tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19219922.post7662375232096829852..comments2024-03-03T21:51:46.662-05:00Comments on stylos: WM 162: Apologetics, Uncertainty, and ApostasyJeffrey T. Riddlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16374856944409335186noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19219922.post-91944972771307838392020-04-15T08:38:12.261-04:002020-04-15T08:38:12.261-04:00I wanted to share the link to Answers in Genesis&#...I wanted to share the link to Answers in Genesis's response to Rhett and Link in case anyone is interested. I am a Creationist, but I am not entirely sure if I am old or young earth. Still trying to sift out the details there. I thought they had a good response regarding their thoughts on Creation vs. Evolution. The link is as follows: https://answersingenesis.org/culture/rhett-link-deconversion-culture/Phil Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02752045605704569789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19219922.post-36810054722038993022020-04-14T13:17:55.052-04:002020-04-14T13:17:55.052-04:00Phil, thanks for sharing your testimony and for yo...Phil, thanks for sharing your testimony and for your encouragement. One of the CRU staffers wrote a thoughtful response (somewhere online?) regarding Rhett and Link's very public deconversion, noting the contrast with the fact that when they were supposedly still professing faith they never made it a public issue (probably for fear of offending viewers/clients). I am glad and humbled to hear that you are getting some profit from listening to messages from CRBC. Blessings, brother and keep the faith.<br /><br />JTRJeffrey T. Riddlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16374856944409335186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19219922.post-35692913926409016822020-04-14T08:18:31.457-04:002020-04-14T08:18:31.457-04:00I have a different story, though it goes the oppos...I have a different story, though it goes the opposite direction. I was raised Lutheran, and was taught Luther's Small Catechism, and went through two years of confirmation. However, I ended up moving to a very liberal town, which promoted the same ideology that most of our Public institutions do today. I eventually fell into doubt and confusion. First the slide into unbelief was an adoption of a practical Agnosticism, and then after thinking it over some, I realized that I didn't know God and He doesn't know me. I also figured that no man could know God unless He come and tell him in person. My only standard in life was that as long as someone doesn't kill anyone or steal from them, they are good. Whatever else they did was of no consequence in my mind. In 1995 one of my best friends was killed trying to break up a fight at a beach party after work. I remember getting the news and the feeling of loosing a friend with no hope in sight. I was a pallbearer, and a thought pricked my mind during the funeral and it was this: "I have to figure out what this was all about!" The reality of death has a way of jolting a man's conscience. This was especially true because we were 17 years old and our lives were just beginning! <br /><br />It took a while, but after much searching and studying I was lead to Christ through a Baptist Student Mission at Southern Arkansas University where I attended. I had studied every major world religion and philosophy I could think about, and I also began to search out my doubts about Jesus and the Gospel. I not only read the Bible (well it was a 1984 NIV! Lol), I also read Pliny the Younger, Tacitus, and Josephus. After covering that ground I established at least that Jesus was a real person. What was compelling to me was the history of the Apostles after the resurrection. Why would all those men and many others risk their lives like they did over a lie? This question stayed with me and I couldn't let go of it. I give God the credit, but this compelling thought was pivotal to my conversion. It wasn't until after my conversion that the Bible manuscript issue was even brought to my attention. <br /><br />You are right pastor, apologetics can only take someone so far. It is the Word of God and the Holy Spirit that illuminate the mind of man, awaken his conscience to his condition and his need for repentance and faith. In my case God used a poor translation (NIV 1984) and the love of a campus pastor, but He didn't stop there. I wish I could say my sanctification has been clean and linear, but I would be lying. <br /><br />Rhett and Link's testimony makes me sad. I have been there for one thing, but to have tasted the gift and reject it as they have seems scary to me. I will be praying for them in hopes they will repent and that God would give them eyes to see. The only reason I knew anything about them is that a deacon at our church has shown some of their silly videos to the kids at some of our small group meetings after we were done with the Bible study. I have to admit some of them were pretty funny.<br /><br />Thank you pastor Riddle for your blog and podcast. I also listen to your sermons while driving back and forth from destinations at work, they are very sound and encouraging. I will be praying for you as well. God bless.<br /><br />Phil Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02752045605704569789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19219922.post-52359276266890533082020-04-12T23:44:47.960-04:002020-04-12T23:44:47.960-04:00AJ, thanks for the comment. Yes, of course, faith ...AJ, thanks for the comment. Yes, of course, faith does not come about by virtue of empirical proof. This episode was more about the problem with modern evangelical apologetics that make doubt and lack of certainty a veritable spiritual discipline and the results are disastrous.<br /><br />As regards the text of Scripture I like Hills book but I am not sure I am completely on board with his construal of "maximal" as opposed to "absolute" certainty. Take, for example, the PA.Is it Scripture? Can I answer yes, it is, with absolute certainty? I think I can. Other more challenging texts have to be taken on a case by case basis and approached with humility. That, however, is a far cry from abandonment of certainty regarding the text typical of modern text criticism, which leads down the road taken by those like Rhett and Link IMHO.<br /><br />JTRJeffrey T. Riddlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16374856944409335186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19219922.post-3388324315750488022020-04-12T19:11:45.906-04:002020-04-12T19:11:45.906-04:00I don't think we can every have absolute certa...I don't think we can every have absolute certainty about what we believe. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. We walk by faith not by sight. Why would we hope if we saw what we hoped for? Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. <br /><br />Religious faith, by definition, excludes the type of certainty one would find in fields of knowledge such as engineering. And engineering students often aren't the best when it comes to theology. <br /><br />I've noticed many of those who have deconstructed, as they say, have grown up in the church. It seems they had a head knowledge of the faith but not a true heart of faith. Usually such people are also highly intelligent. Yet the gospel is very simple. Perhaps too simple for some (not many wise, not many noble). Hopefully they will truly believe someday. <br /><br />To reject the faith due to a lack of certainty is, I think, a profound misunderstanding of our faith. We have good reasons for believing what we do... it's not a blind faith... but it is faith (belief) nonetheless. <br /><br />In short, we believe what we've been told (via the spoken and/or written word of the gospel) by those who came before us in the faith. <br /><br />Can we prove that Jesus is alive right now? Can we prove the Bible is the word of God? No. We believe Jesus is alive right now. We believe the Bible is the word of God. God gives us the faith to believe. <br /><br />Regarding the text, I think the best book ever written about the traditional text (and the book I return to most often) is <i>The King James Version Defended</i> by E. F. Hills. Hills doesn't support the idea of absolute certainty regarding the text of Scripture. As he says, we can have maximum certainty, and that's as good as it gets. Some readings, he says, we can never be certain about. And I'm okay with that. <br />A. J. MacDonald, Jrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02606590381956913426noreply@blogger.com