"So is Your Knowledge Conclusive?"

If you are an atheist maybe you could consider, a question.

“Are you a seeker of truth?”

In terms of the answer, the possibilities are that one may ignore the question, claim ignorance of the question, or one may answer either in the affirmative or the negative.  Well then there are those who would call into question the very question.

If you choose a “yes” answer then I have a follow-up question for you.

“If you are a seeker of truth would you believe yourself to be ‘open-minded’ or ‘close-minded’?”

Open minded people are those who are willing to follow their quest for truth no matter where the evidence or argument may lead.  Such people often have an insatiable hunger for truth.  On the other hand those who are closed minded and thus limit their quest for truth no matter the evidence or argument that is presented.  Such people are biased in belief.

So, if you are one who is a seeker of truth and yet an atheist may I ask that you draw a circle and into that circle place all knowledge.  That is all science, all mathematics, all philosophy, all history, all of the arts, etc.  To be sure it is a large and ever expanding circle as man discovers more and more of the universe and how it operates.

Then, do this.  Within the larger circle draw a circle that represents the sphere of your knowledge.  That which you can confidently assert that you know. In other words in the larger circle of reality, draw a smaller circle of your reality.

With that in mind then, there is another question that comes to the fore.

“In comparison to the total body of knowledge, how much do you know?”  A tenth? A hundredth? A thousandth? A millionth?  A billionth? How much?  Be honest!

The reality is that even the Einsteins, Hawkings, Sagans, Dawkins, etc. know but a smidgen of the ever expanding discovery of truth.

So then if you are tracking with me so far, there is question that we must ask!  It is this.

“Is it possible, just possible, that God could exist outside of the sphere of your knowledge/reality?”

While most atheists will respond with something like, “I don’t think so!” such is only an opinion for the statement of such being fact only serves to describe the mindset of the atheist not the reality of the question.

The reality is that one cannot know with any degree of certainly that God does or does not exist inside or outside of one’s sphere of knowledge.  However, introduce faith into the discussion.

The atheist will say, “God does not exist.”  The theist will say, “God does exist.”  However, notice that since neither can conclusively prove their point not conclusively disprove the position of the opposite, to the satisfaction of the other, both operate out of a faith perspective.

Another way to view this is that if I argue for something outside of what I confidently know, then I am simply stating an opinion.  Placing confidence in an unproven opinion can and often does lead to disastrous outcomes not the least of which is an overemphasis upon the importance of the individual's opinion in establishing legitimate truth/reality paradigms.

Therefore we arrive at this question.  “Just what are the implications of your faith statement?”  What is the implication of your statement that there is no God?  What is the implication of your statement that there is a God? What is the outcome of your belief?  Where does your belief take you in the long run?

(Previous adapted from http://gnli.christianpost.com/video/how-to-evangelize-to-an-atheist-9663)

Are Your Standards of Reality—Genuine? - Part I

Are Your Standards of Reality—Genuine?

Pastor Timothy Keller in his book, The Reason for God asks a very interesting, if not challenging question.  It is this. “How can we use our time’s standard of ‘progressive’ as the plumb-line by which we decide which parts of the Bible are valid and which are not?”

Of course one might broaden the question out and ask the same of one’s notions of truth, progress, and a whole host of other assumptions.  Pastor Keller goes on to make the observation that just as people in our day look back and view the past as primitive, one day people will look back at us with the same label.  Yet one must ask, “Is this really so?” and “Are we really more advanced that those of years ago?”

The Benchmark of Progress

This notion that today is a legitimate “plumb-line of progress” is a part of a greater question.  Is our benchmark for deciding progress based upon truth or assumption?  For example one might offer the speed with which knowledge is expanding as evidence that man is no longer primitive and in fact advanced over what he was in past centuries.  Or perhaps offer that Western man is living longer as some mark of progress.

Again one does well to ask the question.  Are these legitimate marks of man’s progress?  If they are not then the resulting assumptions will be as inconsistent as a wall built without a plumb-line.  Even if such a wall is well constructed if the benchmark is faulty so will the resulting wall of reality.

So then in future posting consideration will be given to the legitimacy of some of the benchmarks and plumb-lines.  However, for the present consider two assumptions that seem quite common.

Assumptions about Discovery

Look for a moment at the notion of progress.  Call it “word smithing” if you will but consider this.  There is an assumption that “discovery” is “creation.”  Thus the discovery of another element of truth or reality is supposed to demonstrate man’s increased capabilities.  However, truth be told such discovery is only discovery of that which already exists and has existed since the Creation of this world. 

It is the same as a child’s discovery of ice cream has nothing at all to do with the creation of same.  Yet, such discoveries are touted as demonstrating man’s progress.  It is no more so than the child discovering ice cream.  As the Scriptures point out “So there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9b).  Perhaps one is prepared to accept that "discovery is creation" however, such is not logical.

Certainly one would have to be out of touch with reality not to see that such discovery has aided man in intervening in such things as disease and physical injury however, discovery is only discovery not innovative invention.  Again consider the child discovering ice cream.  Such a discovery would certainly intervene in the discomfort of the effects of a hot day.  However such is only application not discovery nor invention.

Assumptions about Intelligence

Look for another example to man’s intelligence.  It is not uncommon for people to conclude that today’s man is more intelligent and accomplished than mankind of five, six, or even ten thousands of years ago.  It is not uncommon to hear people refer to the Hebrews of 5,000 years ago as primitive goat herders.  The notion is that such was so with little change until modern times.

The assumption is that man has greater intelligence than ever before (Darwinian Theory).  But, is that really true?  The only way to test the validity of the theory is to read the writings of the time in the Jewish Scriptures and as well consult such other writings of the time that are available.  Then compare such writings and events they record to today's man. 

More of this discussion will follow in subsequent postings.

Further Discussion / Argument

In future postings evidence will be tendered that suggests that in fact man is in decline.  Should you wish to discuss such please join in the discussion on Facebook.

“Be Consistent in Your Criticism”

“Be Consistent in Your Criticism”

Here is a question to ponder!

Ever notice that those who embrace all roads leading to God conveniently find fault with Christianity and yet explain away the practices even extreme practices of other faiths?

For example there are those who refer to Hizb’allah,  Hamas, the Taliban and Al-Qaida as deviant excesses of Islam, and yet generalize that all Catholics are bad because of the pedophilia of a few priests.  Another example is the notion that all television ministries care about is money because of the fundraising of a few in the media.  Those same people make no such criticism of PBS stations when they seek to raise funds.

Here is another one.  What about those who would argue that if Islam is your religion then things such as Sharia Law and Jihad are acceptable and yet point to those who oppose abortion on religious grounds as extremists and fanatics? 

Then there is this one?  There are those who propose that Sharia and Jihad are the exception to what Islam teaches while at the same time pointing out that mere witnessing about one’s faith in Christ Jesus is imposition one’s faith on another.  Then there are those who characterize Christians by the Crusades and conveniently forget that with brief exception, they were largely in response to the Muslim Crusades.[1] 

Why do you suppose this is so?  What is so objectionable in the Christian faith that critics think it their duty to distort the behavior of a few and then label the many with that distortion?  Why is a religion that has done so much good been so denigrated?  One would do well to consider that question.

I for one would ask those who verbalize these inconsistencies to be a little more consistent in your treatment of all religions.  All have their excesses, all have their deviants, all have problems.  The only exception is the brand of Christianity that is very basic and has taken seriously the command of Jesus Christ to come (away from your previous life) and follow (and keep following) Him.  The reason this is so is that all other forms of religion to include some other forms of Christianity have a high component of the human “self” which is as they say “fallible.”  More about that in another post.

So here is the deal. When you choose to defame Christianity and lump those who follow Jesus into your defamation just remember this one thing.  It is where Christianity and those who take seriously the Scriptures have gone and served, often at great personal loss, that there is a decided difference in quality of life, care for the weak and the infirmed, and other advances of man.  Think about it.  Where in this world do you find the quality of life that is present in cultures that have been influenced by Christianity?

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[1] Truth be told millions and millions were killed in the Muslim Crusades while fewer than 100,000 were killed in the Christian Crusades and in that number there were those judge by Rome as being heretical Christian sects.