Wrestling With Faith: My 18-Year-Old Nephew Takes Me to Church… and Debate
I'll admit, I never thought I'd be scrubbing tree sap off my nephew's hood as a pre-game ritual for a talk about religion. But that's exactly how the old podcast episode opened up: with a frantic phone call from my nephew, Xavier, who while driving down to visit had just introduced his car to a falling tree.
At the time of recording, Xavier is an 18-year-old high school senior, a multi-sport athlete, and—here's the kicker—a budding minister. He shares a family lineage with several preachers, and he wasn't shy about taking the mic to discuss two big questions: (1) Is there a Creator? (2) Is Christianity the only path to truth? As someone who loves throwing playful jabs at big, unanswerable questions, I was all ears. I mean, if there's one thing better than family bonding, it's family bonding through philosophical debate and shared exploration.
The "WWJD" Heavyweight Champion
I jokingly dubbed Xavier the "WWJD Champion," which probably earned me the highest cringe points from him. But it's not far off: he's on a mission to spread the gospel, fiercely dedicated, and eager to engage in challenging conversations. Sitting across from him, I realized the classic uncle-nephew banter had just leveled up.
He started by explaining why he believes there must be a Creator. The world's fine-tuning, the universe's expansion—it all suggests a beginning, a cosmic "Let there be light!" moment we haven't fully explained away. Sure, maybe it was a big cosmic fluke. But according to Xavier, that needle of possibility pricks louder when you consider everything from moral law to near-death drive-by-tree experiences. He claims these are no coincidences but everyday nudges from the Creator. Naturally, I teased him that some folks just call it luck… or being an unreasonably good driver when the sky is literally falling.
Morality: Written on Our Hearts… or Just Smart House Rules?
One of my favorite parts of this entire discussion came when Xavier claimed that we all inherently know right from wrong, courtesy of the Ten Commandments "written on our hearts." I asked him how anyone could possibly know something is wrong without someone else teaching them. Is it truly in our bones, or is it just social conditioning? This led us down a rabbit hole of nomadic tribes, illusions of what's good and evil, and also—somehow—an awkward comparison to David Blaine. (Because every good theological debate needs a magician reference, right?)
At one point, I conjured up the hypothetical question: "What if we're just naturally rebellious kids who love taking extra cookies from the cookie jar until Mom slaps our hand?" He fired back that, even if we can't name the commandments by heart, deep down we know we shouldn't do anything that violates them—especially not warm up baby sacrifices on a bull statue.
So… Why Christianity?
Plenty of religions offer a cosmic scoreboard, spiritual teachings, or a moral code. So I asked Xavier, "Why Christianity?" He insisted that if Jesus indeed rose from the dead—quite a party trick if you ask me—then that cements Christianity as unique. Without the resurrection, he argues, there's no Christian faith. But if it happened, that's divine mic-drop territory. He laid out how biblical evidence suggests Jesus' post-crucifixion appearances to hundreds of people. I teased: "So maybe Jesus was the original Houdini," but he wasn't having it. As far as he's concerned, the watery fluid that poured out when Jesus was speared brings about a medical finality to the death claim. You know, the ancient equivalent of "No pulse, doc, we lost him."
Of course, other faiths have their own accounts. But for Xavier, the uniqueness of Christianity rests on that crucial hinge: the empty tomb. He points out that most of Jesus' disciples died for their testimony. His question: would anyone choose torture or death over a hoax they personally invented? I mused back: "Please, I have trouble skipping dessert for a diet, so that level of commitment is next-level."
Challenging Our Beliefs (and Surviving Trees)
What struck me most was that Xavier never shied away from the tension between questions and certainties. "Are we simply reading a centuries-long game of telephone with the Bible?" I asked. He shot back data on historical manuscripts, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and how translations remain remarkably consistent.
But the big takeaway? It's okay to challenge what you believe, whether you're confident or clueless. In fact, pushing on the edges of faith can deepen it—or show you where it's lacking. For Xavier, life's about using free will to seek or deepen a relationship with that Creator. For me, life's about asking enough comedic and philosophical questions to keep conversations interesting… and occasionally remembering to duck when large trees fall.
Lessons Learned: Family, Faith, and More
It's not every day I invite a teenage relative to debate the existence of God on my podcast. But we had a blast—and I love that he's so open to this kind of dialogue. If there's anything I learned, it's that the next generation might just outsmart (or out-faith) the rest of us, one carefully examined argument at a time. I got to see Xavier's excitement, especially as he explained how his convictions shape his goals. For him, traveling the world to share the gospel isn't just a bucket-list item; it's his calling.
Me? I'm simply thankful that, while the road of life may occasionally drop a falling tree in our path, we still get to decide whether we swerve, break, or take it as a sign from above. Maybe we do a bit of all three. And if that doesn't sum up the messy yet beautiful human experience, I don't know what does.
Final Thoughts
As you can tell, this debate covered everything from turning water into wine to turning nephews into next-level philosophers. Honestly, I'm proud of him—it takes guts (and apparently some well-timed comedic timing) to debate your uncle on a podcast. If you have your own set of beliefs, that's awesome. If you don't, maybe let this conversation prompt you to challenge any viewpoint that you haven't questioned in a while. Because whether you're new to all things spiritual or have prayed thrice before sunrise, there's value in opening ourselves to debates—especially the kind that make us sweat, laugh, and wonder.
So here's to tough questions, big answers, and bigger mysteries. If you want more insight, check out the full episode. And if a tree happens to crash into your hood, maybe take a second glance… who knows, you just might see a wink from the heavens.
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