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August 9, 2019
Most of us think we’re smarter than most of us. In a recent large survey, 65% of Americans rated themselves more intelligent than average.[1] Believing we’re very smart, we assume we’re usually right. But is that confidence warranted?
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July 26, 2019
Radiocarbon dating is one of the best-known tools used by geochemists to obtain an age of ancient materials such as wood, bones, charcoal, and coral reef limestone. The method is suitable for samples less than 50,000 years old, and can be applied to disciplines like geology, paleontology, anthropology, and archaeology. Famous artifacts and sites dated with carbon-14 include the Dead Sea Scrolls and Hezekiah’s tunnel.
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July 12, 2019
Anyone who has lived at least a couple of decades has witnessed technological breakthroughs that have transformed society. Many people hold the ideas of “progress” and “progressive” in high regard. Who could be opposed to making progress toward a better future? As we consider an answer, this question raises another: To what end shall we make progress?
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June 28, 2019
Years ago, as a college student applying to veterinary school and then as a practicing veterinarian, the goals and expectations set forth were clear: anything less than high performance was not an option. Later as an executive for multinational organizations, I learned and taught knowledge transfer methods and processes as high performance meant survival in an increasingly globally competitive marketplace.
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June 25, 2019
Is the US government interested in the UFO phenomenon again? A recent spate of news reports indicates so. What does this development mean for Bible believers who are skeptical of the idea? And how can Christians respond respectfully and helpfully?
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June 14, 2019
Late in life, atheist philosopher Bertrand Russell received this challenge: if, after death, he found himself face to face with God, what would he say? Russell replied, “I probably would ask, ‘Sir, why did you not give me better evidence?’”
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May 24, 2019
In my previous article, I argued that God as the Creator of reality is responsible for the basic components of our common existence. Our interactions with reality lead us to know the nature of truth. Also, as a necessary component, God has given us reason in order to govern and safeguard our acquisition of knowledge. As such, reason is a vital tool in understanding God’s Word and works.
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May 10, 2019
When people ask me how I became a follower of Christ, I am always struck with a sudden mixture of ecstasy and caution. My story of coming to faith in Christ involves elements that are not easy to explain to an audience that may not believe in the supernatural. I love relating it, but I try not to give an initial impression of being esoteric and not describing the full picture.
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April 26, 2019
We’ve all had journeys of various kinds. Sometimes the conceptual ones are the toughest. They’re fraught with uncertainty, fear, even peril—but the rewards of a satisfying destination make the upheaval more than worthwhile. Such was my case as I sought to understand the truth on the issue of the earth’s age.
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April 12, 2019
When I was growing up, I learned to fear microorganisms. As a child I remember always being concerned about catching a sore throat because the usual treatment was a five-day course of penicillin shots in my backside, twice a day. After more than a couple of sore throats and multiple penicillin shots, I feared being around people with sore throats or colds because I knew that I would be “tortured” again with those shots. I learned to fear tiny, unseen bugs.
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March 22, 2019
Does God genuinely and savingly love everyone? Many theologians say no. However, there are good and substantial biblical reasons to think that God not only loves everyone (in the sense that he does good things for all), but also that he authentically desires every human to enter into a loving and eternal relationship with himself. This blog post will explore two good reasons to embrace the universal divine love. Also, we address one objection1 and offer a practical application of this wonderful truth.
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March 8, 2019
A young PhD candidate in sociology asked this question of RTB scholars: “When RTB scholars approach their field of truth, are there specific questions any of them have in mind for applying what they are learning to illustrate God’s character and revelation?” She went on to provide her expectation, giving us a little more context to her question:
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February 22, 2019
Do children born with deformities reflect the image of the God who gives them life? Some websites feature disturbing images of such children along with wording that challenges the idea of an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent God. Three minutes is unsettling to watch. Opponents of Christianity use this material to argue against the veracity of the faith, but this provocative approach elicits a gut reaction rather than a reflective response. Nevertheless, how can the image of God be reflected in people with functional needs?
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February 8, 2019
I was pouring liquid laundry detergent into the washer when I realized, “Hey, it’s clear!” In that moment I became entranced by the wonder of transparency. Through research, I discovered not only how much ingenuity and engineering is involved in making something transparent, but also that transparency is a highly valued aesthetic property in consumer products. Making things like clear cleaning products requires detailed planning and precise chemical composition. Any contaminant makes the product worthless.
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January 18, 2019
October 31, 2017 marked the 500th anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation. Along with global recognition of its significance, the event also sparked renewed interest in the Reformers’ teachings and example, which are still relevant to us today. For example, Dr. Joel R. Beeke considers them in his article, “What Did the Reformers Believe about the Age of the Earth?” His central thesis is that the Reformers held a “literal” interpretation of Genesis that he equates with young-earth creationism; namely, that God created everything in six ordinary (24-hour) days less than 6,000 years ago. Is this accurate? If so, should this idea compel believers to adopt a similar view of the age of the earth?
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January 7, 2019
The biblical account of Adam and Eve makes clear that humanity did not evolve from other primates. God establishes human exceptionalism by creating us in his image and giving us dominion over all other life on Earth (Genesis 1:26–28). If the biblical claims are true, then we can expect humans to possess qualities that are exceptions to what would otherwise be predicted if we were evolutionary descendants. A recent discovery by neuroscientist George Paxinos of Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) suggests an important, previously unknown feature of human exceptionalism.
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December 21, 2018
In C. S. Lewis’s Prince Caspian, where Jesus is represented by the huge lion Aslan, a sobbing Lucy comes upon Aslan—whom she hasn’t seen for a long time. The following conversation ensues:
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December 6, 2018
In a September 2018 article, Fazale Rana discredited what is purported to be evidence for an evolutionary theory that humans descended from an “ancestral ape.”
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November 29, 2018
Bilbo Baggins once said, “But today, of all days, it is brought home to me, it is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life.”1 It’s not bad at all. And when it comes to God’s simplicity, it’s all good for us. In part one, we described the doctrine of simplicity and offered a biblical argument in its favor. Here in part two we will offer two more arguments for simplicity and then show why the doctrine is practical.
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November 26, 2018
Many people are aware of the adage that the most important thing about a person is what he or she thinks of God, for it is upon such thoughts that one’s life will turn. And, while Reasons to Believe (RTB) has repeatedly explored the pragmatic nature of God’s existence throughout its thirty-plus years of ministry, little has been written on the practical application of the attributes of God in a person’s life. To fill that hole, I invite you to reflect with me on the all-important doctrine of divine simplicity. Our brief study is divided into two parts. Here in part one, we will expound upon the doctrine of simplicity and offer biblical support in its favor. In part two, we will offer two more arguments for simplicity and then look at a few practical applications of the doctrine.
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