Since Martin Wagner refuses to post my comments on their blog, for understandable reasons, I challenge his dogma / religion after all. So I am posting this here reluctantly. Normally, I would not advertise for Matt, as he is already getting PAID to do these debates. Only in 'merica'.
Right in the beginning of opening your mouth, you are trying to push a falsehood. You actually lie, as it has been pointed out from the very beginning of our conversations since 2006, you were never a Christian. You boastfully claim you were "for 25 years" but you never actually were.
Who determines who is, and who is not a Christian? Well, it's in the name, Christ that's who.
Scripture, Christ, was very clear "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. " ~John 10:28
"They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." ~1John 2:19
If you WERE a Christian, then Jesus is a liar. Jesus is not a liar. Therefore you were never a Christian. QED
Before the Atheists cry foul, this is not a no true Scotsman fallacy either, because the qualifications were set and established in Scripture. Because it was set in Scripture, it makes it a reasoned assertion. Scripture lists that specific objective rule. Namely, that Christians do not fall away. QED
Matt, you were the "illegal alien" of Christianity. You got to use our resources, but were never a Christian citizen, in that analogy.
Since we have been over this for many, many years now. It makes you a liar to claim you were, KNOWING full well of the conversations in the past we and others have had with you, and knowledge of Scripture.
That being said, you lost the core debate also. Here is why. "Inalienable rights" is the language used. THAT language you cannot sidestep. You failed at that attempt, evidenced by the debate.
You said it was ONLY in the preamble. LIE!
Arkansas state constitution lists in Article II, Section 24. "All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences"
Nebraska state constitution Art. I, CI-4 "All persons have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences."
New Hampshire state constitution Part I., Art. V. "Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and reason; and no subject shall be hurt, molested, or restrained, in his person, liberty, or estate, for worshipping God in the manner and season most agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience..."
Oregon's Bill of Rights, Article I, Sect. 2 " All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences..."
Vermont's constitution is specific to Christians. Art. III " Nevertheless, every sect or denomination of Christians ought to observe the sabbath or Lord's day, and keep up some sort of religious worship, which to them shall seem most agreeable to the revealed will of God."
Look at Virginia Bill of Rights, Sec. 16 "That religion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and therefore all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards each other." ~source
It originates from the Christian God. That refutes your absurd claim of "which god?" also. As if you didn't know. Because, as you well know, it is the Christian position that God has revealed Himself to all mankind so that we can know for certain who He is. Those who deny His existence are suppressing the truth in unrighteousness to avoid accountability to God. It is the ultimate act of rebellion against Him and reveals the professing atheist's contempt toward God.
Remember the mass murders of Stalin, Mao, Pot, Ill, Castro, and over 50 million baby murders and counting, and other atheist regimes? God gave us rights to, Life, Liberty , etc. Atheists, with over 50 million baby murders and counting, wants to erase the first right and ...go from there.
"I've noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born." ~Ronald Reagan
The ENTIRE NATION went to war over the rights of others. It was our bloodiest war ever. To say it was a mere small manner (a mistake of a few founding members) would be eliminating reality entirely, to make such a claim. The Civil war was by no mean civil. We had to fight for their rights. You, being from the south, may disagree with that. But it was a battle to the death that YOU Matt, and your kind (families from the south), was wrong and the rights of others was restored. Lincoln went against his entire core beliefs, of limited government, to Federally FORCE the south's hand to free slaves.
You may be bitter about that subject, Austin, but truth cannot be altered.
'Let God stand up and take the credit, "until then I am going to give credit to humans" ~said Matt the secular humanist. O'rly? Duh!
"In fact, that cannot be evidence for God if he is a naturalist, or an atheist. Because according to him its not possible to have evidence for God. If he is in fact an atheist in terms of his views on reality, then all of these things must be reinterpreted so they are regimented, or will conform to, will comport with that man's naturalism, or atheism." ~Greg Bahnsen (bit.ly/stillevidence)
So, long winded rant aside that needs not be rebutted (as I know what digs I took in my rebuke), without another unnecessary debate arising.
I do have a few questions, how do you KNOW your reasoning is valid?
He, I believe in the Q&A, admitted he doesn't. So he has no argument.
Second, is it viciously circular to reason your reasoning is valid? If not, why not?
Towards the end, I was purely entertained with uber nugget of "Atheism is not an "ism" ~Matt
Just wow! Matt then ended it with a straw man in the last 30 seconds. Nice. You lost.
Dei sub numine viget- "Under God's power she flourishes" — motto of Princeton University.
