05Aug 2026 by Post

I’m Not a Christian Nationalist—I’m an American Nationalist Because I Follow Jesus

Apologetics, Christian Nationalism, Christianity, Church & State, FreeThinkingMInistries, Gospel, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Politics, Religious Freedom, Theocracy, Tim Stratton
Over the past several years, one of the most controversial phrases in American politics has been Christian Nationalism. Depending on who you ask, the term now refers to everything from patriotism to theocracy, to racism, to authoritarianism, to simply displaying an American flag in church. The phrase has become so elastic that it often communicates more confusion than clarity. For that reason, I have largely stopped using it. So, let me be clear. No, I am not a Christian Nationalist. I am an American Nationalist precisely because I am a committed follower of Jesus Christ. At first glance, that may sound contradictory. It isn’t. Words Matter Years ago, I defended what I understood “Christian Nationalism” to mean. At the time, I argued that if the phrase simply meant affirming America’s…
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01Jul 2026 by Post

You Don’t Have the Freedom of Religion in America

1st Amendment, America, Apologetics, Christianity, civil rights, freedom of religion, FreeThinkingMInistries, Gospel, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, separation of church and state, Tim Stratton
At first glance, that title sounds absurd. Of course we have freedom of religion in the United States—it’s one of our most cherished rights. But if by “freedom of religion” we mean the unlimited right to believe and do anything whatsoever in the name of religion, then the truth is simple: you do not have that freedom in America—and you never have. The question is not whether religious freedom exists, but what it actually means—and where its limits must be drawn. The United States of America offers one of the most robust protections of religious liberty in human history. Citizens are free to worship—or not worship—according to the dictates of conscience. This freedom is deeply embedded in the American experiment and is often rightly celebrated as one of our most cherished rights.…
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20May 2026 by Post

If I Were a Mormon: A More Coherent View of God

2. Does God Exist?, Apologetics, Christianity, God, Gospel, Molinism, Mormonism, Philosophical Theology, Theology and Christian Apologetics, Theology Proper, Tim Stratton, Who is God?, www.FreeThinkingMinistries.com
Over the past several years—especially since 2018—I’ve made multiple trips to Utah every year. I’ve honestly lost count of how many times I’ve been out there, but it’s starting to feel like a second home. I can understand why Brigham Young reportedly said, “This is the place.” It’s beautiful. One of the things I appreciate most about Utah is the culture of open conversation. In many places, people are told to avoid discussing politics or religion. But that’s not the case in Utah. From a young age, Utahns are encouraged to think about what they believe—and to share it with others (often culminating in a two-year mission going door to door). That creates an extremely unique environment where meaningful conversations can actually happen. Because of this culture, those who reject…
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13Oct 2025 by Post

Charlie Kirk’s Message Lives On

Apologetics, Charlie Kirk, Christian Apologetics, Christian Worldview, Christianity, Courage and Faith, Cultural Hostility, Culture and Politics, Faith in Jesus, free speech, Gospel, Standing for Truth, The FreeThinking Theist, Theology and Christian Apologetics, Tim Straton, Tim Stratton
I couldn’t sleep last night. I’ll never forget where I was when I first heard the news. I was at the dentist, sitting in the chair getting a cavity filled by my dentist—who, years ago, was in my youth group. After numbing me up, he left the room to let the medication set in. I pulled out my phone, opened Facebook, and saw Graham Allen’s post (seconds after he posted it) asking for prayers for Charlie Kirk. My heart sank. I immediately googled “Charlie Kirk.” Nothing came up. I refreshed it twice, and finally one lone article came up simply noting that Kirk was shot in Utah. No other details were given. A few minutes later, my dentist walked back into the room. His face was pale and shaken. He told…
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21Jul 2025 by Post

100 Gorillas vs. 1 Man

100 Gorillas, Apologetics, Christianity, FreeThinkingMinistries.com, Gospel, human exceptionalism, imago Dei, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, philosophical anthropology, philosophy of mind, Tim Stratton
The internet has been buzzing with a hypothetical: “Could 100 men defeat a fully grown gorilla in a fight?”   As a former MMA fighter and coach, I’ve seen the limits of human strength—and the power of teamwork. I’ve trained with Olympic medalist wrestlers and UFC champions. Based on that experience, I’m convinced that 20 heavyweight, Olympic-caliber wrestlers or UFC champions could bring down a gorilla. Not because they’re stronger pound-for-pound, but because they’re strong enough together, and—more importantly—smart enough to devise a plan and execute it. So, yes, 100 average men using their reasoning powers, coordination, and willpower could defeat one gorilla. But let’s flip the script: Could 100 gorillas outwit a single reasonable human? Absolutely not. Even with sheer numbers, gorillas lack the intellectual hardware and cognitive faculties to engage in metaphysics, abstract reasoning,…
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04Dec 2024 by Post

Jesus: Santa Claus for Adults?

4. Is the NT True?, Apologetics, Atheism, Christianity, Christmas, FreeThinkingMinistries.com, Gospel, Grinch, Jesus, Santa Clause, Tim Stratton
It’s common for atheists to be a “Grinch” over the Holidays and exclaim that Jesus is just a “Santa Claus for adults!” When I hear that claim, I immediately respond with a question: “What do you mean by that?” If one means that children often believe in fictional fairy tales and adults believe in fact-based evidence, then I agree – Jesus is for adults (and actually people of all ages)! But I don’t think that’s the intent behind this claim. I believe the intent of the atheist (“Grinch”) is to convey that little kids believe in a fictional Santa Clause and many adults believe in fiction too – Christianity. How the Grinch Stole Christ out of Christmas Well, why think a thing like that, Mr. Grinch? Is belief in Jesus —…
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18Sep 2024 by Post

Key Tenets of Marxism VS America’s Philosophical Foundations

Apologetics, Christianity, Free Thinking Ministries, government, Karl Marx, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Marxism, Politics, Tim Stratton
I’ve been fascinated by Marxism since my parents first told me about the Cold War we were living in when I was almost 10-years-old (1983). I remember asking them why the Soviet Union had nuclear weapons aimed at us. After my parents reassured me that we had just as many nuclear missiles aimed back at them — ensuring that they will not use these weapons against us (peace through strength) — they explained it to me like I was 10-years-old (because I was). While not using these exact words, my parents basically told me that the Soviet Union was based upon a philosophy called Marxism which is logically incompatible with America’s theological and philosophical foundations. This sparked a desire to learn more about our fundamental disagreements. I wanted to know…
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01Jul 2024 by Post

Apologetics and Politics

Apologetics, Arguments for God, Christianity, ethics, FreeThinking Ministries, Gospel, Legislating Morality, Culture & Politics, Politics, Reasonable Faith, Tim Stratton
How should we live?How should we think?How should we vote? Are these questions with objectively right or wrong answers? That is to say, is it true — apart from human opinion — that humanity ought to live, think, and even vote in a certain manner? Some Questions that Need Answering If it is not objectively right or wrong to live, think, or vote in a certain manner, then does anything really matter? Moreover, if it is objectively wrong to live, think, and vote in a certain manner — how would we know? After all, is how we ought to vote determined by the majority vote? That doesn’t seem right. Are these things merely based on your emotions or “how it makes you feel?” That doesn’t seem right either because, as Ben Shapiro often says “Facts don’t care about your feelings.” One…
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08Mar 2024 by Post

The #1 Doctrine That Answers Christianity’s Toughest Questions with Dr. Tim Stratton

AFR, Apologetics, app, cross examined, cross examined official podcast, faith, God, google play, iTunes, Jesus Christ, Jorge Gil, Molinism, Podcast, Radio, Spotify, stitcher, Tim Stratton, truth, Weekly Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | iHeartRadio | Email | TuneIn | RSS It’s the age old question–if God is sovereign over all things then how do we have free will? And if God controls everything, does that make Him the author of evil since He causes humans to sin? How do we reconcile a good God with all of the pain and suffering that’s happening in the world? It can seem like a bit of a conundrum for Christians, and the lack of satisfactory answers has caused many people to turn away from God. But what if there was a doctrine or school of thought that could help us make sense of these seemingly intractable problems?…
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15Dec 2021 by Post

3 Reasons Why Jesus Is The Only Way

4. Is the NT True?, Apologetics, Christianity, Evidence, Free Thinking Ministries, Jesus, Jesus Christ, theology, Tim Stratton
By Tim Stratton Sermon Outline Riddle me this: What’s black and white and RED all over? I remember the first time my dad posed that question to me when I was a young child. Even as a little boy – untrained in philosophy – I knew something was amiss. I intuitively understood that if something was literally black and white . . . like a news paper . . . then it could not be the COLOR RED all over. After all, something cannot be the colors RED and Black and White simultaneously and in the same sense. There’s a contradiction here – nothing can actually be black and white AND the color red ALL OVER. Then my dad explained to me that there was a “play on words” going…
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