Truth Project
Beginning Truth
Category: Truth Project
Tonight we start The Truth Project study. It is my prayer that the Lord of Front Range Alliance Church will use this study in conspicuous and mighty ways to increase His work of transformation in our thinking and behavior. It will require more than merely watching a bunch of DVD lectures, however. The metamorphosis will only happen if we give due consideration to, and biblical meditation on, the content. The presentations are simply introductions; we must provide the main body of text. May the Lord Jesus write His word and will upon our souls as we ponder and discuss these important concepts.
Truth Project Guides
Category: Truth Project
To the left, you will find a link to Truth Project Downloads where you may download lesson outlines, slides, etc. I would encourage you to use them as preparation for and review of our discussions.
See God?
Category: Truth Project
In session one of the DVD series, Dr. Tackett introduces a concept that he will be emphasizing repeatedly in the course. He spoke of "gazing upon the face of God." Of course, the Scripture is clear that sinful man cannot see God's face. So the question which naturally arises is, How can we gaze upon God's face? What does Dr. Tackett mean when he makes this claim?
If an unbeliever asked you to explain this, how would you go about it? (This is not rhetorical; I'd like to read your thoughts.)
Truth Project DVDs
Category: Truth Project
The small group participant area of the Truth Project support site is now online. If you create an account, you will be able to access outlines, slides, and other supplemental material. And you will be able to purchase a copy of the Truth Project DVDs.
In order to access the site and create your own account, you will need my email address.
If you purchase the DVDs and are willing to make them available when others miss the Wednesday night presentation, please let me know.
Here is how you create an account:
Participant Logon Instructions
- Go to http://connect.thetruthproject.org (also accessible from our home page).
- Click on "Create New Participant Account"
- Enter the leader's email address (your email address)
- Enter the leader's ZIP code (your five-digit ZIP code)
- Click "Submit"
- Complete the self-registration process form
Once they register, they will then return to the main page and enter their email address as their username and enter the password they created to gain full access to the participant portion of the site.
Truth about Truth
Category: Truth Project
Someone sent me this quote from the October 7, 2006, issue of World Magazine. It is from a Catholic writer (George Weigel) speaking in response to the Pope's recent statements regarding Islam.
"If the West's high culture keeps playing in the sandbox of postmodern irrationalism - in which there is 'your truth' and 'my truth' but nothing such as 'the truth' - the West will be unable to defend itself. Why? Because the West won't be able to give reasons why its commitments to civility, tolerance, human rights, and the rule of law are worth defending. A Western world stripped of convictions about the truths that make Western civilizations possible cannot make a useful contribution to a genuine dialogue of civilizations, for any such dialogue must be based on a shared understanding that human beings can, however imperfectly, come to know the truth of things."
Basic Philosophy
Category: Truth Project
If our discussion Wednesday gave you an insatiable thirst for the history of philosophy, here are a couple of books to get you started (over there on the left). The first one, The Consequences of Ideas by R. C. Sproul, is a very readable introduction to the minds that have shaped our world. The second, Thales to Dewey, is by Gordon H. Clark who has been called the greatest Christian philosopher of the 20th century. Both of these works provide an excellent overview of the thoughts and influence of the great thinkers.
Also, this Website is worth a look.
Evolutionary Ethics
Category: Truth Project
The summary of the book entitled The Evolution of Ethics can be found here. (For those of you who were part of the discussion last night, this is the essay I handed out.) On that page, you will also find other attempts by evolutionists to give a foundation for ethics from a naturalistic worldview.
Also, if you want to see the rest of the clip from Professor Dawkins where he declares that God is evil, you can find it here.
And finally, I am thinking about spending another week on the discussion of ethics. We dealt with the lies regarding ethics, but we didn't have time to get to the truth. Which we need to do. Consequently, I will not post the downloads to lesson 3 until after we are finished with ethics.
Truth Debate
Category: Truth Project
If you have broadband, here is a timely series by Dr. R. C. Sproul regarding matters of truth and philosophy. Dr. Sproul looks a little different than in the Truth Project interviews. And, being a mock debate, it get a little humorous at times. But you will notice a few of the names and themes that we have been discussing recently.
Bold Athiesm
Category: Truth Project
Like I said, the atheistic religion is taking off the gloves. You will find humanist Paul Kurtz quoted in this article; he is one of the guys highlighted in the third Truth Project DVD.
And here is an attempt to elevate humanity above the animal kingdom while remaining entirely "inside the box." (Don't miss the comments which follow the entry, especially #4. They tell the real story.)
Finally, if you want to know the views of humanists, there's no better place to begin than here. Read the not one, not two, but three manifestos, and notice the signatories. The colleges and universities are well represented.
A Rosey By Any Other Name
Category: Truth Project
This is an example of so many lies that it would be impossible to count them all. Since man is the measure of all things, he certainly has the right to become woman, apparently just by wanting to be one. Don't bother him (her?)(it?) with anatomical reality.
But I ask, why limit it to gender? Or even humanity? Why not go and have your birth certificate changed to reflect that you are Pikes Peak?
Mr. Goodin, could I see your driver's license please?
It's not 'Goodin' it's 'Peak'. 'Pikes Peak.' I am a 14,000 foot tall mountain, see it says so right there on my birth certificate.
Um, Mr. Goodin have you been drinking?
I can't drink. I told you I'm a mountain. Mountains don't have mouths.
Then how are you talking, sir?
Well, I'll declare. I guess mountains have mouths after all.
I especially like the final paragraph where the guy named Joann earnestly asserts that there are more than two genders, then declares that anyone may belong to one or the other.
"Professing to be wise, they became fools."
Letters to Mr. Harris
Category: Truth Project
Currently 19th on the New York Times best seller list, Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris is an unashamed assault on the truth of Christianity. At just over 100 pages it's relatively brief, but judging by the editorial reviews (which you can read here) it has struck a chord with the secular community.
Douglas Wilson has responded to Harris by way of a series of blog entries composing an open letter to Mr. Harris. I don't know if Harris will ever read Doug's letters, but I hope that you will. They are an excellent example of how believers need to think about and rebut this kind of hogwash. I encourage you to read Pastor Wilson's arguments closely, and more than once, each time noting what he is responding to and why he counters Harris the way he does. (You will want to start at the bottom of the page and work your way up.)
By the way, The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins is currently number four on the list.
LIfe's Beginning?
Category: Truth Project
If you have been with us in the recent Wednesday night discussions, then you may find this thread of affirmations about how life began interesting.
Language's Beginning
Category: Truth Project
Here is another interesting discussion on origins. This time the topic concerns when humans developed language. Again, we see the influence and acceptance of evolution.
Lecture on 'Lucy'
Category: Truth Project
Answers in Genesis is a good resource for our side of the debate. This link will take you to a page that has streaming video lectures on the fossil record and other evolution issues. For those interested in hearing another scientist's perspective on Lucy (the supposed ape/human missing link from the PBS Nova series that we watched last week), you will want to check it out.
Debating the Undebatable
Category: Truth Project
Lest there be any doubt that the scientific community has made an absolute, impenetrable commitment to evolution, this article lays it out plainly (notice the presupposition that science, by definition, rules out belief in a Creator and rules in evolution). And this one discusses the continuing battle in a Kansas school board.
Whose Story?
Category: Truth Project
I have uploaded the documents for our Truth Project study on history (which resumes this Wednesday.
Changing the Future by Changing the Past?
Category: Truth Project
This story is a good example of where historical revisionism appears in the real world. The motives for "changing the past" should stand out loudly and clearly.
Lesson 8 Sheets
Category: Truth Project
For you FRACers who looked, but didn't find, the sheets for last night's truth project video, I have now uploaded them for you. Sorry about that.
Significant?
Category: Truth Project
Tonight, during the Truth Project discussion, I may show this video. Whether I decide to or not, I found it revealing.
I also found this article to be intellectually stimulating in light of the question of significance.
And, finally, this short clip answers the question of significance from the guy that apparently has all the answers to America's questions.
(One more thing, I added my slides for Wednesday to the download page. It's called "TP8.")
Lesson 10
Category: Truth Project
I've posted the PDF's for next week's Lesson 10 as well as my slides from last Wednesday night.
A Rare Gem from a Congressman
Category: Truth Project
Per request, here is the link to the presentation given by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett in January.
I've also added the slides from tonight, and the slides for next week's video on the Truth Project Downloads page.
Speak of the Devil
Category: Truth Project
As we were saying, the US Gov't is all for freedom of religion. Just make sure you don't say anything about God when exercising your freedom.
Vocation
Category: Truth Project
Wednesday night we were talking about the concept of vocation and calling, and today on his blog, Dr. Mohler talked about it, too.
Fresh Air Amidst the Fog
Category: Truth Project
When we discussed the state, and particularly the American government, we noted that the Scripture restricts the God-ordained role of the civil magistrate. It is not intended to be the savior of, or provider for, its citizens. Those are God's jobs. We also noted that the founders of the U.S. tried to establish a constitution which would put clear limits on what the government would and would not do. However, in its current form, all three branches have overstepped their constitutional bounds by about a hundred billion miles.
There is at least one elected official who seems to understand and endorse the original intent of the constitution--Ron Paul. And if you are interested in hearing a man uphold our original magisterial principles, he is as good as it gets at the national level. I find him, frankly, a breath of fresh air in the midst of a dense political fog.