Last month, Dr. William Lane Craig participated in a couple of debates in New Zealand against atheist Dr. Bill Cooke.
Check out this informative debate at Craig's website. It is a bit long, but shows great reasons for believing in God and the atheist's response to it.
http://www.rfmedia.org/RF_audio_video/Other_clips/New-Zealand-08/Is-God-a-Delusion-Craig-v-Cooke.php
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Profile of the Lukewarm: On Charity
I recently finished a book I picked up on a whim from the local Christian book store, "Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God" by Francis Chan. Perhaps the attraction to it was the author's name - Chan. I haven't run into a Chinese author of N.American origin before.
I must say I was skeptical at first, but the book quickly won me over as Chan writes in a very straightforward way. His chapter on Profile of the Lukewarm is worth the price of the book on its own. It is written not to offend, but to spark a soul searching response in relation to Western Christianity (tradition/popular belief) versus what the Bible actually teaches. Here is one:
"LUKEWARM PEOPLE give money to charity and to the church... as long as it doesn't impinge on their standard of living. If they have a little extra and it is easy and safe to give, they do so. After all, God loves a cheerful giver, right?" Chan, 67.This really hit home to me because the concept of giving and giving to God and the poor has been on my heart for some time. I was first convicted on my personal giving when I read C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity where he writes in his chapter, Social Morality,
"I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small... For many of us the great obstacle to charity lies not in our luxurious living or desire for more money, but in our fear - fear of insecurity. This must often be recognised as a temptation. Sometimes our pride also hinders our charity; we are tempted to spend more than we ought on the showy forms of generosity (tipping, hospitality) and less than we ought on those who really need our help."
After the quote in Crazy Love, Chan lists two appropriate verses 1 Chronicles 21:24 and Luke 21:1-4. I believe giving should cost us something and, more importantly, should be of right reason and intent. It should be part of worship and Christian living which, in turn, includes surrender and sacrifice.
How does this contrast Western Christianity? Simple - an overwhelming majority don't give or only give within their means. I could quote some findings, but I think all you have to do is attend a local church and see.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Abel's apple tree, ants and aphids
Yesterday, when family came over to hang out, we noticed that Abel's tree had had all these ants on it. My first thought was, "Oh, this must be healthy - nature hanging out by the tree". But others thought that the ants were eating the leaves because there were swaths of leaves with holes on the tree.
So, off I went to the trusty Internet to find what is causing this ant "infestation". To my mild surprise, this is a common occurrence where the ants are not eating the leaves, but protecting an insect called aphids that do eat the leaves. The ants, in turn, "drink" out of the butt of these aphids to extract sugar and bring it back the their colony. Gross. I guess that is why, in the movie "ANTZ", the ants order aphid beer. Anyway, I thought that was disgusting, but also at a wonder on how ants work.
The point is, ants and aphids are a problem to apple trees because the ants protect the aphids from their natural predators (like ladybugs) and, as a result, an over infestation of aphids causes harm to the tree. One remedy is to coat the base of the tree with canola/vegetable oil. Apparently, ants do not like oil - can't walk in it, get mired in it - and should stop the ants from going up and down the tree and protecting the aphids.
I just hope the predators are still around to eat the aphids.
So, off I went to the trusty Internet to find what is causing this ant "infestation". To my mild surprise, this is a common occurrence where the ants are not eating the leaves, but protecting an insect called aphids that do eat the leaves. The ants, in turn, "drink" out of the butt of these aphids to extract sugar and bring it back the their colony. Gross. I guess that is why, in the movie "ANTZ", the ants order aphid beer. Anyway, I thought that was disgusting, but also at a wonder on how ants work.
The point is, ants and aphids are a problem to apple trees because the ants protect the aphids from their natural predators (like ladybugs) and, as a result, an over infestation of aphids causes harm to the tree. One remedy is to coat the base of the tree with canola/vegetable oil. Apparently, ants do not like oil - can't walk in it, get mired in it - and should stop the ants from going up and down the tree and protecting the aphids.
I just hope the predators are still around to eat the aphids.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Out of Context
I'm currently reading J.P Moreland's "Love Your God With All Your Mind". Here are a couple of quotes thus far that are thought provoking.
"It is not scientific doubt, not atheism, not pantheism, not agnosticism, that in our day and in this land is likely to quench the light of the gospel. It is a proud, sensuous, selfish, luxurious, church-going, hollow-hearted prosperity."
"It is not scientific doubt, not atheism, not pantheism, not agnosticism, that in our day and in this land is likely to quench the light of the gospel. It is a proud, sensuous, selfish, luxurious, church-going, hollow-hearted prosperity."
Frederic D. Huntington, 1890
"Once people stop believing in God, the problem is not that they will believe in nothing: rather, the problem is that they will believe anything."
"Once people stop believing in God, the problem is not that they will believe in nothing: rather, the problem is that they will believe anything."
J.P Moreland quoting G.K. Chesterton
Monday, June 23, 2008
Canals, Narrow Streets, and Marco Polo
Day Eight and Nine: Venice
The initial reason to visit Italy was Venice and we go there on the last leg of our trip. After arriving by train and almost missing our stop and face the probability of getting fined for staying on the train for too long, we got off at Mestre and took the bus to the lagoon city of Venice.
To be honest, Venice, with all its unique canals and buildings, it was the least favourite stop for me. I guess the reason boils down to the local's attitude towards tourists. In retrospect, I suppose there are more tourists and locals at the old historical city in any one given time, and they must be tired of the same old questions from the unending wave of tourists.
Highlights were taking the water buses to ride the canals and visit neighboring islands that make up the Venice region, taking pictures in San Marco square, and drinking cappuccino and other expensive desserts at Cafe Florian.
Canals were everywhere. It seems every bridge you cross there was a picture worthy view
.
Not only were people getting in the way of Deb's shots, but water buses too.
Taking night shots off the Rialto bridge.
Alas, during the last night in Venice and in Italy, my Canon point and shoot decided to call it quits. Although finicky during the whole trip, it would not turn on until I actively started to search for a new camera at home. Maybe I should threaten it more.
The initial reason to visit Italy was Venice and we go there on the last leg of our trip. After arriving by train and almost missing our stop and face the probability of getting fined for staying on the train for too long, we got off at Mestre and took the bus to the lagoon city of Venice.
To be honest, Venice, with all its unique canals and buildings, it was the least favourite stop for me. I guess the reason boils down to the local's attitude towards tourists. In retrospect, I suppose there are more tourists and locals at the old historical city in any one given time, and they must be tired of the same old questions from the unending wave of tourists.
Highlights were taking the water buses to ride the canals and visit neighboring islands that make up the Venice region, taking pictures in San Marco square, and drinking cappuccino and other expensive desserts at Cafe Florian.
Canals were everywhere. It seems every bridge you cross there was a picture worthy view.
Not only were people getting in the way of Deb's shots, but water buses too.
Taking night shots off the Rialto bridge.
Alas, during the last night in Venice and in Italy, my Canon point and shoot decided to call it quits. Although finicky during the whole trip, it would not turn on until I actively started to search for a new camera at home. Maybe I should threaten it more. Sunday, June 22, 2008
Secularlism and the Church
Here is a quote from a book I am reading...
"The church is safe from vicious persecution at the hands of the secularist, as educated people have finished with stake-burning circuses and torture racks. No martyr's blood is shed in the secular west. So long as the church knows her place and remains quietly at peace on her modern reservation. Let the babes pray and sing and read their Bibles, continuing steadfastly in their intellectual retardation; the church extinction will not come by sword or pillory, but by the quiet death of irrelevance. But let the church step off the reservation, let her penetrate once more the culture of the day and the ... face of secularism will change from a benign smile to a savage snarl."
A hard hitting quote!
"The church is safe from vicious persecution at the hands of the secularist, as educated people have finished with stake-burning circuses and torture racks. No martyr's blood is shed in the secular west. So long as the church knows her place and remains quietly at peace on her modern reservation. Let the babes pray and sing and read their Bibles, continuing steadfastly in their intellectual retardation; the church extinction will not come by sword or pillory, but by the quiet death of irrelevance. But let the church step off the reservation, let her penetrate once more the culture of the day and the ... face of secularism will change from a benign smile to a savage snarl."
R.C. Sproul et. al
A hard hitting quote!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
David is the Real Deal
Day Six and Seven: Galleria dell'Accademia and the Duomo
Florence was becoming my favorite city in Italy (although I haven't gone to Venice yet). As we walked along the paths and to different sites with ease, I decided that walking was the best form of transportation. Florence was another evidence of being a community that is self-sustaining. This is very different from the whole suburbs mentality that our cities in Canada - where you have to drive everywhere to get the essentials (food, clothing, church...).
On day six, we went to see David by Michelangelo. I didn't expect much as I seen pics of David and knew he was popular, but to actually see him (the original in the Gallleria dell'Accademia) was breath taking. First of all, I didn't know he was that big and the skill to carve such an image deserves props. But to learn that he did it at 29 and on a piece of marble no one wanted because there was a crack in it was even more impressive (he used the crack as the divide for David's legs - why didn't anyone think of it before?). Definitely the highlight of Florence.
On day seven, we decided to tackle climbing up the Duomo to get a panoramic view of the city and take some good pictures. We were wondering how we would hold up to the 400+ steps when we found out we can also climb the tower right beside it. Deb wanted to take pictures of the Duomo dome so we decided to do that and it was a blast!
Waiting outside to see David - we couldn't take pictures inside the museum. Too bad because it would be worth it take pictures of David.
There are two replicas of David in Florence and here is one in the city plaza. Smaller and not made of marble.
The Duomo and the tower beside it.
We decided to climb the tower to take pictures of the dome.
Deb after the first level! It was a hard climb with a really narrow stairway.
We had the opportunity to take pictures at each level - I think there were 3 levels of rest and picture taking between the ground and the top.
At the top! There was a wire cage in case someone was thinking of jumping. It was a spectacular view despite the cage like feeling.
After the climb we went inside the Duomo to take pictures of the church inside. Of course, there were people getting in the way of Deb's shots once again. We had fun taking this picture because this guy took 5 minutes to review his pictures on his digital camera (Deb was joking of course!).
Florence was becoming my favorite city in Italy (although I haven't gone to Venice yet). As we walked along the paths and to different sites with ease, I decided that walking was the best form of transportation. Florence was another evidence of being a community that is self-sustaining. This is very different from the whole suburbs mentality that our cities in Canada - where you have to drive everywhere to get the essentials (food, clothing, church...).
On day six, we went to see David by Michelangelo. I didn't expect much as I seen pics of David and knew he was popular, but to actually see him (the original in the Gallleria dell'Accademia) was breath taking. First of all, I didn't know he was that big and the skill to carve such an image deserves props. But to learn that he did it at 29 and on a piece of marble no one wanted because there was a crack in it was even more impressive (he used the crack as the divide for David's legs - why didn't anyone think of it before?). Definitely the highlight of Florence.
On day seven, we decided to tackle climbing up the Duomo to get a panoramic view of the city and take some good pictures. We were wondering how we would hold up to the 400+ steps when we found out we can also climb the tower right beside it. Deb wanted to take pictures of the Duomo dome so we decided to do that and it was a blast!
Waiting outside to see David - we couldn't take pictures inside the museum. Too bad because it would be worth it take pictures of David.
There are two replicas of David in Florence and here is one in the city plaza. Smaller and not made of marble.
The Duomo and the tower beside it.
We decided to climb the tower to take pictures of the dome.
Deb after the first level! It was a hard climb with a really narrow stairway.
We had the opportunity to take pictures at each level - I think there were 3 levels of rest and picture taking between the ground and the top.
At the top! There was a wire cage in case someone was thinking of jumping. It was a spectacular view despite the cage like feeling.
After the climb we went inside the Duomo to take pictures of the church inside. Of course, there were people getting in the way of Deb's shots once again. We had fun taking this picture because this guy took 5 minutes to review his pictures on his digital camera (Deb was joking of course!).
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