Priestly Celibacy: Garden-Variety Objections Debunked

Last updated on: June 28, 2018 at 12:55 pm By Dave Armstrong

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

Sunday Worship vs. Sabbatarianism (Links)

Last updated on: June 28, 2018 at 11:24 am By Dave Armstrong

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

Dialogue on Atheist Bob Hypes’ Deconversion Story

Last updated on: June 27, 2018 at 6:17 pm By Dave Armstrong

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

Response to “Religion & How I Lost It” (Bob Hypes)

Last updated on: June 27, 2018 at 2:53 pm By Dave Armstrong

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 That site is no longer online, and so I have linked to an archived version of the article.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

Thought Experiments w an Atheist About God / No God

Last updated on: June 26, 2018 at 3:41 pm By Dave Armstrong

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

Reply on Reasons for the Sunday Mass Obligation

Last updated on: July 2, 2018 at 12:14 pm By Dave Armstrong

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

Reply to a Condescending Agnostic Re Science

Last updated on: June 27, 2018 at 12:06 am By Dave Armstrong

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

Dialogue with an Atheist on “God of the Gaps”

Last updated on: June 24, 2018 at 6:59 pm By Dave Armstrong

“Anthrotheist” commented in the combox of my post, Dialogue w Atheist on the Origin of the Universe. His words will be in blue. ***** I can’t help but feel like there is still a “God of the gaps” in effect here. Of course. I think it’s because that is the stock response of lots of atheists, whenever we dare bring up God at all. Since you guys think He is nonexistent and belief in Him the equivalent of belief in leprechauns... Read more

Dialogue w Atheist on the Origin of the Universe

Last updated on: June 25, 2018 at 10:50 am By Dave Armstrong

Grimlock is an atheist from Norway. He made a response to my initial provocative questions (see the whole thing). This is my counter-reply. Due to his length I can’t reply to absolutely everything (that would make this post way too long). His words will be in blue. ***** One thing I habitually ask atheists is to explain how matter could obtain the qualities it has, including evolving into living organisms. I don’t see that science (at least to my knowledge)... Read more

Reply to Protestant on Infant Baptism & Miscellany

Last updated on: June 23, 2018 at 11:28 am By Dave Armstrong

I received a letter in email from a former Catholic with Baptist-type beliefs, in response to my paper, Infant Baptism: A Fictional Dialogue. It got into some other typical Catholic-Protestant controversies as well. His words will be in blue. ***** Thanks for taking the time to write a well-laid out letter. I’d like to respond to most of it. I provide links to many of my relevant papers. In your fictional dialogue, you called the character Zeke, a Jesus Freak.... Read more