Why write another reference book on fallacies? If we search the Internet for various fallacies, we’ll find many lists and books of fallacies. Most of those lists and books have a definite anti-Christian or anti-Bible slant. We’ll find specialized fallacies that look like someone developed them to answer Christians without any counterpart to answer ungodly thinkers. For instance, we’ll find the god-of-the-gaps fallacy but no evolution-of-the-gaps fallacy or naturalism-of-the-gaps fallacy. We’ll find the God-did-it fallacy, usually with the “G” in lower case, but no evolution-did-it or naturalism-did-it fallacies. Also, the writers often give examples that target Christians directly and rarely give examples that target ungodly thinkers directly.
Additionally, definitions of fallacies rarely point out the common denominator of all fallacies. Fallacies are ways to make fake stuff seem like real stuff. They make real stuff look fake. Since all fallacies have this characteristic, all fallacies consist of making up stuff and calling the made-up stuff true. We could categorize them as bare claims and smokescreen fallacies. Bare claims are called axiomatic thinking fallacies. That’s a fancy label. It means making up stuff. Smokescreens are coverups. They make made-up stuff seem real.
For that reason, we have fallacies here that other reference texts won’t mention. Here are a few examples.
• adultery fallacy
• ancestral sin fallacy
• appeal to control of scientific journals fallacy
• Bayes’ Theorem fallacy
• cabal message control fallacy
We have the entertainment addiction fallacy, failure to distinguish reality from worldview fallacy, and no true scientist fallacy. We also have fallacies others seldom mention like the generalizing-from-a-hypostatization fallacy. Beyond that, we have many of the terms of logic and reasoning defined. This is a reference text you’ll want to keep handy.
Some may claim things like sin or addiction aren’t fallacies. However, keep in mind that we’re defining “fallacy” as anything that blurs the line between reality and make-believe. Addictions blur that line, and they’re the result of blurring that line. Sin always blurs that line, and it’s the result of blurring that line in every case. The lies we tell ourselves that lead to sin or addictions are sometimes tricky and sometimes just bald-faced lies.
It seems ungodly thinkers think they have a lock on logic and science. They come from a worldview that believes Christians are irrational because they’re Christians. That’s probably because ungodly thinkers have taken over every form of communication including the schools, news, entertainment, and books on fallacies. Within that bubble, ungodly thinkers can convince themselves of their wisdom, knowledge, and intellectual superiority. That’s ironic since the nature of logic eliminates the possibility for rational thought without divine revelation. In other words, ungodly thinkers have doomed themselves to basing every conclusion on fallacies.
While the Real Faith & Reason set answers the questions in great detail, we can state the reasons for the ungodly thinker’s problem simply and succinctly. And we can state the reasons Christians don’t share this problem just as simply and succinctly.
Sound reasoning requires true premises. In other words, we can’t use unproven statements to prove other statements. We can’t use unproven premises to prove conclusions.
Ungodly thinkers have no path to a true premise. How do they prove their premise true? They can’t use another premise they can’t prove true. Where can they get a true premise? They can’t. Every claim they make requires further proof.
On the other hand, Christ leads, teaches, and corrects every person who follows Him. This ongoing two-way communication is our relationship with Christ. Everyone experiences it. We’re learning to discern His voice from all others. We’re learning how to respond in submission. God provides true premises through divine revelation. He reveals reality through Scripture and every means mentioned in Scripture. He says we can trust what He says through Scripture. He reveals He doesn’t conflict with Himself. He says no revelation, either within Scripture or outside Scripture, will ever conflict with Scripture. He reveals Himself to all who will yield themselves to Him. He alone reveals the Bible is His word without error. This revelation was the secret of George Washington Carver, Albert Einstein, and others. He’s able to give discernment between the true teacher and the false teacher, between the true prophet and the false prophet.
Also, we don’t ask anyone to take our word for this. Every person who seeks Him finds Him. Anyone can test this. Everyone who cares about truth will hear this message and seek Christ. Then, they’ll know.
Christ-followers need a balanced reference book. The Encyclopedia of Logical Fallacies looks at the specialized fallacies only Christians commit, but it also looks at the specialized fallacies only ungodly thinkers commit. By the way, Christians are also ungodly thinkers when they don’t listen to the Holy Spirit’s leading. And that happens a lot to every one of us.
How endless a task we would have on our hands if we were to begin naming all the different areas of deception! God’s provision and antidote for this danger is for you and me to walk in truth. ~ “Who Are You”, George Warnock
How do we walk in truth? Consider that truth is a Person, the Person of Jesus Christ. He is the truth. In Him are hidden all wisdom and knowledge. We must know Him. We must listen to His voice. He speaks through the Bible and every means of divine revelation written in the Bible. Fallacies like naturalism, materialism, and uniformitarianism have deceived many. Many have walked into the deception to the point they no longer hear the voice of the Absolute King of kings.
Even now, His coming (His parousia which means abiding presence) within you and I is appearing. If we aren’t experiencing His coming to His body, we won’t look forward to Him coming for His body. As we all look at the glory of the Lord, as if looking into a mirror, the Spirit of the Lord transfigures us into the same image from glory to glory. Walking in truth is a walk from glory to glory. The presuppositions and mindsets of the past will not take us to where God wants us to go. We must listen closely.