James White: skeptical of the Oscars, Sean Penn, same-sex marriage and the cult of Phelps

Did God "create" evil? Thoughts from a Christian Skeptic...

Natural "evil" and sin "evil" are 2 different things - Natural is a result of sin, since no natural calamity could affect us, pre-Fall.

Also - sin and evil is not good, therefore is not-God or not-of-God. It is the state of absence (willfully on the part of the created or Creator) of God's immediate sustaining loving influence and abiding loving presence. This state is only possible in the natural creation (temporally) and Hell (eternally).

The introduction of this state to the natural Creation has a pervasive and corruptive influence, initiated by the creature and allowed by the Creator to serve the greater good, namely to glorify God through glorifying the Son as Judge, Savior and Redeemer.

Evil, while not-of-God, is still bounded and directed by God to serve the purpose of God's plan for creation. Remove His constraining loving presence and the Creation would be as Hell.

This, to me, explains how Christ was still God, even when the Father forsook Him. Christ was God in the sense He was still connected to the Godhead by the presence of God's justice, but removed from the presence of the Father's love. Christ "bore the brunt" of this absence though suffering - the temporal effect was the death of His mortal body - the eternal effect was the suffering of the eternal uncreated Son for the redemption of the created elect.

All that to say, God does not "create" evil anymore than an absence of light "creates" darkness, but both states are under His sovereign control, like an artist controls the effects of light and darkness to create a work of art.

Skeptical of National Geographic: Update to the Gospel of Judas

It should be no surprise to folks that are familiar with National Geographic and their singleminded determination, truth nonwithstanding, to drive the atheistic naturalistic worldview.

Do you remember the furor over the recent discovery of an ancient manuscript entitled The Gospel of Judas? The media reported that the document presented Judas as a good guy who turned Jesus over only because Jesus told him to. The reports implied that the church had gotten it wrong over all these centuries, that Judas was no sinister betrayer but a leading disciple to whom Jesus imparted special knowledge. The media coverage indicated that we would now have to re-evaluate our knowledge of Jesus. The translation became a best-seller and National Geographic, which was behind the publication of the text, made a TV documentary on the subject.

But have you heard the rest of the story? The media that hyped The Gospel of Judas has not been as vigilant in reporting how scholars have been shooting down all of these claims, to the point of accusing the National Geographic of “scholarly malpractice.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, though, has shown how genuine scholarship got hijacked by media sensationalism, pop-culture superficiality, and commercial temptations.

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The National Geographic translators rendered the text so that it read the opposite of what it actually said. Apparently, even the Gnostic heretics who wrote this document did not think much of Judas.

full article here

Josh McDowell Book: Evidence for the Resurrection: What It Means for Your Relationship with God

Josh McDowell has a new book being released on the resurrection...

The book, Evidence for the Resurrection: What It Means for Your Relationship with God, views the historical resurrection of Jesus Christ through relevant apologetics in a way that is designed to answer crucial life questions people face every day in today’s culture.

"While the resurrection promises us a new and perfect life in the future, God loves us too much to leave us alone to contend with the pain, guilt and loneliness of our present life," says Josh McDowell.

The direction mentioned in the last paragraph appears to be good methodology given the state of society, the conditions youth often experience, as well as the emphases of current generations.

Boy marries dog to ward off tiger attacks

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090218/od_nm/us_india_dog_marriage_odd_1

Well, why not????

Darwin Believers Hide Fears of Intelligent Design Behind a Wall of Denial and Ridicule

Good Article by Casey Luskin.

"Most Darwinists involved in the public debate today have one, and only one goal: To stifle free debate on this subject and thereby discourage you, the public, from scrutinizing the scientific evidence for yourself.

Over the years, Darwinists have evolved a variety of strategies to accomplish these goals. We see each of these strategies in play in the op-eds and comments by Darwinists in this present forum on U.S. News and World Report. I'll discuss how my opponents on this forum use the strategies of (1) Ridicule, Demonization, and Character Assassination; (2) Equating Darwin-Skeptics with Religion; (3) Persecute Darwin-Skeptics; and (4) Pretend There Is No Scientific Controversy Over Evolution in order to try to dissuade you, the reader, from thinking for yourself on this subject."

Read More...

New Bahnsen Apologetics Web Series

I just saw where AnswersinGenesis, with Covenant Media Foundation is beginning a New Apologetics Web Series with Greg Bahnsen, Ph.D.

This should make for some good reading.

Perspective on Darwin Celebration and Science

Why haven’t the achievements of other great scientists ever captured the global imagination—scientists like Sir Isaac Newton, Louis Pasteur, James Maxwell, Albert Einstein or Gregor Mendel?

Because Darwin 2009 is not about science. Look at who’s cheering.

So it is not about science. It’s a global campaign against God. Darwin and science are just tools.

Quotes taken from The 2009 Darwin celebrations

Well put.

Catholic Indulgences - Christian Skepticism

In recent months, dioceses around the world have been offering Catholics a spiritual benefit that fell out of favor decades ago — the indulgence, a sort of amnesty from punishment in the afterlife — and reminding them of the church’s clout in mitigating the wages of sin.

Quote taken from For Catholics, Heaven Moves a Step Closer

Catholics - Do not be deceived. Remission of sins comes not through indulgences, but through Jesus Christ alone (via his substitutionary atonement).

One must be ignorant of both Scripture and church history to "buy" this lie. (pun intended!)


Act 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money

Luke 13:3 "I tell you...except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."

John 3:36 "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the WRATH of God abideth on him."

John 14:6 "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father(God) but through Me(Jesus)”

Eph 2:8-9 ""For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from youselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast."


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Ben Stein gets to see the Power of the Scientific Inquisition Up Close and Personal

wow - does this validate the premise of Expelled, or what?

Updated: Ben Stein responds to the University of Vermont debacle.

(UVM President)Fogel said he had invited Stein — a comedian, lawyer, commentator and financial columnist — to speak about the economy, as Stein had done at another speech at UVM last spring. Fogel said he had been “vaguely aware” of the Stein’s opinions on other subjects.

“Mr. Stein has also expressed opinions on subjects unrelated to economics, most notably with respect to evolutionary theory, intelligent design, and the role of science in the Holocaust,” Fogel said in a statement to the UVM community Monday. “Those views are highly controversial, to say the least.”

Stein called the university’s response to the furor “chicken **** (CS ed:dung), and you can quote me on that.”

Yeah!

Verbal Plenary Inspiration - Thoughts

Verbal Plenary Inspiration



"This means is that the inspiration extends to the very words
themselves—not just concepts or ideas—and that the inspiration extends
to all parts of Scripture and all subject matters of Scripture (plenary
inspiration). There are some people who believe only parts of the Bible
are inspired, or only the thoughts or concepts that deal with religion
are inspired, but these views of inspiration fall short of what the
Bible itself claims. Full verbal plenary inspiration is an essential
characteristic of the Word of God." link:http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-inspired.html



So, the Scripture of the Bible was perfectly written as God's words to Man through Man by the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit.



The original documents, which we no longer have, were inerrent in terms of scribal perfection.



However, even though the non-original copies may have scribal errors, God's perfect word of truth is preserved.



That is, in terms of copies, though some scribal errors exist in copied manuscripts, none affect God's essential truth for faith and practice.



Thus, in terms of truth - the Bible as a whole is inerrant and infallible.



How can we know for sure? The indwelling Holy Spirit validates the inspired words of the Holy Spirit.



That is - if you are a bearer of the Holy Spirit, you will also believe in the inerrancy and infallibility of Scripture.



By their fruit you shall know them. Matthew 7:20



Speculation on why God did not preserve the original manuscripts: Man would have worshiped and idolized the objects, thus taking focus from the the primary focus of Man - glorifying God and enjoying Him forever. Instead, we get to see the remarkable Providence of God actively preserving His truth throughout the ages, despite Man's best efforts to destroy it.