Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

Has the Time for Winsome Christianity Passed?

Greg and Amy respond to questions about why it’s okay to have plastic surgery to alter your appearance but wrong to have surgery to alter your sex, whether a tactical, winsome approach is still viable in a non-civil culture, and whether the time for winsome Christianity has passed.

 

If you enjoyed this episode, you can subscribe or listen to archived episodes of #STRask here.

 

Topics:

1. How is claiming to be a different gender different from claiming to be a blonde if you dye your hair, and why is it okay to have plastic surgery to alter your appearance but wrong to have surgery to alter your sex? (00:00)
2. Can a tactical, “winsome” approach still be viable in such a non-civil culture? (16:00)
3. Has the time for “winsome” Christianity passed, and is it now time for a more direct, hard-edged approach? (:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy (archives here)
• Submit a question for #STRask

Related Links:

• How Should We Interact with the Uncivil? by Amy Hall

Does Our Childlessness Mean We’re Not Fearing God Enough?

Greg and Amy respond to questions about whether childlessness is a sign of not fearing God enough and whether it’s a genetic fallacy to point out the eugenics philosophy of the founder of Planned Parenthood when arguing against abortion.

 

If you enjoyed this episode, you can subscribe or listen to archived episodes of #STRask here.

 

Topics:

1. Since God gave the Hebrew midwives families because they feared him, does my childlessness mean my husband and I aren’t fearing God enough? (00:00)
2. Is it a genetic fallacy to point out the eugenics philosophy of Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, when arguing against abortion? (17:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy (archives here)
• Submit a question for #STRask

Is the Bible Unclear about Homosexuality?

Greg reads a letter he received from a listener whose biblical views on homosexuality are being challenged by others in his church, then he addresses their objections and answers a question about whether Greg’s method of determining the reason why Jesus came is faulty.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Is the Bible unclear about homosexuality? (00:00)
2. Is your argument in “The Legend of the Social Justice Jesus” making the same mistake as those who say Jesus never spoke about abortion? (42:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• David Limbaugh’s interview on a previous podcast
• The Legend of the Social Justice Jesus by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• The Claim about Homosexuality in the Film 1946 Is Irrelevant by Alan Shlemon
• Jesus Didn’t Say Anything about Homosexuality by Alan Shlemon
• What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality? by Kevin DeYoung
• What Motivates Sin (and How to Fight It) by Amy Hall
• Why We’re Not Under the Mosaic Law by Amy Hall
• Should Followers of Christ Observe the Torah? by Amy Hall
• How Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians Today? by Greg Koukl
• Think of the Mosaic Covenant Like a State Law by Amy Hall (quoting Greg Koukl)
• The Law Is Good by Amy Hall

Respect the Order of Leadership

Greg talks about the goodness of respecting one’s parents and other elders and how our culture has lost this value, then he answers a question about how we can expect to never sin again in Heaven if evil exists in the world now because God wanted to allow free will.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Respect the order of leadership. (00:00)
2. If evil exists in the world because God wanted to allow free will, then how can we expect to never sin again in Heaven? (37:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• The Beauty of Submission by Amy Hall
• The Beauty of Leadership by Amy Hall

How Should Medical Professionals Interact with Transgender Patients?

Greg talks about how medical professionals should interact with transgender patients, reflects on the fact that this is the one time of year when everyone extols the virtues of Jesus in song, answers a question about a framework for deciding between theological positions, and more.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: How should medical professionals interact with transgender patients? (00:00)
2. Commentary: It’s the one time of year when everyone extols the virtues of Jesus in song. (27:00)
3. What do you do when you have to go beyond proof texts because you have verses on both sides? (33:00)
4. Commentary: Harry Reasoner’s commentary on Christmas (50:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy (archives here)
• Eternity Is Now: Just Ask Scrooge and George Bailey by Andrew Klavan
• The Power of Christmas by Cal Thomas (quoting Harry Reasoner)

Two Principles of Giving

Greg talks about two principles to follow when donating to charities, then he talks to callers about how we know we won’t sin in Heaven and the minimal facts argument vs. the maximal data argument for the resurrection.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Two principles of giving (00:00)
2. If Satan sinned while he was in Heaven, how do we know we won’t also sin in Heaven? (16:00)
3. What do you think about the minimal facts vs. maximal data arguments for the resurrection? (29:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Donate to Stand to Reason
• Faithfully Different: Regaining Biblical Clarity in a Secular Culture by Natasha Crain
• The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• Natasha Crain Can Help You Be Faithfully Different by Amy Hall (review of the book)
• Where Did These Minimal Facts about the Resurrection Come From? by Amy Hall

There Is No Battle between Science and the Christian Worldview

Greg talks about how naturalistic philosophy, not scientific methodology, is opposed to Christianity, then he answers questions about shaping the worldview of children when the spouse isn’t a believer and the difference between Reformed theology and Darwinistic determinism.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: There is no battle between science and the Christian worldview. (00:00)
2. Do you have any practical and specific tips for shaping the worldview of my daughters when the burden is entirely on me since my husband is not a believer? (22:00)
3. Can you explain the difference between Reformed theology and Darwinistic determinism? (43:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• The Big Picture Story Bible by David R. Helm
• Natasha Crain’s books
• Natasha Crain’s website
• The Chronicles of Narnia – Focus on the Family Radio Theater (digital version here)

Christianity Has Nothing to Fear from Science

Greg talks about what science can and cannot determine when it comes to religious claims, then he talks to callers about whether there was a doctrine he couldn’t have seen in the Bible on his own and why God isn’t partly responsible for whether or not we follow him if he created our personalities.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Christianity has nothing to fear from science. (00:00)
2. Was there a doctrine that had to be explained to you because you couldn’t have seen it in the Bible on your own? (36:00)
3. If God created our personalities, why is he not partly responsible for whether or not we decide to follow him? (50:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Donate to Stand to Reason

Questions about the Old-Earth View of Creation

Greg answers questions about what evidence convinces him the earth is old that couldn’t be explained just as easily by a young-earth view, a book that explains what old-earth creationists believe, a church devoting an entire service to first responders, and more.

 

Topics:

1. What evidence convinces you the earth has to be old that couldn’t be explained just as easily by a young-earth view? (05:00)
2. Can you recommend a book that explains what old-earth creationists believe that isn’t heretical? (24:00)
3. Isn’t saying that “if you have scientific evidence that appears to contradict the Bible, then you should conclude you’ve misread the Bible” a dangerous line of thought since we have scientific evidence that men don’t rise from the dead? (34:00)
4. What do you think about my church devoting an entire service to first responders? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Seven Days that Divide the World: The Beginning According to Genesis and Science by John Lennox
• A Matter of Days: Resolving a Creation Controversy by Hugh Ross

Related Links:

• Have Grace for Fellow Christians on the Age of the Earth by Amy Hall
• Theistic Evolution: Drifting toward Darwin by Greg Koukl

You Can Start a Bible Education Program at Your Local Public School

Greg talks to Tara Schwartz, a field rep for LifeWise Academy, an organization that helps people start Bible education programs at their local public schools, then he answers a question about the current assault on biblical values and offers encouragement to disappointed missionaries.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Tara Schwartz of LifeWise Academy (00:00)
2. What do you think explains the assault on biblical values we’re living through, and where do you think it’s going next? (31:00)
3. Do you have any encouragement for disappointed and anxious missionaries who are having to return home for health reasons after only eight weeks? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Tara Schwartz
• LifeWise Academy
• Donate to Stand to Reason

Related Links:

• Seeing the Unseen: The Nature of Spiritual Warfare by Greg Koukl