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It has become culturally fashionable to make the claim that “Jesus never said he was God.”

Lots of folks would like to claim Jesus as their own but his divinity gets in the way. The Muslims claim Jesus was a great prophet to the Jews but far less than even their prophet Muhammad. Some Jewish folks would like to acknowledge him as an ancient Jewish rabbi teacher if they could leave out the God thing and ignore the terrible treatment many Jews have received from some of his misguided followers over the centuries.

Even Hindu and eastern gurus like to make the claim that Jesus traveled to India and learned everything from them. Then there is the strange case of Richard Dawkins who wants to claim that Jesus Would Be An Atheist Today.

The real problem is that the Bible gets in the way and supports the divinity of Jesus. Not only that, but Jesus clearly indicated on a number of different occasions that he was the “I am” God of the Old testament. The response of those who heard him at the time confirms it.      <<Read the rest on my Apologetica page>>               *Top

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2. “Don’t Mormons believe that Jesus and the Devil are brothers?”

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There are many differences that separate the two largest world religions- Islam and Christianity.

Some of the greatest disparity revolves around their very different understandings about the character of God (or Allah in the case of Islam) and how one can have a relationship with God the Father and receive eternal salvation.

<<Read the rest on my Apologetica page>>

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Mormonism is center stage again with Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman running for President in 2012. I have seen one article after another talking about why evangelicals should not be voting for a Mormon.  A poll of evangelical Christians in June showed that at least 34% said that they would not vote for a Mormon running for President under any conditions.

Well the conditions are this- the current President, Barack Obama is not an evangelical nor does he share many of our values, but he is a declared Christian none–the-less.

We will have to wait and see whether either one of these former governors becomes the GOP presidential nominee for 2012. Personally I do not support either of them, at least not right now.  Mitt Romney is the obvious front runner and all of the others running are vying for the top spot as the ‘I’m-not-Romney’ candidate.

Here’s my perspective on the issue.

Mormons and evangelicals definitely have some major theological differences that will probably separate us forever. However, we also share many values.

<<Read the rest of my thoughts on the Apologetica page>>           *Top

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Did the 9/11/01 attacks end up changing some of our attitudes about religion?

In an article on my Apologetica page I make the point that it did in at least two significant ways:

1. Islam in America came out of the closet

2.Atheists also came out of the closet

<<Read my conclusions on my Apologetica page>>

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American Atheists filed a lawsuit on Monday to have the iconic ‘Ground Zero’ Cross removed from the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City.

The World Trade Center cross is made up of two intersecting steel beams found intact in the midst of the rubble created by the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks. The cross was displayed and dedicated on Saturday at the new 9/11 Memorial Museum.

The 17 foot tall cross was discovered by a construction worker after the Sept. 11 attacks and was the only thing left standing amid the rubble. It has become a symbol of the 9/11 attacks and an icon of hope.

According to 9/11 Memorial president Joe Daniels:

The cross is "an important part of our commitment to bring back the authentic physical reminders that tell the history of 9/11 in a way nothing else could."

"Its return is a symbol of the progress on the Memorial & Museum that we feel rather than see, reminding us that commemoration is at the heart of our mission."

The atheist organization is seeking to have the cross removed since it only represents one religion- Christianity.

Meanwhile, Byron Babione of the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) has responded to the atheists claims and suit with the following:

(the atheist group) is "completely out of step with the Constitution."

“One atheist group’s agenda shouldn’t diminish the sacrifice made by the heroes of 9/11. A cross like this one simply does not amount to a government establishment of religion under either the U.S. Constitution or the New York Constitution."

"The cross is not only known far and wide as a religious symbol, but also as a symbol of death, remembrance, and honor for the dead. Americans have long recognized this.”

The American Center for Law and Justice plans to respond to the law suit with a friend-of-the-court brief supporting the Ground Zero cross on behalf of a former 9/11 firefighter and first responder. According to Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the ACLJ:

"This is another pathetic attempt to rewrite the Constitution and rewrite history by removing a symbol that serves as a powerful remembrance to that fateful attack nearly 10 years ago. This lawsuit is deeply flawed and without merit. It is just the latest chapter of an anti-God strategy employed by atheist organizations across the country—a strategy offensive to millions of Americans, a strategy that we’re confident will ultimately fail in court."

Response: Here we go again. These kind of cases are rarely won by those who want to take down memorial crosses. When judges do render in their favor they are overturned in appeal. A case in point is the Mohave Desert Memorial Cross. Courts eventually ruled that it could stay in the national park and did until some ‘activist’ took it down and stole it.

The 9/11 cross became an inspiration to millions -that even in the midst of so much destruction an accidental symbol of hope was found that defined the feelings of millions of folks that no matter what the American spirit could not be broken. Do you really want to take away a poignant symbol like this which stands defiantly against those who want to destroy our way of life including our freedoms and particularly our freedom of religion?

Besides, the cross is not the only religious symbol displayed in the 9/11 Memorial Museum. Why pick on it only?

My question is this- Why do atheists who complain about the intolerance of others towards them want to get caught up in cases like this that are intolerant of the feelings of so many others. Exactly where is the harm and how is it really an establishment issue?

There are crosses displayed in every veterans national cemetery all across the country along with other religious symbols. Do they really want to eventually rip the crosses literally off of the graves of veterans who served their country well?

I recently visited Arlington National Cemetery, there were huge crosses all over the place. Some had been there for over a hundred and fifty years. Do these really need to be torn down in the name of separation of church and state? What about the graves decorated with the Star of David? Do those need to be desecrated also?

The real question is this- does the establishment clause in the Constitution do away with religion and the public exercise there of? No. In fact it is suppose to protect our religious freedom from legislation that would hinder it. At least that was the original intent of the framers who thought nothing of halting their deliberations on a number of occasions to seek the guidance of the Creator.            *Top

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British scientist Stephen Hawking who is considered one of the smartest people in the world has come out and called heaven a "fairy story" for people afraid of the dark.

In an interview with The Guardian (UK Newspaper ) on Monday, Hawking said that his views were affected and influenced by his battle with motor neurone disease:

"I have lived with the prospect of an early death for the last 49 years. I’m not afraid of death, but I’m in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first," he told the newspaper.

"I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark."

Lately Stephen Hawking has increasingly become vocal in his atheistic stances. In his earlier works he actually allowed for the possibility of a creator. However in his latest book, "The Grand Design", he said that a deity no longer has any place in theories on the creation of the universe from his perspective.

Response: Hawking is a brilliant scientist when it comes to physics. However when it comes to issues of philosophy, metaphysics, and theology he is somewhat lacking.

His statement demonstrates an acceptance of materialistic theory, that everything that is human can be explained and accounted for totally in the physical elements that make up the human body.

However, some of the greatest minds that the world has ever known have believed that not everything that makes up a human can be accounted for materialistically in the physical body. Many believe that a better explanation of human existence includes the possibility of a non-physical element. That living humans are a composite which includes the physical body and something other –a spirit or soul.

The idea of a continued existence after the death of the physical body is rooted in the metaphysical and religious teaching of most of the major world religions, that humans have a spirit or soul that exists independent of the physical body.            *Top

Related Posts?:

1. ‘Gospel of Judas’: Is It Authentic? -The Theological Test
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The Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) recently passed an amendment to its Book of Order that will probably open the door to the ordination of practicing homosexuals in that denomination.

Some in the PCUSA have declared that since Jesus never spoke specifically on the subject it is possible to be in complete submission “to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life” while actively and openly living a homosexual lifestyle.

They make this claim  in the face of scriptural teaching to the contrary in the writings of Paul (Rom 1:26–27; 1 Cor 6:9; 1 Tim 1:10). In this line of thinking the ‘non-teaching’ of Jesus supposedly overrides the clear teaching of Paul?

What ever happened to Biblical authority? It use to be the corner stone of all Presbyterian teaching.

<<Read my the complete post on my Apologetica page along with a very fine article linked there>>

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