L. Alfred James

By L. Alfred James Have you ever noticed how unsatisfying most pleasures in life are?1 To be sure, while we are anticipating some particular pleasure, while it remains in the future, our expectation makes it seem like it will be great, perhaps completely fulfilling. However, once we actually experience said pleasure the fulfillment (if there is any at all) is very short-lived. This is the undisputed pattern of life. But why? Why is this? Consider your own life and the lives of your friends: Before you married that person you … Read More »

By L. Alfred James What are human beings? Are they simply a kind of animal? Are they made only (and entirely) of matter? Or is there something more to human nature? Let me make this question more personal? What are you? Are you merely a mobile computer that is made of meat? If so, what makes human beings any more valuable than other living thing on this planet? In fact, what makes us human beings more valuable than even the bacteria that we kill with our anti-microbial hand soaps? Indeed, … Read More »

By L. Alfred James What do you do with that cantankerous uncle or brother-law who makes it a point (at every family gathering) to loudly proclaim, “I don’t believe in God! I only believe in science! I don’t believe that anything exists beyond what we can see perceive with our senses”? In the past you may not have known what to say, so you just kept quiet. But I’d like to equip you with three reasons for thinking it is almost 100% certain that a supernatural realm exists. All three … Read More »

By L. Alfred James The human appendix is a poster child of human evolutionary theory. Whenever human evolution is taught in public schools you can almost guarantee that the appendix will be mentioned. And if you were to poll people on the street, asking them for proof that we evolved, I’d bet that the vast majority would mention it as an important piece of evidence. In case you were never subjected to this kind of public education, allow me a moment to explain. For most of human history it was … Read More »

By L. Alfred James There is an old Alfred Hitchcock show in which a woman recruits a man to avenge her against some man who has supposedly harmed her. With much persuasion she finally convinces him to help, and they drive around the neighborhood looking for this awful person who must be destroyed. “There he is! That’s him!” she shouts, pointing at some guy nearby. Because of her certainty, her recruited helper goes straight to work and immediately kills this man. The body is then disposed of and they get … Read More »

By L. Alfred James “You Christians believe in your religion merely by a leap of faith! You believe simply because your religion makes you feel comfortable.” How many times have you heard this? I’ve heard it hundreds of times. I’ve even heard Christians say that they don’t have any evidence for their beliefs, they are “just based on faith.” However, this is a very naive understanding of the Christian worldview. Christianity is not something we believe in just because we want to. On the contrary, the Apostle Paul says quite … Read More »

By L. Alfred James In the 1983 movie, The Man with Two Brains, Steve Martin plays Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr, a widowed brain-surgeon who falls in love with one of his patients. But he is unsure about this new relationship, so he is (supposedly) seeking guidance. Looking at a painting of his deceased wife he asks her for a sign: “Becca, if there’s anything wrong with my feelings for Dolores, just give me a sign.” In response, the painting whirls around, a wind blows wildly through the house, the earth quakes, … Read More »

By L. Alfred James Believe it or not, aluminum was once classified as a precious metal. It was believed to be so special, that bars of aluminum were exhibited at a huge international exposition (the Exposition Universelle) in 1855. Because it was assumed to be so rare, one ounce of aluminum actually cost more than an ounce of gold. (Imagine what you could have bought with a case of Reynolds Wrap!) Aluminum was a hot commodity. But in 50 years things changed dramatically. First, it was realized that aluminum is … Read More »

By L. ALfred James You’re watching television. A commercial for a moisturizing lotion comes on. It shows a beautiful woman with perfect skin. Chances are a million to one that she did not get her perfect skin by using that exact product (in fact, she probably uses a ton of other products). But the skincare company is hoping you will not think about this. Then another commercial comes on. This one shows a young man with a perfect physique using exercise equipment. Again, chances are a million to one that … Read More »

By L. ALfred James In the spirit of the old game show What’s My Line? I have a mystery-guest I would like to you to think about. I would like you to figure out if this mystery guest is a relatively good and decent person, or if he is a relatively bad person. That is, if you had to pick, would you say he is good or would you say he is bad? Moreover, I want you to base your decision solely on the information that I provide here. Don’t … Read More »