Through literary apologetics, this four-part series examines one of the more difficult passages in which to reconcile the God of the Old Testament with the God of love, namely Numbers 31:13-18, which records the mass killing of Midianites including baby boys. As mentioned before, I find this particular passage abhorrent; however, after researching the cultural context, I do … [Read more...]
Why Did God Kill the Midianite Boys in Numbers 31? Part One.
“And Moses was angry with the officers of the army…[and] said to them, ‘Have you let all the women live? Behold, these, on Balaam's advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord. Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known … [Read more...]
The Positive Impact of Religion (Tolle Lege)
In chapter 20 of their recent book Did God Really Command Genocide? Coming to Terms with the Justice of God, Paul Copan and Matthew Flannagan take up the question, "Does Religion Cause Violence?" This is by now a well-worn trope of new atheist accusation, typically stated without explaining what "religion" is, or how it is uniquely violence-producing in comparison to any other … [Read more...]
Annihilation versus Eternal Torment: What Does the Bible Really Teach?
Entire books on this subject have been written, as well as innumerable articles, with both sides claiming Bible verses to support their interpretation. And while this topic will likely be debated until Jesus returns, it is one that I feel I cannot be silent on as the very character of God is at stake. Please note that my goal was to succinctly expound on why I believe what I … [Read more...]
Neognosticism
A Facebook friend of mine (an old acquaintance from Bible College) commented on one of my posts the other day expressing the idea that Christianity was originally gnostic, that Paul was its only apostle, and that all his writings were rewritten by "literalists" during the time of Irenaeus (late 2nd Century). His original comments are below and my response follows. I would … [Read more...]
3 Good Reasons To Question What You Believe
Introduction Many people like to ask questions, and not just basic questions that get us through day-to-day life, but questions that go beyond our basic routines. Questions that examine who we are, why we are here, from where have we come. Questions that are on all our minds, but many fear to ask. Some are afraid they may discover something they do not like; some are afraid … [Read more...]
Bonhoeffer's Solution to The Problem of Pain
Dietrich Bonhoeffer saw and experienced the unmistakable face of pain and suffering during the reign of Nazism in Germany. During his time at Berlin-Tegel Bonhoeffer exchanged letters and wrote notes that are now known as Letters and Papers from Prison. It is in these letters and notes Bonhoeffer explored the problem of pain and suffering. His address of human suffering does … [Read more...]
Why did God kill Uzzah for trying to protect the Ark of Covenant?
The Ark of the Covenant was the mercy seat of God, i.e. his throne on earth. God commanded the Israelites to build it shortly after they left Egypt. It was to reside in the Holy of Holies (the innermost chamber) of the tabernacle, and later the temple, in which God said He dwelt on earth. Only the High Priest could ever enter that chamber, and only once a year, on the Day of … [Read more...]
Rethinking Nielsen’s World Without God
Imagine for a second that there is no God. Imagine God is dead. What would we expect our world to look like if God did not exist? Based on this idea a brilliant, young Irish economist by the name of Robert Nielsen has presented an interesting, but ultimately unpersuasive case in his article World Without God. Nielsen states that this argument is at the foundation of his … [Read more...]
Is Doubt The Opposite Of Faith?
One of the greatest things that I ever learned from an atheist was that there was value in questioning authority, in doubting. Doubt is not always a bad thing. Doubt is not the opposite of faith. In fact, it is by doubting that all of us have come to discard certain beliefs, while embracing others. In a way, we can’t have faith without doubting something else first. … [Read more...]