Exchange w Atheist on Premises, Evidence, & Methodology

December 11, 2018 By Dave Armstrong

This occurred on DagoodS’ blog. His words will be in blue. * * * * * However, I am not interested in “challenging his [i.e., my] first premise” for three reasons: 1) We approach “first premises” differently. Not that one of us approaches it correctly, and the other incorrectly. Just differently. (Welcome to human diversity!) He appears to claim predispositions prohibit a person being convinced by the evidence; I’ve explained this at least three times now; maybe four, but you don’t grasp it for some... Read more

Premature New-Pro-Life “Nya Nya’s” Re Kavanaugh

December 10, 2018 By Dave Armstrong

New Pro-Lifers, Never Trumpers, non-conservative centrists, third-party types and liberals / leftists have been anxiously waiting to see how Justice Kavanaugh would rule: particularly on the pro-life issue, so they could do a hoped-for “I told you so!”. The Supreme Court has refused to hear a case related to Planned Parenthood and Medicaid. According to ABC News: The Supreme Court Monday dealt a blow to two states’ attempts to hamstring Planned Parenthood clinics by disqualifying them from public Medicaid funds. The Supreme... Read more

Dialogue w Atheists on Hell & Whether God is Just

December 10, 2018 By Dave Armstrong

This exchange took place on the Debunking Christianity blog, underneath a post by John W. Loftus, called No More Funerals! [which appears to now be a defunct link]. Words of “DagoodS” will be in blue; some others in various colors as indicated. Indentation (excepting Bible verses) indicates my own words being cited by my opponents. * * * * * She still exists. Hopefully, she went to the right place. I don’t know if she did or not. God is merciful and gracious. That would... Read more

Was Calvin a Supralapsarian? (Dialogue w Calvinist)

December 9, 2018 By Dave Armstrong

[David W. Ponter’s words will be in blue] ***** It’s absurd to say that Calvin was a supralapsarian, even in kernel form. It’s far less absurd than the claim that Augustine was a Reformed Protestant, in kernel form, or closer to Protestantism than to Catholicism. :-) Development takes place within Protestantism, and Calvin was too early for the most developed thought on that issue; yet things he wrote can certainly be harmonized with the notion, though speculative debate on his... Read more

Unbridled Sectarianism, Sola Scriptura, Luther, & Calvin

December 9, 2018 By Dave Armstrong

***** The Protestant Revolution, er (sorry; let me be PC: “Reformation”) started from Luther adopting a viewpoint of irrational, anti-traditional dissent against many aspects of received Catholic tradition (in large part, not totally, as I have carefully noted). Luther had, alas, departed from at least 50 Catholic teachings and longtime practices by 1520, even before he was excommunicated. One would think that such massive, radical departure from received Catholic precedent and tradition would have a solid rationale (to put it mildly), but it... Read more

John Calvin: Worship Instruments = Idols & Superstition

December 7, 2018 By Dave Armstrong

***** He believed that he was purifying the church from recent musical innovations in the western church. Musical instruments and complex hymnody were all part of the corruptions introduced by the Roman Church. . . . . . . We are not, indeed, forbidden to use, in private, musical instruments, but they are banished out of the churches by the plain command of the Holy Spirit, when Paul, in 1 Cor. 14:13, lays it down as an invariable rule, that... Read more

Secularization: Thoughts on its Many Historical Causes

December 7, 2018 By Dave Armstrong

***** Peter Berger, an eminent Lutheran sociologist, who specializes in the sociology of religion, discusses with great insight the crucial role which Protestantism played in the development of the radical secularization with which all serious Christians are plagued today, and from which society at large reels and staggers in moral turpitude: Protestantism may be described in terms of an immense shrinkage in the scope of the sacred in reality . . . The sacramental apparatus is reduced to a minimum and,... Read more

Catholic Apologetics Apostolate: Its Pleasures & Perils

December 6, 2018 By Dave Armstrong

[my book above was published by Catholic Answers in 2012. See full book and purchase information] *** [The article below was published in This Rock: 1 November 2004] ***** Not that I complain of want; for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. I can do all... Read more

The Certitude of Faith According to Cardinal Newman

December 6, 2018 By Dave Armstrong

One “Caminus” — who frequents a prominent radical Catholic reactionary forum, regards it as his mission in life (or so it would lately seem, anyway) to disparage my arguments at every turn. He tried in vain to bash my apologetic + ecumenical viewpoint in my book about Martin Luther (without even having read the book, and clearly without understanding its premises, which are openly laid out in the Introduction, posted online), only to be (in addition to my refutations of his silly charges) rather decisively contradicted on his main premise and... Read more

Dialogue on Reason & Faith, w Theological Liberal

December 4, 2018 By Dave Armstrong

This took place on the Articuli Fidei blog, in a lengthy thread. Chris Smith’s words will be in blue. His blog is called mild-mannered musings [it appears to no longer be active]. Words of two other participants will be in green and purple. * * * * * Hi [former Catholic, now agnostic], If God wants me to believe, I need a reason beyond reason, because reason stinks. Then I would highly recommend reading folks like Pascal, Kierkegaard, or Muggeridge (insofar as you want to still read “thinkers”),... Read more