Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

Spiritual Growth Hurts

Greg talks about having realistic expectations for spiritual growth, which is often painful, then he answers a question about talking to postmodernists about objective morality.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Spiritual growth hurts. (00:00)
2. Does it make sense to talk to postmodernists about morality when they don’t accept the idea of objective morality? (34:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 24–25 in Orange County, CA; October 15–16 in Seattle, WA; November 12–13 in Minneapolis, MN; February 25–26, 2022 in Dallas, TX; March 25–26, 2022 in Philadelphia, PA; April 22–23, 2022 in Augusta, GA
• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy (archives here)
• Upcoming events with Stand to Reason speakers

Spiritual Growth Is Perplexing

Greg reflects on the idea that the older we grow in the Lord, the more clear ideas become and the more perplexed we become about what God is doing, then he answers questions about an illustration supporting the idea that consciousness could be an illusion and how to respond to the idea that missionary work is “white saviorism.” 

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Spiritual growth is perplexing. (00:00)
2. Does this illustration support Daniel Dennett’s claim that an illusion of consciousness is possible? (25:00)
3. What would be the Christian response to the objection that missionary work is “white

Related Links:

• Materialism Can’t Explain Our World by Amy Hall
• Plantinga Reviews Mind and Cosmos by Amy Hall (on Plantinga’s review of Thomas Nagel’s book)
• The True Story of Christian Missionaries by Amy Hall

The Hard Realities of Our Spiritual Journey

Greg talks about the hard realities we face in our life with God, then he answers questions about a Christian campus ministry holding a mask-burning party and whether or not our culture has reached the point of no return.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: The hard realities of our spiritual journey (00:00)
2. Should a college campus ministry have a mask-burning party? (28:00)
3. Do you think our culture has reached the point of no return, or is there hope? (45:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 24–25 in Orange County, CA; October 15–16 in Seattle, WA; November 12–13 in Minneapolis, MN; February 25–26, 2022 in Dallas, TX; March 25–26, 2022 in Philadelphia, PA; April 22–23, 2022 in Augusta, GA
• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy (archives here)

Christianity Is out of Step with the Culture

Greg talks about focusing on key issues with non-believers and responds to the idea that Christianity is passé, then he talks to callers about the nature of morality, pastors who own multimillion-dollar homes, a pro-choice meme, whether Christians should avoid promoting satire, and whether self-defense and/or the military is okay for Christians.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Don’t make your task harder than it needs to be; Christianity is out of step with the culture. (00:00)
2. Was morality created by people over time? (16:00)
3. What’s your view on pastors owning multimillion-dollar homes? (32:00)
4. Is it better to respond to a snarky pro-choice meme on social media or leave it alone? (40:00)
5. Given how sensitive and prone to offense people in our culture are, should we not share posts by the Babylon Bee? (46:00)
6. Is self-defense and/or the military okay for Christians? (52:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Greg’s response to Genetically Modified Skeptic: Part 1 and Part 2
• Red Pen Logic – YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

A Philosophical Reason to Think the Universe Had a Beginning

Greg talks about a philosophical reason to think the universe had a beginning and discusses the difference between the brain and the mind, then he answers a question about tactics one can use when talking to people about creation vs. evolution. 

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: A philosophical reason to think the universe had a beginning; the difference between the brain and the mind (00:00)
2. Is there a specific tactic I should use when talking to people about creation vs. evolution? (33:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy (archives here)
• Greg’s response to Genetically Modified Skeptic: Part 1 and Part 2

A Response to Genetically Modified Skeptic – Part 2

Greg and Jon continue responding to a YouTube video by Genetically Modified Skeptic (Drew McCoy) that critiques one of Greg’s STR U courses. 

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: A Response to Genetically Modified Skeptic – Part 2 (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Genetically Modified Skeptic’s video responding to Greg’s STR U course
• STR U Online Training

A Response to Genetically Modified Skeptic – Part 1

Greg and Jon respond to a YouTube video by Genetically Modified Skeptic (Drew McCoy) that critiques one of Greg’s STR U courses. 

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: A Response to Genetically Modified Skeptic – Part 1 (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Genetically Modified Skeptic’s video responding to Greg’s STR U course
• STR U Online Training

How to Respond to Criticism

Greg talks about the value of listening and responding to criticism and gives tips on how to do this well, then he answers questions about how to deal with doubts and why Christians don’t take the problem of junk food and obesity seriously.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: How to respond to criticism (00:00)
2. How can I deal with the doubts I’m struggling with? (27:00)
3. Why don’t Christians take the problem of junk food and obesity seriously? (41:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Genetically Modified Skeptic’s video critiquing Greg’s STR U course (Greg will respond to the video in next week’s episodes.)
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 24–25 in Orange County, CA; October 15–16 in Seattle, WA; November 12–13 in Minneapolis, MN; February 25–26, 2022 in Dallas, TX; March 25–26, 2022 in Philadelphia, PA; April 22–23, 2022 in Augusta, GA
• STR U Online Training

Related Links:

• The Thomas Factor: Using Your Doubts to Draw Closer to God by Gary Habermas

Interview: Natasha Crain – Faithfully Different

Greg interviews Natasha Crain about her new book, Faithfully Different: Regaining Biblical Clarity in a Secular Culture.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Natasha Crain, author of Faithfully Different: Regaining Biblical Clarity in a Secular Culture (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Faithfully Different: Regaining Biblical Clarity in a Secular Culture by Natasha Crain
• Natasha Crain’s website
• Natasha Crain’s books

Related Links:

• Natasha Crain Can Help You Be Faithfully Different – Review by Amy Hall

A Helpful Description of What’s Happening in Our Culture

Greg goes through Jordan Peterson’s recent article where he details what’s happening in our culture, discussing the relevance it has for us as Christians.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: A helpful description of what’s happening in our culture (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• In but Not of: A Guide to Christian Ambition and the Desire to Influence the World by Hugh Hewitt
• Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents by Rod Dreher
• Jordan Peterson: Why I am no longer a tenured professor at the University of Toronto by Jordan Peterson