Brandon flies solo and talks about

• Rick Warren's speech at a Muslim gathering.
• More weak arguments against the existence of God at whywontgodhealamputees.com.
• New Age epistemology with a caller.
• The problem of evil in answer to a chat room question.

• Don and Brandon comment briefly on last weeks conversation and discuss some of the different presuppositions Christians hold about the nature of the Biblical text and how that affects interpretation. They also address a listener question about whether or not it is possible to "lose your salvation."
• A new-age daily meditation offers more self-refuting nonsense.
• An atheist video maker explains what would cause him to believe in God. Don and Brandon explain why his approach to the topic is all wrong.
• Are Canadians becoming less nice?

• Pete calls in and suggests that Don and Brandon have faulty soteriology.

• Don and Brandon discuss the Historical Critical philosophy of history, and how it was exhibited in last week's discussion with Aaron as well as the debate with Dr. Price.
• Is abortion like drinking? A commenter on this story thinks so, and wins this week's Jonathan Swift Award.
• Listener Joshua asked us to discuss whether or not it was right to say that the preacher in this video was wrong to kick a guy in the stomach.

• Don and Brandon talk to caller Aaron about whether or not you can approach a topic like the resurrection without some presuppositions about the nature of reality.

• Don and Brandon talk with David, who wishes more Christians would look to the New Age movement (among other places) for spiritual guidance.

• Don and Brandon compare worldviews with Gabriel, an atheist listener who had some questions about their use of the moral argument.

• Perez Hilton can't tolerate Miss California's "intolerant" views and decides to exclude her from being Miss USA for not being inclusive enough.
• A former Miss California refers to the Bible to support her views while deriding the current Miss California for referring to the Bible to support hers.
• Karen Armstrong thinks the people of Pakistan should abandon whatever religion they currently practice and turn to Sufism because Sufism accepts that whatever religion people currently practice is just fine.
• Why would an atheist want to be officially de-baptised?
• Is there a balance between Arminianism and Calvinism? Don and Brandon discuss a listener email.

• A listener believes god answered his prayer regarding getting a car but is friend objected to his claim, saying it was ridiculous to believe in a God who would answer that silly prayer but not end famine.
• Another listener asks Don and Brandon about whether or not they experience the Holy Spirit in their lives and what that means. During this talk, Don references books by J.P. Moreland and Michael Novak.

Don and Brandon discuss the message of a couple of YouTube videos, including one of their own.

• The maker of this funny video asks, " If people claim to have a personal relationship with Jesus, shouldn't they all believe basically the same things about him?"
• In The Fire, a video written and produced by Don, a guy tries to save people from a burning building but meets with no success. Some have objected to the message of the video, claiming that comparing a religious truth claim to one about a fire is improper because a fire is verifiable and religions are not. Don and Brandon don't agree.

• In response to some listener comments, Don and Brandon try to clarify how they use the moral argument.
• Citing Thoms Bertonneau, Janie B. Cheaney and the crew at whywontgodhealamputees.com, Don suggests that we are descending into an age of idiocy and barbarism.
• If that descent is one harbinger (among many) of the end of the world, are you ready for Jesus' return? On what are you basing your confidence? Don and Brandon talk about what the Bible says about being ready.

• A listener asks about how morality might have developed in a world without God.
• The state of Minnesota is selling special "interest-free" loans to Muslims in order to meet the requirements of Sharia law.
• Playing language games with science and bio-ethics.
• A U.N. proposal would criminalize "defamation of Islam".

• If most Americans believe that Heaven and Hell are real places, why are they not more serious about making sure they get to the right place? Since one's eternal destination is easily the most important topic in reality, ensuring one is on the right road should be our obsession, according to Don.
• Does Don think Augustine and Calvin are simpletons? Don and Brandon respond to a listener charge.
• Frank Turek explains that many people reject God because they want to sleep with their girlfriends.
• William Lobdell has a new book out documenting how he lost his religion.
• A listener asks for some advice on how to reach people who don't care about God and don't see their need for him.

• Don and Brandon spend most of this show talking with caller "Wolfinator" about whether or not all spiritual paths lead to Heaven, among a few other things.

• A listener wanted our thoughts on a clip from The Devil's Advocate. The movie makers got the devil right, including the fact that he lies about the nature of God. (warning: profanity in clip)
• Penn Jillette  presents his reasons for believing there is no God.
• Don and Brandon address a listener question: "If God knew that most people would go to Hell, how can we say that creating people was good?"
• Can the pro-life position be defeated with just one question?
• A baby is murdered at an abortion clinic. How is this a shock to people?
• Our Jonathan Swift Award for the week goes to Nancy Pelosi, for arguing that a decreased population will be good for the economy.

• Don and Brandon address listener emails regarding the two previous shows as well as a question about whether or not they actually believe that we should listen to our conscience. Listener Tomer suggests that they hold to a double standard on the subject.

• Don and Brandon continue a discussion Brandon started on the last show. They talk about whether or not life is fatalistic and some of the practical consequences of believing that it is.

• Brandon discusses whether it is right to say that God has a purpose for everything that happens. He argues that it is not and gives some strong biblical evidence in support of his position.

• Don and Brandon discuss whether it is possible to separate theology from social action, as Leora Tananbaum seems to desire. The conversation also includes references to an article about Martin Luther King Jr. by Diane Cameron, a survey of American theological beliefs by the Barna Group, a report about Barack Obama's theology, and Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" Speech.

• "BoredomConsumesEverything" calls into the Don Johnson Show because he doesn't think there is any evidence to support a theistic worldview.

• Richard Dawkins has taken leave of his position at Oxford to study the effects of fantasy stories on children. He suspects they may be producing a irrational mindset in people that disposes them to more readily fall prey to religion.
• Kurt Steeter speaks for God and tells us to quit praying about football because he has more important things to worry about.

• Don presents Jesus' take on the financial crisis. He explains that, according to Jesus, losing the American dream might just be the best thing that ever happened to you.

• Christopher Hitchens thinks Christians are bigots for believing some people go to hell. Heather Mac Donald doesn't think they are, because they must not really believe that whole hell thing.
• ABC News doesn't know the difference between an political evangelical and an evangelist. Unfortunately, neither do many evangelicals.
• Atheist Matthew Parris thinks Africa desperately needs God. (Don brings up this news story about a stoning death in Somalia during the discussion.)

• The intolerant, hateful bigots who opposed Proposition 8.
• Pondering the rights of plants in Switzerland.
• Atheist advertising in London and Washington D.C. is supposed to cause people to think. Brandon and Don take a shot at it.
• We address a listener comment on the debate with Dr. Price.

This is Part 6 of a debate hosted by OpposingViews.net between Don and Dr. Robert Price on the resurrection.

After an introduction by Paul Arends, Don and Brandon discuss the debate to this point and address some of the points brought up by Paul and Dr. Price last week.

• How Alan Greenspan's worldview helped lead to the economic crisis.
• Is the Bible Illuminated another signpost on the way to a new dark ages?

This is Part 5 of a debate hosted by OpposingViews.net between Don and Dr. Robert Price on the resurrection.

This episode includes an interview with Dr. Price followed by a commentary by host Paul Arends about where he thinks the debate stands.

• Don and Brandon discuss California's Proposition 8, the world financial crisis, and why it is unwise to put your faith in money or politics.

This is Part 4 of a debate hosted by OpposingViews.net between Don and Dr. Robert Price on the resurrection.

This was supposed to be Dr. Price's chance to respond, but debate host Paul Arends wanted some clarification of some of Don's positions before proceeding. This show, then, is Paul's presentation of some of the problems he has with Don's argument, followed by an interview with Don to get his response. Brandon Ridley also joins Don in that part of the broadcast.

This is Part 3 of a debate hosted by OpposingViews.net between Don and Dr. Robert Price on the resurrection.

In this episode Paul Arnends interviews Don and gets his response to last weeks discussion with Dr. Price.

This is Part 2 of a debate hosted by OpposingViews.net between Don and Dr. Robert Price on the resurrection.

In this episode Paul Arnends interviews Dr. Price and gets his response to Don's argument in Part 1 of the debate.

• Don hands out a Jonathan Swift Award to Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite for classifying preborn babies as enemy combatants.
• Don and Brandon discuss some listener emails. Topics include the fate of those people who have never heard about Jesus and the nature of salvation, especially as it relates to one experiencing God in relationship.

Don is interviewed by Paul Arends of OpposingViews.net.

This is part 1 of a debate in which Paul will alternate between interviewing Don and Dr. Robert Price on the subject of the historicity of the resurrection.

Dr. Price is Professor of Theology and Scriptural Studies at Johnnie Colemon Theological Seminary, the founder and editor of The Journal of Higher Criticism, and a Fellow of the Jesus Seminar. He holds a PhD in Systematic Theology from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary and another PhD in New Testament from Drew University. He is the author of many books including Jesus Is Dead.

• Sarah Palin's rise to fame has highlighted the fact that over 90% of preborn babies with Down's Syndrome are killed. Camille Paglia thinks we should call abortion what it is, murder, and embrace it. In the Netherlands, infanticide is celebrated. Don and Brandon continue to catalog the West's embrace of fascism.
• Christian celebrities Ray Boltz and Clay Aiken recently came out as gay, claiming that they needed to be true to who they were. Does the Bible teach this? (Don reads part of a blog post by Tony Woodleaf.)
• Listener Phil asks if the Bible can be reconciled with evolution.

• Eboo Patell wants us to join the religion of pluralism.
• Don and Brandon continue to interact with a listener about the New Testament writers and the return of Christ.
• More listener emails.

• Don and Brandon answer answer some listener questions, including:
  • "If the New Testament writers were wrong about when Jesus was going to return, why should we trust them about anything else?"
  • "Shouldn't Christians be leading the charge to investigate paranormal activity? They seem to be leaving that realm to pagans."
• According to a recent study, 70% of religious believers think there is more than one path to eternal life. While at least one expert thinks this position is a sign of humility, Don and Brandon  argue that it is actually incredibly arrogant. This discussion veers into the political realm and includes references to an article by Pat Buchanan.

• Don and Brandon answer listener email and live chat room questions.

• Don and Brandon respond to a Mormon listener who argues that is is wrong to demand rationality and reasonableness from religion.
• Sharon Stone blamed the Chinese earthquakes on karma. Why are people so upset?
• David Brooks thinks the evidence being discovered by neurobiology doesn't bode well for Christianity.

• A listener asks what to do with the Old Testament accounts of God destroying entire populations.
• The church of green.
• Homosexuality and race.
• Were two fliers who prayed, then landed safely next to a huge  "Jesus is Lord" sign after their engine quit just lucky, or did God rescue them?

• Don and Brandon respond to a listener email asking about people who are not interested in reason and evidence when choosing a worldview as well as those who honestly think the reason and evidence point elsewhere than Christianity.
• A discussion of the recent debate between Dinesh D'Souza and Peter Singer.
• Christianity without Christ?

• Jonathan Rauch argues that the greatest development in modern religion is "apatheism."
• The pastor who built his church on telling people what they want to hear, and other signs of a weak American evangelicalism.
• The silliness of Pluralism Sunday.
• The atheist who finds it necessary to teach her kid to be a Christian.

• A new study suggests that conservative Protestants have less wealth than most people. But are they really less secure?
• Within our current cultural framework, what exactly is the case against polygamy?
• Some Darwinists don't like Ben Stein's Expelled because he links the ideology to Hitler. But if Darwinism is true, isn't it linked to everything?
• Richard Dawkins admits that he thinks tribalism, not religion, is the cause of evil. And the cause of tribalism? Evolution. We try to figure it out.
• Oprah Winfrey has "opened her mind" to irrationality.

• A U.K. Christian converted to Islam, but doesn't seem to have any good reasons for having done so.
• According to Professor Daniel Dennett, religion is the greatest threat to rationality and science. Don argues that he is actually, and rightly, concerned about fideism, not religion.
• It is fine for environmentalists to use scripture to support there position, but as Patrick McIlerhan notes, they might want to avoid making it up or taking it out of context when they do.
• Senators Clinton and Obama admit they don't know when life begins. Shouldn't that make them anti-abortion?

• A discussion of some topics that were raised in last week's interview with Stephen Gibson.
• Don and Brandon answer some Muslim arguments against Christianity that were sent in by a listener.
• A T.V. star is mad at Scientology for not delivering on its promises.
• This week's Jonathan Swift award goes to Aliza Shvarts, who allegedly had abortions in order to produce an art project.

Our guest is Stephen Gibson, founder of Truth Driven Thinking and author of A Secret of the Universe. Mr. Gibson rejected his Christianity due to higher biblical criticism, but has he found a worldview that is better supported by evidence? Don and Brandon try to find out.

• Don responds to a listener email questioning last weeks winner of the Jonathan Swift award.
• The Episcopal Bishop of Washington claims the if Islam is false, so is Christianity and Judaism. Don disagrees.
• Atheist Sunday School?
• Is working for the conversion of Muslims the same as the crusades?
• A listener suggests that since cultural relativism is a fact, perhaps moral relativism is too.

• In Search of the God Particle: Physicist Steven Weinburg hopes to find a naturalistic explanation for everything.
• Can naturalistic philosophy explain why mediation can change the brain?
• The fallacy of religion?
• The debate over whether or not we should debate about God.
• Atheist Sara Kuhlman is right about bumper sticker religion.
• Our Jonathan Swift Award for this week goes to the opponents of perinatal hospices.

• The disturbing trend among preachers to consult their DVD collection for sermon ideas before going to the Bible.
• Hot-cross buns and reincarnation milk: taking a look at Danny Katz's critique of religion.
• Does one have to believe the resurrection actually happened to get something out of Easter? Don, Brandon and Greg discuss a Daily Telegraph article that claims Easter goes beyond religion.
• The Jeremiah Wright story has brought Black liberation theology into the news. The group talk about where it fits within the three main historical views of the kingdom of God.
• As exposed by The Advocate, Planned Parenthood is doing a great job of fulfilling their founder's racist, eugenic vision.
• Don, Greg and Brandon get into a brief debate about pacifism.

• Is American ignorance and anti-intellectualism due to religion, as Susan Jacoby argues, or is it actually due to a rejection of God, as Don and Brandon argue.
  • San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom offers an example of irrationality.
• Recycle or go to hell?
• Going green for lent?
• More examples of what not to look for when "shopping for God."
• Who does the evidence suggest is right about the Elliot Spitzer adultery case: Cal Thomas or Mary Carmichael?
• The relationship between virtue and freedom.

After discussing the proposition that Moses was often high on drugs, Don and Brandon offer several examples of what not to do with biblical writings.

• Barack Obama's faulty hermeneutics.
• How rejecting the Bible killed mainline Protestantism.
• The Peace and Justice Bible takes biblical "helps" to a new level of silliness.