just the hard questions…

  • Believe in what I believe!  And you too can be a jerk!

    Believe in what I believe! And you too can be a jerk!

    Proselytize. One definition is “to induce someone to convert to one’s faith.” It seems to be most often associated with religious conversion and especially conversion to a form of Christianity. In particular, Evangelical Christians are most often associated with an aggressive version of proselytization. By definition, I am an evangelical Christian. But, but based upon my tactics and…

  • Does artwork necessarily have a creator…an artist?

    Does artwork necessarily have a creator…an artist?

    Did nature just happen? Is this world around us a mere happenstance? Did everything just happen? By everything, I mean everything. Did everything just happen with no forethought or knowledge or planning? No design and no designer? Is everything that ever was, is, and will be (including you) a mere accident of the nearly infinite…

  • Evil Exists ==> No God?

    Evil Exists ==> No God?

    Atheists often refer to the problem of evil as proof of no god. The reasoning basically is this:  a good omni-everything (e.g., all powerful, present everywhere, all knowing) god would prevent evil from occurring; evil occurs therefore no god Atheists indicate that the behavior of a supposed god should be at least as good as…

  • Is homosexuality unnatural?

    Is homosexuality unnatural?

    This video is making the rounds recently. In the video, the politician remarks that he believes that homosexuality is a natural condition. Is homosexuality unnatural? No need to read any further. I will answer this question right away.  The answer is…I don’t know. Sorry to disappoint. You wanted an argument? Or least to see an…

  • The secret weapon is…

    The secret weapon is…

    The world is filled with different worldviews. Right?  Examples of various worldviews include naturalism (e.g., atheism); pantheism (hinduism, new age); theism (e.g., christianity, islam, judaism);  spiritualism and polytheism (so may other religions); and post-modernism (i.e., characterized by broad skepticism, subjectivism, or relativism). Each of them have competing truth claims. Don’t they?  For example, a naturalist…

  • If placed in an inhuman world, would you stay human?

    If placed in an inhuman world, would you stay human?

    Its a Disaster is a black comedy, which means funny stuff happens in an otherwise tragic situation. In short, the film is a study of what happens in a particular house hosting a couples’ brunch if the world ended during that brunch. It is clever and well written. Lots of great character development. It seems…

  • You are absurdly lucky to be you

    You are absurdly lucky to be you

    You are lucky that we get to exist on this planet…in this universe. According to our best scientific understanding of our universe, it is HIGHLY hostile to you…to your very existence. But yet, you exist. Why is that? Shear luck? I recently read a secular article in Slate titled “Four Reasons You Shouldn’t Exist.” The…

  • The atheist backstory

    The atheist backstory

    Every great villain has a great backstory. The backstory explains why the villain became a villain. This website lists the five top villain backstories, such as death of a loved one; survivor of a traumatic event; an experiment goes wrong; born into darkness; and the fallen hero. I have been pondering why atheists are atheists. Why…

  • What is Good?

    What is Good?

    What is good? I recently saw facebook post of a friend who stated that he believed in there is a great potential for good in people, but his faith (my word) in that potential was challenged by the “bad” behavior of so many people.  His defense against such people was to push himself harder to…

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