I was recently directed to the above video featuring notable atheist Matt Dillahunty (with whom I have had interaction in the past). In it, Dillahunty makes a number of elementary mistakes that are quite common among popular-level criticisms of intelligent design. I thought it would be worthwhile to offer a short respon se. Misrepresenting Intelligent Design His first mistake … [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...]
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...]
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...]
The Persistence of Gnosticism (Tolle Lege)
Gnosticism in its various forms has been remarkably persistent in the history of the church. Both the apostles Paul and John dealt with early forms of it in their epistles, and Irenaeus of Lyons critiqued it in Against Heresies. A number of surviving "Gnostic Gospels" date from the second through fourth centuries. As Justin Holcomb points out in his recent book Know the … [Read more...]
Black Mirror: The Future We Deserve
Black Mirror is a British TV sci-fi series that takes a serious and provocative look at the unintended consequences of technology. Though not prolific (seven shows in two seasons so far), Black Mirror has won numerous awards, and its viewership around the world is growing tremendously. At least one episode is being turned into a movie, and an American version is sure to show up … [Read more...]
Is the Message of the New Testament Lost?
Lost the Plot? Have we somehow lost the message of the New Testament? That's what some people wonder when the conversation turns to the issue of textual variants---differences in the biblical manuscripts we've discovered over the years. Maybe you've got a friend or a co-worker who tends to be pretty skeptical of the Bible right from the get-go. For many like them, the issues … [Read more...]
Is the Weight of Scholarship on Bart Ehrman's Side? (Tolle Lege)
Critics of the Bible will often claim that the majority of biblical scholars are on their side when it comes to doubting Christian beliefs about Scripture. I recently heard atheist activist John Loftus claim, in a debate with apologist David Marshall, that most biblical scholars don't believe any prophecies in the Old Testament refer to Jesus. New Testament scholar Bart … [Read more...]
What Is the Value of Freethought?
What is a freethinker? By definition, a freethinker is a person who forms his or her ideas and opinions independently of authority or accepted views. The assumption is a freethinker is one who thinks critically about everything. This should include thinking critically about more than theology and dogma, but about naturalistic and atheist ideas as well. If a freethinker is … [Read more...]