The Search for Meaning: Recent Episodes

Bill Kraftson & Lamar Smith

Listen in as Bill and Lamar, two good friends, discuss their big questions with openness, honesty, logic, evidence, and a great deal of mutual respect. There is real help in these dialogues for intellectually honest people who want faith in God to make sense, who want to build a solid basis for purpose, meaning, ethics, and personal priorities in life.

The most important decision — Starts at 0:00
2. The second most important decision — Starts at 11:22
3. Reading the Bible — Starts at 17:16
4. Prayer — Starts at 23:35
5. Church — Starts at 3:27
6. Learn with a friend — Starts at 7:26

Is a maintenance agreement required? — Starts at 0:00
2. A license to steal versus a secure relationship — Starts at 4:49
3. Are future sins covered as well? — Starts at 10:30
4. An attitude of gratitude — Starts at 13:57
5. Going for the gusto — Starts at 16:16
6. Avoiding painful, natural consequences — Starts at 20:35
7. Avoiding loving discipline — Starts at 23:57
8. Going for the gold — Starts at 3:20

Isn't it too easy? — Starts at 0:00
2. It's either impossible or free — Starts at 5:02
3. The role of reason and doubt in faith — Starts at 10:17
4. Transferring the trust — Starts at 15:33
5. Faith plus performance? — Starts at 19:24

What would you say at the gate? — Starts at 0:00
2. The goodness and justice of God — Starts at 3:36
3. The problem with Bill — Starts at 10:20
4. The good news — the love of God — Starts at 15:00
5. Life's most important decision — Starts at 18:57

The guy in the office, and the TV preacher — Starts at 0:00
2. Definitions: "hypocrite" and "Christian" — Starts at 3:38
3. Comparisons don't work — Starts at 8:09
4. The most important point — Starts at 11:38

Excluded withoug information? — Starts at 0:00
2. Accountability that is fair — Starts at 3:16
3. Good news, yes, but how can the primitive hear? — Starts at 8:36
4. What about babies, or people before the time of Christ? — Starts at 15:36
5. Part of the problem or part of the solution? — Starts at 22:59

Truth and sincerity — Starts at 0:00
2. Truth: absolute or relative? — Starts at 3:08
3. Narrow-mindedness versus soft-headed indulgence — Starts at 6:00
4. The law of non-contradiction — Starts at 10:23
5. Truth and tolerance — Starts at 13:20
6. The claims of Christ - Good teacher or God? — Starts at 16:42

Pain is personal — Starts at 0:00
2. Atheism and evil - Circular reasoning — Starts at 4:23
3. Pantheism and suffering — Starts at 8:15
4. Love, choice, and consequences — Starts at 12:06
5. Reason to hope — Starts at 18:35
6. How could a loving God send anyone to hell? — Starts at 23:16

Evidence from archaeology — Starts at 0:00
2. Evidence from ancient documents — Starts at 8:14
3. Unity out of diversity — Starts at 13:46
4. Fulfilled prophecy — Starts at 20:22
5. The problem of interpretation — Starts at 2:37
6. What difference does it make? — Starts at 8:37

Wishing doesn't make it true — Starts at 0:00
Wishing doesn't make it false — Starts at 4:03
Examining the object of faith — Starts at 6:25
Real needs versus felt needs — Starts at 11:36

If there is a God who can act, then… — Starts at 0:00
Do miracles violate the laws of nature? — Starts at 5:00
The evidence for the empty tomb — Starts at 8:20
The after-death appearances — Starts at 16:08
The disciples' radical change — Starts at 18:54

What's missing? — Starts at 0:00
The atheistic and the agnostic leap of faith — Starts at 4:03
The universe as evidence for God — Starts at 7:26
Order and morality as further evidence — Starts at 11:05
Pascal's wager — Starts at 15:07