GodThoughtsWired! Archives

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

God: "The Monster of the Bible" A Critical Review of the book, "The God Delusion" 3

God: "The Monster of the Bible" A Critical Review of the book, "The God Delusion" 3
Brad Reiches
May 9 2007 10:21AM

FREE BOOK OFFER

"Change the World Month!"

May 1 - 31 is "Change the World Month" in the GodThoughts Ministry. Each year, beginning this year :), we ask all who have been blessed by GodThoughtsWired! to participate in a fun and meaningful event that will literally change the world as well as increase your "eternal assets" (see Philippians 4:17).

WHAT: Beginning May 1, SET ASIDE ALL POCKET CHANGE (pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters) to be invested in the GodThoughts Ministry at the end of the month. Literally, on May 31, go to the bank and exchange the change for a money order made out to GodThoughts and send in the "Change the World Envelope" provided to all participants.

WHO: You! If the GT ministry is of value to you, then this is for you. Over the years, and especially recently, so many of you have shared that you wish you were able to support this ministry financially, but you cannot. Well, NOW YOU CAN! :) Not only is this possible for you, but it will be fun and meaningful. Literally, May 2007 may well provide the vessel of participation that you've been waiting for. Many of you have prayed about how to support this ministry and this is an answer.

Some of you Partners are always on the lookout as to how to have a greater impact through this/your/GodThoughts ministry and here's another way!

ARE YOU WITH ME? If so, please reply immediately by typing in the subject box, "I'm With You Pastor Brad!" Then please include your snail-mail address so I can send you the special May 31 "Change the World Envelope."

In July's edition of the GodThoughts Update Newsletter I will formally publish your name for the world to see (see Matthew 5:14-16). I know, I know, someone's thinking...ooh, I don't like that, I want my giving to be private. Well, that's fine, but please read Matthew 5:14-16 to understand my motivation here. God has clearly shown me that for GodThoughts to become all that He desires, this ministry must become a TEAM THING!

CAN YOU SEE IT? The July Newsletter revealing the hundreds? Thousands? of co-owners of the GodThoughts Ministry!

TWO MORE THINGS: 1. E-mail me now. 2. Start Emptying those pockets! :)

FREE BOOK OFFER: As an expression of my appreciation to all who participate in "Change the World Month," I will send a coplimentary copy of our newest book, The Bible Says, Volume 1: Sin & Salvation; Grace & Truth (see article below).

Wednesday, May 9, 2007
GodThoughtsWired!

"God...The Monster of the Bible"

The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins

Part 2

Delusion: "a persistent, false belief held in the face of strong, contradictory evidence."

One thing that Dawkins and I agree on: There exists a strong delusion among many of the people on the earth today. The question is: "Among whom is this delusion found?" As his title implies, Dawkins believes that this "delusion" is found among those who believe in an almighty God who created the universe. On the other hand, this "Almighty Creator" has a different opinion regarding "delusion:"

"Because they (unbelievers) did not receive

the love of the truth so as to be saved, for this

reason God will send upon them a deluding

influence so that they will believe what is false..."

2 Thessalonians 2:10-11

In our last entry we reviewed Dawkins claim that Jesus was "honestly mistaken" about His identity and it was determined that such an argument was, at best, "woefully unimpressive." What did you think? (seriously, I'd love your feedback). Anyway, Dawkins arguments continue:

"The God hypothesis is also very close to being

ruled out by the laws of probability...The whole

argument turns on the familiar question

'Who made God?', which most thinking people

discover for themselves...God, though not

technically disprovable, is very very improbable indeed."

(p.46; 109)

Curiously, the argument of "probability" is taken up by both sides (evolution & creation) and, ironically, conclusions are ultimately determined by the "faith of the believer" on either side. We will take a look at Dawkins argument for "probability" tomorrow.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

God: "The Monster of the Bible" A Critical Review of the book, "The God Delusion" 2

God: "The Monster of the Bible" A Critical Review of the book, "The God Delusion" 2
Brad Reiches
May 8 2007 12:47AM

FREE BOOK OFFER

"Change the World Month!"

Some of you Partners are always on the lookout as to how to have a greater impact through this/your/GodThoughts ministry and here's another way!

CAN YOU SEE IT? The July Newsletter revealing the hundreds? Thousands? of co-owners of the GodThoughts Ministry!

TWO MORE THINGS: 1. E-mail me now. 2. Start Emptying those pockets! :)

Tuesday, May 8, 2007
GodThoughtsWired!

"God...The Monster of the Bible"

The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins

Part 1

"There are still some people who are persuaded

by scriptural evidence to believe in God. A common

argument...states that, since Jesus claimed to be

the Son of God, he must have been either right or

else insane or a liar: 'Mad, Bad or God'. Or, with

artless alliteration, 'Lunatic, Liar or Lord.'"

p. 92.

With all the "hype" surrounding this book, I must admit that I was a bit surprised at how easily refuted Dawkins arguments are. In regard to "Arguments for God's Existence," the author declares - "The arguments turn out to be spectacularly weak" (p.2). In truth, I would suggest that the same could be said of his (arguments).

One of the GREAT! (I would suggest) arguments of apologetics does indeed suggest that the only three possible outcomes regarding who Jesus is are, "Liar, Lunatic, Lord." Nonetheless, Dawkins retorts,

"The historical evidence that Jesus claimed any sort

of divine status is minimal. But even if that evidence

were good, the trilemma on offer would be ludicrously

inadequate. A fourth possibility, almost too obvious

to need mentioning, is that Jesus was honestly mistaken.

Plenty of people are."

(p.92)

"Ludicrously inadequate?" Hmmm...let's take a look at the evidence:

1. Jesus clearly claimed on numerous occaisions that He was an eternal being. In one instance He told others that He had been around for thousands of years, "Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am" (John 8:58). Another example is seen while Jesus was in prayer with His Heavenly Father. He declares, "Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was" (John 17:5). On several other occaisions the Jews tried to kill Him because, "You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God" (see John 10:26-33). Indeed, Luke 22:70 is pretty clear, "And they all said, 'Are You the Son of God, then?' And He said to them, 'Yes, I am.'"

"Honestly mistaken?" I DON'T THINK SO! Either Jesus was who He said He was or...HE WAS LUNY TUNES!!! What would you say if one of your relatives was walking around claiming to be thousands of years old? And, then, you overheard him/her in prayer talking about returning to the eternal state that they had with God before the world ever existed? "Oh, honey, don't worry about it; they're just 'honestly mistaken?" I DON'T THINK SO!

The three options regarding Christ as either "Liar, Lunatic, or Lord" ARE NOT "ludicrously inadequate," indeed, they are the ONLY OPTIONS! And, ironically, later in his book, Dawkins himself accidentally and unwittingly recants his own argument:

"I have described atonement, the central doctrine

of Christianity, as vicious, sado-masochistic and

repellent. We should also dismiss it as barking mad,

but for its ubiquitous familiarity which has dulled our

objectivity. If God wanted to forgive our sins, why not

just forgive them...Jesus had himself tortured and executed,

in vicarious punishmnet for a symbolic sin commited by

a non-existent individual? As I said, barking mad..."

p. 252 (bold mine)

Crazy? Maybe. Honestly mistaken? No way.

Monday, May 7, 2007

God: "The Monster of the Bible" A Critical Review of the book, "The God Delusion" 1

God: "The Monster of the Bible" A Critical Review of the book, "The God Delusion" 1
Brad Reiches
May 7 2007 01:44AM

FREE BOOK OFFER

"Change the World Month!"

Some of you Partners are always on the lookout as to how to have a greater impact through this/your/GodThoughts ministry and here's another way!

CAN YOU SEE IT? The July Newsletter revealing the hundreds? Thousands? of co-owners of the GodThoughts Ministry!

TWO MORE THINGS: 1. E-mail me now. 2. Start Emptying those pockets! :)

Monday, May 7, 2007
GodThoughtsWired!

"God...The Monster of the Bible"

The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins

A Critique: Introduction

"If this book works as I intend, religious readers

who open it will be atheists when they put it down."

-Richard Dawkins, Professor, Oxford University, p.5.

As the dustcover of the book describes, Richard Dawkins is a "preeminent scientist - and the world's most prominent atheist." In other words, "The athiest of all atheists." Biblically, this translates into "The fool of all fools" (see Psalm 14:1; 53:1).

Clearly undaunted by the third commandment, "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain..." Dawson declares,

"The God of the Old Testament is arguably

the most unpeasant character in all fiction:

jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust,

unforgiving control freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty

ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist,

infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential,

megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously

MALEVOLENT BULLY."

(p. 31).

His premise:

"Perhaps you have been taught that philosophers and theologians have put forward good reasons to believe in God...the arguments turn out to be spectacularly weak" (p. 2).

"If you were born in Arkansas and you think Christianity is true and Islam false, knowing full well that you would think the opposite if you had been born in Afghanistan, you are the victim of childhood indoctrination" (p.3).

His platform:

"To be an atheist is a realistic aspiration, and a brave and splendid one" (p.1).

"Being an atheist is nothing to be apologetic about. On the contrary, it is something to be proud of" (p.3).

What they're saying about "The God Delusion:"

"Dawkins hits them with all the power that reason can wield, demolishing their preposterous attempts to prove the existence of God, or their presumptuous claims that...their holy books are literally true."

"This is a brave and important book. Is it too much to hope that it will dump religious bigotry in the dustbin of history where it belongs?"

"'The God Delusion' is a smart, compassionate, and true...If this book doesn't change the world, we're all *!#@*%#!."

"With rigor and wit, Dawkins examines God in all his forms, from the sex-obsessed tyrant of the Old Testament to the more benign...he eviscerates the major arguments for religion and...offers exhilarating insight into the advantages of atheism..."

Well, then...

Let's take a look.

Friday, May 4, 2007

FREE BOOK OFFER!

FREE BOOK OFFER!
Brad Reiches
May 4 2007 10:11AM

FREE BOOK OFFER

"Change the World Month!"

Some of you Partners are always on the lookout as to how to have a greater impact through this/your/GodThoughts ministry and here's another way!

CAN YOU SEE IT? The July Newsletter revealing the hundreds? Thousands? of co-owners of the GodThoughts Ministry!

TWO MORE THINGS: 1. E-mail me now. 2. Start Emptying those pockets! :)

Friday, May 4, 2007
GodThoughtsWired!

ALL WHO PARTICIPATE IN "Change the World Month" will receive a complimentary copy of this book.

"The Bible Says Book"

Volume 1: Sin & Salvation; Grace & Truth

God is giving us, along with all those who Partner with me in prayer and financial support, THE PRIVILEGE OF A LIFETIME! In the "Age of Apostasy" (the great falling away of the Church as described in 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2), God is exalting us to be His spokesman on the earth, by faithfully representing Him by maintaining the integrity of His word...WITHOUT COMPROMISE!* He has "blessed" us with the invitation to be His AMBASSADORS and He will not have to ask twice. In an unprecedented era, God's people are being destroyed for lack of knowledge (see Hosea 4:6), God has entrusted us with "The Bible Says Series," and the first Volume is now available!

"The Bible Says, Volume 1: Sin & Salvation / Grace & Truth

CONTENTS INCLUDE:

What Does The Bible Say About: "Sin & Salvation?" "Sin & Works?" "Hell?" "Forgiveness, Repentance, & Confession?" "Sin?" "Eternal Rewards?" "Tolerance?" "Does God Forget Sin?" "Was Jesus Really Tempted in Everything?" "The Unpardonable Sin?" "Can You Lose Your Salvation?" "Spiritual Warfare & Satan?" "The Armor of God?" "Predestination?" "Life's Most Important Question?" An exhaustive Preface on "What Does the Bible Say About...The Bible?" Along with 5 BONUS chapters that discuss the role of biblical "grace," what it does and does not mean.

I believe that God is going to use this resource to equip His saints in the last days as one of the GREAT TOOLS that will keep His saints from being "misled" in "The Age of Apostasy" (see Matthew 24; Mark 13). This book contains a WEALTH of scripture that will "equip the saints" as few other resources have done. GET YOUR COPY NOW!, and become an equipped and skilled vessel of blessing for others.

Most of you know be by now. I want to see myriads of Christians all over the world effectively trained with the knowledge of WHAT THE BIBLE ACTUALLY SAYS. If you are a pastor or small group leader, I'LL SEND YOU THE FIRST COPY FREE in order to peruse and then determine how many you can and will use. If you are a sincere soldier of Christ, I'm challenging you to get a copy into the hands of your pastor for the sake of your church.

If you can't afford the book, I'll send it to you for FREE if you will cover the cost of shipping. For SOME OF YOU! - you've got the opportunity of a lifetime - send us SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS that will enable us to put a copy in every hand that wants one, but can't afford one. ( ie. We have a group of pastors in Kenya, Africa that are waiting for me to raise the funds to send them one hundred copies with which to begin a Bible Institute developed and maintained and shepherded by us, The Board of Directors of the GodThoughts International Ministry. JOIN US BROTHERS AND SISTERS - JOIN US!

ALL WHO PARTICIPATE IN "Change the World Month" will receive a complimentary copy of this book.

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Change the World Month!

Change the World Month!
Brad Reiches
May 3 2007 01:14AM

Thursday, May 4, 2007
GodThoughtsWired!

"Change the World Month!"

"Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven,

where moths and rust do not destroy,

and where thieves cannot break in and steal;

for where your treasure is, there shall your heart be also."

Matthew 6:20-21

"Give, and it will be given to you...

For by your standard of measure

it will be measured to you in return."

Luke 6:38

Some of you Partners are always on the lookout as to how to have a greater impact through this/your/GodThoughts ministry and here's another way!

CAN YOU SEE IT? The July Newsletter revealing the hundreds? Thousands? of co-owners of the GodThoughts Ministry!

TWO MORE THINGS: 1. E-mail me now. 2. Start Emptying those pockets! :)