Seeker Questions Archives

February 13, 2026February 9, 2026

Nonsense About a Created God

You’ve probably heard this question before. Someone says God created the universe, and then another person asks, “So who created God?” As silly as this question seems, it is often used as an argument against God’s existence by leading atheist Richard Dawkins. His best-selling book from a few years ago, The God Delusion, revolves around this very question. Asking “Who created God?” only makes sense if you are assuming a God who was created. But that’s not the God described in the Bible. It’s not the God that Christians, Jews, or even Muslims believe in. Let’s stop the nonsense about a created god.

When we talk about God, what do we mean? Are we thinking of the God described in the Bible who is eternal, uncreated, and exists before all things? “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth” (Genesis 1:1). Not only did God create everything, but He also sustains the universe (Colossians 1:17 and James 1:17). Richard Dawkins makes it clear he does not believe in God, but the god he does not believe in is not the God described in the Bible. I also do not believe in the god that Dawkins does not believe in. The God who created and sustains the universe is eternal, which voids the nonsense about a created god.

The ancient Greeks believed that matter had always existed, and that some god or gods emerged from the matter. Various gods, filled with human passions and sins, fought for control, bringing about a chaotic world. In other words, matter existed forever, but gods arose and kept things in chaos. Because of this misunderstanding of creation, the Greeks didn’t make much progress in what we now call science. If you don’t believe there is order in the universe, you can’t really study and find order within it.

Long before the Greek philosophers, the ancient Hebrews knew about the eternal God, the Creator of the universe. When the apostle Paul addressed the philosophers on the Areopagus in Athens, he pointed out how inadequate understanding of God. In Athens, Paul saw many idols honoring various gods. Just in case they missed one, he saw an inscription “to an unknown God.” Paul told them that even their own poets acknowledged that humans are God’s offspring, and if that’s true, God cannot be made of silver, gold, or stone—carved by human hands.

Therefore, we don’t need the nonsense about a created god. It’s meaningless. God is not a created being. We are His creation, meant to serve Him. Only by establishing a relationship with God can our lives be truly fulfilled, and this is possible because He seeks that relationship with us. He went so far as to send His only begotten Son to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins and to open the way for us to be restored to the eternal God who created, sustains, and loves us.

February 10, 2026February 8, 2026

Looking for Answers in the Wrong Places

What do the Shroud of Turin, the statues on Easter Island, UFOs, and demon possession have in common? They keep appearing in the media because they are all money-makers for those who promote them, and because people are looking for answers in the wrong places.

The Shroud of Turin is a 14-foot linen cloth with an image of a man burned into it. It is kept in the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, Italy, and has been used by the Catholic Church as a relic to attract Christian pilgrims to Turin. Facts about the shroud show it is not a supernatural object. The image on the Shroud is too tall for the time of Jesus. The cloth dates back to the 1300s and is a single piece of fabric, yet the Bible mentions two cloths—one for the head and one for the body.

The large statues called the “moai” on Easter Island were visited by Norwegian explorer Thor, who provided a clear explanation for them and how they were erected. This led to a book and a movie, and now they are a popular tourist attraction. Many books have been sold claiming that UFOs and demon possession are real. There are countless claims about Noah’s Ark, many of which have been major money-makers, including a replica in Kentucky. In Texas, a religious group trying to prove the Earth is only thousands of years old has claimed that human and dinosaur footprints are found in the same rock layers.

The problem is that unsupported claims can weaken young people’s faith as they learn about the true evidence. This website aims to show that scientific evidence supports what the Bible actually says. We often spend time and effort countering false claims made by people who lack understanding or are trying to deceive others who are looking for answers in the wrong places.

We don’t claim to have all the answers, but we do have extensive experience and support from people with academic credentials who can address many of the faith-related questions people have.

January 8, 2026December 31, 2025

Believing Extraordinary Claims Despite the Evidence

In his 1979 book Boca’s Brain, the late Karl Sagan wrote, “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” That aphorism is often called the Sagan standard or ECREE. I believe Sagan was guilty of making extraordinary claims that he couldn’t prove, but we’ve discussed that before. The truth is that people are often guilty of believing extraordinary claims despite the evidence.

An extreme example of rejecting clear evidence to believe extraordinary claims is Mike Hughes, who died in 2020 while attempting to “prove” that the Earth is flat. Some say he didn’t really believe the Earth is flat but used it as a publicity stunt. What reasons, besides a desire for publicity, could cause someone to reject evidence? Psychologists suggest that cognitive biases play a role. If you expect something to be true, you might dismiss evidence that suggests otherwise.

Another reason for believing extraordinary claims despite the evidence is social influence. If loved ones or admired figures hold those beliefs, it becomes easier to accept something that contradicts the evidence. Conspiracy theories are often embraced by those surrounded by a community of fellow conspiracy believers.

A common reason for believing something extraordinary is that your personal experience has led you to believe it is true. The flat Earth concept may seem reasonable when you stand outside and look around. Does this look like a sphere to you? Do you trust what others tell you, or your own eyes? Strange experiences, hallucinations, or psychoactive drugs can also lead someone to accept an extraordinary claim.

Extraordinary beliefs aren’t inherently good or bad. Scientists challenging the status quo—such as questioning the evidence supporting neo-Darwinism—can lead to new insights. Carl Sagan’s statement, “The cosmos is all there is or was or ever will be,” (from his TV series), cannot be backed by extraordinary evidence. It’s a philosophical statement, not a scientific fact. In fact, science can’t prove that God does not exist, and increasing evidence of fine-tuning points toward an intelligence behind creation.

Both scientists and believers in God should avoid letting social dynamics and peer pressure shape their beliefs. Carefully examine the evidence for what you believe and avoid falling into the trap of believing extraordinary claims despite the evidence.

November 25, 2025November 23, 2025

Objections to Proselytizing

Vice President J.D. Vance raised an issue at the end of October 2025 when he expressed hope that his Hindu wife would convert to Christianity. This has sparked a lot of debate about whether it is moral or ethical for Christians to try to convert people of other faiths. In the days of Christ, many people became proselytes to Judaism. (See Matthew 23:15, Acts 2:10, and 13:43.) The apostles brought many Jews into the Christian faith, and in Acts 6:5, one convert is identified as Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch. Today, there are strong objections to proselytizing on the grounds that it can lead to cultural loss and increased prejudice.

Such objections to proselytizing are inconsistent at best. If someone’s religion demands human sacrifice, are we wrong to lead them to the Christian faith? Polygamy, a highly destructive practice found in many Eastern religions, Islam, Mormonism, and some Native American tribes, is another example. Women’s rights have advanced in modern times primarily through Christianity, and passages like Galatians 3:28 clearly state that women are equal to men in every way and should not be viewed as possessions.

The point is that many religions teach harmful ideas. Sometimes, destructive groups like the Ku Klux Klan falsely claim to be “Christian.” Jesus provided a test for authentic religious practice when He said, “By their fruits you shall know them” (Matthew 7:15-20). Compare the fruits of Islam and Hinduism with what Christianity has brought to the world. How many schools, hospitals, nursing homes, care facilities, and food banks have been established by churches or individuals expressing their Christian faith? The same question can be asked about other religious faiths worldwide.

J.D. Vance’s wife, Usha, is the daughter of Hindu parents who were atheists and agnostics. Usha Vance has supported her husband’s decision to raise their three children as Christians, and the two oldest attend a Christian school. We make no apologies for our efforts to share what the Christian faith has to offer, including a better life now and eternal life after. We do this because we believe it’s in the best interest of every human on Earth. Objections to proselytizing for the Christian faith are not in humanity’s best interest.

Reference: msn.com

August 21, 2025August 20, 2025

Grand Canyon and Meteor Crater Connection?

For years, the Does God Exist? ministry took groups of people on apologetics training tours of geological features in the southwestern United States. The Grand Canyon and Meteor Crater (also known as Barringer Crater) were among the places visited in northern Arizona. A recent paper in the journal Geology, written by researchers from the University of New Mexico, suggests a Grand Canyon and Meteor Crater connection.

Scientists have long known about driftwood and lake sediments found in Stanton’s Cave in Marble Canyon in the eastern Grand Canyon. Since the mouth of the cave is 150 feet (46 m) above the Colorado River that runs through the canyon, how the driftwood got there was a mystery. Additionally, explorers have discovered ancient beaver tracks in Vasey’s Cave, 121 feet (37 m) above the river—much too high for beavers to access today.

The proposed explanation for these discoveries in the caves is that, in the distant past, a lake existed in the Colorado River. Geologists estimate the lake was about 50 miles (80 km) long and 300 feet (91 m) deep. Something must have created a dam that held back the river, causing the water to rise to the level of the caves. The dam was eventually overtopped and eroded away, possibly less than 1,000 years ago.

What could have caused such a large dam to hold back the Colorado River? It could have been a volcanic flow or a massive rockslide that sent debris into the canyon. But what could cause a rockslide of that magnitude? New dating methods used by two labs in Australia and New Zealand determined the age of the driftwood to be 55,600 years. David Kring, the science coordinator for Meteor Crater, had estimated the age of the crater to be between 53,000 and 63,000 years. Researchers saw a possible Grand Canyon and Meteor Crater connection.

Kring calculated that the impact at Meteor Crater would have caused an earthquake of magnitude 5.4 or greater. In seconds, a shock wave of around 3.5 would have reached the canyon 100 miles away, potentially shaking loose rocks from the steep cliffs of the canyon and damming the river.

So far, the Grand Canyon and Meteor Crater connection is only speculation, but the dates seem to align. As we study the canyon, we can learn a great deal about the area’s geologic history. God gave us curiosity to seek answers about our planet’s past. While we don’t have all the answers about the Grand Canyon’s formation, one thing we know for certain is that the canyon was not formed by the flood of Noah’s time.

References: space.com and news.unm.edu

May 22, 2025May 20, 2025

I WAS an Atheist

Yesterday, we looked at John N. Clayton’s answer to the question, “Were you really an atheist?” He said, “I WAS an atheist,” and explained two points about why. He concludes here with two final points:

My third point is that you cannot scare faith into a person. I have heard people say, “There are no atheists in foxholes.” That is not true. I have seen atheists who went through the worst of combat experiences continue their belief that there is no God. I had a few experiences as an atheist where I thought my life was about to end, and it never scared me into believing in God.

What finally changed my parents’ belief system was their response to Christians who ministered unselfishly to them when they could no longer take care of themselves. An atheist views death as part of life. What does not make sense to an atheist is someone who sacrifices when there is no personal gain for themselves. Survival of the fittest can explain death, but it cannot explain altruistic service to others. When my wife and I decided to keep and raise a multi-handicapped baby we had adopted, my parents were enraged. Our action violated their position, producing a major breach in our relationship for many years.

My fourth point is that helping someone out of atheism is never a fast process. I was never in a church building or worship service of any kind until I was nearly twenty years old. Hearing words like “Jesus Christ” used in any way but profanity was very strange to me. Prayer was a meaningless waste of time in my view.

When science forced me to recognize that my atheistic assumptions about the cosmos were inadequate, I started doubting my atheism. It was seven years until I was finally willing to ask questions and share my struggles with someone else. My father was not willing to discuss his atheism until he was seventy years old and faced leukemia. My mother was ninety years old before she would rationally discuss the existence of God.

People do not get out of atheism overnight, but if they accept the evidence and get to know God, their faith will be on fire like no person of inherited faith will ever be. I WAS an atheist because I inherited that belief system. Now I have my own faith, which is supported by evidence that I can see, and it is much better and more fulfilling.

May 21, 2025May 20, 2025

Were You Really an Atheist?

Were you really an atheist? People have asked this question incredulously, as if they couldn’t believe someone like me existed. Some will say, “I don’t think atheists really exist.” I have four points in answer to this challenge.

My first point is that I was an atheist for the same reason many people are believers. I inherited my atheist faith. Most Catholics are Catholic because they were born into a family with that conviction. My parents were atheists, so that is what I was. They indoctrinated me to believe that religion is a destructive and ignorant system that no intelligent person would believe. Ask yourself why you are what you are religiously. If you are what your parents were, is it because you have studied it and know it to be true, or have you just accepted the family faith as the line of least resistance?

My second point is that I did not doubt that there was no God. My only exposure to religion was negative, and my parents took advantage of every opportunity to reinforce the belief that religion was wrong and destructive. My father taught for several years at Talladega State Teachers College, an all-black school in Talladega, Alabama. I remember crosses burning in our front yard. I remember doctors refusing to give us quality medical treatment because of my father’s occupation. I remember my mother being refused service in a restaurant because we were sitting with a black member of the college faculty. Every time something like that happened, I was told that the prejudice was due to religion.

When newspapers carried the story of a religious figure doing something wrong, my parents told me that is what religion produces. Today, there are many examples of actions by religious people doing things that reflect badly on religion. That is why our ministry focuses entirely on scientific evidence for God, not on what “religious” people do. Many of today’s atheists are former Christians or even ministers of churches. They have seen people who are supposed to be Christians do destructive things, and they have thrown the baby out with the bathwater.

These two points are adapted from John N. Clayton’s book Frequently Asked Questions © 2007. John has two more points in answer to the question “Were you really an atheist?” We will look at those tomorrow.

April 11, 2025April 9, 2025

Does God Exist? Materials

We appreciate your following the DoesGodExist.today website, and we want you to know that we offer more services and materials free of charge. We have two video series available on doesgodexist.tv. Our basic “Does God Exist?” series with John Clayton includes 36 programs on evidence for God and the Bible. We also offer a series with John Cooper on archaeological evidence to support the integrity of the Bible. It is titled “Beyond Reasonable Doubt.”

We also offer three correspondence courses, each aimed at a different audience. Our basic course is very elementary, while our intermediate course is written at a college freshman level. The archaeological series is a 13-lesson course. These three courses, graded by John Clayton, are free and postage-paid. In addition to these three courses, we have nine others, including a substance abuse course.

On our DoesGodExist.org website, you will find booklets, pamphlets, charts, and archives of our “Does God Exist?” magazine. On that site, you will also find a catalog of materials you can request. Some of our materials are available for purchase on PowerVine.Store.

John Clayton welcomes your questions; you will find his email address on our websites. Our main objective in this work is to educate people and help them know why they believe what they believe. We want to convince anyone who will look at the evidence that science and faith are symbiotic and not adversarial.

March 20, 2025March 19, 2025

Ten Excuses People Use

A friend in Dublin, Ireland, sent me a list of ten excuses people use. His article is titled “Ten Reasons Why I Never Wash,” but it is really ten excuses people use to avoid worshipping God and following Jesus.

1) I was forced to wash as a child, so I will not do it now.

2) People who wash are hypocrites who think they are cleaner than others.

3) There are so many kinds of soap that I could not decide which one was right, so I didn’t use any of them.

4) I used to wash, but it got boring.

5) I still wash on special occasions like Christmas.

6) None of my friends wash.

7) I’m too young to wash. When I am older and a bit dirtier, I might start washing.

8) I really don’t have time to wash.

9) The bathroom is never warm enough for me to wash.

10) The people who make soap push washing to make more money.

As I read through the Irish list on washing, I thought of what people would say to Jesus when the end comes. In Matthew 25:35, Jesus talks about people who need food or water, and we have to ask what excuse we will use for not helping people who lack food and water. In verse 36, He talks about people needing clothing, those in prison, and those who are ill. We must consider what excuses we will offer for not addressing those needs.

Humans rationalize their selfish inaction. This list of ten excuses people use should pry us from our inconsistent excuses and get us involved in following Jesus and addressing the real problems facing people today.

December 13, 2024December 11, 2024

Denominational Creationism Doctrines

One of the most destructive forces in the Lord’s Church today is denominational creationism. The list of big-dollar efforts by denominational churches continues to grow, and their message continues to destroy the faith of well-educated young people.

The “Does God Exist?” ministry reaches out to people who have lost their faith, left the Church, or are associated with megachurches that are not focused on the Bible. We receive many requests from parents whose children have left the Church, and a major part of our work is to reach out to these young people. Many have lost their faith because of things like the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter. Many church leaders fail to understand the issues involved and organize bus trips to these creationist presentations.

Among the issues are claiming the universe or planet Earth is 6,000 years old, suggesting that Noah had baby dinosaurs on the ark, saying that nothing died until Adam and Eve sinned, and saying that the flood of Noah caused all geologic features on Earth. Though they claim to be presenting the biblical account, their message ignores what the Bible actually says. Furthermore, the denominational creationism message is cleverly worked into their dispensational teaching that Jesus will return as a political figure, restoring David’s physical throne by force in Jerusalem and ruling on Earth.

This confusing message is a factor in the loss of young people from the Church. On the doesgodexist.org website, you can read a free booklet titled “God’s Revelation in His Rocks and His Word.” It goes into the biblical problems with this creationist teaching.

The cost of these creationist entertainment venues and the amount of money spent by those who visit them should raise questions in the minds of church leaders. We need to take the Bible literally and use the resources God has given us to meet the needs of people spiritually and materially worldwide. Supporting denominational creationism and teaching their doctrines in Bible classes does not do that.