Cross Examined

The Christian accepts the claims of the gospels. Contrast this with another claim: that aliens have visited the earth. Since that claim beats the Jesus story on every point, does that mean you must accept alien claims? (For the podcast transcript, search for the title at www.Patheos.com/Blogs/CrossExamined)

Let's wrap up our analysis of a Catholic blogger's rant against atheism. He gives us three more arguments with which he's not impressed. Curiously, neither am I. (For the podcast transcript, search for the title at www.Patheos.com/Blogs/CrossExamined)

A Catholic blogger claims to have distilled atheists' arguments down to just two. And he's not impressed. (For the podcast transcript, search for the title at www.Patheos.com/Blogs/CrossExamined)

Christians are eager to imagine the founding fathers building the nation's foundation on a Christian footing. Is the Law of the Land secular? Or do these Christians have a point? (For the podcast transcript, search for the title at www.Patheos.com/Blogs/CrossExamined)

The U.S. Constitution is secular, which provides protection to both atheists and believers, but this trait is under attack by Christian revisionists. They pretend that it's actually religious. Let's consider what a religious constitution would actually look like. (For the podcast transcript, search for the title at www.Patheos.com/Blogs/CrossExamined)

Some events are common in our everyday lives. When we see one of these, we know what bin to put it in. Other events are common, but only as legends--raising from the dead, for example. Here's the principle behind this natural categorization. (For the podcast transcript, search for the title at www.Patheos.com/Blogs/CrossExamined)

Have you come across enigmatic verses where God seems to be one of many? The Old Testament is full of them. Let's take a look and see the transition from polytheism to monotheism. (For the podcast transcript, search for the title at www.Patheos.com/Blogs/CrossExamined)

The book of Exodus gives God's demand that the Jews stick with their own kind when they returned to Canaan. God had to make sure that they weren't corrupted by the other religions. But the Bible wouldn't have this prohibition unless the religion had been invented! The Bible defeats itself. 

How resilient is Christianity to contrary evidence? Does it blunder on in spite of clear evidence that its claims are false? Or are Christians eager to follow the evidence where it leads? (For the podcast transcript, search for the title at www.Patheos.com/Blogs/CrossExamined)

That God allows slavery in the Old Testament is one of the stickier issues Christian apologists deal with, but instead of dealing with it honestly, some want to ignore the difficult parts. Take a look at what they don't want you to know. (For the podcast transcript, search for the title at www.Patheos.com/Blogs/CrossExamined)