By far the most common way people come into contact with members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or Mormons, is through speaking with two young well dressed men, wearing a little badge with Elder on it. These guys spend two years of their lives, usually when they are 18-19, in an allocated area by the LDS Church, working 6 and a half days a week, either … [Read more...]
Wars of Early Islam
Muslims often project Islam as the religion of peace. But can this be true in the light of the historical evidence in the form of wars during the early Islamic history? Let's evaluate. Mohammed migrated to Medina from Mecca in the year 622 A.D. This migration is called Hijra, and 622 is the first year of the Islamic calender. The first year of the Islamic calender does not … [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...]
Scientific Mythologies: How Science And Science Fiction Forge New Religious Beliefs
James A. Herrick's Scientific Mythologies: How Science and Science Fiction Forge New Religious Beliefs offers a fascinating look at the interplay between fiction and reality. Sci-fi literature has had more of an impact on scientific research than one might expect. Rather than being a purely logical endeavor, science is sometimes fueled by - and often distorted by - what … [Read more...]
A List of My Recorded Interviews, Debates and Talks To-Date
Over the past couple of years, I have been privileged to have the opportunity to participate in a number of radio and podcast interviews and debates, as well as present a number of lectures on subjects of interest to Christians. Those that have been recorded lie scattered around the internet, and so I thought it would be a good idea to compile the links to these resources into … [Read more...]
The Stones Cry Out: A Review of The Interview
If Sony pictures wanted to stir up a buzz over a film, they could hardly have orchestrated a better series of events than the geo-political drama that played out ahead of The Interview: a mysterious cyberattack on Sony reportedly originating out of North Korea, followed by threats of violence against any theater that dared to show the film, followed by an abrupt Sony decision … [Read more...]
The Most Common Question Muslims Ask Christians: Where did Jesus say, "I am God! Worship me!"?
If you any Muslim friend who is apologetically inclined, then the question he would have asked you is this. 'Where did Jesus say, " I am God! Worship me!"?' Now it is an interestingly and intelligently worded question to take unaware any ill-equipped Christian. It assumes that there is a certain way Jesus must express himself "I am God" and if he has not said that then he is … [Read more...]
Worldview and Culture: The Stories That Shaped Us in 2014
As this year wraps up, I offer the following retrospective on some of the more popular entertainment in 2014. It's not an exhaustive list, and I don't necessarily recommend everything on it. It's simply meant to provide insight into the cultural stories that are reflecting and/or shaping a lot of worldviews, particularly those of a young adult audience. Though some of the … [Read more...]
Debating Christianity and Islam on Spice FM: A Conversation on the Deity of Christ
I was recently invited to do a debate on a local radio station that airs in Tyneside, England, called Spice FM. Every Thursday, a Muslim program, called "Eye on the East", run by Muslim activist Daniel Johnson of the Islamic Diversity Center airs. In the video above, I take on Daniel Johnson and Muslim apologist Majid Younus on the identity of Christ and the validity of the … [Read more...]
Answering Jewish Objections: “Jewish People Don’t Believe in a Suffering/Atoning Messiah”: Part Three
This is the third part in our series. To see Part One, click here. To see Part Two, click here. Remember the following: Targums are the Aramaic Translations of the Jewish Scriptures (The Tanakh), that were read in the synagogues on the Sabbath and on feast or fast days. Scholars usually assume the Targums were … [Read more...]