Alpha & Omega Ministries Apologetics Blog
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Gay Marriage Debate: CSU East Bay (Hayward)
04/25/2008 - James White
Here is a play list of the five videos containing the video shot from my tiny (but high performing!) Casio Exilim camera. These are the only recordings that exist as far as I know. I did not include the audience questions because...they were audience questions (i.e., not really questions, but statements disguised as questions). I had a good mp3 recorder going, and from what I'm hearing in the other room, the sound quality on it is nearly as good as if it was attached to the sound system. We will put the mp3 in our bookstore. The debate was not even a full hour in length, so, all you can do is make broad statements addressing presuppositional issues, as you will see.00:01:00 - Category: Christian Worldview - Link to this article -
A Covenantal Apologetic
04/24/2008 - Jeff Downs
The following paper was handed in today to Dr. Anthony Curto for an introductory class in apologetics. It is a paper that appeared online in the past, that I reworked (and will continue to do so). You will notice that there is a large section misssing - application. While I was originally going to include critique of various cultic views (especially those of Mr. Stafford), I realized (because others were telling me) this is "introductory" class. Lord willing I will take what appears below and begin offering various critiques. Hopefully it will not take me until my 2nd semester apologetics class, which is not offered until Spring 2009. :) Any question or comments can be addressed to me.=====
In the opening chapter of Romans the apostle Paul describes the revelation of God and condition of mankind. Instead of giving praise and thanks to God (which should be the normal reaction), like Adam and Eve in the garden, mankind tries to hide from Him. As a result the wrath of God is being poured out upon mankind. The sin of hiding is childish because mankind knows Him, since God has made Himself known. Man does whatever he can to flee from this truth. This sin is also very serious; in turning from God we turn toward ourselves and creature-created things. Man does not live in this world all alone, with his beliefs and actions sealed off from individuals around him. In fact, man will deceive himself, others and will give approval for deception to be foisted upon society.
The purpose of this paper is to introduce presuppositional apologetics (perhaps better termed a covenantal apologetic[1]), with an aim at using this approach when conversing with members of cults of Christianity.[2] Sadly I am virtually alone in this endeavor.[3] On the other hand, this methodology acknowledges that there is only one true God. Any other God, as Van Til would say, is no God at all. [4] So there are really only two-types of people: the Christian and the non-Christian, the believer and the unbeliever, covenant keeper and covenant-breaker.[5] The type-types of people view is also clear from the words of Jesus Himself when he stated "you are either for me or against me" (Mat. 6:24; 12:30, NASB).
To begin we must recognize that God did not need to create - there was nothing lacking in God that "forced" Him to show His power. If fact, we are told of God that "He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things," that "in Him we live move and have our being," and "from Him and through Him and to Him are all things."[6] When we are confronted with biblical passages that address who God is in Himself, we see that "he does not owe his existence to anything or anyone outside himself, nor does he need anything beyond himself to maintain his existence." [7] He created the heavens, the earth, and all they contain; but chose to commune in a special way with those He made in His image.
From the very beginning of inscripturated revelation we observe a creator-creature distinction.[8] God is not only the creator of all things, He sustains all things. Nothing could exist nor continue to exist if He did not uphold it. And since we are His creatures, man has a natural dependence upon his maker. Scott Oliphint states “given that all men are in covenant relationship to God, they are bound by that relationship to ‘owe obedience unto him as their creator.’ The obligation of obedience comes by virtue of our being created – we were created as covenant beings. We are people who by nature, have an obligation to worship and serve the Creator.”[9] Not only is the general creation serving God and speaking for God[10]; but man, in a different and special way as His image-bearer is also to speak for God.[11] In no less then scriptural terms this means that Adam was God’s prophet. And as a prophet of another, he is not to speak from his own heart nor put forth his own words.[12] In fact, the very opposite was to take place. As God’s representative, Adam was to rule over creation; this included speaking forth only those things God would want man to speak.
Scripture and history clearly and early on, paint us a story of Adam and Eve attempting to do away with God (becoming autonomous). As Van Til stated it “when man fell, it was therefore an attempt to do without God in every respect. Man sought his ideals of truth, goodness, and beauty somewhere beyond God, either directly within himself of indirectly within the universe about him.”[13] Adam became his own final reference point; and relying upon himself, he measured the universe by his own carnal stupidity.[14] The Westminster Confession encapsulates the fall in their statement “by this sin, [Adam and Eve] fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the parts and faculties of soul and body.[15]
According to Genesis, after the rebellion of Adam and Eve, they became aware of their nakedness; their reaction was to cover and hide, perhaps believing they could escape their maker’s judgment (Gen. 2:7-8). Adam, being the federal head of the human race, plunged all humanity into a state of spiritual (and eventual physical) deadness. From that day forward, man has sought ways to flee from God and the guilt of their sin. Instead of leaving Adam and Eve in their misery, God condescended with grace and He clothed them. But sin continued to reign in the heart of man - Cain hated Abel and killed him. While man would continue his unfaithfulness, God continues to preserve a people for Himself through the establishment various of covenants, promising final/full restoration.
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09:12:07 - Category: Christian Worldview - Link to this article -
God's Wrath Seen: WARNING! Disgust Level Very High in this Article (Multiple Update)
04/17/2008 - James White
When God for even a moment expresses His wrath by withdrawing His hand of restraint from the sinfulness of mankind, we are shocked at the results (and, in sinfulness, then blame God for allowing such a demonstration to take place). The link I am about to provide is one of the most shocking, disgusting examples of the perversion of the human soul I have ever read. Be warned, but, be aware. Here you read the story of a female "art" student at Yale who had herself impregnated repeatedly and then used abortifacient drugs to induce multiple miscarriages. Her "senior art" project includes (be warned again!) videos of the miscarriages and collections of blood from the process.One of the surest signs of the wrath of God upon a culture is seen here. Not only do you have a person so warped, so evil, so wicked, so intent upon displaying her hatred of God and His ways through the perversion of her body, her sexuality, and the great gifts God has given to her therein, but you have a society that, while naturally shocked at such a disgusting display of wickedness, cannot bring itself to call it wicked. Such terms have been lost. Some might have the courage to call her "sick," but wicked? Evil? Never. The West has no moral foundation upon which to even classify such behavior any longer. [This is another reason why I responded so directly to Jalal Abualrub's ridiculous assertion that Christianity invaded Iraq: to call a society that can allow such barbarous behavior under the guise of "art" "Christian" is to destroy the final vestiges of meaning in language.]
This incident likewise illustrates the fact that our society has lost the element of shame. Nothing is shameful any longer. A society that cannot express outrage at evil behavior and place shame upon those who engage in such behaviors is a society that is sick unto death, and will not last long upon this earth.
The truly perverse nature of our post-Christian society is seen in another aspect of this story. It will not be this woman who is called to account, it will be anyone who dares to call her actions evil and repulsive. They will be the ones accused of hatred, bigotry, etc. This is the reaction of the society that has been "given over" by God.
I am once again reminded that I must spend more time and effort to consider how we must live in a world that hates the truth and hates those who speak it. The days of our freedom to do so are numbered. And the number is growing smaller. Quickly.
UPDATE:
Though the above article appeared in the Yale Daily News, the following has just appeared:
New Haven, Conn. — April 17, 2008
Ms. Shvarts is engaged in performance art. Her art project includes visual representations, a press release and other narrative materials. She stated to three senior Yale University officials today, including two deans, that she did not impregnate herself and that she did not induce any miscarriages. The entire project is an art piece, a creative fiction designed to draw attention to the ambiguity surrounding form and function of a woman’s body.
She is an artist and has the right to express herself through performance art.
Had these acts been real, they would have violated basic ethical standards and raised serious mental and physical health concerns.
Let me see if I understand this: the "art" project fakes multiple pregnancies and multiple miscarriages so as to "draw attention to the ambiguity surrounding the form and function of a woman's body"? So, we have fake blood and fake birth matter? This is an "art" project? I have a feeling there will be more to this story before long. Not sure I want to follow it myself---the entire thing is so disgusting I can't imagine how anyone could even think of such behavior, let alone "fake" it.
Fox News has a more in-depth update showing the student presented her original "project" in the way depicted above, and Yale had to investigate fully to uncover the deception. Yet, despite this, her disgusting project will still be shown publicly! Unbelievable!
Friday Update: Yup, more to it. Back to the original story. Fox News again.
13:52:28 - Category: Christian Worldview - Link to this article -
Press Release Regarding Dr. Lee Carter's Prejudiced Attacks Upon Christian Students
04/01/2008 - James White
PRESS RELEASE
Glendale Community College Professor Identifies Christians as the "Religiously Insane," Tells Christian Students Their Parents Lied to Them; Says Christians Would Nail Jesus to the Cross if He Came Back
Glendale Community College Professor Identifies Christians as the "Religiously Insane," Tells Christian Students Their Parents Lied to Them; Says Christians Would Nail Jesus to the Cross if He Came Back
Dr. Lee Carter, a philosophy instructor at Glendale Community College, said the following to his class on October 25, 2007:
And in fact, if Jesus did come back, the most likely people to put him back on the cross would be Christians, and the most likely people to nail him to the cross would be fundamentalist Christians. They would be the ones who would be nailing that son of a bitch back to the cross, because he'd be the one who'd be refuting what they believe, and they wouldn't want that. Fair enough? So the most likely guys to be hammering in the nails, they are the guys who elected George Bush, and believe in the literal truth of the Bible, and don't believe in evolution, because they don't want to use reason, and they don't want to think, they'd rather stick to their illusions that hopefully may convince them that they don't have to be afraid at night when they are all alone, and the devil may whisper in their ears. (10/25/07)This kind of rhetoric is normative for Dr. Carter, who during the same semester identified Christians as the "religiously insane." In one class Dr. Carter informed a Christian student in no uncertain terms, in front of the entire class, that her parents had "lied" to her about the authorship of the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, found in the Christian Bible), and then said he would give the student $100 if she could tell him who wrote these books, and that she should start by "Googling it." This was said despite the fact that Dr. Carter had no idea what the student had, in fact, been taught by her parents on this topic.
Dr. Carter warns Christian students that they will be challenged in his classes. It is perfectly fine to challenge a Christian student, or a Muslim student, or an atheist student for that matter. But Dr. Lee Carter's rhetoric is not an example of challenge: it is a clear example of prejudiced, bigoted behavior that goes far beyond anything that can honestly be called "academic freedom." The above cited instances were not unusual events; the mockery of Christians was a normative element of the lectures given by Dr. Carter.
This information, in a much fuller form, with full documentation, was provided to the Board of the Maricopa Community Colleges as well as the President of Glendale Community College. When asked if Dr. Carter's behavior falls under the realm of "academic freedom," the President of Glendale Community College, Dr. Velvie Green, would only say that the concerns expressed about Dr. Carter's behavior have been "addressed" with him. Repeated efforts to get a clear, final answer as to whether this kind of prejudicial and bigoted behavior will be allowed to continue under the guise of academic freedom were not answered.
I believe that if a Christian professor spoke in this fashion to a Muslim student, they would be dismissed instantly and without question. The irony is that another professor at Glendale Community College, Walter Kehowski, though a tenured professor of mathematics, was forced to fight to retain his job after forwarding to colleagues George Washington's "Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789." His greatest mistake was leaving the source of the address on the e-mail: Pat Buchanan's website. So consider the contrast: one professor has to fight for his job for even daring to note a historical, Christian statement because it was posted on a politically incorrect website: another professor is free to call Christians "the religiously insane," tell Christian students their parents "lied" to them, and say Christians would nail Jesus to the cross were He to return.
Further documentation on this topic. Includes audio links to discussions, interviews, etc.
Regarding Professor Walter Kehowski
And finally, one might note that Dr. Carter's comments are significantly more inflammatory than those in this lawsuit in California.
Please feel free to copy this press release and send it to any media outlets/sources/writers you think might find it interesting or useful. If any of you have access to such media folks as Rush Limbaugh, Michael Medved, Laura Ingraham, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, etc., please feel free to direct them to this information. Thank you!
16:59:20 - Category: Christian Worldview - Link to this article -
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