Recently, I was discussing the evidences for God’s existence and the Resurrection of Jesus with a Christian college student. In response to my apologetic approach, he asked if I provided this many evidences, where was room for faith? A recent visiting speaker to our church mentioned that she had taken theology and apologetics classes, but she “wasn’t good at all this stuff.” … [Read more...]
Can Science Answer All Questions?
In the movie Contact? Ellie told her father that she loved him, but she couldn't prove it scientifically. That’s because science can't do that sort of thing. Science can't show that two people love each other. Science is simply a tool that we utilize to uncover facts about the observable universe. So here’s a fun fact: Science is not omniscient. It cannot answer all our … [Read more...]
So-called pseudogenes are not Junk
Yesterday I came across this interesting article in the journal RNA on the subject of pseudogenes. The majority of scientific papers I read typically would be of no interest to the average person. This one however sparked my interest because of its relationship to a number of exciting areas. Not just in science, but also in theology and religion. This paper (titled … [Read more...]
Do We Have a Soul? (Conclusion)
(Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) (I conclude my case for the soul) Two last objections to the existence of the soul are related to science. First, the predominant scientific theory of origins is evolutionary theory; in that we are the product of wholly physical processes through chance and time. On this view there is no room (or need) for immaterial substances. On strict … [Read more...]
Ask the Alliance: Does the virgin’s conception suggest divinity?
:::Ask the Alliance Question #4::: In September, Peter submitted questions concerning the nature of the conception of Christ in the broader context of the true nature of Christ. The Alliance has tried to avoid the major pitfalls associated with this topic. Why the Complicated Virgin Birth Process? In the case of Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel, and Elizabeth, God intervened on the … [Read more...]
Materialists: Where is hope? Look to the stars!
“[T]he Universe may harbor civilizations more intelligent than our own. Perhaps one day, through interstellar communication, some advanced civilization will help us resolve such age-old problems as war, famine, disease, overpopulation, misuse of natural resources, and human aging.”- John Oró, “Historical Understanding of Life’s Beginnings” (40, cited below). Such is the hope … [Read more...]
Are Christians anti-intellectual?
One common objection formed against Christianity is the idea that Christians abandon intelligence and knowledge in favor of unreasonable, blind faith. If Christians really thought through and questioned what they believe they'd see that there is no intellectual basis for their faith. Yet instead of embracing reason, Christians choose to blindly cling to their beliefs, willfully … [Read more...]
Human Design Blindly Echos Design in Nature
Mankind has frequently, with varying degrees of success, attempted to mimic structures found in nature with the goal of adapting the function of the structure into technology. Take, for example, early flying machines. Pictured here is Gustave Whitehead's Albatross glider (circa 1905): The first thing you notice about this contraption is how very bird-like it is. … [Read more...]
On Burden of Proof
[This post is a work in progress as part of the CAA Catechism.] [Add the title only in the title field, not in the body of the post.] Summary in 400 words or less: The Burden of Proof (BoP) is the idea that an individual who makes a claim is responsible for supporting it. This makes debate flow more smoothly and prevents people from making claims for which they have no … [Read more...]
Richard Dawkins and the 'Absence of Belief'
Richard Dawkins and the New Atheists have popularized the idea that atheism, contrary to other positions, is not a belief; it is simply ‘the absence of belief’ in God or a supreme being. It almost sounds esoteric. Theists believe that God exists and atheists merely lack that belief. Well, on that view, my Chevy is just as much of an atheist as Richard Dawkins, for it, too, … [Read more...]