Did the Idols of the Old Testament Actually Have Power?

3. Are Miracles Possible?, Apologetics, BellatoriChristi.com, Christianity, Daniel Sloan, False Gods, Gospel, idolatry, Idols, paganism, polytheism, Theology and Christian Apologetics, World Religions
One of the questions that people ask when they read through the Old Testament is “did those little statues that people worshipped actually have any power behind them?” Many scholars agree that people believed that the idols themselves did not hold power but instead represented the pagan gods. The Old Testament itself has two major views on idolatry, one located in the prophets and another located in Deuteronomy. Idolatry in the Prophets The prophets identify idolatry as a major issue within both Israel and Judah during their time and argue that idolatry is worthless.[i] For example, in Isaiah 41, Isaiah 44, and Jeremiah 10, the prophets make it clear that idolatry is useless and meaningless. It holds no power because the idols themselves are created and the gods that they…
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Pastor Responds to Blowback from His “Vote Like Jesus” Sermon with Pastor Josh Howerton

Christian Apologetics, Christianity, Dr. Frank Turek, Jesus, Josh Howerton, morality, philosophy, Podcast, Politics, religion, theology, Trump
Why do people remain shocked that a majority of Christians (and the nation) voted for Donald Trump? How is that voting like Jesus? This week, Frank invites Pastor Josh Howerton of Lakepointe Church in Dallas, TX to talk about Josh’s recent (and somewhat controversial!) political sermon, ‘How to Vote Like Jesus‘. In it, Pastor Josh points out that when the government moves past things like building roads and teaching kids their ABCs, to redefining marriage, promoting transgender ideology in public schools, and reframing infant murder as “reproductive rights”, it should be clear that Christians need to be involved. But with so much confusion going around about “legislating morality” and “the separation of Church and State”, how can Christians (and their pastors) develop a proper theology of politics? In this podcast, Frank asks Pastor Josh…
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Is the Shroud of Turin the Burial Cloth of Christ? with Dr. Gary Habermas

christ, Christian Apologetics, Christianity, Dan Hodges, Dr. Frank Turek, Gary Habermas, morality, philosophy, Podcast, religion, Shroud of Turin, theology
Is the Shroud of Turin a genuine relic of Christ’s burial or an elaborate medieval forgery? One of the most fascinating artifacts tied to Christianity, this ancient cloth continues to puzzle scientists and historians. What does the latest research reveal about the Shroud and what should we conclude about its validity based on the available evidence? This week on the podcast, CrossExamined board member Dan Hodges sits down with New Testament scholar and resurrection expert, Dr. Gary Habermas, at the SES Steadfast Conference for an in-depth exploration of the Shroud of Turin. In their discussion, Dan and Dr. Habermas examine the complex history and preservation of the Shroud, digging into why it has captivated both scholars and skeptics for decades. Together, they’ll tackle questions such as: What are the most…
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Atheist Richard Dawkins: Intelligent Design Is a “Scientific Hypothesis,” Though Mistaken

Atheism, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Christianity, Colin Wright, Comfort, cosmic designer, design hypothesis, Evolution, Faith & Science, gender, intelligence, Intelligent Design, Manhattan Institute, mathematics, morality, Muslims, New Atheists, nobility, physics, Return of the God Hypothesis, Richard Dawkins, scientific hypothesis, Stephen Meyer, stories, theism, Twitter, universe
This is a remarkable response, granting the premise of arguments for intelligent design like those of Stephen Meyer. Source
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Is Deconstruction the Same Thing as Doubt?

Apologetics, Christianity, Deconstruction, Doubt, Family Apologetics, Gospel, Hillary Morgan Ferrer, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, MamaBearApologetics.com, youth exodus
A clip from Skillet frontman John Cooper has recently been making the rounds on social media. In it, Cooper is heard saying that “it is time to declare war on this idolatrous deconstruction Christian movement.” And just like that, the Christian community split. One set of people claims that Cooper is causing further harm to Christians who are already struggling with their faith. The other set of people is praising Cooper for taking a stand against the so-called “Christian deconstruction movement.” So which is it? What Do We Mean By The Deconstruction Movement? The process of deconstruction usually goes like this: an influential, self-proclaimed Christian announces to their thousands/millions of fans that they no longer believe in the faith on which their careers were built. Through the process of “deconstruction,” they…
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The Election Results and The Israel Dilemma with Timothy Mahoney

Christianity, Dr. Frank Turek, Israel, Philosphy, Podcast, Politics, theology, Timothy Mahoney
What could the election of the nation of Israel and the 2024 U.S. presidential election possibly have in common? This week, we’re diving into both! Join Frank as he talks with investigative filmmaker, Tim Mahoney, about his new film, ‘The Israel Dilemma‘, premiering in theaters next week. As they discuss the film, you’ll discover why Tim’s latest work is an apologetics gold mine, unveiling some of the most compelling archaeological evidence for events documented in the Old Testament. Together, Frank and Tim explore questions like: How do we know that God’s promises to Israel actually came true? What’s the inspiration behind the film, and who are some of the BIG names that Tim was able to interview in the film? Is there a way to verify Old Testament prophecy? Why did the Tel…
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Remembering Michael Ruse

Arkansas, Cambridge University Press, Christianity, Dallas, Darwinism, David Hull, Debating Design, Evolution, Foundation for Thought and Ethics, Intelligent Design, John Dominic Crossan, Jon Buell, Michael Ruse, N. T. Wright, Phillip Johnson, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Subboor Ahmad, The End of Faith, The God Delusion, The Root of All Evil?
Paradoxically, he was ardent in his Darwinism, mild in his atheism, and fair-minded to intelligent design. Source
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Top Apologetics Books for Beginners

Apologetics, apologetics books, Christianity, Gospel, https://ischristianitytrue.wordpress.com/, J Steve Lee, Reading List, Reading recommendations, Steve Lee, Theology and Christian Apologetics
Sean McDowell, professor of Christian Apologetics at Biola University, on his blog, lists the top ten apologetic books for beginners with short descriptions of each. He includes: Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis More Than a Carpenter, by Sean and Josh McDowell The Reason for God, by Tim Keller The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel Cold-Case Christianity, by J. Warner Wallace Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions, by Greg Koukl Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions about Life and Sexuality, by Nancy Pearcey On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision, by William Lane Craig Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religion, by Rebecca McLaughlin Evidence that Demands a Verdict, by Sean and Josh McDowell I would add the following books to the list: I Don’t…
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Anxiety About the Election? What God Says

2024 Presidential Election, Christian Apologetics, Christianity, Donald Trump, Dr. Frank Turek, God, Kamala Harris, philosophy, Podcast, Politics, religion
Feeling anxious about the 2024 presidential election? Take heart! God’s Word has wisdom for us on all the big issues—government, leadership, rebellion, sovereignty, anxiety, and prayer. Listen as Frank encourages listeners with Scripture from both the Old and New Testaments and talks about what it means to vote with a biblical perspective. He’ll dig into questions like: Are borders biblical? And how does illegal immigration impact American housing? What’s the solution to a divided nation? Is it ever right to peacefully disobey government? How should Christians respond if our preferred candidate loses? How can we love our neighbors through politics? With the country divided, we need a spiritual revival now more than ever. Let’s prepare our hearts, pray for our leaders, and make our voices heard at the polls. If…
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The DNA Replisome: A Paradigm of Design

2. Does God Exist?, Apologetics, biology, Christianity, DNA, Evolution News and View, genetics, Gospel, Intelligent Design, Jonathan McLatchie, JonathanMclatchie.com, science, teleological argument
The DNA replisome is one of the most remarkable molecular machines, involving a complex of different proteins, each of which is very specifically crafted to fulfill its role in the process of replicating the genome in preparation for cell division. The rate of DNA replication has been measured at a whopping 749 nucleotides per second[1] and the error rate for accurate polymerases is believed to be in the range of 10-7 and 10-7, based on studies of E. coli and bacteriophage DNA replication.[2] One of the best animations of this incredible process is this one by Australian animator Drew Berry. It is difficult to look at an animation such as this (which is drastically over-simplified) and not come away with the strong intuition that such an intricately choreographed machine is the product of masterful…
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