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Most Recent Article: Humanity: How It Has Poisoned Everything
One with a little philosophical training might halt this article after reading the title. Humanity cannot poison itself anymore than the AIDS virus can infect itself with the AIDS virus. Clearly I meant it to be taken in no such manner, so I hope not to receive e-mails assuring me that this title is logically contradictory.
What I rather intend to express is that humanity, for an array of different motives, never ceases to abhor me. The Cruscades; those who thought it necessary to kill as a consequence of God's will. The Holocaust; the extrapolation of the flourishing of the human race. For lack of a better term, it was glorified addition by subtraction. Jihad 9/11; men believed that they could only assure their salvation by commiting what the Qur'an describes as a 'heavy deed'.
What I find strange about this last one is that it is not a textual misinterpretation or something that would be condemned by the Islamic nation. Rather, these men were properly fulfilling their duties to the Qur'an. That is to say that if the Qur'an is true, all of the Muslims who sacrificed their lives in an effort to take that of a non-believer have risen to glory and immortality. Read More
Christian Philosophy And Life Articles
Where Is God!?
I spoke recently with a Nigerian preacher. I told him that I have heard that there are a lot of miracle stories in Africa, and I wanted to know if he had ever witnessed one. Expecting maybe a vague reference to a friend of a friend of a friend, I was very surprised by his response.He mentioned three miracle stories immediately, two of which were performed by him, and one he just witnessed. I have the understanding that he witnesses a miracle at least once every month, or perhaps even more frequently than that.
So I asked him, "Why do you think it is that Christians in Africa receive these blessings, while Christians in the United States do not?" Read More
Why Does Christianity Matter?
I spend so much time on the subject of philosophy and proving the existence of God that sometimes I forget the difference between the intellectual position of knowing that God exists and trusting in Jesus as the personal savior for myself and all of humanity. This is obviously a terrible mistake, as it negates the purpose of taking this intellectual position.In James 2:19, it is written that even the demons believe that God exists, and they shudder in terror. So when we take this apologetic, defensive stance, it is often beneficial to remind yourself why you are taking this stance. Why is it so critical that we convince as many atheists and agnostics and Muslims and Jews that God exists, and that he incarnated himself in Jesus of Nazareth? It is beneficial to ask yourself: why does this intellectual position differ from other intellectual positions?
The answer to this question is obviously in the personal implications that correspond with the truth of the Christian doctrine. With this fact alone, this is much greater than a mere intellectual position. Doctor Frank Turek has an appropriate way of explaining this. He said that there is a difference between "belief that" and "belief in". Read More
Prochoice Abortion Is Incoherent
I have engaged in several discussions regarding abortion. I find it difficult to evade the emotional element of this topic, as many pro-choice and pro-life proponents alike cannot avoid that this is, at the core, an emotional issue. However I have attempted to leave emotions aside and consider this issue intellectually. I contend that in such a manner of consideration, the pro-life case stands firmly, and the pro-choice case collapses.Upon dissection of this issue, I find recurring in it two basic, yet crucial questions. It is my opinion that the abortion issue is quite literally defined by them.
1. Do human beings have intrinsic moral worth?
2. Is the 'unborn child' a human being? Read More
A Letter Concerning Apologetics
Dear (Local Church Or Pastor),The staple of human nature is in its' separation from the other species of the world. We are not mere instinct executing machines. We are moral and logical agents capable of grasping immaterial elements such as mathematics, truth, morality, and logic. However it is in this tremendous blessing that often renders quite damning affect.
The growing position of the modern man is not one of Christianity – not for lack of rationale but rather, the opposition has created quite an emotional case for itself. The greatest and most persuasive enemy of the Christian belief system is not Islam, as some might expect. Rather, it is a strong expansion of the devilish desire to abandon the church and live for the self rather than God. Such a view has, I think completely unknown to most churches, become a rather organized philosophy, and even is taught in schools, bearing the unwarranted name of wisdom. Read More
Is Sacrifice Immoral?
It has been rumored that many who will ride the New Atheist train of logic wherever it leads them stand opposed to the story for Jesus for it endorses sacrificial principles. It occurs to me that such people refuse to distinguish between sacrifice and salvation by works.Self-sacrifice is often found in association with salvation by works, I do yield that much. However, obviously, they are not one in the same. In demonstration of this I offer these definitions.
Salvation By Works: The concept that all people are measured in the afterlife solely by their deeds.
Sacrifice: Succumbing to death so that others might live. Read More
Idol Worship
I would be nothing short of appalled to hear of a husband who did not care that his wife was unfaithful to him. There are men like this in the world; men who will call jealousy an illusion to the end of the fulfillment of their desires. The world is rather frightening in that way. We value absolute freedom over infant life; we value absolute freedom instead of a faithful marriage. As a society we are steering closer to the chaos that is absolute freedom.I submit the obvious: without restrictions of freedom, we would have a lawless regime. The argument that we ought not be opposed to personal choice, self-refuting as it may be (being opposed to personal choice is a personal choice), can be applied to any number of evils, including doctor-assisted suicide. I fear for society, as it seems that people are favoring immorality and that which enhances their convenience and personal desire.
Personal choice should never soar over life nor should it take such precedence, because the argument of personal choice can be applied to almost any self-harming crime. We should have the freedom to pursue happiness, but not pursue that which is demonstrably harmful. Read More
Qur'an Burning
We oft find it so easy to appeal to evil, for in evil we find an element that is not distant, nor is it difficult to wield, and it does satisfy our immediate urges. We will find in evil an element that allows us to succumb to desires such as the expression of anger.It is difficult to believe that positivity can ever arise from negativity. Likewise, I find it difficult to grasp the concept of good arising from evil. Yet that is what men has postured since the dawn of their existence. Men enjoy succumbing to anger; they enjoy dwelling in the trenches of hatred. Therefore they will find justifications for it so that they can maintain their hateful disposition.
An exemplar of this is in the recent 'Burn The Qur'an' campaign in response to the capture and imprisonment of the Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani in the Islamic county of Iran. A certain Florida Pastor has submitted that if Youcef is not released by a specific date, he will call for a world-wide burning of the treasured Qur'an and images of the Muslim prophet Muhammad. Read More
Separation Of Church And State
Stalin commanded that churches obey him before they obey the Bible. Most preachers did yield. However Pastor Richard Wurmbrand wrote in his book Tortured For Christ that he refused to yield. He stood firmly against the neo-Darwinist's of the fallen Soviet regime, and he was imprisoned and tortured for such a crime.It is on this foundation that I suggest that atheist regimes are not secular regimes. Radical atheist regimes command that Christians adopt their belief system. While the central goal of their campaign was not of atheistic influence, many of the applied mandates very much were. Atheism was not a fact that existed mutually exclusive with the political system. Any research of Stalin's justice system will support this claim.
I support separation of church and state in that the objective immorality of Joseph Stalin's regime should never be even minutely reflective in the United States or anywhere in the world. People ought not make decisions on the basis that religion supports them. Political systems ought not criminalize all that religion supports. That is quite the opposite of separation. Read More
The Gothic Persuasion
This label, 'gothic', has a large amount of capacity for ambiguity. There are several contradicting definitions, even by those who self-identify as gothic. The only acceptable definition that I can conceive of is as follows: a diversion from or rejection of typical cultural trends and standards. In essence, it is the agnosticism of the social world.However the gothic persuasion receives much negative feedback because many of it's younger adherents wield it incorrectly and for the wrong reasons.
Many of these self-identifying gothics embrace only the lifestyle which they pre-associate with the gothic lifestyle. Rather, they make decisions which they think a gothic would make in an effort to strengthen a vulnerability; armor themselves in dark mystique so that those who would want to attack them do not know where to begin. Read More
Television Addiction
I cannot persuade myself that a series of scarcely intelligible images and chaotic non-sense can contain more knowledge than I do. How dare anybody suggest that such a thing can advice me. Dreams are a reflection of your subconscious. They cannot reflect knowledge which you do not already have.They cannot tell you that you are taking opinions too personally, that you're being too petty, that you ought quit a job, or that your wife is being unfaithful. To act on the instruction which a dream provides is tantamount to paranoia and delusion. It's as if you whispered information into your own ear and then acted on that basis.
I do not think that there is nothing to be gained from dream analyzation. However I do believe that whatever can be gained must be gained via expert guidance. I am finding that universal dream definitions are not so universal; leaving people with much false information and false guidance. To draw anything from your subconscious, you must know how to analyze it. Read More
Government Sanctioned Murder
Non-Christians certainly do dislike when a Christian offers the Bible in a political situation. If this describes you, take comfort. I am not basing my opinion entirely on the Bible. I will interpret the Bible, use it as a starting point and evolve my argument from there.The laws of Leviticus and Deuteronomy were presented clearly. These laws were essentially a pact pact between the king of Israel and God. Indeed in that era, capital punishment was justified and encouraged against capital crimes.
However, I do believe that through Jesus Christ, the people have a new pact with God. An evil man need not be simply destroyed; he is redeemed by the blood of Christ. Consider it in this manner. We are all criminals, and the wage of all of our crimes is death. Well, as Christians, we acknowledge that Jesus paid the debt of our sins.Read More
Veganism
It seems as though there is a default Christian opinion of every issue which we must all adhere to lest they call us sinners or render harsh judgments. When I researched abortion it seemed as though every Christian was pro-life. However the pro-life position makes sense to me. Bible or no Bible, I cannot imagine taking anything other than the position that favors human life.When I wrote my homosexuality article, I found a lot of opposition (From both homosexual proponents and the Christian camp. Figure that one out.) One person told me that homosexuality should continue to be preached against and another told me that homosexuals should not try to be cured because in fact, it does not work.
It seems as though there is a default position for every organized group of people in regard to every issue. Though I have not observed any strong minded Christians tossing their hat into the omnivore/carnivore ring just yet, and I think it is about time we fight and condemn each other over this. Read More
Valentine's Day
I do question the validity of the legends of the origins of valentine's day. While each are interesting, there is more than one, and they are in direct opposition. I would need more research than this topic deserves. However, my favorite story is that which Catholicism embraces.In the third century, the Roman Emperor allegedly outlawed marriage for young men so that they would be more inclined to dedicate their entire lives to his military. A proponent of the Catholic Church, Saint Valentine stood firmly against this social movement.
Valentine performed marriages in rebellion and was executed by Roman authorities. I think the story indicates that he was executed on February 14th. Read More
A Shameless Challenge
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Luke 9:26People will whisper under their breath, "I'm not ashamed of the gospel." They will bring their Bible into public yet conceal it with their hand. They will allow others to speak hatred against God lest they are hated as well.
The true Christian will testify that they would rather be hated by the world and loved by God than vice-versa. I am certain that a lot of Christians who read this will immediately think that it is they who this article describes. I would like to test the validity of that statement. Read More
Homosexuality
It was indicated to me that my original argument regarding this matter was on a basis on personal desire rather than the truth. It is rather ironic that a heterosexual Christian would campaign for homosexuality to be acceptable. But I am just tired of the oppositions' accusations of persecution. I am tired of hearing about homosexuals leaving the church because they are told that they are an abomination.Imagine: a twelve year old child has realized in the last few days that they have homosexual tendencies. They go to church on Sunday, and some stranger is on the alter preaching that those who feel the tendencies he has felt are an abomination. To compliment this, his parents and everybody in the church applaud these teachings. His parents have just completely unnerved him. But he must tell somebody; he needs to talk about it! So he reveals the secret to his friend.
The next day, the boy goes to school and finds that his friend is giving him the cold shoulder. To expand this problem, people are suddenly calling him names and bullying him. The church calls him an abomination, his parents applaud in agreement. His friends are too young to understand this issue at all, so they decide to neglect it and handle it negatively. This child has no refuge at home, church, school, or with friends. He commits suicide. This happens an average of 400 times every year. Read More
A Warning To Christians
As somebody who enjoys Christian apologetics, I have become quite accustomed to the persecution and negativity when the issue of God is presented in a public forum. I have merely accepted it as a part of the process, as even the first Christian was persecuted into and until His death.However, I am finding that many Christians are unprepared for the responses that they may receive. Whether our intention is to receive advice, spread the gospel, collect scripture opinions or request prayer, there are many negative people who will produce only negative answers. Before you venture into an online forum, you need to acknowledge that on the internet, many people do not recognize the traditional rule of mutual respect.
When people have a bias against an ideology, they spend time researching the reasons to dislike this ideology. They will often apply their reasoning to everybody who holds these beliefs, and ergo, form radical presuppositions about you before they even know you. In fewer words: many people opposed to Christianity already know the individual Christians, and they don't like them. Read More
The Legalize Marijuana Argument
A little while ago 'Reasons To Legalize Marijuana' began to trend on Twitter. I am finding that the arguments for marijuana have not changed in several years. Many people do not go to the trouble of dissecting them, as they do appear to be airtight at first glance.Further, I would like to state that I do not have a personal bias. I do not have a psychological inclination to be for or against marijuana. This is a completely objective analysis of the arguments that I have seen tonight.
I will analyze the arguments first from a worldly perspective, and then from a religious perspective. The following statements were presented on Twitter under the #ReasonsToLegalize hashtag. Read More
Religious Brainwash
Certainly, everybody has heard of the accusation that religious people are brainwashed, delusional, and hallucinating. Often they will be accused of being so fervent of their religion on no basis or a false basis. In many situations, I believe that is true.Religious people are so often attacked by these accusations because, I think, they are so unsophisticated in their thinking. If somebody is born into Catholicism, they often believe Catholicism for the rest of their lives. They will not be objective when studying the Bible. Rather, they will look at the texts with a presupposition about them and accept only an understanding which fits this presupposition.
They allow their preacher or church leader to determine any interpretation of the Bible, and live their life on that basis. They do not serve God. They serve the church. This is how faiths like 'New Birth' call themselves Christian and then worship their pastor. Read More
The Christian That Never Was
A skilled mathematician might take great pride in watching the progress of their child's mathematical or scientific mind. Some might even help their child along by presenting them with equations beyond the usual capacity of their current age. But children do not always inherit the skills or hobbies of their parents. A child who is learning multiplication might not want the additional stress of algebra.Childhood is a rather defining period of time. We will often maintain associations from this period forever. If a child rejects algebra, and the parent continues to pressure him with it, he will maintain contempt for algebra, and perhaps, never become a mathematician. If you want your child to pick up mathematics as a defining element, the child must first enjoy or even love mathematics. That can only happen on a basis of the child's decision. You will not force him to like something.
Likewise, the Christian parent cannot force a child to enjoy Christianity. If it becomes clear that a child is not taking church seriously, it is absolutely the duty of the parent to engage in an honest discussion. If indeed, they do not like it anymore, let them make the decision to leave. Read More
A Thought Concerning Christian Dating
Christians are often very peculiar in their relationships in that they will often usually date only other Christians. Justifiable, in my opinion, because in a true Christian you will find decent morality and many tools to be successful in a relationship. However, dating a non-Christian can come with a little responsibility for the Christian.Dating A Non-Christian
Represent Christianity properly. Do not act in impulse or anger. Do not excessively push Christianity on somebody who does not want it. Think of it like this. Lasagna is very good, almost everybody who eats it, enjoys it. But if somebody has already had dinner, and is clearly full, it makes absolutely no sense to push the lasagna on them. It is only when they are clearly eating chunks of hamster waste or blatantly ask you for some lasagna can we feel justified in offering it.
Do not misunderstand me. I am not saying that we should not talk about Jesus. I am saying that as Christians, we need to find a balance between talking and pressuring. We need to keep in mind that our significant other is not only our significant other, but they are a human being with opinions. We cannot make our opinion the default opinion. The absolute best way of converting somebody close to you is to live well and have peace of mind. Over time, they will be curious. Read More
The Lottery
A goal of mine is to end the widespread denial through Christianity. We will sin and convince ourselves that we are justified in our sin, or we will just forget that it is a sin altogether. We will redefine 'sin', or even redefine God to fit our desires.There are elements of the world which can imprison us with ease. They will take something that our naturalistic side finds appealing and dangle it just outside of our reach. Strip clubs offer some lustful fulfillment. Cigarettes have us chasing a state of relaxation which they cannot bring. They lottery shows us a treasure chest and tells us how often people win.
I recently spoke to a woman who plays the lottery regularly. I asked her if she would encourage or discourage her children from playing the lottery. Her answer indicated the psychological prison that the lottery has put her in. "Encourage, why not? It is a chance to win free money." Read More
Preaching Damnation
"Love your enemy, and be good to those who persecute you." Matthew 5:44This verse is perhaps the most important teaching of the great Messiah. If we can find it ourselves to love our enemies above ourselves, then there is nothing that we cannot love. In this verse, Jesus tells us to respond to negativity with positivity, because there is nothing to be gained when piling negativity on top of itself. Love is the hidden partner and the antidote of hate.
Shamefully, however, Christians often forget these teachings, or prefer to pretend that they do not exist. They would often rather persecute other denominations, make young homosexuals into a community issue, and gossip about other parishioners. People love the taste of evil, and will savor that taste for as long as they can deny it is there. Read More
Abortion
I am seeing more frequently, arguments for pro-life and pro-choice. I have not thrown my hat into this ring in several years (before I became a Christian). It appears to me, the objective viewer, that neither camp has really made any progress, but rather, both sides are embracing points that have been raised since the issue of abortion began. It almost appears as though this is a question of differing morality.Does this issue prove that all morality is subjective, chemical, and individualized? Absolutely not. The primary pro-life argument is that abortion is the murder of a child. The primary pro-choice argument is that a fetus is not a baby until emerges, and this responsibility can be exterminated the discretion (or indiscretion, as it were) of the mother (though I am not sure such a person would describe themselves a mother. Is 'carrier' a better term?). However, both camps hold firm: killing a baby is wrong. They differ only in what constitutes a baby.
It seems though, that the pro-choice side does not argue 'it's not life,' because obviously, that argument would collapse on itself, but rather 'it's not human.' This inherently incorrect assumption is on the basis only that it is small and it does not look like a human. If it were inhuman, then it would stand to reason that at one point, the speaker of such a statement was inhuman. It would suggest that the seed of a human enters the fertilization layer of another human and BAM: a fish. Not only a fish, but a fish that mutates and becomes a human. This phenomenon has occurred not once, nor in a fractional number of births, but in literally every single human birth. Read More
The Six And The Seventh
We are all fallen; no man can match the glory of God. Though it is becoming more apparent that parishioners have stopped trying. The once narrow gap between religion and Jesus is not far from resembling the Grand Canyon.I recently heard a Christian woman tell her quarreling family, "We should not fight. After all, it is Sunday." Most Christians, I think, live according to such a model. They will live for God on the seventh day and live for themselves through the six.
We are becoming more like the religious leaders who Jesus criticized in Matthew 23 and less like Jesus. We will let the community know that we are Christian. Then we turn around and we commit evil in secret or before only our families. We drag the glorious name of God through the dirt. We give the non-believers something to point at and say, "Look! That is why I am not a Christian!" Read More
Christian Theology
Has The God Of Scripture Changed?
It seems to me that more bad talking points reveal themselves very frequently. I usually just dismiss them and assume that the objector knows that they are wrong. I recently realized that this is a mistake. The objector, in saying that God of the Bible has changed and is therefore imperfect, really does believe it.
They support this statement with the ethics and governing commands that God has given to different people throughout history. The inhabitants of ancient Israel were told to never touch the skin of a pig, to eat only kosher, and to fulfill capital punishment for those who have violated God's law.
While Jesus of Nazareth assured us that it is not what we put in our mouth that harms us. He eliminated the kosher laws. He undid the law of capital punishment and brought a new covenant to govern God's people. Do these two sets of ethics and legislations prove that God changed? Read More
Beliefs Worth Separation And Beliefs Unworthy Of Separation
I have found throughout Christianity, ideologies that are in head-on collision with each other. This is not to say that the doctrine itself is self-contradictory. Rather, it is to say that what one church practices, another might speak against. One mans' interpretation of the doctrine might conflict with anothers'.
There are some doctrine worth making a fuss over; some things that should give us cause to find a new church, which I will examine shortly. However, there are other practices and interpretations of the doctrine that are so arbitrary, petty, and almost irrelevant, and yet, we condemn each other for them.
I do not think our salvation is dependent on maintaining perfect theology in every little thing. In fact, I think our knowledge of the Bible will expand only if we are open to the possibility that we are wrong in some areas. Being a Christian is about growth and inching closer to perfection, but not necessarily living in perfection. So I strongly dislike seeing separation over the follow three interpretations. Read More
Who Does God Love?
I encounter poor theology very frequently. When reading work of Catholics, I wonder how it is that they pull an entire realm, namely 'purgatory' from a slightly ambiguous statement that Jesus made. Also, despite all of the theological and philosophical problems that it entails, people continue to adhere to the 'work-based salvation' doctrine, which I find exceedingly strange.
But I think I had found the absolute worst treatment of Christian theology that I have ever encountered. This is a central doctrine that I never even considered would be in dispute.
I reviewed this persons' profile and their churchs' website, and after a few minutes, I was not as appalled as one might expect. But this was for the simple reason that I was under the assumption that this website was actually operated by atheists parodizing Christianity, so it was not too surprising. Read More
Are Abortion Victims Condemned?
I have always held firmly that the victims of abortion will not be condemned for eternity. I have also held firmly that should a child perish before they have an understanding of the Christian doctrine, such child will ascend to Heaven.
But in these assertions are also delivered the additional assertion that God sometimes forgives those who are not capable of asking for forgiveness, or those who do not know to ask for forgiveness. In abiding my model, the opposition might indicate that in doing so, God breaks His own rules.
I agree completely, for God is not subject to the rules which He gives to humans. In demonstration of this point, consider the issue in this manner. If I trick somebody into walking outside with a long metal pole pointed at the sky during a lightning storm, to the end of their being electrocuted to death, I would undoubtedly be in sin. But when God takes somebody's life, He is not in sin! He is God, and therefore He simply does what He pleases. Read More
Tithe
Unquestionably, my favorite part of church is the ten minute discourse they allot to preaching tithe. There is no greater spiritual experience than that which asks for not only money that you were planning on giving, nor money that you are supposed to give, but money that is more than the scripture dictates.
Certainly, nothing brings me more joy than an inspirational speaker attempting to guilt a group into surrendering more money than they need to. Further, the group blindly abides such preaching; ignorantly applauding the obnoxious demands for more cash than Abraham or Moses ever offered. Yes, truly, the Holy Spirit is upon us and not being drained out as if we were suddenly transported to time-share convention.
I am beginning to observe many church leaders who are becoming rather reflective of the accusations that Jesus made on Matthew 23. Churches are crowning their pastor king. Parishioners are offering money at points of inspiration during the sermon as ordained by their church. Pastors are attempting to guilt parishioners into giving more than they need to. Read More
Racism In The Bible?
For those of you who think that racism is a defeated social issue, you are quite in error. Racism is prevalent in the world and in some areas, it is prevalent even in Christianity.
I was recently drawn to a neo-nazi forum wherein I encountered poor logic such as 'Asians are good at math. But they lack in creativity. Interbreeding with them will cause the extinction of the white race."
I found variations of this statement throughout the forum; replacing Asian with African and so on. In response, I issued a challenge. "Name an act of intelligence, creativity or morality that you could commit which an African could not." Read More
Clairvoyance And Christianity
I find it rather amusing that people are so easily inclined to forget that which does not fit their agenda. They will take the scripture so far out of context, and even reword the scripture.
Consider this. I could certainly write a compelling case for adulterers. I could write an entire article indicating that adultery is not a sin, and perhaps, those who do not have an understanding of the Bible would likely be taken in by it. I could apply the tactics that a psychic uses to justify their case to any sinful action. I will address the scriptures that psychics use to justify their ability.
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also." John 4:12
I fear that the psychic who applied this scripture to themselves knows little of the work of Jesus Christ. He did not summon the spirits of the dead for information or precognition. He meant only that the fruits of His teachings are good works, not supernatural works! Frankly I have no idea how anybody can draw such a thing from that statement. Read More
The Indoctrine Of Predestination
There are several 'end of time' prophecies throughout each book of the New Testament; each of which are another symptom of the return of Jesus Christ. Some of these have been fulfilled and usually dismissed and forgotten, documented as nothing more than a natural phenomenon. (Source)
However there are prophecies beyond earthly nature which men must fulfill. Some of these prophecies are in opposition to Jesus Christ. In Luke 18:8, Jesus predicted that atheism would be widespread.
From this, some might draw the conclusion that Jesus influenced these atheists; He hardened their hearts and condemns them for the actions which He caused. Anybody who holds this position is in error. (While that is the case for Islam's Allah, it is not the case for Jesus Christ.) Read More
Hell
This is a rather controversial topic, and certainly, I will come across people who disagree with me. Though, it seems that most of my topics are controversial, and only two of my regular forty viewers per day have had the courage to speak against me. In both instances I did further research and rendered an update.
This topic spawned yesterday when I was on Yahoo Answers. In the religion section, you will find more theology of the Flying Spaghetti Monster than anything else. I mean not to persecute such a belief system, but it is often difficult to sift through and find questions regarding Christianity and the Bible. However yesterday, I found this question and answer.
Q: If somebody who is bad dies, do they go to Hell?
A: No, there is no Hell! God detests eternal damnation! Read More
The Oneness Of God
I have tried to avoid writing an article about this, only because it seems like this is an overstated victory. It seemed so blatantly obvious that Christianity is a monotheistic religion that there is no need to even argue it anymore. But a few nights ago, 'Jesus and God' mysteriously began to trend on twitter.
After this, I became completely appalled at the belief system held by so many people that believe in the Christian Bible. It has always been my contention that no reputable theologian could actually read the New Testament and state that God is anything other than a single Entity. But it would seem that this is the belief system that is actually being taught throughout Catholicism and even some of Christianity.
I find it almost too easy to dismiss this belief. In John 8:58, Jesus said "I tell you true. Before Abraham was, I am." Jesus stated very plainly that He existed before Abraham did. Further, 'I Am' seems just a tad derivative of another famous verse. In Exodus 3:13, God told Moses, "Tell them I Am has sent you." Read More
I tried to move a mountain...
I have never met a human being who does not believe in naturalism. I have heard of the theory that all nature and everything before death is an illusion. That seems incredible, and is probably a reason that the masses choose atheist over theism.
The difference between atheists and theists is not that theists do not believe in nature. We believe in something beyond nature just as we believe in nature. However, our minds are limited by nature, therefore our faith is limited by nature. It is completely impossible for any Christian to look at a mountain and think without a shadow of doubt that they can move it.
Our naturalism interferes with our faith, and this is not something that we can change. Our minds are part of nature, and they will not allow us to have absolute faith that we can move a mountain from here to there. Read More
Blasphemy Against The Holy Spirit
There seems to be a wide misunderstanding about this topic. People will refer to it also as 'denying' the Holy Spirit; but that is not that case. Matthew 12:31-32, Jesus said "Every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, except sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. This will never be forgiven." He goes on to say that if we blaspheme the Son Of Man, we will be forgiven, but not if we blaspheme His spiritual essence.
From this we can draw that there is a difference between denial and blasphemy. God is not going to reject everybody who was at one point an atheist. That is just the grace of God. We will be dead in our transgressions every day, and every day, God will make us alive through Christ.
There is only one state of complete godlessness in this life; this is only after blaspheming the Holy Spirit. However I have heard of situations wherein people frantically worry that they have committed the unforgivable sin. To this person I can say: take comfort. Your worry and guilt is indicative that God has called you to repentance. God would not do such a thing if He did not mean to forgive you. Read More
The Danger Of Salvation By Works
I have never been happy about a mans' demise. If he were an enemy; if he opposed me or has wronged me, no joy is presented before me when such a person dies. However one instance has been significantly closer to 'joy' than I should ever admit. Though I do feel guilty for this, I almost feel as though it was a justified feeling.
Throughout his evil reign, Osama Bin Laden bore the field jacket of a (likely fallen) United States solider as he made statements such as "It is the duty of every member of Islam to kill Americans." His lips often gently curled into a smile as he spoke of the murder of Americans. Yes, I can definitively say that this man was brought to justice - even by the standard of his own Qur'an.
I believe I can spare most, if not all readers, a chronicle of Bin Laden's evils. (Google: 9/11) After September 11th, 2001, the Islamic Qur'an was brought under great scrutiny. While initially justified, I do believe that I would stand in hypocrisy if I approached this book with a negative outlook (as I accused those who call the Bible 'evil' of doing). Read More
Smoking Is A Sin
Albert Einstein wielded a powerful weapon: one of the greatest scientific minds in the history of humanity, and he wielded it against Christianity. He aimed toward the very first verse of the Bible. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."
The great Einsteins' goal was to prove that the universe was eternal and therefore had no absolute beginning. But this theory collapsed. Einstein instead proved that indeed, the universe had an absolute beginning, and today his theory of relativity is one of the strongest indicators of the Big Bang; the beginning.
Everything within our natural realm has an absolute beginning. But for something to begin, something else must end. For a Christian to life to begin, the previous life must end (Philosophically, of course. Not physically.). The Christian cannot call themselves a true Christian if the residual affects of their previous life are still working in them. Read More
Christianity And Catholicism
Prior to doing some research, my contention was that Catholicism was another true church of God. I answered Christian complaints of Catholicism with similar complaints of Christianity. I indicated that Catholics are extra-curricular, but so are Christians.
I did a little research. I was actually bias in that I was siding with Catholicism and hoping for some concrete biblical answers to support some of their practices. But my search yielded not a single acceptable answer.
Work Based Salvation I was under the impression that the Catholic tradition of 'confirmation' was a method of establishing the good habits of Catholicism. But as it turns out, Catholics believe that through their works in this life, and the 'purgatory' life, they will pay the debt of sin. It has become evident to me that Catholics have overlooked the central doctrine of their own religion. The debt of sin has already been paid. That is why Jesus came to earth. Why call Him a savior if you are saving yourself? Read More
Atheism
Richard Dawkins: A Closet Deist?
"You could possibly persuade me that there is some kind of creative force in the universe; that there was some kind of physical mathematical genius who created everything; the expanding universe, device quantum theory, relativity, and all that. You could possibly persuade me of that.
But that is radically and fundamentally incompatible with the sort of God that cares about sin; who cares about what you do with your genitals, or the sort of God who has the slightest interest in your private thoughts, and your wickedness and things like that. Surely, you can see that a God who is grand enough to make the universe is not going to care what you think about, or your sins."
- Richard Dawkins Click here, and skip to 37:40
This is indeed a rather extraordinary claim. Thankfully, however, the proposition that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence has been refuted beyond any reasonable doubt. So I will offer rather ordinary evidence, and I think, formulate a rather powerful inductive case for the conclusion that Richard Dawkins is actually a closet deist. Read More
Human Rights On Atheism And Evolution
The consequences of conflating atheism with evolution has been remarkably annunciated by Doctor Alvin Plantinga. Plantinga demonstrated that if both atheism and evolution were true, it would be unlikely that our cognitive faculties were functional.
While this may be the most logically detrimental consequence of this combination, it is certainly not the most morally appalling one. There are several atrocities which have led thinking atheists into the clutches of nihilism, and, in the words of Bertrand Russell, there is no atheistic solution.
If evolution and atheism are true, then we are completely lost in moral relativism. For, as I have stated many times before, if I deem something a moral abomination, and another deems something morally indifferent, who is right? In the absence of an objective standard of morality to appeal to, neither of us are truly right, or truly wrong. Therefore, no mans' standard of morality can be objected to. Read More
Life: What Is The Big Deal?
Men consider their mortality in a manner that is most inconsistent with the very instincts that press upon us. We so strangely shun our will to live, our desire to feel love, and the comfort that ensues when our relatives and friends have physically expired. Everything within us cries out to reject mortality and affirm immortality. But we do not.
One might reply that it is better to live in truth than to adopt belief in immortality. One might reply that if we believe in immortality, this is just an exercise in self-delusion meant to suspend fear of the unknown, and internally aid us in time of struggle.
Such an answer seems to negate the importance of the question of what is often regarded as one of the most important in philosophy. What is the purpose of man? The importance of a question can sometimes be measured by its' answer. In this instance, the answer that atheists have imposed on us is, "There is none." We are confronted with nothing more than, in the words of Jean-Paul Sartre, "the bare, valueless fact of existence." Read More
Enlightened Ignorance
How big is your blanket of faith when you are forced to claim enlightened ignorance? Obviously, it would be an insult to your intelligence if I felt as though I had to explain why it is that this is self-defeating. Ignorance cannot be a position of enlightenment. You cannot reference a position of ignorance and state, “that is the truth,” because the truth cannot possibly be that there is no truth or that truth is unknowable.
I have noticed that this position of enlightened ignorance seems to be developing into the internet atheists' catch phrase when discussing the Big Bang, the anthropic constants, et cetera. I do not mean to speak for them, but I believe that they claim ignorance because they believe that it is superior to claiming a false solution.
I yield that much. Ignorance is much better than claiming a false solution. For instance, if you asked two people, “Why is the grass green?” one replied “I don't know,” and the other replied, “Well, every night hundreds of painters flood the streets with bottles of spray paint.” Read More
Objective Morality And Naturalism Are At Logical Odds
It seems to me that the education system fails to properly relay concepts to students. When a professor teaches his student that God does not exist, he will often neglect to inform the student of the corresponding ideologies which they must adopt. For obvious reasons, the professors omit the depressing outlook which students will be forced to oblige through the course of their life.
If materialism is true, as the secular professor assures us, then there is no immaterial. If there is nothing beyond humanity; if nothing transcends us, then nothing is objective. Everything that we feel, think, and do are merely by-products that we developed through the course of our evolution, each of which is subjective to our specific genetic code. These developmental adaptations are expressed in forms of taste, opinion, and what we refer to as 'morality'.
That is to say that on the classic atheism philosophy, there is no absolute standard of right and wrong. There is only our expression of what we consider to be moral, immoral, just, and injust; alas, it is completely subject to our DNA, no less than personal preferences, such as differing opinions. Read More
Naturalism And Self-Sacrifice
You are the accidental byproduct of nature. As an overgrown germ, your life has no intrinsic worth, nor do those within your kin. All of the emotions that you feel, all of the worth that you give them is illusory. For they are overgrown germs, just as you are. They are just as worthless as you are.
In a relatively short time, you will perish. Your children will offer stories of you in an effort to recreate your personality. Alas, similar to a game of telephone, it will become more distorted as the generations pass. Eventually, recollections of your life will devolve in recollections of recollections of your life. It can be taken as certain: a time will come wherein nobody will know that you ever existed.
One might reply that you affected the human race in a positive manner; that while your memory has faded into irrelevancy, your positivity carries on. But to this I can only reply that this will perish as well. Mankind's extinction can be taken as invariable. The sun will incinerate the earth and all of its' inhabitants in a relatively short time. Any minor role you might have played; whether you fed hungry children in the continent of Africa, pulled an old man from a burning car, made your neighbor feel welcome, in the final analysis, renders completely irrelevant. Empty space will reign the universe, and all traces of your existence, your DNA, your studies, and your good works will be forever forgotten. Read More
The Burden Of Proof
I think it would be in poor etiquette if I neglected to introduce this topic before discussing it. However, I would not spend much time doing so because if you are unfamiliar with the burden of proof topic, this issue is irrelevant to you.
God's existence has been proudly embraced by some and mocked by others. Men have murdered other men because they could not agree about the nature and essence of God. While there are still many terribly misguided folks who believe that God wishes them to commit evil, I think the modern western man has escaped the trenches of such a poor theological position. Now, the question 'Does God Exist?' can be civilly answered by Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and indeed, our atheist friends, and nobody will be hanged after the discussion.
For those of us who answer, "Yes, God does exist," we understand that if we are to submit this statement, we ought to be able to defend it if and when it is challenged. Similarly, I contend that for those who submit the statement, "No, God does not exist," ought to be able to defend it when challenged. In contrast, many of them believe that if all of the evidence for God's existence fails, they are justified in concluding that God does not exist. Read More
I Have Critics!? :O
Somebody came across my recently article, "An Argument Against Materialism From Immaterialism" and offered their analysis. I will keep his twitter handle withheld unless he explicitly asks otherwise. My original statement is plain, his is italic and my response is bold italic.
There are truths throughout our world that science cannot prove, for the simple
reason that science assumes them. I will begin by dissecting the truth that is truth itself.
True; logical axioms for example.
>Truth is immaterial in that it exists independently of whether anybody agrees
>with it or not. In demonstration of this I offer this scenario. If all human
>There are truths throughout our world that science cannot prove, for the simple
> reason that science assumes them. I will begin by dissecting the truth that is
> truth itself. Read More
The Christian Atheist
Still, I await the devastating critique of religion alleged to have been offered by Richard Dawkins. Instead all I have found is a book of terrible philosophy which outlines a central argument that unless the reader has an emotional motivation for abiding can easily be dismissed as silly. (See my article titled 'Who Designed The Designer?')
This is far from a bias examination. Gentlemen like Doctor William Stenger, despite that he is wrong, raises a formidable intellectual opposing case. But Richard Dawkins critique of religion and the philosophy of God is dubious at best. He is quite clearly a laymen in matters of philosophy. Which is why I find it so perplexing that his book is so popular.
It is my opinion that it comes down to purely iconic atheism. He is a great biologist, and thus I have no qualms about deferring to his opinion in matters of biology. He is also, for what my opinion is worth, a skilled writer. It is in these two elements, and perhaps matters such as his popularity or his rather likable personality that people are willing to blindly follow his word. It gives me little hope for humanity that we accept the teachings of those we admire without a second thought. 'The God Delusion' if considered philosophically should have never made it onto the open market, because quite frankly, upon examination it is glaring that a biologist with no grasp of philosophy wrote it. Read More
Who Designed The Designer?
I do find it so bizarre that the most widely championed book against the existence of God, (The God Delusion) is based on a central argument that is demonstrably fallacious. "Who designed the designer?!" demands biology professor Richard Dawkins. Even worse though, this was not merely dismissed as the ravings of a mad mad. It is echoed by every internet atheist that I encounter.
I might on another occasion dissect the reasoning behind the constant repeat of such poor philosophy. It may just be ignorance. But that is not the point of this article. The point is (and I am certain that it has been done numerous times in the past) answering Dawkins accusation, that the God hypothesis is insufficient in explaining the origin and design of the universe because it immediately raises another tough question, namely, 'who designed the designer?'
I am confident that argument would be universally rejected if not for the atheism that it implies. We recognizes explanations all of the time, and we do so without asking the additional question of the explanation of the explanation. I will adopt Dawkins' principle and apply it to something else in demonstration of this point. Read More
Are Atheists Our Enemies?
Certainly, the central doctrine of theism and atheism are in direct odds. When two people with differing opinions engage in discussion, obviously, the Christians' beliefs are the enemy of the atheists' beliefs. Likewise, Christian beliefs are the enemy of Islamic beliefs. However, this does not mean Christianity, or individual Christians should declare themselves the enemy of Islam, nor should they treat the Islamic in such a manner.
Christians and atheists have a terrible habit of treating each other with strong discontent. I admit freely, I did recently believe that persecution was unbalanced in that atheists are unjustifiably, inexplicably angry. But today I saw a twitter account solely meant to attack atheism.
This act is not in love for his fellow man, nor is it an attempt to convert anybody to Christianity. It is a simple expression of hatred and an attack of a worldview; an issue that, it seems, they hold just as adamantly as Christians do. Yet we continue to force ours upon even those who blatantly tell us that they do not want it. Read More
Famine And Disease
This is an argument which I have been hearing a lot lately. They will indicate suffering in the world and make some clever remark such as "God will bless you but not the starving children of Africa."
I would first like the point out that the conclusion 'there is no God' does not follow the premise 'There is suffering in the world.' That is silly. That is like arguing that because some cars break down, mechanics do not exist.
I will often implement the 'standard of morality beyond yourself' argument at this point to such a person. I indicate that they cannot justify feeling sorry for starving children in their worldview because that implies a standard of objective morality beyond themselves. A standard which they believe God is violating. They assume God to deny God. Read More
Answering The Omnipotent Paradox
"Could an omnipotent being create a rock that is too heavy for it to lift?"
There is no answer to this, if it were to be viewed as normal question. It is a trick question; a riddle. If the being is omnipotent, then nothing is too heavy for it to lift, and nothing is beyond its' creation. This question applies strictures that would not exist in an omnipotent being.
This question is so tough to answer because it essentially asks two questions at once. It asks the omnipotent being to use its ultimate power to contradict itself. It's like the old 'unstoppable force versus immovable object', except in this instance, the omnipotent being is both.
I found a rephrasing of this 'paradox' on a different website (Forgive me, I cannot remember the site.). "Could an all-powerful being demonstrate such power that he renders himself powerless?" Read More
The 'Evil Bible' Complaint
"Truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. Ignorance may deride it. But in the end, there it is."
-Winston Churchill
Such is the Bible. Stripped to its' core, you have the message of a loving Creator, a Caretaker, and the ultimate Judge of anything moral or just. Yet if you host an aura of negativity when examining anything, you will draw from it nothing other than a negative outcome. If you have made your decision before you look at the facts, then you are going to find any way to apply the facts to your decision, rather than basing your decision on the facts.
The typical atheist will look at the cover of the Bible and see an evil book, therefore when they open it up they can see only evil texts, because that is what they are looking for. But then I must raise the question: how does the atheist define 'evil'? Where are they getting this objective perspective on which they justify calling anything evil? Read More
Answering Islam Articles
Allah's Perfection Entails Imperfection
Not the least of the vices within the Qur'an is the underlying attributes of the alleged God, Allah. However I think that rather than make a case against the morality of Islam (As I did in my article titled 'The Divine Contradiction Of Islam'), it would cause more success in debunking Islam if I made a case against that which is logically incoherent.
God entails properties that without, He would cease to be God. He must be omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, absolute in love, and perfect in morality. But, upon examination, we find that these properties entail are in one instance, self-contradictory. Namely, to be absolute in love entails mercy, and to be perfect in morality entails justice. However, these two traits stand in stark contrast.
The God Of Islam, in some instances, is wholly merciful, and in others, is wholly just. But Allah, when being merciful, he is also being unjust. The concept of salvation in this religion is that if your good deeds outweigh your evil deeds, you will receive eternal salvation. In essence, Allah turns a blind eye to the evil that people commit if they do good as well. This is not justice; it is mercy. Read More
Allah In Contrast With Jesus
Qu'ran: Don't bother warning the disbelievers. Allah has made it impossible for them to believe so that he can torture them forever after they die. 2:6-7
Bible: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him. Revelations 3:20
Qu'ran:"Allah taketh away their light and leaveth them in darkness, where they cannot see, Deaf, dumb and blind." 2:17-18
Bible:“The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” John 9:11 Read More
The Divine Contradiction Of Islam
It is not the declaration by God which defines our moral standard. It is His own essence, which is purely moral, and has this imprinted essence on our hearts. This is why every human being knows the difference between right and wrong. It is an unchanged, unchanging, unchangeable law.
Though there are times that we do not realize how negative an action is until it is indicated to us. I might have never realized how selfish the exploitation of lust is if the Bible never indicated it to me. Likewise, followers of Islam may have never realized that lust is evil unless their holy book indicated it.
However, in many instances throughout the Qu'ran, lust is dangled in front of characters. For every Muslim man is promised an unlimited number of untouched dark-eyed damsels, meant to satisfy their sexual urges for eternity. Lust is regarded by Islam as an evil desire, yet their eternal kingdom seems to composed of it. Read More