20May 2020 by Post

No, Dan Barker. Covid-19 Doesn’t Disprove God

Apologetics, Atheism, atheist, Christian Apologetics, Christianity, Erik Manning, evil, God, If God, IsJesusAlive, Theology and Christian Apologetics, why Evil?
By Erik Manning Not one to let a good crisis go to waste, former minister and atheist activist Dan Barker tells us that the coronavirus proves that the Christian God doesn’t exist. Why? Because God promises to answer prayer. People have prayed for COVID-19 to stop. The virus continues to spread and people continue to die. Therefore Christianity must be false. Here’s Barker in his own words: The Christian god makes a crystal-clear pledge: “I will answer your prayers.” Jesus stated boldly: “All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”(Matthew 21:22) There is no ambiguity here. “All things” means “all things.” He even clarified: “Even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done.” Jesus, who said “I and…
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18Apr 2020 by Post

Don’t the Resurrection Narratives Contradict?

3. Are Miracles Possible?, Apologetics, Christianity, Erik Manning, Evidence, God, IsJesusAlive, Miracle, New Testament, objections, Resurrection, Skeptics, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics
By Erik Manning The apostle Paul said that if Christ hasn’t risen, Christianity is a sham. (1 Corinthians 15:17) Many atheists agree and will happily point to the gospel accounts. Just how seriously should they take the claim of the resurrection? After all, aren’t the accounts riddled with contradictions? How can they possibly be trusted? Historians don’t normally conclude that just because individual accounts have apparent contradictions that the event in question didn’t occur. But let’s allow that to pass for now. I think the majority of the discrepancies that critics bring up can be easily resolved. Here’s a list of four of the most popular contradictions in the resurrection account that skeptics like to point to. #1. HOW MANY WOMEN WERE AT THE TOMB OF JESUS? How many women…
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19Feb 2020 by Post

13 Good Historical Reasons For The Early Dating Of The Gospels

4. Is the NT True?, Apologetics, Authors, Christianity, Dating of the New Testament, Erik Manning, Evidence, gospels, history, Is the New Testament True?, IsJesusAlive, New Testament Gospels, Theology and Christian Apologetics
By Erik Manning Skeptics like Bart Ehrman will use Apollonius of Tyana as a challenge to Jesus’ uniqueness. Apollonius lived in the first century. His birth was supernatural. He also performed miracles and appeared to people after his death. Sounds familiar, right? Critics will then conclude that the story of Jesus isn’t special. Apologists will then retort that the Apollonius’ biography was written long after his death. It isn’t until about 100 years later that Philostratus wrote his biography. Therefore, the story we have about his life couldn’t be based on eyewitness testimony. But the Gospels are based on the accounts of witnesses. And this is where critics will say “Oh really? The Gospels came long after Jesus’ death too!” For example, here’s Bart Ehrman: “The very first surviving account of Jesus’ life was…
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10Feb 2020 by Post

The Death of Judas: A Hopeless Bible Contradiction?

4. Is the NT True?, Answering objections of skeptics, Apologetics, bible contradictions, Christianity, Death of Judas, Erik Manning, Is Jesus Alive, IsJesusAlive, New Testament, Skeptics, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics
Skeptics accuse Christians of not paying attention while they’re reading their Bible. If they didn’t rush through their daily devotional, they’d catch some obvious contradictions. One of the more famous of these contradictions is the two accounts of the death of Judas. Here’s Biblical scholar and critic Bart Ehrman: “The two reports give different accounts of how Judas died. However mysterious it may be to say he fell headlong and burst open, at least that is not “hanging” oneself. And they are flat out contradictory on two other points: who purchased the field (the priests, as per Matthew, or Judas, as per Acts?) and why the field was called the field of blood (because it was purchased with blood money, as Matthew says, or because Judas bled all over it,…
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15Jan 2020 by Post

How I Got into Apologetics (And How You Can Too!)

Apologetics, Books, Christian apologetics books, Christianity, Erik Manning, IsJesusAlive, Theology and Christian Apologetics
By Erik Manning I am often asked, “how did you get into apologetics?” For some believers, they’ll get interested in apologetics because of a crisis of faith. They’ll have intellectual hurdles that come up that they have to overcome. For me, I never was plagued with doubts. While I spent several years of my life as an atheist, I had a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit. As I walked with God, the inner witness of the Holy Spirit was a real and regular experience. After coming to faith, I felt burdened to share my faith. I would share my testimony with anyone who would give me the time of day and led several of my friends to Christ. (And even a handful of strangers.) I felt, for the most part,…
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07Dec 2019 by Post

A Neglected Proof for the Resurrection – The Sign of Jonah

Apologetics, Christianity, Erik Manning, IsJesusAlive, Jesus Christ, Proof for the Resurrection, Resurrection, Theology and Christian Apologetics
By Erik Manning When arguing for the resurrection of Jesus, Christian apologists often make a historical case for the empty tomb and the appearances of Jesus that occurred after his death. I’d certainly never say that isn’t a legitimate way to argue, but there’s an additional reason to believe in the resurrection that flies under the radar: Jesus’ resurrection was a fulfillment of Scripture. The New Testament writers are pretty emphatic on this point. Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead… (Luke 24:45-46) For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the…
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25Nov 2019 by Post

Did Paul really change his tactics after Athens and begin to take a dim view of apologetics?

Acts, Apologetics, Christianity, Erik Manning, Greeks, IsJesusAlive, Jesus, Paul, theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics
By Erik Manning Some Christians have argued that apologetics is a waste of time. We aren’t supposed to be arguing with unbelievers; we’re just called to preach the simple gospel. If we’re faithful to do that, the Holy Spirit will supernaturally come to our aid — either in supernatural conviction, or performing signs and wonders through us that no one can gainsay. To support this view, these well-meaning believers will point to Paul’s so-called ‘failure’ in Athens. Paul debated with the thinkers of Mars Hill, using natural theology and quoting their own philosophers in order to persuade them of the truth of the gospel. Paul’s results were modest. Acts 17:32-34 reads: “Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you…
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