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Showing posts from October, 2007

Skeptical of Equating Country and Christianity

For a long time, many in America have falsely equated or looked upon Christianity and our country as the same. While some of the changes and headlines are "other than desirable", one good that can come of this is for some in the church who have committed this error in the past... to wake up and recognize there's a difference.

McGrath-Hitchens Debate: KUDOS to Hitchens for Getting to the Heart of the Matter; But Incredibly He Simultaneously MISSED the Heart of the Matter!

While on ONE LEVEL it'S GREAT that (because of Hitchen's poor showing) much attention is now placed on the D’Souza - Hitchens relationship (/debate issues); On ANOTHER LEVEL, it's NOT SO GREAT because this new focus DIVERTS ATTENTION from the greater issues (and ones that we'll eventually come back to)... issues which (in giving credit where credit is due) were brought up by Christopher Hitchens in his debate with Allister McGrath, wherein Hitchens, even if from an adversarial position, summarized the heart of Christianity and the reasons unbelievers not only have a hard time accepting it, but believe it to be the most insulting and harmful thing not only to reason and intellect but to the human species itself. I MUST give CREDIT to Hitchens ... for HE (as he in the debate claims he often does...) presented in an "intelligible" and "pretty clear stated" fashion the ISSUES (not so much in articulating the Christian position - for some of it he got wr...

Skeptical of Scientific Apologetics Alone

And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” ( Matthew 16:17 ) While there are several great resources for examining science from a Christian worldview, there are many other well-meaning but fallacious organizations that misuse science in an attempt to prove God by pure naturalism. Science is but one of many areas that can be used to glorify God, but any attempt at evangelism through science alone is doomed to failure, for the following reasons: ...... 1.) The question of the existence of God is not merely a scientific question. It is a philosophical question (and even this is limited in its effectiveness). Approaching God from a scientific perspective alone will always fall short. While I agree that there are many scientific reasons to believe in God, I am reminded of a quote I heard years ago that continues to ring true. “For the believer, no evidence is necessary. For the non-belie...

Skeptical of "The Golden Compass"

From the Thinking Christian : Emails have been circulating about an upcoming anti-God movie: The Golden Compass, based on Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials. The facts in these emails check out for a change. Pullman is about "killing God." The fact-checker website Snopes.com says, "The film is based on Northern Lights (released in the U.S. as The Golden Compass), the first offering in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy of children's books, a series that follows the adventures of a streetwise girl who travels through multiple worlds populated by witches, armor-plated bears, and sinister ecclesiastical assassins to defeat the oppressive forces of a senile God." The Catholic League video announcement Review of the book - a must read.

Was Einstein a closet Christian Skeptic?

Cool site

3-D for Perverts

There are three differences a decade or two has made for sexual perverts who used to sneak away to look at a playboy magazine but now look to silicone objects for sex toys. While there's been a transition from 2-D to 3-D, an increase in cost, and a new openness about participation, ...the perversion has not changed. I find the following statements interesting in the article High-End, Anatomically Correct RealDolls Get Exposure in New 'Lars' Film : "But whereas Lars is delusional and believes the doll is alive, most doll owners " know where to draw the line ," McKay says." "Lars and the Real Girl," an offbeat, surprisingly chaste comedy about a lonely introvert (Ryan Gosling) and Bianca, the silicone object of his affection . "The dolls 'inspire imagination,' he says. 'You put what you think into the doll , so you're projecting part of yourself onto this inanimate creature and making her seem more lifelike. '" Conc...

Global Warming: Skeptical of Thoughts and Madness

If history is correct, regardless of the science (and what it shows or does not show), in the end it's not so much the questions of science that will prove most important, but questions that go far beyond the science such as: How will "global warming/warning issues" and responses (whether necessary or unnecessary, whether right or wrong, etc.) affect and lead toward the advancement of mankind, civilization, world order, etc., all the way down to it's affect on individuals, and the future? My reasoning is that history is continuous and replete with examples of discoveries, crises, debates, responses, changes in the natural realm, calamities, new insights, the rising and falling of nations & kingdoms, etc., all which in their day or time seemed to be so significant (either positively or negatively) but all which in the greater picture have served to advance our experience and progress. As I skimmed a New York Times article this morning on global warming which refer...

Excellent Article - People Believe What They Want

Here is a good example of Christian Skepticism . People believe what they want to believe, much of the time. I don't mean to say that they believe things without any reason, but they believe, oftentimes, without good reason. Most people will give some reason why they believe something. But an indicator of the fairness of their point of view is how they respond to even-handed, fair criticism of their view and to evidence for an opposing view. Lots of people have reasons for what they believe, but when those reasons are refuted--when they're taken away or weakened by other evidence--do they still stand on their point of view, or are they willing to adjust their view based on the evidence that comes in? Read the article.

And now, for your veiwing pleasure...parallel universes!

from here According to quantum mechanics, nothing at the subatomic scale can really be said to exist until it is observed. Until then, particles occupy nebulous "superposition" states, in which they can have simultaneous "up" and "down" spins, or appear to be in different places at the same time. Observation appears to "nail down" a particular state of reality, in the same way as a spinning coin can only be said to be in a "heads" or "tails" state once it is caught. According to quantum mechanics, unobserved particles are described by "wave functions" representing a set of multiple "probable" states. When an observer makes a measurement, the particle then settles down into one of these multiple options. Ok...tie together the 10th Dimension theory and the idea we are in a "reality" that may just be a great big program , then inject quantum mechanics for "probability" based reality and wh...

"Peace through God" - Be skeptical of naturalists bearing gifts...

This is a busy night - so many articles, so little time! Take a look at this one - my skepticism tells me that he " damns me with faint praise " with his ill-disguised attempt to segregate scientists and believer as if they are mutually exclusive. Sorry, that's not the way it works... Science can declare the approximate limits of its territorial ambitions and be stronger for it. My dearly missed old friend Stephen Jay Gould framed this possibility beautifully with his proposal for “ nonoverlapping magisteria .” I’ll go further and suggest that scientists should not only refrain from ridiculing people who find hope on the other side of the border but should also actively delight in a cacophonous, multicultural colonization of that far frontier so that it can’t be monopolized by fundamentalists. A workable definition of spirituality is “one’s emotional relationship with unanswerable questions.” It’s possible to find joy in them. Of course, it’s not always easy to do this ...

God as Gamer - Are We Trapped in God's Video Game?

Interesting article - I have often referred to God as the ultimate programmer. Still... The empirical results that influence how we might think about God-as-video-game-player are the successful demonstrations of quantum cryptography, in which a sender and receiver can be assured that no natural observer has eavesdropped on a message. This system works because a component of the message is ruined by quantum effects as soon as it is read. For a god to eavesdrop on a quantum cryptography session and then cover his tracks, would, as it happens, require near omnipotence. When the first quantum cryptography experiments were done, I felt a little relieved and sad at the same time, because we then knew that one kind of potential exotic or supernatural form of life that might have been watching us either did not exist or wasn’t paying attention. See how the writer limits omnipotence and omniscience with his naturalism! Job 38:4 "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell ...

Christianity - Islam Resources

Two Resources for Christianity/Islam Distinctions 1. Children of Abraham Ministries - I know Dr. Bassam Chedid personally. He's an visiting professor at Reformed Theological Seminary and an adjunct professor at Belhaven College, where he teaches courses on Islam. 2. I've also been told Father Zakaria is an excellent resource regarding differences between Christianity and Islam and that this site is having a significant impact among Muslims. Articles in English, Italian, French and Arabic. While I've just skimmed it's surface, a quick glimpse shows a wealth of material and from my first read looks like good stuff. I present these for those struggling over these issues as well as those defending the faith in these areas.

The Frustration and Irrationality of Unbelief

In the closing moments of Hitchens' debate with McGrath, Hitchens makes a statement he's made often before (as have other unbelievers) in which he ascribes arrogance to believers who claim to know the thoughts and will of God. What strikes me most is how not only with Hitchens but with other atheist apologists, this one issue frustrates them if not just as much as all others, perhaps above all others. With all the intelligence unbelievers possess, this they not only cannot attain but cannot stand it when others, even those in cases perhaps less intelligent and unassuming, both make claim to and diplay evidence of through the peace and purity they proclaim, possess and uphold in their lives. As it is written "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." (1 Cor 1:19) But let's examine the claim Hitchens makes and see whether or not it's rational for believers to claim what they know... Hitchens' argument i...

Skeptical of "scientific" morality

Reading this article: Why Males Die Before Females Since men age faster and die earlier than women, these findings suggest that "at the time when current human physiology evolved, perhaps around the late Stone Age, polygynous breeding was the norm," Clutton-Brock told LiveScience. "Of course, this doesn't provide any justification for polygyny or promiscuity now for males." Needless to say, I am skeptical of this bit of scientific moralizing. If we are simply evolved animals, why worry about whether you live or die young? Particularly if promiscuity or polygyny makes you happy? Point is, without the Creator writing morality in our hearts - and directly in Scripture - there would be no reasonable purpose for faithful, monogamous marriages. Good to know that nature supports the Lord's morality, though...imagine that!

James Watson - Humanist Laureate

James Watson, not only Nobel Peace Prize Winner for co-discovering DNA, but Secular Humanist and Atheist, a Humanist Laureate at the Counsel for Secular Humanism, speaks volumes himself as to where ungrounded freethinking, scientific, human rationalism and prejudice can lead,... and this is just the beginning...Just imagine where it could end. The following quotes are taken from here .: "He told the paper he hoped that everyone was equal, but added: 'people who have to deal with black employees find this not true.'" "Africans are less intelligent than Westerners," "...women should have the right to abort their unborn children if tests could determine they would grow into homosexuals." Another quote: "People say it would be terrible if we made all girls pretty. I think it would be great." Title of one of his books: "Avoid Boring People: Lessons from a Life in Science." It's interesting to find who has come to his support in...

McGrath & Hitchens Debate

Poison or Cure? Religious Belief in the Modern World I am watching it now - should be interesting, or, as the person introducing the event said, "entertaining"...we'll see. ...... From the source: The Ethics and Public Policy Center and the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University hosted a debate ... all » between writer Christopher Hitchens and Oxford University professor Alister McGrath on the role of religious belief in the modern world. The debate was held on October 11, 2007 in Gaston Hall, in Georgetown University's Healy Hall. ......

Islam and Jesus

The following is posted on The Amman Message Website (Islamic): " Muslims believe in all Messengers of God and do not differentiate between any of them. Denying the message of any one of them is a deviation from Islam. ...For all of this we base ourselves upon His saying: The messenger believes in what has been revealed unto him from his Lord as do the believers. Each one believes in God and His angels and His scriptures and His messengers. We make no distinction between any of His messengers—and they say: 'We hear, and we obey. [Grant us] Your forgiveness, our Lord. Unto You is the journeying,' (2:285)" ...Given Muslims recognize JESUS was a messenger of God, Jesus said " I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me ."

Skeptical of Atheistic Law

There was a recent Law and Order episode where a 15-year old rapist was diagnosed with some sort of brain disorder that made him more "prone" to such activity. This disorder (I forget the name right off hand) was verified by psychologist B.D. Wong , who made a remarkable admission. He said that the accountability of those who suffer from this disorder is hotly debated, depending on what point this brain disorder is able to overcome "reason". (I'm skeptical of the religion of pop-psychology as well, but that is another post for another time). The sympathic victim, due to the disorder suffered by her assailant, decided to push for an extremely light sentence. Obviously, such a defense is nonsense, but I fear it is only a matter of time before we are treated with a plethora of "my brain made me do it" defense efforts in our courtrooms. I was able to point out to several of my friends how such a defense is consistent with the atheistic/evolutionary worldvi...

When No Standard Exists, There's Grounds for Anything & Everything Under the Sun!

Fox is running a story entitled Forecast: Sex and Marriage with Robots by 2050 . It's what you would expect, robots will be programmed to provide supposed meaningful relatationships with humans. What's most interesting though is to see the SAME ARGUMENTS, GROUNDS, MARKETING, METHODOLOGY, etc., used to advance homosexuality are being used to explain why this practice too should be accepted, endorsed and normalized through government backing. Here are a few quotes: "One hundred years ago, interracial marriage and same-sex marriages were illegal in the United States. Interracial marriage has been legal now for 50 years, and same-sex marriage is legal in some parts of the states," Levy said. "There has been this trend in marriage where each partner gets to make their own choice of who they want to be with." "The question is not if this will happen, but when," Levy said. "I am convinced the answer is much earlier than you think." Methodolog...

Muslim Leader's Letter To Christian Leaders Regarding Survival of the World

It’s reported in Muslims Leaders Warn Pope 'Survival of World' at Stake that Muslim leaders are sending an open letter to “plead with Christian leaders” to come together with them on the “common essentials of our two religions" and in the letter it’s stated “The "survival of the world" is at stake if Muslims and Christians do not make peace with each other,…” The letter may be read here . CHRISTIAN SKEPTICISM should exist on SEVERAL LEVELS. 1. THE MUSLIM MOTIVE AND MISSIONAL QUEST While the undiscerning may see this letter as an expression of unity (of love, reaching out, taking the first steps, etc.), one should not fail to understand that the Muslim agenda has not changed but this letter represents it’s active missional pursuit to convert the world to Islam. One needs only to look at the documented negative perception of Islam ( Washington Post , N.Y. Times ) due to terrorism associated with Islam to understand that world events and press have resulted in s...

The "New Humanist Code" of President Hugo Chavez

In the CNN article "Chavez: 'We should be ashamed'" , we find a perfect example of how humanism (or any system outside of Christianity) results in legalism, licentiousness, or both, and that's not all! LEGALISM and LICENTIOUSNESS in Chavez' Humanism "The president has a long list of other "New Man" recommendations: Don't douse foods with too much hot sauce, exercise regularly, eat low-cholesterol foods, respect speed limits. He also wants parents to stop buying Barbie dolls -- and breast jobs -- for their daughters." "On Monday, tax agency chief Jose Vielma Mora said the government is tightening restrictions on granting dollars to companies importing liquor, especially whisky." "All of his sermonizing about vices and virtues might make Chavez seem like a prudish sourpuss to some..." "As a former tank squadron leader, Chavez also enjoys getting behind the wheel of a Venezuelan-made Tiuna jeep,...

The Nobel Prize and the value of explanation

The Nobel prize is really a measure of mankind's value of explanation. This value tells us something about how conventional knowledge is accepted and perpetuated. If we would reward a man with 1.5 million dollars because he can explain why rust happens, imagine what an explanation of the beginning of life would be worth. How valuable would an explanation of evil be, or of man's inhumanity toward man? ...... There is a memory that I have that still conjures a sense of magic in my mind. Forty-seven years ago, I accompanied my grandmother into a men's clothing store in Claremont, NH. This was the big city, filled with shops and stores and fancy dressed shop keepers who greeted customers with broad smiles. This particular men's clothing store, however, had something no other store in the area could boast; as you approached the entrance a small black circle at the top of a shiny silver post saw our arrival and an invisible doorman opened the door for us. Obviously the...

Selfish Apes

Here is another 'surprising' discovery by our atheistic scientists. "German researchers have demonstrated chimpanzees make choices that protect their self-interest more consistently than do humans." Chimps choose more rationally than humans Aren't these guys supposed to be smart? I think most grade school children could have reached this conclusion. I wonder how much money this research demanded. Note also the definition of "rational".

"If God Exists, There Would Be Evidence" Argument

Often the argument is made that "If God exists, there should(/would) be unbelievable (i.e. believable) evidence." Usually, this argument when made, if not proclaimed with an air of authority or provoking sarcasm, is immediately followed with one of the same or both as the maker of the argument asserts that "no such evidence exists." While the argument for incredulity has been made repeatedly ..., (I was reminded on my walk this morning) isn't it true that as far as man is able to look in the sky, with all our telescopes and sophisticated equipment, that though we detect stars and galaxies far away, in fact far, far, far away, we cannot see the end, nor even come to suspect we will ever find an end...And it all works and fits together with such intricacy and laws and relationships, etc.... and "no such evidence exists." When I read about things in the other direction, about the DNA and the components that form it, and our trying to figure out why these...

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