Search — Theology Explorer

Joseph Smith Book of Abraham 1835

Smith's diary entries document ongoing 'translation' work on Egyptian alphabet and grammar in late 1835

Documentary evidence from Smith's own journals

Joseph Smith Pearl of Great Price Egyptology

The original papyri were thought lost in the Great Chicago Fire; facsimile copies in Smith's own hand survive

The preservation history of the papyri evidence

Joseph Smith Book of Abraham Brigham Young University

LDS professor at BYU commented that the rediscovery of the papyri was 'a far more' significant test of LDS claims

Internal LDS academic recognition of the significance of the papyri rediscovery

translation comparison Joseph Smith testability of religious claims

Unlike the Book of Mormon (golden plates taken away), the Book of Abraham papyri CAN be tested — this is unique

The Book of Abraham as a uniquely testable LDS truth claim

Holy Spirit apologetics LDS Church

LDS Church's official position: understand the Book of Abraham through 'careful study of its teachings and by the witness of the Holy Spirit'

The LDS Church's final response to the historical and Egyptological evidence

Mike Winger Mormonism personal testimony

Personal testimony: Mike was raised as a Mormon; this evidence would have been world-shattering to him

Mike's personal background and emotional investment in the argument

Mormonism prophetic authority false prophet

Central apologetic argument: if Smith lied about one thing as a prophet, he is a false prophet — and the evidence proves he lied

The logical conclusion of the Book of Abraham argument

Joseph Smith Book of Abraham Egyptology

LDS apologist argument #4: we don't know enough about Egyptology yet — future discoveries might vindicate Smith

Fourth main LDS apologetic response

Mormonism apologetics subjective religious experience

Strategy for engaging Mormons: move them from feeling-based certainty to evidence-based testing

Practical apologetic methodology for talking to Mormons

Mike Winger idea 2018-02-21

Luke 6: Jesus endorses David eating the bread of the Presence as evidence that preserving life can override ritual law.

Mike cites a second Sabbath/law-violation precedent from Jesus to reinforce the greater-good principle.

Luke 6 1 Samuel 21 greater good principle Jesus Luke 6

discernment healing fraud psychological manipulation

The child's facial reaction after the supposed healing reveals discomfort and distress, not joy — suggesting he knew nothing had changed.

Analyzing the aftermath of the first healing video.

Todd White healing fraud confirmation bias

Scoliosis diagnosis via back-twisting is medically invalid — a 'pop' is not confirmation of healing, and Todd White has cultivated a deliberately low threshold for confirming healings.

Medical and methodological critique of the scoliosis healing video.

Todd White healing fraud leg lengthening

Across 9-11 examples of Todd White's leg-lengthening healings, the 'too-long' leg is almost always on Todd's left — suggesting habitual muscle memory technique rather than random presentation of patients with left-leg discrepancy.

Statistical/pattern observation about Todd White's leg-lengthening practice.

healing fraud psychosomatic response adrenaline

Adrenaline rush physiologically explains small incremental improvements in vision, pain, and strength — making it irresponsible to publish a healing video based on these responses.

Physiological explanation for the apparent improvements seen in the eye-healing video.

Mike Winger idea 2018-04-18

Reason 4: We see 'fulfillment' everywhere — vague general events matching vague prophetic categories creates false confirmation

Fourth reason people fall for false predictions.

hermeneutics eschatology confirmation bias

infinite regression of gods If You Could Hie to Kolob Kolob

Mormon hymn 'If You Could Hie to Kolob' (hymn #284) teaches the doctrine of infinite regression of gods.

Mike cites an official Mormon hymn as further evidence for the polytheistic infinite regression doctrine, making it liturgically embedded in the faith.

epistemology Mormon testimony burning in the bosom

Q&A: Most Mormons are not convinced by intellectual arguments — they are committed emotionally through 'testimony,' an emotionally validated belief experience.

Viewer question: 'What would Mike suggest to say to a Mormon to convince them that Christianity is truth?'

epistemology burning in the bosom Mormon evangelism

Mormon evangelism relies entirely on emotional experience (pray and feel a burning) rather than evidence — because there is no manuscript, archaeological, or doctrinal evidence for Mormonism.

Mike explains why Mormon evangelism is feelings-based: it has no evidentiary basis.

Joseph Smith evidence-based faith epistemology

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.'

James 2:21 Abraham Isaac faith vs. works

Catholic counter using James 2:21 — Abraham justified by works when he offered Isaac

Continuing the back-and-forth debate structure

1 Timothy 2:15 semantic range 1 Timothy 2:15 sozo

1 Timothy 2:15 — 'saved in childbearing' as further example of non-theological use of 'saved'

Second example of 'saved' used in a non-salvific sense

James 2:18 demonstration of faith saving faith James 2:18

James 2:18b — 'I will show you my faith by my works' — works demonstrate faith, faith is still the issue

Completing the analysis of James 2:18

James 2 hermeneutics James 2 sola fide

James 2 is about how salvation is demonstrated, not how salvation is accomplished — massive hermeneutical distinction

Central interpretive thesis of Mike's reading of James 2

James 2 repentance James 2 dead faith

Pastoral warning: there are people who think they know Christ but do not — James 2 is a wake-up call, not a condemnation

Pastoral application before Q&A

Matthew degrees of sin Mosaic Law judgment

Degrees of sin — some sins are worse than others; the Law has different consequences; Jesus said some will suffer greater judgment

Within the Q&A on murder and saving faith

James 2 James 2 demonstration of faith works as evidence of faith

Q&A: Does faith necessarily produce works, or are works only the way the world sees faith? James 2 is about justification in the eyes of men, not God

Viewer question about the relationship between faith and works

James 2 Luke 23 James 2 works as evidence of faith thief on the cross

The thief on the cross — deathbed conversion with no works is consistent with James 2 because James addresses ongoing Christian life

Handling the apparent exception of the thief on the cross

evangelism apologetics Evidence That Demands a Verdict

Q&A: Apologetics effectiveness debated — Mike strongly defends apologetics against claims it doesn't work with Millennials

Viewer shares a pastor's claim that apologetics isn't effective for Millennials

Acts Paul apologetics Acts

Paul's apologetics in Acts — consistent use of reasoning from Scripture in synagogues demonstrates apologetics is a biblical method

Biblical evidence for the legitimacy and effectiveness of apologetics

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-21

Jimmy Akin's (Catholic Answers) soft interpretation of 2 Maccabees: the passage presupposes that prayer can help the dead on their journey to heaven

Catholic apologetic reading of 2 Maccabees, specifically from Jimmy Akin

Catholic Answers purgatory 2 Maccabees 12:38-46

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-21

First problem with 2 Maccabees: the book is not accepted by the Jews, not part of Jesus's or Paul's Bible

Canon-based objection to using 2 Maccabees as proof of purgatory

Paul Jesus Apocrypha

Mike Winger idea 2018-03-21

Preview of next week's livestream: responding to resurrection deniers and the excuses they give

Closing announcement for the next session

apologetics resurrection resurrection deniers

resurrection apologetics skepticism

Video framing: not just presenting resurrection evidence but specifically examining how skeptics dodge it

Opening statement of purpose for the livestream

apologetics Christian worldview love God with your mind

Livestream is framed as an exercise in loving God with the mind — building the Christian worldview intellectually

Introduction to the weekly Tuesday livestream format

atheism Matt Dillahunty David Hume

Named skeptics to be examined: Matt Dillahunty, David Hume, Sam Harris, Dan Barker, Richard Carrier, Bart Ehrman

Roster of specific atheist/skeptic thinkers Mike will analyze

resurrection Lost Tomb of Jesus Da Vinci Code

Annual wave of low-scholarship anti-resurrection media (e.g., 'Lost Tomb of Jesus', Joaquin Phoenix Mary Magdalene film, Da Vinci Code)

Mike critiques popular culture's repeated attacks on the resurrection using sensationalism rather than solid scholarship

resurrection historical method evidence-based apologetics

The evidence-based case for the resurrection is historically grounded, not merely faith-based

Mike distinguishes the scholarly historical case for the resurrection from a purely religious 'believe it because we say so' position

resurrection William Lane Craig historical method

Five historically-accepted facts about the resurrection summarized as the acronym ALIVE

Mike introduces his mnemonic framework for presenting the resurrection evidence

resurrection historical method crucifixion

First fact (A): Death by crucifixion — historically documented and generally agreed upon

First point of the ALIVE acronym

resurrection empty tomb criterion of embarrassment

Second fact (L): Women/ladies found the tomb empty — criterion of embarrassment supports authenticity

Second point of the ALIVE acronym

resurrection historical method post-resurrection appearances

Third fact (I): Independent post-resurrection appearances of Jesus accepted by the vast majority of historians

Third point of the ALIVE acronym

apostles resurrection apostolic martyrdom

Fourth fact (V): Violence endured by the Apostles — dramatic transformation from hiding to dying for their message

Fourth point of the ALIVE acronym

James brother of Jesus resurrection Paul the Apostle James brother of Jesus

Fifth fact (E): Enemies of Christ converted — specifically James the brother of Jesus and Paul the Apostle

Fifth point of the ALIVE acronym

resurrection inference to best explanation alternate theories

The resurrection best explains all five ALIVE facts; other explanations must account for all five

Transition from presenting evidence to evaluating alternate theories

resurrection alternate theories swoon theory

Swoon theory: Jesus only appeared dead, was not actually dead, and recovered in the tomb

First alternate theory introduced

resurrection alternate theories twin theory

Twin theory: Jesus had a twin who was either crucified or who appeared after the crucifixion

Second alternate theory introduced

resurrection Richard Carrier alternate theories

Mass hallucination theory: the appearances of Jesus were mass hallucinations rather than physical encounters

Third alternate theory — described as the most popular among skeptics

resurrection alternate theories spiritual resurrection theory

Spiritual resurrection theory: Jesus rose spiritually but not bodily

Fourth alternate theory, associated with liberal scholars