’ questions.
I have to say that I am not convinced but see what you think.
I will post my own observations about the questions soon (first six here).
The twenty questions
1.What caused the universe to exist?
2.What explains the fine tuning of the universe?
3.Why is the universe rational?
4.How did DNA and amino acids arise?
5.Where did the genetic code come from?
6.How do irreducibly complex enzyme chains evolve?
7.How do we account for the origin of 116 distinct language families?
8.Why did cities suddenly appear all over the world between 3,000 and 1,000BC?
9.How is independent thought possible in a world ruled by chance and necessity?
10.How do we account for self-awareness?
11.How is free will possible in a material universe?
12.How do we account for conscience?
13.On what basis can we make moral judgements?
14.Why does suffering matter?
15.Why do human beings matter?
16.Why care about justice?
17.How do we account for the almost universal belief in the supernatural?
18.How do we know the supernatural does not exist?
19.How can we know if there is conscious existence after death?
20.What accounts for the empty tomb, resurrection appearances and growth of the church?
Answers posted on my own blog
1.John Saucier
2.Kees Engels
3.Bagguley
Answers on other blogs
1.Rosa Rubicondior
2.Richard Carrier
3.Confessions of a doubting Thomas
4.Dude ex machina
5.Lady Atheist
6.Sarah Elizabeth
7.Dead-Logic
Christians’ responses to atheists' answers
1.Responses to Rosa Rubicondior (A Christian Word)
2. Biblical Scholarship
Other references to the 20 questions
1.Wintery Knight
2.God's Advocate
3.JillStriff
4.An alternative list of ten questions for atheists (Bitter Sweet End)
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