by ProfDave, ©2021 (Feb. 23, 2021) — The Problem It seems to me that, since World War II, Western Civilization has been groping for a new worldview to replace the Judeo-Christian system. Leading contenders are militant secularism, scientific naturalism and Islam. Ironically, due to globalization and information technology, the other world civilizations are being challenged […]
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Posted inPhilosophy & Religion
Lent? What’s that?
by ProfDave, ©2021 (Feb. 17, 2021) — Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Liturgical Christians receive the sign of the cross on their foreheads, made from the previous Palm Sunday’s ashes. They wear that sign all day as a symbol of penitence. I received the ashes one year and wore them with […]
Posted inEditorials
Vunderful Valentines! Loopy Lupercalia!
by ProfDave, ©2021 (Feb. 14, 2021) — There were actually three St. Valentines, all beheaded for their love of Christ in the late 3rd century. So there is something about love. No actual records survive, but one was alleged to have been beaten, stoned and beheaded for conducting illegal Christian weddings. Yes, marriage was controversial […]
Posted inEditorials
Lincoln and Darwin
by ProfDave, ©2021 (Feb. 11, 2021) — Today we celebrate the birthday of Abraham Lincoln. It used to be a national holiday, but has now been swallowed up by Presidents’ Day. The guy in the tall hat sells cars, doesn’t he? I’ve also been made aware that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) […]
Posted inPhilosophy & Religion
Spirituality, True, False and Ugly
by ProfDave, ©2021 (Feb. 9, 2021) — Spirituality, true, false and ugly. It is most reasonable to assume that the material cosmos is not all there is. That there is an unseen realm beyond our physical senses from which the cosmos derives and gains its meaning. The cosmos exists, for one thing, and demands an […]
Posted inEditorials
The Failure of the New Socialist Mankind
by ProfDave, ©2021 (Feb. 4, 2021) — For those of us who lived through the Cold War Era, the collapse of the Soviet Union was a great surprise. Even those of us who were committed opponents of despotism, socialism, and/or atheism – who had argued for decades that such a regime was morally and logically […]
Posted inPhilosophy & Religion
Humanity is Messed Up
by ProfDave, ©2021 (Feb. 2, 2021) — Rules for driving in NYC: Don’t get in the way of a car that needs extensive body work. (Minnesota Public Radio, Pretty Good Joke Book, 2009). That would be me. Only I never drive in NYC. It is a pretty good principle anywhere, however. Has something to do […]
Posted inEditorials
What is Truth?
by ProfDave, ©2021 (Jan. 28, 2021) — What is truth? For a generation our great universities have been teaching us that there is no such thing as “truth.” So why are Democrats accusing Trump of lying and Trump accusing the press of lying if there is no such thing as truth? There is only “your […]
Posted inPhilosophy & Religion
Sin and Morality in Corinth
by ProfDave, ©2021 (Jan. 27, 2021) — Talking turkey. When’s the last time you did that in church? Is “sin” even still in the dictionary? Even I tend to talk about brokenness and alienation – secular words for the same thing. But sin is the Biblical word. True, we sin because we are broken and […]
Posted inEditorials
Reality Check!
by ProfDave, ©2021 (Jan. 21, 2021) — Reality check: what is reality? Had a conversation with a teen about a TV show featuring graphic sex, violence and abuse. “But it’s reality.” Had a similar conversation with my son back in the day about the world of gangs and drugs. “But it’s reality.” Watched a bit […]
Posted inPhilosophy & Religion
The Talking Snake and the Wet Paint; The Human Condition in Genesis 3
by ProfDave, ©2021 (Jan. 18, 2021) — From Holiness in 12 Steps by the author, Xulon Press, 2020 “A talking snake? Give me a break!” was my ex-son-in-law’s response to this story. Well, if you encounter a talking snake, run, don’t listen! We have already noted in Genesis 2 that the Garden of Eden contained […]
Posted inPhilosophy & Religion
Who is That Masked Man/Woman?
by ProfDave, ©2021 (Jan. 13, 2021) — We hear a lot about identity politics, stolen identities, LGBT identity, a Christian’s identity in Christ, the way you introduce yourself in recovery meetings. Oh my! What is your identity? Who are you? What is “identity” anyway? I’m guessing all these “identities” have something to do with who […]
Posted inPhilosophy & Religion
Values Clarification, Part II
by ProfDave, ©2021 (Jan. 10, 2021) —[Editor’s Note: Part 1 is here.] We need to stop and look at the positive values we need for a healthy democracy in these United States. In rough order of importance we so far have considered the human person and the family. Here are some more. Children. Another family […]
Posted inPhilosophy & Religion
Our Values Need Clarifying, Part I
by ProfDave, ©2021 (Jan. 8, 2021) — “One nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.” “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all [mankind] are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness [well-being, success].” I […]
Posted inPhilosophy & Religion
Are We Haters?
by ProfDave, ©2021 (Jan. 3, 2021) — Christians are in trouble if calling sin “sin” is a hate crime. Would you allow me to explain what a Christ-like attitude is or ought to be? The basis of any Christian worldview is that there is meaning and purpose in the cosmos, human life, and your life. […]
Posted inPhilosophy & Religion
My Life, My Death?
by ProfDave, ©2020 (Dec. 30, 2020) — That is the slogan of well-funded lobbyists who descend on my state legislature every year to advocate physician-assisted suicide. Excuse me – they call it “compassion in dying” or, in Canada, “medical assistance in dying.” I call it a confession of world-view bankruptcy. Others call it euthanasia, mercy […]
Posted inPhilosophy & Religion
Truth Decay
by ProfDave, ©2020 (Dec. 28, 2020) — Have you had your truth cleaned within the last six months? Any cavities? How do you drill and fill a diseased truth? Does your truth need a root canal? A crown? What does it mean to be long in the truth? What about the reverse: promise to tell […]
Posted inPhilosophy & Religion
Declaring Independence from God
by ProfDave, ©2020 (Dec. 24, 2020) — In 1776 we declared independence from England, but should we declare independence from God? There is a problem with American separation from God – not just separation of church and state (which is not in the constitution, by the way) but personal, social, cultural and national independence from […]
Posted inPhilosophy & Religion
The Celestial Mechanics of Christmas for Beginners
by ProfDave, ©2020 (Dec. 23, 2020) — Celestial Mechanics? You don’t have to know how the world turns in order to live on it without falling off, but what about the unseen world? It might help. You don’t have to know much about auto mechanics either in order to drive, but it helps to know […]
Posted inPhilosophy & Religion
The Icing on the Cake
by ProfDave, ©2020 (Dec. 21, 2020) — Over the centuries the celebration of Christmas has taken on a life of its own. It has become so much fun (and such big business in turn) that it is easy for even active Christians to forget what it is all about. Let alone those who haven’t read […]
