Month: June 2013

Randal Rauser Replies

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His post: Do naturalists have more to lose? If not, why are they crucifying Thomas Nagel?  In order to prevent this from becoming a back-and-forth mess, I’ve replied in the comments there. He’s a good guy, so I don’t mind sending him more traffic. If you’re interested, the discussion can continue there.

MOVING THE SEMANTIC GOALPOSTS – theological sleight-of-hand with words

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From my book Believing Bullshit. Moving the goalposts The expression “moving the goalposts” refers to a certain disreputable strategy in an argument. Suppose I claim Fred has never been to Brazil. It’s pointed out to me that Fred went to Brazil on his honeymoon. My claim has been shown to be false, but rather than … MOVING THE SEMANTIC GOALPOSTS – theological sleight-of-hand with words

Do Christians have more to lose?

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In a recent blog post, Randal Rauser wonders about the prospects that atheists (or anyone, really) are “simply after the truth”. He begins by noting that many Christians (such as the popular Christian apologist Lee Strobel), assume that atheists reject God in order to give license to their poor behavior. He’s not sold on this … Do Christians have more to lose?

Alonzo Fyfe’s Alternative Answer to “Where Do Atheists Get Their Morality?”

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Back in 2008 Alonzo Fyfe blogged about the question, “Where do atheists get their morality?” As an alternative to “the standard attempt to defend some moral theory,” he proposes the following answer. “A lot of theists want to know where atheists get their morality because theists are bigots looking for an excuse to hate their … Alonzo Fyfe’s Alternative Answer to “Where Do Atheists Get Their Morality?”

Parsons is Mean

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Someone named Randal Rauser thinks I am being mean to fundamentalists: http://randalrauser.com/2013/06/laughing-at-fundamentalists-lessons-from-john-loftus-and-keith-parsons/ I am. I ain’t a Christian. I don’t turn the other cheek or love my enemies or pray for those that say mean things about atheists. What justifies ridicule? The ridiculous deserves to be ridiculed. Well, we should spare the innocent ridiculousness of … Parsons is Mean

Did Jesus Exit? – Part 3

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If Jesus did not EXIST, then Jesus did not EXIT this life by dying on a cross in Jerusalem. If Jesus did not die on a cross in Jerusalem, then Jesus did not rise from the dead. So, this question of whether Jesus existed has a direct logical connection to the question of whether Jesus … Did Jesus Exit? – Part 3

Did Jesus Exit? – Part 2

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Author: Bart D. Ehrman Publisher: HarperCollins Copyright: 2012. Full Title: Did Jesus Exist? The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth Contents: Introduction (p.1-7) Part I: Evidence for the Historical Jesus (p.11-174) Chapters 1-5 Part II: The Mythicists’ Claims (p.177-264) Chapters 6 & 7 Part III: Who Was the Historical Jesus? (p.267-339) Chapters 8 & 9, … Did Jesus Exit? – Part 2

Preliminary Thoughts about Stephen Meyer’s Signature in the Cell, Part 2

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Re-reading Theism and Explanation by Gregory Dawes suggested another potential logical problem with Stephen Meyer’s argument in The Signature in the Cell.  Remember that Meyer explicitly provides the logical form of his argument. Premise One: Despite a thorough search, no material causes have been discovered that demonstrate the power to produce large amounts of specified information. Premise Two: … Preliminary Thoughts about Stephen Meyer’s <I>Signature in the Cell</I>, Part 2

Patheos is Great. The Ads Suck

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I have greatly enjoyed posting and commenting on Patheos. The look is great and the organization of posts and comments is first-rate. However, I am finding the ads increasingly intrusive. It always irritates me when I am trying to read a page and the ad is jumping around trying to get my attention. I’ve gotten … Patheos is Great. The Ads Suck