Sam Harris | Author | Big Think

Image via Wikipedia

I've been discussing one of my posts with another user of Twitter, Hudsonryan, who really disagrees. He doesn't think Christianity is true or holds anything of value. He tweeted:

@mmcelhaney Your words: "By helping Haiti, Atheists are acting against their worldview". The most ignorant thing I've read in months.

I did indeed write that. I agree with him that atheist can be and many are good and moral people. I was never saying that they can't or never are. My argument was that because atheists don't recognize an absolute authority outside of themeselves, they have to borrow form religious worldviews to give their morality meaning. If I think it's okay to rape and kill you as long as you can't stop me, then why shouldn't I? I agree that I shouldn't. I agree that it's wrong. But while i have a concrete reason for saying that it's wrong. What does the atheist appeal to validate that it is wrong? When i pressed him on this issue, he would not ansswer me. Instead he gavce me the link at the boottom of this article tweeting

@mmcelhaney In my absence to teach you what your parents failed at, listen to Harris, he and I agree 90+%. http://bigthink.com/samharris

and

@mmcelhaney And I point u to him, as I won't debate this over 140 chars at a time. We share enough views that I am OK in doing that.

I appreciate the link. I am going to be doing a series of articles examining Sam Harris' world view and see if it's really up to snuff. Does his religion - practices setting the pattern for his way of life - really something one can consistently stand on? The site contains short videos of Harris discussing different topics. In each post in the series, I will choose one and see what we get.

My brother-in-Christ, Mariano has written some great articles about Sam Harris. Read them on his blog:

Atheism Essays Particular to Sam Harris

Sam Harris | Author | Big Think

Barack Obama's State of the Union Address 2010

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Last night I watched a lot of President Obama's speech and I liked what I heard. The thing is I hope he is being honest about  caring more about doing the right thing than being re-elected. He most certainly is making moves that are cheesing off people whose support he is going to need to get re-elected - and perhaps avoid the possibility assassination. We really need to pray for out President. It seems like such simple thing he is trying to do if we all work together - balance the budget, keep the nation safe from terrorism,  and heal the economy. He seems to always meet with opposition. Instead of offereing their own solutions they seem to just be intent on blocking him (and not just Republicans). I really agreed with the President's criticism of the Supreme Court. It really was a bad idea overturning limits on campaign spending by corporations. I mean who's butt was kissed for that to happen?!! Obviously Justice Samuel Alito thinks it's a good idea...I just can't say I see any way he could be right. Funny he couldn't contain his disdain for the President's remark. It was written all over his face. Well here is the speech:




And while Alito's reaction was not as extreme as Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina shouting "You lie!" at the President, it still bothers me because I wanna know what part of remark he disagreed with.





Justice Samuel Alito Shows Distaste With Barack Obama's Barb on Campaign Finance Ruling - AOL News

Atheism is Dead: Haiti and the Hypocrisy of Christian Theology - Richard Dawkins

Richard Dawkins via last.fm

Yesterday, I wrote an article responding to a blog post on the Stand To Reason blog by Greg Koukl responding to an article by Richarcd Dawkins. Dawkins asserted that Pat Roberston statement  implying that the Haitians deserved the earthquake was in line with Christian  doctrine for explaining why bad things happen to people. I disagree. Fortunately, Mariano wrote a brilliant post explaining why Dawkins is wrong by stepping through Dawkins article. Dawkins' worldview does not answer the question and Pat Roberston answers the question as to the source of the calamities befalling Haiti. Read Mariano's article at the link below.


Atheism is Dead: Haiti and the Hypocrisy of Christian Theology - Richard Dawkins

Truthbomb Apologetics: Lectures by Ravi Zacharias: Apologetics and Worldview

Thankfully Turthbomb Apologetics has presented a valuable resource: A lecture by Dr. Ravi Zacharias regarding why Apologetics is so important. Here is what Chad wrote.

Ravi Zacharias presents two lectures that deal with the state of apologetics today and why we must be able to defend the faith against opposing worldviews.

As Zacharias's website notes:

"A classroom style lecture that Ravi delivered recently at Wheaton College to a group of budding apologists. The message is; your worldview affects not only your apologetics but all your efforts to spread the Gospel."

Truthbomb Apologetics: Lectures by Ravi Zacharias: Apologetics and Worldview