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mid-week apologetics booster (4-13-2023)

Good morning friends,

Quote of the week:

The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried. – G.K. Chesterton

Now, here are your weekly links:

Bible study: what difference does the resurrection of Jesus make? | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2023/04/06/bible-study-what-difference-does-the-resurrection-of-jesus-make-6/

Simply explained: how does GPT work? | Confused bit – while this is not apologetics material, it does have some information about Artificial Intelligence models and the differences (limitations as compared with) the human brain. That’s why I’m including it: https://confusedbit.dev/posts/how_does_gpt_work/

Did the early church invent the divinity of Jesus over a long period of time? | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2023/04/09/did-the-early-church-invent-the-divinity-of-jesus-over-a-long-period-of-time-7/

50+ Results of Jesus Resurrection from the Dead | The Cripplegate: https://thecripplegate.com/50-results-of-jesus-resurrection-from-the-dead/

The Biblical View of Sex (2 Purposes) | Sean McDowell – What is the purpose of sex? In a culture that glorifies sex and freedom, perhaps we are called for something greater. Freedom doesn’t necessarily mean doing whatever we want, but developing the right wants and aligning our lives with God’s design. This video is a recent talk I gave in chapel at King’s Academy, Florida, and is based on my book Chasing Love.: https://seanmcdowell.org/blog/the-biblical-view-of-sex-2-purposes

How Scientific Discoveries Support Theism | Evolution News: https://evolutionnews.org/2023/04/qualified-agreement-how-scientific-discoveries-support-theistic-belief/

The Youth Awakening in America Has Begun – The Stream: https://stream.org/the-youth-awakening-in-america-has-begun/

Isaiah 33:22 – Our Form Of Government While researching quotes from our founders for the new site images, I learned something new (yes, us old folks can do that). It seems that the three branches of government found in our Constitution are the result of a scripture. “For the LORD is our judge (Supreme Court), the LORD is our lawgiver (Congress), the LORD is our king (Presidency); He will save us.” Isaiah 33:22 (parenthesis inclusions are mine). It seems that the verse inspired James Madison to separate the powers while attending the Constitutional Convention of 1787.: https://justfacts.votesmart.org/public-statement/191389/isaiah-3322-our-form-of-government

What is the King James Version (KJV)? | GotQuestions.org: https://www.gotquestions.org/King-James-Version-KJV.html

What ATHEISTS get WRONG most of the time about the moral argument! – YouTube: https://youtu.be/F49YyJCSwMc

The Average Person You Know Probably Isn’t Hostile towards Christianity: https://www.str.org/w/the-average-person-you-know-probably-isn-t-hostile-towards-christianity

Three Reasons Every Christian Should Attend A Christian Apologetics Conference Once A Year – Southern Evangelical Seminary: https://ses.edu/three-reasons-every-christian-should-attend-a-christian-apologetics-conference-once-a-year-2/

5 Actions of Faithful Evangelists | Core Christianity: https://corechristianity.com/resource-library/articles/5-actions-of-faithful-evangelists/

Defending God’s Existence and Compatibility of Science and the Bible: Is It Arrogant To Claim That Jesus Is The Only Way?: https://lukenixblog.blogspot.com/2021/01/is-it-arrogant-to-claim-that-jesus-is.html?m=1

Why Is God So Hidden? – Cross Examined: https://crossexamined.org/why-is-god-so-hidden/

Research by Barna and Summit: Postmodernism and Secularism Influence Todays Christians – Summit Ministries: https://www.summit.org/resources/articles/research-barna-summit-postmodernism-secularism-influence-todays-christians/

A Proof of God from Reason: http://mannsword.blogspot.com/2017/11/a-proof-of-god-from-reason.html?m=1

Christian Evidences by R.C. Sproul | Ligonier Ministries: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/christian-evidences

Is Mormonism Christian? Are Mormons Christian? | carm.org: https://carm.org/mormonism/is-mormonism-christian-are-mormons-christian/

Historian Vs Mythicist: Is Jesus A Copy Of Pagan Gods? | Reasons for Jesus: https://reasonsforjesus.com/historian-vs-mythicist-is-jesus-a-copy-of-pagan-gods/

Is apologetics relevant to today’s Church? – Christian Week: https://www.christianweek.org/apologetics-relevant-todays-church/

5 Ways Apologetics Strengthens Our Faith – JA Show Articles: https://jashow.org/articles/5-ways-apologetics-strengthens-our-faith/

Breakpoint: Scientism Isn’t Scientific: https://colsoncenter.libsyn.com/scientism-isnt-scientific

Three Reasons Why The Dangers of Illegal Abortions Argument Is Misleading, Deceptive, And Sexist: https://prolifetraining.com/three-reasons-why-the-dangers-of-illegal-abortions-argument-is-misleading-deceptive-and-sexist/

Staying Faithful to Jesus after Graduation | Sean McDowell: https://seanmcdowell.org/blog/staying-faithful-to-jesus-after-graduation

Does a Human Fetus Have a Soul? – YouTube (2 min 20 sec video) – Amy Hall of Stand to Reason shares why it makes sense to believe that a human has a soul at the moment of conception: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTrEyx4hs1Y

Stop Teaching Young Christians About Their Faith | Cold Case Christianity – A compelling cumulative circumstantial case can be made to support the fact that young college aged Christians are walking away from Christianity in record numbers. What can we do about it? What can be done? Whenever people ask me this question, I always say the same thing. STOP TEACHING YOUNG CHRISTIANS. Just stop it. Whatever Christendom is doing in its effort to teach its young, the effort appears to largely be a failure. In fact, Ken Ham (in his book, Already Gone: Why Your Kids Will Quit Church and What You Can Do To Stop It) found that young Christians who faithfully attended Bible classes were actually more likely to question the authority of Scripture, more likely to defend the legality of abortion, same-sex marriage, and premarital sex, and more likely to leave the church! What’s going on here? I think I know. It’s time to stop teaching our young people; it’s time to start training them.: https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/stop-teaching-young-christians-about-their-faith/

Debunking ‘Bible Secrets’ Television Shows | Every year before Christmas and Easter, the media turns to stories about religion to try and boost their audiences. Like clockwork, the History Channel has just begun a series titled “Bible Secrets Discovered”. This is the latest in a genre (including “The Bible’s Buried Secrets,” “Jesus Family Tomb” and others) that seeks to publicize some novel scriptural understanding that undermines the Bible’s credibility. Are their charges true? Below is a four-part audio series plus a two page downloadable PDF outline where I show how these ‘Bible Secrets’ shows engage ins a bit of misdirection to achieve their goals. More P.T. Barnum than true scholarship, when examining the facts thoughtfully, one can quickly see why these shows present an emperor who has no clothes.: https://apologetics-notes.comereason.org/2013/11/debunking-bible-secrets-television-shows.html

Christian Trinity – God in 3 Persons – Explained – YouTube – God has revealed Himself in Scripture as one God eternally existing in three Persons. Jonathan Edwards noted, after studying the topic, “I think [the doctrine of the Trinity] to be the highest and deepest of all Divine mysteries” (short animated video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvj87QCF0lg

The Real Murderers: Atheism or Christianity?: https://www.str.org/w/the-real-murderers-atheism-or-christianity-#.WmSJ4KinGUk

How Media Consumption Threatens the Future of Christianity (It’s Not What You Think): https://townhall.com/columnists/jwarnerwallace/2018/12/07/how-media-consumption-threatens-the-future-of-christianity-its-not-what-you-think-n2537120

Why Are There So Many Atheists on College Campuses? THINKAPOLOGETICS.COM: https://chab123.wordpress.com/2017/01/24/why-are-there-so-many-atheists-on-college-campuses-3/

The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. The LORD delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed. As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and deliver me from all trouble.” Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, my son David; you will do great things and surely triumph.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned home. 1 Samuel 26:23-25

Blessings to you all