Research helps

Hi all -

If you're interested in helping do the research for the discussions me and Ryan have been having, feel free to muse around in the two websites that I find most beneficial toward these kinds of discussions -

James White runs a ministry solidly grounded on biblical exegesis along with rigorous research. Plus, his ministry is not intended as primarily a countercult ministry, but also gives a faithful positive presentations. This is probably the most prominent countercult ministry coming from a Reformed background.

www.aomin.org

Alongside with this is the ultimate compendium of all things theological (except dating, I don't know why they don't have a section on dating =p). It is far and away the best place to go for articles on all sorts of issues ranging from ancient heresies to positive presentations of the sovereignty of God and the canon and everything in between.

www.monergism.com

Edit: Evan Winslow has pointed me to the CARM, which I also do recommend, though not as enthusiastically. Sometimes I don't think his points are well-founded. For example, his "errors in the Apocrapha" page, while interesting, isn't really great except as an ad-hominim argument (namely, a "if you accept that, then you must believe this too"). Everything else I think in the spirit of charity can be (and should be) passed by. So what if the heart drives away spirits? If they believe it's Scripture, then they believe it. Just because it doesn't seem right doesn't mean it isn't.

The one example that actually does work is the citation of Judith:

Judith 1:5, "Now in the twelfth year of his reign, Nabuchodonosor king of the Assyrians, who reigned in Ninive the great city, fought against Arphaxad and overcame him."

King Nebby was king of the Babylonians. That is historically established and consistent with the rest of Scripture.

Whatever the case, do some digging and enjoy!