the singularity of being and nothingness
Archive for March, 2007
A Self-Legitimating Argument Against the Existence of God
Mar 28th
Several weeks ago, I posted some reflections about Hugh Ross' apologetic of theism based upon cosmological discoveries of the recent decade. In short, Ross argues that there is objective, ascertainable evidence in the cosmos that legitimizes belief in not only God, but more specifically the "God of the Bible." I argued that Ross approaches the discussion with illegitimate categories, as professing belief in naturalistic proof for divinity, IMO, plays directly into the materialist conceptions of origins against which Ross is attempting to argue.
Upon finishing this book, I ran across a submission from Victor J. Stenger entitled "God: The Failed Hypothesis." In this work, Stenger argues that, contra Ross, evidence within the cosmos leads to the inevitable conclusion that God does not, in fact, exist. To develop this thesis, Stenger looks for evidence in creation, asserting that the universe looks exactly like it would were one to eliminate "God" from the discussion of origins. Later in the book, he even dons the philosopher's hat and suggests that considerations of the universality and variability of human morality; the problem of evil; and the materialism of the human person specifically deny the existence of God.
Overall, I had a fairly difficult time taking More >
A Brief Introduction to The Absolute Necessity of Speaking of Sin as "Privation"
Mar 14th
Think about the word "sin." What do you think of? A stain? Some black, ethereal substance? A "negative" field of energy? Throughout history, humans have struggled with defining this difficult concept to align with and elucidate religious and social notions of right and wrong, good and evil, morality and ethics.
In Christian theology, sin occupies a primal and primary importance. The Scriptures speak of sin as that which has given rise to the "fall" of humanity, it is that which brings death, and it is that which is responsible for severing the divine/human relationship.
But what, exactly, is sin? I propose that it is, in fact, "nothing." Let me explain.
Christians believe that the creative act of God is exhaustively characterized as "good." That is, there is nothing that exists which was not created out of the good pleasure and will of God. (Now philosophers can, of course, argue about whether this designation of "goodness" can be applied to that which is created, but that is another post). However, Christians also believe that God's will is opposed to that which is sinful: in fact, one could describe sin as that which is antithetical to the will (and, necessarily, to the being) More >
