If ever there were an RTB book to read around Halloween, it would be Creating Life in the Lab. Author and biochemist Fazale Rana focuses on scientists’ attempts to create a novel life-form—to find the elixir of life. The connection to Frankenstein is obvious, and Rana refers to Mary Shelley’s classic book throughout his own. In light of scientists’ fascinating quest to create synthetic life, Rana poses a provocative question: Should humans play God? (more…)
Debates
October 25, 2013
IT’S ALIVE! ALIVE!…But Should Scientists Play God?
Posted by Sandra under Controversies, Debates, In the News, Life in the Lab, Science in the News, synthetic biology | Tags: Creating Life in the Lab, Fazale Rana, Frankenstein, synthetic biology, Victor Frankenstein |[2] Comments
September 13, 2013
Extra Grace Required in Science-Faith Relationships
Posted by Maureen under Apologetics, Christian Living, Conversations, Debates | Tags: behavior, Grace, interaction, relationships, science-faith debates |[2] Comments
We all know people who tend to deplete our reserves of patience and good will. (Perhaps we’ve even been one of these folks.) I’ve taken to identifying such people as “EGRs”: extra grace required. This label, which I adopted from a guest speaker at my church, helps remind me to reign in my irritability and pray for an extra measure of patience when dealing with difficult people. After all, I require extra grace, too.
Interactions within the science-faith arena provide plentiful examples of EGRs. (more…)
August 8, 2013
How Not to Handle the Creation-Evolution Debate
Posted by Sandra under Controversies, Creation, Debates, Evolution | Tags: BioLogos, Evolution vs. God, Jeff Zweerink, Ray Comfort |[29] Comments
A few weeks ago I found myself in a conversation with an atheist about evolution and creation. What I noticed in our interaction was that he was initially hesitant to admit his belief in evolution (and disbelief in God), and not because he was uncertain of his beliefs. Past experience taught him that identifying himself as an atheist drew a hostile response from the Christians he encountered. (more…)
July 3, 2013
Take Two Turns Four!
Posted by Sandra under Apologetics, Bible interpretation, biblical archeology, Blogging, Christmas, Debates, Dual Revelation, Origin of life, Religious Pluralism | Tags: blog birthday, giveaway, top 10 list |[5] Comments
Bust out the party hats because today Take Two celebrates its fourth birthday. In celebration of our big day, we’ve compiled some of your favorite posts—consider it a“regifting” of sorts.
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January 11, 2013
Why Would God Allow Natural Disasters?
Posted by Sandra under Controversies, Debates, Earthquakes, Evil, Natural Disasters, Problem of Evil, Why Would God... | Tags: Dave Rogstad, Fazale Rana, god's judgment, Hugh Ross, hurricanes, Jeff Zweerink, Kenneth Samples, moral evil, natural evil, physics, plate tectonics, volcanoes |[2] Comments
No one likes natural disasters. They can devastate entire areas and cause human suffering and death, leaving people to wonder why God would allow such calamities. If God created the earth for the benefit of humanity, why is it sometimes inhospitable to its inhabitants? (more…)
May 18, 2012
Marvel Comics and Logical Fallacies
Posted by Sandra under Apologetics, Conversations, Debates, evangelism, Superheroes | Tags: logical fallacies, Marvel, Spider-Man, Spiderman |[13] Comments
The other day a few of us on staff took a break to discuss an urgent topic:
Who is the best* super hero in the Marvel universe?
Tolerant observers in this roundtable discussion shared their opinion and shrugged off opposing views with indifference. But the longtime, diehard fans clung to their views like Spidey to a wall. (more…)
February 17, 2012
Science, Faith, Reason, Sporks
Posted by Maureen under Atheists, Books, Conferences, Cultural Events, Debates, Faith, Fallacies, Logic, Naturalism, Philosophy, Reason, religion, science, Skeptics, Worldview | Tags: apologists, Christians, faith, irrationality, Kenneth Sample, naturalism, Paul Copan, philosophical assumptions, Ratio Christi, reason, Reason Rally, religion, Richard Dawkins, scientism, True Reason, Wall-E |[8] Comments
In the opening scenes of Disney and Pixar’s Wall–E, the titular robot returns home from a full day of garbage cleanup with a little pile of treasures to add to his extensive collection. Carefully, Wall-E puts each item in its place, but a spork stumps him. Does it go with the spoons or with the forks?
Like Wall-E, many of us like to fit things, people, and ideas into neatly structured categories. (more…)
November 18, 2011
Scientific Fusion
Posted by Maureen under Apologetics, Conversations, Debates, Worldview | Tags: chefs, cooking, debates, evolution v. creation, Food Network, fusion, integration, Iron Chef America, science, Scripture, worldviews |1 Comment
My husband and I love watching Iron Chef America, the Food Network show where top-notch chefs go toe-to-toe in an hour-long culinary battle. It’s particularly fascinating to watch the competitors deal with a “secret ingredient” that forces them to think outside the box of their expertise. A French-trained chef might play with Asian flavors or an Italian-trained chef might find inspiration in the foods of the American Southwest. The results are intriguing cross-cultural cuisine fusions. (more…)
October 28, 2011
Hallelujah, Harvest, and Halloween Alternatives
Posted by Sandra under Belief, Christian Living, Controversies, Culture, Debates, Halloween, Holidays | Tags: Christian response, debates, Halloween alternatives, Halloween traditions, history, pagan |[7] Comments
Say you receive an invitation in the mail for a party on October 31. This party will include candy, costumes, and “illusion” (insert picture of a top hat, wand, and sparkly star). Would you assume you were just invited to a Hallelujah party? Probably not.
Yet, depending on where you live, you might see church banners with a similar invitation. Don’t get me wrong. It’s wonderful that churches are serving their communities by hosting these kinds of events. But the peculiar words on church signs this time of year might cause passersby to raise a curious brow—it does for this editorial eye, at least. (more…)
October 21, 2011
Spreading the Good News—With Love
Posted by Maureen under Apologetics, Conversations, Debates, evangelism, Love, RTB Resources | Tags: 1 Peter 3:15-16, apologetics, autumn, changes, debates, evangelism, resources, speaking events |Leave a Comment
Vibrant foliage colors, exciting festivities, and Starbucks’ pumpkin spice lattes all help make fall my favorite time of year. Although people often say Southern California doesn’t experience “real” seasons, the signs of change are here. Our founder, Hugh Ross, aptly describes autumn in SoCal in an upcoming ministry letter:
While the seasons here in Southern California are subtle, to those of us who live and work here the signs are very familiar. (more…)