Where do we live? Let’s plunge into the Deeper Waters and find out. I have said a lot this week about atheology and the idea that we have God in a specific niche for how He is supposed to work in the world. Atheists think that God is not filling this niche and then abandon theism. We need to realize that we can be just as prone to that kind of thinking where we see God on a functional basis. God is not the ground of being, but rather a being who fills in the gaps for us and is supposed to comfort us. This has been known as moral therapeutic deism. Final Fantasy IX has as its intro a song calle ..read more

What kind of God should deal with evil? Let’s plunge into the Deeper Waters and find out. In yesterday’s post, I wrote about a certain idea of God that many evangelistic atheists have. We could describe this as a functional god. This god is meant to explain the universe. This god is meant to be a presence to me in suffering. When it looks like the universe works scientifically on its own and that there is no emotional presence, then atheism seems rational to these people. Let’s consider another aspect of this. What about evil? Too often, we theists have been on the defensive end in this area ..read more

Is Atheism looking for meaning? Let’s plunge into the Deeper Waters and find out. I am reading through a book for a class now called Bulwarks of Unbelief. I am finding it quite good and the main question being asked is “What made atheism a strong enough possibility that many people now embrace it?” Now some might go the route of Richard Dawkins and say it was Darwin who made it possible to be an intellectually fulfilled atheist. Is that it? Is it really that we found a scientific explanation for something and then God was out of a job? That doesn’t really fit since in the medieval period ..read more

Should you give me all your money? Let’s plunge into the Deeper Waters and find out. Could you go ahead down to that Patreon link and give me all your money? Now according to David Madison, you should do so immediately. Why? Jesus said to give to everyone who asks of you. Right? I just asked you. Why aren’t you giving? We have the words of Jesus after all! do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. (Matthew 5:42, NRSV) Madison, David. Ten Things Christians Wish Jesus Hadn’t Taught: And Other Reasons to Question His Words (p. 25). Insighting Growth Publications. Kindle Edition. Oh wai ..read more

Should you put money in a bank? Let’s plunge into the Deeper Waters and find out. Madison is taking us now to where Jesus tells us to not store up treasures on Earth and to not worry about what we will eat and drink or wear. Apparently, this mean that Jesus is against having a savings account. It would have made sense he says if you thought that the end of the Roman Empire was just around the corner as the Kingdom of God was going to fully come, but that didn’t happen. Of course, having a Preterist interpretation, I read the passages quite differently. I don’t expect Madison to have a clue abo ..read more

Should we love our famlies? Let’s plunge into the Deeper Waters and find out. Sometimes, I wonder why I keep having hope. Why do I hold on to this dream? When will I ever learn that it’s time to give up this false longing and realize it will always turn out the same? I started reading another atheist book and this one by someone who has a PhD from Boston University in Biblical Studies named David Madison. One would hope that this would mean that this would be someone who will deal seriously with the best scholarship against his position. Unfortunately, as we have gotten used to, he doesn’t. In ..read more

What’s the first of the last two things you need to know about people on the spectrum? Let’s plunge into the Deeper Waters and find out. There can be a misconception among people when you seem closed off to strangers. When people try to interact with you and you don’t always interact back, that can be misunderstood. I found out when I went to Bible college that some people had tried to get to know me better, but they didn’t have any luck. The thing is, I didn’t even realize they were doing this. For me on the spectrum, there is always a hint of suspicion. You don’t understand people and what t ..read more

Do people on the spectrum multitask? Let’s plunge into the Deeper Waters and find out. “Okay. This seminar is on Greek and I will be taking that at Seminary. I’d better just put my laptop down and listen entirely.” So I said at the last ETS meeting that I went to. Robert Plummer was giving a talk and I knew this would be helpful. Let’s make sure there were no distractions. I don’t remember a single word that was said in the talk. Meanwhile, there were plenty of talks that I had my laptop out with me and was doing work on it at the time and I remembered very well what was said. I have since fou ..read more

What do I think about the recent Pokemon Go update? Let’s plunge into the Deeper Waters and find out. Those of you not knowing about this might wonder how this is apologetics related. Trust me. It is. We are in a culture war with a cancerous movement trying to destroy everything it can and now, it has headed for the gaming industry with games trying to be more and more “Woke.” This is also part of the effects of a group known as Sweet Baby Inc. Fortunately, a web site has been set up so gamers can know when games come out that are infected with DEI standards. Vote with your wallet. You can fin ..read more

Want to laugh? Let’s plunge into the Deeper Waters and find out. This might surprise some of you, but I tend to have a reputation as somewhat of a jokester. No. Seriously. As someone in therapy, something my therapist and I concluded is that humor is my version of small talk. Humor is how I tend to break the ice with people. When people come to the Post Office, one of my goals is to make them laugh. A lot of this is done by taking them literally. “Can you check my mail?” “Yes.” *Just sit there doing what I was doing* “Will you check my mail?” “Yes.” There are a number of professors and student ..read more