Prager's Confusions

This morning, I heard Denis Prager claim that his Jewish beliefs were non-rational, otherwise there would be no room for "faith." He said that these religious beliefs didn't do anyone any harm and had no public policy implications. His example was God's parting of the Red Sea. But, on the other had, secular liberals hold many non-rational non-religious beliefs that are deleterious, such as the idea than men and women are alike.

Prager's position is deeply confused. I agree that secular liberals hold much in (bad) faith without evidence; but the Bible never pits faith against reason or religious belief against knowledge. These are false dichotomies. When religious people accept these terms, they intellectually marginalize themselves. I just completed a large work, Christian Apologetics, arguing that Christianity is true, rational, and pertinent to life. Further, the Exodus is a key event in the Hebrew Bible, with tremendous significance for Jews and Christians. Through the release of God's people from Egyptian bondage, God makes himself known as the liberating Lord of the nations.

Ironically, later in the program, Prager had a guest arguing that God was the best explanation for the origin of the universe, life, humans, and human meaning. As much as I like Prager, this was one confused radio program.