Christian Science and Scientology: A Power Point
Christian Science and Scientology. What do they have in common? Not science!!! Click below to view or download the Power Point Presentation Power Point: Christian Science and Scientology 300.00 Kb
Eastern Religions and the New Age Movement: A Power Point
Power Point: Eastern Religion and New Age
I have been developing a theory…. A questioner presents his own philosophy of how religion should work. What is wrong with my idea?
Question: I have been developing a theory or a concept for living according to God’s plan for mankind. Please tell me where there are flaws in my concept. God created man and all other creation according to his will and pleasure. He differentiated man to be in his own “image,” which I think should read […]
What caused the break-up of Christianity into so many groups? Since the Catholic Church can trace itself to the beginning, doesn't that make them the true church?
Question: I wonder why the break-up in the churchof God. I mean Catholic, Anglican, Baptist, International Church of Christ etc…. Sometimes I imagine why most group claim to be the only Christians among the Christian circle. What caused the break up? How did it happen? What could be done? The Catholic Church has been existing […]
Do you think there were significant scientific changes that occurred with the fall of man? Is it possible it was not until this point that the spiritual and physical realms became separate?
Question: Do you think there were significant scientific changes that occurred with the fall of man? Is it possible it was not until this point that the spiritual and physical realms became separate, or was it just that Adam and Eve didn?t realize it until then? Also, I remember from chemistry talking about the theory […]
The Jewish High Holy Days: Their meaning and Foreshadows
? The Jewish High Holy Days Phillip Lester 9/23/06 Jews all over the world are about to enter a three week period called the High Holy Days. They involve special Jewish celebrations for the fall season. Although they are found in the Scriptures, their position in the Jewish calendar is often overlooked by disciples. They […]
Is speaking in tounges real? Should it be done in church?
Question: Is there such thing as speaking in tongues? In the Bible Paul said he had that spiritual gift and it was his greatest gift (1CO 14), and then I read a study Bible and it said that as Christians we could have the gift but it is not of help to others but just […]
Cosmic Origins?? (Matt Longhorn)
Cosmic Origins The significance of the Big Bang for Theism Matt Longhorn, Reading, UK (philosophical_1@hotmail.com) September 21, 2006 The story of our understanding of the universe has been charted well in the agnostic author Robert Jastrow?s – God and the Astronomers. Jastrow traces the Big Bang theory back to mathematical calculations by […]
What is Buddhism? How is Buddha different from Christ?
Question:What is Buddism & its childhood & what is the difference between him & Christ? I’m a Christian ; How can I speak with atheists & what is the main point to persuade them to be a Christian? Answer: Here is a little information on Buddhism, its founder and its teachings: Founder: Gautama Buddha or […]
Isn't belief in the Anthropic Principle/in an intelligent designer intellectually dishonest? Can it be used to predict scientific laws?
Question/Comment: I just finished reading an article you wrote regarding the ‘evidence’ for an intelligent designer and I found it so intellectually dishonest that it inspired me to write you. I hope that someday you come to see the ‘folly’ that comes with accepting ideas such as the ‘anthropic principle.’ Someday I think you will […]
Can we have the communion on any other day than Sunday? What does the insciption, INRI on the cross mean?
Question: Can we have the communion on any other day than Sunday? What does the insciption, INRI on the cross mean? Answer: Let me answer the easy question first. INRI is an acronym for a Latin translation of the inscription Pilate had put on the sign he placed on Jesus’ cross. Pilate had a sign […]
The Problem of Pain and Suffering: An outline
THE PROBLEM OF PAIN AND SUFFERING I An apologetic/intellectual problem. II A human problem. I Pain and Suffering: an apologetic problem. Agnostic says: God is completely good and all-powerful. Given the pain and suffering in the world, this cannot be true. He could be either: A. All-powerful, but certainly not completely […]
Are miracles still happening today? If we pray for a loved one, will they be healed?
QUESTION: Are miracles real and still happening today? In other words, if you believe for a loved one to be healed of a certain disease, the miracle can take place? ANSWER: The short answer to your question is “yes.” God is the Sovereign Creator of heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1), so He possesses all the […]
The Book of Mormon: A Summary
THE BOOK OF MORMON Joe Fields, Tuscon, Arizona Introduction: The Book of Mormon claims to be the record of God?s dealings with the inhabitants of ancient Mesoamerica (2000 BC to 421 AD). The record tracks the history of two civilizations. The first nation, known as the Jaredites, claims to have come to the […]
How do I know for a fact that the apostles were martyred (which is strong evidence that the gospels are true)? Is Foxe reliable?
Question: The idea that the eye-witnesses (apostles) who were in the position to know the truth and died for it, was to me one of the strongest reasons to believe their testimony of Jesus Christ. Because numerous eye-witnesses don’t die for a know lie. It’s against human nature. I have been told (by non-believers on […]
Was Daniel Written After the Events Foretold?
Note: This excellent article on the date of writing of Daniel was not written by an ARS author. It is taken from the web site www.Christian-ThinkTank.com Good question….Was Daniel written AFTER the events he foretold? [Draft May 16, 1998; 3rd revision draft Dec/2000……………..Intro/Menu] Section One: The Dead Sea Scrolls Manuscript Data ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. […]
Is the execution of James the Elder reported by Josephus? How do we know the Gospel writers are reliable?
Question: I read your response in the questions and answers archive (in the Church History section) where someone asked how we can be sure that the apostles were martyred, according to non-Christian sources. You said there’s only one non-Christian source (Antiquities of the Jews) which describes the death of an apostle. This is Josephus’ account […]
A Thorough Review of the Testimonium Flavianum
Did Josephus Refer to Jesus? [IMAGE] Note: This article is copyrighted and is by Christopher Rice. It is found at http://www.bede.org.uk/Josephus.htm A Thorough Review of the Testimonium Flavianum By Christopher Price The most important extra-biblical references to Jesus are found in the writings of Josephus. Although some have questioned the authenticity of the passages, modern […]
What is the significance of religious symbols? Should Christians use a cross, and should we be concerned about the power of pagan symbols such as the pentagram?
Question: What do you believe is the significance of religious symbols? For example, what is so special about wearing a cross to signify Jesus, since it doesn’t state in the Bible that you should wear one? Also what about other symbols such as the Star of David, the pentagram/upside-down pentagram, inverted cross, freemason compass/square symbol, […]
Judas:? Another Gospel?
?The secret account of the revelation that Jesus spoke in conversation with Judas Iscariot.? These words begin a startling new discovery, announced to the world in April of this year. First there was the Da Vinci Code, now there is the Gospel of Judas. It seems like when it rains it pours. On […]
You state in your book that comparison of Genesis one with science implies transcendent authorship. What about Genesis two? Doesn't that require faith?
Comment: You state in your book Is There a God “Comparison of Genesis one with scientific knowledge implies a transcendent source for the creation story.” Why only limit it it to Genesis one? What about Genesis two? Not so brave there – you have to fall back on faith. There is no strict logical implication […]
Isn't belief in a spiritual dimension to reality a circular argument? Doesn't Ockham's Razor logically argue against spiritual explanation of observed phenomena?
Comment: To take as given that spiritual reality exists is to commit to a path that is self-validating and circular. To believe in the “ghost in the machine” is to add a superfluous hypothesis which adds nothing to the explanation of the observed phenomena; in fact it confuses it unnecessarily, as Ockam’s razor would point […]
What is the definition of spirit?
Question: What is the definition of spirit? Answer: (Note: This is a follow-up to a question about the nature of a soul. To save the reader time, I am pasting my response to that question to the bottom of this answer) It is easier to define soul than spirit for the simple reason that the […]
What are the properties of a soul?
Question: What are the properties of a soul? Answer: As a scientist I cannot define the word soul. As far as I know, the soul has no physical reality. Rather, it has a spiritual reality; not subject to experiment. It is ontolological, metaphysical. I will freely admit that my belief in a soul rests principally […]
Can discoveries of self-replicating molecules explain how life began on the earth? Can supercomputers calculate the probability?
Question: Answer: I do try to keep up as much as possible with the new discoveries in evolutionary/molecular biology. I am not sure exactly which aspect of self-replicating molecules you refer to. For example, there are prions, which are the cause of Kreutzfeld-Jacob (mad cow) disease. These molecules are self-replicating, but only within a cell […]
What evidence have you for the existence of a metaphysical soul outside the Bible? Where is the soul located?
Question: What evidence have you for the existence of a metaphysical soul outside the Bible? Where is the soul located? Where absolute proof is unavailable, we should be able to proceed on the basis of the balance of evidence. For example, if a person is standing at a bus stop and a bus comes along […]
Is it possible that the earth is alive and that we are part of a larger living thing? This would make the idea of us being made in God's image different.
Question: I’ve always thought science was the study of God’s creation. If we find that our species is just a part of a living planet, that which was made in His image is a bit bigger than our species. In that case, God’s image is grander than is expressed in humanity-stood-alone, but more like humanity-in-and-of-nature. […]
Is it written that the communion should be taken every Sunday or once in a year?
Question: Is it written that the communion should be taken every Sunday or once in a year? Answer: The answer to this question is simple. It is not written how often the church should share the communion. For this reason, we should not be dogmatic about this issue. What we can definitely say is that […]
How do we know that the early church did not tamper with the Bible or make it into what they wanted, rather than God choosing the New Testament writings?
Question: I have read arguments that the church really shaped the Bible for their own purposes.That is implied by the Da Vinci Code. Some of the people I’ve talked to don’t believe in Jesus because they don’t think the Bible is legitimate, but that Jesus was just a teacher andthat the church turned in him […]
Are Satan and the Devil two different persons? Also, how do you explain Catholic miracles such as stigmata, statues crying holy oil and so forth?
Question: I was recently told that the original Hebrew word for Satan, is in fact a different word completely, when compared to the word “devil” which is used in the New Testament. The claim is that Satan, and the devil are actually two different entities. What do we actually know about Satan and the Devil […]
The DaVinci Code:? A Review
The Da Vinci Code: A Review Dan Brown?s book, The Da Vinci Code, has been the best selling book in the past few years. Its only recent rival has been the Harry Potter series. This summera blockbuster movie based on the book, promises to be the biggest movie of the year. What is […]
Outline for class on the resurrection of Jesus
The Resurrection of Jesus An Outline Q: Is it logical to believe that Jesus was raised from the dead? Q: Why is this important? 1. If Jesus was in fact raised from the dead, this validates all his claims. If not?.. 2. It explains a lot The changed […]
Do Good Friday, Easter Sunday represent the actual date that Jesus was crucified? What is the significance of church on Sundays?
Question: Do Good Friday, Easter Sunday represent the actual date that Jesus was crucified. and what is the significance of Church on Sunday? Answer: Jesus was crucified on a Friday; on the eve of the Passover. He was raised on the day after the Passover, which was a Sunday. The early church began to commemorate […]
Are the Gospels Reliable?
ARE THE GOSPELS RELIABLE? By John Oakes A number of questions have come to the web site from people who question the validity of the gospel accounts. Groups such as the Jesus Seminar have sought to find the ?genuine? sayings and acts of Jesus among what they consider to be the chaff added by believers […]
What is the legitimate relationship between human reasoning and religion/Christianity?
Question: What do you think of human reasoning? What are its boundaries when it comes to religion? Would you say that using reason is the wrong way to approach religion? Would you ever say that human reasoning is inaccurate? I was talking to a pastor and he said that reasoning was biased and it got […]
I have heard that the Mormons claim that when Jesus died he traveled in the time to preach to long-dead people in the Old Testament. Any comment on this claim?
Question; The Mormons claim that when Jesus died he traveled in the time so that he was able to preach to long-dead people in the Old Testament. Any comment on this claim? Secondly what are those sins that do not lead to death? Thirdly, what kind of sins that are unforgiveable? thank you so much.. […]
What to you say to the claim of a Muslim friend that Deuteronomy 18:15-19 is about Muhammad, not Jesus?
Question: A Muslim friend made an outrageous claim to me that in Deuteronomy 18: 15-19 it is speaking of Muhammed and not Jesus. One hole in this claim is that Muhammad was an Arab, not a Jew. (Genesis 22:18). He would be of the house of David (Jeremiah 21:5). What do you think of this? […]
Are The Gospels Accounts Reliable?
Are The Gospels Accounts Reliable? It is a very common phenomenon for scholars and theologians to question the reliability of the gospel accounts as history. Groups such as the Jesus Seminar have sought to find the ?genuine? sayings and acts of Jesus among what they consider to be the chaff added by believers in […]
Please comment on N. F. Gier's claim that the Bible writers believed in a solid "firmament" surrounding the earth.
Question: If you feel like a heart attack, go to the University of Idaho website, type N.F.Gier in the search box and then select GRE.It’s a reference to his book ” God Reason and the Evangelicals”. Then select Chapter 13. The point is that Genesis one describes the earth as surrounded by a solid “firmament.” […]
How can you explain the contradiction in the Genesis story which has the sun and the moon being created on the fourth day, if there was already day and night on the first day of creation?
Question: How can you explain the seeming contradiction in the Genesis story which has the sun and the moon being created on the fourth day, if there was already day and night on the first day of creation? Isn?t this an example of the Bible being contradicted by science and by common sense? Answer: I […]
A Muslim friend told me the original NT word for cross meant stick, and that the meaning changed over time. Is that true?
Question: I was talking to a Muslim and he told me that the word that was used in the original Hebrew New Testament for the cross actually meant Stick and that the word has changes over time to mean cross, is this true? Also I am readibng your book “Reasons for Belief.” It is very […]
How did we get light on the first day when the sun was not created until the fourth ?
Question: How did we get light on the first day when the sun was not created until the fourth ? Answer: I have studied current theories of the early earth and its atmosphere. As far as I understand it, the early earth most likely had much higher quantities of sufur dioxide, methane, ammonia and so […]
Who added Mark 16:9-20 to the Bible? Did the NT writers make up the story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey so they could claim he is the Messiah? (etc.)
Questions (there are several here): Let us take the final 11 verses of Mark for which the earliest evidence is non-existent. Why and by whom were they later added? Why was Jesus described as riding on a donkey? Because the writer knew it would be seen as the fulfilment of OT prophecy and would therefore […]
How can you disprove Mormonism? Why are there so many different versions of the Bible?
How can you disprove Mormonism? I am currently a Mormon now. Also, why are there so many diffrent versions of the Bible? I have produced a fair amount of material on Mormonism at the web site. One can consider the validity of this religion from two main perspectives. First of all, are the teachings of […]
Isn't the gospel writers claims about what Jesus did just "spin?" (i.e. the gospels are unreliable accounts)
Question The earliest Gospel was written c. 70 AD. We have only purported reports of what Jesus said – see for example Geza Vermes ” The Authentic Gospel of Jesus” or further ” The Jesus Mysteries” by Freke & Gandy. Even evangelical writers such as Mark Stibbe talk of “redactors” and “interpretations.” The claims you […]
Why do you say that belief in the historical Adam and Eve is based only on faith, not evidence?
Question:Please comment on three quotes I found in your book, “Is There a God?” Page 23. ” If in asking questions about the Bible one is unwilling to reach the conclusion that the Bible is wrong, then it is easy to predict what conclusion will be reached. Page 25.” Belief in Adam and Eve can […]
What is your take on mitochondrial Eve?
Question: What is your take on mitochondrial Eve? Answer: My take on “mitochondrial Eve,” is that there is evidence that all human beings are related by direct descent to a single female progenitor from about (this is not my area of expertise) 20 or 30,000 years ago. The fact which forms the basis of this […]
Doesn't denying macroevolution fly in the face of the evidence? Could Dawkins and others be deceived?
Question: Does the denial of macro-evolutionary theory fly in the face of decades of evidence & research? Isn’t the idea of ‘theory’, in regards to macro-evolution, really a fact on balance of probabilities (considering paleontological discoveries)? Is it incredibly simplistic & naive to say that people like Richard Dawkins (who wrote ‘The Selfish Gene’ & […]
If Intelligent design is not strictly scientific, then what about string theory or evolution? Do they have similar problems?
Question: I was rereading your article on the ID debate after reading through an interesting article found at the link below http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/archive/00002583/ It made me reconsider your statement: “There is no experiment one can even conceive of which can test the design hypothesis. What could one do in a laboratory to test whether a system […]
Are Muslims right that the trinity is not biblical teaching: that the New Testament does not say that Jesus is God?
Question: I have a friend who is a Muslim, and as most people know, they believe in only one God. My friend asked me if I thought that Jesus was God and further emphasized that the Bible does not talk about the trinity. He also pointed out that Jesus never refered to himself as God. […]
