“To argue as does the author that James Arminius in particular and contemporary Arminianism in general are essentially Manichean is too historically ignorant for words.”
http://peterlumpkins.typepad.com/peter_lumpkins/2009/09/internet-calvinism-the-rubbish-of-reformed-thinking-by-peter-lumpkins.html
Where, in my post, did I argue that Arminianism is historically indebted to Manichaeanism? I didn’t.
Rather, I compared some different groups which think alike in some basic ways. Which share a similar outlook.
The difference is the Manicheans and Zoroastrians are more consistent. They take their faulty assumptions to a logical conclusion.
There’s a name for this type of analysis: reductio ad absurdum. Is Lumpkins so philosophically naïve that he can’t recognize that type of analysis?
Of course, people with a faulty belief-system often get hot under the collar when you take their position to a logical extreme, or point out that their position is a just a variant of an even more radical and consistently misguided position. It’s no fun to have your errors exposed to the harsh light of day.
If, however, they resent the comparison, then they should make the necessary adjustments in their belief-system to avoid the comparison.
“My advice, however, is to forfeit the idea of finding good solid teaching on the internet. ”
Since Lumpkins is, himself, a blogger, that’s an oddly self-incriminating statement. By his own admission, you can’t find good solid teaching at the weblog of Peter Lumpkins.
Well, let me be the first to congratulate Lumpkins for volunteering that candid confession. But having disqualified himself, when is he going to exit the blogosphere?
“Know the only reason I'm concerning myself with Triablogue is its profound influence among many Founders Calvinists.”
Well, we tried to keep it under wraps for as long as we could, but Lumpkins has now blown our cover. If you must know, Albert Mohler, Roger Nicole, Tom Ascol, Tom Nettles, Mark Dever, et al. used to be dyed-in-the-wool Arminians until they began to read Triablogue, and the scales fell from their eyes.
In fact, I can’t tell you how many bottles of Madeira I downed with Roger Nicole before I was able to talk him out of his lifelong infatuation with Charles Finney.
Albert Mohler, Roger Nicole, Tom Ascol, Tom Nettles, Mark Dever, et al. used to be dyed-in-the-wool Arminians until they began to read Triablogue, and the scales fell from their eyes.
ReplyDeleteWow Steve, you are an influential guy!