Comments for Taking every thought captive http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com seeking to obey Christ one thought at a time Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:15:36 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Avoiding exposition like the plague by notedscholar http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/2007/09/14/avoiding-exposition-like-the-plague/#comment-206 notedscholar Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:15:36 +0000 http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/2007/09/14/avoiding-exposition-like-the-plague/#comment-206 Quite correct. Nothing is worse for the Gospel than Power point! I might be exaggerating, but there's truth here. NS Quite correct. Nothing is worse for the Gospel than Power point!

I might be exaggerating, but there’s truth here.

NS

]]> Comment on About by Peter Whyte http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/about/#comment-204 Peter Whyte Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:56:45 +0000 #comment-204 Glad you enjoyed what you've read so far. Good to have another Baptist. You and I balance the other two non-Baptist regular readers, but we'll hardly fall out since we've all calvinistic. Since you stopped by I've moved the blog to <a href="http://peterwhyte.org.uk/captivethoughts/" rel="nofollow">a new location</a>, so you'll need to update your RSS feed or you'll miss anything new. Glad you enjoyed what you’ve read so far. Good to have another Baptist. You and I balance the other two non-Baptist regular readers, but we’ll hardly fall out since we’ve all calvinistic. Since you stopped by I’ve moved the blog to a new location, so you’ll need to update your RSS feed or you’ll miss anything new.

]]> Comment on About by Matt http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/about/#comment-203 Matt Sat, 31 Jan 2009 01:46:14 +0000 #comment-203 Hi Peter, I just ran across your blog through those automatically-generated-by-Wordpress 'similar posts' on my blog dashboard. Just at a glance I really like your blog and I'll try to make it a point to keep reading. Just for disclosure's sake, I'm a seminary student in North Carolina. I, like you, am Baptist with reformed leanings. God bless! -Matt Emerson Hi Peter,
I just ran across your blog through those automatically-generated-by-WordPress ’similar posts’ on my blog dashboard. Just at a glance I really like your blog and I’ll try to make it a point to keep reading.

Just for disclosure’s sake, I’m a seminary student in North Carolina.

I, like you, am Baptist with reformed leanings. God bless!

-Matt Emerson

]]> Comment on Fair Semblances by Peter Whyte http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/2009/01/08/fair-semblances/#comment-202 Peter Whyte Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:47:20 +0000 http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/?p=198#comment-202 Yes, Colin, that's his real name! He likes to sprinkle Hebrew names around, but there are a few that have me puzzled, though I haven't taken the time to hunt them up in a lexicon. I've never read any McCall Smith, but I've heard Phil Ryken mention the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in a sermon now and again. Been meaning to see what the books are like. I think I'll give the podcast a go (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/corduroymansionsbyalexandermcca/). Yes, Colin, that’s his real name! He likes to sprinkle Hebrew names around, but there are a few that have me puzzled, though I haven’t taken the time to hunt them up in a lexicon.

I’ve never read any McCall Smith, but I’ve heard Phil Ryken mention the No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency in a sermon now and again. Been meaning to see what the books are like. I think I’ll give the podcast a go (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/corduroymansionsbyalexandermcca/).

]]> Comment on Fair Semblances by allryledup http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/2009/01/08/fair-semblances/#comment-201 allryledup Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:56:24 +0000 http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/?p=198#comment-201 Hi Peter, Thanks for letting me know about this - I'm quite intrigued. At first I thought 'Surely that can't be his real name!' but it looks like it is. The blog looks very interesting too. I'm catching up on an online novel myself though it's not an allegory. It's 'Corduroy Mansions' by Alexander McCall Smith over at the Daily Telegraph site. It's very entertaining! Colin. Hi Peter, Thanks for letting me know about this – I’m quite intrigued. At first I thought ‘Surely that can’t be his real name!’ but it looks like it is. The blog looks very interesting too.

I’m catching up on an online novel myself though it’s not an allegory. It’s ‘Corduroy Mansions’ by Alexander McCall Smith over at the Daily Telegraph site. It’s very entertaining!

Colin.

]]> Comment on To read or not to read: the big decision by allryledup http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/to-read-or-not-to-read-the-big-decision/#comment-196 allryledup Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:21:30 +0000 http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/?p=142#comment-196 Hi Peter, I was glad to bump into you. You've certainly taken the encouragement with 3 posts in one day! I look forward to hearing your thoughts on How Biblical Languages Work which I was helped by myself. It's challenging that a "part-time university tutor, part-time database and Web site developer, and part-time accountant" has such an interest in the original languages. Bitzer isn't such an exception after all! Colin. Hi Peter, I was glad to bump into you. You’ve certainly taken the encouragement with 3 posts in one day! I look forward to hearing your thoughts on How Biblical Languages Work which I was helped by myself. It’s challenging that a “part-time university tutor, part-time database and Web site developer, and part-time accountant” has such an interest in the original languages. Bitzer isn’t such an exception after all!
Colin.

]]> Comment on About by cwalley http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/about/#comment-195 cwalley Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:47:54 +0000 #comment-195 Hi Peter, Thanks for this which was picked up by Google Alerts. Hope you enjoy the book and do post a review somewhere if you do. I really fancy being a Reformed hero but martyrdom normally seems to come into that. Blessings Chris Walley Hi Peter,

Thanks for this which was picked up by Google Alerts. Hope you enjoy the book and do post a review somewhere if you do. I really fancy being a Reformed hero but martyrdom normally seems to come into that.

Blessings

Chris Walley

]]> Comment on Reasons to read? by Ryan Holiday http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/reasons-to-read/#comment-180 Ryan Holiday Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:26:14 +0000 http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/reasons-to-read/#comment-180 Thanks for the link. Thanks for the link.

]]> Comment on Reasons to read? by Stephen Altrogge http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/reasons-to-read/#comment-175 Stephen Altrogge Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:41:40 +0000 http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/2008/01/14/reasons-to-read/#comment-175 Thanks for linking to our blog! I'm glad you found the post helpful... Thanks for linking to our blog! I’m glad you found the post helpful…

]]> Comment on Letter to an atheist heretic by captivethoughts http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/2007/10/21/letter-to-an-atheist-heretic/#comment-102 captivethoughts Mon, 22 Oct 2007 21:46:39 +0000 http://captivethoughts.wordpress.com/2007/10/21/letter-to-an-atheist-heretic/#comment-102 Thank you for taking the time to read my article and comment. "What does how content you are have to do with what is actually true?" You are absolutely right that contentedness with any opinion or proposition is no sure guide to its truthfulness. "You give extra weight to any proposition which makes you content." And you are correct in saying that we all tend to give extra weight to any proposition with which we are content. "That you give your contentedness any weight immediately indicates you don’t know how to tell what’s true from what’s not." It is true that we may be content with a falsehood. But unease with a proposition can indicate one of two things: that it is the truth and we are not prepared to face it; or that it is not the truth and we would do well to forsake it. Wisdom is in being able to distinguish between the two. "How content you are is irrelevant." Contentment with a proposition is not irrelevant to its truth. It is not, of course, the main or final arbiter of its truth or falsity. It is part of any wise and mature assessment of truth. All the evidence needs to be weighed in order to come to a satisfactory assessment of truth. Now, if one is uncertain and uneasy with atheism, and if what I have stated about the universe as a creation of the living God is true (and I believe it is), then who could be content with anything less than wholeheartedly embracing that glorious truth? To persist in discontentment in that circumstance would be nothing short of childish ignorance and plain stupidity. The grounds for embracing such truth are not mere contentment. But the evident benefit of embracing such truth will surely be contentment. Thank you for taking the time to read my article and comment.

“What does how content you are have to do with what is actually true?”
You are absolutely right that contentedness with any opinion or proposition is no sure guide to its truthfulness.

“You give extra weight to any proposition which makes you content.”
And you are correct in saying that we all tend to give extra weight to any proposition with which we are content.

“That you give your contentedness any weight immediately indicates you don’t know how to tell what’s true from what’s not.”
It is true that we may be content with a falsehood. But unease with a proposition can indicate one of two things: that it is the truth and we are not prepared to face it; or that it is not the truth and we would do well to forsake it. Wisdom is in being able to distinguish between the two.

“How content you are is irrelevant.”
Contentment with a proposition is not irrelevant to its truth. It is not, of course, the main or final arbiter of its truth or falsity. It is part of any wise and mature assessment of truth. All the evidence needs to be weighed in order to come to a satisfactory assessment of truth.

Now, if one is uncertain and uneasy with atheism, and if what I have stated about the universe as a creation of the living God is true (and I believe it is), then who could be content with anything less than wholeheartedly embracing that glorious truth? To persist in discontentment in that circumstance would be nothing short of childish ignorance and plain stupidity. The grounds for embracing such truth are not mere contentment. But the evident benefit of embracing such truth will surely be contentment.

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