You can get to all of these by clicking here or just follow some of the links below.
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we're all happy and gay!
Well, we are happy anyway. But we are not happy about the current flood of homosexuality we are being drowned in. It is difficult nowadays to turn a channel or see a movie or read a story or peruse a news item that doesn't treat homosexuality like it is just another lifestyle or preference - like the desire for chocolate or a preference for green. Well, we don't care much for that and we know that very soon we will be asked what we think about homosexuality: whether it's wrong, if they have rights, if we should allow them to procreate. (Well... maybe not that last question.) What are we to answer to our neighbors!? How can we present the truth without sounding like we're neo-Nazis in the workplace? We think Greg Koukl of Stand To Reason has a good approach with Homosexuality: Giving Your Point of View. Go there and read his essay and then maybe - just maybe - we might become seed-planters to the Truth. |
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best friends for ever!
JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis were best of buddies, to be sure. But did you know that it is quite possible Lewis would not have written the Narnia Series and Space Trilogy and Tolkien may not have followed through with and published The Lord of the Rings if it were not for their deep influence on each other? Read part of it from this mini-interview in Christianity Today's Christian History Corner: J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, a Legendary Friendship. The interviewee is Colin Duriez who wrote the new book Tolkien and C. S. Lewis: The Gift of Friendship. |
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new book by old buddy
Darrick Dean, a colleague of mine at Reasons To Believe and master of his own site Science and Apologetics Research Forum has now published a book, something I only dream about, and then only in my dreams... sorta. It's called Is The Truth Out There?: A Journey Through Critical Thinking that Spans Man’s History, Origin and Place in the Universe and that's the short title! Here's a synopsis:
The word truth presupposes that there are unchanging facts and laws. Are there such things or are there valid, differing truths for each person or belief system?
Take a look at your newspaper, the television programs you watch or the books you read. How do you know what they say is true? What is real and what is fraudulent? Are those conclusions by authorities as concrete as they make them sound? Which arguments are hiding illogical or irrational ideas?
The public education system rarely teaches people how to think logically or reason through a problem. How many people do you know believe something to be true, yet cannot explain why they accept it as truth?
We all have a worldview which is our belief system that governs all aspects of our lives or is the “glasses” that we perceive the world through. How do these worldviews affect our perception of what is true? Which worldviews are rooted in fact?
Is The Truth Out There? will explore how to find truth by first establishing the tools of critical thought. Then subjects that range from history to science to religion will be put to the test.
Reason is only the beginning, not the end.
Interested? Go here.
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another anotherthink link, we think
We had the chance to trade someone from swordandspirit and get Charlie Lehardy of AnotherThink in the off-season trade and we didn't and I could kick myself silly. In his typical classy essay writing style his latest release is Matters of Perception. What if there is a spiritual world beyond the reach of our perceptions? Go there and see better and then read all the rest of his 20/20 essays. And pray he goes free agent next year. |
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not science!
Yes, science, and a lot of it. And what, may I ask, is wrong with that?! Harumph! We have three - no, four sir! - things you may be interested in here this month:
One is a paper called Radiometric Dating: A Christian Perspective by Dr. Roger Wien. Most of you know that radiometric dating is pooh-poohed by some hyperactive and vocal Christians who see it as an error-filled affront against the Faith. Irony of Ironies, those same people use those same dating techniques to prove the veracity of ancient NT and OT manuscripts. Hmm... Never the less, here is a fine paper, honestly written, by one who knows the ups and downs of dating... uhhh, the radiometric type, not like this.
Another link we have is to a transcript of respected theologian J. P. Moreland's answer to a question concerning the age of the earth, called, well... The Age of the Earth. Read his look at the whole controversy from one who is neither steeped in the sciences nor as subject to the science biases as, say, we are.
And here is a link to a whole slideshow presentation: Origin of Man and the Races (the Kings College seminar) by Richard Deem who, it seems, has been blessed with an entirely different space-time continuum than mere mortals have, seeing as he can do 48 hours of work in 24 hours.
And finally, interested in astronomy? I thought so. You can always read the online version of Mark's astronomy newspaper column, The Skies Above, from here. Now showing: You Think Things Are Bad Now? (Thanks Roberto!)
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in the shallow end
Last and certainly least we have a couple offerings in the shallow end of the swimmin' pool we call swordandspirit. First is a cavalcade of humor from The Door - things like The Prayer of Job, The Prayer of Jezebel, The Prayer of Jabez' Next Door neighbor, Shabez, Ten Ways the Amish Party Like it's 1699, Questions Various Denominations Never Ask, and so on. You get the idea. Have fun, and remember: It is satire. |
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remembering spirit west coast
The pix are in and ready for you to be amused by on our swc2003 page. We have the usual pix of Dan and me at the booth - sometimes being silly, mostly snoring. There is the usual Jesus Junk parade. And of, course, this year's winner of our annual Christendumb Award. And don't you rock fans forget our whole page of hi-res pix of Kutless, Superchic[k], and Sixpence None the Richer (by far the most professional band I've ever seen at one of these infested fest-things). |
Thanks for your kind words of support and encouragement. We don't expect to please everyone with what we say and how we do it. So prayer and encouragement are always welcome. Thanks very much from the two three of us! |
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