Albert Mohler | Apologetics Series: "There Is A God"

Albert Mohler begins an apologetic series, "Do You Believe What You Believe You Believe".

[@lilacDaisy111]

What a gorgeous stage set. Those flowers in front of the white altar ... !

[@tabasco7915]

Ran across a debate between Richard Carrier and William l. Craig. Do I believe what I believe what I think I believe? I'll have to admit, Richard Carrier really challenged that as he had some very compelling arguments. I don't feal that Craig effectively out debated him.

[@Joesfosterdogs]

As one who studied apologetics at a high level in seminary, just share what the Bible says...explain in detail (you need to know the Bible well), and let it go at that...share the gospel...if someone rejects it, so be it. Jesus didnt run after the rich young ruler...

[@bullard1972]

I find it ironic that the author Mohler quotes asserts that there is no transcendence... and then basically argues that our humanity transcends the impersonality of the nature from which we randomly sprung :-D

[@pannonia77]

But why do we have to believe in God's existence? Why cannot he/she/it give us an unambiguous proof of his/her/its existence? Why does not he/she/it show him/her/itsself, when we read in the Old Testament how touchy he/she/it is when people pray to other gods?

[@Joesfosterdogs]

Proof...look only to yourself...then look outdoors

[@pannonia77]

@@Joesfosterdogs ???

[@Joesfosterdogs]

@@pannonia77 Apologetics varies methodologically...presuppositionalism or covenental apologetics is the most biblical in its method. thats why i said what i did. in other words, i dont need to know science to share the gospel w a scientist...i share what the scriptures say about God, man, sin, redemption, etc...and let the Holy Spirit do its work.

[@christinacataldi877]

That was soooo validating I wasn’t expecting to get some encouragement right now about why I’m not going to kill my preteen!! Lol. Ohhhhh boyyyyyy, Lord Give me Patience!! Hahahaha

[@Redeemedbylove1987]

In the future, could you limit your introduction to about 5 minutes at the most.

[@dystoniaify]

Atheism only answers the question about belief in a God.period. It doesn't have any tenants. An atheist can believe or disbelieve in anything else. It's not a religion.

[@shawnglass108]

It’s not a religion but it is a faith..and it takes a lot of faith. I wish Christians had as much faith as it takes atheists to believe what they believe.

[@tedbull97]

A cognitive risk? We aren't the ones claiming a well worn story of the son of god ( not very unique, btw) died and rose again. As an atheist, I agree with Carl Van Doren when he said "I mean that I do no believe in any god that has ever been devised, in any doctrine that has ever claimed to be revealed, in any scheme of immortality that has ever been expounded." Also, "There is no trustworthy evidence as to a god's absolute existence."

[@lawrencestanley8989]

Actually, a Creator God is a logical necessity based on the contingent nature of the physical universe. Because the physical universe is contingent, it is not eternal. (Eternity means stability and immutability of essence, the impossibility of origin, cessation, or change, in effect, eternity means no past, present, or future; it is an eternal “now,” but matter/energy is in its essence a compendium of forces and potentialities; it is relativity itself, totally caught up in creation, living, changing, and dying, ergo matter and energy are not eternal) Every physical (natural) entity is contingent and therefore has a cause, and because causal chains cannot be of infinite length, because that would be an effect without a cause, if you were able to follow the causal chain back to the very beginning where the very first physical entity was effected into being, it's cause HAD to be supernatural, since the “natural” was not yet in existence, something cannot come from nothing, something cannot “be” before it “is,” and nothing can create itself (not even God). Others have said that we cannot talk about the origins of the universe since time itself did not exist before the universe began to expand at the Big Bang, so we just cannot know. However, since time is the progression of sequential relationships between two or more contiguous events, if there was indeed a point when there was no such thing as time, but assuming the universe did exist in some previous form, be it as a singularity, a quantum vacuum, or whatever, then because there was no time, then there would be no progression from the universe’s previous condition from “A” where there was no time to, “B” where there is time. Hence, if there was a point when there was no time, then there never would be time unless some supernatural (outside of nature) force created it. Contingent beings are insufficient to account for the existence of contingent beings in the ultimate sense. Frederick Copelston once said, “If you add up chocolates, you get chocolates after all and not sheep. Therefore if you add up contingent entities, you are still left with contingent entities, and not an eternal one”: therefore there must exist a necessary, non-contingent, supernatural being whose non-existence is an impossibility, and from which the existence of all contingent, physical beings are derived (Hebrews 11:3).

[@tedbull97]

We don't know , and neither did Aquinas know, whether or not the universe is contingent. There is a thing called the conservation of matter and energy, where matter and energy don't die, just get placed elsewhere. If a god can exist eternally without being contingent, what is to say the universe, or rather the ongoing investigated multiverse isn't self sufficient on its own. we just can't say for sure right now. That is even barring what we currently understand about the big bang model.

[@lawrencestanley8989]

Jistheman, The universe is nothing but a word that we use to refer to the sum of its parts; it is utterly impossible for a universe made up entirely of contingent entities to have the power of being within itself. For instance, to say that the universe is made up of contingent entities, but the universe itself is eternal is to say that I have two marbles in my hand that my dad made back in the 50's, and my collection of marbles is eternal... To say "we don't know," when it comes to this matter is to enter into an intellectual free zone. As for the conservation of matter and energy, this only applies to closed systems, which the universe is not. If the universe were an eternal closed system, then one must account for why there is still usable energy left in the universe, and simply beginning with a very large amount of energy is not the answer. If it is an open system, then the non-theist must account for the outside influence on the system. God can exist eternally without being contingent because God is a totally "other" kind of being than the universe. The universe is physical in nature and is given over to contingency, God is neither natural, nor contingent.

[@MrKC23]

Tell me, is sex before marriage wrong? Are pornography and masturbation wrong? Michael Jackson died. We will all die one day. Where are you going when you die? Are you 100% sure that you will go to heaven? Are you a good person? Christianity has bad news and good news. But first the bad news GOD sees everything. He knows your secrets. GOD also hears what comes from your mouth. "But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak." (Matthew 12:36.) Lying is wrong. Masturbation is wrong. Pornography is wrong. Heterosexual sex before marriage is wrong is also wrong. Homosexuality/Lesbianism is wrong. Jesus summed up the evilness of our hearts in this way: For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20These are what defile a person. (Matt 15.19-20) If you have committed fornication (and I have myself), or broken any of the 10 Commandments, then you’re guilty of breaking GOD’s Law, and therefore we all deserve conscious hell fire forever (like the rest of mankind). But GOD loves you and sent his sinless Son to be tortured, and die on the Cross, taking the punishment for sinners. 3 days later, Jesus rose from the grave. You MUST turn from your sins (stop sinning), and obey Jesus, and love him with all your soul, heart, mind and strength. Be reconciled with Christ! “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isa 55) He calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. (Romans 10:13) If you became a Christian, you will receive 1. forgiveness of sins, your sins and guilt will be blotted out, 2. GOD himself will dwell inside you, transform you, speak to you through the Bible and GOD Almighty will live His life through you 3. God will remove your heart of stone and give you a new heart and a new spirit, with new desires. GOD will rejoice in doing you good. 4. your name will be written in the Lambs book of Life, 5. you will enter the new Earth, 6. and you will see GOD's face. 7.. Being filled with the Spirit, you'll be filled with love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) 8. GOD will live his holy and righteous life through you. Otherwise, you will be judged guilty, and tortured forever. This is true, whether you believe it or not. Your blood be on your own head. You’ve been lovingly warned. Now you have no excuse for your sin.

[@tedbull97]

You and I are contingent beings. we wouldn't be here were it not for our parents. and so on down the line. we won't always exist in the form that we presently exist right now. when we die, our bodies decompose and feed the ground. the universe, what we call the universe, may very well be contingent, but on what...maybe the multiverse. An intellectual free zone...what do you mean by that? What we say about the laws of conservation of mass and energy, the laws of nature, etc. are descriptions of what and how we know the universe operates, and i'm sure you know this. Not knowing everything doesn't mean we don't know a lot already. Just because observable objects within the universe are contingent, this does not show that the universe itself is contingent (this claim would commit the fallacy of composition) The claim that the reason for the existence of a contingent universe must be a God is a non sequitur. "So the existence of mass in the universe violates no law of nature. Mass can come from energy. But, then, where does the energy come from? The law of conservation of energy, also known as the first law of thermodynamics, requires that energy come from somewhere. In principle, the creation hypothesis could be confirmed by the direct observation or theoretical requirement that conservation of energy was violated 13.7 Billion years ago at the start of the big bang. However, neither observations nor theory indicates this to have been the case. The first law allows energy to convert from one type to another as long as the total for a closed system remains fixed. Remarkably, the total energy of the universe appears to be zero. As famed cosmologist Stephen Hawking said in his 1988 best seller, A Brief History of Time, "In the case of a universe that is approximately uniform in space, one can show that the negative gravitational energy exactly cancels the positive energy represented by the matter. So the total energy of the universe is zero." Specifically, within small measurement errors, the mean energy density of the universe is exactly what it should be for a universe that appeared from an initial state of zero energy, with small quantum uncertainty. (1/2)

[@tedbull97]

Also, if this guy had continued to read in Sean Carrolls book, I think he deals with how we should treat each other. I get the feeling this guy, Mohler, is good at setting up straw men arguments that he can easily burn down.

[@MrKC23]

Tell me, is sex before marriage wrong? Are pornography and masturbation wrong? Michael Jackson died. We will all die one day. Where are you going when you die? Are you 100% sure that you will go to heaven? Are you a good person? Christianity has bad news and good news. But first the bad news GOD sees everything. He knows your secrets. GOD also hears what comes from your mouth. "But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak." (Matthew 12:36.) Lying is wrong. Masturbation is wrong. Pornography is wrong. Heterosexual sex before marriage is wrong is also wrong. Homosexuality/Lesbianism is wrong. Jesus summed up the evilness of our hearts in this way: For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20These are what defile a person. (Matt 15.19-20) If you have committed fornication (and I have myself), or broken any of the 10 Commandments, then you’re guilty of breaking GOD’s Law, and therefore we all deserve conscious hell fire forever (like the rest of mankind). But GOD loves you and sent his sinless Son to be tortured, and die on the Cross, taking the punishment for sinners. 3 days later, Jesus rose from the grave. You MUST turn from your sins (stop sinning), and obey Jesus, and love him with all your soul, heart, mind and strength. Be reconciled with Christ! “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isa 55) He calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. (Romans 10:13) If you became a Christian, you will receive 1. forgiveness of sins, your sins and guilt will be blotted out, 2. GOD himself will dwell inside you, transform you, speak to you through the Bible and GOD Almighty will live His life through you 3. God will remove your heart of stone and give you a new heart and a new spirit, with new desires. GOD will rejoice in doing you good. 4. your name will be written in the Lambs book of Life, 5. you will enter the new Earth, 6. and you will see GOD's face. 7.. Being filled with the Spirit, you'll be filled with love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) 8. GOD will live his holy and righteous life through you. Otherwise, you will be judged guilty, and tortured forever. This is true, whether you believe it or not. Your blood be on your own head. You’ve been lovingly warned. Now you have no excuse for your sin.

[@tedbull97]

If it's true an all powerful god requires a blood magic offering to appease him, gotta ask how powerful it really is, nowwhatimeanjean? Masturbation is actually good for you as well as sex, in or out of marriage. go live your life free from desert suppressive superstitions.

[@MrKC23]

Tell me, is sex before marriage wrong? Are pornography and masturbation wrong? Michael Jackson died. We will all die one day. Where are you going when you die? Are you 100% sure that you will go to heaven? Are you a good person? Christianity has bad news and good news. But first the bad news GOD sees everything. He knows your secrets. GOD also hears what comes from your mouth. "But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak." (Matthew 12:36.) Lying is wrong. Masturbation is wrong. Pornography is wrong. Heterosexual sex before marriage is wrong is also wrong. Homosexuality/Lesbianism is wrong. Jesus summed up the evilness of our hearts in this way: For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20These are what defile a person. (Matt 15.19-20) If you have committed fornication (and I have myself), or broken any of the 10 Commandments, then you’re guilty of breaking GOD’s Law, and therefore we all deserve conscious hell fire forever (like the rest of mankind). But GOD loves you and sent his sinless Son to be tortured, and die on the Cross, taking the punishment for sinners. 3 days later, Jesus rose from the grave. You MUST turn from your sins (stop sinning), and obey Jesus, and love him with all your soul, heart, mind and strength. Be reconciled with Christ! “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isa 55) He calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. (Romans 10:13) If you became a Christian, you will receive 1. forgiveness of sins, your sins and guilt will be blotted out, 2. GOD himself will dwell inside you, transform you, speak to you through the Bible and GOD Almighty will live His life through you 3. God will remove your heart of stone and give you a new heart and a new spirit, with new desires. GOD will rejoice in doing you good. 4. your name will be written in the Lambs book of Life, 5. you will enter the new Earth, 6. and you will see GOD's face. 7. Being filled with the Spirit, you'll be filled with love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) 8. GOD will live his holy and righteous life through you. Otherwise, you will be judged guilty, and tortured forever. This is true, whether you believe it or not. Your blood be on your own head. You’ve been lovingly warned. Now you have no excuse for your sin.