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On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (04/17/25), Hank resumes his overview of Holy Week with Holy Thursday, the epicenter of the divine narrative. A narrative that begins with the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. If Adam and Eve had rejected the serpent, they would have eaten from the Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge would not have been withheld from them. Instead, they were exiled from the Edenic garden and from traversing the slope leading upward toward the peak of deification. Thankfully, the narrative does not end there. For in the panoply of history, a Second Adam clothed himself in fallen humanity. It was above all in his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead that Christ returned humanity to the life of Eden. This then, is the great arc of the biblical narrative. From the tree of life in the Edenic garden to the tree of life in the eternal garden. An arch that finds its apex with the Eucharistic bounty spilling forth from the trodden grapes of Golgotha's hill. The Last Supper that we commemorate on Holy Thursday constitutes the central mystery of the Church. It is the source and zenith of Church life. By it, we are changed from human multiplicity to one body in Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit. Within the Eucharistic assembly, divine life flows into us and penetrates the fabric of our humanity. The future life is infused into the present one and is blended with it, so that our fallen humanity may be transformed into the glorified humanity of the new Adam, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The Geography of Wrath Part Two Before the LORD Destroyed Sodom Last week, we looked at The Geography of Wrath, a preface to this lesson on the danger of the last watch of the night. “Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere—this was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar.” (Ge 13:10) When Lot “lifted up his eyes,” he saw prophetically. Before their destruction, the five cities of the valley enjoyed an Edenic-like climate and prosperity, yet the prophetic phrase “lifted up his eyes” predicts a restoration of that area, which sits in the Arava. Revelation predicts a great miracles of the two witnesses, which helps us to understand "Sodom and Egypt": "And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified." (Re 11:8) What Sodom and Egypt have in common is that those who were saved and set on a path of righteousness (Lot and the Israelites in the wilderness) looked back at what at enslaved them as more to be desired than the Garden of Eden, the authentic Promised Land, that lay before them if they would walk in their salvation. When the bodies of the two witnesses are caught up from Jerusalem, it is a witness to be understood as a last warning to believers who, in those last days, continue to cling to the cargoes of Babylon, who persist in begging to go "by way of Zoar to Egypt" instead of repenting and returning to the righteous walk of salvation epitomized by Avraham. The night is far spent by then. The commercial success of the five cities lured Lot in. The deception was that its fruitfulness “like the Garden” was to be desired over the fruitfulness of the stars promised to Avraham. Lot's wife preferred the deception of luxury with wickedness over the promise of good gifts from above.The Midrash concerning Sodom details how travelers were lured in, then maimed or killed and their goods confiscated. “When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, ‘Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.'” (Ge 19:15) The sun had risen over the earth when Lot came to Zoar. Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven, and He overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Now Abraham arose early in the morning and went to the place where he had stood before the LORD; and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the valley, and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land ascended like the smoke of a furnace. (Ge 19:24-28) Before Adonai destroyed Sodom, he sent warning of the wrath to come. Lot was aware of the blessings promised to Avraham, but he was also aware of the righteous life required for such eternal blessings. Lot chose precarious salvation over a life of obedience and teaching his children after him: “For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.” (Ge 18:19) Lot was troubled by the wickedness of Sodom, but not enough to forfeit living in it: “and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men…” (2 Pe 2:7) It took the wrath of Adonai to remove him, not to abundant life, but bare salvation. “Insignificance” is the meaning of the small city Zoar in which Lot requested to live, and so was his contribution to the Kingdom of Adonai compared to Avraham. Avraham viewed the valley of Sodom and saw the smoke of the cities ascending like the smo...
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The Treehouse: Sketches of the Millennial Kingdom If this is your first newsletter, you've jumped into the last of a four-part series that began with The Gift Horse, Watch the Smoke, and Wetter than Water. Click on the links to start at the beginning. In last week's teaching, we concluded with these mysterious statements concerning the striking of the Rock Messiah in the wilderness: · “Tell Aaron and his sons to be careful with the holy gifts of the sons of Israel, which they dedicate to Me, so as not to profane My holy name; I am the LORD.” (Le 22:2) · “'...for in the wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against My command to treat Me as holy before their eyes at the water.' These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.” (Nu 27:14) The water, the text says, “came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank.” (Nu 20:11) The English translation of “abundantly” is from the Hebrew rav [rabim H7227] which has several meanings. Among its first uses in Scripture, we have context of a quarrel, which emphasizes that it was not only the people who were quarreling, but the water, too. Messiah had a beef with the situation, and he demonstrated it with how he yielded the waters: · Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Ge 6:5) · In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened. (Ge 7:11) · And the land could not sustain them while dwelling together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. (Ge 13:6) The first two examples above are of The Holy One's quarrel with mankind, and the third is of the quarrel between the shepherds of Avraham and Lot. If Messiah's reaction to being struck by Moses and Aaron was quarrelsome water, it sounds as if it wasn't a gently flowing stream! It was a real gusher. From the sentence imposed on Moses and Aaron, the implication is that the quarrel was with their actions in striking instead of speaking. Striking instead of teaching holiness. But what was the reason Messiah withheld water after Miriam's death? Was he, too, joining with them in mourning? Was he giving the royal priesthood an opportunity to rise to a more intimate level with him? For them to understand that the Word in their mouths also had power to restore the plants, heal, and sanctify in the Bridegroom's Name? Perhaps Messiah wanted the Israelites to speak to him about restoring their holy gifts by the stream, yet they were conditioned to look to their leadership. The text says only that “the people drank.” That wasn't their first concern, remember? It was the miraculous plants and the purifying stream of water for a royal priesthood. They mentioned drinking water for themselves and their beasts only last. The natural earthly realm was literally the least of their worries. Let's tie this in with the River of Life in the millennium: · “In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel.” (Is 4:5) The Branch of YHVH is Messiah Yeshua, the Rock in the wilderness. Because of the Branch and miraculous water, miraculous Edenic plants grew on the banks of the stream: orchards, spices, and vineyards on a heavenly timetable, not earthly. If not overnight, then within a month of the camp's settlement. Israel is prophetic of the world to come. She is uniting realms that have been disconnected since the fall from the Garden. In the wilderness, they came very close to Eden as demonstrated by the manna, ever-wear garments and sandals,
Chapter 1 What's Noa Noa by Paul Gauguin"Noa Noa" is both a collection of writings and an artistic exploration by French artist Paul Gauguin, chronicling his experiences in Tahiti. Written in 1893, it highlights his quest for beauty, spirituality, and a return to primitive simplicity. Through vivid descriptions of the landscape and people, Gauguin reflects on the contrasts between Western civilization and the perceived Edenic state of Tahitian life. The text combines poetry and prose, interwoven with his thoughts about art, culture, and the essence of existence. Gauguin's work emphasizes the vibrant colors, exotic atmosphere, and sensuality of the island, portraying an idealized vision of paradise. While it serves as an artistic manifesto, "Noa Noa" also reveals the artist's struggles with his identity, showcasing the complex interplay between reality and Gauguin's romanticized interpretations.Chapter 2 Noa Noa by Paul Gauguin SummaryNoa Noa by Paul Gauguin: Summary Background: "Noa Noa" is a semi-autobiographical novel written by French post-impressionist painter Paul Gauguin, published in 1901. The work is a blend of travel narrative, art commentary, and personal reflections, detailing Gauguin's experiences in Tahiti, where he sought to escape European civilization and find inspiration for his art. Setting: The story is set in early 1890s Tahiti, a place that fascinated Gauguin for its natural beauty, cultural practices, and perceived primitivism. Here, he depicts the stark contrast between the lush landscapes of the island and the complexities of Western society. Narrative Structure: The book is presented as a series of interconnected fragments, exploring Gauguin's life, relationships, and artistic motivations during his time in Tahiti. He uses a poetic and impressionistic style to convey a dreamy, almost mystical perspective of the island and its people. Themes: The Quest for Authenticity: Gauguin's journey signifies a search for an authentic existence, away from the materialism and moral constraints of European civilization. He idealizes the simplicity and vitality of Tahitian life. Art and Nature: The artist's relationship with nature is a recurrent theme. When Gauguin describes the vibrant landscapes and cultural practices, he emphasizes how these experiences influence his artistic vision and creations. Colonialism: Through his reflections on Tahiti, Gauguin addresses the impact of colonialism, contrasting the innocence of the island's inhabitants with the exploitative actions of European powers. Identity and Exile: Gauguin grapples with his own identity as both an artist and a man in exile from society. His feelings of isolation inform his creative practice and philosophical musings throughout the text. Imagery and Symbolism: Gauguin's vivid descriptions are rich in color and form, using symbolism to enhance the narrative. He often incorporates local folklore, spirituality, and the natural world to reflect deeper human experiences and emotions. Conclusion: "Noa Noa" provides a unique insight into Gauguin's life as an artist and his complicated relationship with both the exotic Tahitian culture and his own background. It serves as a testament to his struggles, inspirations, and the profound impact of place on artistic expression, revealing not only an artist's journey but a cultural encounter shaped by differing worldviews.Chapter 3 Noa Noa AuthorPaul Gauguin was a French painter and one of the leading figures of post-Impressionism. He was born on June 7, 1848, in Paris, France, and died on May 8, 1903, in Atuona, French Polynesia. Gauguin is best known for his bold use of color and synthetist style that influenced modern art. Noa NoaHe wrote the book Noa Noa during his time in Tahiti, and it...
William Hess-Martin of Venatic Opus is a writer, hunter, artist and Jungian in Southern Quebec, Canada. On this Jungian walkabout, we explore a handful of the ideas of Swiss psychoanalyst, Carl Jung, as they relate to hunting. After Jungian readings about hunting taboos & ritual in native cultures, we begin with musings on Canada, America, Europe, Catholicism and Protestantism all leading to St. Hubert [the patron saint of hunters] for a discussion about the symbology, history and legend of the saint's conversion before the divine stag. From Hubert's stag to William's buck, we hear the story of William's first whitetail hunt and what that meant for him opening conversations on instincts, the search, and the numinous. Through the symbol of the white deer, William dives into Carl Jung's study of alchemy as a metaphor for personal transformation, a combining of the material with the spiritual; including the Greek myth of the huntress Atalanta appearing in an alchemical text from the 1600's. Then we're on to the fantastical unicorn of medieval legend & lore with William beautifully describing the famous Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries with their Edenic forests, hounds, huntsmen, and the pure-hearted virgin. We end this Jungian trek on the most Jungian topic possible...the interpretation of dreams, and hunting dreams no less! Reading from Shadow and Evil in Fairy Tales and Interpretation of Fairy Tales by Marie-Louise von Franz. Check out William's Instagram and Venatic Opus blog.Support Our Numinous Nature on Patreon.Follow Our Numinous Nature & my naturalist illustrations on InstagramCheck out my shop of shirts, prints, and books featuring my artContact: herbaceoushuman@gmail.com
Throughout history, mountains have held deep spiritual significance—serving as meeting places between heaven and earth, battlegrounds of supernatural warfare, and stages for divine encounters. From the Garden of Eden to Mount Sinai, from the transfiguration of Christ to the crucifixion, the Bible is filled with moments where mountains play a pivotal role in God's plan for humanity. But why? What is the deeper connection between these sacred heights and the cosmic battle between good and evil?In this episode of the Revelations Podcast, host Reagan Kramer welcomes back pastor, author, and theologian Doug Van Dorn for an eye-opening discussion on biblical mountains, the divine council, and the supernatural forces that have shaped human history. Together, they explore how God uses mountains as places of revelation, how fallen entities have sought to corrupt them, and how Jesus' ministry strategically reversed the destruction caused by the enemy.Whether you're a seasoned Bible scholar or just beginning to explore the deeper spiritual dimensions of scripture, this episode will leave you with a greater understanding of God's plan and the victory we have in Christ.Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:Gain a deeper understanding of the biblical significance of mountains and their connection to the supernatural realm.Learn about the concept of the divine council and how it relates to mythological entities like Zeus and Baal, and their connection to Satan.Reflect on the practical implications of understanding the supernatural worldview, particularly in terms of overcoming worry and trusting in God's control.Become Part of Our Mission! Support The Revelations Podcast:Your support fuels our mission to share transformative messages of hope and faith. Click here to learn how you can contribute and be part of this growing community!ResourcesMore from the Revelations Podcast hosted by Reagan Kramer: Website | Instagram | Apple Podcast | Youtube"Rings of Revelation" by Doug Van Dorn"Giant Sons of God" by Doug Van Dorn"The Unseen Real" — by Dr. Michael HeiserDoug Van Dorn: Website | InstagramGiant Steps Podcast - Apple Podcast | Spotify PodcastIron and Myth Podcast - YouTube Kingdoms Unveiled Podcast - YouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify PodcastBible VersesPsalm 82:1Isaiah 14:12-14Ezekiel 28Genesis 3:1Ezekiel 31Psalm 91Psalm 24Psalm 68Daniel 42 Peter 2:4Jude 1:6This Episode is brought to you by Advanced Medicine AlternativesGet back to the active life you love through natural & regenerative musculoskeletal healing: https://www.georgekramermd.com/Episode Highlights[0:44] Introduction to Doug Van Doren and his WorkA journey from Minneapolis to Denver shaped Doug Van Dorn's path as a pastor, author, and theologian dedicated to biblical mysteries and the supernatural.His extensive background includes roles as a scholar, radio host, CEO, mountain climber, and fellow at the Institute for Biblical Anthropology.Books like Rings of Revelation and Giant Sons of God, along with the Giant Steps podcast, dive deep into theological and supernatural themes.This episode unpacks key topics such as biblical mountains, divine encounters, and the ongoing spiritual battle between good and evil.[3:20] Significance of Mountains in the BibleBiblical events unfold on mountains, from Noah's Ark resting on Mount Ararat to the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.[4:46] Doug: “"Mountains are all over the place. And the question becomes, why would that be? And that's where you need to understand first of all, that God is meeting with people on all of these mountains.”The "axis mundi," a concept describing mountains as divine meeting points, reveals their role as a bridge between heaven and earth.Mountains hold significance not only in the Bible but also in global mythologies, including Mount Olympus and sacred Native American sites.Isaiah 14 introduces the “mount of assembly,” linking biblical mountains to divine councils where heavenly beings gather.[5:10] Divine Council and Mythological ConnectionsMountains serve as the setting for the divine council, where God meets with angels and heavenly beings to rule over creation.Ancient mythologies mirror biblical narratives, with figures like Zeus and Baal representing the same rebellious entity—Satan.Mount Zaphon, recognized as Baal's sacred mountain, connects directly to the divine council and the spiritual battle against false gods.The fall of Lucifer in Isaiah 14 echoes the rebellion of spiritual beings, linking the serpent in Eden to later deceptions throughout history.[17:42] Eden and the Divine CouncilThe Garden of Eden is depicted as a mountain, a place where heaven and earth intersect.Adam and Eve's use of fig leaves for covering may symbolize an early attempt to seek refuge in fallen supernatural beings.Satan's jealousy over humanity's God-given authority fueled his deception in Eden, setting the stage for spiritual warfare.The Edenic narrative connects to a larger biblical pattern of rebellion, redemption, and the ongoing struggle between good and evil.[24:01] The Post-Flood Rebellion and the Return of the NephilimFollowing the flood, fallen angels were imprisoned in "gloomy chains of darkness," as described in 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6.Despite this judgment, the Nephilim reappear after the flood, indicating a renewed rebellion by supernatural forces.Ancient texts, including the Book of Enoch, describe how 200 fallen angels conspired to corrupt humanity.The struggle between God's people and these rebellious beings continues throughout Scripture, reinforcing the need for spiritual vigilance.[36:29] Moses, Mount Sinai, and the Law as a Divine RevelationMount Sinai is a sacred site where God revealed His law to Moses, establishing a covenant with Israel.Patterns in Scripture link Sinai to Eden and the future Temple, each acting as a central place of divine presence and instruction.The tabernacle mirrors the structure of the mountain, symbolizing levels of access to God's holiness.The law delivered at Sinai not only governed Israel but also foreshadowed Christ's fulfillment of righteousness.[40:16] The Golden Calf and IdolatryThe Israelites, fearing God's presence, attempted to worship Him through an idol, reshaping Him into something they could control.[41:02] Doug: “Idolatry is we're going to make that God that's up there come and be in this calf, so that we can somehow manipulate him because that's too terrifying for us.”The golden calf represented a common struggle—seeking to domesticate God rather than submitting to His true nature.Idolatry in all forms distorts faith, leading people to trust in tangible symbols rather than divine truth.Understanding this historical moment sheds light on the continuous human tendency to replace God with lesser things.[43:58] Jesus' Ministry and Supernatural BattlesEach phase of Jesus' ministry strategically dismantles Satan's authority over the world.[48:27] Doug: “Jesus's ministry is a multiple phased attack on Satan, and you have to understand some cosmic geography, and some of the motifs we've been talking about here are also very helpful.”The region of Bashan, known as "the land of the serpent," becomes the battleground where Christ begins His campaign against darkness.Key moments—including His temptation in the wilderness, His healing miracles, and His transfiguration—symbolize a reclaiming of territory from the enemy.Through these events, Jesus openly declares war on the forces of darkness, establishing His dominion over both heaven and earth.[52:48] Jesus' Death, Resurrection, and AscensionCalvary stands as the cosmic mountain where Jesus' sacrifice defeats sin and death.Descending into Hades, Christ proclaims victory and liberates those who awaited redemption.His resurrection seals His triumph, securing authority over all spiritual forces.By ascending to the right hand of God, Jesus asserts His role as the ultimate conqueror over evil.[57:10] Practical Implications of a Supernatural WorldviewThe desire for control, often expressed through worry and fear, stems from spiritual forces working against faith.Trusting in God's sovereignty dismantles the illusion of control and realigns believers with divine truth.Spiritual warfare manifests not only in extraordinary events but in daily battles over faith, trust, and obedience.Understanding Christ's victory allows believers to walk in peace, embracing their role in God's kingdom rather than being consumed by speculation about the future. About Doug Van Dorn Doug Van Dorn is a pastor, author, and theologian known for his deep exploration of biblical mysteries and the supernatural realm. With over two decades of pastoral experience, he has dedicated his work to uncovering the spiritual battles woven throughout Scripture, from the Nephilim and the Divine Council to the cosmic significance of mountains in biblical history. As the author of Giant Sons of God and Rings of Revelation, Doug bridges ancient texts, historical research, and theological insight to reveal the hidden layers of God's plan and the forces at work against it.Beyond writing, Doug is the host of the Giant Steps podcast and co-host of Iron and Myth, where he collaborates with other scholars to discuss the supernatural foundations of the Bible. A fellow at the Institute for Biblical Anthropology, he is also a speaker and researcher who challenges believers to embrace a biblical worldview that acknowledges the unseen realm. Whether teaching in his church or uncovering historical and theological connections, Doug's passion lies in equipping believers to discern truth, stand firm in faith, and understand how Jesus' ministry actively overcomes the darkness.Connect with Doug Van Dorn and explore his books, podcasts, and resources on his website.Enjoyed this Episode?If you did, subscribe and share it with your friends!Post a review and share it! If you found our deep dive into the spiritual influences on mental health insightful, we'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave a review and share this episode with friends and family. Uncover the hidden layers of biblical history and step into a deeper understanding of the supernatural realm. Strengthen your faith by recognizing the spiritual battles at play and discern truth from deception. Embrace victory that Christ has already won.Have any questions? You can connect with me on Instagram.Thank you for tuning in! For more updates, tune in on Apple Podcasts.
Matthew Halteman is professor of philosophy at Calvin University and a fellow in theOxford Centre for Animal Ethics. He wrote Compassionate Eating as Care of Creationand co-editedPhilosophy Comes to Dinner: Arguments about the Ethics of Eating (with Andrew Chignell and Terence Cuneo). His latest book,Hungry Beautiful Animals: The Joyful Case for Going Vegan, was published in November 2024.In Sentientist Conversations we talk about the most important questions: “what's real?”, “who matters?” and "how can we make a better world?"Sentientism answers those questions with "evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings." The video of our conversation is here on YouTube.00:00 Clips01:12 Welcome- Our Sentientism guest mutuals: Jasmin Singer, Mariann Sullivan, Christof Koch, Elan Abrell, Christopher Sebastian, John Sanbonmatsu...04:19 Matt's Intro- "A kid from the mid-west - my people are agriculture people"04:30 What's Real- "A Mennonite boy... anabaptist tradition of the Christian faith"- "A group... who focuses much more on... the ethics than the meta-physics"- "I remember being really surprised... to realise that other kids had different versions of the Christian faith..."- "The tradition I grew up in was really focused on... god is love and Jesus said... love god with all your heart... love your neighbour as yourself"- "The question in my tradition... was 'are you loving people'... unconditional love, unconditional grace... are you being the hands and feet of Jesus Christ on the ground"- "My family... the group of Mennonite scholars that gets tapped to write the book about Mennonites... my dad was the Mennonite economist... my aunt was the Mennonite feminist theologian..."- "My uncle... wrote a systematic theology...the Catholics and the Protestants had been doing this for centuries and the Mennonites were always focused on what happens on the ground... being the hands and feet of Jesus showing unconditional love to a suffering world."- "I've always thought that arguments about what is real tend to distract us from the real question... how do we show love to our neighbour... lifts up the people who are suffering... brings the people on the margins to the centre"- "Culture wars... debates over worldviews... have not shown a very impressive track record of success in this regard"- "We spend so much time fighting over what is real that we miss the fact that in a lived experiential way we have way more in common than we disagree about"- "For finite, error-prone creatures like us the really interesting conversations are on the ground where we're grieving, where we're suffering, where we're celebrating..."And more... full show notes atSentientism.info.Sentientism is “Evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings.” More atSentientism.info. Join our"I'm a Sentientist" wall viathis simple form.Everyone, Sentientist or not, is welcome in ourgroups. The biggest so far ishere on FaceBook. Come join us there!
In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies
In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history
In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/asian-american-studies
In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/caribbean-studies
In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory
In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/environmental-studies
In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology
In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Caribbean Island of Guanahaní to find an Edenic scene that was soon mythologized. But behind the myth of paradise, the Caribbean and its people would come to pay the price of relentless Western exploitation and abuse. In Dark Laboratory: On Columbus, the Caribbean, and the Origins of the Climate Crisis (Doubleday Books, 2025), Dr. Tao Leigh Goffe embarks on a historical journey to chart the forces that have shaped these islands: the legacy of slavery, indentured labor, and the forced toil of Chinese and enslaved Black people who mined the islands' bounty—including guano, which, at the time, was more valuable than gold—for the benefit of European powers and at the expense of the islands' sacred ecologies. Braiding together family history, cultural reportage, and social studies, Goffe radically transforms how we conceive of Blackness, the natural world, colonialism, and the climate crisis; and, in doing so, she deftly dismantles the many layers of entrenched imperialist thinking that shroud our established understanding of the human and environmental conditions to reveal the cause and effect of a global catastrophe. Dark Laboratory forces a reckoning with the received forms of knowledge that have led us astray. Through the lens of the Caribbean, both guide and warning of the man-made disasters that continue to plague our world, Goffe closely situates the origins of racism and climate catastrophe within a colonial context. And in redressing these twin apocalypses, Dark Laboratory becomes a record of the violence that continues to shape the Caribbean today. But it is also a declaration of hope, offering solutions toward a better future based on knowledge gleaned from island ecosystems, and an impassioned, urgent testament to the human capacity for change and renewal. Tao Leigh Goffe is a London-born, Black British award-winning writer, theorist, and interdisciplinary artist who grew up between the UK and New York. Her research explores Black diasporic intellectual histories, political, and ecological life. She studied English literature at Princeton University before pursuing a PhD at Yale University. She lives and works in Manhattan where she is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College, CUNY. Dr. Goffe has held academic positions and fellowships at Leiden University in the Netherlands and Princeton University in New Jersey. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creation. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a satanic ritual… well, actually it's probably not. In the weeks leading up to Super Bowl 57 the public was given multiple idols to honor in the name of ever-changing political correctness. The last week of January featured a statue of Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the New York State Supreme Court house next to actual law givers like Moses and Zoroaster. Her body was deformed though with tentacles and horns and she stood on a lotus flower, a symbol of spirit overcoming matter, even though the idol was a symbol of matter aborting spirit. The same artist crafted another similar statue across the street supposedly representing Eve. In both cases is the universal mother called upon and then inverted to draw on the energy of Lilith of Lamashtu, the Mother of Beasts. The graven image reminded many of medusa who is famous for turning men into stone. A week later on February 5th the Grammys featured Sam Smith and Kim Petra performing a song called ‘Unholy' with cartoonish depictions of the Devil, alongside of flames, cages, red clothes and horns. While most were caught up in the childlike depiction of evil they missed the intentional magic circle on stage and/or the lyrics of the song which referred to the unholy practices at the ‘body shop', perhaps a lyric noting our increasing desire to drug and mutilate children and adults in the name of identity, obesity, or rebellion. Darkness and chaos are, after all, rebellion against light and order, and altering the image of god is probably evil. The performance was said to be ground breaking because of the gender and sexual identities of Sam and Kim, relating their devilish images to a cartoon devil from the Powerpuff Girls tv show wherein Satan wears drag and is confused about his identity. His name is HIIM, or His Infernal Majesty. Social media was also ablaze about Madonna, who introduced the performance. Many said she looked plastic, fake, and just awful. Madonna, of course, blamed this on ageism and mysoginy despite many observers being older and women. Once again, largely overlooked, was her hair which was done in a way to mimic the horns on the Ginsburg statue. Since Madonna is trying to maintain her relevancy and youth it would seem that she is the one attempting to perform unholy acts against nature. She is, in essence, the Black Madonna, or the black MA (mother) DONNA (goddess). A week later we arrive at Super Bowl 57 on February 12, 2023, played in Glendale/Phoenix, Arizona, at State Farm Stadium, between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. Commercials were mostly drab with few exceptions. A new Flash movie, Ant Man, Doritos triangles, Disney magic, the Masked Singer with a gargoyle, and some electric vehicle commercials from Jeep, GM (which featured zombies, Stranger Things, and Squid Games), and RAM (which seemed to really try with their ‘Premature Electrification' to convict you electric is better). The most notable were SquareSpace, Tubi, and U2. SquareSpace featured Adam Driver talking about how the service for websites ‘could create itself' and how this was the ‘singularity'. Adam Driver multiplied into what reminded some of agents from the matrix before being sucked into a portal. Square Space is also the dimension of Metatron's Cube or the meta verse, the eight sphere embodied by Saturn's essence.Tubi took viewers down a ‘rabbit hole' during the year of the rabbit, as rabbits physically took people and threw them into the abyss. And perhaps the most disturbing of all was the band U2 announcing their residency at the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas with a short 15 second ad featuring sphere-like UFOs, intense trailer-like music and a warning that ‘an unidentified object has been spotted over the skies'. What made this ad so disturbing to some was the fact that in the 72 hours prior to the game UFOs, which for some reason were not called UAPs and were not blamed on Russia, were tracked and shot down in Deadhorse, Alaska, Yukon, Canada, and over Lake Huron near Michigan. Lake Michigan airspace had been shut down hours before while the FAA also shut down the airspace over Montana due to NORAD tracking a ‘radar anomaly'. If the Super Bowl took your attention away from these unidentified objects then the U2 commercial redirected your attention back at the very end of the game. Not all of the UFOs were spherical, however, a reference to the Chinese Spy Balloon shot down on the east coast a week before. Instead, they were cylindrical and silver, while the Great Lakes UFO was octagonal. Several were called ‘airships'.In a tongue-in-cheek observation one could see the Vince Lombardi Trophy itself as holding not a football but a cylindrical, silver airship. Then there is Halftime. Usually sponsored by Pepsi the 2023 show was sponsored by Apple and performed by Rihanna and some dancers in white. Pre-game advertisements had Rihanna in a cloak of green moss or grass with her hair done (like a character from Dr. Seuss) to look like the roots or branches of a tree. Her entire pre-performance outfit made her appear to represent a tree which was sponsored by the black apple. This is obviously Edenic and the black apple logo is the poisoned apple given a tempted Eve in the garden, or Snow White. In essence, Rihanna was a representation of the Universal Mother of Nature. We even saw Adam and Eve in an avocado commercial during the game, a symbol of a womb and new life.Pre-game notes made sure the tens of millions of views knew that the game-day military flyover was performed entirely by women, that a black female coach Autumn Lockwood was the first to assistant coach a Super Bowl, and that both starting quarterbacks, Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes, had darker skin, sort of. In other words, much homage was shown to black women in particular but black folks in general during black history month. As these things typically come off as insincere it was not noted that the NFL is over 70% black, and that roughly 38% of assistant coaches and 10% of head coaches are black. Not bad for representing only 14% of the entire population. But more to the point…Rihanna, who was opposed to the NFL for some time, decided to perform anyway. She represented the Universal Mother of Nature or Queen of Heaven. Halftime began with the singer suspended on a giant mirror and accompanied by two lower mirrors on each side, each with two dancers in white. Overall there were seven of these mirrors but we only see five to begin. The image created is that of the GEN (Chinese) or GON (Japanese), one of the Eight Trigrams of the I Ching, featuring a horizontal solid bar with two bars underneath on the left and right sides the.As the performance proceeds the suspended mirrors move in a way to indicate a stairway or a Staircase either to Heaven or Hell, as it shifts in both directions. This also flips the GEN or GON upside down and then back up. Next we see the mirrors on left and right drawing the eye down to the bottom central mirror with Rihanna, who was first at the apex of a ziggurat, is now at its bottom - this flipping represents both male and female or fire and water. It is traditionally Isis who is the all-seeing eye at the apex of the heavenly facing pyramid. We know Rihanna has a large Isis tattoo on her chest.After her dancers crawl behind her across the red stage and she retouches her makeup once, the mirrors return to view suspended in a straight line across the top of the stage. She then performs her iconic ‘Run this Town' song as the central mirror then lifts her back into the air and she transitions to the song ‘Umbrella'. A particularly interesting note about this song should not be passed up. UMBRELLA as a word is a combination of two words - UMBRA and ELLA. This is their meaning:UMBRA: a shadow region of darknessELLA: a female given name, from Germanic meaning ‘all'In other words, UMBRELLA is an all encompassing female name given to darkness. Here we are reminded again of the Black Madonna or the inverted Universal Mother. It should be noted, furthermore, that Rihanna has a giant tattoo of Lady Isis on her chest. We should also note that the black goddess Kali is said to be symbolized by mirrors. The mirrors at the halftime show furthermore reflected the heavens above as if to reject divinity. In the Lovecraft universe the god Yog-Sothoth appears in many different forms. He is the ‘guardian of the gate', or portal of past, present, and future (think of those commercials for SquareSpace and Tubi). He is described as a series of 13 ‘iridescent globes'. One of them is called UMBRA. Horror fan pages suggest that this particular representation of Yog-Sothoth is a type of demon who grants fame, fortune, etc., when worshipped. Such a demon is very popular in music and is honored by Eminem (the shadow), Lady Gaga (the monster and fame), and Billie Eilish (bury a friend). The chanting of UMBRELLA is like an incantation. The reduction of the word to “ella, ella, eh, eh, eh'” is similar to ABRACADABRA, which is reduced to BRACADABR, RACADAB, ACADA, CAD, A, etc. It is a word used to enchant when performing a magical act or ritual. The Super Bowl itself is a giant witch's cauldron to brew up magic potion. The reference to rain is excessive in the music industry, too, and is usually called the Rain Main, which is played by Jay Z in the ‘Umbrella' music video. Rihanna, it should be noted, begins the music video song with all black leather, oily attire and ends up covered in silver paint, signifying the infernal, while bowing down inside of a pyramid, a reference to the earth-womb. This is when she chants ‘ella' and ‘eh'. None of this happened at the Super Bowl Halftime show, however, which ends with pretty standardBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tst-radio--5328407/support.
As we continue our Grand Narrative, we will take a look at the world as we know it today, far away from the Edenic garden God created, in a world with murder, evil, floods and yet, still hope. If you're feeling a bit unmoored and anxious these days, there is beauty and hope in community together.
Could humanity return to the Edenic ideal of love and partnership, embodying the profound beauty of sexual relationships as intended by the Creator? This article will explore the riches of God's plan for sexuality exemplified in the experience of the lovers in the Song of Songs.
Dr. Randy White of Taos, NM, examines the consequences of the Fall and Satan's enduring lies, highlighting humanity's separation from God and the ongoing influence of deception on false religions and philosophies.
Dr. Randy White of Taos, NM, explores the Edenic Dispensation, a unique period defined by humanity's innocence, direct communion with God, and stewardship in a sinless paradise.
In this episode of the Salty Saints Podcast, Randy and I kick off a new multi-part series focused on the concept of the Temple. We start by discussing the historical significance of Solomon's Temple, built in Jerusalem, and the events leading up to its construction, including David's desire to build it and God's directive that his son Solomon would be the one to do so. We explore the location of the Temple on Mount Moriah, a site rich with biblical history, including Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac and David's encounter with the angel of the Lord. This leads us to consider the Temple's design, which consisted of three main sections: The Porch, The Holy Place, and The Holy of Holies, and the significance of ascending steps within the structure. Throughout our discussion, we touch on the Edenic imagery present in the Temple's decorations, the importance of altars in worship prior to the Temple's existence, and the various terms used in the Old Testament to describe the Temple. We also highlight the absence of God's presence in the later temples, particularly after the Babylonian exile, and how this absence changes the understanding of what the Temple represents. As we wrap up this first part, we emphasize that the Temple is not just a physical building but a place where God breaks through to humanity, setting the stage for our next episode where we will delve into the New Testament implications of the Temple. Thank you for joining us, and we look forward to continuing this exploration! Stay Salty! Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
Rob Kelly is the Founder & CEO of the FORCLT Network which connects pastors for personal, church, and city renewal. Rob is also co-founder of the City Leaders Collective which connects and equips city network leaders globally. In Part 2 of our Union With Christ series, you'll hear from Rob about why our union with Christ is such a misunderstood, revolutionary and often overlooked concept in scripture. This conversation reveals how union with Christ transforms identity, relationships, and our vocation. We also discuss why this conversation has often not been fully embraced in the Western Church, and some suggestions for answering the question, "how then should we live?" On Union with Christ: “When you understand your union with Christ, it changes how you even understand your salvation... When we talk about salvation, you're talking about what you're saved from, which is our sin that did ... What? Separated us from God. So if our sin separated us from God, then what did our salvation do? It united us to him. So can we not talk only about what we're saved from, but more joyfully, what we're saved into? Yes, Jesus died for our sin. Yes, our sin needed to be washed. It's through the blood of Christ the scripture says, right? This is amazing truth, that he paid the price for us that we could not pay for ourselves. Yes. But in so doing, he brought us back into the place that we were always created for in the first place, which is literally in God who is our salvation. On moving from Eden to the Eternal City: "We start in the garden with two, we end in a city with multitudes, a fully cultivated creation where we are one with God, where every tear is wiped away, everything is set back to right. Everything is not just set back toward the Edenic state, but in a more full, beautiful, shalom Edenic state, greater, that it's no longer perishable, but it will be raised imperishable. How? Because Jesus' body is made imperishable. It is because he is the new creation. "If you are in Christ, a new creation," Paul says." RESOURCES Download the episode transcript. Rob Kelly on LinkedIn Learn more about Rob Kelly and FORCLT Metanoia: How God Radically Transforms People, Churches, and Organizations From the Inside Out by Rob Kelly Rob Kelly is the founder and lead author of the State of the City Report
Stephanie welcomes Sam Parkison to takes us on a delightful journey to understand the deep-seated human desire to see God. Through the prism of his book, To Gaze Upon God, he uncovers the theological concepts underpinning this yearning, drawing insights from historical biblical theology. All creatures have an intrinsic desire to see and know God. This aligns with Augustine's famous proclamation that our hearts remain restless until they rest in God. Influenced by thinkers like Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, John Owen, Jonathan Edwards and C.S. Lewis, Parkison weaves Christian hedonism with the Westminster Shorter Catechism's guiding principle: to glorify and enjoy God. This longing is not an optional subplot of life but the ultimate narrative arc for all believers. The longing to delight in God's glory is rooted in Scriptural truth, biblical tradition, and ecclesiastical legacy. As we, contemporary Christians, grapple with modern challenges, we need to remember that our longing to see God will guide us towards spiritual growth and fulfillment in Christ. In Christ, our beatification transforms human potential into a participation in God's ultimate happiness, a transformative process vividly portrayed through Scripture and upheld by centuries of theological reflection. The doctrine of the beatific vision is the pinnacle experience of heaven—way beyond simply reuniting with loved ones, or enjoying a resurrected physical body. The beatific vision is the blessed sight of God. Parkison traces this understanding back to church fathers like Augustine and illustrates how this longing is fulfilled in direct communion with the divine. The conversation takes us into the historical nuance of the Reformation's principle of Sola Scriptura. Parkison clarifies that this doctrine does not reject all tradition; instead, it asserts Scripture as the sole infallible authority. The Bible acknowledges other authorities, like pastoral guidance and civil responsibilities (Romans 13). Stephanie and Sam examine how some modern Protestants inadvertently embrace Enlightenment thinking by disregarding the valuable insights of historical tradition, through a truncated adherence to Sola Scriptura. Humility is essential for theological exploration. It includes the importance of engaging with historical Christian thinkers across time to inform contemporary faith. This thematic humility acts as a safeguard against heresies, fostering an appreciation for ancient wisdom that can illuminate blind spots in our own era. Paul's admonition to emulate Christ's humility (Philippians 2:5-11) reinforces the call to learn from both Scripture, and seasoned theological voices. One particular discussion point is the mediating role of Christ in the Christian life. Drawing upon passages like Ephesians 1:3-11, Parkison underscores how, through union with Christ, believers partake in spiritual blessings that culminate in the beatific vision. This nuanced theology echoes the insights of thinkers like John Owen (and, probably, Thomas Aquinas), who explore the idea of Christians becoming closer to God through participation in Christ's humanity. The conversation touches upon C.S. Lewis's essay “On Reading Old Books,” which urges believers to draw from the wealth of historical Christian thought. Parkison stresses that overlooking the established theological wisdom of nearly two millennia will handicap personal spiritual growth. The historical perspective enriches our understanding of God's infinite nature, cultivating an endless delight in divine communion. Beyond cultural specificities, Parkison presents the argument that the desire to understand and encounter God transcends temporal and spatial boundaries. This universal longing is mirrored in stories from the biblical canon, from Adam and Eve's Edenic yearning to Moses's Sinai encounter. Biblical narrative consistently draws humanity toward a vision of divine glory. MORE ABOUT “TO GAZE UPON GOD” BY SAMUEL PARKISON Today, the doctrine of the beatific vision has been woefully forgotten within the church and its theology. Yet, throughout history Christians have always held that the blessed hope of heaven lies in seeing and being in the presence of God, of beholding the beatific vision. With lucidity and breadth, Parkison reintroduces the beatific vision and affirms its centrality for the life of the church today. Parkison argues for the beatific vision's biblical foundations and reminds us—through close readings of theologians such as Anselm of Canterbury, Thomas Aquinas, Dante, Gregory Palamas, John Calvin, and Jonathan Edwards—of the doctrine's historical and contemporary significance. The beatific vision is about seeing God, and as Christians have acknowledged across the tradition, seeing God is our ultimate end. Samuel G. Parkison (PhD Midwestern Seminary) is Associate Professor of Theological Studies at Gulf Theological Seminary in the United Arab Emirates. He is the author of several books, including Proclaiming the Triune God: The Doctrine of the Trinity in the Life of the Church (co-author), as well as Thinking Christianly: Bringing Sundry Thoughts Captive to Christ, and Irresistible Beauty: Beholding Triune Glory in the Face of Jesus Christ. We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/ We have a high-quality, deeply inspiring, truly original Advent devotional for you! Stephanie created this original video series for YOUR ADVENT season! It will draw you closer to Christ, and deeper into the presence of God. It is comprised of 12 videos leading up to Christmas, and a gorgeous devotional PDF to accompany it. You will not want to miss out! Go to gospelspice.com/advent to download your FREE one-day sample, and/or purchase the Gospel Spice Advent devotional at an amazing price. Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!
In Episode 7 of Be Regenerated with Cameron Wedel, we embark on a journey into the prescription for Biblical nutritional healing, beginning with the Edenic diet—the FIRST foods God provided in the Garden of Eden. Cameron explains the importance of consuming raw fruits and vegetables to boost energy, immunity, and longevity through the power of antioxidants, exploring the essential nutrients needed for optimal health.We'll dive into specific fruits, why antioxidants are crucial, and how to avoid common pitfalls when consuming fruits and vegetables. Tune in to discover how to maximize your health and protect your family, following the Biblical blueprint for nutritional healing.Links mentioned in this episode: GREEN for removing pesticides & human natural cleaning: https://shopneolife.com/beregenerated/shop/product/4194Collagen Facts: https://neolifeblog.com.au/2019/12/12/collagen-protein-the-facts-you-will-want-to-know/Be Regenerated on Substack: https://bregenerated.substack.com/Join the Brotherhood & take dominion of your nutrition, fitness & vitality BeRegenerated.com/brotherhoodWISDOM weekly: http://beregenerated.com/podcastSUPPORT our work: https://buymeacoffee.com/beregenerated FOLLOW: Instagram - instagram.com/beregeneratedYouTube youtube.com/beregeneratedX – x.com/cameronwedel
Rise Up Come Down, Jerusalem (Part 2 of Charm School) The haftarah (reading from the Prophets) supplies our study this week, a continuation from "Charm School" of the Torah portion Vaetchanan. It is Isaiah 51:12-52:12. Verses and 1 and 2 supply our question and answer: Does Jerusalem, the Bride, arise at the resurrection or does she descend to be seated (dwell)? YES! First one, then the other. The foreshadowing of the restoration is found a little farther along in Isaiah: It will no longer be said to you, “Forsaken,” nor to your land will it any longer be said, “Desolate”; but you will be called, “My delight is in her,” and your land, “Married”; for the LORD delights in you, and to Him your land will be married. (Is 62:4) This explains the “New Jerusalem” as Eden above able to once again “marry” the physical Land of Jerusalem and Israel from which she withdrew after the first sin. Once the Land is cleansed, those who could heed the command to “Arise” at the resurrection at the Last Trump will descend adorned with the ornaments of the written and lived Word, and they will be seated, or “dwell” (sheviyah) in the Bride's renewed intimate Edenic habitation: Then I saw a new [renewed] heaven and a new [renewed] earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” (Re 21:1-4) Not all who were called will be fully clothed in the garments that allow them to pass into and out of the ”cloud” of New Jerusalem as they minister to the nations and kingdoms of the millennium. Although all were educated by Moses and the Ruach in the cloud in the wilderness, not all obeyed His compassionate mitzvot with joy, and they died either in the wilderness of the exodus from Egypt or the wilderness of the peoples in the last exile (Ezek 20:35). The Cloud expels rebels and practicing sinners. They evaporate in the Light of the Word, not the cloud. Nehemiah explains their royal priestly semi-Edenic journey, reiterating the special garments in a cloud dwelling where the Lamp was the Lamb, the Word of God, and how they ruled and will again rule the peoples from this portable Jerusalem/Temple. (Re 21) “You, in Your great compassion did not forsake them in the wilderness; the pillar of cloud did not leave them by day, to guide them on their way, nor the pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they were to go. You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, Your manna You did not withhold from their mouth, and You gave them water for their thirst. Indeed, forty years You provided for them in the wilderness, and they were not in want; their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet swell. You also gave them kingdoms and peoples...” (Ne 9:19-22) The bridal garments are garments of a royal priesthood tried in the wilderness, ready to reign and rule with Messiah Yeshua, the Living Word of the Father. He is Bread, Water, garments of righteousness, and peace that do not wear out, for those royal bridal blessings of eternal life are from the Garden above. The feet don't swell because those feet are not exactly touching the natural earth after Jerusalem once again is married to the earth below. The Bride is adorned with beautiful mitzvot full of the Light of the Torah and the Lamp of the Word. That is the Light with which they also will light the world when they have come to rest in the Holy City:
Isaiah 35:4-7 records the prophet painting a glorious picture of restoration of the exiled Israel. This prophecy extends beyond the original audience to us. Like Israel, we remember better times. We too are exiles, exiled from our Edenic identity. We live our lives trying to regain what was lost through the fall. But through Jesus Christ, all is not lost. Bishop Ken Ross ministers a message of hope in the expectation of the restoration coming through Christ.
This week, we follow Jesus in his triumphal entry into Jerusalem and discover the raw power of Jesus alone on a donkey. We'll learn why a donkey is a more kingly steed than a chariot. We'll learn what it means that God's kingdom is "already, but not yet." And we'll learn what the wrath of God looks like from God's perspective. In this episode: Today's episode begins the story of the single week that changed all of history. It is a story about a conqueror who commanded no army, had no weapons, and made no attempt at self-defense - a conqueror who did nothing but teach, and pray, and suffer, and die. 00:00 Introduction 00:57 Jesus is no ordinary worldly conqueror 02:50 John 12:12-19 - Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem 03:58 Previous “triumphal entries” of Jerusalem's conquerors 04:26 Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of the Temple of Solomon 05:41 Alexander the Great enters Jerusalem 06:52 Jesus enters the city on a donkey 07:14 What does the donkey mean in prophecy? 09:00 Other theories about the donkey 09:31 The Kumran Community theory 09:47 The donkey points us towards Jesus' identity and mission 11:06 The Triumphal Entry is a fulfilment of Christmas prophecy 11:45 Jesus is ‘the prophet' Moses foretold 12:17 The Kingdom of God is “already, but not yet” 12:47 Jesus' entrance is like VE Day from World War II 13:53 Bishop Robert Barron: “God rules through his viceroys” 14:17 We are under the lordship of the True King in Christ 15:53 Jesus and the repentant thief 16:42 The Festival of Booths and its relevance to the triumphal entry 19:30 The Cleansing of the Temple 20:10 Jesus wants to restore the temple to its Edenic significance 21:11 God's wrath and Jesus' prediction of the destruction of the temple 23:17 Jesus intends to restore all of our ‘temples' as well 24:03 Conclusion The Extraordinary Story is a podcast about the life of Jesus Christ, who entered the maze of our world to transform it into a path to Him, today and always. The Extraordinary Story is produced by Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and is written and hosted by Tom Hoopes.
Psalm 23: 1-6
In episode 656: Magical Garment of Esau, Justin Brown from the Prometheus Lens Podcast dives into the mysterious connections between Esau and Bigfoot, suggesting that Esau might be an early ancestor of the legendary creature, based on biblical descriptions. He also explores the profound significance of the garments from the Garden of Eden and their ties to ancient priesthood. Pulling from the Book of Jasher and other extra-biblical texts, Justin uncovers fascinating parallels between biblical narratives and ancient myths, linking Esau, Bigfoot, and the Edenic garments. Justin then shares his own impactful dream encounter with Lilith, emphasizing the spiritual significance of dreams in biblical stories. Justin Brown Website: prometheuslenspodcast.com YouTube: @PLP423 The Confessionals Members App: Apple Store: https://apple.co/3UxhPrh Google Play: https://bit.ly/43mk8kZ Become a member for AD FREE listening and EXTRA shows: theconfessionalspodcast.com/join Watch The Shape of Shadows: merkelfilms.com Watch Expedition Dogman: merkelfilms.com AFFILIATES Prepare with Valley Food Storage: https://alnk.to/2uG55AO Get your Nephilim Blaster 2000: https://alnk.to/9mnHak1 Bluecosmo Satellite phones: https://alnk.to/e769Eip See Bigfoot with Sionyx night vision: https://alnk.to/bEhxr3F Emergency medical with My Medic: https://alnk.to/dpr6QM4 Black Beard Fire Starters: https://alnk.to/4BFcIbe EcoFlow Power Generators: https://alnk.to/flvpAQw GoDark Faraday Bags: https://alnk.to/5jke3rk EMP Shield: empshield.com Coupon Code: "tony" for $50 off every item you purchase! SPONSORS SIMPLISAFE TODAY: simplisafe.com/confessionals CONNECT WITH US Website: www.theconfessionalspodcast.com Email: contact@theconfessionalspodcast.com Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.theconfessionalspodcast.com/the-newsletter MAILING ADDRESS: Merkel Media 257 N. Calderwood St., #301 Alcoa, TN 37701 SOCIAL MEDIA Subscribe to our YouTube: https://bit.ly/2TlREaI Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/theconfessionals/ Discord: https://discord.gg/KDn4D2uw7h Show Instagram: theconfessionalspodcast Tony's Instagram: tonymerkelofficial Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheConfessionalsPodcas Twitter: @TConfessionals Tony's Twitter: @tony_merkel Produced by: @jack_theproducer OUTRO MUSIC Joel Thomas - Missing YouTube | Apple Music | Spotify
On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (05/02/24), Hank resumes his overview of Holy Week with Holy Thursday, the epicenter of the divine narrative. A narrative that begins with the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. If Adam and Eve had rejected the serpent, they would have eaten from the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge would not have been withheld from them. Instead, they were exiled from the Edenic garden and from traversing the slope leading upward toward the peak of deification. Thankfully, the narrative does not end there. For in the panoply of history a Second Adam clothed himself in fallen humanity. It was above all in his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead that Christ returned humanity to the life of Eden. This then is the great arc of the biblical narrative. From the tree of life in the Edenic garden to the tree of life in the eternal garden. An arch that finds its apex with the Eucharistic bounty spilling forth from the trodden grapes of Golgotha's hill. The Last Supper that we commemorate on Holy Thursday constitutes the central mystery of the Church. It is the source and zenith of Church life. By it, we are changed from human multiplicity to one body in Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit. Within the Eucharistic assembly, divine life flows into us and penetrates the fabric of our humanity. The future life is infused into the present one and is blended with it, so that our fallen humanity may be transformed into the glorified humanity of the new Adam, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I love a good religious recovery story, don't you? Edi Houldeson captured my attention in how she speaks of waking up from religion as a woman, but also in that she didn't abandon God. This woman has a sacred, sovereign spark! Listen in to this 2-part episode for: + Religious codependency + Love as a guiding force in decision making + Separating "man" from "God" + Women's reclamation of feminine power + Fawning before God and men + Edenic return! + The Holy Daughter / Daughter of God + False vs. True Desire + The path of Convert, Disciple, Beloved, Co-Heir + Speaking truth after religion + Recovering our relationship to God Join the LIVE Sacred Remembering Community here, with a group of live, mystical women re-mapping sovereignty in a unified way! www.sarahpoet.com/community EDI'S BIO: Edi Houldieson is a mystic, recovering Pharisee and friend. She has traversed a refining but beautiful path from fragmented suicidal ideation and religious self-loathing to blissful integration and deeply-empowering communion with God. An engineer by degree and aesthete by heart, she now helps women heal fear so they too can live more fully in their power and pleasure. She wields a belt of cosmic tools to dislodge, with Spirit, places of pain and density that women believed were un-healable. Edi resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, with her little family of four, who dance, eat and play the days away. IG: @gardenrestored Web: gardenrestored.co #sacredremembering #sacredfeminine #religiousrecovery #sovereignty #mystic #mysticmessenger #womenscommunity #gardenofeden #gardenrestored #edenictemplate #truth #womensvoices #rewilding #feminineleadership #womenandreligion #divinefemininerising #femininerising #holymother #holyfather #holydaughter #empowered #faith #daughterofgod #solarfeminine
Lucifer's appetite for power and to be like God caused him his downfall. He was cast out of heaven. Adam and Eve's appetite for the forbidden fruit and to know good and evil led to their lost of their Edenic home and death and suffering to all humanity. David's appetite for sex led him to become a deceiver and a murderer. God has promised deliverance to all who fall. If we choose to repent of our sins, he is willing to forgive us of all unrighteousness.
Violence in Eden: Whiplash Although its connection to Yom HaKippurim (A Day like Purim) is more easily heard, the story of Purim in the scroll of Esther holds references to all the feasts. In fact, Purim holds a key to Passover that is very practical. It has to do with how the danger started: evil words. Chametz. Leaven. When Queen Esther calls the Jews to fast with her against the evil, it is during the days of matzah! The antidote to the violence of evil words is holy words, words spoken in prayer and fasting. By fasting and praying with unleavened tongues, the power of evil was broken. In our "Benjamin Will Not Bow" newsletter, we searched back to Eden to find the source of slander, gossip, and separating brothers in conflict. Ezekiel describes the Edenic violation as a kind of violence. Indeed, today, when people profess hatred toward others, it often leads to actual violence. It "spreads out" two human beings made in the image of Elohim that were not created to be apart. Ezekiel 28:12 “Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,“You had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.13 “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the ruby, the topaz and the diamond; the beryl, the onyx and the jasper; the lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; and the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, was in you. On the day that you were created they were prepared.14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers, and I placed you there.You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked in the midst of the stones of fire.15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you.16 By the abundance of your trade (rakal) you were internally filled with violence (malu chamas), and you sinned; therefore I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God and I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.17 Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, that they may see you. It is rather odd that "trade" led to "violence," or chamas. Perhaps there is more to the word than is translated. What is "trade" in Hebrew? Rakhal- “...go about, from one to another” There is much debate on the identity of the “King of Tyre.” In this type of prophecy, the "villain" may be an archetype of a certain sinner. The tip-off is that it is anachronistic, completely out of the time period. Just as often it will work on the positive side, such as a later person coming "in the spirit of Elijah," for instance. This violent violator walked among ”fiery stones” until he was cast out because of his “trade,” rakhal. The same accusation is made against Babylon in Revelation. The Adversary, the serpent, goes back and forth between Adonai and His People to accuse. The trafficker has two connotations: go about for spice trading and slandering. A High Priest is to go about with spices for atonement, not leverage to accuse Israel. On the other hand, false witness was trafficked to convict Yeshua. Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person,...
The burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water;in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes… For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground;I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. - Isaiah 35: 7; 44: 3 It seems impossible to engage the Scripture's themes regarding thirst and legacy and not be reminded of Dune right now. If you aren't familiar with the story, the royal Atreides family has left their moisture-soaked home world to govern a sandy wasteland, prized only for a scarce, precious natural resource. They intend to “harness the desert's power” by learning from an indigenous people captive to prophecies about a future Edenic paradise. This vision has them willing to sacrifice every present comfort to the promise of giving their future generations a heritage of water. Eventually the young messianic Paul Atreides faces a hauntingly familiar crisis: will he exploit the sword of Empire in order to force his Kingdom to come upon these parched dunes as it is in the saturated heavens? Paul's burden is the similar to the one Frodo carries, almost certain to overtake him: “At their last halt he sank down and said: ‘I'm thirsty, Sam,' and did not speak again. Sam gave him a mouthful of water; only one more mouthful remained. He went without himself; and now as once more the night of Mordor closed over them, through all his thoughts there came the memory of water; and every brook or stream or fount that he had ever seen, under green willow-shades or twinkling in the sun, danced and rippled for his torment behind the blindness of his eyes.” Frodo and Sam, being mere hobbits, are less tempted by power than would be the gallant Aragorn, future king of Gondor. This story's messianic figure could be reasonably convinced of the worthiness of his cause and the nobility of his intentions such that even he may have succumbed to grasping, given enough pressure. We modern folks, too, have a great deal of power at our fingertips and in our pockets. And we too live in a sort of wasteland. Who on earth could be strong enough to envision such a paradisal oasis in the midst of hell and yet resist the cool satisfaction of taking up the readiest means for making it so? Who for heaven's sake would choose to endure the burning sand; the thirsty ground; a haunt of jackals – when hosts of angels, or elven magic, or legions of jihadists, stand at the ready to obey his every command? Whoever he is, he must be thirsting for something more.
The burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water;in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes… For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground;I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. - Isaiah 35: 7; 44: 3 It seems impossible to engage the Scripture's themes regarding thirst and legacy and not be reminded of Dune right now. If you aren't familiar with the story, the royal Atreides family has left their moisture-soaked home world to govern a sandy wasteland, prized only for a scarce, precious natural resource. They intend to “harness the desert's power” by learning from an indigenous people captive to prophecies about a future Edenic paradise. This vision has them willing to sacrifice every present comfort to the promise of giving their future generations a heritage of water. Eventually the young messianic Paul Atreides faces a hauntingly familiar crisis: will he exploit the sword of Empire in order to force his Kingdom to come upon these parched dunes as it is in the saturated heavens? Paul's burden is the similar to the one Frodo carries, almost certain to overtake him: “At their last halt he sank down and said: ‘I'm thirsty, Sam,' and did not speak again. Sam gave him a mouthful of water; only one more mouthful remained. He went without himself; and now as once more the night of Mordor closed over them, through all his thoughts there came the memory of water; and every brook or stream or fount that he had ever seen, under green willow-shades or twinkling in the sun, danced and rippled for his torment behind the blindness of his eyes.” Frodo and Sam, being mere hobbits, are less tempted by power than would be the gallant Aragorn, future king of Gondor. This story's messianic figure could be reasonably convinced of the worthiness of his cause and the nobility of his intentions such that even he may have succumbed to grasping, given enough pressure. We modern folks, too, have a great deal of power at our fingertips and in our pockets. And we too live in a sort of wasteland. Who on earth could be strong enough to envision such a paradisal oasis in the midst of hell and yet resist the cool satisfaction of taking up the readiest means for making it so? Who for heaven's sake would choose to endure the burning sand; the thirsty ground; a haunt of jackals – when hosts of angels, or elven magic, or legions of jihadists, stand at the ready to obey his every command? Whoever he is, he must be thirsting for something more.
Scripture: Genesis 1:24-31 Second Sunday in Lent
Today I am joined by Martine De Luna. Martine is a devoted wife and mother, and 3x certified Transformational Coach for Women since 2012. Her mentorship is about supporting women to live & work from their Feminine design, and to be in Relationships with men, as a Feminine woman. By weaving together a blend of feminine practices and teachings on female biology and psychology, Martine's clients are supported in embodying femininity in their life, relationships and business. Her particular area of expertise is in mentoring married women and women in courtships leading to marriage. In this episode, we delve into: Martine's journey from fundamentalism to embracing a life of love and devotion. The transition from fearing God to melting into a loving relationship with the divine. Liberating oneself from the constraints of fear-based paradigms. How marriage and the birth of her son were pivotal in Martine's embrace of a more Edenic state of being. The inherent nature of co-creation with the divine. Embracing the present moment and the philosophy of Carpe Diem within family life. Understanding human design and our intrinsic qualities. Identifying and addressing the concepts of overcare and over-functioning, and their impact on adrenal health. Encouraging the practice of allowing sons to Contribute and Gift. If you would like to be supported by Martine and to learn about her offerings, you can find her at: Instagram.com/femininewomanhood To learn more about: Gillian Pothier's All For Love Journey ------- If you would like to collaborate with me, I am available for 1:1 support through HTMA & Full Monty Blood Panel Interpretations with 6 & 12 Call Packages available. To find out more information: Instagram: @parris_____ or @school.of.the.sacred Email: hello@parrishodges.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/parris-hodges/message
The title of today's episode is The Theological Anthropology of Generosity, and while that's admittedly a lofty mouthful (which underscores the fact that Alli and I are both certified logophiles), the main point of today's conversation on Back Porch Theology is that God is the genesis of generosity. Quite frankly, as created beings, it's almost impossible to understand, much less extend, authentic compassion – to effectively give yourself away, which is the overarching thematic umbrella this year here at BPT – until we recognize that our Creator Redeemer is the original author and perfect model of generosity. The book of Genesis reveals that immediately upon breathing life into Adam and Eve, at the dawn of humanity, He gave them everything they needed. Unfortunately, soon afterward in that same Edenic paradise, a slithery intruder - who is the enemy of our soul also known as satan - planted an insidious seed of doubt in Eve that God was holding out on her and Adam. And humanity has been predisposed to doubt our Creator Redeemer's beneficence – the fact that He will provide everything we need for life and godliness – ever since. If your foundational security has ever been bullied by feelings of scarcity – if your peace has ever been compromised by the fear that you or those you love won't have enough of what you need, whether that be finances, food, attention, or affection – then today's conversation is bound to add some spiritual rebar to your emotional scaffolding. So please grab a cup of coffee and your Bible – unless you tried on one of those pythonish, body-slimming bathing suits and sprained your thumb trying to pull that puppy off, of course – and come hang out on the porch with us. Join Team BPT at Convoy.org/BackPorch Find Allison's new video Bible study at ChurchSource.com/Hidden
BEST OF: It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a satanic ritual… well, actually it's probably not. In the weeks leading up to Super Bowl 57 the public was given multiple idols to honor in the name of ever-changing political correctness. The last week of January featured a statue of Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the New York State Supreme Court house next to actual law givers like Moses and Zoroaster. Her body was deformed though with tentacles and horns and she stood on a lotus flower, a symbol of spirit overcoming matter, even though the idol was a symbol of matter aborting spirit. The same artist crafted another similar statue across the street supposedly representing Eve. In both cases is the universal mother called upon and then inverted to draw on the energy of Lilith of Lamashtu, the Mother of Beasts. The graven image reminded many of medusa who is famous for turning men into stone. A week later on February 5th the Grammys featured Sam Smith and Kim Petra performing a song called ‘Unholy' with cartoonish depictions of the Devil, alongside of flames, cages, red clothes and horns. While most were caught up in the childlike depiction of evil they missed the intentional magic circle on stage and/or the lyrics of the song which referred to the unholy practices at the ‘body shop', perhaps a lyric noting our increasing desire to drug and mutilate children and adults in the name of identity, obesity, or rebellion. Darkness and chaos are, after all, rebellion against light and order, and altering the image of god is probably evil. The performance was said to be ground breaking because of the gender and sexual identities of Sam and Kim, relating their devilish images to a cartoon devil from the Powerpuff Girls tv show wherein Satan wears drag and is confused about his identity. His name is HIIM, or His Infernal Majesty. Social media was also ablaze about Madonna, who introduced the performance. Many said she looked plastic, fake, and just awful. Madonna, of course, blamed this on ageism and mysoginy despite many observers being older and women. Once again, largely overlooked, was her hair which was done in a way to mimic the horns on the Ginsburg statue. Since Madonna is trying to maintain her relevancy and youth it would seem that she is the one attempting to perform unholy acts against nature. She is, in essence, the Black Madonna, or the black MA (mother) DONNA (goddess). A week later we arrive at Super Bowl 57 on February 12, 2023, played in Glendale/Phoenix, Arizona, at State Farm Stadium, between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. Commercials were mostly drab with few exceptions. A new Flash movie, Ant Man, Doritos triangles, Disney magic, the Masked Singer with a gargoyle, and some electric vehicle commercials from Jeep, GM (which featured zombies, Stranger Things, and Squid Games), and RAM (which seemed to really try with their ‘Premature Electrification' to convict you electric is better). The most notable were SquareSpace, Tubi, and U2. SquareSpace featured Adam Driver talking about how the service for websites ‘could create itself' and how this was the ‘singularity'. Adam Driver multiplied into what reminded some of agents from the matrix before being sucked into a portal. Square Space is also the dimension of Metatron's Cube or the meta verse, the eight sphere embodied by Saturn's essence.Tubi took viewers down a ‘rabbit hole' during the year of the rabbit, as rabbits physically took people and threw them into the abyss. And perhaps the most disturbing of all was the band U2 announcing their residency at the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas with a short 15 second ad featuring sphere-like UFOs, intense trailer-like music and a warning that ‘an unidentified object has been spotted over the skies'. What made this ad so disturbing to some was the fact that in the 72 hours prior to the game UFOs, which for some reason were not called UAPs and were not blamed on Russia, were tracked and shot down in Deadhorse, Alaska, Yukon, Canada, and over Lake Huron near Michigan. Lake Michigan airspace had been shut down hours before while the FAA also shut down the airspace over Montana due to NORAD tracking a ‘radar anomaly'. If the Super Bowl took your attention away from these unidentified objects then the U2 commercial redirected your attention back at the very end of the game. Not all of the UFOs were spherical, however, a reference to the Chinese Spy Balloon shot down on the east coast a week before. Instead, they were cylindrical and silver, while the Great Lakes UFO was octagonal. Several were called ‘airships'.In a tongue-in-cheek observation one could see the Vince Lombardi Trophy itself as holding not a football but a cylindrical, silver airship. Then there is Halftime. Usually sponsored by Pepsi the 2023 show was sponsored by Apple and performed by Rihanna and some dancers in white. Pre-game advertisements had Rihanna in a cloak of green moss or grass with her hair done (like a character from Dr. Seuss) to look like the roots or branches of a tree. Her entire pre-performance outfit made her appear to represent a tree which was sponsored by the black apple. This is obviously Edenic and the black apple logo is the poisoned apple given a tempted Eve in the garden, or Snow White. In essence, Rihanna was a representation of the Universal Mother of Nature. We even saw Adam and Eve in an avocado commercial during the game, a symbol of a womb and new life.Pre-game notes made sure the tens of millions of views knew that the game-day military flyover was performed entirely by women, that a black female coach Autumn Lockwood was the first to assistant coach a Super Bowl, and that both starting quarterbacks, Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes, had darker skin, sort of. In other words, much homage was shown to black women in particular but black folks in general during black history month. As these things typically come off as insincere it was not noted that the NFL is over 70% black, and that roughly 38% of assistant coaches and 10% of head coaches are black. Not bad for representing only 14% of the entire population. But more to the point…Rihanna, who was opposed to the NFL for some time, decided to perform anyway. She represented the Universal Mother of Nature or Queen of Heaven. Halftime began with the singer suspended on a giant mirror and accompanied by two lower mirrors on each side, each with two dancers in white. Overall there were seven of these mirrors but we only see five to begin. The image created is that of the GEN (Chinese) or GON (Japanese), one of the Eight Trigrams of the I Ching, featuring a horizontal solid bar with two bars underneath on the left and right sides the.As the performance proceeds the suspended mirrors move in a way to indicate a stairway or a Staircase either to Heaven or Hell, as it shifts in both directions. This also flips the GEN or GON upside down and then back up. Next we see the mirrors on left and right drawing the eye down to the bottom central mirror with Rihanna, who was first at the apex of a ziggurat, is now at its bottom - this flipping represents both male and female or fire and water. It is traditionally Isis who is the all-seeing eye at the apex of the heavenly facing pyramid. We know Rihanna has a large Isis tattoo on her chest.After her dancers crawl behind her across the red stage and she retouches her makeup once, the mirrors return to view suspended in a straight line across the top of the stage. She then performs her iconic ‘Run this Town' song as the central mirror then lifts her back into the air and she transitions to the song ‘Umbrella'. A particularly interesting note about this song should not be passed up. UMBRELLA as a word is a combination of two words - UMBRA and ELLA. This is their meaning:UMBRA: a shadow region of darknessELLA: a female given name, from Germanic meaning ‘all'In other words, UMBRELLA is an all encompassing female name given to darkness. Here we are reminded again of the Black Madonna or the inverted Universal Mother. It should be noted, furthermore, that Rihanna has a giant tattoo of Lady Isis on her chest. We should also note that the black goddess Kali is said to be symbolized by mirrors. The mirrors at the halftime show furthermore reflected the heavens above as if to reject divinity. In the Lovecraft universe the god Yog-Sothoth appears in many different forms. He is the ‘guardian of the gate', or portal of past, present, and future (think of those commercials for SquareSpace and Tubi). He is described as a series of 13 ‘iridescent globes'. One of them is called UMBRA. Horror fan pages suggest that this particular representation of Yog-Sothoth is a type of demon who grants fame, fortune, etc., when worshipped. Such a demon is very popular in music and is honored by Eminem (the shadow), Lady Gaga (the monster and fame), and Billie Eilish (bury a friend). The chanting of UMBRELLA is like an incantation. The reduction of the word to “ella, ella, eh, eh, eh'” is similar to ABRACADABRA, which is reduced to BRACADABR, RACADAB, ACADA, CAD, A, etc. It is a word used to enchant when performing a magical act or ritual. The Super Bowl itself is a giant witch's cauldron to brew up magic potion. The reference to rain is excessive in the music industry, too, and is usually called the Rain Main, which is played by Jay Z in the ‘Umbrella' music video. Rihanna, it should be noted, begins the music video song with all black leather, oily attire and en
Of the many invitations for mindful self-improvement that landed in my inbox at the turn of the year, one piqued my interest — a daily sensory incantation from . The instructions are simple: set a timer for five minutes and record, without interruption and preferably with pen and paper, “close, meticulous, external” notes on your immediate surroundings. No interpretations, no personal commentary, no embellishments allowed.Now here's the twist —Once the timer goes off, look over your fragments and find the five that are the most interesting, the most unique, the most jagged, the strangest. Imagine the paper is on fire and you can save only five fragments before it burns. Put a star by those. Now, read them out loud with the words “I am” in front of them (I am the morning light on the carpet, I am footsteps on the porch, I am rain splattering on the window, I am a baby crying).The primary aim of this practice is to translate sensory impressions of the particular onto the page. But it also points to a deeper incantation of ourselves as dynamic, mosaic creatures. It's a nod to the irreducible reality of who we are.Authenticity is a worthwhile study in this strange new world. Consumer research points to a longing for sincere human connection. Skepticism of the public arena is at an all-time high while our private lives have frayed from isolation and siloing, resulting in a degrading mistrust of those we identify as other.We are a culture sick of being sold and challenged to assess what's vital and honest behind everything and everyone we encounter. But what exactly is authenticity? Among researchers, it's a debated concept. Back in 2000, psychologists Michael Kernis and Brian Goldman distilled decades of scholarly work into a roadmap Authenticity Inventory. Their research landed on authenticity as “the unimpeded operation of one's core or true self in one's daily enterprise” as operationalized by four contributing factors: awareness, distortion-free (or unbiased) mental processing, ways of behaving, and relational orientation. Despite the bumper sticker platitudes of pseudo-spirituality — follow your bliss! Speak your truth! You do you! — an important caveat about “relational orientation” must be made: authenticity is not an unalloyed good. If the goal were for everyone to express absolute congruence between their outer behavior and whatever developmental, psychological, and circumstantial access they might have to their “core or true self” at the current moment — well, God help us. Let's keep our most primal, unfiltered instincts and perspectives to ourselves, thank you very much.In my clinical training as a therapist, I often turned to the research of Brene Brown, who famously explores the emotions that make us human. Brown speaks here about authenticity as radical participation in our felt experience of life.“Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are. Choosing authenticity means cultivating the courage to be imperfect, to set boundaries, and to allow ourselves to be vulnerable; exercising the compassion that comes from knowing that we are all made of strength and struggle; and nurturing the connection and sense of belonging that can only happen when we believe that we are enough. Authenticity demands Wholehearted living and loving—even when it's hard, even when we're wrestling with the shame and fear of not being good enough, and especially when the joy is so intense that we're afraid to let ourselves feel it. Mindfully practicing authenticity during our most soul-searching struggles is how we invite grace, joy, and gratitude into our lives.”― Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You AreBrene's words feel germane to the creative frontier on which many of us stand. Perhaps this is because being ourselves is an antidote to the erosive superficiality of our times; sorely, obviously needed, and yet too often relegated only to the safest harbors of our emotional lives. We feel orphaned from a sense of moral and social belonging. Yet authenticity remains among our most formidable teachers, demanding steadfast discipline, the maturation of vulnerability, courage, and forgiveness, and the grace of our mutual wholeheartedness. Many years ago, in the first season of our relationship, in an outstretched moment of indecision on my part, my now-husband, exasperated, exclaimed: “Will you please just say what you want to do?” I was startled by his question, even agitated. After a relatively successful launch into adulthood (I had a real job, after all), the truth was I had no idea what to do with an un-pressured Sunday afternoon and a considerate man asking about my desires. Knowing ourselves, much less being and expressing ourselves, is not our default. It hasn't been since we were very young. To study the origins of our estrangement, we begin with a tender revisit to that young part within us for whom the existence of magic was disproven. We review how our innate experience of wonder was truncated by loss, trauma, or neglect — or simply by the systematic message of our too-muchness. In a gradual and largely subconscious process, we learn to prune the unique signature of ourselves. First, we sense our social context. Then, we compartmentalize and subjugate the parts of ourselves we internalize as undesirable. We become adept at making bids for approval (a process of influencing others' perceptions that sociologist Erving Goffman aptly coined “impression management”). Over time, the Edenic qualities that might otherwise have ushered us into authentic expression dry up on the stalk, and we abandon the luminous wholeness with which we arrived.In other words, we adapt. It seems a matter of survival. A pleased teacher or parent, a nod from a boss, a compliment from a new acquaintance – any small gesture of allegiance can make us feel secure and optimal. Our nervous systems seem to approve of preserving and promoting only those parts that the world deems worthy of praise. Perfectionist values become our unacknowledged norm, subtly affirmed by those who groom us into adulthood.Underground go the needier parts, the messier parts — the brilliant, irreducible parts. “The only antidote to perfectionism is to turn away from every whiff of plastic and gloss and follow our grief, pursue our imperfections, and exaggerate our eccentricities until the things we once sought to hide reveal themselves as our majesty.”― Toko-pa Turner, Belonging: Remembering Ourselves HomeSelf-exile serves us for a while. We become palatable and productive and we reap the benefits. Eventually, though, those long-forgotten, chthonic parts begin to emerge. By some subconscious hand, they are unearthed and delivered like a pile of soiled bones to the back porch in early Spring.[I recently spoke with poet about revelation through a geologic lens.]We begin to test and taste the tin of our words and all we've left unspoken and feel the fatigue of triangulating around our native energies and desires. We realize the irony of shaping ourselves around implicit expectations only to earn enough caché to be ourselves. We recognize the limits of pleasing others as a currency of well-being, suffer the grief of inner scarcity, and feel the shame of chronic self-abandonment — and, ultimately, we feel our hunger for the true and holy gravity of belonging. “…The budstands for all things,even for those things that don't flower,for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing;though sometimes it is necessaryto reteach a thing its loveliness,to put a hand on its browof the flowerand retell it in words and in touchit is lovelyuntil it flowers again from within, of self-blessing.”― Galway Kinnell, “Saint Francis and the Sow”Sometimes it's necessary to re-teach a thing its loveliness. It took years for my nervous system to relax enough to perceive my instincts for a Sunday afternoon. A slow cup of tea, a hike with my family, a cooking project, listening to Nina Simone while organizing a pantry… It took a gradual incantation of myself to myself and to those who cared enough to keep asking, season after season.Coming home to ourselves is a dedicated practice with the promise of profound alignment and personal agency. Classical yoga philosophy offers svādhyāya (a compound Sanskrit word composed of sva (स्व) "own, one's own, self, the human soul" + adhyāya (अध्याय) "a lesson, lecture, chapter; reading") as the fundamental study of our unmasking. It's a gradual process of yoking back to our most integrated, dynamic whole.“You see, I want a lot.Perhaps I want everythingthe darkness that comes with every infinite falland the shivering blaze of every step up.So many live on and want nothingAnd are raised to the rank of princeBy the slippery ease of their light judgmentsBut what you love to see are facesthat do work and feel thirst.You love most of all those who need youas they need a crowbar or a hoe.You have not grown old, and it is not too lateTo dive into your increasing depthswhere life calmly gives out its own secret.”― Rainer Maria Rilke, Rilke's Book of Hours: Love Poems to GodAuthenticity is an essential kind of remembering. It's the art of coiling our attention inwardly, through layers of anxiety, fear, and shame, to the shelter of our original ownership. To author our way home, to make a song of this being human, first, we get in touch with our want to be ourselves – “to dive into [our] increasing depths.” Then, we commit our oar to the waters of radical self-honesty and become an authority on the subject of rowing against the current of our conditioning. We nurture ourselves courageously through the many mistakes and missteps along the way, making regular visits to the dirt altar of a forgiving heart. “Anyhow, the older I get, the less impressed I become with originality. These days, I'm far more moved by authenticity. Attempts at originality can often feel forced and precious, but authenticity has quiet resonance that never fails to stir me.”― Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond FearAuthenticity has a quiet resonance that never fails. We feel safest with those who are themselves in our company. Those rare friends who “need [us] as they need a crowbar or a hoe,” who reflect to us our worthiness to be beholden, become our particular kin. Gradually, like St. Francis' sow, we relearn the distinct manner of our loveliness. And thus, the life that's here can once again become a refuge of belonging.Today —[I am] freckles sprayed across an aging hand.[I am] the long-bodied breath of a sleeping dog.[I am] the small animal rustling in the arroyo.[I am] steam rising from a mug.[I am] the thick leaves of a fig in a clay pot. Get full access to The Guest House at shawnparell.substack.com/subscribe
In this episode Kenneth Padgett transports us to the Tabernacle - God's Edenic tent in the midst of His people. The creation of the Tabernacle is a remarkable moment in the story for many reasons, but none greater than what it tells us about God and His desire to be with His people.
Would you rather live in a better world or a happier one? In this video we are going to explore how equality has made the world a better place but also how, like the Edenic apple of knowledge, it has come with a cost. The world looks better from the outside but seen from the subjective side it seems that things have only gotten worse. This is following up on the recent episode on Nietzsche's concept of ressentiment that we examined in the previous episodes and follows along our explorations in to the social and political radical theme of modern times. ____________________
Jerry Bowyer is our resident economist and author of The Maker versus the Takers: What Jesus Really Said About Social Justice and EconomicsToday, we're continuing our series on just what a Christian economic worldview should look like and how we can return to God's plan for a healthy economy.Last time, Jerry told us that we have to see and think clearly and understand that an economic system fits together coherently with cause and effect. We need to see that the God who made man and the God who made the earth is one God with one mind and we are compatible with one another. As we start out today, sum up where we've been.The series begins by examining how things were supposed to be, often referring back to the original creational intent and biblical principles.It is emphasized that the economy of Genesis 1 and 2 represents the ideal state of affairs as designed by God.However, humanity abandoned this ideal, leading to the economy of Genesis 3 and 4, marked by curses, worsening conditions, and the replacement of God with idols.The way out involves returning to biblical principles and organizing nations according to God's original intentions.The current state is described as the church era, with nations varying in their adherence to biblical principles and Providence shaping events since the fall of the Tower of Babel.The dispersion of nations allows people to vote with their feet and capital, and adherence to God's principles tends to enrich while violation leads to degradation.This natural order serves as a protective limit on the evil in the world, even though the original Edenic intention cannot be fully restored. So how would you then describe where we find ourselves today?The present era is characterized as the "church era" where God's influence operates through the church in various nations.Different nations exhibit varying degrees of adherence to biblical principles, with some following, some abandoning, and others moving toward them.Since the fall of the Tower of Babel, Providence has shaped the world to limit the power of the powerful and protect the vulnerable.God's statement about "nothing these people can't do" implies the potential for harm to - one another in a world.The dispersion of nations enables people to vote with their feet and capital, influencing the dynamics of global economics.Capital movement, exemplified by money flowing in or out of nations like the United States and Europe, demonstrates how adherence or violation of God's principles can impact economies.Following God's principles tends to enrich, while violating them tends to degrade and impoverish, serving as a protective limit on the extent of evil in the world. We can see on full display the evidence of that when we just look at the U.S. taking off like a rocket ship because of our adherence to those principles, right? The evidence of adherence to biblical principles is seen in the rapid growth of the US, surpassing much older nations.The US outpaced older nations, including old Europe, despite potential flaws in Christian economics in the latter.However, there's a recognition that the US is slowing down due to violations of these principles.The world operates in a way where there are inherent consequences for both violating and following these principles, creating a system of punishment and reward. Where do we go from here as the body of Christ and the church? The church is where the desired transformation should take place, following Adam's failure and Israel's shortcomings.The dispersion of nations at the Tower of Babel limited the power of individual states to act as gods.The ultimate solution is seen in Jesus, the new Adam, who succeeded in the garden where Adam failed, and in Pentecost, where language barriers were overcome.The church is described as a nation, a holy nation, and a priestly nation, and it has the capacity to do the right thing independently of the nations.There is a contrast between Babel, which moved east and caused language confusion, and Pentecost, where nations moved west and understood each other's languages.The church embodies God's ideal economy by prioritizing God, productivity, and generosity, avoiding extremes like the health and wealth gospel.The church's productivity is crucial because, without it, there is nothing to share, aligning with God's original intent for His people. We can often be frustrated because we know we have limited impact on the national economy. And yet what we have direct control over is our own personal economy, right?Frustration often arises from the limited impact on the national economy, while individuals have direct control over their personal economies.Having agency in one's household and local church can counteract frustration, as it allows for meaningful actions on a small scale.The choice is between fretting about national issues with limited impact or acting in the right way on a small scale, creating a model for potential imitation by nations.The focus should be on doing what is right, regardless of the scale, as God is responsible for the rise and fall of nations.God's command is for the church to be the kind of nation it's meant to be, embodying a holy and priestly identity. What is it going to take for us to get back in line with God's design? To get back in line with God's design, there are a couple of key factors.First, the church should serve as a model for handling money better than the world does.Secondly, the church should adopt a prophetic role, not only doing the right thing but also speaking truth to the nation.Inflation, for example, should be seen as more than just an economic or math problem but as an abomination, echoing God's perspective on unjust weights and measures.While voting is part of the process, the real power lies in setting a positive example, preaching the truth, and relying on God's intervention.The hope is for America to be restored, not just to its former glory but to a higher moral standard.Historical examples, such as Sodom and Gomorrah, show that a nation can be salvageable if there is a prophetic voice, even if it's as small as a group of ten speaking the truth.Concern arises when there's no prophetic voice, as that could lead to the nation's downfall, but there is still hope if the church raises its voice more clearly.You can read Jerry Bowyer's insightful columns for World News Group at WNG.org. On today's program, Rob also answers listener questions: How do you determine whether to keep funds in an IRA or move those funds elsewhere?What should you consider in deciding whether to take money out of an IRA to build a house? Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network as well as American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.comwhere you can join the FaithFi Community, and give as we expand our outreach.
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