Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

The Meaning of Christmas vs. the Spirit of Christmas

Greg reflects on why it’s hard for him to get into “the spirit of Christmas,” then he answers questions about responding to someone who says he’s a good person and how to distinguish between the power of the tongue talked about in the Bible and the New Age “Law of Attraction,” chats with Tim about a Christmas-related challenge, and closes with some more thoughts on Christmas.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: The meaning of Christmas vs. the spirit of Christmas (00:00)
2. What are some good evangelistic questions to ask someone who says he’ll handle any future bullying he suffers on his own because he’s a good person? (18:00)
3. How do you distinguish between the power of the tongue talked about in the Bible and the “Law of Attraction” in the New Age movement? (29:00)
4. If our Christmas traditions have pagan roots, should we not celebrate Christmas? (38:00)
5. A Christmas reading from The Story of Reality (50:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Red Pen Logic – YouTube, Instagram, TikTok
• The Man Who Invented Christmas – Film

Related Links:

• A Very Pagan Christmas? by Jon Noyes

Is Christianity an Oppressive Religion?

Greg talks about what you have to look forward to from Stand to Reason in 2022, then he answers questions about responding to the ideas that all whites are racist and Christianity is an oppressive religion and how to explain why good people in other religions go to Hell.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Here’s what you have to look forward to from Stand to Reason in 2022. (00:00)
2. How would you respond to these two objections: 1) All whites are inherently racist, and 2) Christianity is an oppressive religion? (17:00)
3. How can I explain to someone why good people in other religions go to Hell? (49:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• STR U Online Training
• Red Pen Logic – YouTube, Instagram, TikTok
• Donate to Stand to Reason
• Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth: 12 Questions Christians Should Ask About Social Justice by Thaddeus Williams
• Social Justice, Critical Theory, and Christianity: Are They Compatible? by Neil Shenvi (video version here)
• Engaging Critical Theory & The Social Justice Movement – Booklet by Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer

Are Your Questions Seeking Answers or Exits?

Greg talks to Tim Barnett about a book he’s reading by progressive Christians about deconstructing one’s faith, then they answer questions about Jeff Durbin and reconciling the Christmas stories.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Are your questions seeking answers or exits? (00:00)
2. Jeff Durbin’s approach sometimes sounds similar to yours. Do you know each other? (40:00)
3. How do you reconcile the two Christmas stories? (45:00)

Tim Barnett Joins Greg on the Show

Tim Barnett joins Greg on the show and they chat about Reality and Red Pen Logic, then they answer a question about what Greg means by “silly prayers” and hear a report from a caller on his meeting with his pastors about their “hearing God’s voice” workshop.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Tim Barnett joins Greg on the show. (00:00)
2. Can you explain what you mean by “silly prayers” and give an example? (29:00)
3. A report back on a meeting with church leaders about their planned workshop on hearing God’s voice (42:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy (archives here)
• Interview: Josh Brahm – Responding to “My Body, My Choice”
• 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
• Red Pen Logic – YouTube, Instagram, TikTok
• “Just, Just, Father, Father” – Tim Hawkins

A Response to “Jesus Gave up His Weekend for Your Sins”

Greg answers a question about knowing the person you’re dating is really the opposite sex, takes a follow-up call about a situation where a friend announced his daughter was transitioning to a boy, then reads a note from a listener and responds to a meme that says Jesus “gave up his weekend for your sins.”

 

Topics:

1. In this day and age, how can a Christian know for sure they’re dating someone of the opposite sex? (02:00)
2. A caller updates Greg on a situation where a friend on Facebook announced his daughter was transitioning to a boy. (08:00)
3. A note from a listener about her love for her Bible (34:00)
4. Commentary: A response to “Jesus gave up his weekend for your sins.” (37:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters by Abigail Shrier
• 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

Interview: Scott Klusendorf on the Dobbs v. Jackson Abortion Case

Greg talks to Scott Klusendorf about the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case on abortion argued before the Supreme Court last week.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Scott Klusendorf on the Dobbs v. Jackson Abortion Case (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Scott Klusendorf
• Life Training Institute
• The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture by Scott Klusendorf

Related Links:

• Medical Equipment Determines Human Value? by Amy Hall

Advice for Raising Christian Kids

Greg gives advice to Christian parents for “training up their children in the way they should go,” then he answers questions about dialoguing with Christians who have a low view of God and a high view of man, whether the fifth commandment is conditional, and whether a church ought to be comparing itself to a business.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Advice for raising Christian kids (00:00)
2. How can I better dialogue with Christians who have a low view of God and a high view of man? (21:00)
3. Is the fifth commandment to honor your parents conditional or unconditional? (33:00)
4. Should my church be comparing itself to a business that has a boss? (48:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Raising Christian Kids Podcast
• Greg Koukl on the Problem of Evil – Episode of the White Horse Inn’s podcast
• 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

Related Links:

• Grassroots Apologetics for Parents

Treasuring God’s Word

Greg talks about his love for his Bible, a caller tells his story about becoming blind and reading the Bible as a blind Christian, and Greg answers questions about why Peter wanted to get out of the boat in Matthew 14 and follow-up questions from the last episode about the ideology behind CRT.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Treasuring God’s word (00:00)
2. Why did Peter want to get out of the boat in Matthew 14? (Caller also discusses becoming blind and reading the Bible as a blind Christian.) (20:00)
3. Follow-up questions from the last episode about the claims of CRT, the ideology behind those claims, and why they don’t work. (41:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• #STRask: Do I Need a Physical Bible? – Podcast
• Grassroots Apologetics for Parents
• Critical Race Theory: Civil Rights Upside Down by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• Engaging Critical Theory & The Social Justice Movement – Booklet by Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer

Stick to the Truth

Greg talks about how the temptation to adjust the Christian message in Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ day parallels what we’re seeing today, then he answers questions about the elements of CRT, whether Satan was the angels’ Adam, and tactics one can use with unreasonable family members.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Stick to the truth. (00:00)
2. What are the elements of CRT? (21:00)
3. Is it possible that Satan was the angels’ Adam and they fell in him? (45:00)
4. What tactics can I use with family members who are being unreasonable? (50:00)

Interview: Stephen Meyer – Return of the God Hypothesis

Greg talks to Stephen Meyer about his newest book, Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Stephen Meyer, author of Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Stephen C. Meyer
• Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe by Stephen C. Meyer
• Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design by Stephen Meyer
• For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch-Hunts, and the End of Slavery by Rodney Stark