Thank you again, Professor. I never expected to see things this way. I might have to revisit this series again once I've gone through it once. I can see there is a depth I cannot yet grasp. I see the flickering shadows on the wall. I yearn for more.
The Chesterton quote at 7:30 "...but because of the theory,..." What theory? If there is a holistic overarching theory of Christianity, then it needs to be spelled out. You can say "everything is knit together through Christ", But how? If Christ is the central thread then how are the various other threads connected to each other? Are we changing our metaphor from tapestry to web?
@@VegaChastain Answer One: Nonsense. Look up what "unfalsifiable" is. Answer Two: Sure, ok. Thor is the Lord, he has the Holy Hammer, and your guy got nailed. Any questions? Answer Three: Everyone knows that the only one true god in Lord Flying Spaghetti Monster. You just close your eyes to the truth, because you want to sin.
@@RusskyVoyennyKorablIdiNakhui The bible explains your existence and your motivations for the statements you make. This youtube series suggests one way to understand why you are even here, triggered by Christianity enough to consume your precious breaths of life in relation to it. Christianity has every reason to understand you and other religions due to its responsibilities. You have no coherent explanation for your obsession with antichristianism. Even so, you fulfill the prophecies about you with your life. You are among the evidence that Christianity is true. It makes you make sense, which is more than you do for yourself. So my scientific approach to trying on the theory of Christianity is proving fruitful so far. Thanks for serving yourself up as part of my sample. I appreciate it.
Prof. McGrath, the coat simply doesn't fit everyone. I am 68, and am an active, committed member of a very progressive church (United Church of Canada). The coat simply doesn't fit lots of us in the United Church, hence we take huge liberties with the Christian tradition. I need faith community, and I was born into the Christian tradition, so I am comfortable with the very, very loose coat we wear. However, the Christian world picture simply doesn't make sense to me on an intuitive level, and never has. 1. A personal God: to me, a "person" is necessarily finite and mortal, limited in space and time. A "person" who is none of those things just doesn't work for me, a contradiction in terms. 1. Divinity of Jesus: ditto. 2. Story of "original sin": a bad story! Where on earth did the serpent come from? Is he one of the animals named by ha-adam? That hypothesis doesn't fit the narrative. Eve's eating of the fruit doesn't seem like that bad of a slip, and God's response seems a huge overreaction. And the idea that henceforth all humanity/the earth is tainted by this mistake seems utterly absurd! Again, God's response to the human situation seems badly overblown - this is a loving, infinitely wise, trustworthy God? Nope, not to me at all! 3. Jesus' death is a sacrifice that God for some reason needs to balance the scales, so that all who have faith in Jesus and repent, are "saved." Oh, come on! I was sexually abused by my father all of my childhood and adolescence, which badly damaged me in life-long ways. But I never desired any "sacrifice," punishment, etc., from him to restore relationship. All I needed was recognition of the wrong, an apology, and a sincere attempt at re-building relationship in a healthy way. I wanted him back, I loved him, I had no desire that he suffer at all, just be a real father. If I can do this, surely an infinitely loving, wise God can do the same! Christianity makes perfect sense to in historical perspective, and I've studied that for many years, at the advanced graduate level (would have completed PhD if illness had not intervened). But it is not a coat I can wear as a 20th/21st century person. The New Testament is a fascinating document, but it doesn't speak to my heart at all, and never has. I know it does for some, and, frankly, I envy them. I'd love to wear the coat, and tried for decades, but, nope, just doesn't fit. So I hang, quite happily, with that bunch of people for who interpret Jesus as a social justice warrior who waves a Pride flag. Such a Jesus is, of course, neither that of the biblical or historic Christian tradition, and neither does it really find a basis in scripture. That's not an issue for me at all; the creators/redactors of the biblical texts took just as much freedom as we do with their texts and traditions - eisegesis really is the best way to interpret the text, unless you are a scholar. It's the values that matter, and the values of the United Church of Canada are my values. A question for you regarding this apologetics business, is how best should the apologist respond to the person who says - sorry, can't wear this coat? It's way too tight and small, can't get my arms in it, can't do it up. I can respond - I say, hey, it doesn't fit me either, so try our new version. Don't worry about your atheism - you can say I'm one of them, and there's lots where I am. The values where I am are real good, and having a caring, supportive community to help you make sense of the vicissitudes, ambiguities, and heart-breaking tragedies of life really helps. We're there when illness strikes, when death comes, when you lose your job. We don't demand that you believe anything. We do ask that you sincerely try to open your mind, heart and hands, that's our commitment to each other, and to the rest of the world. If you don't share our social justice values and are uncomfortable with the Pride flag, however, our place won't work for you.
So many things the Lord doesn't explain to us in His Word the Bible, he simply states things as fact. He doesn't need to make himself make sense to us. He says repent and believe. He was not made for us, rather He made us. The clay vase made by the Potter doesn't say to the Potter 'you don't make sense to me'. I lovingly ask suggest you ask the creator of the universe to give you faith and help you truly know Him and His healing love. Read the gospels, Matthew Mark luke John. I am So sorry to hear of your abuse, I know various people who have been abused sexually and that I such a terrible thing to suffer, I can't begin to imagine how hard things are. He never promises an easy life here for those who are trusting in Jesus for salvation from their sin. But he does promise eternal life and that he will never leave nor forsake those who live for him. He is a good God. The wonderful thing is that he has made himself known to us in the person of his Son Jesus Christ who said if we have seen him we have seen the Father. The 4 gospels show clearly the loving compassionate Saviour who cares about you. When we turn to him in repentance for our sins, seeing his death on the cross as paying our penalty for sin because he loves us so much, when we give our lives to him and follow him, then we know peace with God and a joy that nothing can compare with. He doesn't give us all the answers or all we want but He gives us himself and nothing is better than that...belonging to the living God ❤
Thank you again, Professor. I never expected to see things this way. I might have to revisit this series again once I've gone through it once. I can see there is a depth I cannot yet grasp. I see the flickering shadows on the wall. I yearn for more.
Wng 40:01
Sir, could you please do a series on Christian philosophy? Thank you.
The Chesterton quote at 7:30 "...but because of the theory,..." What theory? If there is a holistic overarching theory of Christianity, then it needs to be spelled out.
You can say "everything is knit together through Christ", But how?
If Christ is the central thread then how are the various other threads connected to each other? Are we changing our metaphor from tapestry to web?
Words words words. The truth is, there is absolutely no legitimate evidence for xian god. Zero, nada. The rest is idle talk.
@@RusskyVoyennyKorablIdiNakhui all of creation is evidence of a creator. :D
@@VegaChastain Answer One: Nonsense. Look up what "unfalsifiable" is.
Answer Two: Sure, ok. Thor is the Lord, he has the Holy Hammer, and your guy got nailed. Any questions?
Answer Three: Everyone knows that the only one true god in Lord Flying Spaghetti Monster. You just close your eyes to the truth, because you want to sin.
@@RusskyVoyennyKorablIdiNakhui The bible explains your existence and your motivations for the statements you make. This youtube series suggests one way to understand why you are even here, triggered by Christianity enough to consume your precious breaths of life in relation to it. Christianity has every reason to understand you and other religions due to its responsibilities. You have no coherent explanation for your obsession with antichristianism. Even so, you fulfill the prophecies about you with your life. You are among the evidence that Christianity is true. It makes you make sense, which is more than you do for yourself.
So my scientific approach to trying on the theory of Christianity is proving fruitful so far. Thanks for serving yourself up as part of my sample. I appreciate it.
@@StepsToFollow You bible explains nothing. It's garbage.
Brilliant lecture, thank you. I just wish someone could have assisted him in positioning the camera; his posture is distracting.
Prof. McGrath, the coat simply doesn't fit everyone. I am 68, and am an active, committed member of a very progressive church (United Church of Canada). The coat simply doesn't fit lots of us in the United Church, hence we take huge liberties with the Christian tradition. I need faith community, and I was born into the Christian tradition, so I am comfortable with the very, very loose coat we wear. However, the Christian world picture simply doesn't make sense to me on an intuitive level, and never has. 1. A personal God: to me, a "person" is necessarily finite and mortal, limited in space and time. A "person" who is none of those things just doesn't work for me, a contradiction in terms. 1. Divinity of Jesus: ditto. 2. Story of "original sin": a bad story! Where on earth did the serpent come from? Is he one of the animals named by ha-adam? That hypothesis doesn't fit the narrative. Eve's eating of the fruit doesn't seem like that bad of a slip, and God's response seems a huge overreaction. And the idea that henceforth all humanity/the earth is tainted by this mistake seems utterly absurd! Again, God's response to the human situation seems badly overblown - this is a loving, infinitely wise, trustworthy God? Nope, not to me at all! 3. Jesus' death is a sacrifice that God for some reason needs to balance the scales, so that all who have faith in Jesus and repent, are "saved." Oh, come on! I was sexually abused by my father all of my childhood and adolescence, which badly damaged me in life-long ways. But I never desired any "sacrifice," punishment, etc., from him to restore relationship. All I needed was recognition of the wrong, an apology, and a sincere attempt at re-building relationship in a healthy way. I wanted him back, I loved him, I had no desire that he suffer at all, just be a real father. If I can do this, surely an infinitely loving, wise God can do the same!
Christianity makes perfect sense to in historical perspective, and I've studied that for many years, at the advanced graduate level (would have completed PhD if illness had not intervened). But it is not a coat I can wear as a 20th/21st century person. The New Testament is a fascinating document, but it doesn't speak to my heart at all, and never has. I know it does for some, and, frankly, I envy them. I'd love to wear the coat, and tried for decades, but, nope, just doesn't fit. So I hang, quite happily, with that bunch of people for who interpret Jesus as a social justice warrior who waves a Pride flag. Such a Jesus is, of course, neither that of the biblical or historic Christian tradition, and neither does it really find a basis in scripture. That's not an issue for me at all; the creators/redactors of the biblical texts took just as much freedom as we do with their texts and traditions - eisegesis really is the best way to interpret the text, unless you are a scholar. It's the values that matter, and the values of the United Church of Canada are my values.
A question for you regarding this apologetics business, is how best should the apologist respond to the person who says - sorry, can't wear this coat? It's way too tight and small, can't get my arms in it, can't do it up. I can respond - I say, hey, it doesn't fit me either, so try our new version. Don't worry about your atheism - you can say I'm one of them, and there's lots where I am. The values where I am are real good, and having a caring, supportive community to help you make sense of the vicissitudes, ambiguities, and heart-breaking tragedies of life really helps. We're there when illness strikes, when death comes, when you lose your job. We don't demand that you believe anything. We do ask that you sincerely try to open your mind, heart and hands, that's our commitment to each other, and to the rest of the world. If you don't share our social justice values and are uncomfortable with the Pride flag, however, our place won't work for you.
So many things the Lord doesn't explain to us in His Word the Bible, he simply states things as fact. He doesn't need to make himself make sense to us. He says repent and believe. He was not made for us, rather He made us. The clay vase made by the Potter doesn't say to the Potter 'you don't make sense to me'. I lovingly ask suggest you ask the creator of the universe to give you faith and help you truly know Him and His healing love. Read the gospels, Matthew Mark luke John. I am So sorry to hear of your abuse, I know various people who have been abused sexually and that I such a terrible thing to suffer, I can't begin to imagine how hard things are. He never promises an easy life here for those who are trusting in Jesus for salvation from their sin. But he does promise eternal life and that he will never leave nor forsake those who live for him. He is a good God. The wonderful thing is that he has made himself known to us in the person of his Son Jesus Christ who said if we have seen him we have seen the Father. The 4 gospels show clearly the loving compassionate Saviour who cares about you. When we turn to him in repentance for our sins, seeing his death on the cross as paying our penalty for sin because he loves us so much, when we give our lives to him and follow him, then we know peace with God and a joy that nothing can compare with. He doesn't give us all the answers or all we want but He gives us himself and nothing is better than that...belonging to the living God ❤
You are not a Christian.
Thank you for your instruction. Shaffer (sp?) "non-inclusive language"? Was not he quoted as saying "he or she"? Not "inclusive"? Fiddlesticks!!