Frank Turek (born November 20, 1961) is an American Christian apologist, author, public speaker, and radio host. He is best known as the founder and president of Christian apologetics ministry CrossExamined.org. Turek has co-authored two books (Legislating Morality and I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist) with Christian philosopher Norman Geisler.[1][2] Turek has also written two of his own books (Correct, Not Politically Correct and Stealing from God).
Turek hosts a call-in talk show called CrossExamined on American Family Radio. He also hosts a television show, I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, which airs on the NRB Network.[3]
Early life
Turek was born in Neptune, New Jersey, on November 20, 1961. He was raised Catholic, but he became a Protestant during his time as a flight officer in the U.S. Navy after being recommended apologetic books written by Josh McDowell, in particular Evidence That Demands a Verdict and More Than a Carpenter.[4]
Turek co-authored the book I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist with Norman Geisler. Turek frequently delivers seminars based on the book at universities and churches throughout America. He is a creationist advocating for the pseudoscientific argument of intelligent design. He is a critic of macroevolution, but believes that adaptations in species occur over time.[5][non-primary source needed]
In 2008, Turek and atheist Christopher Hitchens debated the existence of God.[6] On March 31, 2009, Turek and Hitchens debated the topic of atheism or theism best explaining reality at the College of New Jersey in Trenton, New Jersey.[7]
Views
In the book I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, Geisler and Turek state that American culture demands truth, but does not typically do so when it comes to morality or religion. The authors argue that truth is based in correspondence to an absolute reality, and is therefore not subjective. On this basis, Geisler and Turek argue that religious truth is also objective, and for one to claim that "all truth is relative" or "there are no absolutes" is self-refuting.[8]
After arguing for the objectivity of truth, Geisler and Turek argue for the objectivity of knowledge. They ask those who argue that one cannot know anything for sure, whether they can know that for sure. They argue that if the proponent is sure, the statement presented is, therefore, self-refuting; and, if the proponent is not sure, the presented argument collapses. Geisler and Turek conclude that people cannot be skeptics about everything, as the proponent would logically have to doubt skepticism: the more one doubts skepticism, the more certain they become.[9]
Geisler and Turek argue that the existence of God implies the possibility of miracles. Borrowing an illustration seminary professor Ronald H. Nash created (a metaphor of the universe representing an open box from a theistic worldview perspective), they argue that the universe is effectively open for the creator of the universe to reach in and perform what one might call miracles.[10] Geisler and Turek expand on the metaphor by claiming "a worldview is like a box top that allows you to place the many pieces of life's puzzle into a complete, cohesive picture."[11]
Marriage
Turek argues in Correct, Not Politically Correct: How Same-Sex Marriage Hurts Everyone that marriage lengthens the lifespans of men and women, civilizes men, protects women, protects mothers, lowers welfare costs, and encourages a replacement birth rate. He argues that same-sex marriage does none of these.
After a student in a leadership seminar Turek taught in 2010 at Cisco discovered his views on marriage and reported them to the company's human resources department, Turek lost his position as consultant for Cisco.[12]Bank of America cancelled a seminar presentation for the same reason.[13]
Bibliography
Turek's co-authored book Legislating Morality: Is It Wise? Is It Legal? Is It Possible? was the winner of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association's Gold Medallion Book Award in the "Christianity and Society" category in 1999.[14]
Legislating Morality: Is it Wise? Is it Legal? Is it Possible? (1998) ISBN978-0764220944
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