Mahayana means greater vehicle, as compared to other schools of thought which were considered lesser vehicle. Mahayana is the dominant school of Buddhism in the world today. The form of Buddhism found in countries such as China, Tibet, Japan and Korea is Mahayana. The now popular Zen Buddhism of Japan and the Vajrayana of the Dalai Lama are Mahayana Schools of thought. … [Read more...]
Do Any Atheists Live In A Moral Vacuum?
Can an atheist really be good without God? This seems to be an age old question and something organizations like the Illini Secular Student Alliance (ISSA) would have you believe with billboards and advertisements to boot. Well, what does God think? Does God agree with this sentiment that someone can be good while not believing in Him? Psalm 53:1 says, “The fool hath said in … [Read more...]
God’s Omnipotence and Problem of Evil
“A wholly good omnipotent being," contended J. L. Mackie, “would eliminate evil completely; if there really are evils, then there cannot be any such being.” (Mackie 1982: 150) Is it necessarily true that a wholly good omnipotent being who is able eliminate evil, would eliminate evil? Is it necessarily true that a wholly good omnipotent being who cannot prevent pain and … [Read more...]
Why won't God show Himself to the world?
Notice a lot of people arguing about religion these days? It’s nothing new. Arguments over the existence of God have been ongoing for thousands of years, and with good reason. Whether you believe in God or do not believe in Him, it is impossible to prove your position in such a way that everyone will be convinced. This is because God is not a part of the physical … [Read more...]
An Atheist Admires the Contributions of Religion
Atheist Alain de Botton believes that atheists and secularists can borrow a lot of good things from religion: Religions merit our attention for their sheer conceptual ambition; for changing the world in a way that few secular institutions ever have. They have managed to combine theories about ethics and metaphysics with a practical involvement in education, fashion, … [Read more...]
World War Z
"The monsters that rose from the dead, they are nothing compared to the ones we carry in our hearts.” Patient Zero, a 12-year-old Chinese boy, was bitten by an animal. That much is pretty clear. The how and why of the spread of the virus that reanimated the dead is a story of human ineptitude, greed, misinformation, and tragedy. In the aftermath of the war, the UN … [Read more...]
"The Da Vinci Code" Critique – Part 3
(I continue my critique of Dan Brown's book - See Part 1 and Part 2) Brown’s second attack on Christianity is the claim that Jesus was not divine, nor claimed to be divine. Teabing alleges that in the 4th century Constantine, for business and political reasons, decided to adopt Christianity as the official church religion. He shifted the day of worship from Saturday to … [Read more...]
Abortion mills and Kermit Gosnell: What is the real problem?
Despite a relatively low amount of media coverage, you have likely run across the case of Kermit Gosnell, the Philadelphia abortion doctor (labeled a monster) who ran what many have called a 'house of horrors' abortion mill. Last month, he was convicted on three counts of first-degree murder and one count of involuntary manslaughter, and was sentenced to life in prison. But, … [Read more...]
Why The Church Needs Apologetics: A Look at Critics, Seekers, and Doubters
Introduction Over the years I have spoken to several people from a variety of backgrounds about the Christian faith. When we started a Ratio Christi apologetics chapter on The Ohio State University in the Fall of 2009, I had been talking to college students about spiritual beliefs for several years. It was during this experience that I began to see the need for a stronger … [Read more...]
Atheism and the burden of proof
When someone makes a claim about the world, if they want to convince others, they are required to provide justification for that claim. This is not a contentious or strange idea, but what does this mean for atheism? Is atheism a belief and does it require justification? In this article I will show that atheism is a belief about the world and that it does require a justification … [Read more...]