The Apostle Paul often gets a bad rap in certain, non-Christian circles. Atheists, Muslims, and Pluralists all have it out for Paul. Everyone's got a bone to pick with Paul! He is (infamously) responsible for the idea that Jesus is God. Christianity started out as a nice, little group of hippies who shared their possessions and lived in close community while following the … [Read more...]
Reason #5 Christianity is Unique: It is Respectable
How do the founders of the world's religions compare with Jesus of Nazareth? Is Jesus Christ unique when compared with Buddha, Mohammed, Krishna, and Joseph Smith? (Part 5 of 5) In the last installment of this series "5 Reasons the Christian Worldview is Unique", today we will be examining the person and life of Jesus of Nazareth, when compared with the other founders of the … [Read more...]
Docetism: Jesus The Illusionist
A Docetist argues that Christ Jesus only seemed to be (Gk. δοκέω - dokeō) human. He appeared to be a Jewish man but he did not possess a true corporal earthly body. Swayed by Gnosticism, that assumes the material creation is innately evil, it is foolish and shameful, according to a gnostic docetist, to think that Logos, who was in form of God, would take upon Himself an … [Read more...]
In Defense of the Empty Tomb
Was the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth found empty three days after he was crucified? If not, then Christianity is the biggest lie and the biggest waste of time in history. While the historicity of the empty tomb does not, by itself, constitute a convincing argument for the Resurrection, it plays an indispensable role as Jesus could not have risen from the dead if his tomb was not … [Read more...]
Defending Which Faith?
Discussions involving religion are never that easy to navigate, which is why I don't initiate them. That being said, when they do occur, and an unsubstantiated remark comes out of nowhere, I find it absolutely necessary to respond - though in the most gracious and considerate way possible, without taking away from the truth that has to be made clear. In Cebu City, in the … [Read more...]
Responding to a Jewish Objection: “Is Belief in the Incarnation Idolatry?”
Introduction Over the years I have had the opportunity to have plenty of discussions with Jewish people about whether Jesus is the Jewish Messiah. As usual, the objection that to believe in Jesus as a divine figure as a deity is idolatry. For starters, I advise reading the book The Jewish Gospels: The Story of the Jewish Christ” by Daniel Boyarin which shows that the belief … [Read more...]
The Titanic: reality, legend, and the use of parallels.
It is a dark, cold April night in the icy waters of the North Atlantic. The world’s largest luxury liner is on a voyage between the New York and England. Because it is thought to be ‘unsinkable’ (due to its watertight compartments) it is travailing at a speed in excess of 22 knots and is only carrying lifeboats for less than half its capacity of 3000 (as few as regulations … [Read more...]
Archangel: Jesus of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught that Jesus is archangel Michael (Jude 9) since He speaks “with the voice of archangel”. Watchtower’s “Aid To Bible Understanding? ” claimed: Scriptural evidence indicates that the name Michael applied to God's Son before he left heaven to become Jesus Christ and also after his return. Michael is the only one said to be the "archangel” […] At 1 … [Read more...]
A Look at Messianic Prophecy: Who is the Prophet of Deuteronomy 18:15-18?
Introduction … [Read more...]
Jesus, Michael And Jehovah’s Witnesses
In Watchtower’s “What Does The Bible Really Teach?” Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught that “the Bible indicates that Michael is another name for Jesus Christ, before and after his life on earth.”(Watchtower 2005: 218) They maintained: While there is no statement in the Bible that categorically identifies Michael the archangel as Jesus, there is one scripture that links Jesus with … [Read more...]