QUESTION: A skeptic has claimed to me that the Christian saying “Do unto others” (what we call our “Golden Rule”) was actually plagiarized by the Bible writers from something originally taught by Confucius. Are you familiar with this?  I doubt this is true, since no source could be provided, but I have to ask. Answer: […]

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Question: My brother recently vacationed in Utah and visited some of the Mormon sites, including the Mormon Tabernacle. He was quite convinced that they are Christian. I explained to him that they are not and introduced him to your website. Question he asked was about the Mormon Tabernacle choir. They sing Christian music, including songs […]

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Question: On your webpage https://www.evidenceforchristianity.org/why-is-it-that-people-say-the-ancient-sumerian-tablets-are-similar-to-the-book-of-genesis-why-do-people-try-to-find-relationships-between-these/ you mention that:   “Logically, one might assume that since the Gilgamesh Epic precedes the Bible account, at least in its written form, it was the source for the biblical story of the flood. From an historical or literary point of view, this is hard to disprove. However, if one can assume […]

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Question: To your knowledge have there been any artifacts found in Herod’s tomb? Also, has there been archaeological/historical evidence found, out side of the Bible, of Joshua? Answer: A treasure trove of artifacts was found in Herod’s tomb. Here is a very brief introductory list, found at a web site (http://www.globaltravelerusa.com/artifacts-from-the-royal-room-inside-king-herods-tomb-on-display-at-jerusalems-israel-museum/) describing a museum special […]

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[editor’s note:  This question rambles quite a bit.  I did a lot of correcting of grammar, spelling and the like, but I am afraid it still is a bit hard to follow.   Hopefully, you will get the idea.] Question: Aren’t the Bible and the Christian religion a Catch-22?  This would be defined as a […]

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QUESTION: I have never really thought about the ten plagues of Egypt this way until I was on an online forum where skeptics were lambasting Christians and saying that it is not only wrong but hypocritical for both Christians and God to condemn abortion/infanticide when God killed so many children in the plague that brought […]

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Question: I hope my email finds you doing well my friend. I wanted to see if you could help with a previous question I had originally asked you.  Here’s the question “What about the charge that God demands his people to force or sell their daughters into prostitution? The scripture that I believe is taken […]

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Question: Dear Dr. Oakes, while Googling the use of maritime drogues (a storm drogue is “a device external to a boat, attached to the stern and used to slow the boat down in a storm and to keep the hull perpendicular to the waves”), I found a link to a page at your site entitled […]

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Question: My son asked me about why we have saltwater oceans and freshwater lakes in relation to the flood and creation. When the flood waters receded, where did freshwater come from?   Why would God create the earth with such an abundance of saltwater as compared to freshwater?  How were the land locked saltwater lakes/seas formed? […]

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Question: I hope my email finds you doing well my friend.  I wanted to see if you could help with a previous question I had originally asked you.  Here’s the question “What about the charge that God demands his people to force or sell their daughters into prostitution?   The scripture that I believe is […]

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Question: I have a couple of questions that are somewhat related. A good friend and myself were discussing what happened to Robin Williams. My friend’s dad committed suicide many years ago, under very similar circumstances. He tried for years to get help, but in the end, he decided to do what he did. My friend […]

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Dr. John Oakes engaged in a debate on the existence of God titled “God is Not Dead” at a teen camp in Jamul, California on 6/17/2014.   His opponent was recent high school graduate Hunter Garnier.  Hunter is no slacker, as he was valedictorian of his class and is heading off to UC Berkeley in […]

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QUESTION: This is probably a very common question, but concerning the census of Quirinius during the birth of Jesus. Luke does not use the term Legatus for Quirinius or Pontius Pilate, so how can we be sure that Quirinius was not being mentioned as governor? Was Quirinius translated as a governor due to his superior […]

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QUESTION: Hello, I have recently been wondering why Judaism seems to reject Jesus as the Messiah.  I have found that they have a list of prophecies that they show as evidence of his failure to fulfill the position of Messiah. Do you think you could help explain each of the following prophecies? If they are […]

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Question: I was looking over you site and was wondering if there has been any evidence found that the “sun stood still”  or “altered it’s position”? As recorded in Joshua 10:13-14 and Isaiah 38:7-8?   I may be wrong as I’m not acquainted with astrophysics but I can only imagine that our earth or the sun’s […]

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QUESTION: I have studied and read some of the ancient rites that other nations practiced in regards to tattoos and cutting themselves. For a follower of Jesus, how would Leviticus 19:28 relate for today? Anthony: The common interpretation of Leviticus 19:28 is that it prohibits what we would call tattoos for those under the Covenant […]

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QUESTION: Hi Dr J.  I have just clipped your interpretations of the four parts of the great statue in Daniel for my study: nice summary. But I have been struggling with the origin of the two beasts in Rev 13:1,11. Antichrist-beast comes from the sea – apparently the disorganised nations (whatever they are); but what […]

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Question: I recently looked over an essay from Douglas Jacoby on the doctrine of hell and it has changed my views of what it is. I believe the scriptures are pretty clear on it not being eternal torment although some scriptures are up for debate because of ambiguity regarding the word eternal but nonetheless my […]

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Dr. John Oakes has been teaching a series of lessons in Brazil.  Included are audio in English and Portugese and, where they have been made, translated power points.    Historia da Igreja PPT     Ações e História da Igreja Audio      Historia da Igresa I Audio     Historia da Igresa II Audio     Vivendo pela […]

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Dr. John Oakes taught three classes in Asuncion, Paraguay and La Paz, Bolivia which were translated into Spanish.  The three are From Shadow to Reality (De la Sombra a la Realidad), Living by Faith (Viviendo por la Fe), and God and Science (Dios y la Ciencia).   Also included are power points for two of […]

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Question: I am  having a hard time seeing how the Christian spiritual condition has anything to do with our physical body (and vice versa). If the physically corrupting nature of sin (like lust, greed, selfishness etc.) affects our spiritual condition, shouldn’t the process of a purified spiritual condition (one redeemed by Christ) affect our physical […]

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This course was taught by Kedron Jones, a board member for the Apologetics Research Society. The aim of this course was to train and equip individuals to winsomely and articulately communicate the content of the pro-life position in an attractive manner. Successful pro-life apologists pursue four essential tasks. First, they clarify the debate by focusing public […]

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[editor’s note: this question is not apologetics, but I get many questions on this topic, and thought I would address it.  J. O.] Question: Can you respond to this video on homosexuality and the Bible?    http://www.upworthy.com/there-are-6-scriptures-about-homosexuality-in-the-bible-heres-what-they-really-say?g=2&c=bl3 Response: I understand the arguments, but I definitely disagree with the conclusion of this person. First of all, […]

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Question: I read in one of your recent Q & A in which you explained Calvin’s predestination (or was it more accurately Beza’s double predestination) as a false doctrine. In this light, what is your opinion of the most logical relationship between God’s atemporality, foreknowledge, sovereignty, omniscience, and humanity’s free will without infringing upon one […]

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Comment: I’ve been reading your book on Daniel [editor’s note: Daniel Prophet to the Nations www.ipibooks.com]  with considerable interest and coming across your note on 11v37 regarding “the one desired by women” wanted to put a consideration that this might refer to the fact that the Roman Emperors (mere men “the one desired by women”) […]

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