One headline stood out as I browsed the news online: "The Obama Administration Values Human Life More Than the Bush Administration Did". This opinion piece from NYMag.com and written by Dan Amira compares the monetary values the different governmental agencies within the administration place on … [Read more...]
Who Did You Say You Were Again?
February 18, 2011 by 21 Comments
People generally place themselves into particular categories in order to self-identify with like-minded people who share the same worldview. This compartmentalizing is helpful for discussion, it keeps us from having to lay out all our views from the outset. While we all have the freedom to … [Read more...]
Speak Your Mind, Literally
February 15, 2011 by 10 Comments
Do you take the Bible literally?* This is one of those questions like: have you stopped beating your wife?. It is not sufficient to answer with a simple yes or no. Although the skeptic usually objects to any clarification the Christian attempts to offer. They generally interrupt demanding a yes … [Read more...]
Who Is The Monster Under The Bed?
February 13, 2011 by 18 Comments
Let's face it, God has ordered or actively participated in the deaths of millions of people, sometimes in what seems to be horrific ways. God, as depicted in the Old Testament used Israel as a killing tool on multiple occasions. Entire societies were laid waste at the command an alleged benevolent … [Read more...]
Independence Anyone?
February 4, 2011 by 27 Comments
When making an argument for Jesus' reported miracles and resurrection the first place most people will turn is the Gospel accounts. These documents contain the majority of information we have on the person of Jesus though certain details can be found elsewhere. Often when citing the Gospel … [Read more...]
Facebook Dialogue On Abortion
January 29, 2011 by 14 Comments
The following is a Facebook dialog between myself, a friend, and a few of "Angela's" friends. I have changed everyone's name but my own. It is rather lengthy but well worth the read to see how pro-abortion advocates elevate feelings and sexual liberties of the mother over and above the life of her … [Read more...]
Pregnancy: Won’t You Help Cure This Terrible Disease?
January 24, 2011 by 4 Comments
The ACLU is known for its support of all issues counterintuitive to our ideas of freedom, despite of their oxy-moronic name. But in a blog post titled: Standing Up For Women's Health 38 Years After Roe the ACLU urges its supporters to keep their focus pointed in the crucial direction of keeping … [Read more...]
What’s The Dilemma
January 23, 2011 by 12 Comments
With the 38th anniversary of Roe v Wade on January 22 this year, the proponents of both sides of the issue came out to emphasize their apologetic for their side of the abortion debate. This has got me thinking, why do pro-abortion abortion advocates get so heated? Having listened to arguments they … [Read more...]
Yes, But What If…
January 19, 2011 by 9 Comments
For every line of evidence and reasoning a theist--Christian or otherwise--presents for God's interaction in the world (supernatural events), there is a skeptic offering an alternate interpretation or explanation. This alternate explanation is generally viewed by the skeptic as a reason to reject … [Read more...]
Not A Shred Of Evidence
January 17, 2011 by 32 Comments
What do skeptics mean when they claim to reject theism because "there isn't a shred of evidence" for the existence of God or miracles? Could it be that all humanity who has held to some conviction God exists, all did so without having any evidence their convictions were true? I am not arguing that … [Read more...]
Don’t Take It Personally
January 1, 2011 by 21 Comments
If the Universe has a beginning, it must also have a cause, and I believe it can be argued successfully that both are true; which I believe entails a personal immaterial cause; one which is un-mechanical and not determined by physical laws. We know scientifically and philosophically the universe … [Read more...]
Oh, The Humanity
December 28, 2010 by 9 Comments
When someone offers the objection to God's existence, or the existence of a morally just God by pointing to all the evil in the world and suggesting a morally good God who is powerful ought to alleviate it, has not thought the objection through. I have most often heard it formulated like this: If … [Read more...]
A Burden The Hand
December 26, 2010 by 1 Comment
I think the obligation on who carries the burden of proof in any given argument is often misunderstood, particularly when it comes to religious claims, and the existence of God. Well, who carries it? Most people understand it is whom ever is making a claim, and it is. It is easy, however, for the … [Read more...]
Try Some Of My Jesus
December 19, 2010 by 5 Comments
Just today I was thinking about a three-way conversation I had with another Christian and a skeptic. To be honest, I had introduced myself into the conversation upon overhearing the subject; since I know both individuals so it was not out-of-place to interject. The Christian was "witnessing" to … [Read more...]
The Complaint Department Is Closed #13
December 14, 2010 by 4 Comments
Understandably the images and ideas slavery conjures in our minds given our reference point of 17th century through mid-19th century America, shape and serves as a filter for our approach to the topic whenever it arises. The manner in which American slavery was carried out was broadly speaking, … [Read more...]
What’s That Supposed To Mean?
December 6, 2010 by 1 Comment
The common rejoinder to a biblical quotation which refutes someone's argument, "That's just your interpretation!" is the Custer-esque last stand when backed into a corner in an attempt to hold to a non-biblical position. Rather than give up the non-biblical view in preference to the better … [Read more...]
Counterfeit Truth
December 3, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Anyone who regularly follows Sifting Reality knows how important I think it is to be accurate in the beliefs one holds; especially in the arena of religious ideas. One's views on God are of ultimate importance. If God is real, then it is highly significant who God is; what God is like; and … [Read more...]
The Elephant In The Room
November 28, 2010 by Leave a Comment
I had been debating with myself as to whether I should provide my take on this particular analogy describing the world's religions. It is not one I see referenced all that often, nor has it ever been offered to me for consideration by someone attempting to defend religious pluralism. However … [Read more...]
The Complaint Department Is Closed #12
November 27, 2010 by 19 Comments
GII's twelfth complaint truly illuminates their lack of a desire to understand what it is they are criticizing; or at least they make no attempt to harmonize their complaints into a non-contradictory list. Proof number 12: See The Magic This next complaint makes several of the same unwarranted … [Read more...]
What Gives You The Right?
November 26, 2010 by 7 Comments
The phrases "my rights are being violated", "God-given right", "human rights", etc. are used with great frequency, especially now that the TSA has adopted its Every-Citizen-is-a-Suspect policy. But what are rights? What rights do we actually have, and what makes them rights in the first place? I … [Read more...]
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