# Very Disappointed in Al Mohler This Morning



## Staphlobob (Mar 26, 2007)

I walk in the mornings for exercise. As I do so I have my MP3 player on and listen to various sermons, conferences, talks, etc. Recently I've been listening to The Al Mohler Radio Program. It's been good ... until this morning.

The program I heard this morning was a supposedly "debate" between he and the atheist/agnostic/secularist, Susan Jacoby from February 22, 2007. I came away very disappointed in Mohler's attitude and inability to answer her assertions.

First of all was his attitude. He literally fawned all over her. He was so anxious to please her that he literally gave her a platform from which to speak. I haven't counted up the minutes he gave her, but it was quite obvious that she was given an overwhelming amount of time, while he merely asked her a few questions. She spoke, asserted, and affirmed her position. He merely responded with more questions. A sad display of trying to be over-polite.

Secondly was Mohler's inability to respond, even when he had the chance. For example, as an atheist she holds that the "Golden Rule" is the best way for people to live, that she never thought of murder and would not do such a thing. Mohler simply agreed. He couldn't think of asking her the most important question of all, the transcendent one: "Why?" And then dig into it to reveal the emptiness of her position and ethical assertions.

Another point of concern was Mohler's inability to even understand what she was talking about. As an atheist she takes her stand upon inductive reasoning; that the physical, observational world and the scientific method alone yield "knowledge" and all the rest is mere "belief". Using this as her jumping off point, she referenced John 20:24-28 and asserted that Thomas was right and Jesus was wrong. Mohler's response: "You lost me." He couldn't even understand a basic presupposition and how to (easily) refute it. 

Perhaps he's done better elsewhere. Perhaps someone can point me to such a place. But from what I heard this morning, I've lost respect for Al Mohler.


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## BobVigneault (Mar 26, 2007)

Nooooooo! Say it isn't so Pastor Kevin. I haven't heard the debate, it is the continuation of an online debate.

Regardless of Dr. Mohler's debating skills you cannot withdraw your respect on the basis of this one event. Are there other reasons that lead you to this?

Dr. Mohler is one of the great minds of our day. His boldness should not be questioned for the way in which he's reformed SBT Seminary. He articulates the problems and issues facing the church today on a daily basis. He is unashamedly reformed and a reformed influence on the media. Please reconsider Pastor.


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## Chris (Mar 26, 2007)

Got a link to that particular .mp3? I'd love to hear it.


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## BobVigneault (Mar 26, 2007)

Download it here.


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## Me Died Blue (Mar 26, 2007)

BobVigneault said:


> Regardless of Dr. Mohler's debating skills you cannot withdraw your respect on the basis of this one event.





BobVigneault said:


> Dr. Mohler is one of the great minds of our day. His boldness should not be questioned for the way in which he's reformed SBT Seminary. He articulates the problems and issues facing the church today on a daily basis.



 Even if he is not strong on apologetics or debating, I will always have respect for Dr. Mohler - even if for no other reason than his excellent and pastoral chapter on preaching in _Feed My Sheep_, in addition to what Bob mentioned.


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## Bandguy (Mar 26, 2007)

joshua said:


> Ouch! Pastor Kevin, please don't go and read all my posts from the PB! I want to preserve what little respect you may have for me (if any). I *know* for a fact I've written some stupid stuff!



I can attest to that. Just kidding.


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## Staphlobob (Mar 26, 2007)

joshua said:


> Ouch! Pastor Kevin, please don't go and read all my posts from the PB! I want to preserve what little respect you may have for me (if any). I *know* for a fact I've written some stupid stuff!



Stressing a "dumbing down", are we?


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## Staphlobob (Mar 26, 2007)

joshua said:


> I'm dumber than a bag of hammers, I've been told.




I thought the saying was "dumber than a box of hair"?


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## Chris (Mar 26, 2007)

I listened. 

I agree that Al seems to be a bit enamored by this 'conversing with the culture' thing - but I have to remind myself that he has a position, God has put him there, and there is a reason for it. 

Al certainly could have been a bit more agressive on any number of issues brought up throughout that session, but, again, I trust that he has a point he's getting to, so I'm in no hurry to cry foul on his ministry.


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## Augusta (Mar 26, 2007)

Staphlobob said:


> I thought the saying was "dumber than a box of hair"?



I believe it is "dumber than a box of rocks." 

My children love rocks and collect them in boxes, should I be worried?


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## Staphlobob (Mar 27, 2007)

joshua said:


> Sorry, Pastor, I'm too dumb to grasp what you're trying to say.



Congratulations! You're qualified to have your own radio program!


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## Staphlobob (Mar 27, 2007)

Chris said:


> I listened.
> 
> I agree that Al seems to be a bit enamored by this 'conversing with the culture' thing - but I have to remind myself that he has a position, God has put him there, and there is a reason for it.
> 
> Al certainly could have been a bit more agressive on any number of issues brought up throughout that session, but, again, I trust that he has a point he's getting to, so I'm in no hurry to cry foul on his ministry.




Agreed.


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## tdowns (Mar 27, 2007)

*Seems harsh to me.*

I don't know much about Al Mohler, and I don't know the man. Maybe you do Kevin, and know him personally, so maybe I'm off here. But something about the title of your post, and the finish of it, that you lost respect for Al Mohler, just doesn't sit right for me.

It seems you should state, I lost respect for Al Mohler as a debater, or something along those lines.

I mean, when I read that you lost respect for someone, to me, it comes across as a strong insult to that person as a whole, and therefore, as a reader, I have a bad feeling toward that person.

You are a Pastor, so I would assume you would know what you are talking about. I know you went on to qualify why you lost respect for him, but I don't know how you can lose respect for a man, based on one debate, or speech...maybe you don't respect him as a debater, or as an intellect, but to lose respect for him as a person....it just doesn't read right to me, feels more like an attack based on some other motive....

Just letting you know how it reads to a casual observer, who does not know the man, or you. 

Maybe it was just a headline grabber, but sometimes that's all people read, but you also finished your original post with the same statement.

No offense, just my reaction and thoughts to the post.


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## cih1355 (Mar 27, 2007)

I listened to the program. It didn't sound like a debate; it sounded like an interview. He was asking her questions without challenging her beliefs. I wish Al would have explained how atheists have no basis for believing in any objective, moral values. Moreover, I wish he would have explained how if there is no God, then evil does not exist.

Al could have asked questions such as, "Do you experience your thoughts, the laws of logic, the laws of mathematics, ethical values through your senses? If not, how do you know that they exist? How do you justify the statement, 'All knowledge comes from sense experience'? With your own sense experience?".


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## bfrank (Mar 28, 2007)

I wholeheartedly agree with Bob that Al Mohler is one of the great minds of today.

While Al Mohler could have certainly been more aggressive, what would be the point? All you would have would be an unfruitful debate with two people arguing about what their stated beliefs are. There is no real way to have a "debate" with someone who doesn't hold Scripture as Truth, especially over a 15-20 minute radio slot. An unregenerate mind cannot be convinced of Truth unless quickened by the Holy Spirit. I agree he could've taken all sorts of avenues; however, clearly that was not the intent.

I personally think it was a good talk...Al gave her plenty of rope to hang herself with. It was a clear look into the lies that plague our culture.

If one lost respect for the man over this so-called debate, perhaps it more an issue of the fact that Al didn't hammer her over her unregenerate state and therefore, certain appetites weren't fed.

I trust that if he was addressing one who was a professing Christian with faulty doctrine he would have been much more relentless (as evidenced by cleaning house at Southern). Again, that was clearly not the point.


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## Staphlobob (Mar 29, 2007)

cih1355 said:


> I listened to the program. It didn't sound like a debate; it sounded like an interview. He was asking her questions without challenging her beliefs. I wish Al would have explained how atheists have no basis for believing in any objective, moral values. Moreover, I wish he would have explained how if there is no God, then evil does not exist.



Exactly. And Al Mohler himself described it as "a debate."


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## Staphlobob (Mar 29, 2007)

tdowns007 said:


> I don't know much about Al Mohler, and I don't know the man. Maybe you do Kevin, and know him personally, so maybe I'm off here. But something about the title of your post, and the finish of it, that you lost respect for Al Mohler, just doesn't sit right for me.
> 
> It seems you should state, I lost respect for Al Mohler as a debater, or something along those lines.
> 
> ...




I think you are right. I overstated and apologize, and ask your forgiveness as well as that of others. I should have noted that I was very disappointed with Al Mohler on this particular point. Is there any way to change the title to this topic?


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## BobVigneault (Mar 29, 2007)

Staphlobob said:


> I think you are right. I overstated and apologize, and ask your forgiveness as well as that of others. I should have noted that I was very disappointed with Al Mohler on this particular point. Is there any way to change the title to this topic?



Done.


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