When I came across this cartoon the other day at the “Value of Saintliness Blog” (you can visit the site here) I knew my readers would appreciate it. Let’s all have a good chuckle and then you can rejoin me below for a debriefing. Once the chortles have subsided, what’s the take away lesson from […]
truth
It sucks to be Lance
By now Mongolian nomadic tribes and Sumatran hunter-gatherers know that Lance Armstrong cheated. Despite the fact, he inexplicably continued to have some very vocal supporters long after the crowds had become disillusioned and moved on. Among them was the columnist Buzz Bissinger. That all changed yesterday morning in “The Daily Beast” when Bissinger published a fierce, […]
Did William Lane Craig smear Sam Harris? A response to Chris Hallquist
In the discussion thread for my article “Would you want an atheist for a neighbor?” R0c1 took issue with my suggestion that William Lane Craig was worth reading. He pointed to Chris Hallquist as one who had persuaded him that “Craig is not a trustworthy source of information on the subjects he debates.” And he […]
Tell me sweet little lies: evidence that people like being lied to
Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies While I was a Fleetwood Mac fan when the song “Little Lies” was released back in 1987, I must admit the lyrics didn’t make a lot of sense to me. Who wants to be told lies? Don’t we all want the truth? Now that I’m older and […]
Dare to open a window: On the problem of being called a traitor, liberal or heretic
Do you remember back in 2003 when the Dixie Chicks were banned from radio and received death threats simply because their lead singer Natalie Maines dared to speak out against George Bush and his pending invasion of Iraq? There’s nothing like nationalism run amok to make the world a dangerous place for moderation and reasoned discourse. […]
I’ll pray for you (and other Christian baloney)
This morning I found this Non Sequitur cartoon in my files. And it got me to thinking how often I’ve engaged in Christian baloney where I’ll say something not because I intend to do it but simply because saying it is the right and proper social expectation to fulfill. A few years ago a friend of […]
I’ll shine John Piper’s shoes under one condition
Today Steve over at Triablogue wrote a couple blog posts responding to some articles I’d written a few weeks ago. Soon after, “Truth Unites … and Divides” commented: “I wonder if Rauser is a fanboy of Roger Olson. Didn’t Olson say something like if it turns out that Calvinism is a more accurate description of […]
Is apologetics a special advertising section?
The other day I was sitting at the library flipping through Car & Driver when I came across an article on the new Hyundai Veloster Turbo. I began reading the article … at least until I spotted those three fatal words at the top of the page: Special Advertising Section. Immediately I recoiled in horror and […]
David MacMillan on the incredulity of atheists and theists
David MacMillan (aka davidstarlingm) sent me a long response he had written to The Atheist Missionary regarding the mutual incredulity that Christians and atheists have toward one another. Given the length an provocative content, I decided to treat it as a guest post. I have included David’s text below and then offered a quick response […]
Two servings of fruit in every can?
The other day I was in the grocery store when I saw a display featuring cans of a carbonated beverage which promised “Two servings of fruit in every can!” It occurred to me that any society which tolerates the claim that a 355 ml (or 12 oz) can of carbonated beverage possesses two servings of […]
Must we apologize for the apologists?
Note: An earlier version of this article appeared at The Christian Post in 2010. Apologetics is a mainstay of Christianity and for good reason. As 1 Peter 3:15 declares, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with […]
Could God have chosen to be a maximally perfect liar?
Driven by a concern to protect the absolute divine sovereignty and omnipotence and, presumably, to chasten the pretensions of human modal intuitions, a minority of theologians down through history have followed William of Ockham in rooting the divine attributes not in the divine nature but rather in the divine will. God is so because God chooses to be so. This […]
Why won’t Paul Copan respond to Thom Stark?
They say it is better for a book to be reviled or attacked than ignored. If ever there was a case to challenge that common wisdom, it is found with Thom Stark’s book-length review of Paul Copan’s book Is God a Moral Monster? (Baker, 2011). Stark’s review is called Is God a Moral Compromiser? It […]
Does the legal system produce knowledge of guilt? A response to Clamat’s confusion
Clamat wrote: “The law has never aimed to establish the truth – that’s the province of scientists and philosophers.” I responded directly as follows: “That’s a ridiculous statement!” And if that seemed rather strong I then went on to explain: “Of course the legal system is designed to get at the truth. The aim is that […]
