Three Problems of Evil by Peter S. Williams - Apologetics 315

Brian Auten posted a great lecture by Peter Williams on the "Problem of Evil". I think he answered it pretty well. There is no single answer. I think the evidential and prepositional approach are both necessary.

Three Problems of Evil by Peter S. Williams - Apologetics 315

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Advice to Christian Apologists

Here is an audio from William Lane Craig about how you can improve your apologetics ministry

Advice to Christian Apologists

Apologist Interview: Holly Ordway - Apologetics 315

Today, Brian Auten posted his interview with Dr. Holly Ordway. I really liked it! Her story of how God brought her to Himself. I like looking at why people believe what they believe. She can look back over life and see how God brought her to belief. She is clear that she first became convinced that Christianity was objectively true and that there are real good reasons to believe and seeing the Gospel lived out - then she experienced Jesus. Her story is different than a lot of people I've met. The majority of people I know personally experience God first and then as they learn more about  the reasons we know it's true outside of themselves.  I'm very analytical myself, like Dr. Ordway, but I had the experience first and then learned that my experiences have objective evidence outside of me. I praise God because this truly means that God can find you and call you in the way best for you. It also means that we can't put god in a box and make assumptions about what and who God cannot use to give people the faith they need to believe. No way is God asking anyone to believe anything without evidence.

Apologist Interview: Holly Ordway - Apologetics 315

FacePalm Quote of the Day #32 - Islam and Christianity A Common Word: Mark 16:9-20 False Bible Prophecies and False Miracles

Truly a post where only a FacePalm is the best comment. However, it's important to explain why this post from thegrandverbalizer calls for a FacePalm. Suggesting that the reason Jim Jones ordered his followers to take poison has a basis on a command from Jesus, given Mark 16:9-20 doesn't make any sense.

For one, in the very video it's clear that Jim Jones expected that they would all die - not miraculously live as Jesus said in the passage. Second, Jim Jones had adopted a theology that was nothing like what the Bible teaches by this point. He claimed to be God himself remember and was promoting all kinds of behaviors the Bible condemns as sin. Third, it doesn't matter if you think the passage should be canonical or not - it does not tell us that we should be drinking poison to prove that we are Jesus' followers. The suggestions made in the post and the video are fallacious and offensive. Jim Jones was not following Christ when he moved to South America and did that murder/suicide. The people were following a man - not God.




As for the Benny Hinn accusation, when you view his theology and his teachings, is there anyone who really wants to go out there and defend him and declare him a follower of Jesus Christ and that God truly works and speaks through him. C'mon, why would go after the low-lying fruit and then expect people to think that Hinn is the line of demarcation of what Christianity is and what it teaches? Really? I know of a better video that describes Benny Hinn's ministry.




Islam and Christianity A Common Word: Mark 16:9-20 False Bible Prophecies and False Miracles

Fistbump Quote of the Day #14 - Calvinistic Cartoons: Sin Avenged

Here is a quote from John Piper posted by Eddie Eddings on his blog. I like the quote and it really sums up what God is gonna do ultimately about sin!

Calvinistic Cartoons: Sin Avenged

CrossExamined Blog » Blog Archive » Is the New Testament Reliable? Even Bart Ehrman Says Yes

Here is a great article analyzing exactly what Bart Ehrman's contentions against the reliability of the New Testament are.

So why does Ehrman give one impression to the general public and the opposite to the academic world? Could it be because he can get away with casting doubt on the New Testament to an uninformed public, but not to his academic peers? Does selling books have anything to do with it? I don’t know. I just find the contradiction here quite telling– the man who gets all the attention for casting doubt on the text of the Bible, upon further review, doesn’t really doubt it himself.

CrossExamined Blog » Blog Archive » Is the New Testament Reliable? Even Bart Ehrman Says Yes

Truthbomb Apologetics: Common Objection #14- "Jesus' Disciples were Uneducated and Illiterate."

Over on his blog, Truthbomb Apologetics, Chad has done a great post about the educational level of Jesus' followers and the authors of the Gospels in particular. It's a direct reply to the claims of Bart Ehrman.

Truthbomb Apologetics: Common Objection #14- "Jesus' Disciples were Uneducated and Illiterate."

Atheists claim that “the Old Testament still applies” | True Freethinker

Mariano has written a very great post. Here is his introduction:

You may or may not be surprised that many atheists attempt to talk Christians, and other atheists, into believing that the Old Testament still applies (they are unsuccessful with Christians but very successful with other atheists). Three examples of this follow and all such claims seem to focus, or lack focus, upon one text…to which we shall come.
So does the Old Testament still apply? Did it require savvy 21st century atheists to figure out that 2,000 years of Christian have been mistaken about the Old Testament and therefore the New?

The arrogance of atheist who use arguments like this seem to think that the arguments are new and no one has every given good credible answers to them. Mariano's answer is not new but it is powerful. I have never read and heard a good rebuttal to it.

Atheists claim that “the Old Testament still applies” | True Freethinker

Christopher Hitchens Debates Rabbi Wolpe on God at Temple Emanu-el in NYC

Here is another debate between Christopher Hitchens and Rabbi David Wolpe.




Christopher Hitchens Debates Rabbi Wolpe on God at Temple Emanu-el in NYC

Wolpe/Hitchens Debate: Does God Exist? | Events recordings | Jewish Bible Hebrew Classes In Los Angeles American Jewish University (AJULA)

Summary Description:

Wolpe/Hitchens Debate: Does God Exist?
Christopher Hitchens, leading atheist advocate and author of the best-selling book, "God Is Not Great" and Rabbi David Wolpe, spiritual leader of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, author of numerous books including his just published, "Why Faith Matters" and Newsweek Magazine's #1 pulpit Rabbi debate the existence of God and the role of religion and faith in society in a recent American Jewish University event. Moderated by Rob Eshman, editor-in-chief of the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles.
American Jewish University is grateful to Jewish Television Network for their partnership in making it possible for the public to view more of our programs.

Wolpe/Hitchens Debate: Does God Exist? | Events recordings | Jewish Bible Hebrew Classes In Los Angeles American Jewish University (AJULA)

My Third Android App - WHHW_V2

As I have previously posted, I've been learning how to make Android apps using Google App Inventor. Yes, It is very powerful but not as powerful as using a full IDE (Integrated Development Environment). This is my 3rd app and the second version of the What Had Happened Was... Mobile app. Version 2 attempts to expand the first. Instead of showing the whole RSS feed, it shows them one at a time. You can scroll through them using "Previous Post" and "Next Post". A button was added that will send you to the post in a web browser. I figured out how to better parse the RSS feed so that I could get the post's url and image url. Unfortunately the images don't show up in the app. I've only tested this on the Samsung Vibrant which uses Android 2.1. You can download it and check it out free using the QR code. I plan another version will hopefully fix the images and provide more help as to what post is being displayed of the possible twenty-five. I'm going to be doing a fuller post on how this app works on my gadgets blog. I've even used the androidscreencast to record a video of the app in action.




Download

Video



Reference Links
Android Screencast – Control Android Phone from PC | Sizzled Core
Universal Feed Parser

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God Took Human Form (Before the Time of Jesus), part 5 of 5 | True Freethinker

Mariano ends his 5-part series looking on Biblical instances where people have seen God in the Old Testament - aka "theophanies". I loved the examples he brought up and I think that he sums up the series perfectly when he wrote:

If you do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah and that He is God because you do not believe that a human to see God face to face and live your argument is not with Christianity.
Rather, it is with God, Job, Abraham, Hagar, Jacob, Moses, Manoah and his wife, Ezekiel and Isaiah.
Thus, you are not calling into question Christian doctrine, rather, you are questioning the integrity of the books Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Judges, Ezekiel, Isaiah and Job.

God Took Human Form (Before the Time of Jesus), part 5 of 5 | True Freethinker

Chris/Cross: Sims vs. Haley on the 'Young Justice' Cartoon [Review] - ComicsAlliance | Comics culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews

From time to time, I like to mix it up on this blog and add posts and reviews of television programs. I wanted to call attention to this post for two reasons. One, the debate between Chris Sims and Chris Haley on the merits of the pilot for the show Young Justice is not just funny and insightful but also show how two men can disagree and yet be friendly. Second, the show may have little cognitive value but it was fun and yet it still managed to deal with questions like: As a young person, how do you know when it's time to go on your own?  As a mentor and/or parent, how do you know when it's time to let go? Also do your origins - say a clone -  give you the same right to be free as a person who isn't a clone? (I know not a new question, but given the current advance in genetics we need to have answers quickly.) Is it ethical to clone a person without their consent or knowledge? The show does not really definitively answer these questions but it does raise the conversation. Also to weigh-in on the debate, I think Haley is right, the show was great! My only complaint is that we won't see any new episodes until January!!! IT was fun to see Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Superboy learning how to be a team without their mentors and trying to find their own way....and to see them beat a lot of bad guys.


Chris/Cross: Sims vs. Haley on the 'Young Justice' Cartoon [Review] - ComicsAlliance | Comics culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews

Slutty DNA Study Provides New Way To Guilt Parents « : Crushable - Crushable gives you the celebrity news, style and scoop on the stuff you care about.

Here is a tongue-in-cheek article of some serious significance. A gene has been identified as making people more prone to infidelity and other behaviors

According to Live Science:

“A particular version of a dopamine receptor gene called DRD4 is linked to people’s tendency toward both infidelity and uncommitted one-night stands, the researchers reported Nov. 30 in the online open-access journal PloS One.

The same gene has already been linked to alcoholism and gambling addiction, as well as less destructive thrills like a love of horror films. One study linked the gene to an openness to new social situations, which in turn correlated with political liberalism.”

Hmmm. A gene that leads people into debauchery, fornication, adultery, and lust? In Biblical terms: Sin. Some people would look at this and assume that means that people who struggle with these things are programmed to do them and can't help themselves. They are trapped - victims of their own natures. The Bible agrees. And any of us are a hair's breath from falling into any one of these things, unless you are in those things already, so we can't judge ourselves better than anyone else. Fortunately, the Bible not only defines a problem - one that DNA and genetics - confirms, but also points out that our Creator has also provided a solution. The solution is Jesus Christ. If want to be made whole - you can be.

Slutty DNA Study Provides New Way To Guilt Parents « : Crushable - Crushable gives you the celebrity news, style and scoop on the stuff you care about.

Ravi Zacharias and John Lennox Discuss Stephen Hawking's Ideas in the Grand Design - Apologetics 315

Brian Auten posted a four part interview Ravi Zacharias did with John Lennox regarding Stephen Hawking and Lenard Mlodinow's book The Grand Design. Follow the link below to listen to the 4 part Podcast.



Ravi Zacharias and John Lennox Discuss Stephen Hawking's Ideas in the Grand Design - Apologetics 315

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FistBump of the Day #13 - Glenn Beck and Mormonism | True Freethinker

Mariano made a great post on Glenn Beck. He points out that Beck says he is a Mormon because he wanted to get a good family. He isn't concerned with the theological differences between Mormonism and Historic Christianity. However the differences are so stark and so huge they can't be ignored. I really like the way Mariano brought this out.






Glenn Beck and Mormonism | True Freethinker

High Five of the Day THE APOLOGETIC FRONT: A short preterist commentary on the Olivet Discourse of Matthew 24

I really respect Mike Felker and the postings on his blog. We largely agree on many matters but on how to understand Matthew 24 we don't completely agree on. I appreciate his posting this video and I really liked the introduction he wrote:

In about 13 minutes (with as much detail as possible all packed in), this video contains a summary of the preterist understanding of Matthew 24. This theological persuasion holds that all of the events in Matthew 24 find their fulfillment in the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70. Of course, this may sound absurd to those who have never been exposed to such theology, as it did to me. But I would ask that you at least watch this video and consider some of the arguments that are made. I can't say that i'm one hundred percent on board or able to provide a thorough defense of this view, but so far its a position that i'm leaning towards

:




It caught my attention because John Loftus recently defined Preterism wrong and different than Mike did, who defined it right. Some take a view that most of Revelations was also fulfilled. Personally, I'm not sold that all of Matthew 24 and Revelations have been fulfilled yet.One view on this is debatable and can't be used as a "litmus test" for orthodoxy.

THE APOLOGETIC FRONT: A short preterist commentary on the Olivet Discourse of Matthew 24

Fistbump of the Day #12 - Brennon's Thoughts: Response to Common Sense Atheism's The Science of Morality

Brennon handled a failed attempt to explain the origins of Morality very well. I think he is 100% correct in his analysis. Thanks for another great post!

Brennon's Thoughts: Response to Common Sense Atheism's The Science of Morality

God Took Human Form (Before the Time of Jesus), part 4 of 5 | True Freethinker

I am really enjoying Mariano's series! This time he includes more Rabbinic objections to the thought of Almighty God taking human form. My main issue that is that scriptures says He did on occasion in the Old Testament whenever He wanted to. Bottom line. It's true whether we understand it or not. I don't understand the confusion or objection that Jesus could not both be God and Man at the same time. Mariano bringing up light in the post is great. I mean we accept the wave/particle duality of light and no one has been able to explain it yet. Would you not expect the infinite God to most definitely defy all attempts of complete quantification even more so than light? I would.


God Took Human Form (Before the Time of Jesus), part 4 of 5 | True Freethinker

Do Atheists Ever Become Christians? MP3 Audio - Apologetics 315

William Lane Craig invited two people, Dr. Holly Ordway and Stephen Notman, to talk about how they became Christians after spending the majority of their lives as non-Christians. It was very interesting. I love hearing testimonies of how God intervenes in lives to bring people to himself. I also really enjoyed William Lane Craig's prayer and invitation to accept the Gospel at the end. All there speakers in the presentation recognize and thank God for the gift of repentance and mercy. I thank God that Brian Auten posted this and i had a chance to listen to it. Both Holly Ordway and Stephen Notman have blogs and Brian was gracious enough to have links to their sites. Follow the link to hear the lecture. The picture is from Stephen Notman's blog of Ordway and Notman with William Lane Craig.

Do Atheists Ever Become Christians? MP3 Audio - Apologetics 315