Alpha & Omega Ministries Apologetics Blog
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Continued Examination of James McCarthy's Sermon on Radio Free Geneva
12/30/2011 - James White
10:24:38 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
Private Interpretation of Scripture for Roman Catholics
12/29/2011 - James Swan
Here's a tidbit I came across from Roman Catholic scholar Raymond E. Brown, 101 Questions and Answers on the Bible (New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1990), p. 142.
Here's another comment from the same writer, Raymond E. Brown, The Critical Meaning of the Bible (New York: Paulist, 1981), pp. 39-40.
15:33:26 - Category: Roman Catholicism - Link to this article -
Heading Full Steam into 2012...
12/29/2011 - James White
So the new year is right around the corner. With the apologetics cruise taking up the 1st week of January, and then the apologetics class for Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary running for 5 hours each night the week after, I will hardly have time to reflect upon the arrival of 2012. I am already a little bit nervous, and yet quite excited, about the many opportunities of ministry in defense of the faith that are already scheduled for the next year. As long as the Lord continues to give us health, and strength, and enough fellow believers to stand with us, we will press forward in proclaiming the Lordship of Christ and giving a reasoned defense of the hope that is within us.
You have probably been overwhelmed with the number of requests being made by ministries for end-of-the-year giving. We do not maintain a mailing list, and no one has ever gotten a cold call during the dinner hour from someone raising funds for Alpha and Omega Ministries. We very rarely make any reference to the fact that we are a small ministry fully dependent upon God's people for the continuation of what we do. But that is the reality of the situation, and I can tell you that Rich and I would surely find it to be greatly encouraging to enter into 2012 with a strong show of support right at the end of the year.I would also like to let everyone know that we have added some very important resources to our online store. The first is a book that I will be using as a textbook for my GGBTS class that is coming up. It is an excellent work providing important response to the claims of Bart Ehrman titled, The Heresy of Orthodoxy. If you have been following this series I have been doing on the Dividing Line regarding Ehrman's position on textual critical issues you will find this work to substantiate what I have been saying. But it goes beyond that to also deal with the wider ramifications of his hyper skepticism, especially his promotion of the Bauer hypothesis, a viewpoint that is nigh unto universal in modern seminaries despite having been thoroughly examined and refuted for decades! This really is a must read for those who wish to be ready to give a reason in our postmodern, anti-Christian society.
The next resource is an excellent work by Dr. James Price on King James Onlyism. It has not been widely published, but if you wish to have another very deep resource on this important subject in your library this is the book for you. Don't forget that when you purchase resources through our ministry you are aiding us in continuing our work. And don't forget our Amazon storefront as well: amazon.aomin.org. Our sincerest thanks to all who have stood with us over this past year!
14:37:45 - Category: Misc - Link to this article -
Last Thursday's Radio Free Geneva
12/27/2011 - James White
20:30:19 - Category: Reformed Apologetics - Link to this article -
Today on the Dividing Line: Kwanzaa, a Call on Cultic Forms of KJVOnlyism, and Back to Erhman and Mohamed
12/27/2011 - James White
Did a jumbo DL today, dedicated to the ever-remembering Algo for his 50th birthday. Gave a little info on the background of the ancient celebration of Kwanzaa (i.e., started in 1966 as part of a radical black separatist socialist movement---not very ancient at all), took a call on the cultic aspects of KJV Onlyism, then did some more work on the Ehrman/Wallace debate, and the Green/Mohamed debate. Here's the program.And don't forget the WayBack Machine, streaming Dividing Lines from 1998 onward 24/7! You can listen on the Flash Player found here.
18:10:38 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
Another Example of the Self-Imposed Ignorance of the CA Forum Participants
12/26/2011 - James White
I'd be interested in how James White answers the questions that we've all discussed on this forum dozens of times. How does he justify sola scriptura, when it is so easy to show that it is the tradition you use to interpret scripture that dictates how you understand it? How does he justify eternal security when it is so obvious that sin does indeed matter?
Is he that great of a debater that he can make the truth seem to be false and the false seem to be true?
Consider this: Numerous published and readily available books on the topic. Three dozen moderated, public debates with the leading Roman Catholic apologists. A twice weekly webcast with a toll-free phone number. And….Google! If someone wanted to know, would it be all that difficult to know? Could anyone have made it plainer? It is amazing to read this kind of thing.
By the way, I notice Ignatius has been challenged to back up his claim about edited debates. We will see if the Roman Catholics insist he provide his evidence. He will have to admit his error, just as MarcoPolo had to. Most likely the topic will just fade into silence, and Ignatius will be allowed his libel. But, of course, he knows he has lied--but, if it is in the service of Mother Church, does it matter?
18:12:16 - Category: Roman Catholicism - Link to this article -
Immanuel: God With Us! A Study in Isaiah 7 Through 11
12/25/2011 - James White
19:11:35 - Category: Exegesis - Link to this article -
Hebrews 1:3 - A Refutation to Roger Perkins and Other Oneness Advocates
12/23/2011 - Alan Kurschner
“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature [kai charaktēr tēs hypostaseōs autou] and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” (Heb 1:3 ESV)The author of Hebrews expands on describing the Son's radiance of the glory of God by ascribing to the Son, "the exact imprint of [God's] nature." The Greek expression used is highly significant: "charaktēr tēs hypostaseōs autou." This statement about the Son being the exact representation of the essence of God tells us two things about the Son: (1) He is divine, and (2) is distinguished from another person (the Father in this case) because he shares in—represents—the same nature as another person.
For if the Son were the Father, it would be strange, if not illogical, to speak of him as the representation of God's nature. There are two persons in view here, not one.
Moreover, the last statement in this verse, "he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high," demonstrates two co-existing persons.
Therefore the Son cannot be identified as the Father.
10:12:16 - Category: Christian Worldview - Link to this article -
Radio Free Geneva! An Examination of James McCarthy's Sermon on Calvinism
12/22/2011 - James White
We started a review of James McCarthy's recent sermon on "Calvinism" on a special pre-Christmas Radio Free Geneva. We will continue our examination in future webcasts! Here's the program.
18:45:33 - Category: Misc - Link to this article -
Luke 2:11 - An Explicit Statement of Jesus' Divinity
12/22/2011 - Alan Kurschner
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Kurios)” (Luke 2:11 ESV)A brief note on this verse that is often noted for its Davidic-messianic proclamation, but we should not fail to note that the angel's message of good news was the incarnation of a divine messiah, for it is unintelligible in this context that Kurios (rendered for Yahweh in the Septuagint) could mean anything less than that God himself has entered his creation.
17:15:48 - Category: Exegesis - Link to this article -
The Gospel for Muslims
12/21/2011 - James White
Please share this video with every Muslim you know. It is the concluding statement I made in a debate in Southern California in 2008.21:45:14 - Category: Islam - Link to this article -
On Roger Perkins' Lexical Fallacies in his Oneness Debate with James White
12/20/2011 - Alan Kurschner
My aim here is not to explain so much the significance of his fallacies, since Dr. White bring that out in the debate. Instead, I will list the fallacies themselves.Error #1
Perkins claims that in the original language of the Bible there are no terms that distinguishes "being" and "person."
Contra, Paul makes this distinction, “For in him (autos, denoting a person all the fullness of deity (theotēs, "being God" lives in bodily form,” (Col 2:9 NET)
Error #2
Perkins claims a particular distinction between the meaning of two Greek words for "to know," oida and ginosko. His first problem is that he cites for his authority Vines Dictionary, a source that is deficient for lexical information because of its shallowness in treating lexical analysis. Second, Perkins, citing Vines, says that ginosko frequently means "progress in knowledge" and oida suggest "fullness of knowledge." These general definitions are patently fallacious and every scholarly Greek lexicon refutes such as notion. BDAG, the most scholarly Greek lexicon, lists their semantic range showing that the two terms overlap in meaning, and that context must determine the specific meaning:
ginosko
1. to arrive at a knowledge of someone or someth., know, know about, make acquaintance of
2. to acquire information through some means, learn (of), ascertain, find out
3. to grasp the significance or meaning of someth., understand, comprehend
4. to be aware of someth., perceive, notice, realize
5. to have sexual intercourse with, have sex/marital relations with,
6. to have come to the knowledge of, have come to know, know
7. to indicate that one does know, acknowledge, recognize
oida
1. to have information about, know
2. be intimately acquainted with or stand in a close relation to, know
3. to know/understand how, can, be able
4. to grasp the meaning of someth., understand, recognize, come to know, experience
5. to remember, recollect, recall, be aware of
6. to recognize merit, respect, honor
Error #3
Perkins claims that the Greek word heis rendered "one" requires unitarianism when it is applied to God. But he failed in providing a single biblical example of the being of God being shared only by one person. Further, the Greek term heis has a semantic range and context can only determine the meaning. BDAG says:
1. a single pers. or thing, with focus on quantitative aspect, one
2. a single entity, with focus on uniformity or quality, one
3. an unspecified entity, some/one=τὶς,
4. marker of someth. that is first, the first
I found it ironic that the one verse that Perkins cites for heis actually demonstrates a multiplicity within heis. He cites, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female–for all of you (multiplicity) are one heis in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3:28; cf. John 10:30). Perkins want to focus on the fact that only the person of Christ is mentioned here. But the point is that in this case heis contains a multiplicity, in this case, persons. So this refutes Perkin's claim that heis cannot contain multiplicity of persons.
In addition, Perkins is making a category error. He is confusing being with person because of his presupposition of unitarianism. It is a non sequitur to state that because heis can refer to God it must mean "one person." Perkins cannot prove that heis contains the meaning of "personhood."
In conclusion, Roger Perkins is blusterous in his use of Greek sources. He cannot read Greek, for he would not be using "English-help" Greek sources and very dated Greek sources from a hundred years ago. This does not mean that if someone knows Greek they will not commit lexical fallacies. And it does not mean that if someone who does not know Greek cannot perform competent word studies. But Perkins should not be so confident in his lexical claims because of his lack of Greek knowledge and his dependence on secondary English sources. He may fool those who do not know Greek, but he cannot fool those who do know Greek.
18:00:00 - Category: Exegesis - Link to this article -
A Few More Amazing Statements from the CA Forums
12/20/2011 - James White
You would think that when faced with facts even normal folks would step back and go, "Oh, sorry about that, I guess we were completely wrong about those issues." But no, not when you serve Mother Rome. Infallibility seems to be endemic. After exposing all the errors in the afore-mentioned thread, do we find "mea culpas" and the like? No, instead, we have one complaint about my using the term "Romanist" (and what is the central aspect of Roman Catholicism? Rome---hence, Romanism is a great descriptive term) along with the amazing assertion that I have a persecution complex. Let's ponder that a moment: when you serve Rome, you can lie about folks, accuse them of misdeeds for which you have no evidence, make up fantastic stories about them, and if they correct you, they have a persecution complex! Ah, the glories of Rome!But most interesting was a comment by someone we have had reason to note before, a "MarcoPolo." It seems MarcoPolo wanted to prove the point that I have made numerous times, that is, that the folks at the CA Forums simply have no interest in being accurate, or thorough, or even truthful, in their comments. I had mentioned that I did one radio debate with Jimmy Akin. If MarcoPolo had listened carefully, or cared about being accurate, he would know that this debate took place on a radio station in, as I recall, Texas. It was on the subject of "eternal security." I have noted it many times over the years, as Akin used an argument based upon the Greek that was easily refuted---even he has admitted, on Catholic Answers Live, that his use of it was in error. This is the only debate we did. [Here is a reference to that debate from 2007]. I have repeatedly said the encounter on the Bible Answer Man was not a debate, and I did not say otherwise in my previous article. But, MarcoPolo, showing that when it comes to the opponents of Rome there is no reason to even listen carefully, just opined on the CA Forums:
At least White is admitting his appearance on BAM with Jimmy Akin was a debate. Regarding that single appearance with Akin, White has now stated the following:
"[It] was not a debate." – James White, ca 2002.
"Akin did one radio debate." – James White, 2011
Sincerely,
Your friendly CAF Truth-Starved Denizen
The two statements are both true, as anyone who cares enough to look at the facts knows, as the BAM program is other than the radio debate we did on eternal security. Thank you, Marco Polo, for making my point for me.
15:57:08 - Category: Roman Catholicism - Link to this article -
Today on the Dividing Line: Interaction with Diaa Mohamed
12/20/2011 - James White
As I wandered a bit in my commentary (and interaction with the chat channel) I decided not to delve into the Ehrman materials today, but instead finished Diaa Mohamed's opening statement. Also announced that we will be doing a Radio Free Geneva this coming Thursday, so join us at our regular time! Here's the program.And don't forget the WayBack Machine, streaming Dividing Lines from 1998 onward 24/7! You can listen on the Flash Player found here.
11:14:11 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
Practical Advice for Presenting the Truth During the Christmas Holidays
12/19/2011 - James White
18:09:47 - Category: General Apologetics - Link to this article -
The Truth-Starved Denizens of the Catholic Answers Forums
12/19/2011 - James White
Recently a thread at the CA forums has illustrated yet once again how incredibly truth-challenged that particular corner of the Internet can be. As we have noted many times, in the CA Forums, anything will be believed, as long as it is 1) supportive of Romanism, and 2) at least negative, or better, slanderous, concerning yours truly. Some of the things that people have posted there have truly left me breathless as to how outrageously ridiculous they can get. This thread contains some real whoppers. Let's take a look at them.The thread started on August 10th when Cruxis117 asked,
I was on the chatroom of his ministry, and he listed off Keating, Staples, Akin, and others as not wanting to debate him. It appears that he think that it's because they can't handle that the (in his words) "facts are the facts". Why won't Catholic Apologists such as the ones I've mentioned and others not debate James White?
The answers received were, at the very least, entertaining. The first response, from James224, was "They have debated him so many times already." Of course, Keating has never debated me. Staples did last year, but Catholic Answers has done its best to ignore the existence of that debate. And Akin did one radio debate that he himself admits involved at least one "silly" argument on his part, aside from the Bible Answer Man broadcast where he was given significantly more time to comment than I was. Then DavidFilmer opined,
What, the guy seriously doesn't remember Patrick Madrid taking him behind the woodshed on Sola Scriptura? He wants a second chance?
I doubt he got a chance to listen to the lengthy series we did dissecting every single point of said debate. Or, more likely, he would not care even if he was aware of the series.
The standard silliness ensued with all sorts of folks who have never bothered to listen to the other side chiming in about this or that, all out of ignorance. But what was amazing was the simple falsehoods that were trotted out. DavidFilmer, for example, waxed eloquent:
WHAT??? James White has debated Scott Hahn at least a half-dozen times. Search YouTube for "James White" "Scott Hahn"
Dr. Hahn is the MOST frequent debater of James White that I can discern from a cursory scan of YouTube video posts. And Dr. Hahn is (IMHO) THE Catholic "Big Gun." And (as you can see from these posts) Hahn demolished the poor guy.
Does James White want MORE a**-whupping? Is he asking for a second chance?
Of course, I have never debated Scott Hahn. Though we have offered to Dr. Hahn numerous opportunities to engage in debate, and have encountered him at other debates, such as when I debated Mitch Pacwa in San Diego and Jerry Matatics in Phoenix, he has consistently refused our challenges. In fact, back in the mid-90s, a Roman Catholic attorney attempted to arrange a debate in Texas between us. I agreed to do so, and sent him a box of my books that very day along with other documentation. The next day he called, very apologetic. He had faxed Scott Hahn with the news that he had found someone to debate him. He gave my name. Hahn's return fax, according to the attorney said, “If White is there I am not.” He had to withdraw his invitation.
So one must wonder what color the sky is in DavidFilmer's world. Thankfully, someone else tried to find the YouTube videos which, of course, do not exist. When challenged, DavidFilmer had to admit that, well, I will let him say it:
Wow, you are right. Neither can I. I swear that I had found many video posts with these terms, but I closed this browser tab. When I searched again, I found none.
Either this is some giant conspiracy (which I doubt) or I am a complete idiot (which is far more likely).
I withdraw my claims (until I can find them substantiated in some other place).
See the pattern? As long as it is negative about James White, well, it must be true, no matter how absurd it is. We have documented this malady afflicting the folks of the CA Forums many times before. Remember “Guardian,” the fellow who opined about all my errors? He even called in, and asked for six weeks (as I recall) to put together his list. That was about three years ago. Never got that list, for some odd reason.
But the “Dishonest Romanist” award has to go to “Ignatius.” First he writes,
He is being dishonest, Keating, Staples and Akin, among others, have debated him. So he is not being honest.
Again, Keating has never debated me. He has had a standing challenge for coming up on two decades. Staples has, and the results have been…interesting, to say the least (just where did that purgatory debate go?). Akin did one radio debate. Period. Those are the facts. Those facts are available to any honest person. So why can’t Ignatius take the time to speak the truth? But, it gets worse, and this is the real reason why I invested a few moments to respond to this thread:
Ok, so what' this nonsense about no one will debate him then?
Fr Pacwa debated him and it was reported the video was doctored so badly that you can actually see where they cut out Fr. Pacwa's answers.
Madrid did debate him and did very well.
Sungenis destroys White in 5 separate debates so White refuses to debate him any more.
Even Gary Machuta trounced White handily in the debate on the deuterocanonicals.
Eventually it will be "White? who is White" He's no white, he's always wong!!
Aside from the depth of these comments, let’s begin with the slanderous (OK, it was written, so, libelous) accusation. “Fr Pacwa debated him and it was reported the video was doctored so badly that you can actually see where they cut out Fr. Pacwa's answers.” Has Pacwa made this allegation? No. Who has? We make all of our debates with Mitch Pacwa available. Except for the first two, they are available in video format as well. No one, and I mean no one, has ever made such an astoundingly false accusation before, since, of course, it is far too easy to refute it. We could even show the video of the first two, if, of course, they were not being suppressed by Roman Catholic apologist Scott Butler, who refuses to let those videos see the light of day. But the fact of the matter is, Mitch Pacwa walked out of the debate we did in San Diego carrying an unedited master of that very night’s debate. He received unedited masters of all the others we recorded (unlike the first two recorded by Scott Butler). The idea that we have ever edited, or changed, or altered, any of the debates with Pacwa, or anyone else, is a libelous charge that “Ignatius” well knows is a bold-faced lie. If there is an honest person to be found in the CA Forums, Ignatius would be challenged to back up this outrageous claim, or withdraw it with apologies.
Next, I guess Ignatius doesn’t get out of the CA Forums very often. I guess the three debates I did with Bob Sungenis in 2010 escaped his notice (that makes a total of eight debates so far)? Including the one on the Bodily Assumption? Here is a snippet from that debate that has been available on YouTube for months:
Yeah, you rarely see those being discussed in the CA Forums, just like you rarely see the debate with Tim Staples that Catholic Answers has done its best to bury being discussed. Just not what those forums are for, I guess.
Given the accuracy and truthfulness of Ignatius’ words, I am hardly overly surprised he is so incredibly fair in his analysis of the few debates he seems to claim to have actually watched or listened to.
Once again I will offer to “Ignatius” an open forum on The Dividing Line to substantiate his libelous allegation of alteration of debate recordings (a real tough thing since, of course, both sides get unedited masters). I often invite those who lie about me on the CA Forums to call, toll free, to back up their allegations. We have a long, long history of…silence from those folks, and for good reason. If you are looking for truth, and for those who love it, you won’t find either in the CA Forums.
18:07:55 - Category: Roman Catholicism - Link to this article -
How Central is Shirk in Understanding the Islamic Rejection of the Bible's Teachings?
12/17/2011 - James White
You tell me:To our Muslim readers: We worship one God, who has manifested Himself in Three Persons. One Yahweh, one God, Three Persons. No association of anything created or non-eternal. No married gods, no wives or consorts (contra Q. 6:101). Three co-equal and co-eternal Persons sharing fully the one, indivisible being of God. While the Qur'an attempts to identify this as shirk, the author of the Qur'an clearly did not understand the doctrine he was seeking to deny.
05:56:09 - Category: Islam - Link to this article -
Thoughts on the Passing of Christopher Hitchens and Calls on Today's Dividing Line
12/16/2011 - James White
Started off with a discussion of the passing of Christopher Hitchens, then took a couple of calls in divine foreknowledge and some alleged biblical contradictions. Here's the program.
And don't forget the WayBack Machine, streaming Dividing Lines from 1998 onward 24/7! You can listen on the Flash Player found here.
18:16:03 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
Instead of Reading the Entire Bible in 2012, Read the Gospels Deeply
12/16/2011 - Alan Kurschner
It's about that time of the year when we are introduced to creative ways to read our Bible from cover to cover for the next calender year (did you do it this year?). I think this is my fourth year promoting the following reading plan. I would like to suggest that you take each day of next year to contemplate each unit of the gospels. Did you know there are conveniently about 365 units in the gospels?
In the past, I cited five good reasons to own a gospel synopsis. The fifth reason was,
Read a synopsis in one year by reading one pericope [a gospel unit] every day! By coincidence, the synopsis contains 367 pericopes (That is, all four gospels combined contain 367 units.). The edition that I recommend for English is the Synopsis of the Four Gospels Edited by Kurt Aland.
08:50:31 - Category: Godly Disciplines - Link to this article -
Why Children Like the Dividing Line!
12/16/2011 - James White
See, they like the part BEFORE I start talking:This should make Steve Camp happy! Hopefully, Dad likes what comes after that. At least we'd like to think so!
Oh, don't forget, the DL is live this morning at 11am MST. We will open the phones today, so don't forget, 877-753-3341!
06:52:57 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
A Very Interesting Discussion of Qur'anic Recensions
12/14/2011 - James White
13:07:01 - Category: Islam - Link to this article -
Confession and More on Yesterday's DL
12/14/2011 - James White
Above is the first half hour of the program. Following this discussion I moved back into a review of, and response to, both Diaa Mohamed and Bart Ehrman. A total of 90 minutes. Here's the program.
And don't forget the WayBack Machine, streaming Dividing Lines from 1998 onward 24/7! You can listen on the Flash Player found here.
11:18:06 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
Michael Voris, Diaa Mohamed, and Bart Ehrman on Thursday's DL
12/10/2011 - James White
20:06:09 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
Video of the Mega Dividing Line in Response to Navas and Barron
12/10/2011 - James White
I forgot to blog these videos that I posted of the very lengthy DL engaging the claims of Patrick Navas and David Barron. Enjoy!20:04:05 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
A Word of Thanks
12/10/2011 - James White
Some of the "regulars" who stand by me and help with resources (VL and RP) flew into the MRL as soon as I posted the preceding entry, and then some new folks (many thanks to you Matt and David) also finished up the Kindle resource requests, all in one evening! I think my little Kindle3 will blow a circuit recording all of this! In any case, many thanks. There is only one item left that is marked "highest" priority, and it is of a very practical nature. I mean, as I write this, I have the Nucleus blog interface on "large fonts" just so I can read it! :-)19:05:00 - Category: Personal - Link to this article -
A Few Ministry Resource List Additions, Chasing a "Lead"
12/10/2011 - James White
You know how you get into studying a subject, run across a gem in a footnote, a bibliographical entry, etc., and end up finding something really valuable? Well, I sort of feel like that right now, as I ran across some "leads" in my on-going study of the wide, wide topic of Islam, and not wishing to miss out on some fertile area of material, have placed a few (mainly Kindle) resources on the Ministry Resource List. The Kindle stuff allows me almost instant access as I have plowed through a solid 800 pages just this week on my rides (which is what led to this new area of inquiry!). I would like to include some of this in some chapters I am working on even now. Thanks for all those who help in this way!15:58:19 - Category: Islam - Link to this article -
Will the Current Administration of the United States Government Submit the First Amendment to Sharia Law?
12/10/2011 - James White
Truly makes me wonder how long we will be able to engage in debates with Muslims before such activity is "illegal." Of course, will anyone note that the Qur'an condemns as "unbelief" the Christian confession of Jesus as the Son of God? Well, not in today's media and culture, that's for sure. Christianity is fair game. Inconsistency is the sign of a...very sick, truth-starved culture.11:01:11 - Category: Christian Worldview - Link to this article -
James Swan Challenges Voris' Use of Luther
12/09/2011 - James White
I did not check the citation of Luther yesterday (just didn't have time, and checking Luther quotes is James Swan's calling in life---I would not wish to barge into his field of expertise!), but here is Swan's analysis of Voris' use of Luther.07:54:35 - Category: Roman Catholicism - Link to this article -
Today on the Dividing Line: Michael Voris and 40,000 Denominations, Ehrman, Diaa Mohamed
12/08/2011 - James White
We went for 90 minutes today because I just had to take the time to respond to the "Vortex" video posted below. We took the first half hour showing all the errors in this slick pro-Romanist video, and then tackled some more of Diaa Mohamed's comments before finishing off the last half hour with more examination of Bart Ehrman's claims regarding the text of the New Testament. Here's the program.And don't forget the WayBack Machine, streaming Dividing Lines from 1998 onward 24/7! You can listen on the Flash Player found here.
17:58:10 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
OK, How Many Lies Can You Pack into One Video? Ask Michael Voris!
12/08/2011 - James White
40,000 Protestant denominations? Wow, we have proven the 33,000 number a bold-faced lie many times in the past, but hey, I guess it is just a matter of inflation! Hard to take promoters of Romanism who repeat these absurdities seriously...but it is even worse when they will stare into a video camera and claim that no one...NO ONE, ever accused Mary of sin until the Reformation!? I mean, the Immaculate Conception was not even defined as a dogma until the middle of the 19th century, and it is just too simple to provide citations proving such claims to be outright lies. I think today's DL just became a jumbo again! We will tackle this topic right at the start. Join us!12:50:21 - Category: Roman Catholicism - Link to this article -
The Lord Answered William Lane Craig
12/08/2011 - Alan Kurschner
"The counterfactuals of creaturely freedom which confront Him are outside His control. [God] has to play with the hand He has been dealt." —W. L. Craig“Who is this who darkens counsel with words without knowledge? (3) Get ready for a difficult task like a man; I will question you and you will inform me! (4) “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you possess understanding! (5) Who set its measurements–if you know– or who stretched a measuring line across it? (6) On what were its bases set, or who laid its cornerstone– (7) when the morning stars sang in chorus, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (8) “Who shut up the sea with doors when it burst forth, coming out of the womb, (9) when I made the storm clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band, (10) when I prescribed its limits, and set in place its bolts and doors, (11) when I said, ‘To here you may come and no farther, here your proud waves will be confined’? (12) Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, or made the dawn know its place, (13) that it might seize the corners of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it? (14) The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features are dyed like a garment. (15) Then from the wicked the light is withheld, and the arm raised in violence is broken. (16) Have you gone to the springs that fill the sea, or walked about in the recesses of the deep? (17) Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Have you seen the gates of deepest darkness? (18) Have you considered the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know it all!” (Job 38:2–18).
06:09:21 - Category: Christian Worldview - Link to this article -
Items from the Ministry Resource List That Have Never Arrived
12/07/2011 - James White
The Ministry Resource List is a tremendous asset to me, it really is. It is a major source of encouragement, too. But it has one draw back: sometimes an item is marked "purchased" that never gets to me. And enough of these have now piled up that I need to let folks know that these items have been marked "purchased" but never got to me. If you purchased the items, you need to contact the sellers and find out what happened. The way you can tell whether your item arrived is as follows: on the upper right is a drop down box that allows you to choose purchased or unpurchased. Once an item arrives, I do my best to delete it from the "purchased" list. So, if you purchase an item, it should go onto the "purchased" list, but if it stays there for longer than you would think it would take to arrive before disappearing, you might want to look into it.What I will do is wait a week or so to see if anyone contacts me about any of these items, and then return them to the list. It is possible that someone tried to purchase them, had a problem with the transaction, etc., resulting in their being prematurely removed from the list. [Also, two items marked purchased are still in pre-publication, so those should arrive when the books are published]. In any case, I wanted to let folks know, since I don't want folks investing in materials on that list and then those items not arriving! Thanks again to everyone who helps in this way.
14:03:45 - Category: Personal - Link to this article -
The Last Two Dividing Lines
12/07/2011 - James White
We have started two series of debate reviews/responses over the course of the last two Dividing Lines, neither of which got blogged! Of course, I am not the only person with access to the blog, so, when I go jetting off out of town or just forget because I'm buried, someone could do this, but hey...we must all be very busy! [wry grin].First, we are reviewing and responding to the Wallace/Ehrman debate from 10/1, including a review of my cross-examination period from my debate with Ehrman as well, all with a focus upon the fact that for Ehrman, for the New Testament to be "trustworthy," we would have to possess the originals. Period. His skepticism is, in fact, completely radical and outside the historic mainstream of historical and textual investigation.
Secondly, we are reviewing the comments of Diaa Mohamed in his debate with Samuel Green from Sydney the week after my debate with Abdullah Kunde.
Here's last Thursday's program, and here's yesterday's program.
And don't forget the WayBack Machine, streaming Dividing Lines from 1998 onward 24/7! You can listen on the Flash Player found here.
08:44:28 - Category: The Dividing Line - Link to this article -
New Server Needed for AOMin.org
12/05/2011 - Rich Pierce
*****UPDATE******We have met the goal.
Thank You for your desire to support this work.
If you would still like to donate to Alpha and Omega please click the Support Us link above.
Blessings,
Rich Pierce
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Alpha and Omega Ministries has always maintained a strong & reliable dependence on computer technology that allows us to literally serve a world-wide audience. For the past several years we have operated with what’s known as “single leased server” computer based system. The datacenter where our server is housed and or hosted, no longer offers this single leasing option. Unfortunately, this has left us unable to upgrade the server as needed, make adjustments to improve performance and ultimately cost the ministry more money. Therefore, we are in need of purchasing a new server.
Our stewardship committee has put together the specifications for the costs & what we will need to ensure the continued high level & availability you have come to expect from aomin.org. The amount needed will cover a one-time purchase for the server hardware. That hardware, along with the programming to configure it will be $3300. We have already been blessed with a gift of $1000 leaving our goal at $2300.
For your convenience, please click here to be directed to our PayPal site where you can make a safe & secure donation.
In His service,
Richard Pierce
President
Alpha & Omega Ministries
12:07:04 - Category: Misc - Link to this article -
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