Have you ever woken up in a dream and realized that you're still asleep? Have you ever been convinced that you were awake only to find that were still in a dream? Have you dreamt of a future that never existed? What about about a past that never happened? Last night I looked up at the moon in the dark night sky and I was utterly shocked when it came into my mind that I'm … [Read more...]
A Cause Worth Dying For: Materialism, Millennials, & the Authentic Mission
Let me ask you something, very simple: Is the Christian God real? If not, then don't waste another minute of your time. There's the door. If the Christian God is simply a family tradition, a nice story, a cultural myth, or a moral teaching then we might as well toss it all aside. It's nothing. But, if the answer is yes then there is a desperate state of urgency. If … [Read more...]
Book Review: Relativism- Feet Planted in Mid-Air- Parts 3, 4, and 5
Last month I began a review of Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air (soft cover, Kindle, GoodReads) by Frank Beckwith and Greg Koukl. In that portion I summarized the authors' explanation and critique of moral relativism in the first two parts of the book. This month I will dig into the connections the authors see between relativism and education and public policy and … [Read more...]
A Tale of Two Nazi Sons
A Review of What Our Fathers Did: A Nazi Legacy Philippe Sands, an international human rights lawyer, was doing research for a book on the Nuremberg trials, when he met Niklas Frank and Horst von Wächter. Niklas and Horst, both born in the spring of 1939, had known each other as boys. Their fathers were both prominent Nazis all through World War II, and this was the common … [Read more...]
Book Review: Relativism- Feet Planted in Mid-Air- Parts 1 & 2
Introduction More and more it seems that society and culture are attempting to jettison objective morality in favor of their own moral autonomy. It is a challenge that takes place at both an individual level and a political level. The Christian worldview holds that certain actions and behaviors are right or wrong regardless of who believes or does not believe that they are. … [Read more...]
Moving In The Wrong Direction
Imagine that you are driving towards New York City, and you are aiming to go visit the Empire State Building as thousands of people do every year. As you are driving down the highway, you see the Empire State Building growing bigger, so you know that you are getting closer. However, after making a few turns, you notice that your target is getting smaller and smaller. You seem … [Read more...]
Age of Ultron: Human Visions, Second Chances and Filled Gaps
The Avengers have invaded your local theaters - and the public consciousness. Critics like it and audiences love it. It passed the $700million dollar mark only eight days after its release, and a spokesperson for Disney said it should pass the $1.5 billion that the first movie brought in. That billion, with a 'b'. The next Avenger movie is several years away, but between now … [Read more...]
Saint Odd
Odd Thomas has become perhaps the iconic name associated with Dean Koontz. The series has sold over ten million print copies and 900,000 ebooks just in the United States. There are also three graphic novel prequels, a couple novellas, and a movie based on the first book. Odd Thomas deserves the popularity – and the acclaim. Odd is a genuinely good guy, devoted to doing the … [Read more...]
Malignant Demon, Atheism and Search For Truth
“Would any one trust in the convictions of a monkey's mind,” rhetorically asked Charles Darwin, “if there are any convictions in such a mind?” (Darwin 1881) In Darwin’s July 3rd 1881 letter to William Graham, we encounter a problem of epistemological uncertainty of our cognitive faculties. Darwin believed that Graham had accurately portrayed his conviction that “the Universe … [Read more...]
The Naturalness Of Narrative
If I told you that South Korean soap operas can teach us something useful as Christian apologists, you might call me crazy. Please prepare to do so although somewhat indirectly. A story was written in the New York Times on January 24 by Choe Sang-Hun about the appeal of smuggled South Korean soap operas in the oppressive North Korean regime. The North Korean government has … [Read more...]