Making the case for the Bible.

I have often found myself debating with atheists and skeptics alike on the validity and truth of the Bible, as well as the Christian faith in general.

Most of the time people who argue against Christianity do so out of denial, disgust for organized religion in a historical context, and dislike of the modern day "American Christian". You may very well be one of these people. I am here to say I understand you. It is a shame what reputation modern evangelical Christians have given themselves in America. Sex scandals, hypocritical behavior, political priorities, and an overabundance of cult-like denominations all accumulate, brick by brick, in the wall going up between the saved and the lost.

I am here to make a few points. First of all, true Christianity is not an organized religion. In fact, I hate the word. Christianity, in its purest form, is a personal relationship between Jesus Christ and the believer. It is what separates the "religion" shall we say, from all other religions. It is all dependent on one thing and one thing only: Belief in Jesus, and a 100% desire to follow him! Many try to make the point that Christianity and the other main religion of the world, Islam, are essentially the same. This couldn't be further from the truth. If you want to get to the root of that debate, compare Jesus and Mohammad according to historical fact and their beliefs and writings. If you truly do this with an unbiased, open mind, you will find that Jesus was unlike any other spiritual figure in the history of the world, including Mohammad.


Central to the argument for Christianity is the resurrection of Jesus. If this event never happened, the whole belief system falls apart. From a historical perspective, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ after his execution by the Romans two thousand years ago is as established as any other event in history. Why is it you have no trouble whatsoever believing any given fact about Nero, Alexander the Great, or Napoleon but when it comes to Jesus, all of a sudden historical FACT is a fairytale?

Let's get to the Resurrection. I will start by introducing you to a man named Simon Greenleaf. Greenleaf was a professor of law at Harvard University during the late 17 and early 1800s. He was also a skeptic who doubted the validity of the Bible. Greenleaf sought to disprove the Resurrection of Jesus but came to the opposite conclusion instead. You can read his entire conclusion here. One of his arguments involves the twelve disciples of Jesus. Put in layman's terms it goes something like this...

Why, if Christ had never risen from the dead or never exhibited traits of being the son of God, did his disciples continue years after his death to preach the gospel to the point of death?


I still have yet to hear a solid argument. Peter was crucified upside down in the year 64 AD. Andrew was crucified on an X shaped cross, by his own choice. James was executed by the sword in the year 44. Bartholomew was skinned alive and beheaded. Thomas was speared to death. Paul was beheaded around 67. More important than the deaths themselves is the fact that the disciples continued after the death of Jesus to preach, as far east as India and as far west as modern day Spain. More so, the fervent followers of Jesus within the Roman empire and beyond continued to worship him and die for him in the decades after his death. Why?


To put these historical events into context...

The death of Jesus and subsequent persecution of Christians from approx 1 to 60 AD is the same as if John F. Kennedy rose from the dead in 1963 after being shot, galvanizing a religious following into the late 60s all the way until today. We all know of course that this is preposterous. Why then did people worship Jesus to the point of horrible death and martyrdom if Jesus was just another man and didn't raise from the dead? 

According to the Gospels, Jesus was seen alive after his death by approximately 500 people, including the disciples. Most atheists and agnostics will immediately dismiss historical documentation simply because it is included in a religious text. This is both narrow minded and stupid. What about secular Roman historian Flavius Josephus who also wrote..."When Pilate, upon the accusation of the first men amongst us, condemned [Jesus] to be crucified, those who had formerly loved him did not cease [to follow him], for he appeared to them on the third day, living again, as the divine prophets foretold, along with a myriad of other marvellous things concerning him." 


Often, the denial of the truth written in the Bible is ignorance of historical fact and a refusal to accept it, simply because what is written, what has survived for thousands of years and flourished despite numerous attempts to destroy it, is a "religious" document.

If you choose to believe what is written in the Bible, specifically the Gospels, is not true, then you choose to accept that the Bible is the greatest hoax in the history of mankind. You choose to believe that 40 different authors spanning a period of roughly 1400 years all were in on the same hoax, and all had the same message, with no apparent motive. You also choose to believe that these same people willingly died horribly for this hoax. You believe the prophecies of Micah, Daniel, and Zechariah which were fulfilled is recorded history hundreds of years later were simply false. I say, you have an imagination I thought never existed.

And now I get to the original intent of my post. This video of Ravi Zacharias is what I originally wanted to share. Whether you are a Christian, an Atheist, a Muslim, or just someone in search of truth, I urge you to watch.

Anders Behring Breivik was a RIGHT WING CHRISTIAN TERRORIST!

The Norway massacre was carried out not by Muslims as I had suspected, but by a "Christian fundamentalist" as the media has already branded him. No surprise there.

Oh boy, are you ready for this train ride?

"The suspect in custory was identified by Norway's national broadcaster as Anders Behring Breivik, 32; police would not confirm his identity because he has not been formally charged.

Authorities say he posted on Christian fundamentalist websites and reportedly held right-wing, anti-Muslim views. He was also once a member of the youth wing of a rightist party."

Are you ready for an all out assault on Christianity and right wing ideology? Because the wave of left wing hate towards all things Christ like is already coming, and this is all the ammunition they need.

Mosey on over to the left wing anti-Christian Daily Kos, where they are already having a heyday.

In online debates he makes his mark as a well-read, and one with strong opinions about Norwegian politics. He promotes a very conservative opinions, which he also called nationalist. He expresses himself strongly opposed to multiculturalism – that cultural differences can live together in a community. In one of the posts he states that politics today no longer revolves around socialism against capitalism, but that the fight is between nationalism and internationalism. He expressed clear support for the nationalist mindset. He also commented on the Swedish news articles, where he makes it clear that he believes the media have failed by not being “NOK” Islam-critical.

Oh no!! Christian! Conservative! Nationalist! Anti Islam! 

He might as well be a Tea Partier! The only word I have yet to see is RAAAAAAACIST.

Christian fundamentalist websites? I would love to see what kind of sites these are. Are they cult websites? Aryan websites? Nordic Viking metal websites?

Let's get something straight. This guy should have been dead the moment he was apprehended. It is too bad one of the officers didn't "accidentally" have a negligent discharge and save the taxpayers in Norway a year's worth of justice system grief at their expense. This guy deserves death, nothing less.

That said, I predict this event will be the primary source of ammunition for Christian haters worldwide for years to come. I can see Rosie O'Donnell flailing her flabby arms in her mudhole right now screaming, "Burn the Christians!". Barack Obama, Eric Holder, and Janet Napolitano will justify this as evidence that right wing "Christian" terrorism is just as dangerous as Islamic terrorism. Atheists who dominate the politics in Europe will do the same. Hatred for the religion of Islam and all of its barbarity worldwide will become instantly linked to right wing terrorism fueled by Christian extremes.

I can see it now, the lamebrains on the left...."See? See? Christian terrorism is just as bad!"


This man was a Christian as much as Adolf Hitler and Timothy McVeigh were Christians, though the names just mentioned are a favorite arguing point of the secular left when it comes to Christian vs. Muslim violence. (Look at history and you'll find both Hitler and McVeigh hated Christianity.)

Before we label this monster a Christian, give me some evidence he was a Christian. Did he yell, "Jesus is Great!" before he shot them like Mr. "Allahu Akbar!" Nidal Malik Hasan did before he mowed down our soldiers at Fort Hood? Did he read the teachings of Jesus, and base his actions on them? Did a Christian sermon motivate him to go out and murder people who did not believe? Where are the Christians waving bibles in the street cheering such madness?

So far, none of the above things have been reported. Just remember, he posted anti Islam and right wing extremist stuff on Christian message boards, therefore, this was a Christian terrorist attack!

Persecution in China continues, 36 people arrested for attempting to attend Easter service

Church: Police block Beijing Easter service

The site of a planned outdoor Easter service at one of China's largest independent "house" churches was eerily silent Sunday as police blocked more than 500 worshippers from leaving their homes and detained more than 36 for attempting to attend religious services in Beijing, church officials said.


The gathering place for worshippers was empty as church-like bells sounded in northwest Beijing. Hundreds of uniformed and plain-clothed police officers swarmed the site of Shouwang Church and prevented CNN journalists from accessing the area.


Authorities confiscated credentials from CNN crew members and detained them for half an hour. 

Worshippers spent several months preparing for the Easter service, according to members who spoke with CNN. Police on the scene told CNN they were stationed there for "security reasons." 

Shouwang Church's senior pastor Jin Tianming is currently under house arrest by the authorities.

Unfortunately these types of occurances are all too common in Communist China, though many cases go unnoticed by those of us in the apathetic West. While you're celebrating the holiday don't forget to say a prayer for these people, and thank God for the freedom we have in the United States!

For more information about the persecution of Christians in China click here.

Atheists claim reason this season by attacking historical fact.

Often I find myself wondering how in the world atheism passes as a more "intelligent", "scientific", and "reasonable" alternative to belief in intelligent design, a higher power, or God.

Atheists love to attack organized religion, Christianity especially, as being an ideology of fairy tales followed by a group of stupid, uneducated, unreasonable people.

We see this come to a head every Christmas season with relentless attacks on nativity scenes, school programs, and general professions of faith. Here is an example of the latest atheist attack on the Christian faith during Christmas time.

The latest atheist billboard above in New York City.

"This season celebrate REASON!"


Yes, let us celebrate reason shall we?

Too many times I find atheists to be without question the most unreasonable people of all, many times refusing to accept the fact Jesus Christ even existed or was crucified 2000 years ago. No amount of intellect, college education, big words, or placement of glasses below the eyes can account for such inane stupidity.

Let me get to the elephant in the room.

Fact: Time, Space, Matter, and Life all exist.

Where did it come from? A higher power or God? Or did it just become itself from absolutely nothing? Which is more reasonable?

To look at our universe and absolutely refuse to believe it was the result of intelligent design is beyond unreasonable. It is a very insult to your intelligence. To surmise that our incredibly complex world, and all the life in it, came from a long string of chemical accidents, or total chance, is backwards, bleak, and downright scary. Above all, it makes no sense.

I am here not only to argue for the case of intelligent design, but for Christianity.

Historical evidence proves the existence of Jesus. Historical evidence also proves the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

Before I give you historical evidence think about this. If Jesus Christ was never crucified and rose from the dead, would it make sense that millions of people in the Roman Empire in the ensuing decades chose to worship him to the point of horrible torture and death and continue to to this day? Use your reason now...

Think of the 12 disciples. They spent their entire adult lives following Jesus. Listening to him teach. Witnessing his miracles. Each one of them, except for John, died some of the most excruciatingly painful deaths one could imagine because of their commitment and faithfulness to Jesus after he was crucified. Why would they go to such lengths if Jesus had not risen from the dead? What's more, why would they lie and write about it? Reason now...

Napoleon Bonaparte said...

"I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creation of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him."


He was absolutely right. This is what separates Jesus from every other historical figure in history, including Mohammad. And it is what separates true Christianity, a spiritual relationship not a religion, from all of the world's organized religions.

Said Thomas Arnold of Oxford, "I have been used for many years to study the histories of other times, and to examine and weigh the evidence of those who have written about them, and I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair inquirer, than the great sign which God hath given us that Christ died and rose again from the dead."

Scottish scholar Frederick Fyvie Bruce said, "If the New Testament were a collection of secular writings, their authenticity would generally be regarded as beyond all doubt."



Brooke Foss Westcott, an English scholar, said: "raking all the evidence together, it is not too much to say that there is no historic incident better or more variously supported than the resurrection of Christ. Nothing but the antecedent assumption that it must be false could have suggested the idea of deficiency in the proof of it."

And have you ever heard of Simon Greenleaf? A professor of law at Harvard and an expert on evidence, he was also an agnostic who sought to disprove the validity of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. He wrote a book called An Examination of the Testimony of the Four Evangelists by the Rules of Evidence Administered in the Courts of Justice. In it he came to the confident conclusion...

"it was IMPOSSIBLE that the apostles could have persisted in affirming the truths they had narrated, had not JESUS CHRIST ACTUALLY RISEN FROM THE DEAD, . . ."


How about Flavius Josephus? He was a secular historian in the Roman Empire around the time of the crucifixion. He wrote, "When Pilate, upon the accusation of the first men amongst us, condemned [Jesus] to be crucified, those who had formerly loved him did not cease [to follow him], for he appeared to them on the third day, living again, as the divine prophets foretold, along with a myriad of other marvellous things concerning him."

The authenticity and historical accuracy of the Bible is as solid as any other historical document. To dismiss the existence of God, and the truth found in the Bible is as unreasonable as it gets. To refuse belief in the Bible is to believe its entire message from cover to cover is one elaborate, well planned out hoax spanning thousands of years. Reasonable? I think not.

Josh Hamilton's classy acceptance of the ALCS MVP trophy

Texas Rangers star Josh Hamilton: A true role model.

Last night the Texas Rangers completed their first playoff series win in franchise history over the Tampa Bay Rays. The ensuing clubhouse pandemonium and victorious revelry ensued as with any playoff series win. Except this celebration brought forth a strange and unexpected twist. Instead of popping open bottles galore of the bubbly, the Texas Rangers raucously gathered around their biggest star, Josh Hamilton, and doused him with bottles of Canada Dry Ginger Ale. Odd, you say? Perhaps you don't know the story behind Josh Hamilton.

In 1999, Hamilton, a budding superstar in the making, was drafted number one overall by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Expectations were high for the outfielder, and none in the baseball world could have ever imagined the dreadful downward spiral that was soon to unfold.

After two years playing in Tampa Bay's minor league system, Hamilton suffered a host of injuries in a car crash. That same year, the so called superstar to be descended into a quagmire of prolonged drug and alcohol abuse. He checked into rehab, but to no avail. In 2002, Hamilton's season was cut short due to lingering injuries from the car accident year prior.

In 2003, after reporting late to spring training on numerous occasions baseball was on hold. 2004 fared worse, with a suspension and subsequent fine for violating the MLB's drug policy. Josh Hamilton's baseball career was dead, while he lived a lifestyle of drugs, alcohol, and rampant promiscuity.

In 2005, Hamilton, his life crumbling around him and nowhere else to turn, came to his grandmother, Mary Holt for help. According to Hamilton, his loving grandmother took him in, and her influence completely transformed him from a hopeless drug addict to a devout man of faith crying out to Jesus for forgiveness and salvation.

Today, Josh Hamilton has since returned to baseball. He is a 3 time all star and Home Run Derby champion and record holder with one of the most powerful swings in baseball. But his accomplishments on the field, while spectacular, pale in comparison to his exploits off the field.

Josh Hamilton regularly professes his love for Christ whenever he gets the chance, through interviews, newspaper and magazine articles, and inspirational speeches to churches and youth events. He no longer uses drugs. He is a strict non alcoholic. The song "Until the Whole World Hears" by the Christian group Casting Crowns is played whenever he steps into the batters box. And the theme song to The Natural is played when he crosses home plate after each homerun. In Texas he in known as "The Great Hambino".

Josh Hamilton represents a pure role model the likes of which cannot be found anywhere else in professional sports or pop culture for that matter. He is proof that people can turn their lives around with the help of Jesus, and inspiration to those in empty moral decay, that there is always hope! The Josh Hamilton story is unmatched, a future Hollywood blockbuster film in the making and a breath of fresh air in the tempestuous world of pro sports.

Watch Josh's testimony...


Hamilton giving an awesome performance in the 2008 Home Run Derby