What do you believe, regarding ultimate reality?
God?
Matter?
Something else?
First of all, the assumptive premise of the first question is incorrect for a believing Christian, since there is no ‘ultimate’ that must be differentiated between “God” and “Matter”. To a believing Christian, they are both one and the same in terms of ultimate “reality”. It is the old ‘trick’ question... “When did you stop beating your wife”.
Do you believe in God? If so, why? Why are you here on earth, and where are you going, for eternity?
If you believe in God, what is the most convincing evidence, for you personally? Is there any possibility that you may be wrong about the existence of God? If so, what are the consequences of being wrong, and believing in a God who doesn’t exist?
If you do not believe in God, why not? If you do not believe in God, is there any possibility that you might be wrong—no matter how small the possibility? If you are wrong, what are the consequences of being wrong?
What is truth; Are moral values absolute or relative? Are at least some moral values absolute? If so, where do these absolute moral values come from? Is the possibility of evil necessary, in order for human beings to be allowed free will?
Good point, about “ultimate” reality. However, I don’t take it to mean that “it must be differentiated between “God” and “Matter,” so I didn’t see it as a “trick” question at all—but I could be wrong. I’m not a philosopher. If you like, we could take out the word “ultimate,” and just as “What do you believe, regarding reality? God? Matter? Something else?”
Semantics aside, the point here is do you think that there is something beyond ourselves—do you believe, like the materialist, that we simply made up of matter, or are we created in the image of God, with a spirit that will never die? (I hope I made it clear that I am a believing Christian, and that we are created in the image of God—we are more than just matter—we have a soul.)