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All (125) Mike Winger (125)
Mike Winger idea 2018-02-21

JW.org article 'Blood Transfusions: How Safe?' uses 30-year-old statistics to exaggerate the dangers of blood transfusions.

Mike critiques the Watchtower's misinformation campaign against blood transfusions as medical propaganda.

jw.org blood transfusion safety hemolytic transfusion reaction
Mike Winger idea 2018-02-07

Fourth video: Todd White heals a girl of scoliosis. Mike notes multiple misleading elements: positive reaction to love/compassion, a back 'pop' presented as confirmation, and an ambiguous pain report — yet Todd declares her 'totally healed of scoliosis.'

Analysis of Todd White's scoliosis healing video.

Todd White healing fraud psychological manipulation
Mike Winger idea 2018-02-07

Fifth video: Todd White heals a boy's leg outdoors on a gridded sidewalk. Mike notes the advantage of using the sidewalk grid lines as fixed reference points to track actual foot movement.

Analysis of another Todd White leg-lengthening video with unusually good reference points.

Todd White healing fraud leg lengthening
Mike Winger idea 2018-02-07

Rushing to confirmation rather than allowing honest, pressure-free self-reporting is a key problematic tactic in these healing ministries.

Critique of the question methodology in the eye-healing video.

healing fraud psychological manipulation suggestive questioning
Mike Winger idea 2018-02-07

Christians who have been ministered to by Todd White can still receive genuine spiritual value from his true teachings while being discerning about his healing methodology.

Pastoral application for viewers who have encountered Todd White's ministry.

discernment healing Todd White
Mike Winger idea 2018-04-18

Camping's public repentance: he acknowledged he should never have predicted the end; Mike grants measured respect for this

After October 21 also passed, Camping issued a genuine-sounding retraction.

false prophecy repentance Harold Camping
Mike Winger idea 2018-01-24

Strategy for reaching Mormons: question the reliability of the 'burning in the bosom' as a source of truth, then lead them toward evidence-based epistemology.

Mike describes his personal approach to engaging Mormons who are emotionally committed to their 'testimony.'

Joseph Smith evidence-based faith epistemology
Mike Winger idea 2018-04-11

Clarification: the Bible claims inspiration, not dictation

The article under review assumes God 'wrote' the Bible. Mike corrects this mischaracterization before engaging the specific arguments.

biblical inspiration dictation theory verbal plenary inspiration
Mike Winger idea 2018-04-11

The 'God only acts in the Middle East' meme refuted as incoherent special pleading

Between numbered reasons, the article inserts a meme claiming all of God's actions in the Bible occur in a tiny geographic circle around the Middle East, ignoring Europe, the Americas, and Asia.

geographic objection special pleading meme apologetics
Mike Winger idea 2018-04-11

Reason 7 (the 'half reason') addressed: The Bible does contain beautiful poetry; the Judges 19 example is a misrepresentation

The skeptic argues the Bible lacks beautiful, heart-rending poetry and cites Judges 19 (the Levite's concubine) as a counterexample of ugliness.

Genesis 1 Isaiah 53 Song of Solomon Genesis 1 Isaiah 53 Song of Solomon
Mike Winger idea 2018-04-25

Luke 21:25-28 — cosmic signs and visible coming after the times of the Gentiles

After the 'times of the Gentiles' pause, Jesus gives the cosmic-sign sequence leading to his coming in Luke 21.

Luke 21:25-28 Revelation cosmic signs cosmic signs Luke 21:25-28 second coming in Luke
Mike Winger idea 2018-08-22

CoG leaders may be self-deceived rather than consciously lying — self-deception is possible and does not eliminate moral culpability

Q&A: question from Tim G about whether CoG leaders know they are deceiving people.

Joo-Cheol Kim false teachers self-deception
Mike Winger idea 2018-10-17

The claim 'all sin is the same' contains a kernel of truth but is ultimately inaccurate and too imprecise to be useful.

Mike opens the livestream by stating the topic: is all sin really the same? He acknowledges the idea has partial truth but argues it is clumsy and misleading.

hermeneutics sin Christian living
Mike Winger idea 2018-10-24

Q&A: Playing magical characters in video games is a separate question from Halloween and depends on conscience

Viewer asks whether abstaining from Halloween would be inconsistent with playing a mage or shaman in a video game

Conscience Video games Magic
Mike Winger idea 2018-11-28

Ehrman says Apollonius 'aroused opposition among ruling authorities of Rome and was put on trial' — but he was simply acquitted and released. Ehrman's phrase 'they could not kill his soul' is rhetorically misleading; no one tried to kill him, no one succeeded, and his body was not executed. A man being tried and acquitted is not parallel to Jesus being crucified.

apologetics Apollonius of Tyana trial
Mike Winger idea 2018-11-07

Winger argues Ehrman's book creates a false impression of radical biblical change by using technically true statements in a misleading way. When pressed in an interview, Ehrman himself admitted the Gospels 'pretty much say exactly what they say in your Bible now,' undermining the impression his book creates.

textual criticism apologetics Bible reliability
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-16

Dictionary definition of faith: Google's two definitions — 'complete trust or confidence' vs. 'strong belief based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof'

Mike moves from Scripture to the dictionary to examine the secular definition of faith.

personal testimony faith spiritual apprehension
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-23

Brief digression — 'the sin that leads to death' in 1 John and Leviticus typology are likely unrelated

Q&A — off-topic question about 1 John's 'sin that leads to death' and Leviticus typology

1 John Leviticus 1 John typology biblical interpretation
Mike Winger idea 2019-01-30

119 Ministries asks "can truth become not-truth?" — Mike identifies this as a misleading question that conflates truthfulness with universal applicability

Mike quotes and critiques a rhetorical question 119 Ministries poses to destabilize the traditional Christian position.

Paul rejection 119 Ministries Rhetorical manipulation
Mike Winger idea 2019-03-13

Metanoia encompasses both attitudinal and behavioral change; Luke 3:8 and Acts 26:20 illustrate the distinction.

Further nuance on the meaning of repentance.

Luke 3:8 Acts 26:20 Hebrews 6:1 metanoia Repentance Luke 3:8
Mike Winger idea 2019-03-13

1 Corinthians 6:9 lists sins (including homosexual practice) that preclude inheriting the kingdom; false teaching on these sins subverts the gospel.

Leanne Waters asks whether those who teach homosexual relations are okay are rejecting the true Jesus and true gospel.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Sexual immorality 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Homosexuality
Mike Winger idea 2019-03-13

Easy believism: allowing people to remain in lifestyle sin while claiming salvation is a false gospel.

Mike argues that teaching sexual sins are acceptable amounts to leading people to hell.

1 Corinthians 6:9 1 Corinthians 6:9 Easy believism Gospel
Mike Winger idea 2019-04-10

Anthony Magnabosco defines faith with two tiers: trust for natural claims, "untestable truth" for supernatural claims

Examining the top Street Epistemology YouTuber's definition of faith

Street Epistemology Anthony Magnabosco definition of faith
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-01

Problem 4: The slogan results in ignoring good evidence via double standards and special pleading

Fourth of five critiques.

Resurrection of Jesus Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence Special pleading
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-01

Bart Ehrman acknowledges we probably have what the originals said, despite popularizing text-critical skepticism

Mike's nuanced engagement with a prominent skeptical scholar on textual transmission.

Bart Ehrman Biblical manuscripts Textual criticism
Mike Winger idea 2019-05-15

The Law functions as a tutor to lead people to Christ—Sermon on the Mount sets up the gospel

Soteriological purpose of the Mosaic Law

Galatians 3:24 Galatians 3:24 Sermon on the Mount paidagogos
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-05

The law is not abolished but fulfilled in Christ; the Spirit replaces the external law as the mode of obedience

Positive theological statement of Winger's view

Galatians 5 fruit of the Spirit Law of Moses walking in the Spirit
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-05

How do the Ten Commandments relate to Christians? Against the moral/civil/ceremonial law division

Q&A: Susan and Ron's question about the Ten Commandments today

hermeneutics Law of Moses Old Testament application
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Louis Feldman (leading Josephus scholar, Jewish, non-Christian) believed Josephus mentioned Jesus in both passages, estimated 3-to-1 or 5-to-1 ratio of scholars who agree

Expert Josephus scholarly opinion on the authenticity question

John Meier Josephus historicity of Jesus Testimonium Flavianum
Mike Winger idea 2019-06-19

Paul's eschatology: 2 Corinthians 5:8 and Philippians 1:20-22 show an intermediate disembodied state after death, before the final bodily resurrection

Paul's two-stage eschatological framework

2 Corinthians 5:8 Philippians 1:20-22 Paul eschatology intermediate state
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-03

Modern translations render ra in Isaiah 45:7 as calamity/disaster, not evil — English has shifted

Mike explains why the KJV uses "evil" and why modern translations differ

Isaiah 45:7 ESV NASB NIV
Mike Winger idea 2019-07-31

Q&A: There was no uniformity in the early church on any topic — "church fathers" is a misleading term

A viewer notes that early church diversity undermines appeals to monolithic tradition.

church fathers church history tradition
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-04

1 John 5:16-17: sin leading to death likely refers to physical death, not Catholic mortal/venial sin distinction

Q from Sarah Nordberg about the meaning of sin leading to death vs. sin not leading to death in 1 John 5:16-17.

1 John 5:16-17 atonement repentance mortal sin
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-18

Should we command healing (like Peter in Acts 3:6) or pray to God for healing? — Pray with faith; commanding is not a universal prescription

Question from Lasik's 97 about whether Christians should speak authoritatively over the sick rather than asking God.

Acts 3:6 prayer spiritual gifts healing
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-25

Knowing the Holy Spirit: the Spirit's leading will always be consistent with Scripture

Q&A from Tia Jane about having a relationship with the Holy Spirit beyond gifts

discernment Holy Spirit leading of the Spirit
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-25

Track record in discerning Spirit leading is a practical check

Additional criteria for discerning Holy Spirit leading

discernment Holy Spirit leading of the Spirit
Mike Winger idea 2020-10-23

1 Corinthians 3 — believers are judged at the Bema for their works (gold/silver/precious stones vs. wood/hay/straw), not for salvation

Question from Emily Bain about how forgiveness of sins relates to judgment day.

1 Corinthians 3 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 salvation judgment 1 Corinthians 3
Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

1 Corinthians 6:3 — We will judge angels: ruling/leading rather than condemning

A viewer asks what Paul meant when he said believers will judge angels.

1 Corinthians 6 1 Corinthians 6:3 judges of Israel 1 Corinthians 6 Gideon 1 Corinthians 6:3
Mike Winger idea 2018-09-26

Gaps in vocational ministry — expository preaching, apologetics, archaeology, worship leading

A viewer asks what the church is most lacking in vocational ministry.

calling worship leading apologetics
Mike Winger idea 2020-11-20

Sin leading to death in 1 John 5:16-17 — interpretation depends on prior theology

Question about whether 1 John 5:16-17 implies one can lose salvation.

1 John 5:16-17 hermeneutics eisegesis salvation
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Worship leaders bear collective responsibility to their congregations: presenting music in corporate worship is like preparing a meal for everyone — songs known to cause stumbling should be avoided.

Application of the meat-in-marketplace analogy to congregational worship leading.

1 Corinthians 8-10 — Meat Offered to Idols 1 Corinthians 8-10 — Meat Offered to Idols Christian Liberty / Conscience Worship Music and Discernment
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Mike's own primary gift is teaching, not worship leading — he did worship leading for years out of necessity but recognized it was not his strongest gift; leaning into actual gifts maximizes ministry impact.

Personal illustration of the spiritual-gifts-discernment principle.

Spiritual Gifts Calling and Gifting Teaching Gift
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Many ways to interpret the Bible — but the most important truths are plainly clear

Continuing Q14 on Bible interpretation and despair

1 Corinthians 11 John 14:6 John 1:1-14 hermeneutics Craig Blomberg Douglas Moo
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-29

Galatians 3:23-25 -- The Law as paidagogos (guardian/tutor) leading to Christ; distinct from kinsman-redeemer language

Mike evaluates whether Galatians 3:23-25 connects to the Ruth kinsman-redeemer passage.

Galatians 3:23-25 typology justification by faith paidagogos
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-29

Romans 8:34 and 1 John 2:1-2 -- Christ's intercession is not ongoing pleading but his perpetual existence as our propitiation

Question from Sephora Ba about why Jesus still intercedes for the elect if they are already saved (Romans 8:34).

Romans 8:34 1 John 2:1-2 salvation eternal security propitiation
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-05

Application from Exodus 4:24: ministry success does not substitute for personal sanctification; leaders must take heed to themselves.

Personal application of the Exodus 4:24 passage for ministry leaders.

Exodus 4:24 Exodus 4:24 Sanctification Leadership accountability
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-19

Catholic apologetics tactic: confusing initial justification with final justification

A key source of confusion in Protestant-Catholic dialogue is the conflation of two distinct Catholic doctrines.

justification Catholic soteriology Protestant-Catholic debate
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-19

Survey of interpretive views on Genesis 1-2: gap theory, day-age, young earth, progressive creation, Walton, Heiser, William Lane Craig

Mike surveys the major interpretive frameworks for Genesis 1-2 without committing to one.

Genesis 1-2 John Walton Genesis 1-2 Michael Heiser hermeneutics
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-04

The Message Bible is a very loose paraphrase — idiomatic, interpretive, and potentially misleading, but not heretical; inadvisable as a primary study Bible.

Question from Jeanette Perry about the Message Bible and Nicky Gumbel/Alpha.

Psalm 1 The Message Bible Eugene Peterson Paraphrase vs. translation
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-26

Knowing God's will for major decisions — acting without certainty

Simply Put asks how to know if God is guiding him and his wife to move to remote Alaska for missions.

Matthew 10 calling missions Matthew 10