The word faith has countless definitions. Three immediately come to mind. Consider this sentence: “Melvin subscribes to the Mormon faith, so he thinks his skivvies protect him from tsunamis.”[1]+ In this sentence, faith…
Alvin Plantinga’s Properly Basic Belief
Alvin Plantinga’s Properly Basic Beliefs Alvin Plantinga contends that Christianity is a basic belief, a foundational presupposition. He says that Christians like himself “may start with Christian beliefs and theorize on the basis of them.”[1]…
Of Ants and Algebra
Did the natural realm have a cause? It would seem that the answer must be either yes or no. Let’s consider first the implications if the answer is no. In other words, what would it mean to say that the…
Happiness
Last night I had the pleasure of attending a meeting of Charlotte Freethinking Atheists. The main topic of our group discussion was not directly related to atheism. The topic was, instead, happiness. As I listened to the discussion, I formulated…
God as Purpose or Cause
Hugh Ross, an outspoken anti-evolutionist and creationist, holds a Ph.D. in astronomy and a B.Sc. in physics. Despite his formal education, he dangles precariously at the lower end of the intellectual spectrum like a moist dingleberry. Ross is founder of…