Equating belief in God with belief in Santa seems to be popular among many atheists who have grown up in religious families but later abandoned their "childish" belief in God in the same way they gave up their belief in Santa Claus. It's so obvious that God is something you only believe in as a child but then later give up when you mature and become a rational, reasoning … [Read more...]
The Backyard Skeptics of Orange County
I bet you thought it would never happen! Orange County is home to two mega-churches that are known around the country, namely Saddleback Church and The Crystal Cathedral (not so much anymore). More than that there are several other mega churches spread out around Orange County, such as First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton, or Eastside Christian Church, not to mention my … [Read more...]
Is God A Mystery?
Many people think that God is basically mysterious. This is both a pop sentiment, like, "OMG! God is like, so, you know, mysterious! I mean, God is GOD, so that's BIG!" And it seems to be the careful explanation of sophisticated thinkers. For instance, a famous hymn by William Cowper begins with the stanza: God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants His … [Read more...]
The Correct View of Creation?
In a previous post, I addressed how the rhetoric and views of some young earth creationists pose a threat to the task of an apologist. Some young earth proponents contend that the message of the Bible itself is in jeopardy if their hermeneutic [1] is not followed. Such an exclusionary view makes it impossible to consider any other view of the creation narratives. To even … [Read more...]
Humanizing The Humanist
Science is definitely an area of our society placed on a pedestal. Why shouldn’t it be, any fields of scientific research has yielded some great discoveries and essential inventions. Without the studies of physics, mathematics, and computer science I could not be communicating with you through the internet right now. However, the term science in the broadest sense is being … [Read more...]
John Walton—“Genesis Through Ancient Eyes”
A common objection to Christianity is that there's supposedly a fundamental conflict between the biblical and scientific stories of the origin and development of the universe, the Earth, life, and so on and so forth. John Walton, ((John Walton has a Ph.D. in Hebrew and Cognate Studies from the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, … [Read more...]
Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction by Dr. Edward Craig
A REVIEW The A Very Short Introduction series of books, published by Oxford University Press, is helpful for gaining inroads into unfamiliar topics. These books are usually in the 120-150 page range and cover a myriad of topics, with new ones being published even today. In this review, I will take a look at Dr. Edward Craig’s Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction. Craig is a … [Read more...]
Russell's Teapot, Dawkins' Fairies, and The Burden of Proof
Scientific positivism has taken a deep hold in society due in large part to advocates from the "New Atheist" movement and others who argue for strict empiricism. Scientists like Richard Dawkins and Peter Atkins argue for the use of scientific, empirical evidence as the fundamental framework for all epistemic queries. Why should we believe that a thing does or does not exist? … [Read more...]
Debate in Apologetics: Secondary Issues of Primary Importance
Since it began Christianity has been involved in debates. From Jesus’ encounter with the Sadducees to dealing with early heresies on down to the present day, Christians have encountered arguments against their worldview. Learning to deal with external arguments is a central task of the Christian apologist. There are however many doctrinal issues that are arguably internal … [Read more...]
Convince Me There’s a God
So, you don't believe there's a God. I understand. I didn't believe in God either, until May of 1971. Most atheists I've talked with about the existence of God during the last 40 years have expressed their concern for me in one way or another. Some have asked if I was ill and on heavy medication at the time of my conversion. Others said I must have been a very poor atheist … [Read more...]