Bible – Page 8 – #POPChrist

An Unhappy Marriage III: Don’t Tell Me What I Think (or the Art of Listening)

September 28, 2015September 29, 2015Posted in Answers in Genesis, Bible, Christianity and Science, Education, Evangelistic Atheism, Genesis, hermeneuticsTagged answers in genesis, atheism, bible, biblical interpretation, chrisitianity, Christian Scriptures, creationism, evolution, literalism1 Comment

In this series of posts, I am noting the shared presuppositions of most Young Earthers (YECs) and a particular though common subset of atheists which I am referring to as evangelistic atheists. Evangelistic atheists (EAs) are those who think atheism and atheistic reasoning are “good news” and that as they spread this good news theism (superstition) will decline and the world will become a better place through scientific discovery.

In the west and for obvious reasons, the primary target of evangelistic atheism’s polemical rhetoric is aimed at Christians. In my experience which includes reading, conversation, on-line interaction (i.e. not usually conversational), being a student in anti-Christian contexts, and my own youth which included an element of anti-Christian skeptical agnosticism most evangelistic atheists seem to assume and, indeed, insist that true Christianity is Protestant Fundamentalist Christianity.

Related Posts: Unhappy Marriage II: Stuck in the Middle with You, Unhappy Marriage I: Atheists are from Mars and Young Earthers are from Earth

I am likely stretching my analogy of the Unhappy Marriage to the breaking point but who cares its a blog. Continue reading “An Unhappy Marriage III: Don’t Tell Me What I Think (or the Art of Listening)” →

An Unhappy Marriage II: Stuck in the Middle with You

September 26, 2015September 29, 2015Posted in Answers in Genesis, Education, Evangelistic Atheism, hermeneuticsTagged answers in genesis, atheism, bart ehrman, bible, biblical interpretation, chrisitianity, creationism, n.t. wright1 Comment

“Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right, Here I am stuck in the middle with you.” — Stealers Wheels

We are all fools. One type of fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

“Answer a fool according to his folly.” Sometimes, you have to set aside your ultimate aims and simply meet people where they are. You can’t just point an atheist to a Bible verse. That’s like quoting your mother to your wife in an argument.

As I suggested in my previous post, we all have biases, prejudices, and presuppositions. In fact, it would be difficult to function in the world without them. Continue reading “An Unhappy Marriage II: Stuck in the Middle with You” →

An Unhappy Marriage I (or Atheists are from Mars and Young Earthers are from well Earth apparently)

September 24, 2015September 24, 2015Posted in Answers in Genesis, Bible, Christianity and Science, Education, Evolution, Genesis, hermeneutics, Ken Ham, Philosophy, Science, Sunday School, TeachingTagged atheism, atheists, genesis, literalism, science and christianity5 Comments

By entering into the discussion of origins and the Bible, I am not particularly interested in addressing those who are actively promoting Young Earth Creationism. Rather, my intended audience consists of those who want to consider these questions and are open to the possibility that other options presented by confessing Christians who are experts in their fields may be viable alternatives to the stark either/or position proferred by people like Ken Ham.

However, as one can imagine, venturing into this conversation sometimes involves attempting to “converse” with YE evangelists on one side and the evangelistic atheists that YECs fear on the other side. What neither of these “groups” realize is how similar they really are. They are in a symbiotic relationship with one another but it is an unhealthy relationship. While they feed off one antother, like parasites they suck the life out of the rest of us and out of the Christianity, Science, and Reason they claim to defend. Continue reading “An Unhappy Marriage I (or Atheists are from Mars and Young Earthers are from well Earth apparently)” →

Moses Strikes Out: Why was Moses not allowed into the Promised Land? (Exodus 17 & Numbers 20)

September 17, 2015September 17, 2015Posted in ANE, Bible, Biblical Theology, Commentaries, Gospel, hermeneutics, Sunday SchoolTagged aaron, exodus, exodus 17, moses, moses's staff, narrative criticism, numbers, numbers 20, prophets, robert alter, source criticism, water from the rock1 Comment

If Numbers 20 is read in isolation, God’s judgment that Moses not be allowed to enter the promised land seems disproportionate to Moses’s action of striking the rock in anger. Moses seems justified in being angry with Israelites and God’s response seems to be excessive and therefore unjust. Continue reading “Moses Strikes Out: Why was Moses not allowed into the Promised Land? (Exodus 17 & Numbers 20)” →

Genesis 3: When is a Snake not merely a Snake?

September 15, 2015November 24, 2015Posted in ANE, Bible, Biblical Theology, Education, Genesis, Philosophy, PoliticsTagged Ancient Near East, bible, biblical interpretation, biblical theology, Christian Scriptures, exodus, genesis, Genesis 1-11, Genesis 3, pharaoh, satan, serpent3 Comments

While I highly recommend Michael Cosby’s Intepreting Biblical Literature (see my post on this textbook), I have yet to read a textbook where I agree with everything in it. In his chapter on the Primeval History or Genesis 1-11, Cosby writes the following, “The talking snake in Genesis 3:1-5 is merely that — a snake.”

So, when we get to this moment in a classroom setting, I usually put this quote on the screen followed by the question in my title:

When is a snake not just a snake? Continue reading “Genesis 3: When is a Snake not merely a Snake?” →

Genesis 3: What is the man doing? or Adam discovers the scientific method.

September 12, 2015Posted in Bible, Biblical Theology, Church Fathers, Commentaries, Education, Genesis, Gospel, Jewish/Christian DialogueTagged Adam and Eve, Ancient Near East, ANE, bible, biblical interpretation, biblical theology, chrisitianity, Christian Scriptures, Genesis 3, Irenaeus, the fall, yetzer hara3 Comments

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” (Genesis 3:6)

After a series of close-ups involving the serpent and the woman, the camera pans back and reveals that her husband has been present all along. So, what was he doing? Why did he not intervene? Why did he not answer the serpent or better send it scurrying for speaking inappropriately to his wife, the queen of Eden? Continue reading “Genesis 3: What is the man doing? or Adam discovers the scientific method.” →

Ken Ham on Homo Naledi: See No Evidence, Hear No Evidence, Speak No Truth

September 11, 2015September 18, 2015Posted in Answers in Genesis, Bible, Christianity and Science, Education, Evolution, PhilosophyTagged aig, answers in genesis, anthropology, bible, biblical interpretation, Christian Scriptures, christianity, creationism, evolution, h. naledi, ken ham9 Comments

Today’s Reading: Psalm 115 & Jeremiah 7:4

Having read the post on Naturalis Historia about the release of information on H. naledi, I knew it would not be long before Ken Ham and Answers in Genesis (AiG) voiced their collective judgment on the finding. Moreover, I knew what that judgment would be in advance. I am prescient that way. For Ham and AiG, This discovery would change nothing.

So, I was not surprised when Ken Ham released a tweet and a link to an “article” responding to this release of information about H. Naledi. Continue reading “Ken Ham on Homo Naledi: See No Evidence, Hear No Evidence, Speak No Truth” →

Mind the Gap II: Healing the Split-Brain Syndrome in Young Adults (and the rest of us)

September 11, 2015September 11, 2015Posted in Bible, Christianity and Science, Education, EvolutionTagged Baylor University, bible, chrisitianity, Christian Scriptures, Christopher Columbus, flat earth, For the Glory of God, Galileo, history, John William Draper, Regent College, Rodney Stark, science, science and religion, science vs religion1 Comment

In my previous post “Diagnosing the Split-Brain Syndrome“, I focussed on my own experience growing up switching between absolute credulity and scientific rigour (at least a little more rigour than the average teenager). The most bizarre thing to me is that it did not seem to phase me or those around me. I could be talking about the latest discoveries in shark behaviour in one instant and recounting the latest alien abduction story in the next. No one ever questioned me about the incongruity. Indeed, if anything, people were more interested in the latter than the former.

It will surprise many non-Christians that for me the healing began shortly after my conversion to Christianity in my first year of university. While it began with a desire to understand the Scriptures better, the real healing began when I attended Regent College for Graduate School. Continue reading “Mind the Gap II: Healing the Split-Brain Syndrome in Young Adults (and the rest of us)” →

Mind the Gap I: Diagnosing Split-Brain Syndrome in Young Adults (and the rest of us)

September 10, 2015November 17, 2015Posted in Bible, Christianity and Science, Education, Evolution, hermeneutics, Philosophy, Science, TeachingTagged aliens, answers in genesis, bible, Carl Sagan, christianity, david suzuki, dinosaurs, dragons, Hal Lindsey, neopaganism, New Age, science, skepticism, superstition, ufos2 Comments

Many Christians seem to suffer from what I am calling “Split-Brain Syndrome”. That is, many Christians seem to switch unwittingly between a Science Brain and a Church Brain. This psychological problem is nurtured by a culture that divides the public and private spheres and is reinforced by a popular polemics that are framed by the conflict models of religion vs. science, faith vs. reason, religion vs. secular, Ham vs. Dawkins, etc. As my own story will demonstrate, this “double-mindedness” is not peculiar to Christians.

Though not a Christian at the time, in my youth, I experienced this split-brain syndrome. Continue reading “Mind the Gap I: Diagnosing Split-Brain Syndrome in Young Adults (and the rest of us)” →

Ham-Handed Hermeneutics 2: Reading the Church Fathers II: Theophilus of Antioch (Bishop of Antioch ca. 169-181 AD)

September 9, 2015September 11, 2015Posted in ANE, Answers in Genesis, Bible, Christianity and Science, Church Fathers, Education, Ken Ham, Philosophy, Science, TeachingTagged answers in genesis, church fathers, evolution, Genesis 1, hermeneutics, interpretation, ken ham, philosophy, theophilus of Antioch2 Comments

Answers in Genesis (AiG) are consistent in a few things. For instance, they are consistent in their assertions that every geological and archaeological discovery that seems to suggest an old earth can be explained by a global flood. Second, they are consistent in their general inconsistency. (In a future post, I will write about the inconsistency of Ken Ham and AiG with respect to adopting a “biblical scientific worldview”.)

Related Posts & Pages: Ham-Handed Hermeneutics 1: Origen, Heresy of Ham, How to Teach Genesis 1, Why Seven Days?, Cosby’s “Interpreting Biblical Literature”, How To Read the Bible for All Its Worth

On the one hand, they decry those who appeal to “the traditions of men” whenever those traditions seem to contradict their raison d’etre. Yet, on the other hand, they are quite prepared to appeal to those same traditions when it suits their purposes. Continue reading “Ham-Handed Hermeneutics 2: Reading the Church Fathers II: Theophilus of Antioch (Bishop of Antioch ca. 169-181 AD)” →