“None of the above” fastest-growing religion in the U.S. Ain’t No Such Thing as a None!

“None of the above” fastest-growing religion in the U.S. Ain’t No Such Thing as a None!

When I first came up with a title for my book four plus years ago I was going call it, Apologetics for Parents: How to keep your kids from becoming “Nones.” Since most Christians don’t know what apologetics is, or what “Nones” are, that wasn’t ideal. Keeping our kids from becoming “Nones,” however, is an increasing challenge in our secular 21st century. Over the past 20 or 30 years the fastest growing segment of the population when asked their religious affiliation chooses “None of the above,” thus the press christened them Nones. A piece in The Atlantic highlights how and why this might be happening. (more…)

What Parents and their Children Can Learn from the Train Wreck of Amy Winehouse’s Life

What Parents and their Children Can Learn from the Train Wreck of Amy Winehouse’s Life

If you’re at all familiar with popular music in the last decade or two you surely know of Amy Winehouse. This young talent died of alcohol poisoning in July of 2011 at the ripe old age of 27, joining the pantheon of young musicians who’ve died before they got old.  My wife, son, and I recently watched the heart-wrenching documentary of her short life on Netflix; it was not easy to watch. Sadly, her most famous song is aptly titled “Rehab,” and the lyrics prophetic:

They tried to make me go to rehab
I said, “no, no, no”
Yes, I been black
But when I come back, you’ll know, know, know
I ain’t got the time
And if my daddy thinks I’m fine
He’s tried to make me go to rehab
I won’t go, go, go

(more…)

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands!

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands!

In my last post I wrote about the concept of Explanatory Power, specifically in the context of life’s meaning, or not. The concept of what most powerfully, compellingly, explains the reality we experience extends to the heavens and the skies. You may be familiar with the words in the title that come from the first verse of Psalm 119. I put an exclamation point at the end because I came across an article of pictures taken of the heavens that are simply mind blowing in their beauty. The title of the piece shows that it took two creators to reveal this specific beauty: “35 ‘Astronomy Photographer Of The Year 2019’ Finalists That Took Massive Amounts Of Planning And Precision.”  Here’s one:

Most people exposed to such stunning beauty are left dumbfounded, and deep down inside know there has to be an artist responsible for such artistry. Other people think it’s all just a cosmic accident. We learn why in the first chapter of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans: (more…)

Shakespeare and Richard Dawkins: Is It All Pitiless Indifference Signifying Nothing?

Shakespeare and Richard Dawkins: Is It All Pitiless Indifference Signifying Nothing?

The great English playwright William Shakespeare expressed his inner Richard Dawkins, born almost 400 years later, when he wrote these almost immortal words coming from the mouth of murderous King MacBeth:

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

(more…)

The Incredible Testimony of an Ex-Mormon: Why The Anger?

The Incredible Testimony of an Ex-Mormon: Why The Anger?

I’ve taught my kids all their lives that truth isn’t personal. In other words, what is true has nothing to do with me! Whether something is true or not is not determined by what I think about it. Of course we live in a postmodern relativistic (secular) age where people actually believe something can be true for them, and at the same time not true for somebody else. I know, I am tempted to laugh too, but I’ve encountered people who sincerely believe this, and get mad when you challenge their lack of logic. They take it . . . . personally. The beauty of historic, orthodox Christianity is that it rests on events that either happened or didn’t, the evidence for which we either trust or we don’t. Critical scholars and skeptics of every sort have been trying very hard to discredit the Bible for several hundred years(!), and yet it stands stronger and more credible than ever. But if compelling evidence at some point does arise that the Bible is, as it’s critics insist, myths and fairy tales, so be it. I couldn’t get mad at those who uncovered that evidence because it has nothing to do with me. I might be sad, but I have no interest in believing lies.

(more…)