tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494Sat, 06 Feb 2010 09:19:05 +0000TIMOR DEI INITIUM SAPIENTE's blog. Theological discussions in plain English.http://blog.timordei.org/designimator@gmail.com (Robin)Blogger169125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-5530693512576656458Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:00:00 +00002009-11-09T20:20:08.567-08:00lifereviewOh goodness, it has been such a long time since we have posted! I'm so sorry to everyone, especially if anyone was looking forward to the interviews under the Science! posts. Hopefully we will get to them one day. As this is a volunteer mission site, posting time must fall under that which is labeled "freetime" - something we haven't had much of lately. I am still weeding through one of the http://blog.timordei.org/2009/11/long-time-no-see.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-7175913716603186675Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:57:00 +00002009-09-28T21:27:57.145-07:00reasonsciencefaithI’m currently reading “The Challenge of Jesus” by N T Wright, and he makes an interesting statement on p21. He says, “The Enlightenment notoriously insisted on splitting apart history and faith, facts and values, religion and politics, nature and supernature, in a way whose consequences are written into the history of the last two hundred years – one of the consequences being, indeed, that each http://blog.timordei.org/2009/09/science-faith-and-reason.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David England)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-4684914593502662736Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:49:00 +00002009-09-21T18:08:00.985-07:00proofsciencefaithFirst, please excuse the amount of time between posts. It’s been busy around here and I consider that extra cause for thanks.Dave’s last post brings us very nicely into a most important point in our series. Some roads in our apologetic walk should not be trod upon. You will quickly find yourself in a mire. The same can be said for scientific claims. As J.P. Moreland points out in the Saddleback http://blog.timordei.org/2009/09/science-what-can-we-really-say.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-5466929300733691743Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:32:00 +00002009-09-20T21:53:07.999-07:00apologeticsKalamI was listening to Bill Craig’s address at the Saddleback Apologetics Conference held at Saddleback Church in California yesterday (the whole conference is available here) and he was talking about the Kalam Cosmological Argument. This would have to be one of the first, maybe actually the first, philosophical arguments for God’s existence that I heard some years ago, and it is very simple to http://blog.timordei.org/2009/09/kalam-cosmological-argument.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David England)12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-6358522585433269414Sat, 12 Sep 2009 21:20:00 +00002009-09-13T17:49:21.286-07:00evolutionThere’s a problem with evolution: it seems impossible, improbable, inexplicable. When one looks at the incredible complexity and diversity of life on this planet (and we can’t look elsewhere – as far as we know we are alone amongst the stars) it seems to be a stretch too far to believe that we all started as single celled organisms that, over the last 3 billion years (give or take a million) http://blog.timordei.org/2009/09/dawkins-mountain-and-explosion_12.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (David England)23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-3745323200313706485Wed, 19 Aug 2009 01:39:00 +00002009-08-19T18:18:28.605-07:00goodEvilKingdomGrace Luke 20:18 describes what I call the 'Rock of Grace' "Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."A recent discussion on the Grace of God reminded me of this passage in Luke. And since perhaps humans tend to the extremes and fearing a lean too far towards a libertine philosophy that seemed to rear its head, wise shepherd Ken Sweers on http://blog.timordei.org/2009/08/merciless-mercy.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-5349755172706776321Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:14:00 +00002009-08-11T00:54:46.025-07:00sexhomosexualityLovemarriageTime to expand upon the fourth point I mentioned in my first post on this topic: the propaganda put about by the people behind the gay rights movement in the late 80s and 90s. The people behind this campaign saw that the best way to halt the growing public aversion to homosexual behaviour (that resulted from the rising prevalence of AIDS) was to convince us it’s normal, and that it’s not their http://blog.timordei.org/2009/08/homosexuality-nature-or-nurture-part-2.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DaveE)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-1749803787569467451Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:56:00 +00002009-08-11T00:53:42.312-07:00homosexualityscienceChristianityIn keeping with our theme of going Science Mad, and as a follow up to James’ post on homosexuality, I thought it might be good to examine this idea that homosexuality is a product of nature, a genetically determined behaviour, rather than a choice. But first – why are we doing this? Why the posts on homosexuality? It’s not because we hate gays, nor is it because we fear them. We believe that http://blog.timordei.org/2009/08/homosexuality-nature-or-nature-part-1.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DaveE)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-7867256883819213518Thu, 06 Aug 2009 05:49:00 +00002009-08-06T00:13:06.803-07:00scienceChristianitylogicMad Science and Flawed LogicAn astrophysics student studying for his PhD went to his advisor concerning his doctoral thesis. “Ma’am, I have two theories I’d like to explore but I’d like your advice on which to choose.”“Enough research will tend to support your theory,” the Professor said.“But I haven’t told you what they are yet…”It’s an old gag, sorry for not showing any originality there. And http://blog.timordei.org/2009/08/science-part-1.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-4942660093839524775Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:12:00 +00002009-08-11T00:56:12.868-07:00homosexualityChristianity"The fact that we are even in the same genus makes me ashamed to call myself "homo"" Prof. Farnsworth - FuturamaI hope no one took offense to that; I figured we needed a good joke to lighten everyone up as this will likely prove very unpopular. Popularity, though, does not decide truth, nor do I. Therefore my own views, whatever they may be, must be put away, and God’s Word come first. It has http://blog.timordei.org/2009/08/homosexuality.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-5783929745853951483Mon, 27 Jul 2009 03:00:00 +00002009-07-26T23:00:25.375-07:00suffering GodChrist the LordunbeliefAfter rolling around in my head for sometime and coming out in prayers, it occurred to me that the thought of the only One True God, Creator of the Universe, humbling Himself before us, becoming one of us, is certainly one of the hardest points for anyone, esp. unbelievers, to accept. That He would, if He exists, concern Himself with us at all (and even David asked this) is almost beyond http://blog.timordei.org/2009/07/point-unbelievers-cannot-grasp.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-4750582367852720095Mon, 27 Jul 2009 02:02:00 +00002009-07-27T00:15:25.853-07:00Kingdom ComeWill of GodHoly TrinityAs Grace has posted a quote from Baxter Kruger:"As the light of Jesus shines into our darkness, we will not be yearning to escape the ordinary, we will be stunned and full of wonder at the ordinary presence of the blessed Trinity in our humanity. Heaven is not a bodiless state in an invisible place. Heaven is the life of the Father, Son and Spirit coming to full and abiding expression in our http://blog.timordei.org/2009/07/kingdom-come.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-3280437813549368548Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:48:00 +00002009-07-20T21:53:13.561-07:00Frank ViolaJesus ChristChurchWhile both Dave and I love to promote other Christian endeavors, we love to promote Christ above all.So while we have both agreed that Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola's A Jesus Manifesto that is wandering around the net isn't the first thing we would put our names on, not at least without clearing some stuff up anyway, I do want to link to Mark Van Steenwyk's kindly review of it. I think both the http://blog.timordei.org/2009/07/jesus-manifesto.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-8716590075592546291Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:43:00 +00002009-07-16T21:00:25.642-07:00owningCreditCovetCicero once noted, "nothing so cements and holds together all the parts of a society as faith or credit, which can never be kept up unless men are under some force or necessity of honestly paying what they owe to one another."'Can never be kept up' indeed. We have seen that first hand. Borrowing money is like swimming with a brick in each hand as Heilein once put it.* But it isn't always the http://blog.timordei.org/2009/07/credit-due-unto-others.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-5283729287480203216Sun, 12 Jul 2009 13:52:00 +00002009-07-13T07:44:11.072-07:00Warfare and ConflictArt of WarSpiritual warfareImage via WikipediaAt one Army base, the annual trip to the rifle range had been canceled for the second year in a row, but the semi-annual physical fitness test was still on as planned. One soldier mused, "Does it bother anyone else that the Army doesn't seem to care how well we can shoot, but they are extremely interested in how fast we can run?"We were talking about "putting on the full armor http://blog.timordei.org/2009/07/armor-of-god-and-art-of-war.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-1320824717133437158Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:22:00 +00002009-07-12T20:24:46.049-07:00apologeticsCarl SaganImage via WikipediaThis is the title of Richard Lewontin’s review of Carl Sagan’s book “The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark”, published in the NY Times in 1997. You can find the whole review here, and I recommend reading it as he says some very interesting things. One comment on the Trinity near the end I especially liked. But what I have reproduced below is one of his http://blog.timordei.org/2009/07/billions-and-billions-of-demons.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DaveE)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-1777018493220374139Tue, 07 Jul 2009 02:14:00 +00002009-07-06T19:37:38.853-07:00ParentingRole modelGodFatherWhat is it to be a father? I know nothing of being a mother, of course, but fatherhood, aside from reading Bill Cosby's excellent advice, what direction do we follow? What is a good role model? Are we to be friends or authoritarians and where lies the acceptable mix of those?Speaking to several friends the other day, talking about Father's Day, we all had differing backgrounds that lead to very http://blog.timordei.org/2009/07/our-father.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-4165384468163458153Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:40:00 +00002009-07-02T20:50:39.792-07:00Christianitylaughter is the best medicineHumor"Christian Oneliners." EnjoyDon't let your worries get the best of you;Remember, Moses started out as a basket case.--------------------Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited;Until you try to sit in their pews.--------------------Many folks want to serve God…But only as advisers.--------------------It is easier to preach ten sermonsThan it is to live one.--------------------The good http://blog.timordei.org/2009/07/good-for-laugh.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-8378602540481519535Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:11:00 +00002009-07-01T19:58:41.635-07:00Christian lifeShane ClaiborneTransformers"Autobots, TRANSFORM!"Okay, enough of that. Wait, just one more; "ROLL OUT!"Man, sometime I wonder what it would be like to do an animated movie about Jesus with Peter Cullen doing the voice of Christ... how unbelievably cool would that be? (Well, maybe its just me ... but I bet a month's pay Dave agrees)Anywho, as I'm watching the movie the other night (the new one, ick. Don't take your kids is http://blog.timordei.org/2009/07/transform.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-1775379689997169241Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:58:00 +00002009-06-28T22:34:14.013-07:00Coca-ColaBottled waterEnvironmentally friendlyThe Coca-Cola company has a new product out in Japan called ILOHAS. It's being marketed all over the country by the biggest names on TV as the bottle of water for those of us mindful of the environment. Eco-Water. Is the water different? No. But the bottle is.Everyone is very worried about the affects of our rampant consumerism on the environment, so much so that companies compete for the most http://blog.timordei.org/2009/06/all-this-for-bottle-of-water.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-162541783863723483Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:35:00 +00002009-06-28T22:23:39.340-07:00church growthapologeticswitnessingI was listening to a podcast of last week’s Stand to Reason, which I highly recommend, and Greg was relaying some advice he gave to someone who asked him how to get into the apologetics business as a career. He offered three basic ways in: start your own organisation, join an existing organisation, or become an academic. But, he said, always remember that you don’t have to wait until you are http://blog.timordei.org/2009/06/bloom-where-youre-planted.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DaveE)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-6854970358543526447Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:59:00 +00002009-06-18T18:02:09.950-07:00salvationEvilGodImage by Sacred Destinations via FlickrA man noted the other day to a friend, that if we (Christians) experience hardship, it must be by the will of God. Our friend was very disturbed and retorted that it is never God's will that evil be upon us; evil results from the Fall, not God.I know what she means, and she is 100% right, but I think the fella may have a point. I'm not saying that God http://blog.timordei.org/2009/06/jubilee.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-8607785344331151440Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:13:00 +00002009-06-12T05:37:18.086-07:00Frank ViolaChurchImage via WikipediaFrank Viola receives a lot of flak; a good deal of it may be deserved, but I think he is onto something. Yes, returning to more "Biblical" church practices and fellowship is necessary, but Viola sometimes says things that sound ... just a little too aggressive. In his recent blog tour of interviews, he at one point chose to not use the word "church" because it carried too much http://blog.timordei.org/2009/06/beloved-bride.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-7283220241519162100Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:49:00 +00002009-06-09T23:29:33.024-07:00post-modernmodernC.S. LewisAn article over on Christianity Today has brought me back to task. Thanks Mr. Downing. The article is rather weighty, but one I recommend for those interested. It's entitled, "C.S. Lewis Among the Postmodernists" and speaks to me of balance and wisdom.On and off for two years I have been working on a book about such things. About being neither Republican nor Democrat, but both, neither leftist http://blog.timordei.org/2009/06/not-in-laymans-terms.htmldesignimator@gmail.com (Robin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293122286543442494.post-7355095618838513230Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:14:00 +00002009-06-09T23:05:50.253-07:00evidenceResurrectiondebateapologeticsOk, we’ve finally arrived at what will likely be the most contentious issue (outside of the explanation) – the post-mortem appearances of Jesus after He was crucified. We will also examine the radical transformation in the lives of the disciples and others because that lends support to the resurrection hypothesis.Let’s begin with the creed in 1 Corinthians 15: 3-8:"For what I received I passed http://blog.timordei.org/2009/06/how-do-we-know-part-4-post-mortem.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DaveE)22