Atheism – NONVIOLENT CHRISTIANS

Why I am Not an Atheist, Part 2.

Atheism is Incompatible with Science.

By Jon Kauffman

Over the last 40 years several atheists have tried to convince me that I should be an atheist. Over the years I found several reasons that atheism does not make sense to me.

Several months ago, I read “Believing is Seeing, A Physicist Explains How Science Shattered His Atheism and Revealed the Necessity of Faith.” By Michael Guillen. Before he became a Christian, in his search for truth, Guillen compared science with atheism, Christianity and several other world views. Here is a chart he shared in his book to compare a few of his findings:

I can also think of other inconsistencies between science and atheism.

We can continue the line of questioning that Guillen used in his book.

Does the Universe have a beginning?

Science: Yes, Atheism: No, Christianity: Yes.

For science the universe starts with a big bang. For Christianity the universe starts with a creative act from God who is outside of time and space.

Since the discovery of the background radiation a majority of scientist have believed that the universe has a beginning. Before Einstein, a majority of scientists believed in an eternal universe.

Atheism is incompatible with a beginning to the universe because then there is insufficient time for life to be created by chance.

Albert Einstein fudged his numbers creating a “cosmological constant” to avoid a beginning. He later claimed it was his “biggest mistake.” Albert Einstein was not an atheist, however this demonstrates that all of us have great difficulty changing our world view even with the best of evidence.

Stephen Hawking tried to redefine “nothing” to mean “the law of gravity.”

“Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing,” he writes. “Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist.

“It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going.” Stephen Hawking, The Grand Design, page 180

Laurance Kraus changed the meaning of “nothing” to mean the empty vacuum of space.

Kraus said, “Since something is physical, nothing must be physical”

When John Lennox asked Kraus what this statement meant, Kraus said, “I suggest to you that nothing is a colloquial term that means many different things to many people. If empty space is your definition…not only will something come from it, something is required to come from it. Science has just changed the definitions. I call it learning.” John Lennox/Kevin Sorbo, Against the Tide, Finding God in an Age of Science.

Miriam Webster dictionary defines Nothing:

Definition of nothing (Entry 3 of 4)

1a: something that does not exist

b: the absence of all magnitude or quantity.

c: NOTHINGNESS, NONEXISTENCE.

I think it was Laurance Kraus who changed the meaning of “nothing”, not science.

If we need to fudge the numbers, or the change the meaning of nothing to equal the law of gravity or if we need to change the meaning of nothing to be the empty vacuum of space, we have redefined nothing to be something other than what most scientists would define as nothing.

If an atheists must change the meaning of “nothing” to remain an atheist then science is incompatible with atheism.

If as science and Christianity suggest, the universe came from nothing physical, then the Hawking and Kraus quotes seem like gibberish to me.

Science currently cannot tell how the universe was created from nothing. Christianity says that the universe was created by a creator who is outside of time and space, is eternal, and has freedom of choice to create when he wants.

Near death experiences and deathbed experiences give us evidence that it is highly probable that something beyond the material world exists.

The historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus suggests God is reaching out to man and Jesus is an exact representation of that God. A God who can create the universe out of nothing.

If atheists would like to convert me to atheism, they must convince me that nothing can become something.

I am not aware of any scientific evidence that support the theories that the law of gravity, or the empty quantum vacuum of space or multi-universes existed before the big bang.

Revised: 10/23/2022

Why I am Not an Atheist, Part 1

Atheists Fail to Defend Their Position

By Jon Kauffman

Atheism is Good for Christianity.

I think that the new atheists are a good thing for Christianity.

I have been trying to understand the atheist position for more than 40 years. I have asked questions of atheist friends on Facebook, commented on blogs and listened on Youtube. Sometimes I feel like we are talking past each other. Our world views and philosophy of science and life are quite different.

Discussing world view with atheists can expose weaknesses to my own arguments and perhaps help me dispose of illogical beliefs.

As I search for what is really true and examine the claims of atheists, I find my faith growing for several reasons. As I work through their arguments it becomes more obvious to me that the Christian world view has very good logical support. When we consider scientific evidence, philosophical evidence and theological evidence, I strongly believe it fits the evidence better than any other world view.

I have challenged several atheists to give me good reasons for why I should not be a Christian. To this point they have failed.

I think the debate between Christians and atheists is a very good thing. I want to know what is true. I am willing to consider arguments from everyone. I think this debate has helped many others strengthen their faith as well.

If atheists are making a case for their position, it gives others who do not believe a chance to be honest. I think it is wrong for those who believe to be forced to be taught an unwelcome atheist position. It is also a bad thing when an atheist is forced to pretend he is Christian when he is not.

Atheists Fail to Defend Their Position.

Atheists have failed to support their position in a way I find convincing.

I have asked numerous atheists about the resurrection of Jesus. A very common answer I receive is that no evidence exists for the resurrection. I know from my own research that very good evidence exists for the resurrection of Jesus. I have never received a good factually based argument from an atheist as to why I should not believe in the resurrection of Jesus.

I am looking for truth. Truth does not seem to be a high priority for many atheists. Jerry Coyne an atheist professor has used the illustration that if your grandmother is dying and is looking forward to seeing Jesus, we don’t need to hurt her feelings by telling her that she will not see Jesus. If I am dying, I want to know all the truth I can know. I want to know as much as possible about the afterlife. I do not want the doctor to tell me I am not dying if I am dying. Many parents of fatally ill children do not tell them they are dying. When I was a child if I had been dying, I would have wanted to know.

Some atheists avoid any information that does not conform to their world view. Many archeologists claim that the exodus occurred about 1250 BC. Then they say that because evidence does not exist in Egypt at 1250 BC then the Exodus did not occur. I don’t know why they claim the exodus happened in 1250 B.C. In my limited study of archeology I have found no good evidence for holding the view that the exodus occurred in 1250 B.C.

However, the Bible says that the exodus occurred about 1450 BC and we do find evidence for the exodus in Egypt at that time. I was discussing facts about the Exodus with an atheist, I brought up a piece of evidence. The atheist asked if that evidence came from a Christian. I said yes, he said he would not take the evidence seriously because it came from a Christian. Was this atheist serious about searching for truth?

I am willing to listen to truth even if it does not conform to my world view or if comes from someone that I disagree with in many other areas. Maybe I need to tweak my world view and I welcome a more truthful world view.

Atheism seems to require a materialist world view. I was discussing the scientific evidence for near death experiences and the evidence for a spiritual world with one atheist. She said they are all liars. Really? We also have scientific evidence from deathbed experiences to consider. Avoiding scientific evidence found by studying near death experiences and deathbed experiences seems to be another case of avoiding evidence that does not fit their world view.

We need a philosophy of science to determine how to incorporate science into our lives. We need a philosophical framework to hold a world view such as atheism or Christianity. I was trying to make that point with one atheist and she said she doesn’t need philosophy to know that God does not exist. Really?

Unfortunately, Stephen Hawking’s had many disparaging words about philosophy. It is unfortunate that such a brilliant scientist would have such a confused view about philosophy.

Science must be subservient to philosophy and philosophy must be subservient to theology. I plan to address this issue in a future post.

I have not heard convincing evidence from atheists that miracles do not occur.

Many atheists claim that science proves God is unnecessary. I have asked atheists for any proven scientific theories that bring Christianity into question. The response has always been silence. They seem to worship science but cannot use it to support their positions. Curious.

Far from disproving Christianity, I think the evidence that science provides strengthens the case for Christianity.

I wonder if some atheists are atheist because of the evidence or because they hate Christianity. I have read blogs where an atheist will search for mistakes made by Christians or search for Christians who do not live by the teaching of Jesus. They write blog post after blog post tearing down these Christians. This in no way demonstrates Christianity is false. It would be much like pointing out the evils of Stalin and the Communist Soviet Union and claiming all atheists are evil and that Stalin disproves atheism.

I have some atheist friends whose friendly company I greatly enjoy. Finding a few Christian bad apples doesn’t fly in disproving Christianity.

In future blog posts I plan to discuss many of the above issues more thoroughly.

Revised 8/16/2022

A Film: Against the Tide, Finding God in an Age of Science

By Jon Kauffman

In this film, Oxford Professor John Lennox and Hollywood actor Kevin Sorbo discuss the scientific evidence for God and the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus.

Does science bury God? Lennox demonstrates that science and Christianity are compatible.

Are science and faith in conflict? John answers no. The fact is science supports faith.

John Lennox learned the German and Russian languages and lectured at universities in communist countries Hungary, East Germany and the Soviet Union. And where does an atheistic philosophy lead. We can see what happened in the atheist communist countries who tried to eliminate God and to keep dignity for human beings. The experiment in atheism failed.

The atheism/Christianity debate is not about science. The debate is about philosophy and worldview.

A quote from the movie’s website: https://againstthetide.movie/

Against the Tide is a travelogue, an examination of modern science, an excursion into history, an autobiography, and more. But at heart, it is the story of one man’s daring stand against the tide of contemporary atheism and its drive to relegate belief in God to society’s catalogue of dead ideas.

Join the conversation between Dr. John Lennox—esteemed Oxford professor, mathematician, and philosopher of science—and veteran Hollywood actor and director Kevin Sorbo as they journey from Oxford to Jerusalem and explore the evidence on which Lennox’s Christian faith stands firm.

A quote from Movieguide.org.

AGAINST THE TIDE is a stirring documentary about Christian Oxford University professor John Lennox and his life of intelligent debates against renowned atheists. MOVIEGUIDE® Award winning actor Kevin Sorbo travels to Great Britain to meet Lennox for this must-see movie. Later, the pair visit the Holy Land to explore Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection.

The movie begins with Kevin Sorbo, who rose to fame by playing Hercules on TV in the 1990s. Later in Sorbo’s career in the movie GOD’S NOT DEAD, Sorbo played an atheist who challenges one of his university students to prove that God isn’t dead. A Christian student in his class quotes John Lennox, a Christian professor who refutes atheism. Cut to Great Britain where Sorbo ventures to meet Lennox.

The pair meet and chat in the same pub, The Eagle and The Child, where C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien contemplated Christianity. Viewers learn that Lennox is an Irishman and grew up in a family that challenged him to think deeply about other people’s points of view. One of Lennox’s teachers encouraged him to go to college, unlike so many of his peers, and Lennox went to Cambridge to study mathematics. His zeal and interest for God and Christianity grew, and he found himself having healthy debates with people about God.

Lennox believes that to make a convincing argument, one must base their truth claims on the evidence. Lennox spent time behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War and learned that communism has always gone hand in hand with atheism. Many of his travels helped strengthen his arguments against renowned atheists like Richard Dawkins.

Halfway through AGAINST THE TIDE, Sorbo and Lennox travel to the Holy Land to unpack the historical validity of Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection. Sorbo continues to ask Lennox about the reliability of the biblical authors and questions of that sort. Lennox always responds in a collected manner and draws on physical and intellectual reasoning for the hope Christians have in Jesus. Although science has made important discoveries and innovations, for Lennox and believers around the world, science simply can’t contain the glory of God.

AGAINST THE TIDE is extremely well written and features stellar archival footage clips that bring Lennox’s points of view to life. The music is also evocative and fits seamlessly with the on-screen action. Kevin Sorbo makes a great intellectual companion of John Lennox, and the pair have great back and forth conversation that helps debunk the age-old debate about the existence of God. The movie also might make viewers want to travel as well and experience the same feelings of the two gentleman who unearthed truth while abroad in the Holy Land.

AGAINST THE TIDE has a very strong Christian, biblical worldview. It stresses God as Creator and Jesus as God Incarnate. However, due to the religious discussion and debate, there are some references to Anti-Christian, atheist arguments and attacks. Of course, Lennox always brilliantly refutes these attacks and arguments with stronger Christian arguments and answers. MOVIEGUIDE® commends AGAINST THE TIDE for all older children and adults. AGAINST THE TIDE will strengthen their Christian faith and, hopefully, bring new people to Christ.

A quote from Patterns of Evidence: https://store.patternsofevidence.com/products/against-the-tide-dvd

Against the Tide is a travelogue, an examination of modern science, an excursion into history, an autobiography, and so much more. But at its heart, it is the story of one man’s daring stand against the tide of contemporary atheism and its drive to relegate belief in God to society’s catalogue of dead ideas.

Dr. John Lennox – esteemed Oxford professor, mathematician, and philosopher of science – along with veteran Hollywood actor, producer and director Kevin Sorbo journey from the university hallways of Oxford and Cambridge to the Holy Land to explore the intersection of science and Christianity, and the evidence on which Lennox’s Christian faith stands firm.

Along the way Prof. Lennox recounts his scholarly travels in the Soviet Union, and adds that experience to his debates with prominent atheists, including Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Lawrence Krauss, and Peter Singer.

Then, as Kevin Sorbo and Prof. Lennox walk where Jesus taught – from the top of Mount Precipice to the Sea of Galilee – they dive deeper into the origins of Christianity right where it all happened, and ultimately reach the crux of their conversation: do science and history refute the Bible?

Book Review: Wholly Different; Why I Chose Biblical Values Over Islamic Values, By Nonie Darwish (2017)

By Jon Kauffman

Today I finished reading “Wholly Different” by Nonie Darwish. I learned a great deal about Islam. We are at war in the Middle East. How dangerous is Islam to America?

Quotes from “Wholly Different:”

The worldwide phenomenon of Islamic terrorism is not a sign of power but a cry for help by a dying religion. A religion that does not even believe in itself and must lie to survive. But unfortunately, the West does not see it this way. Western counties keep trying to appease Muslim culture, rescuing Muslim refugees, and giving honor and respect to a dying religion that has been mired in sin for too long.” Page 167.

In chapter 9 Darwish demonstrates how Islam breaks each of the 10 commandments.

“In theory, Muslims accept the Bible as true revelation – except that they believe both Old and New Testaments to have been ‘corrupted’ by the Jews and the Christians…..Islam replaced both the Golden Rule and the commandment ‘Thou shalt not kill’ with ‘Kill your neighbor if he’s a non-Muslim.’” Page 170.

Darwish continues on page 180, “Not only does Islam reject the Sixth Commandment, it actually enshrines killing as the most important form of worship and devotion to Allah. “Killing Jews is Worship that draws us close to Allah” is an Islamic slogan that you can see repeated by members of Hamas on Palestinian television.”

Darwish tells us that “Allah was the name of the chief pagan god of the Kaaba in Mecca before Muhammad.” Allah and the God of the Jews and the Christians are nothing alike. God is a God of love, mercy, and peace. Allah is a god of war, lies and pride.

“Islam has no understanding of the Biblical concept of loyalty to God out of love. Islamic loyalty to Allah is out of fear of a distant master who is eager to punish humans.” Page 174

Darwish compares the culture of America with the culture of the Middle East. “But one does not even have to be a devout Christian to be blessed by Biblical values and to benefit from the principles of good living and a sound mind that they support. As an outsider who came to this country after thirty years in the Muslim world, I can see very clearly just by living in the U.S – even if one is an atheist who hates the Bible – that the benefits of a healthy culture shaped by the Biblical Fruits of the Spirt are everywhere, plentiful for the taking.” Page 197.

“The evil One did come six hundred years after Jesus was raised from the dead in the same Middle East that brought us the Bible truth. And he has been chasing that truth out of the Middle East ever since.” Page 211

“Muslims defend this Islam-sanctioned child abuse by saying that children are also abused in the West. But there’s a huge difference: In the West, those who physically harm children go to jail. In Muslim culture, child abuse is the accepted norm.” Page 212.

There are many commonalities between Western feminists and the defenders of Islam. Their common enemy is Biblical values, and especially the lifelong marriage covenant between one man and one woman. Both belief systems are ruthless about sacrificing family happiness for what they see as loftier goals. While the ultra-left feminist carries a sign that says, “I am proud of my abortion,” the Muslim feminist says, “I am proud to sacrifice my son and husband to jihad.” Both ideologies obviously stand against the nature of women and what is best for them.” Page 255.

“Biblical family values are by their very nature a threat to Islam. Muslims often envy the citizens of the West, wondering, how come Western governments value the lives of their citizens but ours don’t? and why do women in the West enjoy the loyalty of their husbands and respect in the political system? The answer is Biblical values.” Page 229.

Abu A’la Mawdudi, the most influential Islamic theologian of the twentieth century, proudly stated that Islam is a totalitarian system and a form of fascism, just like Nazism and Communism, that would destroy all personal freedom. Page 260

Expressions such as human rights, women’s rights, child abuse, voting, constitutional republic, democracy, and “government of the people, by the people, for the people” were never heard by the citizens of Islamic states until Western technological advance brought them to the Muslim world. The old war between Islam and the West was reignited – but this time as an ideological war. Islam right now is in a fight for survival, but the West unfortunately does not know that.”

Biblical ethics were designed by the true, loving God to give us the best life possible, a happiness that is even beyond our imagination. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are ours to keep, but only if we keep on hoking tight to our Bible. Page 293.

Darwish says: When I started this book, I had thought of about 14 or 15 differences in the moral values between the Bible and Islam. By now, I have more than fifty, and I’m still counting:

We are all sinners vs. They are all sinners.
Life is sacred vs. death is worship
Pleasing God vs. Pleasing Human Beings.
Judge the sin and not the sinner vs. Judge the sinner, not the sin.
Redemption from sin vs Immunity from sin.
Guided by the Holy Spirit vs Manipulated by human terror.
God the redeemer vs. Allah the Humiliator.
Healing of spirit, body, and soul vs. No healing is needed.
Jesus came to save us vs. We have to save Allah and Muhammad.
Jesus died for us vs. We must die for Allah.
Confession of sin vs. Concealment of sin.
At war with the devil vs. at war with flesh and blood.
The truth will set you free vs. lying is an obligation.
Trust vs. distrust
Faith vs. submission.
Fear not! Vs. Fear as a tool of enforcement.
Children of God vs. enemies or slaves of Allah
One man and one woman vs. one man and a Harem.
Transformation vs. conformity.
Changing yourself vs changing others.
Fearing God vs. fearing man.
Praising vs. cursing.
Personal prayer vs. exhibitionist prayers.
Prayers for all vs. prayers only for Muslims.
Vengeance is the Lord’s vs. Vengeance is prescribed for Muslims.
Forgiveness and mercy vs. reveling in unforgiveness.
Upholding human rights vs. sacrificing human rights.
Work ethic vs. wealth through conquest.
More than conquerors vs. to conquer is to prevail.
God loves us all vs. Allah hates non-Muslims.
Love your enemies vs. hate Allah’s enemies.
Covenant of peace vs. covenant of war.
Self-control vs. controlling others.
The wages of sin is death vs. die in Jihad to be forgiven.
Pride is a sin vs. Allah is prideful
Humility vs pride.
Envy is a sin vs the envious can put the evil eye on those they envy.
Lust and gluttony are sins vs. Lust and gluttony are Allah’s lure to Jihadists.
Anger is a sin vs. anger is a tool for power.
Self-reliance vs. dependency/reliance on caliphate/government.
Love your neighbor vs. kill your non-Muslim neighbor.
Both men and women shall not commit adultery vs. only wives have to be faithful.
Stealing is a sin vs. seizing non-Muslims’ property is a right.
Thou shalt not bear false witness vs. lying and slander are obligatory in defense of Islam.
Thou shalt not covet vs. covet the possessions of Allah’s enemies.
The Bible vs. a Rebellion against the Bible.
Constitutional republics vs. totalitarian theocracy.
Christianity controls sin vs. Islam controls governments.
The Kingdom of God is not of this world vs. Allah and the state are one.
Government serves the people vs. the people serve the government.
An ethics revolution vs. a counter-ethics revolution.
In harmony with human nature vs working against human nature.
Joy vs. shame.

Pages 295-297

Ironically Hitler’s wish for the Islamization of Europe is being fulfilled today. Pleasing Muslims has become a top priority of politicians in Europe and America, who put it above pleasing and protecting Western citizens. Page 300.

Amazon says:

Western countries are ignorant of true Islamic values, says Nonie Darwish. Darwish is an Egyptian-American, former-Muslim human rights activist who is frustrated with mainstream America’s talk of tolerance and assimilation. In Wholly Different, Darwish sets non-Muslims straight about tenets of Islam that are incompatible with free society.

For the first time, Darwish tells the whole story of her personal break with Islam, starting with the brutal physical violence and rigid class system she witnessed and culminating with the spine-tingling visit she received from President Nasser after her father, fedayeen commander Mustafa Hayez, was assassinated by Israeli Defense Forces. She lays out the “seventh-century values” of Islam that religious extremists are so intent on protecting through global warfare—values that set Islam apart from the other Abrahamic religions.

Please Read Wholly Different

Anyone who cherishes the spiritual freedom offered by Jesus and the political freedom offered by the West, must read “Wholly Different, Why I chose Biblical Values over Islamic Values” by Nonie Darwish

Amazon: Wholly Different

Al Kresta interviews Nonie Darwish, March 3, 2022.

Also see:

Book Review: “America’s War for the Greater Middle East.”

Fear of Dea th

The Loser Letters

A Comic Tale of Life, Death, and Atheism.

Today I read an interesting, relaxing, and fun-to-read little book. “The Loser Letters,” by Mary Eberstadt.

Here is what Amazon says of the book.

A wickedly witty satire, The Loser Letters chronicles the conversion of a young adult Christian to atheism. With modern humor rivaling that of the media lampooning Onion, found on college campuses all over America, A. F. Christian’s open letters to the “spokesmen of the New Atheism” explain her reasons for rejecting God and the logical consequences of that choice. Along the way she offers pithy advice to famous atheists such as Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, in the hope of helping them win over more Christians.

“Of course we score big time with the young guys who aren’t responsible for anything, and don’t really care about anything besides spending most of their time in the basement playing video games and texting girls,” A.F. Christian points out. But what about all those serious, thoughtful people who are Christian believers? If the New Atheism is to make real headway, she argues, its advocates must do more to persuade intelligent theists living meaningful and fulfilling lives.

Amid the many current books arguing for or against religion, social critic and writer Mary Eberstadt’s The Loser Letters is truly unique: a black comedy about theism and atheism that is simultaneously a rollicking defense of Christianity.

Echoing C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters and Dante’s Divine Comedy, Eberstadt takes aim at bestsellers like The God Delusion and God Is Not Great with the sexual libertinism their authors advocate. In her loveable and articulate tragic-comic heroine, A.F. Christian, Dawkins, Hitchens, and the other “Brights” have met their match.

Linda Lee Shares Her Testimony

In the comments of a recent blog post on my blog, Linda Lee answered questions of an atheist. I am sharing her inspiring comments. Linda also writes a thought provoking blog that is a great resource for her readers. Linda’s Blog.

Atheist: so, what is this evidence you think supports your argument?

Linda:

In March of 2020, I served as a juror on a trial. Based on the evidence that was presented by the prosecution and the defense, my eleven fellow jurors and I unanimously agreed that the defendant was guilty of the lesser charge, and not guilty of the far more serious charge. I feel confident that our verdict was correct. But there is no way that I could adequately explain all the evidence, and our reasoning, in a comment on a blog.

When it comes to the question of ultimate reality, the evidence and my reasoning are far more complex. But it all begins with answering the jury summons.

I was an agnostic-atheist for much of my life. With my 156 Mensa IQ, I thought I was much too intelligent to believe in ‘God and other fairy tales.’

Eighteen years ago, in the year I turned 50, I made the decision to believe in Christ Jesus as my Savior and my Lord. Why? Because the preponderance of the evidence compels me to believe.

You sound so much like me, during my agnostic/atheist years. I did not want to believe in God. I have witnessed miracles, one in particular was amazing, an immediate, direct, humanly impossible answer to prayer. This miracle was undeniable. I saw it with my own two eyes, as did the three people that were with me. Yet I still chose not to believe in God!

Why didn’t I want to believe? For many reasons. One: all the suffering and injustice in the world. Babies born horribly disabled and deformed, children with cancer, wars, abuses, thousands of civilians of all ages killed in a single moment by an earthquake, a tsunami, an atomic bomb. How could an all-powerful, all-knowing, righteousness God of LOVE allow these evil things? Another big reason for my unbelief: hypocritical, abusive people who claimed to be Christians, beginning with my father, a church pastor who was arrested when I was 12 years old for nearly murdering my mother, and then my bible -thumping mother reacted to that trauma by trying to gas herself and the five of us kids to death, a few weeks later. And the hypocrisy and abuses continued, from both of my so-called Christian parents, and — as years passed — by several others.

Then there is the Bible itself. Some parts of the Bible, particularly in the old testament, are horrifying, as I discovered when I read the entire Bible from cover to cover.

Last but not least, I did not want to believe in God because I wanted to live my life my way, thank you very much. I wanted to be able to have sex outside of marriage, for one thing. Who did it hurt? Whose business was it, but mine and the other consenting adult?

No amount of debate, no evidence pro or con, and no big blazing miracle happening right in front of my face, could change my mind.

What changed my mind? I met a group of Christians who were genuinely loving, compassionate, respectful, and empathetic. Then I prayed and asked God to please show me if He exists and if Christianity is true. The answers did not happen overnight, but they did happen.

I still don’t understand a lot of things, like why my baby grandson died and why my firstborn grandson was born so severely and permanently impaired. I still don’t understand a lot of the Bible. But… for me, personally, the Bible is NOT my God. Still, I do believe in Christ Jesus. He is my Savior and the Lord of my life. Why? Because the preponderance of the evidence that I have personally witnessed and experienced in my life, compels me to believe.

By the way, I have had two near death experiences. One happened when I was 15, the other when I was 39. My soul left my body, both times. The first time this happened, at age 15, as my body collapsed on the floor, I kept standing there, wondering how this could be? Two nurses saw me collapse, ran over, and knelt down beside my body. I was floating above their heads when I heard one nurse say “I can’t find a pulse.” The other nurse said “Her lips are blue.” And then, BOOM, I went back inside my body.

My second near death, at age 39, happened because I had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. I did not know I had that, it was discovered as a result of tests that a cardiologist prescribed, to determine why my heart was beating so erratically. That second near death was AWESOME. I was in a hallway or tunnel between here and heaven, and the overwhelming LOVE and PEACE and JOY I experienced in that place, was indescribable. The experience was more vivid and real than anything I have ever experienced here on earth!

And yet, I continued to call myself an agnostic/atheist, because I still did not want to believe. I told myself that I must have dreamed what happened during my out of body experiences.

This is how I know that debate is useless with you. I used to be right where you are.

The mind-blowing miracle I witnessed… Wow Wow WOW. I was 27 years old when that happened. But I did not become a true, believing Christian until shortly before I turned 50. I don’t even know how I could have been so stubborn and stupid for so long.

I will tell you what my miracle was, although I know it won’t convince you of anything. You will assume that I am lying, or that I hallucinated this experience. Certainly, if anyone else were to tell me this story before I experienced it, that’s what I would have assumed.

This happened when I was in my late twenties. A violent, mentally ill man threatened to kill my three children and me. My oldest son was almost ten years old. My daughter was six and a half. The youngest, a baby boy, was just a few months old.

I was in the baby’s room at the top of a staircase that led from our living room to the top floor of a tri-level house. I was changing the baby’s diaper. My daughter and my older son were down on the second level of the house. The man was staying down on the lowest level of the house. Suddenly I heard the man yelling, screaming, and saying words that did not make any sense. Worried for my children, I called my older son and daughter to come upstairs to the baby’s room. They promptly did so. I quickly finished getting the baby’s diaper on him.

Just then, the man — a homeless, 19 year old relative that we had taken into our home several months earlier, with no knowledge that he had a tendency to be violent — came up to the second floor. He began shouting “You’re all going to die! You’re all going to die!”

I handed the baby to my oldest son, and told him and my daughter to stay behind me. Then I walked out of the room to the top of the stairs, thinking that I would reason with the man, talk gently to him, ask him what was wrong, what did he need, what could I do to help him? But he was in a full-blown rage and he would not listen to me. “You’re all going to die!” he screamed, as he started walking up the stairs toward me, with his hands raised. He was much taller and stronger than me. What was I going to do?

The only thing I could think of to do in that moment was to pray! Just in case there was a God. When death is staring you in the rage, you get desperate.

As soon as I began to pray aloud, asking God for help, I saw something that looked like a glowing, pulsating force field come down from the tall ceiling in the middle of the staircase. The crazed man, still screaming that we were all going to die, walked right into the force field. He smacked into it, as though he had just walked into a wall. But instead of falling backwards, he flew up into the air, and then he fell down onto the floor of the living room.

As soon as he landed on the floor, he had what looked like a grand mal seizure. To my knowledge, he had never had seizures before. He shook so hard that the change in his pants pockets scattered from one end of the long living room to the other. When he finally stopped shaking, he sat up and said “What happened?”

My son, holding the baby, and my daughter were a few feet behind me, and they saw this happen, too. I did not dream it, I did not hallucinate it. It really, truly happened. Dear Lord, I don’t know how I was able to call myself agnostic-almost-atheist for years after that! It’s embarrassing to admit that! How could I doubt God’s existence and goodness after that? I mean, how stupid can a person get?! But here is what I did: I just did not allow myself to think about the amazing miracle that saved my children and me. Whew. Stupid, that was me. Mensa IQ and all.

God’s grace and love are beyond amazing. But until you are ready to believe in a Lord and a Savior, and until you are willing to submit your life to Him, no amount of proof will suffice.

I know. Because I have been there.

God’s grace is truly amazing. I know that He is love and so I trust Him — even when I do not understand. Linda Lee

Linda’s Blog.

Debate, Atheism and Love

By Jon Kauffman

I follow the blog of an atheist. I and the atheist have attempted to hold on-line conversations from time to time.

I think this atheist blog is wonderful.² I like to read the writing of those with whom I disagree from time to time. It helps sharpen my thinking and sometimes I find holes in my own logic.

Recently I told this young lady that I had read some Bertrand Russell about 40 years ago and at that time I had found him quite persuasive. She shared Russell’s analogy of the teapot.

Bertrand Russell

“If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time.” Bertrand Russell

I admit, that when I was young and naive, I found this analogy somewhat persuasive. But when I read it now it seems almost silly.

According to many scholars, the Hyksos seized power in Egypt around 1638 BC without war.¹

David Rohl has written an excellent book suggesting that Egypt’s timeline as understood by most archeologists today should be moved forward 200 years and Israel’s timeline should be moved back to match the Bible.

The current paradigm in Archeology is against Rohl’s timeline. Sometimes it takes a many years for scientific paradigms to shift even when the evidence is irrefutable. Rohl has some very strong evidence. I will be watching with great interest as other archeologists analyze his theories.

God is dripping out of Russell’s teapot.

Until 5 years ago I thought that no evidence existed in Egypt to support the story of Moses. I was pleasantly surprised to find Patterns of Evidence, The Exodus by Tim Mahoney.

The dripping of God from Russell’s teapot has quickened.

Lee Strobel tells us that many people have experienced miracles and life changing experiences as a result of their faith in God. “Among well-educated medical doctors 75% believe miracles are possible. 55% of US physicians have seen results in their patients that they would consider miraculous.” Page 31. See my review of Strobel’s book, The Case for Miracles.

God is pouring from Russell’s teapot.

We have a strong argument for the existence of God with the Kalam cosmological argument. William Lane Craig is an able defender of this argument. The leak in Russell’s teapot is becoming a strong steady stream.

Many scholars have written of the excellent evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus.

God is flooding from Russell’s teapot.

Bertrand Russell was once asked why he did not believe in God. He said, “Not enough evidence.” I wonder, is there any evidence that could have convinced Russell?

Van Lake acting as a mirror #MontanaMoment *Copyright © 2021 by Leon Kauffman*

Atheists Argue

In addition to logical reasoning, I have sometimes heard atheists arguing using methods of argumentation such as 1. Ad Hominem. 2. Contradiction. 3. Ridicule. 4. Diversion.

When someone argues with me using these logical fallacies, my first thought is what are they afraid of? Then I think, are their arguments so weak that they cannot stand on the facts?

One atheist used the red herring argument. He suggested that one should not be a Christian or believe in God because Christians were involved in the Crusades against the Middle East. I told him that Lenin and Mao both atheists, killed more people.

Because Lenin and Mao killed many people does not prove atheists are killers and because some Christians participated in the crusades does not prove Christians killers.

Another atheist uses the ad hominem logical fallacy and often calls anyone disagreeing with the atheist position a liar.

The Creationist Argues

Unfortunately sometimes Christians use some of the same logical fallacies.

One time I contacted a gentleman who held to the theory of creation occurring 6,000 year ago. I was curious to learn the scientific basis for his position. I asked him why it appears that we can see stars more than 6,000 light years away if the earth was created 6,000 years ago. The gentleman used an ad hominem argument and told me that I had no faith. He did not give me an answer to my question. I saw no reason to question him further.

Using logical fallacies by Christians to put others in their place seems contrary to the love of Jesus to me. If the creationist gentleman had given me reasons for his belief instead of only attacking me, then I would have had some facts to consider.

Intelligent Design

I find intelligent design theories intriguing. I am not an expert in biology or paleontology. The current paradigm among scientists does not accept intelligent design. I have done some reading and the intelligent design theories appear to me to have merit.

J.P. Moreland tells us about a time when he was giving lectures at UCLA:

“William Dembski had given a lecture defending intelligent design theory. The biology faculty of the university instructed their students to boycott Dembski’s lecture. There was a lot of mocking and ridicule of him among the biologists—despite the fact that Dembski has a master’s degree in science, a master’s degree in statistics, a master’s degree in divinity, a PhD in philosophy, and a PhD in mathematics—along with postdoctoral work in mathematics at MIT, in physics at the University of Chicago, and in computer science at Princeton. But if Dembski is so stupid and his proposals on intelligent design are so patently ridiculous, why wouldn’t the professors simply send their students to the lecture and have them tear his arguments apart? That should be easy. Of what were the biology faculty afraid?

Around that time, while giving some lectures at UCLA, I met a doctoral student in microbiology. He pulled me aside and said that his dissertation supervisor admitted to him in confidence that his dissertation proposal was excellent. It was a proposal to provide empirical verification or falsification for intelligent design theory. But the supervisor told him to stay far away from intelligent design. If he insisted on this topic for his dissertation, he would not only flunk, but he would have his funding withdrawn and would be kicked out of the doctoral program.” Moreland, J. P. Scientism and Secularism (pp. 192-193). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

I too question the fear of professors of Biology at ULCA. Perhaps they cannot argue conclusively against intelligent design? Certainly, intelligent design does not conform to their paradigm.

As the debate among biologists continues, I will watch with great interest to see if the paradigm changes.

The Love of Jesus

Love is action. When asked about the most important commandment Jesus said, 29 “The most important one is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31.

How do we show the love of Jesus when we debate with those with whom we disagree?

How do we show love to the homeless man on the street?

How do we show love to the student experiencing transgender feelings?

How do we love the poor, the helpless and the prisoner?

How do we love Muslims from the Middle East? How do we love our enemies? Jesus and the Roman Centurion, Matthew 8:5-13

I plan to write more posts about my conversation with the atheist young lady.

New Research Reveals Surprising Origins of Egypt’s Hyksos Dynasty, by Theresa Machemer
Club Schadenfreude

Reasons Christians Give to Say Violence by Christians is Legitimate

All My Posts (Links)

Edited: 9/21/2021
Edited: 7/13/2021

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