Dialogue with Atheist: Are Christians “Unscientific”?

Last updated on: May 27, 2019 at 5:52 pm By Dave Armstrong

This is a follow-up discussion: brought about by an atheist’s response to my article, “Atheist vs. Christian Ignorance of the Bible: A Brief Observation.” The words of gusbovona will be in blue. See also our exchange immediately before this one: “Dialogue w Atheist on Biblical Exegesis & Christian Ignorance.” ***** I’m not sure why you don’t like atheists thinking they are more rational or scientific than Christians. It’s practically a tautology that, if you disagree with someone on the basis of rationalism and science, you... Read more

What “Single-Issue” Pro-Life Activism Means & Doesn’t Mean

Last updated on: May 27, 2019 at 12:31 pm By Dave Armstrong

This was my reply in the combox to the post, “The consistent ethic of abolitionist William Wilberforce” by Kate Cousino (9-15-17). ***** The discussion hinges, I think, on what one means by “single-issue” activist. Detractors of pro-life activists (I have been one for 35 years) say that abortion is all they care about. Unfortunately, now we have fellow pro-lifers (of relatively more “liberal” political persuasion) falsely accusing millions of other pro-lifers of alleged concern only for abortion and nothing else (including even... Read more

Dialogue w Atheist on Biblical Exegesis & Christian Ignorance

Last updated on: May 27, 2019 at 4:57 pm By Dave Armstrong

This is a follow-up discussion: brought about by an atheist’s response to my article, “Atheist vs. Christian Ignorance of the Bible: A Brief Observation.” The words of gusbovona will be in blue. ***** Atheist here. 1. Part of the problem atheists have with the Bible is that they suspect its god doesn’t care about communication with humans precisely because one must work to figure out exactly what the Bible means. Presumably the god of the Bible would know what would communicate effectively... Read more

Atheist vs. Christian Ignorance of the Bible: A Brief Observation

Last updated on: May 24, 2019 at 1:03 pm By Dave Armstrong

I made a statement: “Atheist knowledge of the Bible and exegesis (generally speaking) is abominable.” Atheist “Grimlock” replied: Fun fact: If the average atheist’s knowledge of the Bible is abominable, the average Christian seems to be even worse off. (At least in the US.) [source from Pew Research] I do love me some empiricism. This is a major reason why I do what I do: I’m an educator. But at least Christians approach the Bible with respect, which makes it... Read more

Relics: A Collection of Explicit Biblical Proofs & Evidences

Last updated on: May 24, 2019 at 12:27 pm By Dave Armstrong

[From my 2009 book, Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths (see purchase information; just $2.99 for various e-book versions] [Biblical passages are from the King James Version. My comments are italicized and in blue] ***** Exodus 29:37: Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy. Exodus 30:28-29: And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and... Read more

Were the Albigensians Primitive or Proto-“Protestants”?

Last updated on: May 23, 2019 at 12:44 pm By Dave Armstrong

Some strains of Protestant thought — most notably the “Landmark” Baptists — seek to find a non-Catholic “apostolic succession” all throughout Church history up to the 16th century. In the desperate attempt to claim spiritual and theological predecessors, all sorts of heretical groups are espoused, including the Montanists, Novationists, Donatists, Docetists, Cathari, Albigensians, Waldenses, Hussites, and Wycliffites. The trouble is that none of these groups fit very well into a Protestant schema. They are either radically non-Christian, even Gnostic (e.g.,... Read more

GOP & Pro-Life Supreme Court Justices: Revisiting the Facts

Last updated on: May 23, 2019 at 12:01 pm By Dave Armstrong

[I was replying to a Catholic leftish Never Trumper, a month before the 2016 presidential election] The problem with your analysis of the Supreme Court is that it doesn’t continue into recent history. The last Democrat-appointed pro-life Justice is Byron White (JFK, 1962). For Republicans it’s a mixed record, but at least it is that. Here are the appointments under Republican Presidents since Reagan and how they turned out on the life issue: O’Connor (Reagan) = mixed record Scalia (Reagan)... Read more

Nuclear Bombing of Japan vs. Just War Ethics (Part II)

Last updated on: May 22, 2019 at 12:54 pm By Dave Armstrong

[see Part One] Wikipedia: “Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” is a great resource to further study this issue. More important resources: “Hiroshima: Was it Necessary?” (by Doug Long; opposed to the bombings) NuclearFiles.org (opposed) The latter includes a very helpful page of documented correspondence concerning the decision Quotes: In a private letter written just before he left the White House, Truman referred to the use of the atomic bomb as “murder,” stating that the bomb “is far worse than gas and biological warfare because it... Read more

Nuclear Bombings of Japan: Justified by “Double Effect”?

Last updated on: May 22, 2019 at 12:02 pm By Dave Armstrong

Hiroshima and Nagasaki fail the Catholic test of “double effect” because they involved the killing of over 200,000 civilian noncombatants. Such an act is condemned in traditional just war criteria which forbids deliberate targeting of such non-military populations. The exceedingly weak counter-argument given by proponents is that these cities had military installations (President Truman absurdly referred to the city of Hiroshima as a “military base”). These were the targets, so we are told, not the civilian population; therefore the dreadful result of... Read more

Were the Waldenses a Species of Primitive “Protestants?”

Last updated on: May 21, 2019 at 7:33 pm By Dave Armstrong

There is a strain of Protestant thought — most notably the “Landmark” Baptists — which seeks to find a non-Catholic “apostolic succession” all throughout Church history up to the 16th century. In the desperate attempt to claim spiritual and theological predecessors, all sorts of heretical groups are espoused, including the Montanists, Novationists, Donatists, Docetists, Cathari, Albigensians, Waldenses, Hussites, and Wycliffites. The trouble is that none of these groups fit very well into a Protestant schema. They are either radically non-Christian,... Read more