class # 3. does absolute truth exist? a basic guide to christian apologetics

Session # 3 – Sunday April 25thDoes Absolute Truth Exist?

A Basic Guide to Christian Apologetics

Session # 3 – Sunday April 25thDoes Absolute Truth Exist?

A Basic Guide to Christian Apologetics

Hey All: We had a great time on Sunday morning. For those who attended, thanks and here is the PowerPoint we used on Sunday.

For all of you who were not able attend class, please remember that the PowerPoint does not include my lecture, and comments or the discussion that took place in class. However, the PowerPoint should be a good outline for you.

See you all next Sunday for “ In the Beginning There Was a Great SURGE”

French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Christian philosopher.

People almost invariably arrive at their beliefs not on the basis of proof but on the basis of what they find attractive.

Blaise Pascal

Blaise Pascal 1623-1662

After his conversion to theism in 1929, Lewis converted to Christianity in 1931, following a long discussion and late-night walk with his close friends.

The Twelve Points That Show Christianity Is True

1. Truth about reality is knowable.

2. The opposite of true is false.

3. It is true that the theistic God exists. This is evidenced by the :a. Beginning of the universe

(Cosmological Argument)b. Design of the universe

(Teleological Argument / Anthropic Principlec. Design of Life (Teleological Argument)d. Moral Law (Moral Argument

fpcsd.org

fpcsd.org Ministries. Academy

of Faith

Stay UpdatedReview Class Blog Site

Stay UpdatedReview Class Blog Site

fpcsd.org

Class Thesis Statement

“Once one looks at the evidence, it takes more faith to be a non-Christian than it does to be a Christian.”

What Is Christian Apologetics?

Christian apologetics is a field of Christian theology which attempts to present a rational basis for the Christian faith, defending the faith against objections.

Name three things Christian apologists use to defend Christianity.

• historical evidence

• philosophical arguments

• arguments from other disciplines (Sciences, Math, Physics, Chemistry, Archeology, etc.)

REVIEW SESSION # 2 Can We Handle the Truth?

Truth is absolute, exclusive and knowable.

To deny absolute truth and its know-ability is self-defeating. Any statement that is un-affirmable (contradicts itself) must be false.

Truth is not dependent on our feelings or preferences. Something is true whether we like it or not.

Major religions do not “all teach the same things.”

Why Should Anyone Believe Anything At All?

Sunday April 25th

Truth vs. Tolerance

Western Logic vs. Eastern Logic

Why Should Anyone Believe Anything At All?

Toda

y

Truth vs. Tolerance

Truth vs. Tolerance

Truth vs. ToleranceI and the authors (Geisler, and

Turek) don’t believe in imposing a religion legislatively.

Christians should stand up against all religious intolerance and accept and respect people of different religious beliefs.

However, that does not mean we must believe all religions are the same or stop us for telling others in a loving Christian way the truth.

Truth vs. Tolerance

Truth vs. Tolerance

Post-Modern WorldTolerance is so sought out and honored that any act of intolerance is not accepted.

July 1902- Sept. 1994Austria, British

Karl Popper Views on Tolerance and Intolerance

Truth vs. Tolerance

In our culture today, tolerance no longer means to put up with something you believe to be false.

Truth vs. Tolerance

Tolerance now means that all persons must accept every belief as true.

What Is Truth? Beliefs vs. Truths. Many people believe these are the same.

Contrary beliefs are possible.

Contrary truths are not possible.

John Stott. April 1921 – July 2011Preached at F.P.C. San Diego. Oct. 4, 1998

What should Christians demand for all people?•“Legal tolerance” ----- Yes •“Social tolerance” ---- Yes

Christians should accept and respect people of different religions and guard against religious intolerance.

John Stott. April 1921 – July 2011Preached at F.P.C. San Diego. Oct. 4, 1998

“Intellectual tolerance is weakness for Christians.”

“Advocates of the new tolerance only tolerate those who agree with them”

A Personal Story

Truth vs. ToleranceIntelligent Design

Why Should Anyone Believe Anything At All?Readers TheaterSocratic Method

James SireBook: Why Should Anyone Believe Anything at All?

James W. Sire (PhD, University of Missouri), formerly a senior editor at InterVarsity Press, is an active speaker and writer. He has taught English, philosophy, theology, and short courses at many universities and seminaries.

Let’s Assemble Our Class

Why Do People Believe What They Believe?

People almost invariably arrive at their beliefs not on the basis of proof but on the basis of what they find attractive.

Blaise Pascal

Why Should Anyone Believe Anything At All?

SociologicalReasons

Psychological Reasons

Religious Reasons

PhilosophicalReasons

ParentsFriendsSocietyCulture

ComfortPeace of MindMeaningPurposeHopeIdentity

ScripturePastorPriestGuruRabbiImamChurchYouth Leader

ConsistencyCoherenceCompleteness(best explanationof all the evidence)

3 Points from our Socratic Seminar

1. Any teaching – religion or otherwise – is only worth trusting if it points to truth.

2. Many beliefs people hold today are not supported by evidence, but only subjective preference of those holding them.

3. In order to find truth, one must be ready to give up those subjective preferences in favor of objective facts. And facts are best discovered through logic, evidence, and science.

Western Logic vs. Eastern Logic

Ravi Zacharias: is an Indian-born Canadian-American Christian apologist. A defender of traditional evangelicalism and author of numerous Christian books.

Western “either - or” logic

Eastern “either - both” logic

Western Logic vs. Eastern Logic

Scene: American College Campus

Ravi was told he was not understanding the difference between western and eastern logic.

Eastern logic does not use “either – or” logic it uses “either – both”

Western Logic vs. Eastern Logic

Scene: American College Campus

Ravi was told he was not understanding the difference between western and eastern logic.

Eastern logic does not use “either – or” logic it uses “either – both”

Western Logic vs. Eastern Logic

College Professor: “Salvation is not either through Christ or nothing else, but both Christ and other ways.”

College Professor: “There are two types of logic”

Ravi: No. Just one type of logic.

Western Logic vs. Eastern Logic

Ravi: “If I am in India (my home country) I must use either the ‘both and logic’ or nothing else.”

First Principal of LogicThe Law of Non-ContradictionContradictory claims cannot both be true at the same time in the same sense.

Opposite of true is false.

Western Logic vs. Eastern Logic

Ravi: “Even in India we look both ways before crossing the street, because it is either me or the bus, not both of us!”

Math, gravity, physics are the same in both the West and East.

Western Logic vs. Eastern Logic

One type of logic that helps us discover truth.

Math, gravity, physics are the same in both the West and East.

Many people will say: logic does not apply to reality, or logic does not apply to God, or there are different types of logic.

Law of Non-Contradiction

Investigating any question of fact, including the question of God – Law of Non-Contradiction exists.

Either theists are right – God exists, or atheists are right –God does not exist.

Law of Non-Contradiction

Jesus died and rose from the dead as the Bible claims, or he did not as the Koran claims. One is right and one is wrong.

IN the Beginning There Was a Great SURGE

S. Second Law of Thermodynamics

U. Universe is Expanding

R. Radiation from the Big Bang

G. Great Galaxy Seeds

E. Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity

Next Week: May 3, 2015“Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind.”

Albert Einstein

The Twelve Points That Show Christianity Is True

1. Truth about reality is knowable.

2. The opposite of true is false.

3. It is true that the theistic God exists. This is evidenced by the :a. Beginning of the universe

(Cosmological Argument)b. Design of the universe

(Teleological Argument / Anthropic Principlec. Design of Life (Teleological Argument)d. Moral Law (Moral Argument