you think, i thought, who confirm?

in military training, straw men are used to simulate the enemy. or in the case of bcct/bac, tyre men (think the michelin man). to this end, straw men provide useful (albeit not entirely realistic) opposition.

in philosophy, a straw man refers to an argument which misrepresents a particular position. destroying a straw man is fallacious because it only destroys the misrepresentation of a position and not the actual position.

a hedonist may allege that God is against all forms of pleasure (God isn't against all forms of pleasure), then proceed to show that God is wrong. in reality, without showing how God is against all forms of pleasure (again, God isn't against all forms of pleasure), all the hedonist has done is to show how something (not God) which is against all forms of pleasure is wrong. he has not shown (nor will he ever be able to show) that God is wrong. therefore, destroying a straw man doesn't prove anything.

ironically, philosophers take care to ensure their positions are not being misrepresented while setting up straw men of their own, calling them "thought experiments". what if God created a rock so big that He couldn't move it? what if? what? you think, i thought, who confirm?

instead,

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." - 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)

to be sure, philosophers are not the only group of people who ask "what if". writers, historians and even theologians may also ask such questions. nevertheless, the will of God is not about "what ifs", but "what is".

Psalm 93 (NIV)

The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity.

The seas have lifted up, O LORD, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.

Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea - the LORD on high is mighty.

Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days, O LORD.

not "what if", but "what is"

God reigns. God is robed in majesty. God is armed with strength. God has firmly established the world and His throne. God is from all eternity. God is mighty, mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea. God's statutes stand firm. God's holiness adorns His house for endless days.

not "what if", but "because"

"So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.""" - Genesis 3:14-15 (NIV)

what if the serpent had not deceived eve in the garden of eden? the point is not what would have happened if the serpent had not deceived eve in the garden of eden. the point is that the serpent did deceive eve in the garden of eden and as a result, sin entered the world.

"Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!" - Romans 11:11-12 (NIV)

what if the Jews had not strayed from their calling? the point is not what would have happened if the Jews had not strayed from their calling. the point is that the Jews did stray from their calling and as a result, 'there is no difference between Jew and Gentile - the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him' (Romans 10:12, NIV).

what if the bible isn't true? it's true, it's true.