CA has proposed a bill that would allow for school kids to use the bathroom of their choice, based on their own perceived gender identity. Craziness.
April 30, 2013
CA boys and girls…use the bathroom of your choice
Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Odds & Ends, Political Incorrectness, Social[29] Comments
April 23, 2013
Contingency argument for God’s existence
Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Cosmological Argument, Theism, Theistic Arguments[7] Comments
While in discussion with A. C. Grayling on the March 25 edition of the Unbelievable radio program, Peter S. Williams provided a nice, concise presentation of the cosmological argument from contingency:
Once you’ve made the distinction between things that have causes and…things that don’t have causes, if something exists it either is the kind of thing that requires something outside of itself to exist, or it’s not. If it’s not possible for there to be an infinite regress of things that do require causes outside of themselves, and it is true that something exists which does require a cause outside itself [the universe, and everything in it]…,there can’t be an infinite regress of such causes, and therefore you have to have a termination of that regress. [God is the best explanation for the termination of that regress.]
For those of you for whom this to be a bit too concise, let me flesh it out a bit.
April 23, 2013
France legalizes same-sex marriage
Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Same-sex Marriage[5] Comments
April 21, 2013
Florist sued for not selling flowers for same-sex wedding
Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Same-sex Marriage[38] Comments
Image courtesy of Bob Brawdy/Tri-City Herald/AP
A florist in the state of Washington is being sued by both the ACLU and the state Attorney General because the owner would not sell flowers to a gay couple for their wedding. This violates the state’s anti-discrimination law, which prohibits a public business from discriminating against someone based on their sexual orientation.
The same would go for wedding photographers and videographers. Anybody in the wedding business who cannot, in good conscience, lend their services to same-sex couples due to their personal beliefs about homosexuality or same-sex marriage, will have to make a choice to either violate their conscience, or choose a different profession. Ah, but remember the tired old question supporters of same-sex marriage always raise: How will granting same-sex couples the right to marry affect you?! Here is just one more instance of how it affects others, and I’m sure it will not be the last.
UPDATE: As of February 16, 2017, Barronelle Stutzman lost her appeal to the Washington State Supreme Court by a 9-0 decision.
April 20, 2013
Here is a gem from Louis Markos in “Just Brilliant: Three Things only a PhD Can Believe,” appearing in the latest edition of Salvo magazine:
Though most Americans fancy that feminism only means “equal pay for equal work,” the feminism I have witnessed being taught in our modern universities has little to do with the rules of fair play in the workplace. Students who enroll in a psychology or sociology class today, even if that class is taught in a Christian college, are indoctrinated to believe that there are no essential differences between the sexes. More than that, they are taught that there is no such thing as masculinity and femininity, that the differences we see between boys and girls are merely a product of long-standing customs of socialization, such as giving boys trucks to play with and girls dolls to play with.
(more…)
April 17, 2013
Legalize polygamy!
Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Polygamy, Same-sex Marriage[7] Comments
Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/Reuters
Just this past Monday, Jillian Keenan wrote an article in Slate titled “Legalize Polygamy!” She writes:
While the Supreme Court and the rest of us are all focused on the human right of marriage equality, let’s not forget that the fight doesn’t end with same-sex marriage. We need to legalize polygamy, too. … Divorce, remarriage, surrogate parents, extended relatives, and other diverse family arrangements mean families already come in all sizes—why not recognize that legally? … As women, we really can make our own choices. We just might choose things people don’t like. If a woman wants to marry a man, that’s great. If she wants to marry another woman, that’s great too. If she wants to marry a hipster, well—I suppose that’s the price of freedom. And if she wants to marry a man with three other wives, that’s her damn choice.
…
All marriages deserve access to the support and resources they need to build happy, healthy lives, regardless of how many partners are involved. Arguments about whether a woman’s consensual sexual and romantic choices are “healthy” should have no bearing on the legal process. And while polygamy remains illegal, women who choose this lifestyle don’t have access to the protections and benefits that legal marriage provides.
(more…)
April 12, 2013
France has approved same-sex marriage
Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Same-sex Marriage[4] Comments
Today, the French Senate has officially approved a bill legalizing same-sex marriage. While their version is slightly different than the National Assembly’s that was passed in February – and will require reconciliation before being signed by the president – the deed is essentially done. Same-sex marriage is expected to be legal by summer.
April 12, 2013
What I’ve Been Reading: Cold-Case Christianity
Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Book Reviews[2] Comments
J. Warner Wallace is a retired cold-case homicide detective. For the first 35 years of his life he was a staunch atheist. Using his detective skills, however, he began to examine the NT gospels. To his surprise, he found them to be trustworthy accounts based on eyewitness testimony to the life of Jesus Christ.
Wallace recently published his first book, Cold Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels, detailing the evidence that convinced him the Gospels were reliable accounts of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Each chapter begins with an evidential principle derived from his experience as a detective, which is then applied to the Gospels.
Here is chapter-by-chapter overview:
Chapter 1 – Question your presuppositions about God. All of us have bias. Examine your bias to see if it is valid and true. Keep an open mind.
Chapter 2 – Abductive reasoning. What is the best explanation of the evidence? Distinguish between possible and probable/reasonable (applies this to the alternative, naturalistic explanations of Jesus’ resurrection).
April 10, 2013
New Zealand is poised to approve same-sex marriage
Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Same-sex Marriage[20] Comments
New Zealand lawmakers have proposed a bill in support of same-sex marriage. In the second of three votes needed to pass the measure, it passed 77-44. The final vote is scheduled to take place in mid-April.
Does this mean Bilbo Baggins might marry Gandalf in The Hobbit part 2?
UPDATE: The bill passed 77-44 on April 17. New Zealand has become the 13th nation to legalize same-sex marriage.
April 10, 2013
Uruguay has approved same-sex marriage
Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Same-sex Marriage1 Comment
Uruguay, a small South American country of 3.3 million people, has essentially approved same-sex marriage. On December 11, 2012 the Uruguayan House of Representatives passed a bill approving same-sex marriage by a whopping 81-6 margin. On April 2, 2013 the Uruguayan Senate approved a similar bill 23-8. The bill has to go back to the House for reconciliation, and then on to the president, who has already promised to sign it into law. It’s no longer a question of whether same-sex marriage will become legal in Uruguay, but how soon. Once the bill is signed, Uruguay will become the 12th country to legalize same-sex marriage (if France doesn’t beat them to it).
This was a very fast development, considering the fact that the country just approved civil unions for same-sex couples in 2009.
The only other South American country in which same-sex marriage is legal is Argentina.
April 4, 2013
Increased numbers of Americans think the Bible is not inspired by God
Posted by Jason Dulle under Bible, Inspiration, Statistics, Theology[10] Comments
Barna Research Group reports that the number of American adults who view the Bible as “just…a book of stories and teachings written by men” has increased from 10% in 2011 to 17% in 2013. That’s a significant increase in just two years.
Read the entire report here.
April 4, 2013
What I’ve Been Reading – Christology and the New Testament: Jesus and His Earliest Followers
Posted by Jason Dulle under Book Reviews, Christology, Theology1 Comment
I purchased Christology and the New Testament by Christopher Tuckett a couple of years ago, but just finally got around to reading it recently.
This book takes a look at the subject of Christology, but from a purely Biblical perspective (no post-apostolic theological development or creedal affirmations are considered). Tuckett, who teaches NT at the University of Oxford, looks at how each NT author presents Jesus, particularly through – but not limited to – their ascription of various titles to Jesus. While Tuckett is liberal in his theological conclusions (and it’s not even clear that he is a confessing Christian), his presentation of the Biblical data is quite good. He has a great way of bringing out the Christological emphasis of the different NT authors/books.
If you are looking for a good introduction to NT Biblical Christology, this is a good resource.
March 19, 2013
Dan Wallace reports on the release of a new New Testament. A band off 19 liberal Christian and Jewish scholars got together for a “council” and decided to add 13 new books (two are prayers, and one is a song) to the New Testament.
Given some of those on this council (Karen King, John Dominic Crossan), it’s no surprise that they are Gnostic in character. Both the “council” and the new testament they produced is a farce.
March 18, 2013
New endorsements for same-sex marriage
Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Same-sex Marriage[7] Comments
John Wesley is rolling over in his grave right about now.
Rob Bell endorses same-sex marriage. Why not, after all, given his universalism?
As for Hillary, this announcement is about as surprising as microwave popcorn.
The trend of Christian groups and political leaders supporting same-sex marriage will continue to grow.
March 12, 2013
Striking a balance on our response to the cultural shift on homosexuality
Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Homosexuality[22] Comments
Given the cultural shift toward gay-affirmation, the church must respond in two equally important ways. On the one hand, we must take a firm stance on the moral issue, faithfully communicating the Biblical teaching that homosex is immoral because it is an aberration of God’s intention for human sexuality. On the other hand, we must also communicate our love for all people, including those who experience same-sex attraction. We must be willing to minister to them, embrace them, and help them on the path toward healing.
Unfortunately, people tend to only travel one road or the other. Those who argue passionately for the Biblical position often fail to exercise love and compassion to those struggling with same-sex attraction or who are involved in a gay lifestyle. On the other end of the spectrum are those who have a lot of compassion for people who experience same-sex attraction, and come to believe that loving them requires an affirmation of their sexual orientation or an approval of their behavior. We must avoid these extremes. It is possible and necessary to both affirm the immorality of homosex while extending compassion, love, and help to those who experience same-sex attraction.
March 8, 2013
Bill Clinton op-ed supporting the demise of DOMA
Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Politics, Same-sex Marriage[2] Comments
Bill Clinton has written an op-ed in The Washington Post throwing his support behind the overturning of the Defense of Marriage Act — a bill he signed into law 17 years ago. His timing is clearly political, given the fact that the Supreme Court will hear arguments for overturning DOMA on March 27. While the justices should not be influenced by his opinions, his actions carry symbolic weight that the Supreme Court justices cannot help but to notice. After all, if the very President who signed the bill into law no longer supports it, that speaks volumes.
I find it interesting that he justifies his signing of the law in 1996 on the grounds that “it was a very different time” then, but also claims that the law is “incompatible with our Constitution.” Has the Constitution changed? No. So how could a law be constitutional 17 years ago but unconstitutional today? It’s because Clinton subscribes to the “living document” view of the Constitution in which the meaning of the Constitution changes with the culture, though the words remain the same. I think this philosophy of Constitutional interpretation is flawed. The Constitution means what its drafters intended it to mean, and what its signers and ratifiers understood it to mean. The meaning of a document does not change over time. If the Constitution can mean whatever we want it to mean, and if the Constitution can be interpreted in light of cultural changes, then the Constitution cannot protect any of us because it doesn’t mean anything in particular. It is just silly putty in the hands of the judiciary.
March 8, 2013
Omnipresence doesn’t mean God fills the Universe
Posted by Jason Dulle under Nature of God, Theology[3] Comments
Omnipresence is one of God’s attributes. As I argued in an article at The Institute for Biblical Studies, however, this property is not essential to God’s nature and should not be understood in spatial terms. God is not a spatial being, and thus He does not exist anywhere, similar to the way in which we should not understand God’s eternal existence to mean He existed before creation. “Before” is a temporal concept, and since time began with creation it is meaningless to speak of anything before creation. Instead, we should speak of God’s existence without creation.
Similarly, as a non-spatial being God cannot exist in any spatial location. To think of God’s omnipresence in terms of occupying points in space is a category error, similar to saying the number seven tastes delicious. To say God is omnipresent refers to God’s cognizance of and causal activity at all points in the spatial dimension.
March 5, 2013
“Morality” is a meaningless category if moral relativism is true
Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Moral Argument, Relativism, Theistic Arguments[82] Comments
If moral realism (the notion that moral values exist independently of human minds) is false, then there is no reason to talk of “morality” as if it were something distinct from personal preference. Given moral relativism, moral beliefs are just personal/social preferences. What we call “morality” is nothing more than a set of personal preferences regarding certain dispositions and behaviors, or a set of normative social preferences – both of which are subjective in nature and can change over time. Saying “vanilla ice-cream is better than chocolate ice-cream” and saying “telling the truth is better than lying” are the exact same kind of claims: personal, subjective preference. No oughts are involved. They are just autobiographic or (to possibly coin a new term) sociobiographic statements. They describe rather than prescribe.
March 1, 2013
We often think of faith as something that we have to work up in ourselves before God will give us what we want. We tell God what we want, and then make every effort to believe that we will receive it. If we were able to work up enough faith, then God will give us what we asked of Him. This notion of faith is utterly foreign to Scripture. The essence of faith is trust, and trust – by its very nature – is always in a following relationship, not a leading relationship. To have faith in God means that we relate to Him in a leader-follower relationship, and we occupy the role of follower. As a follower, we trust Him to lead us appropriately. We do not set the agenda; He does.
This does not mean we cannot ask God to grant us certain requests. By all means we should ask Him to do things for us. But faith does not demand that God do what we want. Faith makes the request, and then trusts in God’s wisdom to either give us what we have asked for or not. Faith says, “I want X, but be it according to your will.”
I’m sure most of you have had the experience of following another car on a road trip. Back in the days before cell phones, if the person in the following position wanted to make a stop, they had to signal their intentions to the person in the leading position, and the leader had to consent to the stop. If the leader was unaware of your intentions, or if he was not agreeable to the stop, but you stopped anyway, you would be left behind. In a similar fashion, we can signal to God in prayer of our desire to make a certain stop, but acting in faith means that if He keeps on going then we keep following Him to wherever He is going. It is not acting in faith to make the stop we want, and then wait for God to follow us there. At best this is presumptuous, and at worst it is disobedience. Faith trusts and faith follows; it does not lead.
February 27, 2013
Waldo as an analogy of divine hiddenness
Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Atheistic objections, Epistemology, Theistic Arguments[19] Comments
Many atheists employ the concept of divine hiddenness to argue against God’s existence. If God exists, they argue, why is His existence not more obvious?
I have blogged on this issue previously (here and here), so I won’t rehearse the arguments again. Instead, I’ll simply assert that I do not accept the claim that God’s’ existence is not obvious enough. I think there is good evidence for God’s existence, and that God only appears to be hidden because we have not looked for Him with an open mind and heart.
Thinking to Believe 