Should I Pretend to Have a Greater Degree of Conviction Than I Actually Have?
#STRask — Stand to ReasonShould I Pretend to Have a Greater Degree of Conviction Than I Actually Have?
September 26, 2022
#STRaskStand to Reason
Questions about whether we should pretend to have a greater degree of conviction than we actually have in order to make our arguments more persuasive and whether the uptick in violence is a purely spiritual problem or is also related to other ideologies and practices in our society.
* Should I pretend to have a strong degree of conviction I do not actually have on a matter in order to make my arguments more persuasive?
* Is the uptick in violence and brutality in our society a purely spiritual problem with purely spiritual solutions, or do psychology, sociology, criminology, etc. have something to contribute to the solution?
More From #STRask
Did Jesus Ever Teach against Homosexuality?
#STRask
September 29, 2022
Questions about how to respond to someone who claims Jesus never taught against homosexuality, who also doesn’t consider anything outside the Gospels
What Does the Old Testament Say about the Nature and Role of the Messiah?
#STRask
October 3, 2022
Question about what the Old Testament says about the nature and role of the Messiah and whether it leaves open the option that Jesus is God and a man
I Can’t Accept the Gospel Because It Would Mean My Loved One Is in Hell
#STRask
October 6, 2022
Questions about how to respond to someone who refuses to accept the gospel because it would mean a loved one has likely gone to Hell, why we should th
How Did Jews Attain Righteousness before Christ?
#STRask
September 22, 2022
Questions about how Jews attained righteousness before Christ and what Romans 9:32 means when it says the Jews “did not pursue [righteousness] by fait
How Can I Reveal and Defend My Belief in the Trinity and Leave My Oneness Church?
#STRask
September 19, 2022
Questions about how a teen can reveal and defend her belief in the Trinity and leave her Oneness church and whether church memberships that exclude pe
What Questions Should I Ask Pastors When Looking for a New Church?
#STRask
September 15, 2022
Questions about what to ask pastors and other church leaders when looking for a new church.
* What questions would you ask pastors and other church l
More on OpenTheo
Did Jesus Prove He Wasn’t Sinless When He Overturned the Tables?
#STRask
December 29, 2025
Questions about whether Jesus proved he wasn’t sinless when he overturned the tables, whether Jesus’ response to the Pharisees in Mark 3:22–26 was a b
Why Do We Say Someone Was Saved on a Particular Date If It Was Part of an Eternal Plan?
#STRask
November 24, 2025
Questions about why we say someone was saved on a particular date if it was part of an eternal plan, the Roman Catholic view of the gospel vs. the Bib
Are You Accursed If You Tithe?
#STRask
December 15, 2025
Questions about whether anyone who tithes is not a Christian and is accursed since Paul says that if you obey one part of the Mosaic Law you’re obliga
What Do You Think About Churches Advertising on Social Media?
#STRask
January 19, 2026
Questions about whether there’s an issue with churches advertising on social media, whether it’s weird if we pray along with a YouTuber, and whether C
Why Is There No Effort Towards a Neutral Interpretation of Scripture?
#STRask
March 9, 2026
Questions about why there is no effort towards a neutral interpretation of Scripture that doesn’t take denominational preferences into account, and ho
Sense, Sensibility, and Adam Smith with Jan Van Vliet
Life and Books and Everything
February 16, 2026
This year is a special anniversary for the United States as Americans celebrate 250 years of independence. But 1776 was an important year in more ways
Why Does the Bible Teach You How to Be a Proper Slave Owner?
#STRask
November 13, 2025
Question about why it seems like the Bible teaches you how to be a proper slave owner rather than than saying, “Stop it. Give them freedom.”
* It s
Is Greg Placing His Faith in the Wrong Thing?
#STRask
February 12, 2026
Questions about Greg placing his faith in his personal assessment of which truth claims best match reality rather than in the revelation of God in Jes
Does God Really Need a “Pound of Flesh” to Forgive Sins?
#STRask
January 12, 2026
Questions about how to answer the challenge that God doesn’t need a “pound of flesh” to forgive sins but can simply forgive, and whether the claim in
Christmas Cranks and Christmas Blessings with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen
Life and Books and Everything
December 17, 2025
If you are looking for a podcast where three friends talk about whatever they want to talk about and ramble on about sports, books, and grievances, th
What Tools of Reasoning Help You Know What’s True, Right, and Good?
#STRask
December 4, 2025
Question about what tools of reasoning help us determine whether something is true or false, right or wrong, good or bad before bringing Scripture int
How Would You Convince Someone That Evil Exists?
#STRask
November 17, 2025
Questions about how to convince someone that evil exists, whether Charlie Kirk’s murder was part of God’s plan, whether that would mean the murderer d
How Can We Know Who Is Teaching the Same Gospel Paul Taught?
#STRask
February 16, 2026
Questions about how we can know who is teaching the same gospel Paul taught, and whether or not Jeremiah 1:5 supports the idea that we pre-existed in
Are Demon Possessions and Exorcisms in the New Testament Literal?
#STRask
December 11, 2025
Questions about whether references to demon possessions and exorcisms in the New Testament are literal, how to talk to young children about ghosts, an
What Is the Role of the Holy Spirit in Our Lives if He Doesn’t Give Us Instructions?
#STRask
February 23, 2026
Questions about the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, advice for someone who believes in God intellectually but struggles to understand how to hav