Have you talked with Jesus yet today? No, I’m not talking about your morning prayers. I’m talking about the new Text-With-Jesus app. This is a downloadable smartphone app that will put you in a text-message conversation with an AI simulation of Jesus, and other biblical characters. You’re basically talking to a robot programmed to say things that you’d expect to hear from Jesus, or Jonah, or Moses, or Matthew, or even Satan himself. The app is free, but for $2.99 you can purchase access to the Satan-character and converse with an AI version of Lucifer himself. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that the grace-based (free) version features Jesus, but you have to sell a little bit of your soul to talk to the prince of darkness.
Is this APP some tech-driven opportunists trying to make a buck? Probably. Is it foolhardy and sacrilegious? Most likely. Is it going to lead you deeper in your Christian walk? Probably not. But the Lord works in mysterious ways. At this point, I’m not sure this app deserves any extensive commentary, but it does raise a few important questions.
1. Aren’t we struggling enough already with identity issues?
This app feeds into a growing identity crisis. Once upon a time people gathered a formidable sense of self by growing up in traditional homes. I’m talking #TradFam. They learned social interaction, conflict resolution, cooperation, and social norms primarily through their family upbringing and only secondarily through schools. They had invested parents who were married to each other. They were raised with siblings, and pets, and neighbors. Kids played outdoors with other kids. They did chores around the house. They might even learn job skills in the family business. And the whole family reconnected around the dinner table every night. In this way, countless people learned a sense of self as they cultivated mutual respect, family-values, faith, good manners, and a work-ethic. That was simple old fashion social-emotional child-rearing. It wasn’t perfect. And it wasn’t universal. But that old-school model preempted a lot of anxiety, insecurity, and existential dread that increasingly plague young people today. Through no fault of their own, countless people have virtually none of those things.
But they do have a smart phone. And with that smart phone they have a neuro-chemical dependence on social media, porn and video games. They also have the emotional maturity of a toddler, the spiritual depth of a plastic bag, and the attention span of a goldfish. All that means the more people are dependent on their phones as a bionic extension of their arms and dependent on screens to shape their perception of reality, we can expect people to become increasingly confused about social norms, sexual norms, gender identity, and who they are in the world. Not to mention, screen addiction isn’t doing their faith any favors. My inner curmudgeon increasingly weighs the merits of every tech innovation according to whether it pulls us closer to, or further form our smart phones. By that measure, this app is pulling people in the wrong direction.
2. Aren’t we struggling enough with social and relational entropy?
Building off the first question, this app substitutes fake and potentially idolatrous personifications where people should be interacting with real people (Satan excluded of course). You don’t need an app to talk with Jesus. You can talk to him directly through prayer. You don’t need an app to hear what Matthew, or Jonah, or John the Baptist have to say. You can read the Bible, or better yet, go to church and learn that stuff within a spiritual community.
Sadly, we might inhabit the loneliest social landscape on record. Marriage rates are at all-time lows. Birth rates are dropping below the replacement rate. Suicide rates are climbing. Divorce rates, abortion rates, and depression and anxiety rates, all remain high. Mental health is worsening. And with all that happening, what does this app do? It inserts a fake person where a real person should be. Instead of asking a friend, a colleague, a pastor, or a neighbor for an encouraging word, a Bible verse, or a spiritual question, this app enables (props up?) social isolation. That way we can seek out spiritual answers and social support without the burden or the risk of being in an actual relationship with a friend or neighbor who might have their own opinion, or – heaven forbid – disagree with us about something!
3. Is this more innovation or exploitation?
So far, I haven’t voiced any dire concerns over this app. Sure, social isolation and identity issues are a big problem and this app isn’t helping any. But I suspect this app won’t hurt much either, at least not on large scale. This app could be a flash in the pan, a novelty that disappears as quickly as it surfaced, with no serious damage done. I don’t expect people to download this app, en masse, or start worshipping a robot Jesus through it. Whatever idolatry it might introduce, it would probably be more subtle than that. I do however have one serious objection. This app looks like an easy way to exploit people who are desperate for spiritual connection. It will give people a false sense of spirituality, a facade of religious community, and an artificial framework for their faith. Also, with AI technology trending leftward, this artificial Messiah is destined for a liberal-progressive drift, abandoning the historic Christian faith in the process. There’s no reason to expect this Robot Jesus to be orthodox since it’s build to reflect not direct consumers. All that means Robot Jesus is, at best, a blasphemous mockery of our Risen Lord. But at worst, Robot Jesus is fated to be a progressive cult leader, exploiting lonely, isolated, and spiritually confused people who are so desperate for fellowship they’ll take it from a robot.
There are lots of people who are homebound, sick, injured, handicapped, elderly, or just socially awkward, and this app seems like a misguided attempt for people to feed their spiritual need without Christian community.
If you’re familiar with televangelists from the days of broadcast television, you know that many of them were con artists and charlatans. Lonely homebound elderly folks are some of the most vulnerable targets for screen-based fakery. That pseudo-spirituality preyed on overly trusting people with big pension funds who couldn’t drive to a real church. This app looks to fit that model to a T. It can turn technological innovation into a clever new mode of spiritual exploitation. While the app is a free download, there are paid subscription services that give people access to different AI generated personalities. Even if it’s only $3 a month, that’s still bilking people and giving the a false sense of Christian fellowship and spiritual guidance.
Final Assessment?
On one level this app sounds like an afternoon of game play. I picture a gaggle of mischievous males trying to get Robot Jesus to tell a dirty joke or say something un-Christ-like. Maybe I’ve hear too many false alarms before, but this app just isn’t very alarming to me. Of course it sounds like something to avoid, but not like avoiding a big ravenous threat like sharks or bears. It’s more like avoiding month-old leftovers in the back of the fridge. No need for alarm, just don’t eat it. Throw it out. Yes, this app strikes me as overtly idolatrous – graven images can be digital you know. But idolatry isn’t anything new. A little restraint and discernment will be more useful than alarmism.
If you find yourself wanting to download the app and see if this robot Jesus can give you some good advice, I would strongly caution against it. This is still a FAKE Jesus. So, it’s literal idolatry. It doesn’t matter whether you’re dabbling or serious, whether you have good or bad intentions; nobody should be playing around with idols of any kind. Biblical warnings against idolatry, as a general rule, don’t mention people’s “intentions” (Lev 19:4; 1 John 5:21; etc.). It doesn’t matter what your motives are, messing around with idols is profoundly stupid because it’s insulting to the most powerful, most important, and highest authority there is: God Himself. Oh, and in case you didn’t know, idolatry has no serving size small enough to be safe for consumption.
Idolatry has no serving size small enough to be safe for consumption.
Cynically, I suspect the primary customer base for this app is the spiritually naïve, lonely, or confused person who want the casual benefits of Christianity without the investment and work that comes from human relationships. If this app manages to defy the odds – most apps fail miserably – and it somehow turns a profit or becomes popular, then my prediction is that it will add monetized features invariably exploiting their customer base, doing more spiritual harm, generating more social isolation, individualism, and weakening spiritual community. Meanwhile, its practical effects will be tepid spiritual counsel which, at its best, is shallow pleasantries and at worst flagrant blasphemy.
Personally, whenever I get an automated messaging system or voice prompt on the phone, I’m doing everything I can to bypass the robo-system so I can talk with a person. I have a hard time imagining why people would opt for intentional fakery in the form of Robot Jesus when they could instead talk with real people who can understand nuance, pick up on social cues, and care about you as a person. You don’t need an app or even a smart phone to talk to Jesus. You can talk with him directly in prayer. And the most reliable way to hear from Him is to read what he’s been trying to tell you in His Word.
Recommended resources related to the topic:
Your Most Important Thinking Skill by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, (mp4) download
Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible by J. Warner Wallace (Paperback), (Investigator’s Guide).
Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)
How to Interpret Your Bible by Dr. Frank Turek DVD Complete Series, INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, and STUDENT Study Guide
How Philosophy Can Help Your Theology by Richard Howe (MP3 Set), (mp4 Download Set), and (DVD Set)
Letters to a Young Progressive by Mike Adams (Book)
Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
John is a licensed minister with earned degrees from Charleston Southern (BA), Southern Evangelical Seminary (MDiv), and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (ThM, PhD). His doctorate is in philosophy of religion, minoring in ethics. As a new addition to Crossexamined in 2023, John brings a wealth of experience to the team including debating atheists, preaching the Gospel, teaching apologetics in schools and churches, publishing books and articles, and creating websites. John is also a teaching fellow with Equal Rights Institute and president of Pella Pro-Life in his hometown of Pella, Iowa. There he resides with his lovely and brilliant wife Hillary Ferrer, founder of Mama Bear Apologetics. Together they specialize in cultural apologetics with an emphasis on family-based apologetic training.
Meet Robot Jesus
Culture CrossExaminedHave you talked with Jesus yet today? No, I’m not talking about your morning prayers. I’m talking about the new Text-With-Jesus app. This is a downloadable smartphone app that will put you in a text-message conversation with an AI simulation of Jesus, and other biblical characters. You’re basically talking to a robot programmed to say things that you’d expect to hear from Jesus, or Jonah, or Moses, or Matthew, or even Satan himself. The app is free, but for $2.99 you can purchase access to the Satan-character and converse with an AI version of Lucifer himself. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that the grace-based (free) version features Jesus, but you have to sell a little bit of your soul to talk to the prince of darkness.
Is this APP some tech-driven opportunists trying to make a buck? Probably. Is it foolhardy and sacrilegious? Most likely. Is it going to lead you deeper in your Christian walk? Probably not. But the Lord works in mysterious ways. At this point, I’m not sure this app deserves any extensive commentary, but it does raise a few important questions.
1. Aren’t we struggling enough already with identity issues?
This app feeds into a growing identity crisis. Once upon a time people gathered a formidable sense of self by growing up in traditional homes. I’m talking #TradFam. They learned social interaction, conflict resolution, cooperation, and social norms primarily through their family upbringing and only secondarily through schools. They had invested parents who were married to each other. They were raised with siblings, and pets, and neighbors. Kids played outdoors with other kids. They did chores around the house. They might even learn job skills in the family business. And the whole family reconnected around the dinner table every night. In this way, countless people learned a sense of self as they cultivated mutual respect, family-values, faith, good manners, and a work-ethic. That was simple old fashion social-emotional child-rearing. It wasn’t perfect. And it wasn’t universal. But that old-school model preempted a lot of anxiety, insecurity, and existential dread that increasingly plague young people today. Through no fault of their own, countless people have virtually none of those things.
But they do have a smart phone. And with that smart phone they have a neuro-chemical dependence on social media, porn and video games. They also have the emotional maturity of a toddler, the spiritual depth of a plastic bag, and the attention span of a goldfish. All that means the more people are dependent on their phones as a bionic extension of their arms and dependent on screens to shape their perception of reality, we can expect people to become increasingly confused about social norms, sexual norms, gender identity, and who they are in the world. Not to mention, screen addiction isn’t doing their faith any favors. My inner curmudgeon increasingly weighs the merits of every tech innovation according to whether it pulls us closer to, or further form our smart phones. By that measure, this app is pulling people in the wrong direction.
2. Aren’t we struggling enough with social and relational entropy?
Building off the first question, this app substitutes fake and potentially idolatrous personifications where people should be interacting with real people (Satan excluded of course). You don’t need an app to talk with Jesus. You can talk to him directly through prayer. You don’t need an app to hear what Matthew, or Jonah, or John the Baptist have to say. You can read the Bible, or better yet, go to church and learn that stuff within a spiritual community.
Sadly, we might inhabit the loneliest social landscape on record. Marriage rates are at all-time lows. Birth rates are dropping below the replacement rate. Suicide rates are climbing. Divorce rates, abortion rates, and depression and anxiety rates, all remain high. Mental health is worsening. And with all that happening, what does this app do? It inserts a fake person where a real person should be. Instead of asking a friend, a colleague, a pastor, or a neighbor for an encouraging word, a Bible verse, or a spiritual question, this app enables (props up?) social isolation. That way we can seek out spiritual answers and social support without the burden or the risk of being in an actual relationship with a friend or neighbor who might have their own opinion, or – heaven forbid – disagree with us about something!
3. Is this more innovation or exploitation?
So far, I haven’t voiced any dire concerns over this app. Sure, social isolation and identity issues are a big problem and this app isn’t helping any. But I suspect this app won’t hurt much either, at least not on large scale. This app could be a flash in the pan, a novelty that disappears as quickly as it surfaced, with no serious damage done. I don’t expect people to download this app, en masse, or start worshipping a robot Jesus through it. Whatever idolatry it might introduce, it would probably be more subtle than that. I do however have one serious objection. This app looks like an easy way to exploit people who are desperate for spiritual connection. It will give people a false sense of spirituality, a facade of religious community, and an artificial framework for their faith. Also, with AI technology trending leftward, this artificial Messiah is destined for a liberal-progressive drift, abandoning the historic Christian faith in the process. There’s no reason to expect this Robot Jesus to be orthodox since it’s build to reflect not direct consumers. All that means Robot Jesus is, at best, a blasphemous mockery of our Risen Lord. But at worst, Robot Jesus is fated to be a progressive cult leader, exploiting lonely, isolated, and spiritually confused people who are so desperate for fellowship they’ll take it from a robot.
There are lots of people who are homebound, sick, injured, handicapped, elderly, or just socially awkward, and this app seems like a misguided attempt for people to feed their spiritual need without Christian community.
If you’re familiar with televangelists from the days of broadcast television, you know that many of them were con artists and charlatans. Lonely homebound elderly folks are some of the most vulnerable targets for screen-based fakery. That pseudo-spirituality preyed on overly trusting people with big pension funds who couldn’t drive to a real church. This app looks to fit that model to a T. It can turn technological innovation into a clever new mode of spiritual exploitation. While the app is a free download, there are paid subscription services that give people access to different AI generated personalities. Even if it’s only $3 a month, that’s still bilking people and giving the a false sense of Christian fellowship and spiritual guidance.
Final Assessment?
On one level this app sounds like an afternoon of game play. I picture a gaggle of mischievous males trying to get Robot Jesus to tell a dirty joke or say something un-Christ-like. Maybe I’ve hear too many false alarms before, but this app just isn’t very alarming to me. Of course it sounds like something to avoid, but not like avoiding a big ravenous threat like sharks or bears. It’s more like avoiding month-old leftovers in the back of the fridge. No need for alarm, just don’t eat it. Throw it out. Yes, this app strikes me as overtly idolatrous – graven images can be digital you know. But idolatry isn’t anything new. A little restraint and discernment will be more useful than alarmism.
If you find yourself wanting to download the app and see if this robot Jesus can give you some good advice, I would strongly caution against it. This is still a FAKE Jesus. So, it’s literal idolatry. It doesn’t matter whether you’re dabbling or serious, whether you have good or bad intentions; nobody should be playing around with idols of any kind. Biblical warnings against idolatry, as a general rule, don’t mention people’s “intentions” (Lev 19:4; 1 John 5:21; etc.). It doesn’t matter what your motives are, messing around with idols is profoundly stupid because it’s insulting to the most powerful, most important, and highest authority there is: God Himself. Oh, and in case you didn’t know, idolatry has no serving size small enough to be safe for consumption.
Cynically, I suspect the primary customer base for this app is the spiritually naïve, lonely, or confused person who want the casual benefits of Christianity without the investment and work that comes from human relationships. If this app manages to defy the odds – most apps fail miserably – and it somehow turns a profit or becomes popular, then my prediction is that it will add monetized features invariably exploiting their customer base, doing more spiritual harm, generating more social isolation, individualism, and weakening spiritual community. Meanwhile, its practical effects will be tepid spiritual counsel which, at its best, is shallow pleasantries and at worst flagrant blasphemy.
Personally, whenever I get an automated messaging system or voice prompt on the phone, I’m doing everything I can to bypass the robo-system so I can talk with a person. I have a hard time imagining why people would opt for intentional fakery in the form of Robot Jesus when they could instead talk with real people who can understand nuance, pick up on social cues, and care about you as a person. You don’t need an app or even a smart phone to talk to Jesus. You can talk with him directly in prayer. And the most reliable way to hear from Him is to read what he’s been trying to tell you in His Word.
Recommended resources related to the topic:
Your Most Important Thinking Skill by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, (mp4) download
Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible by J. Warner Wallace (Paperback), (Investigator’s Guide).
Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)
How to Interpret Your Bible by Dr. Frank Turek DVD Complete Series, INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, and STUDENT Study Guide
How Philosophy Can Help Your Theology by Richard Howe (MP3 Set), (mp4 Download Set), and (DVD Set)
Letters to a Young Progressive by Mike Adams (Book)
Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers (book)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
John is a licensed minister with earned degrees from Charleston Southern (BA), Southern Evangelical Seminary (MDiv), and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (ThM, PhD). His doctorate is in philosophy of religion, minoring in ethics. As a new addition to Crossexamined in 2023, John brings a wealth of experience to the team including debating atheists, preaching the Gospel, teaching apologetics in schools and churches, publishing books and articles, and creating websites. John is also a teaching fellow with Equal Rights Institute and president of Pella Pro-Life in his hometown of Pella, Iowa. There he resides with his lovely and brilliant wife Hillary Ferrer, founder of Mama Bear Apologetics. Together they specialize in cultural apologetics with an emphasis on family-based apologetic training.
The Bible From 30,000 Feet | with Dr. Skip Heitzig
PodcastDo Christians really know the Bible as well as we should? If we’re being honest, reading an ancient set of documents from a culture we don’t understand can be quite intimidating. With that being the case, how exactly should Christians go about getting familiar with the Bible without feeling overwhelmed and discouraged?
With only 19% of church goers consistently reading the Bible on a daily basis, it’s no wonder why so many Christians struggle with biblical literacy. Desiring to counteract these low numbers, Pastor Skip Heitzig of Calvary Church in Albuquerque, NM was moved to write, ‘The Bible from 30,000 Feet: Soaring Through the Scriptures in One Year from Genesis to Revelation‘. In this week’s podcast episode, Frank and Skip discuss why the book has been so successful and how it’s giving Christians the confidence to read the entire Bible in a short timeframe–365 days! They answer questions like:
No matter how often you read the Scriptures, there’s always more to learn, so don’t feel intimidated! If you see Bible study as a daunting task, allow Skip to walk with you through all 66 books within the next year. Knowing God and making Him known means spending sufficient time with His Word, and that’s exactly what this book will help you to accomplish.
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Skip’s website: https://calvarynm.church/connectwithskip/
Skip’s book: http://www.biblefrom30kbook.com/
How Can Jesus Be the Only Way?
PodcastIf God truly is loving, is He obligated to save those who have never heard the Gospel or choose not to accept it? Many non-Christians ask this LOADED question without realizing that it’s a moral question that assumes a moral standard. But with the presence of so many different religions and opposing worldviews, do Christians have the right to maintain such exclusive beliefs?
In this midweek podcast episode, Frank unpacks why Christianity is the ONLY sufficient answer to the problem of evil. While skeptics often criticize Christianity on moral grounds, Frank will discuss how other worldviews fail to provide a solution for all of the world’s moral issues. He tackles questions like:
If the God of the Bible is perfectly just and His standard for righteousness is nothing short of perfection, does anyone (or any other religion) have the ability to meet that standard without relying on a perfect substitute (aka Jesus)? All this and more will be discussed as Frank lays out the plan for salvation according to the Bible.
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Is teaching kids about God child abuse?
Apologetics for ParentsPeople always tell me not to look at the comment section of a social media post. I didn’t listen.
We just promoted the new kid’s curriculum Let’s Get Real: Examining the Evidence for God, based on Turek and Geisler’s best seller: I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist. I anticipated backlash. I know the drill. You post something about God and the evidence that points to His existence and suddenly every atheist saddles up behind their keyboard to tell you why you’re wrong. What I didn’t expect was to be accused of child abuse.
Is teaching kids about God child-abuse?
This isn’t a new accusation against Christians. In Richard Dawkins’s The God Delusion, he asserts that religious indoctrination is child abuse. However, Nicholas Humphrey, a neuropsychologist from Cambridge University, arguably said it first. In his 1997 lecture, “What Shall We Tell The Children,” he said, “In short, children have a right not to have their minds addled by nonsense. And we as a society have a duty to protect them from it. So we should no more allow parents to teach their children to believe, for example, in the literal truth of the Bible, or that the planets rule their lives, than we should allow parents to knock their teeth out or lock them in a dungeon.”
Here, Humphrey equates protecting children from religious indoctrination with protecting them from getting their teeth knocked out by their parents. Both are child abuse. So those who invade the comment sections and accuse parents of child abuse are only repeating what they’ve been indoctrinated with themselves. Although, I’d bet they don’t see it that way.
Christians indoctrinate their kids, but so do atheists.
Whenever I see accusations of child abuse because we are “indoctrinating our kids”, I think to myself, this guy doesn’t understand the meaning of indoctrination. So, let’s define our terms before we move on. “Indoctrination” has a negative connotation, but it didn’t used to. According to Dr. Lawson Murray, the word indoctrination entered the English language in the 17th century. Back then it meant to “teach doctrine.” Doctrines are a set of beliefs and ideas held by a church, political party, and many other groups. According to this definition, we all hold to specific doctrines – including atheists. Not one person is exempt from indoctrination or from indoctrinating others – including Humphrey, Dawkins, and those invading the comment section of a social media post.
It wasn’t until the 19th century that the definition of indoctrination changed to mean pushing an ideological viewpoint. In fact, indoctrination is often equated to brainwashing. You can find a simple definition of indoctrination from the Oxford dictionary which reads, “The process of teaching a person or group to accept a set of beliefs uncritically.” Since that is the definition our current culture uses to define indoctrination, we’re going to roll with it as we examine the claim that indoctrinating kids about God and religion is child abuse.
None of us are neutral.
People who accuse Christians of indoctrination often say we should just let the kids figure out whether or not God exists on their own. That’s a nice thought, but they’re forgetting one thing: the world is not neutral. Everyone has a worldview that is filled with doctrines – things they believe about how the world operates. Everything you watch, read, or listen to comes from the creator’s worldview. Before a belief is adopted, it is first filtered through the mind. Everyone knows this, and they are not neutral about the ideologies they push through these mediums.
A Gen Z’er can’t watch TikTok these days without an elementary school teacher bragging about how her first graders are learning to accept her gay marriage. A teacher cannot open her laptop without getting an email from the teachers’ association on “Pride activities” to do during the month of June (raise your hand if you teach in California). A parent can’t send their kids to school without wondering if their child is going to come back with a new name, new pronouns, or come back at all (see California’s AB957).
If these examples aren’t enough to prove my point, I’ll mention Disney, Netflix, public libraries, and the latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie that made sure to drop a trans flag and an LGBT+ flyer in the background. I don’t think they got the message from the “don’t indoctrinate the kids” crowd.
Richard Dawkins had it right, almost.
In an article by the Daily Mail, Dawkins is reported as saying, “What a child should be taught is that religion exists; that some people believe this and some people believe that.” Wait, that almost sounds like unbiased education – educating a child to examine worldview claims and come to an informed conclusion. Do those who advocate against the religious indoctrination of children provide an honest case for conflicting worldviews? Not quite. As the Daily Mail also reports, “Professor Dawkins said at the festival that children should be taught religion but scorn should be poured on its claims.” Dawkins almost wasn’t hypocritical. Almost.
Why is it okay to indoctrinate kids against religion but not to indoctrinate them with religion?
It’s not only about what you teach but how you teach it.
I’m not here to suggest it’s okay for Christians to indoctrinate anyone. In fact, there is a critical piece of information that makes indoctrination brainwashing. Let’s revisit the definition so we’re on the same page. Indoctrination is “The process of teaching a person or group to accept a set of beliefs uncritically.”
That means we have a responsibility to teach our children and students not only what to believe, but why we believe it. If you only tell your students what to believe but do not teach them how to examine the evidence, scrutinize worldviews (including Christianity), and ask questions, then you are, in essence, indoctrinating them.
To educate rather than indoctrinate, these three components must be an essential part of your teaching technique:
Three Essentials for Education over Indoctrination
1. Question: Every teacher knows that asking questions is one of the best ways to learn. In fact, further examination of the New Testament gospels show Jesus used questions to teach His disciples and the crowds. When Jesus was alone with His disciples, they had the opportunity to ask questions about His teachings, and Jesus took them to deeper depths of knowledge. To indoctrinate means the student is to accept the belief and ideology without question. But God does not require us to accept Christianity without question. If He did, why would Jesus ask so many questions to get people to think, inquire, critique, and examine His words and the world around them?
2. Analyze: To analyze means to carefully understand something, often by breaking it down into smaller easier-to-understand pieces. The Bereans were commended for this in Acts 17 by Luke the historian when he wrote, “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:10-11). A responsible teacher who passes knowledge to another does not expect them to accept what they believe without question. In fact, if any Christian teacher does not expect to be questioned, they shouldn’t be teaching. That’s my personal rule and I’m sticking to it. When we teach students to analyze the information like the Bereans to see whether or not it’s true, we teach our students how to think, not what to think. In other words, we educate, we don’t indoctrinate.
3. Evaluate: To evaluate means to assess the value of something: How good is it? Is it useful? Does it reflect beauty? Is it likely true? The apostle Paul wrote that we are to be careful not to be taken captive by “hollow and deceptive philosophy” (Col 2:8). How do we prevent that? By evaluating opposing worldviews and ideas to see which one best answers the worldview questions. Because they all have to. One of my favorite ways to teach my own kids is to watch secular movies with them and identify the worldview behind each one. We evaluate what is being promoted and why. There is always a problem and the problem has a solution, but does it work? Teaching our students to evaluate opposing worldviews keeps us on the side of educating them rather than indoctrinating them.
Secular Neutrality is a Myth
Just like everyone has a worldview, everyone has a belief about God. They either believe He exists or they don’t. They’re either with Jesus or they’re against Him. And everyone is coming from a worldview that is embedded into everything they write, post, sing, or film. And embedded throughout each of these mediums are doctrines – what they believe about how the world operates. They aren’t neutral about it.
So, is teaching your kids about God child abuse?
It’s no more a myth than when an atheist teaches them God doesn’t exist. The real question is, if you believe you have the truth, why not teach your students to question, analyze, and evaluate all worldviews and give them the tools to make an informed decision?
Recommended
Resources Related to this Topic
Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)
Your Most Important Thinking Skill by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, (mp4) download
How Philosophy Can Help Your Theology by Richard Howe (DVD Set, Mp3, and Mp4)
When Reason Isn’t the Reason for Unbelief by Dr. Frank Turek DVD and Mp4
Can All Religions Be True? mp3 by Frank Turek
Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl (Book)
Stealing From God by Dr. Frank Turek (Book, 10-Part DVD Set, STUDENT Study Guide, TEACHER Study Guide)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Shanda Fulbright is a credentialed teacher and has a certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, a certificate from the CrossExamined Instructor’s Academy as well as several certificates from Online Christian Courses. She hosts Her Faith Inspires podcast where she takes cultural issues and aligns them to biblical truth. You can read her blogs and find out more about her at shandafulbright.com.
Hijacking Jesus | with Jason Jimenez
PodcastWhat do you call a Christian that denies the Virgin Birth, the Divinity of Christ, the Second Coming, miracles, the Atonement, and the Resurrection? They’re called “Progressive” Christians. But if a person rejects the essentials of the faith, are they progressing, or regressing? And are they even Christians at all?
The level of confusion and distorted views that many professing “Christians” have about Jesus are quite shocking. So shocking in fact, that Frank’s guest, Jason Jimenez, was inspired to write his new book ‘Hijacking Jesus: How Progressive Christians Are Remaking Him and Taking Over His Church‘. In this week’s podcast episode, Frank and Jason expose the blatant inconsistencies within Progressive Christianity and share how YOU can defend the faith against this false movement, answering questions like:
In their attempt to redefine and reimagine Jesus, Progressive Christians leave the door wide open for glaring contradictions within their own worldview. Listen as Jason will encourage Christians NOT to let these so-called progressive thinkers get away with mischaracterizing the Jesus of Scripture into their own personal, non-historical, and unbiblical Jesus 2.0. You’re not only going to hear where they go wrong, but you’ll also receive GOOD theology that will affirm what all Christians should believe.
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Jason’s new book: https://a.co/d/1Ou8cxf
Are Christians Too Involved in Politics?
PodcastHave you ever noticed that most of the disputes we have in our culture and even in the church, are morality based? Whether it’s abortion, marriage, transgenderism, climate change, vaccines, sexuality, etc., they all have to do with some standard of morality. The question is, what standard are we using to make our assessments on those moral issues?
In this midweek podcast episode, Frank reviews two controversial articles from the New York Post regarding a lawsuit imposed on The Chino Valley Unified School District by California’s Attorney General, Rob Bonta, who wants to block parents from being notified if their child begins to identify as transgender. As Frank reads the shocking details of this case, he’ll answer questions like:
Later in the episode, Frank discusses how Greg Koukl helped his wife take a stand at a school board meeting several years ago, and also highlights the real-life horror story of a detransitioner. After this episode, be sure to pick up your copy of the newly updated and expanded, ‘Correct, Not Politically Correct: About Same-Sex Marriage and Transgenderism‘, where Frank exposes the catastrophic consequences of homosexuality and transgender ideology based solely on evidence and reason (void of religion).
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Resources mentioned during the episode:
California school board battle: https://bit.ly/3PusQsl
CA Attorney General Rob Bonta vs. The Chino Valley Unified school district: https://bit.ly/44K4C1q
Greg Koukl’s school board letter: https://bit.ly/3EwaUr6
Dangerous Homefront, part 2: NT Prooftexts we Know and Love
1. Does Truth Exist?, 4. Is the NT True?In part 1 of this series, we looked at a few Old Testament passages that people often misinterpret. In part 2 we shift to the New Testament. It’s worth noting that sometimes the error is just an innocent mistake. It’s not always from bad intentions, or false teachers, or heretical theology. Sometimes there are malicious forces at work here, but often it’s just well-meaning people getting confused about what the Bible says. The list of verses below is just a sample of commonly misinterpreted texts. There are many more too choose from, but I’m willing to bet that if you are a church-goer you’ve heard at least one of these misinterpretations before.
Matthew 7:1
This is perhaps the most quoted verse of Scripture surpassing even John 3:16. The love of God is succinctly portrayed in the one-verse Gospel message of John 3:16 and this was considered a beautiful redeeming truth to be shared and enjoyed – perhaps more than any other verse until now. In recent times, the most prized message in Scripture is more often to abstain from “passing judgment.” So Matthew 7:1 has risen in popularity. But this anti-judgement verse does not promise freedom from judgment. For all will eventually be judged by God (Revelation 20:11-15). Nor does it even disbar judgment between believers (Matt. 18:15-20; 1 Cor. 5:12-13; 1 Tim. 1:20). Rather, in context, this verse cautions against hypocrisy. The immediate passage following this one chastises hypocrites who attempt to remove a speck from another man’s eye when all the time there is a plank in his own (Matt. 7:1-5). This verse communicates a boomerang effect to one’s actions consistent with the rest of the Sermon the Mount – and this verse is part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).[1]. Scripture encourages Christians to judge sin, at least among believers – “let judgment begin with the church” (1 Peter 4:17). Now, Christians shouldn’t be condemning other people to hell, or acting on their own initiative (individually) to disbar people from becoming Christians. In those senses Christians “shouldn’t judge.” But Matthew 7:1 isn’t saying to never judge anyone else, it’s saying to never judge in this hypocritical and condemning ways. We should still use judgment to exercise church discipline, to administer righteous verdicts and punishments, to recognize and extinguish sin, to distinguish between truth and error, discern between wise and unwise, and identify good and evil.
Matthew 10:28
The problem that rides on this verse is that Satan gets too much credit. One may think, from this verse, that Satan is the one to fear, the one who can “destroy both soul and body in hell.” This misunderstanding seems to be more the product of poor theology than malicious exegesis. For the One who is truly Lord over Hell is not Satan but God (1 Chron. 29:11-14; Ps. 103:19). God is sovereign over everything—hell included. Satan is but a prisoner; God is the warden (Job 1:6-12; Rev. 20:1-3, 10). God is to be feared above all else, above even Satan.
Matthew 18:19-20
This little passage is one of the most victimized in all of Scripture. First, this verse is often used to justify all shades of “health and wealth” theology, namely the belief that God must give believers whatever they ask (no matter how self-centered it may be) as long as they ask God in groups. The second offense is a little more innocent. Christians often quote verse twenty as an invocation of God’s presence be it at prayer meetings, worship services, or whatever else. The answer to both of these problems is, again, context. Matthew 18:15-20 is about church discipline. And the reason the numbers “two or three” are mentioned is because those are the numbers of witnesses that would testify in the case of a legal or religious offense. To prevent “he said she said” arguments, two or three witnesses were brought forth to establish trustworthy testimony (Deut. 17:6; 19:15; 2 Cor. 13:1; 1 Tim. 5:19; Hebr. 10:28). Moreover, since only God has the ultimate authority to judge (Deut. 32:39; Rom. 12:19), any human judgment over other men was to be done with God’s conferred authority. And in these verses we see God conferring His authority for judgment only to groups of believers, that is, to a church, the “body of Christ.” God’s presence to creation is a universal fact (Ps 139:7-12; Jer. 23:23-24; Acts 17:27-28). So, He hardly needs to be invoked at prayer meetings or at church services (recognized, yes, but not invoked). His presence is mentioned here in reference to His conferring authority to believers for the exercising of judgment within the church.
Revelation 3:15-16
These verses do not mean that God prefers spiritual coldness (disbelief, hostility, inactivity, uselessness) to lukewarm spirituality (hypocrisy, casual Christianity). That interpretation would mean that God wills disbelief (or hostility, inactivity). Thus God not only permits disbelief, but He prefers it. That is, He wants it. This idea is dangerous enough in that it suggest that God is guilty of evil, but it also presents a stiff challenge to Scriptures such as 1 Timothy 2:4 which says, “[God] wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” Such a misinterpretation also suffers contextual blindness. John was addressing the wealthy Church of Laodicea which was inconveniently located south of Heiropolos, known for its therapeutic hot springs, and north of Colossae with its cold refreshing waters.[2] Laodicea, not having an adequate water source of its own brought water in from these outside sources. Thus the water they acquired was lukewarm and dirty by the time it reached them. John, therefore, is drawing the contrast between the therapeutic hot springs and the revitalizing cold springs–both good options–and between these two is the feted lukewarm water of Laodicea.
Revelation 3:20
This verse is usually treated as an evangelistic invitation, however the context reveals that John is still talking to the Church at Laodicea. That is, John is addressing believers. This knocking and calling is not unto salvation, for that much is already assured to these believers. Instead the invitation is to a deeper fellowship with God.
Stay tuned for Parts 3 in this series!
Endnotes
[1] This boomerang affect is visible in Matthew 6:14-15, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (See also Matt. 7:2, 12).
[2] Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation Rev. Ed. in The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998), 109-10.
Recommended resources related to the topic:
Counter Culture Christian: Is the Bible True? by Frank Turek (Mp3), (Mp4), and (DVD)
The New Testament: Too Embarrassing to Be False by Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3, and Mp4)
Why We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth by Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3 and Mp4)
Oh, Why Didn’t I Say That? Is the Bible Historically Reliable? by Dr. Frank Turek DVD, Mp4, Mp3 Download.
How to Interpret Your Bible by Dr. Frank Turek DVD Complete Series, INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, and STUDENT Study Guide
How Philosophy Can Help Your Theology by Richard Howe (MP3 Set), (mp4 Download Set), and (DVD Set)
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John is a licensed minister with earned degrees from Charleston Southern (BA), Southern Evangelical Seminary (MDiv), and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (ThM, PhD). His doctorate is in philosophy of religion, minoring in ethics. As a new addition to Crossexamined in 2023, John brings a wealth of experience to the team including debating atheists, preaching the Gospel, teaching apologetics in schools and churches, publishing books and articles, and creating websites. John is also a teaching fellow with Equal Rights Institute and president of Pella Pro-Life in his hometown of Pella, Iowa. There he resides with his lovely and brilliant wife Hillary Ferrer, founder of Mama Bear Apologetics. Together they specialize in cultural apologetics with an emphasis on family-based apologetic training.
Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/3r0C5qp
How to Handle a Faith That is Set Adrift | with Dr. Sean McDowell
PodcastWhen a fellow Christian confides in you that they’re “deconstructing”, what do you say and what kind of advice do you give them? Or even worse, what if YOU aren’t sure what to believe anymore? It can be normal to wrestle with lingering doubts, but this slow and steady process of disillusionment often causes many people in our culture today to completely walk away from the truth of the Christian faith. So when this happens, what’s the best way to help someone tackle those doubts without shipwrecking the saving grace of Jesus Christ?
Our friend and Biola apologetics professor, Dr. Sean McDowell, is no stranger to struggling with doubt. In this week’s podcast episode, Sean joins Frank to talk about overcoming his own season of deconstruction and how his new book (co-authored with John Marriott), ‘Set Adrift: Deconstructing What You Believe Without Sinking Your Faith‘ can help others learn how to deconstruct in a safe way. During the episode, Sean and Frank address questions like:
Being the son of one of the most well-known and well-respected Christian apologists, Josh McDowell, didn’t stop Sean from questioning if Christianity is really true. If you’re in the process of deconstruction, what’s your angle? Are you searching for the truth or avoiding it? Listen as Sean will encourage you to approach self-doubt with reconstruction as the end goal, allowing truth to reign supreme.
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Sean’s new book: https://a.co/d/iJeEHRc
The ONE Attribute That Heals Relationships | with J. Warner Wallace
PodcastWhat’s the ONE attribute that has the power to change your life, your relationships, and your career? In this midweek episode, homicide detective and best-selling author, J. Warner Wallace returns to talk about the healing power of humility and how he and his wife Susie are helping police officers save their marriages and recover from past trauma with help from the Gospel and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
Listen as Jim and Frank tackle questions like:
This unique and fascinating conversation is a great reminder that we can face any trauma or tragedy that comes our way when we place our identity and faith in Jesus Christ. It will also open your eyes to some of the unique challenges that police officers face both in their home life and in the line of duty. We hope it blesses you and you’ll share the episode with friends and loved ones who might benefit from hearing this very important message.
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
The L.E.A.P. Program: https://bit.ly/3EhvJGm
Order the UPDATED and EXPANDED ‘Cold-Case Christianity’: http://coldcasechristianitybook.com/
The New and Improved Cold-Case Christianity | with J. Warner Wallace
Podcast“You can’t trust the New Testament writers because they were Christians!” How many times have you heard that objection? Atheists and skeptics often claim that the life of Jesus has been embellished throughout the centuries and that the eyewitness testimonies recorded in the Gospels are biased. But is it reasonable to believe that the New Testament authors were motivated to create or exaggerate the resurrection story for their own benefit?
In 2013, homicide detective turned Christian apologist, J. Warner Wallace, released the now modern-day apologetics classic, ‘Cold-Case Christianity’, to address those questions and it changed lives around the world! But how could a book as great as ‘Cold-Case Christianity’ be made even better? This week on the podcast, Jim talks to Frank about why he’s releasing an updated and expanded edition of the book for its 10th anniversary while also answering questions like:
If you loved the first edition of ‘Cold-Case Christianity’, you’ll DEFINITELY want to get your hands on the newest version with 300 new illustrations, bonus sections (including a cool new section on archaeology), as well as a new afterword responding to 12 of the most commonly asked questions about the reliability of the New Testament. And if you pre-order your special edition copy of ‘Cold-Case Christianity’ TODAY, you’ll also receive a FREE digital copy along with a boatload of bonus resources!
To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It’s the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry.
You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE.
Pre-order the UPDATED and EXPANDED ‘Cold-Case Christianity’: http://coldcasechristianitybook.com/