Josiah Concept Ministries

Defending the Faith Against Its Detractors

Archive for the ‘Heresy’ Category

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Another Atheist Double Standard

Posted by Cory Tucholski on July 2, 2009

I’ve been told that my answer to the final “proof” of God is Imaginary (here) is a non-answer because it involves personal experience. But, the WWGHA forums (the owners of the site God is Imaginary) have touted this post as proof positive that God is imaginary.

The problem? The post involves someone’s personal experience. How can that post be considered evidence for anything? If my answer is a nonanswer, then this post means nothing.

On the other hand, why should the man’s experience have led him to atheism? Why does he decry God for waiting to answer his prayer? The story makes it clear: God answered his prayer in an unexpected way, it just wasn’t soon enough.

This is par for the course for anyone who believes the crap on WWGHA and GII. God is only allowed to answer prayers in a specific box-like, automaton fashion and they must be answered immediately. And, moreover, God is not allowed to use intermediaries–the answer must miraculously drop out of the sky to be considered a bona fide answer to prayer.

The real reason this man is an atheist? He’s mad at God for waiting. I pray he gets over it.

Posted in Atheism, Prayers | Leave a Comment »

Atheist Double Standard

Posted by Cory Tucholski on June 23, 2009

My laugh for today is this comment, from a reader who identifies himself as Steve:

How in God’s name are you going to publish a book? You work in fast food and don’t have the credentials or credibility to even think about a book. It’s almost insulting to the people who have spent much time and money in their education and relevent [sic] work experience. You can’t just say “I’m going to write a book” There are prerequisites.

I have to wonder if this guy would have said the same thing to a fashion editor publishing on the history of religion (Christopher Hitchens), an evolutionary biologist publishing on philosophy (Richard Dawkins), or someone with a high school education becoming a fellow of an academic think-tank (Tom Verenna, aka Rook Hawkins).

Atheists, when they publish, are granted free license to write about any topic they so choose. As long as it serves the name of atheism or anti-theism, they are granted credibility by their audience of admirers whether they have it or not.

The site that I’m answering in my proposed book, God is Imaginary, is allegedly written by Marshall Brain, founder of HowStuffWorks.com. According to Wikipedia, Brain has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s in computer science. This qualifies a person to maintain websites debunking religion? Yet, that site is often referred to as a resource for debunking Christianity by many atheists online. The site has a credibility that it should not have.

As academic layman in the category of religion, Brain and I are equals. No one would take on these sites from the academic community because they aren’t argued from an academic perspective. Having an academic, such as William Lane Craig, I take on these sites would be overkill. Therefore, I’m the perfect candidate to write a rebuttal, since I am an academic layman also.

What happens if the credibility factor does become a problem, and agents and publishers reject the proposal based on that? No problem, I have other writing projects that I am working on at the moment where credibility isn’t a problem. I can always try again with this proposal in a few years, when I will have the academic credibility.

That said, I would like to welcome long-time reader John C back! I hope that you find this blog more to your liking. I promise not to focus so much on Rey’s replies, as I should be taking on the best arguments from the other side, not the worst arguments from our own.

Posted in Atheism, Humor, Personal | 7 Comments »

Homosexuality: Nature or Nurture?

Posted by Cory Tucholski on June 15, 2009

Though it has long been my position that homosexuality is nature, there is new scientific evidence to suggest otherwise. There may, in fact, be more environmental factors than genetic factors in the homosexual lifestyle.

More to the point, it appears that there is simply a lack of evidence to prove that there is a so-called “gay gene,” and that same sex attraction (SSA) is an environmentally induced decision. At least that is what Joseph Nicolosi, founder and director of the Thomas Aquinas Psychological Clinic says.

His message to gays: You can change. He has had success in reparative therapies for homosexual persons, and believes that we, as Christians, should witness to our gay brothers and sisters and let them know that they don’t have to be homosexual. That homosexuality is nature rather than nurture is actually a political statement by the American Psychological Association (APA), and has no basis in scientific fact.

Read the entire article here.

Posted in LGBT Issues, Science | 13 Comments »

Maybe There’s a More Constitutional Way to Do This?

Posted by Cory Tucholski on May 13, 2009

As much as I love Jesus Christ and Christianity, we live in a secular world with secular values. I have to begrudgingly admit that VJack from Atheist Revolution is right.

Apparently, the U.S. Army is promoting Christianity as the solution to soldiers who threaten suicide.

Before I say why I think VJack is right, I should remind my readers that studies have been conducted that show a causal connection between suicide and atheism. Further, suicide rates among the religious are lower, as are stress levels. Time Magazine recently published an article that links regular prayer with the ability to heal faster and better. No matter what the atheists say, religion is a good thing.

Unfortunately, living in the society that we do, it is illegal to promote one religion over another. Therefore, VJack is right in the sense that we shouldn’t promote Christianity alone to soldiers. What about the rights of the non-Christian chaplains who will be forced to present that material?

Here’s the giant “but.” BUT, what about promoting religion in general as an answer to suicide? That is not illegal, and it even has benefits (outlined above). It should satisfy everyone concerned–except the atheist, of course.

There is another reason why I would be against promoting only Christianity as the alternative for suicide. Christianity is not a coerced religion; it is a religion which one must freely choose to follow. If the military is forcing its soldiers to follow Christianity, then a major point of the Christian faith is lost. Suddenly someone is a Christian not by choice or by preference, but because the military says they are.

This problem is the same facing the Roman Empire under Constantine. Constantine forced people to adopt Christianity as the state religion, and all discipleship was lost. Discipleship is one of the keys to Christianity; a person must learn what it means to be a Christian as a disciple to someone who already knows. The link to the left on Discipleship 101 should help any readers with that point.

Bottom line: Christianity is a journey and it requires the Christian to be willing to undertake the journey. If Christianity is coerced by the Army, it isn’t Christianity anymore.

Posted in Atheism | 7 Comments »

The Beattitude Says That the Bible Commands Christians to Kill Unbelievers

Posted by Cory Tucholski on May 12, 2009

Imagine my surprise when I found this post in my list of the most popular posts of the moment. A skeptic who goes by the moniker “The Beattitude” posts a few verses that seem to indicate that the Bible commands us to kill unbelievers. I suppose that commands like that make him nervous, being an unbeliever himself he doesn’t want to end up a bloody smear under a pile of rocks.

I can confidently say that that is not going to happen, because the commands given were directed at the ancient Israelites under the Mosaic Law, which is not in force anymore.

But moreover, I’ve refuted this crap already. Don’t atheists pay attention to what Christians say? That would be a lot of effort, and of course the fact that reasonable replies exist to their charges would shatter their comfortable God-less worldview.

Posted in Apologetics, Atheism, Heresy | 2 Comments »

Plenary Indulgences Being Offered in Year of Priests

Posted by Cory Tucholski on May 12, 2009

And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” (Mk 2:5-11, emphasis added)

The Pope is, once again, taking the authority of God on himself and offering a plenary indulgence to priests and faithful who pray for priests during the upcoming Year of Priests.

The very idea of man being able to declare that sins are forgiven is a blasphemous notion, as the above passage from the Gospel of Mark points out. Who can forgive sins but God alone? The text grants the authority of forgiveness to God and to the Son of Man. The pope is neither.

Posted in Heresy, Papacy, Roman Catholicism, Sin | 5 Comments »

On Original Sin

Posted by Cory Tucholski on May 9, 2009

Many Christians deny the doctrine of original sin on the basis of Ezekiel 18:19-20:

Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

The question before us is this: are we held responsible for Adam’s sin? If so, why? Does it not clearly say in Ezekiel 18 that the soul that sins shall die, and that the wickedness of the wicked will be on himself?

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Heresy, Sin, Theology | 12 Comments »

Is Free Will Subject to God’s Sovereignty?

Posted by Cory Tucholski on May 3, 2009

Rey, otherwise known as Beowulf2k8, has leveled more criticism my way. He has two posts, here and here, that criticize my own Reformed view of the Bible. The second was meant as pure sarcasm, and as such I will not be addressing it. The first one I will address after I clarify a few things.

First, Rey did not adequately respond to Genesis 50:20. He said that Joseph was not an oracle of God, so therefore it represents his erroneous opinion of what God is doing in his life. I countered with the fact that Joseph was an oracle of God, evidenced by the fact that he interpreted dreams, and therefore his opinion in this matter would carry some weight. This statement of God meaning someone’s free will evil for the good of all is inconvenient to Rey’s position that God doesn’t influence human free will.

Second, Rey did not respond to the litany of verses that show God does influence human free will. Among others that can be cited, I specifically cited the following verses (emphasis mine):

  • Exodus 4:21: And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.”
  • Joshua 11:20: For it was the LORD’s doing  to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the LORD commanded Moses.
  • Isaiah 63:17: O LORD, why do you make us wander from your ways
    and harden our heart, so that we fear you not    ? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your heritage.
  • Romans 9:18: So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

Third, Rey does not contend with the litany of verses cited in favor of God making the decision for Christ for us (emphasis mine):

  • John 1:9-13: The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.   He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.  He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of a human decision nor of the will of man, but of God.
  • 1Pet. 1:3:   Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
  • John 6:44:   “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
  • John 6:61-65:   Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?  What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before!  The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.  Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.  He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.”
  • Acts 2:45-47: And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.   And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,  praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
  • Acts 16:13-14: And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.   One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

Fourth, Rey does nothing with my philosophical discourse on God’s foreordination. Rey merely continues to perpetuate the error that Calvinism teaches that God reduces human beings to puppets. He does this with no evidence from any Calvinist document that allegedly teaches this.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Apologetics, Calvinism, Heresy, Theology | 3 Comments »

Monument to the Failure of a Teaching Magisterium

Posted by Cory Tucholski on April 27, 2009

On March 30, Patty Bonds, sister of Reformed apologist James White, wrote the following on her blog:

I remember sitting in Patrick Madrid’s van on a corner in Granville, Ohio. We stopped at the stop sign and Patrick says, “Here we are, a monument of the failure of Protestantism. Indeed, every corner of the intersection had a prestigious looking church on it. There was a Methodist Church, a Lutheran Church, a Presbyterian Church, and a Baptist Church; all preaching God’s Word straight from the Bible. (source)

Patty goes on to say that these churches can’t agree on the basic tenets of the Christian faith, which is a big misrepresentation of the truth. In reality, all of these churches teach that we are saved by grace through faith, plus nothing. This is a recurring theme in the New Testament and is supported by the Catholic teaching magisterium.

I didn’t have a comeback then, but I do have one now. Here is the monument to the failure of a teaching magisterium:

Archbishop Robert Zollitsch of Freiburg recently did an interview on German television, evidently for the edification of German viewers during Easter week.

Asked if Christ died as a “sacrifice” for the “sins of the people,”  the Archbishop answered,”no.” He then explained that Christ’s death was an act of “tremendous solidarity” with the poor and the suffering.

Asked again if Christ “died for our sins,” the Archbishop answered, “no.” Last year, the Archbishop said that priestly celibacy should be “voluntary” and that he did not oppose marriage for gays and lesbians. (source)

Now let that sink in.

For the benefit of my readers unfamiliar with the Catholic hierarchy, “archbishop” is as high as you can get without being the Pope. This is one of the top officials of the Catholic Church, and he denies one of the basic tenets of the Christian faith. The substitutionary atonement is agreed upon by all Protestants who truly practice sola scriptura. But not all Catholics.

Not only is Zollitsch an archbishop, but he is also the head of the German Conference of Catholic Bishops; which means that he is the teacher of, and the example to, the other bishops of Germany. Yet, in that short quotation, Zollitsch firmly opposes three basic Catholic teachings: substitutionary atonement, priestly celibacy, and the opposition to homosexual “marriage.”

One has to wonder how this man got that high in the Catholic hierarchy, and how many others like him lurk in the wings.

So, to Patty Bonds: Don’t throw stones at your neighbor’s house when your own is made of glass. Catholic thought is not as united as your apologist friends present.

Posted in Apologetics, Heresy, Roman Catholicism | 3 Comments »

Atheist Renounces Atheism

Posted by Cory Tucholski on April 19, 2009

British writer and avowed atheist A.N. Wilson, author of Jesus: A Life, has recently annouced that he is returning to his Christian faith.

This is exciting news, and what I hope is the herald of other similar conversions. I think that it would be very glorifying to God if he drew several avowed atheists to himself, especially public figures like Wilson.

Welcome back to the family of God, Mr. Wilson!

Posted in Atheism | Leave a Comment »

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