Category: What do you think?

OPINION: All men are sinners, even atheists

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2018-04-17 Crowded street.png

It’s not uncommon after a Christian leader is accused of some indiscretion to hear non-believers claim this demonstrates that religious people have some flaw.  That is, some claim it is religion that caused the individual to do whatever it is they are accused of doing.  But some of those same non-believers abandon this standard when it is applied to other groups.

For example, BuzzFeed reports that the board of  American Atheists terminated David Silverman as president of their organization earlier this month because of financial conflicts and sexual assault. This happened within weeks of the American Humanist Association’s removal of Lawrence Krauss, a winner of the Humanist of the Year award, from its speaker pool because of alleged misconduct.  The Freedom from Religion foundation removed Krauss from its honorary board citing, “Well-documented allegations of sexual misconduct” according to an article on patheos.com. What, if anything, does this prove?

I don’t mention these men as part of an effort to demonstrate that atheists are bad people; quite the opposite.  I don’t accuse all atheists for the actions of individuals, but some non-believers condemn all Christians for the actions of individuals. It would be wrong to assume that something about atheism makes people do things like these atheist leaders have done.  It is equally wrong to assume that there is something about religion that makes religious leaders do wrong.  Individuals are responsible for their choices.

I think a good example is the way some non-believers react when a priest is accused of a crime against children.  If I am going to assume that religion causes some priests to assault children; then by that convention I should assume that education leads school teachers to assault students.  Making this assumption in either case is a sort-of composition fallacy; they are assuming what is true of a member of a group is true for the entire group.  In this case, they add on an assumption of cause. This type of reaction to individual actions is assumption based on personal bias.

Terrible acts are committed by religious and atheist leaders; therefore, a researcher should look for rival causal factors.

What are your thoughts?

Daily thought: Do all Christians cherry-pick the Bible?

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Cherries

Have you ever had an atheist complain that Christians cherry pick the Bible and only follow the parts with which they agree?  I read the work of an on-line atheist this week.  He wrote that nearly everyone, from every denomination of Christianity, cherry picks the Bible.  Is this the case?  Do most Christians edit the Bible to meet their desires?

Well, over the decades I’ve visited a very large sample of churches, including Pentecostal, Baptist, Catholic, and others – a very nice sampling of congregations – and I have yet to meet a serious Christian who picks and chooses what parts of scripture he or she accepts.  I’m not saying there are none who do this. I am saying it is unfair to say most Christians do this; and it is based on a very self-inflated opinion of one’s own ability to understand the Bible.

It’s been my experience that the cherry-picking compliant comes from those who believe no one could read the Bible and walk away with a different understanding than they have reached.  To be clear, I am not saying the Bible means whatever you want it to mean.  I am saying the opposite.  The Bible has one meaning, and it is possible to misunderstand it.  An atheist who complains of Christian cherry picking is often doing exactly what they claim Christians are doing; they are editing the Bible to meet their desires.

The next time a non-believer makes this claim, look at it as a door they’ve opened to discuss scripture.  Have them show you the scripture and explain their belief.  If they are honest and not simply looking for an argument, you may end up with a chance to share your faith. If it becomes apparent they are not interested in truth, and only want to “win” an argument, do as Matthew 10:14 says and shake the dust off your feet.

What do you think?

 

Daily thought: Why do few scientists openly proclaim Christ?

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TEXAS GOSPEL VOLUNTEER

When President Barack Obama announced in 2009 that he would nominate renowned geneticist Dr. Francis Collins as director of the National Institutes of Health, a number of scientists publicly questioned whether the nominee’s devout Christian faith should disqualify him from the position.  This observation is not mine, it is that of the very well-respected Pew Research Center and is noted in respected publications like the New York Times.

I find it amazing that such bigotry exists among some in the scientific community.  This is a group that should be focused on science, facts and numbers and not allowing bigotry to guide leadership decisions. But the fact that some scientists hold this view, that is, openly promote discrimination against anyone with a belief in God, answers (to a point)  a complaint some atheist are quick  present: Why is the percentage of those who say they believe in God lower among scientists than among the general public.

Given that such discrimination exists, and given there is no professional reason for a scientist to proclaim his or her faith while in a laboratory, wouldn’t you expect some scientists to choose to remain silent about their belief, especially when grant money and prestigious positions are on the line?

I’m not saying Christians should disobey God and keep their faith to themselves; I am saying that the anti-Christian bigotry some atheists claim does not exist is very much alive and well. Too, this bigotry is partially responsible for the higher percentage of those identifying as atheists in science compared to the general public.  This is not to say bigotry is the only thing preventing men and women of science from making an open profession of faith.  Bigotry, even among well-educated people, is not the way to promote truth.

What are your thoughts?

If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.

John 15:18

This article was originally published by Texas Gospel Canada in 2018