Thinking to Believe
Episodes
200 episodes
200: Answering God's Critics pt 29 - Divine Sins pt 10 - Is God Sexist & Misogynistic? pt 3 - OT pt 2 NT pt 1
I finish up my examination of difficult OT passages and start with the NT teaching that women are "weaker vessels" and should submit to their husbands as unto Christ. In the process, I show why the doctrine of "mutual submission" is not Bi...
199: Answering God's Critics pt 28 - Divine Sins pt 9 - Is God Sexist & Misogynistic? pt 2 - OT pt 1
After looking at a variety of texts where women are given important roles and spoken of favorably, I looked at a number of difficult OT texts:--God's word to Eve that her husband would rule over her--The jealousy trial--Cov...
198: Answering God's Critics pt 27 - Divine Sins pt 8 - Is God Sexist & Misogynistic? pt 1 - Intro
Is the God of the Bible sexist and misogynistic? No, He’s no feminist either. After critiquing feminist ideology, I demonstrate that the Bible teaches women are equal to men in dignity and spiritual status.
197: Answering God's Critics pt 26 - Divine Sins pt 7 - Slavery in the Bible pt 3
I look at the NT data regarding slavery to wrap up my discussion on the Biblical view of slavery. The NT teaches that our spiritual status is more important than our earthly social status. In Christ, there is neither slave nor free. While Paul ...
196: Answering God's Critics pt 25 - Divine Sins pt 6 - Slavery in the Bible pt 2
There are really two institutions of slavery in the OT: one for Israelites, and one for foreigners. The last episode explained the former institution, while this podcast explains the latter. I explain how they were different.
195: Answering God's Critics pt 24 - Divine Sins pt 5 - Slavery in the Bible pt 1
Did you know the Bible regulates slavery rather than condemn it? How can a good God allow something as immoral as slavery? In this episode, I look at the OT data, specifically the OT teaching regarding Hebrew slaves. I argue that the kind of sl...
194: Answering God's Critics pt 23 - Divine Sins pt 4 - Conquest of Canaan pt 2
I demonstrate that the commands to devote the Canaanites to destruction are hyperbolic rather than literal, explain why God can (but we cannot) kill anyone He wants, ask whether women and children were killed in the Conquest, and compare the Co...
193: Answering God's Critics pt 22 - Divine Sins pt 3 - Conquest of Canaan pt 1
Critics have claimed the Conquest of Canaan is an example of divinely commanded genocide or ethnic cleansing. I argue that the rationale for the Conquest had nothing to do with race or ethnicity, and is not an example of genocide. It’s an examp...
192: Answering God's Critics pt 21 - Divine Sins pt 2 - Is the God of the OT different than the God of the NT?
Many think the God of the OT is harsh and judgmental, while the God of the NT is gracious and loving. Is the God of the OT different than the God of the NT? Did God reform Himself between the testaments? No. I demonstrate that we find a God of ...
191: Answering God's Critics pt 20 - Divine Sins pt 1 - Introduction and Principles
Christians and Jews believe the God of the Bible is morally good. Many non-believers, however, think otherwise. They claim the God of Christianity is morally evil, and thus no god at all. So is the Biblical God the epitome of moral perfection, ...
190: Answering God's Critics pt 19 - Problem of Evil pt 10 - Emotional Problem of Evil pt 2
I finished my thoughts on how Christians can deal with the emotional problem of evil, which wraps up this sub-series on the problem of evil. I explored the different purposes God has for evil, give some perspective in light of eternity and the ...
189: Answering God's Critics pt 18 - Problem of Evil pt 9 - Emotional Problem of Evil pt 1
Evil brings with it suffering and emotional pain. How are we to deal with this? I contrast the atheist worldview with the Christian worldview on this matter.
188: Answering God's Critics pt 17 - Problem of Evil pt 8 - Natural Evil
I’ve offered a theodicy for moral evil, but what about natural evil? Why does God allow for suffering caused by natural disasters, disease, and accidents?
187: Answering God's Critics pt 16 - Problem of Evil pt 7 - Why We Will Not Sin in Heaven & A Fatal Flaw in the Free Will Defense? pt 2
I wrap up my examination of the Free Will Defense and conclude that it succeeds. In the course of the discussion I explore why believers will not sin in heaven. I present two different explanations that Christians have offered, and reasons for ...
186: Answering God's Critics pt 15 - Problem of Evil pt 6 - A Fatal Flaw in the Free Will Defense? pt 1
In the last episode, I offered the Free Will Defense (FWD) as an explanation for why God might allow evil: God cannot create free creatures who are unable to choose evil. The example of God, however, calls this logic into question. He is free, ...
185: Answering God's Critics pt 14 - Problem of Evil pt 5 - Theodicy: Why Does God Permit Evil?
I’ve demonstrated that evil doesn’t make God’s existence impossible or even unlikely, but one might wonder why, if God exists, He permits evil. What is the purpose? This is the question of theodicy. I cover five reasons God might pe...
184: Miscellany - NYC Mayoral Race, Gerrymandering, Different Beliefs, Offended, Pet Peeve Foreign Words and Performative Prayer
On this miscellany episode I cover:-- How the NYC mayoral race helps us think through our voting philosophy-- What gerrymandering is, why it's a danger to our democracy, and which party does it the most-- Don't assume that ...
183: Answering God's Critics pt 13 - Problem of Evil pt 4 - Evidential Problem of Evil pt 2
The evidential problem of evil falsely assumes that if God had a purpose for permitting the amounts/kinds of evil we see in the world, we would be able to discern what those reasons were. The bottom line is that so long as the existence of evil...
182: Answering God's Critics pt 12 - Problem of Evil pt 3 - Evidential Problem of Evil pt 1
While there may be no logical incompatibility between a theistic God and evil, can certain amounts or kinds of evil make it highly unlikely that theism is true? That's the claim of the evidential problem of evil. In this episode, I examine the ...
181: Answering God's Critics pt 11 - Problem of Evil pt 2 - Logical Problem of Evil pt 2
I finish my discussion of the logical POE, showing how evil is actually one of the best evidences for God’s existence – not against God’s existence, and showing how the atheist’s answer to the problem of evil is far less satisfactory than the t...
180: Answering God's Critics pt 10 - Problem of Evil pt 1 - Logical Problem of Evil pt 1
Is the presence of evil in our world evidence against the existence of God? How could an all-good and all-loving God allow so much evil?In this episode, I begin to evaluate the logical problem of evil. I discuss what evil is (a privation...
179: Answering God's Critics pt 9 - Problem of Evil 1-N-Done
Is the presence of evil in our world evidence against the existence of God? How could an all-good and all-loving God allow so much evil?In this 1-N-Done episode, I tackle this problem head-on. I cover:Why there is no logical ...
178: Answering God's Critics pt 8 - Religion is a Human Invention & Emotional Crutch
Does the multiplicity of religions and their cultural-rootedness show that religions are just human inventions? Are religions just examples of wish fulfillment? Did humans invent religion as an emotional crutch?
177: Answering God's Critics pt 7 - Science Has Disproven God
Many think that science has disproven God, or at least shown that He is superfluous. Nothing could be further from the case. I show how science cannot, even in principle, disprove God's existence. I also examine whether science has truly been a...