Reading Time: 7 minutes The American Church has been feeling the loss of their cultural relevance, and they’re not taking it very well. It offends them deeply. The last thing they needed was to lose the social privilege they’ve enjoyed for so many generations they have become convinced it’s just the way things are supposed to be. As they […]
faith
Posted inUncategorized
An Ex-Christian Evaluates a Gospelbound Podcast
Reading Time: 7 minutes Gospelbound’s own marketing claims that it will give listeners ‘firm faith in an anxious age.’ We checked out their most recent episode, about a TGC-produced book called Before You Lose Your Faith, and we weren’t impressed. But hey, maybe they just forgot about their target audience because they were talking about their own book. So I wanted to check out what else they were telling potential doubters. Today, let’s evaluate another of their episodes — from the point of view of a Christian who desperately needs a jolt of ‘firm faith in an anxious age.’
Posted inReligion
Bad Advice: The Worst Part of Cognitive Dissonance
Reading Time: 11 minutes Today, let me show you what happens when a Christian suffering from doubts collides with the tribe’s collective wisdom about dealing with doubters.
Posted inReligion
Cognitive Dissonance: (Not) Answering the Big Question
Reading Time: 9 minutes Hi and welcome back! Lately, we’ve been talking about cognitive dissonance — that uncomfortable state people get into when they realize they hold contradictory beliefs. The people who take Christianity the most seriously seem to be the most afflicted by it. We’ve seen how Christians respond (poorly) to cognitive dissonance in general and also regarding prayer. Today, […]
Posted inParenting & Family, Religion
What Kind of Parent Would Your Faith Make?
Reading Time: 6 minutes We are not fallen angels but emerging beings. —Bishop Spong I’ve been trying for a while to boil down my chief objections to the faith of my youth, and I think I’ve settled on the metaphor that best sums it up. I’ve decided my greatest problem with the Christian faith isn’t its avoidance of responsibility […]
Posted inReligion
How Reliable Is a Bridge Built on Faith?
Reading Time: 6 minutes Faith (belief led by the heart rather than the mind) can be comforting, but is it a reliable guide to the truth?
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Faith, the Other F-Word? (2 of 2)
Reading Time: 5 minutes What does “faith” mean? Is it belief based on evidence, or is it belief unconcerned with evidence?
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Faith, the Other F-Word?
Reading Time: 3 minutes What does “faith” mean? Is it, like this sign says, a belief that ignores facts? Are there other definitions?
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Today’s Interview on WLC, the Resurrection, Faith, Evidence & Belief
Reading Time: < 1 minute Here is the interview I had today with Andy Hall. As ever, I really enjoyed this: Let me know what you think. Stay in touch! Like A Tippling Philosopher on Facebook: A Tippling Philosopher You can also buy me a cuppa. Or buy some of my awesome ATP merchandise! Please… It justifies me continuing […]
Posted inCritical thinking, Religion, The Secular
C.S. Lewis and the Art of Holy Deception
Reading Time: 11 minutes It only recently occurred to me that I am now older than C.S. Lewis was when he first delivered the Broadcast Talks for BBC Radio upon which his later book Mere Christianity was based. Like him, I have been a teacher for decades; but unlike him, I have also spent decades parenting several children and […]