two or three . net

We're moving to a new domain - WholeReason.com

I'm moving off of typepad onto wordpress, and moving to a new domain.  All of the content and comments here are moved over to Whole Reason (wholereason.com) already, so no more posts here.  This site will go down in a few months.

GUIDE: Google Voice on Sprint (EVO4G) for voicemail and free calling

So, I've scoured the internet to find out how to use Google Voice with my Sprint account. You can use it for voicemail without incurring any forwarding charges, but I'm not sure if they will allow you any of the plans that would make it possible for all of your calls via GV to be free, i.e. not count against your minutes. I'll updated when I find out more.

Last Update: 07/08/10

Ontology of the Devil

I recently listened to apologist Peter S. Williams (blog) deliver this talk at the 2010 European Leadership Forum on the topic: Arguments for Theism, and finally understood the Ontological Argument for God's existence.

However, it brought up a question in my mind, which I submitted to William Lane Craig's website.  I'll post the answer if I get one, but here's the question:

If the Ontological Argument assumes that God is the maximum quality of attributes of goodness and greatness:

1. Which category does 'being' or 'existence' fall into?  Goodness or greatness?
2. If that is an attribute of greatness, could we not then use this argument to argue for the existence of a maximally great and maximally evil (instead of good) being, then conclude that that being must also exist?

Comments?

Quote of the Day - necessity, tyrants, and repealing Obamacare

Is Obama facilitating change or forcing it? Here's today's quote.

Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves. ~ William Pitt

In our recent political history, this might be applied to some of the actions of GW Bush, such as the war on Iraq, wiretapping, suspending habeas corpus for Gitmo detainees, etc.  

It could also be applied to the Obama Administration, in the way that they forced through their various enormous spending bills, as well as their upcoming "carbon offsets" (a.k.a as 'cap and trade') legislation.  Trust me, it will be urgent and necessary.  

As we have seen in the Obama administration, you don't need time to read or openly debate legislation, you just need time to manipulate a majority vote.

James 4:8 - Draw Near to God

Here's my first sermon as an ordained pastor, and here's what was in it:

1. Get there
2. Quiet your soul
3. Pour out your soul
4. Read and wait for Illumination
5. Journal
6. Express thanks

Listen to Draw near to God

What is the Evangelical position on Biblical Inerrancy?

I was recently in a discussion at the skeptic site NW Ohio Skeptics, and got into a discussion about the differences between Evangelicals and Fundamentalists, and one topic that came up is that of inerrancy.  While I think all Fundamentalists hold to a plenary inerrancy, I don't think that that position is the only one among evangelicals.

First check out Daniel Wallace's great essay My Take on Inerrancy.

Then, check out the diagram I made comparing the different types of Christianity and their stands on different doctrines, including inerrancy - Neo-fundy Doctrines?

Now, you are ready to read my explanation of how I view inerrancy, and how I think many Evangelicals view it - but I bet there is a bit of diversity on this topic in Evangelicailsm.

Tavis Smiley: Your daily dose of stupid

I'm sorry. It's rather difficult to be polite to someone who makes a good, publicly-funded salary in order to spout this nonsense.

Arizona Senate Bill 1070 Redux

Ok, since I really enjoyed the video below, I thought to read the short (16 page) Arizona immigration bill (PDF) myself and see what all the hubub is about.  Even though I am politically conservative, I do believe we need a compromise solution that enforces our borders and has compassion on people fleeing the poverty and corruption of Mexico (though the current administration is trying hard to shut down the drug cartels).

Summary?  I think the law is a little too harsh, but only a little.  Even 'worse,' AZ Senator Russel Pierce argued on The O'Reilly Factor last night (also below) that giving citizenship to the children of illegals born in the US is NOT covered by the Fourteenth Amendment, nor by court cases since.  His argument is very interesting, and not out of the question.  

He is (NOT) risen!

I didn't know he was lost.  Seriously though, if they found him, I can tell you where.  Supposedly, his body is buried in the Mosque of the Prophet in Medina.  However, the point is, he is dead, but Jesus rose from the dead. And may I add, Momo's words bring death, but Jesus' bring life. 

Not sure that Jesus actually rose from the dead?  You can always listen to William Lane Craig or Lee Stroble defend that proposition.

Yes, hypocrisy makes it worse

As is often the case with controversies surrounding politicians, much of the rhetoric on Rep. Mark Souder's affair with a staffer has been divided politically. As I have stated on numerous occasions, hypocrisy makes it worse on these type of issues for conservative Republicans, especially those who claim to be committed Christians.

GUIDE: Favorite Google Chrome Extensions

I have moved off of Firefox for Google Chrome, for now.  If you load the DEV version (5.x), you finally have an almost worthy browser from Google.  Here's my favorite extensions.

Last Update: 05.17.10

Only a Man - Jonny Lang's testimony of finding faith for himself

 As I wrote previously, Lang wrote Leaving to Stay about leaving faith, but recently returned to faith and wrote this beautiful song as a testimony - I think this duet is with his wife. 

This last studio CD, Turn Around, won the 2007 Grammy for Best Rock Gospel Album.

Leaving to Stay - Jonny Lang's song of unbelief

 Jonny Lang, who left his childhood faith, returned to it a few years ago, and won a Grammy on the first CD that came out of that experience.

But before he returned to faith, he wrote and performed this song on Wander This World during his 'lost' period.  Amazing song and lyrics.

Hold the intangible

 I was updating my ID3 data on my mp3 collection, and had a great time going through all of my old CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) that I haven't listened to for almost 20 years. 

I came upon Susan Ashton's debut album, which was awesome, especially this song, which is written to atheists.  Enjoy the lyrics - it's also beautifully arranged and sung.

GUIDE: Books on Christianity and Science

Here's my list of resources for those interested in the history of religion and science, both pro and anti-religious.

THEIST

For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch-Hunts, and the End of Slavery by Rodney Stark

Stark argues that faith in God encouraged Christians to invent science. Having read other books making the same claim, I think Stark's approach to this question is one of the best. Not only does he go over the development of technology in the so-called "Dark Ages," and show how the "Enlightenment" picture of Copernican era science is a myth, he studies 52 key early scientists, and shows that more than 60 % were "devout," while only 2 were skeptics. The critic below who asks why Christianity did not produce science in Russia did not read attentively: Stark argues that faith in God was a necessary, but not sufficient, cause of the rise of science. Other factors were also involved. ~ From this excellent review

The parallel between 1 Timothy 1:9-10 and the Ten Commandments

I just purchased the Leader's version of Logos Software 4, and wow!  I am learning like crazy without even trying.  Just trying it out, I searched on the term 'homosexual' and a bunch of references came up, including one that mentions 1 Timothy 1:9-10, one of the three New Testament passages that refers to homosexuality directly:

1 Timothy 1:9-10 (English Standard Version)

Understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine.

One commentary mentioned that this passage tracks closely with the Ten Commandments.  I took a look, and here's the parallels.  I kept the order the same, and you can see how they roughly line up:

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me > the lawless and disobedient
2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image > the ungodly and sinners
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain > the profane
4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy > the unholy
5. Honour thy father and thy mother > those who strike their fathers and mothers
6. Thou shalt not kill > murderers
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery > the sexually immoral, homosexuals
8. Thou shalt not steal > enslavers
9. Thou shalt not bear false withess against thy neighbor > liars, perjurers
10. Thou shalt not covet > whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine.

What do you think?

Setting Up A New Windows PC - Updated

I seem to build or rebuild a Windows hard drive regularly (like again today), so here's my updated list of what to install. 

Last Update: 04.17.10

Changes:

• added CleanMem

When to Doubt a Scientific ‘Consensus’

Here's the abbreviated list from a good article from the American entitled When to Doubt a Scientific ‘Consensus’. You can also hear an interview with the author at ID the Future.

1. When different claims get bundled together.
2. When ad hominem attacks against dissenters predominate.
3. When scientists are pressured to toe the party line.
4. When publishing and peer review in the discipline is cliquish.
5. When dissenting opinions are excluded from the relevant peer-reviewed literature not because of weak evidence or bad arguments but as part of a strategy to marginalize dissent.
6. When the actual peer-reviewed literature is misrepresented.
7. When consensus is declared hurriedly or before it even exists.
8. When the subject matter seems, by its nature, to resist consensus.
9. When “scientists say” or “science says” is a common locution.
10. When it is being used to justify dramatic political or economic policies.
11. When the “consensus” is maintained by an army of water-carrying journalists who defend it with uncritical and partisan zeal, and seem intent on helping certain scientists with their messaging rather than reporting on the field as objectively as possible.
12. When we keep being told that there’s a scientific consensus.

How to misunderstand scripture: Matthew 19:16-26

You can listen to the sermon below:

How to Misunderstand Scripture

Sermon outline after the jump.

Private faith = unexamined, insecure faith

Courtesy of my favorite online toon, ASBO Jesus