tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83237050695673884862024-03-13T14:55:43.668-07:00Apologetic JunkieEquipping the Church, Engaging the CultureAaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.comBlogger338125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-33003792279686917022018-10-07T17:10:00.001-07:002018-10-08T11:36:03.658-07:00Why Civil Discourse is Vanishing and How to Bring it Back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Why can’t we talk politics or religion anymore? One reason is the social norm we’ve all heard that it’s the one thing we ought not do. But I propose it’s because we’ve developed bad habits that create an unhealthy way to talk to each other. What follows is my effort to capture the biggest obstacles that destruct our most meaningful conversations and how to overcome them:<br />
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1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We conflate the issue with the person.<br />
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Here’s a challenge: <br />
<a name='more'></a>Turn on the news and time how long it takes before you hear some praise or critique of a human being. Within seconds, I bet we’ll hear about or see a news segment about what a politician or celebrity said or did. The mention of a person isn’t bad by itself, but what concerns me and what should concern all of us, is that our focus has shifted on the person away from the principles. We’re more concerned with who did something than the rightness or wrongness of what was done. Prior to our culture’s abandonment of classical education, grade school kids were taught rhetoric where they learned of the ancient logical fallacies like “ad hominem” (or “of the man”).<br />
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For example, suppose the president gave three reasons why his immigration policy has led to decreased unemployment and increased public safety. A response we could imagine might be that the president is a liar and a racist. However, it’s fallacious to base the strength of a claim based on the character or attributes of the person making the claim no matter how outrageous his behavior. The right way to assess any claim is to leave the person completely out of the discussion and then see if their argument can bear its own weight by standing on its own. Our assessment of the argument should be the same with the president as it would be if it were offered by anyone else. We’ve somehow lost sight of this age-old lesson. It’s become so bad that we’ve come to expect it as a normal way of responding to every sort of criticism. We consider every response to our most cherished ideas as a direct reflection on the character of the person who holds this. If you have a view we like, your view is “correct” because we deem it loving and accepting. If we disagree, your view is “incorrect” because it’s intolerant, hateful, and even dangerous. If you agree with my idea, you like me. If you disagree with my idea you hate me. Ideas and people are inseparably intertwined. Here ends civil debate. If we must always agree on everything important, we can never examine opposing views. Why consider something hateful, bigoted, and dangerous? It’s those things we must never tolerate! What’s worse, this thinking prevents us from ever entertaining the possibility we could be wrong. People speak ideas but they are distinct from each other. You’re reading my ideas in this article. Why can’t we do the same to our politicians and friends?<br />
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2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We deny that moral or religious claims must be either true or false.<br />
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For people on the opposing sides of this question, it’s almost like speaking two different languages. One side, we’ll call the objective side, demands evidence while the subjective side demands empathy. When this happens, the conversation has no hope because each begins with an incompatible assumption and uncompromising goal. The objective side assumes we assess claims by the strength of their reasons and the logic of their reasoning. Their goal is to determine truth. The side that wants empathy has an altogether different aim. The subjective side assumes reasons are only relevant as much as they impact personal feelings and desires. Their goal is to satisfy desire. To emphasize this dilemma, we must realize that if our subjective friend is right, there is no purpose in discussing religion or morality because no one can be right. If there are no moral or religious truths, we can believe whatever we want. It means there is no reality behind our beliefs and therefore no real meaning behind them all. We’ve entered fantasy land. But this is extremely unsatisfying even to the most relativist moral philosopher. Everyone knows evil and injustice exists. And if that is the case, there is a reality lurking behind those moral and religious claims no matter how much we pretend otherwise. All we need to do is remind our friend that the moral or religious error they’re complaining about assumes moral or religious truth is ignored.<br />
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3.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We’re ignoring or presuming the reasons for our own beliefs.<br />
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Like walls to a roof, beliefs are only as strong as the reasons that support them. Much like walls of a house, we go through life just taking them for granted until something causes us to look at their holes. When pressed on our beliefs, sometimes we can give a reasoned defense for the positions we hold but there are times we don’t know the reasons or don’t have any at all. This was the case for a new friend of mine. After debating the local spokesperson of Freethought Arizona, I had several private interactions with Dr. Gil Shapiro over coffee or lunch. We differ on many religious and political views but our newly formed friendship bonded on human values. People innately want to get along and love each other. There’s nothing wrong with agreement, but I feared there was a layer of insincerity if we left it there. It wasn’t until we dug deeper in our conversations that they quickly become much more meaningful and productive. So, I looked through the superficial layer of the moral issues and targeted the grounding question. We agree it’s wrong to harm humans (or any sentient creature) just for the fun of it, but the reason why it’s wrong is what I was after. What makes sentience or humanity of greater worth than other attributes like resilience, population, or duration? Bacteria is among the most resilient, populated, and ancient creature on earth. How is it not special pleading to select the attributes (i.e. sentience, awareness, intelligence, capacity) over the attributes of the ones we want to kill? Isn’t that what the Nazi’s and slave-traders did to Africans, what men did to women, or what the strong have done to the weak throughout the centuries? It turned out that Gil didn’t have any reasons. He started with the brute fact that humans are valuable, but that’s circular reasoning. His reasons assumed the conclusion that humans are valuable. He just assumed it before we even ask the question why they are. For Christians, the intrinsic value of human beings is grounded in their Creator. I bet there are Christians who, just like Dr. Shapiro, don’t know what grounds human value. So regardless of our worldview position, we should know what the reasons are. If we don’t, we better ask why we believe the conclusions they are supposed to support. Every once in a while, it’s a good idea to look around to make sure your house still has walls, especially when the roof seems to start falling down all around you.<br />
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4.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We wrongly assume the beliefs of others before asking them.<br />
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We just talked about how people assume or don’t have reasons for their own beliefs but sometimes we assume what other people believe too. We construct our own conception of their beliefs based on our preconceived notions of their religion, culture, or past behavior.<br />
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I once hosted the local Mormon stake president to join me on stage at our church in Arizona. I knew about Mormonism but spent several weeks brushing up and studying their sacred scriptures and church doctrine leading up to the event. Even after all the prep, there’s no way I could have been ready for what he said. I challenged him on the Mormon denial of unmerited grace and he surprised me by accepting the doctrine. I immediately regretted it. I wish I had asked a question rather than opposed him with criticism. We fix this by asking them for their reasons for key positions even if it seems obvious. The point is that until the reasons are made clear by the person you’re speaking with, continue to go deeper until you find them. When you do, one of two things will happen: either your friend will impress you with good reasons, or leave you wanting for better ones. So just ask and see what they say.<br />
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5.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We believe what we want to unless forced otherwise.<br />
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We bought our first home in southern California and soon after enjoyed a meteoric rise in property value. With dollar signs in our eyes we capitalized on the equity by obtaining a generous home equity loan and spent it all. We expanded the house, paid off loans, made some investments, and even bought new furniture to go with our remodel. Life was good. When the market crashed, we realized something we always knew but never accepted. We knew what goes up in value can also come down. It’s an obvious fact we conveniently ignored in our greedy human minds. Once we came to terms with this – through some tough financial lessons - we changed our lifestyle to accommodate this reality. It was gradual and hard, but we did it after we finally accepted what we already knew to be true. Our pride had to take a lower place on our priority list than our respect for reality.<br />
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Let’s shift the analogy to the spiritual realm. Just imagine if your lifestyle or belief system of many years runs in direct opposition to the God of the universe with real and everlasting consequences. If we’re honest, we should all tremble at the thought. It’s self-evident that nobody wants what they don’t want. I’ve previously written about the powerful influence of our conditioning, cares, and community here. Consider my Mormon friend who raised a large family and then influenced a second generation of grandchildren in Mormon doctrine. He’s served decades in various roles of the Church and currently leads thousands. The amount of humility it would take to change course now is hard to overestimate. If truth matters to him, it’s a decision he must make but one that doesn’t come without a cost. When we’re talking about changing our entire worldview and lifestyle, it helps to know what our friends are facing before we expect them to change no matter how overwhelming the evidence may be. We need to sympathize with this. When we give hard truth, we need to be ready to walk along side of them. <br />
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6.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> We avoid the issue.<br />
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It’s hard to face someone on important issues we disagree on so the natural reaction is to avoid the topic altogether. That’s why conversations on politics, ethics, or religion can be slippery. As soon as one person takes the conversation into another direction, we’re no longer talking about that subject anymore. We’re talking about something else. As we discussed previously on the “ad hominem” fallacy, this logical error has also earned a nickname: “red herring,” a smelly fish used to test the skills of British hunting dogs. Hounds skilled at following the scent of wild game should not be distracted by the strong odor of something else. Instead, they should stay the course and follow the scent of the original target until the mission is accomplished. Likewise, when we engage on difficult subjects, we must not be led astray by side-issues even related ones. Sometimes, we don’t have a strong case so it’s more comfortable to talk about something else. A common tendency in abortion debates illustrates this well. Both the pro-life and pro-abortion choice sides understand that an abortion procedure ends the life of a living human. So, it’s odd when the abortion choice advocate refers to their position as “reproductive choice.” The human fetus is already reproduced by a set of human parents. After all, if there was no choice to reproduce, there would be no need for an abortion. Reproductive choice happens when an fertile opposite sex adults have intercourse. Restricting the choice to have sex is an entirely different issue than abortion. All we have to do is keep things on track and when we notice the shift, to redirect the conversation to the topic at hand. If we want to discuss something, it doesn’t help to discuss something else no matter how related the topic may be.<br />
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7.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We use facts that are untrue and deny true ones.<br />
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This usually happens at our best when we’re lazy or at our worst when we’re dishonest. If the conversation breaks down, we can get fast and loose with the facts. We’ll employ unsubstantiated facts to bolster our case and dismiss ones that harm it. Sometimes this isn’t really our intent. Most of us aren’t experts in the area we’re discussing so we can’t be expected to know all the current scholarship on the issue. But this shouldn’t be an excuse not to learn and engage nor should it be an excuse to get things wrong to make a point. We must avoid the temptation to cite facts we don’t even fully believe ourselves or to doubt every alternative fact. Let’s at least be honest and say we don’t know when we really don’t know or humbly let confirmed facts change our beliefs. All it takes is for deep love for the truth above that of our own pride or agenda. <br />
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8.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We confuse nice-ness with agreement<br />
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It’s hard to object to anyone about anything while trying to win the world with a charming personality. Voicing disagreement on issues people have strong beliefs about is considered rude in our culture today. When it’s nice to agree and rude to disagree, there’s no room for more than one position on any issue.<br />
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Consider a room full of people swapping stories about how we’re each doing our part to combat global warming. How would it be received at the cocktail party if you, ever so politely, mentioned that global warming is a myth? Regardless of our view on this topic, we all know how you would look after the beating. We could take a tip from Jesus on this point. Never before or since has there been more loved poured out from anyone than by Him. Jesus is love personified. Yet, when political or religious leaders persisted in error on important points, Jesus pulled no punches. The gospels report Jesus’s compassion on children, widows, the sick, the poor, and the outcasts, but he wasn’t a nice guy when he was faced with error on important things by people who knew better. Whenever He encountered political or religious error or personal immorality He called names, made judgements, showed intolerance, used labels, hurt feelings, and ultimately triggered a violent mob response leading to not only His own death but the death of millions of his followers long afterwards. I’m not suggesting we do exactly that but there are applications to take from it. Look at Paul. He wasn’t nice to his detractors either. People who persist in error despite correction must be publicly ridiculed or else their ideas will be tolerated and their evils will become acceptable. Being nice and hoping that will change the world is wrong headed and un-Christlike. The remedy is almost too obvious to say out loud: we simply need to have civil debate.<br />
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9.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We don’t really love each other<br />
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This one is the hardest to accept but it explains a lot about why we fail in our tough conversations. We all say we’re about love and not hate but how do we really show it? Jesus said to love our neighbor as ourselves and then illustrated the point by including a despised person (Samaritan) as the one we’re called to love as our own selves. If we don’t follow Jesus on this point, we by default love ourselves more than the person so our interest will be self-centered. The priority will be to satisfy our own pride rather than to honor God by loving the person we’re talking to. If we don’t really love the person, we’ll do whatever it takes to make things easier. This is why we choose to placate our friends’ desires by accepting their unhealthy lifestyle (It’s their life!) rather than risking offense by urging them to adopt an alternative and healthier one. If we really loved each other like Jesus, Paul, and other early Christians did, we would take the riskier and more difficult path by pointing to error and walking with them through the tough road ahead. Sadly, this goes against the social norm of our day. Today it’s more acceptable to watch a friend decline for the sake of personal autonomy and tolerance rather than to give a compassionate reasoned argument for change and offer to help them through it. <br />
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10.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We don’t even engage in the first place.<br />
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If we really care about people and have sincere convictions, the fact that we don’t engage should grieve us all. Whatever the reason, human beings tend to take the path of least resistance. For Christians, this is sinful. We believe Jesus of Nazareth taught radically new concepts about the world and our role in it. We believe that he was publicly executed but later vindicated and resurrected from the dead by the Father God Almighty. We believe he commanded us to engage with people to convince them these things really happened and to show them how to follow Him too. Motivation to spread the news isn’t unique to Christians. Atheists who think organized religion corrupts society can be just as zealous for their faith. Wherever differing sides meet, there can be much learning and understanding. This is a healthy thing. It’s when we stop talking and start condemning each other that things begin to break down. Perhaps the reason why we’ve lost the ability to engage in civil debate is because of bad habits like these.<br />
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There’s a lot to improve but we can change. Like financial planning, health, nutrition, parenting, and anything else that matters, change can be difficult but it’s not impossible. The good news is while we can’t change other people, we can change how we ourselves approach tough conversations by changing how we think and behave. All ten points can be corrected immediately. So next time you hear someone nearby voice opposition to your personal convictions and you feel your heart start racing, and brow sweating, stop for a second and consider these ten tips:<br />
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1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Treat the issue separate from the person<br />
2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Recognize moral and religious claims are either true or false<br />
3.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Discover reasons for our own beliefs<br />
4.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Don’t assume anyone else’s beliefs but ask them<br />
5.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Realize that it’s not only intellectual but that our desires play a large role in our beliefs<br />
6.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Keep the conversation on topic and point out distractions<br />
7.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Stick with mutually agreed upon facts or be ready to test new ones<br />
8.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Be aware that we can be nice and disagree at the same time<br />
9.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Really love people<br />
10.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Engage!<br />
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Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03530451854121813290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-64061912288971615722017-06-18T07:12:00.000-07:002017-06-18T07:12:15.112-07:00The Case for Life: Pro-Life Apologetics<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8LnGirP8Nyo" width="560"></iframe>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-44655916677263619272016-12-19T15:08:00.001-08:002016-12-19T15:08:41.751-08:00Debating Skeptics (part 1 of 5)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On November 27, 2016, I debated a local atheist leader, retired podiatrist Dr. Gil Shapiro, the spokesperson of Freethought Arizona (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCowfjnUiOc&t=2037s">video here</a>). I've blogged on general post-debate thoughts <a href="http://apologeticjunkie.blogspot.com/2016/12/my-debate-with-freethought-arizona.html">here</a> but now will cover a series of five consecutive blog posts covering each of the four arguments that the atheist couldn't answer. This is no credit to my debating skills or subject knowledge which are nothing special, but it does show how classic arguments for the Christian worldview can be powerful if we keep it simple. My hope is that this will serve as a good outline to keep in mind when you engage with skeptics in your own community, the water cooler, or the next family dinner table.</div>
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By far, the most difficult part of debate prep was planning my general approach. Knowing my opponent helped. In a story by the local paper leading up to the event, the AZ<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: 12.8px;"> Daily Star quoted Dr. Shapiro saying, "There is the religious view and the secular point of view, and there will be some things we can't move on our position, but there will be <b>some things that we can.</b>" In this spirit, I researched claims from renowned atheists and non-Christians and arrived at four aspects of reality we can all agree on even though we may come to different conclusions. They are:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1) the arrival of the universe from nothing</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2) the arrival of biological information from dead matter, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">3) the arrival of evil, and </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">4) the arrival of Jesus. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This was a community event between two amateurs so I had to stick to the basics. As a full time detective, I’m not a biblical scholar, scientist, or philosopher so I wasn't going to get fancy. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: 12.8px;">That's why I proffered four facts that enjoy the vast consensus of scholars regardless of religious or non-religious bias. I was also intentional on my topic selection. After all, what could be more pressing for the Christian worldview than creation, sin (evil), and the resurrection? I framed the debate using only commonly accepted facts both Dr. Shapiro and I could, in principle, agree on, and provided an explanation that best fit the facts. If my logic was valid and the facts true, the conclusions I offered would remain standing as the most reasonable. At the end of each of the four separate arguments, I told the audience I would wait to see what my opponent would offer as a better explanation of these facts. In his rebuttals, he gave a lot of criticisms but never answered my challenges directly. Not only was my opponent silent in presenting an alternative explanation for any of these four facts, he didn't offer any explanation at all. </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> So, i</span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">f the challenges I presented demand an explanation, the Christian explanation won by default.</span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: 12.8px;">Christianity won because the evidence was better and the reasoning clearer than what my atheist friend offered. We all know that debates are won or lost by much more than the content. If I came across condescending or frustrated, all the evidence and logic in the world wouldn't have helped me. Good manners and graciousness are critical. My goal was to be bold and nice at the same time. While his arguments were lacking, I owe thanks to Dr. Shapiro for keeping things cordial as well. He's a gentleman. </span></div>
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A quick note about scholarly consensus is important. Few of us have the time or training to master all the arguments so it helps to stand on the shoulders of scholars who do. I'm not suggesting an appeal to authority or majority can replace sound reasoning. Surely, scholarly consensus alone isn't an argument. It would be fallacious to appeal to the majority since the majority can be wrong and the number of noses is irrelevant to the truth of a proposition. What this shows is that each fact has been defended in published work and debated among experts on all sides of the issue. When scholars committed to a worldview contrary to Christianity concede these facts, they do so in spite of their desires because of the weight of evidence and because intellectual honesty compels them. That's what we want it to do for our unbelieving friends as well. We just need to point this out. </div>
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To show how this works, I'll release four short blog posts to unpack each of these facts over each of the next four weeks. When combined together, these four facts make a cumulative, or "minimal facts," case we can use to show our skeptical friends to infer important conclusions that point us to God based on facts even atheists grant. Inspired by what Gary Habermas has done for the historical case for the resurrection, these facts can be extended into an overall case for Christianity. The compelling force of Habermas' work is showing the mass concession by scholars from non-Christian, even hostile, worldviews on relevant facts surrounding the death of Jesus. It's easy to point out Christian scholars in support of our views, and there's nothing wrong with that, but citing a skeptic who is an authority on the topic blunts the bias objection from the start. </div>
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It's not only skeptics who need to hear this. When I speak at various Christian groups, I'm constantly surprised by how many intelligent and faithful Christians don't know how widely accepted these facts are either. Without the facts, they risk being forced into defending ideas already settled among the experts. To suggest that Jesus died by crucifixion, for example, might sound like a <i>religious </i>claim, not a <i>historical</i> one. Once we learn that the most skeptical scholars accept Jesus' crucifixion, however, it should cause our skeptical friend to question her own reasons for denying it. </div>
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Many of the scholars I'll cite are the same ones our skeptical friends are learning from. So if our friends are persuaded by atheist writings of Dawkins, Shermer, Hitchens, Krauss, Erhman, Carrier, and others, get ready to hear what they have to say now! </div>
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Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03530451854121813290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-90646702715240850772016-12-09T22:59:00.001-08:002016-12-09T22:59:42.525-08:00My Debate with Freethought Arizona<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Once you get the apologetics bug there's no turning back. If you're reading this blog, you know what I mean. I spent years jogging the sidewalks of Orange County and driving long LA commutes to the debates of Christians and athiests. I even ran a 10K Turkey Trot to the sounds of Frank Turek and Christopher Hitchens battling out big ideas in my ear buds. But when you take the stage yourself in front of hundreds of people things are a little different. <div>
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That's how it was for me a little over a week ago when I debated the spokesperson for Freethought Arizona, which describes itself as "a<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> community of freethinkers, humanists, skeptics, agnostics, and atheists based on reason, science, and critical thinking" working together to "</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">maintain separation of church and state, advance education and science."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">In August, I invited Dr. Gil Shapiro, a local podiatrist and spokesperson for the group, to present his worldview to a packed <i>Reason Why</i> event at Catalina Foothills Church in Tucson, AZ. Dr. Shapiro has enjoyed the attention of southern Arizona through his many public speeches and dozens of op-ed articles in the Arizona Daily Star newspaper. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">When it came time for our church to study atheism, I figured there was no better way than to hear from the man who best represents that position. The response was overwhelmingly positive.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Last week's debate was a favor returned. I was honored and immediately welcomed the invitation to come speak for their group when asked this summer. Dr. Shapiro told me his board would prefer to have the secular humanist response immediately after my presentation and offered a debate in lieu of a one-sided presentation by a Christian. That sounded fair so a debate was born. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">The debate was what you'd expect. I gave four points that supported Christianity as the best explanation of reality and Dr. Shapiro gave his case why it wasn't. I plan to blog a detailed analysis of the ideas exchanged but want just to give my overall feel for how it went and what I learned from it. After all, the question I continue to get by those who want to know is, "How'd it go?"</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">My knee-jerk reaction is to smile and say "It went great!" Dr. Shapiro probably does the same. For me, that's only partially true. It would only be truly great if people responded by digesting the information and telling me how it changed them. Afterwards, I was approached by a line of attendees, both believer and skeptic alike lauding their praises on a job well done. The organizers treated me well, the reception was nice, but the question remained, "Did anyone really listen?" </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">To their credit, Freethought Arizona expressed their interest in continuing the dialogue on more specific questions of public interest like abortion, same sex marriage, religious freedom, education, and other controversial policy matters. While we disagree in big ways, they seem to really want to engage in the marketplace of ideas. I can't tell you how refreshing this was. This is what Christian apologists live for! I've worked on projects like this with other atheist groups but haven't had the olive branch extended quite like this. This may lead to other public conversations on radio or other live event which is very exciting. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">I could be wrong, but they seem genuine in this effort. From the very start of our conversation, everyone on the FAZ board treated me with respect and fairness. It was as if they were shocked a Christian actually contacted them at all. In fact, when Dr. Shapiro came to Catalina Foothills Church, he said it was the first time in over 20 years anyone invited him to church. That was a compliment with a simultaneous punch to the gut. I'm honored to be the one, but where have the Christians been the last 20 years? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">I don't know about your city, but Christians, atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Jews work together in Tucson every day striving to make this a better place. Religious views don't need to get in the way. And if they don't get in the way in everyday life when we pretend they don't exist, why do they have to get in the way when they're right there in front of us? I don't know about you, but I never ask someone what they think about Jesus before I decide to work their mail theft case or not. I don't care the religious perspective of the offender I'm going to arrest. We work together in our jobs, whatever we do, regardless of whether or not we agree on the big things of life. This doesn't mean that those conversations shouldn't come up. Religion and politics are so important, they BETTER come up!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Since when did our culture get so sensitive that the thing we base everything on, our worldview, must stay hidden? The answer is obvious, of course. People's feelings are going to get hurt. Well too bad! I'm sorry to be crass, but <i>my</i> feelings are hurt that Dr. Shapiro encountered cowardly Christians over the last 20 years who decided not to offend him by steering clear of religious conversations or even a church invite. We need to man up and get real. If we think the issues that really matter don't need to be discussed, we're in big trouble. We're obsessed with the Titanic's deck chairs. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">I'll leave you with one illustration before I close out this offensively long blog post. When in the course of human events, do we set aside the most important issues because someone might be offended? Should doctors stop recommending diets, should bosses stop doing reviews, should athletes all be awarded trophies...? I think you get my point. Real love is truth. Maybe Rick Astley was right: "What is love? Baby don't hurt me. Don't hurt me no more."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">We don't have to be rude. In fact, it's the exact opposite. It may take a little courage to start asking our friends, family, and even strangers the kinds of questions we're all thinking about but nobody is asking. Let's start now. It may be hard, but let's start digging into the big issues of life in every meaningful conversation we have with people. Life is short, people matter, and we've got to start now.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Gil Shapiro has become my friend. He didn't change his mind and neither did I..yet. </span></div>
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Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03530451854121813290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-33859950653658507412016-05-07T12:42:00.001-07:002016-05-07T12:51:31.459-07:00Book Review: A New Kind of Apologist by Sean McDowell<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img src="webkit-fake-url://f283660e-c196-4fd0-bc1b-5b3be3f375aa/imagejpeg" style="font-size: 12.8px;" />Click <a href="http://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=pK3Wj3aZAoc&u=/watch%3Fv%3DaqyzXf3HlTs%26feature%3Dem-upload_owner">here</a> for 3 minute video review.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When Sean McDowell asked "would you review my new book?", I thought this was going to be another brilliant apologetic for the faith. What I found were a few pages from Sean interspersed with 27 essays by excellent apologists and six a diverse cast including skeptics. I was right about it being brilliant but it was more than just another apologetic. The book is certainly readable cover to cover like I did for this review but even better served in bite-sized chunks on demand. The topics are among the most current I've seen in any printed work to date and might be the best single volume reference set of it's kind. Let's unpack it.</span></div>
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Description:<br />
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Harvest House, 2016, just under 300 pages, $16.99 paperback, ($13 Amazon, $11 kindle), endorsements by Skip Heitzig, Nancy Pearcey, J. Warner Wallace, Russell Moore, and others. Each of the 27 essays are about 5-8 pages long by people specializing in each area with six interviews that are about 2-4 pages. The essays are thoroughly footnoted and a short bio of each author follows their work (although much more could be said about each one). </div>
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Main Takeaway:<br />
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The apologetics market is filled with books with new ideas including many good ones by McDowell. This isn't one of those, but it is very good. Rather than a new twist on an old argument, <i>A New Kind of Apologist</i> is more of a "How to" book that lays out 27 of the most pressing obstacles to evangelism in the current cultural climate and how to navigate them. It focuses on our approach and the people before we share the gospel message. One of the common threads that spans each essay is the idea of "pre-evangelism." It guides the reader to more effectively understand various perspectives of our potential audience <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">before launching arguments at them. Here's a quick synopsis of each chapter, but there is much more good stuff inside you won't want to miss.</span></div>
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Abstract:<br />
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Introduction</div>
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Sean McDowell</div>
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McDowell begins by urging the reader not to repeat one of his early mistakes. He sympathizes with our temptation to give reasons before learning why the questioner is asking something in the first place. He rehashed his attendance at a national event by The Reformation Project, an organization committed to the acceptance of same sex relationships in the church. Although there was some nervous trepidation, McDowell eased into it by being honest about his disagreement while requesting the same tolerance expected of him. It allowed him to learn about the people even if no agreement was likely. Before handing off to his expert line-up, he sets up three critical traits for the new kind of apologist: humble, relational, studious, and practitioner. </div>
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PART 1: A New Approach</div>
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1 - Christians in the Argument Culture: Apologetics as Conversation</div>
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Tim Muehlhoff</div>
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Religion is increasingly becoming a controversial subject to bring up with unbelievers. How to navigate: 1) what does the person believe? Listen instead of trying to push an agenda. 2) Why do they believe it? Despite the temptation to launch into your best case, slow down and remember we're still gaining information. It's not even time to jump on their bad ideas yet. We need to first find out why they think their ideas are right. For most people, their ideas aren't formed in a vacuum but mostly from family, personal experiences, and influential people in their life. 3) What do we believe in common? Often some of the big questions they're pondering are the same as ours even though the answers might be different.</div>
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Seek first understanding where someone comes from before setting out to win the debate. </div>
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2- Apologetics and New Technologies</div>
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Brian Auten</div>
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With limitless options for taking our apologetic energy to the masses online, Brian Auten breaks what seems like an infinite sea of options down to four basic apologetic avenues to take: content author, content artist, content communicator, and content propagator. Finding your groove depends on how God has gifted you with certain skills or opportunities. There can be some overlap and ways we can synergistically coordinate our efforts so the church at large can increase it's impact. He offers a caution to be effective and shrewd online because what's posted is permanent. </div>
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Bart Campolo interview</div>
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Campolo is the son of emergent church pastor Tony Campolo. He recently announced his agnosticm and has been speaking widely in support of the secular worldview. He describes himself in the interview as a postmodern offshoot where community is what shapes beliefs. Campolo says religious beliefs may be true for the individual believer, but they can't convince others nor should they try. He sees any claim to truth as irrelevant unless you're in a community of others who believe the same thing. For atheists, you're just wasting time.</div>
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3 - Servant Apologetics </div>
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Tom Gilson</div>
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Who are you reaching and why? Gilson warns against doing apologetics for the pride of it. There's much we could be missing if we do but often that's what happens. We end up forgetting what Jesus set out to do and instead do it our way. In the process, we find ourselves doing the exact opposite. Gilson points out that white apologetics, the least needy care the most and the neediest care the least.</div>
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Is this a cycle perpetuated by apologists who cloister around other apologetic junkies to exchange fancy terms and arguments and complain about how the church doesn't appreciate them.</div>
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4 - Motivating Others to "Give an Answer"</div>
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Mark Mittelberg</div>
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So you love apologetics - now what? Forst, we must support and encourage church leadership. Pray for help and against spiritual adversaries. Remind the church body that apologetics isn't optional. It's a command! We need to model this and be an example to follow. Show the transforming power of God and arguments for God are comparable and necessary. Train and equip them, especially parents and grandparents by reminding them of the battle facing their kids. Show love and win people before arguments.</div>
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5 - Social Justice and a New Kind of Apologist</div>
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Ken Wytsma and Rick Gerhardt</div>
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Our biggest testimony is our life. God is clear how he wants us to help widows and the poor. Jesus gave a great example of reaching outcasts. Yet people outside the church view Christians as hypocrites (85%). The reasons this is evident to young westerners are: 1) global communication uncovers everything, 2) many non-Christians understand and engage with the world's evils because they care how people are treated, and 3) for some we're trying to reach, truth depends to some extent on pragmatism. If Christianity is really true, then wouldn't God make sure that it works in areas he supposedly cares about?</div>
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Interview with JP Moreland</div>
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Dr. Moreland shares how apologetics has changed and gives advice on how to address the current challenge.</div>
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6 - "Don't Blame Us, It's in the Bible"</div>
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Dan Kimball</div>
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Youth leave when they discover difficult Bible passages they never knew about and no one can adequately answer. We've been our own enemy by throwing out a passage and skipping right to application. Largely that's what people want but that created a problem. People ignore hermeneutics and as a result are biblically confused. We need to tackle the tough parts before our kids get to them. Meanwhile pray and act like you believe it's really true and not just another winning argument. </div>
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PART 2: New Methods</div>
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7 - Shepherding is a Verb</div>
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Jeff Myers</div>
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Leaders are like shepherds who develop their disciples more than charging ahead of them merely as an example. A mentor is key to success. 70% of youth group teens leave by their 20's. If not for mentors, St. Patrick, Spurgeon, Wilberforce, and Edwards may not have been. Relationships matter more than publishing and speaking across the globe.</div>
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8 - A Practical Plan to Raise up the Next Generation</div>
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Brett Kunkle</div>
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Godly kids too often get derailed from their faith intellectually. How we equip youth: classical education via Trivium which includes grammar (the "what") elementary school, 2) logic (the "why") in middle school, and 3) rhetoric (the "experience") in high school. "It's time to stop bemoaning the exodus of students from our churches and start doing something serious about it."</div>
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Dennis Rainey interview</div>
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Parents equip your kids everyday. He urges parents to involve worldview issues in every phase of life. Regardless of belief we all have a worldview. It's how we think differently especially on matters of sex, gender identity in context of the Bible.</div>
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9- The Multiethnic Church</div>
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Derwin L. Gray</div>
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Paul and the disciples Philip and Peter before him reached the multicultural world as something no religion tried to do. The old world was very divisive (perhaps more than today but no less so). Paul's words show the gospel destroying that separation. "The ethnic unity of God's church is a sign to the world that his kingdom has broken through the darkness; multiethnic local churches are God's living apologetic." Sadly, our churches are among the least multiethnic parts of society. Let's change that! Rather than focus on the individual we must see the world as God does- a land and people to be remade and reconciled to him for his glory. We can do that not as colorblind people but as "color blessed" people.</div>
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10- Come and See: The Value of Storytelling for Apologetics</div>
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Ordway teaches us that CS Lewis' testimony of imagination plus reason made his intellectual acceptance of doctrine meaningful.</div>
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There's a basic human need for purpose. Our lives are expected to have a beginning, middle and end. We celebrate the good things and seek answers when things don't go as they're supposed to. A Christ centered apologetic must rely upon both reason and imagination, on argument and story. People aren't always looking for brute facts or clever reasoning but want to connect with the truth emotionally as well. That's a big part of being human and relationship depends on connecting emotionally. Consider how God first reached out to us. Read the first few books of the Bible and of the gospels and you'll see he introduces himself and his Son through story! The author came to Christ opposite Lewis but through story just as much. Ordway rejected doctrine but was pulled in by the story which urged her to reexamine the content without apprehension. This shows the power of story and emotional appeal is so powerful it can work both ways. Our case is intended to be story in that we're relational beings made in God's image as incarnate souls meant to rejoice and weep. Telling God's story becomes even more as we weave in our own personal testimony into the overall narrative. Story is what it means to be a Christian. "Our faith is an adventure."</div>
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11- Using Hollywood Blockbusters to Share Your Faith</div>
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Movies impact culture. They offer a great and exciting way to discuss spiritual things where as our friends may be less interested in discussing doctrinal or biblical matters by themselves. Movies help illustrate important concepts relevant to spiritual discussions. Story sometimes shows how certain parts of the narrative fits into the full sequence of events from beginning to end.</div>
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12- The Urban Apologist</div>
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Christopher Brooks</div>
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Black lives matter is a lesbian-founded group whose mission seeks to empower minority groups to action. They criticize the church and overall social structures as belittling black lives. They turn to alternatives like Buddhism, the moorish science temple, the nation of gods and earths, Islam, and black humanism. Brooks lays out three kinds of BLM objections to the gospel and how to overcome them: 1) religious. We should appeal to Jesus. Christians must show how Jesus grounds our value and seeks the outcasts like none have ever since. 2) Ethical objections. We must debunk relativism. What is right and wrong? 3) Social justice objections. Christianity is largely to blame and minorities often have political differences that are hard to face. We must remember it's not about politics but the gospel. "No longer can we fall into the false dichotomy...as either evangelism or social change." It's both.</div>
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13- Intuitional Apologetics: Using Our Deepest Intuitions to Point Toward God</div>
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Terry Glaspey</div>
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More than intellectual. We must seek an emotional and aesthetic appeal as well as intellectual. If not, Christianity might appear too ugly to consider. "They breathe in the germs of prevailing assumptions from the cultural air around them, and this determines their belief system." For some, the idea of becoming a religious person - much less a Christian - seems impossible. We must consider their current mindset and what makes them tick. We need a "pre-rational" apologetic to open hearts and minds to a better way of seeing the world around us and finding the best explanations for life's big questions. Pointing out clues that have always been there but their perspective never allowed them to see through mutually appreciated beauty, wonder, art, and imagination. Our goal must be to lead them to acceptance before they see the reasons why they've been intellectually bound to accept all along. This is intuitional apologetics. Ask questions, show experiences, dig deeper to bring the main issues front and center. He gives six ways to go about the task.</div>
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The most compelling intellectual case for Christianity to Gavin MacFarland was the Kalam cosmological and moral arguments but there was a long time he was reluctant to accept it as true. He urges readers to focus on relationships before plunging into evangelism. Invest in people first and God's call for evangelistic opportunity will come and be more sincere and nature for everyone.</div>
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14 - Why We Should Love Questions More Than Answers</div>
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Matthew Anderson</div>
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Christianity has the best answers so our reflex is to give answers first. But we should "point the way home rather than shout from the balcony of our bedrooms about how good looking it is." It's about the journey more than the destination. After all if the journey is wrong, the destination is never reached. Jesus used questions and so should you. Questions tell us what they want to know and imply a point of view if we listen for it. Who wants all of their questions answered anyway? A little bit of mystery keeps us seeking answers. Be careful how you pass along the faith to others. Giving the impression that we require answers for every question may keep people locked in an eternal skepticism unwilling to step into a trusting relationship God wants them to have. Not all questions are the same. Some have strong rhetorical force with an answer in mind or to guide the conversation while some investigate seeking the answer. Either way, be sincere. Questions are the easiest most nature form of communicating and gaining information that the most novice among us can use immediately. Give it a try.</div>
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15 - Why More Women Should Study Apologetics</div>
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Mary Jo Sharp</div>
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Why not? Women are made as rational beings with doubts no less than men yet they represent a tiny portion of those outwardly interested in the topic. For Mary Jo and many others she's heard from, doubt is the culprit. Doubt fueled by experience of suffering or everyday distractions (various roles internally and outside influences from friends and media), and a life lived outside of fellowship with God keep doubts alive and separate women from their calling as daughters of the King. It's not so much the doubt that affects women as it's how they deal with it. Failing to study current challenges or seek answers to our doubts makes things worse and hurts everyone. Giving bad answers repels seekers and misguides our brothers and sisters in Christ. Sharp cautions that complacency in our intellectual life can enhance doubt and hampers our relationship with Jesus.</div>
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PART 3: New Issues</div>
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16 - A Political Christian Apologetic: What, Why, How?</div>
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Jennifer A. Marshall</div>
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We must understand more than what we learned in our 11th grade civics class. The goal of every policy is the incorporation of diverse interests into a society that flourishes. The Bible has lots to say about this. And how we go about the task is just as important. We're relational beings and as Christians we seek intimacy with God, ourselves, others, and the material world. Our first task began when God delegated us as the caretakers of his creation. He ordained the foundational institutions of family, church, and government to help us in this task. Combating poverty is an example of how these all work together. Above all else honoring God must remain our top cause even when living out the truth hurts us materially. Don't fall for the secular trap that's been silencing the church and individual Christian voices: that secularism is the only neutral view. No, every view has a set of fundamental assumptions about the world and policy positions always advance a moral position. Laws are nothing more and nothing less than mandating a certain ethic.</div>
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17 - An Assessment of the Present State of Historical Jesus Studies</div>
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Michael Licona</div>
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In flight, Licona met an unsuspecting debate partner. He guides us in our own future encounters. Three Jesi: 1) historical, 2) gospel, and 3) real. He expand how they are distinct, contradict, or overlap each other. </div>
<div>
Important factors when investigating the historical Jesus involves 1) the the setting (time, place, culture), criteria of authenticity (multiple, hostile, embarrassing, and eyewitness), and philosophical assumptions (postmodern vs realism). Jesus "mythers" cloud the debate with issues the scholarly field either long since abandoned or are founded on historically mistaken ground. Be mindful of the mission field we're in today. Many aren't looking for historical probability but have something else that hinders their quest. </div>
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18 - How to Question the Bible in a Post-Christian Culture</div>
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Jonathan Morrow</div>
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The Bible has influenced culture in multiple ways but our tactic to defend it must change with the new times. "For many, the Bible is no longer the answer, it is the question." It's ok to question the Bible. In fact, it's a good thing to study it seriously enough to ask questions and sort through the tough pets. Faith can be stronger after it's dealt with some healthy resistance. Generally, there are two kinds of questions: seeking and separating. Only the questioner knows which he's asking. Common questions are that Christianity was invented and imposed by political winners or that the Bible is morally outdated and evil. Morrow swiftly answers both.</div>
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Hemant Mehta interview </div>
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As an atheist, I've had positive experience with Christians who are surprised to find I'm nice and disarming. The main negative has been when apologists misrepresent my view and assume I don't have responses to their arguments. You can tell when they haven't engaged with a real atheist before. There are no good arguments (or else I'd be convinced). Bad arguments are based in science because they have been debunked. Arguments front the Bible to prove the Bible are bad too. </div>
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19 - Entrepreneurs: An Economic Apologetic for the Faith</div>
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Jay W. Richards</div>
<div>
Apologetics is more than theology. It carries over into every phase of life. If true, Christianity must work when it's applied to every field of knowledge. Economics touches everybody so an economic apologetic is relatable and should be studied more. As one example Richards describes the entrepreneur problem. Most economists ignore them because they don't fit the predictable scientific paradigm. The few who dare to try to explain this phenomenon, do so upon Darwinian biological assumptions. Richards suggests Christianity gives a better way. More than the age old nature vs nurture debate, there's the "free will" factor of the human person. Man made imago dei reflects the creative power of God himself and accounts for the unpredictability we see in entrepreneurship. It's not that entrepreneurs prove God, but belief in God makes more sense of it than the reductive alternative provided by Darwinists.</div>
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20 - Telling About Sex in a Broken Culture</div>
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John Stonestreet</div>
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The fear approach to sex education is bad. It's utilitarian which bases morality on consequences and contradictory when in marriage. Rally "purity pledges" don't correspond to keeping the promise and "princess Theology" isn't biblical, realistic, or even believable. Sex comes calling at earlier ages even when no one is seeking it. Tolerance and lack of moral judgment saturates the culture. Sex used to be private but now impacts entire cultures who share redefined ethics. So we must ground sexual ethics in scripture. Show how the biblical view of human sexuality gives it meaning in the first place. Far from being incompatible to sex, the gospel offers what sinners need most - forgiveness. It's not a new problem. Paul started off in waters perhaps deeper than ours in sexual depravity. It was as counter cultural and revolutionary then as now, maybe more. </div>
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21 - Being Authentically Christian on the LGBT Issue</div>
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Glenn T. Stanton</div>
<div>
Follow Christ's lead as the one "full of Grace and Truth (Jn 1:14). Make friends and visualize them with you whenever addressing this topic. LGBT is not about LGBT but about biblical reliability and authority of Jesus. Conversations can spiral in any direction but anything outside these two areas is irrelevant as far as the church is concerned . In order to understand this issue, we must begin with biblical anthropology (who is man?). The Bible is clear about the complimentary sexes and Jesus echoed it directly in Mat 19 and Mk 10. Do we need to apologize? How and when? It's unfounded to claim people with SSA were "born that way" but it's not fair to call it a choice either. Sexuality is complex. Man-Woman marriage isn't akin to racism. Gender matters and isn't a social convention. Our LGBT friends want something better. They may seem happy, but deep down they know something is missing. Perhaps we can help them find it in Jesus. </div>
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22 - Transgender: Truth and Compassion</div>
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Alan Shlemon</div>
<div>
Culture is buying the idea that gender is socially constructed and any disagreement isn't tolerated. Not only is the biblical view of gender challenged here, but Christians who hold biblical views are increasingly seen as bigoted. Scripture is silent on the transgender question but firm on the larger question of created order, gender roles, and sexual behavior. Science helps too. Reproductive process is the only function that requires another person for it to work. This requires that biology denotes gender. What is transgender? Conscious and subconscious perceived gender identity is different than biological sex. This causes distress and high suicide rates (41%) and attempts at changing biological sex to match perceived gender identity. What's clear is there's a mismatch. Identity has the potential to change while biological sex cannot. Intersex (hermaphrodites) are still genetically and biologically of a single sex that can't be changed. Many raised as the opposite sex later wished it hadn't been that way. Transgenders who undergo surgery also rarely feel cured. This suggests attempting to change the body rather than the mind is a mistake - an irreversible one at that. We must first understand this struggle before launching arguments. Empathizing with them in search for healing is the way of truth and compassion that Jesus practiced. The culture has lied to them so what can we do? Make friends. Without a relationship you may not have earned the right to talk about their life. How we address this depends if the conversation is inside or outside the church. Use apologetics after presenting the gospel to clarify issues that arise.</div>
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23 - An Apologetic for Religious Liberty</div>
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James Tonkowich</div>
<div>
Religious liberty used to be a given until strides against it have been mounting progressively over the last 50 years. It's not, as the media would suggest, equal to religious tolerance nor is it merely freedom to worship. Rather, religious freedom is a birthright that every just society must respect. This applies to the religious or irreligious. It was enacted into the founding documents by Thomas Jefferson who echoed Tertullian's call for religious freedom in the second century. The 1st amendment prohibits government from hindering religious liberty but this is not what grants it. Religious liberty is our "inalienable birthright." Religious tolerance is something else altogether. As policy, it means the government is putting up with certain religious positions. This implies a change of policy could erase that. This isn't liberty at all. It ignores the birthright and becomes the arbitrary whim of whoever is in power as what what Jefferson did to protect the Danbury baptists.</div>
<div>
Likewise, Freedom of worship isn't a right. It's a restrictive form of religious toleration where your ability to express your religion is confined to private places designated by those in charge (home, church, etc), but NOT in public. As the NM Supreme Court justice wrote in a case ruled against Christian photographers who declined to participate in a same sex wedding ceremony, setting aside religious beliefs in public is the "price of citizenship." Recognition of religious freedom by the state is paramount. Without out it, freedom is just a facade. To illustrate, Tonkowich asks us to imagine if the first amendment allowed free speech but not religion. You could speak about anything except what drives your life the most. That's fake freedom. Objections: religious freedom excuses any behavior, causes conflicts, or allows Christians to get their way. Most importantly, religious freedom is for the minorities not the majority. Christians have historically defended this principle and need to do so now.</div>
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John Njoroge interview</div>
<div>
The Christian world has a bad taste for apologetics. the largest growing segment of Christianity - Pentecostal and Charismatics - are lacking thoughtful and caring apologists. The church doesn't see the need for apologetics and see them largely as people who want to win arguments more than people. Be cautious not to rely on knowledge while ignoring the power of the Holy Spirit. Many in Africa are skeptical of formal theological training but can relate to an appeal to scripture. Apologetics is a means to an end. It's important, but only in the bigger picture of being part of bringing people to know God.</div>
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24 - Advocating Intelligent Design with Integrity, Grace, and Effectiveness</div>
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Casey Luskin</div>
<div>
The author points out the increasing tension between intelligent design (ID) and evolution advocates and presents a clear cut case for ID. He defines complex specified information (CSI) and suggests intelligence as the best explanation. A scientific inquiry sets the stage. </div>
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observations: intelligence produces CSI</div>
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Hypothesis: if something is designed, you'll find CSI</div>
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Conclusion: CSI infers design</div>
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It is empirically based, thus can't be written off as "religious" by any honest person. Objections fail to explain the source of this CSI. Don't be discouraged when under attack. Pray and seek God because the attacks will come. This should be a sign that you're on the right track. If you were wrong, you should hear good arguments instead. The author clears away the brush of ID objections to remind the reader to stay focused on the heart of the issue and why it matters. Namely, skeptics are largely driven by their perceived lack of scientific evidence for God. He shows how ID is distinct from creationism and why the age of the earth and other similar questions distract for the big question of how we got here. ID isn't intended to answer every question. It doesn't escape the bounds of science. He introduces theistic evolution (TE) and how ID is a better way. TE proponents claim "all is intelligently designed" but maintain the evidence is hidden. This turns out to be a purely theological commitment without scientific support. So, it happens that TE is less scientific than theological in it's methodology. ID is science whereas TE is not. Further, Luskin points to Rom 1 where Paul says God is "clearly perceived" in nature. How then can TE advocates say it's hidden? The public is anxious to hear reasonable scientific explanations to the big questions of human origins and we should have the confidence to give it to them. </div>
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25 - The Scientific Naturalist Juggernaut and What to Do About It</div>
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Scott Smith</div>
<div>
Implications of naturalistic evolution (NE) are materialism, fact/value distinction, and the denial of the natural state of things (i.e. Marriage). Three methods for understanding NE: 1) verificationism is self-defeating, 2) volition undermines NE, 3) NE holds survival as ultimate and truth only as a means to survival.</div>
<div>
NE took hold of our churches because we allowed science to be the ultimate knowledge bearer and absolute certainty as the standard of proof. We've been "naturalized" or "de-supernatural used" persuaded by our culture to accept the assumptions of NE which wrestles with our beliefs about the dual worlds of God's Kingdom. Left with just a "shell" of our faith, no wonder we don't appreciate the reality of God and deprive ourselves of the life of true intimacy with him like his early followers did. No wonder people are turned off in our churches when they see we're really no different inside as we are during the week and in our flesh. It comes off as hypocrisy and turns people off. We, like our founding fathers, have an innate distrust of subjective religious experience (LDS, Pentecostalism, spiritualism, etc), but we forget to value the emotional response to a real relationship. Realizing the faults of our forefathers allow us to correct the mistakes so they stop with us.</div>
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26 - Water that Satisfied the Muslim's Thirst</div>
<div>
Abdu Murray </div>
<div>
Murray shows how Christianity can appeal to Muslims by describing a talk on Scripture he gave at a mosque. He explains how Islam speaks well of Jesus and the gospels, how it doesn't explicitly deny NT reliability and presents a third option out of a dilemma that may help us all guide truth seeking Muslims to God.</div>
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27 - What About Other Religions?</div>
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Tanya Walker </div>
<div>
Dr. Walker shares three obstacles to the cross 1) logic, 2) character, and 3) destination. These are matters that must be cleared in "pre-evangelism" for the gospel message to take root. Logic- some are so confused that their error must be pointed out. Character - some are offended when we do this and sometimes we are offensive. Destination - where is the destination and who is God? Commonly our questioner has opposing definitions that need to be corrected.</div>
</div>
Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03530451854121813290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-90246526238767418242016-01-12T09:52:00.000-08:002016-01-12T09:52:51.243-08:00Obama, the Open Seat, and Abortion<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">President
Obama will have an open seat tonight during the State of the Union address to
represent those victims who have lost their lives to gun violence. Roughly
11,000 homicides were committed with guns in the U.S. during 2014. Everyone
agrees these lives are tragic loses due to senseless acts of violence.</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">That
same year, over 1,000,000 unborn human beings lost their lives through
abortion. If we have one open seat to represent every 11,000 lives lost, we
would need 90 open seats at the State of the Union to represent the lives of
the unborn killed during 2014 alone. We would need 5,182 open seats to
represent the 57,000,000 human beings who have been killed since Roe v. Wade in
1973. Unfortunately there are only 446 seats in the House chambers where the
State of the Union is given. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
White House official said the president told supporters the open seat was for
“the victims of gun violence who no longer have a voice—because they need the
rest of us to speak for them” and the open seat should serve to “remind every
single one of our representatives that it’s their responsibility to do
something about this.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
is sad and shameful is that the president condemns gun violence while
supporting abortion violence. For it is just as true that open seats are needed
for “the victims of abortion violence who no longer have a voice—because they
need the rest of us to speak for them” and that these open seats should serve
to “remind every single one of our representatives that it’s their
responsibility to do something about this.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
unborn need a voice. They need us to speak for them. True, our representatives
do have a responsibility to do something. But these open seats for victims of
abortion violence should not just remind every single one of our
representatives. They should also remind you and me, because it is just as much
our responsibility to do something about abortion. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So
what can we do? We can graciously share the gospel, study more about abortion,
pray, speak out on the issue, teach others, engage in conversation, vote,
adopt, volunteer time at pregnancy centers, help pregnant women in need, start
a student pro-life club on campus, offer healing and mercy to post-abortive
women and men, and donate money to pro-life organizations. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
can <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> do something. Just do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">something</i>.</span></div>
Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-72556345738386230872015-12-31T14:11:00.002-08:002015-12-31T14:13:04.797-08:00Pro-Life and Pro-Capital Punishment<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There
is an alleged inconsistency that is sometimes raised between being pro-life and
also pro-capital punishment. Here’s the question: “Is it inconsistent to be
pro-life when it comes to the issue of abortion and yet also support capital
punishment in certain situations?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Answer:
No. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here
are some important points to remember (see Francis Beckwith and his book
Defending Life, pages 126-127, on this topic):</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">First, the
alleged inconsistency of pro-life apologists who support capital punishment is
often introduced as a red herring to distract from the main issue that must be
addressed. Even IF pro-lifers were inconsistent on this point, that’s all it
would prove: an inconsistency. And what follows from that? Not much. It has nothing
to do with the one question that must be answered in the abortion debate: “What
is the unborn?” As Beckwith notes, “inconsistent people can draw good
conclusions” (Defending Life, 126). </span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Second, remember the pro-life syllogism: </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">P1: It is wrong to intentionally kill an
innocent human being.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">P2: Elective abortion intentionally kills an
innocent human being.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">C: Therefore, elective abortion is wrong.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">How
is supporting capital punishment inconsistent with this syllogism? It isn’t.
Capital punishment kills a guilty human being found guilty of a capital crime,
not an innocent, vulnerable, and defenseless human being inside the womb. This
is a big difference and there is no reasonable analogy or moral equivalence
between the two. Beckwith states, “Pro-life advocates, for the most part, do
not argue that killing is never justified, for there are instances in which
killing is justified, such as in the cases<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>of self-defense and capital punishment, both of which do not entail the
killing of an innocent human life” (Defending Life, 127).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Third, if
being pro-life and pro-capital punishment is inconsistent, isn’t being
pro-choice and against capital punishment equally inconsistent? In other words,
if A and B are inconsistent, then not-A and not-B are likewise inconsistent.
But I’ve never heard pro-abortion choice advocates bring up this point. And if
this is true, why even bring it up at all?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally, there are in fact some pro-life
advocates who are against capital punishment, and therefore the claim of
inconsistency vanishes with regard to these individuals. If the pro-abortion
choice advocate is so concerned with consistency, “Why does he not then give up
his abortion-choice position and embrace this pro-life position, as it should
seem to him even more consistent than the anti-capital punishment
abortion-choice position?” (Defending Life, 126).</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In short, pro-life advocates who support
capital punishment (which is the position I hold) are pro-innocent life, and
therefore there is no inconsistency between protecting innocent, vulnerable,
and defenseless human life in the womb and at the same time supporting the
taking of guilty human life in certain situations. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This should be especially obvious for
Christians who can clearly see in Scripture God’s view of the sanctity of human
life and the command for capital punishment in the very same verse: “Whoever
sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his
own image” (Genesis 9:6).</span></div>
Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-60890344395806036862015-12-31T14:01:00.000-08:002015-12-31T14:04:53.805-08:00Applying Lincoln's Logic to the Abortion Debate<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On
December 6, 1865, the 13<sup>th</sup> amendment to the U.S. constitution was
ratified and with it came the formal abolishment of slavery in this country. It
states, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude…shall exist within the
United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” This amendment was
especially significant considering that just eight years prior in 1857 the
Supreme Court ruled in Dred Scott v. Sandford that blacks were property and non-persons.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Even
earlier than this, on July 1, 1854, Lincoln wrote this small fragment to
address some of the popular arguments but forward by pro-slavery choice advocates
who argued that whites should have the right to enslave blacks based on color,
intellect, or interest:</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“You say A is white and B is black.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is <i>color</i>, then: the lighter having
the right to enslave the darker? Take care. By this rule, you are to be a slave
to the first man you meet, with a fairer skin than your own. You do not mean <i>color</i>
exactly?—You mean the whites are <i>intellectually</i> the superiors of the
blacks, and therefore, have the right to enslave them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take care again. By this rule, you are to be
a slave to the first man you meet, with an intellect superior to your own. But,
say you, it is a question of interest; and, if you can make it your <i>interest</i>,
you have the right to enslave another. Very well. And if he can make it his
interest, he has the right to enslave you.”</span></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Read that again. The importance of Lincoln’s logic
should not be overlooked. Lincoln realized that if you try to establish human
rights or personhood by appealing to a set of arbitrary degreed properties
which carry no moral weight or significance, properties such as color and
intellect which none of us share equally, then you end up undermining human
rights for everyone.</span><br />
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<br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
pro-slavery choice advocates did in the past, pro-abortion choice advocates do
today. Only instead of arguing that blacks are non-persons based on color and
intellect and can therefore be enslaved, they argue the unborn are non-persons
based on size, development, and dependency, and can therefore be killed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
logic is timeless, and the reasoning of pro-abortion choice advocates today is
just as flawed as that of the pro-slavery choice advocates then. If Lincoln
were alive today and were to address the current abortion debate, he might say
something like this:</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“You say A is big and B is small. It is <i>size</i>,
then: the larger having the right to kill the smaller? Take care. By this rule,
you are to be a victim to the first man you meet, with a larger body than your
own.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">You do not mean <i>size</i>
exactly?—You mean human persons are <i>developmentally</i> the superiors of the
unborn, and therefore, have the right to kill them? Take care again. By this
rule, you are to be a victim to the first man you meet, with a development
superior to your own. </span>But, say you, it is a question of interest; and,
if you can make it your interest, you have the right to kill the unborn. Very
well. And if another can make it his interest, he has the right to kill you.”</span></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
there you have it. Scott Klusendorf states, “In the past, we used to
discriminate on the basis of skin color and gender (and still do at times), but
now, with elective abortion, we discriminate on the basis of size, level of
development, location, and degree of dependency. We’ve simply swapped one form
of bigotry for another” (The Case for Life, 66).</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the past pro-slavery choice advocates adopted an elitist view and sought to
create a sub-class of human beings who didn’t qualify as human persons. Today pro-abortion
choice advocates do the same. They argue that larger, more developed, and
independent human beings can kill smaller, less developed, dependent human
beings. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Contrast
this with the pro-life movement which is inclusive and wide-open to all. Pro-lifers
argue that all human beings, including the unborn, are in fact human persons simply
in light of being what they are: human beings who possess a human nature.
Please join with us in committing to protect the smallest, most defenseless,
most vulnerable members of the human community: the unborn.</span></div>
Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-18736152068835650372015-08-02T21:26:00.002-07:002015-08-02T21:28:24.065-07:00So Gay Marriage Biblically Offends You? A Response to Whitney Kay Bacon, Part 1<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QoLW7e_sjS8/R2AZ9vl7p2I/AAAAAAAAABM/gf-ITzabIdk/s1600/bible.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QoLW7e_sjS8/R2AZ9vl7p2I/AAAAAAAAABM/gf-ITzabIdk/s200/bible.bmp" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the weeks following the SCOTUS decision to legalize same-sex “marriage” across
all 50 states of the U.S., a host of articles, blogs, and other media have been
circulating the internet both defending and critiquing the judicial fiat which
redefined marriage. Within the Christian community, the issue of whether or not
homosexual behavior is consistent with biblical teaching has once again become
a hot topic of conversation, though in recent years it has never been too far
from the forefront. Indeed, American churches have been split over this issue
and the Supreme Court decision promises to ensure this matter is not going to
go away any time soon.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Amongst
the flurry of articles and blogs addressing this topic, of most interest to me
have been those which attempt to defend the compatibility of homosexual
behavior with Biblical teaching. This should be of interest to all Christians
considering that for nearly 2,000 years the historical and consistent position
of the Church has been that homosexual behavior is sinful and prohibited by
Scripture. And prior to Christianity, this was also the historical position of
the Jewish people which they based on the teachings of the Old Testament. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There
is a reason of course that both Jews and Christians have been in agreement on
this point, and it is not because of bigotry, intolerance, or hatred. It is
because the univocal teaching of Scripture on homosexuality leads to this
conclusion, and one must try very hard to deny or twist numerous verses
addressing this topic in order to avoid their force. Unfortunately this is
exactly what you see within the “gay Christian” movement. Given the clear
teaching of Scripture and the historic position of the Church, I was shocked and
dismayed to see the number of self-professing Christians who supported and
celebrated this landmark decision of the Court.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
popular article from a “gay Christian” perspective was written by Whitney Kay
Bacon of the Huffington Post. It is entitled </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/whitney-kay-bacon/so-gay-marriage-biblicall_b_7717502.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“So Gay Marriage
Biblically Offends You? Then You Should Read This…”</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The title
piqued my curiosity, but as I explain below, the content was very
disappointing. I encourage you to read it. There is nothing new presented here.
The substance (or lack thereof) and rhetoric of this article demonstrate the intellectual
bankruptcy that pervades much of the “gay Christian” movement.</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Despite
this, I think it is important to respond to, and hopefully beneficial to those
reading, because it contains some of the more </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">c</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ommon pop-culture talking
points you’ll hear in discussions on this issue. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">These
need to be addressed due to their prevalence and sometimes unfortun</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ate effect of leaving
Christians</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"> speechless.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Even worse has been to see the
number of self-identifying Christians who are taken in by a piece such as this,
to the point that they find it persuasive and credible. Let’s look at the first
problem with this article.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Problem #1: Lack of Substance</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
title of this article reads, “So Gay Marriage Biblically Offends You? Then You
Should Read This…” Given the title, one would expect to hear a biblical defense
of homosexuality and same-sex “marriage”. Maybe an exegetical and expository look
at some of the most well-known passages which specifically deal with the issue
of homosexuality, such as Genesis 18 & 19 (Sodom and Gomorrah), Leviticus
18:22 and 20:13, Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, and 1 Timothy 1:8-10. Or
what about Jesus’ own teaching on marriage found in Matthew 19:4-6, which
itself is a patent approval of God’s original design for marriage as between
one man and one woman found in the Creation account. Given the title of this
piece, shouldn’t we expect some sort of biblical defense of the author’s
position? For example, shouldn’t we see at least an attempt to meaningfully address
some of the following passages?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span class="uficommentbody"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Leviticus 18:22: You shall not lie with a male
as with a woman; it is an abomination.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><br />
<br />
<span class="uficommentbody">Romans 1:26-27: For this reason God gave them up to
dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those
that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations
with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing
shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their
error.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="uficommentbody">1 Corinthians 6:9-10: Or do you not know that the
unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither
the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice
homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you
were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="uficommentbody">1 Timothy: 1:8-10: Now we know that the law is good,
if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for
the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for
the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for
murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers,
liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Unfortunately
you’ll find nothing of the sort, only vague references to the Levitical Law and
eating bacon. No evidence, exegesis, or argumentation is given for the
compatibility of homosexuality and same-sex “marriage” with Scripture. This
compatibility is assumed from the beginning and continually asserted throughout
the article.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Rather
than a biblical defense of same-sex “marriage” or homosexuality, what you find
instead are emotional appeals and story-telling. Indeed, Miss Bacon starts the
article out by saying,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I want to start
by saying that I am a Christian. I always have been and always will be... and
I'm also a gay woman who is happily married to a beautiful British Woman named
Megan.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
other words, her first line of defense is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i>
to look at what Scripture says regarding this issue but rather to tell her own
personal story, which essentially boils down to this: “Here I am. I’m a gay
Christian. I am proof that you can be both gay and Christian.” The implication
is that by making this proclamation, nothing else is needed. The debate has
been resolved in effect, and her pronouncement trumps any Bible verse you may
quote as well as the historic Biblical understanding of homosexual behavior.
The problem is that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">anyone</i> can make
an assertion such as this regarding the compatibility of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">any</i> behavior with Scripture. Anyone can tell a story. But stories
are not substitutes for substance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
question that needs to be answered is this: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What
does the Bible teach about homosexual behavior and marriage</i>? Unfortunately
you won’t find that addressed here. In fact, there are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">zero</i> Scripture references in Miss Bacon’s piece.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Problem #2: Poor Reasoning</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
fundamental error of this entire article is that the writer is begging the
question, assuming the very thing that needs to be proved. The issue being
debated is whether or not there can be such a thing as a “gay Christian,”
whether homosexuality and same-sex “marriage” is compatible with the teaching
of the Bible or not. The writer assumes her own conclusion without addressing
any relevant Biblical data. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
help illustrate this, suppose a self-professing Christian was living as an
adulterer, and that this “Christian” saw no incompatibility between adultery
and the teaching of the Bible. As a defense, he simply states, “Here I am. I’m
an adulterous Christian. I am proof that you can be both an adulterer and a
Christian.” There, you see? That proves adultery is God-ordained. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">That
would be ridiculous, to say the least. But what is the difference between this
example and what Miss Bacon is doing? There is no difference in the reasoning
or logic used, only a different example of sin. Both are begging the question.
The “gay Christian” who ignores what Scripture has to say regarding homosexual
behavior is just as misguided as the “adulterous Christian” who ignores what
Scripture has to say regarding adultery. She goes on to say,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As a Christian,
I wholeheartedly believe that God does not make mistakes and he would not have
accidentally made millions of people (and animals) gay by chance.</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We are all who
we are for a reason and no one should ever make you feel bad for that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
wonders why homosexual activists appeal to the animal kingdom in order to
morally justify their own sexual practices. Has animal behavior become the
standard for human behavior? </span><span class="uficommentbody"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Many animals are inherently
violent and dangerous and engage in behaviors considered immoral when committed
by humans. For example, some animals eat their young and others kill their
mates after sex. Should we adopt these practices as well because they occur in
nature? Don’t we hold human beings to a moral standard and prosecute them for
crimes precisely <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">because</i> we are not
mere animals? In addition, animals often behave and react on instinct. But as
humans we have the capacity for rational thought and the ability to make sound
moral judgments when faced with ethical dilemmas. We often realize that
following our initial instincts or desires would not be the best moral course
of action and so we exercise self-restraint, unlike animals. This is at least a
partial account of what it means to be created in the image of God (Gen.
1:26-27), an honor bestowed on human beings alone.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="uficommentbody"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Furthermore, to compare animal homosexual behavior with human is a
false analogy. There is no evidence that animals in nature possess a sort of
“homosexual orientation” as humans do. How could there be? As we study animal
behavior we only have access to external data and observations, we have no
insight into the internal experiences of animals as they engage in sexual
activity (or any other activity). Moreover, we know animals engage in sexual
activity for a variety of reasons, including displays of dominance, aggression,
conflict resolution, or simple stimulation. For example, when my male dog humps
my sofa this doesn’t mean he is “sofa-sexual”. He is not physically attracted
to my couch nor does he possess a sexual orientation directed toward it. The
same is true for when this dog humps my other male dog, i.e., there is no
reason to think he is attracted to the gender of the other male dog. This is
why it is often naïve for humans to interpret motivations or project their own
understandings and feelings of sexual behavior (or any behavior for that
matter) onto animals.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="uficommentbody"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Next, Miss Bacon implies that since God made her this way (with a homosexual
orientation), and God doesn’t make mistakes, her actions (homosexual behavior) are
morally justified. This is a common claim of the “gay Christian” movement and
other homosexual activists who have been in search for the illusive “gay gene”
to bolster their position. The problem is this: supposing science <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">did</i> discover some sort of “gay gene”
(which it hasn’t) that predisposed an individual toward a homosexual
orientation, this would only prove what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i>,
not what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ought to be</i>. This argument commits
what is known as the is-ought or naturalistic fallacy. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="uficommentbody"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">To put it another way, science can only tell us what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i>, it cannot tell us what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ought to be</i>. Science can <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">describe</i>, it cannot <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">prescribe</i>. Finding a “gay gene” would not serve as moral
justification for homosexual behavior any more than finding a “pedophile gene”
would morally justify pedophilia. In fact, any behavior could be morally justified
based on this reasoning if only we could find a gene to match. Perhaps there is
a “homophobic gene” which predisposes certain individuals to homophobia. If
this were the case, the pedophile and homophobe could join with Miss Bacon in repeating
her own words: “</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">God
does not make mistakes…We are all who we are for a reason and no one should
ever make you feel bad for that.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="uficommentbody"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Finally, Miss Bacon is theologically mistaken because she fails to
take into account the Biblical doctrine of Original Sin. The idea that “God
made me this way” doesn’t square with Scripture’s teaching that all human beings
are born dead in sin and by nature are children of wrath (Eph. 2:1-3). In our
unregenerate state we are alienated from God (Eph. 4:18) and slaves to sin
(John 8:34). This is Creation and the Fall 101. God made Adam and Eve and
everything was good. But Adam and Eve rebelled against God bringing sin, corruption
and death into the world. Since then, all individuals are born spiritually
dead, affected by that sin and corruption in every part of their being. In
short, God didn’t make us this way.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Problem #3: Biblical Illiteracy</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As
mentioned above, the debate over homosexuality, same-sex “marriage”, and the
Bible boils down to one essential and obvious question: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What does the Bible teach about homosexual behavior and marriage</i>? This
entails that we are going to have to do some homework. We become systematic
theologians, gathering all of the relevant data, looking at all the pertinent
passages that deal with these issues, and taking into consideration context and
historical background.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Unfortunately,
reading this article makes clear that Miss Bacon has not done her homework. This
is ironic considering at one point in the article she condescendingly states, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">…and
don't even try to the quote the Bible at me; you may want to actually read it
first.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Not
to return the favor, but perhaps Miss Bacon needs to take her own advice. And
not just read the Bible, but study it too. She says,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If the sole
reason you feel that gay marriage is wrong because it’s a sin, and the Bible
tells you this is wrong, then I sure as hell hope you don't have bacon with your
eggs or indulge in shrimp.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
call this the “Levitical Law” tactic and it is quite common to see in social
media. Much of the time I hear it from internet atheists who are attempting to
mock or undermine the Bible. But more recently it has been used by revisionists
within the “gay Christian” movement in an effort to undermine and essentially
do away with the Old Testament teaching on homosexual behavior. The argument
here is that since Christians do not abide by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> of the Levitical Law (e.g., dietary laws such as eating bacon
and shrimp), they shouldn’t be arbitrarily picking and choosing to enforce certain
prohibitions such as those against homosexuality. In other words, it’s all or
nothing. There are several things to say in response.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">First,
even if this line of argumentation held water, what would it prove? At most it
would prove that Christians are inconsistent </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">in emphasizing and following some verses and
not others. It does nothing to get to the heart of the matter, which is, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What does the Bible teach about homosexual
behavior and marriage</i>?” And even if we did throw out the Old Testament
(which we shouldn’t), we still have New Testament prohibitions against
homosexual behavior as well (Rom. 1:26:27; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; 1 Tim. 1:8-10). Again,
we find no meaningful exegesis in this article or even a cursory look at the
relevant biblical passages.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Second,
it is clear from the New Testament that Christians are not at liberty to throw
out or ignore the Old Testament, including the Levitical Law. Jesus
specifically said he did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it (Matt.
5:17-18). The Old Testament canon functioned as the Bible for the New Testament
Church, which Paul specifically refers to as God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Further,
Jesus and the apostles quote from the book of Leviticus as authoritative (Matt.
22:39; 2 Cor. 6:16; 1 Pet. 1:16). True, New Testament Christians don’t practice
everything in the Law. But there are reasons for this. For example, we don’t
follow the dietary law because Jesus declared all foods to be clean (Mark
7:19). We don’t have temples, priests, or animal sacrifices because the entire
Old Testament sacrificial system has been superseded by the once-for-all
sacrifice of Christ who functions as our eternal high priest continually making
intercession for us (Heb. 7:22-28, 9:11-12, 9:25-28, 10:10-14). But there is
continuity between the Old and New Testaments as well. And within the Old
Testament we also find universal moral laws which apply to all people in all
places and which carry over into the New Testament, such as those prohibiting
murder, adultery, theft and yes, homosexuality.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally,
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">the main
problem with this “Levitical Law” tactic is a failure to distinguish between
different types of law in the Old Testament. Biblical scholars and theologians
commonly make these distinctions, referencing dietary law, ceremonial law,
civil law, and universal moral law. Sometimes these laws are grouped into two main
categories: ceremonial and moral. Regardless of how you classify them, a
distinction does exist and this is going to affect our interpretation and
application as New Testament Christians. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Certain
ordinances and regulations were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i> given
to Israel because it was a Theocratic nation, set apart and governed by God,
serving as an example to all surrounding people groups. These ceremonial laws helped
to govern their worship of the One True God as well as keep Israel distinct and
separate from pagan influence. Included in this category would be regulations
and ordinances for temple worship and sacrifice, festivals and celebrations, as
well as dietary laws. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">However,
other laws were universal moral laws meant to apply to all people and nations,
such as prohibitions against murder, adultery, theft and yes, homosexuality.
Unlike ceremonial laws given only to Israel, God holds all nations and people
accountable to these universal moral laws as demonstrated in His judgment on
pagan nations for committing these very acts.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">With
this background knowledge we are ready to ask the relevant question: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How do we know that prohibitions against
homosexual behavior belong in the category of universal moral law</i>? Let’s
look at a couple reasons.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">First,
we know because these prohibitions against homosexual behavior are repeated in
the New Testament (Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; 1 Tim. 1:8-10). In other words,
they apply to all people, including Christians, and were not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i> given to Israel.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Second,
we know by examining the context of Leviticus 18. Notice that in 18:21-23 the
prohibition against homosexuality is placed between two other universal moral
laws, i.e., the law against child sacrifice and the law against bestiality:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">You shall not give any of
your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I
am the LORD. You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an
abomination. And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean
with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it: it
is perversion.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">We can all
(hopefully) agree that prohibitions against child sacrifice and bestiality are
universal moral laws which apply to all people in all places. It would be
strange then (and out of context) that God would include a universal moral law
against child sacrifice, then switch to some sort of “ceremonial law” against
homosexuality, then add another universal moral law against bestiality. Even
more troublesome, if homosexual activists within the “gay Christian” movement
want to get rid of homosexuality as a moral sin, wouldn’t consistency demand
they get rid of prohibitions against child sacrifice and bestiality as well?
After all, those sins aren’t even mentioned in the New Testament.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
there is more contextual evidence to consider in Leviticus 18. N</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">otice what God says in
summary of this chapter in verses 24-30:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Do not make yourselves
unclean by any of these things, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for by
all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, and the
land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out
its inhabitants</i>. But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of
these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for the people of the land, who were before
you, did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean), lest the
land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that
was before you</i>. For everyone who does any of these abominations, the
persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people. So keep my charge
never to practice any of these abominable customs that were practiced before
you, and never to make yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">God
makes it clear in this passage that He is bringing judgment on the nations currently
living in the land because of their sins which He listed in Leviticus 18,
including homosexuality. In other words, the Canaanites, who did not have access
to the Mosaic Law, were still held accountable to these universal moral laws
(including homosexuality) because knowledge of them is evident within, i.e.,
they can be recognized as true apart from any form of special revelation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The
important point is this: there is not a single example of God condemning or
bringing judgment upon the surrounding nations in the Old Testament because of
eating shrimp, sewing two different kinds of fabrics together, or planting two
different kinds of seed in the same field. Those laws had purpose for Israel
and were given to Israel only. But God <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">does</i>
condemn and bring judgment on pagan nations for breaking universal moral laws,
including murder, adultery, bestiality, and homosexuality, as evidenced in
Leviticus 18. Therefore, we can say with confidence that these prohibitions
against homosexual behavior belong in the category of universal moral law and
still apply today.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Conclusion</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">When it
comes to the issue of the Bible and homosexuality, the truth of the matter is
that Scripture says <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nothing</i> positive
regarding homosexual behavior, in either the Old or New Testament. Those within
the “gay Christian” movement have been unable to make a positive case for
homosexuality from the Bible and, as exampled here, have failed to show that
the Biblical prohibitions against homosexual behavior can be ignored.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
Part 2, I hope to address some additional problems in Miss Bacon’s article as
well as respond to more of her comments.</span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In truth
this response has turned out to be much longer than I originally anticipated. I
was planning on addressing additional problems with the article, but due to its
length already, I have limited myself to the following three. I may write a response
“part 2” addressing additional problems with this piece.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-70917738017542207182013-07-15T09:03:00.000-07:002013-07-15T09:04:36.205-07:00Human Depravity: A Lost Christian Doctrine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If the case
be such indeed, that all mankind are by nature in a state of total ruin,…then,
doubtless, the great salvation by Christ stands in direct relation to this
ruin, as the remedy to the disease</i>.”</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">—Jonathan Edwards— </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Introduction</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Author
and conservative talk show host Dennis Prager stated, “No issue has a greater
influence on determining your social and political views than whether you view
human nature as basically good or not.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
think Prager is correct. But even more important and foundational than your
social and political views, your view of human nature has important
ramifications with regard to your <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">theology</i>.
Perhaps second only to what you believe about God, no issue has greater
influence on determining your <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">theological</i>
views than whether you view human nature as basically good or not. It is no
coincidence that theological liberals who deny doctrines such as original sin
and human depravity also, more often than not, end up rejecting other scriptural
teachings such as justification by grace through faith, the necessity and
exclusivity of Jesus Christ for salvation, penal substitutionary atonement, the
biblical doctrine of hell, or just simply scratch their head and wonder
inquisitively when reading scriptural passages concerning God’s judgment on sin
(e.g., the flood, destruction of the Canaanites, etc.). They ask themselves, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why is God mad all the time?? I don’t get
it!!</i>”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Much
of modern secular sensibility seems attracted to the idea that human beings at
their core are basically good. In his book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What
Americans Believe</i>, George Barna of Barna Research Group found that 87% of
non-Christians agreed with the statement “People are basically good.” But this
belief in the inherent goodness of humankind isn’t peculiar to non-Christians.
It has found its way into the Church as well. In that same study, Barna also
found that 77% of self-described born-again Christians agreed with the
statement. Perhaps most shocking, of those self-described born-again Christians
who identify themselves as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mainline
Protestant</i>, 90% agreed with the statement “People are basically good.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a> </span></div>
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<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
was the thinking of teacher and theologian Langdon Gilkey before he became a
prisoner at a Japanese internment camp during World War II. But after spending
two-and-a-half years with 2,000 other men, women, and children, and directly
witnessing the inherent selfishness, greed, and general rudeness of his fellow
internees, he came to the exact opposite conclusion:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The camp was an
excellent place in which to observe the inner secrets of our own human
selves—especially when there were no extras to fall back on and when the thin
polish of easy morality and of just dealing was worn off…For one of the
peculiar conceits of modern optimism, a conceit which I had fully shared, is
the belief that in time of crisis the goodness of men comes forward…Nothing
indicates so clearly the fixed belief in the innate goodness of humans as does
this confidence that when the chips are down, and we are revealed for what we
‘really are,’ we will all be good to each other. Nothing could be so totally in
error.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A Lesson from Calvin: Knowledge of God
and Knowledge of Self</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
of the original and most influential Protestants, John Calvin viewed the matter
of human depravity quite differently than self-described Protestants today. The
16<sup>th</sup> century Protestant Reformer is best known for his masterpiece <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Institutes of the Christian Religion</i>.
What is interesting to note is the topic which Calvin chooses to begin his
entire <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">magnum opus</i> with: knowledge of
God and knowledge of self. He states, “Nearly all wisdom we possess, that is to
say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of
ourselves.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Calvin
argues that unless a person possesses a proper knowledge of self he will never
have a proper knowledge of God. He states, “Thus, from the feeling of our own
ignorance, vanity, poverty, infirmity, and—what is more—depravity and
corruption, we recognize that the true light of wisdom, sound virtue, full
abundance of every good, and purity of righteousness rest in the Lord alone.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Calvin goes on to say that until
we become displeased with ourselves we cannot aspire, nor would we ever be
aroused, to seek God. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Likewise,
unless an individual possesses a proper knowledge of God he can never have a
proper knowledge of self. Calvin states, “As long as we do not look beyond the
earth, being quite content with our own righteousness, wisdom, and virtue, we
flatter ourselves most sweetly, and fancy ourselves all but demigods.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a>
As long as we fail to see God for who He truly is, in all His majesty, we will
never recognize or scrutinize our own lowly state but rather will continue to
view ourselves in our natural fallen condition as “basically good.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If
Calvin was right (and I think he was) this means that anyone believing in the
intrinsic moral goodness of fallen man in his naturally born, unregenerate
state has two problems: he possesses a false sense of self as well as a deficient
understanding of the holiness of God.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Calvinism vs. Arminianism: Can’t We All
Just Get Along?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Isn’t
human depravity just a Calvinistic doctrine then? No, it’s a biblical doctrine
first and foremost, and though Calvinists and Arminians have traditionally been
at opposite ends of the theological spectrum on a number of issues,
historically they have agreed on at least one point: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">total depravity</i>. Total depravity of course does not mean that human
beings are as bad as they possibly could be. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All</i> people are not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i>
bad <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> of the time. Rather total
depravity means that no part of our being remains untouched and unaffected by the
corruption of sin. Sin has enslaved the total person:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It is not just
that some parts of us are sinful and others are pure. Rather, every part of our
being is affected by sin—our intellects, our emotions and desires, our hearts
(the center of our desires and decision-making processes), our goals and
motives, and even our physical bodies. Paul says, “I know that nothing good
dwells within me, that is, in my flesh” (Rom. 7:18), and, “to the corrupt and
unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are corrupted”
(Titus 1:15). Moreover, Jeremiah tells us that “the heart is deceitful above
all things, and desperately corrupt; who can understand it?” (Jer. 17:9). In
these passages Scripture is not denying that unbelievers can do good in human
society <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in some senses</i>. But it is
denying that they can do any <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">spiritual</i>
good or be good <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in terms of a
relationship with God</i>. Apart from the work of Christ in our lives, we are
like all other unbelievers who are “darkened in their understanding, alienated
from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their
hardness of heart” (Eph. 4:18).<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Our
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">totally</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">depraved</i> human nature as fallen human beings leads to a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">total</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">inability</i> on our part to do any spiritual good or to please God:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Not only do we
as sinners lack any spiritual good in ourselves, but we also lack the ability
to do anything that will in itself please God and the ability to come to God in
our own strength. Paul says that “those who are in the flesh <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cannot please God</i>” (Rom. 8:8). Moreover,
in terms of bearing fruit for God’s kingdom and doing what pleases him, Jesus
says, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). In fact, unbelievers are
not pleasing to God, if for no other reason, simply because their actions do
not proceed from faith in God or from love to him, and “without faith it is
impossible to please him” (Heb. 11:6). When Paul’s readers were unbelievers, he
tells them, “You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once
walked” (Eph. 2:1-2). Unbelievers are in a state of bondage or enslavement to
sin, because “every one who commits sin is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). Though
from a human standpoint people might be able to do much good, Isaiah affirms
that “all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment” (Isa. 64:6; cf. Rom.
3:9-20). Unbelievers are not even able to understand the things of God
correctly, for the “natural man does not receive the gifts [lit. ‘things’] of
the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand
them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14). Nor can we come to
God in our own power, for Jesus says, “No one can come to me unless the Father
who sent me draws him” (John 6:44).<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[8]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
then is the sad state of fallen humanity into which we are born: dead in
trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1-2), by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:3) and
enemies of God (Rom. 5:10), darkened in understanding, excluded from the life
of God, ignorant, and hard of heart (Eph. 4:18), in bondage to sin (John 8:34),
unable to please God (Rom. 8:8), unable to accept and understand the things of
God (1 Cor. 2:14), and unable to come to God in our own power (John 6:44). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
is the teaching of Scripture. Historically, this has also been the teaching of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">both</i> Calvinists <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> Arminians. Total depravity forms the “T” in the TULIP acronym
often used to summarize five major tenets of Calvinistic thinking: Total
depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and
Perseverance of the Saints. That Calvinists affirm total depravity is a given.
But what is not so well known is that Jacob Arminius (after whom Arminianism is
named) agreed with the doctrine of total depravity and affirmed the bondage of
the will:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">James Arminius
was emphatic in his rejection of Pelagianism, particularly with respect to the
fall of Adam. The fall leaves man in a ruined state, under the dominion of sin.
Arminius declares: “In this state, the Free Will of man towards the True Good
is not only wounded, maimed, infirm, bent, and weakened <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">[attenuatem]</i>; but it is also imprisoned <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">[captivatum]</i>, destroyed and lost. And its powers are not only
debilitated and useless unless they be assisted by grace, but it has no powers
whatever except such as are excited by Divine grace…”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[9]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Commenting
on this quote from Arminius, R.C. Sproul states,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The above
citation from one of Arminius’s works demonstrates how seriously he regards the
depths of the fall. He is not satisfied to declare that man’s will was merely
wounded or weakened. He insists that it was “imprisoned, destroyed, and lost.”
The language of Augustine, Martin Luther, or John Calvin is scarcely stronger
than that of Arminius.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[10]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">After
further citations of Arminius regarding his view of the effects of the fall and
human depravity, Sproul summarizes the views of Arminius this way:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Arminius not
only affirms the bondage of the will, but insists that natural man, being dead
in sin, exists in a state of moral inability or impotence. What more could an
Augustinian or Calvinist hope for from a theologian? Arminius then declares
that the only remedy for man’s fallen condition is the gracious operation of
God’s Spirit. The will of man is not free to do any good unless it is made free
or liberated by the Son of God through the Spirit of God.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[11]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
it comes to the “five points of Calvinism” then, it could be said that Jacob
Arminius was really a one-point Calvinist! But Arminius was not the only
“Arminian” to hold to total depravity and the bondage of the will. John Wesley,
the eighteenth-century revivalist after whom the Wesleyan-Arminian theological
tradition is named, also affirmed the total corruption of fallen humankind, our
bondage to sin, as well as our inability to choose the good and choose God: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I believe that
Adam, before his fall, had such freedom of the will, that he might choose
either good or evil; but that, since the fall, no child of man has a natural
power to choose anything that is truly good. Yet I know (and who does not?)
that man has still freedom of will in things of indifferent nature.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[12]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Such is the
freedom of the will; free only to evil; free to “drink iniquity like water;” to
wander farther and farther from the living God, and do more “despite to the
Spirit of grace!”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[13]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wesley
scholars have acknowledged these points:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Harald Lindström:
“Wesley maintains that natural man is totally corrupt.” He is “sinful through
and through, has no knowledge of God and on power to turn to him of his own
free will.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn14" name="_ftnref14" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn14;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[14]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Robert V.
Rakestraw: In Wesley’s theology “men and women are born in sin and unable in
themselves to make the least move toward God.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn15" name="_ftnref15" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn15;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[15]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Colin W.
Williams: “Because of original sin, the natural man is ‘dead to God’ and unable
to move toward God or respond to him.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn16" name="_ftnref16" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn16;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[16]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Leo G. Cox: “By
nature man receives nothing that is good…He is free but free only to do evil
and to follow on in the way of sin.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn17" name="_ftnref17" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn17;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[17]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Thomas
Schreiner sums up Wesley’s view of the human condition this way:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Wesleyan
analysis of the human condition does not differ fundamentally from the
Calvinistic one. Indeed, in 1745 John Wesley said that his theology was “within
a hair’s breadth” of Calvinism “(1) In ascribing all good to the free grace of
God. (2) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">In denying all natural free-will</i>,
and all power antecedent to grace. And, (3) In excluding all merit from man;
even for what he has or does by the grace of God.” Wesley’s analysis of the
human condition and his bold proclamation of divine grace should warm the heart
of any evangelical Calvinist.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn18" name="_ftnref18" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn18;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[18]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Historically
then, what Calvinists and Arminians have disagreed on is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> the utterly depraved and corrupt condition of fallen man in his
naturally born, unregenerate state. They both acknowledge that the natural man
is born in bondage to sin and can do no good apart from the grace of God. What
they disagreed on was the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">solution</i> to
this problem. Calvinists argued that God’s salvific grace, which is only given
to His elect, is always irresistible and efficacious, i.e., it always
accomplishes its purpose in bringing the elect to salvation (monergism). Arminians
agreed that God’s grace is indeed prevenient, i.e., it comes before conversion,
but argued that this grace is given to all men indiscriminately such that it
overcomes the effects of the fall to the extent that humankind is now enabled
to cooperate with this grace by properly exercising their free will in choosing
to accept the offer of salvation (synergism), or else resist God’s grace and
continue in their willful rebellion. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Historically
then, the debate was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> over the
fact of human depravity and the inability of man in his fallen condition to
choose the good and to choose God. Rather it was over whether or not the grace
of regeneration was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">resistible</i>
(Arminianism) or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">irresistible</i>
(Calvinism), whether prevenient grace was merely a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">necessary</i> condition for salvation (Arminianism) or both a necessary
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sufficient</i> condition for
salvation (Calvinism), whether God’s grace for salvation is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">resistibly</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sufficient</i> for faith and conversion (Arminianism) or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">irresistibly</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">efficient</i> for faith and conversion (Calvinism).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
summarize, Christians today who hold to the innate goodness of fallen,
unregenerate man do not stand squarely with Scripture. But neither do they
stand squarely in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">either</i> the historic
Calvinist <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">or</i> Arminian tradition. The
idea that “people are basically good” simply isn’t a Christian one. For any
Christian who may deny, protest, or be hesitant to accept the teaching of
Scripture with regard to human depravity, I would simply challenge you to produce
a single verse which says anything positive regarding the spiritual condition
or spiritual ability of the “natural man” in his naturally born, unregenerate
state. As far as I know, there are none.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m Okay, You’re Okay, We’re All Okay: Are
People “Basically Good”?</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So
where does the idea that “people are basically good” come from? Certainly not
from Scripture. As discussed above, Scripture does not paint a pretty picture
of the natural man and the current human condition.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn19" name="_ftnref19" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn19;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[19]</span></span></span></span></a>
Where then does it come from?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
about Experience? </span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Does
experience lend credence to the innate goodness of human beings? Perhaps some
will say, “I know a lot of good people.” More often than not I think this
confuses <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">niceness</i> with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">goodness</i>, an idea we will develop
further below. For now I simply want to draw your attention to the daunting
task of parenting.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If
the idea that “people are basically good” is true, then the segment of our
population which should best evidence this is children. After all, if children
are born pure and innocent, inclined toward good, or perhaps as a “blank slate”
without any inclination toward good or evil, then we would only have to keep
them from immoral influences in order to guarantee or solidify their “basic
goodness.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
anyone who has raised children already has insight into the depravity of our
fallen human nature, and along with this reason to reject the idea that people
are basically good. As parents we do not need to teach our child how to lie or
disobey, be selfish, impatient, or self-serving. Children from a very early
age, from the very moment they are able to engage in sin, not only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> engage in sin but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">struggle</i> not to. Why is this? Why the
struggle if people are basically good? It seems we are struggling against our
innate <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">immoral</i> inclinations. If we
were born inherently good our struggle would be the exact opposite: it would be
a struggle to be selfish, impatient, rude, and self-serving. But I don’t know
anyone who wrestles with that problem. And why do we have inclinations to
engage in immoral behavior at such a young age if people are basically good? Where
did these inclinations come from? As soon as our children are old enough to
disobey and lie to us, they do. As soon as they are old enough to be selfish
and rude, they are. These things seem to come naturally to them, indeed, to all
of us.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
we do find ourselves doing as parents is working hard to instill moral virtues
and right principles in our children. Again, why is this if people are
basically good? Perhaps it is because human beings possess a fallen nature and
are inherently selfish, prideful, and narcissistic. When things become
difficult and our present situation isn’t looking so good, our <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">first</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">natural</i> inclination is to always look out for ourselves before
others. Isn’t this true? We fight against those urges precisely <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">because</i> we are not innately good nor
inclined toward moral virtuosity. The inherited corruption children possess
from the womb is evidence for our sinful and fallen condition, not the idea
that people are basically good.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Some
may respond to this by arguing it is the corrupting effect of degenerate
society that is spoiling our children. This answer is problematic:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Man is born in a
state of innocence, they say, but he is subsequently corrupted by the immoral
influence of society. This idea begs the question, How did society become
corrupt in the first place? If all people are born innocent or in a state of
moral neutrality, with no predisposition to sin, why do not at least a
statistical average of 50% of the people remain innocent? Why can we find no
societies in which the prevailing influence is to virtue rather than vice? Why
does not society influence us to maintain our natural innocence? Even the most
sanguine critics of human nature, those who insist that man is basically good,
repeat the persistent axiomatic aphorism “Nobody’s perfect.” Why is no one
perfect? If man is good at the core of his heart and evil is peripheral,
tangential, or accidental, why does not the core win out over the tangent, the
substance over the accidents?<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn20" name="_ftnref20" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn20;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[20]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
be sure, it seems hard to make sense of the war, violence, corruption, hatred,
selfishness, narcissism, and general human wickedness in this world if you
start with the premise “people are basically good.” Again, for those who may
deny, protest, or be hesitant to accept the reality of human corruption and
depravity evidenced from human experience, I would simply challenge you to
answer these questions honestly: What would happen if the restraining effects
of law enforcement and government were suddenly removed from societies around
the world? Would we enter into a blissful state of utopia, holding hands and
singing “Kumbaya,” because people are basically good? Or would we rather see
anarchy and chaos break out on a worldwide scale as the true nature of fallen humankind
becomes unrestrained and unencumbered? Answering these questions honestly gives
us insight into the human condition. The very need for evil-restraining
entities such as law enforcement and government presupposes the depravity of
man.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
about Evolution?</span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Supposing
the grand theory of Darwinian evolution is true, could <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">it</i> ground the fact that people are basically good? It doesn’t seem
so. How can the truth that “people are basically good” arise from a system which
purportedly produced all living things through a dog-eat-dog, survival of the
fittest process? A “survival of the fittest” mentality has more in common with
narcissism and self-preservation than it does the maxim “Love your neighbor as
yourself.” And how are altruistic virtues such as charity, self-denial, and
love derived from time, matter, mutation, and natural selection? Naturalistic
processes working on material entities cannot explain the emergence and
existence of immaterial objective moral values and principles.</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Some Darwinists will
argue that morality <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">itself</i> is the
product of evolution since “being moral” can aid in self-preservation. This
simply proves my point. Morality that is used merely as a means to the end of
preserving oneself is not truly altruistic but rather narcissistic. This should
not even qualify as a morality, nor does it lend credibility to the idea that
people are basically good. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
about Human History? </span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Does
human history teach us that people are basically good? To answer this I point
you to an article by Clay Jones, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.clayjones.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Human-Evil-and-Suffering.pdf">We
Don’t Take Human Evil Seriously so We Don’t Understand Why We Suffer</a></i>.
In this paper Jones quickly surveys only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">some</i>
of the most horrendous atrocities perpetuated by human beings, and these only
within the last 100 years:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Soviet Union: From 1917-89, 20 to 26 million people
were murdered for political reasons, including 6 million Ukrainians who were
starved to death.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Germany: 13 million people murdered in the Holocaust,
including approximately 6 million Jews. All of this despite the fact that
Hitler was calling for the death of the Jews 20 years before his rise to power.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">China: Under the Chinese communists, 26 to 30 million
“counter-revolutionaries” were murdered or died in prison. Mao Tse Tung boasted
of burying 46,000 scholars alive.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Japan: In December, 1937, over 300,000 Chinese were
raped, tortured, and murdered in the city of Nanking.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Turkey: From 1915-23, 1.2 million Armenians were
murdered, introducing the phrase “crimes against humanity.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Cambodia: From 1975-79, under Pol Pot 2 million
Cambodians were murdered out of a population of 7 million in an effort to
return to an agrarian culture.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Rwanda: In 1994, out of a population of 8 million,
800,000 people were murdered in 100 days, mostly by machete.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">United States: Since 1973, 50 million unborn human
beings have been murdered through abortion, largely though scalding alive with
saline solution, dismemberment, or suctioning apart piece by piece.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Reflecting
on the horrible things human beings can do to one another, we may be tempted to
say, “That’s inhuman!” On the contrary, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">humans
did this</i>! This is the human condition. Apart from the grace of God, fallen
humankind is capable of horrendous evil. The evidence of human history is no
friend to the idea that people are basically good.</span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
failure of the Marxist enterprise was due not only to poor economic theory but
also because it took for granted the idea that people are inherently good. For
example, Karl Marx famously said, “From each according to his ability, to each
according to his need.” This assumes the innate goodness of humankind by
supposing that individuals will work their hardest to ensure the greatest
productivity possible, i.e., it assumes the greatest producers will act
completely selfless even though the fruit of their labor will go to someone
else. It also assumes individuals will not take advantage of the system by
being lazy since regardless of their work ethic they will still receive their
“fair share.” So if man is indeed good (as the thinking goes) all that is
needed is the creation of an egalitarian society and utopia on earth would
inevitably result. But the utopian dream is a myth which will <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never</i> be realized precisely <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">because</i> it fails to take into account
the depravity and self-interest of fallen humankind. Despite the failed
attempts and mass casualties associated with communism, many are still
attracted to this worldview. In the words of Thomas Sowell, “Socialism in
general has a record of failure so blatant that only an intellectual could
ignore or evade it.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn21" name="_ftnref21" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn21;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[21]</span></span></span></span></a>
</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
about Psychology? The Stanley Milgram Experiment</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
does psychology tell us about man? Due to space restraints we will only look at
one of the most well known psychological experiments of the 20<sup>th</sup>
century, a study on obedience to authority conducted by Stanley Milgram from
1960-63: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This exploration
of obedience was initially motivated by Milgram’s reflections on the ease with
which the German people obeyed Nazi authority in discriminating against Jews
and, eventually, in allowing Hitler’s Final Solution to be enacted during the
Holocaust. As a young Jewish man, he wondered if the Holocaust could be
recreated in his own country, despite the many differences in those cultures
and historical epochs. Though many said it could never happen in the United
States, Milgram doubted whether we should be so sure.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn22" name="_ftnref22" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn22;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[22]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Milgram
states,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It has been
reliably established that from 1933 to 1945 millions of innocent people were
systematically slaughtered on command. Gas chambers were built, death camps
were guarded, daily quotas of corpses were produced with the same efficiency as
the manufacture of appliances. These inhumane policies may have originated in
the mind of a single person, but they could only have been carried out on a
massive scale if a very large number of people obeyed orders.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn23" name="_ftnref23" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn23;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[23]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
details of Milgram’s experiment are as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Two people come
to a psychology laboratory to take part in a study of memory and learning. One
of them is designated as a “teacher” and the other a “learner.” The
experimenter explains that the study is concerned with the effects of
punishment on learning. The learner is conducted into a room, seated in a chair,
his arms strapped to prevent excessive movement, and an electrode attached to
his wrist. He is told that he is to learn a list of word pairs; whenever he
makes an error, he will receive electric shocks of increasing intensity.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The real focus
of the experiment is the teacher. After watching the learner being strapped
into place, he is taken into the main experimental room and seated before an
impressive shock generator. Its main feature is a horizontal line of thirty
switches, ranging from 15 volts to 450 volts, in 15-volt increments. There are
also verbal designations which range from </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">SLIGHT SHOCK</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> to </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">DANGER—SEVERE
SHOCK</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn24" name="_ftnref24" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn24;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[24]</span></span></span></span></a>
The teacher is told that he is to administer the learning test to the man in
the other room. When the learner responds correctly, the teacher moves on to
the next item; when the other man gives an incorrect answer, the teacher is to
give him an electric shock. He is to start at the lowest shock level (15 volts)
and to increase the level each time the man makes an error, going through 30 volts,
45 volts, and so on.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The “teacher” is
a genuinely naïve subject who has come to the laboratory to participate in an
experiment. The learner, or victim, is an actor who actually receives no shock
at all. The point of the experiment is to see how far a person will proceed in
a concrete and measureable situation in which he is ordered to inflict
increasing pain on a protesting victim.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn25" name="_ftnref25" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn25;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[25]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As
the voltage level on the shock generator was increased, the “victim” or
“learner” would give corresponding increasing signs of discomfort:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">…the victim
indicated no discomfort until the 75-volt shock was administered, at which time
there was a little grunt…at 120 volts the victim shouted to the experimenter
that the shocks were becoming painful. Painful groans were heard on
administration of the 135-volt shock, and at 150 volts the victim cried out,
“Experimenter, get me out of here! I won’t be in the experiment any more! I
refuse to go on!” Cries of this type continue with generally rising intensity,
so that at 180 volts the victim cried out, “I can’t stand the pain,” and by 270
volts his response to the shock was definitely an agonized scream. Throughout,
from 150 volts on, he insisted that he be let out of the experiment…At 315
volts, after a violent scream, the victim reaffirmed vehemently that he was no
longer a participant. He provided no answers, but shrieked in agony whenever a
shock was administered. After 330 volts he was not heard from…<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn26" name="_ftnref26" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn26;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[26]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Upon
reading this, one may wonder why anyone in their right mind would even comply
with administering the first shocks. Milgram states, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Would he not
simply refuse and walk out of the laboratory? But the fact is that no one ever
does...A commonly offered explanation is that those who shocked the victim at
the most severe level were monsters, the sadistic fringe of society. But if one
considers that almost two-thirds of the participants fall into the category of
“obedient” subjects, and that they represented ordinary people drawn from
working, managerial, and professional classes, the argument becomes very shaky…I
must conclude that Arendt’s conception of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">banality of evil</i> comes closer to the truth than one might dare
imagine.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn27" name="_ftnref27" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn27;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[27]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
were the results of these experiments? All subjects willingly administered at
least 300 volts to the victim, while 65% of the subjects continued in the
experiment all the way to the maximum 450 volts, despite the agonizing screams
and pleas of the victim to be let free.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn28" name="_ftnref28" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn28;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[28]</span></span></span></span></a>
The men and women subjects of this experiment favored no differently. Milgram
concludes,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This is,
perhaps, the most fundamental lesson of our study: ordinary people, simply
doing their jobs, and without any particular hostility on their part, can
become agents in a terrible destructive process. Moreover, even when the
destructive effects of their work become patently clear, and they are asked to
carry out actions incompatible with fundamental standards of morality,
relatively few people have the resources needed to resist authority.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn29" name="_ftnref29" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn29;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[29]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Milgram
was asked,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">After the final
450 volt switch was thrown, how many of the participant-teachers spontaneously
got out of their seats and went to inquire about the condition of their
learner?” Milgram’s answer: “Not one, not ever!”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn30" name="_ftnref30" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn30;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[30]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
experiment has been replicated on several occasions with similar results. David
Mantell repeated this experiment in Germany in 1970, just 30 years after the
holocaust in the very place where it occurred. He found that 85% of test subjects
were willing to deliver the highest dose of voltage of 450 volts even though
the victim was screaming, begging to be released, and complaining that their
heart hurt. Mantell states,</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This experiment
becomes more incredulous and senseless the further it is carried. It
disqualifies and delegitimizes itself. It can only show how much pain one
person will impose on another…. And yet, the subjects carry on…. That is at
once the beauty and the tragedy of this experiment. It proves that the most
banal and superficial rationale is perhaps not even necessary, but surely is
enough to produce destructive behavior in human beings. We thought we had
learned this from our history books; perhaps now we have learned it in the
laboratory.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn31" name="_ftnref31" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn31;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[31]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Is
this inhuman? No humans do this. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
point is this: if all it takes for the average, ordinary human being to inflict
pain and torture on another human being is a man standing in a white lab coat
saying, “The experiment requires that you continue,” then <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">there is something desperately wrong with humankind</i>. If nothing
else, these experiments demonstrate the ease with which human beings can find
themselves participating in evil. Clay Jones states,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Humans have an
amazing capacity for evil, and for each person who pulled the trigger or
scalded the unborn, there are family, friends, and even majority parties who
knew of the slaughter and did nothing to stop it. We cannot argue that
unusually depraved people perpetrate these evils. Difficulties may encourage
their actions, but otherwise they’re just ordinary folk—sons and daughters,
brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn32" name="_ftnref32" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn32;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[32]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ordinary Men</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
his book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ordinary Men</i>, Christopher
Browning follows German Reserve Police Battalion 101, chronicling their
participation in the Final Solution in Poland. This particular battalion was
responsible for shooting 38,000 Jews and transporting another 45,200 to
Treblinka for extermination. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
title <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ordinary Men</i> is revealing.
Often when we think of the perpetrators of the Holocaust we may be tempted to
demonize and distance ourselves from such moral monsters. We reason that these
heinous individuals must have been degenerate aberrations of society,
brainwashed through propaganda and absent any moral constraint in order to
participate in such atrocities. We think to ourselves, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I could never do something like that</i>!” That is exactly the point.
Reserve Police Battalion 101 was made up of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ordinary
men</i>. Browning states, </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They were
middle-aged family men of working- and lower-middle-class background from the
city of Hamburg. Considered too old to be of use to the German army, they had
been drafted instead into the Order Police. Most were raw recruits with no
previous experience in German occupied territory.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn33" name="_ftnref33" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn33;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[33]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">These
were middle-aged men: old enough to know what Germany was like before Hitler
came to power. They were family men: men with wives, children, and homes. They
were working men: responsible enough to provide for their families and
sufficiently well-adjusted to hold down a full-time job. They were reservists:
not professional full-time military men. And yet these ordinary men from
Reserve Police Battalion 101 were either directly or indirectly responsible for
the deaths of 83,200 Jews.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Is
this inhuman? No humans do this.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
vast majority of genocide researches have come to the same conclusion: it is
the average members of a population that commit genocide. Even in his book,
Browning himself states, “I must recognize that in the same situation, I could
have been either a killer or an evader—both were human.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn34" name="_ftnref34" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn34;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[34]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
it is not just a few ordinary people who commit genocide, but a lot of them. It
takes a lot of regular folk like you and I who are either directly
participating or are simply not doing anything to stop it. What does this say
then about the human condition and our nature as fallen human beings? That we
are basically good? Quite the opposite. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So
what do we learn from this? If it is regular, average individuals like you and
I who willingly inflict pain and torture on other human beings as Milgram
demonstrated, if the perpetrators of genocide are just ordinary people as
Browning and other genocide researchers argue, what does this say about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our own</i> inherent nature? Are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we ourselves</i> just as fallen and corrupt?
Could <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I</i> just as easily participate in
such horrendous evil? To bring the question closer to home,</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">my</b> life had turned out differently,
if <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I</b> was a German living in Germany
during World War II, apart from the grace of God, could <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I</b> have been a guard at Auschwitz?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If
I answer the question honestly, I must answer “Yes.” And if you ask yourself
this question and also answer “Yes,” you are beginning to understand the depth
of human depravity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Reflecting
on this question you may be tempted to say, “No! I could never!” If that is
your response I would challenge you with this: to answer “No” is to implicitly claim
you have been born innately superior than the millions of other ordinary people
who have either committed or condoned such evils in history. Not only is this
claim without scientific or logical foundation, but to claim you were born
innately better is the Nazi position and the mentality which fathers genocide.
After all, it was the Germans who thought they were born innately superior.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn35" name="_ftnref35" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn35;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[35]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Back to the Bible</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the book of Deuteronomy, as God establishes His covenant with Israel, He lists
a number of blessings and promises for Israel which are conditioned on their
faithfulness to the covenant and to their Lord. After listing the blessings,
God warns Israel that if they disobey the Lord and fail to keep His
commandments, if they follow after false gods and engage in the practices of the
Canaanites, then they will not be blessed but cursed. They will be plagued with
sickness and disease, their enemies will lay siege to their cities, and they
will eventually be vomited out of the land. As enemies surround and lay siege
to Israel’s cities, listen to what God says concerning human nature and the
atrocious behavior even otherwise “nice” people are capable of:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The most gentle and sensitive woman among you—so sensitive and gentle
that she would not venture to touch the ground with the sole of her foot—will
begrudge the husband she loves and her own son or daughter the afterbirth from
her womb and the children she bears. For in her dire need she intends to eat
them secretly because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during
the siege of your cities (Deut. 28:56-57).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
is during times of crisis that the true nature of human beings shines forth. Here
the Lord uses the example of the sweet, innocent woman, so gentle and sensitive
she wouldn’t even dare touch the sole of her foot to the ground. This same
woman, when things aren’t going so well, when the city is laid siege and
resources are scarce, not only is this “gentle and sensitive” woman going to
eat her own children, but she’s going to be selfish about it! There are
historical records of Israelites engaging in this very behavior, and on more
than one occasion. Josephus gives us one account from the Roman siege and
destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">There was one Mary, the daughter of Eleazar, illustrious for her family
and riches. She having been stripped and plundered of all her substance and
provisions by the soldiers, out of necessity and fury killed her own suckling
child, and having boiled him, devoured half of him, and covering up the rest
preserved it for another time. The soldiers soon came, allured by the smell of
victuals, and threatened to kill her immediately, if she would not produce what
she had dressed. But she replied that she had reserved a good part for them,
and uncovered the relics of her son. Dread and astonishment seized them, and
they stood stupefied at the sight.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn36" name="_ftnref36" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn36;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[36]</span></span></span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Is
this inhuman? No humans do this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">You
see? If all of this is true, if human beings really are this corrupt, wicked, desperate,
and depraved apart from the grace of God, then what Paul says about the human
condition in Romans 3 starts to make a lot more sense:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">There is <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">none</i></b> righteous,
<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not even one</i></b>; there is <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">none</i></b> who understands, there is <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">none</i></b> who seeks for God; <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i></b> have turned aside, together they
have become useless; there is <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">none</i></b>
who does good, there is <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not even one</i></b>.
Their throat is an open grave…whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness;
their feet are swift to shed blood…there is no fear of God before their eyes
(Rom. 3:10-18).</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">How
could Paul have been any clearer?</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Root of the Problem: Original Sin</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I’m
basically a good person. My good deeds outweigh my bad.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
is the most common answer I have heard from non-Christians in response to the
question, “Why should God allow you into heaven?”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
answer, including the presumption behind it, actually has its root in original
sin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">After
Adam and Eve rebelled against God and brought sin into the world, they
experienced for the first time both guilt and shame. Because of their guilt
they attempted to hide from God, and due to their shame they attempted to cover
themselves through their own effort. This first sin had devastating effects,
not only for Adam and Eve but also for all of their posterity. Once Adam and
Eve became corrupt all they could produce was corruption, i.e., they couldn’t produce
anything better than themselves. And so Adam and Eve gave birth to corrupt
human beings, who gave birth to corrupt human beings, who gave birth to corrupt
human beings, who eventually gave birth to you and me. In that sense, each one
of us is born into this world as a little fallen Adam and Eve. And like Adam
and Eve, fallen humankind today attempts to hide and cover from God. But rather
than sew fig leaves together, one of the most prevalent ways we attempt to
cover our moral shame and guilt is by appealing to our own moral “goodness.”
That is, we point to our “basic human goodness” and “good deeds” in an attempt
to justify ourselves before God. Often this even becomes a rationalization as
to why we don’t need God, e.g., “Why do I need God? I’m living a good enough
life on my own.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ironically
then, these “good deeds” performed by fallen human beings, when appealed to as
evidence of one’s own goodness or as an excuse to ignore the need for God, are
a testimony <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> to moral virtue and
meritorious character but rather to a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">continued
state of rebellion against God</i>. It is an attempt to cover one’s own guilt
and shame by the power of the flesh, i.e., our own hard work and self-effort,
just as Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden. This is moralism, the attempt
to fix and perfect oneself in the power of self, and it is antithetical to the
gospel of grace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
is an important point to grasp. What I am saying is that man’s charade of “good
deeds” is in reality often self-serving, and therefore not “good” at all. They
allow unregenerate men and women to continue to hide and cover from God,
suppressing the truth of their need for Him, while at the same time allowing
them to point to their works and say, “You see? Look at all the good things
I’ve done. I’m a good person.”</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Responding to the “I’m basically Good”
Fallacy</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">How
then should we respond to those who reject the gospel of grace and attempt to
hide and cover from God through their own good works and self-effort? At least
three things can be said.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">First,
everyone thinks they are “basically good.”</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If
there is one thing I have learned while working in law enforcement, it is that
most everyone thinks they are “basically good,” murderers, rapists, and child
molesters included. Inmates convicted of horrendous crimes still manage to find
a way to justify themselves in the sight of God and man:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sure officer, I
made a mistake, who hasn’t? Maybe what I did could even be considered “wrong”
(whatever that misused and misunderstood word means). But you know what? I’ve
done a lot of good things too. I’m basically a good person.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Often
when people say “I’m basically good” what they have in mind is comparing
themselves with other people. They might say something like, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Well, I’ve done
some bad things, but I’m not like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i>
guy over there. Look at what he does. All in all, I think I’m pretty good.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Even
among convicted criminals there is a “code among thieves,” a list of do’s and
don’ts, even a moral hierarchicalism by which certain actions are judged more
heinous than others and by which a rationalization of one’s own actions becomes
possible. The petty thief points to the drug abuser and says, “I’m not like
him, I’m basically good.” The drug abuser points to the kidnapper and says,
“I’m not like him, I’m basically good.” The kidnapper points to the murderer
and says, “I’m not like him, I’m basically good.” The murderer points to the
child molester and says, “I’m not like him, I’m basically good.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
isn’t criminals alone who are plagued by this mentality. It is the average
law-abiding citizen as well. And in my experience, this type of moralism even
impacts police officers, often at an even deeper level. In fact, I think
moralism in general is more perceptible (and can be a greater danger) among
those who work in the criminal justice system due to the simple fact that we
are confronted with a corrupt aspect of society every day that others only see
on TV. In the face of daily evil it is easy for individuals involved in
criminal justice to retreat to the state of mind which says,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Look at that guy
over there. Look at his charges. Look at what he’s been convicted of. I’m not
like him, that’s for sure. I could <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never</i>
do something like that. I work to stop bad people from doing bad things, after
all. I’m one of the good guys. I’m basically a good person.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Moralism
can be one of the greatest obstacles to the gospel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
problem with all of these comparisons is that they do not take into account the
universal corruption of sin that affects all of humankind. If fallen,
unregenerate human beings are your standard of comparison, it’s easy to come to
the conclusion that you are “basically good.” All you need to do is find
someone a little bit worse off than you! Comparing one depraved human being
with another depraved human being will always produce this result. This type of
comparison has the wrong reference point. It is the same Pharisaical attitude
that says “I’m better than him” and which was condemned by Jesus in the parable
of the Pharisee and tax collector (Luke 18:9-14).</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus
is our correct reference point, and Jesus said quite plainly, “No one is good
except God alone” (Luke 18:19). Paul says, “For all have sinned and fall short
of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23) and “There is none righteous, not even one”
(Rom. 3:10). In other words, there is none who are “basically good.” Basically
good compared to whom? Certainly not God; and it is God who we will stand
before on Judgment Day, not fallen unregenerate man.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Second,
niceness isn’t goodness.</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Okay,
so everyone thinks they’re basically good, and no one lives up to God’s
standard of holiness. But there are a lot of nice people. What about them?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
short, niceness is not goodness and being nice is easy much of the time. Jesus
Himself said,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If you love
those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who
love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that
to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect
repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting
to be repaid in full (Luke 6:32-34).</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
other words, these sorts of acts simply reflect the normal human niceness we
see in most every area of society. C.S. Lewis stated, “Everyone <i>feels</i>
benevolent if nothing happens to be annoying him at the moment.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn37" name="_ftnref37" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn37;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[37]</span></span></span></span></a>
Isn’t this true? It is easy to be nice when there is money in the bank, food on
the table, and sunshine on your face. We often see the true nature of fallen humankind
emerge when things aren’t going so well. When the chips are down and times are
tough, the “basic goodness” of humankind, more often than not, quickly
vanishes. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Again,
does this mean that fallen human beings are as bad as they possibly could be,
or that they can do no good <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in any sense</i>?
No. Thomas Schreiner states,</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Do unregenerate
human beings always sin? Is there not some good in their lives? We are not
saying that they are as evil as they can possibly be. Jesus says, “…you then,
though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children” (Luke
11:13). If people were as evil as they possibly could be, they would not desire
to give good things to their children. They would presumably find ways to
inflict only evil upon their children. Unbelieving parents often love their
children and their friends (cf. Matt. 5:46-47). They also may do much that is
good for society. It should be noted that Jesus still says that they are evil.
Evil people still give good gifts to their children and do kind things for
other people.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn38" name="_ftnref38" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn38;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[38]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Evil
human beings still do nice things for one another. This doesn’t mean they
aren’t evil nor does it mean they aren’t slaves to sin. This is because sin is
not merely outward action or inaction which fails to conform to God’s law but
an attitude which fails to acknowledge God and give Him His proper glory. Schreiner
explains:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Romans 1:21-25
clarifies that the heart of sin is failing to glorify God as God. The heart of
sin is a belittling of God and a scorning of his glory, which involves a
failure to glorify and thank him (Rom. 1:21)…Sinners do not give God the
supreme place in their lives…people “served created things rather than the
Creator” (Rom. 1:25). Sin is not first and foremost the practice of evil deeds
but an attitude that gives glory to something other than God. People may be
loving to their children and kind to their neighbors and never give a thought
to God. The essence of sin is self-worship rather than God-worship…Such a
conception of sin helps us understand how people can perform actions that
externally conform with righteousness yet remain slaves of sin. These actions
are not motivated by a desire to honor and glorify God as God…Actions that
externally conform with righteousness may still be sin, in that they are not
done for God’s glory and by faith…Slavery to sin does not mean that people
always engage in reprehensible behavior. It means that the unregenerate never
desire to bring glory to God, but are passionately committed to upholding their
own glory and honor.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn39" name="_ftnref39" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn39;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[39]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">True
moral goodness then isn’t merely being “nice.” True moral goodness is much
closer to the teaching “love your enemies” (Matt. 5:44) which no fallen human
being can do apart from God’s grace. Again, Jesus said quite plainly, “No one
is good except God alone” (Luke 18:19). Niceness isn’t goodness, and we need to
know the difference.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Third,
goodness isn’t even the issue. Badness is.</span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
someone says, “I’m basically a good person, my good deeds outweigh my bad,”
they are assuming at least two things. First, they are assuming they have done
more good than bad. Considering that we are guilty of numerous sins every day
in thought, word, and deed, I don’t think this is true of anyone. Second, they
are assuming that doing good works somehow counteracts all the bad things
they’ve done. This line of thinking doesn’t seem to properly take into account
the concepts of law and justice.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
illustrate this,<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn40" name="_ftnref40" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn40;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[40]</span></span></span></span></a>
imagine you are pulled over for running a red light. In an attempt to avoid a
ticket, you explain to the officer, “Sir, you don’t understand. You see, before
I ran that red light, I stopped legally for 100 red lights. And after you let
me go here, I am planning on stopping legally for another 100 red lights. You
see? My legal stops outweigh my illegal failures to stop. I’m basically a good
driver. Therefore, I don’t deserve this ticket.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Or
what about the murderer who appears before a judge and says, “Your honor, I
confess. I murdered that man. But you don’t understand. I let <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hundreds</i> of other people live! You see
your honor? My good deeds outweigh my bad. I’m basically a good person! Therefore,
you should allow me to go free.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
intuitively sense there is something wrong with the excuses and rationale
offered by the guilty parties. So what’s the problem? It’s this:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">You
cannot make up for breaking the law by keeping the law; keeping the law is what
you are supposed to do.</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
other words, you don’t get a check in the mail or a get out of jail free card
for being a law-abiding citizen. That is the standard you are held to! The
issue is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> that we keep the law
most of the time. The problem is that we break it on occasion! And when we do,
we deserve to face the consequences of our actions.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
same goes for God’s law. Goodness is not the issue; badness is. The issue is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> that we do what we are supposed to
on occasion, the issue is that we have broken God’s law <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">many times over</i> and stand as condemned sinners before Him who
deserve to be punished. We cannot make up for breaking God’s law by keeping His
law, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">keeping God’s law is what we are
supposed to do</i>. And justice requires that we be punished when we don’t. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This,
my friends, is why salvation <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">must</i> be
by grace, and why any works-oriented salvific system is doomed to failure:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For by grace you
have been saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of
God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast (Eph. 2:8-9).</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">You
can’t make up for breaking the law by keeping the law. Keeping the law is what
you are supposed to do. And when we appear before God on Judgment Day, the
appropriate attitude before the most holy, most perfect, most wise, most just
Creator and Savior will <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> be,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Well, you see
God, you don’t understand. Let me tell you how this works. Check it out: my
good deeds outweigh my bad. I’m basically a good person. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
imagine God would look at us the same way the judge might look at the murderer
who said, “Yeah, but I let hundreds of other people live!” and would
appropriately respond, “Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matt.
7:23). When we do what is commanded of us, our only response should be “we are
unworthy servants, we have only done our duty” (Luke 17:10).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our attitude should be one of humility,
reverence, and gratitude, one which says, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner”
(Luke 18:13):</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He saved us, not
on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His
mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit (Titus
3:5).</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Acknowledging
that we as human beings are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i>
basically good not only frees us from the grip of moralism but allows us to
fully embrace and appreciate the gospel of grace. It also has tremendous
implications for the problem of evil.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Human Depravity and the Problem of Evil</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Human
beings apart from the grace of God are capable of horrendous evils. A
discussion of human depravity in relation to the problem of evil is absolutely
necessary because the most frequently asked question concerning the problem of
evil is this: “Why do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bad</i> things
happen to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">good</i> people?” This is
sometimes referred to as the emotional problem of evil.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
put it succinctly, the question “Why do bad things happen to good people?” is
based on the false assumption that people are “good.” Given the reality of
human depravity the problem with this question should become immediately
apparent. Man is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> innately good:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The terrible
human evils in the world are testimony to man’s depravity in his state of
spiritual alienation from God. The Christian isn’t surprised at the moral evil
in the world; on the contrary, he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">expects</i>
it. The Scriptures indicate that God has given mankind up to the sin it has
freely chosen; He doesn’t interfere to stop it but lets human depravity run its
course (Rom. 1:24, 26, 28). This only serves to heighten mankind’s moral
responsibility before God, as well as our wickedness and our need of forgiveness
and moral cleansing.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn41" name="_ftnref41" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn41;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[41]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So
the question is not “Why do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bad</i>
things happen to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">good</i> people?” but
rather “Why do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bad</i> things happen to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bad</i> people?” But nobody ever asks that
question. Perhaps the question we should be asking is this: “Why do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">good</i> things happen to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bad</i> people?” Why has God out of His
mercy chosen to dispense any goodness at all on willful rebellious sinners?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Christian
apologists need to take the consequences of sin and reality of human depravity
seriously when addressing the problem of evil. Many Christians simply pay lip
service to what the Bible has to say about these topics. It’s no wonder then we
are often at a loss for words when someone asks, “Why do bad things happen to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">good</i> people?” A completely biblical,
though partial, rejoinder is this: no one is good but God alone! Bad things
don’t happen to good people because no one is good. Jesus raised no qualms
about our naturally born status as sinners before God, the universal corruption
and guilt of humankind, or our need for repentance. He introduced these very
issues Himself in addressing the problem of evil. He took it for granted that
the wages of sin is death (Luke 13:1-5). Christian apologists should do
likewise (For more on this, see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://pleaseconvinceme.com/2013/why-the-problem-of-evil-is-a-problem-3/">Why
the Problem of Evil is a Problem</a></i>).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
addressing the problem of evil, Christian apologists also need to present a
theodicy which <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">minimally</i> includes the
biblical teaching of original sin and human depravity. G.K. Chesterton referred
to original sin as “the only part of Christian theology which can really be
proved.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn42" name="_ftnref42" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn42;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[42]</span></span></span></span></a>
And why God allows evil won’t make sense unless we have the problem of sin
clearly before us:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The subject of sin is vital knowledge…If you have not learned about sin,
you cannot understand yourself, or your fellow-men, or the world you live in,
or the Christian faith. And you will not be able to make head or tail of the
Bible. For the Bible is an exposition of God’s answer to the problem of human sin
and unless you have that problem clearly before you, you will keep missing the
point of what it says.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn43" name="_ftnref43" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn43;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[43]</span></span></span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
same is true for the problem of evil. The subject of sin is essential because
in raising the problem of evil, the skeptic must put forth an anthropodicy
(justification of man) by arguing that man is “basically good” and God is
unjust for allowing the suffering and evil He does. In response, the theist
must show these assumptions to be false, and in their place put forth a
theodicy (justification of God) which includes evidencing the depths of human
depravity and arguing that God has morally sufficient reasons for allowing
evil. Until we clearly articulate and defend the gravity of sin, as well as the
universal corruption and guilt of humankind, many of our answers to the problem
of evil will largely remain unpersuasive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Skeptics,
however, are often inconsistent when it comes to the nature of man and the
problem of evil. They want to hold to the basic “goodness” of man and at the
same time complain about the evil, pain, and suffering which man perpetuates,
all the while blaming God for allowing it:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On the one hand,
skeptics argue that bad things shouldn’t happen to good people and that the
human race consists mainly of good people. On the other hand, their very
objections concern the bad things people do to one another: murder, war, rape,
child abuse, brutality, kidnapping, bullying, ridiculing, shaming, corporate
greed, unwillingness to share wealth or to care for the environment…The longer
the list of evil things done, the more it demonstrates the truth of what the
Bible says: by nature, human beings are evil, not good. This undercuts the
original argument—that humans are good, and therefore it’s utterly unjust for
bad things to happen to them. Since the same human race that commits these
evils also suffers from them—since we are not only victims, but perpetrators,
of sin—what would God’s critics have Him do? Would they insist he strike us all
down immediately for our evil? Or would they have him remove human choice in
order to protect us from one another? They might as well say that since we are
so good, God shouldn’t allow us to be so bad.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn44" name="_ftnref44" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn44;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[44]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Conclusion: The Doctrine of Human
Depravity Matters</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">How
does a knowledge and understanding of the depths of human evil help us? In
addition to largely answering the emotional problem of evil as discussed above,
the following points prove insightful:<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn45" name="_ftnref45" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn45;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[45]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">First</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, it reveals we have gotten the
problem of evil exactly backward: </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There is a
problem of evil alright. But it isn’t God’s problem—He is only good and doesn’t
do any evil. It’s humankind’s problem because we are the ones who do evil. As
C. S. Lewis put it, “The Christian answer—that we have used our free will to
become very bad—is so well known that it hardly needs to be stated. But to
bring this doctrine into real life in the minds of modern men, and even modern
Christians, is very hard.” Indeed. And a Christian won’t understand why God
allows evil unless he or she thinks these things through.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn46" name="_ftnref46" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn46;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[46]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Second</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, it demonstrates God’s patience
and justifies God’s judgment. If you think that people are basically good you
will often be tempted to ask, “Why is God angry all the time?” when reading
passages in scripture relating to God’s judgment (e.g., the flood, destruction of
the Canaanites, etc.). When you begin to fully grasp the depth of human
depravity, sinfulness and corruption, you instead will say, “Wow, God is really
patient. Why isn’t He judging people sooner?” C.S. Lewis stated, “When we
merely <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">say </i>that we are bad, the
‘wrath’ of God seems a barbarous doctrine; as soon as we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">perceive</i> our badness, it appears inevitable, a mere corollary from
God’s goodness.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn47" name="_ftnref47" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn47;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[47]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Third</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, it magnifies the significance
of Christ’s sacrifice. Jesus didn’t suffer a brutal, agonizing, torturous death
on the cross because you’re basically a good person. If you were good enough to
earn salvation on your own, then “Christ died for nothing” (Gal. 2:21):</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We may feel
tempted to underestimate the horrors of the Cross, because to recognize them is
to admit that our monstrous evil demanded a price so horrific. To make light of
our sin is to make light of Christ’s cross.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn48" name="_ftnref48" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn48;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[48]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charles Spurgeon stated, “Too many think
lightly of sin, and therefore think lightly of the Saviour.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn49" name="_ftnref49" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn49;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[49]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fourth</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, it impassions are witness. If
you think that people are basically good, it will be hard for you to tell them
they are corrupt sinners in need of salvation. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fifth</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, it increases our desire for the
Jesus’ return. When we watch television and see examples of some of the horrendous
evil and suffering that takes place around the world, we often cry out, “Come
quickly, Lord Jesus.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, it reveals the
greatness of our salvation. After all, if you think that you are basically a
good person, your salvation doesn’t seem so grand:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We must
contemplate men in sin, until we are horrified, until we are alarmed, until we
are desperate about them, until we pray for them, until having realized the
marvel of our own deliverance from that terrible state, we are lost in a sense
of wonder, love, and praise.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn50" name="_ftnref50" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn50;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[50]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
good news just isn’t so good unless we have the bad news clearly before us. “Again,
it is certain,” Calvin stated, “that man never achieves a clear knowledge of
himself unless he has first looked upon God’s face, and then descends from
contemplating him to scrutinize himself.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn51" name="_ftnref51" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn51;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[51]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
Dennis Prager, “If You Believe that People are Basically Good” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Townhall.com</i> (December 2002), <a href="http://townhall.com/columnists/DennisPrager/2002/12/31/if_you_believe_that_people_are_basically_good">http://townhall.com/columnists/DennisPrager/2002/12/31/if_you_believe_that_people_are_basically_good</a>
(accessed December 12, 2009).</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>
George Barna, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What Americans Believe</i>
(Ventura: Regal, 1991), 89-91.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>
Langdon Gilkey, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shantung Compound: The
Story of Men and Women Under </i>Pressure (New York: HarperOne, 1966), 92.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>
John Calvin, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Institutes of the Christian
Religion</i>,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>Vol. 1, ed. by John T.
McNeil, trans. by Ford Lewis Battles (London: Westminster John Knox, 2006), 35.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ibid., 37</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ibid., 38.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn7" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a>
Wayne Grudem, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Systematic Theology: An
Introduction to Biblical Doctrine</i> (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), 497.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn8" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[8]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ibid., 497-498.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn9" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[9]</span></span></span></span></a>
R.C. Sproul, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Willing to Believe: The
Controversy Over Free Will</i> (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1997), 125.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn10" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[10]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ibid., 126.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn11" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[11]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ibid., 128.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn12" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[12]</span></span></span></span></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Works of John Wesley</i>, ed. T.
Jackson, 14 vols. (1831; reprint, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1979), 10:350, hereafter
designated as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Works</i>, quoted in Thomas
R. Schreiner, “Does Scripture Teach Prevenient Grace in the Wesleyan Sense?” in
Thomas R. Schreiner and Bruce A. Ware, eds., <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Still Sovereign: Contemporary Perspectives on Election, Foreknowledge,
and Grace</i> (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2000), 232, hereafter designated as
Schreiner.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn13" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[13]</span></span></span></span></a>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Works</i>, 5:104, quoted in Schreiner,
233.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn14" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref14" name="_ftn14" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn14;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[14]</span></span></span></span></a>
Harald Lindström, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wesley and
Sanctification: A Study in the Doctrine of Salvation</i> (London: Epworth,
1950), 45, quoted in Schreiner, 233.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn15" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref15" name="_ftn15" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn15;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[15]</span></span></span></span></a>
Robert V. Rakestraw, “John Wesley as a Theologian of Grace,” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">JETS </i>27 (1984): 196, quoted in
Schreiner, 233.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn16" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref16" name="_ftn16" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn16;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[16]</span></span></span></span></a>
Colin W. Williams, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">John Wesley’s Theology
Today</i> (Nashville: Abingdon, 1960), 41, quoted in Schreiner, 233.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn17" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref17" name="_ftn17" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn17;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[17]</span></span></span></span></a>
Leo G. Cox, “Prevenient Grace—A Wesleyan View,” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">JETS</i> 12 (1969): 147, quoted in Schreiner, 233.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn18" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref18" name="_ftn18" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn18;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[18]</span></span></span></span></a>
Schreiner, 233.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn19" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref19" name="_ftn19" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn19;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[19]</span></span></span></span></a>
See Gen. 6:5, 8:21; 1 Kings 8:46; Ps. 14:1-3, 51:5, 130:3, 143:2; Ecc. 7:20;
Isa. 53:6; Jer. 17:9; Matt. 15:18-19; Mark 7:21-23; Luke 18:19; John 8:34; Acts
26:18; Rom. 1:18-32, 3:10-18, 3:23, 7:5, 7:18 8:7-8; 1 Cor. 1:18, 2:14; Eph.
2:1-3, 4:17-19; Gal. 3:22; 2 Tim. 2:25-26, 3:2-5; Titus 1:15; 1 John 5:19.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn20" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref20" name="_ftn20" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn20;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[20]</span></span></span></span></a>
Sproul, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Willing to Believe</i>, 148-149.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn21" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref21" name="_ftn21" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn21;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[21]</span></span></span></span></a>
Thomas Sowell, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Thomas Sowell Reader</i>
(New York: Basic Books, 2011), 144.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn22" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref22" name="_ftn22" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn22;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[22]</span></span></span></span></a>
Philip Zambardo, foreward to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Obedience to
Authority: An Experimental View</i>, by Stanley Milgram (New York: Harper
Perennial, 2009), xiii.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn23" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref23" name="_ftn23" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn23;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[23]</span></span></span></span></a>
Milgram, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Obedience to Authority</i>, 1.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn24" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref24" name="_ftn24" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn24;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[24]</span></span></span></span></a>
“Two switches after this last designation were simply marked XXX.” Milgram, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Obedience to Authority</i>, 20.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn25" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref25" name="_ftn25" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn25;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[25]</span></span></span></span></a>
Milgram, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Obedience to Authority</i>, 3-4.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn26" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref26" name="_ftn26" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn26;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[26]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ibid., 23.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn27" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref27" name="_ftn27" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn27;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[27]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ibid., 5-6.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn28" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref28" name="_ftn28" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn28;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[28]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ibid., 33-35.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn29" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref29" name="_ftn29" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn29;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[29]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ibid., 6.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn30" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref30" name="_ftn30" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn30;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[30]</span></span></span></span></a>
Zimbardo, foreward to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Obedience to </i>Authority,
xv.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn31" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref31" name="_ftn31" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn31;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[31]</span></span></span></span></a>
David Mark Mantell, “The Potential for Violence in Germany” <i>Journal of
Social Issues </i>27, vol. 4, 111, quoted in Clay Jones, “We Don’t Take Human
Evil Seriously so We Don’t Understand Why We Suffer,” 2011, 9-10, available at <a href="http://www.clayjones.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Human-Evil-and-Suffering.pdf">http://www.clayjones.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Human-Evil-and-Suffering.pdf</a>,
hereafter designated as Jones.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn32" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref32" name="_ftn32" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn32;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[32]</span></span></span></span></a>
Jones, 10.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn33" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref33" name="_ftn33" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn33;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[33]</span></span></span></span></a>
Christopher R. Browning, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ordinary Men:
Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland</i> (New York,
HarperCollins, 1992), 1.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn34" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref34" name="_ftn34" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn34;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[34]</span></span></span></span></a>
Browning, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ordinary Men</i>, xx.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn35" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref35" name="_ftn35" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn35;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[35]</span></span></span></span></a>
Jones, 10-11.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn36" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref36" name="_ftn36" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn36;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[36]</span></span></span></span></a>
Thomas Newton, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dissertations on the
Prophecies, Which Have Remarkably Been Fulfilled, and at this Time are
Fulfilling in the </i>World (London: J.F. Dove, 1754), 345-346, quoted in Gary
DeMar, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Last Days Madness: Obsession of
the Modern Church</i> (Powder Springs: American Vision, 1999), 112-113.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn37" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref37" name="_ftn37" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn37;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[37]</span></span></span></span></a>
C.S. Lewis, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Problem of Pain</i> (New
York: HarperCollins, 1996), 49.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn38" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref38" name="_ftn38" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn38;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[38]</span></span></span></span></a>
Schreiner, 231.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn39" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref39" name="_ftn39" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn39;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[39]</span></span></span></span></a>
Schreiner, 231-232.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn40" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref40" name="_ftn40" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn40;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[40]</span></span></span></span></a>
Thanks to Kevin Lewis for these illustrations.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn41" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref41" name="_ftn41" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn41;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[41]</span></span></span></span></a>
William Lane Craig, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On Guard: Defending
Your Faith with Reason and Persuasion</i> (Colorado Springs: David Cook, 2010),
166.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn42" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref42" name="_ftn42" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn42;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[42]</span></span></span></span></a>
G.K. Chersterton, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Orthodoxy</i> (Chicago:
Moody, 2009), 28.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn43" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref43" name="_ftn43" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn43;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[43]</span></span></span></span></a>
J.I. Packer, quoted in C.J. Mahaney and Robin Boisvert, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How Can I Change?</i> (Gaithersburg, MD: Sovereign Grace Ministries,
1996), 41.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn44" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref44" name="_ftn44" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn44;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[44]</span></span></span></span></a>
Randy Alcorn, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If God is Good: Faith in
the Midst of Suffering and Evil</i> (Colorado Springs: Multnomah, 2009), 72-73.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn45" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref45" name="_ftn45" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn45;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[45]</span></span></span></span></a>
Thanks to Dr. Clay Jones for these points and commentary.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn46" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref46" name="_ftn46" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn46;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[46]</span></span></span></span></a>
Jones, 14.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn47" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref47" name="_ftn47" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn47;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[47]</span></span></span></span></a>
Lewis, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Problem of Pain</i>, 48. </div>
</div>
<div id="ftn48" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref48" name="_ftn48" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn48;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[48]</span></span></span></span></a>
Alcorn, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If God is Good</i>, 66.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn49" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref49" name="_ftn49" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn49;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[49]</span></span></span></span></a>
Charles Haddon Spurgeon, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Autobiography of Charles H. Spurgeon</i> (Grand Rapids, MI: Revell, 1899), 76,
quoted in Alcorn, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If God is Good</i>, 79.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn50" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref50" name="_ftn50" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn50;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[50]</span></span></span></span></a>
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, <i>Studies in Ephesians Chapter 2 </i>(Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker, 1972), 12.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn51" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref51" name="_ftn51" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn51;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[51]</span></span></span></span></a>
Calvin, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Institutes of the Christian
Religion, </i>37.</div>
</div>
</div>
Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-72215263975804265462013-06-18T22:10:00.000-07:002013-06-18T22:14:09.317-07:00Book Review: Cold-Case Christianity<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Quick Facts:</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VNSkMn61Trc/UVcrGIqVIAI/AAAAAAAABIQ/Dzwru6DgFv4/s1600/cold-case+christianity.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VNSkMn61Trc/UVcrGIqVIAI/AAAAAAAABIQ/Dzwru6DgFv4/s200/cold-case+christianity.jpeg" width="155" /></a></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Title</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Case-Christianity-Homicide-Detective-Investigates/dp/1434704696/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371618100&sr=8-1&keywords=cold+case+christianity" target="_blank">Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Author</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: J. Warner Wallace</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Publisher/Year</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: David C Cook,
2013</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Pages</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: 288</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Review:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Case-Christianity-Homicide-Detective-Investigates/dp/1434704696/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371618100&sr=8-1&keywords=cold+case+christianity" target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cold-Case Christianity</i></a>, J. Warner
Wallace, a former atheist and seasoned cold-case homicide detective, takes his
knowledge and expertise gleaned from years of law enforcement experience and
applies important investigative principles in examining the historical
reliability of the gospels. Wallace has been sharing his insights and wisdom
for years through blogging, articles, and podcasts as creator of the <a href="http://www.pleaseconvinceme.com/" target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">PleaseConvinceMe.com</i></a> website, and
recently has joined with <a href="http://www.str.org/" target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stand to Reason</i></a>
as a speaker and contributor.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
book is not just another typical apologetic arguing for the trustworthiness of
the New Testament. It is unique among its peers, tackling the subject from a
perspective only a homicide cop could provide. Cold-case homicides are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">historical</i> investigations, and it is his
skill and perspective as an investigator that gives Wallace the essential
talents and qualifications to examine the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">historical</i>
accuracy of the gospels:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Christianity
makes a claim about an event from the distant past for which there is little or
no forensic evidence. Like cold cases, the truth about what happened can be
discovered by examining the statements of eyewitnesses and comparing them with
what little additional evidence is accessible to us. If the eyewitnesses can be
evaluated (and their statements can be verified by what we have available), an
equally strong circumstantial case can be made for the claims of the New
Testament. But are there any reliable eyewitness statements in existence to
corroborate in the first place? This became the most important question I had
to answer in my personal investigation of Christianity. Were the gospel
narratives <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">eyewitness accounts</i>, or
were they only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">moralistic mythologies</i>?
Were the Gospels reliable, or were they filled with untrustworthy, supernatural
absurdities? The most important questions I could ask about Christianity just
so happened to fall within my area of expertise.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
of the things I enjoyed most while reading this book were the personal
recollections and stories as an investigator that Wallace recounts, and how the
principles he learned and applied on the job can then be used apologetically in
investigating and defending the claims of the gospels. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The book is an outstanding treatment defending the reliability of these
New Testament texts and serves as an important and exceptional addition to any
apologetic library</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
book is broken down into two main sections (fourteen chapters) along with a
postscript and appendix:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Section
1</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">:
Learn to Be a Detective: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ten important
principles every aspiring detective needs to master</i> (chapters 1-10)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Section
2</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">:
Examine the Evidence: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Applying the
principles of investigation to the claims of the New Testament</i> (chapters
11-14, postscript)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Appendix</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: Witnesses and
Resources: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Compiling the resources
necessary to make the case</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Section 1: Learn to Be a Detective</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
section one, Wallace lays a foundation for thinking like a detective that every
Christian apologist should master. Each of these ten chapters focuses on a
different investigative principle that is not only useful for examining the
claims of the gospels but can also be effectively applied in other areas of
apologetic study. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">chapter one</b>, Wallace warns against
the dangers of beginning an investigation with presuppositions that can affect
the outcome of your search for truth. Investigating Christianity is no
different. If we start with naturalistic presuppositions or confuse science
with scientism, we may only end up begging the question and preventing
ourselves from discovering truth. As much as it is within our power, we need to
take note of personal bias and examine the evidence objectively.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">chapter two</b>, Wallace introduces the
idea of abductive reasoning: inferring to the most reasonable explanation. Investigators
are primarily concerned with what is most <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">reasonable</i>,
not with what is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">possible</i>. Christian
apologists would do well to keep this in mind, especially when confronted with
objections such as “Isn’t it possible you’re wrong?” or “Well it’s possible
that…” Just because something is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">possible</i>
it doesn’t follow that it’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">reasonable</i>.
The minimal-facts approach to the resurrection is an example of abductive
reasoning, and Wallace ends this chapter by persuasively arguing that “Jesus
rose bodily from the grave” is the most reasonable explanation given the
historical data.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">C<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">hapter three</b> discusses the importance
of circumstantial evidence. Contrary to popular belief, there is no qualitative
distinction between direct and circumstantial evidence in the eyes of the law.
A case built on cumulative, circumstantial evidence can be just as reasonable
and powerful as one containing direct evidence. Withholding judgment is
unwarranted simply because “we only have circumstantial evidence.” Again, this
is important for Christians to remember, given that many arguments employed by
apologists are circumstantial in nature, especially when dealing with
historical events. Wallace ends this chapter by effectively applying this
principle in building a strong, cumulative, circumstantial case for the
existence of God.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">chapter four</b>, Wallace emphasizes the
importance of evaluating the reliability of witnesses. Whether or not a witness
is reliable will determine whether or not you can trust their testimony. Critical
to this discussion is realizing that disagreement among witnesses is not license
to automatically disqualify their testimony. Christians and skeptics alike
should be careful not to confuse<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
inerrancy</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">infallibility</i> with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">reliability</i>. Witnesses should be given
the benefit of the doubt and apparent contradictions can often be explained by
differing perspectives. This is just as true for the biblical eyewitnesses. The
writers of the gospels claim to be eyewitnesses and were recognized as such
from the very beginning. Whether or not they can be trusted will be the topic
of section two.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
found <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">chapter five</b> to be very
interesting as Wallace applies the art and science of Forensic Statement Analysis
to help evaluate statements within the gospels. In particular, he looks at the
gospel of Mark and builds a strong case that Mark is documenting the eyewitness
testimony of the apostle Peter. The internal evidence of language within this
text corroborates the testimony of the early church fathers, giving us good
reason to trust this historical account of Jesus’ life and ministry.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">chapter six</b>, Wallace tackles the
topic of textual criticism by making an important distinction between <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">artifacts</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">evidence</i>. Just as a crime scene will contain evidence related to
the crime as well as incidental artifacts which play no role, so also there
have been textual variants (artifacts) which have crept into the genuine text
of the New Testament (evidential statements) as the text has been transmitted
through the centuries. But the presence of artifacts in no way compromises our
ability to identify the evidence and come to a reasonable conclusion, nor does
it warrant the wholesale rejection of the text, even if some incidental questions
remain unanswered. Through the art and science of textual criticism, textual
critics are able to identify the artifacts (textual variants) and separate them
from the evidence (genuine text of the New Testament), just as a detective does
when processing a crime scene.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Chapter seven</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> is a much
needed antidote to our culture’s preoccupation with conspiracy theories. For a
conspiracy to be successful there are a number of factors which increase its potential
for success (such as a small number of conspirators, thorough and immediate
communication, short time span, significant relational connections, and little
or no pressure), none of which apply to the beginning of Christianity and the
testimony of the apostles. Wallace states,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I can’t imagine
a less favorable set of circumstances for a successful conspiracy than those
that the twelve apostles faced…None of these eyewitnesses ever recanted, none
was ever trotted out by the enemies of Christianity in an effort to expose the
Christian “lie”…These men and women either were involved in the greatest
conspiracy of all time or were simply eyewitnesses who were telling the truth.
The more I learned about conspiracies, the more the latter seemed to be the
most reasonable conclusion.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Chapter eight </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">lays the
groundwork for a very important subject: “chain of custody.” In short, is there
good reason to believe the gospels (1) are the product of eyewitnesses, (2)
truthfully record the life of Jesus, and (3) have been accurately preserved and
transmitted over the centuries? If so, we can have confidence in our knowledge
of the original “crime scene.” Wallace takes up this issue and examines it in greater
detail in section two.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">chapter nine</b>, Wallace discusses
evidential sufficiency and three reasons people deny the truth: rational,
emotional, and volitional. When it comes to making a decision, requiring
complete knowledge or absolute certainty is unreasonable, and this is no less
true when it comes to spiritual and eternal matters. Unanswered questions and
“possible doubts” are not trump cards against what we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> know. Wallace aptly applies this to the problem of evil, arguing
that evil is evidence <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for</i> God, and showing
that the problem of evil is more <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">emotional</i>
than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">rational</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Chapter ten</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> is a fitting
close to section one as Wallace helps Christians prepare for an attack by
looking at some common strategies of defense lawyers, how they parallel the tactics
of religious skeptics, and skillfully showing how to intelligently think about
these matters. Christians need to remember that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">possible alternatives are not reasonable refutations. </i>In other
words, an assertion is not an argument, and an alternative explanation is not a
refutation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Section 2: Examine the Evidence</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
section two, Wallace now takes the principles of detective work from section
one and specifically applies these principles in examining the gospels. He
argues for their accuracy and their trustworthiness by establishing a
historical chain of custody from the time of the apostles to the fourth
century. Wallace anticipates certain objections and ends each chapter by
addressing some of the most common.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">chapter eleven</b>, Wallace begins his
chain of custody by looking at the early dating of the gospels, which helps
establish the authors as actual eyewitnesses. He presents numerous lines of evidence,
some of most interesting and unique being Mark’s gospel as an early “crime
broadcast” and his protection of key players. Wallace ends by showing that the
most reasonable conclusion based on the circumstantial evidence is that the
gospels were written early during the time of the eyewitnesses.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Chapter twelve </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">was another of
my favorites, dealing with the topic of internal (“inside out”) and external
(“outside in”) corroboration of the gospels. Internal corroboration includes
the fascinating discovery of undersigned coincidences, and Wallace provides
some great examples. But evidence of authenticity is not only found within the
gospels but outside as well, as Wallace presents the evidence from
non-Christian sources and archaeology. The verdict? The gospels are a reliable
and trustworthy account, consistent with the claims of other contemporary
evidences.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Chapter thirteen </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">is perhaps the
hardest hitting “chain of custody” chapter as Wallace traces the transmission
of the gospels from the apostles and testimony of the early church fathers all
the way to the fourth century. Along the way, Wallace shows that the Jesus
presented in the gospels was “not a late invention or exaggeration; it is the
version of Jesus that existed from the very first telling.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>
Not only was the gospel message recorded early and recited to the students of
the apostles, but the texts we have today have been accurately preserved and
are consistent with this early message.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">chapter fourteen</b>, Wallace ends this
section by looking at the issue of bias. Criminal behavior is often motivated
by one of three things: financial greed, sexual or relational desire, and
pursuit of power. But unlike criminals, the apostles had nothing to gain by
lying and everything to lose due to their testimony of the risen Christ. The
most reasonable conclusion? The apostles reported what they actually observed.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Conclusion:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">J.
Warner Wallace embodies what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stand to
Reason</i> constantly emphasizes: knowledge, wisdom, and character. His book is
no different. Wallace takes the knowledge he has gained as a cold-case homicide
detective, wisely applies principles of historical investigation to the claims of
the gospels, and presents all of this material in a winsome and attractive
manner. </span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bottom
line</span></u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">:
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Case-Christianity-Homicide-Detective-Investigates/dp/1434704696/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371618100&sr=8-1&keywords=cold+case+christianity" target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cold-Case Christianity</i></a> is an
outstanding work defending the authenticity and trustworthiness of the four
gospels from the unique perspective of a homicide detective. It deserves to be
read by both Christians and skeptics alike, and especially all of us “one dollar
apologists” who seek to be effective ambassadors for Christ.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
J. Warner Wallace, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cold-Case Christianity:
A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels</i> (Colorado
Springs: David C Cook, 2013), 18.</div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ibid., 114-115.</div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ibid., 230.</div>
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Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-80791212047923725992013-03-04T18:48:00.002-08:002013-03-04T18:55:31.582-08:00Part 1: Introduction to CHIPS (second half)<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QCsLCu-KPH0/UTVculXk8jI/AAAAAAAAAKM/fiv61t3xvpU/s1600/MV5BMjM0Nzg2NzI0Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTIxMDQzMQ@@._V1_SY317_CR5,0,214,317_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QCsLCu-KPH0/UTVculXk8jI/AAAAAAAAAKM/fiv61t3xvpU/s1600/MV5BMjM0Nzg2NzI0Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNTIxMDQzMQ@@._V1_SY317_CR5,0,214,317_.jpg" /></a>This is the second part of the introduction to the CHIPS model of Christian case-making. Read the <a data-mce-href="http://pleaseconvinceme.com/2013/how-every-objection-fits-into-five-questions-part-1-introduction-to-chips/" href="http://pleaseconvinceme.com/2013/how-every-objection-fits-into-five-questions-part-1-introduction-to-chips/">first part here</a>.</div>
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All aspects of apologetics - every positive case and every objection - essentially asks one or more of the following five questions: <i>Is the Bible sufficiently…</i></div>
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<i>1) </i>Comprehendible<i>? </i></div>
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<i>“Is it something I can comprehend?”</i></div>
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<i>2) </i>Historical<i>? </i></div>
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<i>“Is it an accurate reflection of historical events?”</i></div>
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<i>3) </i>Interpreted<i>? </i></div>
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<i>“Is it a proper interpretation of what the author meant to say?”</i></div>
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<i>4) </i>Preserved<i>? </i></div>
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<i>“Is it an adequate preservation of the original composition?”</i></div>
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<i>5) </i>Significant<i>? </i></div>
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<i>“Is it significant for my own life?”</i></div>
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SO WHY FIVE?<i></i></div>
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How can we be so sure every case made in favor of Christianity and all challenges fall into these five categories? Could there be more? The way we can be confident in this is by familiarizing ourselves with the adventures of Christianity over the last 2,000 years. We know these five categories are sufficient because those are the only ones that have been raised. It’s certainly possible for a new critic to come up with a challenge never thought of before, but it’s not likely. As much as the “new atheists” trend gives it a fresh face, critics of Christianity are nothing new and neither are their arguments.<br />
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AUDIENCE</div>
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In this paper when I refer to critics (skeptics, doubters, or unbelievers, etc) I’m describing people who are simply unconvinced of the truth of Christianity. It would be unfair to lump everyone in this group together since there are at least three main types: 1) non-Christian religious believers, 2) atheists, 3) agnostics. These can then be subdivided even further but this distinction should suffice for our purposes.</div>
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We all come to the table with a unique perspective, bias, and belief system. Christians are called to share and defend the gospel message to all. If we were to try and list every objection we would have a fantastic index to reference. That may be fine when we have access to a binder or electronic device, but more often than not we’re called to defend our faith when we have little more than our own minds.</div>
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The best way to remember how to handle objections is to organize the data in advance. The bad news is there’s a lot of data. But if I’m right that all of it can be boiled down to one of five categories, by organizing the data we’ll have a better chance of using it effectively.</div>
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LEARNING FROM OTHERS</div>
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Looking back in my own mistakes, I would usually err in my approach in one of two ways. Either I would make things too complicated or too simple. I would overcomplicate by giving too much information in response to a skeptic's straight forward question. It’s as if I was throwing spaghetti at the wall hoping some would stick. Other times I’d be overly simplistic by assuming my audience would be blown away by just one piece of knock-down-drag-out evidence. If I found a particular argument so convincing, so would everyone else! Or so I thought. Given the law of averages I may have eventually succeeded, but there's a better way.</div>
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The method I’m suggesting is similar to how William Lane Craig prepares for debates against Christianity’s biggest critics. Although his subjects are different (i.e. first cause, moral, design, resurrection, and personal testimony), he prepares a cumulative case for Christianity by organizing his arguments and preparing for objections in advance. He frames his argument in a powerful way and then prepares for possible objections within the specific categories relating to his arguments. He never veers off course. If his opponent brings up a red herring that’s irrelevant to the issue, he quickly sidesteps it and keeps the conversation on the topics at hand. Surely Dr. Craig is a brilliant and well read scholar, but he always sticks to the same game plan in every encounter. Download the audio or transcript of any one of his many debates and you’ll see it works extremely well. It works because he’s organized and prepared for the encounter.</div>
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CRAIG’S THREE STEPS</div>
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Here’s how Dr. Craig does it:</div>
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<i>Step #1: Identify Relevant Categories</i></div>
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Dr. Craig knows what makes a good case for Christianity. He has two doctorates in fields that are arguably the most useful in Christian apologetics: philosophy and biblical studies. Specifically, his dissertations in each field strike at the heart of central Christian claims. His work in philosophy focused on the cosmological argument while his New Testament work centered on the resurrection of Jesus. There are perhaps no issue more central to Christianity than the creation and resurrection events. Accordingly, the Kalam cosmological argument and the evidence for the resurrection are almost always two arguments in Craig’s quiver on the debate stage.</div>
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Next time you view one of his debates, notice how Dr. Craig enters the stage and seats himself at a large table with an array of documents. Dr. Craig’s experience allows him to memorize much of the data, but he still relies on notes that provide him with quick responses to objections he’s prepared for in advance. He keeps them organized by category based on the arguments he’s presenting. During the debate, you’ll also find him writing notes while the other speaker is talking. Here’s where Dr. Craig prepares his response. While listening to his opponent, he carefully lists everything that challenges his case. He categorizes these challenges by the specific argument under attack. This way, Craig’s next chance at the podium will allow him to address these quickly to leave the fewest questions unanswered.</div>
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In a more casual way, we can apply this strategy to our own interactions with unbelievers. What's the person really concerned with? Is it a matter of comprehension, history, interpretation, preservation, or significance? If she questions your reasoning, clarify what you meant and how you came to your conclusions (comprehension). If history is the issue, explain your evidence and methodology (historicity). When a skeptic challenges the transmission of ancient documents, textual criticism is the subject to focus on (preservation). Does your friend have another way of understanding a disputed text? Biblical hermeneutics will help get at what the original author meant to say (interpretation). And when someone doubts the authority behind it all or doesn’t even care to explore the truth, it’s time you show them why it’s personally important for us all (significance).</div>
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<i>Step #2: Know Each Category (Facts and Methodology)</i></div>
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Each subject area has its own way of operating. For every topic, there are experts who rely on standard practices to either affirm or reject their hypotheses. Each field has a unique goal in mind with different ways of getting there. A general working knowledge of how experts debate the issues is all that’s needed to get started. Dr. Craig is not only familiar with the methodology in the relevant fields, but also communicates them as necessary to educate his audience and further support his points.</div>
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It makes sense to rely on expert methodology. By analogy, a general contractor may have the resources to build a house from the ground up. To do this, he relies on the best practices of professionals who conduct plumbing, masonry, framing, electrical, flooring, roofing, HVAC, and painting. It would be foolhardy to attempt building the entire house with plumbing methods alone. Rather, the entire project is only successful when each expert follows the rules of his trade. Likewise, the most productive examination of Christianity is through methodology used by the experts each of its scholarly disciplines. Unfortunately, too many people rely upon one or two areas that relate to the study of Christianity and ignore the rest.</div>
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Familiarize yourself with the facts for each field of study. This is the part that takes the longest. There’s really no short cut around good old fashioned education. Dr. Craig urges anyone interested to get a PhD because he strongly feels that influence trickles through to the churches from the academy. While that may not be an option for you, try to learn how to identify reliable resources. Read as much as you can reasonably absorb focusing mostly on what you’re interested in so you don’t get burned out. Get together with others who share the interest in studying an area of Christianity. Once equipped, lead a small study or teach a church class on the topic, or write a blog. Making your views publicly accessible forces you to be precise. It also will help reinforce or challenge your ideas like nothing else can.</div>
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A comprehensive study of all five categories is beyond the reach of this project. But to aid you here, I hope to write more on each of the five categories by summarizing the works of reliable experts and listing references for further study. While not always practical, special effort will be made to incorporate material from experts in their fields who are also committed non-Christians.</div>
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<i>Step #3: Appeal to your Audience</i></div>
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No matter your level of apologetics experience or debate mastery, you will fail to convince anyone if you don’t appeal to whom you’re speaking. You can be right about what you say, but your message will fall on deaf ears if your audience doesn’t like you. Dr. Craig does well here too. He always remains calm and courteous of his opponent (and audience members during debates with Q&A). To appeal to your audience, you have to know them. Craig does an incredible amount of research into his debate opponents and is also mindful of the crowd he’s speaking in front of. While we won’t often find ourselves in front of a crowd, we must do our best to understand our hearers before we offer them an answer. This should come across naturally if we love others as Jesus loved us.</div>
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CONCLUSION</div>
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Volumes through the centuries have weighed in to the reliability the Christian worldview from various angles. This new approach is intended to build upon previously established work and arrange it in a new way. Ultimately, the goal is to equip Christians with a more effective way of presenting and defending the reliability of the Bible.</div>
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I owe thanks to my professors, pastors, and friends I’ve come across in my apologetics journey. Ironically, my inspiration behind this new approach is also credited, in part, to Christianity's greatest critics. Views popularized by critical scholars today like Richard Carrier, Bart Ehrman, Robert Price, and John Dominic Crossan as well as liberal pastors Brian McLaren and Rob Bell, who present serious challenges to traditional Christianity. Their ideas span the spectrum of biblical scholarship so a one-dimensional response simply won't do.</div>
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Despite my enthusiasm behind this new approach, it's not likely any method will settle the debate. After 2,000 years, the battle goes on. There are billions of people in the world who have heard the gospel while nearly that many have rejected it. You may encounter resilient skeptics who constantly jump from issue to issue without resolving anything. Our calling is not to convince the unconvincable but to share what we believe is true.</div>
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Nevertheless, there are honest spiritual seekers out there who deserve to hear a comprehensive case for the reliability of biblical Christianity. If we can't support the central issues of our belief system, perhaps we shouldn't be sharing it at all. The Apostle Paul concurs when he says without the central truth of the gospel, our faith is "worthless."<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn1" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn1" title="">[1]</a> It’s my hope this method helps you identify the issues, anticipate objections, and give targeted responses to those who ask you to "give a reason for the hope that is within you."<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn2" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn2" title="">[2]</a></div>
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Next month I will post about our first category: Comprehension.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref1" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref1" title="">[1]</a> 1 Cor 15:12-19</div>
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<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref2" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref2" title="">[2]</a> 1 Peter 3:15</div>
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Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03530451854121813290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-48263408888700060872013-02-24T15:16:00.001-08:002013-02-24T15:17:13.317-08:00How Every Objection Fits into Five Questions (Part 1: Introduction to CHIPS)<br />
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Of the countless challenges to biblical Christianity, all of them fit into one of five categories. While offered with a variety of different word combinations, every meaningful question essentially asks the same five things: <i>Is the Bible sufficiently…</i></div>
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<i>1) </i>Comprehendible<i>? </i></div>
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<i>“Is it something I can comprehend?”</i></div>
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<i>2) </i>Historical<i>? </i></div>
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<i>“Is it an accurate reflection of historical events?”</i></div>
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<i>3) </i>Interpreted<i>? </i></div>
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<i>“Is it a proper interpretation of what the author meant to say?”</i></div>
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<i>4) </i>Preserved<i>? </i></div>
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<i>“Is it an adequate preservation of the original composition?”</i></div>
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<i>5) </i>Significant<i>? </i></div>
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<i>“Is it significant for my own life?”</i></div>
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<i></i>Fortunately there are good answers to these questions. A majority consensus of scholars - even skeptical ones – speak favorably of Christianity regarding all five areas.<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn1" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn1" title="">[1]</a></div>
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<a name='more'></a><em>Comprehension</em>: Apparent contradictions of Christian doctrine have been refuted.<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn2" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn2" title="">[2]</a><br />
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<em>History</em>: Historians view the New Testament texts as generally reliable.<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn3" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn3" title="">[3]</a></div>
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<em>Interpretation</em>: Theologians contest interpretation in only a small percentage of the text.<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn4" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn4" title="">[4]</a></div>
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<em>Preservation</em>: Surviving biblical texts are more numerous, and widespread, and earlier than any other text, and textual variants affect no central Christian doctrine.<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn5" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn5" title="">[5]</a> </div>
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<em>Significance</em>: The content of the New Testament has tremendous significance for those who come to accept it.<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn6" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn6" title="">[6]</a> </div>
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It may help to memorize these five facts and try to list a few supporting thoughts under each one. I hope to provide more detail in this regard in future writings. The scope of this paper is limited to introducing you to a new way of preparing your defense.</div>
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To appreciate the importance of employing all five categories, we’ll first examine each one separately to see how they do in isolation. Together they build a strong cumulative case. As we progress through the five categories the reasonableness of Christianity increases as each one holds true. But even if true, when each category is considered individually we’re left with unanswered questions.<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn7" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn7" title="">[7]</a> To identify the relevant area to address those lose ends, a letter will follow in parentheses denoting the applicable category: C – comprehension, H – historicity, I – interpretation, P – preservation, and S – significance. For readers willing to study these referenced areas will build their own supporting reasons under each category.</div>
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<b>Comprehension</b></div>
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<i>Importance: </i>For the Bible to be reliable, it must be logical, internally consistent, compatible with established facts, and understandable to the average person.</div>
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<i>Claim: </i>The central claims of Christianity make sense in this way.</div>
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<i>Objections: </i>Even if Christianity makes sense…</div>
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…the events recorded are non-historical (H).</div>
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…we’re missing the point of the message if we interpret it incorrectly (I).</div>
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…the text has been so corrupted that even asking if I comprehend it is misguided. Any real historical events that corresponded to a non-extant original text would be virtually unknowable. In other words, we don’t know what events were alleged to have occurred in the first place (P).</div>
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...events taken place in 1<sup>st</sup> century Palestine don’t impact me (S).</div>
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<b>Historicity</b></div>
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<b> </b><i>Importance</i>: For the Bible to be reliable, the text must correspond to real events that occurred in objective reality.</div>
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<i>Claim</i>: The events recorded in our modern Bible are historical in this way.</div>
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<i>Objections</i>: Even if the events recorded are historical…</div>
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…the Bible contradicts itself, conflicts with established facts, leads to unreasonable conclusions, or contains concepts that are incoherent (C).</div>
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…we’re missing the point of the message if we interpret it incorrectly (I).</div>
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…textual corruption prevents us from accessing the message originally composed (P).</div>
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...events taken place in 1<sup>st</sup> century Palestine don’t impact me (S).</div>
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<b>Interpretation</b></div>
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<i>Importance</i>: For the Bible to be reliable, we must have the ability to recognize and understand the objective meaning of the text as intended by the authors.</div>
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<i>Claim</i>: We can know the Bible’s objective meaning the authors intended to communicate.</div>
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<i>Objections</i>: Even if proper interpretation were possible…</div>
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…the Bible contradicts itself, conflicts with established facts, leads to unreasonable conclusions, or contains concepts that are incoherent (C).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
…textual corruption prevents us from accessing the message originally composed (P).</div>
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<br /></div>
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…the events didn’t happen as recorded (H, P).</div>
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<br /></div>
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…it doesn’t matter to me (S).</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Preservation</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Importance</i>: For the Bible to be reliable, our current copies must have been adequately transmitted through copying and translation since originally composed by the authors.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Claim</i>: The text we have was adequately preserved.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Objections</i>: Even if the text has been accurately preserved…</div>
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<br /></div>
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…the Bible contradicts itself, conflicts with established facts, leads to unreasonable conclusions, or contains concepts that are incoherent (C).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
…the preserved text contains unhistorical claims (H).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
…the text wasn’t originally intended to be interpreted as you claim (I).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
…the text as I understand it doesn’t impact me (S).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<b>Significance</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<i>Importance</i>: For the Bible to be reliable, its message must be relevant to my personal life.<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn8" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn8" title="">[8]</a> </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<i>Claim</i>: There’s nothing that impacts us more than what results from how we respond to the claims made in the Bible.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>Objections</i>: Even if the claims made in the Bible are important…</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
…the Bible contradicts itself, conflicts with established facts, leads to unreasonable conclusions, or contains concepts that are incoherent (C).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
…the claims aren’t true (H).</div>
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<br /></div>
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…your interpretation is incorrect (I).</div>
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<br /></div>
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…lacking a preserved text, we can’t know what the important claims were (P).</div>
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<br /></div>
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Consider for a moment what this tells us. Even after granting the central Christian claims in each category, multiple objections still remain. This means that each field of study can’t sufficiently stand on its own as a complete defense of Christianity. However, each objection can be answered by cross-referencing the relevant field where the objection lies (C, H, I, P, or S). By satisfying the remaining objections, the case is complete.</div>
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QUIZ<b>:</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<b>Which category adequately addresses each of the following objections?</b></div>
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<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span>: </div>
<ul style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<li>If the Bible tells us God created everything, who created God?</li>
<li>How can God be one and three at the same time?</li>
<li>Why does God allow evil?</li>
</ul>
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(answer: Comprehension)</div>
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<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span>:</div>
<ul style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<li>There aren’t enough sources to verify the claims made in the Bible.</li>
<li>Christianity is a myth influenced by the various dying and rising gods of the Greco-roman pantheon.</li>
<li>If I believe in Christianity, don’t I then have to accept all other religious claims as well?</li>
</ul>
<div align="right" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
(answer: History)</div>
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<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span> :</div>
<ul style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<li>There is no objective meaning aside from what each reader defines for himself.</li>
<li>My understanding about [some doctrine or passage] is different from yours.</li>
<li>God speaks to me in [whatever verse is at issue].</li>
</ul>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: right;" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: right;">
(answer: Interpretation)</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span> :</div>
<ul style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<li>Numerous copies have suffered from writing error, mistranslation, or scribal edits so that we can’t know what the original Bible said.</li>
<li>The Koran or Book of Mormon hasn’t been as corrupted as the modern Christian Bible has.</li>
<li>There are so many different versions of the Bible so which do you trust?</li>
</ul>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: right;" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: right;">
(answer: Preservation)</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span> :</div>
<ul style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<li>It is more important for me to continue my lifestyle than consider your intolerant religious beliefs.</li>
<li>The modern age no longer has any need for ancient religion.</li>
<li>I don’t care to even talk about this.</li>
</ul>
<div align="right" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
(answer: Significance)</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
MULITPLE OBJECTIONS<b>:</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
You may have noticed that some objections seem to overlap into multiple categories at the same time. As tidy as we’d like things to be, skepticism rarely exists in a vacuum. Even if we try to keep the discussion on topic, other issues inevitably intrude. Someone may earnestly hold doubts pertaining to more than one category, even all five. Other times, a single question may require exploration into multiple categories simultaneously. In any case, examine the objection in the context of one issue at a time. You may find that clarifying one issue will be all that is needed to resolve their concern.</div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<i>Example</i>:</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
Suppose for instance that your friend claims that the resurrection hypothesis is unlikely because another resurrection episode in the gospels appears unbelievable (Matt 27:52). Our first job is to get at exactly what the problem is (C, H, I, P, or S). Let’s review the options:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
Comprehension: The passage doesn’t make sense.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
History: The passage reflects an event that is not historically accurate.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
Interpretation: The passage has been misinterpreted from its authorial intent.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
Preservation: The text is either completely fabricated or has been inaccurately transmitted from the original.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
Significance: The passage is irrelevant to anything meaningful in my life.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
Where is your friend’s concern? During the conversation, listen for clues as to what trouble he has with the passage trying to identify which of the five questions he’s really asking. Then direct your attention to that area. That he calls the biblical claim of resurrection “unbelievable” may show that he’s having trouble comprehending the concept of resurrection, but you need to ask him to be sure. Maybe he doesn’t believe in miracles (C). Or perhaps he thinks the authors weren’t intending to write history but were speaking metaphorically (I). He might think that this passage was injected into an early manuscript by a creative scribe (P). He might not even think it relates to his life (S). Your friend is the only person who knows so ask him more penetrating questions that zero in on what troubles him about that passage. Don’t assume it.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
Greg Koukl refers to this first step as the Columbo Tactic named for the bumbling TV detective who starts his investigation by asking simple clarifying questions. It’s typically phrased in some form of “What do you mean by that?”<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn9" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftn9" title="">[9]</a> The answer will tell you where you need to focus.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
If it turns out that his hesitation hinges on a false understanding of resurrection, explaining the biblical concept may help him make sense of a concept he didn’t properly understand before. He may not walk away convinced in Christianity as a whole at that point, but at least his question was answered and you’ve done your duty.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
My plan is to make this a series of blog posts that go into greater detail by providing the methods experts in each of these areas use. But first, we'll wrap up the introduction next week and discover how organizing our thoughts this way has been a strategy employed by top Christian apologists. </div>
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<br />
<hr align="left" size="1" style="cursor: default;" width="33%" />
<div>
<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref1" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref1" title="">[1]</a> This summary isn’t a short cut to be relied upon by the fallacious appeal to authority or the majority, but must still be argued for independently. Fortunately, there are good reasons why a consensus of scholars is in agreement on these key issues.</div>
<div>
<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref2" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref2" title="">[2]</a> Geisler, Norman and Howe, Thomas. <i>The Big Book of Bible Difficulties</i> (Baker: 2008) or Archer, Gleason. <i>The New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties</i> (Zondervan: 2001).</div>
<div>
<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref3" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref3" title="">[3]</a> Historians generally tend to be more accepting of reliability than biblical scholars. This may be due to a difference in methodology or philosophical bias. See Michael Licona’s <i>The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach</i>.</div>
<div>
<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref4" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref4" title="">[4]</a> This small percentage can impact significant doctrine as in LDS and JW. However, those who offer alternative interpretations are themselves in the minority. With rare exception, most experts trained in biblical studies employ a standard approach to hermeneutics.</div>
<div>
<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref5" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref5" title="">[5]</a> Variants in places of central Christian doctrine don’t lead to contrary meanings. In fact, the sheer number of copies emboldens the Christian claim that we have an accurate rendering of the original. Dan Wallace calls this an “embarrassment of riches.”</div>
<div>
<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref6" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref6" title="">[6]</a> This is evident in countless life changing testimonies by Christians including objective accounts of miracles. Sincere belief in the reality of benefits/consequences from our response to Christian claims directly changes behavior. Most atheists concede that their Christian friends sincerely experience changed lives as they often mention in debates.</div>
<div>
<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref7" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref7" title="">[7]</a> I don’t assume all skeptics concede to the truthfulness of the Christian’s claim <i>a priori</i>. Rather, the claim must be defended properly first. However, the point of this methodology is to show the problems that arise even if the skeptic grants an apologetic argument based only on one of the categorys.</div>
<div>
<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref8" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref8" title="">[8]</a> This “category” relates more to the importance of the NT documents than their credibility. But it’s no less important since we can only have productive conversation on this topic with those who care about it.</div>
<div>
<a data-mce-href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref9" href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Desktop%20Icons/Reliability/Reliability%20of%20the%20New%20Testament-rev9.docx#_ftnref9" title="">[9]</a> Koukl, Gregory. <i>Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing your Christian Convictions</i>. Zondervan 2009. Grand Rapids, MI. 58-71.</div>
</div>
Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03530451854121813290noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-74008900814423166712013-02-05T23:27:00.000-08:002013-02-05T23:27:17.937-08:00Richard Dawkins: The Untutored Philosopher<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E1egZ61MOJg/URIEqXX1G8I/AAAAAAAAAy8/JqSud1297vY/s1600/dawkins2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E1egZ61MOJg/URIEqXX1G8I/AAAAAAAAAy8/JqSud1297vY/s200/dawkins2.png" width="200" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dawkins the Epistemologist</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Richard
Dawkins is often heralded as a brilliant scientist. Unfortunately he often
resorts to shoddy philosophy. Several examples of Dawkins’ philosophical
ineptness have been pointed out over the years, one of the more prominent being
that his self-described “central argument” in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The God Delusion</i> is not even logically valid.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
In a more recent book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Magic of
Reality: How We Know What’s Really True</i>, Dawkins again leaves the realm of science
(perhaps unwittingly) and tries his hand at philosophy. But regrettably the results
don’t fare any better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The very title of Dawkins’ book
should cause us pause: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Magic of
Reality: How We Know What’s Really True. </i>Notice the subtitle of this book
is philosophical in nature, i.e., <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How We
Know</i> is an epistemological question, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i>
scientific. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Epistemology
is a branch of philosophy (not science) which deals with how knowledge is
defined, what we know, and how we know it. It is an area of study Dawkins
simply isn’t qualified to address, and this becomes painfully obvious as one
continues reading.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In chapter one, Dawkins summarizes his
view of knowledge which functions as the epistemological foundation for the
rest of his book:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We come to know
what is real, then, in one of three ways. We can detect it directly, using our
five senses; or indirectly, using our senses aided by special instruments such
as telescopes and microscopes; or even more indirectly, by creating models of
what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">might</i> be real and then testing
those models to see whether they successfully predict things that we can see
(or hear, etc.), with or without the aid of instruments. Ultimately, it always
comes back to our senses, one way or another.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">According
to Dawkins, all knowledge concerning reality comes through the five senses. If
you can’t see, touch, taste, smell, or hear it, you cannot know it. How we know
what’s true “always comes back to our senses, one way or another.” </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Self-Refuting Epistemology</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For
those familiar with the concept of self-refutation, Dawkins’ view of knowledge
should be glaringly problematic. A statement or philosophy is self-refuting
when it does not meet its own standard or criteria for truthfulness or rational
acceptability. For example, the statement “There is no truth” is self-refuting
since the uttering itself is taken to be true. Self-refuting statements are <i>necessarily</i>
false, i.e., there is no possible world in which they are true. This is because
they violate a very fundamental law of logic, the law of non-contradiction.
This law states that A and non-A cannot both be true at the same time and in
the same sense. In the example above, the self-refuting statement affirms A
(“truth exists”) and non-A (“truth does not exist”) at the same time and in the
same sense, and is therefore necessarily false.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
about Dawkins’ theory of knowledge? How is it self-refuting? Recall the title
of Dawkins’ book: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Magic of Reality:
How We Know What’s Really True</i>. Dawkins is purporting to tell us how we
come to know what is true, and according to him, we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">know</i> what’s true through the use of our five senses. As he states,
it “always comes back to our senses.” We can thus phrase his epistemology this
way:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>All knowledge concerning reality is
acquired through the five senses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
problem with this view is immediately obvious. The belief “all knowledge
concerning reality is acquired through the five senses” is not itself acquired
through the five senses, i.e., there is nothing you can see, touch, taste, smell,
or hear from which you can deduce that all knowledge concerning reality is
acquired through the five senses. This is a philosophical claim (not
scientific) and cannot be justified or grounded in any sensory experience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dawkins
has thus placed himself on the horns of an epistemological dilemma. Either all
knowledge concerning reality is acquired through the five senses or it is not. If
all knowledge concerning reality <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is not</i>
acquired through the five senses, then Dawkins is obviously mistaken in his
claim. But if all knowledge concerning reality <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> acquired through the five senses, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">belief itself</i> that “all knowledge concerning reality is acquired
through the five senses” could not itself be known since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that belief</i> is not acquired through the five senses, and so Dawkins
is again mistaken in his claim. So if Dawkins is wrong he is wrong, but if he
is right he is wrong as well. Dawkins’ epistemology is self-refuting, and it is
on this incoherent, irrational view of knowledge that the entire rest of his
book is based.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Scientism Isn’t Science</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Science
is good, but science isn't everything. Science is only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">one</i> way to discover what is true, but it is not the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i> way. Anyone who says otherwise is
no longer practicing science but rather “scientism.” This is the view that “science
is the only paradigm of truth and rationality...Everything outside of science
is a matter of mere belief and subjective opinion, of which rational assessment
is impossible.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a> While
there are both weak and strong versions of scientism, Dawkins seems to make his
bed in the camp of strong scientism, according to which you can’t know
something unless you can prove it scientifically (using, of course, the five
senses). This is an attempt to elevate science and sensory experience to an illegitimate
and unreasonable level, and in so doing Dawkins has left the realm of science
and thrown his gauntlet into the philosophical arena:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The theorist who
maintains that science is the be-all and end-all—that what is not in science
textbooks is not worth knowing—is an ideologist with a peculiar and distorted
doctrine of his own. For him, science is no longer a sector of the cognitive
enterprise but an all-inclusive world-view. This is the doctrine not of science
but of scientism. To take this stance is not to celebrate science but to
distort it.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">No
doubt Dawkins’ scientism is influenced by his prior commitment to philosophical
naturalism. Ironically, even <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this</i>
commitment (to philosophical naturalism) shows that his philosophy comes before
his science, thus again undermining his own limited self-refuting epistemology.
We could ask Dawkins how he knows philosophical naturalism to be true, a belief
which would be impossible for him to justify based on anything he can see,
touch, taste, smell, or hear. The very fact that Dawkins deals with the topic
of epistemology in chapter one of his book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">before</i>
moving on to scientific issues <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">again</i>
demonstrates the priority and presumption of philosophy over science (as well
as the inability of science to justify his philosophy), a point which Dawkins
seems completely oblivious to.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Science Presupposes Philosophy</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Philosophers
of science understand that science is dependent on philosophy, not philosophy
on science. You can do philosophy without science, but you can’t do science
without philosophy. Even the question “What is science?” is philosophical in
nature (not scientific) and therefore should be addressed by philosophers of
science. The project of science could not even be undertaken without taking
certain philosophical assumptions for granted. Some of the philosophical
presuppositions that science assumes are the following:<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
existence of a theory independent, external world</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
orderly nature of the external world</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
knowability of the external world</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
existence of truth</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
laws of logic</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
reliability of our cognitive and sensory faculties to serve as truth gatherers
and as a source of justified beliefs in our intellectual environment</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
adequacy of language to describe the world</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
existence of values used in science (for example, “test theories fairly and
report test results honestly”)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
uniformity of nature and induction</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The existence of
numbers and mathematical truths</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Not
only must science assume the truthfulness of each of these philosophical
presuppositions, but sensory experience will <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never</i> be able to serve as the justification or warrant for these
beliefs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
a 1998 debate, William Lane Craig faced off against Peter Atkins on the
question “<i>What is the Evidence For/Against the Existence of God</i>?” During
the debate, Peter Atkins made the claim that science can account for everything
and is “omnipotent.” When questioned by Atkins regarding what science can't
account for, Craig lists the following five examples of things that cannot be
scientifically proven but that we are all rational to accept:<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Logical
and mathematical truths</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Metaphysical
truths</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ethical
beliefs about statements of value</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Aesthetic
judgments</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Science
itself</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
help illustrate the limits of science and sensory experience, consider the
following statements:<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
know A and non-A cannot both be true at the same time and in the same sense.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
know 2 + 2 = 4.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
know it is morally wrong to torture babies for fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
know what I ate for breakfast last week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
know truth is when a belief, statement, or idea corresponds with reality.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
know Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth president of the United States.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If Dawkins’ view of knowledge is
correct, we could never know the truth of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">any</i>
of the propositions listed above. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Not a
single one</i> of these propositions is known to be true through the five
senses. Not one of them can be proven scientifically and yet an individual
would be completely rational in accepting each of them as genuine objects of
knowledge.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The first four sentences above are
examples of knowledge by acquaintance, i.e., “the object of knowledge is
directly present to one’s consciousness.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[8]</span></span></span></span></a>
Knowledge by acquaintance is knowledge by intuition. This intuition is “a
direct awareness of something that is directly present to the consciousness.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[9]</span></span></span></span></a>
Sensory intuition, which Dawkins seems to accept, is only one form of knowledge
by acquaintance. But there are others as well, including intuitive knowledge of
our own mental states, the laws of logic, and basic mathematical principles. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Through introspection, or attending
to one’s own awareness of mental states (thoughts, feelings, sensations, desires),
an individual may obtain first-person knowledge of these propositions. This
presents a problem for scientism which entails that all knowledge is acquired
in a third-person way, i.e., as an outsider using her senses to acquire
knowledge about a distinct being or event. If first-person introspective
knowledge is possible, then scientism is false.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[10]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For example, sentence (1) is the law
of non-contradiction, an undeniable law of logic. You cannot see, touch, taste,
smell or hear the laws of logic, nor can you know them to be true through
sensory experience. Sentence (2) is a basic mathematical fact which, like the
laws of logic, is necessarily true. Science presupposes both logic and math so
that any attempt to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">prove</i> logic and
math using science is arguing in a circle. Sentence (3) is known to be true
through moral intuition. Anyone who does not know that torturing babies for fun
is morally wrong is himself morally handicapped. Objective moral values are not
something you can know or perceive through sensory experience. These first
three propositions are self-evident, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a
priori</i> truths.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My knowledge of sentence (4) is warranted
based on my memory which I have direct access to, not on anything I can see,
touch, taste, smell, or hear. Sentence (5) is a metaphysical claim concerning
the nature of truth itself. Science cannot tell us what truth is but rather must
presuppose its existence like the laws of logic. What truth “is” is not
something you can see, touch, taste, smell, or hear. Sentence (6) is a
historical truth which I know to be true based on expert testimony and good
authority. Truths of history are not grounded in or justified by sensory
experience. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Finally, each of the six sentences
above express true propositions. But propositions themselves are abstract,
immaterial, universals which are not sense-perceptible. If all knowledge
concerning reality is acquired through the five senses, we could never know the
propositional content of our own thoughts, beliefs, and ideas.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dawkins the Philosopher of Mind</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dawkins
seems to somewhat anticipate a critique of this sort, and so he attempts to
head it off at the pass:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Does this mean
that reality only contains things that can be detected, directly or indirectly,
by our senses and by the methods of science? What about things like jealously
and joy, happiness and love? Are these not also real?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Yes, they are
real. But they depend for their existence on brains…These emotions are
intensely real to those who experience them, but they didn’t exist before
brains did. It is possible that emotions like these—and perhaps other emotions
that we can’t begin to dream of—could exist on other planets, but only if those
planets also contain brains—or something equivalent to brains…<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[11]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here
Dawkins moves from epistemology to philosophy of mind, another branch of
philosophy (not science) which Dawkins is not only unqualified to address, but
one in which the truth of the matter simply cannot be known through sensory
experience. Whether genuine immaterial mental states and properties exist or
whether the mind is nothing but the brain, this isn’t something that can be
known to be true by anything you can see, touch, taste, smell, or hear. Thus by
claiming to have knowledge in this area Dawkins once again undermines his own
limited self-refuting epistemology.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Leaving
this aside for the moment (and the fact that mental states and properties are
not identical to brain states and properties), notice that Dawkins is still
completely missing the point. Even if Dawkins could offer up a reductionistic
account of consciousness and the mind (which he hasn’t) so as to rid them from
his ontology, the way emotions such as joy or jealously are known is through
direct awareness of one’s own mental states, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> sensory experience. There is nothing you can see, touch, taste,
smell, or hear that grounds the knowledge you possess of your own emotions.
Rather, they are directly present to your consciousness. So Dawkins has
explained nothing by asserting that emotions are dependent on the existence of
the brain. Rather, he has only attempted to explain away.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Furthermore,
the claim that these emotions are dependent on the brain is extremely
controversial. Dawkins here offers no arguments, only assertions. If, for
example, disembodied spirits or immaterial beings such as God or angels exist,
then there is no reason to think these entities could not experience emotions
of joy, anger, jealously, etc., without a material brain. That is because (as
substance dualists would argue) these emotions are immaterial mental states (not
material brain states) which take place in the immaterial mind (not material brain).
Dawkins may object to even the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">possible</i>
existence of such immaterial beings and dismiss them as illegitimate
counterexamples, but then he would simply be begging the question by once again
assuming the truth of philosophical naturalism, a philosophy itself which
cannot be known to be true through sensory experience. Dawkins again would be undermining
his own naïve and inadequate epistemology.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Conclusion</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Richard Dawkins’ commitment to
scientism and philosophical naturalism, if left unchanged, will continue to
pervert both his science and his philosophy. His epistemology is self-refuting,
evidenced by his own inability to remain consistent with it in his writings. No
doubt Dawkins is very knowledgeable in many areas of science, but this
knowledge isn’t transferred by osmosis to other fields such as philosophy. Much
of his philosophy is rubbish, and, to use Dawkins’ own words, “It is amazing
how often people resort to this type of nonsense.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[12]</span></span></span></span></a>
This begs the question, “Why then is Richard Dawkins so popular?” William Lane
Craig perhaps has answered this best:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dawkins is so popular because people are so unsophisticated
in their thinking. I am just appalled, honestly, when I read the stuff that’s
out there on the internet, how inept and sophomoric people are. I’m afraid that
many young people just have never been exposed to good, rigorous argumentation
with regard to these matters and therefore they’re taken in by these Dawkins
types because they’ve never really read sophisticated treatments of these
problems. And to a certain extent I think the church bears a responsibility for
this because we’ve so dumb-downed our preaching, and our Sunday school classes,
and our devotional thoughts, that we’re not equipping Christians to be
sophisticated in their grasp of Christian doctrine and theology, much less in
what good reasons there are to believe it. But, in general, our educational
system I’m afraid has been terribly dumb-downed so that people cannot think
logically, they’re uninformed, and they’re unfamiliar with the sophisticated
literature that is out there on these topics and so they are taken in by this
sort of sophomoric material that people like Dawkins and Harris and Hitchens
put out.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[13]</span></span></span></a></span></span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
See William Lane Craig, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Reasonable Faith:
Christian Truth and Apologetics</i>, 3<sup>rd</sup> ed. (Wheaton: Crossway,
2008), 170-172.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>
Richard Dawkins, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Magic of Reality: How
We Know What’s Really True </i>(New York: Free Press, 2011), 19 (emphasis his).</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>
J.P. Moreland, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Love Your God With All
Your Mind: The Role of Reason in the Life of the Soul</i> (Colorado Springs:
NavPress, 1997), 144.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>
Nicholas Rescher, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Limits of Science</i>,
as quoted in Moreland and Craig, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Philosophical</i>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Foundations for a Christian Worldview</i>,
(Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2003), 346.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a>
Moreland, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Love Your God With All Your
Mind</i>, 147.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a>
You can view this portion of the debate here: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJrMFv6QoX0">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJrMFv6QoX0</a></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn7" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a>
For more on knowledge and intuition, see Moreland and Craig, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Philosophical Foundations for a Christian
Worldview</i>, 71-91.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn8" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[8]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ibid., 72.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn9" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[9]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ibid.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn10" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[10]</span></span></span></span></a>
Thanks to Sanjay Merchant for the insight and commentary in this paragraph.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn11" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[11]</span></span></span></span></a>
Dawkins, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Magic of Reality</i>, 19.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn12" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[12]</span></span></span></span></a>
Dawkins, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Magic of Reality</i>, 234.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn13" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[13]</span></span></span></span></a>
You can view Craig’s comments here: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gpJuztzOH4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gpJuztzOH4</a></div>
</div>
</div>
Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-56042116389460017192012-11-20T19:59:00.001-08:002012-11-20T20:33:51.965-08:00Beautiful Death: New Insight on Death from the Perspective of Suffering<br />
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Can death be beautiful? It’s an odd thought. If some good
can come from death greater than its consequences it could be considered
beneficial. But beautiful? I was unexpectedly faced with this question after
reading two recently published books detailing the lives of two men who
suffered through horrendous evils of WWII. I learned that to approach this
question requires us to know what death really means. We’ll look at four ways.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u>Definition
#1: Physical death is the end of
suffering in this world<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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The deadliest man-caused event in the history of the world
occurred on August 4<sup>th</sup> 1945 when the first atomic bomb deployed in combat
ignited the sky over Hiroshima, a Japanese city of over 300,000 souls. The
ensuing chaos makes the actual death count unclear, but it’s quite likely up to half
the city perished from the blast. It's hard to rationalize this horror,
especially when we fail to place it in the context of the incredible evil
happening in Japan those years. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Useful insight of events leading up to the bomb can be found
in the eye-opening book <i>Unbroken: A
World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption</i> by Laura
Hillenbrand. It’s the story of Olympic runner and WWII veteran Louie Zamperini.
As an upcoming world-class track star, he was expected to be first to break the
4 minute mile and was even personally congratulated by Adolf Hilter at the 1936
Olympics in Berlin. Soon after war erupted and he never broke <i>that</i> record. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Louie entered the Army as a B-24 bombardier in the Pacific Theater.
Tragically, after a couple near-misses, Louie’s plane and entire crew finally went
down at sea as many of them did. Surviving the crash, he endured 47 days at sea
making him and his raft-mate the longest known survivors at sea. He spent his
ordeal on a damaged raft with almost no food, water, shelter, or supplies. He
was under constant threat from man-eating sharks, sun blisters, lice, infection,
hallucination, starvation, dehydration, mental fatigue, and enemy aircraft.
When Louie eventually found land it was in hostile territory and he was quickly
captured by the Japanese. That’s when things really got bad.<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
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Of all the horrors
facing downed men, the one outcome that they feared the most was capture by the
Japanese. The roots of the men’s fear lay in an event that occurred in 1937, in
the early months of Japan’s invasion of China. The Japanese military surrounded
the city of Nanking, stranding more than half a million civilians and 90,000
Chinese soldiers. The soldiers surrendered and, assured of their safety,
submitted to being bound. Japanese officers then issued a written order: ALL
PRISONERS OF WAR ARE TO BE EXECUTED [an order common enough to be known as the
“kill-all” policy]. What followed was a six-week frenzie of killing that defies
articulation. Masses of POWs were beheaded, machine-gunned, bayoneted, and
burned alive. The Japanese turned on civilians, engaging in killing contests,
raping tens of thousands of people, mutilating and crucifying them, and
provoking dogs to maul them. Japanese soldiers took pictures of themselves
posing alongside hacked-up bodies, severed heads, and women strapped down for
rape. The Japanese press ran tallies of the killing contests as if they were
baseball scores, praising the heroism of the contestants. Historians estimate
that the Japanese military murdered between 200,000 and 430,000 Chinese
including the 90,000 POWs, in what became known as the Rape of Nanking. <a href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Death%20is%20Beautiful-rev.docx#_edn1" name="_ednref1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">[i]</span></b></span><!--[endif]--></span></a></div>
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As a result of this fear, many would rather have died in
combat than be captured alive. As the example of Nanking illustrates, military
POWs weren’t the only targets of such cruelty. About a half-million foreign
slave laborers populated the camps too. The Japanese terror campaign first raged
upon the inhabitants of their newly occupied lands. Then as American and Allied
forces entered the fray, thousands of them were either killed or imprisoned in
hundreds of prison camps throughout Japanese controlled lands. In addition to
routine executions and the “kill-all” policy, these camps hosted suffering of
all kinds. At times, death came as a welcome relief to those lingering for
months of forced labor, malnourishment, physical abuse, dehydration, disease, exposure
to the elements, mental fatigue, medical experiments, sadistic games, and cannibalist
rituals. In the context of this suffering, death may have seemed sweet.
Zamperini was subjected to these things daily for 3 and a half years.</div>
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<br /></div>
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As Allied forces advanced and the war’s end neared, the
situation for camp residents worsened. Hillenbrand recounts that for Louie,
torment in the camps intensified as the fear of defeat grew in the minds of his
captors. Although POWs were kept from hearing how much ground the Allies were
gaining, this reality became evident by the actions of those around them. Louie
recalled the agitation and fear of the guards translated into increased
aggression upon the prisoners. He also noticed something different about the
civilians in the nearby community as Japan’s defeat drew closer.</div>
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<br /></div>
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It was clear to them that Japan had long ago lost this war.
But Japan was a long way from giving in. If a massively destructive air war
would not win surrender, invasion seemed the only possibility. POW’s all over
the country were noticing worrisome signs. They saw women holding sharpened
sticks, practicing lunges at stacks of rice straw, and small children being
lined up in front of schools, handed wooden mock guns, and drilled. Japan,
whose people deemed surrender shameful, appeared to be preparing to fight to
the last man, woman, or child. <a href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Death%20is%20Beautiful-rev.docx#_edn2" name="_ednref2" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">[ii]</span></b></span><!--[endif]--></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Japanese weren’t willing to lose. National pride was closely
linked to individual identity and personal honor was valued higher than life
itself. If Japan couldn’t win, her people would all die trying.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now with an understanding of the greater context, let’s
return to the atomic bombing at Hiroshima. Most of us learned the bombs were necessary
to end the war, but many people don’t fully appreciate just how significant an
end to <i>this</i> war really was. Calculating
the decision must not have been just a math equation balancing numbers of human
lives that could be saved versus those that may be lost. There was also the
lesser known factor of evil at work behind the scenes. Here's the candid
reaction of one recently liberated POW as he came upon Hiroshima’s ashes still
smoldering: </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
A few trains slipped past Hiroshima. Virtually every POW
believed that the destruction of this city had saved them from execution. John
Falconer, a survivor of the Bataan Death March, looked out as Hiroshima neared.
‘First there were trees,’ he told historian Donald Knox. ‘Then the leaves were
missing. As you got closer, branches were missing. Closer still, the trunks
were gone and then, as you got in the middle, there was nothing. Nothing! It
was beautiful. I realized this was what had ended the war. It meant we didn't
have to go hungry any longer, or go without medical treatment. I was so
insensitive to anyone else's human needs and suffering. I know it's not right
to say it was beautiful, because it really wasn't. But I believed the end
probably justified the means.’ <a href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Death%20is%20Beautiful-rev.docx#_edn3" name="_ednref3" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">[iii]</span></b></span><!--[endif]--></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The prisoners saw for themselves the ashes of a city with
half of its people destroyed and its buildings in ruin. Hearing one of them
describe it as beautiful may be difficult to hear, but is understandable from
the perspective of those on the receiving end of Japanese oppression. </div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Definition
#2: Physical death as just punishment<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
America was thrust into war against Japan after their attack
on Pearl Harbor. Who was at fault for this massive campaign of death? If Japan
started it, should they pay the ultimate price? It’s easy to blame the loser.
Besides, a nation launching itself into war may be morally justified under the
right circumstances. However, this doesn’t seem to be the case for Japan
considering what motivated them to attack in the first place.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hillenbrand touches on four different factors in Japan leading
up to the war. First, Pearl Harbor illustrated the Japanese offensive spirit
that launched their imperialist empire. Second, nationalism and personal honor
created a will of the Japanese people to die fighting. Third, the racial
elitism espoused by their government officials and news media of the time shows
bigoted motives behind Japan’s conquest. And fourth, Japan’s nihilistic
philosophy led naturally to widespread disregard for human welfare. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This wicked rationalization sounds strikingly similar to the
Nazis. Both Germans and Japanese launched unprovoked offensives into peaceful
territory. In both cases, the military’s drive was pushed by the people’s
nationalistic pride and endured for shame of defeat. Both nations were driven
by the perspective of racial superiority over their conquered people. Both knew
they had to spread this vision by controlling information in the media and in schools.
Underlying it all, key decisions in both regimes were made by people operating
under an ultimately atheistic worldview. <a href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Death%20is%20Beautiful-rev.docx#_edn4" name="_ednref4" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[iv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nazi war criminals grotesquely earned the despised legacy
that will forever be attached to their name, but they weren’t the only bad
guys. While people were suffering in Germany, human evil was alive and well on
the other side of the world. Germany far exceeds them in total victim count,
but Japan beat the Nazi’s in at least one regard: their POW mortality rate was
50% greater. Of the 132,000 Allied prisoners of war held in Japan (that we know
of), nearly 36,000 died. Of Americans, only 6 of every 10 came home. Compare
this to Nazi and Italian camps were 9 of 10 prisoners returned alive. <a href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Death%20is%20Beautiful-rev.docx#_edn5" name="_ednref5" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[v]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Racism is a serious charge against the Japanese which may
surprise some readers. So before moving on, perhaps more should be said. It’s
not comfortable to think about people being racist on a grand scale, but it apparently
wasn’t limited to Germany:</div>
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<br /></div>
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Central to the Japanese identity was the belief that it was
Japan’s divinely mandated right to rule its fellow Asians, whom it saw as
inherently inferior. “There are superior and inferior races in the world,” said
the Japanese politician Nakajima Chikuhei in 1940, “and it is the sacred duty
of the leading race to lead and enlighten the inferior ones.” The Japanese, he
continued, are “the sole superior race of the world.” Moved by necessity and
destiny, Japan’s leaders planned to ‘plant the blood of the Yamato [Japanese]
race” on their neighboring nations’ soil. They were going to subjugate all of
the Far East. Japan’s military-dominated government had long been preparing for
its quest. Over decades, it had crafted a muscular, technologically
sophisticated army and navy, and through a military-run school system that
relentlessly and violently drilled children on the nation’s imperial destiny,
it had shaped its people for war. Finally, through intense indoctrination,
beatings, and desensitization, its army cultivated and celebrated extreme brutality
in its soldiers.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Death%20is%20Beautiful-rev.docx#_edn6" name="_ednref6" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">[vi]</span></b></span><!--[endif]--></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lest we think we’ve evolved beyond senseless violence in
modern times, we can remind ourselves that the 20<sup>th</sup> century contains
more human carnage than in the rest of history combined. Surely, violence runs
throughout human history, but after 1900 something changed. With deaths suddenly
counted in the tens of millions, no other century comes close even after accounting
for population growth. So what led to this and how could anyone let it happen
let alone the majority population of free nations? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The atrocities at the hands of willing human beings in both Japan
and Germany happened simultaneously in cultures far removed and virtually
independent of each other. Could the only common thread be their humanity? To
answer this question requires a deep look into the nature of the human soul. Alexander
Solzenitzyn reflected on this question during eight tumultuous years in the
Soviet Gulag. In his book <i>Gulag
Archipelago</i> Solzenitzyn acknowledges that innate evil rests not only in his
fellow Russian tormentors:</div>
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<br /></div>
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Where did this wolf-tribe [officials who torture and kill]
appear from among our people? </div>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
Does it really stem from our own roots? Our own blood?</div>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
It is our own.</div>
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And just so we don’t go around flaunting too proudly the
white mantle of the just, let </div>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
everyone ask himself: “If my life had turned out differently,
might I myself not have </div>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
become just such an executioner?”</div>
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It is a dreadful question if one answers it honestly<a href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Death%20is%20Beautiful-rev.docx#_edn7" name="_ednref7" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">[vii]</span></b></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In other words, it’s not only Assyrians, Greeks, Romans,
Europeans, Japanese, Germans, Russians, Chinese, Cambodians, Ugandans, Haitians,
Serbs, or Afghans who do these things. Humans do. And unless we’re not human,
we’re not excused as somehow innately superior. Ordinary humans are capable of
incredible evil. For those who agree, the guilt is enormous. For the rest,
denial is just as big. In either case, we need a solution. Since man is the
problem, the solution can’t be found in man alone. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s sobering news to realize we can each be just as evil as
history’s worst villains. To fully appreciate that we’re all capable of horrendous
evil certainly isn’t pleasant. Human morality can be so badly corrupted that
even massive death in nuclear war is beautiful. It’s that bad. And that’s why
we need a savior. If we weren’t capable of such evil, we wouldn’t need saving.
But that we have evil in us means we can’t be reconciled with a God who won’t allow
even a molecule of evil to go unnoticed. The only right thing for a morally
perfect Being to do is bring justice, not mercy. Perhaps the reason God
designed us for natural death is to limit the extent of our damage here on
earth. It’s the world’s greatest mystery that God took it upon himself to allow
us eternal life by offering us his son Jesus to take the penalties we deserve. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Definition
#3: Death as the end of living only for
ourselves<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s more to the story of Louie Zamperini. After the war,
Louie returned to California but couldn’t quite resume the life he dreamed of.
Instead, the dream became a recurring nightmare of a prison guard he called
“The Bird.” His wartime experiences left him emotionally unstable, overly
dependent on alcohol, and unable to control his emotions. Louie started fights
with strangers and his wife left him. But something happened to him that
changed him more than anything else ever could.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eventually, Louie found the God he prayed to on the raft
while floating in the Pacific. It was the God he always knew was there, but it
wasn’t the God he was expecting. It was the same God he prayed to from the raft
but a God much different than he knew before. Rather than just someone to pray
to in tough times, it was <i>the</i> God who
is part of every aspect of life and reality. Through steadfast efforts by his
wife and a Billy Graham crusade, he found God to be someone worth following and
he’s done so ever since. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As the years passed, Louie’s hatred for The Bird miraculously
diffused. Rage gave way to forgiveness. Despite his resistance, it was a grace
that Louie could only find in the person of Jesus. Louie found that forgiveness
released him from the bounds of anger, fear, and pain that gripped him since
the war. If anyone deserved to be angry, Louie did. The “Bird” robbed him of
his pride as a human being. But what Louie didn’t realize is that his pride was
part of the problem. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Louie’s change was more than an internal feeling or
religious expression. Before God came into Louie’s life, he hunted for the Bird
in hopes of killing him with his own hands. After finding God, Louie still
sought after the Bird. But instead of desiring vengeance, Louie only wanted to
forgive him in person. Louie took his beliefs into action by visibly changing
his life. He made several trips to Japan. In addition to searching for the
Bird, Louie preached to POW prison guards incarcerated in Japan for war crimes.
After embracing a new life seeking after Christ, he never had a nightmare of
The Bird again. His wife returned to him and he’s lived a wonderful life ever
since. Today he’s outlived them all and proudly tells his story. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Louie survived an amazing ordeal spanning 400 pages of
single-spaced text. The book ends with an ironic truth found as a parallel in the
gospel. To follow Christ, we must first die to ourselves (Luke 9:23-36). Louie
survived only so that he could die. It was only when he was able to die to
himself and live to follow Jesus that he was able to truly live in the sense
that God designed him to. May we do likewise and discover how beautiful death
really is.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Definition
#4: Physical death is how we enter paradise<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Maybe death can have beauty in another way - in a sense that
transcends this world. After all, death exists only in this world before it’s no
longer death. Once we die, we’re no longer <i>in
this world</i>. If we’re right about
this, then we’re worried about something that isn’t even in this world. As
followers of Jesus, the end of this world is the beginning of paradise. So in
fearing death, perhaps we’re afraid of something wonderful. What a waste! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor and scholar in
Germany prior to and during the Nazi regime. Not only was he a pastor but a
well-schooled theologian who studied at Union Theological Seminary in New York
and earned his doctorate from Berlin University. He also was well connected by
relation or close friendship with Europe’s cultural elite. He was an outspoken
critic of the Third Reich and involved with the conspiracy to assassinate
Hitler for which he was eventually imprisoned and executed. After years of
defending the traditional German church and seeking support from Christian
leaders abroad, Bonhoeffer’s country degraded into unimaginable evil his
resistance notwithstanding. Bonhoeffer considered death in this way:</div>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br />
That life only really begins when it ends here on earth, that
all that is here is only the prologue before the curtain goes up – that is for
young and old alike to think about. Why are we so afraid when we think about
death?... Death is only dreadful for those who live in dread and fear of it.
Death is not wild and terrible, if only we can be still and hold fast to God’s
Word. Death is not bitter, if we have not become bitter ourselves. Death is
grace, the greatest gift of grace that God gives to people who believe in him.
Death is mild, death is sweet and gentle; it beckons to us with heavenly power,
if only we realize that it is the gateway to our homeland, the tabernacle of
joy, the everlasting kingdom of peace.</div>
<div class="MsoQuote" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
How do we know that dying is so dreadful? Who knows whether,
in our human fear and anguish we are only shivering and shuddering at the most
glorious, heavenly, blessed event in the world? <a href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Death%20is%20Beautiful-rev.docx#_edn8" name="_ednref8" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">[viii]</span></b></span><!--[endif]--></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Beauty isn’t the first word we normally use to describe
death. But maybe we need to understand what death means before we dismiss this seemingly
odd proposition. First we’ve heard a POW survivor describe the beauty of
nuclear holocaust as a means to end utmost suffering. Then we saw how death can
bring about justice. Next, death was looked at as the end of living for oneself
for the follower of Christ. Finally, Bonhoeffer describes death as being
beautiful in the actual event itself. He considers that death may be the
beginning of the most glorious moment we’ll ever experience if we trust in the
Lord Jesus. This isn’t something we’re accustomed to hearing in our comfortable
living room couches or even in our churches. For many in this world, anything
not immediately satisfying our senses isn’t worth doing. Yet, as these stories
of these brave Christian men and the gospel itself make clear, Christians
aren’t always called to be comfortable. Sometimes truth is only found by those
who live in real suffering and face evil directly. How shameful it would be if
we were to ignore their lessons of those like Zamperini and Bonhoeffer. Once we
understand what death really means, we too can see that it can be beautiful. More
than that, it’s a gift from God.</div>
<div>
<!--[if !supportEndnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="edn1">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Death%20is%20Beautiful-rev.docx#_ednref1" name="_edn1" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[i]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Hillenbrand, Laura. <i>Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience,
and Redemption</i>. New York: Random House. 2010. Kindle. P88.</div>
</div>
<div id="edn2">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Death%20is%20Beautiful-rev.docx#_ednref2" name="_edn2" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[ii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Ibid. p291</div>
</div>
<div id="edn3">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Death%20is%20Beautiful-rev.docx#_ednref3" name="_edn3" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[iii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Ibid. p315</div>
</div>
<div id="edn4">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Death%20is%20Beautiful-rev.docx#_ednref4" name="_edn4" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[iv]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Atrocities in Russia under Stalin, in China under Mao, and in Cambodia under
Khmer Rouge could be added to this list as well.</div>
</div>
<div id="edn5">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Death%20is%20Beautiful-rev.docx#_ednref5" name="_edn5" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[v]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Ibid. p315</div>
</div>
<div id="edn6">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Death%20is%20Beautiful-rev.docx#_ednref6" name="_edn6" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[vi]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Ibid. p43</div>
</div>
<div id="edn7">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Death%20is%20Beautiful-rev.docx#_ednref7" name="_edn7" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[vii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Thanks to my friend and mentor Dr. Clay Jones for this reference on page 10 of
his paper “We Don’t Take Human Evil Seriously So We Don’t Understand Why We
Suffer” found here <a href="http://www.clayjones.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Human-Evil-and-Suffering.pdf">http://www.clayjones.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Human-Evil-and-Suffering.pdf</a>
in reference to a quote found in Solzhenitsyn’s <i>Gulag Archipelago</i> p160.</div>
</div>
<div id="edn8">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Dan/Desktop/Death%20is%20Beautiful-rev.docx#_ednref8" name="_edn8" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[viii]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Metaxes, Eric. <i>Bonhoeffer: Pastor,
Martyr, Prophet, Spy</i>. Thomas Nelson:
Nashville. Kindle. p531-532.</div>
</div>
</div>
Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03530451854121813290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-22488055835336404792012-10-24T10:19:00.000-07:002012-10-24T10:19:51.300-07:00Is Biblical Inerrancy Irrelevant?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://enlightenmentorsalvation.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/bible-scribe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="http://enlightenmentorsalvation.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/bible-scribe.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Biblical
inerrancy may be defined as follows: “when all the facts are known, the
Scriptures in their original autographs and properly interpreted will be shown
to be wholly true in everything that they affirm, whether that has to do with
doctrine or morality or with the social, physical, or life sciences.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
important element of this definition is that inerrancy only applies to the
original autographs. But since we no longer have the original autographs in our
possession, the question that begs to be asked is, “Of what use or importance
is biblical inerrancy then? Is biblical inerrancy even relevant?” Some liberal
theologians conclude that inerrancy is altogether irrelevant. This, in turn,
has negatively affected how many Christians view Scripture and the confidence
they place in it.</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Let’s Get Metaphysical</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
my friends this shouldn’t be. Biblical inerrancy <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i></b> relevant and Scripture
commands your confidence. To help explain why this is so, let us consider the
distinction commonly made by metaphysicians between word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tokens</i> and word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">types</i>.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>
Consider the following words:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">RED BLUE RED</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now
reflect on this question: “How many words are there?” The question is ambiguous
because there is a sense in which it looks like there are two words (RED and
BLUE), and another sense in which it looks like there are three words (RED,
BLUE, and RED). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The question receives
clarification when we distinguish between word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tokens</i> and word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">types</i> and
specify which we are interested in. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If
we are asking how many word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tokens </i>there
are, then we have three: two tokens of the word RED and one token of the word
BLUE. A <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">token</i> is an individual,
particular kind of thing. It is a specific thing that can only exist in one
place at one time. If, on the other hand, we are asking how many word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">types</i> there are, then we have two: the
word type RED and the word type BLUE. A <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">type</i>
in this case is a universal. It is repeatable and can be in more than one place
at one time. It is the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">same</i> word.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Back to Biblical Inerrancy</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
does this have to do with biblical inerrancy? When liberal theologians or
skeptics assert that biblical inerrancy is irrelevant because we do not possess
the original autographs they are failing to distinguish between the text <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tokens</i> and the text <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">type</i>. We <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> have the
original text <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">type</i>, even though we
may not possess the original text <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tokens</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
help think about this further, consider that it is the word as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">type</i> that conveys meaning, not the word
as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">token</i>. When we think of the word
as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">token</i> we are thinking of it as a
material object (i.e., black ink scribbled on a parchment). But when we think
of the word as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">type</i>, we are
thinking of it as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bearer of meaning</i>.
It becomes a shareable thing which we can both have in our mind or in a book in
front of us. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now,
this is where textual criticism comes into play. When it comes to the text of
the New Testament, even though we do not have the original text <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tokens</i> (the original autographs as
material scribbling on parchment), we are able to reconstruct with great certainty
approximately 99.5% of the original text <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">type</i>.
That is, if textual criticism has done its job, we have good reason to believe
that we possess the text <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">type</i> which
bears the original meaning of the original text <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tokens</i>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Notice
now that the issue of biblical inerrancy becomes an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">epistemic</i> one, i.e., “Do we have good grounds to believe we have
the original text in this particular passage?” The concern is no longer with
the metaphysical claim which says we could <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never have</i></b> the original text. We <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i></b>
have the original text <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">type</i>, just not
the original text <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tokens</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why Didn’t God Preserve the Originals?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now
the question is often raised, “But why would God allow the original manuscript text
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tokens</i> (i.e., the original
autographs) to be lost?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Answer:
We have greater certainty about what the original text <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">type</i> is by applying textual criticism to the available copies than
we would if we had the original text <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tokens</i>.
How so? If Christians claimed to have the original autographs (text tokens),
all the skeptic or liberal theologian would need to do is raise doubts
regarding how we know those “originals” have not been corrupted or tampered
with in the last 2,000 years. Apologists would be very hard-pressed to come up
with a convincing answer. In other words, if we as Christians were basing our
entire case for the reliability of the New Testament on twenty-seven material
objects (the original autographs or text tokens), we would need a very high
epistemic case that those material objects have maintained their integrity for
the last 2,000 years. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Thanks
be to God, this is not the history of our received New Testament text. Instead,
God in His wisdom took the originals, and using fallible men to reproduce them,
diffused the original text <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">type</i> into
thousands of documents that provide a broad epistemic basis for our certainty
we have the original. Given this scenario, wholesale change of the text became
impossible:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">By having the text of the New Testament in particular explode across the
known world, ending up in the far-flung corners of the Roman Empire in
relatively short order, God protected that text from the one thing we,
centuries and millennia later, could never detect: wholesale change of doctrine
or theology by one particular man or group who had full control over the text
at any one point in its history…there was never a time when anyone or any group
could gather up all the manuscripts and make extensive changes in the text
itself.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
original text <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">type</i> diffused into
thousands of documents could then be reconstructed through the process of
textual criticism, allowing us to have great confidence in our New Testament
and making the doctrine of biblical inerrancy completely relevant.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Conclusion</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So,
is biblical inerrancy irrelevant because we do not possess the original autographs?
Not at all! Metaphysically, the original text can be present as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">type</i> today even if the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tokens</i> are gone, and it is the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">type</i> that matters (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i></b> the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tokens</i>) because it is the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">type</i> that carries meaning. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Do we</i></b>
have the original text <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">type</i>? That is
an epistemic question and we are on more epistemically solid ground regarding
the text of the New Testament due to textual criticism than we would be having
claimed to have the originals. For 99.5% of our New Testament text is pure and
not in question, and the .5% that we are less sure about does not affect any
major doctrine or essential teaching of the Christian faith. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Amen.</span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
Paul D. Feinberg, “The Meaning of Inerrancy,” in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Inerrancy</i>, ed. Norman L. Geisler (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1980),
294.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>
I am deeply indebted to Dr. J.P. Moreland for the following insight and
commentary, used with his permission.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>
James R. White, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The King James Only
Controversy: Can You Trust Modern Translations?</i>, 2<sup>nd</sup> ed.
(Minneapolis: Bethany, 2009), 77-78.</div>
</div>
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<![endif]-->Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-8095138790719948562012-10-13T08:05:00.000-07:002012-10-14T23:19:07.913-07:00The Contradictory Catholic: Joe Biden on Abortion<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.jillstanek.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/ap-vice-presidential-debate-4_3_rx512_c680x510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://www.jillstanek.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/ap-vice-presidential-debate-4_3_rx512_c680x510.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Human
life either begins at conception or it does not. If it does, then abortion
takes the life of an innocent human being and we have <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">prima facie</i> evidence that abortion is morally wrong. One way to
formulate the argument is as follows:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It is morally wrong to take the life of an
innocent human being without proper justification.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Elective abortion takes the life of an innocent
human being without proper justification.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Therefore, elective abortion is morally wrong.</span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Toward
the end of the vice presidential debate Thursday night, Vice President Biden
and Congressman Ryan were asked to explain their view on abortion as Catholics.
Here I want to look at Biden’s response line by line:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“My religion defines who I am and I have
been a practicing Catholic my whole life and it has particularly informed my
social doctrine. Catholic social doctrine talks about taking care of those who can't take care of themselves...”</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Biden
is off to a great start. Not only does he take religion seriously, but He is a
self-proclaimed, proud, practicing Catholic. Catholicism even informs his
social doctrine. And since abortion can rightly be considered a social (and
moral) doctrine, and the Catholic Church has clearly addressed this issue, his
stance on abortion should be a no-brainer, especially when we consider that unborn human beings are "those who can't take care of themselves"...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“…With regard to abortion, I accept my
church’s position on abortion as a, what we call, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">de fide</i> doctrine. Life begins at conception. That’s the church’s
judgment…” </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Excellent!
Right on track. Biden says he accepts the Catholic Church’s position on
abortion and believes that life begins at conception. The Catholic Church has explicitly
spoken on the sanctity of life and the topic of abortion is simply not up for
debate among faithful Catholics. Paragraph 2270 of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Catechism of the Catholic Church</i> states, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Human life must
be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the
first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the
rights of a person—among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being
to life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Let’s
keep going…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“…I accept it in my personal life…”</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Uh
oh! Danger, Will Robinson! This is the first sign of trouble. Here we see the
inconsistency of Biden’s position begin to emerge. All the previous positioning,
posturing, and progress has now been qualified by “I accept it in my <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">personal</i></b>
life.” In other words, as will become more evident as we continue, Biden lives
a compartmentalized existence. Contrary to what he said earlier, his Catholic
faith <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">doesn’t really</i></b> inform his social doctrine. Rather, his
“personal” Catholic faith is kept distinct from his “public” policies. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
this is surely an artificial and arbitrary division. After all, what does it
mean for abortion to be morally wrong in one’s personal life, but not public
life? How exactly does life begin at conception in one’s personal life, but not
public life? Elective abortion either takes the life of an innocent human being
without proper justification or it doesn’t. Elective abortion is either morally
wrong or it isn’t. Biden explicitly assents to the Catholic teaching. But now
he is in a quandary, for if abortion kills an innocent human being, it doesn’t
just do so in some separate, private sphere of disconnect known as “my personal
life,” rather it kills an innocent human being <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in reality</i></b>. Unfortunately
Biden has relativized his own view on abortion, effectively preventing anyone
(including himself) from taking it seriously.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“…But I refuse to impose it on equally
devout Christians, and Muslims, and Jews. I just refuse to impose that on
others unlike my friend here the Congressman…” </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now
Biden has pulled a complete 180 and is heading in the opposite direction. He
presumes to take the morally high ground because he doesn’t “impose his view on
others,” unlike that nasty woman-hater Paul Ryan! But Biden forgets there is no
morally or legally neutral position in this debate. Both sides are attempting
to legislate morality; both sides are attempting to impose a view. Ryan would
like to legislate the view that it is morally wrong to take the life of an
innocent human being simply because they are in the way and can’t defend
themselves. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
Biden is also attempting to impose a view, i.e., that women should have the
right to kill the human life within them for socioeconomic reasons. Contrary to
what he may say, this is a view which he is more than willing to impose on
“equally devout Christians, and Muslims, and Jews.” More importantly, the view
Biden is defending has already been <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lethally</i></b> imposed on 50 million of
the weakest and most defenseless members of the human community since 1973. What happened to "taking care of those who can't take care of themselves?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“…I do not believe that we have a right
to tell other people, women, that they can’t control their body. It’s a
decision between them and their doctor.”</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
started out as a promising Catholic response to abortion has ended in a mess of
rhetorical self-contradiction. Probably what Biden assumes to be the last nail
in the coffin, he now appeals to a woman’s bodily autonomy. But this talking
point begs the question in assuming there is only one body involved when it
should be obvious there are two: the mother’s and the unborn. While the
mother’s body is certainly involved, it is not the mother’s body that is being
aborted. After all, the woman survives the abortion while the unborn doesn’t. A
pregnant woman does not have four arms, four legs, two heads, or a penis when
she is pregnant with a boy. There are two bodies involved, not one. Therefore,
the decision is not “between them and their doctor.” Rather, any decision
regarding abortion should be based on what a woman should be permitted to do
with the body and life of the intrinsically valuable unborn human being within
her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blogs/philosophicalfragments/files/2012/10/JoeBiden.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="http://wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blogs/philosophicalfragments/files/2012/10/JoeBiden.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Pro-Choice Catholic: A Contradiction in
Terms</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If
Biden is really a practicing Catholic whose religion defines who he is and
informs his social doctrine, we would assume consistency between his life,
social doctrine, and the teachings of the Catholic Church. As mentioned above,
it is not as if the Catholic Church has not been clear regarding its position
on abortion. In the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Catechism of the
Catholic Church</i>, two paragraphs after paragraph 2270 quoted above,
paragraph 2272 states,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Formal
cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the
canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
key term here is “formal cooperation.” Pro-choice senators and congressman who
consider themselves “Catholic” and yet support abortion legislation have not
officially been recognized by the Catholic Church as “formally cooperating” in
abortion. But it is hard to think of any group of individuals within this
nation who have more power and influence in keeping the abortion holocaust
legal. By both commission and omission, they have cooperated and collaborated in
the death of 50 million unborn human beings. If this is not grounds for
excommunication, I’m not sure what is. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
seems to me then that Joe Biden has left himself in quite an interesting
paradox. If Biden is truly, as he says, a “practicing Catholic” whose religion
defines who he is, then he wouldn’t be Catholic at all, for his consistent and
unapologetic support of abortion would necessitate his own excommunication.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Additional Resources</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Looking
for more resources on abortion? Be sure and check out these other PleaseConvinceMe
blogs and articles:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<![endif]-->Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-66601695679493316132012-09-27T08:34:00.002-07:002012-11-11T15:51:07.239-08:00Apathy, Atheism, and the Absurdity of Life Without God<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here
is a truth I wish everyone would take the time to earnestly and honestly
contemplate:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If
God does not exist and there is no life after death, then there is no ultimate
meaning, value, or purpose in life. </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The question of God’s existence is the most
important question we can seek to answer. If God does not exist and we do not
survive the death of our bodies, life is ultimately absurd. J.P. Moreland
provides an illustration which helps bring this truth home:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Suppose I
invited you over to my house to play a game of Monopoly. When you arrive I
announce that the game is going to be a bit different. Before us is the
Monopoly board, a set of jacks, a coin, the television remote, and a
refrigerator in the corner of the room. I grant you the first turn, and
puzzlingly, inform you that you may do anything you want: fill the board with
hotels, throw the coin in the air, toss a few jacks, fix a sandwich, or turn on
the television. You respond by putting hotels all over the board and smugly sit
back as I take my turn. I respond by dumping the board upside down and tossing
the coin in the air. Somewhat annoyed, you right the board and replenish it
with hotels. I turn on the television and dump the board over again.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Now it wouldn’t
take too many cycles of this nonsense to recognize that it didn’t really matter
what you did with your turn, and here’s why. There is no goal, no purpose to
the game we are playing. Our successive turns form a series of one meaningless
event after another. Why? Because if the game as a whole has no purpose, the
individual moves within the game are pointless. Conversely, only a game’s
actual purpose according to its inventor can give the individual moves
significance.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As
Moreland articulates, if the game of Monopoly as a whole has no purpose, the
individual moves within the game have no meaning or value. The only way your
moves within the game of Monopoly have significance is if you discover the
purpose of the game and you align yourself with that purpose.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As
it is with Monopoly, so it is with life. Like the game of Monopoly, the only
way our individual lives have any ultimate meaning or value is if life has
purpose behind it, and real purpose requires both God and life after death.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
help think about this, let us suppose that God does not exist. In an atheistic
scenario, we as human beings are simply Johnny-come-lately biological accidents
on an insignificant speck of dust we call Earth which is hurtling through empty
space in a meaningless and random universe that will eventually die a cold heat
death. In the big scheme of things, we are no more significant than a swarm of
mosquitoes. In a universe where there is no God and no afterlife, our actions
are meaningless and serve no final end because ultimately each one of us, along
with everyone we know and influence, will die and enter oblivion. Mention of
morality is an incoherent babbling; there is no difference between living the
life of a saint or a sociopath, no difference between a Mother Theresa and an
Adolf Hitler. William Lane Craig frequently refers to this as “the absurdity of
life without God.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a> He
states,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Without God the universe is the result of a cosmic accident, a chance
explosion. There is no reason for which it exists. As for man, he’s a freak of
nature—a blind product of matter plus time plus chance. If God does not exist,
then you are just a miscarriage of nature, thrust into a purposeless universe
to live a purposeless life…the end of everything is death…In short, life is
utterly without reason…Unfortunately, most people don’t realize this fact. They
continue on as though nothing has changed.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Cure for Apathy?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
seems to me that any sensible person who honestly reflects on the absurdity of
life without God cannot at the same time remain apathetic toward the question
of God’s existence. God’s existence matters and has tremendous implications for
our own existence. Life’s absurdity without God should bother us. It should
keep us awake at night. It should jar us out of our apathetic attitude toward
ultimate issues. Unfortunately this is often not the case, especially in our
information age where it is far too easy to remain distracted and caught up in
the daily busyness of life. I am often amazed how so many people can simply go
on day to day without ever giving a second thought to the most important
questions in life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
if we want to be intellectually honest, and if we are at all concerned with
real meaning, value, and purpose, the question of God’s existence demands our
attention. We ignore this topic and remain apathetic to it only to our own
peril. As Brian Auten has stated, “the wise man seeks God.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>
For the reasonable person, reflection on the absurdity of life without God
should be enough to extinguish any remaining apathy regarding the question of
God’s existence.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Perhaps
then, apathy (or apatheism) is not something that can be changed directly,
i.e., it is not something that can simply be willed away through direct effort.
Rather, like our other beliefs, apathy must be changed indirectly. If apatheism
is the belief that “the existence of God is not meaningful or relevant to my
life,” perhaps reflecting on the absurdity of life without God will be powerful
enough to indirectly change apathetic beliefs and help communicate the
importance of taking God and other ultimate issues seriously.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Inconsistent Atheist</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
have never met an atheist who lives consistently with the implications of his
naturalistic worldview. Though he rejects both God and life after death, he
continues to live his life as if his actions have real ultimate meaning, value,
and purpose. As Craig stated above, “<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">they
continue on as though nothing has changed.” Atheists reject God but still desire
meaning, value, and purpose in life, so they indubitably find something to give
their devotion to, be it themselves, family, money, pleasure, education, work,
social causes, or politics. But neither do any of these subjective pursuits
have ultimate significance or objective value in a world without God. In the
end, the atheist must borrow from the Christian worldview in order to infuse
their own life and actions with meaning and purpose. This is because atheism
and the naturalistic worldview offers no hope and provides no grounding for
significance and value.</span> Ken Samples states,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Naturalism as a
worldview seems unable to offer the kind of meaning, purpose, and hope that
humans require and yearn to experience. Instead, the ultimate fate of the
individual, humanity, and even the universe will inevitably be the same
regardless of what any person may do. Nothing that anyone thinks, says, or does
will change the fact that each individual person, all of humankind
collectively, and the universe itself (due to entropy) will someday be utterly
extinct, lifeless, and cold. The outcome of naturalism is an inevitable
hopelessness.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">In other words, naturalism fails the existential
test. Honest atheists cannot live happily and consistently with their worldview.
It has nothing to offer but depression, despair, and dejection. Christianity on
the other hand succeeds exactly where atheism fails:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Biblical Christianity therefore provides the two conditions necessary for
a meaningful, valuable, and purposeful life: God and immortality. Because of
this, we can live consistently and happily within the framework of our
worldview. Thus, biblical Christianity succeeds precisely where atheism breaks
down…Therefore, it makes a huge <i>difference</i> whether God exists.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Conclusion</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
Jesus said, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom You have sent…and for this I have come into the world, to
testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice” (John 17:3,
18:37).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Real
meaning, value, and purpose comes from knowing God and making God known. But it
isn’t enough to simply understand this purpose and assent to its truth. In
order for our individual lives to have real significance we need to willfully align
ourselves with this truth, and that means aligning ourselves with Jesus Christ,
the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2).</span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
J.P. Moreland, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The God Question: An
Invitation to a Life of Meaning</i> (Eugene: Harvest House, 2009), 34-35.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>
See William Lane Craig, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Reasonable Faith:
Christian Truth and Apologetics</i>, 3<sup>rd</sup> ed. (Wheaton: Crossway,
2008), chapter 2, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On Guard: Defending
Your Faith with Reason and Precision</i> (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook,
2010), chapter 2.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>
Craig, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On Guard</i>, 37.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>
See his essay “The Wise Man Seeks God” available at <a href="http://www.apologetics315.com/2010/05/essay-wise-man-seeks-god-by-brian-auten.html">http://www.apologetics315.com/2010/05/essay-wise-man-seeks-god-by-brian-auten.html</a>.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a>
Kenneth Richard Samples, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A World of
Difference: Putting Christian Truth-Claims to the Worldview Test</i> (Grand
Rapids: Baker Books, 2007), 217.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a>
Craig, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On Guard</i>, 49-50 (his italics).</div>
</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eHxWoVu-wyI/Vb7q_Z9nPgI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/xaAh0YYiDyg/s1600/samesexslogan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eHxWoVu-wyI/Vb7q_Z9nPgI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/xaAh0YYiDyg/s200/samesexslogan.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
it comes to controversial moral debates like same-sex marriage, trite sayings
such as this one on the left are echoed quite often in a culture where the
make-up man has become more important than the speech writer. It’s short, it’s
rhetorically powerful, and it can be repeated, tweeted, and regurgitated faster
than you can say “Anti-disestablishmentarianism.” Using only eighteen words, it
gets the intended job done.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
often the truth of the matter takes a bit longer to unpack than can be offered
in a thirty-second sound bite. A false assertion can be uttered in seconds,
while offering a well thought out response which exposes the problem or
mistaken assumption requires clear thinking, patience, energy, and time, virtues
and luxuries many people either can’t afford or don’t want to.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
issue of same-sex marriage is a hot topic that is not going away anytime soon.
Christian apologists need to be persistent in clarifying the issues, especially
in the face of saucy slogans such as this.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So
what’s wrong with this oft-repeated cliché?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Problem #1: It Frames the Same-Sex
Marriage Debate as an Equal Rights Issue</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Denying
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">equal
rights</i></b>…” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Indeed,
we are a culture obsessed with “equal rights” and “fair treatment.” A few weeks
ago I posted a blog titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://pleaseconvinceme.blogspot.com/2012/08/same-sex-marriage-anne-hathaway-reason.html" target="_blank">Same-Sex
Marriage: Anne Hathaway, Reason, and Rhetoric</a></i>. The post contained part
of a speech given by actress Anne Hathaway in which she appealed to the notion
of “equal rights” as justification for same-sex marriage. It is completely
understandable why defenders of same-sex marriage want to make it an equal
rights issue. After all, the public is much more likely to be sympathetic
toward a particular cause if they feel there is unfair or unequal treatment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So
what’s wrong with framing same-sex marriage as an equal rights issue?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">First</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, same-sex
marriage is not a right. No one has the right to demand their relationship be
sanctioned by the government. Melinda Penner of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stand to Reason</i> states,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The real issue
is whether or not marriage is a right. It’s not. It’s no more a right than a
drivers’ license is a right…The only obligation to rights the government has is
to treat equally all citizens who meet the qualifications. If you pass the
driver’s test, you get a license. If you meet the qualifications for marriage,
you also get a license and recognition from the government. And in that
respect, everyone – heterosexual or homosexual – has exactly the same access to
marriage: Each is equally free to marry one person at a time of the opposite
sex.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
leads us to the second point.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Second</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, everyone
already has equal legal rights when it comes to marriage. This point cannot be
overstated and needs to be continually emphasized in this debate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">You
will often hear it said, “Homosexuals are not allowed to marry.” Actually, yes
they are. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Homosexuals
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i></b>
get married, and they do! They just can't marry someone of the same sex. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i>And neither can a heterosexual</i></b>. In
other words, there is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">no</i></b> unequal protection under the law,
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">no</i></b>
violation of the equal protection clause. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The same law applies to all equally</i></b>.
The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">same</i></b>
definition of marriage applies to all, regardless of your sexual preference. Everyone,
whether heterosexual or homosexual, shares the same rights and restrictions,
including the restriction to define marriage as they see fit. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
addition, many states already afford homosexual <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">couples</i></b> the same legal
rights, protections, and benefits through same-sex civil unions and
partnerships. They just don’t call it “marriage.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
fact that we all have equal legal rights when it comes to marriage is a very
important point which unfortunately is either ignored or overlooked by same-sex
marriage advocates. Same-sex marriage is not about equal rights, plain and
simple. It is about the redefinition of marriage and the desire for social
approval and promotion. It is an effort to convince a culture that same-sex
relationships are just as legitimate and natural as long-term, monogamous, heterosexual
marriage. This is something even prominent gay activists admit:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The trick is,
gay leaders and pundits must stop watering the issue down—“this is simply about
equality for gay couples”—and offer same-sex marriage for what it is: an
opportunity to reconstruct a traditionally homophobic institution by bringing
it to our more equitable queer value system,…a chance to wholly transform the
definition of family in American culture…Our gay leaders must acknowledge that
gay marriage is just as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">radical</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">transformative</i> as the religious Right
contends it is.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Third</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, we should
remember the concept “equals should be treated equally, and unequals
unequally.” Greg Koukl sums this up nicely:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The key to answering the claims of same-sex marriage
advocates is understanding the basic rule of justice: Treat equals equally. If
parties are not equal in a relevant sense, then there is no obligation of justice
to treat them the same.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When someone demands the same recognition for homosexual
unions as for heterosexual unions, remind him of the rule of justice. Then ask
if homosexual relationships are really equal with heterosexual ones. Does he
actually believe there is no essential difference between the two? If there are
essential differences, then the two are not equal and there is no moral
obligation to treat them as if they were.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Heterosexual
marriage and same-sex marriage are unequal in numerous ways, including their
societal value and benefit.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>
The government has a vested interest in promoting long-term, monogamous,
heterosexual marriage because these relationships produce the next generation
and are the best environment for raising children. There is no other two-person
relationship equal in societal value and benefit, including same-sex
partnerships, and hence, no other that should be labeled “marriage” or promoted
equally by the government. Jim Wallace explains:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">We simply have to be honest when we evaluate the value of marriage to
our society. If all same sex relationships were eliminated from our society,
there would be NO impact on our society. On the other hand, if all traditional
opposite sex relationships were eliminated from our society, there would be no
society at all. There is a value difference between same sex relationships and
opposite sex relationships and this difference is marked by the word “marriage”.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Furthermore,
defenders of same-sex marriage have no grounds to complain of injustice since
they have abandoned objectivity in seeking to define marriage as they see fit:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The only way a
claim of injustice or unfairness can stick is if we have a moral obligation to
view all sexual or emotional combinations as equal. But that depends on an
objective standard, and that is a concept already jettisoned when society is
asked to define marriage as they wish. If there’s a moral standard of fairness
to appeal to, then there’s a moral standard for marriage to appeal to, as well.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Problem #2: It Relativizes Religious
Truth Claims and Relegates Them to Mere Belief</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“…based
on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your</i></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">religious
beliefs</i></b>…” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
statement reflects an attitude characterizing the way many people approach the
topic of religion: there is no rhyme or reason, no evidence or argument, no
proof in the pudding. When it comes to religion, you have your beliefs and I
have mine. Our religious beliefs are nothing more than personal preference and
subjective opinion.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Characterizing
your opponent’s position as “religious” is another powerful rhetorical device. In
our culture it allows you to dismiss the point of view without ever having to
engage the arguments, assess the evidence, or examine it seriously. This is
exactly what happens in the same-sex marriage debate. Notice three problems
with the “based on your religious beliefs” mentality:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">First</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, it assumes the
only reason a person would oppose same-sex marriage is because of “religious
beliefs.” It also assumes religious beliefs are illegitimate in public
discourse or should be considered second-class to “secular beliefs.” Moreover,
it does not take into account the fact that there are numerous other arguments
against same-sex marriage, including those based on natural law, the societal
value and benefit of natural marriage, and the importance of promoting
two-parent biological parenting.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
what if someone only has “religious” reasons for opposing same-sex marriage?
Does this automatically disqualify them from voicing their view in the public
square? Not at all. This leads us to the next two problems.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Second</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, it relativizes
religious truth claims, committing what is known as the subjectivist fallacy. When
Christians make claims such as “homosexuality is a sin” or “the Bible is the
Word of God,” it is not uncommon to hear people respond “that’s just your
view.” But this commits the subjectivist fallacy: treating objective truth
claims as if they were subjective preference claims. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So let’s be clear</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: when we as Christians
make truth claims about Christianity, morality, and the world we live in, we
are making <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">objective</i></b> truth claims, i.e., we are purporting to describe the
way the world actually is irrespective of personal opinion. Feel free to
disagree and muster your best arguments if you like, but do not take the
intellectually lazy and fallacy-friendly approach of simply dismissing them
without giving them the proper consideration they’re due. Recognize the nature
of such claims and avoid writing them off as mere subjective preferences, i.e.,
“that’s just your view” or “that may be true for you, but not for me.” If it’s
true, it’s true for you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i></b> me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Third</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, it relegates
religious truth claims to mere belief. In other words, it assumes that religion
is not something that can be known to be true. It is only something that can be
believed. Religious truth claims can <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never</i></b> rise to the level of
knowledge. While this mentality has unfortunately worked its way even into the
Church, it is not in line with historic Christianity.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Historically,
Christianity has <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i></b> been regarded as a “faith tradition,” something that is
merely believed blindly absent good reason, but rather as a “knowledge
tradition,” something that can be known to be true based on adequate grounds.
This is an important point for Christians to grasp unless they want their views
to be continually marginalized in a growing secular culture. J.P. Moreland
elaborates:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Christianity
claims to be a knowledge tradition and places knowledge at the center of
proclamation and discipleship. The Old and New Testaments, including the
teachings of Jesus, claim not merely that Christianity is true, but that a
variety of its moral and religious assertions can be known to be true…If, then,
Christians do little to deflect the view that theological and ethical
assertions are merely parts of a tradition, ways of seeing the world from a
Christian “perspective” that fall short of conveying knowledge, they
inadvertently contribute to the marginalization of Christianity precisely
because they fail to rebut the contemporary tendency to rob it of the very
thing that gives it the authority necessary to prevent that marginalization
(i.e., its legitimate claim to give us moral and religious knowledge).<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He
goes on to state,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Given the crisis
of knowledge in our time, it is crucial that the church recover her confidence
that she is in possession of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">spiritual
and ethical knowledge</i> in Holy Scripture primarily, but also in the history
of her thought about God, moral issues, the spiritual life, and other important
topics.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[8]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So let’s be clear again</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: when we as Christians
make truth claims about Christianity, morality, and the world we live in, we
should be advancing these claims as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">knowledge</i></b> claims, not mere beliefs. The
ability to claim knowledge in these areas comes with familiarizing ourselves
with the justification for our beliefs, the adequate grounds they are based on,
which in turn comes from cultivating the life of the mind. In other words, we
need to know what we believe as Christians and why we believe it. This will
help build our confidence and strengthen our faith, as well as restore
Christianity as a knowledge tradition in the Church and public square.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Problem #3: It Resorts to Name-Calling</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“…is
still called <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bigotry</i></b>.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Assuming
that opposition to same-sex marriage is based on bigotry is not uncommon.
Again, this is rhetorically powerful. If you are able to vilify your opponents
through name-calling it further marginalizes their view and prevents their
voice from being effectively heard and reasonably considered. It automatically
shuts down civil debate and equates the raising of any moral criticism with
hate, preventing meaningful dialogue from ever taking place. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
tactic was seen clearly in 2008 in the state of California. That year,
California voters went to the polls on a proposition which would define
marriage as between one man and one woman. The proposition was “proposition 8,”
conveniently turned into “proposition hate” by same-sex marriage supporters. Up
until Election Day, proposition 8 protestors held signs reading “No on H8,” “Love,
Not H8,” “End H8,” and the like. In their minds, that proposition 8 was
motivated by hate was a given. Likewise, the recent controversy surrounding Chick-fil-A and President Dan Cathy's statement in support of natural marriage resulted in protestors urging consumers not to buy "hate chicken."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ironically,
as is often the case in moral issues, those who cry “tolerance” are often the
most intolerant. They tolerate you of course, as long as you agree with them.
But this isn’t “tolerance” in any meaningful sense of the word. Tolerance means
“to put up with” and therefore implies disagreement, otherwise you have nothing
to tolerate. Furthermore, tolerance applies to people, not ideas. All <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">persons</i></b>
are created equal, not all <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ideas</i></b>. Treat other persons with
respect, but be intellectually <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">intolerant</i></b> toward bad ideas. That’s
true tolerance. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Contrast
this with labeling someone a bigot because they disagree with your view. This
fails to give them the proper respect that is due. It assumes all ideas are
equally true and valid. It amounts to nothing more than good old-fashioned
school-yard name-calling. It turns true tolerance on its head. Strangely
enough, it is the quintessential example of intolerance and bigotry par
excellence.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Conclusion: Setting the Record Straight</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Denying equal rights to another group
of human beings based on your religious beliefs is still called bigotry.”</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Let’s
set the record straight:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">No one is being denied equal rights when it
comes to marriage.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Christianity is a knowledge tradition which
makes objective truth claims.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Name-calling is not an argument.</span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As
the controversial topic of same-sex marriage is debated, let’s remember to keep
these things in mind so meaningful dialogue on this important moral issue may
continue.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">For a more thorough treatment and additional responses
to same-sex marriage arguments, see Jim Wallace’s excellent article <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.pleaseconvinceme.com/index/Responding_to_Those_Who_Support_Same_Sex_Marriage" target="_blank">Responding
to Those Who Support Same Sex Marriage</a> </i>as well as Greg Koukl’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=6553" target="_blank">Same-Sex Marriage
Challenges and Responses.</a></i></span>
<br />
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
Melinda Penner, “Same-sex Marriage Arguments,” available at <a href="http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2012/05/same-sex-marriage-arguments.html">http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2012/05/same-sex-marriage-arguments.html</a>.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>
Michelangelo Signorile, “I DO, I DO, I DO, I DO, I DO,” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">OUT</i>, May 1996, pp. 30, 32 (emphasis in original), as quoted in
Glenn T. Stanton and Bill Maier, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Marriage
on Trial: The Case Against Same-Sex Marriage and Parenting</i> (Downers Grove,
IL: InterVarsity, 2004), 35.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>
Greg Koukl, “Treating Equals Equally,” available at <a href="http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5678">http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5678</a>.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>
Jim Wallace has done an excellent job of articulating some of the societal
values and benefits of natural marriage, especially with regard to children, in
his article “Should Government Recognize and Legalize Same Sex Marriage?”,
available at <a href="http://www.pleaseconvinceme.com/index/Should_Government_Legalize_Same_Sex_Marriage">http://www.pleaseconvinceme.com/index/Should_Government_Legalize_Same_Sex_Marriage</a>.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a>
Jim Wallace, “Responding to Those Who Support Same Sex Marriage,” available at <a href="http://www.pleaseconvinceme.com/index/Responding_to_Those_Who_Support_Same_Sex_Marriage">http://www.pleaseconvinceme.com/index/Responding_to_Those_Who_Support_Same_Sex_Marriage</a>.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a>
Greg Koukl, “Same-sex Marriage,” available at <a href="http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2010/01/samesex-marriage.html">http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2010/01/samesex-marriage.html</a>.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn7" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a>
J.P. Moreland, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kingdom Triangle</i>
(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007), 76-77.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn8" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[8]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ibid., 114 (his italics).</div>
</div>
</div>
Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-79992971092090563512012-08-04T19:52:00.000-07:002015-08-02T21:13:51.565-07:00Same-Sex Marriage: Anne Hathaway, Reason, and Rhetoric<div class="MsoNormal" style="clear: left; float: left; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Popular
actress Anne Hathaway, who recently starred as Catwoman in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dark Knight Rises</i>, received an award in 2008 from the Human
Rights Campaign, an organization dedicated to the rights of the Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community. In <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZuIdQVEVY0" target="_blank">her acceptance speech</a>,
Hathaway explained why she supports homosexuality and same-sex marriage. Read
carefully the reasons she offers:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“In my
household, being gay was, and is, no big deal. When my brother came out, we
hugged him, said we loved him, and that was that…Just for the record, we don’t
feel that there is actually anything alternative about our family values…I
don’t consider myself just an ally to the LGBT community, I consider myself
your family…if anyone, ever, tries to hurt you, I’m going to give them hell…There
are people who have said that I’m being brave for being openly supportive of
gay marriage, gay adoption, basically of gay rights. But with all due respect I
humbly dissent. I’m not being brave. I’m being a decent human being. And I
don’t think I should receive an award for that, or for merely stating what I
believe to be true, that love is a human experience, not a political statement.
However, I acknowledge that sadly we live in a world where not everybody feels
the same. My family and I will help the good fight continue until that long
awaited moment arrives, when our rights are equal and when the political limits
on love have been smashed.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the last sentence Hathaway emphasizes two main points which are often appealed
to in the same-sex marriage debate: equal rights and love. Many who listened to
Hathaway found her speech worthy of praise, as evidenced by the many blogs,
tweets, and Facebook posts still circulating which commend the actress. As you
read her words, maybe you feel an emotional tug at the heart as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
what exactly has Hathaway offered us? Has she offered us any substantial
reasons for supporting same-sex marriage or gay adoption? Or has she primarily offered
us emotional appeals and empty rhetoric? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
answer these questions, imagine a different scenario for a moment. Suppose that
Anne Hathaway was invited to speak at an engagement for NAMBLA (North American
Man/Boy Love Association), an organization dedicated to defending and legalizing
“intergenerational” love. Couldn’t Hathaway have given essentially the same
speech in support of pedophilia?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“In my
household, being a pedophile was, and is, no big deal. When my brother came
out, we hugged him, said we loved him, and that was that…Just for the record,
we don’t feel that there is actually anything alternative about our family
values…I don’t consider myself just an ally to the NAMBLA community, I consider
myself your family…if anyone, ever, tries to hurt you, I’m going to give them
hell…There are people who have said that I’m being brave for being openly supportive
of intergenerational marriage, pedophile adoption, basically of pedophile
rights. But with all due respect I humbly dissent. I’m not being brave. I’m
being a decent human being. And I don’t think I should receive an award for
that, or for merely stating what I believe to be true, that love is a human
experience, not a political statement. However, I acknowledge that sadly we
live in a world where not everybody feels the same. My family and I will help
the good fight continue until that long awaited moment arrives, when our rights
are equal and when the political limits on love have been smashed.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Most
of us (thanks be to God) still have enough moral common sense to see the
absurdity in such an attempt to validate pedophilia. The fact that an adult man
and seven-year-old boy love each other in no way validates the relationship,
establishes its morality, or argues for its legality and endorsement by
society. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
the important thing to notice is this: the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">same</i></b> justification for same-sex
marriage offered by Hathaway and many other same-sex advocates can just as
easily be used as justification for pedophilia. In fact, this is exactly what
organizations like NAMBLA are doing (along with promoters of polygamist,
polyamorous, and incestuous relationships).</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Objection: “That’s Different!”</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Some
may object at this point saying, “That’s different! Same-sex marriage is about
two consenting <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">adult</i></b> homosexuals. You are talking about child molestation.
Child molestation is clearly wrong and we have age of consent laws in place to
prohibit it.” I have three things to say in response.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">First</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, this objection
completely misses the point. The point is this: appealing to the fact that two
people love each other and yet are legally prohibited from expressing that love
the way they desire is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not substantial or weighty enough to justify
the morality or legality of any particular relationship</i></b>. In fact,
same-sex advocates concede this very point when objecting to pedophilia: they
are acknowledging that love and equality alone are insufficient.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Remember,
it is Hathaway and other defenders of same-sex relationships who are appealing
to love and equality. What I am providing here is a counter-example, what might
be called a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">reductio ad absurdum</i>, a
reduction to absurdity. If the concept of “love” and an appeal to “equal
rights” are sufficient in themselves to legitimize the morality and legality of
sexual relationships which are then subsequently endorsed by society, then
these reasons can just as easily be employed in favor of pedophilia. But (and I
am appealing to your moral common sense here) since pedophilia is a heinous
evil and its endorsement by society absurd, there must be something wrong with
the starting premise (or assumption) that “love” and “equal rights” are adequate
to justify a particular lifestyle. And if that is the case, neither are these
concepts ample enough to validate same-sex marriage.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Second</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, the “That’s
different!” objection begs some of the very questions under discussion,
including the morality of adult homosexual relationships. This is common among
defenders of homosexuality and same-sex marriage: they assume that as long as
two adults consent to a sexual act there is nothing morally wrong with it. But
this is one of the central issues under discussion and raises an important
point: debates concerning homosexuality and same-sex marriage are <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i></b>
just about “love” and “equal rights.” They go much deeper than that. They must
include discussions about the nature of love, the grounding of morality, the
law, government, so forth and so on. Appealing to “love” and “equal rights” has
great emotional and rhetorical value but offers nothing in terms of real
substance and value in helping resolve the debate.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Third</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, the “That’s
different!” objection is arbitrary and inconsistent. Remember, same-sex
marriage proponents are arguing for the redefinition of marriage. On their
view, marriage can be defined, and redefined, by a given culture or society as
they see fit. In other words, marriage is what we make of it. But on this view,
what holds true for marriage also holds true for the age of consent. If the
concept of “marriage” is a cultural convention with no moral or ontological grounding,
age of consent laws are likewise merely social customs which can be changed
with enough voting power (e.g., if NAMBLA were to gain enough political influence
and persuade enough voters, age of consent laws would be done away with). Herein
lay the inconsistency: you cannot assume that “age of consent” laws have real,
moral, cultural transcendence and foundation while at the same time deny this
very thing for the concept of “marriage.” Therefore, it is arbitrary and
inconsistent for same-sex marriage proponents to appeal to age of consent laws
as genuine, meaningful, moral distinctions between same-sex marriage and
pedophilia.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Conclusion</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
should we say then about what Hathaway and other same-sex marriage defenders
have offered us? Is the concept of “love” and an appeal to “equal rights”
enough to justify the morality, validation, and legal endorsement of any
particular relationship? Hardly. I leave it to supporters of same-sex relationships
to advance more compelling and persuasive reasons given the cultural and ethical
importance of this topic.</span></div>
Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-90923577395473495192012-08-03T16:02:00.002-07:002012-08-03T16:03:17.436-07:00Jesus on the Problem of Evil<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f8/Christ_teaching_in_the_Temple.JPG/200px-Christ_teaching_in_the_Temple.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" id="il_fi" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f8/Christ_teaching_in_the_Temple.JPG/200px-Christ_teaching_in_the_Temple.JPG" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="165" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
Luke 13:1-5 we have Jesus’ clearest teaching on the problem of evil:<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Now there were
some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate
had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these
Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered
this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or
those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they
were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But
unless you repent, you too will all perish."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Not
only is this Jesus’ clearest teaching on the problem of evil but we see Him
addressing both moral and natural evil in His response. Notice that Jesus is
first questioned regarding an example of what we would call moral evil: the
murder of some Galileans by Pilate. In providing an answer, Jesus Himself introduces
an example of natural evil: the falling of the tower of Siloam which killed
eighteen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">How
did Jesus answer the problem of evil presented to Him? Was Jesus taken back,
struck by the profundity of such a pregnant question? His answer is short and
to the point: “They weren’t worse sinners, they were just sinners. And unless
you repent, you’ll die too.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">D.A.
Carson in his book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How Long, O Lord?</i>
provides several important insights into this passage. It would behoove us as
Christians to reflect deeply on these points.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">First</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, Jesus takes it
for granted that the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23):</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus does not
assume that those who suffered under Pilate, or those who were killed in the
collapse of the tower, did not deserve their fate. Indeed, the fact that he can
tell those contemporaries that unless they repent they too will perish shows
that Jesus assumes that all death is in one way or another the result of sin,
and therefore deserved.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Second</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, because death
is what we <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i></b> deserve, it is only God’s mercy that keeps us alive:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus does
insist that death by such means is no evidence whatsoever that those who suffer
in this way are any more wicked than those who escape such a fate. The
assumption seems to be that all deserve to die. If some die under a barbarous
governor, and others in a tragic accident, it is not more than they deserve.
But that does not mean that others deserve any less. Rather, the implication is
that it is only God’s mercy that has kept them alive. There is certainly no
moral superiority on their part.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Third</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, wars and
natural disasters are always calls to repentance, and the fact that we question
God’s goodness in times of calamity is a reflection of our own depravity and
rebellion:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus treats
wars and natural disasters not as agenda items in a discussion of the
mysterious ways of God, but as incentives to repentance. It is as if he is
saying that God uses disaster as a megaphone to call attention to our guilt and
destination, to the imminence of his righteous judgment if he sees no
repentance. This is an argument developed at great length in Amos 4. Disaster
is a call to repentance. Jesus might have added (as he does elsewhere) that
peace and tranquility, which we do not deserve, show us God’s goodness and
forbearance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It is a mark of
our lostness that we invert these two. We think we deserve the times of blessing
and prosperity, and that the times of war and disaster are not only unfair but
come perilously close to calling into question God’s goodness or his
power—even, perhaps, his very existence. Jesus simply did not see it that way.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dr.
Clay Jones in his class on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why God Allows
Evil</i> entertainingly replays the dialogue from Luke 13 like this:<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Questioner</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: Jesus, we have
the problem of evil here, the great problem of the ages. People are being
killed Jesus. What have you got to say?</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: They weren’t worse
sinners, they were just sinners, and unless you repent you’ll die too. Next?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Questioner</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: Whoa! Jesus,
hold on for a minute here! This is the PROBLEM OF EVIL! The question of the
ages! Philosophers have debated this forever! People are dying here Jesus! What
have you got to say???</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: They weren’t
worse sinners, they were just sinners, and unless you repent you’ll die too.
Next?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Questioner</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: No, Jesus,
don’t you get it?!? Let me put it to you this way. You see, if God were
all-loving, He would want to prevent evil. If God were all-powerful, He could
prevent evil…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jesus</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">: They weren’t
worse sinners, they were just sinners, and unless you repent you’ll die too.
Next?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">That’s
it ladies and gentleman, Jesus’ answer to the problem of evil. All fallen, unregenerate
sinners born in Adam are corrupted to the core and deserve death. Whether we
die by murder, accident, or disease isn’t anything more than we deserve. It is
only by God’s grace that anyone is saved and it is only by God’s mercy that
anyone is kept alive. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What implications does this have for
Christian apologetics? At least three:</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">First</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, it means that
Christian apologists need to take the consequences of sin and reality of human
depravity seriously when addressing the problem of evil. Many Christians simply
pay lip service to what the Bible has to say about these topics. It’s no wonder
then we are often at a loss for words when someone asks, “Why do bad things
happen to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">good</i></b> people?” A completely biblical, though partial, rejoinder
is this: no one is good but God alone! Bad things don’t happen to good people
because no one is good. Jesus raised no qualms about our naturally born status
as sinners before God, the universal corruption and guilt of humankind, or our
need for repentance. He introduced these very issues Himself in addressing the
problem of evil. He took it for granted that the wages of sin is death.
Christian apologists should do likewise.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Second</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, when
addressing the problem of evil, Christian apologists need to present a theodicy
which <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">minimally</i></b> includes the biblical teaching of original sin and
human depravity. Why God allows evil won’t make sense unless we have the
problem of sin clearly before us. J.I. Packer stated,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The subject of sin is vital knowledge…If you have not learned about sin,
you cannot understand yourself, or your fellow-men, or the world you live in,
or the Christian faith. And you will not be able to make head or tail of the
Bible. For the Bible is an exposition of God’s answer to the problem of human
sin and unless you have that problem clearly before you, you will keep missing
the point of what it says.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
same is true for the problem of evil. The subject of sin is essential because in
raising the problem of evil, the skeptic must put forth an anthropodicy (justification
of man) by arguing that man is “basically good” and God is unjust for allowing
the suffering and evil He does. In response, the theist must show these
assumptions to be false, and in their place put forth a theodicy (justification
of God) which includes evidencing the depths of human depravity and arguing that
God has morally sufficient reasons for allowing the evil that He does. Until we
clearly articulate and defend the gravity of sin, as well as the universal
corruption and guilt of humankind, many of our answers to the problem of evil will
largely remain unpersuasive.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Third</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, the present moral
and natural evils we experience are appropriate segues into our need to
practice and preach repentance in light of the final eschatological judgment.
Those who experience such evils are not any more deserving. Rather, these
disasters serve as warnings to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all of us</i></b> that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">final</i></b> disaster awaits
everyone who remains hardhearted and unrepentant:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So when disaster
strikes, let us not wring our hands over the mysterious ways of God but
encourage everyone to reflect on their sinful and doomed state in hopes that
some will escape the Final Disaster that awaits the ultimately unrepentant.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[8]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
I am indebted to Dr. Clay Jones for most of the material and insight presented
here, as well as pointing me to the following passage by D.A. Carson.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>
D.A. Carson, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How Long, O Lord?:
Reflections on Suffering and Evil</i> (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2006), 61.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ibid.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ibid.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a>
This is a loose reconstruction with some additions of my own.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a>
J.I. Packer, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">God’s Words</i>, 71.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn7" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a>
For more on these first two points, I highly recommend reading Clay Jones, “We
Don’t Take Human Evil Seriously so We Don’t Understand Why We Suffer” found at <a href="http://www.clayjones.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Human-Evil-and-Suffering.pdf">http://www.clayjones.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Human-Evil-and-Suffering.pdf</a>.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn8" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[8]</span></span></span></span></a>
Clay Jones, “Disaster Is Always a Call to Repentance!” found at <a href="http://www.clayjones.net/2011/11/disaster-is-always-a-call-to-repentance">http://www.clayjones.net/2011/11/disaster-is-always-a-call-to-repentance</a>.</div>
</div>
</div>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-71370626846898600162012-07-31T08:33:00.001-07:002012-07-31T08:33:53.054-07:00Goodness Isn't the Issue. Badness Is.<div class="MsoNormal" style="clear: left; float: left; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><img height="168" id="il_fi" src="http://us.cdn3.123rf.com/168nwm/iqoncept/iqoncept1109/iqoncept110900031/10501837-weighing-the-good-and-bad-of-a-situation-or-issue-on-a-gold-metal-scale-one-word-on-each-side-measur.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="161" /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“I’m
basically a good person. My good deeds outweigh my bad.”</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This
is the most common answer I have heard from non-Christians in response to the
question, “Why should God allow you into heaven?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">But
this answer actually has its root in original sin.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">After
Adam and Eve rebelled against God, they experienced guilt and attempted to hide
from Him. They also experienced shame, and so they attempted to cover
themselves through their own effort. Once Adam and Eve became corrupt, they
couldn’t produce anything better than themselves, i.e., all they could produce
was corruption. Each one of us is born into this world as a little fallen Adam
and Eve. And like Adam and Eve, fallen humankind today attempts to hide and
cover from God. But rather than sew fig leaves together, one of the most
prevalent ways we attempt to cover our moral shame and guilt is by appealing to
our own moral “goodness.” That is, we point to our “basic human goodness” and
“good deeds” in an attempt to justify ourselves before God. Often this even
becomes a rationalization as to why we don’t need God, e.g., “Why do I need
God? I’m living a good enough life on my own.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Ironically
then, these “good deeds” performed by fallen human beings, when appealed to as
evidence of one’s own goodness or as an excuse to ignore the need for God, are
a testimony <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i></b> to moral virtue and meritorious character but rather to a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">continued state of rebellion against God</i>.
It is an attempt to cover one’s own guilt and shame by the power of the flesh,
i.e., our own hard work and self-effort, just as Adam and Eve did in the Garden
of Eden. This is moralism, the attempt to fix and perfect oneself in the power
of self, and it is antithetical to the gospel of grace.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This
is an important point to grasp. What I am saying is that man’s charade of “good
deeds” is in reality often self-serving, and therefore not “good” at all! They
allow unregenerate men and women to continue to hide and cover from God,
suppressing the truth of their need for Him, while at the same time allowing
them to point to their works and say, “See, look at all the good things I’ve
done. I’m a good person.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">How
then should we respond to those who reject the gospel of grace and attempt to
hide and cover from God through good works?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">First, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Everyone</i> Thinks They are “Basically Good”</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">If
there is one thing I have learned while working in jail, it is that most
everyone thinks they are “basically good,” murderers, rapists, and child
molesters included. Inmates convicted of horrendous crimes still manage to find
a way to justify themselves in the sight of God and man:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Sure officer, I
made a mistake, who hasn’t? Maybe what I did could even be considered “wrong”
(whatever that misused and misunderstood word means). But you know what? I’ve
done a lot of good things too. I’m basically a good person.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Often
when people say “I’m basically good” what they have in mind is comparing
themselves with other people. They might say something like, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Well, I’ve done
some bad things, but I’m not like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i></b> guy over there. Look at what he
does. All in all, I think I’m pretty good.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Even
among convicted criminals there is a “code among thieves,” a list of do’s and
don’ts, even a moral hierarchicalism by which certain actions are judged more
heinous than others and a rationalization of one’s own actions becomes possible.
The petty thief points to the drug abuser and says, “I’m basically good.” The
drug abuser points to the kidnapper and says, “I’m basically good.” The
kidnapper points to the murderer and says, “I’m basically good.” The murderer
points to the child molester and says, “I’m basically good.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">But
it isn’t criminals alone who are plagued by this mentality. It is the average
law-abiding citizen as well. And in my experience, this type of moralism even impacts
police officers, often at an even deeper level. In fact, I think moralism in
general is more perceptible (and can be a greater danger) among those who work
in the criminal justice system due to the simple fact that we are confronted
with a corrupt aspect of society every day that others only see on TV. In the
face of daily evil it is easy for individuals involved in criminal justice to
retreat to the state of mind which says,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Look at that guy
over there. Look at his charges. Look at what he’s been convicted of. I’m not
like him, that’s for sure. I could <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never</i></b> do something like that. I’m
basically a good person.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Moralism
can be one of the biggest obstacles to the gospel.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
problem with all of these comparisons is that they do not take into account the
universal corruption of sin that affects all of humankind. If fallen,
unregenerate human beings are your standard of comparison, it’s easy to come to
the conclusion that you are “basically good.” All you need to do is find
someone a little bit worse off than you! Comparing one depraved human being
with another depraved human being will always produce this result. But this
type of comparison has the wrong reference point. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus
is our correct reference point, and Jesus said quite plainly, “No one is good
except God alone” (Luke 18:19). Paul says, “For all have sinned and fall short
of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23) and “There is none righteous, not even one”
(Rom. 3:10). In other words, there is none who are “basically good.” Basically
good compared to whom? Certainly not God; and it is God who we will stand
before on Judgment Day, not fallen unregenerate man.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Second, Niceness Isn’t Goodness.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Okay,
so everyone thinks they’re basically good, and no one lives up to God’s
standard of holiness. But there are a lot of nice people. What about them?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In
short, niceness is not goodness and being nice is easy much of the time. C.S.
Lewis stated, “Everyone <i>feels</i> benevolent if nothing happens to be
annoying him at the moment.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span></span></a>
Isn’t this true? It is easy to be nice when there is money in the bank, food on
the table, and sunshine on your face. But we often see the true nature of
humankind emerge when things aren’t going so well. When the chips are down and
times are tough, the “basic goodness” of humankind, more often than not,
quickly vanishes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Furthermore,
basic human niceness doesn’t even qualify as goodness. Jesus Himself said,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">If you love
those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who
love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that
to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect
repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting
to be repaid in full (Luke 6:32-34).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In
other words, these sorts of acts simply reflect the normal human niceness we
see in most every area of society. Even the white supremacist mom bakes Toll
House Cookies for all the little white supremacist kids on the block, but it
doesn’t follow from this that she is a morally good person!<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">True
moral goodness is much closer to the teaching “love your enemies” (Matt. 5:44)
which no fallen human being can do apart from God’s grace. Again, Jesus said
quite plainly, “No one is good except God alone” (Luke 18:19). Niceness isn’t
goodness, and we need to know the difference.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Third, Goodness Isn’t Even the Issue.
Badness Is.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">When
someone says, “I’m basically a good person, my good deeds outweigh my bad,”
they are assuming at least two things. First, they are assuming they have done
more good than bad. Considering that we are guilty of numerous sins every day
in thought, word, and deed, I don’t think this is true of anyone. Second, they
are assuming that doing good works somehow counteracts all the bad things
they’ve done. But this mentality completely misunderstands the concepts of law
and justice.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">To
illustrate this,<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span></span></a>
imagine I pull you over for running a red light. In an attempt to avoid a ticket,
you explain to me, “Sir, you don’t understand. You see, before I ran that red light,
I stopped legally for 100 red lights. And after you let me go here, I am
planning on stopping legally for another 100 red lights. You see? My legal
stops outweigh my illegal failures to stop. I’m basically a good driver.
Therefore, I don’t deserve this ticket.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Or
what about the murderer who appears before a judge and says, “Your honor, I
confess. I murdered that man. But you don’t understand. I let <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hundreds</i></b>
of other people live! You see your honor? My good deeds outweigh my bad. I’m
basically a good person! Therefore, you should allow me to go free.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We
intuitively sense there is something wrong with these excuses. So what’s the
problem? It’s this:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">You
cannot make up for breaking the law by keeping the law; keeping the law is what
you are supposed to do.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In
other words, you don’t get a check in the mail or a get out of jail free card
for being a law-abiding citizen. That is the standard you are held to! The
issue is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i></b> that we keep the law most of the time. The problem is that
we break it on occasion! And when we do, we deserve to face the consequences of
our actions.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
same goes for God’s law. Goodness is not the issue; badness is. The issue is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i></b>
that we do what we are supposed to on occasion, the issue is that we have
broken God’s law <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">many times over</i> and
stand as condemned sinners before Him who deserve to be punished. In other
words, we don’t get rewarded for keeping God’s law, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">keeping God’s law is what we are supposed to do</i>. And justice
requires that we be punished for when we don’t. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This,
my friends, is why salvation <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">must</i> be
by grace, and why any works-oriented salvific system is doomed to failure. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">For by grace you
have been saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of
God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast (Eph. 2:8-9).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">You
can’t make up for breaking the law by keeping the law. Keeping the law is what
you are supposed to do. And when we appear before God on Judgment Day, the
appropriate attitude before the most holy, most perfect, most wise, most just
Creator and Savior will <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i></b> be,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Well, you see
God, you don’t understand. Let me tell you how this works. Check it out: my
good deeds outweigh my bad. I’m basically a good person. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I
imagine God would look at us the same way the judge might look at the murderer
who said, “Yeah, but I let hundreds of other people live!” and would
appropriately respond, “Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matt.
7:23). Rather our attitude should be one of humility, reverence, and gratitude,
one which says, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">He saved us, not
on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His
mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit (Titus
3:5).</span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span></span></a>
Lewis, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Problem of Pain</i>, 49
(emphasis his).</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span></span></a>
Thanks to Clay Jones for this illustration.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span></span></a>
Thanks to Kevin Lewis and Jim Wallace for these illustrations.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=10444984#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></span></span></a>
If anyone actually has the fortitude to attempt this excuse the next time they
are pulled over, please let me know how the officer responds!</div>
</div>
</div>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-32841753095995931602012-07-18T01:03:00.001-07:002012-07-18T01:07:58.692-07:00Upcoming Apologetics Series<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img height="228" src="http://www.biola.edu/academics/sas/apologetics/events/images/graphic_1BLakewood-12.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<a href="http://www.1bl.org/" target="_blank">First Baptist Church of Lakewood</a> will be hosting an outstanding six-week apologetics series entitled <i>Uncovering the Christian Faith.</i><br />
<br />
The series will take place Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, beginning the first week of September. The event is free! Childcare and kid's youth programs are also provided. Invite your friends and family members!<br />
<br />
<b>Lectures include:</b><br />
<br />
<b>September 5 </b>- <i>Arguments for the Existence of God</i>, by Dr. J.P. Moreland<br />
<br />
<b>September 12</b> - <i>The Historical Reliability of the New Testament</i>, by Dr. Fred Sanders<br />
<br />
<b>September 19</b> - <i>Introduction to Apologetics and the Resurrection of Jesus</i>, by Dr. Craig Hazen<br />
<br />
<b>September 26</b> - <i>The Case for Intelligent Design</i>, by Dr. John Bloom<br />
<br />
<b>October 3</b> - <i>Why God Allows Evil</i>, by Dr. Clay Jones<br />
<br />
<b>October 10</b> - <i>Christianity and the Challenge of World Religions</i>, by Dr. Craig Hazen<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Location: First Baptist Church of Lakewood</span><br style="font-weight: normal;" /><span style="font-weight: normal;">
5336 Arbor Road</span><br style="font-weight: normal;" /><span style="font-weight: normal;">
Long Beach, CA </span><br style="font-weight: normal;" /><span style="font-weight: normal;">
Phone: (562) 420-1471</span></b><br />
<br />
Visit <a href="http://www.1bl.org/classes-communities/pages/2126-uncovering-the-christian-faith" target="_blank">First Baptist Church of Lakewood</a> or <a href="http://www.biola.edu/academics/sas/apologetics/events/" target="_blank">Biola Apologetics Events</a> for any additional information. Audio recordings of the lectures will also be made available.Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-16998743545210675972012-05-14T21:47:00.000-07:002012-05-14T21:48:25.947-07:00Is the Apocrypha Scripture?<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QoLW7e_sjS8/R2AZ9vl7p2I/AAAAAAAAABM/gf-ITzabIdk/s1600/bible.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QoLW7e_sjS8/R2AZ9vl7p2I/AAAAAAAAABM/gf-ITzabIdk/s200/bible.bmp" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Roman
Catholics and Protestants agree on many central doctrines of the Christian
faith, including the Trinity, deity of Christ, and bodily resurrection of
Jesus. But one important issue which separates Roman Catholics and Protestants
is the extent of canonized Scripture. While both groups have the same 27 books
in the New Testament, Roman Catholics have an additional seven books in their
Old Testament (along with four additions to other OT books). These extra books
and writings are referred to as the "Apocrypha" or "deuterocanonical"
(second canon) books. They are as follows:</span><br />
<br />
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<a name='more'></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> The Wisdom of Solomon (Book of
Wisdom)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> Tobit</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Judith</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1
Maccabees</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">2
Maccabees</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Baruch
(including the Letter of Jeremiah)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Additions
to Esther (10:4-16:24)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Prayer
of Azariah (Daniel 3:24-90)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Susanna
(Daniel 13)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Bel
and the Dragon (Daniel 14)</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
status of the Apocrypha became a watershed issue between Roman Catholics and
Protestants during the Counter-Reformation. It was at this time that the Roman
Catholic Church (RCC) officially and infallibly canonized these books and pronounced
an anathema (under God’s condemnation) on anyone who rejected the Apocrypha as
Scripture, which would include all Protestants.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span></span></a>
After listing the books which the RCC considers canonical, including the Apocrypha,
the Council of Trent declared,</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">If anyone,
however, should not accept the said books as sacred and canonical, entire with
all their parts...and if both knowingly and deliberately he should condemn the aforesaid
traditions let him be anathema.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">With
this in mind, the extent of canonized Scripture and whether or not the
Apocrypha is God-breathed is an important issue dividing Roman Catholics and
Protestants. If Rome is correct in her assessment of the Apocrypha, Protestants
are in serious error and under God’s condemnation. On the other hand, if Rome
is wrong about the Apocrypha, the church’s claim of infallibility is shown to
be false and her authority is critically undermined. William Webster explains:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The subject [of
the Old Testament canon] is one of the highest significance and relevance
because it is directly related to the issue of authority. The Roman Catholic
Church claims ultimate authority for herself because she believes she is
responsible for establishing the limits of the canon at the North African
Councils of Hippo and Carthage in the late fourth century…It is also
significant to note that Trent attached an anathema on all who knowingly reject
its decree on the Old Testament canon. In so doing, Trent made the issue of the
canon a matter of saving faith.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">With
the importance of this debate in mind, the following seven reasons build a
persuasive case for the acceptance of the Protestant Old Testament as
authoritative and the rejection of the Apocrypha as Scripture.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Reason #1: The Jews <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never</i> accepted the Apocrypha as Scripture or considered it on par
with other Old Testament canonical books.</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This
first point cannot be overstated. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Jews themselves did not accept the Apocrypha as Scripture</i>. This is very
significant, especially considering that Paul tells us the Jews were “entrusted
with the oracles of God” (Rom. 3:2). It was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">through</i>
the Jews that God produced the Old Testament canon and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">to</i> the Jews that God entrusted it. So the question is, “Did the
Jews know their own Scripture?” If so, the Apocrypha should not be considered
part of it. On the other hand, if the Apocrypha <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> canonical, how is it that the Jews did not know that which was
entrusted to them, especially in light of Paul’s statement?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">All
of this to say, the 39 books in the Protestant Old Testament correspond to the
same 22 (or 24, depending on how they are arranged)<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></span></span></a>
books in the Hebrew Bible. In other words, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Protestant</i> Old Testament canon contains the same books which the
Jews accepted as Scripture. This is testified to by several sources. The Jewish
historian Josephus wrote, </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">For we have not
an innumerable multitude of books among us, disagreeing from and contradicting
one another [as the Greeks have,] <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">but
only twenty-two books, which are justly believed to be divine</i>; and of them,
five belong to Moses, which contain his law, and the traditions of the origin
of mankind till his death…the prophets, who were after Moses, wrote down what
was done in their times in thirteen books. The remaining four books contain
hymns to God, and precepts for the conduct of human life.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[5]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">These
twenty-two books accepted by the Jews as canonical correspond exactly to the
Protestant Old Testament canon, which excludes the Apocrypha. Along with
Josephus, the Jewish teacher Philo also did not recognize the Apocrypha as
Scripture. Regarding Philo, F.F. Bruce states,</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Philo of
Alexandria (c 20 BC-AD 50) evidently knew the scriptures in the Greek version
only. He was an illustrious representative of Alexandrian Judaism, and if
Alexandrian Judaism did indeed recognize a more comprehensive canon than
Palestinian Judaism, one might have expected to find some trace of this in
Philo’s voluminous writings. But in fact, while Philo has not given us a formal
statement on the limits of the canon such as we have in Josephus, the books
which he acknowledged as holy scripture were quite certainly books included in
the traditional Hebrew Bible…He shows no sign of accepting the authority of any
of the books which we know as the Apocrypha.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[6]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
rejection of the Apocrypha by Josephus and Philo is not only significant
because they both were Jews who knew their own canon but also because they were
both familiar with the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Old Testament).
Philo himself was from Alexandria where the Septuagint originated. Roman
Catholic apologists often claim that the Jewish Septuagint contained the
Apocrypha, and since the Septuagint was the Bible used by Jesus and the
apostles, the Apocrypha should therefore be considered Scripture. But William
Webster explains why this reasoning is false:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Josephus not
only gave the precise number of the canonical books but stated that the Jewish
nation recognized these twenty-two alone as canonical. What is important about his
testimony is that he used the Septuagint version of the Old Testament. Thus,
even though he used the Greek version, he cited the limited canon of the
Hebrews. And as mentioned earlier, Philo also used the Septuagint and did not
include the Apocrypha as authoritative canonical Scripture. These cases
demonstrate that it does not follow that those who used the Septuagint accepted
an expanded canon, in particular, Jesus and the apostles.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[7]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
listing of the Hebrew Bible at only 22 or 24 books not only tells us that the
Jews knew which books belonged in the canon but also that it necessarily
excluded the Apocrypha. One reason the Jews did not accept the Apocrypha is
because they recognized that an exact succession of their own prophetic line
ended around the fourth century B.C. The Apocrypha was written after this
point, therefore making it non-canonical. Josephus comments on this as well:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">From Artaxerxes
until our time everything has been recorded, but has not been deemed worthy of
like credit with what preceded<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, because
the exact succession of the prophets ceased</i>.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[8]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Not
only does Josephus give us the exact number of books and their divisions, but
here he gives us a timeline stating that those books written after the time of
Artaxerxes<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[9]</span></span></span></a>
did not carry the same authority as the canonical books because the exact
succession of prophets had ceased. In other words, the apocryphal books were
not inspired and therefore not canonical.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Roger
Beckwith in his book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Old Testament Canon of the New Testament
Church</i> cites numerous rabbinical statements which testify to the cessation
of prophecy in Israel in an era before the Apocrypha was written:<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[10]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">With the death
of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi the latter prophets, the Holy Spirit ceased
out of Israel (Tos. Sotah 13.2).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Until then [the
coming of Alexander the Great and the end of the empire of the Persians] the
prophets prophesied through the Holy Spirit. From then on, “incline thine ear
and hear the words of the wise (Seder Olam Rabbah 30).</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Since the Temple
was destroyed, prophecy has been taken from prophets and given to fools and
children (Bab. Baba Bathra 12b).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
Jewish rejection of the Apocrypha as Scripture can also be seen at a meeting of
Jewish scholars in Jamnia (90 AD). Here there was no discussion whatsoever as
to the apocryphal books or their acceptance into the canon. Furthermore, the
Jewish Talmud, comprised of rabbinical writings from between 200 AD to 500 AD,
also excluded the Apocrypha from canonical Scripture. Even the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New Catholic Encyclopedia</i> affirms the
consistency between the Protestant Old Testament and Hebrew Bible:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">For the Old
Testament Protestants follow the Jewish canon; they have only the books that
are in the Hebrew Bible. Catholics have, in addition, seven deuterocanonical
books of the Old Testament.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[11]</span></span></span></a>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In
short, if we had no other reason to reject the Apocrypha as canonical, the fact
that the Jews themselves never accepted it into their Hebrew Bible would be
sufficient. Scripture is God-breathed and therefore it is God who determines
which books are canonical by inspiring certain books and not others. The people
of God (in this case the Jews) were entrusted with these divine writings long
before the Roman Catholic Church was in existence. Therefore, it is not the
prerogative of Rome to determine the canonical boundaries of a group of
writings which she neither produced nor which she was entrusted with.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Reason #2: A compelling argument can be
made that neither Jesus, nor the apostles, nor the New Testament writers
accepted the Apocrypha as Scripture. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">First,
continuing from the first point above, since the Jews never accepted the
Apocrypha as Scripture, and since Jesus, the apostles, and most authors of the
New Testament were themselves Jewish, it follows that neither did they accept
the Apocrypha as Scripture. The argument would look like this:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Jews did not accept the Apocrypha as
Scripture.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus, the apostles, and most authors of the
New Testament were Jewish.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Therefore, Jesus, the apostles, and most
authors of the New Testament did not accept the Apocrypha as Scripture.</span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus
and the authors of the New Testament frequently refer to “the Scriptures,” for
example, when Jesus is teaching His apostles or debating the Jewish religious
leaders of His day.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[12]</span></span></span></a>
But any mention of “the Scriptures” must have an objective referent
identifiable by everyone involved in the discussion. In other words, referring
to “the Scriptures” could not be made unless: (1) there was a specific set of
books in mind, (2) those in dialogue agreed on this set of books (leading us to
reasonably conclude that), (3) Jesus, the apostles, and even the Jewish
religious leaders all accepted the canon authoritatively established by the
Jews. F.F. Bruce states it this way:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Our Lord and his
apostles might differ from the religious leaders of Israel about the meaning of
the scriptures; there is no suggestion that they differed about the limits of
the scriptures. ‘The scriptures’ on whose meaning they differed were not an
amorphous collection: when they spoke of ‘the scriptures’ they knew which
writings they had in mind and could distinguish them from other writings which
were not included in ‘the scriptures’.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[13]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Furthermore,
Jesus frequently refers to “the Law and the Prophets,” “the Law,” and even “the
Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn14" name="_ftnref14" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn14;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[14]</span></span></span></a>
But again, it is hard to imagine Jesus making these references unless there was
already a closed Jewish canon with certain identifiable books contained within
it. In other words, here in the words of Jesus we see an argument for a closed
Hebrew canon. Beckwith sums up this important point:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It is difficult
to conceive of the canon being organized according to a rational principle, or
of its books being arranged in a definite order, unless the identity of those
books was already settled and the canon closed, still more is it difficult to
conceive of those books being counted, and the number being generally accepted
and well known, if the canon remained open and the identify of its books
uncertain…And such agreement, as we have now seen, had probably been reached by
the second century BC…The fact that the Old Testament canon to which the New
Testament in various ways refers did have a settled number of books by the New
Testament times is a further indication that Jesus and his earliest followers
were acquainted with a closed canon, and commended a closed canon to the
Christian Church.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn15" name="_ftnref15" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn15;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[15]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A
second important consideration is this: neither Jesus nor the New Testament
writers ever quote the Apocrypha as Scripture. Jesus and the writers of the New
Testament quote the Old Testament quite frequently. When they do, they commonly
begin with “the Scriptures say,” “as it is written,” or “Thus says the Lord.” But
never once is any apocryphal book directly quoted in this way. Although the New
Testament contains hundreds of quotes and references to almost every canonical
book in the Old Testament, never once is the Apocrypha quoted. Never once is
any apocryphal book ascribed canonical status or Scriptural authority.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Finally,
Jesus makes an explicit statement which seems to limit the extent of the Old
Testament to the traditional Hebrew canon, thus excluding the Apocrypha as
Scripture. This argument is developed at length by Roger Beckwith and is based
on two parallel passages found in Matthew 23:34-36 and Luke 11:49-51.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn16" name="_ftnref16" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn16;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[16]</span></span></span></a>
The passage from Luke reads, </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">For this reason
also the wisdom of God said, “I will send to them prophets and apostles, and
some of them they will kill and some they will persecute, so that the blood of
all the prophets, shed since the foundation of the world, may be charged
against this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who
was killed between the altar and the house of God; yes, I tell you, it shall be
charged against this generation.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
significance of this passage in relation to the canon is understood when we
take into account two things. First, in the traditional ordering of the Hebrew
Bible, Jews placed the book of 2 Chronicles last. Second, most commentators
agree that the Zechariah spoken of in the above passage is the Zechariah killed
in 2 Chronicles 24:20-22, making him the last recorded martyr in the Hebrew
canon. Putting this all together, when Jesus is condemning the Pharisees in the
Matthew 23 and Luke 11 passages, He is laying the guilt of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all the martyred prophets</i> from the very first (Abel) in the book of
Genesis to the very last (Zechariah) in the book of 2 Chronicles, and in so
doing is implicitly giving us the extent of canonized Scripture: from Genesis
to 2 Chronicles, thus excluding the Apocrypha. Beckwith articulates this very
well: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Abel’s martyrdom
is the first, and comes near the beginning of the first book of the canon;
Zechariah’s martyrdom is the last, and comes near the end of the last book. All
the martyrdoms from Abel to Zechariah are therefore equivalent to all the
martyrdoms from one end of the Jewish Bible to the other. If it is asked why
Jesus does not extend his catalogue of martyrdoms beyond the bounds of the
canon, Luke gives a clear answer. Jesus is not speaking of all righteous blood
without distinction, but of all the righteous blood of prophets; and prophecy,
as the Jews knew well, had virtually ended with the composition of the latest
book of Holy Scripture…He is thus confirming that the traditional order of
books, which began with Genesis and ended with Chronicles, goes back in all
essentials to the first century. Nor is he the inventor of this order. His
allusive way of indicating the whole canon would be intelligible only if the
order were already widely received.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn17" name="_ftnref17" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn17;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[17]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">F.F.
Bruce also picks up on this argument and summarizes it this way:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There is
evidence that Chronicles was the last book in the Hebrew Bible as Jesus knew
it. When he said that the generation he addressed would be answerable for “the
blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world”, he added,
“from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the
altar and the sanctuary” (Luke 11:50f.). Abel is the first martyr in the Bible
(Gen. 4:8); Zechariah is most probably the son of Jehoiada, who was stoned to
death “in the court of Yahweh’s house” because, speaking by the Spirit of God,
he rebuked the king and people of Judah for transgressing the divine
commandments (2 Chron. 24:20-22). Zechariah (c 800 BC) was not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">chronologically</i> the last faithful
prophet to die as a martyr…But Zechariah is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">canonically</i>
the last faithful prophet to die as a martyr, because his death is recorded in
Chronicles, the last book in the Hebrew Bible.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn18" name="_ftnref18" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn18;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[18]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Why
is it important if Jesus, the apostles, and the writers of the New Testament
did not accept the Apocrypha as Scripture? The answer should be obvious:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">To Christians,
however, the teaching of Jesus, his apostles and the other New Testament
writers has also a theological significance; for if they teach us what their
Old Testament canon was, do they not also teach us what, for Christians, the
Old Testament canon ought to be?<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn19" name="_ftnref19" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn19;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[19]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Reason #3: Jerome, translator of the Latin
Vulgate, also rejected the Apocrypha as Scripture.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A
number of church fathers and theologians throughout the centuries separated the
Apocrypha from canonical Scripture. Many recognized the Hebrew canon as
consisting of only twenty-two books, including Origen, Hilary of Poitiers, Cyril
of Jerusalem, Athanasius, Epiphanius, Gregory of Nazianzus, Basil the Great,
and Rufinus.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn20" name="_ftnref20" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn20;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[20]</span></span></span></a>
But Jerome is of special significance due to the fact that he translated the
Latin Vulgate which became the standard Bible translation used by the Western
Church for centuries. Jerome was a biblical scholar of first rank, knowing both
Hebrew and Greek, and he clearly teaches that the Apocrypha should be excluded
from the canon. Regarding the number of books in the Hebrew canon, he stated,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And
thus altogether there come to be 22 books</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> of the old Law, that is, five of
Moses, eight of the Prophets, and nine of the Hagiographa…so that we may know
that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">whatever is not included in these is
to be placed among the apocrypha</i>…<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn21" name="_ftnref21" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn21;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[21]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In
addition, Jerome not only gives us the traditional three-fold division of the
Hebrew Bible but also the books which compromised each:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
Law of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">2)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
Prophets: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I & II Samuel, I & II Kings, Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Ezekiel and the twelve minor prophets.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">3)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
Hagiographa: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Daniel,
Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemiah and Esther.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn22" name="_ftnref22" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn22;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[22]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Notice
here that the Apocrypha is excluded. Jerome also explicitly rejected the
apocryphal additions to the book of Daniel (Bel and the Dragon, Susanna):</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
stories of Susanna and of Bel and the Dragon are non contained in the Hebrew</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">…For this same
reason when I was translating Daniel many years ago, I noted these visions with
a critical symbol, showing that they were not included in the Hebrew…After all,
both Origen, Eusebius, and Appolinarius, and other outstanding churchmen and
teachers of Greece acknowledge that, as I have said, these visions are not
found amongst the Hebrews, and therefore they are not obliged to answer to
Porphyry for these portions <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">which exhibit
no authority as Holy Scripture</i>.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn23" name="_ftnref23" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn23;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[23]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Jerome
even states that the Church of his day did not grant canonical status to the
Apocrypha and that these books should not be used in determining doctrine:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">As, then, the
Church reads Judith, Tobit, and the books of Maccabes, but does not admit them
among the canonical Scriptures, so let it also read these two Volumes (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wisdom of Solomon and Ecclesiasticus</i>)
for the edification of the people, not to give authority to doctrines of the
Church (emphasis mine).<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn24" name="_ftnref24" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn24;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[24]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This
statement of Jerome is important for at least two reasons. First, notice Jerome
distinguishes between canonical books and ecclesiastical books. The canonical
books are those in the Hebrew Bible and may be used in establishing doctrine,
while the ecclesiastical books (which include the Apocrypha) are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> canonical but rather are preserved
for their usefulness in edification, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i>
in deciding doctrinal issues and therefore inferior in status.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Second,
Jerome states that this position, a rejection of the Apocrypha as canonical was
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the view of the Church during his time</i>.
This is contrary to the claims of many Roman Catholic apologists. In other
words, not only was there no “unanimous consent” in favor of accepting the
Apocrypha as inspired Scripture, but quite the opposite, the “unanimous consent”
of the Church seems to be in favor of its rejection! Jerome, one of the
greatest scholars in Church history, who translated the Bible used by the
Western Church for centuries, clearly recognized the inferior status of the
Apocrypha, and it is unfortunate the Roman Catholic Church eventually abandoned
this position at the Council of Trent in 1546 (more on this below).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Reason #4: The overall practice of the
Western Church, up until the time of the Reformation, was to follow the judgment
of Jerome in rejecting the Apocrypha as Scripture.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Roman
Catholic apologists will often argue that the Apocrypha was accepted and
established as canonical for the Church universal at the councils of Hippo and
Carthage, in 393 and 397 respectively, at that it was actually Protestants who
removed these books from the canon during the Reformation. For example, Roman
Catholic apologist Karl Keating states, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The fact is that
the Council of Trent did not add to the Bible what Protestants call the
apocryphal books. Instead, the Reformers dropped from the Bible books that had
been in common use for centuries…After all, it was the Catholic Church, in the
fourth century, that officially decided which books composed the canon of the
Bible and which did not. The Council of Trent came on the scene about twelve
centuries later and merely restated the ancient position.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn25" name="_ftnref25" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn25;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[25]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">However,
the historical facts simply do not support this. Besides the reasons already
mentioned above, the vast majority of theologians, bishops and cardinals during
the Middle-Ages and until the time of the Reformation followed Jerome in his
assessment of the Apocrypha. The Apocrypha was viewed as useful in edification
and valued for its history but was not deemed to be divinely inspired Scripture
as was the Old Testament. William Webster gives three major historical examples
which support this: (1) the express statements of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Glossa ordinaria</i>—the official Biblical commentary used during the
Middle Ages, (2) the teaching of major theologians who cited Jerome as the
authority for determining the authoritative canon of the Old Testament, and (3)
Bible translations and commentaries produced just prior to the Reformation.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn26" name="_ftnref26" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn26;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[26]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
Glossa Ordinaria</span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Webster
gives a brief description and explanation of the importance of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Glossa ordinaria</i>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Ordinary
Gloss, known as the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Glossa ordinaria</i>,
is an important witness to the view of the Western Church on the status of the
Apocrypha because it was the standard authoritative biblical commentary for the
whole Western Church. It carried immense authority and was used in all the
schools for the training of theologians.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn27" name="_ftnref27" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn27;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[27]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The importance
of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Glossa ordinaria</i> relative to
the issue of the Apocrypha is seen from the statements in the Preface to the
overall work. It repeats the judgment of Jerome that the Church permits the
reading of the Apocryphal books only for devotion and instruction in manners,
but that they have no authority for concluding controversies in matters of
faith. It states that there are twenty-two books of the Old Testament, citing
the testimonies of Origen, Jerome and Rufinus as support. When commenting on
the Apocryphal books, it prefixes an introduction to them saying: ‘Here begins
the book of Tobit which is not in the canon; here begins the book of Judith
which is not in the canon’ and so forth for Ecclesiasticus, Wisdom, and
Maccabees etc. These prologues to the Old Testament and Apocryphal books
repeated the words of Jerome.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn28" name="_ftnref28" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn28;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[28]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Here
is an excerpt from the Prologue to the Glossa ordinaria written in 1498 AD,
explaining the distinction between canonical and non-canonical (or Apocryphal)
books:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Many people, who
do not give much attention to the holy scriptures, think that all the books
contained in the Bible should be honored and adored with equal veneration, not
knowing how to distinguish among the canonical and non-canonical books, the
latter of which the Jews number among the apocrypha. Therefore they often
appear ridiculous before the learned; and they are disturbed and scandalized
when they hear that someone does not honor something read in the Bible with
equal veneration as all the rest. Here, then, we distinguish and number
distinctly first the canonical books and then the non-canonical, among which we
further distinguish between the certain and the doubtful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The canonical
books have been brought about through the dictation of the Holy Spirit. It is
not known, however, at which time or by which authors the non-canonical or
apocryphal books were produced. Since, nevertheless, they are very good and useful,
and nothing is found in them which contradicts the canonical books, the church
reads them and permits them to be read by the faithful for devotion and
edification. Their authority, however, is not considered adequate for proving
those things which come into doubt or contention, or for confirming the
authority of ecclesiastical dogmas, as blessed Jerome states in his prologue to
Judith and to the books of Solomon. But the canonical books are of such
authority that whatever is contained therein is held to be true firmly and
indisputably, and likewise that which is clearly demonstrated from them.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn29" name="_ftnref29" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn29;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[29]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">After
distinguishing between the canonical and apocryphal books, the Prologue of the
Ordinary Gloss then goes on to catalogue</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">…the precise
books which make up the Old Testament canon, and those of the non-canonical
Apocrypha, all in accordance with the teaching of Jerome. Again, the
significance of this is that the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Glossa
ordinaria</i> was the official Biblical commentary used during the Middle Ages
in all the theological centers for the training of theologians. Therefore, it
represents the overall view of the Church as a whole, demonstrating the
emptiness of the claims of Roman apologists that the decrees of Hippo and
Carthage officially settled the canon for the universal Church.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn30" name="_ftnref30" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn30;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[30]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
Teaching of Theologians</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
teachings of major theologians up until the time of the Reformation show that
they follow the example of Jerome and the Ordinary Gloss in rejecting the
Apocrypha as Scripture. They cite the Hebrew canon and Jerome as authorities on
this matter. Space does not permit full length citations of all the theologians
included in this category. William Webster has provided extensive documentation
in his work.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn31" name="_ftnref31" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn31;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[31]</span></span></span></a>
However, three major theologians we will look at briefly are Cardinal Cajetan,
Gregory the Great, and Hugh of St. Victor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">First,
Cardinal Cajetan is an important figure because he was Martin Luther’s
theological opponent during the Protestant Reformation. He wrote a commentary
on every canonical book of the Old Testament and dedicated it to the pope. Yet
Cajetan followed the example of Jerome, even citing him as an authority on the
canon. Cajetan maintains the same distinction as Jerome between canonical books
(useful in determining doctrine) and ecclesiastical books (useful in
edification). Notice what he says:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Here we close
our commentaries on the historical books of the Old Testament. For the rest
(that is, Judith, Tobit, and the books of Maccabees) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are counted by St Jerome out of the canonical books, and are placed
amongst the Apocrypha</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">along with
Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus, as is plain from the Prologus Galeatus</i>. Nor be
thou disturbed, like a raw scholar, if thou shouldest find anywhere, either in
the sacred councils or the sacred doctors, these books reckoned as canonical.
For the words as well of councils as of doctors are to be reduced to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">correction of Jerome</i>. Now, according to
his judgment, in the epistle to the bishops Chromatius and Heliodorus, these
books (and any other like books in the canon of the bible) are not canonical,
that is, not in the nature of a rule for confirming matters of faith. Yet, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">they may be called canonical, that is, in
the nature of a rule for the edification of the faithful</i>, as being received
and authorized in the canon of the bible for that purpose. By the help of this
distinction thou mayest see thy way clearly through that which Augustine says,
and what is written in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the provincial
council of Carthage</i>.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn32" name="_ftnref32" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn32;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[32]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Here
Cajetan clearly relegates the Apocrypha outside the canon. But what about those
councils such as Carthage, presided over by Augustine, which canonized the
Apocrypha? Cajetan gives us several important interpretive keys. First, these
councils are to be subject to the correction of Jerome. Second, the Apocrypha
may be called “canonical” only in the ecclesiastical sense, i.e., they are
useful for edification, and are only included in the Bible for that purpose.
Third, Cajetan confirms that the council of Carthage was only a local council.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A
second important figure was Gregory the Great. Gregory was a doctor in the
Church and was bishop of Rome from 590-604 AD. Gregory rejected the book of 1
Maccabees as canonical in his commentary on the book of Job:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">With reference
to which particular we are not acting irregularly, if from the books, though
not Canonical, yet brought out for the edification of the Church, we bring
forward testimony. Thus Eleazar in the battle smote and brought down an
elephant, but fell under the very beast that he killed (1 Macc. 6:46).<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn33" name="_ftnref33" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn33;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[33]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Webster
explains the significance of this statement by Gregory the Great:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This is
significant, coming as it does from a bishop of Rome, who denied canonical
status to 1 Maccabees long after the Councils of Hippo and Carthage. But he
taught that the book was useful for the purpose of edification, the same
sentiment expressed by Jerome. This is in direct contradiction to what the
earlier Roman Church decreed under Innocent I, who confirmed the books
sanctioned as canonical by Augustine and the Councils of Hippo and Carthage…Clearly,
when the Church received the Apocryphal books as canonical it defined the term
in the sense expressed by Cardinal Cajetan above. The term had both a broad and
narrow meaning. Broadly, it included all the books that were acceptable for
reading in Churches, which included the Apocrypha. But, in its narrower
meaning, only the books of the Hebrew Canon were sanctioned as truly canonical
for the purposes of establishing doctrine…Thus, we have the official and
authoritative perspective of a bishop of Rome in the late sixth and early
seventh centuries regarding the canonical status of the Apocrypha.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn34" name="_ftnref34" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn34;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[34]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Third,
Hugh of St. Victor (1096-1141) also followed Jerome in listing the number of
Old Testament canonical books at twenty-two, thus rejecting the Apocrypha. Concerning
Hugh of St. Victor, F.F. Bruce states,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Hugh of St.
Victor, who was prior of the abbey and director of its school from 1133 until
his death in 1141, enumerates the books of the Hebrew Bible in a chapter ‘On
the number of books in holy writ’ and goes on to say: ‘There are also in the
Old Testament certain other books which are indeed read [in church] but are not
inscribed in the body of the text or in the canon of authority: such are the
books of Tobit, Judith and the Maccabees, the so-called Wisdom of Solomon and
Ecclesiasticus.’ Here, of course, the influence of Jerome can be discerned: for
mediaeval students of the Bible in the Latin church there was no master to be
compared with him.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn35" name="_ftnref35" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn35;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[35]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">If
it is true, as Roman Catholic apologists claim, that the issue of the canon had
been settled long ago at the councils of Hippo and Carthage, how is it that so
many theologians, bishops, and cardinals rejected the canonicity of the Apocrypha
up until the time of the Reformation? Were they unaware of Rome’s official position
on the matter? Or were they simply exercising their intellectual freedom in
following the historic position of the Church in a matter Rome had not
officially and infallibly addressed yet?</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Bible
Translations</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A
final piece of evidence put forward by Webster is a Bible translation known as
the Biblia Complutensia. The translators of this work followed Jerome, the Glossa
ordinaria, as well as the teaching of major theologians in rejecting the
Apocrypha as Scripture:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In the early
sixteenth century, just prior to the Reformation, Cardinal Ximenes, the
Archbishop of Toledo, in collaboration with the leading theologians of his day,
produced an edition of the Bible called the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Biblia
Complutensia</i>. There is an admonition in the Preface regarding the
Apocrypha, that the books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, the
Maccabees, the additions to Esther and Daniel, are not canonical Scripture and
were therefore not used by the Church for confirming the authority of any
fundamental points of doctrine, though the Church allowed them to be read for
purposes of edification…This Bible, as well as its Preface, was published by
the authority and consent of Pope Leo X, to whom the whole work was dedicated.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn36" name="_ftnref36" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn36;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[36]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Here
we have, in the sixteenth century, a Bible being produced by the sanction of
Pope Leo X which clearly separated the Apocrypha from the rest of the Old
Testament canon. Once again, the claim that Rome determined the canon for the
Church universal centuries prior simply does not fit with the historical facts.
Bruce Metzger provides additional historical information regarding Bible
translations produced during the sixteenth century in the Western Church:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Subsequent to
Jerome’s time and down to the period of the reformation a continuous succession
of the more learned Fathers and theologians in the West maintained the
distinctive and unique authority of the books of the Hebrew canon. Such a
judgment, for example, was reiterated on the very eve of the Reformation by
Cardinal Ximenes in the preface of the magnificent Complutensian Polygot
edition of the Bible which he edited (1514-17). Moreover, the earliest Latin
version of the Bible in modern times, made from the original languages by the
scholarly Dominican, Sanctes Pagnini, and published at Lyons in 1528, with
commendatory letters from Pope Adrian VI and Pope Clement VII, sharply
separates the text of the canonical books from the text of the Apocryphal
books. Still another Latin Bible, this one an addition of Jerome's Vulgate
published at Nuermberg by Johannes Petreius in 1527, presents the order of the
books as in the Vulgate but specifies at the beginning of each Apocryphal book
that it is not canonical…Even Cardinal Cajetan, Luther’s opponent at Augsburg
in 1518, gave an unhesitating approval to the Hebrew canon in his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Commentary on All the Authentic Historical
Books of the Old Testament</i>, which he dedicated in 1532 to Pope Clement VII.
He expressly called attention to Jerome’s separation of the canonical from the
uncanonical books, and maintained that the latter must not be relied upon to
establish points of faith, but used only for the edification of the faithful.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn37" name="_ftnref37" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn37;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[37]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Notice
that the Bible translations and commentaries above were produced just prior to
the Council of Trent in 1546, and they each rejected the Apocrypha as canonical
Scripture. Taking into account the historical evidence, William Webster
concludes,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
The weight of historical evidence supports the exclusion of the Apocrypha from
the category of canonical Scripture. Thus, we must conclude that the decrees of
the Council of Trent, relative to the true canon of Scripture, were made with
brazen disregard for Jewish and patristic historical evidence, as well for the
overall historical consensus of the Church prior to that Council.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn38" name="_ftnref38" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn38;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[38]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">When
was the Apocrypha officially and infallibly canonized by the Roman Catholic
Church? This question leads to the next reason the Apocrypha should be rejected
as Scripture.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Reason #5: The Roman Catholic Church did
not officially and infallibly canonize the Apocrypha until 1546 at the Council
of Trent.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">As
stated above, Roman Catholic apologists will often argue that the Apocrypha was
accepted and established as canonical for the Church universal at the councils
of Hippo and Carthage in the late fourth and early fifth centuries. In addition
to all of the evidence presented above that demonstrates this is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> the case, and was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> the majority view of the Western
Church, there are further problems with this claim.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">First</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">, the councils of Hippo and
Carthage were not ecumenical but rather local synods, as even admitted by Roman
Catholic scholars such as Cardinal Cajetan above. Therefore they did not have
the authority to speak for the Church as a whole and could not establish the
canon officially and infallibly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Second</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">, the North African Councils were
heavily influenced by Augustine who unfortunately held to the erroneous view
that the Septuagint was a divinely inspired translation. This becomes
problematic because these councils, following the Septuagint translation,
canonized the book of 1 Esdras<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn39" name="_ftnref39" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn39;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[39]</span></span></span></a>
from the Septuagint (which later became 3 Esdras in the Vulgate) which the
Council of Trent later determined to be non-canonical. In other words, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the Councils of Hippo and Carthage canonized
an “inspired” book which the Council of Trent later rejected</i>.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn40" name="_ftnref40" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn40;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[40]</span></span></span></a>
What this means is, contrary to the claim of Roman Catholic apologists, Hippo
and Carthage could not have authoritatively established the canon for the
Church.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Finally,
even Roman Catholic sources admit that the Apocrypha was not officially and
infallibly canonized until the Council of Trent in 1546. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New Catholic Encyclopedia</i> states that
the canon was not officially settled for the Western Church as a whole until
the Council of Trent in the sixteenth century:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">St. Jerome
distinguished between canonical books and ecclesiastical books. The latter he
judged were circulated by the Church as good spiritual reading but were not
recognized as authoritative Scripture. The situation remained unclear in the
ensuing centuries…for example, John of Damascus, Gregory the Great, Walafrid,
Nicolas of Lyra and Tostado continued to doubt the canonicity of the
deuterocanonical books…According to Catholic doctrine, the proximate criterion
of the biblical canon is the infallible decision of the Church. This decision
was not given until rather late in the history of the Church at the Council of
Trent…The Council of Trent definitively settled the matter of the Old Testament
Canon. That this had not been done previously is apparent from the uncertainty
that persisted up to the time of Trent.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn41" name="_ftnref41" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn41;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[41]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Roman
Catholic scholar Yves Congar agrees:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">…an official,
definitive list of inspired writings did not exist in the Catholic Church until
the Council of Trent…<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn42" name="_ftnref42" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn42;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[42]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">H.J.
Schroeder, the English translator of the Council of Trent, wrote:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The Tridentine
list or decree was the first infallible and effectually promulgated declaration
on the Canon of the Holy Scriptures.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn43" name="_ftnref43" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn43;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[43]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Contrary
then to what Roman Catholic apologist Karl Keating stated above, it was not
Protestants who removed the Apocrypha from Scripture but rather the Roman
Catholic Church which erroneously elevated this group of writings to the level
of sacred Scripture, disregarding the historical evidence and historic position
of the Church.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Reason #6: The Apocrypha cannot pass the
test of propheticity and therefore should not be considered Scripture.</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">At
least one of the books included in the Roman Catholic canon disqualifies itself
from being prophetic in origin. In 1 Maccabees chapter 4, after the temple was
cleansed and the defiled altar torn down, we are told that the stones of the
altar were stored “until a prophet should come to tell what to do with them”
(v. 46). 1 Maccabees 9:27 explicitly states that at the time of the books
writing, prophets of God had already ceased to appear:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So there was
great distress in Israel, such as had not been since the time that prophets
ceased to appear among them.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This
is seen again in 14:41 where the Jews decide that Simon should be their leader
and high priest “until a trustworthy prophet should arise.” The author of 1
Maccabees recognized that Israel’s prophets and the spirit of prophecy were
gone and therefore 1 Maccabees itself could not be divinely inspired.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Geisler
and MacKenzie summarize the failure of the Apocrypha as a whole to pass the
test of propheticity:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">First, no apocryphal
books claim to be written by a prophet. Indeed, as already noted, one apocryphal
book even disclaims being prophetic (1 Macc. 9:27). Second, there is no divine
confirmation of any of the writers of the apocryphal books, as there is for
prophets who wrote canonical books (e.g., Exod. 4:1-2). Third, there is no
predictive prophecy in the Apocrypha, such as we have in the canonical books
(e.g., Isa. 53; Dan. 9; Mic. 5:2) and which is a clear indication of their
propheticity. Fourth, there is no new messianic truth in the Apocrypha. Thus,
it adds nothing to the messianic truths of the Old Testament. Fifth, even the
Jewish community, whose books they were, acknowledged that the prophetic gifts
had ceased in Israel before the Apocrypha was written (see quotes above).
Sixth, the apocryphal books were never listed in the Jewish Bible along with
the “Prophets,” or any other section for that matter. Seventh, never once is
any apocryphal book cited authoritatively by a prophetic book written after it.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn44" name="_ftnref44" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn44;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[44]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Reason #7: The Apocrypha contains
doctrinal and historical errors.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
Apocrypha has been used by Roman Catholics to support certain doctrinal errors,
including atonement, purgatory, and prayers for the dead (2 Maccabees 12:45:
“Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from
their sin”) and salvation by works (Tobit 12:9: “For almsgiving saves from
death and purges away every sin”). This should at least be seen as suspect,
especially considering the polemical nature of the Council of Trent and the
canonization of the Apocrypha in reaction to the Protestant Reformation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Furthermore,
books such as Judith contain so many historical errors that many scholars
conclude it must be a work of historical fiction rather than actual history. If
indeed it was intended to be a work of historical fiction, I suppose it cannot
be faulted for containing so many historical errors. Bruce Metzger says the
following concerning Judith:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">One of the first
questions that naturally arises regarding this book is whether it is
historical. The consensus, at least among Protestant and Jewish scholars, is
that the story is, sheer fiction…the book teems with chronological, historical,
and geographical improbabilities and downright errors. For example, Holofernes
moves an immense army about three hundred miles in three days (2:21). The
opening words of the book, when taken with 2:1ff. and 4:2f., involve the most
astonishing historical nonsense, for the author places Nebuchadnezzar’s reign
over the Assyrians (in reality he was king of Babylon) at Nineveh (which fell
seven years before his accession!) at a time when the Jews had only recently
returned from the captivity (actually at this time they were suffering further
deportations)! Nebuchadnezzar did not make war on Media (1:7), nor capture
Ecbatana (1:14)…The rebuilding of the Temple (4:13) is dated, by a glaring
anachronism, about a century too early. Moreover, the Jewish state is
represented as being under the government of a high priest and a kind of
Sanhedrin (6:6-14; 15:8), which is compatible only with a post-exilic date
several hundred years after the book’s presumed historical setting.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn45" name="_ftnref45" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn45;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[45]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Conclusion</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
above seven reasons build a compelling case that the Apocrypha should not be
regarded as Scripture. All of this becomes very problematic for the Roman Catholic
Church which has made a supposedly infallible declaration regarding the
canonicity of the Apocrypha, a declaration which cannot be retracted. But what
happens when the facts of history undermine the dogmatic position taken by
Rome? And what is left of her infallibility if one of her “infallible”
declarations is shown to be false?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">To
summarize: the Jews who were entrusted with the oracles of God (Rom. 3:2) did
not accept the Apocrypha. Neither did Jesus or the writers of the New Testament.
Neither did Jerome, major theologians, and even Roman Catholic scholars up
until the time of the Reformation. It wasn’t until 1546 at the Council of Trent
that the Apocrypha was officially and infallibly declared to be Scripture, as even
admitted to by Roman Catholic sources. The Apocrypha cannot pass the test of
propheticity and certain books even contain doctrinal and historical errors. This,
of course, is not to say the Apocrypha is not useful. It certainly is. But it
is not Scripture. And Protestants are in good standing with the historical
evidence and historic position of the Church when they refuse to acknowledge
the books of the Apocrypha as canonical.</span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span></span></a>
Since Vatican II the RCC has become much more ecumenical and inclusive toward
Protestants and other groups, even referring to Protestants as “separated
brethren.” However, the historic and traditional position of the RCC has been
that (1) the RCC is the one true church, (2) no salvation is found outside the
RCC, and therefore (3) Protestants and anyone else who knowingly reject any
proclaimed infallible teachings of the RCC are anathema, separated from
fellowship with Rome, and therefore not saved.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span></span></a>
Council of Trent, Session IV (April 8, 1546), as quoted in Henry Denzinger, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Sources of Catholic Dogma</i>, trans.
Roy J. Deferrari (Fitzwilliam, NH: Loreto, 1954), 245.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span></span></a>
William Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon
and the Apocrypha</i> (Battle Ground, WA: Christian Resources, 2002), 7.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></span></span></a>
22 books if Ruth was appended to Joshua and Lamentations to Jeremiah, otherwise
24.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[5]</span></span></span></a>
Josephus, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Antiquities</i>, Against Apion,
1.8, my italics.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[6]</span></span></span></a>
F.F. Bruce, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Canon of Scripture </i>(Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1988), 46.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn7" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[7]</span></span></span></a>
Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon and the
Apocrypha</i>, 16.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn8" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[8]</span></span></span></a>
Josephus, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Antiquities</i>, Against Apion,
1.8 (my italics).</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn9" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[9]</span></span></span></a>
Artaxerxes Longimanus reigned for forty years from 465 BC to 425 BC.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn10" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[10]</span></span></span></a>
See Roger Beckwith, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament
Canon of the New Testament Church and its Background in Early </i>Judaism
(Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 1985), 369-370.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn11" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[11]</span></span></span></a>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New Catholic Encyclopedia</i>, Volume
III, Canon, Biblical, 29, as quoted in Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon and the Apocrypha</i>, 24-25.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn12" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[12]</span></span></span></a>
See Matt. 21:42, 22:29, 26:54, 56; Mark 12:24, 14:49; Luke 24:27, 32, 45; John
5:39. See also Acts 17:2, 11, 18:24, 28; Rom. 15:4, 16:26; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; 2
Pet. 3:16.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn13" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[13]</span></span></span></a>
Bruce, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Canon of Scripture</i>, 28-29.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn14" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref14" name="_ftn14" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn14;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[14]</span></span></span></a>
See, for example, Matt. 5:17-18, 7:12, 11:13, 12:5, 22:40; Luke 16:16-17, 24:44;
John 10:34, 15:25.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn15" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref15" name="_ftn15" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn15;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[15]</span></span></span></a>
Beckwith, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon of the
New Testament Church,</i> 262-263.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn16" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref16" name="_ftn16" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn16;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[16]</span></span></span></a>
See Ibid., 211-222.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn17" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref17" name="_ftn17" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn17;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[17]</span></span></span></a>
Ibid.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i>215, 220.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn18" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref18" name="_ftn18" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn18;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[18]</span></span></span></a>
Bruce, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Canon of Scripture</i>, 31,
his italics.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn19" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref19" name="_ftn19" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn19;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[19]</span></span></span></a>
Beckwith, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon of the
New Testament Church,</i> 10.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn20" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref20" name="_ftn20" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn20;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[20]</span></span></span></a>
See Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon and
the Apocrypha,</i> 16-17, along with footnotes.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn21" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref21" name="_ftn21" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn21;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[21]</span></span></span></a>
Jerome, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Helmed Prologue</i> to the
Vulgate version of Samuel and Kings, as quoted in Beckwith, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon of the New Testament
Church,</i> 120, my italics.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn22" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref22" name="_ftn22" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn22;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[22]</span></span></span></a>
See Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon and
the Apocrypha,</i> 21, along with footnote.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn23" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref23" name="_ftn23" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn23;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[23]</span></span></span></a>
Jerome, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Preface to Jerome’s Commentary on
Daniel</i>, trans. by Gleason Archer (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1977), 17, as quoted
in Norman Geisler and Ralph MacKenzie, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Roman
Catholics and Evangelicals: Agreements and Differences </i>(Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Books, 1995), 170, my italics.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn24" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref24" name="_ftn24" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn24;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[24]</span></span></span></a>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">NPNF2</i>, Vol. 6, St. Jerome, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Prefaces to Jerome’s Works, Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs; Daniel</i>, as quoted in Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon and the Apocrypha, </i>45.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn25" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref25" name="_ftn25" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn25;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[25]</span></span></span></a>
Karl Keating, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Catholicism and
Fundamentalism: The Attack on “Romanism” by “Bible Christians”</i> (San
Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1988), 46-47.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn26" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref26" name="_ftn26" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn26;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[26]</span></span></span></a>
Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon and the
Apocrypha, </i>58.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn27" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref27" name="_ftn27" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn27;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[27]</span></span></span></a>
Ibid.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn28" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref28" name="_ftn28" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn28;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[28]</span></span></span></a>
Ibid., 60.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn29" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref29" name="_ftn29" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn29;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[29]</span></span></span></a>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Biblia cum glosa ordinaria et exposition
Lyre litterali et morali </i>(Basil: Petri & Froben, 1498), British Museum
IB.37895, Vol. 1, On the canonical and non-canonical books of the Bible.
Translation by Dr. Michael Woodward, as quoted in Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon and the Apocrypha</i>, 60-61.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn30" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref30" name="_ftn30" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn30;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[30]</span></span></span></a>
Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon and the
Apocrypha</i>, 61.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn31" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref31" name="_ftn31" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn31;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[31]</span></span></span></a>
See Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon and
the Apocrypha</i>, 62-80, along with footnotes.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn32" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref32" name="_ftn32" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn32;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[32]</span></span></span></a>
Cardinal Cajetan (Jacob Thomas de Vio), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Commentary
on all the Authentic Historical Books of the Old Testament, In ult. Cap., </i>Esther,
as quoted in Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament
Canon and the Apocrypha,</i> 63, my italics.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn33" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref33" name="_ftn33" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn33;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[33]</span></span></span></a>
Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon and the
Apocrypha, </i>64.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn34" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref34" name="_ftn34" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn34;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[34]</span></span></span></a>
Ibid.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn35" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref35" name="_ftn35" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn35;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[35]</span></span></span></a>
Bruce, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Canon of Scripture</i>,
99-100. See Hugh of St. Victor, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On the
Sacraments</i>, I, Prologue, 7 (PL 176, cols. 185-186D).</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn36" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref36" name="_ftn36" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn36;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[36]</span></span></span></a>
Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon and the
Apocrypha, </i>80.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn37" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref37" name="_ftn37" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn37;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[37]</span></span></span></a>
Bruce Metzger, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An Introduction to the
Apocrypha</i> (New York: Oxford University, 1957), 180.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn38" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref38" name="_ftn38" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn38;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[38]</span></span></span></a>
Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon and the
Apocrypha, </i>82.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn39" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref39" name="_ftn39" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn39;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[39]</span></span></span></a>
The book of 1 Esdras contains apocryphal additions to Ezra and was not accepted
by the Jews as canonical.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn40" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref40" name="_ftn40" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn40;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[40]</span></span></span></a>
For more details concerning this argument, see William Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon and the Apocrypha,</i>
47-51.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn41" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref41" name="_ftn41" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn41;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[41]</span></span></span></a>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New Catholic Encyclopedia</i>, Vol. II,
Bible, III (Canon), p. 390; Canon, Biblical, p. 29; Bible, III (Canon), p. 390,
as quoted in Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament
Canon and the Apocrypha,</i> 50-51.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn42" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref42" name="_ftn42" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn42;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[42]</span></span></span></a>
Yves Congar, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tradition and Traditions</i>
(New York: Macmillan, 1966), p. 38, as quoted in Webster, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Old Testament Canon and the Apocrypha,</i> 51.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn43" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref43" name="_ftn43" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn43;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[43]</span></span></span></a>
H.J. Schroeder, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Canons and Decrees of
the Council of Trent</i> (Charlotte: TAN Books, 1978), 17n4.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn44" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref44" name="_ftn44" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn44;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[44]</span></span></span></a>
Geisler and MacKenzie, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Roman Catholics
and Evangelicals,</i> 167.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn45" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref45" name="_ftn45" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn45;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[45]</span></span></span></a>
Metzger, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An Introduction to the Apocrypha</i>,
50-51.</div>
</div>
</div>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8323705069567388486.post-58611283123943472922012-05-01T16:28:00.000-07:002012-05-02T08:25:12.586-07:00Is America a Christian Nation?<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://americanvision.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/congress1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" id="il_fi" src="http://americanvision.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/congress1.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This
question may be more complicated than it first appears, for the answer depends
entirely on what one means by “a Christian nation.” Wayne Grudem does an
excellent job of breaking this question down into <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nine</i> possible interpretations, along with their respective answers,
in his book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Politics-According-Comprehensive-Understanding-Political/dp/0310330297/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335768013&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Politics
According to the Bible</a></i>.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span></span></a>
</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">As
Grudem explains, this question cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.”
Unfortunately, heated debate and frustration have often surrounded this issue.
But the matter can be largely resolved if we simply take the time to define
what we mean. This helps avoid misunderstanding and prevents disagreeing
parties from talking past one another.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So
is America a Christian nation? Let’s look at nine possible meanings of that
question along with their specific answers.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1. Is Christian teaching the primary
religious system that influenced the founding of the United States?</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Yes,
it is. See this article by David Barton: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.wallbuilders.com/libissuesarticles.asp?id=8755" target="_blank">The Founding Fathers
on Jesus, Christianity and the Bible</a></i>.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">2. Were the majority of the Founding
Fathers of the United States Christians who generally believed in the truth of
the Bible?</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Yes,
they were. See this article by Greg Koukl: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5243" target="_blank">The Faith of
Our Fathers</a></i>.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">3. Is Christianity (of various sorts)
the largest religion in the United States?</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Yes,
it is.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">4. Did Christian beliefs provide the
intellectual background that led to many of the cultural values still held by
Americans today?</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Here
Grudem explains what he means by cultural values: “these would include things
such as respect for the individual, protection of individual rights, respect
for personal freedom, the value of hard work, the need for a strong national
defense, the need to show care for the poor and weak, the value of generosity,
the value of giving aid to other nations, and respect for the rule of law.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
grounding for many of these cultural values can be found in the Declaration of
Independence itself:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We hold these
truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In
other words, if all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable rights, then it would seem that many things like respect
for the individual, protection of individual rights, respect for personal
freedom, etc., would naturally follow. The Biblical concept of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">imago Dei</i>, human beings created in the
image of God, provides the appropriate grounding for many cultural values (such
as human equality) that secularists often take for granted and which their own
worldview cannot account for.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Answer:
Yes, it did.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">5. Was there a Supreme Court decision at
one time that affirmed that the United States is a Christian nation?</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Yes,
there was. In 1892 the United States Supreme Court determined, in the case of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Church
of the Holy Trinity v. the United States</i>, that “this is a Christian
nation.” After surveying the historical evidence of Christian founding and influence
in this country, Associate Justice David J. Brewer concluded the following:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">There is no
dissonance in these declarations. There is a universal language pervading them
all, having one meaning; they affirm and reaffirm that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this is a religious nation</i>. These are not individual sayings,
declarations of private persons: they are organic utterances; they speak the
voice of the entire people.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">If we pass
beyond these matters to a view of American life as expressed by its laws, its
business, its customs and its society, we find everywhere a clear recognition
of the same truth. Among other matters note the following: The form of oath
universally prevailing, concluding with an appeal to the Almighty; the custom
of opening sessions of all deliberative bodies and most conventions with
prayer; the prefatory words of all wills, “In the name of God, amen”; the laws
respecting the observance of the Sabbath, with the general cessation of all
secular business, and the closing of courts, legislatures, and other similar
public assemblies on that day; the churches and church organizations which
abound in every city, town and hamlet; the multitude of charitable
organizations existing everywhere under Christian auspices; the gigantic
missionary associations, with general support, and aiming to establish
Christian missions in every quarter of the globe. These, and many other matters
which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of
organic utterances that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this is a
Christian nation</i>.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">6. Are a majority of people in the
United States Bible-believing, evangelical, born-again Christians?</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Here
Grudem answers, “No, I do not think they are.” I agree. For support Grudem
cites a <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/16519/us-evangelicals-how-many-walk-walk.aspx" target="_blank">2005
Gallup poll</a> which concluded that only 22% of Americans hold to truly
evangelical beliefs. Even if Roman Catholics are grouped together with
evangelicals, it still does not constitute a majority.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">7. Is belief in Christian values the dominant
perspective promoted by the United States government, the media, and
universities in the United States today?</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">No,
it is not.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">8. Does the United States government
promote Christianity as the national religion?</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">No,
it does not.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">9. Does a person have to profess
Christian faith in order to become a US citizen or to have equal rights under
the law in the United States?</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">No,
certainly not.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">To
summarize, with these nine possible interpretations (and perhaps more!) in
mind, it seems the appropriate follow-up question to “Is America a Christian
nation?” is “What do you mean by that?” Grudem answers the first five questions
above “yes” and the last four questions “no.” He concludes:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I do not think
the question is very helpful in current political conversations. It just leads
to arguments, misunderstanding, and confusion. The same points that a speaker
wants to make with this claim can be made more clearly, without causing
confusion, in terms of one or more of the expanded meanings that I have listed
above.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Check
out <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Politics-According-Comprehensive-Understanding-Political/dp/0310330297/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335772341&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Politics
According to the Bible</a></i> for helpful insight on political issues from a
Biblical perspective.</span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span></span></a>
Wayne Grudem, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Politics According to the
Bible: A Comprehensive Resource for Understanding Modern Political Issues in
Light of Scripture</i> (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010), 64-65.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span></span></a>
Ibid., 64.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span></span></a>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Church of the Holy Trinity v. United
States. </i>Argued and submitted January 7, 1892. Decided February 29, 1892.
Justice Brewer delivered the opinion of the court, as quoted in Gary DeMar, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">America’s Christian History: The Untold
Story</i> (Powder Springs, GA: American Vision, 2008) 10-11 (my italics).</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8323705069567388486#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></span></span></a>
Grudem, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Politics According to the Bible</i>,
65.</div>
</div>
</div>Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16436136389787730133noreply@blogger.com0