Post 145—Some food for thought to bring you into the new year

To begin with, a happy new year to you! The following is a post from an outfit called “Reasons to Believe” (RTB).  They talk a lot about believing, reason and faith. Sometimes they get pretty philosophical.  I am forwarding their post to you just to give you some stuff to ponder as you make your way into 2017.  They tell you about a new book that you could find interesting, even if it is politically incorrect.   But don’t let that put you off. It’s the politically incorrect who are free, at least compared to their counterparts, the politically correct. The latter are hung up on all sort of opinions and don’t dare to discuss things openly.  They don’t dare to ask whether all religions are the same or whether their founders all meant the same; they are too scared to do so. That’s why they attack those who do, for then the correct folk feel threatened. Who knows: someone could just force them to discuss the forbidden!  In addition, the post leaves you with some unanswered questions. Tackle them. Ponder them. Work them out. Send me the conclusions you reach. I am curious. Your conclusions could become the fodder for a post, with our without your name, something you will have to decide.  I won’t use your name unless you specifically tell me I may. So, here goes: Has anyone ever tried to tell you that it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you believe something? These days, anyone who doesn’t believe that all ideas—especially about religion—are equally valid is likely to be labeled “intolerant.” In an age of growing religious pluralism, how do we articulate why it matters what we believe and what tolerance truly is? Kenneth Samples, RTB theologian and philosopher, is here to help you with his brand-new book, God among Sages: Why Jesus Is Not Just Another Religious Leader. Ken begins with a detailed look at the historic Christian portrait of Jesus Christ, then shows you how Jesus is unique compared to the founders of four major world religions: Krishna, Gautama (Buddha), Confucius, and Muhammad. Using eight objective criteria, Ken demonstrates that it is logically impossible for their claims to be equally valid. While there may be some notable overlaps in ethics and worldview, their teachings about mankind, God, and eternity are mutually exclusive. The book concludes with a thorough and thoughtful examination of what tolerance means for Christians in a pluralistic world. God among Sages is  is hot off the presses, and you’ll be one of the first to have it! Blog Summary and Highlights Have you ever felt threatened by a question? Perhaps someone was questioning your beliefs, and you didn’t know how to respond. Or perhaps you were the one asking a difficult question. In a recent blog post, Jeff shares his love of questions and why our faith welcomes inquiry. In other blog posts, scholars Kenneth and Fazale respond to questions of their own, dealing with theology and biological design. “How Do We Pursue Sanctification Amid a Sinful World?” by Kenneth Samples “Never Fear an Honest Question” by Jeff Zweerink “Q&A: Why Would an Infinite Creator Employ the Same Designs?” by Fazale Rana

Peter LaBarbera

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Post….—Remembrance Day 2017  *                          POSTED    NOV….   2017