[Vision2020] Recent P.S. Stile Postings

Thu, 26 Feb 2004 12:44:25 -0800

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_0A8A_01C3FC66.43CE6790
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Normal Folks,

In two recent postings P.S. Stile demonstrates why his, Doug Jones', and
Moscow, Idaho Christ Church Cult Master Douglas Wilson's writings are
thought of as such wonderful treasures by logic instructors.  Their works
are so chock full of fallacies that logic students can have hours of
knee-slapping amusement and entertainment with just a few pages of them.

Stile argues that a bible based government is a desirable thing by quoting
some prominent historic figures to that effect.  In other words because
these figures said so, it is true.

These figures would also tell to treat most serious internal ailments by the
application of leeches.  Is that true also?

Stile argues that there is a long historic tradition of belief in bible
inerrancy.  Therefore, the doctrine is sound.

In the past, there was a long historic tradition of believing the world was
flat and that mental health problems were caused by the possession by
demons.  Are these doctrines sound?

Whether the bible is inerrant or not is a question whose answer creates
unfortunate consequences of epic proportions for Christians.

Biblical inerrancy simply put says:  Everything the bible asserts is true.

If that is so, then the following is true:

"When a slave owner strikes a male or female slave with a rod and the slave
dies immediately, the owner shall be punished.  But if the slave survives a
day or two, there is no punishment; for the slave is the owner's property".
(Exodus 21:20-21 NRSV) [Thanks to Ralph Nielsen]

Do you believe that it is OK to kill another human being without just cause,
without consequence, and with God's blessing?

Therein lays the problem of biblical inerrancy.  If you assert that the
bible is inerrant, then you are committed to believing hundreds of
absurdities of which the above is only one example.  [Here's another:  Jesus
was descended through Joseph from David and Jesus was the result of an
immaculate (spermless) conception.]

If you chose not to accept these absurdities, then things may be even worse:

1.   If the bible contains errors, how do you systematically separate the
true assertions (if any) from the false assertions?  What reliable, tested,
guaranteed method could you use?  Would an all-good, all-powerful God fail
to give you clear, unmistakable instructions on such an important matter
(eternal goodies)?

2.   If the bible is the word of some alleged God, and is imperfect, does
that mean that God herself is imperfect and thus a bumbler?  This situation
leads to hundreds of other questions, e.g.:  If God is a bumbler, can she
deliver on the various promises made for salvation or will she bumble on
this process also?  Will some (or all) "saints" be accidentally consigned to
some alleged hell like an errant parcel post package?

In a nut shell:  If the bible is inerrant, then many unbelievable
absurdities result.  If the bible is not inerrant, then how can you reliably
determine what to believe?  Would an alleged perfect or kind hearted God
leave you in this inescapable quandary?

Cheers,

Wayne Fox

------=_NextPart_000_0A8A_01C3FC66.43CE6790
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Diso-8859-1">
<META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=3DGENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV>
Normal=20
Folks,
<?xml:namespace =
prefix =3D o ns =3D=20
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
In two=20
recent postings P.S. Stile demonstrates why his, Doug Jones=92, and =
Moscow, Idaho=20
Christ Church Cult Master Douglas Wilson=92s writings are thought of as =
such=20
wonderful treasures by logic instructors.&nbsp;=20
Their works are so chock full of fallacies that logic students =
can have=20
hours of knee-slapping amusement and entertainment with just a few pages =
of=20
them.
<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
Stile=20
argues that a bible based government is a desirable thing by quoting =
some=20
prominent historic figures to that effect.&nbsp;=20
In other words because these figures said so, it is =
true.
<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
These=20
figures would also tell to treat most serious internal ailments by the=20
application of leeches.&nbsp; =
Is that=20
true also?
<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
Stile=20
argues that there is a long historic tradition of belief in bible=20
inerrancy.&nbsp; Therefore, the =
doctrine=20
is sound.
<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
In the=20
past, there was a long historic tradition of believing the world was =
flat and=20
that mental health problems were caused by the possession by =
demons.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; Are these doctrines =
sound?
<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
Whether=20
the bible is inerrant or not is a question whose answer creates =
unfortunate=20
consequences of epic proportions for Christians.
<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
Biblical inerrancy simply put says:&nbsp;=20
Everything the bible asserts is true.
<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
If that=20
is so, then the following is true:
<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>
=93When a=20
slave owner strikes a male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies =

immediately, the owner shall be punished. <SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;But if the slave survives a day =
or two,=20
there is no punishment; for the slave is the owner=92s property=94.<SPAN =

style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>(Exodus 21:20-21 NRSV) [Thanks =
to Ralph=20
Nielsen]</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT =
face=3DVerdana=20
size=3D4>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3DVerdana =
size=3D4>Do you=20
believe that it is OK to kill another human being without just cause, =
without=20
consequence, and with God=92s blessing?</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT =
face=3DVerdana=20
size=3D4>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT =
face=3DVerdana=20
size=3D4>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3DVerdana =
size=3D4>Therein=20
lays the problem of biblical inerrancy.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: =
yes">&nbsp;=20
</SPAN>If you assert that the bible is inerrant, then you are committed =
to=20
believing hundreds of absurdities of which the above is only one =
example.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>[Here=92s another:<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Jesus was descended through =
Joseph from=20
David and Jesus was the result of an immaculate (spermless)=20
conception.]</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT =
face=3DVerdana=20
size=3D4>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3DVerdana =
size=3D4>If you=20
chose not to accept these absurdities, then things may be even =
worse:</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT =
face=3DVerdana=20
size=3D4>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 =
level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in"><FONT=20
face=3DVerdana><FONT size=3D4><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: =
Verdana"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-list: Ignore">1.<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">&nbsp;&nbsp; =
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN>If the=20
bible contains errors, how do you systematically separate the true =
assertions=20
(if any) from the false assertions?<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: =
yes">&nbsp;=20
</SPAN>What reliable, tested, guaranteed method could you use?<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Would an all-good, =
all-powerful God fail=20
to give you clear, unmistakable instructions on such an important matter =

(eternal goodies)?</FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT =
face=3DVerdana=20
size=3D4>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal=20
style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l0 =
level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in"><FONT=20
face=3DVerdana><FONT size=3D4><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-fareast-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: =
Verdana"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-list: Ignore">2.<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">&nbsp;&nbsp; =
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN>If the=20
bible is the word of some alleged God, and is imperfect, does that mean =
that God=20
herself is imperfect and thus a bumbler?<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: =
yes">&nbsp;=20
</SPAN>This situation leads to hundreds of other questions, e.g.: <SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</SPAN>If God is a bumbler, can she =
deliver on=20
the various promises made for salvation or will she bumble on this =
process=20
also?<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Will some (or all) =
=93saints=94=20
be accidentally consigned to some alleged hell like an errant parcel =
post=20
package?</FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT =
face=3DVerdana=20
size=3D4>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3DVerdana =
size=3D4>In a=20
nut shell:<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>If the bible =
is=20
inerrant, then many unbelievable absurdities result.<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>If the bible is not inerrant, =
then how=20
can you reliably determine what to believe?<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Would an alleged perfect or =
kind hearted=20
God leave you in this inescapable quandary?</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT =
face=3DVerdana=20
size=3D4>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3DVerdana=20
size=3D4>Cheers,</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT =
face=3DVerdana=20
size=3D4>&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT =
face=3DVerdana><FONT=20
size=3D4>Wayne Fox<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_0A8A_01C3FC66.43CE6790--