Two lessons can be learned from the Dr. Laura phenomenon:

1. She is outspoken about religion and that ought to shame us if we are reticent about sharing our faith in Christ.

2. In counseling others, either formally or informally, we ought to be aware (as Dr. Laura demonstrates) that people want a frank, open, direct approach. Who better than the Christian to boldly lay out solutions from Scripture in a forthright, direct way. There should be no hesitation in stating God's solutions to problems.

As much as we are grateful for Dr. Laura's emphasis on self-determination, character, responsibility and goodness, her ideas, when seen as a means of self-salvation, have a fatal flaw. We are saved not by character but the cross, not by determination but by the death of Jesus, not by goodness but by grace, not by fortitude but by faith, not by our merit but by our Mediator, not by conduct but by Christ and Christ alone. Proper conduct will flow out of genuine salvation (Titus 2:10-15). Sola fide — sola gratia — sola Scriptura!

In the end, Dr. Laura puts forth the illogical view that any religion can be right as long as we sincerely embrace it. The Christian News recently reported:

''From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (9/30/98) comes a bit of advice from this popular radio talk show host. Responding to a young woman who was raised Catholic, but wanted to be married in the Methodist church, much to the dismay of her 'Easter and Christmas' Catholic parents, Dr. Laura, who is of Jewish faith, said, ‘This is not a question of right — either religion is 'right' if you embrace it with honesty, dignity and a commitment to lead a moral and even holy life.'''

Can we even make a cult, the worst of cults, right if we embrace it with honesty? Any particular cult may well help one to lead a more moral life but does the sincerity of followers morph the cult into acceptance as long as no one is being hurt or seemingly helped? Dr. Laura's ''logic'' is hard and dangerous to follow here.