Dan Delzell | Craig T. Owens

Dan Delzell wrote a very thought-provoking book—The Mathematical Proof For Christianity—which gives skeptics a lot of evidence to contemplate. As I said in my review of this book (which you can read here), this is a good book for Christians to read with a skeptic as a great conversation-starter about the Christian faith.

Dan also presented this list…

“The true religion is a match to all 40 questions:

Which religion was started by a prophet who never did anything wrong?
Which religion produces scores of people who speak out against injustice and work hard to correct it?
Which religion fulfills hundreds of prophecies that were written down hundreds of years before the prophet fulfilled them?
Which religion produces followers who have established thousands of hospitals, orphanages, and homeless shelters?
Which religion, when practiced correctly, empowers followers to turn the other cheek when being mistreated?
Which religion began with a leader who died, but then came back to life?
Which religion, when practiced correctly, produces followers who do not judge others or look down on them?
Which religion produces a tender love for God in heaven, rather than lingering fear and trepidation?
Which religion do people turn to in tough times and when disaster strikes?
Which religion has done the most to advance the rights of women?
Which religion details historic events that are supported by plenty of archeological evidence?
Which religion is based upon documents that are better preserved and more numerous than any other ancient writings?
Which religion began with a prophet who is loved and even worshipped by millions of followers?
Which religion has been around for thousands of years and continues to expand around the world?
Which religion teaches that eternal life in paradise is a free gift through faith in its prophet?
Which religion has millions of followers who experience tremendous peace as a result of their prophet?
Which religion, when practiced correctly, produces followers who are quick to forgive rather than to seek vengeance?
Which religion offers the forgiveness of sins based solely on the goodness and sacrifice of the prophet?
Which religion, when practiced correctly, produces genuine humility before God and man?
Which religion teaches that you cannot earn your way to heaven?
Which religion produces men and women of justice who speak out when others are committing atrocities?
Which religion, when practiced correctly, lines up with the humble and compassionate attributes of the prophet?
Which religion seeks to bring help to the hurting, comfort to the sorrowful, and encouragement to the downcast?
Which religion, when practiced correctly, produces genuine love, joy, peace, and patience?
Which religion requires divine revelation in order to understand it?
Which religion rules not by force, but by love, as demonstrated by the prophet?
Which religion has produced the most freedom of religion in the world?
Which religion turns man’s body into a temple where the Spirit of God comes to reside?
Which religion, when practiced correctly, has done the most to advance the rights of minorities?
Which religion gives followers the grace to say ‘no’ to ungodly passions?
Which religion produces people who long to improve the lives of those from other religions?
Which religion cares as much for the unborn and elderly as it done for the youthful and strong?
Which religion has done more than any other to help turn communities into places of freedom and safety for all?
Which religion provides a personal assurance of salvation based solely on the sacrifice of the prophet?
Which religion has a prophet whose name is used by many as a curse word?
Which religion, when practiced correctly, produces followers who focus on their own sins rather than the sins of others?
Which religion can turn a terrorist into a loving peacemaker?
Which religion teaches that your works become ‘good’ in God’s eyes only after you accept the prophet through faith?
Which religion will you wish you had followed on Judgment Day?
Which religion is the answer to all 40 questions?”

To read some of the other quotes I shared from this book, please click here.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: apologetic, atheist, book review, Christian, Dan Delzell, history, Jesus Christ, prophesy, prophet, quotes, religion, skeptic. 2 Comments »

8 Quotes From “The Mathematical Proof For Christianity”

June 8, 2016 — Craig T. Owens

Dan Delzell uses not only math, but many other sciences as well to give some great conversation-starters. Check out my full review of his book by clicking here.

“I live in Nebraska where I serve as a pastor. Imagine someone covering this entire state in silver dollars 6 feet deep. Then mark one coin and bury it anywhere across the state. Next, blindfold a man and have him choose one coin. The odds that he would choose the marked coin are the same odds as getting 8 prophecies all fulfilled in one man. God fulfilled about 300 prophecies in the Person of Jesus Christ. … There is no way one man could have fulfilled all 8 of these prophecies unless God was making it happen. Who else controls history? Who else could give us such irrefutable proof for Christianity? The odds are one in one hundred quadrillion. Here is what that number looks like: 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. (This mathematical proof was calculated by Professor Peter Stoner.)”

“What if jurors were presented with 300 pieces of evidence that all pointed to the same person, just like the 300 biblical prophecies all point to Christ. And so you see, you really can come face to face with reality, logic, reason, facts, evidence, and mathematical certainty before you decide whether to accept or reject the Bible.”

“The excessive skepticism shown toward the Bible by important historical schools of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, certain phases of which still appear periodically, has been progressively discredited. Discovery after discovery has established the accuracy of innumerable details, and has brought increased recognition to the value of the Bible as a source of history.” —William Albright, biblical and archeological scholar who mastered more than 26 ancient and modern languages

“The order is for Christianity is: (1) Evidence; (2) Faith; and then (3) Assurance. Christianity stands upon evidence. It is personally received through faith that Jesus died for your sins on the Cross. It brings comforting assurance to those who have stepped out in faith to trust Christ. You will never have the assurance of salvation until you take a step of faith based on the evidence.”

“Jesus didn’t come here to merely provide man with one more option.”

“It may be stated categorically that no archeological discovery has ever controverted a single biblical reference. Scores of archeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or in exact detail historical statements in the Bible.” —Nelson Glueck, Jewish archeologist

“Archeological work has unquestionably strengthened confidence in the reliability of the scriptural record.” —Millar Burrows, University of Yale archeologist

“In addressing the manuscript evidence for the New Testament, John Warwick Montgomery correctly states that ‘to be skeptical of the resultant text of the New Testament books is to allow all of classical antiquity to slip into obscurity, for no documents of the ancient period are as well attested bibliographically as the New Testament.’”

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: apologetic, archeology, book review, Christianity, Dan Delzell, evidence, Jesus Christ, jury, logic, mathematics, New Testament, quotes, Scripture, William Albright. 1 Comment »

The Mathematical Proof For Christianity (book review)

June 7, 2016 — Craig T. Owens

The Mathematical Proof For Christianity by Dan Delzell is really just one part of the big picture he presents. Dan uses mathematics, archeology, textual examination, logic, and sound semantics to present a compelling case for the authenticity of Scripture, and the Deity of Jesus Christ. But Dan is quick to add, “Mathematical proof for Christianity is powerful. But without faith in Christ, all the proof in the world won’t save your soul and bring you to heaven one day.”

If you are already a Christian, this book will do much to help you “be prepared to give an answer” (1 Peter 3:15) to seekers and skeptics. But I think the greatest value of this book would be as a conversation-starter with those who are seekers and skeptics. Giving them a copy of this book to read along with you will be a great way to have a meaningful conversation about your faith in Jesus. The subtitle of this book is “along with other reasons to believe,” and Dan does give many, many reasons.

No book written by a man will convince anyone to place their faith in Jesus (only the Bible can truly do that), but The Mathematical Proof is well-grounded in Scripture to help you use it as an effective tool in sharing your faith.

Check it out!