Wes Widner on June 25th, 2010

“scientific knowledge” is a misnomer in itself as science does not stand by itself but is rather a means by which we may form and fashion our beliefs. In other words, facts are not self-interpreting. Many say there is not a shred of evidence to support ID, and I would grant that they are correct.. [...]

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Wes Widner on June 16th, 2010

Can atheists Trust the truth detecting ability of their own minds? By that I mean; In a theistic universe we are given reason to trust that our senses are capable of accurately detecting the world around us because we hold to the notion that they were properly designed to operate in the environment in which we employ [...]

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Wes Widner on June 4th, 2010

In a recent discussion on Facebook with a few Calvinistic brethren of mine, we ran across the topic of Total Depravity. Here is a segment of that conversation wherein I discuss the Reformed view of this doctrine’s flaws. Jared, your view of man’s depravity seems to be rather chaotic and confused. Much like Luther and [...]

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Wes Widner on May 14th, 2010

Much has been said regarding pornography. It’s use, it’s consumption, it’s effects on both groups, and it’s effect on society. I want to step back, however, for a minute and discuss how pornography itself constitutes a “way of knowing” regarding sex and how this method of knowing, this ideological grid, colors how we think about [...]

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A common refrain from non-religious people is that belief in God is akin to a mental disorder. Well here are a few resources which should help put things into perspective and show how a theist is comfortably warranted in their religious beliefs: Bruce A. Little What is faith? Does belief require Warrant? Bruce A. Little [...]

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Continue reading about Are Christians crazy or do they have a rational basis for their beliefs?

Wes Widner on March 13th, 2010

I was recently sent the following challenging response to a previous post regarding the deconversion of those who once claimed to be Christians: Apply your reasoning to any other area of life, and no one can ever stop believing something that they really believed in. True belief PRECLUDES assimilating newly discovered evidence which causes re-evaluation [...]

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Wes Widner on February 10th, 2010

[HT Dangerous Idea] I am not asking anyone to accept Christianity if his best reasoning tells him that the weight of evidence is against it. That is not the point at which faith comes in. But supposing a man’s reason once decides that the weight of the evidence is for it. I can tell that [...]

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Wes Widner on February 3rd, 2010

Here’s a quote by Robert Jastro that I’ve heard in several debates around the compatibility of science and religion. [HT Brian] “For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the [...]

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Wes Widner on January 27th, 2010

Philosophical presuppositions are ideas and beliefs we hold, consciously or unconsciously, which affect the way we interpret facts and evidence. In short, our philosophical presuppositions affect how we reason. Many people are completely unaware of their philosophical presuppositions which is unfortunate since awareness of our philosophical presuppositions helps us better understand the arguments made by others who [...]

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Wes Widner on January 11th, 2010

I read a lot of blogs. Shocking, I know. However, you may be surprised to find a section on my reading list that is quite unlike the rest. This section I have labeled “Anti-theology” (yes, it comes right after the “Theology” section) and it’s filled with sites like exChristian.net, De-Conversion.com, and What God Has Made [...]

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