CrossExamined Blog
Tackling today’s toughest questions, these posts explore topics on God, morality, science, and culture.
Whether you’re a skeptic or believer, each article challenges your worldview and sharpens your thinking. Engaging, thought-provoking, and unapologetic, this is a place to dig deeper and follow the truth wherever it leads.
My Mother’s Faith, My Faith
Theology and Christian ApologeticsMy Mother’s Faith, My Faith Just after Christmas this past year my husband, Randy, and I traveled with our daughter, Sara, and her family to Louisiana to celebrate Christmas with my sister’s family, including her two daughters and families, and my mom. It’s a long drive to Springhill, Louisiana, from Charlotte, North Carolina, especially with […]
To Trust Christ as Savior
Theology and Christian ApologeticsRecognize God Created You with Purpose. *God is the Creator. God created everything, including you; therefore He knows what is best for you. Colossians 1:16, Psalm 139 *God is Holy. He cannot “wink” at sin. If He did not judge sin as evil, then He would not be a holy God. Isaiah 5:16 *God is […]
The Wisdom Chronicle
Wisdom ChronicleThe Wisdom Chronicle is designed to bring nuggets of wisdom from the dozens of books I read every year. I endeavor to share the best of what I have gleaned. The determination of relevance lies with you. Blessings, J. Whiddon 481. DOGMA “However unwillingly a person who has a strong opinion may admit the possibility […]
Atheists Steal Rights From God
Atheism, Culture CrossExamined, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Theology and Christian ApologeticsAtheist Richard Dawkins has declared, “The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is at the bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, and no good. Nothing but blind pitiless indifference… DNA neither knows nor cares. DNA just is, and we dance to its music.” But Dawkins doesn’t act like […]
The Wisdom Chronicle
Wisdom ChronicleThe Wisdom Chronicle is designed to bring nuggets of wisdom from the dozens of books I read every year. I endeavor to share the best of what I have gleaned. The determination of relevance lies with you. Blessings, J. Whiddon 471. REAGAN AND GOD In August 1984, Ronald Reagan said this at an ecumenical prayer […]
Is the Universe Fine-Tuned for Life and Is This Evidence for God?
2. Does God Exist?Sometimes people ask about fine-tuning and I created this overview to just provide links to all of my fine-tuning blogs on CrossExamined.org. I’ll update this as I add to this. I defend this fine-tuning claim which is actually widely accepted in the physics community: “In the set of possible physical laws, parameters and initial conditions, […]
The Truth about the Liberty Bell
CrossExaminedThe famous Liberty Bell of Philadelphia is known for the huge crack. However, it is the words that are found on it which tell the real story. Right in the middle of the bell the following words are found: “Proclaim LIBERTY throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof” (Leviticus 25:10). This particular scripture is […]
Does Scripture Prohibit Women from Doing Apologetics?
Theology and Christian ApologeticsOften the idea of doing apologetics evokes the image of men debating on a stage, or speaking to or teaching an audience. Because of a misunderstanding of what apologetics is, some Christians who believe scripture passages such as 1 Timothy 2:11-12 and 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 do not permit a woman to speak in the church […]
The Wisdom Chronicle
Wisdom ChronicleThe Wisdom Chronicle is designed to bring nuggets of wisdom from the dozens of books I read every year. I endeavor to share the best of what I have gleaned. The determination of relevance lies with you. Blessings, J. Whiddon 461. ROBERT E. LEE “While his soldiers placed great confidence in his ability as a […]
Five Reasons We Know God Wants Christian Women to Do Apologetics
Theology and Christian ApologeticsGod has commanded us as women not only to share that we believe in Jesus Christ but also the reasons why. Here are some evidences in scripture that God has called women to learn and share the evidential reasons for believing in Christianity, which is the ministry of apologetics. Think of the five R’s: 1. […]
The Wisdom Chronicle
Wisdom ChronicleThe Wisdom Chronicle is designed to bring nuggets of wisdom from the dozens of books I read every year. I endeavor to share the best of what I have gleaned. The determination of relevance lies with you. Blessings, J. Whiddon 451. CATEGORICAL IMPERITIVE “The categorical imperative says that when you are trying to decide on […]
The Wisdom Chronicle
Wisdom ChronicleThe Wisdom Chronicle is designed to bring nuggets of wisdom from the dozens of books I read every year. I endeavor to share the best of what I have gleaned. The determination of relevance lies with you. Blessings, J. Whiddon 441. LIGHT AFFLICTION “Paul’s poignant words to Timothy—“the time of my departure is at hand” […]
The Wisdom Chronicle
Wisdom ChronicleThe Wisdom Chronicle is designed to bring nuggets of wisdom from the dozens of books I read every year. I endeavor to share the best of what I have gleaned. The determination of relevance lies with you. Blessings, J. Whiddon 431. GOSPEL “Theodoret, a Syrian bishop in the fifth century, likened the gospel to a […]
Are you Skeptical of the Bible Because it Reports Miracles?
2. Does God Exist?, 3. Are Miracles Possible?, 4. Is the NT True?In a previous blog I defended the rationality of believing in the possibility of miracles if God exists –miracles are no less ridiculous than implications of some science-related theories that are more speculative than the God hypothesis. In this brief blog, I consider the claim that the Bible shouldn’t be believed because it reports miracles. […]
Palace Where Jesus Stood Trial Discovered by Archaeologists?
4. Is the NT True?, Debates, Israel, Theology and Christian ApologeticsPalace Discovered in Jerusalem Reveals the Reliability of the New Testament The palace of Herod Antipas (son of Herod I who succeeded him), may have been discovered in the old city of Jerusalem. This would have been the same palace where Jesus stood trial before Herod, over 2000 years ago! According to Shimon Gibson, an archaeologist from […]
The Wisdom Chronicle
Wisdom ChronicleThe Wisdom Chronicle is designed to bring nuggets of wisdom from the dozens of books I read every year. I endeavor to share the best of what I have gleaned. The determination of relevance lies with you. Blessings, J. Whiddon 421. GOD AND EVIL “There seems to be no good way to account for a […]
A Tale of Two Kings – Part 2 King Jesus
4. Is the NT True?, Israel, Theology and Christian ApologeticsThe Legacy of Herod & the Impact of Jesus in History Part 2 King Jesus In my previous article “A Take of Two Kings: Part 1 – King Herod,” I presented an overview of the life and legacy of Herod I, (also known as Herod the Great.) Herod was declared King of Judea by the […]
A Tale of Two Kings – Part 1 King Herod
4. Is the NT True?, Israel, Theology and Christian ApologeticsThe Legacy of Herod & the Impact of Jesus in History Part 1 King Herod Herod’s Authority & Lineage as Israel’s King When Jesus was born two-thousand years ago Israel was a nation occupied by Imperial Rome. Although Rome ultimately controlled the eastern Mediterranean at that time, Israel did have a king – and he […]
Merry Christmas from Newsweek!
4. Is the NT True?, Culture CrossExamined, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Theology and Christian ApologeticsAs has become common around Christian holidays, another media outlet has issued what I think can rightly be called an attack piece. Newsweek rolled out a cover story for this week’s edition that attacks the Bible and the warrant for trusting that we even know what it says as well as its content: http://www.newsweek.com/2015/01/02/thats-not-what-bible-says-294018.html I’m […]
Is it Stupid to Believe in Miracles?
3. Are Miracles Possible?, Atheism, Theology and Christian ApologeticsIn my previous blog I defended the notion that it’s not stupid to believe in the creation of the universe by God. It seems fitting in this Christmas season to also look at another claim derided by skeptics – the possibility of miracles. Here is how Richard Dawkins puts it: “The nineteenth century is the […]
The Wisdom Chronicle
Wisdom ChronicleThe Wisdom Chronicle is designed to bring nuggets of wisdom from the dozens of books I read every year. I endeavor to share the best of what I have gleaned. The determination of relevance lies with you. Blessings, J. Whiddon 411. GOLF “Golf,” says Alistair Cooke, “is an open exhibition of overweening ambition, courage deflated […]