Unbelievable?

From February 2015: Following atheist Stephen Fry's viral anti-God video, the question of how a good God could allow suffering has come into focus again. Justin is joined by Christian philosopher Vince Vitale, author of "Why Suffering?" as he debates the issues with atheist think Julian Baggini. To watch Justin's own response to Stephen Fry: https://youtu.be/klPr708VWDk To watch the video of this debate: https://youtu.be/GgCiEftlNy4 For Vince Vitale: www.theocca.org For John Loftus: www.microphilosophy.net • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

Unbelievable takes on the often-misunderstood topic of deconstruction in the sense of deconstructing Christian faith or becoming exvangelical is another phrase you might have come across. It refers to a process, some would say a movement, where individuals critically examine their beliefs, doctrines, and assumptions about Christianity. It often involves re-evaluating traditional interpretations of scripture, exploring different theological perspectives, and grappling with doubts and uncertainties.   Many proponents of deconstruction argue that it can lead to a deeper and more authentic faith by shedding outdated or harmful beliefs and embracing a more personal and nuanced understanding of spirituality. Critics, on the other hand, express concerns that deconstruction can result in a crisis of one's most foundational beliefs crumble beneath them.   But is this at all surprising? With failures of the church to reflect Jesus, with abuse by Christian leaders in the news daily, where is one to turn? Will deconstruction take you deeper? Or will it destroy your belief altogether? Vince Vitale hosts this week, and his guests are Olivia Jackson author of (un) Certain A Collective Memoir of Deconstructing Faith and Preston Ulmer, founder of The Doubters Club and author of Deconstruct Faith Discover Jesus -  how questioning your religion can lead you to a healthy and holy God Olivia's book https://www.amazon.co.uk/Certain-Collective-Memoir-Deconstructing-Faith/dp/0334063639 Preston's book https://www.amazon.co.uk/Preston-Ulmer/e/B098F92CQY/ref=aufs_dp_mata_dsk https://www.instagram.com/ptulmer/ https://www.thedoubtersclub.com/startyourowndc • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

From January 2015: In a continuation of last week’s show David Marshall & John Loftus continue to debate whether Christianity is rationally tenable and unique among world religions. David Marshall author of ‘Why Jesus Passes the Outsider Test’, argues that Christianity uniquely fulfils the hopes and desires of all religious searching. • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

More Christians are killed in Nigeria than in any other country in the world. According to the charity Open Doors almost nine in ten of the more than 5,600 Christians murdered worldwide during 2022 were in Nigeria. A report by the British Parliament, Nigeria: Unfolding Genocide? Three Years On, was released this week, and highlights the massacres. ‘When will the world wake up to the persecution of Nigerian Christians?’, asked a lone headline in the The Spectator magazine. Few other news outlets paid attention. This week, Unbelievable host Roger Bolton speaks to Archdeacon Hassan John, an Anglican minister from Jos in northern Nigeria who has lived through much of the violence. A former journalist, he is now a church leader and campaigner for religious liberty, who tries to bring reconciliation between Christians and Muslims in the region. Hassan recalls harrowing tales of near-miss encounters with Islamic extremists and on-going anti-Christian violence which continues to tear apart communities. He also discusses how he and other Christians attempt to work with Muslim in their communities to prevent the violence. The Unbelievable conversation will help listeners understand the complexity of the situation of Nigeria and beyond, as well as asking some of the bigger questions facing Christians being persecuted for their faith worldwide. Is it ever acceptable for Christians to respond to persecution with violence? How can Christians ever practice forgiveness and love for enemies who have killed or harmed their family and friends? And, more broadly, why does the Western media ignore the story in places like Nigeria? • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

From January 2015: Atheist John Loftus has challenged Christians with the 'Outsider Test of Faith'. He believes that if Christians examined their own faith with the same level of scepticism they do other faiths, they would reject it. Christian guest David Marshall is the author of 'How Jesus Passes the Outsider Test'. A resident of China, he debates Loftus, examining why, among other factors, the global success of Christianity means that it passes the Test. • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

The Big Conversation - Episode 3 | Season 5 It’s a widely held view that science and religion are in conflict, including and perhaps especially over how they approach one of life's most fundamental questions: what does it mean to be human? But is that really the case, and do we need to rethink how we’ve been seeking the answer, at a time when we seemingly need more clarity over humanity's identity than ever before? Atheist science writer and broadcaster Philip Ball, author of The Book of Minds: Understanding Ourselves and Other Beings, From Animals to Aliens, engages with Christian academic Nick Spencer, Senior Fellow at Theos and author of Magisteria: The Entangled Histories of Science & Religion. • For bonus content, updates and more shows sign up at: http://www.thebigconversation.show • Take our survey! https://survey-star.co.uk/ballandspencer The Big Conversation is a video series from Premier Unbelievable? featuring world-class thinkers across the religious and non-religious community. Exploring science, faith, philosophy and what it means to be human. The Big Conversation is produced by Premier Unbelievable? in partnership with John Templeton Foundation. • For Philip Ball: https://www.philipball.co.uk • For Philip Ball's "second brain" project: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/technology/40960/why-im-growing-a-second-brain • For Nick Spencer: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/03/02/magisteria-the-entangled-histories-of-science-and-religion • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training-and-events • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

From January 2015: The term 'Humanism' is often seen as synonymous with atheism. But a Theos report titled: 'The case for Christian Humanism: why Christians should be Humanists and Humanists should be Christians' claimed to show that atheism is ill-equipped to support the fundamental tenets of Humanism. Report author Angus Ritchie debated with atheist philosopher Stephen Law on whether atheistic humanism can account for the human dignity, morality and reason it espouses. For the Theos report: www.theosthinktank.co.uk For Stephen Law's response: click here • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

Even in a time of culture wars and controversy about everything, there are few subjects as difficult to discuss as transgender rights. In less than a decade the number of young people identifying as trans has exploded, and with it the number of arguments about the subject.  In British schools nearly 80% of teachers report trans-identified or non-binary students in their classroom.  Supporters say being trans is innate, like being gay, and that this is like the gay-rights movement of 30 years ago, with lots of trans kids coming out of the closet to be themselves. Critics say being trans is not innate and that many kids are identifying as the opposite sex because it is cool, and because they are being indoctrinated by a new ideology, fed to them on social media and by activist teachers.  The debates have become most heated when it comes to actual medical transitioning.  In all of the disagreement, what frequently gets lost is the need for compassion for anyone struggling with dysphoria. But how far should compassion go? Should it allow any teenager who says they are trans to medically transition? What about the increasing number of studies showing that many such kids have other serious mental-health issues?   Laura Perry Smalts who was born female, and lived as a young man for almost 9 years. She took cross-sex hormones for years and had two major surgeries. She now regrets ever having done it, has detransitioned, and wants to warn others of the dangers. She is here to tell her story.  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Transgender-Transformed-Story-Transition-Truly/dp/1933591307 This is a helpful article on the Living Out website on how to parent a child who is questioning their gender identity https://www.livingout.org/resources/articles/111/parenting-a-child-questioning-their-gender-identityThe Bayswater Support group helps parents whose children have some form of transgender of nonbinary identity https://www.bayswatersupport.org.ukA quick guide to the issue written for the Christian Medical Fellowship https://www.cmf.org.uk/resources/publications/content/?context=article&id=27357The Society for Evidence-based Gender Medicine https://segm.orgTransgender Trend campaign against medical interventions for gender-questioning children https://www.transgendertrend.comGenspect is an international coalition of professionals and others critical of transgender treatment for gender dysphoria https://genspect.orgThe Clinical Advisory Network on Sex and Gender https://can-sg.org/ • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

From January 2015. In 1960 physicist Eugene Wigner wrote a paper on the ‘unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics’. Christian philosopher William (Bill) Lane Craig was developing arguments concerning the ‘applicability’ of mathematics as evidence for God as part of his wider research on abstract objects. Bill interacted with atheist/agnostic philosopher Daniel Came on whether the remarkable ability of maths to describe the universe we live in is evidence for a transcendent designer. • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow

From Porn Star to Pastor: Joshua Broome's Journey of Redemption Joshua Broome in conversation with Billy Hallowell This week Premier Unbelievable delves into the extraordinary life transformation of Joshua Broome. In this gripping interview we unravel the tale of a man who reached the pinnacle of fame and fortune in the adult film industry, only to be left empty, broken, and yearning for something more.  The interview has much to say to those struggling with addiction to porn, those caught up in creating it and those wondering what to do about its growing influence on our society. “I was one of the most successful adult film stars in the world," says Broome. "I obtained fame, wealth, and travelled the world all to find out that none of those would fill the emptiness in my heart. Then, I found Jesus."   Billy Hallowell, host of Unbelievable?, peels back the layers of Joshua's remarkable journey, from his meteoric rise to be one of the top five male porn stars, with over 1,000 movies under his belt and numerous accolades, to his haunting realisation that success alone couldn't fill the void within his soul. Joshua describes 2012, the year he won male porn performer of the year, as the worst year of his life.  Discover how Joshua found redemption in Jesus which led him eventually to become a pastor. Through his own experiences, he shares profound insights on how we can confront our past actions, and any shame attached to them, to embrace forgiveness and find true fulfilment. It’s a transformative personal narrative, which offers hope to those wanting to escape the grip of pornography, as well as a warning about the broader dangers of porn within society. https://www.joshuabroome.me/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/iamjoshuabroome/?hl=en If you would like someone to talk to about anything that has affected you by this show, please call Premier Lifeline our confidential helpline offering a listening ear, and emotional and spiritual support. We are open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday on 0300 111 0101 If you are interested to take action to end sexual exploitation in UK go to Centre to End Sexual Exploitation If pornography harmed you go to Expose the Harm For resources in the USA go to National Center on Sexual Exploitation If you are a parent concerned about your child's access to hypersexualised media and porn go to Culture Reframed • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate