Showing why belief in Christianity is rational
Michael Jones of InspiringPhilosophy has put out a cleverly deceptive video ostensibly on, as the title puts it “The Origins of Young Earth Creationism.” In actuality, it’s a hit piece designed to undermine both young earth beliefs and Young Earth Creation (YEC) as a movement in general. Continue Reading
Abby Johnson sees an abortion for the first time.
Unplanned [1] tells the story of Abby Johnson, who almost on a lark volunteers to help Planned Parenthood’s supposed mission to reduce abortions and rises to become the director of a Planned Parenthood (PP) clinic. She’s a rising star at PP until she’s confronted with the truth of what abortion actually does.
Perhaps what this movie does best is expose all the lies Planned Parenthood promotes from the “we’re primarily a women’s healthcare facility” to what Abby initially foolishly believes – that the mission of PP is to reduce abortions. The abortion industry is full of lies of both commission and omission. This movie does a good job of exposing them all. Continue Reading
It’s AD 67, some 34 to 37 years after the crucifixion of Christ. Nero, emperor of Rome has recently burned half the city in order to rebuild it according to his tastes. To cover his crime Nero scapegoats all Christians, and as the historian Tacitus tells us, Nero arrests, tries and convicts them not of arson, but of “hatred of the human race,” and puts them to death by “methods calculated to provide lurid entertainment for the public.”[1] Paul, the apostle of Christ is a key figure in the Christian faith and community. As such, Nero holds the Apostle Paul directly responsible for the fire, considering him the “chief enemy of Rome.”
Consequently when the movie opens we find the Apostle in prison awaiting his fate. Luke, the physician and writer of the Gospel of the same name, and the Acts of the Apostles (commonly known as Acts) arrives in the city with a mission to save and retrieve the last of the writings of the apostle, determined that such important words not be lost. Continue Reading
Genesis: Paradise Lost movie
Since the limited run of Genesis: Paradise Lost is almost over (there’s a final encore on December 11, 2017), you may be wondering why another review. We’ll get to that in a moment. But first let me note that a number of even handed reviews have already been written. Here are 3 of them: Continue Reading
Emma Watson and Dan Stevens in Beauty and the Beast (2017)
With Disney’s increasing support of the gay agenda (“Gay Days” at it’s theme parks, increasing exposure of gay scenes in its films aimed at kids) and now with a “gay moment” overshadowing Disney’s new live action version of its classic “Beauty and the Beauty” it has some wondering out loud, “Is it Time to Kiss Disney Goodbye.” [1] Sadly, I have to say “yes” as I note in this tweet. And to further note my opposition to Disney’s move toward encouraging the gay agenda, I encouraged others to boycott Disney’s new Beauty and the Beast film: Continue Reading
_830.jpg "Scene from 'Silence'")
A scene from Scorsese’s “Silence”
Most Christians should skip Scorsese’s “Silence”
If you were expecting an uplifting film for Christians from Martin Scorsese’s “Silence” you will be sorely disappointed. Because this film is neither made for Christians nor uplifting. To clarify my point, let me define my terms.
As a Christian, I expect a film made for Christians to:
Silence fails on all counts save for some small support of the first item by showing a number of poor Japanese peasants, who are believers and are martyred for their faith – preferring death over denying their Lord and God Jesus by “apostatizing” – a formal denial of their faith done in this case by trampling on a plaque with an raised relief image of Jesus. Continue Reading
In his latest evangelistic movie “The Atheist Delusion – Why Millions Deny the Obvious” Ray Comfort is once again out among atheists in what I’d like to say is his inimitable style – but that would be a very inaccurate description. Because it is clear that Comfort has developed an easy to use approach that he’d like every Christian to use when confronted with atheist claims of “there’s no evidence of God”. Continue Reading
 “Audacity – Love can’t stay silent“ |
Ray Comfort delivers a winsome defense of traditional marriage while making a persuasive gospel presentation in his new movie “Audacity.” |
“For some, the legalization of gay marriage is good news. While others find it difficult to grasp. Regardless of what anyone thinks about the issue, gay marriage has become a present day reality that is spreading across America. Soon, to one degree or another each of us will have to respond in our own way to this current cultural revolution.”
With these words, a newscaster frames a question for both the main character – Peter, a young man, young in the faith; and the audience. The real question: how can a Christian lovingly and appropriately proclaim the truth of the faith while still witnessing with love?
That question is gently and deftly answered as the movie unfolds. As expected, “Audacity” author and evangelist Ray Comfort adapts and applies his “Way of the Master” evangelism questions and techniques to the timely topic of so called “gay marriage.” At about 50 minutes, the movie is a bit of a “tweener”: quite a bit longer and more involved than a simple youtube type gospel presentation, yet quite a bit shorter than the average movie which typically runs 90 -120 minutes.
But Comfort manages to pack in everything that you would expect of a movie from a Christian evangelist: characters with struggles (both Christian and non-Christian), a story with a plot line – complete with twists; a number of clear and persuasive presentations of the gospel, a refutation of negative Christian stereotypes, identification of unfounded hostility toward Christians from those who are supposed to be enlightened and tolerate; and of course a clear unequivocal stand for traditional, one man one woman marriage and a re-enforcement of the Christian message that we can both stand for the truth of the Bible and present it in a clear, loving and winsome manner.
Comfort simultaneously defends two main themes through the use of plot devices that act as illustrations for his two main points: Continue Reading
 A light shines during the resurrection of Jesus while Guards at the tomb are unaware. (AD The Bible Continues) |
The series “AD – The Bible Continues” presents a strong case for the resurrection of Jesus. |
In part 1, Jesus’ death and the empty Tomb, the uniqueness of Christianity was examined through a consideration of the following questions:
Why believe in Christianity?
What makes Christianity different from any other religion?
Why not believe in other religions?
What makes Jesus different from the founder of other religions?
How do you know Christianity is true?
Why should I believe in Jesus?
The answer to all those questions is resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead – it is the answer to each question, and what makes Christianity unique. Furthermore, Christianity is the only religion which provides hope for us mortal men and women through a savior who has demonstrated mastery over death by himself rising from the dead. And that savior offers the same resurrection to all who believe in him.
That claim – resurrection from the dead – is so startling, so bold, so beyond common experience that some people refuse to even consider it as a possibility. Such doubt has been expressed by the well known liberal scholar, the late Rudolph Bultmann who in his disbelief writes,
 Mary Magdalene discovers the empty tomb (John 20.1) in “AD – The Bible Continues” episode 2 “The Body is Gone” |
The series “AD – The Bible Continues” presents many strong evidences of why the resurrection of Jesus is true. |
Why believe in Christianity?
What makes Christianity different from any other religion?
Why not believe in other religions?
What makes Jesus different from the founder of other religions?
How do you know Christianity is true?
Why should I believe in Jesus?
The answer to these an many other question about the authenticity of the Christian faith is the same. That which:
– distinguishes Jesus and Christianity from any other religion,
– validates that Christianity is true, and
– proves that Jesus is the son of God
is the same fact: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
No other religion has a founder who has proved he is the Lord of Life by showing mastery over death by being raised from the dead. This is precisely the point scripture makes when it proclaims:
…who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom 1.4)
The resurrection of Jesus is the most important doctrine of the Christian faith, because without the resurrection there is no point to the Christian faith, and indeed no faith at all. Or as the apostle Paul put it:
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
1 Cor 15.14, 17
It is no wonder then that of all the doctrines that critics, liberal scholars and those who wish to destroy Christianity could take aim at, the one they choose to attack early, often and most viciously is the teaching that Jesus Christ rose physically from the dead, after having being put to death on a Roman cross and entombed. Continue Reading
