Greg chats about some Christmas myths, recommends two films that capture the nativity well, then answers questions about whether day trading is a form of gambling, being a gardener vs. a harvester, and reconciling Greg’s view on decision making with Romans 12:2. Topics: Commentary: Christmas spoilers (00:00) Commentary: Films that capture the nativity well (15:00) Is day trading a form of gambling? (24:00) Is it okay to not evangelize like Ray Comfort? (39:00) How can I reconcile your view on de...
Dec 20, 2024•58 min
Greg answers questions from callers about old earth vs. young earth and feeling guilty about not having the joy of the Lord during a long, difficult, dark time. Topics: What’s your opinion on old earth vs. young earth? (06:00) Should I feel guilty for not having the joy of the Lord during a long, difficult, dark time? (37:00) Mentioned on the Show: Donate to Stand to Reason by the 28th of this month and receive The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God: Why New Atheism Grew Old and Secular Thinker...
Dec 18, 2024•58 min
Greg answers questions about his views on the rapture and whether there’s any middle ground between Reformed and Arminian theology. Topics: Can you elaborate on your views on the rapture? (02:00) When it comes to salvation, is there any middle ground between Reformed and Arminian theology? (31:00) Mentioned on the Show: The Blessed Hope: A Biblical Study of the Second Advent and the Rapture by George Eldon Ladd The Church and the Tribulation: A Biblical Examination of Posttribulationism by Rober...
Dec 13, 2024•58 min
Greg talks about the claim that the virgin birth is disproved by science, then he talks to callers about when the New Covenant started, how Jesus could have paid the penalty of being separated from God, Bonhoeffer’s views on the Bible, and pragmatism. Topics: Commentary: Science can’t disprove the virgin birth. (00:00) When did the New Covenant start? (14:00) If the wages of sin is separation from God, how could Jesus pay that? (26:00) What are your thoughts on Bonhoeffer’s views on the Bible? (...
Dec 11, 2024•58 min
Greg answers questions about why God allows evil, whether denominations really matter, whether Matthew 16 says Peter was the first pope, and how Greg’s view on decision making and the will of God fits with passages in James, Ruth, and Esther. Topics: Why does God allow evil? (00:00) Does the denomination of a church really matter, and should Matthew 16 be interpreted as saying that whoever says Jesus is the Christ is part of the church, or is it saying Peter was the first pope? (24:00) Can you e...
Dec 06, 2024•58 min
Greg talks about what we can learn from the account of David and Goliath, then he answers questions about the divide between men and women, whether a contractor should turn down work on a Buddhist temple, and determining if a passage is descriptive or prescriptive. Topics: Commentary: What we can learn from the account of David and Goliath (08:00) Why does it seem like there’s such a divide between men and women today? (19:00) Do you think I was right to turn down a request to build a large wate...
Dec 04, 2024•58 min
Greg talks to callers about how, when it comes to the teleological argument, we know the things we claim are complex are really complex, how to witness to someone who has consulted a spiritualist, and whether God values results or growth more. Topics: When it comes to the teleological argument, how do we know the things we say are complex are really complex? (01:00) How can I witness to someone at work who consulted a spiritualist? (27:00) Does God value results or growth more? (36:00) Mentioned...
Nov 29, 2024•58 min
Greg talks to Robby Lashua about an announcement and discusses the value of saying “thank you” to everyone who does something for you, then he responds to a caller’s question about how God can be pro-life if he kills babies. Topics: Interview: An announcement from Robby Lashua (00:00) Commentary: Say “thank you” to everyone who does something for you. (27:00) Are Christians pro-life, and do they believe God is pro-life even though he kills babies? (46:00) Mentioned on the Show: STR Outposts Real...
Nov 27, 2024•58 min
Greg answers questions about the “He Gets Us” campaign from earlier this year, whether a property in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil gave Adam and Eve knowledge, the historicity of Job, and whether God will spend eternity in pain as he watches people suffer in Hell. Topics: What did you think of the “He Gets Us” foot washing ads earlier this year? (00:00) Could the tree of the knowledge of good and evil have had some property that gave them this knowledge since the related tree of lif...
Nov 20, 2024•58 min
Greg talks to callers about online interactions, entropy as evidence for a beginning of the universe, whether someone could make up a story that sounds like eyewitness testimony, creating interactions that aren’t awkward, and the claim that the unborn is only a ”potential life.” Topics: Considering Jesus said, “Do not give what is holy to dogs,” should I not engage people online over and over again? (00:00) A follow-up on a previous conversation about dealing with a problematic pastor. (12:00) H...
Nov 13, 2024•58 min
Greg answers questions about how Jesus can be God if God is in Heaven and Jesus was on earth, whether disordered desires are sinful and Satan puts thoughts in Christians’ minds, baptism of the Holy Spirit by laying on hands, and a challenge to Greg’s view on John 16:13. Topics: How can Jesus be God if God is in Heaven and Jesus was on earth? (04:00) Are disordered desires sinful, and does Satan put sinful thoughts in Christians’ minds? (15:00) Do Acts 8 and 19 teach that we only receive the Holy...
Nov 08, 2024•58 min
Greg talks to Craig Hazen, STR’s new chief strategy officer, then he answers a question about the implications that follow from the idea that we don’t have to figure out special instructions from God. Topics: Interview: Craig Hazen joins Stand to Reason. (00:00) Does the fact that we don’t have to figure out what God is telling us to do mean that God doesn’t really care what we do and doesn’t ordain what he wants us to do? (34:00) Mentioned on the Show: Reality Student Apologetics Conference – N...
Nov 06, 2024•58 min
Greg talks to Sean McDowell, author of End the Stalemate, about how cancel culture developed, communicating ideas well to others, dealing with your own biases, being charitable, steelmanning your opponent’s arguments, and more. Topics: Interview: Sean McDowell, author of End the Stalemate: Move Past Cancel Culture to Meaningful Conversations (00:00) Mentioned on the Show: End the Stalemate: Move Past Cancel Culture to Meaningful Conversations by Sean McDowell Greg Koukl and Michael Shermer at th...
Nov 01, 2024•58 min
Greg talks to Jonathan Keller of California Family Council about the problematic “marriage equality” Prop 3 in California, then he discusses using our vote to do the most good we can, whether God takes sides, getting educated about what will actually do good, and more. Topics: Interview: Jonathan Keller, president and CEO of California Family Council, about the problems with California’s Prop 3 (00:00) Thoughts on politics and voting (31:00) Mentioned on the Show: Jonathan Keller Proposition 3 f...
Oct 30, 2024•58 min
Greg answers questions about helping trauma survivors think through their trauma biblically, giving to the point where your family has to go without things they need, passages about God loving individuals, and assumptions about communication to bring to the study of language. Topics: In light of the existence of the soul, do you have any advice on how to help trauma survivors think through what they’ve experienced biblically and see things from God’s perspective? (03:00) What are your thoughts o...
Oct 25, 2024•58 min
Greg discusses the claim that abortion bans increase infant death rates, then he talks to callers about using probability numbers in teleological arguments and whether it’s worth trying to convince a church member who’s a former Jehovah’s Witness that Jesus is uncreated. Topics: Commentary: Spot the shell game in this article on abortion bans. (00:00) When it comes to the teleological argument, are apologists conceding it’s possible it could have happened on its own when they give a small probab...
Oct 23, 2024•58 min
Greg answers questions about whether the A-theory vs. B-theory of time is a false dichotomy, why Jesus had to suffer before dying for our sin, gender dysphoria, and how we know we haven’t simply deluded ourselves into thinking we have good evidence for our faith. Topics: Is the A-theory vs. B-theory of time a false dichotomy when it comes to God and his nature? (04:00) If death was the penalty for sin, why did Jesus have to suffer before dying for our sin? What’s the biblical basis for suffering...
Oct 18, 2024•58 min
Greg talks about whether or not God hears the prayer of the unbeliever, then he answers questions about what Matthew 21:21 means when it says you can make things happen if you have faith and do not doubt and how to know if you should leave a church or you’re being too critical. Topics: Commentary: Does God hear the prayer of the unbeliever? (00:00) What does Matthew 21:21 mean when it says that if you have faith and do not doubt, you can make things happen and receive things? (33:00) Should I le...
Oct 16, 2024•58 min
Greg talks about the notion of entailment, then he talks to callers about how to respond to someone who says Christianity took ideas from older religions, whether or not there are still descendants of Abraham, and how to respond to someone who says God is transgender. Topics: Commentary: You need to understand the notion of entailment. (00:00) How would you answer people who say Christianity isn’t original, that it took ideas from other religions, and that other religions are older? (18:00) Are ...
Oct 11, 2024•58 min•Ep. 41
Greg talks to Bobby Conway, author of Does Christianity Still Make Sense? about his past before he was a Christian, apologetics as a way of loving people, how to respond to various popular objections to Christianity, and more. Topics: Interview: Bobby Conway, author of Does Christianity Still Make Sense?: A Former Skeptic Responds to Today’s Toughest Objections to Christianity (00:00) Mentioned on the Show: Does Christianity Still Make Sense?: A Former Skeptic Responds to Today’s Toughest Object...
Oct 09, 2024•58 min
Greg answers questions about how we know God is real, when seeking God intellectually becomes a hindrance, what the Bible means when it says Jesus is “begotten,” whether the testing of Abraham was capricious and cruel, and the need for God to ground our rights. Topics: In light of Greek mythology and evolution, how do we know the God of the Bible is real?(02:00) When do you think seeking to know God intellectually becomes more of a hindrance than a help? (13:00) What does the Bible mean when it ...
Oct 04, 2024•58 min
Greg talks about the difference between “belief in” and ”belief that,” then he talks to callers about an objection to probability arguments for design, whether it can be proved from Scripture that worship in Heaven won’t be forced, and help understanding the end times. Topics: Commentary: “Belief in” vs. “belief that” (00:00) How would you respond to someone who dismisses a probability argument for design by saying that probability doesn’t prove something is true? (21:00) Can you prove from Scri...
Oct 02, 2024•58 min
Greg answers questions about Hebrews 6:4–8 applying to a former believer, whether there’s anything in the universe that wouldn’t count as evidence for God, responding to King James Only, and whether feeling compelled to do something is an example of the Holy Spirit speaking to you. Topics: Could Hebrews 6:4–8 be applied to someone who used to be a believer but isn’t anymore? (00:00) What object, thing, idea, etc. is there in the universe that would not count as evidence for God? (27:00) How do y...
Sep 27, 2024•58 min
Greg talks about the canon being a list of authoritative books rather than an authoritative list of books, then he talks to callers about feeling guilt about one’s blessings, a cordial exchange regarding abortion, and whether election and predestination are the same thing. Topics: Commentary: A list of authoritative books, not an authoritative list of books (00:00) Do you have any advice about feeling guilty about my blessings? (26:00) A story about a cordial exchange regarding abortion. (41:00)...
Sep 25, 2024•58 min
Greg answers questions from callers about the Shroud of Turin, the difference between objective truth, proof, and a fact, how to talk to a spouse about speaking in tongues without hurting their feelings, and whether we can know why God is keeping Trump alive. Topics: What do you think about the Shroud of Turin? (02:00) What is the difference between an objective truth, a proof, and a fact, and is circular reasoning always fallacious? (24:00) How do I talk to my wife about speaking in tongues wit...
Sep 20, 2024•58 min
Greg gives advice to young people on how to live well on their own, then he talks to a caller about the point of glory and honor and why we need to give it to God. Topics: Commentary: Advice for young people leaving home (00:00) What’s the point of glory and honor, and why do we need to give it to God? (39:00) Mentioned on the Show: When Culture Hates You: Persevering for the Common Good as Christians in a Hostile Public Square by Natasha Crain Reality Student Apologetics Conference – October 18...
Sep 18, 2024•58 min
Greg talks to a caller about his interaction with a Mormon, then he answers questions about how he keeps his cool in debates, how to prove biblically that Jesus is 100% God and 100% man, and whether Jesus ever asked to be worshiped. Topics: A caller reports back on his interaction with a Mormon. (02:00) How do you keep your cool in debates? (16:00) How can I prove biblically that Jesus is 100% God and 100% man? (31:00) Did Jesus ever ask to be worshiped? (45:00) Download the mp3... Mentioned on ...
Sep 13, 2024•58 min
Greg talks about his New Zealand trip then answers questions about whether the creation of new fruits by farmers is an example of evolution, the definition of holiness, the definition of knowledge, and whether Mormonism is to Christianity as Christianity is to Judaism. Topics: Commentary: Greg’s trip to New Zealand (00:00) When farmers create new kinds of fruit, isn’t that evolution? (14:00) What’s the definition of holiness? (25:00) What’s the distinction between knowledge and wisdom? (36:00) H...
Sep 11, 2024•58 min
You’re betting your life on your answer to the question “Does God exist?” Greg considers what we can learn about the nature of reality simply by reflecting on two obvious facts that are available to everyone and then asking what best explains those two facts. Topics: Message: You Bet Your Life: A Simple Case Against Atheism (08:00) Things exist. (17:00) Torturing babies for fun is wrong. (43:00) What best explains these two facts? (51:00) Mentioned on the Show: Be One of the 100 – Become a strat...
Aug 30, 2024•58 min
Greg answers questions about whether a private commitment can create a legitimate marriage, what Romans 14:12 means when it says we’ll give an account to God, baby dedications for same-sex couples, and reaching a spouse for Christ when they’re skeptical of your faith. Topics: If people make a commitment privately, is that a legitimate marriage? (06:00) When Romans 14:12 says that “each one of us will give an account of himself to God,” does that mean something will be based on our good works? (2...
Aug 28, 2024•58 min
