[pcottraux]

Sources:

-Strobel, Lee. The Case for a Creator. Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 2004, pages 104-107, 97-104, 236-238.

-Polkinghorne, John. The Faith of a Physicist. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 1994, pages 71-72.

-Wallace, J. Warner. God’s Crime Scene. David C Cook, Colorado Springs, CO, 2015, pages 75-82.

-Geisler, Norman and Turek, Frank. I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist. Crossway Books, Wheaton, IL, 2004, pages 81-82, 115-116.

-Salviander, Sarah. “My Research.” SarahSalviander.com. Accessed November 24, 2018.

I'm a day late posting this, as I usually upload new blogs Saturdays, but didn't get it up till late last night so decided to get it up this afternoon.

******

This one was a bit lengthy obviously, but this challenge pops up so much I had a lot of built up thoughts to unleash.

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[pcottraux]

My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge: Hosea 4:6.

This is the official ping list for Depths of Pentecost: I’m a Christian blogger who writes weekly Bible lessons. Topics range from Bible studies, apologetics, theology, history, and occasionally current events. Every now and then I upload sermons or classes onto YouTube.

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[onedoug]

So-called science related to so called climate change.

[editor-surveyor]

.
Where exactly is this alleged “Natural Explanation” that holds its own water?

Don’t hold your breath!
.

[humblegunner]

So.. true story....
Have you ever handled some snakes?

[spetznaz]

Thank you.

[Hardastarboard]

Absolute, irrefutable proof that God exists is that liberals don’t believe in him. That alone is good to me as any scientific proof you could offer, maybe better. They’re literally wrong about EVERYTHING.

[ifinnegan]

Thanks. I enjoyed this essay, but he did meander about a fair amount.

“To conclude, I want to present my own counter to the question of naming a natural explanation replaced by a supernatural explanation. From the time of Christ to today, imagine how many people during that time have claimed a miracle has happened.”

I think he did name black holes as an example, using the definition/understanding of natural or naturalism, of something with a natural explanation - the universe - having supernatural properties.

But it’s a never win situation in that the atheist simply includes properties of black holes as natural.

[ifinnegan]

Hi Philip. I see that you are the author. I’m glad to be able to chat with you directly.

“Astronomer Fred Hoyle first coined the phrase “big bang” as a term of ridicule for LeMaitres’ proposal. But after Hubble’s observation, no one was laughing.”

This is awkwardly written. It makes it seem that Hoyle made his Big Bang joke after LeMaitre’ proposal (1916) but before Hubble’s observation which you state as 1918.

Hoyle was born in 1915 and his Big Bang “ridicule” would therefore be decades after Hubble’s observation.

In other words Hoyle indeed was laughing well after Hubble’s observation.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

For the Greeks, Zeus.

Just a nit pick but it would be Uranus or possibly Eros depending on whether you agree with the tradition of Hesiod or Aristophanes.

Good article.

[mlo]

"I can already hear skeptics getting to the end of this blog and shouting “Ah ha! You still failed to provide one!”

An easy prediction to make given that it's true. A lot of diversion here, but the central point is never made.

[grey_whiskers]

Virgin birth. Joseph *had* been going to divorce Mary quietly.

[The Toddler]

I read the whole thing...I don’t get what the specific question is.

Name an explanation for what? The Universe?

Not trying to be a smart alec, I just don’t see a specific claim made by atheists that I could refute.

[pjd]

I would define supernatural as something that happens which can not be explained by science. The origin of life is one such thing, thought to occur naturally, given conditions suitable for life. But there is no theory for the origin of life which doesn’t involve a necessary step that is not supported by science. All of the theories I’ve seen require an appeal to the supernatural - a component not supported by science.

[boatbums]

I love studying this topic! Well done article. I think for some “scientists”, the only reason they believe in Evolution is the alternative is Creation. Like Einstein, the evidence is irritating.

[Ezekiel]

"Name a Natural Explanation Later Replaced by a Supernatural Explanation"

I don't know what's going on in the realms of theological debates, but that statement has the Book of Esther written all over it.

Now supposedly the name of God is nowhere in the Megillah, but rather that His hand is plainly evident in the intricate coordination of all the seemingly random events that led to the miraculous grand finale. In a story about casting lots, there are no odds.

It was Mordecai the *Jew* sitting at the gate who had the bead on everything going on in the kingdom, and who was pivotal to the plot moving this way or that.

Which brings me back to natural explanation replaced by the supernatural.

Regarding the Hebrew letters, the letter hei is formed from the letter dalet and the letter yud. That's simply the tradition that's "out there", as is obvious from its form:

yud: י dalet: ד

hei: ה

So in the Megillah there's

1) a Jew as the central figure
2) God "never mentioned"

To say that God is missing from the narrative is as absurd as the storyline itself, because what's up with the letters:

Jew:

יהודי

YHVH (the Tetragrammaton)

יהוה

There are no coincidences. It goes a long way in explaining the visceral hatred certain types have toward Jews, regardless of the level of religious observance. Any Jew merely walking around is evidence for the existence of God. "Jew" = Divine Presence.

This particular Jew was named Mordecai, whose name etymology tracks to Marduk, Mars.

It "just so happens" that InSight is scheduled to land on Mars tomorrow.

Hmmm, thinking..

[Fester Chugabrew]

What could be more arbitrary than to determine, since a phenomena is consistent over a long period of time, it is either “natural “ or “supernatural?”

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

I read The Case for Christ, in which journalist-turned-pastor Lee Strobel laid out the case, through numerous detailed interviews with highly educated Christian authorities -- true servants of Christ themselves -- as to why Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection were real. His book helped to lead me to accept Christ as my Savior on January 17, 2018.

Your article here helps to buttress my faith. Thank you.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

There is also a scientific study around that indicates, through examination of mitochondrial DNA, that ALL OF US were descended from a single human couple (one man, one woman) some 100,000 to 200,000 years ago. The same thing, according to them, applied to 9 out of 10 animal species currently on this earth. This study would certainly lend credence to the story of Noah’s Ark, meaning we could literally actually ALL BE DESCENDANTS of Noah and his Wife (or, more accurately, Shem, Ham and Japheth)! Praise the Lord!