A Series of Links

Letting Catholic priests into Australia was a mistake | The Monthly

2016-11-24T21:38:00.001+11:00

Ouch: Letting Catholic priests into Australia was a mistake | The Monthly:

"Catholic priests are about 250 times worse than Lebanese Muslims."

The Marriage Plebiscite—Questioning the Question - The Gospel Coalition Australia

2016-09-16T09:44:00.001+10:00

Good point: The Marriage Plebiscite—Questioning the Question - The Gospel Coalition Australia:

"Same-sex marriage is not like marijuana—which exists but is not legalised. For recreational marijuana use to be legalised, the government would not have to change anything about the way the law defines marijuana. Marriage is quite different. The current definition of marriage under Australian law, is “the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.” In the eyes of the law, this is what marriage is. Consequently, “same sex marriage” is not illegal—it is legally non-existent. This is why when a gay couple comes to Australia with a marriage certificate from another country, they are not arrested or fined. Australia simply does not recognise their “marriage” as valid. Our Marriage Act states that marriage is between a man and a woman, and so by definition, in Australia, they aren’t actually married."

Debunking Silly Statements About the Bible

2016-02-11T16:13:00.001+11:00

Lots of good points in this: Debunking Silly Statements About the Bible:

"keep in mind that “400,000 variants” here doesn’t mean 400,000 unique readings. What it means is that if one manuscript says, “I am innocent of this man’s blood” and ten others say, “I am innocent of this righteous blood,” then you get to count all eleven as “variants.” Factor that in, and that scary 400,000 number becomes nearly meaningless."

Fact-Checking Sam Harris: Islam and the Virgin Birth of Jesus

2016-01-14T12:27:00.001+11:00

Why aren't the self proclaimed skeptical community skeptical of their sources of information: Fact-Checking Sam Harris: Islam and the Virgin Birth of Jesus - YouTube:

Do Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence?

2016-01-13T12:34:00.001+11:00

Some good points in here: Do Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary Evidence? - Stand to Reason Blog:

"First, the answer is “No!” Extraordinary claims do not require extraordinary evidence. Claims—extraordinary or otherwise—only require evidence. "

Reading Between the Lines 12 - Leaving and Cleaving

2016-01-12T15:13:00.001+11:00

Its not the woman that leaves and cleaves, it the man: Reading Between the Lines 12 - Leaving and Cleaving - YouTube

An Appearance of Atheism

2016-01-11T13:01:00.001+11:00

Some good points in this: An Appearance of Atheism | Blog & Mablog:

"But then there is the dogmatic agnostic. “I don’t know, you don’t know, and nobody can know.” But notice that this is not really a profession of ignorance. It necessarily contains within it a dogmatic claim about the nature of God. We don’t know if He exists or not, but if He does, He is the kind of being who cannot be known by us. But how did we learn that important truth about Him? When did we learn it? What branch of theology is this? What sacred book reveals this to us? When did we find out that this was among the attributes of God?"

Jesse Duplantis, Kenneth Copeland: God Gave Us Jets So We Could Have Private Prayer Time

2016-01-05T13:15:00.001+11:00

So this is a problem: Jesse Duplantis, Kenneth Copeland: God Gave Us Jets So We Could Have Private Prayer Time. | Pulpit & Pen:

"Believers Voice of Victory, hosted by Kenneth Copeland and Jesse Duplantis, the two charlatans start out the show by defending their use and ownership of private jets by saying that it gives them time to pray privately with God"

Free Downloads on christianaudio

2016-01-05T08:54:00.001+11:00

A few years ago they gave out the ESV, this month it is the CEB: Free Downloads on christianaudio - Try us free. Best selection of Christian audiobook downloads. iPhone app.

Following Rob Bell

2015-12-15T21:43:00.001+11:00

Christians are the true rebels: Following Rob Bell - Reformation21 Blog:

"These days, the real adventurers are those who set sail for the risky land of Christian orthodoxy. The real brave men and women are those who consistently go to church, observe the sacraments, hear the word, and submit themselves to the discipline of the church. In an age of autonomy, it's those who subject their thoughts, behaviors, and passions to an exclusive Sovereign that are the brave few. Those may not be the memoirs we're interested in today, but they'll be the ones that last tomorrow. "

On Paris and living with fear

2015-11-27T21:25:00.001+11:00

Well said: On Paris and living with fear - The Gospel Coalition Australia:

"So read the news reports, grieve with the victims, cry, call for justice, and get angry with those criminals who thought it was their right to take 129 lives. And pray. Pray for the victims’ families; pray for the dismantling of Islamic State; pray for France as the nation grieves. And then, when you've sunk to the depths of your grief in light of these attacks, thank God for the life he's given you, then go and live it."

Six Questions to Ask When Studying the Bible in a Group

2015-11-25T16:42:00.001+11:00

A modification of a method I use for Bible Study groups (I only ask 4 not 6 questions): Six Questions to Ask When Studying the Bible in a Group | Desiring God:

"If you want to read the Bible with your small group, or have tried in the past and it’s fallen flat, you might try the Swedish method. "

Please don't be intolerant

2015-11-20T13:51:00.001+11:00

Some good points in here, Please don't be intolerant - Adam4d.com:

"Disagreement is not intolerance"

Richard Glover: Sticking up for the believers

2015-11-14T16:55:00.001+11:00

Not a bad read: Richard Glover: Sticking up for the believers:

"And why the rise of militant atheism at exactly the time the church has never been less powerful?"

Christianity, the World's Most Falsifiable Religion

2015-11-05T09:11:00.001+11:00

Christianity, the World's Most Falsifiable ReligionParchment and Pen Blog:

"“Even atheists,” Habermas said, “have nothing but ‘negative apologetics’.” In other words, Christianity has a significant amount of historically verifiable data which forms the bedrock of the faith. This is “positive apologetics.” An atheist conference, for example, does nothing but belittle the claims of other religions (primarily Christianity). “There is no positive defense that one can give for naturalism,” Habermas concluded. Therefore, the only thing available to the atheist is an attempt to overturn the massive amount of evidence that Christianity has."

7 great study bibles

2015-11-02T12:37:00.001+11:00

I good overview of the good study bibles out there: 7-great-study-bibles-hd.png (1600×6551):

Scientists Should Tell Lawrence Krauss to Shut Up Already

2015-09-30T20:33:00.001+10:00

I miss Hitchens, I think he was the best of them. Krauss, not so much: Scientists Should Tell Lawrence Krauss to Shut Up Already | Public Discourse:

"Krauss’s argument is as inept as that of someone who thinks that checkers game boards have no cause, because we can find no reference to such a cause in the rules of checkers. Such a person is looking in the wrong place, just as Krauss is looking in the wrong place when he confines himself to science to find some reason to affirm a divine uncaused cause."

In Which I Toss Another Cinder Block Into the Goldfish Bowl

2015-09-30T09:42:00.001+10:00

Doug Wilson got under fire for saying that Christian women are prettier: In Which I Toss Another Cinder Block Into the Goldfish Bowl | Blog & Mablog:

"As I mount the gallows and look out over the crowd gathered for the festivities, the chaplain accompanying the hangman asks me if I ever thought it would end this way. Well, kinda, I did, but to be honest, I hadn’t anticipated that it would be for believing that Christian women were prettier."

Microaggressions and the Rise of Victimhood Culture

2015-09-22T09:31:00.001+10:00

Quite an interesting observation: Microaggressions and the Rise of Victimhood Culture - The Atlantic:

"Victimhood cultures emerge in settings, like today’s college campuses, “that increasingly lack the intimacy and cultural homogeneity that once characterized towns and suburbs, but in which organized authority and public opinion remain as powerful sanctions,” they argue. “Under such conditions complaint to third parties has supplanted both toleration and negotiation. People increasingly demand help from others, and advertise their oppression as evidence that they deserve respect and assistance. Thus we might call this moral culture a culture of victimhood ... the moral status of the victim, at its nadir in honor cultures, has risen to new heights.”

Raising a Child in the Lord: The Art of “Conferencing”

2015-09-16T09:37:00.001+10:00

Not bad questions for any age: Raising a Child in the Lord: The Art of “Conferencing” - The Gospel Coalition:

" two fundamental questions:

Was the pastor right on Sunday?
What did your heart do when you heard that sermon?"

“Shut Up, Bigot!”: The Intolerance of Tolerance

2015-09-13T20:28:00.001+10:00

This is worth remembering: “Shut Up, Bigot!”: The Intolerance of Tolerance | Public Discourse:

"A little reflection on this definition will reveal that the vast majority of bigotry accusations populating the internet and in public discourse are not legitimate ones. On the contrary, they are the consequence of a mistaken view of tolerance that is itself a product of a warped postmodern epistemology."

dangerous idea: 10 Questions for Materialist Atheists

2015-09-11T13:13:00.001+10:00

I like the questions: dangerous idea: 10 Questions for Materialist Atheists

Operation rescue: the Christians of the Middle East face extinction

2015-09-08T16:40:00.001+10:00

Interesting take: Operation rescue: the Christians of the Middle East face extinction:

"The Abbott government could treble the 6000 refugee number in each of the next four years – 72,000 refugees – and make a real difference, without incurring the wrath of the electorate. But only if it had the courage to give priority to Christians.

That's the political reality. That's the only way to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number in this crisis."

How could God command the acts of violence in the OT?

2015-09-08T09:12:00.001+10:00

A good overview of dealing with this question: How could God command the acts of violence in the OT?:

The Word 1-2-1

2015-09-07T11:31:00.001+10:00

These PDF's look quite good (they should make an android app): Buy/Download - The Word 1-2-1:

"The Word One to One has been used by many people around the world. To assist the worldwide church we are making the resource available for free! You can download the resource in full colour, to use on a tablet or laptop. You can also print them out (we suggest doing this in black and white)."