Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

Is There Really a Difference between Microevolution and Macroevolution?

Greg answers questions about whether there’s a legitimate difference between microevolution and macroevolution, concern about a pastor’s response to the reversal of Roe v. Wade, whether it’s wrong to take contraceptives, and why God doesn’t get rid of Satan immediately.

 

Topics:

1. How should I respond to someone who says there’s no difference between microevolution and macroevolution and that it’s just an illegitimate distinction made up by Christians? (04:00)
2. What do you think about my pastor’s response to the reversal of Roe v. Wade, and should I not stay at this church? (29:00)
3. Is taking contraceptives wrong like abortion is wrong, or is it okay to prevent pregnancy before conception? (45:00)
4. Why doesn’t God just rid of Satan immediately? (52:00)

Statistics Show LGBTQ Lifestyles Are Harmful

Greg discusses the fact that even though our culture glorifies LGBTQ lifestyles, the statistics show these lifestyles are actually harmful to people, then he answers a question about the timeline for end-time events.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Statistics show LGBTQ lifestyles are harmful. (09:00)
2. You’ve convinced me about the rapture being post-trib, but what is the timeline for the rest of the end-time events? (41:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Thinking About God: First Steps in Philosophy by Greg Ganssle
• Reasonable Faith by William Lane Craig
• Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview by J.P. Moreland and William Lane Craig
• STR Outposts info
• Straight & Narrow? Compassion & Clarity in the Homosexuality Debate by Thomas Schmidt
• The Rap on the Rapture by Greg Koukl

An Example of the Helpfulness of Tactics

Greg talks about the helpfulness of tactics, even for those who are new to using them, tells about hearing from a pastor that virtually all of the junior high girls in their youth group identify as bisexual, and talks to a caller about Trinitarian vs. Unitarian views of God.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: An example of the helpfulness of tactics (00:00)
2. Commentary: Virtually all of the girls in a junior high youth group are openly identifying as bisexual. (36:00)
3. Follow-up call regarding last week’s question about the number of persons in the Trinity—comments on a video debate between William Lane Craig (Trinitarian) and Dale Tuggy (Unitarian) (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy (archives here)
• Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl
• The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between by Greg Koukl
• Upcoming events with Stand to Reason speakers
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 23–24 in Orange County, CA; October 14–15 in Seattle, WA; November 11–12 in Minneapolis, MN; February 24–25, 2023 in Dallas, TX; March 24–25, 2023 in Philadelphia, PA; April 21–22, 2023 in Augusta, GA
• Last week’s call about the Trinity
• William Lane Craig and Dale Tuggy Dialogue Opposing Views – Video

Should the Church Be Celebrating the End of Roe v. Wade?

Greg answers questions about whether the church should be celebrating the end of Roe v. Wade, the idea that people with same-sex attraction are “born that way,” whether it’s possible there are more persons in the Trinity, and discerning whether a spiritual gift is from God or some other source.

 

Topics:

1. Should the church be celebrating the end of Roe v. Wade, and what should I think of my church remaining silent about it? (06:00)
2. How can I argue that gay people aren’t “born that way” if I seem to have been born with the desire for premarital sex? (19:00)
3. Is it possible there are more than three persons in the Trinity? (39:00)
4. How can I determine if a spiritual gift is coming from God or some other source? (49:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Upcoming events with Stand to Reason speakers
• Submit a recorded question to the show

The Fight against Crisis Pregnancy Centers

Greg talks about Senator Warren’s call to shut down crisis pregnancy centers and Jane’s Revenge’s attacks against them, then he talks to a caller about his experience volunteering at a CPC and answers questions about our nation vs. Sodom and Gomorrah and how to respond to someone who’s walking away from Christianity because God didn’t protect him from abuse.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: The fight against crisis pregnancy centers (00:00)
2. A former crisis pregnancy center volunteer explains why these centers wouldn’t dare to mislead people. (28:00)
3. What are the differences between our nation and Sodom and Gomorrah, and why is God not destroying us? (39:00)
4. What should I say to someone who is walking away from Christianity because God didn’t protect him from abuse? (49:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy (archives here)
• Elizabeth Warren Wants to Shut Down All of the Country’s Crisis Pregnancy Centers by Liz Wolfe
• Elizabeth Warren Exposes Very Scary Pregnancy Center – Parody video by Allie Beth Stuckey

A Moral Perspective on Abortion

Greg discusses the moral argument against abortion and answers questions about how to respond to “God made me this way” and how to make a case for Jesus’ deity to a Muslim.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: A moral perspective on abortion (00:00)
2. What is a proper, biblical understanding of “God made me”? (29:00)
3. How can I expand upon the argument that since the Quran affirms the New Testament, Muslims should worship Jesus? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Faithfulness Is Not Theologically Complicated by Greg Koukl

The Rule of Law Protects Us

Greg talks about the legal and moral questions behind the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade, then he answers a question about trusting God when you have a life-threatening illness and talks to a caller about the role Greg and Stand to Reason have played in his life.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: The rule of law protects us. (00:00)
2. How can I trust God in the middle of a life-altering illness? (33:00)
3. A caller thanks Greg for the role he played in his faith as a new Christian. (51:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Greg’s Solid Ground, The Primal Heresy

Does Psalm 91 Promise That God Will Protect Us from Suffering?

Greg and Amy respond to questions about whether praying once in faith for something is better than repeatedly requesting the same thing and how to read and apply psalms like Psalm 91 that say God will save us from “deadly pestilence” and other kinds of suffering.

 

Topics:

1. Is praying once in faith for something and leaving it with God better than repeatedly raising up the same requests?
2. How should I read and apply psalms like Psalm 91 that say God will save us from “deadly pestilence” and other kinds of suffering?

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

How Can We Explain Spiritual Experiences in Other Religions?

Greg and Amy respond to questions about what to say to a Wiccan who says her beliefs are proved by the efficacy of her spells, how to explain people having spiritual experiences outside of Christianity, and recommended materials for teaching elementary-aged kids critical thinking.

 

Topics:

1. What would you say to a Wiccan who says her beliefs are proved by the efficacy of her spells?
2. How do we explain the fact that people have had spiritual experiences outside of Christianity?
3. What materials would you recommend for teaching elementary-aged kids critical thinking skills?

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

Interview: Mike Winger on Progressive Christianity

Guest Host: Tim Barnett

 

Tim talks to Mike Winger about different aspects of progressive Christianity and the core belief that ties it all together.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Mike Winger on Progressive Christianity (00:00)

Download the mp3...

 

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Mike Winger’s website: Bible Thinker
• Divorce and Remarriage: Everything the Bible Says about It by Mike Winger

Related Links:

• The Danger of Building Your Theology on Anything Other Than the Bible by Amy Hall