my reply to Dave Armstrong on God causing evil

Dave Armstrong takes a shot at Calvinism at Patheos.com, here. 

Responded as follows:

barry • a few seconds from now

If God respects human freewill, how could the metaphor of "hooks in your jaws" (Ezekiel 38:4 ff) possibly convey correct theology? What image does the metaphor bring to mind, and does that image harmonize with "God respects human freewill"?

Armstrong cites to Keil and F. Delitzsch, but I doubt he would agree with their interpretation of Ezekiel 38-39:

In the words, “I place rings in thy jaws” (cf. Ezek. 29:4), Gog is represented as an unmanageable beast, which is compelled to follow its leader (cf. Isa. 37:29); and the thought is thereby expressed, that Gog is compelled to obey the power of God against his will. הֹוצִיא, to lead him away from his land, or natural soil.
Keil, C. F., & Delitzsch, F. (2002). Commentary on the Old Testament. (Vol. 9, Page 331). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.

The Patheos Christians are quietly deleting challenges again

I made a perfectly valid criticism and reply to a Patheos article "Has Christian Apologetics Failed?
March 2, 2019 BY ESTHER O’REILLY".

The reply was:




The reply was deleted.  See here


Esther O'Reilly's bio:

About Esther O’Reilly
I am a teacher and doctoral student of mathematics, but a lifelong student of human nature. I seek to understand what is good and what is sad and what is true. When I’m not mathing or teaching, I enjoy writing about faith and culture, researching film and music history, reading great literature and philosophy, pretending to play the piano like Bruce Hornsby, writing the occasional poem, and editing the occasional film project. My interest in Pop Culture Things tends to be inversely proportional to the level of interest they generate among other people of my generation. I am, after all, a Young Fogey. I occasionally write theological reflections too—in a bad Anglican, high-Church Baptist sort of vein. You’ve all been warned. My opinions can be curiously strong, but I am always learning how to express them better. Though I retain little patience for post-modernists. Thanks for reading. You can find my freelance social commentary at The Stream and The Federalist, or sample some of my film criticism at Tyler Smith’s More Than One Lesson. Follow me on Facebook or Twitter, @EstherOfReilly. Send questions, comments or snark to estherioreilly@gmail.com.

See here.   I emailed her about it, and will update.

Here's the email Esther sent me March 10:

Hi Barry. This is something Patheos does automatically on occasion for reasons unknown, not something I do. I don't keep up with or monitor my comment threads one way or the other. Later I can have a look and see if I can just check a box that lets this through. But I wasn't holding it back deliberately.

my defense against Christians who criticize the "new atheism"

I posted the following over at a patheos blog, see here:

Hold on, this is waiting to be approved by Cranach.Not seeing the purpose of this piece. The evidence for Jesus resurrection is horrifically weak, and I say this after critically examining the works of Licona, Habermas and W.C. Craig. Paul said if Jesus did not rise from the dead, he is still in his sins, and is a false witness. 

The fact that you can find a certain crazy subgroup among your opponents, does precisely nothing to hurt the argument of your opponents, otherwise, an atheist could conclude Christianity is false, because the idiots who play with snakes in their churches are clearly stupid. 

I'm an atheist. I agree with most Christians that the "new atheists" are more concerned about flaming and rhetoric than argument. But I'm not seeing how the errors of "new atheism" somehow beat down normative atheism, anymore than the errors of KJV Onlyism somehow beat down normative Christianity. 

You are not surviving skeptical attacks on the resurrection of Jesus (Christianity's essential doctrine) by pointing to the errors of "new" atheists. You need to worry about the atheists who trounce your faith, and can do it without resorting to brouhaha and political rhetoric.
https://turchisrong.blogspo...