Randal Rauser

Home of progressively evangelical, generously orthodox, rigorously analytic, revolutionary Christian thinking (that's what I'm aiming for anyway)

Paul Manata

If people are not offended then there’s no offense (and other terrible reasoning)

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Now for the next piece of Paul Manata’s reasoning. He begins: “American Indians in general are not offended. It’s only Activists. Liberal, leftist activists. It’s a voting block. The point is to make them feel attacked and under the gun. Then claim your political party will stick up for them.” This leaves me deeply puzzled. […]

The get your own house in order (nationalist edition) objection

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Good ole’ Paul Manata offered several criticisms of my critique of the Cleveland Indians name and logo. I thought they are noteworthy for two reasons. First, they are bad arguments. I mean bad not in the way Michael Jackson thought he was bad dressed up in leather and buckles and dancing in a parkade. Rather, […]

Do Arminians have the same problem as Calvinists?

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Paul Manata offers a response to my article “Calvinism preaches a God of love, and yet…” The response was a tu quoque, an argument form which functions like this: Randal and Paul were walking home from the Barry Manilow concert when Paul was surrounded by a group of growling headbangers who were focused on his […]

A Reformed voice brings clarity to free will, providence and election

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There is no shortage of confusion among the recent wave of “new Calvinists” on the Reformed understanding of free will, providence and election. This became very clear to me a couple years ago when my book Finding God in the Shack was critiqued by popular Reformed blogger Tim Challies for providing a correct outline of the […]

Defending the Apologetics Company Man?

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Apparently Paul Manata didn’t like my complaint about apologists suffering from the company man image. However, I’m still scratcing my head as to what he’s complaining about. To begin with he writes:  “Again, **given the def. Dr. Rauser provided,** it doesn’t appear to be **inherently** problematic to be a company man.” Really? I first referenced a […]

Affirming, implying, and inerrancy

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Last week Paul Manata provided the following argument for the inerrancy of scripture. (1) Whatever the Bible affirms, God affirms. (2) Whatever God affirms is true. (3) Therefore, whatever the Bible affirms is true. This is a logically valid argument (i.e. the conclusion follows from the premises). For all I know, it may even be sound (i.e. […]

Please Mr. Dylan, step away from the microphone: A response to Paul Manata

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First an apology. I know there are probably not too many people interested in reading yet another review of Paul Manata’s review of my review of his review of my book. But gosh darn it, the guy just doesn’t know when to quit! He’s like Bob Dylan trying to sing “Bohemian Rhapsody” at the karaoke […]

When is chocolate not chocolate, and when is love not love?

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Bridezilla was very clear. She asked for a wedding cake made with chocolate and strawberries. The strawberries she got. But the chocolate? Well it seems Bridezilla was not clear enough, for the chef made it with white chocolate. Not an ounce of cacao to be seen (let alone tasted). “That,” snarled Bridezilla, “is not chocolate. […]

Don’t you want your baby to feel alright? John Calvin meets the Rascals

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Surely y’all ain’t too old to remember the Rascals singing “Good Lovin’.” In the song the singer begins by visiting the doctor about a particular ailment. The song does not spend much time describing the symptoms but the antidote soon becomes clear:  Now honey please, squeeze me tight (squeeze me tight) Don’t you want your […]