1 00:00:08,165 --> 00:00:09,085 Speaker 1: Life audio. 2 00:00:11,164 --> 00:00:15,805 Speaker 2: So I'm speaking with my friend Jay Warner Wallace. That's 3 00:00:15,885 --> 00:00:18,005 Speaker 2: very impressive. Yeah, you wait to say your name. 4 00:00:18,125 --> 00:00:19,764 Speaker 1: I know right. See, if I went with that, it 5 00:00:19,765 --> 00:00:22,084 Speaker 1: would be like Jean Mitchell Laurie. 6 00:00:22,405 --> 00:00:25,925 Speaker 3: Oh, that's an author that was a great for books. 7 00:00:26,485 --> 00:00:30,365 Speaker 2: Start going hello, I'm Jean Mitchell Laurie and I'm an author. 8 00:00:30,565 --> 00:00:34,724 Speaker 2: It's right, But you're Jim right, So, Jim, you were 9 00:00:34,765 --> 00:00:37,525 Speaker 2: a cold case detective for how many years? 10 00:00:38,245 --> 00:00:39,685 Speaker 4: The cold case is for about ten? 11 00:00:39,845 --> 00:00:42,085 Speaker 1: What is a cold case? So those are just unsolved murders. 12 00:00:42,085 --> 00:00:44,405 Speaker 3: So if you're in Los Angeles County back in those days, 13 00:00:44,445 --> 00:00:47,245 Speaker 3: it's probably still true today and you're working homicides, you're 14 00:00:47,284 --> 00:00:49,445 Speaker 3: gonna you have the option if you want to pick 15 00:00:49,525 --> 00:00:53,485 Speaker 3: up as a collateral duty any unsolved murder, because those 16 00:00:53,485 --> 00:00:56,725 Speaker 3: don't close. They're not assigned to anybody, but they're sitting 17 00:00:56,725 --> 00:00:58,885 Speaker 3: in like a vault, or they're sitting on a shelf, or. 18 00:00:58,845 --> 00:00:59,685 Speaker 1: They're sitting at all. 19 00:00:59,805 --> 00:01:02,805 Speaker 2: Like the TV shows that we see, were any of 20 00:01:02,845 --> 00:01:04,045 Speaker 2: those very realistic? 21 00:01:04,765 --> 00:01:06,325 Speaker 1: There's a many of them, an there. 22 00:01:06,165 --> 00:01:09,285 Speaker 3: There are, and probably that they are relatively close. But 23 00:01:09,525 --> 00:01:11,965 Speaker 3: the only difference is is they're usually compressed in time. 24 00:01:12,084 --> 00:01:14,645 Speaker 3: So I might open a case and take fifteen years 25 00:01:15,205 --> 00:01:16,124 Speaker 3: from start to finish. 26 00:01:16,285 --> 00:01:18,005 Speaker 1: What so long did you work in a cold case? 27 00:01:18,405 --> 00:01:20,804 Speaker 4: So well, see, I opened a case. 28 00:01:21,084 --> 00:01:24,045 Speaker 3: I started looking at a case in the early nineteen 29 00:01:24,165 --> 00:01:25,444 Speaker 3: nineties that. 30 00:01:25,485 --> 00:01:27,325 Speaker 4: I was just thinking of my dad's old case. So 31 00:01:27,365 --> 00:01:27,925 Speaker 4: I picked it up. 32 00:01:28,045 --> 00:01:30,205 Speaker 1: Your father was law enforcement, same. 33 00:01:30,005 --> 00:01:33,444 Speaker 3: Agency, same adiens worked or thomicide and he had an 34 00:01:33,525 --> 00:01:36,845 Speaker 3: unsolved murder from nineteen seventy two of a ten year old. 35 00:01:37,325 --> 00:01:40,125 Speaker 3: And I was about eleven when that happened. So it 36 00:01:40,205 --> 00:01:42,684 Speaker 3: hit our community hard, and my dad took it very 37 00:01:42,725 --> 00:01:45,444 Speaker 3: hard and changed the way he parented, like what you're 38 00:01:45,444 --> 00:01:47,005 Speaker 3: going to allow your kids to do? Because this poor 39 00:01:47,045 --> 00:01:49,685 Speaker 3: girl was just snatched off the street. So so it 40 00:01:49,805 --> 00:01:52,005 Speaker 3: changed the way that he parented. And I remember like 41 00:01:52,245 --> 00:01:54,285 Speaker 3: thinking about it for years, and so I became a detective. 42 00:01:54,565 --> 00:01:56,445 Speaker 3: It was assigned to Humed sub Even before then, I 43 00:01:56,485 --> 00:01:59,765 Speaker 3: was a sign of a surveillance team. I said, this 44 00:01:59,805 --> 00:02:02,445 Speaker 3: case isn't sitting on the shelf and it's not assigned 45 00:02:02,445 --> 00:02:02,965 Speaker 3: to anybody. 46 00:02:03,245 --> 00:02:03,965 Speaker 4: Let me pick it up. 47 00:02:03,965 --> 00:02:05,365 Speaker 3: And so I picked the start reading through all the 48 00:02:05,565 --> 00:02:09,085 Speaker 3: all the reports, started reading through all the interviews. Well, 49 00:02:09,165 --> 00:02:11,605 Speaker 3: ultimately I didn't get to submit the DNA on that 50 00:02:11,725 --> 00:02:14,885 Speaker 3: case until about probably two thousand and one or two. 51 00:02:15,045 --> 00:02:16,925 Speaker 3: I was brought in that range, so that's a few 52 00:02:17,005 --> 00:02:19,965 Speaker 3: years later, and it didn't hit. It didn't show up 53 00:02:20,005 --> 00:02:22,725 Speaker 3: in CODUS, which is our database for sex offenders in California. 54 00:02:22,805 --> 00:02:24,205 Speaker 3: So it just didn't hit. So I thought, well, this 55 00:02:24,245 --> 00:02:27,045 Speaker 3: is an unknown. Maybe he died, maybe he moved out 56 00:02:27,085 --> 00:02:28,245 Speaker 3: of the state, maybe he's just. 57 00:02:28,245 --> 00:02:29,085 Speaker 4: No longer around. 58 00:02:29,885 --> 00:02:32,885 Speaker 3: Well not until the invention or the use of a 59 00:02:32,965 --> 00:02:35,565 Speaker 3: genetic DNA ancestry DNA. 60 00:02:35,885 --> 00:02:38,165 Speaker 2: Yeah, isn't this with all these people signing up for 61 00:02:38,205 --> 00:02:39,205 Speaker 2: like thirty three I mean. 62 00:02:39,245 --> 00:02:39,645 Speaker 4: That's right. 63 00:02:39,645 --> 00:02:41,005 Speaker 1: I just the database. 64 00:02:41,005 --> 00:02:43,045 Speaker 3: I always say thank you very much because now I 65 00:02:43,045 --> 00:02:44,845 Speaker 3: can take all your relatives to jail because you just 66 00:02:44,845 --> 00:02:47,205 Speaker 3: happened to put your database in. But so it's good 67 00:02:47,365 --> 00:02:50,365 Speaker 3: for us. But that was about twenty seventeen. So by 68 00:02:50,365 --> 00:02:53,645 Speaker 3: twenty nineteen we identified her killer. So I started that 69 00:02:54,005 --> 00:02:56,685 Speaker 3: tinkering with that in the nineties. I really thought I 70 00:02:56,685 --> 00:02:58,605 Speaker 3: was going to solve it in the early two thousands. 71 00:02:58,685 --> 00:03:01,245 Speaker 3: Didn't get solved until twenty nineteen. So how long does 72 00:03:01,285 --> 00:03:03,525 Speaker 3: that take? So a lot of these cases, are you 73 00:03:03,605 --> 00:03:05,765 Speaker 3: arrested this person? Well, it turned out he had passed 74 00:03:05,765 --> 00:03:07,525 Speaker 3: away about I think three or four years earlier. 75 00:03:08,045 --> 00:03:10,125 Speaker 2: So and what about your father going back to that 76 00:03:10,125 --> 00:03:12,445 Speaker 2: little girl, did they ever find the person who killed him? 77 00:03:12,525 --> 00:03:16,045 Speaker 3: Yes, so we've identified him. We he We've identified him 78 00:03:16,085 --> 00:03:19,365 Speaker 3: through his daughter genetically. And then when we wanted to 79 00:03:19,405 --> 00:03:21,925 Speaker 3: confirm it, so he had passed away, we resumed his 80 00:03:21,965 --> 00:03:25,645 Speaker 3: body wow, and compared and compared DNA to make sure 81 00:03:25,685 --> 00:03:27,645 Speaker 3: that it is him. So it is him, He is 82 00:03:27,685 --> 00:03:28,125 Speaker 3: the killer. 83 00:03:28,285 --> 00:03:30,045 Speaker 4: But we didn't. We didn't get justice. 84 00:03:30,125 --> 00:03:33,365 Speaker 2: Neck we got Well, it brings us some kind of closures. 85 00:03:33,885 --> 00:03:34,205 Speaker 1: Family. 86 00:03:34,285 --> 00:03:36,845 Speaker 3: I always say it's a resolution, right, there's no closure, right, 87 00:03:36,845 --> 00:03:39,085 Speaker 3: because so much of closure is like, well, how am 88 00:03:39,085 --> 00:03:41,525 Speaker 3: I processing this today? Am I comfortable? And of course 89 00:03:41,565 --> 00:03:43,565 Speaker 3: no one ever is right. I can't bring I always say, 90 00:03:43,765 --> 00:03:45,885 Speaker 3: we can't get closure. We'll be lucky if we can 91 00:03:45,885 --> 00:03:49,445 Speaker 3: get justice. But well, that's what we're shooting for, but 92 00:03:49,485 --> 00:03:51,285 Speaker 3: we we're probably never going to get closure because I 93 00:03:51,285 --> 00:03:52,205 Speaker 3: can't bring your daughter back. 94 00:03:52,365 --> 00:03:54,965 Speaker 2: So you're a cold case detective, you know, and I 95 00:03:55,005 --> 00:03:58,205 Speaker 2: know a lot of police officers, and you know, unfortunately, 96 00:03:58,205 --> 00:04:02,685 Speaker 2: you guys and girls, you see the worst elements of society. 97 00:04:02,725 --> 00:04:06,725 Speaker 2: You see people lie all the time. To you, you're 98 00:04:06,765 --> 00:04:11,445 Speaker 2: dealing with this constantly. To survive such a thing, one 99 00:04:11,485 --> 00:04:15,325 Speaker 2: has to develop a shell because you have to go home, 100 00:04:15,445 --> 00:04:18,805 Speaker 2: you have a life, you have a family. You can't 101 00:04:18,925 --> 00:04:23,005 Speaker 2: carry everything around with you emotionally all the time. So 102 00:04:23,045 --> 00:04:26,485 Speaker 2: it seems to me there could be almost a cynicism 103 00:04:26,605 --> 00:04:28,844 Speaker 2: that one carries in life. Did you sort of have 104 00:04:29,005 --> 00:04:33,525 Speaker 2: that cynicism when it came to believing in God because 105 00:04:33,565 --> 00:04:34,885 Speaker 2: you actually were an atheist? 106 00:04:35,085 --> 00:04:37,405 Speaker 3: Yeah, no, I was very I think so one of 107 00:04:37,445 --> 00:04:40,604 Speaker 3: the best skill sets you have, and because how you're raised, 108 00:04:41,045 --> 00:04:44,485 Speaker 3: So my commitment, I was kind of like you. You had 109 00:04:44,885 --> 00:04:47,725 Speaker 3: a childhood that was similar to mine, and so my 110 00:04:47,725 --> 00:04:50,725 Speaker 3: mom was just my mom and I growing up. My 111 00:04:50,845 --> 00:04:54,045 Speaker 3: parents divorce when I was three, she never remarried, and 112 00:04:54,125 --> 00:04:56,845 Speaker 3: we were in Los Angeles County, and so you kind 113 00:04:56,845 --> 00:04:59,325 Speaker 3: of grow up quick, and she didn't. She really didn't 114 00:04:59,365 --> 00:05:02,085 Speaker 3: have the bandwidth I think to raise a son. She 115 00:05:02,165 --> 00:05:05,085 Speaker 3: needed someone she could talk to about everything. So that 116 00:05:05,165 --> 00:05:06,805 Speaker 3: means you not going to get a childhood, You're just 117 00:05:06,845 --> 00:05:09,125 Speaker 3: going to get another form of adult life at a 118 00:05:09,125 --> 00:05:14,205 Speaker 3: young age. So I always was anxious and felt like 119 00:05:14,245 --> 00:05:17,005 Speaker 3: we had no protection, felt like if she wanted she 120 00:05:17,005 --> 00:05:19,205 Speaker 3: always wanted to go to the movies, and she wanted 121 00:05:19,205 --> 00:05:21,205 Speaker 3: to go to Hollywood to see a movie. Well, you know, 122 00:05:21,205 --> 00:05:23,325 Speaker 3: I'm like, I remember being like six seven years old 123 00:05:23,485 --> 00:05:26,605 Speaker 3: with a you know, woman in her early twenties, who 124 00:05:26,685 --> 00:05:30,205 Speaker 3: is my mom in Hollywood and feeling like this isn't 125 00:05:30,205 --> 00:05:31,445 Speaker 3: a safe place, Like. 126 00:05:31,365 --> 00:05:32,525 Speaker 1: Who's our protector here? 127 00:05:32,925 --> 00:05:34,925 Speaker 3: Like who's going to if something happens right now and 128 00:05:34,965 --> 00:05:37,205 Speaker 3: someone jumps out and attack, Who's going to defend us? 129 00:05:37,645 --> 00:05:40,165 Speaker 3: And I remember feeling that way my entire so that 130 00:05:40,245 --> 00:05:42,085 Speaker 3: kind of pessimism or like, hey there's something. 131 00:05:42,365 --> 00:05:44,125 Speaker 1: Became a protector in time, did well? 132 00:05:44,205 --> 00:05:46,285 Speaker 3: Right, and then you're always looking to say, hey, the 133 00:05:46,285 --> 00:05:49,365 Speaker 3: next threat is around that corner. Well, if you grow 134 00:05:49,445 --> 00:05:51,925 Speaker 3: up that way, you're always looking for the next threat. 135 00:05:52,005 --> 00:05:54,365 Speaker 1: So why did you become an atheist? Well? 136 00:05:54,405 --> 00:05:58,125 Speaker 3: I think part of it was no Christians in my family, 137 00:05:58,925 --> 00:06:02,605 Speaker 3: no friends who are Christians. My mom grew up Catholic, 138 00:06:03,125 --> 00:06:06,005 Speaker 3: but in the early sixties, if you divorced your status 139 00:06:06,005 --> 00:06:07,805 Speaker 3: within the Catholic churchly she felt that way. 140 00:06:07,965 --> 00:06:08,725 Speaker 4: The parish that she. 141 00:06:08,725 --> 00:06:11,565 Speaker 3: Was attending, she had a status change. And I thought, 142 00:06:11,565 --> 00:06:15,885 Speaker 3: this is such a ridiculous joke of none of this 143 00:06:15,925 --> 00:06:18,685 Speaker 3: could be true. Especially if it's going to treat treat, 144 00:06:18,845 --> 00:06:22,045 Speaker 3: And I thought there was sufficient explanation for the world 145 00:06:22,045 --> 00:06:25,365 Speaker 3: the way it is without having to embrace some form 146 00:06:25,365 --> 00:06:26,245 Speaker 3: of theism. 147 00:06:26,725 --> 00:06:28,125 Speaker 4: So I just stayed out of it. 148 00:06:28,245 --> 00:06:30,405 Speaker 3: Also, I can tell you that you don't know how 149 00:06:30,405 --> 00:06:32,725 Speaker 3: many people you're going to take to jail for the 150 00:06:32,725 --> 00:06:35,645 Speaker 3: most ridiculous crimes that will tell you on the way 151 00:06:35,685 --> 00:06:39,405 Speaker 3: to jail that they are Christians. So I'm like, okay, 152 00:06:40,165 --> 00:06:42,405 Speaker 3: this is what it is. I had no interest, and 153 00:06:42,765 --> 00:06:45,445 Speaker 3: so I just had no interest. And my wife, I think, 154 00:06:45,565 --> 00:06:48,845 Speaker 3: was the one who really had the first interest in like, well, 155 00:06:48,845 --> 00:06:50,285 Speaker 3: what should we raise our kids this way? 156 00:06:51,925 --> 00:06:53,405 Speaker 4: So sous than that. 157 00:06:53,405 --> 00:06:56,164 Speaker 3: We were together about eighteen years before we walked into that church, 158 00:06:56,845 --> 00:06:58,885 Speaker 3: and we were thinking, okay, we had now we have 159 00:06:59,445 --> 00:07:01,365 Speaker 3: a six and a four or a seven and a 160 00:07:01,405 --> 00:07:04,925 Speaker 3: five year old, and we're thinking. SUSY's thinking, well, do 161 00:07:04,965 --> 00:07:06,964 Speaker 3: we want to at least expose them? 162 00:07:07,525 --> 00:07:09,645 Speaker 4: I thought, no, I mean you can if you want. 163 00:07:10,405 --> 00:07:12,725 Speaker 3: My dad's a very committed atheist and he has really 164 00:07:12,765 --> 00:07:14,285 Speaker 3: as long as I've known him, he's been that way. 165 00:07:14,325 --> 00:07:17,005 Speaker 4: You're dead still living, yes, he's eighty five. 166 00:07:17,605 --> 00:07:19,205 Speaker 1: Yeah, A great story. 167 00:07:19,205 --> 00:07:23,285 Speaker 2: It reminds me a bit of Lee's trouble, and so often, 168 00:07:23,525 --> 00:07:26,365 Speaker 2: you know, Jim, the wives are the hero of the story. 169 00:07:26,925 --> 00:07:30,205 Speaker 2: So Lee stroubled, his wife comes to faith first. And 170 00:07:30,245 --> 00:07:34,445 Speaker 2: then I interviewed Darryl Strawberry. He was strung out and drugs, 171 00:07:34,525 --> 00:07:37,965 Speaker 2: actually went and served time in prison, and his wife 172 00:07:38,045 --> 00:07:41,725 Speaker 2: wouldn't let him go and she just kept after him 173 00:07:41,725 --> 00:07:42,805 Speaker 2: and he came to faith. 174 00:07:43,445 --> 00:07:44,805 Speaker 1: Same for Alice Cooper. 175 00:07:45,165 --> 00:07:49,725 Speaker 2: You know, his wife, Cheryl made a strong, principled stand 176 00:07:50,205 --> 00:07:52,805 Speaker 2: for him to get off drugs. And it's just amazing 177 00:07:52,925 --> 00:07:56,165 Speaker 2: how often the wives are sort of the unsung hero 178 00:07:56,365 --> 00:07:57,965 Speaker 2: of the spiritual story. 179 00:07:59,045 --> 00:08:02,125 Speaker 3: Susie for sure, and it's not that she was a Christian, 180 00:08:02,845 --> 00:08:05,285 Speaker 3: we both became Christians at the same time, but it 181 00:08:05,365 --> 00:08:11,685 Speaker 3: was she was interested in does the Christian worldview have 182 00:08:11,805 --> 00:08:15,165 Speaker 3: something that's important that we need to investigate? And and 183 00:08:15,205 --> 00:08:17,485 Speaker 3: my dad's the kind of person who, although he is 184 00:08:17,525 --> 00:08:20,165 Speaker 3: not a Christian, he will go to church. He'll go 185 00:08:20,205 --> 00:08:22,005 Speaker 3: to church and he knows that he's been in church 186 00:08:22,125 --> 00:08:24,805 Speaker 3: enough with him maybe with his parents, who are I 187 00:08:24,805 --> 00:08:28,365 Speaker 3: think were always kind of like cultural, kind of cultural Methodists. 188 00:08:28,885 --> 00:08:33,285 Speaker 3: That was my grandfather and my grandmother. So as they 189 00:08:33,324 --> 00:08:35,285 Speaker 3: got older, I would take them to church, and they 190 00:08:35,285 --> 00:08:37,605 Speaker 3: would happily go, but I don't know that they really 191 00:08:38,045 --> 00:08:40,725 Speaker 3: They were definitely not Bible readers. But my dad thinks 192 00:08:40,765 --> 00:08:41,805 Speaker 3: it's a useful delusion. 193 00:08:42,645 --> 00:08:45,525 Speaker 1: So he's more and whatever you believe, and here you are. 194 00:08:45,565 --> 00:08:48,125 Speaker 2: You are, you know, one of the leading apologists in 195 00:08:48,205 --> 00:08:52,285 Speaker 2: America today. You're the expert we go to to get 196 00:08:52,325 --> 00:08:57,045 Speaker 2: answers to return unbelieving friends and family. And yet you 197 00:08:57,125 --> 00:08:59,765 Speaker 2: have your father. I don't say that critically. My mother 198 00:08:59,845 --> 00:09:02,925 Speaker 2: didn't come to faith till the very end of her life. 199 00:09:02,965 --> 00:09:05,325 Speaker 2: And so I understand this because I think the hardest 200 00:09:05,485 --> 00:09:07,005 Speaker 2: people to reads are your family. 201 00:09:07,125 --> 00:09:09,685 Speaker 3: Oh, I can tell you that one year I was 202 00:09:09,725 --> 00:09:11,564 Speaker 3: going back to do a prayer breakfast and for it 203 00:09:11,725 --> 00:09:13,885 Speaker 3: or my dad's about two hours east to Dallas, and 204 00:09:13,925 --> 00:09:16,245 Speaker 3: so I'll call my dad and I said, I'm going 205 00:09:16,325 --> 00:09:18,205 Speaker 3: to after this prayer breakfast, I'm going to come out. 206 00:09:18,085 --> 00:09:18,445 Speaker 1: And see you. 207 00:09:18,605 --> 00:09:19,165 Speaker 4: He says, great. 208 00:09:19,925 --> 00:09:21,805 Speaker 3: Well, the next day before I leave, he calls me 209 00:09:21,885 --> 00:09:23,684 Speaker 3: again and he says, did you call me yesterday? And 210 00:09:23,725 --> 00:09:25,485 Speaker 3: I thought, oh, he's having memory issues, you know. He 211 00:09:25,525 --> 00:09:27,805 Speaker 3: said that time he's probably he was eighty eighty two. 212 00:09:27,845 --> 00:09:29,645 Speaker 3: It was not right in that range, and I told 213 00:09:29,645 --> 00:09:32,125 Speaker 3: my wife. I said, I'm telling you what. I am 214 00:09:32,165 --> 00:09:35,444 Speaker 3: going to Texas and when I come back, my dad 215 00:09:35,565 --> 00:09:37,965 Speaker 3: will be a Christian. I'm not leaving until he accepts 216 00:09:37,965 --> 00:09:40,645 Speaker 3: the God lives. If this could be done, so, I 217 00:09:41,165 --> 00:09:43,965 Speaker 3: remember I drove out and I got to his house 218 00:09:44,525 --> 00:09:46,765 Speaker 3: and I said, Dad, I just tried to leverage you 219 00:09:46,805 --> 00:09:49,125 Speaker 3: my relationship with him. I said, Dad, I mean, I 220 00:09:49,205 --> 00:09:53,405 Speaker 3: just can't imagine being an eternity without you. And he said, 221 00:09:53,445 --> 00:09:55,564 Speaker 3: I said, you're my best friend. He says, no, I'm 222 00:09:55,565 --> 00:09:58,005 Speaker 3: not your best friend. I said no, Actually, if I'm 223 00:09:58,005 --> 00:10:00,324 Speaker 3: honest with you, you are. And I mean I think 224 00:10:00,325 --> 00:10:02,085 Speaker 3: you are, but you are. I said, so I'm going 225 00:10:02,125 --> 00:10:04,245 Speaker 3: to tell you what, and he choked him up. I said, 226 00:10:04,245 --> 00:10:04,845 Speaker 3: I'm going to tell you what. 227 00:10:05,005 --> 00:10:05,325 Speaker 4: Tonight. 228 00:10:06,085 --> 00:10:08,565 Speaker 3: You're going to go home and I walked him through 229 00:10:08,565 --> 00:10:10,565 Speaker 3: the gospel and you're going to have this conversation with 230 00:10:10,645 --> 00:10:13,925 Speaker 3: God and he just he was We're in the car 231 00:10:14,005 --> 00:10:16,325 Speaker 3: on the way to get barbecue and Jefferson, Texas when 232 00:10:16,325 --> 00:10:18,765 Speaker 3: I had this conversation with him, and he looked over 233 00:10:18,765 --> 00:10:21,405 Speaker 3: at me and he said, I can do that. 234 00:10:22,085 --> 00:10:23,444 Speaker 4: So I didn't say anymore. 235 00:10:23,285 --> 00:10:25,165 Speaker 3: Didn't press it any further because I had been talking 236 00:10:25,165 --> 00:10:27,165 Speaker 3: to him about this, and he's never I wrote a book, 237 00:10:27,165 --> 00:10:28,405 Speaker 3: God's Crime Scene to him. 238 00:10:28,845 --> 00:10:29,925 Speaker 1: He's never read it. 239 00:10:30,245 --> 00:10:33,245 Speaker 3: Okay, So I'm like, Okay, what I was going to 240 00:10:33,285 --> 00:10:34,365 Speaker 3: take to reach him, I don't know. 241 00:10:35,245 --> 00:10:36,725 Speaker 4: So I'm driving to Baubeque. 242 00:10:36,765 --> 00:10:37,125 Speaker 1: The next day. 243 00:10:37,125 --> 00:10:38,605 Speaker 3: I pick him up and we're going to a lot 244 00:10:38,605 --> 00:10:40,165 Speaker 3: of You, Texas to pick up a bike that he 245 00:10:40,205 --> 00:10:42,045 Speaker 3: needs to have repair. He was a bike rider in 246 00:10:42,045 --> 00:10:44,205 Speaker 3: those days, even in his eighties. So I thought, okay, 247 00:10:44,205 --> 00:10:45,684 Speaker 3: I'm gonna go get your bike. So we go get 248 00:10:45,685 --> 00:10:47,125 Speaker 3: this bike. On the way to a lot of You, 249 00:10:47,205 --> 00:10:49,885 Speaker 3: I said, so, Dad, did you have that conversation with 250 00:10:50,005 --> 00:10:50,685 Speaker 3: God last night? 251 00:10:50,685 --> 00:10:51,204 Speaker 4: He says, yeah. 252 00:10:51,245 --> 00:10:53,205 Speaker 3: I thought he's on one hundred and ten acres of 253 00:10:53,205 --> 00:10:55,285 Speaker 3: piny woods, he said. I thought it was the kind 254 00:10:55,285 --> 00:10:57,804 Speaker 3: of thing I should probably go out in the woods 255 00:10:57,845 --> 00:11:01,765 Speaker 3: and have that conversation. So I left it. I thought, oh, 256 00:11:01,885 --> 00:11:05,845 Speaker 3: this is awesome. Maybe he's really made a decision. Now 257 00:11:06,045 --> 00:11:10,125 Speaker 3: in the years since I realized that, no, he's done 258 00:11:10,125 --> 00:11:13,845 Speaker 3: any more interested in God than he ever was. 259 00:11:16,125 --> 00:11:18,684 Speaker 2: He hasn't told you. You know, I have a friend 260 00:11:18,765 --> 00:11:20,845 Speaker 2: Michael Frenzies. He used to be a part of the 261 00:11:20,845 --> 00:11:24,165 Speaker 2: Columbu Crime family was being groomed to be the next 262 00:11:24,285 --> 00:11:30,725 Speaker 2: daughter Godfather and his father Sonny Frenzies, was the hit 263 00:11:30,845 --> 00:11:33,285 Speaker 2: man for the columb of crime family and was sent 264 00:11:33,365 --> 00:11:36,085 Speaker 2: to prison. In fact, when he finally died, he was 265 00:11:36,165 --> 00:11:40,564 Speaker 2: over one hundred years old, and he kept he would 266 00:11:40,565 --> 00:11:43,725 Speaker 2: get released and he would violate probation because he would 267 00:11:43,765 --> 00:11:47,525 Speaker 2: hang around mobsters and be sent back to prison again. 268 00:11:47,645 --> 00:11:51,165 Speaker 2: But so Michael, you know, we had so many conversations 269 00:11:51,205 --> 00:11:54,365 Speaker 2: about his father coming to faith, and he'd go and 270 00:11:54,485 --> 00:11:57,165 Speaker 2: visit his father, and he loved his father so much. 271 00:11:57,605 --> 00:12:00,725 Speaker 2: And then finally he found out after his father passed 272 00:12:00,725 --> 00:12:04,085 Speaker 2: that some woman went in there who was a chaplain 273 00:12:04,405 --> 00:12:07,444 Speaker 2: who shared the Gospel with him and led Sunny Frenzies 274 00:12:07,485 --> 00:12:10,645 Speaker 2: to Christ. So, you know, just as I told you, 275 00:12:10,685 --> 00:12:14,245 Speaker 2: my mom didn't come till much later, and tragically she 276 00:12:14,445 --> 00:12:17,725 Speaker 2: died only months after she made that recommitment. So we 277 00:12:17,925 --> 00:12:20,684 Speaker 2: just keep praying, you know, and I think you identified 278 00:12:20,685 --> 00:12:23,925 Speaker 2: an important thing. You said certain things, then you stopped, 279 00:12:24,205 --> 00:12:26,205 Speaker 2: and I think sometimes you know, we want to close 280 00:12:26,245 --> 00:12:28,804 Speaker 2: the deal. Only the Holy Spirit that was the deal. 281 00:12:29,285 --> 00:12:32,725 Speaker 2: But you know, Paul said some so other's water God 282 00:12:32,765 --> 00:12:36,725 Speaker 2: gives the increase and just kind of knowing when to press, 283 00:12:36,845 --> 00:12:39,005 Speaker 2: knowing when to just stop and pray and leave it 284 00:12:39,005 --> 00:12:39,725 Speaker 2: in God's hands. 285 00:12:39,845 --> 00:12:41,685 Speaker 3: Yeah, And I think that's so important with my dad 286 00:12:41,685 --> 00:12:44,205 Speaker 3: because his personality is mine. I mean, I remember growing 287 00:12:44,285 --> 00:12:49,405 Speaker 3: up my mom was very open minded, very focused on 288 00:12:49,445 --> 00:12:51,804 Speaker 3: grace and mercy, not so much on truth and justice. 289 00:12:51,845 --> 00:12:54,205 Speaker 3: My dad was always focused as a cop. He was 290 00:12:54,245 --> 00:12:57,365 Speaker 3: always seemed to me to be like the job had 291 00:12:57,405 --> 00:13:01,045 Speaker 3: poisoned him. I grew up in the arts, got a 292 00:13:01,085 --> 00:13:02,765 Speaker 3: bachelor's degree in fine art, and then I got a 293 00:13:02,765 --> 00:13:05,405 Speaker 3: master's degree in architecture, and then I joined my dad's profession. 294 00:13:05,565 --> 00:13:08,165 Speaker 3: And within three or four years of being in this profession, 295 00:13:08,605 --> 00:13:10,685 Speaker 3: I realized, oh, okay, I get it now. I see 296 00:13:11,045 --> 00:13:14,285 Speaker 3: how why he was the way he was. So I 297 00:13:14,325 --> 00:13:17,645 Speaker 3: know his personality because I had a lot of it 298 00:13:17,405 --> 00:13:19,925 Speaker 3: was built on the job and in the job, and 299 00:13:20,125 --> 00:13:21,285 Speaker 3: so I've experienced that now. 300 00:13:21,325 --> 00:13:22,045 Speaker 4: So I just know. 301 00:13:22,125 --> 00:13:25,285 Speaker 3: Where how far I can go before I'll take any 302 00:13:25,325 --> 00:13:29,204 Speaker 3: ground that I've captured and surrender it back to him. 303 00:13:29,245 --> 00:13:30,485 Speaker 4: So I try to. 304 00:13:30,725 --> 00:13:33,525 Speaker 3: You know, you're right, I know that there is all 305 00:13:33,565 --> 00:13:36,125 Speaker 3: no it's time for me to close something with him. 306 00:13:36,205 --> 00:13:37,005 Speaker 4: I also know his time. 307 00:13:37,125 --> 00:13:39,125 Speaker 3: Hey, this is this is a great advance. We've made 308 00:13:39,205 --> 00:13:42,445 Speaker 3: so much progress in this conversation. I'm just grateful that 309 00:13:42,485 --> 00:13:43,885 Speaker 3: we got this far. I'm going to leave it there 310 00:13:43,925 --> 00:13:45,645 Speaker 3: for now, So let's go back. 311 00:13:45,685 --> 00:13:48,205 Speaker 2: We got a little ahead, you know, into your life 312 00:13:48,245 --> 00:13:51,045 Speaker 2: as a believer in the work you do. But so 313 00:13:51,125 --> 00:13:55,685 Speaker 2: you're a cold case detective, you're an atheist. Your wife says, 314 00:13:56,245 --> 00:13:58,765 Speaker 2: do you want to raise our children without faith? And 315 00:13:58,845 --> 00:14:02,605 Speaker 2: so you're open to it. So you take your skill set, 316 00:14:03,005 --> 00:14:06,805 Speaker 2: your investigative techniques, and it reminds me a lot of 317 00:14:06,885 --> 00:14:11,765 Speaker 2: Lee Strouble, who was an investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune. 318 00:14:11,845 --> 00:14:12,684 Speaker 1: This erech right. 319 00:14:12,845 --> 00:14:14,965 Speaker 2: So he took that same skill set and he was 320 00:14:15,005 --> 00:14:18,285 Speaker 2: going to disprove in his case, he wanted to disprove 321 00:14:18,725 --> 00:14:21,085 Speaker 2: the faith of his wife. But you weren't going out 322 00:14:21,125 --> 00:14:23,325 Speaker 2: to disprove it. No, you were saying, well, let's look 323 00:14:23,325 --> 00:14:24,845 Speaker 2: at it as though this were what. 324 00:14:25,045 --> 00:14:27,205 Speaker 4: Yeah, Well, my son and I just had this converse. 325 00:14:27,205 --> 00:14:29,245 Speaker 3: He's also a detective, and he was raised out and 326 00:14:29,285 --> 00:14:32,805 Speaker 3: he was raising the generations all named Jim Wallas at 327 00:14:32,805 --> 00:14:35,205 Speaker 3: the same agency. So there's been a Jim Wallis of 328 00:14:35,245 --> 00:14:39,445 Speaker 3: that agency since nineteen sixty one. Anyway, so he was 329 00:14:39,485 --> 00:14:41,325 Speaker 3: we're on this call it yesterday. I realized it was 330 00:14:41,365 --> 00:14:43,605 Speaker 3: two hours and forty seven minutes that Jimmy and I 331 00:14:43,685 --> 00:14:49,604 Speaker 3: were talking about the theological history of different ideas in Christendom, 332 00:14:49,645 --> 00:14:53,365 Speaker 3: you know, different theological ideas. He's interested in authority, like, 333 00:14:53,445 --> 00:14:56,605 Speaker 3: how do we know this canon is the canon or 334 00:14:56,605 --> 00:14:58,685 Speaker 3: ought to be the canon? To be leave anything out? 335 00:14:58,685 --> 00:15:02,845 Speaker 3: Should else send something else be included? That's always Jimmy's thing, right, said, 336 00:15:02,885 --> 00:15:05,645 Speaker 3: He's been interested in that. Okay, Well for me it 337 00:15:05,685 --> 00:15:08,005 Speaker 3: was kind of similar. I it wasn't sure. I had 338 00:15:08,045 --> 00:15:10,645 Speaker 3: no upbringing in the church, so I didn't know anything 339 00:15:10,685 --> 00:15:12,445 Speaker 3: about like how. 340 00:15:12,285 --> 00:15:13,485 Speaker 4: Were these books selected? 341 00:15:13,605 --> 00:15:14,485 Speaker 1: What's the Bible? 342 00:15:15,005 --> 00:15:15,565 Speaker 4: What's the history? 343 00:15:15,645 --> 00:15:17,285 Speaker 1: Didn't care. Here's what I knew. 344 00:15:17,845 --> 00:15:20,205 Speaker 3: This pastor said that Jesus was smart, and that was 345 00:15:20,325 --> 00:15:22,925 Speaker 3: enough to provoke me to buy a Bible to see 346 00:15:22,965 --> 00:15:24,525 Speaker 3: what's so smart about Jesus. 347 00:15:24,765 --> 00:15:25,805 Speaker 4: So I bought a Pew Bible. 348 00:15:25,845 --> 00:15:28,525 Speaker 3: They were like six or seven dollars at b Dalton, 349 00:15:28,605 --> 00:15:30,965 Speaker 3: you know, back when they had bookstores. So I buy 350 00:15:31,005 --> 00:15:32,685 Speaker 3: this Pew Bible and I get it home and I'm 351 00:15:32,685 --> 00:15:34,365 Speaker 3: reading through the gospels looking for. 352 00:15:34,285 --> 00:15:36,085 Speaker 1: The red light. You knew to go to the Gospel 353 00:15:36,085 --> 00:15:36,485 Speaker 1: as well. 354 00:15:36,805 --> 00:15:39,965 Speaker 3: I knew that as he had quoted in this thing 355 00:15:40,125 --> 00:15:42,645 Speaker 3: something from the Gospel, and this message at church something 356 00:15:42,645 --> 00:15:45,205 Speaker 3: from the gospels. So I started there just where he 357 00:15:45,245 --> 00:15:48,005 Speaker 3: had talked about, and I looked at oh okay. Didn't 358 00:15:48,045 --> 00:15:50,005 Speaker 3: know how the structure of this text was. Didn't know 359 00:15:50,045 --> 00:15:51,925 Speaker 3: what a gospel was compared to the letters of Paul 360 00:15:52,005 --> 00:15:53,565 Speaker 3: or I didn't know any of that. But I did 361 00:15:53,685 --> 00:15:56,645 Speaker 3: know as I read through these gospels that they varied, 362 00:15:57,285 --> 00:16:00,165 Speaker 3: like the same event is being described in what some 363 00:16:00,205 --> 00:16:03,005 Speaker 3: people might say are two different ways, and even they 364 00:16:03,085 --> 00:16:05,005 Speaker 3: might even say they're contradictory. Now I didn't take that 365 00:16:05,085 --> 00:16:07,285 Speaker 3: view because I've been working with eyewitnesses for a number 366 00:16:07,325 --> 00:16:09,125 Speaker 3: of years by that time, and if you get five 367 00:16:09,165 --> 00:16:12,365 Speaker 3: eyewitnesses to describe something that happened just fifteen minutes ago, 368 00:16:12,765 --> 00:16:15,245 Speaker 3: you will see the same level of variation between a 369 00:16:15,325 --> 00:16:19,285 Speaker 3: fifteen minute old event. This is just the nature of eyewitnesses. 370 00:16:19,285 --> 00:16:22,685 Speaker 3: We disagree typically because we come in with certain commitments 371 00:16:22,765 --> 00:16:26,645 Speaker 3: to reality that drive our observations. So if I'm somebody 372 00:16:26,685 --> 00:16:32,565 Speaker 3: who loves nineteen sixties cinema, I'll probably remember everything on 373 00:16:32,605 --> 00:16:34,805 Speaker 3: that poster on that wall that somebody else, Oh there 374 00:16:34,805 --> 00:16:35,685 Speaker 3: was a poster on the wall. 375 00:16:36,565 --> 00:16:38,165 Speaker 1: I think there was a mirror on the wall. I don't. 376 00:16:38,245 --> 00:16:40,805 Speaker 3: It wasn't paying attention. Well, no, there's actually a poster 377 00:16:40,885 --> 00:16:43,205 Speaker 3: from a night. Really, these seemed like two contradictory. Was 378 00:16:43,205 --> 00:16:46,085 Speaker 3: because I am committed to certain things that I'm interested. 379 00:16:45,805 --> 00:16:48,045 Speaker 2: See and you saw that without even having a basic 380 00:16:48,165 --> 00:16:51,645 Speaker 2: understanding of Because the Gospels, as you know now, are 381 00:16:51,685 --> 00:16:55,885 Speaker 2: written from four different perspectives, you know, Matthew speaking more 382 00:16:55,925 --> 00:16:58,925 Speaker 2: to the Jewish mindset, and John maybe to more what 383 00:16:58,925 --> 00:17:03,125 Speaker 2: we would call secular view. You know, you know these 384 00:17:03,165 --> 00:17:05,764 Speaker 2: things we write that you may believe that ge this 385 00:17:05,885 --> 00:17:08,804 Speaker 2: is the son of God. So he's effectively wanting to 386 00:17:08,885 --> 00:17:11,685 Speaker 2: bring non believers to faith. Where Matthew it's like lots 387 00:17:11,725 --> 00:17:15,484 Speaker 2: of Old Testament references and showing how Jesus fulfilled all 388 00:17:15,484 --> 00:17:18,725 Speaker 2: these things, but both inspired by God. I see it 389 00:17:18,725 --> 00:17:21,084 Speaker 2: as sort of looking the same thing from different angles. 390 00:17:21,125 --> 00:17:21,764 Speaker 4: Well, look at this way. 391 00:17:21,764 --> 00:17:24,284 Speaker 3: If I'm doing an interview I am, and I'm interviewing 392 00:17:24,405 --> 00:17:27,924 Speaker 3: a boomer or maybe a gen X about what was 393 00:17:27,965 --> 00:17:31,165 Speaker 3: he wearing, I'm far more likely to get better information 394 00:17:31,244 --> 00:17:32,645 Speaker 3: from a woman than I am from a guy. 395 00:17:32,804 --> 00:17:35,044 Speaker 4: Yes, it's just if it's in that generation. 396 00:17:35,284 --> 00:17:38,445 Speaker 3: So it's because the commitments of each person, the interests 397 00:17:38,445 --> 00:17:41,205 Speaker 3: of each of each girl, and it changes generationally. There 398 00:17:41,205 --> 00:17:44,084 Speaker 3: are different things that you're interested in. And if you're somebody, 399 00:17:44,084 --> 00:17:48,524 Speaker 3: for example, who just by coincidence, happened to own the 400 00:17:48,564 --> 00:17:51,205 Speaker 3: same brand shirt, so you can tell me, no, I 401 00:17:51,244 --> 00:17:52,004 Speaker 3: know what he was wearing. 402 00:17:52,205 --> 00:17:53,405 Speaker 4: I own that shirt. 403 00:17:53,764 --> 00:17:57,365 Speaker 3: I got it at LL Bean It's an LL Beean shirt. Well, 404 00:17:57,365 --> 00:17:59,405 Speaker 3: that's great information to have, right, because I do a 405 00:17:59,405 --> 00:18:01,484 Speaker 3: search warrant I know what I'm looking for now. But 406 00:18:01,685 --> 00:18:03,644 Speaker 3: I mean, I get that unless you happen to have 407 00:18:03,725 --> 00:18:07,084 Speaker 3: a personal history that causes you to on the shirt 408 00:18:07,125 --> 00:18:09,284 Speaker 3: he's wearing. But that also means you probably missed that 409 00:18:09,324 --> 00:18:11,365 Speaker 3: thing standing over there because you were looking over here. 410 00:18:11,645 --> 00:18:14,804 Speaker 3: So your prior interest dictate the way you see in 411 00:18:14,844 --> 00:18:17,725 Speaker 3: an environment. It's not just that that I might describe 412 00:18:17,764 --> 00:18:18,204 Speaker 3: it differently. 413 00:18:18,244 --> 00:18:19,684 Speaker 4: Is that I missed it all together? 414 00:18:19,965 --> 00:18:20,084 Speaker 1: You know. 415 00:18:20,165 --> 00:18:21,205 Speaker 4: One of the things is dangerous. 416 00:18:21,244 --> 00:18:24,364 Speaker 3: I think about videos for police officers, and I'm a 417 00:18:24,365 --> 00:18:28,365 Speaker 3: favor of body cams because I think they're generally help 418 00:18:28,445 --> 00:18:30,084 Speaker 3: us more than they hurt us. But one of the 419 00:18:30,125 --> 00:18:32,764 Speaker 3: worst things about body cams is that they're not they're 420 00:18:32,804 --> 00:18:36,764 Speaker 3: not discriminatory. The same way you develop tunnel vision, especially 421 00:18:36,764 --> 00:18:39,445 Speaker 3: if you're in a crisis, trauma, traumatic moment, I will 422 00:18:39,484 --> 00:18:41,804 Speaker 3: start to not see the things in my periphery because 423 00:18:41,804 --> 00:18:44,405 Speaker 3: I'm so focused on the danger that the. 424 00:18:44,284 --> 00:18:45,205 Speaker 4: Camera doesn't do that. 425 00:18:45,244 --> 00:18:47,405 Speaker 3: When you play it the next day, it sees everything 426 00:18:47,484 --> 00:18:49,324 Speaker 3: as if as the same level of attention. 427 00:18:50,004 --> 00:18:51,685 Speaker 4: And then you could ask the officer, why didn't you 428 00:18:51,725 --> 00:18:53,964 Speaker 4: see that? Well, I don't know. 429 00:18:54,044 --> 00:18:56,165 Speaker 3: I just know in real time, all I could see 430 00:18:56,244 --> 00:18:59,124 Speaker 3: is this, even though is that available to you, Yes, 431 00:18:59,885 --> 00:19:03,044 Speaker 3: but I couldn't see it because of other issues that 432 00:19:03,244 --> 00:19:05,205 Speaker 3: caused me to focus in Well, the same is true 433 00:19:05,205 --> 00:19:07,284 Speaker 3: for any set of eyewitnesses, even if it's something like 434 00:19:07,324 --> 00:19:10,165 Speaker 3: your grandmother's birthday. If you're going to go and you're 435 00:19:10,205 --> 00:19:12,084 Speaker 3: bored in tears, you're going to have a different report 436 00:19:12,125 --> 00:19:14,604 Speaker 3: of that birthday than somebody who's animated about the gifts 437 00:19:14,604 --> 00:19:17,244 Speaker 3: that she got. You probably couldn't even tell me half 438 00:19:17,284 --> 00:19:20,205 Speaker 3: the gifts she got, but somebody else could. And it's 439 00:19:20,244 --> 00:19:24,484 Speaker 3: not because we weren't there. It's because we were there 440 00:19:24,524 --> 00:19:26,244 Speaker 3: and we're two different people. So when I read to 441 00:19:26,324 --> 00:19:28,885 Speaker 3: the Gospels for the first time, I thought, oh, there's 442 00:19:28,925 --> 00:19:32,205 Speaker 3: like an embedded flavor here. That feels like it I 443 00:19:32,205 --> 00:19:35,405 Speaker 3: would expect it to feel, because certainly they had centuries 444 00:19:35,445 --> 00:19:38,004 Speaker 3: to work these issues out. If they wanted to eliminate 445 00:19:38,044 --> 00:19:40,205 Speaker 3: the differences between the gospels, it could have been done 446 00:19:40,244 --> 00:19:42,684 Speaker 3: before any of us would ever be the wiser. But 447 00:19:42,725 --> 00:19:44,684 Speaker 3: they left them in because this is the nature of 448 00:19:44,685 --> 00:19:45,645 Speaker 3: eyewitness accounts. 449 00:19:45,685 --> 00:19:49,484 Speaker 4: So I thought, okay, and I say, eyewitness accounts. Here's why. 450 00:19:49,885 --> 00:19:52,724 Speaker 3: Well, John has historically been attributed as the writer of 451 00:19:53,004 --> 00:19:55,844 Speaker 3: the Gospel of John, and Matthew has historically been attributed 452 00:19:56,284 --> 00:19:59,244 Speaker 3: that gospel has been attributed to Matthew. But Mark, I 453 00:19:59,244 --> 00:20:01,965 Speaker 3: think there's an entire line of good evidence that that 454 00:20:02,044 --> 00:20:05,405 Speaker 3: is Peter's Gospel written in Rome. I think it's the 455 00:20:05,524 --> 00:20:07,924 Speaker 3: first Gospel. And I can make that case later. But 456 00:20:07,965 --> 00:20:10,564 Speaker 3: the point is it's a god. It's an eyewitness account 457 00:20:10,604 --> 00:20:13,685 Speaker 3: recorded by Mark. It's Peter's eyewitness account. And Luke tells 458 00:20:13,764 --> 00:20:18,445 Speaker 3: us that he is writing the eyewitness accounts of others, eyewitnesses. 459 00:20:17,764 --> 00:20:20,524 Speaker 4: And servants of the word. Well, he interviewed people. 460 00:20:20,725 --> 00:20:21,565 Speaker 1: Right. Well, let's put this way. 461 00:20:21,604 --> 00:20:23,084 Speaker 3: When I get a case, I get a bunch of 462 00:20:23,084 --> 00:20:26,164 Speaker 3: supple in our reports that contain eyewitness accounts well, you 463 00:20:26,244 --> 00:20:29,324 Speaker 3: know that none of them were actually written by the eyewitness. 464 00:20:29,445 --> 00:20:32,645 Speaker 3: They're written by detectives who interviewed an eyewitness. 465 00:20:33,205 --> 00:20:34,404 Speaker 1: So that's that's what. 466 00:20:34,604 --> 00:20:37,725 Speaker 3: There's still eyewitness accounts even though they're not written by 467 00:20:37,725 --> 00:20:40,524 Speaker 3: the eyewitness. They're written by somebody who has access to 468 00:20:40,604 --> 00:20:44,084 Speaker 3: the eyewitness. So I look at Mark and Luke and 469 00:20:44,125 --> 00:20:47,125 Speaker 3: I jumped them in so I can now test these 470 00:20:47,844 --> 00:20:50,524 Speaker 3: given all the parameters we use in criminal trials to 471 00:20:50,564 --> 00:20:51,645 Speaker 3: test eyewitnesses, And. 472 00:20:51,604 --> 00:20:54,084 Speaker 1: There's like what was the turning point? Like what did 473 00:20:54,165 --> 00:20:55,884 Speaker 1: a light go on? Or all of a sudden that 474 00:20:56,004 --> 00:20:57,564 Speaker 1: this is it? Or was a little more. 475 00:20:57,484 --> 00:20:59,804 Speaker 3: Graduate it was more great Because here's the even like 476 00:20:59,844 --> 00:21:01,764 Speaker 3: any case I work, I don't have a lot of 477 00:21:01,804 --> 00:21:03,884 Speaker 3: DNA cases, just that one I told you about with 478 00:21:03,925 --> 00:21:06,164 Speaker 3: that ten year old. That's the only DA case I've 479 00:21:06,205 --> 00:21:09,764 Speaker 3: ever had. In cold cases, I make cases by a 480 00:21:09,885 --> 00:21:12,564 Speaker 3: mass quantity, a cumulative, circumstantial case. 481 00:21:12,645 --> 00:21:13,845 Speaker 4: It's fifty things. 482 00:21:14,004 --> 00:21:16,844 Speaker 3: It's death by a thousand paper cuts, it's fifty things 483 00:21:16,844 --> 00:21:19,125 Speaker 3: that point to that guy. Now, any one of those 484 00:21:19,165 --> 00:21:21,645 Speaker 3: fifty things might not seem like much, but in total, 485 00:21:21,725 --> 00:21:24,205 Speaker 3: it's like, oh yeah, this is overwhelming. Who else could 486 00:21:24,244 --> 00:21:27,565 Speaker 3: it be that could meet all of these fifty conditions. Well, 487 00:21:27,645 --> 00:21:30,685 Speaker 3: so it's small little pieces of evidence that don't seem 488 00:21:30,725 --> 00:21:32,924 Speaker 3: like much on their own that point back to the 489 00:21:32,965 --> 00:21:34,164 Speaker 3: same suspect. 490 00:21:34,284 --> 00:21:37,524 Speaker 4: That's all my cases. So here it was the same thing. 491 00:21:38,925 --> 00:21:43,885 Speaker 3: Yeah, at some point the body of evidences was overwhelming 492 00:21:43,885 --> 00:21:45,884 Speaker 3: to me, and each one of them might seem like 493 00:21:45,885 --> 00:21:48,244 Speaker 3: a little bit of nothing. So you can look at 494 00:21:48,284 --> 00:21:50,164 Speaker 3: the archaeological support. You can look at the fact that 495 00:21:50,205 --> 00:21:52,484 Speaker 3: the language is consistent with people who would write in 496 00:21:52,484 --> 00:21:55,405 Speaker 3: the first century in that region. Even the use of pronouns, 497 00:21:55,564 --> 00:21:58,205 Speaker 3: these are all consistent. There's lots of different lines of 498 00:21:58,244 --> 00:22:00,764 Speaker 3: evidence you could look at. Now, here's what I would 499 00:22:00,804 --> 00:22:03,804 Speaker 3: say is that the deal killer for most people, And 500 00:22:04,725 --> 00:22:07,205 Speaker 3: there's these four criteria that I've talked about in cold 501 00:22:07,205 --> 00:22:10,604 Speaker 3: case Christianity. Just were they really there to see what 502 00:22:10,604 --> 00:22:13,605 Speaker 3: they said they saw? Have they changed their story over time, 503 00:22:13,685 --> 00:22:16,164 Speaker 3: can they be corroborated, even in a small way, And finally, 504 00:22:16,165 --> 00:22:17,564 Speaker 3: do they have a bias that would cause them to 505 00:22:17,604 --> 00:22:20,205 Speaker 3: lie to us? That's how we test all eyewitnesses and 506 00:22:20,284 --> 00:22:23,044 Speaker 3: jury trials. You could apply that template to the Gospels. 507 00:22:23,044 --> 00:22:26,884 Speaker 3: You'd be surprised with a land But there's a lot 508 00:22:26,885 --> 00:22:29,924 Speaker 3: of skeptics out there, and they're typically skeptical because the 509 00:22:29,925 --> 00:22:33,764 Speaker 3: Gospels contain miracles, supernatural events. 510 00:22:33,925 --> 00:22:35,124 Speaker 4: Let's put it this way. 511 00:22:35,244 --> 00:22:38,364 Speaker 3: If the Gospels were just a story about a first 512 00:22:38,365 --> 00:22:43,085 Speaker 3: century rabbi who had great sermons, nice guy, never worked 513 00:22:43,084 --> 00:22:45,044 Speaker 3: a miracle, but not born of a version, never rose 514 00:22:45,044 --> 00:22:49,725 Speaker 3: from the grave, just a smart preaching rabbi, nobody would 515 00:22:49,764 --> 00:22:52,524 Speaker 3: doubt the historicity of the Gospels. Based on the fact 516 00:22:52,564 --> 00:22:56,444 Speaker 3: we have so much overwhelming manuscript evidence. Nobody would doubt anything. 517 00:22:56,685 --> 00:23:00,404 Speaker 3: There's no better ancient a tested on manuscript evidence than 518 00:23:00,484 --> 00:23:04,524 Speaker 3: Jesus of Nazareth. But if you insert one miracle, just one, 519 00:23:05,084 --> 00:23:07,165 Speaker 3: everyone's says, oh, that's got to be I'm out. So 520 00:23:07,205 --> 00:23:09,084 Speaker 3: that tells you right now that this is not about 521 00:23:09,084 --> 00:23:12,564 Speaker 3: the manuscript evidence or the historical evidence. It's about a 522 00:23:12,604 --> 00:23:17,205 Speaker 3: presuppositional bias against the supernatural because people don't think the 523 00:23:17,244 --> 00:23:20,084 Speaker 3: supernatural exists in a modern world. They'll say, Hey, if 524 00:23:20,125 --> 00:23:23,405 Speaker 3: you're doing history and you're going to insert something supernatural, 525 00:23:23,405 --> 00:23:24,685 Speaker 3: you're no longer in the right genre. 526 00:23:24,725 --> 00:23:26,404 Speaker 4: You're not in history now, you're in mythology. 527 00:23:27,125 --> 00:23:30,125 Speaker 3: You just shifted because there's no we don't have room 528 00:23:30,205 --> 00:23:33,405 Speaker 3: for the supernatural in history anymore than we have room 529 00:23:33,445 --> 00:23:38,645 Speaker 3: for the supernatural in science. So we've naturalized, we've we've 530 00:23:38,725 --> 00:23:42,444 Speaker 3: kind of stripped out anything beyond the physical realm in 531 00:23:42,484 --> 00:23:43,804 Speaker 3: both history and science. 532 00:23:43,844 --> 00:23:46,364 Speaker 4: And there's the question I have, do we like we 533 00:23:46,405 --> 00:23:46,644 Speaker 4: talked to? 534 00:23:46,804 --> 00:23:47,445 Speaker 1: There's people we. 535 00:23:47,405 --> 00:23:50,844 Speaker 3: Know, intellectuals in culture today who have big podcast audiences 536 00:23:51,205 --> 00:23:54,405 Speaker 3: who really kind of deny supernatural claims. Yet they think 537 00:23:54,484 --> 00:24:00,004 Speaker 3: they are they are considering this notion with their immaterial mind. 538 00:24:01,165 --> 00:24:04,444 Speaker 3: We're more than just brains, we have immateial minds. 539 00:24:04,484 --> 00:24:05,285 Speaker 1: We're more than just. 540 00:24:05,804 --> 00:24:07,205 Speaker 4: We're soulish creatures. 541 00:24:07,804 --> 00:24:10,445 Speaker 3: Well, how do we explain the soulish nature or the 542 00:24:10,604 --> 00:24:14,725 Speaker 3: immaterial mind in an entirely physical universe? There has to 543 00:24:14,764 --> 00:24:20,764 Speaker 3: be something beyond pure physicalism. There has to be there's 544 00:24:20,804 --> 00:24:23,684 Speaker 3: something outside of the physical realm that governs the universe. 545 00:24:23,725 --> 00:24:26,564 Speaker 2: So what made it happen for Jim Wallace? Was there 546 00:24:26,604 --> 00:24:28,844 Speaker 2: a moment? Did you pray a prayer? Did you Well? 547 00:24:28,925 --> 00:24:31,284 Speaker 3: I remember getting to a point where I was like, wow, okay, 548 00:24:31,284 --> 00:24:33,124 Speaker 3: you test it in these four areas. I think it's 549 00:24:33,165 --> 00:24:36,484 Speaker 3: written early enough because if you want to lie about Jesus, 550 00:24:36,564 --> 00:24:38,484 Speaker 3: just wait till everyone knows the truth is dead. Then 551 00:24:38,484 --> 00:24:40,685 Speaker 3: you can say whatever you want. I think it's written early, 552 00:24:41,284 --> 00:24:43,965 Speaker 3: and I make a case of my own evidence. Is 553 00:24:44,004 --> 00:24:46,924 Speaker 3: there a case for early dating? Yes, I needed to know. 554 00:24:47,365 --> 00:24:48,325 Speaker 3: Has a changed over time? 555 00:24:48,405 --> 00:24:48,884 Speaker 1: No, it hasn't. 556 00:24:48,965 --> 00:24:50,924 Speaker 3: The claims of Jesus, as crazy as they may be, 557 00:24:51,484 --> 00:24:52,725 Speaker 3: have always been that crazy. 558 00:24:52,885 --> 00:24:55,604 Speaker 1: And you're thirty five years old. Thirty five years old. 559 00:24:55,604 --> 00:24:59,684 Speaker 2: Most people make a decision for Christ around eighteen, So 560 00:24:59,804 --> 00:25:01,884 Speaker 2: you waited. I mean, this is you know, you're really 561 00:25:01,885 --> 00:25:05,004 Speaker 2: thinking this through. Most people, I don't think go through 562 00:25:05,044 --> 00:25:06,764 Speaker 2: a like you went through. 563 00:25:06,844 --> 00:25:07,004 Speaker 1: Well. 564 00:25:07,004 --> 00:25:09,324 Speaker 3: I remember there was a new believer's class, and I 565 00:25:09,365 --> 00:25:12,324 Speaker 3: wasn't a believer, but I went to it at this church, 566 00:25:12,844 --> 00:25:17,484 Speaker 3: and I remember them making arguments on the whiteboard and thinking, eh, 567 00:25:17,925 --> 00:25:19,925 Speaker 3: you know it's okay. I mean, yeah, I can see 568 00:25:19,925 --> 00:25:22,164 Speaker 3: why you might already if you already believe, you might 569 00:25:22,205 --> 00:25:26,604 Speaker 3: think that's persuasive. But I remember being skeptical and just 570 00:25:26,645 --> 00:25:28,205 Speaker 3: taking time to do it. So I remember at one 571 00:25:28,244 --> 00:25:30,484 Speaker 3: point I was laying in bed frind to fall asleep, 572 00:25:30,524 --> 00:25:33,284 Speaker 3: and I said to Susan, you know, I think I 573 00:25:33,284 --> 00:25:35,725 Speaker 3: think they're reliable. I mean i think I'm kind of 574 00:25:35,804 --> 00:25:37,525 Speaker 3: like I'm feeling like I'm stuck with Jesus right now. 575 00:25:37,685 --> 00:25:38,844 Speaker 1: She had already become a believer. 576 00:25:39,084 --> 00:25:41,164 Speaker 3: No, I think she was definitely the more open to 577 00:25:41,165 --> 00:25:42,965 Speaker 3: it because but all this during this time, like we're 578 00:25:43,004 --> 00:25:44,725 Speaker 3: hitting miss but we're for the most part trying to 579 00:25:44,725 --> 00:25:46,925 Speaker 3: go to church, trying to see what these guys are saying. 580 00:25:47,125 --> 00:25:48,764 Speaker 3: But we weren't through like every week, but we were 581 00:25:48,804 --> 00:25:52,405 Speaker 3: pretty pretty relatively consistent. And so I remember saying to her, 582 00:25:53,084 --> 00:25:55,884 Speaker 3: I think this is I think. I'm like, I'm not 583 00:25:55,885 --> 00:25:57,085 Speaker 3: sure what to do with this. Here's what I don't 584 00:25:57,125 --> 00:25:59,284 Speaker 3: understand though. I don't understand why, if there is a God, 585 00:25:59,324 --> 00:26:01,884 Speaker 3: and if this is true, why would Jesus have to 586 00:26:01,925 --> 00:26:04,685 Speaker 3: die on a cross like I did. I was convinced 587 00:26:04,685 --> 00:26:07,965 Speaker 3: the gospels were accurate and reliable, but I did not 588 00:26:08,165 --> 00:26:09,685 Speaker 3: yet understand the gospel. 589 00:26:09,725 --> 00:26:10,845 Speaker 1: And that's the whole point. 590 00:26:11,125 --> 00:26:13,725 Speaker 3: Yeah, but here's what was different though for me. I 591 00:26:13,844 --> 00:26:17,405 Speaker 3: no longer had these walls standing between me and the gospel. 592 00:26:18,004 --> 00:26:19,044 Speaker 1: So now I can actually I. 593 00:26:19,084 --> 00:26:22,605 Speaker 2: Think that's what apologetics do and effect is they take 594 00:26:22,645 --> 00:26:23,445 Speaker 2: down the wall. 595 00:26:24,564 --> 00:26:27,804 Speaker 3: I don't think that there's any Only the Gospel has power. 596 00:26:27,885 --> 00:26:32,324 Speaker 3: You know that there's no power an unapologetic argument. There's 597 00:26:32,445 --> 00:26:34,685 Speaker 3: only power in the gospel. The problem is, though there's 598 00:26:34,725 --> 00:26:38,084 Speaker 3: many people who like my dad, I think still who 599 00:26:38,125 --> 00:26:40,765 Speaker 3: when you hear the gospel, when you present the gospel, 600 00:26:40,804 --> 00:26:42,284 Speaker 3: you're trying to figure out a new way to say it. 601 00:26:42,284 --> 00:26:44,524 Speaker 3: Because he's heard it so many times and he's only 602 00:26:44,564 --> 00:26:46,965 Speaker 3: hearing I think, blah blah blah, like Charlie Brown and 603 00:26:47,004 --> 00:26:49,244 Speaker 3: his teacher, you know, wanh wanh wanh wanh wanh So 604 00:26:49,365 --> 00:26:53,205 Speaker 3: he's not hearing it. And so it's because he's put 605 00:26:53,324 --> 00:26:56,804 Speaker 3: a ton of stuff between him and the gospel message. 606 00:26:57,004 --> 00:26:58,244 Speaker 3: And I have to figure out, like what is the 607 00:26:58,284 --> 00:27:00,324 Speaker 3: stuff he's putting in there? Because if I can. 608 00:27:00,284 --> 00:27:00,965 Speaker 1: Get rid of that. 609 00:27:02,284 --> 00:27:03,924 Speaker 3: And now you could argue that really you can't get 610 00:27:04,004 --> 00:27:05,764 Speaker 3: rid of that, Jim, that that's something that God has 611 00:27:05,804 --> 00:27:07,525 Speaker 3: to get rid of. Yes, but God uses us, right, 612 00:27:07,564 --> 00:27:10,004 Speaker 3: I mean, I mean, clearly God could have had said 613 00:27:10,004 --> 00:27:12,484 Speaker 3: that when we're born, we are born with an innate 614 00:27:12,564 --> 00:27:14,324 Speaker 3: sense of the Gospel, never need to hear it, or 615 00:27:14,645 --> 00:27:16,445 Speaker 3: he would visit every one of us at our tenth 616 00:27:16,484 --> 00:27:18,404 Speaker 3: birthday in our dreams and present the gospel. 617 00:27:18,484 --> 00:27:20,084 Speaker 4: Fully, he could do it any way he wants. 618 00:27:20,125 --> 00:27:22,524 Speaker 3: It turns out he uses us for some reason, and 619 00:27:22,604 --> 00:27:25,205 Speaker 3: I think he also uses us to, like you said, 620 00:27:25,284 --> 00:27:28,165 Speaker 3: to sow that ground, to break up that ground so 621 00:27:28,284 --> 00:27:30,965 Speaker 3: that somebody can plant to seed, because right now it's 622 00:27:31,044 --> 00:27:33,565 Speaker 3: just bouncing off. And that was me, It was all 623 00:27:33,604 --> 00:27:36,404 Speaker 3: those There were people who I'm trying to think if 624 00:27:36,405 --> 00:27:39,924 Speaker 3: I ever heard the Gospel before I bought a Bible, 625 00:27:41,284 --> 00:27:43,405 Speaker 3: and I don't. If I did, I don't remember hearing it, 626 00:27:43,925 --> 00:27:46,364 Speaker 3: and probably I did, but I just did not hear 627 00:27:46,405 --> 00:27:47,644 Speaker 3: it because I didn't want to hear it. 628 00:27:47,764 --> 00:27:50,804 Speaker 2: Now you've written a book called I'm Jim Wallace and 629 00:27:50,885 --> 00:27:54,084 Speaker 2: You're Not, which I think is an arrogant title. Down there, 630 00:27:55,324 --> 00:27:58,604 Speaker 2: it's well like true would be I'm Jay Warner Wallas. 631 00:27:59,324 --> 00:28:00,285 Speaker 1: You know why I took that name? 632 00:28:00,764 --> 00:28:01,204 Speaker 2: You know why? 633 00:28:01,324 --> 00:28:04,565 Speaker 3: Probably do you know who Jim Wallace is of Sojourners? Oh? 634 00:28:04,885 --> 00:28:08,925 Speaker 1: Yes, okay. So I was doing Radio Understood. 635 00:28:08,445 --> 00:28:10,884 Speaker 3: When I first started, and I was just Jim Wallace 636 00:28:11,244 --> 00:28:12,685 Speaker 3: and one of the radio hosts says, I can't have 637 00:28:12,804 --> 00:28:14,284 Speaker 3: you on anymore with that name, because if I say 638 00:28:14,324 --> 00:28:16,044 Speaker 3: I'm want to have Jim Wallace on tomorrow, they all 639 00:28:16,125 --> 00:28:19,165 Speaker 3: think you're that guy. So, and he's very different. He's 640 00:28:19,165 --> 00:28:21,884 Speaker 3: a he's a very politically active guy. Let me tell 641 00:28:21,885 --> 00:28:25,484 Speaker 3: a quick side story. So I Trump's first administration. I 642 00:28:25,685 --> 00:28:28,324 Speaker 3: was part of this group of Christians who was going 643 00:28:28,405 --> 00:28:31,805 Speaker 3: to go and look at law enforce law enforcement reform 644 00:28:32,165 --> 00:28:36,564 Speaker 3: in Washington, D C. And Trump's legal her Christian advisor, Pam, 645 00:28:36,685 --> 00:28:38,245 Speaker 3: She called me and said, would you come to this 646 00:28:38,365 --> 00:28:41,965 Speaker 3: meeting of all you know, politically active people. So I said, sure, 647 00:28:41,965 --> 00:28:44,884 Speaker 3: I'll come. So I go walk into the room in Washington, 648 00:28:45,005 --> 00:28:47,005 Speaker 3: D C. And I see at one of the tables 649 00:28:47,045 --> 00:28:48,925 Speaker 3: there's a name tag for Jim Wallace. He spells his 650 00:28:49,045 --> 00:28:50,124 Speaker 3: name W A L L. 651 00:28:50,285 --> 00:28:50,644 Speaker 1: I S. 652 00:28:51,765 --> 00:28:54,045 Speaker 3: Very different approach to how to how to think about 653 00:28:54,084 --> 00:28:56,644 Speaker 3: law enforcement, very different approach to almost everything from me. 654 00:28:56,885 --> 00:29:00,604 Speaker 3: We're almost completely different, I ideological extremes. But I got 655 00:29:00,645 --> 00:29:02,124 Speaker 3: a chance to meet him. So he comes in and 656 00:29:02,165 --> 00:29:03,364 Speaker 3: I shook his hand and I said, I want you 657 00:29:03,445 --> 00:29:05,925 Speaker 3: to know you're the reason why I use j Warner 658 00:29:06,005 --> 00:29:08,885 Speaker 3: Wallace because my name is Jim Wallace and him, yeah, 659 00:29:08,885 --> 00:29:10,644 Speaker 3: I told him this and we laughed about it, and 660 00:29:10,725 --> 00:29:12,525 Speaker 3: that was the last, I think kind thing we said 661 00:29:12,565 --> 00:29:14,725 Speaker 3: to each other the entire moeting, because we are so 662 00:29:14,925 --> 00:29:17,285 Speaker 3: different in terms of our approach to law enforcement. But 663 00:29:17,405 --> 00:29:20,364 Speaker 3: that's why I go by Jay Warner Wallace. Also, you know, 664 00:29:20,565 --> 00:29:23,364 Speaker 3: you were saying if you don't have a good male 665 00:29:23,565 --> 00:29:26,404 Speaker 3: role model, that maybe it's a stepfather, or maybe it's 666 00:29:26,445 --> 00:29:28,565 Speaker 3: somebody who becomes the guy who you think, Hey, that's 667 00:29:28,604 --> 00:29:30,364 Speaker 3: my dad. Well, I have a great dad, I mean, 668 00:29:30,445 --> 00:29:32,045 Speaker 3: but he was not available to me a lot of 669 00:29:32,084 --> 00:29:34,445 Speaker 3: the time. And the man who had the biggest impact 670 00:29:34,525 --> 00:29:37,445 Speaker 3: on my life was a guy named Warner Wallace, my grandfather. 671 00:29:38,165 --> 00:29:41,005 Speaker 3: So even before I became a Christian, all my search 672 00:29:41,045 --> 00:29:44,165 Speaker 3: warrants said Jay Warner Wallace to tip the hat, tip 673 00:29:44,245 --> 00:29:45,205 Speaker 3: my grandfather. 674 00:29:45,885 --> 00:29:47,164 Speaker 4: So I just took that name because it. 675 00:29:47,205 --> 00:29:51,765 Speaker 2: Was beautiful, you know, jd Vance or vice president. You know, 676 00:29:51,925 --> 00:29:55,325 Speaker 2: his mother had huge addiction issues, and he had his 677 00:29:55,645 --> 00:30:01,325 Speaker 2: grandmother who called Memma, who literally rescued him. He wrote 678 00:30:01,325 --> 00:30:04,045 Speaker 2: a book about it called Hillbilly Elegy, and a movie 679 00:30:04,165 --> 00:30:06,285 Speaker 2: was made about it as well. And she saw his 680 00:30:06,405 --> 00:30:08,245 Speaker 2: life was going the wrong way and she took him in. 681 00:30:08,365 --> 00:30:10,605 Speaker 2: She's very rough around yet, just kind of a woman, 682 00:30:11,165 --> 00:30:14,685 Speaker 2: very country type woman. But you know he attributes be 683 00:30:14,885 --> 00:30:17,364 Speaker 2: you know, basically getting through that and going on to 684 00:30:17,525 --> 00:30:20,885 Speaker 2: obviously get a great education and then become a senator, 685 00:30:21,005 --> 00:30:24,204 Speaker 2: most significantly the vice president, but I love to hear 686 00:30:24,245 --> 00:30:27,005 Speaker 2: when grandparents step in. You know, my mother was married 687 00:30:27,045 --> 00:30:30,485 Speaker 2: and divorce seven times, and I lived with my grandmother, 688 00:30:30,604 --> 00:30:33,925 Speaker 2: who he called Mama Stella because that's a Southern way 689 00:30:33,965 --> 00:30:36,124 Speaker 2: of calling them, you know, their first name with mama 690 00:30:36,245 --> 00:30:39,085 Speaker 2: or daddy attached to it. And it was the time 691 00:30:39,165 --> 00:30:41,725 Speaker 2: of stability in my childhood that my mother was not 692 00:30:41,844 --> 00:30:43,884 Speaker 2: able to provide. But before I got of from this 693 00:30:44,045 --> 00:30:46,445 Speaker 2: rabbit trail about mocking you about a book you didn't 694 00:30:46,485 --> 00:30:48,565 Speaker 2: even write, I was going to say, you really did 695 00:30:48,645 --> 00:30:51,685 Speaker 2: write a book called Cold Case Christianity. And in this 696 00:30:51,965 --> 00:30:57,844 Speaker 2: book you identify ten what is it, ten principles that 697 00:30:58,365 --> 00:31:01,485 Speaker 2: are of detective work. Yeah, tell me about the ten 698 00:31:01,565 --> 00:31:04,485 Speaker 2: principles and maybe tell me if there's one that stands 699 00:31:04,525 --> 00:31:07,685 Speaker 2: out above the others that we can apply when we're 700 00:31:07,885 --> 00:31:10,005 Speaker 2: trying to communicate our faith with others. 701 00:31:10,084 --> 00:31:11,805 Speaker 4: Okay, So I think there's a couple of things here. Yeah, 702 00:31:11,805 --> 00:31:13,245 Speaker 4: I think a lot of it. You might say, well, 703 00:31:13,325 --> 00:31:14,445 Speaker 4: how do you how do we think? 704 00:31:14,525 --> 00:31:16,645 Speaker 3: Well, and I'm not to say that detectives always think well, 705 00:31:16,725 --> 00:31:17,965 Speaker 3: but we have to think in a way that we 706 00:31:18,005 --> 00:31:20,924 Speaker 3: can then communicate to a jury. So howe whatever process 707 00:31:20,965 --> 00:31:23,005 Speaker 3: we're going to put in place. It is eventually going 708 00:31:23,084 --> 00:31:24,724 Speaker 3: to get tested in front of a jury, and if 709 00:31:24,725 --> 00:31:27,485 Speaker 3: we didn't do it well, we don't understand these basic principles, 710 00:31:27,485 --> 00:31:29,685 Speaker 3: it's going to get exposed. So I think we try 711 00:31:29,725 --> 00:31:32,725 Speaker 3: to be tight about how we think about investigating claims. 712 00:31:33,165 --> 00:31:34,805 Speaker 3: So a couple of things I think will help people 713 00:31:34,925 --> 00:31:38,525 Speaker 3: maybe hadn't thought about. Well, what could you learn? Give 714 00:31:38,565 --> 00:31:40,925 Speaker 3: you a simple one. There's a big difference between what's 715 00:31:41,005 --> 00:31:44,604 Speaker 3: possible and what's reasonable. This idea, this idea that we 716 00:31:44,725 --> 00:31:46,005 Speaker 3: are trying to make a case in front of a 717 00:31:46,084 --> 00:31:49,005 Speaker 3: jury beyond a reasonable doubt. That's a lower standard than 718 00:31:49,084 --> 00:31:53,125 Speaker 3: beyond a possible doubt. Possible because there's no possible way 719 00:31:53,165 --> 00:31:56,285 Speaker 3: this could be wrong. Now, I think that I'll never 720 00:31:56,445 --> 00:31:58,565 Speaker 3: say I could prove anything, and I tell juries all 721 00:31:58,565 --> 00:32:00,485 Speaker 3: the time, I could never prove this beyond a possible 722 00:32:00,565 --> 00:32:04,924 Speaker 3: doubt because I have unanswered questions, and those questions are 723 00:32:04,965 --> 00:32:07,765 Speaker 3: what separate reasonable. I'm beyond a reasonable doubt. I think 724 00:32:07,765 --> 00:32:10,165 Speaker 3: he's the guy, but I can't answer. So I tell 725 00:32:10,245 --> 00:32:11,965 Speaker 3: juris all the time. We tell them we will say 726 00:32:12,005 --> 00:32:14,045 Speaker 3: this very commonly. We're going to tell you everything you 727 00:32:14,205 --> 00:32:16,405 Speaker 3: need to know, but not everything that could be known, 728 00:32:16,485 --> 00:32:18,645 Speaker 3: because we don't even know everything that could be known. 729 00:32:18,885 --> 00:32:20,885 Speaker 3: We know that he did it, and we can demonstrate 730 00:32:20,965 --> 00:32:24,165 Speaker 3: that for you, but until he confesses, we won't know 731 00:32:24,285 --> 00:32:27,364 Speaker 3: precisely how he did it or why he did it, 732 00:32:27,805 --> 00:32:28,645 Speaker 3: because we can only. 733 00:32:28,565 --> 00:32:29,445 Speaker 4: Imagine those things. 734 00:32:29,965 --> 00:32:31,604 Speaker 3: So you're gonna have to make a decision about this 735 00:32:32,445 --> 00:32:35,124 Speaker 3: beyond a reasonable doubt, even though you're gonna have unanswered 736 00:32:35,245 --> 00:32:36,245 Speaker 3: questions that would put you. 737 00:32:36,325 --> 00:32:37,445 Speaker 4: Beyond a possible doubt. 738 00:32:37,645 --> 00:32:41,125 Speaker 3: There's nothing you know we tell jurors beyond a possible doubt, 739 00:32:41,685 --> 00:32:44,685 Speaker 3: even our existence in this podcast. People who are watching 740 00:32:44,725 --> 00:32:46,685 Speaker 3: this right now, do they know it's really us? But 741 00:32:46,725 --> 00:32:48,485 Speaker 3: the AI, being as good as it is, do they 742 00:32:48,565 --> 00:32:49,325 Speaker 3: really know it's us? 743 00:32:49,925 --> 00:32:50,485 Speaker 1: You don't even know. 744 00:32:50,965 --> 00:32:53,045 Speaker 3: Is it possible it's not us? Yes, it is possible, 745 00:32:53,084 --> 00:32:55,084 Speaker 3: but it's not reasonable, and we live in the area 746 00:32:55,165 --> 00:32:57,765 Speaker 3: of what's reasonable. I tell jurors all the time. I'm 747 00:32:57,765 --> 00:33:00,604 Speaker 3: going to give you a line of evidences that point 748 00:33:00,805 --> 00:33:04,245 Speaker 3: right to this defendant. Now, you're not going to point 749 00:33:04,245 --> 00:33:05,404 Speaker 3: a foot to the left or foot to the right 750 00:33:05,604 --> 00:33:08,125 Speaker 3: of him. They're going to lead you right up to him, 751 00:33:08,445 --> 00:33:11,084 Speaker 3: but they're going to stop short because I don't know everything. 752 00:33:11,125 --> 00:33:11,485 Speaker 1: I could know. 753 00:33:11,685 --> 00:33:12,844 Speaker 4: I just know what's needed to know. 754 00:33:13,405 --> 00:33:16,165 Speaker 3: And this gap between the end of the evidence trail 755 00:33:16,604 --> 00:33:20,325 Speaker 3: and his position is a gap that is filled with 756 00:33:20,445 --> 00:33:21,884 Speaker 3: all of your unanswered questions. 757 00:33:21,965 --> 00:33:22,604 Speaker 1: I'm still going to. 758 00:33:22,604 --> 00:33:24,765 Speaker 3: Ask you at the end of this, though, to take 759 00:33:24,805 --> 00:33:28,005 Speaker 3: the most reasonable step and render a verdict, because it's 760 00:33:28,084 --> 00:33:31,045 Speaker 3: pointing or right to him. You cannot get hung up 761 00:33:31,165 --> 00:33:34,085 Speaker 3: on your unanswered questions. And we tell people all the time, 762 00:33:34,084 --> 00:33:36,005 Speaker 3: if you're the kind of person who needs to have 763 00:33:36,245 --> 00:33:38,604 Speaker 3: every question answered before you can render a verdict, you're 764 00:33:38,604 --> 00:33:41,005 Speaker 3: going to get excused because we can't use those kind 765 00:33:41,045 --> 00:33:43,724 Speaker 3: of people. I can never answer every possible question. Well, 766 00:33:43,725 --> 00:33:45,125 Speaker 3: the same thing is true by consis. 767 00:33:44,844 --> 00:33:48,124 Speaker 2: I've been chosen for jury duty two times and they 768 00:33:48,165 --> 00:33:52,685 Speaker 2: always reject me. I get into the box and it's like, okay, 769 00:33:53,405 --> 00:33:54,045 Speaker 2: get out of here. 770 00:33:54,165 --> 00:33:55,884 Speaker 1: Yeah right, I don't know. There's something that. 771 00:33:56,565 --> 00:33:58,165 Speaker 4: So a lot of it is is that they're looking 772 00:33:58,205 --> 00:33:58,525 Speaker 4: for people. 773 00:33:58,604 --> 00:34:00,285 Speaker 3: Each side is trying to put the jury that they 774 00:34:00,285 --> 00:34:02,165 Speaker 3: think is going to favor them, and most of the time, 775 00:34:02,445 --> 00:34:04,925 Speaker 3: if they think that you're a somebody who holds to 776 00:34:04,965 --> 00:34:08,405 Speaker 3: certain object of religious truths and moral truths, then sometimes 777 00:34:08,445 --> 00:34:10,485 Speaker 3: we get excluded. I get that, but that's okay, But 778 00:34:10,565 --> 00:34:12,245 Speaker 3: I say the same thing about Jesus. You're gonna have 779 00:34:12,325 --> 00:34:14,405 Speaker 3: evidence that's going to point right to the doors. It's 780 00:34:14,405 --> 00:34:15,765 Speaker 3: not going to point to a foot to the left 781 00:34:15,805 --> 00:34:17,565 Speaker 3: of Jesus or a foot to the right, but it's 782 00:34:17,605 --> 00:34:20,205 Speaker 3: going to stop short of what you might like to have. 783 00:34:20,845 --> 00:34:21,605 Speaker 1: And those are all of. 784 00:34:21,645 --> 00:34:24,925 Speaker 3: Your unanswered questions about why would God allow this? How 785 00:34:25,045 --> 00:34:27,405 Speaker 3: is it that God has you know, a sovereignty, yet 786 00:34:27,405 --> 00:34:29,365 Speaker 3: I seem to have freedom to make choices? 787 00:34:29,805 --> 00:34:30,245 Speaker 1: What's the end? 788 00:34:30,285 --> 00:34:31,125 Speaker 4: Time is going to be okay? 789 00:34:31,445 --> 00:34:32,245 Speaker 1: All of that stuff. 790 00:34:32,445 --> 00:34:35,845 Speaker 3: Those are the unanswered questions that I get. I understand, 791 00:34:36,925 --> 00:34:39,405 Speaker 3: but I have those same questions. But I know that 792 00:34:39,525 --> 00:34:42,325 Speaker 3: I have enough evidence to make that step and render 793 00:34:42,365 --> 00:34:45,525 Speaker 3: a verdict, make a decision for Jesus. There's more than 794 00:34:45,605 --> 00:34:49,125 Speaker 3: enough evidence for this. And so the question is, are 795 00:34:49,165 --> 00:34:51,725 Speaker 3: you willing to step across your unanswered questions but the 796 00:34:51,845 --> 00:34:56,005 Speaker 3: same way that everyone does for everything else. Do you 797 00:34:56,165 --> 00:34:59,605 Speaker 3: understand how a tumblr lock works? I don't yet I 798 00:34:59,645 --> 00:35:01,885 Speaker 3: put my key in them every day, yes, because I 799 00:35:01,965 --> 00:35:04,245 Speaker 3: don't have to have every question answered to know that 800 00:35:04,325 --> 00:35:06,685 Speaker 3: this is going to turn this lock. So the same 801 00:35:06,805 --> 00:35:08,805 Speaker 3: is true for everything we do. But when it gets 802 00:35:08,805 --> 00:35:11,325 Speaker 3: seems like we get to issues about surrendering our life 803 00:35:11,365 --> 00:35:14,005 Speaker 3: and our will and our moral all of this to God, 804 00:35:14,045 --> 00:35:15,565 Speaker 3: and we're like, oh, no, no, no, no, I have 805 00:35:15,685 --> 00:35:18,805 Speaker 3: to have a perfect case without any questions in my mind. 806 00:35:19,125 --> 00:35:21,125 Speaker 3: Really about what else do you have that kind of 807 00:35:21,165 --> 00:35:21,805 Speaker 3: a perfect case. 808 00:35:21,845 --> 00:35:24,285 Speaker 2: Well, Jesus said, people don't come to the light because 809 00:35:24,325 --> 00:35:26,645 Speaker 2: they don't want their deeds to be expressed, right, So 810 00:35:26,805 --> 00:35:30,685 Speaker 2: sometimes they'll wrap it in a so called intellectual argument 811 00:35:30,805 --> 00:35:33,565 Speaker 2: that will often collapse quickly when you push back with 812 00:35:33,685 --> 00:35:37,525 Speaker 2: some facts. And really the reason is they don't want 813 00:35:37,565 --> 00:35:42,085 Speaker 2: to change, you know, they don't want this thing to 814 00:35:42,165 --> 00:35:45,325 Speaker 2: happen in their life. But you know, the very thing 815 00:35:45,405 --> 00:35:49,005 Speaker 2: they're resisting is a thing that could transform them in 816 00:35:49,165 --> 00:35:51,645 Speaker 2: so many ways. And it's not even logical why a 817 00:35:51,725 --> 00:35:55,045 Speaker 2: person would say notice something like they'll say, I don't 818 00:35:55,045 --> 00:35:58,045 Speaker 2: want to hear what the Bible says, but they won't 819 00:35:58,085 --> 00:36:00,245 Speaker 2: even read it. They won't even just like give a 820 00:36:00,325 --> 00:36:02,445 Speaker 2: cursory glance at it. You know, what do you think 821 00:36:02,485 --> 00:36:02,725 Speaker 2: that is? 822 00:36:02,925 --> 00:36:04,925 Speaker 3: Well, a part of it is it's about I think 823 00:36:04,925 --> 00:36:06,205 Speaker 3: it's all about commitments. 824 00:36:06,245 --> 00:36:07,765 Speaker 4: What are your prior commitments? 825 00:36:07,805 --> 00:36:09,685 Speaker 3: So, for example, the same people always say I could 826 00:36:09,765 --> 00:36:12,765 Speaker 3: never look at something like the Bible as authoritative on 827 00:36:12,845 --> 00:36:16,924 Speaker 3: my life still embrace authoritative views from any other number 828 00:36:16,965 --> 00:36:20,685 Speaker 3: of sources. So none of us are the makers of authority. 829 00:36:20,925 --> 00:36:24,685 Speaker 3: We're trusting somebody, and it's always something other than scripture. 830 00:36:24,925 --> 00:36:26,525 Speaker 3: So I think the ones you realize that, you know, 831 00:36:26,805 --> 00:36:29,885 Speaker 3: everyone stands on the authority of a teaching, it's what 832 00:36:29,965 --> 00:36:33,165 Speaker 3: you learned in college from secular books, You're standing on 833 00:36:33,245 --> 00:36:35,325 Speaker 3: that authority, or it's what you're going to learn here 834 00:36:35,645 --> 00:36:37,565 Speaker 3: from this ancient Now, I will say that I do 835 00:36:37,685 --> 00:36:40,805 Speaker 3: think that people are shifting. I think that maybe my 836 00:36:40,925 --> 00:36:43,325 Speaker 3: age is a boomer. I think that probably we were 837 00:36:43,365 --> 00:36:45,885 Speaker 3: more concerned about is it factually true? And so books 838 00:36:46,085 --> 00:36:48,685 Speaker 3: like you know, evidence that demands a verdict? Those are 839 00:36:48,805 --> 00:36:51,965 Speaker 3: kind of wheelhouse kinds of books. Yeah, Josh McDowell. Those 840 00:36:52,005 --> 00:36:54,165 Speaker 3: kinds of things, I think are like probably where we 841 00:36:54,245 --> 00:36:56,165 Speaker 3: would have been, say, fifty years ago. 842 00:36:56,325 --> 00:36:59,285 Speaker 4: I think this generation really wants to know is it good? 843 00:36:59,965 --> 00:37:01,725 Speaker 4: Forget about it? True is a whole other issue. 844 00:37:01,845 --> 00:37:03,605 Speaker 1: True is I need to know? Is it a good? 845 00:37:03,725 --> 00:37:06,805 Speaker 1: Definition of good? Isn't it definition of true? Also? What 846 00:37:08,365 --> 00:37:08,685 Speaker 1: is good? 847 00:37:08,725 --> 00:37:09,565 Speaker 4: Well, here's what it means? 848 00:37:09,605 --> 00:37:12,085 Speaker 1: It means that's not a long time ago, right? What 849 00:37:12,245 --> 00:37:12,605 Speaker 1: is truth? 850 00:37:12,725 --> 00:37:14,525 Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly, And so part of it is that I 851 00:37:14,805 --> 00:37:18,005 Speaker 3: think if we are convinced that what culture says is 852 00:37:18,085 --> 00:37:20,405 Speaker 3: what's good, then we're going to become more convinced that 853 00:37:20,445 --> 00:37:23,965 Speaker 3: scripture isn't because it turns out culture is going so 854 00:37:24,125 --> 00:37:26,125 Speaker 3: far astray from the biblical world. 855 00:37:26,205 --> 00:37:30,485 Speaker 2: For instance, the Bible would tell us to marry a 856 00:37:30,565 --> 00:37:34,685 Speaker 2: person of the opposite sext remain in a monogamous relationship 857 00:37:34,805 --> 00:37:38,205 Speaker 2: with them. That's contrary to what they think you should 858 00:37:38,205 --> 00:37:40,165 Speaker 2: be able to do, because maybe you're not even sure 859 00:37:40,525 --> 00:37:43,085 Speaker 2: if you are a man or a woman, and why 860 00:37:43,205 --> 00:37:45,965 Speaker 2: can't people of the same sex marry and fall in 861 00:37:46,005 --> 00:37:46,565 Speaker 2: love and all that? 862 00:37:46,845 --> 00:37:50,085 Speaker 1: So their version of truth would be contrary to what 863 00:37:50,205 --> 00:37:51,365 Speaker 1: the Bible actually says. 864 00:37:51,965 --> 00:37:54,605 Speaker 3: We're watching this show on PBS All Creatures Great and 865 00:37:54,645 --> 00:37:56,045 Speaker 3: Small as Folly that you saw. 866 00:37:56,045 --> 00:37:57,845 Speaker 4: It's a show that's I really like it. 867 00:37:58,005 --> 00:37:59,725 Speaker 3: I like it too, and I thought, wow, isn't it 868 00:37:59,805 --> 00:38:01,845 Speaker 3: interesting that this show made in the UK, which is 869 00:38:01,885 --> 00:38:04,725 Speaker 3: always about fifty years ahead of us in terms of secularism? 870 00:38:04,805 --> 00:38:05,205 Speaker 1: That's true. 871 00:38:05,325 --> 00:38:08,725 Speaker 3: Isn't it interesting that this show would be allowed to 872 00:38:08,805 --> 00:38:14,364 Speaker 3: be produced without importing any current mores into the show. 873 00:38:14,845 --> 00:38:17,285 Speaker 3: It feels like, well, I think they can argue, well, yes, 874 00:38:17,365 --> 00:38:19,645 Speaker 3: but we're writing about We're just writing from the book. 875 00:38:19,925 --> 00:38:23,125 Speaker 3: There's a series of books right from this veterinary area, 876 00:38:23,365 --> 00:38:25,405 Speaker 3: James Harriot, and so there's a series of books and 877 00:38:25,445 --> 00:38:29,364 Speaker 3: it's depicting the England or Scotland or wherever it's set 878 00:38:29,645 --> 00:38:32,245 Speaker 3: in nineteen forties. And this is the way the world 879 00:38:32,445 --> 00:38:34,245 Speaker 3: was in the nineteen forties. So you almost have an 880 00:38:34,285 --> 00:38:37,085 Speaker 3: excuse to go back to something that we've lost. 881 00:38:37,805 --> 00:38:39,245 Speaker 1: That it shows you that. 882 00:38:39,405 --> 00:38:42,645 Speaker 3: Yeah, if you compare sitcoms about families in the nineteen 883 00:38:42,725 --> 00:38:46,005 Speaker 3: fifties with sitcoms about families today, you're not even going. 884 00:38:45,925 --> 00:38:47,165 Speaker 1: To tell that we're on the same planet. 885 00:38:47,365 --> 00:38:49,045 Speaker 2: Well, the ones we grew up with, you know, the 886 00:38:49,205 --> 00:38:52,205 Speaker 2: Donna Reid show, right, father knows best or leave it 887 00:38:52,325 --> 00:38:53,125 Speaker 2: to Beaver Beaver. 888 00:38:53,565 --> 00:38:54,125 Speaker 1: It's so funny. 889 00:38:54,165 --> 00:38:56,805 Speaker 2: I was a kid without a dad, and when Beaver's 890 00:38:56,925 --> 00:39:00,365 Speaker 2: dad would lecture him, I would like listen for like 891 00:39:00,565 --> 00:39:04,365 Speaker 2: information because even though he's an actor, Hugh Beaumont playing 892 00:39:04,405 --> 00:39:08,125 Speaker 2: a father, Yes, you know, I'm going okay, maybe some 893 00:39:08,365 --> 00:39:09,245 Speaker 2: direction here. 894 00:39:09,565 --> 00:39:14,325 Speaker 4: Bother funny what is the what is the Chuck Connor rifleman, rifleman. 895 00:39:14,365 --> 00:39:16,685 Speaker 3: Okay, I'm just gonna we just had this conversation with 896 00:39:16,765 --> 00:39:19,805 Speaker 3: my wife and I I grew up looking at Leave 897 00:39:19,845 --> 00:39:23,685 Speaker 3: de Beaver and the Rifleman as the sources of my 898 00:39:24,365 --> 00:39:26,245 Speaker 3: paternal idea. 899 00:39:25,965 --> 00:39:31,085 Speaker 2: Where they started rewatching the riflemen. And it's a beautiful series. 900 00:39:31,205 --> 00:39:33,205 Speaker 2: Not just about a guy with the rifle that's in there, 901 00:39:33,245 --> 00:39:36,165 Speaker 2: of course, but but it's about a father and a son. 902 00:39:36,285 --> 00:39:39,005 Speaker 2: It's absolutely and he always is giving wisdom In a 903 00:39:39,125 --> 00:39:42,364 Speaker 2: couple of episodes, even quoted scripture yes to his son, 904 00:39:42,445 --> 00:39:43,125 Speaker 2: and I thought. 905 00:39:43,085 --> 00:39:45,445 Speaker 1: Wow, what a different world we live in. Okay, So 906 00:39:45,565 --> 00:39:46,205 Speaker 1: there's the shift. 907 00:39:46,285 --> 00:39:48,045 Speaker 3: And this gun's cool too, right, And you would have 908 00:39:48,045 --> 00:39:51,245 Speaker 3: said in those days growing up, people admired they said, Wow, 909 00:39:51,245 --> 00:39:53,845 Speaker 3: wouldn't it be cool to be that kid being raised 910 00:39:53,885 --> 00:39:56,565 Speaker 3: in that way and that setting in that environment with 911 00:39:56,685 --> 00:39:57,525 Speaker 3: those values. 912 00:39:57,885 --> 00:39:58,725 Speaker 1: Well that's gone. 913 00:39:59,005 --> 00:40:02,805 Speaker 2: But you're talking about young people today. Our generation maybe 914 00:40:02,845 --> 00:40:06,685 Speaker 2: would be more interested in facts. But this generation wants 915 00:40:06,765 --> 00:40:08,645 Speaker 2: to know if it's good, Is it good? 916 00:40:09,605 --> 00:40:10,085 Speaker 1: Is it good? 917 00:40:10,165 --> 00:40:12,445 Speaker 4: And here's the problem. So here's what I would say. 918 00:40:12,485 --> 00:40:14,805 Speaker 3: I think very I think most of us when we 919 00:40:14,885 --> 00:40:17,565 Speaker 3: ask is it good, what we really mean is it good? 920 00:40:17,605 --> 00:40:21,605 Speaker 3: For me, that's true, and we selfishly want one two 921 00:40:21,645 --> 00:40:24,525 Speaker 3: three four five, And so the question is, well, your worldview, 922 00:40:24,605 --> 00:40:27,045 Speaker 3: give me one two three four five. I think part 923 00:40:27,085 --> 00:40:29,845 Speaker 3: of the problem that the project now is going to 924 00:40:29,885 --> 00:40:31,765 Speaker 3: be to help them to see is that one two 925 00:40:31,845 --> 00:40:33,525 Speaker 3: three four five even good itself? 926 00:40:34,165 --> 00:40:38,085 Speaker 4: Why would you want those things? So it's even deeper. 927 00:40:38,725 --> 00:40:42,805 Speaker 3: It's that that Christianity speaks to our desires, not how 928 00:40:42,885 --> 00:40:45,885 Speaker 3: our desires are expressed, it speaks to the desires themselves. 929 00:40:46,645 --> 00:40:48,725 Speaker 3: And this is why I think that for me, my 930 00:40:48,885 --> 00:40:52,485 Speaker 3: writing is tried to do both. Look, if it's not true, 931 00:40:53,285 --> 00:40:54,645 Speaker 3: then how can we even say that? 932 00:40:55,005 --> 00:40:55,965 Speaker 4: Is it something untrue? 933 00:40:56,005 --> 00:40:56,205 Speaker 1: Good? 934 00:40:57,085 --> 00:40:59,005 Speaker 3: I think by nature there is a connection between these 935 00:40:59,045 --> 00:41:00,645 Speaker 3: two things. So I think we have to make a 936 00:41:00,685 --> 00:41:04,165 Speaker 3: case is this evidentially true? Now we can talk about 937 00:41:04,245 --> 00:41:07,005 Speaker 3: what does it speak to say about life, about marriage, 938 00:41:07,005 --> 00:41:08,325 Speaker 3: about identity, about. 939 00:41:09,685 --> 00:41:10,645 Speaker 1: What is life? To begin with? 940 00:41:10,965 --> 00:41:12,205 Speaker 4: What does it say about those things? 941 00:41:12,805 --> 00:41:15,205 Speaker 3: It's going to have to be true first, because the 942 00:41:15,285 --> 00:41:17,885 Speaker 3: idea that we can build our worldview on a fiction 943 00:41:18,285 --> 00:41:21,525 Speaker 3: of our own has consequences, and we've seen those consequences 944 00:41:21,565 --> 00:41:24,045 Speaker 3: in our culture in the last twenty years. Is if 945 00:41:24,085 --> 00:41:27,884 Speaker 3: we can't even agree on what good is right, then 946 00:41:28,005 --> 00:41:30,405 Speaker 3: we kind of let's illustrate. 947 00:41:30,525 --> 00:41:33,125 Speaker 2: Let's say here we have a boomer and here we 948 00:41:33,325 --> 00:41:37,884 Speaker 2: have a gen z young person. Okay, and let's say 949 00:41:38,205 --> 00:41:41,205 Speaker 2: you're going to engage each of them in a conversation. 950 00:41:41,405 --> 00:41:44,925 Speaker 2: Let's say there's separate conversations. How might you start a 951 00:41:45,005 --> 00:41:47,885 Speaker 2: conversation with a boomer and how might you start a 952 00:41:47,965 --> 00:41:50,325 Speaker 2: conversation with someone who's gen z. 953 00:41:50,565 --> 00:41:52,205 Speaker 3: Well, I think it's a both end and not in 954 00:41:52,285 --> 00:41:54,125 Speaker 3: either or so I always think about it and say, hey, 955 00:41:54,245 --> 00:41:55,925 Speaker 3: this is what's great about it is that Christianity is 956 00:41:55,965 --> 00:41:58,245 Speaker 3: both true and good. Is that not only is it 957 00:41:58,365 --> 00:42:01,085 Speaker 3: true and it's demonstrably true, that we can look at 958 00:42:01,085 --> 00:42:03,884 Speaker 3: it as something that actually happened in history. Did Jesus life, 959 00:42:04,205 --> 00:42:07,565 Speaker 3: his death, and resurrection are historical facts? That it turns 960 00:42:07,605 --> 00:42:10,405 Speaker 3: out that the Christian worldview is the source of all 961 00:42:10,525 --> 00:42:14,885 Speaker 3: beauty in art, literature, music, science, education, and world religions 962 00:42:14,965 --> 00:42:18,285 Speaker 3: are dominated by a Christian influence, not because we're the 963 00:42:18,365 --> 00:42:20,205 Speaker 3: most powerful, but because we are. 964 00:42:20,565 --> 00:42:22,925 Speaker 4: It's true and good, and so people. 965 00:42:22,965 --> 00:42:25,045 Speaker 3: Once they see it and they recognize it as true 966 00:42:25,085 --> 00:42:28,085 Speaker 3: and good, then that yes, could it be abused? 967 00:42:28,405 --> 00:42:31,205 Speaker 4: Absolutely? Do you remember that movie The Book of Eli. 968 00:42:31,845 --> 00:42:34,685 Speaker 3: It's yes, it's a great Denzel Washington and he's in 969 00:42:34,765 --> 00:42:38,405 Speaker 3: this movie and he is a guy who is he 970 00:42:38,565 --> 00:42:40,365 Speaker 3: is he's trying to get the last Bible in this 971 00:42:40,485 --> 00:42:42,285 Speaker 3: dystopian future world. 972 00:42:42,565 --> 00:42:44,005 Speaker 4: He has possession of a Bible. 973 00:42:44,285 --> 00:42:47,325 Speaker 3: And the bad guy in the movie wants the Bible 974 00:42:47,445 --> 00:42:49,725 Speaker 3: because he thinks this is I can use this to 975 00:42:49,845 --> 00:42:52,045 Speaker 3: control people, and it's a power. 976 00:42:52,125 --> 00:42:53,565 Speaker 4: I want it because the power that's in that. 977 00:42:53,645 --> 00:42:59,685 Speaker 3: Book, Well, it's because any substantial, substantive worldview can be 978 00:42:59,845 --> 00:43:04,165 Speaker 3: distorted by people and used evily. It's like the same 979 00:43:04,325 --> 00:43:06,605 Speaker 3: the knife you use to cut your bread could also 980 00:43:06,645 --> 00:43:09,125 Speaker 3: be used to kill somebody. Is a knife bad because 981 00:43:09,165 --> 00:43:11,405 Speaker 3: it can be used to kill somebody? So we see that, yes, 982 00:43:11,485 --> 00:43:14,924 Speaker 3: that that Christianity has been distorted by many who would 983 00:43:14,965 --> 00:43:17,925 Speaker 3: call themselves Christians and to do evil. I get that, 984 00:43:18,365 --> 00:43:21,445 Speaker 3: but it is the source of the things that help 985 00:43:21,525 --> 00:43:24,525 Speaker 3: us to flourish. If you just adopted the views that 986 00:43:24,645 --> 00:43:28,045 Speaker 3: are in scripture and you married because of the view 987 00:43:28,085 --> 00:43:31,645 Speaker 3: you hold, you identified yourself based on the view in scripture, 988 00:43:31,925 --> 00:43:34,645 Speaker 3: you actually learned what to worship and value based on 989 00:43:34,725 --> 00:43:35,205 Speaker 3: what is taught. 990 00:43:36,405 --> 00:43:38,405 Speaker 1: My gosh, every aspect. 991 00:43:38,045 --> 00:43:42,085 Speaker 3: Of human flourishing that we can measure in secular studies benefits. 992 00:43:42,205 --> 00:43:45,245 Speaker 3: If you simply do it the way it's described. 993 00:43:46,485 --> 00:43:51,005 Speaker 2: You're more healthy and therevity, everything everything. 994 00:43:51,085 --> 00:43:54,085 Speaker 3: I mean, give you an example of this. Just the idea, 995 00:43:54,405 --> 00:43:56,325 Speaker 3: you know, I've talked about this before. Just the idea 996 00:43:56,445 --> 00:44:00,485 Speaker 3: that humility is this hidden resource for humans that if 997 00:44:00,525 --> 00:44:04,405 Speaker 3: they can just adopt a position of humility, every metric 998 00:44:04,485 --> 00:44:08,884 Speaker 3: of human flourishing and proves from health, longevity, depth of relationships, 999 00:44:08,965 --> 00:44:11,205 Speaker 3: how much money you're going to make, how smart you're 1000 00:44:11,245 --> 00:44:15,565 Speaker 3: going to become. Everything benefits from humility. And only one 1001 00:44:15,845 --> 00:44:19,245 Speaker 3: worldview promotes humil Have you ever thought about that? So, 1002 00:44:19,405 --> 00:44:23,045 Speaker 3: for example, atheism does not promote humility. Why because it's 1003 00:44:23,165 --> 00:44:25,805 Speaker 3: work based. If you have to work to get it. 1004 00:44:25,885 --> 00:44:26,965 Speaker 1: I'm going to do these five things. 1005 00:44:27,005 --> 00:44:28,765 Speaker 4: I'm going to earn an education. I'm gonna do these 1006 00:44:28,805 --> 00:44:30,285 Speaker 4: five things. I'm going to earn a promotion. 1007 00:44:30,685 --> 00:44:35,405 Speaker 3: It's the meritorious nature of atheism that builds pride, not humility, 1008 00:44:35,445 --> 00:44:37,445 Speaker 3: because what happens is I do these five things and 1009 00:44:37,565 --> 00:44:40,445 Speaker 3: he gets the job. Wait a minute, now I'm mad. 1010 00:44:40,605 --> 00:44:43,525 Speaker 3: Why because I think I'm better than that guy. Now, 1011 00:44:43,645 --> 00:44:48,245 Speaker 3: every other theistic worldview is also based on merit. I 1012 00:44:48,405 --> 00:44:50,645 Speaker 3: do these ten things, I'm gonna be right with God. 1013 00:44:50,805 --> 00:44:52,925 Speaker 3: I do these four things, these eight things, I'm going 1014 00:44:53,005 --> 00:44:57,525 Speaker 3: to be right with God. Only one worldview says, no, No, 1015 00:44:57,605 --> 00:44:58,445 Speaker 3: there's nothing you can do. 1016 00:44:59,445 --> 00:45:00,205 Speaker 1: Not about what you do. 1017 00:45:00,765 --> 00:45:02,125 Speaker 4: It's about what's been done for you. 1018 00:45:03,725 --> 00:45:03,925 Speaker 2: I know. 1019 00:45:04,165 --> 00:45:07,005 Speaker 3: Because we are wired for pride, we are wired to 1020 00:45:07,085 --> 00:45:08,405 Speaker 3: compare ourselves to others. 1021 00:45:08,685 --> 00:45:10,765 Speaker 4: We are wired to say, I did the ten things 1022 00:45:11,085 --> 00:45:13,605 Speaker 4: this guy didn't. I deserve more than this guy. 1023 00:45:14,485 --> 00:45:16,285 Speaker 3: Well, only one to you says, not tell you what. 1024 00:45:16,845 --> 00:45:19,205 Speaker 3: Neither one of you deserves any of it. Yeah, but 1025 00:45:19,325 --> 00:45:20,605 Speaker 3: I'm going to give it to you anyway. 1026 00:45:20,725 --> 00:45:22,725 Speaker 2: One thing I pointed out is there's going to be 1027 00:45:22,845 --> 00:45:26,045 Speaker 2: good people in heaven. Excuse me, bad people in heaven 1028 00:45:26,165 --> 00:45:29,165 Speaker 2: and good people in hell. And because we think, oh, 1029 00:45:29,205 --> 00:45:31,045 Speaker 2: heaven is for good people. And if you live a 1030 00:45:31,125 --> 00:45:33,805 Speaker 2: good life and do x amount of good things, you 1031 00:45:33,885 --> 00:45:35,924 Speaker 2: will get to heaven. If you live a bad life, 1032 00:45:36,485 --> 00:45:38,964 Speaker 2: you will end up in hell. Well that's actually not true, 1033 00:45:39,285 --> 00:45:41,765 Speaker 2: because you could live the best life imaginable, but a 1034 00:45:41,845 --> 00:45:46,005 Speaker 2: life without God. And even the Bible says Jesus speaking, 1035 00:45:46,085 --> 00:45:48,485 Speaker 2: many will come to me in that day and saying Lord, Lord, 1036 00:45:48,565 --> 00:45:50,805 Speaker 2: did we not go stock demons in your name and 1037 00:45:50,885 --> 00:45:53,444 Speaker 2: do many wonderful works in your name? And he said, 1038 00:45:53,965 --> 00:45:55,725 Speaker 2: and I will say to them, depart from me. 1039 00:45:55,805 --> 00:45:56,525 Speaker 1: I never knew you. 1040 00:45:56,725 --> 00:46:00,005 Speaker 2: But then bad people in heaven, because if you turn 1041 00:46:00,125 --> 00:46:03,445 Speaker 2: from your sin, even on your deathbed, God would forgive you. 1042 00:46:03,765 --> 00:46:06,565 Speaker 2: Case in point, the thief on the cross, and he 1043 00:46:06,685 --> 00:46:09,165 Speaker 2: probably was worse than a thief because the Romans didn't 1044 00:46:09,245 --> 00:46:14,645 Speaker 2: generally crucify thieves. They crucified murderers. He's probably an insurrectionist. 1045 00:46:14,725 --> 00:46:17,645 Speaker 2: Well we might even call a terrorist against Rome. So 1046 00:46:17,805 --> 00:46:20,884 Speaker 2: he's been crucified for a capital crime. Yet Jesus says 1047 00:46:20,925 --> 00:46:23,525 Speaker 2: to him when he says, Lord, remembering me when you 1048 00:46:23,645 --> 00:46:26,165 Speaker 2: come into your kingdom, Jesus says, today you'll be with 1049 00:46:26,285 --> 00:46:29,605 Speaker 2: me in paradise. Let me do a lightning round with you, okay, 1050 00:46:30,005 --> 00:46:33,285 Speaker 2: and speak in the vernacular like I'm just someone and 1051 00:46:33,405 --> 00:46:36,725 Speaker 2: we're at a Starbucks and we start a conversation, and 1052 00:46:36,805 --> 00:46:39,525 Speaker 2: I'm going to hit you with the things people often say, 1053 00:46:40,085 --> 00:46:43,325 Speaker 2: but I need like kind of like kind of quick 1054 00:46:43,365 --> 00:46:45,805 Speaker 2: ones just so people get a sense. Because they can 1055 00:46:45,845 --> 00:46:49,645 Speaker 2: get your book Cold Case Christianity, and you've written some 1056 00:46:49,725 --> 00:46:50,165 Speaker 2: other books. 1057 00:46:50,165 --> 00:46:52,165 Speaker 1: Tell us the titles of your Okay, so I wrote 1058 00:46:52,165 --> 00:46:53,005 Speaker 1: the Cold case Christians. 1059 00:46:53,005 --> 00:46:54,924 Speaker 3: I wrote a book called God's Crimes, which just looks 1060 00:46:54,965 --> 00:46:57,325 Speaker 3: at the evidence for God, forensic faith, how to develop 1061 00:46:57,405 --> 00:47:00,845 Speaker 3: a evidential faith. Personal interest is about the impact of 1062 00:47:00,925 --> 00:47:01,925 Speaker 3: Jesus on culture and. 1063 00:47:01,925 --> 00:47:05,445 Speaker 1: The truth and the graphic novel, a comic book. I'm excited. 1064 00:47:06,365 --> 00:47:09,765 Speaker 2: We both have a background at art, and so you're 1065 00:47:09,885 --> 00:47:12,085 Speaker 2: going to now take what you're doing and put it 1066 00:47:12,165 --> 00:47:15,565 Speaker 2: in the graphic novel format. But anyway, okay, so they 1067 00:47:15,605 --> 00:47:18,165 Speaker 2: can get your books and get more details. But so 1068 00:47:18,405 --> 00:47:20,445 Speaker 2: you know, you're talking to me about God, and of 1069 00:47:20,525 --> 00:47:23,805 Speaker 2: course I probably will start with this, Wait, hold on, 1070 00:47:24,325 --> 00:47:27,405 Speaker 2: how could a God of love, you know, allow all 1071 00:47:27,445 --> 00:47:31,005 Speaker 2: the horrible things happening in the world, the wars, the injustice, 1072 00:47:31,165 --> 00:47:35,645 Speaker 2: people born with disabilities. If God is so loving and 1073 00:47:35,765 --> 00:47:38,285 Speaker 2: God is so good, why would he allow this? 1074 00:47:38,525 --> 00:47:39,725 Speaker 1: Okay, well, a couple of things. 1075 00:47:40,005 --> 00:47:42,165 Speaker 3: I say that if the answer is more complex, and 1076 00:47:42,405 --> 00:47:45,125 Speaker 3: one is a small short answer. But I will say 1077 00:47:45,245 --> 00:47:46,405 Speaker 3: this is one thing I know for sure as a 1078 00:47:46,485 --> 00:47:49,445 Speaker 3: cold case detective. If you think God is loving, that 1079 00:47:49,525 --> 00:47:51,525 Speaker 3: means he was probably the kind of God who would 1080 00:47:51,565 --> 00:47:54,444 Speaker 3: create a world in which love could exist. A loving 1081 00:47:54,525 --> 00:47:57,125 Speaker 3: God would create a world in which we could experience love. 1082 00:47:57,205 --> 00:47:58,885 Speaker 3: But do you really want that kind of world? That's 1083 00:47:58,885 --> 00:48:03,245 Speaker 3: a dangerous world because it requires a dangerous prerequisite to love. 1084 00:48:03,805 --> 00:48:05,685 Speaker 3: I could take my gun out and say did you 1085 00:48:05,765 --> 00:48:08,965 Speaker 3: love me, Greg, and you'll say yeah, you don't mean it, 1086 00:48:09,725 --> 00:48:11,884 Speaker 3: but you'll say it good. But it's not true love 1087 00:48:11,965 --> 00:48:15,005 Speaker 3: because love can't be coerced. In order to love somebody, 1088 00:48:15,045 --> 00:48:17,685 Speaker 3: you have to have the dangerous prerequisite, which is free agency. 1089 00:48:18,045 --> 00:48:19,805 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh, do you want a world in which 1090 00:48:19,845 --> 00:48:20,565 Speaker 3: there is free agency? 1091 00:48:20,605 --> 00:48:21,725 Speaker 4: Because it's logically. 1092 00:48:21,365 --> 00:48:25,364 Speaker 3: Impossible to create a world with free agency where people 1093 00:48:25,405 --> 00:48:28,325 Speaker 3: can love without creating a world with free agency so 1094 00:48:28,405 --> 00:48:32,245 Speaker 3: people can hate. It's a logical impossibility. If you want 1095 00:48:32,365 --> 00:48:35,125 Speaker 3: love in this world, you have to create it with 1096 00:48:35,205 --> 00:48:37,725 Speaker 3: free agency. I can't just program you. See, you'd never 1097 00:48:37,765 --> 00:48:40,725 Speaker 3: do wrong because you wouldn't be free. I could program 1098 00:48:40,805 --> 00:48:42,925 Speaker 3: my phone to say I love you every morning. It 1099 00:48:43,005 --> 00:48:45,845 Speaker 3: doesn't mean it loves me. It's been programmed to say that, 1100 00:48:46,605 --> 00:48:49,364 Speaker 3: so it's not genuine. So I could create humans this way, 1101 00:48:49,445 --> 00:48:52,165 Speaker 3: but it wouldn't be genuine. You want love, that means 1102 00:48:52,205 --> 00:48:54,245 Speaker 3: you have now Here's what a loving god does is 1103 00:48:54,285 --> 00:48:56,885 Speaker 3: he gives you this dangerous thing called free agency. 1104 00:48:56,925 --> 00:48:58,765 Speaker 4: But he tells you how not to abuse it. 1105 00:48:58,845 --> 00:49:01,805 Speaker 3: He gives you a rule book with ten rules, for example, 1106 00:49:01,845 --> 00:49:04,445 Speaker 3: about how not to abuse your free agency. That's what 1107 00:49:04,565 --> 00:49:07,045 Speaker 3: that rule book is. It's a rule book about how 1108 00:49:07,205 --> 00:49:10,685 Speaker 3: to manage your free agency. If you choose to ignore. 1109 00:49:10,365 --> 00:49:12,125 Speaker 4: It, that's not on God. 1110 00:49:12,885 --> 00:49:15,645 Speaker 3: I've given you the dangerous thing you wanted, free agency. 1111 00:49:16,045 --> 00:49:18,685 Speaker 3: I've given you a guideline not to abuse it. 1112 00:49:19,205 --> 00:49:22,085 Speaker 4: If you won't follow the guideline, you're going to see 1113 00:49:22,085 --> 00:49:22,845 Speaker 4: all kinds of crazy. 1114 00:49:23,085 --> 00:49:25,605 Speaker 3: Yeah, and we typically do, and the world as a 1115 00:49:25,685 --> 00:49:29,525 Speaker 3: result is broken along with us. And so it's not 1116 00:49:29,885 --> 00:49:33,725 Speaker 3: just that we have we sit against each other or 1117 00:49:33,805 --> 00:49:36,005 Speaker 3: we make bad choices against each other. Is that we 1118 00:49:36,125 --> 00:49:39,245 Speaker 3: also neglect our environment until we have wildfires that kill 1119 00:49:39,325 --> 00:49:39,765 Speaker 3: half of us. 1120 00:49:39,965 --> 00:49:41,725 Speaker 4: Yeah, we do all kinds of things. 1121 00:49:42,005 --> 00:49:43,045 Speaker 1: That's called California. 1122 00:49:43,125 --> 00:49:44,165 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's called California. 1123 00:49:44,485 --> 00:49:46,325 Speaker 3: So, I mean, this is just the nature of the 1124 00:49:46,365 --> 00:49:48,325 Speaker 3: world we live in. Because you want to be in 1125 00:49:48,365 --> 00:49:50,884 Speaker 3: a world in which you can love and God wants 1126 00:49:50,925 --> 00:49:53,125 Speaker 3: you to love him genuinely, that means he has to 1127 00:49:53,165 --> 00:49:55,805 Speaker 3: also create people who could reject him freely. 1128 00:49:55,925 --> 00:49:58,965 Speaker 2: Also, Yeah, but you mentioned the Bible Jim, and I'm 1129 00:49:59,085 --> 00:50:01,765 Speaker 2: still playing the role of a nunbeliever. I'm not saying 1130 00:50:01,805 --> 00:50:04,525 Speaker 2: this as a pastor or be very alarming. Yeah you 1131 00:50:04,685 --> 00:50:08,085 Speaker 2: mentioned the Bible, Yes, yeah, sure, but the Bible is 1132 00:50:08,125 --> 00:50:12,125 Speaker 2: full of contradictions. It was written by men, and it 1133 00:50:13,005 --> 00:50:15,125 Speaker 2: is not a book that can be trusted. 1134 00:50:15,365 --> 00:50:18,645 Speaker 3: Well, okay, so absolutely, we've got a record of something 1135 00:50:18,685 --> 00:50:21,485 Speaker 3: that's happened in the past that's been recorded by men. Now, 1136 00:50:21,525 --> 00:50:23,685 Speaker 3: even if you rejected the idea that these were divinely 1137 00:50:23,765 --> 00:50:25,325 Speaker 3: inspired men, Okay, fine, let's. 1138 00:50:25,125 --> 00:50:26,605 Speaker 4: Just go forward with that idea. 1139 00:50:26,965 --> 00:50:29,005 Speaker 3: Let's just say it's a record of something that happened 1140 00:50:29,045 --> 00:50:31,205 Speaker 3: in the past that's been recorded by men. That's every 1141 00:50:31,285 --> 00:50:34,685 Speaker 3: case I've ever worked. Can you actually come to a conclusion, 1142 00:50:34,765 --> 00:50:36,965 Speaker 3: a true conclusion about what happened in the past, if 1143 00:50:37,005 --> 00:50:39,525 Speaker 3: it was thirty years ago, if all you have are 1144 00:50:39,605 --> 00:50:42,365 Speaker 3: their records of man, well, yes, if you test those records. 1145 00:50:42,645 --> 00:50:45,965 Speaker 3: I don't believe eyewitnesses. My innate skeptical nature is to 1146 00:50:46,205 --> 00:50:50,805 Speaker 3: trust every eyewitness until I test them. I always say, 1147 00:50:50,845 --> 00:50:53,645 Speaker 3: don't trust an eyewitness, test an eyewitness. But if you 1148 00:50:53,725 --> 00:50:56,245 Speaker 3: test the eyewitness and he passes the test, then you're 1149 00:50:56,245 --> 00:50:58,645 Speaker 3: a fool, not to trust him, so that what was 1150 00:50:58,685 --> 00:51:01,005 Speaker 3: me I needed to know? Are those gospels recording something 1151 00:51:01,085 --> 00:51:03,085 Speaker 3: true about the past? Well, how would you test them? 1152 00:51:03,205 --> 00:51:05,885 Speaker 3: Were they written early, do they have any corroborative evidence, 1153 00:51:06,045 --> 00:51:08,325 Speaker 3: have they changed over time? And do they really written 1154 00:51:08,365 --> 00:51:10,205 Speaker 3: by people who are trying to lie to me for 1155 00:51:10,325 --> 00:51:13,325 Speaker 3: some bias purpose. If they passed the test in those 1156 00:51:13,325 --> 00:51:15,844 Speaker 3: four categories, then you're a fool not to trust them. 1157 00:51:16,445 --> 00:51:19,005 Speaker 1: And that's the same thing that most people the Bible's 1158 00:51:19,005 --> 00:51:23,245 Speaker 1: full of contradictions probably have never read the Bible. Right, Well, listen, 1159 00:51:23,365 --> 00:51:23,645 Speaker 1: you know. 1160 00:51:23,885 --> 00:51:26,125 Speaker 3: That your kids can watch the same party and come 1161 00:51:26,165 --> 00:51:27,325 Speaker 3: home and tell you four different stories. 1162 00:51:27,325 --> 00:51:28,725 Speaker 4: You wouldn't say you're full of contradictions. 1163 00:51:28,765 --> 00:51:29,525 Speaker 1: There was no party. 1164 00:51:29,885 --> 00:51:31,605 Speaker 4: Now, you just say what's going on here? Like, what 1165 00:51:31,685 --> 00:51:32,325 Speaker 4: were you looking at? 1166 00:51:32,405 --> 00:51:34,445 Speaker 1: Jim? What were you looking at? Greg? Two different things? 1167 00:51:34,485 --> 00:51:35,285 Speaker 4: Okay, I get it now. 1168 00:51:35,525 --> 00:51:39,565 Speaker 3: And what we see in scripture are constantly descriptions that, well, okay, 1169 00:51:39,765 --> 00:51:42,325 Speaker 3: if there are two angels, well there is also one angel. 1170 00:51:42,525 --> 00:51:44,364 Speaker 3: So if I only describe one of them because he's 1171 00:51:44,405 --> 00:51:47,085 Speaker 3: the one who's answering my question or addressing me, they'll 1172 00:51:47,125 --> 00:51:48,565 Speaker 3: be surprised I didn't mention the other one. 1173 00:51:48,605 --> 00:51:49,765 Speaker 4: It doesn't mean I'm contradicting. 1174 00:51:50,125 --> 00:51:52,884 Speaker 3: It just means that I'm focused on this one, only one, 1175 00:51:53,005 --> 00:51:56,365 Speaker 3: because he was speaking, So that's the one I record. 1176 00:51:56,525 --> 00:52:00,085 Speaker 3: Now here's the beauty of criminal cases. I get this 1177 00:52:00,205 --> 00:52:03,885 Speaker 3: report from detectives from thirty years ago. The witnesses, if 1178 00:52:03,925 --> 00:52:07,365 Speaker 3: I'm lucky, are still alive, but not always. Sometimes they 1179 00:52:07,405 --> 00:52:10,085 Speaker 3: get the report. Witnesses are dead. Now the guy who 1180 00:52:10,405 --> 00:52:14,005 Speaker 3: recorded it, he's also dead. This is from fifty years ago. Well, 1181 00:52:14,045 --> 00:52:16,885 Speaker 3: now I have a report about a claim made by 1182 00:52:16,885 --> 00:52:20,205 Speaker 3: an eyewitness. The eyewitness is gone, and so is the 1183 00:52:20,285 --> 00:52:24,845 Speaker 3: report writer. That's the Gospels. If you can solve that case, 1184 00:52:25,045 --> 00:52:27,245 Speaker 3: you can solve the Gospels. You just simply have to 1185 00:52:27,245 --> 00:52:30,685 Speaker 3: apply the same approach. Now, in the end, will there 1186 00:52:30,725 --> 00:52:32,725 Speaker 3: be sufficient reason if you want it to be that 1187 00:52:32,925 --> 00:52:35,725 Speaker 3: you could reject them. Yes, it's like every criminal trial. 1188 00:52:36,365 --> 00:52:38,925 Speaker 3: There's always hung juries, and then you just try it 1189 00:52:38,965 --> 00:52:40,485 Speaker 3: again and you might win the second time. 1190 00:52:40,765 --> 00:52:41,485 Speaker 1: Well, what happened here? 1191 00:52:41,525 --> 00:52:43,085 Speaker 3: There was a hung ur the first that I've been 1192 00:52:43,125 --> 00:52:46,605 Speaker 3: two who didn't agree totally get it. Our human nature 1193 00:52:46,685 --> 00:52:49,685 Speaker 3: is that we've been provided that kind of freedom. Now, 1194 00:52:49,885 --> 00:52:51,805 Speaker 3: God's given us more than enough evidence, but he's not 1195 00:52:51,845 --> 00:52:54,245 Speaker 3: going to overwhelm you God as a gentleman, He's going 1196 00:52:54,325 --> 00:52:56,485 Speaker 3: to respect your free agency because then you're going to 1197 00:52:56,565 --> 00:52:59,085 Speaker 3: love him genuinely when you decide to love him. 1198 00:52:59,245 --> 00:53:02,205 Speaker 2: How important is it when, like I've often said, when 1199 00:53:02,245 --> 00:53:06,805 Speaker 2: I'm preaching, it's a monologue, and I engage people with 1200 00:53:06,925 --> 00:53:10,605 Speaker 2: the gospel, it's a dialogue. Take Jesus and the woman 1201 00:53:10,685 --> 00:53:13,685 Speaker 2: at the well. You know, he went back and forth 1202 00:53:13,765 --> 00:53:16,885 Speaker 2: with her, and he listened to her and he responded 1203 00:53:16,965 --> 00:53:19,525 Speaker 2: to her. Really the same as true of Nicodemus as well, 1204 00:53:19,845 --> 00:53:23,405 Speaker 2: and even to some degree with ponchest pilot. So I 1205 00:53:23,525 --> 00:53:26,565 Speaker 2: think that you know, when you're talking with someone about 1206 00:53:26,685 --> 00:53:29,205 Speaker 2: Christ like one on one not you know, I think 1207 00:53:29,285 --> 00:53:33,205 Speaker 2: sometimes Christians will you know, they'll just it's non stop talking. 1208 00:53:33,805 --> 00:53:35,925 Speaker 2: They won't come up for air, they won't give the 1209 00:53:35,965 --> 00:53:39,165 Speaker 2: person an opportunity to respond. Do you think it's important 1210 00:53:39,165 --> 00:53:41,285 Speaker 2: to like, like you asked a few questions of me, 1211 00:53:41,805 --> 00:53:43,765 Speaker 2: would you do that if you were talking to someone 1212 00:53:43,765 --> 00:53:45,365 Speaker 2: and say, well, let me ask you this, I'll let 1213 00:53:45,405 --> 00:53:49,765 Speaker 2: them answer and then then you respond appropriately to what 1214 00:53:49,965 --> 00:53:50,645 Speaker 2: they just said. 1215 00:53:50,845 --> 00:53:52,605 Speaker 3: Well, I think part of it too is like we 1216 00:53:52,645 --> 00:53:54,205 Speaker 3: get a chance, you and I get a chance to 1217 00:53:54,245 --> 00:53:56,805 Speaker 3: talk about the Gospel a lot I get a chance 1218 00:53:56,885 --> 00:53:59,805 Speaker 3: to write about it. I don't feel like every interaction 1219 00:53:59,965 --> 00:54:02,005 Speaker 3: I have with somebody I have to get I've had 1220 00:54:02,125 --> 00:54:05,005 Speaker 3: pent up gospel conversations that all have to get out 1221 00:54:05,045 --> 00:54:07,725 Speaker 3: right now. So I have to overwhelm you with everything 1222 00:54:07,765 --> 00:54:09,925 Speaker 3: I've ever learned about this. And I think as I 1223 00:54:09,925 --> 00:54:11,765 Speaker 3: get older too, there's a part of me that says, Okay, 1224 00:54:11,965 --> 00:54:13,965 Speaker 3: I want to be sensitive to what God is doing 1225 00:54:14,005 --> 00:54:15,805 Speaker 3: in this moment, not just what I could say in 1226 00:54:15,845 --> 00:54:16,205 Speaker 3: the moment. 1227 00:54:16,525 --> 00:54:18,525 Speaker 4: When I was younger, I think it was a little different. 1228 00:54:18,565 --> 00:54:20,005 Speaker 3: I was like, hey, I's had a sense of urgency, 1229 00:54:20,165 --> 00:54:22,765 Speaker 3: as we probably should, right because if the Gospel is 1230 00:54:22,845 --> 00:54:25,325 Speaker 3: a cure for what's killing us and not just an 1231 00:54:25,365 --> 00:54:28,725 Speaker 3: opinion about God, then we should be urgent with cures. 1232 00:54:29,485 --> 00:54:31,685 Speaker 1: And and your wife ever win in argument with you, 1233 00:54:32,245 --> 00:54:34,245 Speaker 1: Oh God, the water. 1234 00:54:34,325 --> 00:54:36,285 Speaker 3: She has I think both of us, you know, kath 1235 00:54:36,405 --> 00:54:38,325 Speaker 3: is probably the same way is that we marry the 1236 00:54:38,365 --> 00:54:40,844 Speaker 3: people who we consider to be like the one person 1237 00:54:40,845 --> 00:54:44,245 Speaker 3: who could tell me that you're flat wrong, Jim, you know, 1238 00:54:44,485 --> 00:54:47,045 Speaker 3: And she's the person who I'm who's the first one 1239 00:54:47,165 --> 00:54:49,005 Speaker 3: I don't know but you. But for me, Susie is 1240 00:54:49,085 --> 00:54:51,405 Speaker 3: the first reader of anything I write, and she's the 1241 00:54:51,485 --> 00:54:52,924 Speaker 3: first one who says this is not good. 1242 00:54:53,885 --> 00:54:54,245 Speaker 1: Oh yeah. 1243 00:54:54,325 --> 00:54:57,205 Speaker 3: When I first wrote Cold Case, I had a completely 1244 00:54:57,245 --> 00:55:00,005 Speaker 3: different approach, and I thought, I'm not gonna who cares 1245 00:55:00,005 --> 00:55:00,925 Speaker 3: about this detective thing. 1246 00:55:00,965 --> 00:55:01,765 Speaker 4: I'm gonna go this way. 1247 00:55:02,005 --> 00:55:03,765 Speaker 3: And I wrote a chapter and I showed it to 1248 00:55:03,765 --> 00:55:08,165 Speaker 3: her and she says, yeah, it's kind of boring. Okay, 1249 00:55:08,365 --> 00:55:10,125 Speaker 3: I'm never going to write a book. I've never found 1250 00:55:10,165 --> 00:55:10,845 Speaker 3: it to be boring. No. 1251 00:55:10,965 --> 00:55:14,045 Speaker 2: I think the way you use your story, you know, 1252 00:55:14,085 --> 00:55:16,405 Speaker 2: because one of the most powerful tools we have in 1253 00:55:16,445 --> 00:55:21,205 Speaker 2: our evangelistic toolbox is our testimony. And everybody is a testimony. 1254 00:55:21,525 --> 00:55:23,765 Speaker 2: Now some are more dramatic than others. I take you 1255 00:55:23,925 --> 00:55:27,685 Speaker 2: and contrast you with Michael Frenzies. His testimony is he 1256 00:55:27,845 --> 00:55:31,325 Speaker 2: was an organized Christ. That's not your testimony. 1257 00:55:32,005 --> 00:55:32,365 Speaker 1: You were. 1258 00:55:32,725 --> 00:55:35,485 Speaker 2: You were an enforcer of the law. But each of 1259 00:55:35,565 --> 00:55:38,285 Speaker 2: you can take your life and use it as a tool. 1260 00:55:38,405 --> 00:55:42,685 Speaker 2: Even the apostle Paul, who is a great orator and communicator, 1261 00:55:42,925 --> 00:55:45,325 Speaker 2: would often start his talks with, Hey, let me tell 1262 00:55:45,325 --> 00:55:47,685 Speaker 2: you what happened to me in the Damascus Road, And 1263 00:55:47,845 --> 00:55:50,405 Speaker 2: you know, because that was his testimony. And I think 1264 00:55:50,485 --> 00:55:53,605 Speaker 2: that each of us find you know our story because 1265 00:55:53,925 --> 00:55:56,925 Speaker 2: you know, not everyone relates to you, not everyone relates 1266 00:55:57,005 --> 00:55:59,765 Speaker 2: to me, but but you're going to find someone out 1267 00:55:59,805 --> 00:56:02,285 Speaker 2: there that will really relate to you. But ultimately, the 1268 00:56:02,365 --> 00:56:05,325 Speaker 2: power is not even in our testimony. It's in the 1269 00:56:05,645 --> 00:56:08,885 Speaker 2: essential Gospel. Here's what I've discovered doing this as an 1270 00:56:08,925 --> 00:56:12,605 Speaker 2: evangelist is there's a place for apologetics. There's a place 1271 00:56:12,645 --> 00:56:16,085 Speaker 2: for answering difficult questions, there's a place for making a 1272 00:56:16,205 --> 00:56:19,525 Speaker 2: logical case for Jesus Christ being the son of God. 1273 00:56:19,885 --> 00:56:23,005 Speaker 2: All of that is important, But ultimately, there is an 1274 00:56:23,085 --> 00:56:27,565 Speaker 2: innate power in this simple message of the Gospel that 1275 00:56:27,725 --> 00:56:31,444 Speaker 2: we must be very careful to not complicate, water down, 1276 00:56:31,845 --> 00:56:34,765 Speaker 2: or change in any way, shape or form. You know, 1277 00:56:34,925 --> 00:56:37,805 Speaker 2: Paul says, I'm not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, 1278 00:56:37,925 --> 00:56:41,685 Speaker 2: for it is the power of God antssipation. Years ago, 1279 00:56:41,765 --> 00:56:46,445 Speaker 2: I was having lunch with Billy Graham, and I said, Billy, 1280 00:56:46,485 --> 00:56:48,845 Speaker 2: if an older Billy could speak to a younger Billy, 1281 00:56:49,125 --> 00:56:52,525 Speaker 2: what advice would you give yourself? And he said, I 1282 00:56:52,605 --> 00:56:55,885 Speaker 2: would preach more on the Cross and the blood of Christ, 1283 00:56:56,045 --> 00:56:58,605 Speaker 2: because that's where the power is. I've found that to 1284 00:56:58,685 --> 00:56:59,165 Speaker 2: be true. 1285 00:56:59,205 --> 00:57:01,325 Speaker 3: Well, yeah, I know, it's so interesting that you say that, 1286 00:57:01,445 --> 00:57:06,645 Speaker 3: because I was listening to Tim keller sermon and he 1287 00:57:06,805 --> 00:57:10,285 Speaker 3: mentions that Dick Lucas, who is an Anglican rector, who's 1288 00:57:11,245 --> 00:57:15,924 Speaker 3: he talks about how when Billy went to Cambridge, maybe 1289 00:57:16,485 --> 00:57:19,125 Speaker 3: the first in nineteen fifties, he had several nights there 1290 00:57:19,165 --> 00:57:21,005 Speaker 3: and the first two nights were flat. He said, But 1291 00:57:21,165 --> 00:57:23,725 Speaker 3: in the third night, in front of all of these intellectuals, 1292 00:57:23,765 --> 00:57:26,165 Speaker 3: and Dick Lucas was in the audience with other bishops 1293 00:57:26,205 --> 00:57:29,805 Speaker 3: from his denomination, Anglican bishops or whatever, and he said, 1294 00:57:30,085 --> 00:57:33,005 Speaker 3: Billy abandoned his plans. He had written all the messages 1295 00:57:33,005 --> 00:57:37,085 Speaker 3: in advance, and he simply focused on the sacrificial system 1296 00:57:37,085 --> 00:57:38,165 Speaker 3: from Genesis. 1297 00:57:37,765 --> 00:57:38,605 Speaker 4: All the way to the cross. 1298 00:57:38,725 --> 00:57:41,245 Speaker 1: It was blood, blood, blood, blood, blood, blood, blood. 1299 00:57:41,645 --> 00:57:44,005 Speaker 3: Four hundred students gave their lives to Christ that night, 1300 00:57:44,445 --> 00:57:46,685 Speaker 3: and is there it is so I think that you're 1301 00:57:46,765 --> 00:57:49,045 Speaker 3: absolutely right. The old Jim Wallace would have said, well, 1302 00:57:49,045 --> 00:57:51,165 Speaker 3: if a church says, Jim, can you come to our 1303 00:57:51,245 --> 00:57:54,085 Speaker 3: church and talk about the case for Christianity, I would 1304 00:57:54,125 --> 00:57:55,965 Speaker 3: say sure, and I would go, and I would make 1305 00:57:56,005 --> 00:57:58,045 Speaker 3: this four point case and I'd show you how these 1306 00:57:58,125 --> 00:58:00,565 Speaker 3: conditions are met. Blah blah blah, and that would be 1307 00:58:00,605 --> 00:58:03,765 Speaker 3: the end of it. I won't do that anymore. If 1308 00:58:03,805 --> 00:58:07,405 Speaker 3: we're going to do that, remove hopefully barriers for people 1309 00:58:07,445 --> 00:58:09,645 Speaker 3: who are in the audience who maybe who would or are. 1310 00:58:09,525 --> 00:58:10,245 Speaker 4: There with their spouse. 1311 00:58:10,565 --> 00:58:12,445 Speaker 3: They've been coming with their spouse and it's always been 1312 00:58:12,525 --> 00:58:15,325 Speaker 3: want for them because they are not interested and they've 1313 00:58:15,365 --> 00:58:18,605 Speaker 3: had these intellectual barriers. Fine, if we don't preach the 1314 00:58:18,645 --> 00:58:22,245 Speaker 3: gospel at the end of that case, we have missed 1315 00:58:22,245 --> 00:58:24,165 Speaker 3: the opportunity because there's no power in the case. 1316 00:58:24,405 --> 00:58:25,685 Speaker 4: The power is in the gospel. 1317 00:58:25,805 --> 00:58:28,645 Speaker 3: The case just made the Gospel available for people who 1318 00:58:28,725 --> 00:58:31,845 Speaker 3: have pridefully built these walls. That was me. I had 1319 00:58:31,845 --> 00:58:34,125 Speaker 3: any number of objections that would keep me being God, 1320 00:58:34,725 --> 00:58:36,845 Speaker 3: keep me in charge of what my moral order was, 1321 00:58:36,885 --> 00:58:38,245 Speaker 3: whether I was being successful or not. 1322 00:58:38,405 --> 00:58:39,725 Speaker 4: I was the judge of all those things. 1323 00:58:40,205 --> 00:58:42,445 Speaker 3: I needed something to knock those down so I could 1324 00:58:42,485 --> 00:58:44,765 Speaker 3: realize who I really was. And you know when I 1325 00:58:44,845 --> 00:58:47,925 Speaker 3: finally that happened for me, I was convinced the gospels 1326 00:58:47,925 --> 00:58:50,045 Speaker 3: were now accurate, and I thought it's time to read 1327 00:58:50,045 --> 00:58:51,925 Speaker 3: the letters of Paul. And I had read the Letters 1328 00:58:51,965 --> 00:58:53,645 Speaker 3: of Paul, but I mean really read them, and I 1329 00:58:53,725 --> 00:58:56,845 Speaker 3: remember reading through Romans and First Corinthians and reading about 1330 00:58:56,845 --> 00:58:59,565 Speaker 3: the natural and spiritual man and realizing. 1331 00:59:00,005 --> 00:59:01,525 Speaker 1: That, wow, that's me. 1332 00:59:02,525 --> 00:59:05,445 Speaker 4: I would never have been humble enough. 1333 00:59:05,925 --> 00:59:07,525 Speaker 1: The nature man cannot understand that. 1334 00:59:07,605 --> 00:59:10,165 Speaker 3: That's right God, And I realized that I was. Now 1335 00:59:10,285 --> 00:59:12,885 Speaker 3: I realized I was a sinner in need of a savior. 1336 00:59:14,005 --> 00:59:15,925 Speaker 3: But now I knew there was a savior because I 1337 00:59:15,965 --> 00:59:17,525 Speaker 3: had done the work in the gospels to know that 1338 00:59:17,605 --> 00:59:19,725 Speaker 3: this dude is who he said he was. So so 1339 00:59:19,885 --> 00:59:22,365 Speaker 3: now I was able to kind of connect those two dots. 1340 00:59:22,645 --> 00:59:24,645 Speaker 3: But I think if you'd have started in the letters 1341 00:59:24,685 --> 00:59:26,325 Speaker 3: of Paul from me, I would have said, yeah, I 1342 00:59:26,365 --> 00:59:27,005 Speaker 3: saw a fiction. 1343 00:59:27,485 --> 00:59:28,925 Speaker 1: Even if this was true, this is fiction. 1344 00:59:29,885 --> 00:59:31,885 Speaker 3: So even if I am broken and I do need 1345 00:59:31,965 --> 00:59:35,485 Speaker 3: to be fixed, I do need forgiveness, there's no this 1346 00:59:35,645 --> 00:59:36,005 Speaker 3: is fiction. 1347 00:59:37,045 --> 00:59:38,845 Speaker 4: Once I knew this wasn't fiction, I realized that I 1348 00:59:38,885 --> 00:59:41,285 Speaker 4: could meet this need now with a real savior. 1349 00:59:41,805 --> 00:59:44,245 Speaker 2: That so, now, if you were to go back to 1350 00:59:44,325 --> 00:59:46,605 Speaker 2: your days as a detective, if you were going to 1351 00:59:46,765 --> 00:59:49,725 Speaker 2: solve the case, because you would often work with partners, right, yeah, 1352 00:59:49,965 --> 00:59:51,525 Speaker 2: if you were going to solve a case with a 1353 00:59:51,605 --> 00:59:53,885 Speaker 2: biblical character helping you, who would you. 1354 00:59:54,005 --> 00:59:56,005 Speaker 4: Choose Oh, that's a great No one was ever asked 1355 00:59:56,005 --> 00:59:56,565 Speaker 4: me that question. 1356 00:59:57,245 --> 00:59:58,965 Speaker 3: Well, of course you want Solomon probably first of all, 1357 00:59:59,005 --> 01:00:00,365 Speaker 3: because he's the wisest man. 1358 01:00:00,845 --> 01:00:04,685 Speaker 1: You know, you want to give me wisdom. Of course 1359 01:00:05,085 --> 01:00:06,245 Speaker 1: that's true. God it carts. 1360 01:00:06,645 --> 01:00:09,125 Speaker 3: But you said to local characters, and so I immediately thought, well, 1361 01:00:09,165 --> 01:00:10,565 Speaker 3: that's God. So yeah, we're going to have to have 1362 01:00:10,605 --> 01:00:13,925 Speaker 3: somebody who's biblical character. So I thought, if I happened 1363 01:00:13,925 --> 01:00:15,805 Speaker 3: to be, I'm going to tell you something on the side, 1364 01:00:16,605 --> 01:00:18,085 Speaker 3: want to give us something on the side to here though, 1365 01:00:18,125 --> 01:00:20,445 Speaker 3: because you know you've talked in the past, and I'm 1366 01:00:20,565 --> 01:00:23,885 Speaker 3: actually I tend I come every Tuesday night. I come 1367 01:00:24,245 --> 01:00:27,845 Speaker 3: here to law enforcement first responders, a small group here 1368 01:00:27,885 --> 01:00:30,445 Speaker 3: at Harvest, and I listened to all of your I 1369 01:00:30,565 --> 01:00:32,845 Speaker 3: travel on weekends this week and I'm in Dallas, for example, 1370 01:00:32,885 --> 01:00:36,925 Speaker 3: out of church, but I listened to your messages because 1371 01:00:37,085 --> 01:00:39,325 Speaker 3: this is you know, we are here in southern California 1372 01:00:39,405 --> 01:00:40,885 Speaker 3: with you, and I love it. 1373 01:00:41,245 --> 01:00:44,885 Speaker 4: And you mentioned one time, it was not that. 1374 01:00:44,965 --> 01:00:48,005 Speaker 3: Long ago, there was a sermon on biblical reliability, and 1375 01:00:48,165 --> 01:00:50,925 Speaker 3: you mentioned how you have several Bibles and often you 1376 01:00:50,925 --> 01:00:53,325 Speaker 3: would write in the margins. There's even pictures hanging up 1377 01:00:53,365 --> 01:00:56,325 Speaker 3: downstairs in the church. Here about the margins where you 1378 01:00:56,445 --> 01:00:59,125 Speaker 3: make notes, I do that too. By crazy, I mean 1379 01:00:59,325 --> 01:01:01,445 Speaker 3: that's me too. I'm always looking at a little investigative things. 1380 01:01:01,485 --> 01:01:03,205 Speaker 3: You're always talking about. Well, maybe it's a five point 1381 01:01:03,285 --> 01:01:04,965 Speaker 3: sermon in there or a three point sermon in there. 1382 01:01:05,005 --> 01:01:06,885 Speaker 3: In your notes, I'm looking at it in terms of, oh, 1383 01:01:06,925 --> 01:01:09,005 Speaker 3: look at that. That word would not be there if 1384 01:01:09,045 --> 01:01:11,605 Speaker 3: this was not historically true. So I'm looking at and 1385 01:01:11,685 --> 01:01:15,045 Speaker 3: trying to pick that stuff apart. But one of the 1386 01:01:15,125 --> 01:01:16,845 Speaker 3: people in our small group mentioned that she had just 1387 01:01:16,845 --> 01:01:19,525 Speaker 3: come across her mother's Bible. So now what I did 1388 01:01:19,565 --> 01:01:21,445 Speaker 3: is I went out and I have three granddaughters, three 1389 01:01:21,525 --> 01:01:24,405 Speaker 3: three grand kids, two two granddaughters and one grandson. And 1390 01:01:24,845 --> 01:01:27,725 Speaker 3: they're very young. One the oldest is too, so these 1391 01:01:27,725 --> 01:01:30,285 Speaker 3: are young kids. But I bought a Bible that has 1392 01:01:30,365 --> 01:01:32,765 Speaker 3: got a journal bible. It's got a wide, wide margin 1393 01:01:32,845 --> 01:01:34,925 Speaker 3: with very faint lines. You can keep your letters straight, 1394 01:01:35,005 --> 01:01:37,365 Speaker 3: you know. And so now what I'm doing is I'm 1395 01:01:37,485 --> 01:01:40,365 Speaker 3: in scripture writing my notes, not. 1396 01:01:40,485 --> 01:01:43,085 Speaker 4: For me anymore, but to that grandchild. 1397 01:01:43,285 --> 01:01:43,685 Speaker 1: Oh wow. 1398 01:01:43,965 --> 01:01:45,885 Speaker 3: And it's probably a ten year project, because you know, 1399 01:01:45,925 --> 01:01:47,605 Speaker 3: if you think about having to go through every page. 1400 01:01:47,725 --> 01:01:49,045 Speaker 1: And you're very artistic too. 1401 01:01:49,125 --> 01:01:51,285 Speaker 2: You mentioned your an artist, but I've seen your actual 1402 01:01:51,325 --> 01:01:55,445 Speaker 2: illustrations in some of your books, and you know it's funny, 1403 01:01:55,445 --> 01:01:57,565 Speaker 2: you'll know what I'm talking about. But in those old Bibles, 1404 01:01:57,605 --> 01:02:00,565 Speaker 2: I used a rapidiograph pas yes, which is generally used 1405 01:02:00,645 --> 01:02:04,645 Speaker 2: for art. So it's very very fine point yes. Now 1406 01:02:05,085 --> 01:02:06,485 Speaker 2: I read things when I. 1407 01:02:06,565 --> 01:02:09,325 Speaker 3: Write things, I know, so I'm trying to do before 1408 01:02:09,325 --> 01:02:11,605 Speaker 3: I can't do it anymore. But a lot of it is, yeah, 1409 01:02:11,925 --> 01:02:14,685 Speaker 3: I'm using these you know, these acid based or non 1410 01:02:14,725 --> 01:02:16,645 Speaker 3: acid based. They don't they don't bleed through the paper, 1411 01:02:17,325 --> 01:02:20,085 Speaker 3: and they're point zer zero five, so they're tiny, tiny 1412 01:02:20,205 --> 01:02:22,205 Speaker 3: fine lines and I'm just trying to get my notes 1413 01:02:22,245 --> 01:02:24,765 Speaker 3: in there. But that all came because you had to 1414 01:02:24,805 --> 01:02:27,205 Speaker 3: preach that message about the same time that this lady 1415 01:02:27,285 --> 01:02:29,285 Speaker 3: was showing us her Bible from her mom, where she 1416 01:02:29,365 --> 01:02:30,605 Speaker 3: had notes about her own kids. 1417 01:02:30,645 --> 01:02:32,605 Speaker 1: And I thought, I'm going to do this. 1418 01:02:32,685 --> 01:02:34,525 Speaker 3: So now this has become a ten year project. And 1419 01:02:34,565 --> 01:02:36,925 Speaker 3: I mentioned it because I'm in the Old Testament. I'm 1420 01:02:36,965 --> 01:02:39,565 Speaker 3: in First Samuel with my grandson James, and I'm in 1421 01:02:39,685 --> 01:02:41,565 Speaker 3: First Samuel and I'm just looking at all the Old 1422 01:02:41,645 --> 01:02:44,645 Speaker 3: Testament so you're not ere encountering these Old Testament characters. 1423 01:02:45,005 --> 01:02:47,725 Speaker 1: But even like, but isn't it interesting that people. 1424 01:02:47,565 --> 01:02:52,325 Speaker 3: Like Solomon and Samuel and Eli like one generation in 1425 01:02:52,405 --> 01:02:55,925 Speaker 3: their kids are sideways. I know, and you're thinking to yourself, wow. 1426 01:02:56,725 --> 01:02:59,045 Speaker 3: So I think at this stage, for me, a lot 1427 01:02:59,085 --> 01:03:01,045 Speaker 3: of it is is I want books like Cold Case 1428 01:03:01,085 --> 01:03:03,325 Speaker 3: to be the kind of book and I've written them 1429 01:03:03,365 --> 01:03:05,405 Speaker 3: all from a crime perspective because I think that's what 1430 01:03:05,565 --> 01:03:08,245 Speaker 3: gets people to go, oh, yeah, that makes sense now, 1431 01:03:08,285 --> 01:03:10,365 Speaker 3: because that would make sense in our criminal trial, so 1432 01:03:10,445 --> 01:03:12,885 Speaker 3: that should make sense against the Gospel. And I think 1433 01:03:12,925 --> 01:03:14,605 Speaker 3: it helps people to kind of grab the idea. 1434 01:03:14,645 --> 01:03:15,485 Speaker 4: And I want my kids to. 1435 01:03:15,605 --> 01:03:21,765 Speaker 3: But but if you notice this, like my grandkids, my 1436 01:03:21,925 --> 01:03:25,205 Speaker 3: kids have not read all my books. Like my kids, 1437 01:03:25,285 --> 01:03:27,725 Speaker 3: the value I have for my children is not in 1438 01:03:27,805 --> 01:03:30,685 Speaker 3: the books I wrote to strangers. The value I have 1439 01:03:30,805 --> 01:03:34,045 Speaker 3: in my grandchildren is the time I spent with them. 1440 01:03:34,965 --> 01:03:37,405 Speaker 3: And I'm thinking why, as you're just what do they 1441 01:03:37,485 --> 01:03:37,765 Speaker 3: call you? 1442 01:03:38,165 --> 01:03:38,565 Speaker 4: Opah? 1443 01:03:38,845 --> 01:03:40,685 Speaker 1: Yeah, you're just so pod to that. That's right. 1444 01:03:40,805 --> 01:03:43,245 Speaker 2: And you know later when they get older, they'll figure 1445 01:03:43,285 --> 01:03:44,965 Speaker 2: out your Jay Warner Wallace. 1446 01:03:45,605 --> 01:03:49,405 Speaker 1: But and that's it. And but those are such. 1447 01:03:49,285 --> 01:03:53,085 Speaker 2: Important impressions because I'll remember he had time for us. 1448 01:03:53,405 --> 01:03:57,205 Speaker 2: He took us to ice cream, you know. He always 1449 01:03:57,445 --> 01:04:00,725 Speaker 2: told us stories, you know, and it's very important to 1450 01:04:00,805 --> 01:04:02,005 Speaker 2: be a grand no doubt. 1451 01:04:02,805 --> 01:04:06,125 Speaker 3: And I think the problem is is jd Vance. He 1452 01:04:06,205 --> 01:04:07,525 Speaker 3: was just talking about the order of loves and the 1453 01:04:07,645 --> 01:04:10,205 Speaker 3: order of charity. I think as men, we are so 1454 01:04:10,405 --> 01:04:14,685 Speaker 3: consumed with our how we appear to this outside ring 1455 01:04:14,965 --> 01:04:19,445 Speaker 3: of strangers, because we're wired with our testosterone to conquer 1456 01:04:19,525 --> 01:04:22,045 Speaker 3: the next mountain, to make us, to protect our families, 1457 01:04:22,085 --> 01:04:24,165 Speaker 3: to provide for our families. So we're going to do 1458 01:04:24,245 --> 01:04:26,445 Speaker 3: all that stuff out there, and we hope we've done 1459 01:04:26,565 --> 01:04:29,885 Speaker 3: enough at the inside ring of our family where I 1460 01:04:30,005 --> 01:04:32,485 Speaker 3: need to flip the identity and say, okay, I need 1461 01:04:32,885 --> 01:04:34,885 Speaker 3: I hope I've done enough in the outside ring to 1462 01:04:35,005 --> 01:04:37,885 Speaker 3: help people examine Christianity to see it's true. 1463 01:04:37,885 --> 01:04:39,525 Speaker 1: But have I done enough at the inside ring? 1464 01:04:40,325 --> 01:04:43,765 Speaker 3: Because I've been concerned for so many years with the 1465 01:04:44,285 --> 01:04:46,925 Speaker 3: I think I've got the order of affections wrong, and 1466 01:04:47,205 --> 01:04:49,085 Speaker 3: so I have to really kind of rethink that. And 1467 01:04:49,165 --> 01:04:51,725 Speaker 3: that national discussion that's kind of been circulating in the 1468 01:04:51,805 --> 01:04:54,365 Speaker 3: last couple of weeks has helped me to rethink it 1469 01:04:54,445 --> 01:04:56,805 Speaker 3: in my own life, because the reality of it is 1470 01:04:56,965 --> 01:04:59,845 Speaker 3: is that, yeah, if you know that you're people that 1471 01:04:59,925 --> 01:05:01,645 Speaker 3: you love the most, who are closest to you are 1472 01:05:01,765 --> 01:05:05,085 Speaker 3: not even familiar with the work that you thought was legacy, 1473 01:05:06,165 --> 01:05:08,405 Speaker 3: it wasn't legacy. It turns out these were the people 1474 01:05:08,445 --> 01:05:09,965 Speaker 3: who are legacy, and I have been ignoring. 1475 01:05:10,005 --> 01:05:12,125 Speaker 1: That's true. You know. George H. W. 1476 01:05:12,365 --> 01:05:15,245 Speaker 2: Bush, the first President, Bush was once asked you know 1477 01:05:15,325 --> 01:05:19,125 Speaker 2: what his greatest accomplishment in life was. He could have said, well, 1478 01:05:19,165 --> 01:05:22,445 Speaker 2: I was the ambassador to China. I think you may 1479 01:05:22,485 --> 01:05:25,965 Speaker 2: have directed the CIA. The course was vice president and 1480 01:05:26,085 --> 01:05:29,325 Speaker 2: he was president, and he said, the greatest accomplishment of 1481 01:05:29,405 --> 01:05:31,925 Speaker 2: my life is my children still come home to see me. 1482 01:05:32,725 --> 01:05:35,245 Speaker 2: And I like that because that's a man who understood 1483 01:05:35,325 --> 01:05:36,365 Speaker 2: the value of family. 1484 01:05:36,525 --> 01:05:36,885 Speaker 4: That's right. 1485 01:05:37,285 --> 01:05:39,645 Speaker 2: And you know, I love how it says of David, 1486 01:05:39,725 --> 01:05:42,405 Speaker 2: he's served the Lord in his generation. It's all we 1487 01:05:42,525 --> 01:05:44,645 Speaker 2: can do, you know, and then we pass it on. 1488 01:05:45,165 --> 01:05:47,645 Speaker 2: We pass it on to the next generation. The Christian 1489 01:05:47,725 --> 01:05:50,405 Speaker 2: life is like a relay race. We carry the baton 1490 01:05:50,525 --> 01:05:53,205 Speaker 2: for a time, and then when we're done, we hand 1491 01:05:53,245 --> 01:05:56,085 Speaker 2: that baton on to the next generation and they carry it, 1492 01:05:56,205 --> 01:06:00,205 Speaker 2: hopefully do the same and so you know, but I 1493 01:06:00,405 --> 01:06:02,885 Speaker 2: just want to commend you for the incredible work you're 1494 01:06:02,925 --> 01:06:07,125 Speaker 2: doing and the fact that you have had to people 1495 01:06:07,205 --> 01:06:09,485 Speaker 2: on the outside. But it's great that you're thinking about 1496 01:06:09,485 --> 01:06:13,885 Speaker 2: your family. A last question, Jim, So, let's say someone's 1497 01:06:13,925 --> 01:06:16,885 Speaker 2: listening to this right now, and maybe they're an atheist 1498 01:06:17,085 --> 01:06:21,925 Speaker 2: or the very least a skeptic, And what would you 1499 01:06:22,085 --> 01:06:24,245 Speaker 2: if you're sitting over a cup of coffee with them 1500 01:06:24,445 --> 01:06:28,245 Speaker 2: and they say said something like, I want to know 1501 01:06:28,445 --> 01:06:32,045 Speaker 2: what's true, but it's so hard for me to intellectually 1502 01:06:32,165 --> 01:06:34,805 Speaker 2: accept it. It's like you were saying of yourself when 1503 01:06:34,845 --> 01:06:39,085 Speaker 2: you were younger. You know, you read that the natural 1504 01:06:39,165 --> 01:06:41,245 Speaker 2: man receives not the things of God. You were trying 1505 01:06:41,285 --> 01:06:43,085 Speaker 2: to wrap your mind around it. What would you say 1506 01:06:43,445 --> 01:06:47,285 Speaker 2: to a person who's grappling with this but wants to believe. 1507 01:06:47,885 --> 01:06:50,325 Speaker 3: Isn't it interesting that we think that, you know, if 1508 01:06:50,405 --> 01:06:53,485 Speaker 3: I have to understand more in order to believe, that's 1509 01:06:53,565 --> 01:06:54,165 Speaker 3: kind of a claim. 1510 01:06:54,245 --> 01:06:55,165 Speaker 1: I need to know more. 1511 01:06:55,645 --> 01:06:57,325 Speaker 3: But it turns out, if there is a god of 1512 01:06:57,365 --> 01:06:59,845 Speaker 3: the universe, it has the power to create everything in 1513 01:06:59,925 --> 01:07:03,925 Speaker 3: the universe from nothing. That kind of power is scary. 1514 01:07:03,965 --> 01:07:06,245 Speaker 3: If you think about it. That means he'd had to 1515 01:07:06,325 --> 01:07:08,885 Speaker 3: have infinite wisdom along with the infinite power. Because he 1516 01:07:08,925 --> 01:07:13,365 Speaker 3: has he have power to eliminate all misconception. All that's power, 1517 01:07:14,005 --> 01:07:16,805 Speaker 3: And that means that you're trying with your finite mind 1518 01:07:17,725 --> 01:07:19,805 Speaker 3: to be able to conceptualize a god of the unit. 1519 01:07:19,885 --> 01:07:21,685 Speaker 3: If there is a God of the universe, you should 1520 01:07:21,685 --> 01:07:25,045 Speaker 3: be really ready to accept the idea that there's going 1521 01:07:25,085 --> 01:07:27,125 Speaker 3: to be a lot of mystery. There's going to be 1522 01:07:27,165 --> 01:07:28,845 Speaker 3: a lot of stuff you can't figure out if there 1523 01:07:28,885 --> 01:07:31,125 Speaker 3: really is a god we're talking about. Otherwise that thing 1524 01:07:31,165 --> 01:07:33,725 Speaker 3: you created in your mind is too small. It's not 1525 01:07:33,805 --> 01:07:35,605 Speaker 3: the God of the universe. It's something you think I 1526 01:07:35,645 --> 01:07:38,685 Speaker 3: can actually dissect and know how he thinks and understand 1527 01:07:38,725 --> 01:07:41,085 Speaker 3: how he thinks and how he operates in the world. Well, 1528 01:07:41,125 --> 01:07:43,885 Speaker 3: if there is a god like this, how he operates 1529 01:07:43,925 --> 01:07:45,925 Speaker 3: in the world, being timeless and knowing that what that 1530 01:07:46,045 --> 01:07:49,245 Speaker 3: domino is going to do fifteen generations from now, knowing 1531 01:07:49,325 --> 01:07:51,885 Speaker 3: how this is going to affect another series of thousands 1532 01:07:51,965 --> 01:07:55,245 Speaker 3: of people, you're not going to know that. So part 1533 01:07:55,285 --> 01:07:57,205 Speaker 3: of it is that we, even as atheists, we have 1534 01:07:57,285 --> 01:07:59,725 Speaker 3: constructed an idea of God that is completely in our 1535 01:07:59,765 --> 01:08:02,645 Speaker 3: own minds that is so small that we think unless 1536 01:08:02,685 --> 01:08:04,685 Speaker 3: I can understand, And what I've learned is a Christian 1537 01:08:05,685 --> 01:08:08,445 Speaker 3: is that if obedience is important to me as a parent, 1538 01:08:08,765 --> 01:08:10,845 Speaker 3: when I ask my kids to be obedient because I 1539 01:08:10,965 --> 01:08:13,445 Speaker 3: know better in that situation when you're three, I need 1540 01:08:13,525 --> 01:08:15,725 Speaker 3: you to obey because there's a danger involved here. 1541 01:08:16,045 --> 01:08:18,045 Speaker 1: If there's a God who's separated. 1542 01:08:17,644 --> 01:08:20,005 Speaker 3: From us in terms of intellect, in terms of capacity, 1543 01:08:20,365 --> 01:08:22,325 Speaker 3: it's a far bigger separation than me and my three 1544 01:08:22,405 --> 01:08:24,844 Speaker 3: year old. I'm asking my three year old to trust 1545 01:08:24,924 --> 01:08:27,365 Speaker 3: and obey because I know better. If there's a God 1546 01:08:27,564 --> 01:08:29,525 Speaker 3: like that who's asking you to trust and obey. If 1547 01:08:29,564 --> 01:08:32,285 Speaker 3: my three year old said, I'll obey you, but first 1548 01:08:32,365 --> 01:08:34,485 Speaker 3: I need to know every reason why you're asking me 1549 01:08:34,604 --> 01:08:37,245 Speaker 3: to do this, that's not true obedience. It turns out 1550 01:08:37,285 --> 01:08:42,004 Speaker 3: true obedience is when you obey not knowing the wise yet. Well, 1551 01:08:42,085 --> 01:08:44,844 Speaker 3: am I willing to obey this not knowing the wise yet? 1552 01:08:45,365 --> 01:08:46,285 Speaker 4: That's really the question. 1553 01:08:46,485 --> 01:08:47,804 Speaker 3: And I think that if there is a God, I 1554 01:08:47,804 --> 01:08:49,245 Speaker 3: should expect them to be a lot of stuff I 1555 01:08:49,285 --> 01:08:51,804 Speaker 3: don't understand, and I can't use that as an excuse. 1556 01:08:51,844 --> 01:08:53,205 Speaker 4: We then there can't be a god. No, no, no, no, No, 1557 01:08:53,604 --> 01:08:54,884 Speaker 4: if there is a God, this. 1558 01:08:55,005 --> 01:08:57,405 Speaker 3: Is exactly what you would expect that this is going 1559 01:08:57,445 --> 01:08:59,644 Speaker 3: to be something that you're going to struggle with. It's 1560 01:08:59,684 --> 01:09:02,804 Speaker 3: actually an evidence for God, not an evidence against God. 1561 01:09:03,405 --> 01:09:04,764 Speaker 3: So I think that part of it for me is 1562 01:09:04,804 --> 01:09:07,405 Speaker 3: realizing that if there is a God, I am, by comparison, 1563 01:09:07,644 --> 01:09:10,405 Speaker 3: so limited in my understanding that I'm going to have 1564 01:09:10,485 --> 01:09:13,964 Speaker 3: to get comfortable with that limitation. And then of course 1565 01:09:14,125 --> 01:09:17,325 Speaker 3: there's enough been revealed to me. And again, look, there's 1566 01:09:17,325 --> 01:09:18,964 Speaker 3: a lot of views that people have about God. 1567 01:09:19,045 --> 01:09:22,285 Speaker 1: Test them. I welcome my kids to test those things. 1568 01:09:22,325 --> 01:09:24,644 Speaker 3: I didn't become a Christians office thirty five, and I 1569 01:09:24,724 --> 01:09:26,804 Speaker 3: can begiming a Christian because I tested the claims. 1570 01:09:27,285 --> 01:09:28,964 Speaker 4: But I'm also at least fair. 1571 01:09:29,884 --> 01:09:31,604 Speaker 3: I mean, as far as criminal cases, I've had a 1572 01:09:31,684 --> 01:09:33,125 Speaker 3: lot of cases I wish were better, but I have 1573 01:09:33,205 --> 01:09:35,485 Speaker 3: took them to trial. I still took them to trial. 1574 01:09:36,285 --> 01:09:38,724 Speaker 3: They were good enough to win the case. It was 1575 01:09:38,804 --> 01:09:40,884 Speaker 3: clear to me he was the guy. Dude, I wish 1576 01:09:40,924 --> 01:09:43,564 Speaker 3: I had a better case. Yeah, So if you feel like, yeah, 1577 01:09:43,564 --> 01:09:46,044 Speaker 3: I wish I had a better case than this, there's 1578 01:09:46,085 --> 01:09:49,445 Speaker 3: still enough, more than enough. Yes, I can still take 1579 01:09:49,485 --> 01:09:50,204 Speaker 3: that case to trial. 1580 01:09:50,485 --> 01:09:51,245 Speaker 1: And you can too. 1581 01:09:51,644 --> 01:09:53,644 Speaker 4: It's just being comfortable with what you don't know. 1582 01:09:54,525 --> 01:09:57,245 Speaker 1: Thanks so much. Great to have you, and God bless you. 1583 01:09:57,365 --> 01:09:57,924 Speaker 4: Thanks for having me. 1584 01:09:58,085 --> 01:10:01,245 Speaker 2: I appreciate it here everybody, Thanks for listening to my podcast. 1585 01:10:01,365 --> 01:10:03,684 Speaker 2: Before you go, I wanted to let you know about 1586 01:10:03,724 --> 01:10:06,365 Speaker 2: the important work we're doing here at home Harvest. You know, 1587 01:10:06,445 --> 01:10:09,164 Speaker 2: we've had the same goal these last fifty years, which 1588 01:10:09,245 --> 01:10:12,325 Speaker 2: is simply this. We want to know God and we 1589 01:10:12,445 --> 01:10:15,125 Speaker 2: want to make Him known, and we do that in 1590 01:10:15,205 --> 01:10:21,405 Speaker 2: a lot of ways documentary films, animation, radio, television, large 1591 01:10:21,405 --> 01:10:24,764 Speaker 2: scale evangelistic events and more. If you want to be 1592 01:10:24,844 --> 01:10:27,525 Speaker 2: a part of what we're doing to fulfill the great commission, 1593 01:10:28,045 --> 01:10:31,764 Speaker 2: you can support us with whatever you can give at 1594 01:10:31,924 --> 01:10:36,445 Speaker 2: Harvest dot org slash donate again, that's Harvest dot org 1595 01:10:36,884 --> 01:10:38,525 Speaker 2: slash donate and thanks so much