Freethought & Rationalism Archive

jess · 07-26-2002, 08:09 AM

<a href="http://radio.cwfa.org/" target="_blank">http://radio.cwfa.org/</a>

listening to it right now on local radio... nice stuff...

lpetrich · 07-26-2002, 10:54 AM

Did that guy have anything worth saying?

Did he describe his former beliefs in any detail?

David Bowden · 07-26-2002, 11:30 AM

The former skeptic ("hardcore atheist" has to be a joke) is one Ralph Muncaster. I don't think I've heard of him before. His featured book is

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0736904522/qid=1027712206/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/102-4527901-8180169" target="_blank">A Skeptic's Search for God: Convincing Evidence for His Existence</a>

I don't have time right now to listen to the whole interview archived at the site jess listed, but from the bits I skipped around to hear, it doesn't sound like Muncaster's a practitioner of the fine art of intellectual integrity.

[ edited to add: ]

Muncaster has a whole series of "Examining the Evidence" books out there, one of which is

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0736906096/qid=1027712661/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/102-4527901-8180169" target="_blank">How to Talk About Jesus With the Skeptics in Your Life</a>

Has anyone encountered this book? Is it even worth bothering with?

From his ministry's web site:

<a href="http://www.evidenceofgod.com/" target="_blank">http://www.evidenceofgod.com/</a>

"A former atheist and hardcore Bible skeptic, Ralph spent 15 years conducting research to dispute the Bible. To Ralph, it seemed that the Bible could not possibly be consistent with such sciences as anthropology, molecular biology and physics. Armed with an engineering education and a critical, questioning mind, to his surprise the more he searched, the more evidence he found - evidence that supports the Bible's claims. In 1986, Ralph became aware of the prophetic accuracy of the Bible. He recognized that such precision is "statistically impossible". Investigating the scientific and historical documentation and its consistency with the Bible, he was startled by his findings: manuscripts written thousands of years ago contain information that could not possibly have been known at that time . . . without divine intervention."

<img src="graemlins/banghead.gif" border="0" alt="[Bang Head]" /> indeed, jess.

-Wanderer

[ July 26, 2002: Message edited by: wide-eyed wanderer ]</p>

Bubba · 07-26-2002, 01:57 PM

Too bad he doesn't come here to debate on a few of the forums...

Might prove interesting...

Bubba

fando · 07-26-2002, 02:09 PM

He's probably a dishonest skeptic. It is very probable that his aim all along was to confirm the existence of God. I'm not going to bother reading his works, they're probably full of selective resonings, distorted statements, flawed conclusions and a myopic understanding of science. I've seen many smart people rationalize crazy beliefs through a whole variety of hand waving tactics and am tired of having to put up with their dishonesty. Why can't these people just admit that they want something to be true without resorting to selfish rhetoric?

jess · 07-26-2002, 02:12 PM

well, it was interesting---

he says that there is proof the bible is the word of god outside of the bible, and he says that he was an agnostic at 18 and an atheist at 20...

it was a fun listen and I will probably hear it again...

But nothing earth shattering...

Bubba · 07-26-2002, 02:20 PM

...And just what "outside of the bible evidence did he give...?

Bubba

Tricia · 07-26-2002, 02:28 PM

yeah, this is the guy my mother watched on the 700 club. We ordered several of his books, and we should be getting them really soon.

~Tricia

Pugilist Atheist · 07-26-2002, 02:35 PM

I think the Evil Atheist Conspiracy should start keeping better records. I mean, do we really know if this guy ever achieved the coveted rank of Hardcore Bible Skeptic?

Plus, we really need to enact some sort of amendment that prohibits our Hardcore Bible Skeptics from setting out to disprove the Bible. We already lost Lee Skobel and Josh McDowell when they tried to do it.

Darwin's Finch · 07-26-2002, 02:35 PM

I saw him on the 700 Club, too. It was clear from his segment that he didn't have the slightest idea what real skepticism is, and I thought at the time that his skeptic credentials were suspect, especially when he started offering his "proofs."

Tricia, by all means read that material when it arrives. Spotting the fallacies and sloppy historical analyses will be good practice for you.

07-26-2002, 08:09 AM	#1
jess Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: rationalpagans.com Posts: 7,400	ahhh... hear why a skeptic is now an apologist... <a href="http://radio.cwfa.org/" target="_blank">http://radio.cwfa.org/</a> listening to it right now on local radio... nice stuff... <img src="graemlins/banghead.gif" border="0" alt="[Bang Head]" />

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07-26-2002, 10:54 AM	#2
lpetrich Contributor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Lebanon, OR, USA Posts: 16,829	Did that guy have anything worth saying? Did he describe his former beliefs in any detail?

07-26-2002, 11:30 AM	#3
David Bowden Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Everywhere I go. Yes, even there. Posts: 607	The former skeptic ("hardcore atheist" has to be a joke) is one Ralph Muncaster. I don't think I've heard of him before. His featured book is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0736904522/qid=1027712206/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/102-4527901-8180169" target="_blank">A Skeptic's Search for God: Convincing Evidence for His Existence</a> I don't have time right now to listen to the whole interview archived at the site jess listed, but from the bits I skipped around to hear, it doesn't sound like Muncaster's a practitioner of the fine art of intellectual integrity. [ edited to add: ] Muncaster has a whole series of "Examining the Evidence" books out there, one of which is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0736906096/qid=1027712661/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/102-4527901-8180169" target="_blank">How to Talk About Jesus With the Skeptics in Your Life</a> Has anyone encountered this book? Is it even worth bothering with? From his ministry's web site: <a href="http://www.evidenceofgod.com/" target="_blank">http://www.evidenceofgod.com/</a> "A former atheist and hardcore Bible skeptic, Ralph spent 15 years conducting research to dispute the Bible. To Ralph, it seemed that the Bible could not possibly be consistent with such sciences as anthropology, molecular biology and physics. Armed with an engineering education and a critical, questioning mind, to his surprise the more he searched, the more evidence he found - evidence that supports the Bible's claims. In 1986, Ralph became aware of the prophetic accuracy of the Bible. He recognized that such precision is "statistically impossible". Investigating the scientific and historical documentation and its consistency with the Bible, he was startled by his findings: manuscripts written thousands of years ago contain information that could not possibly have been known at that time . . . without divine intervention." <img src="graemlins/banghead.gif" border="0" alt="[Bang Head]" /> indeed, jess. -Wanderer [ July 26, 2002: Message edited by: wide-eyed wanderer ]</p>

07-26-2002, 01:57 PM	#4
Bubba Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Orient, OH USA Posts: 1,501	Too bad he doesn't come here to debate on a few of the forums... Might prove interesting... Bubba

07-26-2002, 02:09 PM	#5
fando Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Los Angeles Area Posts: 1,372	He's probably a dishonest skeptic. It is very probable that his aim all along was to confirm the existence of God. I'm not going to bother reading his works, they're probably full of selective resonings, distorted statements, flawed conclusions and a myopic understanding of science. I've seen many smart people rationalize crazy beliefs through a whole variety of hand waving tactics and am tired of having to put up with their dishonesty. Why can't these people just admit that they want something to be true without resorting to selfish rhetoric?

07-26-2002, 02:12 PM	#6
jess Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: rationalpagans.com Posts: 7,400	well, it was interesting--- he says that there is proof the bible is the word of god outside of the bible, and he says that he was an agnostic at 18 and an atheist at 20... it was a fun listen and I will probably hear it again... But nothing earth shattering...

07-26-2002, 02:20 PM	#7
Bubba Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Orient, OH USA Posts: 1,501	...And just what "outside of the bible evidence did he give...? Bubba

07-26-2002, 02:28 PM	#8
Tricia Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: College Station, Tx Posts: 675	yeah, this is the guy my mother watched on the 700 club. We ordered several of his books, and we should be getting them really soon. ~Tricia

07-26-2002, 02:35 PM	#9
Pugilist Atheist Regular Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Corpus Christi, TX, USA Posts: 135	I think the Evil Atheist Conspiracy should start keeping better records. I mean, do we really know if this guy ever achieved the coveted rank of Hardcore Bible Skeptic? Plus, we really need to enact some sort of amendment that prohibits our Hardcore Bible Skeptics from setting out to disprove the Bible. We already lost Lee Skobel and Josh McDowell when they tried to do it.

07-26-2002, 02:35 PM	#10
Darwin's Finch Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Gardnerville, NV Posts: 666	I saw him on the 700 Club, too. It was clear from his segment that he didn't have the slightest idea what real skepticism is, and I thought at the time that his skeptic credentials were suspect, especially when he started offering his "proofs." Tricia, by all means read that material when it arrives. Spotting the fallacies and sloppy historical analyses will be good practice for you.

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