Before we review a few key principles of the series thus far, allow me a brief mea culpa. Two weeks ago (in Part 21), I made the comment, “no one is without excuse” in speaking of the unbeliever’s accountability before God. Oops. It should have read, “all are without excuse.” A single word can make […]
The Human Limitations of Unreasonable Atheism (Part 22): “Doctrinal Disproofs” (Part F)
As we continue our look at how human limitations render unreasonable the many arguments against God’s existence, we do well to remember that true wisdom begins with the “fear of the Lord” (Prov. 9:10), and admits its smallness and dependence on God for all things—including knowledge. The importance of grasping and applying this basic fact […]
The Human Limitations of Unreasonable Atheism (Part 19): “Doctrinal Disproofs” (Part C)
In “A Moral Argument for Atheism,” the second “doctrinal disproof” in The Impossibility of God, the atheist author assumes common moral ground with believers and presents five “paradigms of objective moral truths” that he believes both atheists and theists would consider morally wrong: 1) the intentional murder of innocents, 2) giving women to soldiers as […]
The Human Limitations of Unreasonable Atheism (Part 8): Pain and Evil
Atheists sometimes describe terrible diseases by which children suffer and die and declare that they would never believe in a God that would allow such things. Most of us have struggled with pain and evil and the profound issues they raise, while countless books wrestle with the pastoral, theological, and philosophical concerns. This short article, […]
The Human Limitations of Unreasonable Atheism (Part 3): Blind-Faith Assumptions
As we begin the third article in the series, a brief statement of its narrow but vital purpose will prove helpful. In speaking of the human limitations of atheists, the essential truth to grasp concerns the assumption underlying every argument against God’s existence—the adequacy of limited people to speak of transcendent realities. Or, the assumed […]
The Human Limitations of Unreasonable Atheism (Part 2): Theological Mysteries and Difficulties
The first article in the series showed that God’s existence cannot be legitimately denied by arguing against the possibility of biblical miracles. The God of infinite power that created and sustains all things can easily change how He organizes aspects of His universe to perform a “miracle.” Thus, to know that biblical miracles are impossible […]
The Human Limitations of Unreasonable Atheism (Part 1): Biblical Miracles
Imagine yourself sitting in the classroom on the first day of a biology course at a local college when the professor takes his place behind the podium and says, with an air of great authority, “I know everything about everything in the universe and beyond, including everything that could possibly exist.” Imagine again laughing with […]
Gleanings from The Religious Affections (Part 8): Uncertain Sign Four: That Affections Seem to Be from an External Supernatural Source
Many experiencing intense religious affections during the Great Awakening traced their experience to “some extrinsic and supernatural power upon their minds.” [1] Supposing the source to be outside themselves and produced by other than natural means, they concluded it must be from God. Others took an opposite view, believing the “manner of the Spirit of […]
Six Rules for Engaging Bible Difficulties
In the previous article, we explored the importance of discerning between the “secret” and “revealed” things of God. We turn now to six basic principles that, when applied to theological difficulties encountered in Scripture, would prevent needless errors created by attempts to grasp or logically reconcile issues best relegated to the “secret things.” 1) God’s […]
Presuppositions of Faith (3 of 6): The Presumption of Omniscience
The simple question, “How do you know what you claim to know?” easily reveals unreasonable, blind-faith assumptions behind sophisticated arguments of atheism. Gracious use of this question provides the surest way to expose atheism as unreasonable and unscientific. Consider the following dialogue between Mr. C (Christian) and Mr. A (Atheist) [1] and notice how atheists […]
