Less than ten years ago, the late Dr. Antony Flew, whom Professor Thomas B. Warren debated on the existence of God in 1976, announced that he (Flew) had given up atheism and embraced theism. The news sent shock waves through the philosophical world. Professor Flew’s “pilgrimage of reason” (as he described it) is chronicled in his 2007 book There Is A God. This former British atheist wrote that he had been influenced in recent years by the philosopher David Conway’s argument for God’s existence in Conway’s 2000 book The Rediscovery of Wisdom: From Here to Antiquity in Quest of Sophia.
Read MoreLife, and specifically human life, exists today. So far as I know, there have been only two explanations for the existence of this life advanced. Creation, the idea that a superior, intelligent and powerful being brought this life into being apart from natural laws; and Evolution, the idea that life began purely by natural law in a very primitive form and developed purely by natural law to the forms in which we find it now.
Read MoreThe words, “If a man dies, shall he live again” (Job 14:14) occur within the cycle of controversy with Zophar. Zophar, agreeing with Eliphaz and Bildad, claimed Job’s suffering was the result of Job sinning. Job replies to Zophar in chapters twelve, thirteen, and fourteen. The question of Job, “If a man dies, shall he live again?” is addressed to God.
Read MoreIf one word were chosen to describe the prevailing general attitude theologically, the most appropriate word would be “schizophrenic.” This is not merely to say that one theologian will radically contradict another, but to the fact that a theologian will hold views violently contradicted by other views he also holds. This situation is the rule rather than the exception.
Read MoreMany people are convinced that humans have evolved from lower life-forms. For years and years, researchers have done their best to produce the missing link between man and his supposed animal ancestors. To date, no proof has been found. The “Missing Link” is still missing. Generally speaking, the cycle goes something like this: 1) a unique fossil is found, 2) it is immediately hailed as the long awaited link to our past, 3) careful research is done by both creationists and naturalists, 4) the item is unanimously found to be either a fully formed animal or human – not a transitional being (or sometimes just discovered to be a complete hoax). So the cycle continues! The search must go on! The link must be found!
Read MoreThe Bible, not the unaided intellectual powers of men, is the source of truth in religion. Clearly, some philosophy is in conflict with Christianity. Paul emphasizes this! But is everything that has to do with philosophic endeavor in such conflict? It seems clear that such is not the case.
Read MoreMoving forward with our historical narrative of the development and adoption of evolution by Western culture, an accounting for the secularization of science, not only in biology but also in astronomy, cosmology, geology, and other earth sciences must be given. Part three in this series examined a very small part of the history that led Western thought to doubt the Bible’s revelation of anything materialistic. This included the revelation of the origin of mankind, the planet, and generally anything found in the Genesis account of creation. Miraculous manifestations were considered mythological and humanism was replacing a reverence for God.
Read MoreA NEWSMAX article in late December 2012 stated: “Hardcore atheists are one of society’s fastest growing demographics and they are marching assertively into the public square” (18).
In their 2008 book—Religious America, Secular Europe?—three professors (Berger, Davie, and Fokas) address the growth and influence of secularistic thought, especially in the western world. Concerning America they write,
In the last article (Part Two of “Laying the Foundations”) the development of the scientific approach was shown to have theological foundations as most students of the sciences had been educated by the Christian churches of that time. The inquiry into life and the cosmos was a natural outcome of biblical studies. Since the Bible asserted that God was creator, naturally men so inclined to agree should look for His signature in all that is made. The apparent design of the world and its habitants beg for a designer. The Bible repeatedly claims that God exists and that He is the beginning of all things that can be known in the physical universe. We left off with the dark ages and began to enter the scientific revolution and the age of reason. We continue this historical narrative to more fully understand the development of science and in particular its movement from a theological perspective to a secular, even atheistic perspective today.
Read MoreI have personally seen articles and books on “practical atheism.” Different than speculative atheism or philosophical atheism, “practical atheism” is found in the lives of many people who believe in God but who live as if He does not exist. “Practical theism” is quite another issue. I have never seen anything written on this before, with the exception of what I have written myself. “Practical theism” exists in the person who doubts or is uncertain as the existence of God, but “acts as if” He really does exist (whether they have decided this on their own, or they have been counseled to adopt this position). I intend to address both of these issues in this essay.
Read MoreIntroduction: In the last two articles, I have made the contention that the so-called science of evolution has no basis in fact. Natural selection has a real but minimal impact on increasing the success of the specie within an ecosystem but only because the genetics available are from a pre-existing design. It is in the process of sexual reproduction when these genes can be randomly rearranged by several well-known, but highly complex preprogrammed mechanisms, that produce the egg or sperm cells. It is at the fertilization of the egg from which variation may arise in the new individual. Our breeding programs can select for the many combinations that give rise to differences in shape, size and ability for that specie. This has been seen within a very short time within breeding programs or in animals and plants that have gone feral.
Read MoreAfter scrubbing all recognition of God from its official 2012 Presidential platform, one of Americas two major political parties, in unprecedented fashion, narrowly "passed" a resolution to "put God back in" the platform. Most observers seemed to agree that the decision was by no means made with the two-thirds majority needed. However, somehow, in an arena shaking with a chorus of "boos," God was "voted back in." Is it a sad situation? Yes. Disappointing? Very. Alarming? Certainly. But, surprising? Not!
Read MoreWhen the Founding Fathers amended the Constitution they had written, the First Amendment was intended to protect and promote freedom of religion. Today, the "establishment clause" has become a legal tool to restrict religion.
Religious freedom is being threatened by judicial activism, or the idea that the Constitution is a living document that must be interpreted according to changing times, not the Founding Fathers' "original intent." The original intent cannot be discerned anyway, the thought goes.
Romans 1:18-32, as noted in part 1 of this article, is a synopsis of the degradation of societies who deny the existence of God. Their regression from truth and high moral standards spirals them toward the depths of moral depravity in every conceivable arena—sexual immorality, violence, gossip, hatred, disobedience to authority, and a simple lack of loving concern.
Read MoreNovember 6, 2012, is going to be a very special day for me. For the first time in my life, I will be an active part of the election for the President of the United States of America. I was born Italian, from Italian parents, on Italian soil. For 52 years, I have been proud to be an Italian citizen. I was a guest in the United States for three years as a legal resident alien, trying to adapt to American culture. Effective June 2, 2010, I was bestowed the honor and responsibility of American citizenship as defined in the Constitution (Art. 4, Sect. 4).
Read MoreNot in recent political machinations, but way back in 1978, Dr. Harold Voth, then Senior Psychiatrist and Psychoanalyst of the Menninger Foundation, Topeka, Kansas, spoke these words at a National Defense Luncheon:
This is a grave time in the history of our nation. Changes are taking place in our way of life and in our national character which have lowered, and will continue to lower, the vitality of our people, the quality of our institutions, and our basic values. The inevitable result is that we will undergo a progressive disintegration and possibly the eventual collapse of our democracy. When sufficiently disintegrated, forces either within our borders of a revolutionary nature or external forces will overwhelm what is left of America. The American Dream will be over.
Last month’s article presented evolution as a theory that is ‘naked’ of any scientific merit—a bold claim I intend to address in the months to come. Those who put their faith in the seductive draw of its mythology were presented as either seriously uninformed, pretentious intellectuals, or indoctrinated bystanders. In an effort to reduce the apparent conflict between science and theology some have blended the world views of theology and science to create what is often called ‘Theistic Evolution.’ This position once held my interest until I had to admit I was not being honest with the facts.
Read MoreThus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. (Genesis 2:1-2)
The second chapter of Genesis begins with the finality of creation. Although chapter two reveals details, particularly regarding the creation of mankind, the work of creation was finished on that sixth day. Despite efforts to the contrary, there is no way to reconcile the creation week to the doctrine of evolution. In addition to the essential incompatibility of these two competing views, we also wonder as to the long term ramifications of belief.
Pilate’s question to Jesus, “What is truth” (John 18:38) has given men opportunity to define truth. As a consequence, many definitions abound and are often contradictory. How do you define truth? You must. Does the definition matter? Is truth absolute and non-contradictory or can it be ever changing and ever contradictory? Consider:
Read MoreIn 1837 a story written by Hans Christian Anderson was published in a final installment of his first collection of“Fairy Tales Told for Children.” The story was an adaptation of a Spanish collection of similar work written as a tale of moral conscience; Anderson’s work was a twist on that caution and warned of intellectual vanity and the pride of social acceptance. He titled the work, “The Emperor's New Clothes.” The classic fairytale concerns the deceptive business dealings of two supposed weaver’s. They boasted that they were the makers of the finest cloth to an emperor whose vanity in fine clothing knew no limits.
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