Coffeehouse Questions With Ryan Pauly

The cosmological argument is one of the most famous arguments for God's existence. It is usually stated as: P1. Everything that begins to exist has a cause. P2. The universe began to exist. C. Therefore, the universe has a cause. Atheist Armin Navabi responds to this argument in chapter 11 of his book, "Why There is No God." Chapter 11 is titled, "If there is no God, where did everything come from? Without God, there is no explanation." He claims in the chapter that "not knowing the answer does not give us free range to make something up." In fact, he believes this Christian argument commits the "god of the gaps" fallacy, is special pleading, misunderstands physics, and actually says nothing about God. He claims that, "Even if we were to accept that the universe required some sort of 'prime mover,' or originating force, there is no evidence to suggest that this force must conform to any of the traits generally attributed to a god." So as we've been doing in this series, let's take a look at Armin's chapter

Have you heard a Christian argue for God by saying, "There's no evidence that God doesn't exist"? Have you heard an atheist say "Christians are atheists when it comes to the thousands of other gods throughout history"? In Chapter 10 of "Why There Is No God: Simple Responses to 20 Common Arguments for the Existence of God," Atheist Armin Navabi argues that Christians attempt to shift the burden of proof when confronted with criticism. The problem, he says, is that this leads to ad hoc arguments and misunderstands what atheists believe. So, what is it that atheists believe and how should Christians respond? Let's take a look at Armin's chapter and see how we can respond well.

Many argue that Christianity is outdated, oppressive, harmful, and in need of being discarded. They claim that Christians themselves are on the wrong side of history. Is there any truth to this? In today's show, Ryan will review a new book by Sharon James titled, "Is Christianity Good for the World?" You will see that Christianity has had a beneficial and widespread impact on the world. In fact, "The biblical worldview is the only firm foundation for the defense of human dignity and freedom, as well as societal flourishing." Join the show to hear why and ask your questions!

Blaise Pascal was a mid-1600s mathematician and philosopher. He presented an argument for religious belief from a mathematical standpoint that has come to be called Pascal's Wager. The problem is that this argument is often misunderstood and applied in ways that Pascal never intended. In Chapter 8 of "Why There Is No God: Simple Responses to 20 Common Arguments for the Existence of God," Armin Navabi argues that Pascal's Wager "does nothing to prove the nature of God," and "falls apart completely." Is this true? Should Christians stop using Pascal's Wager in our conversations? Let's take a look and think well about Armin's objections and the intended use of Pascal's Wager. Content Discussed: 0:00 Intro 5:36 Response to Armin Navabi 7:15 Background on Pascal's Wager 13:30 Armin's 2 ways that Pascal's Wager breaks down 19:45 How world religions affect Pascal's Wager 25:48 Atheist caller 26:26 If you could prove the Christian God exists, would you become a Christian? 27:40 The Christian God isn't good becaus

Does God's Word allow for the modern divorce of biological sex and gender identity? What are the core beliefs of the transgender movement? What does Scripture offer on this topic? Join the conversation as Ryan reviews Samuel Ferguson's new book, "Does God Care about Gender Identity?" and offers practical advice to parents and church leaders. Come bring your questions and gain a deeper understanding for a more compassionate engagement.

Have you been left in shock after reading the comment section on a political post? Online discourse seems to have hit a new low. Today's show will address this polarizing issue. Instead of testing the teachings that we see, we often resort to torching the teacher. To avoid torching teachers, we need to start with habits of the heart that "help avoid torching teachers and thereby failing to love our neighbors." We will then look at habits of the mind that "help us test teachings and thereby reject what is false and hold fast to what is true." In short, "Cultivating these habits will equip us not just to be civil but to be faithful to the truth and loving to our neighbors--goals to which I would hope every Christian would aspire." Dr. Rick Langer is my doctoral professor at Biola University where he is a Professor of Biblical Studies and Theology and the Director of the Office of Faith and Learning at Biola University. He specializes in the integration of faith and learning, and has also published in the area

The best way to respond to deconstruction is to have a healthy faith. How do we cultivate that? Join the show to find out and bring your questions!

Many believe the mistaken view that technology is neutral. It can be used for good or for evil, so technology itself must be neutral, right? The issue is that looking at the moral use of technology only considers one key factor. The moral question is important, but we also have to consider how technology is shaping reality and changing us. Today's episode will help you think well about technology from a biblical worldview.

Cold-Case homicide detective J. Warner Wallace has been investigating murder cases for decades. What have these investigations taught him about life and the nature of people? What guiding principles help us to thrive and flourish as human beings? This conversation will look at valuable insights into our human condition that will help you better understand your own identity and the identity of your Creator. J. Warner Wallace is a Dateline-featured cold-case detective, popular national speaker, and bestselling author. Relying on over two decades of investigative experience, Wallace provides the tools needed to investigate the claims of Christianity and make a convincing case for the truth of the Christian worldview.

How do we make sense of Christianity? Why are there so many scandals in the church? Why is it filled with hypocrisy? Why do Christians struggle with mental illness instead of displaying the fruit of the Spirit? How can I believe in God or miracles today? Come join the conversation as we try to make sense of some of the most challenging questions related to Christianity. Content Discussed: 0:00 Introduction 1:35 Why are so many struggling to make sense of Christianity? 5:02 Is deconversion more of a problem or is there hope with what you see? 9:15 How did your story influence this book? 13:05 What would you say to someone whose Bible reading is the cause of their doubt? 18:15 Are apologists setting up an unrealistic expectation with evidence? 22:33 Evidence and Experience are both necessary 24:00 Why are there so many scandals in the church? 26:41 What can we say to those who have been hurt by those in spiritual authority? 31:15 How do you make sense of the Holy Spirit changing hearts yet not seeing the chang

Does your personal relationship with God count as evidence of His existence, or is there a natural explanation for what Christians experience? Do Christians only see what they want to believe and therefore support the beliefs they already hold? Atheist Armin Navabi addresses the argument "I feel a personal relationship with God, so I know that he is real" in chapter 7 of his book, "Why There Is No God." Today's show will consider his objections as we look at how our relationship with God can be evidence of his existence. Send in your questions for the Q&A at the end and enjoy the discussion!

Can answered prayers be used as evidence for God's existence, or is prayer nothing more than an illusion or placebo effect? Does it help or does it have harmful effects? We continue our series with chapter 6 from Armin Navabi's book, "Why There Is No God." Content: 0:00 Intro 2:25 What have we covered before? 3:50 The big objection against prayer 5:50 Can prayer be used as evidence for God's existence? 9:38 What do scientific experiments show us about the effectiveness of prayer? 22:15 Why is it problematic to study prayer scientifically? 28:35 Do Christians suffer from confirmation bias? 31:20 Looking for scientific evidence presents a narrow view of knowledge 33:30 Is prayer self-contradictory? 34:45 Does God care about the small problems in your life? 42:04 Why doesn't God always answer prayer? 49:10 When prayer can be used as evidence for God 52:15 Are there harmful effects of prayer?

How should Christians think about cultural issues, and how can we have better conversations with those who think differently? The goal of today's show is to give you different perspectives on cultural issues while modeling a healthy disagreement. Come join the conversation and bring your questions! Tim Whitaker is the creator and facilitator at The New Evangelicals. Growing up, Tim always felt at home in evangelical spaces – until years later, when his studying and questions caused him to no longer be welcomed at in his church community. Brokenhearted, but undeterred, Tim continued to pursue a deeper understanding of faith, history, theology and the evangelical church. The more he uncovers, the more he realizes the importance of advocating for the marginalized in the church, exploring the full depth and breadth of Christian faith traditions, and holding toxic churches and leaders accountable.

The majority of people around the world believe in some sort of god. Can this be used to show that God exists? Does the fact that religious beliefs are so widespread prove that something about religion is true? Atheist Armin Navabi addresses these questions in chapter 4 of his book, "Why There Is No God." Let's take a deep look and see if the spread of religion means that God exists.

Atheist Armin Navabi writes that "moral standards, as we understand them, are social constructs. They are tied intimately to cultural circumstances and can change over time." Christians claim that morality comes from God. Which is true? Let's take a deeper look at chapter 4 of "Why There Is No God" by Armin Navabi and see how Christians and atheists approach the topic of morality.

Atheist Armin Navabi writes that "a person surviving a disease believed to be terminal only shows that the disease may not be fully understood or that the prognosis was not accurate." Using miracles as evidence for God would be an argument from ignorance. Because, "no matter how unlikely an event is, it doesn't mean that a supernatural explanation would be more likely." to claim that the Bible is evidence for God is the fallacy of begging the question and is no different than saying, 'This is true because I believe it." He goes on to say, "Just because something is written in a book does not mean that it's true." Is this what Christians are doing when they claim that God's existence is proven by Scripture? Can the Bible be used in our case for God's existence? Let's take a deeper look at chapter 3 of "Why There Is No God" by Armin Navabi and see how we can better understand his points and respond to his arguments. I hope to show you how Christians can use miracles as evidence for God. An open Q&A will fo

Atheist Armin Navabi writes that to claim that the Bible is evidence for God is the fallacy of begging the question and is no different than saying, 'This is true because I believe it." He goes on to say, "Just because something is written in a book does not mean that it's true." Is this what Christians are doing when they claim that God's existence is proven by Scripture? Can the Bible be used in our case for God's existence? Join the show as we discuss chapter 2 of "Why There Is No God" by Armin Navabi. In this book, Armin gives simple responses to 20 common arguments for the existence of God. This series will cover all 20 arguments, one chapter at a time. Do his objections stand up to cross-examination? Join me and find out. An open Q&A will follow my discussion of chapter 2.

How convincing are the common arguments for Christianity? Do they hit as hard as apologists think they do? What can Christians do better? The Faithiest Atheist joins the show to discuss why different arguments for Christianity are not as convincing as we often think.

"Why There Is No God" by Armin Navabi gives simple responses to 20 common arguments for the existence of God. This series will cover all 20 arguments, one chapter at a time. We begin with chapter 1, "Science can't explain the complexity and order of life; God must have designed it to be this way." What is Armin's response to the design argument? Do his objections stand up to cross-examination? Join me and find out. An open Q&A will follow my discussion of the chapter.

We long for relationships, pursue goodness, desire truth, are startled by beauty, and want to be free. The things that you most want, your deepest desires, will affect how you pursue the best life. It is only within the Christian story that we can understand these desires. Join me and Dr. Ganssle as we show how our desires point back to God and should cause you to want Christianity to be true. Dr. Greg Ganssle is professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University. He is the author of several books, including "A Reasonable God: Engaging the New Face of Atheism" and "Thinking About God," and he is the editor of "God and Time." He joined the show before to discuss whether atheism or theism had a better explanation of morality.