Unconditional Positive Regard

All Christians are hypocrites!

Have you ever heard—or felt—the stinging accusation that "All Christians are hypocrites"? In this episode, Pedro Garcia explores one of the most common and piercing objections to the Christian faith. It hurts precisely because it carries undeniable truth. We have all seen the painful gap between what the church preaches and how it lives. But what if this objection isn't just an intellectual argument, but a profound psychological defense mechanism? In this episode, we dive into: * The Logic of Failure: Why defending the moral perfection of Christians is a fundamentally un-Christian defense, and how universal moral failure is actually the expected starting point of the gospel. * The Psychological Shield: Understanding the human "shadow" and how pointing a finger at the church's hypocrisy brilliantly protects our ego from the terrifying vulnerability of surrendering to God. * The "Whitewashed Tombs": Looking at Matthew 23 to see how Jesus handles religious actors. He doesn't defend the institution; He validates our outrage and invites us to judge Him by the cross, not the crowd. You have every right to be disappointed by humanity, but do not let the failures of broken people blind you to the perfection of the Savior. The Challenge: Ask yourself (or the person you are talking to) a hard question: "If you finally met a Christian who loved you perfectly, who never failed you, and who lived exactly like Jesus, would you follow Him? Or are you secretly hoping they all remain hypocrites so you never have to?" Have questions or want to connect? Email me: isitbecauseofjesus@gmail.com [isitbecauseofjesus@gmail.com] Buy the book. [https://www.amazon.com/Those-Who-Doubt-Because-Jesus/dp/1614842051/ref=sr_1_2?crid=MYGRIL6O74LE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.pL7J8pAgHdSzWY0Q8hHJLZaHcTZG1Q0-HRkUsh6UvwyKonL6AF-0PBbag2Nne-yrEpwj1ujBJIknf6tkVaBKj8C-7UM9hj2dFtg4Eo2tx_QtXcqS2G85sl2aLAQQi6fAV0nPBdJppfEFgLrAsazOJDpq3yN0M6t-fa_tYApDfF5kCImD_Yg2zewHE_7c8t_mUExrf-2pR6mnk7_6uZ00MY_crKXyDmlf5g3QmqdYuw4.81CriuS_mapH0kUn-v9wA2vo2eeeNmARTsIWQzfEdOE&dib_tag=se&keywords=for+those+who+doubt&qid=1767299597&sprefix=for+those+who+doubt%2Caps%2C236&sr=8-2] Website: isitbecauseofjesus.com [http://isitbecauseofjesus.com/] Support the show on Patreon. [https://www.patreon.com/c/IsitbecauseofJesus?]

Is Faith Just an Excuse for a Lack of Evidence?

Nobody wants to be the gullible one holding onto an imaginary friend while the rest of the world has grown up. In this episode, Pedro tackles one of the most common cultural assumptions of our time: the idea that faith and facts are mortal enemies, and that "faith" is just a blind leap you take when the evidence runs out. But what if that definition of faith is completely backwards? In this episode, we unpack: * The Bridge Analogy: Why faith isn't the absence of evidence, but the exact moment you trust the evidence enough to move and commit your weight to it. * The Trauma of "Just Have Faith": How religious gaslighting and intellectual betrayal turn strict, cold empiricism into a brilliant psychological defense mechanism against spiritual abuse. * The Patron Saint of Empiricism: How Jesus handled "Doubting Thomas." Jesus didn't demand a lobotomy or lecture Thomas on blind faith—He actually submitted Himself to Thomas's physical, forensic peer review. The next time someone demands absolute proof, don't just throw apologetics at them or get defensive. Validate their hunger for truth and honor their intellect. God is not intimidated by our hardest, most cynical questions. Support & Connect: * Reach Out: Have questions or want to talk through your doubts? Email Pedro anytime at isitbecauseofjesus@gmail.com. * Support the Show: If this podcast has been helpful to you, consider becoming a Patron using the link below, leaving a review, or sharing it with a friend who might be deconstructing. Remember to ask yourself: Is it because of Jesus? Have questions or want to connect? Email me: isitbecauseofjesus@gmail.com [isitbecauseofjesus@gmail.com] Buy the book. [https://www.amazon.com/Those-Who-Doubt-Because-Jesus/dp/1614842051/ref=sr_1_2?crid=MYGRIL6O74LE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.pL7J8pAgHdSzWY0Q8hHJLZaHcTZG1Q0-HRkUsh6UvwyKonL6AF-0PBbag2Nne-yrEpwj1ujBJIknf6tkVaBKj8C-7UM9hj2dFtg4Eo2tx_QtXcqS2G85sl2aLAQQi6fAV0nPBdJppfEFgLrAsazOJDpq3yN0M6t-fa_tYApDfF5kCImD_Yg2zewHE_7c8t_mUExrf-2pR6mnk7_6uZ00MY_crKXyDmlf5g3QmqdYuw4.81CriuS_mapH0kUn-v9wA2vo2eeeNmARTsIWQzfEdOE&dib_tag=se&keywords=for+those+who+doubt&qid=1767299597&sprefix=for+those+who+doubt%2Caps%2C236&sr=8-2] Website: isitbecauseofjesus.com [http://isitbecauseofjesus.com/] Support the show on Patreon. [https://www.patreon.com/c/IsitbecauseofJesus?]

The Atheist, the Serial Killer, and the Scandal of Grace

A good atheist goes to hell while a serial killer goes to heaven because of a last-second prayer? That's not justice. It's a joke." We are kicking off a brand-new format! Moving forward, Pedro is taking real, hard-hitting comments from skeptics on social media and breaking them down. We aren't just looking at the apologetics—we are diving into the psychology, the theology, and the very real human heart behind the screen. In this episode, we tackle the deep end of the doubt pool: our core sense of fairness. If you view heaven as a VIP lounge for moral high-achievers and hell as a prison for bad people, then a deathbed conversion feels like a cosmic miscarriage of justice. But what if Christianity isn't about good vs. bad, but dead vs. alive? What we cover: * The "Just World" Fallacy: Why the concept of radical grace completely shatters our psychological need for a predictable, karma-based universe. * The Heart Behind the Objection: Why skeptics aren't rejecting grace because they love sin, but because they are fiercely defending victims of injustice. * The Thief on the Cross: How Jesus handled this exact scandalous scenario in real-time—paying the massive cost of justice Himself so that no one is beyond the reach of rescue. Grace isn't fair. And thank God it isn't. Because if God only gave us exactly what we earned, none of us would make it. Have questions or want to connect? Email me: isitbecauseofjesus@gmail.com [isitbecauseofjesus@gmail.com] Buy the book. [https://www.amazon.com/Those-Who-Doubt-Because-Jesus/dp/1614842051/ref=sr_1_2?crid=MYGRIL6O74LE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.pL7J8pAgHdSzWY0Q8hHJLZaHcTZG1Q0-HRkUsh6UvwyKonL6AF-0PBbag2Nne-yrEpwj1ujBJIknf6tkVaBKj8C-7UM9hj2dFtg4Eo2tx_QtXcqS2G85sl2aLAQQi6fAV0nPBdJppfEFgLrAsazOJDpq3yN0M6t-fa_tYApDfF5kCImD_Yg2zewHE_7c8t_mUExrf-2pR6mnk7_6uZ00MY_crKXyDmlf5g3QmqdYuw4.81CriuS_mapH0kUn-v9wA2vo2eeeNmARTsIWQzfEdOE&dib_tag=se&keywords=for+those+who+doubt&qid=1767299597&sprefix=for+those+who+doubt%2Caps%2C236&sr=8-2] Website: isitbecauseofjesus.com [http://isitbecauseofjesus.com/] Support the show on Patreon. [https://www.patreon.com/c/IsitbecauseofJesus?]

Unconditional Positive Regard

Have you ever felt a relationship shift the moment a loved one says, "I don't believe the same things you do anymore"? In this episode, Pedro tackles "Unconditional Positive Regard." We explore the hard work of separating a person's identity from their changing beliefs, the painful reality of conditional love, and how Jesus modeled radical acceptance at the Last Supper. What I cover: * The Science of Identity Fusion: Why our brains instantly strip away empathy and recategorize loved ones as "outsiders" when their theology shifts. * The Condition of Our Love: How another's deconstruction exposes that our "unconditional" love is often just a transaction based on shared agreements. * Grace at the Table: How Jesus chose to stay close to those whose paths were about to wildly diverge from His. * This Week's Challenge: Connect with someone whose beliefs have shifted and talk about nothing theological. Remind them your love isn't a transaction. Connect with me: Email me: isitbecauseofjesus@gmail.com [isitbecauseofjesus@gmail.com] Buy the book. [https://www.amazon.com/Those-Who-Doubt-Because-Jesus/dp/1614842051/ref=sr_1_2?crid=MYGRIL6O74LE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.pL7J8pAgHdSzWY0Q8hHJLZaHcTZG1Q0-HRkUsh6UvwyKonL6AF-0PBbag2Nne-yrEpwj1ujBJIknf6tkVaBKj8C-7UM9hj2dFtg4Eo2tx_QtXcqS2G85sl2aLAQQi6fAV0nPBdJppfEFgLrAsazOJDpq3yN0M6t-fa_tYApDfF5kCImD_Yg2zewHE_7c8t_mUExrf-2pR6mnk7_6uZ00MY_crKXyDmlf5g3QmqdYuw4.81CriuS_mapH0kUn-v9wA2vo2eeeNmARTsIWQzfEdOE&dib_tag=se&keywords=for+those+who+doubt&qid=1767299597&sprefix=for+those+who+doubt%2Caps%2C236&sr=8-2] Website: isitbecauseofjesus.com [http://isitbecauseofjesus.com] Support the show on Patreon. [https://www.patreon.com/c/IsitbecauseofJesus?]

The Safe Friend

Have you ever had a friend drop a tiny hint that they are doubting their faith, and you immediately felt the urge to panic and preach? In this episode, Pedro tackles becoming the "Safe Friend." Instead of throwing Christian clichés at a drowning person, we look in the mirror to explore why someone else's doubt triggers our own anxiety. We break down the fear of "psychological contagion" and explore how Jesus handled His friends' shattered faith on the road to Emmaus—pulling up a chair to listen rather than starting a theological debate. What we cover: * The Science of Panic: Why our brains process a friend's doubt as a contagious threat to our own worldview. * The Urge to Fix: How offering quick apologetics and easy answers is often just a defense mechanism to manage our own fear of the dark. * Grace in the Mess: How Jesus creates the ultimate safe space by walking with His disappointed friends and letting them fully unload their grief. * This Week's Challenge: Resist the urge to preach. The next time someone shares a spiritual struggle, look them in the eye and simply say, "Tell me more." Connect with me: Email me: isitbecauseofjesus@gmail.com [isitbecauseofjesus@gmail.com] Buy the book. [https://www.amazon.com/Those-Who-Doubt-Because-Jesus/dp/1614842051/ref=sr_1_2?crid=MYGRIL6O74LE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.pL7J8pAgHdSzWY0Q8hHJLZaHcTZG1Q0-HRkUsh6UvwyKonL6AF-0PBbag2Nne-yrEpwj1ujBJIknf6tkVaBKj8C-7UM9hj2dFtg4Eo2tx_QtXcqS2G85sl2aLAQQi6fAV0nPBdJppfEFgLrAsazOJDpq3yN0M6t-fa_tYApDfF5kCImD_Yg2zewHE_7c8t_mUExrf-2pR6mnk7_6uZ00MY_crKXyDmlf5g3QmqdYuw4.81CriuS_mapH0kUn-v9wA2vo2eeeNmARTsIWQzfEdOE&dib_tag=se&keywords=for+those+who+doubt&qid=1767299597&sprefix=for+those+who+doubt%2Caps%2C236&sr=8-2] Website: isitbecauseofjesus.com [http://isitbecauseofjesus.com] Support the show on Patreon. [https://www.patreon.com/c/IsitbecauseofJesus?]