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Writings
Philosophy:
A Good and Wise Creator in the Midst of Evil
A Response to Anthony Flew's The Falsification Debate
Philosophy: Incomplete without God
Considering the Ontological Argument
Consider Further the Ontological Argument:a debate
Christian Theology:
The Human Condition
Fear and Reverence: a sermon
A Living Sacrifice: a sermon
Evangelism: Proclaiming the Christian Faith
Philosophy
A problem common for any student of mathematics is the presentation of an equation to be solved when the solution is difficult to calculate. The answer to the problem may even be known but the task of the student is to discover and formulate the needed equation that will produce the one correct solution. In all my higher and secondary education math and science courses, the answers to some of the textbook exercises were provided in one appendix of the textbook. The answers were provided so that students may check their work for accuracy. Many times while completing the text exercises I would be faced with the dilemma of knowing the correct final answer but I would not know how to form an equation for the calculation of the answer. Even more frustrating were the times in which I worked out an equation using a method that seemed correct and yet the solution was not correct.
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After reading Anthony Flew’s argument for the validation of meaningful assertions by qualification of falsification, I initially concluded that Flew was making the direct assertion “God does not exist”. I argued that the method in which Flew attempts to justify any assertion that God exists as illogical and meaningless, by way of falsification, actually acted in the same manner to conclude his own assertion that God does not exist to be equally meaningless and illogical. Read the full article
If we are to know virtue Aristotle argues that we must determine virtue by reason. He argues that true and genuine happiness will come from a life of virtue and that every person can attain this virtuous life because we all have the ability to reason and determine what is virtue and what is vice. This seems to be true. For certain states of being, or activities of the soul, seem to be more common sense than learned. Surely, we can see this by interaction with others. In many circumstances dealing with right and wrong, correct and incorrect, even good and evil, most people seem to be in agreement that one is greater than the other. There are of course differences in respect to the application and achievement of the positive goal, but the goal always remains the constant for reasonable men (generically speaking). Even if the negative is actually pursued, the reasonable man pursuing the negative will probably consider himself to be seeking the positive and so he is merely misguided. But if virtue is the mean by which one may gain happiness, and I think most if not all reasonable minds when considering this point will agree, how is it that every one agrees on this point. How is it that every person from every part of the world can meditate on this point of argument and agree that Aristotle’s conclusion (the supremacy of reason) is correct? Read the full article
Although the ontological argument at times seems to be an ultimately unreasonable argument ending with a jump to the final conclusion, I find at the same time upon further meditation that the ontological is a reasonably solid and even air tight argument that stands on the very foundation of reason and logic and operates within the rules of rational thought. Read the full article
A debate between my friend, Justin B., and I. Read the full article
Christian Theology
We can see from the outset of human history that only one time in the story of man has he ever been perfect, and this realization only comes by believing that the Biblical account of Paradise is true. If one does not accept this account, then one is forced to look at secular human history and believe that man has never been perfect, except in the most personal relative sense, assuming that what is viewed as bad by the majority is viewed as good by the individual. Human history never fails to show accounts of theft, murder, deceit and alike; which any sane reasoning will claim to be bad. I have heard of the argument that murder is acceptable and deemed as good in some sane and reasonable societies. This may be true in the sense that some cultures do favor organized forms of life taking, but I will not agree that some sane and reasonable cultures prefer the random acts of violence that lead to death, this is just incredible.
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Throughout Scripture, both Old and New testaments, God repeatedly tells us that God is to be feared and revered (cf. Psalm 112:1, Ecc. 12:13). Christians and non-Christians alike are commanded to fear and revere God, of course the non-Christian will finally do so on the day of judgment. Never has God abolished these directives and never will He. From the beginning to the end, from eternity past to eternity future, man and every created being is called to fear and revere God.
Read the Part 1, Read the Part 2
The text that we will examine is a verse that is known by many Christians. This one verse and much of this chapter of Romans is quoted by many ministers and Christian teachers alike. So, if you have been a Christian for many years you have more than likely heard this verse used by a speaker and if you are new to the Body of Christ you have more than likely heard this verse before. This verse’s popularity is due to the fact that this verse contains a central and foundational truth for the life of a Christian.
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Before ascending to Heaven after His resurrection, Jesus says to His disciples, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:29, 20). This commission of the disciples has become the commission of all Christians and rightly so. Even though this was a responsibility given directly to the remaining eleven disciples and the rest of the Body of Christ is not mentioned by Christ, the indirect implication for all Christians is clear.
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