The Culture Chronicle

 

The following list of events is a representative sample lifted from recent headlines and compiled in this format to offer some perspective concerning the current trends in our culture.  Items included were selected at my sole discretion.  Jim Whiddon.

May 2014

Florida State University quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston was cited for allegedly taking seafood from a Tallahassee grocery store without paying. (CNN)

Researchers found that “divorce is contagious” as 75% of participants were more likely to get divorced if a friend was divorced. Researchers called the phenomenon a “social contagion” through the spread of information through friends, family and social networks. (CBS)

The Hook-Up truck – a conceptual “art” installation consisting of a box truck converted to a sex suite on wheels, including temperature controls, birth control, safe sex accouterments, and a camera option, was open for service the weekend of May 2nd and 3rd in San Francisco. (CBS)

The Pew Research Center found that 74% of Americans born after 1980 believe that homosexuality should be accepted by society.

The Supreme Court has ruled 5-4 that prayers that open town council meetings do not violate the Constitution even if they routinely stress Christianity. (AP)

Broward County Public School (FL) officials banned fifth grader from reading his bible during free reading time. (Breitbart)

When asked “Would you have sex before marriage?” sixty-three percent of single Christian respondents answered “yes” according to ChristianMingle.com, one of the Web’s biggest Christian dating networks.

The United Methodist Church has decided to provide benefits for partners of homosexual employees. (Huffington Post)

After conservative non-profit groups were required to provide donor lists to the IRS, a congressional investigation has found that nearly one in 10 donors were subject to audit. More than five times the normal average. (Wash Times)

A New Hampshire parent who complained about a pornographic book his 14-year-old daughter was required to read in class is arrested for violating an arbitrary “two-minute rule” in a school board meeting. Other parents provided no support in his defense as he was calmly led from the meeting and charged with disorderly conduct. (The Blaze)

Atheist TV will be launching this summer with big plans to reach out to atheists, humanists, freethinkers, and folks who are looking for a way out of faith. (Daily News)

The Benham brothers HDTV cable show “Flip It Forward” was cancelled after complaints were lodged with the network regarding their Christian faith and their stance against homosexuality among other biblical beliefs. [The decision seems to have been based largely on a September 2012 radio interview where David expressed his Christian worldview.] (Deadline)

Health officials say syphilis has reached its highest level since 1995 with the increase all in men including a steady rise in gay and bisexual men catching the disease. They account for most of the recent infectious cases. (AP)

Over 1.4 million cases of Chlamydia were reported to the Centers for Disease Control in 2012, the largest number of reported cases for any notifiable disease in the U.S. More than a third of the entire U.S. population were infected with a sexually transmitted disease as of 2008.  Nearly 20 million new cases of STDs are reports each year. (CNSNews.com)

Arkansas judge strikes down voter-approved 2004 state constitutional amendment banning homosexual marriage. (AP)

Michael Sam of the University of Missouri becomes the first openly homosexual player selected in the NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams. (ESPN)

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffet has has donated more than $1.2 billion to abortion organizations from 2001 to 2012. (Fox News)

People are sleeping two hours less than in 1960s and risking serious health problems today. (The Telegraph)

A judge in Idaho struck down a 2006 state constitutional amendment banning homosexual marriage. (FOX News)

Education authorities in Nantes, France, launched a ‘Lift the Skirt’ campaign to support gender equality. Male students and teachers were invited to wear skirts on Friday, sparking controversy in the western French city. (Zuma Press)

Gun retailers say the Obama administration is trying to put them out of business with regulations and investigations that bypass Congress and choke off their lines of credit, freeze their assets and prohibit online sales. (Wash Times)

Recent “Pastoral letter” given to patients from Planned Parenthood states, “The truth is abortion is not even mentioned in the scripture…” (Progressives Today)

Proverbs 8:1-11 KJV

“Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.”

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The Top 20 Christian Apologists

Frank Turek with the world’s most credentialed and likable apologist, Dr. John Lennox.

These are the Top 20 Christian Apologists from whom I’ve learned much.  They were the subject of today’s radio program.

Outside of Dr. Norman Geisler being in the top spot (since I studied under him for several years), the rest are not necessarily in order.  Do I agree with everything these people say?  No.  (I don’t even agree with everything I say!)  But I think you’ll find a wealth of wisdom and practical insights about the truth of Christianity from these men and organizations.  Many of these men have appeared on our radio program.  You can listen to them anytime by downloading our free app here.

  1. Norm Geisler:  normangeisler.com
  2. William Lane Craig:  Reasonable Faith.org
  3. J. Warner Wallace: ColdCaseChristianity.com
  4. John Lennox: John Lennox.org
  5. Greg Koukl: STR.org
  6. Paul Copan: PaulCopan.com
  7. Ed Feser: http://edwardfeser.blogspot.com/
  8. Lee Strobel:  Lee Strobel.com
  9. Josh McDowell:  Josh.org
  10. Discovery Institute  (Dembski, Meyer, Richards, Luskin, Wells): www.Discovery.org
  11. C.S. Lewis: CSLewis.org
  12. Gary Habermas:  GaryHabermas.com
  13. Timothy McGrew:  http://historicalapologetics.org/
  14. Dr. Michael Brown:  AskDrBRown.org
  15. Richard Howe: Richardghowe.com
  16. Tim Keller:  TimothyKeller.com
  17. J. Budziszewski:  Undergroundthomist.org
  18. Hank Hanegraaff:  Equip.org
  19. Hugh Ross: Reasons.org
  20. R. C. Sproul: Ligonier

Bonus (includes some cultural commentators):

R.C. Sproul

Wayne Grudem

J.P. Moreland

Mike Licona

Southern Evangelical Seminary 

Apologetics315

CARM

David Limbaugh

Scott Klusendorf

Women in Apologetics

Center For Biblical Unity

Mama Bear Apologetics

Ryan T. Anderson

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The Wisdom Chronicle

The Wisdom Chronicle is designed to bring nuggets of wisdom from the dozens of books I read every year in all genres. Each week, I endeavor to share the best of what I have gleaned. The determination of relevance lies with you. Blessings, Jim Whiddon

131. MEMORY “Scientists say that an average thought lasts no more than a minute before we lose it. What’s more, most of us find it impossible to learn more than one new concept every ten minutes.”

Excerpt From: Heinrichs, Jay. “Word Hero.”

132. WELFARE – BEN FRANKLIN “Benjamin Franklin, wrote: To relieve the misfortunes of our fellow creatures is concurring with the Deity; it is godlike; but, if we provide encouragement for laziness, and supports for folly, may we not be found fighting against the order of God and nature, which perhaps has appointed want and misery as the proper punishments for, and cautions against, as well as necessary consequences of, idleness and extravagance? Whenever we attempt to amend the scheme of Providence, and to interfere with the government of the world, we had need be very circumspect, lest we do more harm than good.”

Excerpt From: Ben Carson, M.D. “America the Beautiful.”

133.  POWER OF THE GOSPEL “We offer moralism as the remedy for behavioral problems. The gospel offers grace. What we call an addiction the cross calls slavery.”

Excerpt From: Byron Forrest Yawn. “What Every Man Wishes His Father Had Told Him.”

134.  BEWARE SUCCESS An old hillbilly went to the city one day and as he was walking down the street of the city he happened to see a department store with a leopard coat in the display window. The price of the leopard coat was $25,000. He said, “That ole cat was a whole happier before he was worth so much.” That is true of many of us. – Unknown

135. WISDOM VS FOLLY “Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, and cause it to give off a foul odor; so does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor” (Ecclesiastes 10:1). Suppose you purchased a small vial of expensive perfume, took it home, and put it in a safe spot. Sometime later, you opened the vial and discovered a dead horsefly floating on top. The insect, now partially decayed, had putrefied the precious perfume. This is the source of the well-known phrase, a fly in the ointment. It’s Solomon’s vivid way of illustrating how a tiny bit of foolishness can destroy the powerful fragrance of a person’s dignity and reputation.”

Excerpt From: Jeremiah, David. “Searching for Heaven on Earth.”

136. TEAMWORK  “The purpose of an organization is to enable common men to do uncommon things.”

Excerpt From: Peter F. Drucker. “The Daily Drucker.”

137. LIFE IS SHORT

“Life is just a minute—only sixty seconds in it.

Forced upon you—can’t refuse it.

Didn’t seek it—didn’t choose it.

But it’s up to you to use it.

You must suffer if you lose it.

Give an account if you abuse it.

Just a tiny, little minute,

But eternity is in it!”

–Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mayes

138. LOVE “In my mind only pride can keep a father from telling his son he loves him. Characterize it as simplicity or stoicism, but it’s still pride” “You’re supposed to tell the people you love that you love them. Expressing affection is part of our makeup as human beings. Some men may see it as weakness, but this way of thinking is attached to a wrong understanding of masculinity. Biblical masculinity includes passion.”

Excerpt From: Byron Forrest Yawn. “What Every Man Wishes His Father Had Told Him.”

139. CONTENTMENT is looking back without regret, looking at the present without envy and looking at the future without fear.

–Ron Blue

140. WHO IS GOD? “He is tri-personal, one God in three persons, one What in three Whos.” “God is distinct from His creation. He isn’t a part of it; it isn’t a part of Him. He didn’t “arise” from it; it didn’t “arise” from Him. He spoke, and where nothing was before, it was.”

Excerpt From: Budziszewski, J. “How to Stay Christian in College.”

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The Wisdom Chronicle

The Wisdom Chronicle is designed to bring nuggets of wisdom from the dozens of books I read every year in all genres. Each week, I endeavor to share the best of what I have gleaned. The determination of relevance lies with you. Blessings, Jim Whiddon

121. E.G.O. = Edging God Out — Don Truex

122. DILIGENCE “We have all of eternity to celebrate our victories but one short hour in which to win them.” –Theodore Williams

123. ARROGANCE “The apostle Peter says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” (1 Peter 3:15-16). Arrogance doesn’t come from having convictions about the truth; it comes from having the wrong convictions about how to treat people who don’t share it with you. Humility doesn’t come from not having any convictions; it comes from having the right convictions about the importance of gentleness and respect.”

Excerpt From: Budziszewski, J. “How to Stay Christian in College.”

124. CAPITALISM “It’s like giving someone access to a vault full of money with two different scenarios. In the first instance, they are told that they can have the vast majority of the money that they are able to carry out over the next ten hours. In the second instance, they are told to work on behalf of the overseer who will make sure that they are treated fairly. Which scenario do you think will generate the greatest intensity of work? That’s a no-brainer, of course. You should resist any attempts to establish the government as your overseer rather than your facilitator. It was no accident that this philosophy accelerated the rise of America. If we abandon it — even by accident because we are sleeping — our fall will be just as rapid as was our rise.”

Excerpt From: Ben Carson, M.D. “America the Beautiful.”

125. COURAGE “Cowardice asks the question, Is it safe? Expediency asks the question, Is it politic? Vanity asks the question, Is it popular? But conscience asks the question, Is it right?  —MARTIN LUTHER KING J R.”

126. GENEROSITY “In the Holy Land, someone explained the difference between the Dead Sea and the very much alive Sea of Galilee. The Dead Sea has no outlet. Both are fed by the same source but the Dead Sea can only receive an inward flow. The Dead Sea is prevented from flowing outward and the accumulation of salt has killed it. The Sea of Galilee is alive only because what flows in can also flow out. The metaphor of the Sea of Galilee demonstrates that giving is a necessary function of thriving and feeling alive. This message not only explains “why I am here” , but it begins to give a glimpse of a “vision” of how alive we feel when we give to others and let our wealth flow both in and out.”

Excerpt From: Simmons, Annette. “The Story Factor.”

127. CHOICES “You and I have two roads staring us in the face every morning when we get out of bed and take that first sip of coffee.”

Excerpt From: Farrar, Steve. “Real Valor.”

128. COLLEGE “A growing trend among Christian camps, churches, and parachurch ministries is to provide a gap year experience for students that forces them out of the routine of “schooling” and into a deeper relationship with God. These residential programs typically last nine months; focus on worldview, identity, and service; and include a cross-cultural experience. While not for everyone, many students who participate in gap year programs are far more prepared for the transition to college and adulthood.”

Excerpt From: Kinnaman, David. “You Lost Me.”

129. DISCIPLINING KIDS  “A little heartbreak now is better than a big heartbreak later.” — Tara Seidman

130. DISCIPLING “God uses crooked sticks to draw straight lines.” — Dr. Carl Wenger

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Avoiding the Siren Temptation Trap: A Lesson From Homer

The Sirens were mythical creatures spoken of in many ancient Greek stories, notably in the writings of the poet Homer (such as the Odyssey). The Sirens were beautiful creatures portrayed as seductively attractive women who lured and ensnared unsuspecting sailors with their enchanting music and hypnotizing voices. Sirens may have been beautiful, but they were also extremely dangerous. The clip above is excerpted from Pirates of the Caribbean 4, in which these mythical creatures are encountered.

In the Odyssey, when Odysseus leaves the home of the goddess Circe, Circe warns Odysseus about the Sirens, saying of them,

The_SirenNext, where the Sirens dwells, you plough the seas; Their song is death, and makes destruction please. Unblest the man, whom music wins to stay nigh the cursed shore and listen to the lay. No more that wretch shall view the joys of life His blooming offspring, or his beauteous wife! In verdant meads they sport; and wide around lie human bones that whiten all the ground: The ground polluted floats with human gore, And human carnage taints the dreadful shore. Fly swift the dangerous coast: let every ear be stopp’d against the song! ’tis death to hear! Firm to the mast with chains thyself be bound, Nor trust thy virtue to the enchanting sound. If, mad with transport, freedom thou demand, Be every fetter strain’d, and added band to band.

The Sirens were cannibals. They would lure unsuspecting mariners, oblivious to the danger they were in, to their island, to be shipwrecked on the rocky coast. What a metaphor for the temptation we face as Christians! And just like temptation, the Sirens would offer a promise of delight, with a false assurance that the victim would be able to leave when he pleased. Read more

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The Penalty For Apostasy According to Islam

Tariq Ramadan, an Islamic scholar and writer, wants us to believe that Islam does not demand a death penalty for apostasy. Although he concedes that the ahadith reports Muhammad to have said  “Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him,” (Sahih Al-Bukhari volume 9, book 84, no. 57) and other words to similar effect, Ramadan argues that such a penalty was to be applied only in cases of hostile or subversive attacks against the Muslim community, where perhaps an apostate would join the enemies of Islam, thereby committing treason. Ramadan concedes that his view that a Muslim is free to change his religion has been rejected by the vast majority of Muslim scholars throughout Islamic history.

Ramadan also issues a challenge to provide an example of Muhammad ordering a person’s death as a consequence of apostasy. Providing such an example is not difficult. Read more

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Introducing “Treesearch”: A Novel Apologetics Website

Imagine equipping everyone in the world with something like a pocket-apologist, an Artificial Intelligence available to present for you customized evidences supporting Christianity and to offer instant scholarly answers to complex questions. Well, it looks like a website is in development to do something like this. It is called “Treesearch” (beliefmap.org) and seems like it will be a pretty novel apologetics debate encyclopedia. The content branches out debate points and counter-points (green vs. red) in a way that simulates dialogue, which makes navigation surprisingly intuitive, fast, and even fun. I will also say this: you can tell that it is being designed with smart phone users in mind, which could be really effective for experienced and lay apologists in the field (e.g. here is a more developed section so you can see how it opens up). It seems full of potential, and I look forward to seeing how it will grow.

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The Wisdom Chronicle

The Wisdom Chronicle is designed to bring nuggets of wisdom from the dozens of books I read every year in all genres. Each week, I endeavor to share the best of what I have gleaned. The determination of relevance lies with you. Blessings, Jim Whiddon

111. BE ASSERTIVE “A successful young businessman loved to buy exotic gifts for his mother on Mother’s Day, but he was running out of ideas one year when he encountered some amazing birds with the ability to dance, sing, and talk. He was so happy that he purchased two of them and couldn’t wait to ship them off to his mother. On Mother’s Day, he called her excitedly and asked, “Mother, what did you think of those birds?”

“Mmm,” she answered, “they were good.”

“Mother, you didn’t eat those birds!” he said, unable to contain his shock.

“Those birds cost five thousand dollars apiece. They could dance, they could sing, and they could talk!”

“Well,” she calmly replied, “then they should’ve said something.”

“This funny story points out how important it is for us to speak up when confronted with danger. If we see our freedoms eroding around us and are afraid to stand up for what we value, we too will ultimately end up in the stew like those birds. Most Germans did not agree with Hitler’s insane agenda, but their collective silence permitted an unimaginable human tragedy that stained world history known as the Holocaust. How might their nation’s history and our world’s history have played out differently if those who saw what was happening had taken a stand for what they believed? When rights and freedoms are not exercised, they become meaningless.”

Excerpt From: Ben Carson, M.D. “America the Beautiful.”

112. BOYS “For a number of years, I saved a single-frame cartoon drawing that showed a freckle-faced, scruffy, blond-haired boy (maybe five years old), who was barefoot, shirtless, and in cut-off jeans, walking down a dusty trail on a hot summer afternoon. That image alone captured for me what my boyhood was like. Innocent, for the most part. Easy going. A little guy kicking around in the backwoods of the Ozarks, never too far from home or from a fishing hole. But what still brings a smile to my face is that the boy in the cartoon was carrying a pair of skinny old cats, whose tails he had tied together in a crude knot. The caption at the bottom of the cartoon read “And he was bound to acquire experience rapidly.” Boyhood is meant to be like that. A discovery around every corner, abundant adventure, and rapid growth—embedded life lessons disguised as sharp-clawed cats! All men start there. Some men never leave.”

Excerpt From: Rainey, Dennis. “Stepping Up.”

113. DIFFERENCES “If two people believe the same thing about everything, one of them isn’t necessary.”

Excerpt From: Ben Carson, M.D. “America the Beautiful.”

114. CHOICES “Ron Wayne tries to get by each month by stretching his Social Security check and playing video poker at a casino in Nevada. He’s seventy-six years old, and like a lot of people these days, he’s feeling the pinch financially. It’s somewhat ironic, however, that he of all people would feel anything approaching a pinch. After all, he is one of the founders of Apple.

When Apple was formed on April 1, 1976, Wayne signed the legal papers along with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Jobs and Wozniak each held 45 percent of the stock, and Ron Wayne had the other ten. Eleven days later he sold his shares for $800. On an impulse, he decided to get out of the infant corporation. Personal computers? Well, they probably wouldn’t catch on, anyway. So Roy Wayne took the $800 sure money and got out. But if he had held on … his stock today would be worth $22 billion.”

Excerpt From: Farrar, Steve. “Real Valor.”

115. CHRISTIAN FRIENDS “Someone once wrote that our best friends are those who make us most afraid to sin. The standard of their life and conduct make us want to elevate ours. In this way, our best friends are the severest enemies of our complacency.”

Excerpt From: Byron Forrest Yawn. “What Every Man Wishes His Father Had Told Him.”

116. CHRISTIANS IN POLITICS? It takes only three points to explain:

Point one: Politics deals with basic issues of right and wrong.

Point two: As even a glance at the Bible will show, God has plenty to say about right and wrong.

Point three: When people don’t like what God says about right and wrong (or what they think He says about right and wrong), they tend to make a god of their own ideas. Their ideologies become substitute religions. Then they’ve got a problem because God will have no other gods before Him.”

Excerpt From: Budziszewski, J. “How to Stay Christian in College.”

117. COMMITMENT In the days of naval warfare, when there was no backing out of an eminent battle, captains would charge the crew to “nail the colors to the mast” as opposed to simply hoisting the flag. The actual nailing of their banner to the mast indicated  a do or die mentality. This is the same dedication we must have with our marriages.”

–Michael Stanley

118. COURAGE  is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die.”

— G. K. CHESTERTON

119. DECEIT “A man may have the tongue of an angel, and the heart of a devil.”

—John Flavel

120. DEFINING MOMENTS “Some men sailed with the wind until that decisive moment in history when events propelled them into the center of the storm.”

— From: Kennedy, John F. “Profiles in Courage”

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Conflating Questions

Conflating Questions

There has been a lot of debate against my recent articles that stems from a common mistake made by atheists. This article is a little more in depth, but if you can get this you will really have something good to chat about with your atheist friends.

Many of you who are Christians may struggle with the arguments made by atheists against our beliefs. You’ve heard it before that believing in God is the same as believing in Unicorns, Fairies, Santa Claus and the like. An opponent challenged me to prove that God wasn’t just another one of these superstitious characters.

Atheists will use these superstitious characters in one of two ways usually: 1) They will show the absurdity of believing in imaginary creatures and use that as an analogy for believing in God, or 2) They will ask you if you believe in Unicorns, Fairies, and Santa Claus and when you say, “no” they will try and turn the tables on you and say, “see, now you show me your evidence for not believing in those things.”

Another very popular argument was born in Stephen F. Robert’s statement made to Theists in 1995 (later popularized by Richard Dawkins) that, “I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.”

This is a common misunderstanding and conflation of 1st and 2nd order questions. Listen up. This will help you.

A first order question for our purposes explores the “what” of God. In other words, what is the general idea of a being that is God? An answer from Alvin Plantinga explains that this idea of God is something “having an unsurpassable degree of greatness—that is, having a degree of greatness such that it’s not possible that there exist a being having more.”

It is impossible to have two beings (or more) that possess an infinite degree of greatness. It is a metaphysical impossibility.  A universe with two or more omnipotent, or supreme, or infinite beings is absolutely impossible.

Now, a second-order question explores types or the “who” of God. The answer can be many possible conceptions of God.

A Theist rejects all other conceptions of God without being an “atheist” about Thor, Odin, etc. because what makes a person a Theist is not the “who” or type of God but the “what” or nature of God. Rejecting the Thor and Odin “who” type conceptions of god goes hand in hand with the positive acceptance of the Theist “what” type of God. I’m not just disbelieving in the others. I’m believing in One that eliminates the others altogether. It’s like killing a thousand birds with one stone.

So when you ask me to show that God is not a superstition or ask me to prove that Thor isn’t God, you are conflating the “what” is God and the “who” is God questions. The Christian God is outside of time, without matter, and is not confined by the material universe. Unicorns, fairies, Santa Claus, Thor, Odin, Wotan, Zeus, Ashara… are technically still possible in a logical sense, but since they are within time, composed of matter and confined by the universe, they are inferior.

Finally, most people who reject God are rejecting a figure that I would reject also. The “what” of God is often times assumed, as if we Christians believe in a Family Guy type god who sits on a cloud, wears a white toga, and smites people. If we can get on the same page about what God is, a lot of these common questions will answer themselves or just not be applicable.

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Can Atheism also be “Apathetic-ism?”

There has been a strong reaction to my last post on atheism. Those opposed to my article say that I’m shifting burden and that I’m “silly.” They contend that atheists only reject the Theist God. They say that’s the definition of atheism. Really? The last time I checked, Scientologists, Hindus, Buddhists, and my German Shepherd all reject the Theist God too. According to the atheists, these must be atheists too. Why does this not make sense? (My dog is offended by the way).

LET’S BEGIN

Can Atheism also be “Apathetic-ism?” Can someone call themselves an atheist and also say that they are NOT making any claims about God? That they “just don’t buy what Christians are selling?”

I agree that people who are truly in the “apathetic” category don’t owe me or anybody anything. They are the ones who aren’t buying anything anybody is selling because they don’t care. They aren’t making propositions about the universe, God, gods, religion, etc., and they aren’t attaching any labels to themselves either (like atheist).

An atheist, however, is not apathetic. By definition an atheist is categorized by his belief and affirmation that “there is no God.” That isn’t an apathetic statement. It’s a very opinionated one.

Little_Fairy_And_The_Unicorn_by_thefantasim

Pick up your categorical logic book and look at the rules for obverting (A) & (E) propositions. “Atheism is true” is the same as “Theism is untrue.” Not apathetic.

Let’s use a favorite character of atheists for an analogy: Unicorns.

Let’s say that I call myself an “A-unicornist.” I reject the idea that unicorns exist.

If someone wants to argue that unicorns exist, I would ask him to provide evidence. I do not believe that there is any historical, scientific, philosophical, or moral evidence for them. Not only that, I believe that there is good evidence from science to prove that unicorns can’t exist. If there is some evidence for unicorns, my opponent should provide it. I would have to look at it and make a decision about whether or not the evidence was convincing. If I don’t find it conniving. What I mean is that what I know about unicorns still seems to be stronger than my opponent’s reasons for unicorns. I’m reject their claim, but…. I am still be giving reasons for why I don’t believe in UNICORNS.

How can I take my self seriously as an “A-unicornist” and not have a single reason for why I call myself that. Saying that I merely reject the claims of “Unicornists” may make me apathetic to the issue, but it doesn’t suffice as a reason to be called an A-unicornist. A real A-Unicornist is not apathetic on the issue of unicorns. Nobody is fooled. Everyone knows that I am asserting my belief in the non-existence of the horned horse. Any attempt to dodge that claim is dishonest and illogical.

Any questions?

 

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