A pulpit is not an altar; it’s simply a table for sermon notes and Bibles. The front of the interior of a Protestant church is not an altar, either. As an evangelical (from 1977-1990), I myself had little or no sense of the “altar” as a sacred place. I remember making arguments against Catholic friends that there was no such thing: that every place is equally sacred, because it is all God’s creation. The terminology of “altar call” is a… Read more
The Problem of Evil: Dialogue with an Atheist
June 12, 2018 By Dave Armstrong
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This occurred in a thread at the Debunking Christianity website. I have expanded it slightly here and there with some additional clarifying sentences, and corrected numerous typos. My opponent (who goes by “drunken tune”) is responding to replies that I posted on my website and in the same forum. His words will be in blue. His older cited words will be in purple, and my older words in green. * * * * * Thanks for joining the conversation. If only you had something to add… Read more
Overview of Development of Doctrine (TV Interview)
June 11, 2018 By Dave Armstrong
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Development of Christian doctrine is a subject near and dear to my heart, as it was John Henry Cardinal Newman’s book An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, which played the largest role in my decision to convert to Catholicism. The following is a transcript of a May 1, 1999 interview via telephone with Dick Kelley, host for a Connecticut Catholic apologetics television show called Pillar of Truth (my black-and-white mug shot appeared on the screen). Development isn’t often talked… Read more
Classic Catholic Reflections on Development of Doctrine
June 11, 2018 By Dave Armstrong
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Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman: portrait by Sir John Everett Millais (1829-96) [public domain] *** [from the initial 750-page version of my first book, A Biblical Defense of Catholicism] Robert Hugh Benson *** Life is the principle of growth, and growth the evidence of life. A statue may be more perfect than a body in grace and proportion, yet it does not grow, and therefore is not alive . . . To compare the Church to a body or a… Read more
Sociological Data Favoring Christian Moral / Sexual Views
June 10, 2018 By Dave Armstrong
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Discussions About Christian Sexual Morality and Marriage With Atheists This topic always generates all sorts of controversy; never fails. This took place in a thread at the notorious Debunking Christianity site. I was foolish enough to think I could get somewhere with sociological data, in dealing with sex and societal trends regarding same. It seems not. But you never know. Some seed of doubt may have been planted one or two readers. If so, my frustration and weariness with the continual misrepresentation of traditional… Read more
Social Science: Religion Leads to Lower Suicide Rates
June 9, 2018 By Dave Armstrong
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There has been talk, in light of the recent tragic suicide of the chef and cultural commentator Anthony Bourdain, to the effect that Christianity or religion generally has little impact on the happiness or personal fulfillment of persons in this life (or not much more than is the case for non-believers). According to the Bible, this is massively untrue, as I documented in my previous post. But we can also back up the Bible’s claims regarding an increase of hope,… Read more
Christianity, Depression, Peace, Comfort, Hope, & Joy
June 9, 2018 By Dave Armstrong
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Christianity does indeed provide ultimate meaning and joyful fulfillment (and we believe it does, of course, because it is true), and this is a major reason why I have devoted my life to proclaiming and defending it: to help people not only to get on the right road to salvation, but to also obtain more joy and peace in their lives by God’s grace and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. I lived for ten years in my life… Read more
Evidence for God & Inconsistent, Endless Atheist Demands
June 8, 2018 By Dave Armstrong
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Atheists demand verifiable miracles in order to even consider believing in the God of Christianity. But when evidence is presented, very often, it’s ignored. This exchange occurred in one of my blog comboxes. I have only slightly abridged it, for brevity’s sake (removing mostly my own words). The words of atheist Samwise will be in blue. ***** All we know about god are words written by fallible humans with unknown integrity and motives. Read about the founding of the Mormon… Read more
Prayers to Saints & for the Dead: Six Biblical Proofs
June 8, 2018 By Dave Armstrong
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If you’re in a discussion with a Protestant who denies both of these things, and you want to show that they are expressly, explicitly indicated in the Bible, here’s how you can do it quickly and effectively. I also provide further related reading material, in order to go into more depth. *** 1) Praying to Saints (i.e., Asking Them to Intercede): Rich Man and Lazarus A) The rich man in Jesus’ story (known in tradition as “Dives”) asks Abraham to… Read more
Apologetics & Lay Apostolates: Strong Approval from Popes
June 7, 2018 By Dave Armstrong
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***** All blue-colored emphases are added. * * * * * Anti-Catholic Protestant Sophist-blogger Steve Hays wrote on 2-19-06 and 6-29-06: Thanks, Dave, for usurping the role of the Catholic bishops. The bishops are the shepherds of the flock, not a lowly layman. Dear old Dave really can’t get over being Protestant at heart. He really can’t leave it to the Magisterium to get the job done. Instead, we have this self-anointed shepherd of the Catholic flock. Thanks, Dave, for reminding us of… Read more
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