Dealing with doubt
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Dealing with doubt
I have been studying apologetics for roughly 5 years now. Engaging in debate on website, through email, and in person. The common trend I have seen through debate and discussing the existence of not only God but the Christian God, is both sides will come up with extremely convincing arguments. I do believe God exists and I believe His promise to be true. I have a difficult time giving irrefutable arguments for objective morality, Origin of man and homosexuality. Any advice or direction would be greatly appreciated.
-Matt
-Matt
- Canuckster1127
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Re: Dealing with doubt
Have you looked at the articles on the main site addressing those issues? If not, take some time and take a look. All the topics you note have multlple discussion threads going here on the boards. Feel free to join any of them and participate. Handling 3 topics in one thread this broad is not likely to be easy or fruitful.
Dogmatism is the comfortable intellectual framework of self-righteousness. Self-righteousness is more decadent than the worst sexual sin. ~ Dan Allender
- jlay
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Re: Dealing with doubt
Is the basis of your apologetic presuppositional or evidential?
This is important to know since you say you desire an irrefutable argument in these areas.
This is important to know since you say you desire an irrefutable argument in these areas.
-“The Bible treated allegorically becomes putty in the hands of the exegete.” John Walvoord
"I'm not saying scientists don't overstate their results. They do. And it's understandable, too...If you spend years working toward a certain goal and make no progress, of course you are going to spin your results in a positive light." Ivellious
"I'm not saying scientists don't overstate their results. They do. And it's understandable, too...If you spend years working toward a certain goal and make no progress, of course you are going to spin your results in a positive light." Ivellious
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Re: Dealing with doubt
Seeing how the majority of people with aggressive secular worldviews is based off of the demand of evidence I would like to be able to provide a solid argument with just that.
- MarcusOfLycia
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Re: Dealing with doubt
They demand more than evidence. A lot of the time, evidence isn't even the problem, since it is discredited before it is viewed. The problem is philosophy and worldview - you can only debate so much with a brick wall.
-- Josh
“When you see a man with a great deal of religion displayed in his shop window, you may depend upon it, he keeps a very small stock of it within” C.H. Spurgeon
1st Corinthians 1:17- "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel””not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power"
“When you see a man with a great deal of religion displayed in his shop window, you may depend upon it, he keeps a very small stock of it within” C.H. Spurgeon
1st Corinthians 1:17- "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel””not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power"
- jlay
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Re: Dealing with doubt
Presuppositional is not absent of evidence. Honest question. Do you understand the fundamental differences in evidential and presuppositional? Marcus has hinted at one big difference.
Also, Let me ask you this. Does the Bible itself provide arguments?
Also, Let me ask you this. Does the Bible itself provide arguments?
-“The Bible treated allegorically becomes putty in the hands of the exegete.” John Walvoord
"I'm not saying scientists don't overstate their results. They do. And it's understandable, too...If you spend years working toward a certain goal and make no progress, of course you are going to spin your results in a positive light." Ivellious
"I'm not saying scientists don't overstate their results. They do. And it's understandable, too...If you spend years working toward a certain goal and make no progress, of course you are going to spin your results in a positive light." Ivellious
- MarcusOfLycia
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Re: Dealing with doubt
This might not relate to your question directly... but when I've had doubt its often come from having way too much information. In retrospect, I now know that when atheists suggest they 'read all sides' (as some of my friends have done), they either don't have jobs or are only have a small handful of actual sources, just using the 'I've already read all sides' argument as an intimidation factor (I have done this before, which isn't good, and I can kind of see it now). However, true information overload often does happen. I just found this article, which I thought was rather informative on it:
http://www.reasonablefaith.org/site/New ... le&id=8181
http://www.reasonablefaith.org/site/New ... le&id=8181
-- Josh
“When you see a man with a great deal of religion displayed in his shop window, you may depend upon it, he keeps a very small stock of it within” C.H. Spurgeon
1st Corinthians 1:17- "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel””not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power"
“When you see a man with a great deal of religion displayed in his shop window, you may depend upon it, he keeps a very small stock of it within” C.H. Spurgeon
1st Corinthians 1:17- "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel””not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power"
- SnowDrops
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Re: Dealing with doubt
Yeah. Eventually you realize you're crazy, cause the brick wall has no interest or even ability to listen to you.MarcusOfLycia wrote:They demand more than evidence. A lot of the time, evidence isn't even the problem, since it is discredited before it is viewed. The problem is philosophy and worldview - you can only debate so much with a brick wall.
The first step to learning is to admit that you don't know.
- Murray
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Re: Dealing with doubt
I think the lives changed by the exodus program is evidence that homosexuality is a choice.
Homosexuality is not a snap of the finger choice, it is a choice of how we react to certain events or aspects of our lives, and making the choice to react to an opportunity to change your ways can cure you.
Homosexuality is not a snap of the finger choice, it is a choice of how we react to certain events or aspects of our lives, and making the choice to react to an opportunity to change your ways can cure you.
in nomine patri et fili spiritu sancte
- spartanII
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Re: Dealing with doubt
I agree. On top of the secular sources never let you know the full story of anything. I read a secular book one time and it said that all these clinics never publish results about the sexual orientation of bisexuals, mainly because you can't truly be "genetically bi." I think it really helps our case since a person can walk around "thinking," they are a certain way but really aren't. On top of, once babies are born whatever gene it is to be sexually straight/gay isn't present, it depends upon a mix of your environment.Murray wrote:I think the lives changed by the exodus program is evidence that homosexuality is a choice.
Homosexuality is not a snap of the finger choice, it is a choice of how we react to certain events or aspects of our lives, and making the choice to react to an opportunity to change your ways can cure you.
Atheist: "Science says it, I believe it, That settles it."
- spartanII
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Re: Dealing with doubt
You've probably done a good job it's just some people hate the idea of there being a God and being held accountable so no matter what evidence you present to them, they are probably just talking to you for arguments sake.SeekinghonestTruth wrote:I have been studying apologetics for roughly 5 years now. Engaging in debate on website, through email, and in person. The common trend I have seen through debate and discussing the existence of not only God but the Christian God, is both sides will come up with extremely convincing arguments. I do believe God exists and I believe His promise to be true. I have a difficult time giving irrefutable arguments for objective morality, Origin of man and homosexuality. Any advice or direction would be greatly appreciated.
-Matt
Atheist: "Science says it, I believe it, That settles it."
- SnowDrops
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Re: Dealing with doubt
Besides, you see people like W.L. Craig winning debates, but it hardly means that the people he is debating with will suddenly change their position. In fact, the only atheist I know who has is Anthony Flew - and he became a Deist, not a Christian.spartanII wrote:You've probably done a good job it's just some people hate the idea of there being a God and being held accountable so no matter what evidence you present to them, they are probably just talking to you for arguments sake.SeekinghonestTruth wrote:I have been studying apologetics for roughly 5 years now. Engaging in debate on website, through email, and in person. The common trend I have seen through debate and discussing the existence of not only God but the Christian God, is both sides will come up with extremely convincing arguments. I do believe God exists and I believe His promise to be true. I have a difficult time giving irrefutable arguments for objective morality, Origin of man and homosexuality. Any advice or direction would be greatly appreciated.
-Matt
The first step to learning is to admit that you don't know.