Monday, May 9, 2011

Debunking Christianity: Is The Bible Still Relevant Today?

The Codex Gigas from the 13th century, held at...Image via WikipediaI'm glad such debates are still happening in the UK and around the world. The more we discuss it the more the truth becomes apparent.




Debunking Christianity: Is The Bible Still Relevant Today?
Enhanced by Zemanta

The God Delusion Debate « Church History Blog

I can't believe I missed this debate. I've heard the debate John Lennox did against Richard Dawkins at Oxford but I don't remember seeing this one that took place on American soil. Follow the link to get to watch it and look at the commentary on it. The debate centered on Dawkin's book The God Delusion.

The God Delusion Debate « Church History Blog
Enhanced by Zemanta

THE INTERSECTION | MADNESS & REALITY: Donald Trump:"I Am The Least Racist Person There Is," Plus, A Black Guy Won 'Celebrity Apprentice' Before

Donald Trump enters the Oscar De LA Renta Fash...Image via WikipediaA couple of weeks ago, Donald Trump truly embarrassed himself and said some of the most stupid and racist things ever uttered in public on television no less. President Obama trumped him multiple times and showed just how little a man he is. How does Trump defend himself? Simple. He goes on television and describes himself as the "least racist" person. Does that mean he is a little racist? What better way to prove it?

Here is Donald Trump's appearance on Fox this morning where he's discussing Obama, bin Laden, China, claims of him being racist, and whatever garbage falls out of his mouth. When asked about Von Jones' campaign to have celebrities denounce Trump's "racism", Trump said: "I am the least racist person there is" I'm sorry, but being "the least racist," isn't actually a denial. Which is kinda funny because as far as Trump, though I don't know his cracker-ass, I never thought he would be brave enough to play the racist card to jeopardize his brand. But here he is pretty much admitting, that he is in fact racist, but not like the other guys. Let's be honest: believing Barack Obama to be Kenyan and brought to this country so his parents and grandparents could get on Welfare, isn't really a racist theory because they're white. And neither is suggesting that president Obama is intellectually inferior and only got to Harvard via Affirmative Action, because George Bush was a C-Average student.





THE INTERSECTION | MADNESS & REALITY: Donald Trump:"I Am The Least Racist Person There Is," Plus, A Black Guy Won 'Celebrity Apprentice' Before
Enhanced by Zemanta

Parting Shot: The Superhero Situation Room That Took Down Osama Bin Laden - ComicsAlliance | Comic book culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews

Yes, PhotoShop is awesome

Original

One of the best parts they didn't edit out Hillary Clinton like these guys!


Parting Shot: The Superhero Situation Room That Took Down Osama Bin Laden - ComicsAlliance | Comic book culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews
Enhanced by Zemanta

Parting Shot: Batman vs. Jesus, a Master Class in Internet Trolling - ComicsAlliance | Comic book culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews

I was shocked when I found the follow discussion board discussion.  Someone actually was willing to argue that Jesus is inferior to Batman?!? Yep. His argument is that Jesus would loose in a one-on-one fight.. This is instructive. We can see an examples of how blind people can be according to who Jesus really is. Even if Batman was a real person, no one has arms long enough to box with God. This guy was really willing to write as if Batman was his idol and his god. It goes to show anything could be an idol. I hope he was joking, but there are people who put their lives and well-being at risk by rejecting Jesus. This mindset is a real one. It's the mindset shared by all who reject Jesus.

Parting Shot: Batman vs. Jesus, a Master Class in Internet Trolling - ComicsAlliance | Comic book culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews
Enhanced by Zemanta

Apologist Interview: Tim McGrew - Apologetics 315

One of the best things about Apologetics 315's interview  series is that Brian Auten asks questions that I really wanna know. This week, he interviewed Dr. Tim McGrew. Dr McGrew has been busy the past several weeks and has been speaking and his work being pointed to in many of the sources I've been following. The more I see of his work and his wife's, Dr Lydia McGrew, the more impressed I've become. I've enjoyed the other two other interviews Brian has posted but this one is worth hearing even if you heard the other two. I'm hoping that Dr Tim McGrew will write a book calling attention to undesigned coincidences in the Biblical text. He is the first person who I have heard discuss this.and I am amazed that I have not seen it before. Truth is given that he has pointed out and helped to make available past scholars who discussed it maybe he doesn't need to write one. I hope next week or in the near future Brian interviews Lydia McGrew.

Apologist Interview: Tim McGrew - Apologetics 315
Enhanced by Zemanta

Sunday, May 8, 2011

No Special Rights, So . . . One Law for All | MandM

One of the best things about the blogosphere is the ability to read thoughts and word of people from all over the world. An article by John Tertullian posted on the M and M blog sheds a light on the subject of how should we address the evils inherited from colonialism and racism from the point of view of the things that are happening in New Zealand. As someone who lives with the results of European colonialism (who doesn't?), I find that I am far from objective. It is still good to see what other people think. This article deals with how a particular indigenous ethnic group, the Maori, is now trying to find its place in New Zealand society and how they can get back some of what was taken from them. The thing that really amazes me in this discussion is that people who benefited and still benefit will admit and say "Yes, it's horrible what was done to you and it was completely unfair." However, they seem to stop there and never answer the next question: "How do we compensates and make restitution for those injustices?" I don't pretend to know the answer and the United States has nothing to teach New Zealand on this. Think about it. Just two weeks ago people were calling for the President of the United States to provide his birth certificate to prove he was born in the United States and when provided it, they said he should provide his grades and transcripts to prove he deserved the opportunities he has had and had not taking the place of some deserving (read "White") person (read "man"). Yes, racism is still with us - even and especially in America.

No Special Rights, So . . . One Law for All | MandM
Enhanced by Zemanta

dangerous idea: Straw Men Burning: Tim McGrew on Misinterpretations of the McGrews' article on the Resurrection

I've been following the discussion on using Baye's Theorem for calculating a probability for Jesus' Resurrection. The paper was originally written by Doctors Tim and Lydia McGrew. Dr William Lane Craig also made a similar argument in his debate on the Resurrection against Dr Bart Ehrman much to Ehrman's consternation. Tim McGrew wrote a response to the criticism posted on Dr. Victor Reppert's blog. Follow the link to read it.

dangerous idea: Straw Men Burning: Tim McGrew on Misinterpretations of the McGrews' article on the Resurrection

In addition Dr. Reppert wrote a short post explaining how he sees the role of probability theory philosophy of religion.

dangerous idea: On the use of probability theory in the philosophy of religion
Enhanced by Zemanta

Calvinistic Cartoons: Fatherly Advice

Great advice!

Calvinistic Cartoons: Fatherly Advice
Enhanced by Zemanta

Madeleine on Unbelievable? | MandM

A scant few weeks ago Dr Paul Copan appeared on the UK radio program Unbelievable? to discuss his book Is God A Moral Monster? Paul Copan's view is that people have been misunderstanding several passages in the Bible that appears that God commanded His people to perpetuate genocide on the people of Canaan.  He argues that, like many accounts of the period, instead of truly meaning that everything was killed - men, women, children, and live-stock - the Bible is just saying that the Israelites' enemies lost really, really badly and not that they killed everyone - even civilians. I'm personally not completely sold on this viewpoint but I find it interesting.  In weeks after a program, Unbelievable?'s host Justin Brieberly, reads e-mails and correspondence on earlier programs. In the episode just a couple of weeks after Paul Copan appeared, he read an e-mail from Madeleine Flannagan who, along with her husband Dr. Matthew Flannagan, agree with Dr Copan's view. In the following link to their blog, the Flannagans posted the text of what was read on the air. I'm still not sure if I'm convinced I mean why not just go with what the text says and understand that God had good enough moral reason and authority to command what God do/does and do/allow what God does?  If we disagree - we are wrong.  Be-that-as-it-may, I found Madeliene Flannagan's expressions well-worth reading and she summed up the position in a very compact way.

Madeleine on Unbelievable? | MandM
Enhanced by Zemanta

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Sunday Quote: Thomas Jefferson on Design - Apologetics 315

Portrait of Thomas Jefferson by Rembrandt Peal...Image via WikipediaA few weeks ago, Brian Auten posted the following quote from Thomas Jefferson.
"I hold (without appeal to revelation) that when we take a view of the Universe, in its parts general or particular, it is impossible for the human mind not to perceive and feel a conviction of design, consummate skill, and indefinite power in every atom of its composition....So irresistible are these evidences of an intelligent and powerful Agent that, of the infinite numbers of men who have existed thro’ all the time, they have believed, in the proportion of a million at least to Unit, in the hypothesis of an eternal pre-existence of a creator, rather than in that of a self-existent Universe."

- Thomas Jefferson
I like the fact that  Brian posted this given how people usually point out how anti-Christian Thomas Jefferson was. As if the fact that he was not a believer in Christ and what the Bible says about Christ is reason to chuck Christianity under the bus. It turns out that Jefferson was no willing to go as far as today's atheists are willing to go.

Sunday Quote: Thomas Jefferson on Design - Apologetics 315
Enhanced by Zemanta

Lara Logan Speaks Out About Assault In Egypt: 'They Raped Me With Their Hands' (VIDEO)

I'm still shocked that this happened to someone and it seems that nothing official will happen to them who did this to her. It almost seems like the attitude is that Lara Logan shouldn't have been there anyway because she was a woman and she should have known that it wasn't safe. I just don't understand that. This should never happen to anyone but it seems to happen all too often all over the world. IT is not just in Egypt. It's not just Muslims. It's just wrong. I think she was singled out because she is white and blond. This kind of thing has got to stop. I'll be praying for Lara Logan and her family.




Lara Logan Speaks Out About Assault In Egypt: 'They Raped Me With Their Hands' (VIDEO)

Lara Logan breaks her silence on '60 Minutes': 'They raped me with their hands' | Show Tracker | Los Angeles Times
Enhanced by Zemanta

Faithful Thinkers: Article: Review of "Love Wins"

Luke Nix called attention to a two-part review of Rob Bell's book Love Wins by Dr. Ben Witherington. I love Dr. Witherington's work and the way he puts things when he talks about the Bible and theology. He is truly a top-notch scholar and it is interesting to look at his opinion regarding Love Wins and the controversies it has stirred.

Do not Ask for whom the Bell tolls…… A Chapter by Chapter review of ‘Love Wins’ | The Bible and Culture

Faithful Thinkers: Article: Review of "Love Wins"- Part 2
Enhanced by Zemanta

Fallacy Friday: Ad Populum (Appeals to Popularity) - Apologetics 315

Again Brian Auten and Matthew Flannagan have teamed up to release valuable material on logical fallacies. This week it is appealing to popularity. Follow the link to get the valuable insights!

Fallacy Friday: Ad Populum (Appeals to Popularity) - Apologetics 315
Enhanced by Zemanta

Friday, May 6, 2011

Debunking Christianity: Did You Know? Odds on the Resurrection of Jesus Are 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 to 1

I'm not really one to argue statistics  but it's amazing to me that John Loftus posts the following 

Debunking Christianity: Did You Know? Odds on the Resurrection of Jesus Are 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 to 1

which in turn is linked to the following:

Odds on the Resurrection of Jesus: 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 to 1


I tend to not argue from statistics because you can make it say whatever you want. Given the way you spin it you can make something seem likely or not so likely.  Deane Galbraith tries to debunk Dr Tim McGrew and Dr Lydia McGrew on a paper they did in which they argued that from a statistics point of view Jesus' Resurrection was very probable. He tries but in my opinion fails. For me the Resurrection isn't about probabilities. Either it happened or it did not. I believe it did. End of story. There is enough historical evidence and personal experience with the resurrected Jesus to insure that it makes sense to base your life around the fact of Jesus. I did also find an interview Dr. Lydia McGrew did regarding Philosophy, Apologetics, and this paper. The link to it follow.

Lydia on The Probability of Christianity

Enhanced by Zemanta

Thinking God's Thoughts: The Viral Representative's Argument for Homosexual Marriage

Brennon posted comments on the following video from a speech by Minnesota Representative Steve Simon.




I agree with Brennon's comments. Dr. James White agrees with Brennon also.



Thinking God's Thoughts: The Viral Representative's Argument for Homosexual Marriage

Yesterday on the Dividing Line: Analysis of Minnesota Representative's Comments
Enhanced by Zemanta

A Refutation of Fitzgerald's "Nailed": Part 1 - Historical Relativism and Presuppositions

Jamin Hubner has started a series on Fitzgerald's book Nailed: Ten Christian Myths that show Jesus never existed at all. I enjoy Hubner's blog essays and articles very much! This particular essay does a great job in beginning to defend the historicity of Jesus. Well worth reading the article.

A Refutation of Fitzgerald's "Nailed": Part 1 - Historical Relativism and Presuppositions
Enhanced by Zemanta

Answering Muslims: President Obama's Alternative Bin Laden Speech



I'm glad Obama went with the version he went went with!!!! This one is funny however.


Answering Muslims: President Obama's Alternative Bin Laden Speech
Enhanced by Zemanta

Infographic: Evolution of the Internet « : Crushable - Crushable gives you the celebrity news, style and scoop on the stuff you care about.

Infographic: Evolution of the Internet « : Crushable - Crushable gives you the celebrity news, style and scoop on the stuff you care about.

Answering Muslims: Six Suicidal Assumptions about Islam

David Wood has posted a summary of six mistaken assumptions people make about Islam. He writes:

The conclusions we reach reflect the assumptions we make. Start with false assumptions and you reach false conclusions. Start with suicidal assumptions and you reach suicidal conclusions. We don’t have to make these mistakes ourselves; our leaders are making them on our behalf. We and our children will suffer the consequences.

Islam has a foothold in our country. If you want to prevent that becoming a stranglehold by means of the “peace process” described in 5 above, you need to join the Resistance.


This one is a must-read!

Answering Muslims: Six Suicidal Assumptions about Islam
Enhanced by Zemanta