

Truth Tribe with Douglas Groothuis
Douglas Groothuis
Truth Tribe with Douglas Groothuis is a podcast dedicated to finding the truth through reason, and evidence about what matters most. Our subjects include how to defend the Christian faith (through apologetics), biblical ethics, and social issues.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 1, 2024 • 13min
9 Common Mistakes Made By Critics of Intelligent Design
In my many years of studying and defending Intelligent Design (ID), I have noticed at least nine common mistakes made by critics. These errors disallow a proper evaluation of ID theories as scientific explanations. Much of the ink spilled in opposition to ID can be erased by noting these fallacies. Most if not all of these mistakes are mentioned in Stephen Meyer’s stellar defense of ID, called Return of the God Hypothesis (Harper One, 2021). 1. Critics of ID claim that genuine science is intrinsically naturalistic, and thus ignore the history of science in the West, which was decisively influenced by a Christian worldview. That is, they assume methodological naturalism, which automatically freezes out the design inference. 2. They dismiss ID arguments because they are offered by religious people. This is the ad hominem fallacy and begs the question, another fallacy. 3. They place ID explanation in the category of bogus supernaturalism, such as fairies, gnomes, goblins, etc. This is the fallacy of guilt by association. Fairies, gnomes, and goblins explain nothing and there is no evidence of their objective existence. 4. If a naturalistic explanation is not available (such as for the origin of life on earth or the Cambrian explosion), instead of considering a design explanation, they claim that it is only a matter of time until a naturalistic explanation is found. Give us time, they ask, while not considering the ID explanation before them. This commits the fallacy of begging the question. To those who remember checking, this is the “post-dated check fallacy.” I will have the funds in the future. Trust me. But future funds can purchase nothing, let alone a sufficient explanation. 5. They misstate ID theories and then attack a straw man (fallacy). Lawrence Kraus and Richard Dawkins accuse Stephen Meyer of wrongly stating that natural selection is “random” in the sense of being haphazard. But Meyer meant “random” in the sense of undesigned. There is a mechanical logic to natural selection that is not random; but on naturalistic grounds, the elements that went into natural selection occurring at all (such as the irreducibly informational aspects, which naturalists cannot explain) are undesigned and random in that way. 6. They claim that if ID explanations are allowed, this will introduce a “divine foot in the door” (Richard Lewontin) which will wreck science (somehow). This is the straw man fallacy, since Stephen Meyer and William Dembski have articulated ID as a bona fide scientific theory. 7. They make the accusation that ID appeals to “the god of the gaps.” They substitute the “matter of the gaps” assumption (begging the question on naturalism) and deny that ID gives a bona fide explanation based on hard evidence and reliable means of argumentation (usually inference to the best explanation or Bayesian probability considerations). This is the straw man fallacy. 8. They offer alternatives to ID that end up assuming unexplained information, such as the RNA world and inflationary-string multiverse theory. If so, they have not eliminated the original explanation by naturalistic devices. 9. They present naturalistic explanations that are full of extraneous explanatory entities, such as the multiverse theory. This violates the principle of simplicity in explanation. As I state in Christian Apologetics: Criterion 8. Worldviews should not appeal to extraneous entities or be more complex than is required to explain what they propose to establish.[i] These nine mistakes are commonly advanced by critics of ID, but there may be other general errors in evaluation. Any fair evaluation of ID should shun these nine mistakes and assess the various ID theories on their own merits. Groothuis, Douglas. Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith (pp. 50-51). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Dec 25, 2023 • 11min
What Christmas Means to Me
The beloved Christian writer and defender of Christianity, C. S. Lewis, wrote an essay called, “What Christmas Means to Me” in 1957, my birth year. I am stealing his title, but cannot claim his literary standing; nor is my essay much like his, Nevertheless, the musings of another old Christian philosopher about a Christian holiday we cannot avoid might prove worthwhile. They can even help civilize our public discourse, since religious positions can be rationally defended and discussed. It is part of human nature to observe festivals and holidays. In that, we are unique among the living. We were born to work, rest, and celebrate. Some of these events are foisted upon us and some we choose for ourselves. Observant Jews celebrate the Sabbath, while others do not and are not expected to. Christians attend services on Sundays, but that is their choice. But Christmas is a national holiday, and we are all caught up in it in some way, for good or ill. Of course, Christ-mas traces back to Christ, although that may not always be obvious given the symbology and commercialism we face daily for weeks… As an academic, I have been given time to study, teach, and write on my religious beliefs, but many do not have or take the time. Nevertheless, when we consider the highly contentious nature of public disagreements about religion and morality (which seldom rise to the level of debates or dialogues), we should consider the rational support for any given position, religious or otherwise, and realize that some Christians have reasons for their deepest beliefs which can be publicly and profitably discussed. Christmas can be a prod to think all this over. After a lifetime of research, I, for one, continue to worship Jesus, as did the wise men of the first Christmas so long ago. Douglas Groothuis, Ph.D., is a Professor of Philosophy at Denver Seminary and the author of nineteen books, including Fire in the Streets (a critique of critical race theory or wokeness) and Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith. Find more from Dr. Groothuis at www.DouglasGroothuis.com. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Dec 18, 2023 • 23min
Can We Find the Community We Crave in Virtual Communities?
This podcast is excerpts from the chapter, “Exploring Virtual Community”, chapter eight, from Douglas Groothuis, The Soul in Cyberspace (Baker, 1997). I have added some commentary along the way. 1. The need for civility2. Computers, love. and community3. “On the Internet, nobody knows you are a dog.”4. Cyberspace, Sensibilities, and Community On the philosophy of the Internet, see also Quentin Schulz, Habits of the High Tech Heart. On the philosophy of technology in general, see Neil Postman, Technopoly. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Dec 11, 2023 • 22min
What You Need to Know about Marxism
It is not name-calling to say that the roots of CRT are found in Marxism. But the issue goes deeper. To some, the label “Marxism” or “Marxist” means little or nothing, since they are ignorant of the philosophy’s origins, teachings, and outcomes. This is true for many who did not live as adults through any part of the Cold War between the US and the USSR (1947–1991). This is the generation that knew not Joseph (Stalin).2 It is largely ignorant about Communism, the ideology that has controlled China and North Korea since 1949, Cuba since 1961, Laos since 1975, and Vietnam since 1976.3 This means 1.5 billion people are currently enslaved by Marxism. [Groothuis, Douglas R.. Fire in the Streets: How You Can Confidently Respond to Incendiary Cultural Topics (p. 3). Salem Books. Kindle Edition.] Marx’s debauched life and love of rebellion, inspired by demonic themes. See Paul Kengor, The Devil and Karl Marx (Tan Books, 2020). Basic Marxist Ideas Marx’s atheism, which undermines all value and his own philosophy. Marx rejected all religion as oppressive. On his rejection of religion, see Douglas Groothuis, Christian Apologetics, 2nd (InterVarsity-Academic, 2022), pages 378-382. History as class-struggle. The call for revolution, not reform, of society. The vision of a future utopia fueled Marx’s false philosophy. For more on Marxism, see Thomas Sowell, Marxism: Philosophy and Economics (William Morrow, 1985) and Fred Schwarz, You Can Trust the Communists to be Communists (Prentice-Hall, 1960). Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Dec 4, 2023 • 18min
The Case Against Reparations
This podcast is taken from Douglas Groothuis, Fire in the Streets (Salem, 2022). Even if we grant that the free-enterprise system has done a disservice to black people [which I do not], it does not follow that socialism would be any better for them—or for anyone else. Remember that a realistic view of politics is that of the constrained vision [of Thomas Sowell], which aligns with the Judeo-Christian account of our humanity, culture, and the state. Finding injustices in one system does not imply that these injustices will be eliminated or lessened by another system. Other injustices may replace and exceed the previous injustices. This is true for socialism. [Groothuis, Douglas R. Fire in the Streets: How You Can Confidently Respond to Incendiary Cultural Topics (p. 121). Salem Books. Kindle Edition.] Those benefiting from slavery or oppressed by it are long dead and so cannot be involved in any reparations. Reparations as demanded today are not supported by the Bible. It is difficult and often impossible to identify blacks today as descendants of slaves. Many in the US are not. Massive wealth transfers are not likely to be helpful for blacks overall or for society as a whole, as was seen in The War on Poverty in the 1960s and 1970s. On this see, Charles Murray, Losing Ground. Who, among blacks, would receive reparations? What of wealthy blacks, such as Oprah Winfrey and others? If so, this makes no sense. Conclusion If the free market were torched for the sake of ending or lessening racism and replaced by socialism, racism would not go away or even decrease. Rather, Americans of all colors would lose treasured freedoms and opportunities. Forcing “equity” economically through the state would spark strife and discontent. Whatever legacy remains of slavery, Jim Crow, or redlining is best treated by the possibilities and opportunities afforded through free enterprise, rather than by insisting on compensatory will-o’-the-wisps notions, such as affirmative action, minimum wage laws, tax increases on “the rich,” reparations, and other political dead ends. If any social system should be committed to the flames on the basis of evidence, principle, and history, it is socialism in all of its forms. Groothuis, Douglas R. Fire in the Streets: How You Can Confidently Respond to Incendiary Cultural Topics (p. 127). Salem Books. Kindle Edition. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Nov 27, 2023 • 23min
10 Tips for Living a Thoughtful Life as a Christian
Spiritual formation, becoming more like Jesus Christ in thought and deed, requires a renewed mind (Romans 12:2) that avoids worldliness (1 John 2:15-17) and pursues godliness (Matthew 5:1-18). Our sanctification through the Holy Spirit requires an ongoing dependency on God wherein we grow in the knowledge of God, how his Kingdom operates (Matthew 6:33), ourselves (James 1:25), and our place in the church (1 Corinthians 12-14) and broader culture (1 Chronicles 12:32). To this end, here are some principles and recommendations in how to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Remain faithful in the reading and studying of the Bible (Psalm 119; 2 Timothy 3:14-17). Consider using one or more study Bibles. Discern your calling as a Christian if you have not done so. See Os Guinness, The Call and John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Life. Be involved in a Bible-believing church. Develop your skills as a writer and speaker. See Elements of Style by Stunk and White and Stand like Lincoln, Speak like Churchill by James Humes. Read thoughtful Christian classics by writers such as Augustine and Pascal, as well as modern writers such as C. S. Lewis, G. K. Chesterton, John Stott, J. I. Packer, Francis Schaeffer, James Sire, and Os Guinness. Read periodicals such as Christianity Today, First Things, Modern Age, and The Christian Research Journal. Be aware of non-Christian culture through The New York Times, The New Yorker, Harpers, Atlantic Monthly, and other magazines. Carefully and prayerfully consider your use of electronic communications media. See Douglas Groothuis, The Soul in Cyberspace and Quentin Schultz, Habits of the High Tech Heart as well as Neil Postman, Technopoly and Amusing Ourselves to Death and William Powers, Hamlet’s Blackberry. Listen to thoughtful radio programs and podcasts, such as Denis Prager, those on The Daily Wire as well as the Christian interviews done by Ken Myers on Mars Hill Audio. Take periodic times for silence and reflection (Ecclesiastes 3:7). Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Nov 20, 2023 • 22min
My Teaching Philosophy and the Need for Intellectual Integrity
Douglas Groothuis, Ph.D., is a Professor of Philosophy at Denver Seminary and the author of nineteen books, including Fire in the Streets (a critique of critical race theory or wokeness) and Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith. Find more from Dr. Groothuis at www.DouglasGroothuis.com. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Nov 13, 2023 • 20min
Soren Kierkegaard on the Self and God
Soren Kierkegaard on the Self and God “The greatest hazard of all, losing one’s self, can occur very quietly in the world, as if it were nothing at all” - Soren Kierkegaard. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?—Jesus, Mark 8:36. The Human Condition: Who Are We? A. Philosophical problem: philosophical anthropology i. What is our nature? ii. What is our problem? iii. What is good for humans? B. Existential problem of being human under the sun i. How do we cope with our nature? ii. How do we address our problem? iii. How do we embrace the good and shun the bad? C. The Theme in Philosophy in Seven Sentences All of our philosophical sentences invoke or provoke the self, but from different angles. Protagoras brings it all back to the self, which is the measure of all things. I measured Protagoras wrong. Socrates exhorts the self to examine itself for truth for as long as it takes. For that, he should be commended and emulated. For Aristotle, our nature as human selves is to seek knowledge. He was right. Descartes finds certainty in his indubitable awareness that he is thinking and thus an existing being who has the concept of an infinite God in his mind. We could find worse places to start our investigations. Pascal exhorts us to consider reasons of the heart, that aspect of self that knows directly and intuitively. Groothuis, Douglas. Philosophy in Seven Sentences: A Small Introduction to a Vast Topic (p. 124). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Nov 6, 2023 • 31min
World Religions in Seven Sentences
This program is a synopsis of my most recent book, World Religion in Seven Sentences (InterVarsity Press, 2023). Get Dr. Groothuis' book here: https://www.ivpress.com/world-religions-in-seven-sentences "Most of us will never become scholars of the major world religions. But as society becomes more pluralistic and technology increases our awareness of and interconnection with countries all over the world, there has never been a time when it is more crucial for believers to understand the major religious worldviews. Enter Douglas Groothuis's marvelous book World Religions in Seven Sentences. Groothuis has earned the reputation of being a first-rate scholar who deals fairly and accurately with views he critiques. And World Religions in Seven Sentences may be his best example yet. This work is unique in that it accurately presents the major religious worldviews; provides fair, hard-hitting criticisms of them; and accomplishes all this in a brief, easy-to-read way. In my view, this is now the first book to read for anyone who wants to get at the heart of important religions and compare them with Christianity. I love this book!" — J. P. Moreland, distinguished professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, and author of A Simple Guide to Miracles. The seven sentences are: God is dead. (Atheism) I am Who I am. (Judaism) You are that. (Hinduism). Life is suffering. (Buddhism). The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao. (Daoism). Before Abraham Was, I am. (Christianity) There is one God, and Mohammad is his prophet. (Islam). Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Oct 30, 2023 • 14min
In Defense of Fear and Hate
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10) The concepts of fear and hate need some examination, given how absurdly abused they are in common culture. Supposedly, any idea based on fear is irrational and all hate is hateful. But appropriate fear and appropriate hate are necessary parts of a good life. Let me explain. 1. Appropriate Fear in a Dangerous World Fear what is fearful and nothing else 2. The Fear of the Lord See Proverbs 1:7; 2:5; 5:12; 9:10; 15:33; Psalm 111:10 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Jesus on fear: Luke 12:4-7 Escaping the fear of God’s judgment through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16-18) 3. The Fear of the Lord and Holy Hatred Hate what is evil in the fear of God Proverbs 8:13; Revelation 2:16; Luke 14:26-27; Matthew 10:16-21 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.