Scott Eric Alt, my friend and a pro-lifer who proudly voted Democrat in November 2018, wrote on his Facebook page on 13-14 November (his words in blue henceforth): The majority opinion in Roe v Wade was written by Harry Blackmun. Blackmun was appointed by Nixon. The dissent in Roe v Wade was written by Byron White. White was appointed by JFK. The majority opinion in Planned Parenthood v Casey was written by Sandra Day O’Connor (Reagan appointee), Anthony Kennedy (Reagan... Read more
I had an exchange on my Facebook page. It’s now deleted from there because my opponent (a man who has visited my page for years: almost always commenting on political matters, rather than theological) absolutely refused to allow me to post his words here. He also absolutely refused to ever answer my questions (as you will see). He was reacting to my post, Wicked Rulers Honored (Saul, Solomon, Nero, High Priest). I shall paraphrase his thoughts in blue (so as... Read more
My favorite-sounding songs from The White Album up till now were a mixture of mono and stereo (I preferred ten in mono). Generally in my “Beatles taste” I prefer the rockers in mono, with the drums centered (unless they’re already centered in the stereo). Almost always, I dislike the drums in one channel only. It takes away the power, punch, and overall impact, and doesn’t sound live at all. In a word, it’s wimpy drums, and that just ain’t right... Read more
From my book, Mere Christian Apologetics (2002; published in paperback in 2007) *** It is often claimed that the Resurrection is suspect because it defies natural laws. But that’s what all miracles do. The question is whether they occur or not, and that is determined by substantiation and eyewitnesses. More than 500 people saw the risen Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:6). There was without doubt an empty tomb, which had been watched by a Roman Guard under penalty of death if they had allowed... Read more
This was originally a back-and-forth debate on Facebook. I have condensed the heart of my thoughts. ***** From his Facebook page tonight. Rod Dreher wrote a hit-piece on President Trump (“Trump: The Long Emergency”), with all the usual insinuations of out-of-control insanity, etc. It’s yet more Trump Derangement Syndrome. Did he go after the turkey-pardoning ceremony? Did Trump screw that up somehow, too: just like Melania’s Christmas decorations were described as post-nuclear destruction? I was hoping Dreher would go after the... Read more
***** Of course a Christian can do that, and quite obviously so: 1. Just as God made an eternal covenant with David and made him a forerunner of the Messiah Jesus, knowing from eternity that he would have a man killed in order to have his wife, whom he was already sleeping with. 2. Just as God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and responsibility to deliver, lead, and teach the Jews and write five books of the Old Testament, even... Read more
This is a Facebook exchange I had with Neil Shenvi, a chemist who is a Calvinist. His words will be in blue. * * * * * I haven’t actually been arguing for Sola Scriptura. In fact, it is completely compatible with my argument to claim that there are also traditions passed on by the apostles that are in some way authoritative. What I am asking is whether the words of God are given ultimate authority over everything else, including the practice of the church.... Read more
I’ve already noted how He did this in the case of the rich young ruler: which passage appears immediately before the one we will shortly examine: Jesus vs. “Faith Alone” (Rich Young Ruler) * Dialogue: Rich Young Ruler & Good Works * Now here is what our Lord and Savior and His disciples say after that famous incident: Luke 18:26-30 (RSV) Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” [27] But he said, “What is impossible with men is... Read more
Mark Martinson is a Lutheran (WELS). He showed up on my Facebook page under my link of a talk I gave on the radio (11-9-18) on sola Scriptura, or the Protestant rule of faith. Sola Scriptura entails the denial of papal and Church infallibility. Presumably, that’s why he challenged those doctrines in this particular thread. At first I thought he was a Catholic (perhaps a reactionary one: because they think so much like Protestants). I have edited a bit (the whole... Read more
I. The Dilemma of Competing Ecclesiologies: the Visible vs. the Invisible Church If Anglicans have any sort of notion of “indefectibility” — whereby the true Christian Church (or a valid portion of the universal catholic church, etc.) cannot and will not fall into rank heresy; being protected by the Holy Spirit, then it would be quite difficult for traditionalist Anglicans to square that concept with what is happening in liberal Anglican and Episcopalian circles today. If one takes a view... Read more
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