The Son of A Famous Apologist Doubts His Faith: My Story
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- Опубліковано 25 сер 2020
- I grew up as the son of an influential apologist, Josh McDowell. Even though my parents taught me how to understand my faith, live it, and defend it, I found myself having serious doubts as a college student in the mid 90s. What was that like? How did my parents respond? Here's the story.
READ: How Do You Best Respond When Kids Question Their Faith? (seanmcdowell.org/blog/when-ki...)
READ: Evidence that Demands A Verdict (amzn.to/32n7seL)
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Thanks for your honesty. It is the truth that sets you free!
Fabulous. I was a student in the late 80’s and early 90’s and my most influential religion professor was a member of the Jesus Seminar. I started out very enthusiastic about “the historical Jesus “ research because I thought it would help me better appreciate the historical context and full truth of Jesus and his world. The more I read, the more uncertain I became. I never left the faith, either, but I, too, found myself deconstructing it. I would give myself more credit, but I honestly believe God allowed me to wrestle with what I believed so that He could build a firm foundation for me. Jesus never lets the enemy snatch his followers from his hand, and He was faithful and true to me. Sean, one of the things God used was your father’s writings, long after they had been published. God bless you, truly, for sharing this personal story. Kudos to your father for such maturity and lack of ego in his response.
What did you not give up christianity?
Her father said to me: "I don't trust any black man, because black men are evil."
"But what if you met a black man who was not evil?"
"Well that just means he hasn't been caught yet."
Since he had a fixed opinion that all black men are evil, any evidence that contradicts that will be twisted into evidence that supports it.
Here is a second example: "I know she is lying because her story sounds too true."
But if the story didn't sound true, he would say: "aha, that doesn't sound true. Exactly what I expected from a liar like her."
All evidence will eventually be made to support the desired conclusion.
When explanations that transform disconfirming data into confirming data (God deliberately provided disconfirming information to test me to make my belief even stronger in the long run) are sought, they will always be found. The journey the becomes not one toward truth, but away from what you don't want to be true.
Why exactly did you remain a Christian?
I'm so impressed by father and son. As a freshman in college in 1980, the books and cassette tapes of Josh were pivotal in my turning from skepticism to faith. But as Sean said, it was understanding my need for a Savior that was the real turning point. All these years later, I wish I had had the maturity to respond to my own children's doubts as Josh did to Sean. It's a big regret, and the story is not over. But I'm so grateful for them both.
This is what my grandmother ALWAYS said to us when we were parting ways:
May God pour out His blessings upon you, fill you with His spirit and give you wisdom. And may Jesus keep you covered in His blood. - When i wasn't a believer I had no clue what she was saying to me! Years ago at her funeral, all my aunt's and uncles were passing around cards saying that with a mustard seed taped to it!
Weird, all the blood sacrifice stuff. It's a pretty strange religion when you really stop and think about it. Oh well, all the best
@@trybunt I have thought okay if it were me I wouldn't walk around a city (Jericho) 40 times and then blow 🎺 to defeat my enemy, but I'm not God right! Like we have in antiquity Abdi-Heba to Pharaoh Amenhotep IV asking for help from the Hebrew conquest of Canaan. Scholars have said, dates, carbon dating, fits perfectly that we can say this is a story of that conquest of Joshua from the enemy's side.
@@trybunt thanks for the convo Idky i thought of Joshua and his conquests but thank you again for my mind going to the Old Testamemt!
@@jojersey4081 to be fair, there are lots of stories about armies being saved by miracles throughout history. Magical thinking was very common back then, it doesn't surprise me, but I'm more convinced that the people telling the story mistook the situation, and the story we're hearing isn't necessarily accurate.
@@trybunt The account was the enemy right before they were taken down. I just thought it was neat that we have in antiquity evidence of an army against the Jews begging that Pharaoh for help. Btw, thanks for going down that rabbit hole with me!
Thank you brother for loving our Father Jesus and the Man who is the Holy Spirit so much that you want to share His love. May God continue to pour out His blessings on you
@Vincent Kinney thank you for the feedback! God bless you!
I always say that the biggest catalyst of me getting serious about investigating the Christian faith I was raised in, was a smarty pants atheist friend I had at 17 or 18. This was in the mid '70, and my friend was the first person I knew that had seriously thought about being an atheist and why he was. I came to Christ (or at least I think I did) as a child. But I wasn't old enough for it to have been a knowing submitted / committed faith. All I know is, for a period, I flirted with atheism - due to the doubts my friend had sown within me. And at first I thought - wow, no God, no moral constraints - I can do whatever I want - and so I thought I was free. But I quickly realized I was anything but free - and for about a year things became dark, depressing, fearful. And then I had an experience that "turned the lights back on" to my faith. Or maybe, I discovered faith in Christ for the very first time? What I do know is my friend had me thinking deeply about issues related to God, when most of my friends could have cared less (mothers, be careful who you allow your kids to hang around with, eh? LOL.
Your father's response was/is amazing. Just really resonated with me and with what I'm dealing with my teenage boys. Thank you so much.
Wow this was so good. Just really spoke to me. Thank you for your story and just so helpful to me. I'm grateful for this. Especially when you said "I'm the older brother who has stayed, done the work, been doing good, but I'm just as lost and I need grace even more because I think I don't need it." Wow so brilliantly worded.
Thanks for doing this. Nice to hear a bit of his story. His show is great, lots of thoughtful questions and terrific guests. He is a great interviewer, but he is one of the best preachers I have ever heard. Nice to hear some of his background story. And if you ever get a chance to hear this guy preach do yourself a favor and tune in.
Thank you Sean. Your testimony is helpful to me. I subscribed to your channel last week.
Thanks Kim!
What a great story Sean! Thanks for sharing!!
🌟❤️ The Lord *bless you and keep you* ; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the *Lord turn his face toward you* and give you *peace* - Rock on!! 🌟❤️🌟
It's a great story that is connectable regardless of belief.
Thank you Sean !!!
Great clip Sean. Love the shirt. God bless.
Haha, nice! Glad you enjoyed it.
@@SeanMcDowell thanks for your videos. I converted to Christianity a year ago. Then i realized I knew a different Jesus, like I guess a 3rd party Jesus cause i never read the Bible myself. I went to church with my husband, volunteered, etc. so to many i was passing. Heck i thought i was a follower of Christ. Then, for me, out of nowhere (really not my prayer) I prayed that Jesus would make me read the Bible. Three days later, 🚶 by (embarassingly) 5 Bibles, like a zombie (not natural) I picked one up! Then couldn't put it down.
@@SeanMcDowell So will you pray for me and my husband. Darius and Autumn. Please.
So after reading my ears and eyes were opened like okay Jesus doesn't just let sheep all day and praying for a good parking spot (all the time j/k) aren't "good" prayers. I found you via Melissa Dougherty and found that apologists are great teachers for wanna be missionaries like myself. Please pray I make disciples of the true Christ. And please please pray my husband gets saved.
@@SeanMcDowell I don't see anyone doing videos on this - How to disciple and live with an unbeliever? Will you do one on that cause idk what to say half the time and the other half the time I get frustrated and then it pushes us apart. Thanks in advance! P.S. Out of all the apologists I've been watching, You and Melissa are the most well versed in apologetics and funny as all get out.
Thank you so much for this Dr. Sean, I thank God for your channel and your ministry, ps: and I do identify with the older son, too.
👍 I ve read your dad's book and his testimony is one close to my heart for reasons . Thank you for your testimony . I have met many young christians who were in the phase that you describe in your testimony .may god help them through this video
..."don't walk away unless your persuaded it's NOT true."
I remembered being in that place after college......I had evidence but something else was missing. I was not interacting with Him and seeing Him involved in his creation.
Great t-shirt!
I think the biggest evidence for my faith ironically is the study of the near-death experience. I wrote a book paralling the Bible and the Near-Death Experience.
Oh my worrrd JOSH MCDOWELL IS HIS DAD! I KNEW there was a reason I liked this channel! Why did it take this long to figure that out??
And that book just happened to be published on my birthday 10/3 😄
Amen
Too short...
I feel like this I have never been to the "world" but I realized how sinful I was and how much I doubted the Bible and God. I am stil growing in faith but have faced many doubts in my life.
I would read the Evidence that demands a verdict book. haha
😂😂
😂🙄🤣😱😅🤥
3:40 To all Mormons doubting the LDS faith: don’t walk away unless you’re persuaded that it’s really not true.
I agree with that sentiment. The difference comes when you consider the evidence.
@@SeanMcDowell That's fair enough. Thanks for the reply. My story is a long one, but talking to Mormons is what eventually led me out of my faith in the Bible. I came to the conclusion that I really didn't have much better reason to believe in the Bible as they do the BoM. The realization that I was no better as a believer than anyone else, the realization that I could love my family, friends, and neighbors just as well without a belief - once that sunk in, I was out. I still love to read the gospels, but I just can't believe anymore that there is any real power in believing that a man rose from the dead. It's still something I consider every day. My family and friends are believers. So the roots are deep. I guess that's why I'm here... Much respect to you Sean!
@@SeanMcDowell cults have a way of getting people to ignore the evidence against their claim.
@@mattandkim17 I hope you don't mind me jumping in here since you rarely get responses from video authors more than once or twice. Something you said struck my curiosity.
What is it that cause you to believe in Mormonism in the first place?
You see, the reason I reject Mormonism is that there doesn't seem to be any historical validity to its claims. There is more then that but if it proved to be, even broadly, historical, I'd give it serious thought. I realize that Mormons are taught to expect an eternal witness. Is that your story?
I want to lead you with some encouragement as well. Many people that come out of cults or cult "light" religious groups feel disenfranchised with religion over all. Its completely understandable. They believed so passionately and trusted so much and then only found out that they were entirely wrong. If they are so capable of getting it so wrong yet being so wrong then how could they ever trust these type of beliefs again.
What I would suggest is that is coming from a place of trauma. The encouragement I give is to weigh different claims rationally. Does God exist? If so then has he revealed Himself to us? How would I know if He did and what methods should I use to increase the chances that I get it right the second time around. Don't assume all religions are wrong just because you were led so astray by yours.
Only walk away if
""'"Education"""
does not make you a Christian
the Spirit of God does seem it and get as fill as you need everyday
For all the good Josh and his son have done in defending the truth of the Bible, and the gospel, I am shocked that no one has pointed out the fatal flaw of Josh's original book: "Evidence that demand's a verdict." Namely, his defense of the deity of Jesus. For in his book he jumps to the false conclusion that because Jesus unequivocally declared himself the Son of God, that meant he was saying he was God. That was the mistake the Jews of his day made. The spirit of God was in Jesus to the fullest reconciling the world to Himself. But Jesus himself was not Yahweh. He was the son of Yahweh. As all believers in Jesus now are. And that doesn't make us God!
“I’ve raised you above all to seek and follow truth.” It seems, in this context, that father McDowell was implying a possibility that seeking truth could mean something other than seeking God. But from a Christian worldview, what else does “seek and follow truth” mean if not to seek and follow God? There is no truth apart from God. In Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). If father McDowell raised son McDowell above all to seek and follow truth, but that means something other than raising him above all to seek and follow God, isn’t that a non-Christian worldview? Or even idolatry (putting “truth” above God - as if this were possible)?
We have today proof that the Bible and the God it describes is real. It is the story of the Jews. The Bible picks a person and says he will be important in world history - Abraham of Ur of the Chaldeans. The Bible says some of his children (Hebrews) would become the nation of Israel to the land given to Abraham. Because the Jews rejected the one true God and worshipped many gods, they would be defeated; expelled from their land; hated and persecuted by the world. But the Bible said that the Living God would bring them back to the land God had given Abraham from the worldwide dispersion; cause Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel again; cause Hebrew to be spoken again; and cause the desolate land (given a Sabbath rest) to be fertile again. This has happened in our time even though it took over 2000 years from the first defeats to the reestablishment of the nation of Israel. This proves God is supernatural and controls human history. This prophecy has come true in our time. The God of the Bible is not like all the other gods in human history.
Love your explanation God bless
"The sheer existence of apologists is reason alone to raise suspicion. Their dishonesty is blatant when you simply double check what they say. In the end, historians and scientists are not just one big conspiracy against Jesus, the Bible is simply wrong about most things."
-Joseph R. Hanson
Quotes don't prove anything and this isn't that great of a quote.
Personally, I just can't take something so important based solely on the word of so few people. I've seen honest people tell stories that I know aren't true, not because they are lying, simply because they were mistaken.
I've got no way of confirming any of these old stories any better than I can confirm Kemetism, or alien abduction sightings, I don't think that I should lower my standards of evidence for this religion simply because I want it to be true, and when I really think about it, that's what it would take.
The entire account of what Jesus did was written down at one point, and I have to trust that it's accurate, that everything happened just as described, or at least close enough believe all the supernatural stuff.
The thing is, I've known people who said they witnessed supernatural stuff, and even though I don't believe these people were lying to me, I also don't believe that they understand exactly what happened either, so it's just another unknown, and that's my own family members. So sure, I believe that Paul was convinced he saw Jesus after he died, but I'm not convinced that happened because Jesus is God.
I'm convince that Jesus lived, and had a following of people who were convinced that he could perform miracles, but that happens today, and I don't believe they are supernatural, so how can I possibly believe that Jesus is? The fact that I want to believe isn't enough.
@Ben Walker you say you want to believe. Is that true? Just because we see things as strange doesn't make the evidence not true. Like you said the blood sacrifice is weird; I agree with you and still believe Jesus is my Master.
Do you believe that Jesus really did, in reality, appear to Paul after his death? Or do you believe that Paul just thought he saw Jesus, and was actually mistaken?
@@ProMaxElite I believe that Paul was convinced that he saw him, I don't know why, but him simply saying that doesn't convince me that Jesus actually raised from the dead, because I've heard many claims just like this, even my employee said that he saw his grandfather after he died, I don't think that my employee Brock is lying to me, but I also don't think that his grandfather actually came back in any way, I just think it's far more likely there is some other reason he believes his grandfather appeared before him. This is someone I can speak to, so I trust his account. With Paul, I'm giving him the benifit if the doubt because I think he believed what he was saying to be true, but that is very different from it actually being true.
@@jojersey4081 yes, I'm not lying, I think it would be wonderful if the supernatural world existed in some way that we can't perceive, and if God is exactly how Christians explain (all good, loving, fair etc) then it would be good if that was true, but I just don't think the whole thing adds up, it makes no sense to me, and not for lack of trying- I've been completely open minded and searching for answers for decades, but of the hundreds of religious people I've spoken too, ive never heard any convincing reasons to believe. Now, according to some people, even though I don't choose what I am convinced of, apparently they believe I'll he tortured for eternity, and I deserve such a punishment. This only makes me doubt the whole thing even more, if this apparent god really is fair, I think I'll get a fair chance at least.
Ben Walker People have been mistaken in the past, yes. But that doesn’t mean that Paul was mistaken. It does not follow that just because some people were wrong about some things, that Paul must also be wrong about this.
You’ve come to a conclusion: Paul was convinced he saw the resurrected Jesus, but he didn’t really. He was just mistaken in some way. What reasons do you have for coming to this conclusion?
Those “old gods” were actually real. But Christianity is still true, and explains exactly who they were in Genesis 6. God is called the most high for a reason. There ARE other divine beings. But he’s the only one that is species unique as Dr. Michael Heiser puts it. Only one actual God. And then the fallen angels that wanted to be God themselves and create their own families. Satan was just the first Rebel. All he did was guarantee us death through Adam and Eve, but the fallen angels of Genesis 6, the watchers in Enoch, are the reason for human depravity. They are the reason for the flood, not just “human evil” , it was about erasing the abominations created by those fallen angels. I mean that’s why the promised land later became the promised land, that’s what the conquest was about. Wiping out the last remaining nephilim descendants’ clans (the giants, as in the Amorites etc.) God turned the land of his enemies into his throne. It’s poetic justice.
I'm a cradle Catholic but I just have so many questions about God in general mostly CONCERNING Hell. How is a FINITE lifetime of SIN deserves ETERNAL TORTURE and TORMENT in Hell. All the SUFFERINGS on this Earth is just a TINY PERCENT compared to the SUFFERINGS you and I will get to EXPERIENCE in Hell. So I NEED and I MUST believe in the Lord Jesus Christ or I will BURN in Hell for all ETERNITY.
Those in hell don't stop being sinners. Their desire is to be separated from God.
He is a Just and Holy God- His Presence can not allow anything outside of that.
That's the reason we need Jesus- our only opportunity to be cleaned so that Abba Father can see His Perfect Son once looking upon us.
Hell was never created for humans. We choose that consequence by not choosing Him- His Love, His Purposes by way of freewill.
Choose Jesus and to live and obey God's Word faithfully. Let Him guide you by resting in His Truth and Power. The Best Decision you'll ever make.
@@drewbysdad9697 I get it NOW I was just being FOOLISH when I wrote this comment.
"When we say…Jesus Christ…was produced without sexual union, and was crucified and died, and rose again, and ascended to heaven, ***we propound nothing new or different*** *from what you believe regarding those whom you call Sons of God. [In fact]…if anybody objects that [Jesus] was crucified, this is in* ***common*** *with the sons of Zeus (as you call them) who suffered, as previously listed [he listed Dionysus, Hercules, and Asclepius].* Since their fatal sufferings are all narrated as not similar but different, so his unique passion should not seem to be any worse."
*Note how Justin (Martyr) is less of a fool than modern Christian apologists. He admits that differences don’t matter.* Since each and every one of the suffering and dying gods are slain by different means, one cannot argue the mytheme requires exactly the same means of death. “But Osiris can’t have inspired the Jesus myth because Osiris wasn’t nailed to a cross” is a stupid argument. The mytheme is simply death. Being killed. Suffering and dying. The exact mode of death can vary freely. It makes no difference to the existence and influence of the mytheme. It’s simply the particular instantiation of a generic abstraction. *And Justin’s argument (that Satan invented these fake religions to confuse people) entails Justin agreed the mytheme existed: indeed, it was demonically promulgated, multiple times. Intentionally.*
*Likewise, Justin notices the mytheme is not virgin birth, but sexless conception. Of which many examples had already been popularized in pagan mythology (there just happens to also have been examples of actual virgin born gods as well). And by his argument (that the Devil was deliberately emulating the Jesus mytheme, in advance), Justin clearly accepted the same principle for “rising again” after death:* the particular exact metaphysics of the resurrection could, like the exact method of death or conception, vary freely. The mytheme consists solely of the abstraction: returning to life. Somehow. Some way. We will say bodily, at the very least. But what sort of body (the same one, a new one, a mortal one, an immortal one), didn’t matter. *If it had, Justin would have made the argument that “those gods” weren’t really resurrected. But that argument, never occurs to him. Nor did it to any other apologist of the first three centuries.*
*Ancient Christians well knew there was nothing new about their dying-and-rising god. Not in respect to the mytheme.* Their claims were solely that his particular instantiation of it was better, and the only one that actually happened. *They didn’t make up the stupid modern arguments that dying-and-rising god myths didn’t exist or weren’t part of a common mytheme everyone knew about. For example, in the same century, Tertullian, in Prescription against Heretics 40, makes exactly the same argument as Justin. Funny that. They had better access to the evidence than we do. They knew what was really and widely the case. We should listen to them.*
Google *"Dying-and-Rising Gods: It's Pagan, Guys. Get Over It. • Richard Carrier"*
Google *"Ehrman Errs: Yes, Bart, There Were Dying & Rising Gods - atheologica"*
Watch *"Dying & Rising Gods: A Response to William Lane Craig"* by Derreck Bennett at Atheologica.
Google *"Virgin Birth: It's Pagan, Guys. Get Over It. • Richard Carrier"*
Google *"5 Pagan Parallels to Jesus That Actually Aren’t Bullshit - Atheomedy"*
Google *"Christian Apologetics: The Art of Deceit - Atheomedy"*
Google *"Defending the Resurrection: It’s Easy if You Lie! - Atheomedy"*
Google *"Majority of Scholars agree: The Gospels were not written by Eyewitnesses - Escaping Christian Fundamentalism"*
A good site written by an actual Biblical scholar.
Google *"Contradictions in the Bible | Identified verse by verse and explained using the most up-to-date scholarly information about the Bible, its texts, and the men who wrote them -- by Dr. Steven DiMattei"*
Google *"How do we know that the biblical writers were* ***not*** *writing history? -- by Dr Steven DiMattei"*
Also:
Google *"How Did The Gospel Writers Know? - The Doston Jones Blog"*
Google *"Yes, the Four Gospels Were Originally Anonymous: Part 1 - The Doston Jones Blog"*
You are all following a 66 book bible believing only the new testament is relevant and for today. Yet our Messiah came to put all things back on track for even the Rabbis had overridden the Torah with their Talmud. So now you cingle to a book not only modified by the Rabbis but heavily altered by many Popes, kings, and even a drunk monk. Not even realizing there are some 45 books missing and you fear them or disregard them because a Pope tells you to. If you should at least look into the Hebrew words instead of the Greek you would see in Our Messiahs own words He came to "UPHOLD" the law not complete it and thereby nullify it. The only law our Messiah conquered was the law of sin and death, not all the laws.
A year or maybe 2 ago your reputation among your critics was that you were one of the more intellectually honest christian apologists active. But more recently you have fallen in with the DI, ICR, and AiG crew and are losing that credibility.