Help.. My 13 yr old is asking some tough questions...?

Question

Ok, So were a chrisitan family, and lately well..tonite my 13 yr old has been asking things which im not sure how to answer..he asks me ..How do we know that our God is the right God, since there have been so many other Gods before him?..i was not sure how to answer this question..and a few like it..I told him i was glad he waqs asking questions and that i would get back to him..tomorrow..or the next day..lol

Answer 1

Get him a book on comparative religions and let him find his own path. World Religions by John Bowker or The Complete Idiot's Guide to World Religions by Brandon Toropov are two excellent ones.

Above all, encourage your son to keep searching and keep asking. And respect the decision that he makes.

Answer 2

Hi.. maybe this will help..



1. There is one existence therefore, there can only be one God. If God created existence then many Gods would have created many existence. We only know of one existence therefore, there can only be one God.



2. If there are different Gods that disagree with each other then we must conclude that one God will out power the others thus ruling over the other smaller Gods. This is unlikely because we see no evidence of this threw the lives of most people today. Since the belief of "Many" Gods started dieing out when new technology was being invented shows that these beliefs were superficial.



3. You have the Right God because he answers your prayers where other Gods do not answer your prayers.. Your God is a personal God and works in your life.. There can only be one Creator and we are the objects he had created..



4. The trinity--It is possible that a ONE God can be in the image of 3 individuals for God is supernatural. We have a begining(yesterday), middle (today) and an end (tomorow) all three are different, yet they are all three time.. There are 3 different sides to a triangle yet all three togeather makes one triangle.



thanks,

Answer 3

Hey Nikki,



What great questions that all of us need to take seriously and ask ourselves. The answerers are giving some great help for you, I see! Here's my own story and perspective:



I explored a number of religions and their claims and facts and histories before narrowing it down.



One of the many multi-layered reasons that I profess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour is:



Just that - He is Lord, King, Ruler! At the end of the day, it's a question of POWER.

Does the god/God I worship have the power to deliver on the promises made? If there's a god that says all these wonderful things, but cannot back them up, then I'm screwed from an eternal point of view.



And, for me, that is the reason that I believe and put my hope and faith in Christ: He said that "if you believe in me, you will never die"/"My father is the God of the living"/"I have power over death and can give life"/"I am the resurrection and the life". Then he backed it up, by rising from the grave!



The early church understood that power, made manifest by the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the signs and wonders that followed (healing, freedom from demonic oppression, etc.) and wrote about it, both in the books of the NT, and the literature found in the Apostolic Fathers.



Paul pulls no punches in stating how important Christ's resurrection is, in 1 Corinthians 15.12-22.



Many people have made claims like that, but then they died and did not rise and their followers dissipated (Gamaliel mentions this implicitly: Acts 5.27-39). Jesus and those that believed in Him, on the other hand, birthed a world religion!



Here's an interesting thought?:

How could someone that did not rise from the dead have motivated so many people to give their lives "senselessly" in the roman arenas, when all they had to do was recant and worship the Emperor of the Roman Empire? The simplest cause-and-effect explanation is best here....

Answer 4

Hi Nikki! Wow I can imagine those are some tough questions to answer. I'm not personally a Christian anymore but I was raised that way and asked many of the same questions myself when I was that age. What I really believe is that there is A God and there is life after death and if you live your life as a good person who treats people, animals, and the rest of nature with love and respect, that you will have a better life, and a higher place and wisdom in the after life. So whether you are a Jew, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Wiccan, or whatever, if you are a good person then it really doesn't matter which name you give to God. There is just one God and we are ALL God's children... God is above any petty bickering we humans may have over when certain events took place or what certain people were called. I realize that a lot of Christian teachings say that it DOES matter and that if you don't believe in Jesus, you will go to hell. But I simply think that is not true and that if you could go back in time then Jesus would agree with me. BUT I wasn't there and neither was any other human alive today, so who knows about which God is right?? It is a journey of discovery for each of us and your child will find truth for himself oneday. Best of luck!



Starseeker

Answer 5

You can tell your son that he can believe that we serve the Living God for these reasons:



Scripture is the inspired word of God, and in it God says that He is the Lord God Almighty, the creator of the universe.



How do we know that Scripture is the inspired word of God? Because it was written over centuries, by many different men, and all of Scripture agrees, both Old Testament and New Testament. That could not have happened if it had simply been mankind writing the Book (if four different people witness an auto accident on a street corner there will be four differing accounts).



Also, history agrees with the Biblical account of mankind. There are "proofs" in man's historical account of what happened down thru the ages.



And there are scientific "proofs" that the happenings recorded in the Bible actually happened. Take, for example, Noah and the flood. There is scientific proof that at one time in history the whole earth was covered in water.



There is just briefly some of the "proofs" that God is who He says He is.



I hope this helps, and I am so pleased that your son is questioning, and wants to know the real answers and not just what the minister says... That shows real intelligence, and the desire, and ability to think for himself, and not be a sheep. There should be many more like him.

Answer 6

Tell him that God is not the same thing as our understanding of God, and that learning to understand God is an ongoing process, both for individuals and for the community.



Before the days of easy travel and communication, people saw "God" in simple, fragmented ways. The gods were elemental, controlling the weather, the hearth fire and all the uncontrollable aspects of life, or tribal, fighting to protect the group from foreigners and their gods. We now understand that those "gods" were false, that God would not really work like that.



But we can't claim to have God completely figured out, even today. People "understood" God "perfectly" time and again throughout history, only to be shown to be short-sighted and narrow-minded, time and again. Each new breakthrough has shown God to be far greater and wiser than those who "knew" him could realize. Did God change and grow, or did human understanding of God change and grow?



Given the human historical track record, the idea that we "have the right God" needs a disclaimer or two. We know more about God than we did before, have better confidence about our understanding of God's ways. But it is arrogance to claim that we have God down pat. Given the right crisis or conundrum, God will still surprise us, still challenge us to seek a deeper understanding.



Those who understand God in a different way, who perhaps call God by a strange name, may have something to teach us about God, as we may have for them. Not everything said in faith is true, but new ideas that are consistent with what we already know about God can give us better insight into the God we think we already know.



Tell your son to be open minded but not gullible. Our concept of God is loving, merciful and just. That's not negotiable. Another type of "God" would make no sense. But the details are often a matter of what we limited creatures can understand in our particular circumstances. How we picture God is less important than how that picture affects what we do with our lives.

Answer 7

Simply put, the majority of religions today believe in one GOD. I say why can't the one God of the Jews, be the same God of the Muslims, the same one God etcetera of all cultures believing in one God. Examine the literature of the world and you find very similar stories of the great flood and the creation of the earth in other places besides the Holy Bible. I believe Abraham in Genesis is recognized as the father of the Muslim and Jewish nations. If so, how can their God be different. Many doubt the existence of God but fail to consider that the planet we live on would be incapable of sustaining life if the tilt of the Earth's axis or the orbit was minimally changed. I cannot believe this happened by chance. It required a divine being. I believe your son may be confused by the scripture/commandment have no other gods before me. Gods can be the pagan gods or idols in the bible but anything that comes before God is a god(job, money, greed, ambition). All belief in God is a matter of faith.

Answer 8

Did you know that the Bible (God's Word) has never been proven false/incorrect historically, geographically, scientifically or archaeologically? No other 'holy book' (other than the Torah, of which the first 5 books of the Bible came from) can make that claim. If all that is true, how can God the Father be anything but what He is?

There are MANY 'gods': work, wealth, sports, sex, popularity, power, etc. Anything that is more important to us than God the Father is 'a god.'

Answer 9

Encourage him to keep asking questions and then have him look in the Bible for answers.



Man has always made false gods. An old adage says, "God created man in His own image, and man has been returning the favor ever since." Hindus have millions of gods. Sometimes gods are made of wood or stone, other times man makes up a god in his mind. Whatever the case, making a god to suit yourself is called "idolatry," and is a transgression of both the First and Second of the Ten Commandments.



Our God is the right God because God can't lie. (Titus 1:2)



Our God made a way so we could be saved. Other religions don't do that. They make you work for it. That is a slap in our God's face. Our works are worse than an open sewer!

Answer 10

Well as Christians, we believe the Holy Bible, and the Bible teaches that there is one God, Our Creator, Our Heavenly Father, and it also teaches that if anyone teach anything that is not of the Holy Bible let them be accursed. So this tells us that there is only One God, and the fact that anyone claiming to be God outside of the God of the Bible is a lier, and a false God.

Thats how we know we have chosen the One True God.



Also the way God moves in our lives, and how he answers prayers, How we feel in our Hearts.

I Know , that I know , that I know. We know because we can feel him, and we see the results of this in our daily lives.

Answer 11

Bright kid! I wish there were more like him.



I think that going the route of "I don't have all the answers" is best. Tell him that you believe what you believe, and thats that. Letting him explore other religions a bit would probably be nice. A bit about Judiasm, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. Bring it all back to the general spirit of human kindness and spirituality and then give your honest explanation of why you're Christian, or whatever your religion is.



If your answer is that you're Christian because your parents were Chritian, tell him that, too. Its the truth, and thats what a 13 year old wants from their parents.

Answer 12

Tell him that in our christian religion we strongly believe there has not been so many other Gods before him. We believe that God is and always will be the ONLY GOD and we do not believe in any other Gods before him . There as not been so many other Gods before him and we have the faith in our religion to believe this and tell him why you believe the way you do. I think your son may be confused with the 1st commandment when he says "since there have been so many other gods before him" The first commandment is I am your only God the father and do not wroship any flase Gods before me. I think your son got the idea that there as been many other Gods before him when there has not. You can alos explain there are many different types of Christian religions and explain the difference between the Christian and Jewish religions ect...

Answer 13

They do ask some tough questions. I would reply that the God of the Bible was before all the gods made by men. He is the only One who has invaded history, who has made His presence known. All the gods of man never made themselves known nor did anything that has been documented, anything that refers to them is myth, and it is quite obvious. When God works, it is documented as history, such as, the crossing of the Red sea, the plagues in Egypt, and of course, God becoming man to save His people. I would point out that when God struck the Egyptians with plagues, each one was a slap at their made up gods, none of which came to their rescue, nor did anything to help. The God of the Bible is the One who is, all the others have gone into the dustbin of history.

Answer 14

Greetings!



First of all, I heartily congratulate you that your son is thinking things through on his own. That really is a wonderful attribute for a thirteen year old.



To confess, I am an Agnostic personally. But as a teacher, I encourage families to embrace the culture inwhich they live in, so long as no harm comes to the child. In my career, I have had Catholic, Jewish, Christian, Islamic and Hindu children in my care.



But there is more to family culture than religion - Being black, white, Asian, Hispanic, French, German...countless cultures, complete with their own language base and cultural celebrations. It is vital for each child to learn their own native language and engage in their special celebrations so the child can grow.



Also, there are lots of different kinds of families - man and woman and children, single parents, two mommies or two daddies, grandmas and grandpas, Aunts and Uncles....lots of different family origins.



What I'm trying to show you is that ALL families are special and unique, just the way they are. Yours is also.



Your son needs to feel loved, no matter what he thinks or feels. If you are a Christian, you should continue to share your family values with him and have him join you in church, prayers and other social events you bring him to.



The one caveat I would advise is that the tighter you hold your religious persuasion in your fist, the more it will slip out... just like a handful of sand...especially when your son is learning more about the outside world. If you find yourself weilding the bible at your son as a brickbat, the more he will learn to combat your argument until you have a lifelong stalemate. This is not just for fundamental Christianity, but with any religion where it is being open and honestly questioned.



In time, he will make that decision as to where he will proceed with life, whether he remains a Christian, or chooses another faith or choose none at all.



I would hope, as a loving mother, you will continue to love and chersh him for who he is.



Hope this helps. Take care.

Answer 15

Whatever you do....do not tell him to not ask questions. Otherwise he will just think that God and Jesus want us to be stupid.



He might want to check out www.carm.org and I suggest he writes the questions and does some research.



Also do your best to answer..but if you dont know the answer just say, I dont know. That doesnt mean that you are dumb or that all Christians are stupid (which is a logical fallacy), it just simply means you dont know.



Tell him your thoughts and tell him to do some research to see for himself....that way h e can say, I searched it out and found it for myself....



hope that make sense.

Answer 16

If you knew your Holy Bible, you'd be able to answer these

teenage questions. There was only one God who created

the heavens and the earth and everything in it. There is only

one God who sent His Son Jesus down to earth for 33 years

to show us how to live and to die for our sins. There is only

one God who died, was buried, but came to life three days

later and was seen by many people, and they also saw Him

ascend into Heaven. He has promised us this same Heaven

if we believe in Him. He is the God of the Holy Bible where

it is all written down for us from the manufacturer (Creator).

No other so-called God did any of these things (no one

did miracles, no one arose from the dead, no one predicted

what would happen - most of which has already happened

now but some things still to come.) Give him these reasons

for a start. God Bless.

Answer 17

I know a good answer, though you may not agree. Either way:



Tell him that god gave man free will so he could think for himself - make his own choices in the life time we're given. To ask for a choice to be made is to ask against that which you are given.



The path which you are born into is not fixed, obedience is not needed, only free choices are are rule.



My family gave me the choice to believe in a religion or not - and I have discovered over years of studying mythology and such, that religion comes to those who need it - and a forced religion is only a curse to those who bare it. Would the lord have given the human race free will, if he wanted each and every one of them to believe in him?



Sorry for the ramble, lol. Hope it helped!

Answer 18

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Answer 19

Read the Bible or even this easier and more entertaining book : the Book of Mormon together for starters . And then ask one an other what the other thinks . Or you can have him or her talk to me @ [e-mail] if you can trust me .

Answer 20

if you are unsure what to say, you can be honest with your child about that. be honest with your son - that will build a bond between you.

you may want to ask yourself why you think your god is the right one; or consider some alternative explanations such as god reveals him/herself to different people in different ways

Answer 21

Wow! Let me ask you a question ...



How do you know that your God is the right God? Your son has legitimate questions because he may see your own Christian walk is lacking.



Rather than accept answers from this forum, why not open you bible, pray to this God of yours and ask Him for all the right answers. Then you and your son will be reassured.

Answer 22

I would advise you to allow him to critically examine the evidence for the existence of God, and, if finding it lacking, supplement it with faith, but only after analyzing the validity of such a system in its ability to give us "truth".

Answer 23

Show him in the scriptures where it says there is only one true and living God-Jesus Christ.Show him where idols aren't "really" gods just stones.they don't do or say anything, etc.i hope this helps. i'd be glad to help w/ more.

Answer 24

As Christians, we take comfort in the fact that our God became man, died for our sins, was killed, and was resurrected the third day. The grave could not hold Him. He lives and He sits today at the right hand of God the Father in heaven. The living church has a living Head.





===========



God became man.. and then God sits on the right hand of God.. but they are 1? how can you be one and sit on your right hand side? christianity is nothing but pagan ;)



but God is indeed one in every sense of the way. search for the truth and you shall find it.

Answer 25

Read him the story of Dagon and the ark.



Tell him how other relgions have come and gone, but Christianity never fails. Even though many people have declared it over (Napolean, Ceasar, The counterculturists), but it always survives.

Answer 26

I asked the same question when I was 13 years old. I asked, how can my religion (the religion of my parents) be right, and all the other religions be wrong. It didn't take me long to come to the conclusion that all religions are wrong.



I'd say your son is on his way to being an atheist. Congratulations! This is fantastic news. It means he's intelligent and knows enough to question things, even touchy subjects like religion.



Even if you don't like that he becomes an atheist, continue to give him your full support.



Good luck.

Answer 27

try to keep it simple



God has revealed to us



Job 11:7-11 (NASB95)

7 "Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty?

8 "They are high as the heavens, what can you do? Deeper than Sheol, what can you know?

9 "Its measure is longer than the earth And broader than the sea.

10 "If He passes by or shuts up, Or calls an assembly, who can restrain Him?

11 "For He knows false men, And He sees iniquity without investigating.



Man can not seek God in his own wisdom, intelligence and reasoning.



Isaiah 55:8-9 (NASB95)

8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.

9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.



Because humans do not understand the paths of God, then we blame God for everything.



1 Corinthians 1:21 (NASB95)

21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.



God has revealed himself to the world.



Deuteronomy 29:29 (NASB95)

29 "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.



God has revealed to the children



Matthew 11:25-27 (NASB95)

25 At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.

26 "Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.

27 "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.



Matthew 16:17 (NASB95)

17 And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.



Jesus Christ has given testimony of his Father



Luke 10:22 (NASB95)

22 "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."

Answer 28

I would say to him that there really were not any other gods before Him, because those man-made gods were simply that: made by men, and not real. Tell him that we worship the God who created everything, who is the God of Abraham. Tell him that the other fake gods created nothing, but instead were created themselves. Remind him that God is eternal. Encourage him to pray to God himself for wisdom and guidance. Thirteen isn't too young to ask for wisdom! :o)

Answer 29

Let's face it... children are indoctrinated into their parents religion. It is a very good question and you should encourage him to question more things. Think about it. There are plenty of other religions whose followers believe as strongly as you that their religion is "right". What if you are wrong? Doubt is OK and should be encouraged. We can teach our kids the importance of good moral character without raising them to be certain about something that nobody can be certain about.

Answer 30

Kids are great, aren't they, lol. Yeah, I know they are, but they do make mom's hair grey all too quickly :)



I'd tell him what I tell my own kids -- we don't know for sure, we take it on faith. and explain why you believe what you believe. Explain that people hold all sorts of different beliefs, and that it is okay, we should respect others. Encourage reading and learning.



My oldest is a challenge -- he demands proof of everything (even non-religious things), and I dont have it -- I can only share what I believe and why. He is more like my husband in thinking of God as more of a higher power than a specific entity. I am okay with that, he is young, he needs to reach a conclusion on his own, I cannot force something on him

Answer 31

That's a smart kid you have there. People increasingly need evidence for the things they are asked to believe. Personally, I think this is a sign of social progress, but obviously many others will disagree with me.



Whatever you do, don't lie to your child, they'll never forgive you for it.

Answer 32

you should be proud of you kid... clearly he thinks for himself...

but I am afraid that you are going to need more than one day to get the answers right. I think it is time to hand him a bible and allow him to begin to sort thing out for himself....though I would suggest you have him study one on one with a member of your clergy..

Answer 33

He is thinking for himself. Encourage him and love him no matter what he believes.

Answer 34

I think it would be best to tell him that these are questions he should research on his own. These are questions that everyone asks themselves, and through experience, they'll find the answers they need. But please, don't push your religion onto him if he discovers that christianity is not for him.

Being an atheist, I plan to do so with my child. I will not push my atheistic beliefs onto her. If she has questions about God and wants to pursue religion, I will not stop her nor will I try to detour her.

Answer 35

tell him "there is no way to really know if out god is the real god, that is why it is called faith", "but if you decide that you can't believe in something just on faith, that is ok and i respect your decision"

Answer 36

THE BOOK "Questions Young People Ask--Answers That Work" in over 50 languages is outstanding! Here is part of the intro:



*** yp pp. 5-7 Answers That Work

--Foreword

‘WHY DON’T my parents understand me?’ ‘Should I give drugs and alcohol a try?’ ‘What about sex before marriage?’ ‘How do I know if it’s real love?’ ‘What does the future hold for me?’



You are neither the first—nor the last—youth to ask such questions. However, when young people raise these basic issues, they are often barraged with conflicting answers. For example, drinking alcoholic beverages. Parents may discourage it—though indulging in it themselves. Magazines and TV shows glorify it. Peers encourage you to try it. No wonder, then, that many youths are genuinely perplexed as to just what they should do.



Recognizing the need for honest, workable answers to the questions of today’s youth, Awake! magazine inaugurated a feature entitled “Young People Ask . . . ” in January 1982. The series immediately drew a favorable reader response. “The series is evidence of your continued interest in the plight of young people today,” wrote one appreciative reader. “I hope and pray that these articles never end,” wrote another.



Yet another young reader put it this way: ‘I am 14 years old and I never knew growing up could be so hard. There is so much pressure on young kids today. That is why I am very grateful for the articles. Every night I thank God for having them published.’ The articles, however, were not childish, nor was any attempt made to “write down” to our readers. “Young People Ask . . . ” thus found an appreciative audience among adults. “I am 40 years of age,” wrote one parent. “These articles are truly godsends to us parents.” Christian elders found them particularly useful in understanding young ones in congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses and in dealing with them.



Why has “Young People Ask . . . ” triggered such enthusiastic response? The answers given really work! Each article is the product of extensive research. Furthermore, in order to determine just how young people really think and feel, Awake! reporters have spoken to hundreds of young people all over the world! Their candid expressions have been of great help in making the articles realistic and practical.



However, the real secret to the success of “Young People Ask . . . ” lies in the fact that the answers given have been based, not upon theory or personal opinion, but upon the eternal truths found in God’s Word, the Bible. ‘The Bible?’ you may ask. Yes, it has much to say to young people. (See Proverbs, chapters 1-7; Ephesians 6:1-3.) It was inspired by our Creator, who is keenly aware of “the desires incidental to youth.” (2 Timothy 2:20-22; 3:16) And while human society has changed much since Bible times, youthful desires have changed little. The Bible is thus as current as ever. We have endeavored, though, to present the Bible’s counsel in such a way that youths do not feel preached to, but, rather, reasoned with. And while the material has been written primarily with youths among Jehovah’s Witnesses in mind, it can be read and enjoyed by anyone who has respect for the practical wisdom contained in the Bible.



In response to the requests of many readers, we have compiled a number of “Young People Ask . . . ” articles in book form. The 39 chapters herein represent, in condensed form, information from over 100 of the nearly 200 articles that appeared in Awake! between 1982 and 1989. Some fresh material has been added. Furthermore, it is richly illustrated with photographs of youths of different lands and races.



Feel free to scan the table of contents and go right to the questions that concern you the most. We recommend, though, that you later take the time to read the book through in its entirety, looking up the scriptures in your own copy of the Bible.



In some families, parent-child communication is lacking or awkward at best. We have thus added a feature called Questions for Discussion, which appears at the end of each chapter. The questions are not designed for paragraph-by-paragraph analysis. Nor are they a vehicle for parents to quiz their children. They are designed to stimulate discussions between youths and parents. Many of the questions allow you to give your own point of view or to apply the material under discussion to your own situation.



Many families may therefore want to use this book at times as a basis for family study. Family members might do so by taking turns reading paragraphs, looking up any scriptures cited. The Questions for Discussion can be asked intermittently, as appropriate subheadings are completed or after the whole chapter has been completed. All can be encouraged to express their feelings openly and honestly. Young people may enjoy discussing the book among themselves.



These are “critical times hard to deal with,” even for young people. (2 Timothy 3:1) With a knowledge of God’s Word, however, you can successfully pass through that difficult time of life. (Psalm 119:9) It is our pleasure, therefore, to provide this collection of practical, Bible-based answers to questions that may perplex you."



--THESE ARE SOME OF THE CHAPTS.



The Home Front: Dealing With Family Members



Chapter



1 Why Should I ‘Honor My Father and My Mother’? 11

2 Why Don’t My Parents Understand Me? 18

3 How Can I Get My Folks to Give Me More Freedom? 26

4 Why Did Dad and Mom Split Up? 34

5 How Can I Deal With My Parent’s Remarriage? 42

6 Why Are My Brother and Sister So Hard

to Get Along With? 50

7 Should I Leave Home? 56



Section 2



You and Your Peers



Chapter

8 How Can I Make Real Friends? 65

9 How Can I Cope With Peer Pressure? 73



Sex and Morals



Chapter 23 What About Sex Before Marriage? 181

24 How Can I Say No to Premarital Sex? 192

25 Masturbation—How Serious Is It? 198

26 Masturbation—How Can I Fight the Urge? 205

27 Honesty—Is It Really the Best Policy? 212



Section 7



Dating, Love, and the Opposite Sex



Chapter

28 How Can I Get Over a Crush? 219

29 Am I Ready to Date? 225

30 Am I Ready for Marriage? 236

31 How Do I Know If It’s Real Love? 242

32 How Can I Carry On a Successful Courtship? 252



Section 8



The Trap of Drugs and Alcohol

Chapter

33 Drinking—Why Not? 262

34 Why Say No to Drugs? 272



Section 9

Leisure Time



Chapter

35 Does It Matter What I Read? 283

36 How Can I Control My TV Viewing Habits? 289

37 Why Can’t I Have a Good Time Once in a While? 296



Section 10



Your Future

Chapter

38 What Does the Future Hold for Me? 305

39 How Can I Get Close to God? 311



--IT CAN be procurred from any of Jehovah' Witnesses locally

Answer 37

tell him to keep exploring, but it sounds like your child is intelligent and doesnt buy the propoganda that christianity tries to shove down our throats.

Answer 38

He'll end up an atheist no matter what you do so you may as well just accept it.



You don't know that your god is right, you just think he is without any reason to believe it (which is not a good way to live your life).

Answer 39

Get grounded in a thorough knowledge of apologetics (a reasoned defense of the faith), then you will be able to minister the truth to others, such as your son. I suggest that you bookmark these links for study:



1. http://www.answersingenesis.org/

2. http://www.carm.org/

3. http://www.christian-thinktank.com/

4. http://www.leestrobel.com/

5. http://www.icr.org/

6. http://www.highpcs.com/~drj/index.htm

7. http://www.answeringinfidels.com/

8. http://www.reasonablefaith.org/site/PageServer

9. http://www.christiananswers.net/

10. http://www.apologeticsindex.org/

11. http://www.frontline-apologetics.com/apologetics_skeptics.html

12. http://www.ligonier.org/

13. http://www.reformed.org/apologetics/index.html

14. http://www.aomin.org/

Answer 40

Well, you have a bright child. I am glad that you didn't discourage him from asking questions.

Answer 41

tell him that its whaever he chooses to belevie that makes him happy. There is not right or wrong God. If that God makes you feel hope, happiness, and encourages you to do the right thing, then thats the right god

Answer 42

The best thing is to be honest with him.



You don't have the answers? No one does. Tell him that. Let him know that part of becoming a mature adult is questioning the things around him. And that really, only he can answer these questions for himself.



Please don't delude him. Don't lie. Don't cheat him out of the experience of maturing. He will thank you for it later.



Hope that helps!

Answer 43

Funny you claim to be Christian and you don't know how to answer such a question? I question whether you know what a real Christian is.

Answer 44

Children will question. Tell him that is what faith is all about. You don't know for sure, but you believe it with all your heart.

Answer 45

How can an eternal God have some other god before him.

Answer 46

you dont, that is the point. You can live your whole life believing you will be saved for being a christian, and it might turn out you needed to be muslim, or vice versa

Answer 47

Whatever you do, do not fall into the naysayer mindset that there is no evidence-- like so many on this forum are apt to say without due reference or study. The Bible commands you to train up a child the way he should go, and when he is grown, he will not depart from it.



The God of the Bible is the ONLY God that prophesies to prove His existence over all other, so-called gods. Read the following study I have done, then have your son read it, then talk with him regarding its conclusions and see if you agree. Do not push one way or another, just give him time to absorb the possibilities based on lateral thinking and probability.

http://www.schneblin.com/studies/pdfs/proof_of_god.pdf



Tell him that he can write me if he has questions.



As all Christians that speak the truth, I must be saying something right. Look at all the thumbs down I'm getting!

Answer 48

Tell him that there are no god(s) & that you're sorry for lying to him.

Answer 49

Yeah...you got yourself a soon to be (or most likely already) atheist there. That's about the age most of us figure it out.