From a famous skeptic of Christianity: “But we must examine this question whether anyone who really died ever rose again with the same body. […] While he was alive he did not help himself, but after death he rose again and showed the marks of his punishment and how his hands had been pierced. But who say this? A hysterical female, as you say, and perhaps some other one of … [Read more...]
European Witch Hunts and the Christian Church Part 1
“A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them.” –Leviticus 20:27 Few topics have suffered the plight of revisionist history as severely as the European witch hunts. Christian fanaticism is often blamed for the atrocities that took place in the name of snuffing out witchcraft, but … [Read more...]
Churches for Apologetics – Please sign the petition
Imagine an army that never trained and was poorly equipped. Without training, the soldiers would not know how to use the weapons in their possession Such an army would be decimated by the enemy. Or, imagine a football team whose training table consisted entirely of Twinkies, Ding Dongs, and other junk food. Instead of lifting weights they play video games. Instead of watching … [Read more...]
Emergent Christianity in Memphis, Part 1
2 Timothy 4.3-4 Earlier this month a meeting of Emergent Christians happened at St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in Memphis, Tennessee. The meeting was an event honoring Phyllis Tickle, a forerunner in Emergent thinking. Among the over 400 attendees were such emergent luminaries as Brian McLauren, Doug Pagitt, and Tony Jones. … [Read more...]
The Hunger Games: The Atheist's Utopia Revealed
My Past Week I've noticed lately that I have a harder and harder time going to see movies purely for the entertainment value of the show. This weekend I went to see one that really made me step back and look at society, not just as portrayed in the movie, but the society of the audience. Last week I had a conversation with a person that was still fresh on my mind, and I … [Read more...]
Craig, Law, and Evil God: Oh My!
The debate between William Lane Craig and Stephen Law has sent what amounts to shockwaves through the Christian community. Law’s “Evil God” argument is certainly interesting. These are some thoughts and criticisms about Stephen Law’s Evil God argument. The argument is: 1. If gratuitous good exists, then Evil God does not exist. 2. Gratuitous good exists. 3. Therefore, Evil God … [Read more...]
In Kopplin's Words
In an age where many teens are concerned with paltry things, I am inspired by young people like Zack Kopplin and his incredible courage to articulate and defend his worldview. His passionate advocacy and political/social engagement is unmatched in today’s culture by most adults, let alone teens. Yet, I want to be clear that Zack is defending a non-scientific worldview and not … [Read more...]
How To Witness To A Jehovah's Witness Part 1
Patience Is Key Allow me to start off by saying that I’m not claiming that there is a “best” way to witness to a Jehovah’s Witness, but I have been able to rescue some from their organization. So in that, I’ll share what I’ve learned in the process. Perhaps some of these ideas will be helpful to you. This discourse is written with the real time face to face encounter in mind, … [Read more...]
Teaching Effective Apologetics for Small Time Periods
So you think you have what it takes to be an apologist? You’ve mastered the arguments, and you’re ready to go? Well, using apologetics effectively involves not just making formal, lengthy arguments, but also the ability to condense those arguments down into everyday conversations. Sometimes God presents opportunities which only last for a few minutes. It is important as … [Read more...]
Charity and Compassion: A Legacy of Christ
Charity and Christianity are married. Charity did not have its origin in the world of antiquity as sometimes alleged: "Plato (427-327 BC) said that a poor man (usually a slave) was who was no longer able to work because of sickness should be left to die. He even praised Aesculapius, the famous Greek physician, for not prescribing medicine to those he knew were preoccupied … [Read more...]