Not brushing aside all contrary arguments

Reasons to Believe: Newsletter (2018), March/April, Reasons to Believe, Covina, California.

Confessions of a Former Atheist

The author, Gordon Arbuthnat states:

'I believed that mankind created God and that science resolved any unanswered questions.' (Reasons).

Further:

'I brushed aside all arguments to the contrary.'  (Reasons).

Eventually through church involvement, bible study and reading a book by Hugh Ross of Reasons to Believe, the author was able to reconcile scripture and science. (Reasons).

I can relate to this story. Not that I was ever a atheist or agnostic, admittedly I held to a Christian worldview from a very young age. I have over the years, especially through my British research theses within academia, been able to reasonably reconcile commonly held  to empiricism (knowledge is obtainable through the senses), within the Western world, with philosophical and theological premises and conclusions in support of theism and Christianity.

A key is that God is infinite, the first cause is infinite. Matter, energy and time is finite. Only the finite can be measured empirically. God as infinite can be reasoned out in a limited extent with philosophy of religion, and more importantly to know the gospel, God can reveal through scripture mainly (supernaturally in a personal context as well), divine self to the extent of relationship and fellowship with those God chooses. See Romans and Hebrews, as examples.

From Oxford Science

Empiricism: 'Denotes a result that is observed by experiment or observation rather than by theory.' (287). I view this as a legitimate academic approach in reasonable contexts. 

OXFORD DICTIONARY OF SCIENCE (2010) Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Q & A

Kenneth Samples provides five historical supports for the factual nature of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Reasons).

1. The empty tomb
2. Post-crucifixion appearances
3. The apostles' transformation
4. Emergence of the Christian Church
5. Sunday worship, replacing Sabbath worship

Ethical Dilemma (1 Timothy 5: 8)

1 Timothy 5:8

English Standard Version

But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

New American Standard Bible

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 

King James Bible

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
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I am in agreement with the above translations from the original Koine Greek. I believe in supporting family as an aspect of being a biblical \Christian.

Prior to the Boss having reasoning problems, and then being diagnosed with dementia with significant diminished mental capacity, the Boss and I had a verbal agreement.  Once I had earned my PhD and had related employment, that it was best that I move on. The Boss repeated this several times over the years.

I still hold to this agreement as likely being within the perfect will of God, or at least the preferred will of God. At the same time, I still reason that 1 Timothy 1 5:8 applies.

Within this ethical dilemma, I need to both honour and take care of my Mother and as well pursue travel for ministry/employment.

Less obviously, but also very importantly for my overall development as a person in Christ, I need to travel. Some of my significant spiritual highlights and insights in life have come from travel. It is a key aspect of my Christian faith and philosophy.

For example:

In 1976, as a small child, I toured Scotland (Especially), England, and Western Europe with my family. My brother and I sneaked into castles, for free. The Christian history, the good and bad and the ugly, of the State-Church; the beautiful buildings and the persecution and torture of some citizens, impacted me very much in eventually studying the bible, theology, philosophy and philosophy of religion at an academic level.

My later trip back to the United Kingdom and Ireland in 1995 had similar impact; but this time I was a graduated bible school student, heading to Baptist seminary, back in British Columbia, and I was influenced to pursue a European/British theses only PhD. Which, by God's will, I accomplished at Manchester, for a brief undocumented stay, and then eventually at Wales.

For me a trip abroad is never primarily about 'lying on a beach' or like, it is also life learning.
It is practical theology, even when it includes touring and football. Friends and family are primary when travelling.

Next week, I have ministry/employment training in the Toronto area. Fraser Health covers the personal care for the Boss with five visits a day, but our Strata does not allow a lock box or a key, for a care worker to enter. Some of my fellow apartment owners need to let a worker in to the building  to assist the Boss. As I have noted on Satire Und Theology, this process does not always go well, due to some unhappy owners that need to press 6 on his/her phone while lifting up the receiver.

The Boss is bedridden and was born disabled. The Boss needs professional help with personal care, but is also dead-set against being placed into any kind of institution.  I also, for some of the reasons mentioned, am firmly committed to work and travel with the PhD the Lord placed in my mind and heart, and guided me to accomplish.

As the local President of my ministry/employment stated to me: (Paraphrased).

As if you should stay home the rest of your life and not work.

Correct. May the Lord provide solutions to this ethical dilemma.

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy 2014

What is common to the two well-known cases is conflict. In each case, an agent regards herself as having moral reasons to do each of two actions, but doing both actions is not possible. Ethicists have called situations like these moral dilemmas.

Note, I prefer the terms ethical (external) dilemma to moral (internal) dilemma.

Faith and reason, not just faith

MPhil, Bangor University, 2003: The Problem of Evil: Anglican and Baptist Perspectives

Edited from MPhil

Christianity is, of course, a faith and I would argue, since as human beings we only possess finite knowledge, that faith, knowledge and reason always work hand in hand in all philosophy.

Christians do not want to possess a blind faith, but one that can withstand the best criticism because it is philosophically sound. 

Christianity is also a historical faith and it states through Scripture that God supernaturally interacted with human beings through his prophets, apostles, and Jesus Christ himself. So, the examination of Scripture is very important in any study of the problem of evil. My MPhil and PhD subject.

Critics may suggest it is very convenient that the supposed supernatural occurrences in Scripture which support the Christian faith, and its remedy to the problem of evil through Christ’s work, took place thousands of years ago, before our scientific age. These supernatural events, it could be stated, are now rather hard to either prove or disprove. If they cannot be proven, why should the Christian answer to the problem of evil be taken seriously? I admit this is an important criticism, but the Bible is consistent in its message, written within historical periods by historical people.

The accounts of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are in unity, and his resurrection, although disputed by some critics, does have the backing of New Testament authors, who claim to have witnessed the resurrected Christ, or to have personally known those who have.

PhD, University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter, 2010: Theodicy and Practical Theology 

Edited from PhD

Philosophically, I reason that for the sake of religious truth, a member of a faith group, and in particular a scholar such as myself, must be willing to, while striving for objectivity, examine his historical religious perspectives and doctrines, and this can occur through the use of disciplines other than Biblical studies, theology, and philosophy/philosophy of religion, but of course, focuses on these disciplines mentioned.

There are those within both conservative and liberal Christian traditions that would reason the historical writers of Scripture wrote what they saw and experienced, and therefore many of these modern scholars accept a doctrine of physical resurrection. The gospel work, including the atonement is also accepted as biblical, as is the triune nature of God. The salvific work of Christ for humanity is a core of Christian faith and philosophy.

BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press. 

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book II, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College.

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book IV, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College.

CALVIN, JOHN (1543)(1996) The Bondage and Liberation of the Will, Translated by G.I. Davies, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

FEINBERG, JOHN S. (1994) The Many Faces of Evil, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House.

PHILLIPS, D.Z. (1981) Encountering Evil, Stephen T. Davis (ed.), Atlanta, John Knox Press.

PHILLIPS, D.Z. (2005) The Problem of Evil and the Problem of God, Fortress Press, Minneapolis.

Granting the other side logic

Granting the other side logic

March 26 2018 article, revised and improved on July 16 2023

LANGER, SUSANNE K (1953)(1967) An Introduction to Symbolic Logic, Dover Publications, New York. (Philosophy)

The continuation of text review:

Key symbols

≡df
= Equivalence by definition
 : = Equal (s)
ε = Epsilon and means is
⊃ = Is the same as
⊨ is Entails
˜ = Not
∃ = There exists
∃! = There exists
∴ = Therefore
· = Therefore
< = Is included
v = a logical inclusive disjunction (disjunction is the relationship between two distinct alternatives).
x = variable
. = Conjunction meaning And
0 = Null class
cls = Class
int = Interpretation
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Granting the other side logic

Philosopher Langer, explains that within the nature of a logical deductive system (190), there is a best means for description and there is a character of 'granted' propositions. (190).

By granted propositions, this is logically granted. For examples: A theistic approach may not accept an atheistic, logical argument as true, but grant it as valid. An atheist approach may not accept a theistic, logical argument as true, but grant it as valid. Langer explains there needs to be a systematic construction that is a logical edifice. (190) An argument can be deduced within a system via propositions/premises leading to conclusion (s).
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A=Atheism

E=Evil

G=God

N=Necessary

P=The problem of evil

S=Suffering

(E ⊨ S) ∴ (P ⊨ A)

Evil entails suffering, therefore the problem of evil entails atheism  A classic atheistic equation.

(Logical, but the second bracketed equation is unreasonable and false, in my view)

(E ∃!) ∴ (S ∃!) ⊃ (P)

Evil exists therefore suffering exists, is the same as the problem of evil.

(Logical, reasonable and true, in my view)

(N ∃!) ∴ (G ∃!)

The necessary exists, therefore God exists.

(Logical, reasonable and true, in my view)

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Practical

Granting the other side logic means the other side, or other world view, for example, may present logical premises and conclusion (s) which are not necessarily true. An argument that is logical, must importantly be reasonable and sound. Soundness means that all the premises and conclusion are true. Pire writes that a sound (true) argument has all true premises. (69). 

 
BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press. 

LANGER, SUSANNE K (1953)(1967) An Introduction to Symbolic Logic, Dover Publications, New York. (Philosophy) 

PIRIE, MADSEN (2006)(2015) How To Win Every Argument, Bloomsbury, London.

PLANTINGA, ALVIN C. (1977)(2002) God, Freedom, and Evil, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

PLANTINGA, ALVIN C. (1982) The Nature of Necessity, Oxford, Clarendon Press. 

PLANTINGA, ALVIN C. (2000) Warranted Christian Belief, Oxford, Oxford University Press.