Apologetics

September 21, 2015

Warm Up
Spot the contradictions:

Christians can be so intolerant of other religions

I just cannot accept those types of fundamentalist
viewsI believe in religious tolerance.

You Christians are wrong to judge other religions.

Truth is just a matter of ones own perspective

I believe that all religions are true.

Class Objectives

How can you and I know what

is real/true?

We can rely on
our perception

Perceptions can
be misleading

What about our

5 senses?

Our senses can

be misguided

How do we know what is true?

What is real?

Philosophy:
Phileo - The Love Of
Sophia - Wisdom
Philosophy concerns itself with questions that
deal with reality.
Col 2:8 - See to it that no one takes you captive
by philosophy and empty deceit, according to
human tradition, according to the elemental
spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Is truth relative?
Allan Bloom said, "There is one thing
a professor can be certain of: Almost
every student believes, or says he
believes, that truth is relative..."

Spear

Leaf
Spear

Leaf
Spear
Wall

Leaf
Spear
Wall

Rope

Leaf
Spear
Wall

Tree Trunk

Rope

Leaf
Spear
Wall

Snake

Tree Trunk

Rope

Relativism.

Relativism.
Concept of no absolute truth or validity;
only relative, subjective value that
relates to differences in perception.
(Book size; Directions; Moving Trains
and Fixed Points).

Whats wrong with that idea?

Whats wrong with that idea?

Its not a snake, a rope, a wall,
a tree trunk, a spear, or a leaf

Whats wrong with that idea?

ITS AN ELEPHANT!!!

What naturally follows

Relativism?

Everyones perception is
different and and there is no
fixed truthTHEREFORE

What naturally follows

Relativism?

NO ONE IS WRONG!

Pluralism

NO ONE IS WRONG!

Pluralism

Teaches that all views are true,

even opposing ones.
Manifests itself in a multi-cultural
society where many views of the world
exists and where diversity and
tolerance go hand in hand.

Pluralism

ShOuLd pluRaLism BE
accepTed in AcAdeMIcs?

University
UNI(ty)
in
(di)VERSITY

Mortimer Adler
"In the sphere of all matters subject to individual thought
and decision, pluralism is desirable and tolerable only in
those areas that are matters of taste rather than matters
of truth. Preferences with regard to cuisine, dress,
dance, social manners, artistic style, do not raise any
questions of truth.
Where that is the case, pluralism has always existed on
the earth...[in those regards] individuals have a right to
be free in expressing and acting on personal
preference. But with regard to truth, not taste, pluralism
is intolerable.

Pluralism and Society

There is a place for pluralism in society
with respect to matters of taste
(especially in free society).
There is no place for pluralism when it
comes to deciding on matters of truth.
(i.e. Gravity is true and there is no
room for any other view when jumping
off of a building).

Taste vs. Truth

TASTE
no need for agreement
no need to defend
relative
TRUTH
need for agreement
need to defend
absolute

1. All views are true.

1. All views are true.

2. All views are false.

1. All views are true.

2. All views are false.
3. Some views are better.

1. All views are true.

2. All views are false.
3. Some views are better.
4. One view is best.

What Is Truth?

Truth

is an expression, symbol, or statement

that matches or corresponds to reality.
It is inescapable; to deny it is to affirm it.

Truth is by its very nature is:

1. Noncontradictory - in that it does not violate the basic laws of logic.
2. Absolute - it does not depend upon any time, places or conditions.
3. Discovered - it exists independent of our minds, we do not create it.
4. Descriptive - agreement of the mind with reality (correspondence).
5. Inescapable to deny its existence is to affirm it (we are bound by
it).
6. Unchanging the firm standard by which truth claims are measured.