Opinion Or Argument?

There is no truth...All statements are false...Nothing can be known of reality...

The aforementioned claims are a few self-refuting statements that I love to collect. I do such a thing for two reasons:

1. I want the truth to stand out and be the guide for all discussions

2. I want to make sure that I articulate in a clear and logical manner and thus never use self-refuting statements

Well, this morning, I heard another wonderful, self-refuting statement, and had to add it to my list. Now that I think about it, it is one that comes up in many debates, articles, and discussions on controversial topics...here it is:

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion."

My response to this statement is simply, "No, everyone is not entitled to their own opinion."

If they agree to my statement, then by default, their statement is incorrect. If they disagree with my statement, then they are not allowing me to have my own opinion, which, by default, makes their view incorrect as well...in other words, it falls into one of the three classic laws of logic, the Law of excluded middle, which states, "for any proposition, either that proposition is true, or its negation is true.

One of the main reasons the statement, "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion," is self-refuting, is because it makes a universal statement and applies it in a non-universal situation. Including the word "Everyone" in an improper context, simply allows me the opportunity of being the exception to the rule.

Why It Matters
In a day and age of political correctness, fear of offending, and subjectivity rules, we will certainly have someone try to use "opinion" rhetoric on us as we discuss The Truth of Jesus of Nazareth. So we need to tear down these illogical "opinion" statements and never allow them to intimidate us.

The Solution
The solution to defeating the "opinion" claim, is to use arguments based on reason. This forces one to think about what they say, and to give substantiation to their claim...substantiation that can then be deemed true or false.

On another note, I can say, "Everyone is entitled to their own argument based on sound reasoning," and it would not be self-refuting because someone would then have to give me reasons if they agree or disagree...which would then prove my statement correct.

So if you are ever listening to a debate, reading an article, or having a discussion, don't ever be persuaded by the "opinion" rhetoric...instead, demand an argument based on reasoning, then the opinions will fall, and the truth will stand!

Process, Not Product

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature
and in favor with God and man.
~ Luke 2:52 ~

Inspired from Luke 2:52, I have thought about some new ideas to implement in gaining wisdom, stature, and favor...How can I best gain knowledge and abilities this year and use what God gave me for His Glory? Hoping to avoid a "self-help" entry, I have provided, not an exhaustive list by any means, but a few tips and tactics for getting to that next level for 2012...Four focus areas:

1. Focus on the process instead of the product
Too many times, all we think about is having a bigger bank account, or a better physique, without thinking about what needs to be done, or how it needs to be accomplished. Determine your end product, but focus on how to obtain it...working on the process in chunk's of time and effort...and then be persistent: Losers quit when they're tired. Winners quit when they've won. -Unknown

2.Implement the MIKE Tactic
Mike Singletary, famous linebacker for the Baylor and Chicago Bears, was always known for intensity...his eyes showed it and his play backed it up...so as you establish new goals this year, get intense about them and establish the MIKE Tactic:

M- Motivated = You must be motivated for change
I - Inspire/Influence = find someone who inspires you and think of someone you can influence
K - Knowledge = If you want to change, you must arm yourself with the knowledge of what to do and how to do it (see below).
E - Evaluate = a key step to see if you are on pace with your goals

3. Multiply and Subtract
We need to multiply certain areas that direct us to transform, and we need to subtract things that are holding us back. There is a quote that reads, "In 5 years you will be the sum total of the books you’ve read and the people you’ve associated with." Let's condense that down to one year...by January 2013, you could be the result of what you allowed to enter your mind by what your read and who you ran with...our readings and our associations have a profound effect on who we become. It is why Psalm 119:93 says “I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life,” and why Proverbs 4:23 states, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." So we must focus on the input if we desire a certain output. Here are some tips:

• Do you want to know what you believe and why? Then read On Guard by William Lane Craig, and then form a study group and watch the DVD Companion to it...you read and discuss, read and discuss, constantly shaping your mind and your transformation.

• Do you want to gain muscle and lose fat? Then subscribe to fitness magazines/blogs, and form a fitness group. Read books and associate with people who are like-minded to get strong and healthy. (If you can't find a workout partner, then I highly recommend DVD programs, I know it sounds crazy, but for real, get Insanity or P90X2...they will at least motivate you because you see other people getting fit, and it lays out the program in a plug-n-play method.

• Do you want to establish better finances? Then read books and hang out with people who have become rich through smart investments and a savings plan.

4. Who Do You Play For?
A favorite quote comes from the movie, Miracle, the true story of Herb Brooks (Russell), the player-turned-coach who led the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to victory over the seemingly invincible Russian squad. It is a simple quote used by the coach, and it goes like this:

"Who do you play for?"

This one quote totally shifted the players mentality from selfishness to self-giving! One reason they were able to beat the Russians is because they realized they played for their country, their family, their team. Listen, if you want to transform in 2012, then ask yourself, "Who do I play for?"

Are you a parent? Do you want your kids to know Christ? Then study The Scriptures, serve on Mission Trips, be a leader in your Church and your community. "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”- Proverbs 22:6

Do you want your kids to get into Harvard or Stanford? Then don't just tell them to study and work hard, let them see you reading intellectual books and making new discoveries.

Do you want your organization or your team to improve? Then don't tell others to work or play hard...you work hard, you play hard and they will echo your efforts.

When people see you learning and growing Spiritually, Intellectually, Physically, Financially, etc, then they will follow as well. So not only will you be achieving your goals, you will be helping others achieve their goals.

So for 2012, don't just expect success, train for it...think process...think influence...and you might find the product is better than you expected!

The Brilliance of Wintery Knight

Here is a link to a brilliant blog, written by a favorite thinker, Wintery Knight...most Christians have a misunderstanding of God, and it leads many of them to "de-convert"...they are simply misinformed...so WK hits on key elements to show how Christianity truly relates to our lives, and why it is so important that our understanding of correct Christian Theology and Doctrine, be accurate, instead of some superstitious nonsense...

...here are few excerpts:

"This is why accurate theology matters. No serious Christian thinks that you stop sinning after you become a Christian, and no serious Christian thinks that prayer alone is a solution to sin. To stop sinning, you need to engage more than the spirit, you need to engage the mind. Most people want to spiritualize things because prayer is easier than study. But if you want to stop sinning, the best way is a combination of prayer and study."

"Some people want to dumb Christianity down to the level of superstition then they complain that it doesn't work. But Christianity is better when you learn more and work harder..."

...People become Christians because they want to be like Jesus, and they understand that Jesus was not having fun. He was doing a job, and he wasn't happy or appreciated."

"It's so strange to me that people think that the best way to see God interfere is to pray. The way I see God working in my life is when I go home and listen to some debate about the problem of evil, and then the next day some atheist asks me out to lunch to talk about why God allows evil. Maybe instead of doing easy things, we should actually invest in our relationship with God and then see if he responds by giving us work to do. Maybe a relationship with God is about serving him, and the joy is about seeing him reward those efforts by working with us and through us. Maybe God has more for us than just entertainment."

Christ, Reason, and Salvation

A few thoughts on salvation...

We are saved by faith, but our faith is based on reason and truth...it is not a blind faith, to the contrary, it is a reasonable faith...it is one substantiated in the reality of truth...

There is much to say about this that can be combined from the fields of apologetics, philosophy, history, science, mathematics, cosmology, etc, but here are a few verses that speak to Faith, Reason, and Truth

Faith
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8

Reason
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. ~Isaiah 1:18

Truth
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ~John 17:17