This is a dialogue with an evangelical pastor (5-27-97), followed by clarifying remarks made in response to the questions of a Catholic friend (6-3-97), and further dialogues with several Protestants from late 1998. Words of all those besides myself are in blue. ***** These verses may form a rationale, but the question is what kind of rationale do they form? Since the author puts the matter on the rational level rather than a strict biblical one it would be proper to... Read more
Wayne Conner showed up underneath one of my real dialogues with an atheist, and gave us a quintessential display of the hypocrisy and essential silliness of the “angry”-type, sophistical atheist, who demands “evidence” for why the Christian believes as he does, and then mocks and ignores it when it is provided. It’s all just a big game, folks. Don’t waste time with people like this! I did, only to illustrate an important point. His words will be in blue. *****... Read more
Follow-up to Part I. Words of Anthrotheist will be in blue. *** “To the contrary, there is a unified set of moral principles common to all societies at all times.” The example given (Lewis) basically seems to boil down to: don’t murder, don’t steal, don’t break vows (marriage or otherwise), don’t lie, respect authority, and take care of the sick, the elderly, and children. I think it would be difficult to find a stable, enduring society without these basic behaviors... Read more
Classic examples of how Catholicism is often criticized with a sort of “rapidfire” / “gotcha!” mentality . . . ***** [Comments of “morganB” will be in blue; those of “Trinidad” in green] *** morganB provided us with the following rapid-fire questions (as if mere quantity of objections somehow proves the intended target less plausible): Globally applied man-made rules frequently clash with how God made us… everyone is unique. Everyone has a unique libido. Yep. That’s why Paul says that men... Read more
Acts 20:7 (RSV) On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the morrow; and he prolonged his speech until midnight. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? [17] Because there is one bread, we who are many are one... Read more
Atheist Bob Hypes started corresponding with me (in a commendably friendly and cordial manner), after he found out about my critique of his deconversion story. He has graciously granted permission to publish all his words on my website. His words will be in blue. ***** [abridged significantly, since the original dialogue was about 35,000 words: almost book-length; now it is about 11,500 words] ***** I wrote that article, but it was not written in the way in which you read it.... Read more
Bob Hypes’ article (that I am replying to) was published in the late atheist Farrell Till’s The Skeptical Review (1995, Number One). That site is no longer online, and so I have linked to an archived version of the article. Mr. Hype’s words will be in blue. His article appears here in its entirety. ***** EDITOR’S NOTE [probably by J. Farrell Till]: Bob Hypes’ letters have appeared in previous issues of The Skeptical Review. He is a former Church-of-Christ preacher, and he tells... Read more
Anthrotheist made comments underneath my post, Dialogue with an Atheist on “God of the Gaps” (which was a response to him). This is my counter-reply. His words will be in blue. ***** Regarding my thought experiment, I rather expected that the baseline expectation from your side would be a universe in chaos or no universe at all. That’s consistent with the belief that God created the world and without him it would have no reason to be here. Correct. Your response... Read more
Taylor D. Barrett is a Catholic, who commented underneath an article of mine on this topic. This is my response. His words will be in blue. ***** Enjoy the blog, Thanks! but this one always gets me. Coming from a Protestant Evangelical background, the Sunday Obligation just seems to extraordinarily legalistic. Reading St. John Chrysostom’s commentary on Galatians 5 right now, where he comments that Christ profits you nothing if you get circumcised because getting circumcised means you fear the... Read more
This exchange with Damien Priestly took place underneath my post, Dialogue with an Atheist on the Origin of the Universe. I’ve rearranged the order in order to make the dialogue flow back-and-forth per my usual custom). His words will be in blue. ***** Wow, the post here so that narrow that the author cannot see his own old fashioned view of “matter” — that in fact, things that are not matter actually exist…e.g. energy in the radiation of electromagnetic theory which... Read more
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