September 1, 2023

Theistic Arguments #1: The Argument from Personal Experience

Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Theistic Arguments
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As you know, I am working through a podcast series on the evidence for God’s existence. The first argument I examined is the argument from personal experience.

The essence of the argument is that if one has had a personal experience of God, they are justified in concluding that God exists unless they have good reasons to doubt the veracity of their experience. Believing in God based on personal experience is entirely rational, even if your personal experience is not sufficient to convince others that God is real.

You can listen to the episode wherever you get your podcasts (search for “Thinking to Believe” or “Jason Dulle”), or at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1958918/13496572.

I am also including the argument in written form. You can download the PDF here.

Argument from personal experience (updated 12/31/24)

 

August 30, 2023

Reason and Belief in God

Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Theistic Arguments
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In the latest episode of the podcast, I began my conversation on theism. I examine the relationship between reason and belief in God, discuss two kinds of reasons, explain why scientific evidence is not the appropriate kind of evidence for God’s existence, and answer the question of whether or not we can prove God’s existence. I ended the episode by showing the best way to argue for God’s existence, and explored a tactical approach of making people want God to exist before we give them evidence that He exists.

You can listen to the episode at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1958918/13459789 or wherever you get your podcasts.

If you would prefer to read about it instead, here is the paper:

Reason and Belief in God

 

August 22, 2023

Fact Check: Jesus Talked About Money More than Any Other Topic

Posted by Jason Dulle under Miscellaneous, Theology
1 Comment 

I’ve heard a number of pastors claim that Jesus talked about money more than any other topic, including heaven and hell. This always sounded fishy to me. I knew this claim had to be false, even prior to looking into the matter. It just didn’t pass the bologna test. Now that I have looked into the matter a bit more, my initial reservations have been vindicated.

If you do a quick search on the internet, you’ll read statistics like “11 of Jesus’ 39 parables are about money,” or “1 out of 7 verses containing Jesus’ words are about money,” or “more than 2300 verses in the Bible talk about money.” I can’t confirm the accuracy of all these claims, but let’s assume that they are roughly correct. It still doesn’t follow that Jesus talked about money more than any other topic.

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August 15, 2023

Not Taste Death Until….

Posted by Jason Dulle under Eschatology, Theology
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Jesus told His disciples that some of them would not “taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom” (Mt 16:28). This saying appears in the other Synoptics as well. Mark 9:1 describes it as “until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power,” while Luke 9:27 describes it as “until they see the kingdom of God.” Most focus on identifying the event that Jesus had in mind. I’ll come to that question shortly, but first I want to point out something I never noticed before: Jesus affirmed that at least some of His disciples would die. He said they would “taste death,” but that they would not taste death until they had some particular experience. This is important because many interpreters have claimed that Jesus promised His Second Coming would occur in the first century in His apostles’ lifetime. Here, however, Jesus testifies to the fact that at least some of His apostles would die.

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August 8, 2023

New series on the evidence for God’s existence

Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Theistic Arguments
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I’ve started a new podcast series on the topic, Does God Exist? The first couple of episodes will cover agnosticism and atheism, and then I’ll do an in-depth analysis of 5 or 6 of the most powerful arguments for the existence of God. You won’t want to miss it!

Episode 1 is already live. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1958918/13352213.

 

July 25, 2023

Divorce and Remarriage

Posted by Jason Dulle under Marriage and Divorce, Theology
[3] Comments 


I recently finished my podcast series on divorce and remarriage. If you have not listened to the series yet, you can do so at https://thinkingtobelieve.buzzsprout.com, or wherever you get your podcasts (just search for “Thinking to Believe”).

As promised, I am also publishing my paper on the subject. This has been many years in the making. I spent a year researching and writing, then several more years reflecting on the topic and editing.

I have three versions to share with you. There is the full paper, which clocks in at 102 pages. That is the equivalent of a 150 page book. I would highly encourage you to read the full paper since it contains the most detailed argument; however, I understand that not everyone has the time or desire to digest that much information. That is why I also wrote a shorter paper that condenses the main argument into 18 pages. If you are really pressed for time, I also summarized my conclusions in a two page summary statement.

Divorce and Remarriage – Full Paper v7 8-7-25

Divorce and Remarriage – Short Paper v3 11-11-24

Divorce and Remarriage – Summary Statement v1 7-25-23

 

June 19, 2023

Rethinking what it means to be gay

Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Homosexuality, Transgender
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If a man who thinks he is a woman sleeps with a woman who knows she is a woman, is that gay sex or straight sex? Is homosex based on one’s biology or one’s gender identity? Given transgender ideology, the LGBT community needs to rethink what it means to be gay.

We’ve traditionally defined homosexuality in terms of biology (sex), but according to gender ideology, gender is more important than sex. When it comes to defining homosexual and heterosexual, then, shouldn’t the gender identity of the sexual partners matter more than their biological sex? If so, then homosexuality should not be defined as sexual behavior between two people of the same sex, but as sexual activity between two people of the same gender. This would mean a biological man and a biological woman could be in a homosexual relationship so long as one of them has a trans identity. For example, a trans woman (a biological man who thinks of himself as a woman even though he has male sex organs) who engages in sexual activity with a biological woman would be in a homosexual relationship despite the fact that they are having normal sexual intercourse. If the only difference between heterosexual sex and homosexual sex is the beliefs of the participants, then the meaning of “heterosexual” and “homosexual” is relative.

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June 8, 2023

You only believe in God because it makes you feel better

Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Atheistic objections
[13] Comments 

People often say “You only believe in God because it makes you feel better.” They think theism is just wish fulfillment. The idea of God fulfills some deep longing in our heart, so we choose to believe there is a God.

This is not a good reason to think God doesn’t exist. Maybe belief in God makes me feel better because there is a real God who is meeting a real existential need that results in me feeling better. Could you imagine if we approached medicine this way?: “You only believe in medicine because it makes you feel better.” Yes, it makes us feel better because medicine is an objective reality that changes the way we feel. Similarly, God is an objective reality that changes the way we feel about life, about ourselves, and about the future.

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June 1, 2023

“As long as it doesn’t hurt anybody”

Posted by Jason Dulle under Ethics, Theology
[6] Comments 

The American moral standard has long been “as long as it doesn’t hurt anybody” (ALAIDHA), and this has led to the acceptance of all sorts of immoral behavior. There are so many problems with this “moral theory.”

First, why should anyone think that this is the standard of morality we should be living by? The truth of ALAIDHA is never justified – only assumed. It’s not self-evident at all that this is the standard we should use for moral decision-making.

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May 25, 2023

Why modern kids are so depressed and anxious

Posted by Jason Dulle under Sin, Social, Worldview
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Why are American kids experiencing so much anxiety, depression, and suicide these days? It’s not because they experience hardship and difficulties. They have it easier than any previous generation. They have money, gadgets, and plenty of leisure time. Kids in other countries have a way more difficult life than American kids, but experience less anxiety, depression, and suicide. So finances are not the issue. Suffering is not the issue. What is it, then?

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May 3, 2023

The United Nations Attempts to Normalize Pedophilia

Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Pedophilia
[15] Comments 

I said long ago that the normalization of pedophilia was on the horizon. That horizon has arrived. Various academics have written papers in recent years trying to normalize pedophilia. The latest at normalization comes from the United Nations.

The United Nations has essentially declared that it is a human right for minors to consent to sex with whomever they want, including adults. In a March 2023 report written by the International Commission of Jurists (an international group of 60 judges and lawyers), it’s declared that “sexual conduct involving persons below the domestically prescribed minimum age of consent to sex may be consensual in fact, if not in law. In this context, the enforcement of criminal law should reflect the rights and capacity of persons under 18 years of age to make decisions about engaging in consensual sexual conduct and their right to be heard in matters concerning them. Pursuant to their evolving capacities and progressive autonomy, persons under 18 years of age should participate in decisions affecting them, with due regard to their age, maturity and best interests, and with specific attention to non-discrimination guarantees.”

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May 3, 2023

How does this affect you?

Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Tactics
1 Comment 

When people can’t answer your moral argument against some behavior or practice (such as abortion, same-sex marriage, or transgenderism), they’ll commonly respond with, “Well, how does this affect you?” This is a red herring. Don’t take the bait.

While you may be able to show how the behavior affects you, its personal impact on your life is irrelevant. This becomes obvious when you ask the same question of other moral matters. How are you personally affected by murder? How are you personally affected by sex trafficking? How are you personally affected by rape? There are many egregious evils in the world that have no felt impact on my life, and yet they remain evil nonetheless and should be condemned as evil.

The best way to respond to this ploy is by saying, “Whether I am personally affected by X or not is irrelevant. The question is whether X is right or wrong. I’ve provided reasons for thinking X is wrong. What do you think about that argument?”

 

April 24, 2023

Apologetics and theology curricula for kids

Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Theology, Worldview
1 Comment 

Many parents would like to educate their kids in Christian theology, apologetics, and worldview, but don’t know where to start or where to obtain good resources. If you are looking for a curriculum for kids age 4-14, check out http://www.foundationworldview.com. It’s on online curriculum using videos, worksheets, and parent resources. There are four courses:

1. Worldview (ages 4-8)
2. Comparative Worldview (ages 8-12)
3. Studying the Bible (ages 8-12)
4. Careful thinking (ages 10-14)

Ratio Christi has also put together a list of resources by education level:
• Elementary school
• Middle School
• High School

Dr. Frank Turek has produced some curriculum for 2nd-5th graders, 6th-8th graders,  and high school-aged kids.

Finally, check out a video I recorded a few years ago showcasing the theology and apologetics resources I have used with my kids over the years.

 

April 14, 2023

Trans ideologues are fully aware that sex is binary

Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Transgender
[164] Comments 

When we respond to the transgender issue by pointing out that biology makes it clear that there are only two sexes, we are attacking a straw man.

Gender ideologues do not typically deny that sex is binary. What they deny is that our identity is limited to or determined by. In addition to our sex, we also have a gender and gender-identity. Gender is a social construct related to the different behavior and roles men and women play in society. Gender-identity is one’s perception and deeply felt experience of their gender. Most people’s gender and gender-identity matches their biological sex, but some people experience a mismatch. They may have a male gender-identity but a female body. In such cases, they should be considered a male because gender, not sex, gives us our identity. Some transgender people may desire to alter their body to match their gender, but others may be comfortable with their body. That’s why it’s perfectly legitimate to speak of men with uteruses and women with penises.

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April 3, 2023

Divorce and Remarriage

Posted by Jason Dulle under Marriage and Divorce, Theology
[4] Comments 

I have started a new podcast series on the Biblical teaching regarding divorce and remarriage. This was an intensive research project for me that I am finally ready to share. I have already posted a 1-N-Done episode on the topic which summarizes my conclusions. This will be followed by a long series of episodes where I will explore the topic in much more detail. Once I have finished the series, I will publish my research paper as well.

In my experience, few pastors are willing to address this issue from the pulpit because (1) they aren’t certain what the Bible teaches on the matter or (2) because they are afraid it will negatively impact too many people in their congregation. I understand those concerns, but God’s people need to hear what God’s Word has to say on this important and culturally relevant topic. Give it a listen and share it with your friends and family.

You can listen wherever you get your podcasts from, or at https://thinkingtobelieve.buzzsprout.com.

 

March 14, 2023

Something must be eternal

Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Cosmological Argument, Theistic Arguments
[19] Comments 

If there was ever a time when nothing existed then there would be nothing still, because nothing has no potential to become something. Out of nothing, nothing comes. And yet there is something, so we know there has never been a time when nothing existed. Something has always existed. What is that something?

Could the universe be eternal? No, as evidenced by the thermodynamic properties of the universe. The energy in the universe is finite and increasing toward entropy. If the universe were infinitely old, we would have reached a state of entropy an infinite time ago. And yet we have not reached a state of entropy, therefore the universe is not infinitely old. It began to exist a finite time ago.

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March 3, 2023

Religious Pluralism series

Posted by Jason Dulle under Uncategorized
[7] Comments 

As you know, I’ve been doing a podcast series on relativism. I began the series by examining relativism writ large, demonstrating why it’s false that we can’t know any truth at all. Then I moved on to explore the claim that we can’t know moral truth. Now I’m in the last phase of the series, exploring the application of relativism to religion. Religious relativism (RR) holds that religious truth cannot be known (or does not exist), so religions can only be true in a relative sense of the word.

I discuss three different forms of RR, how RR impacts the religious conversation, the reasons people subscribe to RR, and offer an extended critique of the view. Catch the latest episodes at https://thinkingtobelieve.buzzsprout.com or listen wherever you get your podcasts from.

 

February 23, 2023

Free will and science

Posted by Jason Dulle under Apologetics, Determinism, Epistemology, Science
[12] Comments 

Scientists could never discover that free will does not exist via scientific experimentation, because in a deterministic world, the result of the experiment would, itself, be determined. The conclusion that there is no such thing as free will would not be arrived at because the scientists chose to set up the experiment in a good way and reasoned correctly about the data they received. Instead, physics would determine both the study’s structure and conclusions. As such, the conclusion cannot be trusted.

Even if determinism is true, this truth would not be “discovered” by the experiment, but “determined.” Discovery requires the exercise of free will. That’s why all such experiments are self-defeating. They can only be informative if free will exists. And if the will must be free for the experiments to be informative, there is no point in doing the experiment. You already know the answer before you begin: free will exists.

 

January 27, 2023

Pro-Life with a Footnote

Posted by Jason Dulle under Abortion, Apologetics, Bioethics
[6] Comments 

Many Christians believe abortion is morally justified in cases of rape and incest – what I call “pro-life with a footnote.” I spoke extensively on this in part 16 (episode 23) of my podcast series on abortion, but wanted to say a bit more about this here.

This position fails to understand the logic of the pro-life position. We are opposed to abortion because the act of abortion (1) unjustly (2) takes the life of an (3) innocent, (4) valuable (5) human being. All five of these points are still true when a baby is conceived via rape or incest. The circumstances under which a human being is conceived does not change what is conceived, so the unborn is still human, still valuable, and still innocent even if he was conceived by an act of moral violence. Abortion would still take the life of the human conceived under such circumstances in the same manner it takes the life of humans conceived under other circumstances. As such, it would still be unjust to kill the baby conceived by rape or incest. Pro-lifers are opposed to murdering all innocent, valuable, human beings no matter how they came into being, and thus pro-lifers ought to be opposed to abortion under all circumstances.

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January 23, 2023

Saul did not affirm Jesus’ deity on the Damascus Road

Posted by Jason Dulle under Christology, Theology
[6] Comments 

I’ve often heard people claim that Saul of Tarsus confessed the deity of Christ during his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road by calling him “lord.” We read: “As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ 5 ‘Who are you, Lord? Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied.”  (Acts 9:3-5)

Those who see a confession of Jesus’ deity in this passage assert that as a monotheistic Jew, Saul’s acknowledgement of Jesus as “Lord” would be an explicit affirmation of His deity since Jews used “Lord” as a substitute for God’s name, YHWH. I find this interpretation unlikely for a number of reasons.

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