The God's Honest Truth

The Present Difficulties:

There is little doubt that man’s life here on planet Earth is constantly changing, and in a great number of cases changing, quite happily, for the better. Although not as noticeable in the numerous smaller countries across the globe, seemingly filled, as they are, with the ubiquitous presence of poverty and violence; it is clearly true in the more industrialized and allegedly more refined nations of the western world. It is here, where, with every scientific, technological, and medical advancement attained, that man’s view of his own capabilities, as presumed Master and Commander of the Universe, increases along with his or her disposable income. Sadly, this attitude of confidence in man’s presumed self-sufficiency seems to have had a decidedly diminishing effect, on the proliferation of serious religious thought. As Pierre Laplace once responded to Napoleon’s query as to where God fit into his newly developed astronomical theory: “I have no need for that hypothesis,” seems to be the hallmark of the day; having become the pervasive mood, throughout the more affluent regions of the global community. Due to this less than enthusiastic attitude, toward theological concerns, of any sort; a continually shrinking importance is being placed, not only on the concept of God and His possible reality; but there is also a lessening importance being placed on whatever corresponding requirements a God, if He does in fact exist, may desire to impose upon his creation. For what does it matter what God has to say, if he is but a delusion? In all fairness to those who may, indeed, embrace this popularly held and highly negative view, regarding such God talk; one need only look at the more violently troubled spots of the world to realize that extreme intolerance, religious fundamentalism, and terrorism do seemingly walk hand in hand with both poverty and lack of education. Because of this unfavorable union, many faiths today find themselves facing the challenge of extreme-to-moderate opposition being leveled against them from the self-aggrandizing advocates of secular education; who for the most part, gleefully declare that it is the belief in, and proliferation of, these religiously intolerant and intellectually impoverished views that has been the foremost cause of virtually all the world’s woes, since the dawn of time. Nowhere is this unhealthy spiritual attitude more prevalent than in the melting pot of the world where this formula of academic intolerance, for the supernatural and unseen, is recurrently being brought to bear against the fundamental Christian community in America; causing our nation, once, self-proclaimed, under God, to shrink from a position of true leadership in the world, due to the loss of its most pertinent foundational bearings. Author, professor, and popular physicist Paul Davies, gives us more than adequate reason to suspect less than significant approval from mainstream academia, when in commenting on the doctrinal variations between Christian churches, regarding creation, says that “to argue whether the date of creation is 4004 B.C. or 10,000 B.C. is irrelevant if scientific measurements reveal a 4½ billion year old earth:” [stating further that] no religion that bases its beliefs on demonstrably incorrect assumptions can expect to survive for long.” Likewise the currently popular talk show host of Real Time, Bill Maher, tells his audiences quite emphatically, as well as quite repeatedly, “that God didn’t write a book.” In the past, great notables such as Bertrand Russell, Carl Sagan and numerous others could be added this now ever-increasing society of outspoken skeptics. Due to this trend toward disbelief, the teaching of intelligent design (meaning the creation of the Universe, by a Creator) has been all but thrown out of the classrooms in America, by court decision. Due to this unfortunate circumstance, our schools are quickly becoming palaces of religious intolerance rather than institutions dedicated to offering a collection of intellectual views, based on a variety of paradigms that they were presumably meant to be. All of this due primarily to the fact that only an admirable few have so far endeavored to formulate an effective approach to communicating the truth of God’s reality and relevance to contemporary societies. In the past, the writings of men like C. S. Lewis, Josh McDowell, or more recently Lee Strobel have been superb efforts in this direction; but it seems that the majority of apologetic material is geared more toward the seminary classroom or Bible College than it is for the average Christian. The purpose of this work, therefore, is to put forth a multifaceted effort meant to bridge the gap, for the average fundamental Christian, between what is to be believed and what is not to be believed; what might be held as appropriate political and/or scientific views, as well as what should be considered acceptable socials mores, based on the values given to man in the Word of God. Correspondingly, it is also hoped that it may be used as a guide to assist in the discernment between what is good and evil, as well as what is left and what is right, in today’s marketplace of modern academia and the maelstrom of ever-changing social customs. It will be but a cursory look at many issues, in need of debate, and an in-depth look at none. Still, when speaking with folks on the streets of one’s local community (where the greatest impact can still be made in softening the hearts of man) this is typically all that is required. The most enduring changes made in any society are characteristically best accomplished, by bringing people to knowledge of the truth, one individual at a time. For those interested in more dynamic lectures in biblical apologetics; please refer to the resources at the end of this book. For those wishing only to hit the sidewalks or dinner tables of America with a pride in their faith that suggests that they have not checked their brains at the door of the local church; it is hoped that this book will be a useful resource in homespun argumentation and simple logic. It is also sincerely desired that this book will intrigue the minds of those who are not yet believers. The preferred outcome being that it prompts them toward further investigation, and encourages them, not only to perceive God’s reality; but also to come to an understanding that Jesus is “the way the truth and the light; and that no man cometh to the Father but by [him]. For those who, after reading this work, still find they cannot agree with the arguments set forth; I ask only that they also sit down and propose a theory that encompasses at least some of the areas discussed within the pages of this text. The mantra “that’s what science claims” or “that is what others say,” is of little value if one cannot adequately explain the proposed principles to others.

It is high-time to return to commonsense and simple logic, and it is my heartfelt belief that faith in God, as he has expressed himself, not only in the pages of Scripture, but also through the witness of Jesus Christ my Lord, is the answer to both. It is not my intention to disparage the excellent work that science and other facets of modernity have accomplished in making our lives more pleasant. It is, however, my objective to suggest (at least at the beginning of this book) that certain claims have gone too far and to ask us all to beware of such unfounded excesses. In the end only one question needs be asked: “How long halt you between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: But if [Science be God], then follow [it].”