Last week I mentioned my 4-step response to the critic’s charge of “Christians behaving badly”: Acknowledge harm Don’t blame the hammer Reject impostors Remember the good See last week’s post for thoughts on 1 and 2 above. #3, Reject impostors, means that when people who are not true Christians cause harm in the name of Christianity, I take no responsibility. …
Is Christianity Trustworthy? Part 4a: Christians Behaving Badly
Christians often ask me, “What’s the most common question or objection to Christianity you hear on college campuses?” Fifteen years ago, I’d have mentioned the problem of suffering and evil, or the challenge of other religions. These days, it’s probably “Christians behaving badly,” with creation/evolution a close second. Christians behaving badly might include items such as The crusades, inquisitions, witch …
Is Christianity Trustworthy? Part 3: Scripture
By modern standards of precision, the New Testament (NT) is messy in places. For example, the geneologies of Jesus’ ancestry as recorded in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 are difficult to reconcile. The names of the apostles listed in the four Gospels don’t line up exactly. The accounts of the empty tomb differ in the details. I could go on. …
Is Christianity Trustworthy? Part 2: God Through a Two-Inch Slot
Let’s say Smith wants to make sure he receives all his packages from UPS. So he cuts a two-inch slot in the front door of his house and instructs the UPS driver to slip all deliveries through the opening. What do we think of Smith’s method? Obviously it’s too narrow. Smith may receive a few of his goods through the …