How to Recognize & Respond to Spiritual Abuse in the Church with Anna Kitko

Anna Kitko, beEmboldened Ministries, Christian Apologetics, Christianity, Church, cults, Dr. Frank Turek, morality, philosophy, Podcast, religion, Spiritual Abuse, theology
What if your pastor wasn’t protecting you—but controlling you? As Netflix documentaries and media coverage expose modern cases of spiritual abuse, it’s clear that toxic religious environments are more widespread, more covert, and more dangerous than many people realize. But what can Christians do to safeguard themselves and loved ones from being victimized by their own churches and potential cults? To confront this growing crisis, Frank welcomes Anna Kitko, Chapter Director of Ratio Christi at the University of Tennessee–Knoxville, beEmboldened mentor, and an expert in coercive control and spiritual trauma. With deep insight into how abuse happens and how healing begins, Anna helps uncover the hidden patterns behind spiritual manipulation—and what to do about it. Tune in as she and Frank answer questions like: What are the warning signs of…
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How to Talk to the Jehovah’s Witness at Your Door

Apologetics, Bible, biblical apologetics, Christianity, Counter-Cult Apologetics, Cults & World Religions, Evangelism, Gospel, Heresy, New World Translation, Theological Apologetics, Theology and Christian Apologetics
It’s Saturday morning, and as you’re getting some cleaning done (and by “cleaning,” I mean binge-watching The Great British Baking Show on Netflix in your pajamas), you hear the dreaded knock on your door and peer out. Judging from their conservative clothes and the Watchtower magazines in hand, you quickly conclude you’re about to engage with some Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs). You now have two choices: you can either ignore the knocking and pretend you aren’t home (but really, what kind of message does that send to your kids?), or you can answer the door. My hope is that after you’ve read our [Mama Bear Apoloetics] articles on the Jehovah’s Witnesses (here and here), you will feel confident enough to engage in a conversation with them, but we also want to give you a bit more…
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Does the Bible Support a Just War?

Army, Bible, Christian Apologetics, Christianity, Dr. Frank Turek, freedom, Memorial Day, morality, philosophy, Podcast, Q&A, religion, theology, war
Jesus said to love your enemies, turn the other cheek, and to pray for those who persecute you. But does that mean we can never use force under any circumstances? In this post Memorial Day episode, Frank explores what the Bible says about protecting ourselves and others from evil. With insights from Scripture and history, Frank examines real-world examples of Just War and explains why, in a fallen world, force is sometimes not only permissible, but necessary. Tune in as he answers questions like: Would Jesus ever condone violence? If so, what did He mean when He said to “turn the other cheek”? Why is complete pacifism unbiblical and a dereliction of duty? What is the proper use of the sword according to the Bible? Where do our rights come…
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Can You See the Supernatural? with Lee Strobel

Angels, Christian Apologetics, Christianity, demons, Dr. Frank Turek, Lee Strobel, miracles, morality, NDE's, philosophy, Podcast, religion, supernatural, theology, Uncategorized, unseen world
Is there credible evidence for the supernatural? What should we make of verifiable near-death experiences (NDEs), angelic encounters, deathbed visions, and miraculous healings? Do these reports point to a reality beyond the material world? This week, Frank invites the one and only Lee Strobel on the program to discuss the compelling case for the unseen realm, as detailed in his fascinating new book, ‘Seeing the Supernatural: Investigating Angels, Demons, Mystical Dreams, Near-Death Encounters, and Other Mysteries of the Unseen World.’ Drawing from well-documented accounts and interviews with leading experts, Lee and Frank tackle questions like: What’s the most convincing evidence for the existence of the soul? What are deathbed visions, and are they found in Scripture? Are there any reports of negative or frightening near-death experiences? Why doesn’t God always…
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How to Spot a Kant in Sheep’s Clothing

Apologetics, Christianity, Divine law, ethics, evil, Good, Gospel, https://drowenanderson.substack.com/, Immanuel Kant, Kantianism, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Moral Argument for God Categories:, Objectivism, Owen Anderson, relativism, Uncategorized
One of the ways you will find philosophy professors denying Christ is through an appeal to Kantian ethics. Kant’s ethical theory uses many positive-sounding words that appeal to our moral intuitions. Yet, when we examine the content, we find that Kant was opposed to Christ as revealed in Scripture. Instead, he sought to elevate the individual’s moral intuitions as the highest authority, and even above the Bible. I know of professors who lure students in by claiming to be Christians, but then play a shell game: they subtly replace Christianity with Kantianism, and then argue that the Bible and Christianity are false because they contradict their moral intuitions. Kant’s Ethics Permit me to give you a brief overview of Kantianism. Immanuel Kant sought to ground ethics not in religion or…
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Does “Christian Nationalism” Go Against the Bible? Plus More Q&A

Bible, Christian Apologetics, Christian Nationalism, Christianity, Dr. Frank Turek, morality, philosophy, Podcast, Q&A, religion, theology
How do you respond when someone says your “Christian Nationalism” goes against everything Jesus taught in the Bible? And why are so many Christians preoccupied with LGBTQ+ issues–don’t they have their own sinful behaviors to worry about? In this midweek episode, Frank responds to a listener email from Australia related to these and other hot-button issues by answering questions like: How does “Christian Nationalism” compare to secular internationalism? Why should the government care about marriage? Did Jesus believe in equity? Do you call out your own sin or just the sins of others? What are the 3 BIG temptations John 1 warns us about? According to Paul, what kind of person isn’t welcome at church? Is God just a cosmic killjoy? What’s the difference between torture and torment and which…
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What Children Show Us About Human Nature

Al Serrato, Apologetics, Children, Christianity, Gospel, human nature, original sin, salvation, theological anthropology, Theology and Christian Apologetics, Total Depravity
Most non-believers will tell you that man is basically “good.” When he acts against that basic goodness, it’s the result of disease, such as alcoholism, drug addiction, or some form of mental illness. These, in turn, stem from a failure of society to reach out and provide the right kind of assistance and services. If only we as a society could do more, spend more, provide more, we could eventually create the kind of utopia that “good” people populate. Christianity, by contrast, teaches a much different worldview. Long ago, the first man and woman exercised their free will to rebel against God, and in so doing created a rift between man and God that continues to this day. Though man has a certain inherent goodness, because he bears the image…
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Who is Luke’s Key Witness? with Shane Rosenthal

Bible reliability, Christian Apologetics, Christianity, Dr. Frank Turek, gospel eyewitnesses, Luke's Key Witness, morality, philosophy, Podcast, religion, Shane Rosenthal, The Humble Skeptic, theology
How much do we really know about the “most excellent Theophilus,” and why did Luke dedicate both his Gospel and the Book of Acts to him? The answer might come from an unexpected source—one that’s supported by archaeology, literary structure, and a series of “undesigned coincidences.” In this paradigm-shifting episode of ‘I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist’, we explore a groundbreaking new theory that could revolutionize your understanding of Luke’s Gospel. This week, Frank welcomes Shane Rosenthal—host of The Humble Skeptic podcast and author of, ‘Luke’s Key Witness‘—to uncover fresh discoveries that some New Testament scholars haven’t even encountered yet. Together, they dive into Shane’s investigation and the growing body of evidence that supports his theory behind who he believes to be one of the main eyewitnesses…
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Secular Professor Tactics 101

academia, Apologetics, Christian Living, Christianity, college life, Deconstruction, DrOwenAnderson.substack.com, Gospel, indoctrination, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Owen Anderson, Politics, Progressivism, Worldview, youth exodus
As a parent or student it will help you to know that in many cases your secular professors have a strategy. They have a goal. A strategy is the big-picture plan to win or achieve that goal. Tactics are the step-by-step methods used to carry it out. I’ve told you before that you can see their goal by how they live their own lives. But now let’s look at their classroom tactics. If you’re a parent or a prospective student, you need to understand the tactics of the secular professor. For many of them, “winning” means leading students to adopt a radical leftist ideology—either by outright agreement or by slow, subtle influence. Agreement isn’t always demanded immediately. Sometimes, all they want is your gradual surrender of confidence in anything else. …
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When Is Love Evil?

Christian Apologetics, Christianity, Dr. Frank Turek, evil, government, J.D. Vance, Love, morality, philosophy, Podcast, Politics, religion, theology
What ONE insight will either make or break your life as a Christian, or even as a non-Christian? If followed, it will help your marriage, parenting, business, job, friendships, politics, and most importantly, your eternity and your relationship with Jesus. Spurred by recent political and cultural events surrounding President Trump’s first 100 days in office and comments made by Vice President J.D. Vance during a recent interview about protecting the interest of American citizens, Frank reminds listeners of the doctrine of “Ordered Loves”. Originally articulated by Augustine over 1,600 years ago, this classic school of thought seems to be totally lost among our culture today. Tune in as Frank answers questions like: What is the Doctrine of “Ordered Loves”, why is it so important, and how does it affect every…
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