No Compromise Episode II

This particular discussion is really interesting.They discuss a lot of thing - important things. Things like whether or not God can talk to us outside of scripture. I used to wonder how do people who are reformed and/or believe that the spiritual gifts are not for today interact and see their relationship with God. Do they see themselves being lead by God? Turns out that they use different terminology thanmy tradition used. It was very useful.

No Compromise Episode II

God's Outlaw - William Tyndale - YouTube

English: William Tyndale, Protestant reformer and Bible translator. Portrait from Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Česky: William Tyndale (portrét ve Foxeově Knize mučedníků) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here is a movie I found on YouTube covering the life of William Tyndale. It is dated, but well-done and really good. Tyndale lived an interesting life and should not be forgotten.


God's Outlaw - William Tyndale - YouTube

Answering Muslims: Former Saudi Muslim Al Fadi Explains His Conversion to Christianity

I always find the testimonies of how people have come to Jesus very very interesting. What people who come to a true and saving relationship with Jesus have in common is a huge change in their lives - who they are change. Their priorities and desires align them with Jesus. If this has not happened to you, then you were never saved from your sins. And if it happened to you, it can never "unhappen" to you.


Answering Muslims: Former Saudi Muslim Al Fadi Explains His Conversion to Christianity

Eight Issues That Do NOT Make or Break Christianity - Apologetics 315

Recently I ran across an article on Apologetics 315 by C. Michael Patton. He writes an article about what he thinks are 8 subjects that often divide Christians and are often mistaken for drop dead arguments against Christianity. It's an important article. I really have to disagree with him on the inspiration of scripture, the flood, and the inerrancy of scripture. Here is the article.

Eight Issues That Do NOT Make or Break Christianity - Apologetics 315

Dr James White commented on this article last Thursday. Listen to it from this link:

Yesterday on the Dividing Line

High Five of the Day - He Lives: Just a thought, and I've said it before

David Heddle's blog continues to impress and inform. I really wish that people who continually get what Faith is wrong would really read and understand what it the Bible is saying Faith is instead of continually building and complaining about straw men they have imagined. I've argued much the same thing and if people will not listen to me, I hope they will listen to Dr David Heddle. He wrote:

I don't actually know what faith is. It is not simple intellectual assent--i.e., belief. The bible speaks of some who believe but are lost. Nor is it "blind." Hebrews 11 has the faith hall of fame, and lists people who did not need blind faith for they saw and spoke to god. Abraham's faith was hardly blind, with the exception that he had faith that God's promise of redemption would be fulfilled in his future. If blind faith was the ultimate virtue, Gideon (who demanded physical proof) would stand condemned--instead he shows up in Hebrews 11 as a faith hero. Faith (πίστις), I think, is closer to trust than to believe. As Grudem puts it, which works for me, it's coming to God and saying: "I got nothing."  

No, i don't think any one of us truly knows what "Faith" is. We learn and grow into it as we mature in God. This explains why Atheists constantly get this wrong.

He Lives: Just a thought, and I've said it before

Religious Tolerance

In our society today "Tolerance" has become an excuse for not being honest about truth. People act like that you have to accept that all religions are equal and that is the only way we can coexist. This is not true. Let's look at the proverbial elephant in the room. You know the one society embraces that the blind men/men in a dark room or cave grope about each feeling apart of the elephant and coming to different conclusions as to what it is based on the information they have. Some people think that by putting these pieces together we gain more truth about the elephant. I would agree if the information and the conclusions drawn weren't contradictory. This is the problem when this approach is taken toward religion.  Whatever religious persuasion you have by definitions means you affirm that all others are wrong.  For example, there is no way any religion can be simultaneously true if Christianity is true.

Does this mean that religions cannot coexist? No it does not. We can't mistake  "coexistence" for what western civilization. It does not even mean that people of different religions can't discourse and debate and understand one another. What it does mean is that I can't flat out kill you or persecute you because you disagree with me. To coexist all various religions have to do is let them stand. No need to try to destroy them. When the time comes, the one true religion will be known by all. Even those people who go to hell will know which one was right and that they rejected it. There are many reasons I'm convinced that Jesus is the only way, but I refuse to kill others just because they don''t see that. If we all looked at it that way, we could co-exist. It's the way Christians are told to act.

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. - Hebrews 12:14

Profound Problems with Religious Pluralism | Reflections

Dr Kenneth Samples has posted a really great article summarizing the issues with accepting "religiious pluralism. Given that term may mean different things to different people. Samples defines what he means in his opening paragraph. 

Novelist Yann Martel’s book Life of Pi (now a major motion picture) embodies the popular notion that all religions are simultaneously true. The story’s young protagonist embraces aspects of multiple faiths (Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity), viewing these beliefs as equally valid but different paths to God. Unfortunately religious pluralism fails to appreciate the profound problems associated with it.

Read the his article at the following link to get his whole view point.

Profound Problems with Religious Pluralism | Reflections

the a-atheism blog: Christopher Hitchens & Stagecoach Humiliate Richard Dawkins

Image via Wikipedia

I've been looking and exploring the much material that has been posted about Christopher Hitchens upon his passing and I think thank at the article I've linked to this post deserves much attention. It underscores many differences between Christopher Hitchens and Dr Richard Dawkins. The other thing that appears in this article is a post to a video of Dr William Lane Craig commenting on Hitchens. I think that the fact that people disagreed with Hitchens yet respected him and they him says a lot about the man - much good things. The important thing to remember is that Hitchens has gone to where he belongs and one day we will all go to where we belong - with God or apart from God. Personally I want to be with God.




the a-atheism blog: Christopher Hitchens & Stagecoach Humiliate Richard Dawkins

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Bring it::Question Evolution! Campaign

It's an amazing thing how people like to claim that they are free thinking and approach everything with "healthy" skepticism yet still willing to claim that macro evolution is an undisputed fact. Part of science is questioning all conclusions and presuppositions - testing them to see what is true. I think a good example is how for a hundred years it was considered a fact that the speed of light is constant in all reference frames, but now it's being called into question and researched more. I see nothing wrong with that, although I think we will still find that it is constant, but it doesn't hurt to look. Why is it so bad to question evolution? Why wouldn't you want to make sure it's correct? I mean if it's true, more research can only confirm it. Mariano has pointed to me to two links to web resources that brings up such questions and invite others to do the same. The first one can be found at

Question Evolution! Campaign

Use this link to find out all about the campaign. The campaign was also written up in an article over at Creation Ministries International. You follow this link to read it.
The article even has a list of questions that are being considered problematic to the theory of evolution.

15 Questions summary

Note to would-be evolution defenders: please read the full brochure and linked articles before attempting to answer the questions, otherwise you will likely be wasting your time boxing at shadows.

1. How did life with specifications for hundreds of proteins originate just by chemistry without intelligent design?
2. How did the DNA code originate?
3. How could copying errors (mutations) create 3 billion letters of DNA instructions to change a microbe into a microbiologist?
4. Why is natural selection taught as ‘evolution’ as if it explains the origin of the diversity of life?
5. How did new biochemical pathways, which involve multiple enzymes working together in sequence, originate?
6. Living things look like they were designed, so how do evolutionists know that they were not designed?
7. How did multi-cellular life originate?
8. How did sex originate?
9. Why are the (expected) countless millions of transitional fossils missing?
10. How do ‘living fossils’ remain unchanged over supposed hundreds of millions of years?
11. How did blind chemistry create mind/intelligence, meaning, altruism and morality?
12. Why is evolutionary ‘just-so’ story-telling tolerated as ‘science’?
13. Where are the scientific breakthroughs due to evolution?
14. Why is evolution, a theory about history, taught as if it is the same as the operational science?
15. Why is a fundamentally religious idea, a dogmatic belief system that fails to explain the evidence, taught in science classes?

A lot of proponents of evolution admit that we don't have answers to these but they are confident that we will figure them out. In other words, they punt to faith.

There is even a video to go along with this campaign.




If anyone thinks they can answer these, please do. Bring it if you can.

Bring It: Does The Bible Describe Current Times?

For this installment, Let's consider if the Bible describes the current world accurately? This comes up because Ryan Anderson disagrees with what a statement I made when I posted a quote from Dr Carl Sagan at the following link.

What had happen' was.....: Carl Sagan Quote Worth Consideration!

I had remarked about how chillingly accurate Sagan described our present day and that the Bible said the same thing. Ryan Anderson disagreed and when I said if he understood the Bible as he claims to he must know what scripture passages to which I refer. He said:

I have my suspicions, but I'd like you to commit so we can dissect exactly how easy it is to read anything into loose language.

Sounds fun. Alright, let us commit. There are so many passages to choose from, but let's pick one. Just so that he understands what the challenge is let's state it clearly: Demonstrate how the following scripture referred to below does not describe the world we live in today. For example:

¹ But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
⁶ They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, ⁷ always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. ⁹ But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. 2 Timothy 3:1-9

Let's make this really fun and open this up to everyone. Feel free suggest other Bible passages or state your own reasons that the passages chosen don't describe I world today. Go ahead. Take your best shot.

[UPDATE - 12-03-2011]


Ryan Anderson and Johnny P have both attempted to argue that 2 Timothy 3:1-9 does not apply today because these are not the "last days". Of course they both think that Paul and the other first generation Christians believed Jesus would return in their lifetimes. I fail to understand why that matters. Jesus did not say that he would return before the end of the first century, but they would have been stupid to not live like Jesus would imminently return just like Christians are stupid today if we don't. That is if we believe what we say we believe.




Notice what the Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:1.One of the arguments unbelievers rely on is the idea that God can't exist and be what Christians believe about him and their exist evil and suffering. But Johnny P has to mitigate that if he wants to argue that these days are not the last days. Are they terrible days or not? If it is, then you have to look further into Paul's argument. If it isn't, then you can't invoke the Problem of  Evil against Theism.

Verses 2-5 perfectly describe the evil in the world today and it is getting worse. They describe Congress alone, let alone the rest of the world!

 

Verses 6-9 I think applies more to the Church than the world. The world ignores a lot of teaching instructing - the godless and otherwise. What is the most telling is how we have so many clergy teaching one things living something else. 

Confident Christianity: Christian Thinkers Society Interview

 Interview with Mary Jo Sharp from Christian Thinkers Society on Vimeo

Confident Christianity: Christian Thinkers Society Interview

Is (as per Richard Dawkins) belief in God a betrayal of science? | True Freethinker

Cover of Richard DawkinsMariano has written a great article about Richard Dawkins contention that scientists who are religious betray science by turning the argument on its head and taking a good look at it. Follow the link below!

Is (as per Richard Dawkins) belief in God a betrayal of science? | True Freethinker

Online Academy of Apologetics 2011-12 - Apologetics 315

Athanatos Ministries is starting out a new session of classes. Here is a great way to systematically study Apologetics. The links are from Brian Auten and the first one is a great summary of classes. The available. The second link is to an interview with Anthony Horvath, the director of Athanatos Christian Ministries.Mariano Grinbank and Gary Habermas will be teaching courses!

Online Academy of Apologetics 2011-12 - Apologetics 315

Apologist Interview: Anthony Horvath

FacePalm of the Day #119 - Debunking Christianity: Americans Have Lost Faith In Religious Leaders And Church Attendance

John Loftus has posted the following

So says a new book.

I've got to ask: Even if this is true, so what? Does this mean that the Bible is wrong? No. Does it mean that there is no God? No. Does this mean we are not accountable to God? No. Given the nature of people and what the Bible says, it's exactly what I'd expect.

³ For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. ⁴ They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. - 2 Timothy 4:3-4

And

¹⁸ Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. ¹⁹ They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. - 1 John 2:18-19

Debunking Christianity: Americans Have Lost Faith In Religious Leaders And Church Attendance

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Does atheism lead to cult of personality hero worship? | True Freethinker

Mariano has posted a really cool article and I think he asks a very good question given what we see surrounding people like Christopher Hitchens, Dan Barker, Sam Harris, and Richard Dawkins. People have become so enamored with them that people don't seem to think about the things they actually say anymore. They have traded the authority they hated for being under the authority of a man. There is another word for that: "Cult".Face it people have to worship something we deem higher than ourselves. If you reject God, you will find something else.

Does atheism lead to cult of personality hero worship? | True Freethinker

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Confident Christianity: The Jesus Myth Theory: Investigating Claims of Copying

Mary Jo Sharp has posted an announcement to post she wrote regarding steps on can take to get a fuller understanding on how Jesus is not just a conglomeration of pagan myths. Follow the link for more information.

Confident Christianity: The Jesus Myth Theory: Investigating Claims of Copying

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FacePalm of the Day #102 - Islam and Christianity A Common Word: Orthodox Christians Beating The Holy Hell Out of Each Other!

thegrandverbalizer has written a post containing videos of Christians fighting one another. He attempts to make the application that Islam is better because Muslims are peaceful.

So what actually happens when you run out of cheeks? These Christians show the world the power that Christ wrought effectual in them by beating the holy crap out of one another in Jerusalem.

These Muslims show the world the power that Christ wrought effectual in them by beating the holy crap out of one another in America!

So don't let anyone fool you that Muslims are the trouble makers! Watch for yourself as Muslims beat the living day lights out of one another.

Punches Thrown in Minneapolis Mosque: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword instead!" (Matthew 10:34)

Qur'an 4:34—Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great.

http://www.answeringmuslims.com/2011/07/female-mps-get-into-cat-fight-on-floor.html


AND THE CHRISTIAN VIOLENCE CONTINUES...








AND MORE MUSLIM VIOLENCE..






http://www.answeringmuslims.com/2011/04/thirteen-muslims-acquitted-of-publicly.html



THE GREEK SIDE OF THE STORY AND THE ARMENIAN SIDE OF THE STORY.







THE GOALS OF SOME MUSLIME.

My Point

In case the point has not been made clear. My argument is that people are sinner and do all kinds of evil! You, me, and everyone you know is guilty of some sin. It doesn't matter if you claim to be a Christian, Muslim, or anything else - you have the propensity to sin. What do you do about that? How do you curtail it? How do you atone for it? You can't. FacePalm worthy arguments are not going to cut it. Only Jesus can do it for you and through you. If you want to be free from your sin - it will only be by Jesus. When Christians are behaving badly (sin) it is no more the fault of Christianity than it is the fault of Islam when Muslims do the same (sin).

Islam and Christianity A Common Word: Orthodox Christians Beating The Holy Hell Out of Each Other!

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Jewish Festivals | Dr. Claude Mariottini – Professor of Old Testament

Dr Mariottini has posted a great summary of Jewish festivals and their scriptural references.

Jewish Festivals | Dr. Claude Mariottini – Professor of Old Testament

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Quote of the Week: Westminster Shorter Catechism | Reflections

“What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”

—Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647), Q&A #1.


Quote of the Week: Westminster Shorter Catechism | Reflections

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Faithful Thinkers: Article: Interpreting Creation: Science-Faith Models

Here is a great post summarizing the work of Dr Hugh Ross on Biblical creation. Check it out!

Faithful Thinkers: Article: Interpreting Creation: Science-Faith Models

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