Truth and Religion
On Living without Religion, Granting Equal Rights to Plants, and Knowing when not to Cry
The Don Johnson Show, 5-2-11 Osama bin Laden, Hell, and Atheism This part of the conversation includes a reference to Ross Douthat's defense of hell in the New York Times. Living without Religion is out to convince people that atheists can hope, care, and love just...
College Education and the Rise of the Village Atheist
The Don Johnson Show, 4-11-11 "New atheists" such as Daniel Dennett and Christopher Hitchens like to portray themselves as academically and intellectually superior to Christians. Does this claim stand up to scrutiny? Don and Brandon talk about that in reference last...
Liam Neeson on Aslan and the Apostle Paul on Election
The Don Johnson Show, 12-6-10 Liam Neeson thinks Aslan stands for Mohammed, Buddha, and "other great spiritual leaders" as well as Jesus. Does Romans 9 support the view that God predestines some for salvation and others for damnation? Don offers an interpretation, and...
The Problem with being “Spritual but not Religious”
The Don Johnson Show, 5-3-10 Don and Brandon analyze the popular notion that we should be "spiritual but not religious" and suggest some problems with it. They also discuss how the God of the Bible uses "religion" to bring people into loving relationship with him....
How Not to Think About Religion
The Don Johnson Show, 3-8-10 A Christian asks Christopher Hitchens a silly question. Mosab Hassan Yousef understands the difference between Islam and Christianity much more clearly than Brad Hirschfield does. Susan K. Smith proselytizes for a religion that claims we...
The Explanatory Power of the Christian Worldview and Intellectual Weakness of Mainstream Media Religion Writers
The Don Johnson Show, 11-30-09 Brandon shares about the apologetic limitations of 30 minute conversations with one's maintenance man. James the Magician hosts a much more effective and entertaining apologetic presentation in Wales this week. Don clarifies some points...
Debate with Aaron the Agnostic about The Problem of Evil
The Don Johnson Show, 8-3-09 Don and Brandon talk again with caller Aaron, this time about what the existence of evil in the world tells us about whether or not God exists and what he is like if he does.
This is Your Mind on New Age Mysticism
I realize that I may be the only that finds the self-refuting nonsense of new-age inspirational writers hilarious, but this heading to a Living Life Fully Daily Meditation made me laugh out loud:Today's Quotation: A cup is useful only when it is empty; and a mind...
“Let Me Tell You Something I Know For Sure: I Don’t Know Anything For Sure”
I got this funny and insightful email from listener Pete. A few years ago Deepak Chopra appeared on Lee Strobel's TV program "Faith Under Fire" opposite Christian apologist Greg Koukl to talk about the "future of faith." Perhaps you guys have seen it… a very...
The Fire
Discussion with “Wolfinator” about Tolerance and the Road to Heaven
The Don Johnson Show, 3-2-09 Don and Brandon spend most of this show talking with caller "Wolfinator" about whether or not all spiritual paths lead to Heaven, among a few other things.
Bigots, Pro-Christian Atheists and More
The Don Johnson Show, 1-8-09 Christopher Hitchens thinks Christians are bigots for believing some people go to hell. Heather Mac Donald doesn't think they are, because they must not really believe that whole hell thing. ABC News doesn't know the difference between a...
Irrational Mormons and Neural Buddhists
The Don Johnson Show 6-5-08 Don and Brandon respond to a Mormon listener who argues that it is wrong to demand rationality and reasonableness from religion. Sharon Stone blamed the Chinese earthquakes on karma. Why are people so upset? David Brooks thinks the evidence...
Shopping for Religion is the Wrong Approach
I submitted the following article to a local paper as part of a book promotion and speaking trip to Canada this past weekend. I don't think they printed the article, but I did get an interesting interview which resulted in a short story that ran today. When I first...
Silliness from an Episcopal Bishop
When asked to comment on Rod Parsley's assertion that Islam was a "false religion" Episcopal Bishop of Washington John Bryson Chane offered this bit of nonsense: "If Islam is a "false religion" then so too must Christianity and...
The Easter Bunny, Jeremiah Wright, Margaret Sanger and More
The Don Johnson Show 3-20-08 The disturbing trend among preachers to consult their DVD collection for sermon ideas before going to the Bible. Hot-cross buns and reincarnation milk: taking a look at Danny Katz's critique of religion. Does one have to believe the...
Religion and Ignorance, Virtue and Freedom
The Don Johnson Show, 3-13-08 Is American ignorance and anti-intellectualism due to religion, as Susan Jacoby argues, or is it actually due to a rejection of God, as Don and Brandon argue. San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom offers an example of irrationality. Recycle or...
A Society that No Longer Believes in the Multiplication Table
Regis Nicoll explains "Why Johnny Can't Multiply." It also explains why Johnny can't think rightly about even more important matters, like "What is true about the nature of reality?"
Of Course Christians Want Everyone to Convert
Jewish talk show host Dennis Prager does a great job of answering the charge that Ann Coulter's desire to see Jews converted to Christianity is anti-Semitic. Coulter may not be the world's most sophisticated, accurate, or articulate theologian (Christianity is...
The Theology of George Bush, Barack Obama, and Whoopi Goldberg
The Don Johnson Show, 10-11-07 Topics include: A short review of last week's show with Sigfried, comparing the different approaches to epistemology. George W. Bush's assertion that Christians and Muslims worship the same god. Don answers some questions from caller...
Confusion Abounds
David Limbaugh assesses the weak theological and moral musings of George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Whoopi Golberg in this good article.
The Real Issue is Truth
This weeks question at the On Faith website is "What is the difference between a religion and a cult? What constitutes a real religion?" Chuck Colson absolutely nails the answer by pointing out that the real issue is truth.Read his entire response here.
Proper Discrimination, Conception Day, Madonna, Sarah Silverman and More
The Don Johnson Show, 9-20-07 Topics include: Caller Daniel talks about atheist arguments for morality. Some priests in Britain are facing charges of discrimination for saying Hinduism is false. Madonna, the "ambassador for Judaism." Conception day in Russia Sarah...
What is Wrong with Saying “Hinduism is False?”
Interesting story from Britain: A Hindu organization in Britain is planning to challenge the ban on yoga classes by two churches on the grounds that it breaches the country's Equality Act 2006. Last week, priests at the Silver Street Baptist Church and St James'...
Faith, Evidence, Rewards and Ala
The Don Johnson Show, 9-13-07 Don discusses some misconceptions about he Christian definition of faith and talks with a couple of callers, including Ala, who is convinced that two people can believe contradictory propositions about the nature of reality and both be...