Lee Strobel Coming to Visit

[SLD]

So Lee Strobel is coming to our community to speak. It will be at our Public library, but hosted by our local Presbyterian Church. It’s Saturday, March 2, evening.

What is a good question I can ask to stump him?

 

[excreationist]

I get the impression that he only interviewed Christians who believed in a physical resurrection. He could have interviewed other people who had counter-arguments to what the Christians said. He just relied on his own counter-arguments rather than those who were more knowledgeable. There is a book called "The Case Against The Case for Christ" though I'm not sure how good it is since I'm not a fan of the mythicist author Robert M Price.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

So Lee Strobel is coming to our community to speak. It will be at our Public library, but hosted by our local Presbyterian Church. It’s Saturday, March 2, evening.

What is a good question I can ask to stump him?

Mark 10, Luke 12, 14, 18, Matthew 19.

Sell all you have and give to the poor.

John 14:15
"If you love me, keep my commandments"

Has Mr. Strobel decided to follow the commands of Jesus? If not, why not?

Matthew 6:5-6
No public praying.
Matthew 5, no religious oaths. Pledge of allegence in all schools?

 

[excreationist]

What is a good question I can ask to stump him?

Mark 10, Luke 12, 14, 18, Matthew 19.

Sell all you have and give to the poor.

My thoughts about the weaknesses about this challenge....

That was mainly directed towards a single man - who couldn't obey it. I guess prosperity gospel preachers would have counter-arguments. Some Christians talk about not having to be ruled by the law or something. Remember that Christians have rationalised their beliefs about not having to be circumcised.
Though it would be interesting to hear his answer.

Matthew 6:5-6
No public praying.

Those verses just say they won't receive any additional rewards rather than there being a punishment for doing it.

Matthew 5, no religious oaths. Pledge of allegence in all schools?

That's a good one

 

[ideologyhunter]

I wouldn't bother. He's shallow, for a lot of reasons -- excreationist says it well in post #2. If you wanted to honestly assess the claims of Islam, and your interview pool consisted entirely of conservative imams, you'd get what you planned for. He went to conservative Christians, copied down their hidebound declarations, and wrote it up in Readers Digest style, with insipid commentary on their personalities and his feelings of revelation as he talked with them. He's been around for decades and has heard all the gotcha questions. You'll get predictable (and boring) answers from him. A side issue -- are you sure you want to draw the hostile reactions of a Lee Strobel audience, by appearing to jeer at him? Remember, these are Christians. Be careful around them. How big is your community?

 

[SLD]

So Lee Strobel is coming to our community to speak. It will be at our Public library, but hosted by our local Presbyterian Church. It’s Saturday, March 2, evening.

What is a good question I can ask to stump him?

Mark 10, Luke 12, 14, 18, Matthew 19.

Sell all you have and give to the poor.

John 14:15
"If you love me, keep my commandments"

Has Mr. Strobel decided to follow the commands of Jesus? If not, why not?

Matthew 6:5-6
No public praying.
Matthew 5, no religious oaths. Pledge of allegence in all schools?

Not looking for a moral fight. This is the Case for Christ apologetics dude. Never read his book. But I was thinking something along the lines to why god chose to reveal himself to a small group of people in the Mideast and not the whole world. Other things that destroy his apologetic arguments.

It’s unfortunately a Saturday night when the moon is good for astronomy so I may not go.

 

[James Brown]

If God can perform Immaculate Conception on Mary--letting her be born without a sinful nature so that she didn't pass it on to baby Jesus--then why can't God do that for everybody?

 

[SLD]

I wouldn't bother. He's shallow, for a lot of reasons -- excreationist says it well in post #2. If you wanted to honestly assess the claims of Islam, and your interview pool consisted entirely of conservative imams, you'd get what you planned for. He went to conservative Christians, copied down their hidebound declarations, and wrote it up in Readers Digest style, with insipid commentary on their personalities and his feelings of revelation as he talked with them. He's been around for decades and has heard all the gotcha questions. You'll get predictable (and boring) answers from him. A side issue -- are you sure you want to draw the hostile reactions of a Lee Strobel audience, by appearing to jeer at him? Remember, these are Christians. Be careful around them. How big is your community?

Oh, I’m sure he will. The point is to get to the audience. I’m happy to stir up controversy even in my insular community. I’m sure people I know will be there. But most people here aren’t total rednecks. The event isn’t booked as a prayer type thing. It’s booked as a conversation with him at a public library. They’re having other events which are more like that such as a prayer breakfast. I won’t go to that.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

If God can perform Immaculate Conception on Mary--letting her be born without a sinful nature so that she didn't pass it on to baby Jesus--then why can't God do that for everybody?

God can do exactly that.

Ezekiel 11
18 And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable
things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence.
19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you;
and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an
heart of flesh:
20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them:
and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

Ezekiel 36
25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from
all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within
you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will
give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes,
and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.


List of similar verses
Ezekiel 11:18-20
Ezekiel 36:25-7
Jeremiah 24:7
Jeremiah 31:33-34
Jeremiah 32L38-41
Hebrews 8:10-12
Hebrews 10:15-17

 

[James Brown]

Well heck, what's he waiting for?

 

[Worldtraveller]

I recommend reading through some of these. As far as I know, he only ever tried to address one of these essays, and that was back in the early 2000s, I think.

You searched for case for christ » Internet Infidels

infidels.org

 

[TomC]

I get the impression that he only interviewed Christians who believed in a physical resurrection. He could have interviewed other people who had counter-arguments to what the Christians said. He just relied on his own counter-arguments rather than those who were more knowledgeable. There is a book called "The Case Against The Case for Christ" though I'm not sure how good it is since I'm not a fan of the mythicist author Robert M Price.

He also claimed to be a hard hitting investigative reporter for a big newspaper. His "investigation" was anything but hard hitting. Easy questions to people with unsupported opinions and no interest in follow up.
I got bored about 3/4 through "The Case for Christ" and drew the conclusion that he was lying from the get go claiming to be an atheist.
Tom

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

So Lee Strobel is coming to our community to speak. It will be at our Public library, but hosted by our local Presbyterian Church. It’s Saturday, March 2, evening.

What is a good question I can ask to stump him?

Mark 10, Luke 12, 14, 18, Matthew 19.

Sell all you have and give to the poor.

John 14:15
"If you love me, keep my commandments"

Has Mr. Strobel decided to follow the commands of Jesus? If not, why not?

Matthew 6:5-6
No public praying.
Matthew 5, no religious oaths. Pledge of allegence in all schools?

Not looking for a moral fight. This is the Case for Christ apologetics dude. Never read his book. But I was thinking something along the lines to why god chose to reveal himself to a small group of people in the Mideast and not the whole world. Other things that destroy his apologetic arguments.

It’s unfortunately a Saturday night when the moon is good for astronomy so I may not go.

You won't get any satisfaction from it, they have a response for anything, even if it doesn't answer your question.

However, I'd be interested in is

The Gospels testify that Jesus performed miracles and resurrects from death. So why does the New Testament open with a political plea regarding the origins of Jesus as if the miracles/resurrection only matters if he is related to the right people? Presumably if someone today resurrected from death, no one would be asking 'But who is his great great great grandfather?'

The best way to camel the nose is to presumptively agree with the Gospels, this prevents making handwaving so easy.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

Is it important to believe that Jesus really flew away up into the sky like Superman? More generally, do Christians have to believe in these fabulous unevidenced claims to be good people?

 

[blastula]

If God can perform Immaculate Conception on Mary--letting her be born without a sinful nature so that she didn't pass it on to baby Jesus--then why can't God do that for everybody?

That's a Catholic doctrine, he's not Catholic.

 

[blastula]

So Lee Strobel is coming to our community to speak. It will be at our Public library, but hosted by our local Presbyterian Church. It’s Saturday, March 2, evening.

What is a good question I can ask to stump him?

The old but still unanswered, why doesn't god heal amputees?

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

So Lee Strobel is coming to our community to speak. It will be at our Public library, but hosted by our local Presbyterian Church. It’s Saturday, March 2, evening.

What is a good question I can ask to stump him?

The old but still unanswered, why doesn't god heal amputees?

Better question, why doesn't god heal human amputees?

Also, was your pun intended?

 

[excreationist]

But I was thinking something along the lines to why god chose to reveal himself to a small group of people in the Mideast and not the whole world.

Because Christians are told to spread the gospel to the whole world for God - see Mark 16:15.

My suggestion:

"Do you think it is just or fair for people to go to hell forever?"

This will cause division amongst the Christians whether he agrees that hell lasts forever (conservative) or he doesn't (liberal).

 

[TomC]

If God can perform Immaculate Conception on Mary--letting her be born without a sinful nature so that she didn't pass it on to baby Jesus--then why can't God do that for everybody?

That's a Catholic doctrine, he's not Catholic.

Then he's going to Hell for disregarding Jesus' own church. The 4th century Roman elite were very clear about that. Jesus is a Roman Catholic.

This was explained to me during my k-12 education in Catholic academy. Trust me.
Tom

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

But I was thinking something along the lines to why god chose to reveal himself to a small group of people in the Mideast and not the whole world.

Because that was the old covenant (involving his chosen people). Also God normally spoke to individuals (hallucinations) rather than large groups of people.

Careful, there have been a few of these. The Garden, Cain (kind of), Noah, Abram, Moses, and Jesus. And who knows who else that didn't get their narrative to paper quick enough.

My suggestion:

"Do you think it is just or fair for people to go to hell forever?"

This isn't going to stump a pro.

• It isn't his place to judge.
• God's will is merciful, but his mercy is not limitless.
• Hell might simply be to be without god.

Blah blah blah.

A better question would be "Does he validate parking?"