YouTube Atheists and Christian Apologists

Can I Trust Their Information? Occasionally I receive an email message from someone asking my opinion about individuals that present arguments against/for Christianity, Spirituality, etc. on YouTube. Usually the individuals who create this type of content are of the Atheist persuasion. To be honest, I find myself watching their videos quite often. There are a few channels that I find very thought provoking and entertaining. However, several people have inquired about the validity of the information they present. Well, this is where things get tricky. I am a scholar, so when I seek out information about a topic I do so with the mindset of an academic. In the world of scholarly research there is a system in place called peer review. A scholar will write an article, then other scholars, in the applicable discipline, will evaluate the article’s content to see if the research is valid. If it is, then a recommendation is made for publication in a peer review journal. In short, other scholars have determined that the research presented is valid and contributes to the scholarly discussion in that particular discipline. Many of the personalities appearing or hosting YouTube channels are not published scholars. They are not presenting their own original research and their opinions have not been vetted by the scholarly community. Therefore, many are just passing on information they have read from other sources.  Some of this material is potentially valid, some might not be. Maybe the YouTube personality is a legitimate scholar or maybe not.     Here are a few guidelines I suggest you follow when vetting a source on YouTube or any source of information:   Has this person written articles that have been published in an Academic Journal? If they claim to have a PhD can you find a public copy of their dissertation online or in the conferring University’s dissertation repository? All accredited Universities are required to make Thesis and Dissertations publicly available. Can they cite the sources for the information they are presenting? Here is another tip: No one person knows everything. If someone skips around from discipline to discipline giving answers I would question them. 

Don’t Rely on Word Studies

No Word Studies? Learn why I do not recommend relying on word studies alone when interpreting the Biblical text. I love Greek!  In fact, I have been in love with the Greek language for over 20+ years.  My fascination with Greek began in my High School Latin class.  My Latin teacher was fond of quoting Greek passages from classical authors when giving examples of Latin.  After class I found myself asking her more questions about Greek than I did Latin.  She always encouraged me to pursue learning Greek on my own which I did.  By the time I enrolled in University (I did Greek as a Foreign Language in University as well) I had a solid grip on the basics of the Greek language. Studying Greek also helped me learn Latin more. (something I continue to read and study today) I have noticed that many students of the Bible and Pastors regularly use word studies in their interpretation of the text.  Honestly, most times I hear someone say “the Greek word for this is….” I cringe a little.  It has always been my opinion that word studies are not a very effective nor accurate way of approaching a study of biblical passages.  The Greek language it too rich to simply look up a word in a Lexicon and assign it a definition.  Doing so can often lead to a gross misinterpretation, which in turn, leads to incorrect teaching.   When assigning a definition to a particular Greek word one must ask themselves how do we in fact know that a particular definition is correct.  After all, the Greek language (Koine in regards to the Bible) is historically far removed from modern times.  Well, the answer to this question is: Context.  A true scholar who seeks to arrive at an accurate lexical meaning of a Greek word must perform several vital tasks: I. Ancient Papyri must evaluated.  It is important to examine the way particular words were used within their historical context from a variety of sources.   II. Syntax.  The syntax of the Greek is very important.  In fact, it is what makes the language so rich and beautiful.  You cannot simply plop down a definition if it does not fit within the syntax of the passage. III.  Proper Hermeneutics.  Use proper Hermeneutical practices when arriving at a lexical conclusion.  Doing these three things will better help you correctly define a Greek word. I study Greek because I love it, not to be lauded by men or appear intelligent.  It takes a lot of dedication and practice to get a good handle on a language.  In order to put in the required time you must love the subject.  Everyday I read (Biblical and Classical), study syntax, learn vocabulary, practice translating and parsing, Greek.  I love it! If you want to use Greek in your Bible studies I strongly recommend you take up learning the Greek language.  It is a very rewarding pursuit.  Until you take that step and gain some working knowledge of the language I recommend being very cautious doing word studies.   -Marty