I Don't Have Enough FAITH to Be an ATHEIST

If God told you to kill someone, what would you do?  Wouldn’t you seek a psychiatrist?  Why did Abraham almost go through with killing his son Isaac?  How did Abraham know God told him and not a demon?  How does the violence in the Old Testament differ from that in the Qur’an?  And does God really give us free choice if it’s either “worship me or go to Hell!” Atheists often challenge Christians with questions like this.  In fact, Frank tells of an atheist asking some of these questions this week at the University of Nebraska.  How does one respond to this and other questions?  Listen to find out! Subscribe on iTunes: http://bit.ly/CrossExamined_Podcast rate and review! Thanks!!! Subscribe on Google Play: http://bit.ly/CE_Podcast_Google Subscribe on Spotify: http://bit.ly/CrossExaminedOfficial_Podcast Subscribe on Stitcher: http://bit.ly/CE_Podcast_Stitcher KillingInNameOfGod(2.29.20)

Can we put God in a box of our own logic?  Aren’t His ways higher than our ways?  Did God invent logic?  Did human beings invent it? Frank goes deep into those questions to the foundation of reality.  He also takes a fresh look at an often-misinterpreted passage in Isaiah 55 about God’s ways being higher than ours. Other questions addressed in this show include: Is morality subjective and based on the majority vote? Does every negation really imply an affirmation? How can Hell be separation from God if God is everywhere? Subscribe on iTunes: http://bit.ly/CrossExamined_Podcast rate and review! Thanks!!! Subscribe on Google Play: http://bit.ly/CE_Podcast_Google Subscribe on Spotify: http://bit.ly/CrossExaminedOfficial_Podcast Subscribe on Stitcher: http://bit.ly/CE_Podcast_Stitcher DoesLogicApplyToGod-IDHEFTBAAPodcast(2.22.20)

A 14-year-old young lady wrote to Frank a question about reaching out to her bisexual friend.  How can she do that effectively?  This is a sensitive and emotional issue in our culture today, and many people are ready to pounce on you with several objections (and names) if you express the biblical view of sexuality.  Frank offers some advice and facts about the situation to help improve the chances that any outreach effort will yield light rather than heat. Frank also responds to questions about: The morality of marijuana use How much is America sliding toward judgment like ancient Israel? Atheist objections which assert that God is just a convenient answer to the beginning and fine-tuning of the universe Subscribe on iTunes: http://bit.ly/CrossExamined_Podcast rate and review! Thanks!!! Subscribe on Google Play: http://bit.ly/CE_Podcast_Google Subscribe on Spotify: http://bit.ly/CrossExaminedOfficial_Podcast Subscribe on Stitcher: http://bit.ly/CE_Podcast_Stitcher QuestionsToAskLGBTQFriends- IDHEFTBAAPodcast

For two thousand years, Christians have understood the death of Jesus to be substitutionary—a sacrifice that paid for our sins. From the earliest creeds to the teaching of the New Testament to the writings of the Church Fathers to today, this has been a core belief of Christianity throughout its history. But in modern times, this idea is being repudiated as “Cosmic Child Abuse.” On today’s show, we are going to address these questions: What is the historic belief of the Christian church on atonement? Why does God have wrath and how can that be a good thing? Is penal substitutionary atonement a late invention of medieval Christians? If God required the sacrifice of his Son, doesn’t that make him a Divine child abuser? If I can just forgive people without a sacrifice, why can’t God?

Is Christianity a crutch that just makes people feel better? Is Christianity too binary? Too exclusive? Does God want to condemn most of his beautiful creation to a fiery Hell? What if Christianity doesn’t work for you? Doesn’t resonate with you? Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has left Christianity because he believes it is too exclusive, too binary, and that the Christian God wants to condemn most people to a fiery Hell. Join Frank on Super Bowl weekend as he responds to Aaron’s characterization of Christianity and goes on to point out that all of reality (including football) is binary and that truth is exclusive. In fact, Frank points out that life is a lot like football in at least seven ways.

Here is our list of questions (we might not get to them all, but we will try to give people an overview of what Jews believe today and how we can best reach them for Jesus). 1. What were the major sects of Judaism in the first century? a. Pharisees b. Sadducees c. Essenes d. Zealots e. Others 2. Where did they come from and how did they differ in what they believed? 3. When did synagogues begin, and why did they exist during the Temple period? 4. Once the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, how did Judaism change? 5. How can one obey the OT law if the Temple does not exist? 6. What are the current denominations of Judaism and how do they differ from one another? 7. What are the writings outside the OT that Jewish believers think are authoritative? Talmud? 8. Where did these writings come from and why do Jews believe they are authoritative? 9. How do traditional Jews view the Law, as a burden or a blessing? 10. What are the main Jewish views of the Messiah? 11. What do the majority of Jews think regarding the afterlife? Why? 12. What do Jewish scholars think about the evidence for the Resurrection? Alternative theory? Why would the Jewish writers of the NT invent it? 13. What are the three biggest theological obstacles to a Jewish person accepting Jesus? 14. How do you overcome them? 15. If Jesus is the Messiah, why didn’t he bring in world peace? 16. What are some questions you can ask a Jewish person to get them to begin to consider Jesus as the Messiah?

How would you answer these questions? • How do you know what is important in the Bible? • How can I find out if someone is a Christian without sounding confrontational? • How can I deal with coworkers who mock Christianity? • Does design lose its meaning if you’re saying everything is designed? • What do you say to people who claim God is a bad designer? • Should Christians boycott certain businesses? These are questions sent in by listeners that Frank answers on this show. While Frank can’t get to all of them if you have a question you can submit it to Hello@Crossexamined.org. Also, check out these resources: the CrossExamined YouTube channel has answers to hundreds of questions, and several others are answered on the CrossExamined app and CrossExamined website.

Sometimes you’ll hear Muslim apologists and other skeptics of Christianity ask, “Where does Jesus say, ‘I am God, worship me’”? You won’t find Jesus using those words anywhere in the New Testament documents. Instead, we read Jesus kept calling Himself “The Son of Man.” On the face of it, that sounds more human than divine. Is that right? Did Jesus really claim to be God in words and actions other than “I am God, worship me"? And if He did claim to be God, why wasn’t He more overt about it? Why not just come out and say it plainly? Frank invites Crossexamined.org board member, and budding apologist, Ryan Crews to the show to answer those questions and more. Join them for a fascinating discussion about the self-identity of Jesus, and how to answer objections to the divinity of Jesus.

A couple of listeners wrote emails to express their disagreement with some of what Frank said in the show “Why Did Evangelicals Vote for Trump?” In this show Frank responds by investigating Jesus’s rebuke of the Pharisees (the politicians of Israel) in Matthew 23:23 and then by asking three questions: 1. What is the purpose of government? 2. What is your primary reason for choosing a president? 3. Who, of the available candidates, will best fulfill that purpose? As you’ll hear the elephant in the room isn’t Trump and his personality. The primary reason we choose a president has to do with a policy, not personality (although personality is still important). Frank responds to other objections from the emails, and also answers this question from a parent: How do I respond to a child who claims not to believe in God anymore?

What is the Bible all about? Sometimes we get too close to it and can’t see the big picture. Join Frank as he takes you on a grand overview of the Bible using the acronym CRIME: Creation, Rebellion, Intervention, Mission, Eternity. This will help you see how the Bible fits together to tell one overarching story of the Savior, who comes to save the very creatures who rebelled against him. So, while the Bible starts with a CRIME, it ends with redemption in Eternity for those who want it. That’s why we all have an important mission right now. To get visual and more in-depth teaching on this topic and many others, get the complete 17-part series on DVD called Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity (instructor and student workbooks are also available).

Are you dreading those awkward family dinners this Christmas season? Unsure about how to tactfully bring up the real reason for Christmas? Join Frank as he reveals the Top Ten Ways to Advance the Gospel, not only at Holiday dinners but at any event. These are some very practical ideas and can be used at any time during the year.

Many people seem confused about what socialism is and whether or not it would be better than America’s capitalistic system.  If there’s one book you should read on this—in fact, it’s one of the best books on economics you’ll read anywhere—is the new edition of Money, Greed and God: The Christian Case for Free Enterprise by Dr. Jay Richards.  On this show, Frank interviews Jay and gets clear answers to these questions: What are Socialism, Marxism, and communism and how do they differ? Shouldn’t Christians be communists based on the early believers communing their resources in the book of Acts? We hear that socialism works in Sweden.  Is that true? Why doesn’t socialism work? Why do you think so many young people are attracted to a failed system? Isn’t capitalism based on greed?  How can Christians be for it? We hear a lot about income inequality. Is that a bad thing, and, if so, what can be done about it? When politicians use the phrase “paying your fair share”, what standard are they using to determine what is fair? Our welfare system actually pays women to have kids out of wedlock.  How do we improve the safety net to prevent that from happening? Why does religious and economic liberty fall together? The two industries in which the government controls significantly are education and health care.  Why are prices high and quality low in those industries? You say that no one person at Apple, including CEO Tim Cook, knows how to make an iPhone.  What does this say about the difference between socialism and free-market capitalism? Subscribe on iTunes: http://bit.ly/CrossExamined_Podcast rate and review! Thanks!!! Subscribe on Google Play: http://bit.ly/CE_Podcast_Google Subscribe on Spotify: http://bit.ly/CrossExaminedOfficial_Podcast Subscribe on Stitcher: http://bit.ly/CE_Podcast_Stitcher

Frank attended two meetings with candidate Donald Trump in the weeks leading up to the 2016 election. The first meeting in Trump Tower is the subject of the new article in RollingStone Magazine in which Frank is quoted twice. This podcast is Frank’s response to that article, particularly the article’s audacious assertion that Donald Trump is a standard-bearer for American Christians. Frank highlights what the article gets wrong, what the media, in general, gets wrong about evangelical Christianity, and then offers five reasons why most evangelical Christians voted for Donald Trump. Regardless of what you think about Trump, Christianity or politics, this show will help you have better conversations with people as we enter an election year. Subscribe on iTunes: http://bit.ly/CrossExamined_Podcast rate and review! Thanks!!! Subscribe on Google Play: http://bit.ly/CE_Podcast_Google Subscribe on Spotify: http://bit.ly/CrossExaminedOfficial_Podcast Subscribe on Stitcher: http://bit.ly/CE_Podcast_Stitcher Transcript   WHY DID EVANGELICALS VOTE FOR DONALD TRUMP – IDHEFTBBA Podcast1

There are many places you can learn evidence for Christianity.  There are very few places you can learn easy ways to share that evidence.   Greg Koukl’s classic book Tactics is simply the best place to go to learn how to share the hope you have within you.  Now, ten years after the first edition, Greg has rewritten, updated and expanded Tactics, and it just became available this week. Join Frank as he interviews Greg and they reveal some of the new Tactics that will help you move people closer to Christ in a way that takes all the pressure off of you.

Jesus said that you can’t serve both God and money.   It looks like Chick-fil-A may be sacrificing God for money.  Under pressure from LGBTQ activists, they’ve decided to stop supporting the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  They say they want to focus their charitable giving “in areas of education, homelessness, and hunger.” Newsflash:  That’s exactly what the Salvation Army and FCA do! Now, Chick-fil-A can give or not give to whomever it wants.  But don’t say the reason you’re not giving to the SA or FCA is that you want to focus your giving on exactly what those organizations are already doing! There must be something else going on here. Join Frank as he investigates that and answers questions on: Theistic evolution: Is macroevolution compatible with the scriptures?  Is there scientific support for macroevolution? What can we conclude from the thousands of New Testament manuscripts? Why didn’t the Egyptians report the Exodus? Will we have free will in Heaven? Subscribe on iTunes: http://bit.ly/CrossExamined_Podcast Rate and review! Thanks!!! Subscribe on Google Play: http://bit.ly/CE_Podcast_Google Subscribe on Spotify: http://bit.ly/CrossExaminedOfficial_Podcast Subscribe on Stitcher: http://bit.ly/CE_Podcast_Stitcher IsChickFilAAChicken-IDHEFTBAAPodcast(11.23.19)