Category Archives: Ethics & Metaethics

Discussing with my sons the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on marriage

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Maryann

We just had a really great discussion (Ethan is 17, David 14) on the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage. I started writing on this topic mid-May, but it was just never in a shareable condition until after this … Continue reading →

Posted in Golden Rule, Homosexuality | Leave a comment

Ethics & Morality

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Maryann

Below is a collection of my thinking on the grounding and justification of moral truth. I am warming up for something. Divine Essentialism God wills it (right) because He is good — essentialism. 1/4/08 (Not mine. Precursor.) The Sword and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Divine Essentialism, Euthyphro Dilemma, Gettier Problem, Golden Rule, Groothuis' 'Christian Apologetics', Is-Ought Fallacy, Justified True Belief, Keller's Reason for God, Moral Argument, Natural Law and Divine Command, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, William Lane Craig | 3 Comments

6 blogposts you won’t find on Ichthus77

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Maryann

Sometimes I do stuff somewhere else. Here are 6 of those times, over at The Christian Apologetics Alliance: Does The Moral Argument Reify Subjective Morality? 10/7/14 Matthew Lawrence wrote in this question and gave permission to blog it and my answer … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Moral Argument, Poetry, Poetry and Fiction, Problem of Evil & Hell, Youth Apologetics | Leave a comment

Kindling Conversations with Modesto Neighbors

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Maryann

You want to love your neighbor as yourself, but it’s hard to get to know them in the space between when the garage door opens and closes. No one answers the door anymore, because the only ones knocking are trying … Continue reading →

Posted in Golden Rule, Neighboring | Leave a comment

Leibnizian Moral Argument?

Posted on June 29, 2014 by Maryann

I think my moral argument for God’s existence is similar to Leibniz’ cosmological argument (except it has to do with the explanation of the Good, a.k.a. the Golden Rule). If you’d rather not say “the Golden Rule,” then say what everyone … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics Toolbox, Divine Essentialism, Euthyphro Dilemma, Golden Rule, Is-Ought Fallacy, Natural Law and Divine Command | Leave a comment

The Problem of Evil (guest post)

Posted on June 4, 2014 by Maryann

This post was put together from the power point slides of a presentation given by my soon-to-be sixteen-year-old, Ethan Spikes. He delivered this presentation in front of 19 fellow students and a teacher. The Problem of Evil What is it? … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Apologetics Toolbox, Euthyphro Dilemma, Evil as Privation of Good, Problem of Evil & Hell | Leave a comment

Hell or Heaven: What about those who have never heard the gospel?

Posted on August 25, 2013 by Maryann

“What about the unevangelized? What happens to those who have never heard the gospel?”  Some answer that such people are “without excuse” and reference Romans 1:18-32 and 2:14-15, Psalm 19:1-6, Romans 10:18. However… Being without excuse only means that Gentiles, like Jews … Continue reading →

Posted in Golden Rule, Predestination, Problem of Evil & Hell | Leave a comment

Groothuis’ "Christian Apologetics" ch.25: The Problem of Evil

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Maryann

This chapter of Groothuis’ Christian Apologetics tackles the problem of evil.Related are the appendices dealing with hell and Old Testament issues.Groothuis tackles this issue last because one problem should not defeat the entire cumulative case for Christianity and against atheism–it doesn’t exist in a philosophical … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Evil as Privation of Good, Groothuis' 'Christian Apologetics', Predestination, Problem of Evil & Hell, Reviews and Interviews | Leave a comment

Defining the good: The Golden Rule

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Maryann

http://www.pflaum.com A major argument for God’s existence is that, if there is no God, there is no “true” good, because truth is that which corresponds to reality, to real being. A common counter-argument heard from atheists, agnostics, and skeptics is … Continue reading →

Posted in Euthyphro Dilemma, Golden Rule, Is-Ought Fallacy, Justified True Belief | Leave a comment

Call for submissions to the Christian Carnival: #INHUMAN

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Maryann

Calling all bloggers:  Wednesday, May 1st, 8am-8pm, will you please publish and/or tweet (across all your social networks) a post on late-term abortion, using the #INHUMAN hashtag?   There is going to be an #INHUMAN tweetfest: https://www.facebook.com/events/118639345001205 Here are a selection of pro-life … Continue reading →

Posted in Carnival, Gosnell | Leave a comment