Podcasts about Mosaic

MOSAIC Pieces: Surviving the Dark Side of American Justice by Wes Skillings https://www.amazon.com/MOSAIC-Pieces-Surviving-American-Justice/dp/B0FH7JYK55 A child's murder and a rush to judgment still resonate more than fifty years later with lessons to be learned about American justice from a real-life murder case. The convicted murderer did his time, returned to his hometown of South Williamsport, PA, where the crime occurred, and yet the case against him refuses to retreat quietly into fading memories and a growing cache of the obituaries of those who played many of the prominent roles in this morality play. The impact on him and his family resonates as both tragedy and triumph with a case study that is as much a generational story in more innocent times as it is about the murder of a child in an all-American town known as the home of Little League Baseball. This story centers on an implausible murderer and his family - not that of the twelve-year-old victim and her family. And that's a true crime reversal in itself. Other than one tragic realization, that is. Somebody got away with murder and, despite an impressive accumulation of exculpatory evidence widening cracks into chasms in the Commonwealth's case presented in February of 1974, exoneration has eluded a family sacrificed for political gain and career expediency. "Mosaic Pieces," a work of narrative nonfiction by Wes Skillings, might at its heart be a true crime story, but it encompasses so much more than a murder case. Make that several decades more-three generations of one family- with the evolving story of the crime serving as the keystone of this arching chronicle of guilt versus innocence. Subtitled "Surviving the Dark Side of American Justice," this book reads like a novel supported by a detailed journalistic approach from a man who retired after almost four decades as a newspaper editor, reporter and columnist. The 1973-74 murder case itself is alternately fascinating and disturbing - if only because of what has been learned in the decades since the trial at the end of which Kim Lee Hubbard, 20, was convicted of murdering twelve-year-old Jennifer May Hill. He is a free man and has been for the past four decades and counting after paying his proverbial debt to society. Yet a debt is something you owe, and this convicted murderer, despite leading a productive and fulfilling life in the very community where the crime for which he was tried and convicted occurred, has his own debt to collect. The debt is exoneration for a crime he swears he didn't commit and, as this true crime narrative that reads like a novel shows, one that relied on evidence that had been manipulated and manufactured. The arrest, trial and jury's verdict required only four-and-a-half months from the day the child's remarkably well-preserved body was found in a cornfield a few hundred yards from her home on October 28, 1973. She had been dead in that field, according to evidence proffered by the Commonwealth, for 216 hours (nine days) in unseasonably warm and dry October weather for Pennsylvania. And yet the body on the autopsy table the evening of October 29, 1973, "was as fresh as if she had died just the day before," according to the man who picked up the body and later embalmed it. Acclaimed forensics experts on body decomposition and time of death stated without reservation that the body must have been refrigerated for all but 48 hours of those nine days. Other aspects of the case, including misuse and abuse of DNA by an apologist for the DA's office, bring the impact of this story well into the 21st Century. Skillings offers readers the challenge to form their own impressions based on facts and expert opinions. Then again, it is a unique and thought-provoking true crime story with solid human-interest components and insights into murder case essentials like forensic science, expert witnesses, hypnotism of an eyewitness,

This episode begins with the old psychological idea that warns that when the conflicts inside us are not made conscious, they must be experienced outside us as fate. It has become our mutual fate to live at a time when it is not just that nations attack each other with obliterating force, but also that people within nations become increasingly divided and see each other as the enemy. Each day brings another twist or turn in the increasingly tragic story of humanity becoming divided against itself.     Throughout history there have been people in positions of power who seek to gain more power and control by using every issue to divide people into increasingly polarized states of “us vs them.” When Donald Trump told an assembly of all military generals and admirals that the primary threat to the United States is the “enemy within,” he was echoing the dehumanizing rhetoric used throughout history, not only to turn people against each other, but also to justify state violence against its own citizens.     Besides its dark history as a tool of autocrats, the term “the enemy within” is also used in psychology to indicate the shadow side of each person. This personal shadow includes the denied, repressed or rejected aspects of our personality that are mostly hidden in our unconscious mind. Failure to recognize and become more conscious of our shadow aspects leads to projecting them onto those we deem to be “other” than us.     Not only that, but when we allow the shadow side to operate unconsciously, it will, at critical points in life, manifest in self-destructive ways. In that sense, Donald Trump, who projects all of his shadow issues and inner conflicts on others, can be seen as a psychological lightning rod that requires us to become more conscious of what can divide us from within and turn us against our own best interests.     Ultimately, our greatest enemy is within, but not in the cowardly sense of projecting our own faults on those we deem “others” in order to deny our own inner fears and hateful feelings. But rather, our greatest enemy is the fear that we do not have, already woven within us, an authentic way of seeing and being that can allow us to stand up to the troubles we face and find meaningful ways to contribute to a renewal of the core values and underlying unity of humanity that is also an inheritance of our souls.     Thank you for listening to and supporting Living Myth. You can hear Michael Meade live by joining his free online event “The Heart Within the Heart” on Thursday, October 30.   Register and learn more at mosaicvoices.org/events.      You can further support this podcast by becoming a member of Living Myth Premium. Members receive bonus episodes each month, access to the full archives of over 700 episodes and a 30% discount on all events, courses and book and audio titles.   Learn more and join this community of listeners at patreon.com/livingmyth.     If you enjoy this podcast, we appreciate you leaving a review wherever you listen and sharing it with your friends. On behalf of Michael Meade and the whole Mosaic staff, we wish you well and thank you for your support of our work.

This week we have a very special guest: Robert Malley, a veteran American diplomat and Middle East expert. From advising President Clinton at Camp David to serving as President Obama's top White House official for the Middle East and then as Biden's Special Envoy for Iran, Malley has spent decades at the heart of U.S. diplomacy. Today he joins Shadi Hamid and Damir Marusic to discuss his new book, Tomorrow Is Yesterday: Life, Death, and the Pursuit of Peace in Israel/Palestine.Malley begins the discussion with an arresting suggestion: that the war in Gaza has brought Palestinians and Israelis back to where they were before 1948 — before the twentieth century, even. Looking back at the Oslo Peace Process, Malley argues that liberal peacemaking was too dismissive of those who are motivated by history or faith. Yet it is precisely those attachments — Zionism's pull toward Eretz Yisrael, the Palestinian longing for the right of return — that define the conflict's soul. Any peace plan has to take these deep yearnings into account from the get-go.Shadi insists that resilience itself has become the Palestinians' act of resistance. Their struggle, refracted now through moral discourse and digital mediation, animates the conscience of a younger America. He predicts that one day this generation will alter U.S. policy in a way that may make peace truly possible — by putting significant pressure on Israel to make concessions it has rarely been willing to make. Malley wonders how one persuades a people that their yearning is wrong; Shadi replies that after genocide, there is no moral equivalency between the competing narratives. And Damir reminds everyone that peace without victory is only surrender.Given its timeliness — Israel and Hamas are currently deciding whether to adopt Trump's Gaza peace plan — we are making the episode free for all subscribers. The tail end of the episode has several golden moments: Robert discusses the details of Trump's peace plan; Shadi asks Robert why he thinks that October 7 was “Palestinian to the core”; Robert explains his support for the Abraham Accords; the real problem with the blockade and sanctions on Gaza; Shadi asks what Obama really believes about the conflict; “Obama is a speech that has been cut mid-sentence”; why Obama's presidency hurts Shadi more than Trump's; “Something fundamentally rotten about the foreign policy establishment despite their pretense to morality?”; some Bernie nostalgia; and more!Required Reading:* Robert Malley and Hussein Agha, Tomorrow Is Yesterday: Life, Death, and the Pursuit of Peace in Israel/Palestine (Amazon). * Elliott Abrams, “There Never Will Be a Palestinian State. So What's Next?” (Mosaic). * Damir, “Hamas' Bid for Revolutionary Legitimacy” (WoC). * Shadi, “A Genocide is Happening in Gaza. We Should Say So” (Washington Post). Full video below:Wisdom of Crowds is a platform challenging premises and understanding first principles on politics and culture. Join us! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wisdomofcrowds.live/subscribe

In this week's episode, Dennis Jernigan shares the story behind his song,  “Mosaic of Your Love” from the recording, "Mosaic of Your Love", available on most streaming services in October 2025. Daily Devotions for Kingdom Seekers, Vol. 3 is available at https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Devotions-Kingdom-Seekers-Vol-ebook/dp/B081K8TZLX Check out my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/DennisJernigan and read through the various tiers of support and discover the myriad of benefits you will receive based on the level of support you choose. If you're willing, go ahead and sign up!

HEADLINE: The Pleistocene Mammoth Steppe and the Mosaic Environment of Early Human Evolution BOOK TITLE: Other Lands, a journey through Earth's Extinct Worlds GUEST AUTHOR NAME: Thomas Halliday 200-WORD SUMMARY: This excerpt introduces the work of paleontologist and evolutionary biologist Thomas Halliday, beginning in the Pleistocene era, 20,000 years ago. The focus is the Mammoth Steppe, described as the largest ecosystem on the planet. This cold, arid, grass-dominated environment stretched from Western Europe across Beringia into Alaska and the Yukon, managed by large herbivores like mammoths, woolly rhinos, and bison. Today, this entire community is essentially non-existent. The apex predator discussed is Arctodus Simus, the fearsomely large short-faced bear. The narrative then moves backward to the Pliocene, 4 million years ago, in the East African Rift Valley(Kenya/Ethiopia). This region, marked by sequences of ancient lakes, features a crucial mosaic environment of forests and grasslands. This mixed habitat was extremely important for the evolution of versatile, problem-solving organisms, including early human ancestors. The earliest species definitively known to be more closely related to humans than chimpanzees, Orrorin tugenensis, occupied this land. Halliday emphasizes exploring ecosystems that, while humans were present globally, were not yet heavily modified by human activity.

A @Christadelphians Video: # SummaryThis presentation explores the fundamental principles of the Christian faith, particularly the doctrine of the Atonement. It delves into the biblical account of the Fall of man, the resulting sinful state of humanity, and the need for sacrifice and forgiveness as outlined in the Old Testament.Highlights

In this episode, Joel Settecase — apologist, teacher, and President of The Think Institute — unpacks the first distinctive of New Covenant Theology:God has one plan, revealed in many covenants, and it's all centered on Jesus Christ.Through a deep dive into Scripture, Joel explores how the biblical covenants — from Noah to Abraham, Moses, David, and the New Covenant — fit together perfectly within God's unified redemptive plan. If you've ever wondered how the Old and New Testaments connect, this episode will clarify the big picture of God's work in history and in your life.Why God has one plan of salvation, not separate plans for Israel and the Church.How every covenant — Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and New — points to and is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.Why salvation has always been by faith, from the Old Testament through today.The stunning continuity of Scripture and how the gospel was preached even to Abraham.How the New Covenant transforms believers, granting forgiveness, righteousness, and the indwelling Holy Spirit.Why understanding God's one plan deepens your worship, strengthens your confidence, and equips you to lead your family in the biblical worldview.Help us equip Christian men to lead their families with biblical clarity and confidence.Partner with The Think Institute today:

Drawing on decades of experience as a policymaker, investor and trader, Mark Dow joins us this week, as we thread the currents driving the global macroeconomy together into a cohesive whole. From tariffs, inflation, US labor supply issues and Fed independence, to gold, the dollar, debt and deficits, with a side trip to Argentina in between, few stones are left unturned in this macro masterclass.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Björn and Stefan were in Copenhagen the other day and discovered a new brewery. Brewsketeers is a new contract brewer in Copenhagen. They have a bottle shop called The Beer Hive in Amager. They fortunate enough to visit The Beer Hive before running into one of the onwers at Peders. West Coast Warrior is a collab with another Danish brewery, Ghost Brewing. This 6.5% ABV American style IPA is made with Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe. Next up is Fluffy, a collab with Thyras Bryg. This 5.2% hazy IPA is made with Citra, Mosiac and Nectaron hops. We look forward to trying more beers from this fledgling brewery. #beer #craftbeer #drinks #ipa #hazyipa #americanipa #brewsketeers

This episode begins with the idea that myths of creation are also intended to be understood as re-creation tales that reveal the world's capacity to renew itself. Critical to this old understanding of the potential for a renewal of life on Earth is the primordial idea that humans are mythic by nature. It is our mutual fate to be denizens of history and be limited by the restrictions of time and place; it is also our destiny to be tied to eternal things. By virtue of being human we live in two worlds and at critical times we can become vessels through which the eternal seeks to enter the daily world and bring a renewal of life on Earth.     Seen in this old way, the mystery of creation is not a problem to be solved through logic or evolutionary theory or religious doctrines. Rather, it may best be apprehended through deeper levels of consciousness, as presented in myths which speak directly to a person's imagination through primordial images and life-changing, life-affirming, life-awakening narratives.     Mythic stories depict universal patterns and symbolic codes that continue to speak to the deepest levels of the human soul and that also can inspire the highest levels of spiritual imagination. Through myths of creation, we can touch again the timeless images and archetypes from which the living world first arose. In doing that, we can find inspirations for our own lives, as well as insights into how the world might be renewed precisely during the time when it is most divided and out of balance.     The hidden aim of a dark period on Earth, like a dark night of the soul, is to dissolve our assumptions about ourselves and about the world around us, so that we might find our way back to the origins of life. For, in the age-old dynamic of chaos and creation, humans are revealed to be the missing link between heaven and earth, between the eternal and the time bound.     In the dark times, when all else seems lost, what we secretly seek is a connection to the deeper self within us that is, on one hand, truly personal and unique and on the other hand is transpersonal and touched by the divine. Surprising as it may seem in this time of fixed ideologies and systems of blind belief, what can truly change the course of history, in ways that heal divisions rather than deepen them, is an awakening of the deeper sense of self and soul in each of us that is secretly connected to the origins of life and to the powers of re-creation.     Thank you for listening to and supporting Living Myth. You can further support this podcast by becoming a member of Living Myth Premium. Members receive bonus episodes each month, access to the full archives of over 700 episodes and a 30% discount on all events, courses and book and audio titles.   Learn more and join this community of listeners at patreon.com/livingmyth.     If you enjoy this podcast, we appreciate you leaving a review wherever you listen and sharing it with your friends. On behalf of Michael Meade and the whole Mosaic staff, we wish you well and thank you for your support of our work.

Allen and RD knock back a Deadhead Imperial IPA by DESTIHL Brewery. This beauty is rockin a 9% ABV.From Untappd:"This brew pours a clear straw color and boasts an aromatic blend of tangerine, grapefruit, and a hint of passionfruit from Citra and Mosaic hops, rounded out by a piney note from Chinook. It's full-bodied with a crisp, dank, and pithy finish that won't overwhelm your palate. Cheers!"Thanks for watching!Cheers!#beer #craftbeer #beerreview #craftbeerreview #beerpodcast #craftbeerpodcast #destihl #imperialipa #ipaBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/strikeout-beer--2992189/support.

The Book of Malachi: A Call to Authentic Worship In this sermon, we delve into the often-overlooked Book of Malachi, the last prophetic voice in the Old Testament before an extended silence that lasted until the Advent of Jesus Christ. The sermon emphasizes the theme of genuine worship and the importance of covenantal faithfulness. Understanding Malachi's Context Malachi's message was delivered in a period known as the post-exilic era, a time when the Israelites had returned from Babylonian exile. Despite their return to Jerusalem, the people had become disillusioned and questioned God's love for them. The prophet Malachi responds by reminding them of God's unwavering love and challenges them to examine their own faithfulness. The Core Message: God's Love and Human Response God's Love Affirmed: Malachi begins with God proclaiming His love for Israel, despite their circumstances. The people question this love, pointing to their hardships as evidence of God's neglect. Covenantal Context: The sermon highlights three significant covenants: the unconditional Abrahamic and Davidic covenants, and the conditional Mosaic covenant. The Israelites' failure to uphold their end of the Mosaic covenant led to their hardships. Malachi's Challenge to Israel Worship and Offerings: The Israelites' worship had become perfunctory. They offered blemished sacrifices, revealing their lack of reverence for God. Malachi rebukes them for offering what they wouldn't even present to their earthly governors. Life as Worship: The sermon stresses that worship extends beyond temple rituals. It encompasses every aspect of life — including family, finances, and community relationships. The Israelites' failure in these areas reflected their spiritual apathy. A Divine Challenge: Test God's Faithfulness In a unique biblical moment, God invites His people to "test" Him in Malachi 3:10. He challenges them to bring their full tithes and offerings. He promises to "open the floodgates of heaven" and pour out blessings if they do. This call to trust God with their resources is a metaphor for trusting Him in all areas of life. Modern Application: Worship in All We Do Excellence in Worship: The message calls believers to offer their best to God in all endeavors, echoing Colossians 3:23: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." Holistic Worship: True worship involves honoring God in our relationships, work, and community engagement. It's about serving God with integrity and excellence, recognizing that everything we do is an offering to Him. Conclusion: A Call to Reflect The sermon concludes by urging believers to evaluate the quality of their worship. Are we offering God our best, or are we merely going through the motions? The challenge is to serve God wholeheartedly, honoring Him in every facet of life. This is the essence of true worship — living for the glory of God, knowing that we are ultimately serving the Lord Jesus. In embracing the lessons from Malachi, we are reminded that God's love is steadfast and His blessings are abundant when we align our lives with His covenantal promises. Let us strive to be a people who live out our worship in every aspect of our lives, reflecting the greatness and love of our God.

Fala Carlão conversa com Eduardo Monteiro, Country Manager na Mosaic Fertilizantes, direto do Simpósio da ASBRAM em Campinas/SP. Eduardo destacou a força da equipe de nutrição e bionutrição da Mosaic, que tem como missão apoiar o produtor brasileiro e contribuir para o fortalecimento da agricultura nacional. Ele ressaltou o compromisso da empresa em desenvolver soluções que tragam produtividade com sustentabilidade. Na ocasião, também foi apresentada a nova embaixadora da Mosaic: a mascote criada para tornar o tema da nutrição vegetal mais leve, acessível e próximo do produtor. Uma novidade que reforça a importância da comunicação para aproximar ciência, tecnologia e campo. Fala aí, Eduardo!

In this week's episode, Dennis Jernigan shares the story behind his song,  “I Am Forgiven” from the recording, "Mosaic of Your Love", available on most streaming services in October 2025. Daily Devotions for Kingdom Seekers, Vol. 3 is available at https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Devotions-Kingdom-Seekers-Vol-ebook/dp/B081K8TZLX Check out my Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/DennisJernigan and read through the various tiers of support and discover the myriad of benefits you will receive based on the level of support you choose. If you're willing, go ahead and sign up!

Interview with George Bennett, CEO of Rainbow Rare EarthsRecording date: 26th September 2025Rainbow Rare Earths (LSE:RBW) is pioneering a revolutionary approach to rare earth element extraction that addresses both economic efficiency and Western supply chain independence. Led by CEO George Bennett, a seasoned executive with 16 years of investment banking experience and a proven track record of scaling mining operations, the company extracts valuable rare earth materials from phosphogypsum waste rather than traditional hard rock mining.The company's proprietary technology eliminates conventional mining costs including drilling, blasting, and crushing operations, resulting in projected EBITDA margins exceeding 75% and internal rates of return between 45-50%. "We've got no mining costs, we are extracting the RE out of phosphogypsum which is a waste residue," Bennett explains, highlighting the fundamental cost advantage over traditional rare earth projects.Rainbow operates two strategic assets: the flagship Phalaborwa project in South Africa, where the company holds 85% ownership with 35 million tons of high-grade material, and the Uberaba project in Brazil through a 50/50 joint venture with Mosaic, a $15 billion fertilizer company. Both projects leverage existing brownfield infrastructure and provide environmental benefits through waste remediation.The company has secured significant validation through a $50 million equity commitment from the US Development Finance Corporation, positioning the US government as a future project shareholder. This strategic backing, combined with recent floor pricing of $110/kg for neodymium and praseodymium established by MP Materials' Department of Defense contract, provides crucial market stability for Rainbow's revenue streams.With total capital requirements of $300 million and production targeted for 2027-2028, Rainbow is positioned to capitalize on surging demand from electric vehicles, defense applications, and the emerging robotics sector. The company addresses critical Western supply chain vulnerabilities while China controls 95% of global rare earth processing capacity, making Rainbow a compelling investment in the transition toward strategic mineral independence.View Rainbow Rare Earths' company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/rainbow-rare-earthsSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

If you don't fix your בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, does it prevent forgiveness for the sins of בֵּין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם?

In this episode, Ronn and Mike look at John 7:1-31. They discuss the importance of constructive disagreements in theology (reflecting upon the recent death of Charlie Kirk), the secretive nature of Jesus' ministry, and the political context surrounding his teachings. Their conversation also explores the treatment of the law by Jesus, the nature of demons (a highly nuanced issue relating to the Greek concept of daimonia), and the significance of Hezekiah's prayer for God's forgiveness of Israelites who had been guilty of breaking Mosaic law (2 Chron. 30).

The Mosaic Model of Music Exodus 15:1-21

"Anchored and Aimed, Kingdom Vision: Diversity"

This year marks the 25th birthday of Simcoe, and when Russian River (https://www.russianriverbrewing.com/) cofounder Vinnie Cilurzo suggested recording an episode of the podcast in Yakima to celebrate it, we weren't going to say no. Rather than sit around a table, we took to the experimental hop rows at Perrault Farms (https://www.perraultfarms.com/) and recorded while walking the field. The result is a wide-ranging conversation that covers history, business, agriculture, creativity, pivotal craft beers, hop evolution, and more. In this episode, Cilurzo and Perrault discuss: how Simcoe was bred by pioneering hop breeder Chuck Zimmerman its establishment on three family farms at the time—Carpenter, Perrault, and Smith how Simcoe brought the families' kids back to the farms developing the Pliny the Elder recipe around this hop the evolution of Simcoe over the past quarter century virus-free Simcoe and its flavor and yield impacts the impact of pick date on Simcoe flavor and aroma Simcoe's relationship with Mosaic selecting Simcoe and processing it into modern flowable formats how Pliny the Elder and the new Simcoe 25 beer use Simcoe in new formats And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across North America and beyond. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need, and gain peace of mind your operation is running smoothly. Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Berkeley Yeast bioengineers ordinary strains and make them extraordinary—enhancing the flavors you want and eliminating the ones you don't. Visit berkeleyyeast.com to learn more and start brewing with science on your side. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Custom blend development is available through our innovative R&D lab. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Celebrating 16 years of delivering compelling new hop varieties along with classics that thrive in Oregon's terroir, Indie is the original source for Strata, Luminosa, Lórien, Meridian, and their newest variety Audacia. Release your creativity with the magic of pure, uncut Oregon hops from Indie. Indie Hops — Life is short. Let's make it flavorful. XTRATUF (https://xtratuf.com) XTRATUF has been making rugged and reliable boots for 75 years. Built for the harshest conditions, the Legacy Collection styles are oil, acid, and chemical resistant with a non-slip rated outsole. Be prepared for whatever comes your way and shop the latest XTRATUF boots on xtratuf.com. Canoe Wild Rice (https://breweryworkshop.com) Brewers, have you ever considered brewing with North America's only Ancient Grain—Wild Rice? Joe at Canoe Wild Rice has a stockpile of this unique roasted grain ready to ship to you. Send Canoe Wild Rice an email at joe@canoewildrice.com or give the office a call at 1-800-626-3809 Prairie Malt (https://prairiemalt.com) For over 50 years Prairie Malt has been producing high extract malts forged from the fertile soils of Saskatchewan. Stop by the Roadhouse & Melvin booth at GABF to sample some award-winning beers produced with excellent malts and learn more at prairiemalt.com. Briess Malting (https://BrewingWithBriess.com) Briess offers the largest product line of specialty malt and is continuing to innovate. New malts include Heritage Gold and Lighthouse Munich. Check out why so many craft brewers trust Briess for their specialty malt at BrewingWithBriess.com.

Ακούστε την εβδομαδιαία ανταπόκριση από την Αδελαΐδα

On September 17, 2025, Israel announced that the world's first laser defense system was ready for deployment, and was being integrated into its multitiered missile-defense shield. Iron Beam may be the most significant advance in missile defense since Israel pioneered the concept of intercepting missiles with missiles back in the 1980s. That's because Iron Beam promises to solve one of modern warfare's most vexing problems: the economic asymmetry of defense. When a crude, unguided rocket costing a few thousand dollars must be stopped with an interceptor costing between $50,000 and $100,000, the math quickly becomes unsustainable. The scale of rocket, drone, and missile fire into Israel over the last two years, coupled with the yet-unlaunched arsenals that Iran and her proxies have in reserve, would, if each one needed to be defended by traditional interceptors, cripple Israel's economy. But Iron Beam changes that calculus entirely. Rather than the $40,000–$50,000 interceptor, each laser interception costs roughly two dollars—the price of the electricity that powers it. The system has what military officials call an “endless magazine,” capable of firing continuously as long as it has power. It's already battle-tested, shooting down over 40 drones from Lebanon during recent conflicts. But this breakthrough also raises profound questions. Israel's intelligence failures on October 7, 2025 partly stemmed from an overreliance on technological solutions—the belief that smart fences and surveillance systems could replace human judgment and offensive action. As Israel celebrates this remarkable achievement of military innovation, how do we ensure Iron Beam enhances rather than replaces sound strategic thinking? To discuss these questions, Mosaic's editor Jonathan Silver is joined by Yaakov Katz, former editor of the Jerusalem Post and author of the new book While Israel Slept. Together, they explore what Iron Beam means for Israel's defense, for military cooperation between Israel and America, and the future of warfare.

This episode takes us back to the origins of the theater in ancient Greece where many of the ideas of democracy also originated. Tragedy began with a lament for the fatal flaws in human character, while comedy used the cutting edge of humor to expose the hypocrisy of those who misuse power. Throughout history, satire has served as an instrument of the powerless against the powerful and as a necessary expression of freedom of both imagination and speech.     The term stage comes from roots that mean “to stand or to take a stand;” not to simply be a stand-in, but to play a major role in the essential drama of living out the inner character and living truth of our soul. For, life requires that we stand for something meaningful, something beautiful, something enduring, especially during tragic times.     Psychological maturity, whether in a person, a political party or a nation depends upon the ability to stand in the tension of opposites long enough for an unexpected third way to arise. By contrast, seeing life simply as a zero sum game of winners and losers can only lead to those in power demonizing others in order to sustain a false sense of superiority.     While the two poles of a polarity may seem to be irreconcilable opposites, they are secretly part of a hidden unity, for existence itself is an essential unity appearing as a de facto duality. In times of polarization, the real point of  meaningful discussions and debates is not simply to prove one side to be right or be superior to the other, but rather to seek to a “catharsis,” an emotional and mental release that clears both the mind and the heart and can lead to a genuine sense of healing and wholeness.     The healing effects of a catharsis were considered to be an essential part of both tragedy and comedy. The point would not be to simply provoke strong emotions in the audience, but rather to create ways in which the expression of strong feelings could lead to new insights and greater realizations about life and how people, though we may disagree, each and all suffer both the inevitable conflicts of life and a deep longing for a sense of unity.     As has been said, all the world is but a stage and we, by virtue of being alive at this critical time, are the only players available to take a stand for the essential freedom and life changing imagination of the human soul. And surprising as it may seem, each soul born bears a genius self, that should it become conscious, can reveal layers of understanding and ways of healing and creating that can help change the course of the world.     Thank you for listening to and supporting Living Myth. You can further support this podcast by becoming a member of Living Myth Premium. Members receive bonus episodes each month, access to the full archives of over 700 episodes and a 30% discount on all events, courses and book and audio titles.     Learn more and join this community of listeners at patreon.com/livingmyth.     If you enjoy this podcast, we appreciate you leaving a review wherever you listen and sharing it with your friends. On behalf of Michael Meade and the whole Mosaic staff, we wish you well and thank you for your support of our work.

This week's ⁠⁠MOSAIC Minute⁠⁠ explains the frequently asked sport pilot question, "How does MOSAIC benefit pilots with a PPL or higher?" And hear from Spirit single seat SE-1 founder Steve Wood, whose crew flew four of the $69,500 single-seat aircraft to from Colorado to AirVenture; plus David and Alicia comment on the ⁠⁠latest aviation news⁠⁠.

In Luke 17:11–19, Jesus heals ten men with leprosy—but only one returns in gratitude. This passage shows us that while many received healing, only one truly encountered the saving power of Jesus.In this message from our Power series, we explore: • Why humility is the starting point for real transformation • How pride blinds us to God's work in our lives • What it means to say “Jesus is enough” • How the world's view of power contrasts with the kingdom of GodAt Mosaic, we believe true power doesn't exploit—it cultivates. Join us as we unpack what it means to live a Jesus-centered life shaped by gratitude, humility, and faith.

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"Anchored and Aimed, Kingdom Vision: Transformation - Growth"

At Craft Coast (https://craftcoast.co) in Oceanside and San Marcos, California, Blake Masoner is happy if you show up for tacos and stay for a beer. The fairly priced tacos are scratch-made, down to the tortillas themselves, packing loads of flavor into every bite. Fellow San Diego–area brewers refer to them as “The best tacos between here and Tijuana”—but the beer they brew here is anything but an afterthought. Eight medals in four years at the World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festical—in competitive categories such as hazy pale ale, American IPA, and international pilsener—are evidence of the brewery's ambition on the quality side, and they've modified both classic and modern brewing techniques to serve their flavor and aroma goals. In this episode, Masoner discusses: abandoning a “no core beer” policy to keep customers happy brewing Mexican-style dark lager with dry yeast and vorlauf-only dark malts mitigating sulfur production with 34/70 yeast Australian-inspired XPA design without Southern Hemisphere hops using Mosaic at different times for different effects in West Coast IPA knockout hopping to find the true heart of new varieties pinpointing flavors through dry hopping building a team-wide winning mindset And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): If you are looking for a brewery chiller that's worry free and tough on GWP, then look no further. G&D Chiller's Elite 290 series chiller uses propane as a natural refrigerant with extremely low global warming potential. Visit gdchillers.com to learn more! Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Berkeley Yeast bioengineers ordinary strains and make them extraordinary—enhancing the flavors you want and eliminating the ones you don't. Visit berkeleyyeast.com to learn more and start brewing with science on your side. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): As breweries expand beyond beer into other segments like mocktails and CBD beverages, Old Orchard is here to help. We can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Celebrating 16 years of delivering compelling new hop varieties along with classics that thrive in Oregon's terroir, Indie is the original source for Strata, Luminosa, Lórien, Meridian, and their newest variety Audacia. Release your creativity with the magic of pure, uncut Oregon hops from Indie. Indie Hops — Life is short. Let's make it flavorful. XTRATUF (https://xtratuf.com) XTRATUF has been making rugged and reliable boots for 75 years. Built for the harshest conditions, the Legacy Collection styles are oil, acid, and chemical resistant with a non-slip rated outsole. Be prepared for whatever comes your way and shop the latest XTRATUF boots on xtratuf.com. Canoe Wild Rice (https://breweryworkshop.com) Brewers, have you ever considered brewing with North America's only Ancient Grain—Wild Rice? Joe at Canoe Wild Rice has a stockpile of this unique roasted grain ready to ship to you. Send Canoe Wild Rice an email at joe@canoewildrice.com or give the office a call at 1-800-626-3809 Prairie Malt (https://prairiemalt.com) For over 50 years Prairie Malt has been producing high extract malts forged from the fertile soils of Saskatchewan. Stop by the Roadhouse & Melvin booth at GABF to sample some award-winning beers produced with excellent malts and learn more at prairiemalt.com. Briess Malting (https://BrewingWithBriess.com) Briess offers the largest product line of specialty malt and is continuing to innovate. New malts include Heritage Gold and Lighthouse Munich. Check out why so many craft brewers trust Briess for their specialty malt at BrewingWithBriess.com.

The question of Israel's chosenness isn't abstract - it's foundational.  If God's covenant with Abraham is conditional, then Israel's future and even our own assurance in Christ are uncertain. But if it's unconditional, then God's faithfulness to Abraham secures hope for us all. In this episode, Ron and Matt Davis trace the Abrahamic covenant from Genesis 12, 15, and 17. They unpack the ancient covenant-cutting ceremony, the unconditional nature of God's promise, and how the Mosaic covenant fits alongside it.  They also show how the New Testament reaffirms - not erases - God's oath to Abraham, and why that matters for both Jews and Gentiles today. With analogies of trust funds and house rules, they bring clarity to common misunderstandings. God's covenant stands not because of human performance but because of His promise. And that means His faithfulness to Israel is the same faithfulness we depend on in Jesus. Key Takeaways God initiated and ratified the Abrahamic covenant alone - it's unconditional. Genesis 12–17 reveals a promise of people, place, and purpose. The land boundaries are literal, not symbolic. Circumcision is the covenant sign, not its source. The Mosaic covenant governs life in the land but does not annul Abraham's promise. The New Testament celebrates - not cancels - the Abrahamic covenant. God's gifts and calling are irrevocable (Romans 11:29). Chapter Markers 00:00 – Welcome and framing the question 05:10 – Genesis 12: God's call to Abram 13:20 – Genesis 15: Cutting the covenant 28:15 – Genesis 17: Everlasting covenant and circumcision 41:00 – Mosaic covenant vs. Abrahamic covenant 55:30 – Genesis 22: Binding of Isaac and covenant confirmed 1:05:10 – New Testament voices: Galatians, Romans, Hebrews 1:18:00 – Analogies: trust funds, house rules, and irrevocable promises 1:28:00 – Final reflections and what's next God's covenant with Abraham is unconditional, everlasting, and still active. It anchors Israel's destiny and secures the hope of all who trust in the Messiah. Explore more resources from thejewishroad.com, join us on a future trip to Israel, or consider becoming one of The Few who support this work regularly.

What mattered most for survivors of the Holocaust, indeed, what made their survival possible, was not only that the Allies had better ideas about democracy and civilization, though of course Britain, America, and the other Western Allies did. It was that they actually won the war. They defeated the Germans on the field of battle—on sea, land, and air, in the hills and in the streets. It's not enough for us to rest contentedly on the superiority of our ideas. We also have to fight. But at this moment, the fundamental political fact of the last 80 years—that it was an indispensable and untarnishable achievement for the Allies to have destroyed the Third Reich—is itself under revisionist assault. The Internet talk-show host Tucker Carlson last year promoted the podcaster Darryl Cooper, calling him “America's most honest historian,” and airing his claim that Winston Churchill was the “chief villain” of World War II who “escalated” what Hitler supposedly intended to be a limited conflict. As one of this episode's guests reports in the Wall Street Journal, when the Holocaust-denying podcaster Jake Shields polled his social-media followers about who they thought was “the biggest villain of World War II,” 40.3 percent chose Churchill over Hitler (25.3 percent) or Stalin (25.9 percent). Darryl Cooper or Jake Shields are teaching a new generation of Americans a grotesquely distorted view of our own history. To understand why that is, what can be done about it, and what's at stake for Jews and America, Mosaic's editor Jonathan Silver sat down Rabbi Meir Soloveichik and Andrew Roberts. Roberts is a distinguish historian and the author of more than twenty books. His 2018 biography of Churchill, Walking with Destiny, was the rare work that deserved all of the glowing praise it received, and there is perhaps no person living who knows more about the 20th century's greatest man than Roberts. On November 1, 2022, he was elevated to a peerage as Baron Roberts of Belgravia. Rabbi Soloveichik is the religious leader of Congregation Shearith Israel, the director of the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought and Yeshiva University, and vice-chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. This conversation took place at a private event held for members of the Tikvah Society. You can learn more about its activities and how to join here.

This is the fourth of five studies on the topic Unstoppable Divine Blessings, this time considering Jesus' teaching in the Beatitudes which appear to be in tension with Old Covenant (Mosaic) prosperity blessings. The approach is to begin with Mosaic promises of blessings in their homeland that were conditional on heart obedience. We need to see Jesus Christ as the only obedient Israelite and who is deserving of such blessing yet became curse for His redeemed people. We can then consider His teaching on blessing that rouses in us what is needed to renew our hearts to love God as He leads us to the everlasting homeland.

While often being considered the leading nation in the world, the United States increasingly finds itself on the cutting edge of cultural upheaval, political polarization and increasing violence that includes mass shootings and politically motivated killings. The recent tragedy of a political activist being shot and killed by a radicalized young man, while appearing distinct in the sense of being a political assassination, can also be seen as part of the larger tragedy of young men acting out cultural violence.     Whether we like it or not, young people tend to manifest, express and even act out the psychological and emotional symptoms of the culture in which they must grow. In particular, if young men are not fully invited into social life and given a genuine sense of meaning and purpose, something volatile and potentially destructive inside them can drift towards the darker areas of the psyche and in the modern world, can pull them into the darkest parts of the world wide web.     While specific causes and motivations for shootings by young men are complex, there are familiar patterns to the trajectory that leads to acting out violently. Research indicates that there is often a strong sense of grievance that comes from a disconnect between the lives they actually lead and the lives they think they should have. This inner disconnect can lead to fantasies of having unlimited power along with intense desires for recognition and admiration. Aided by the extremes of social media, their sense of grievance and their violent visions take up more and more of their mental and emotional lives.     While modern societies lack clarity, understanding and wisdom when it comes to issues of men and violence, traditional cultures developed rites of passage in order to directly engage and temper the wild energies of youth and the reckless urge to battle with both life and death. For, there is an inner volatility that cannot be denied or be ignored without consequences that can turn inward as depression and self-harm or erupt outwardly in violence and destruction aimed at the society that failed to recognize, accept and include them.     It seems to me that in this group, we also have to include those who appear to be grown men, but who demonstrate untempered emotions, reckless immature attitudes about violence that contribute to the tearing apart of society. In many ways, we are all in the midst of a collective rite of passage that requires that we awaken to the deeper issues that can turn a society against itself, while leaving young people in growing gaps of isolation, alienation and despair.     Thank you for listening to and supporting Living Myth. You can hear Michael Meade live by joining his new online series “Finding Calling and Purpose in Uncertain Times” beginning on Thursday, September 18.   Register and learn more at mosaicvoices.org/events.      You can save 30% on this new series and further support this podcast by becoming a member of Living Myth Premium. Members receive bonus episodes each month, access to the full archives of over 700 episodes and a 30% discount on all events, courses and book and audio titles.   Learn more and join this community of listeners at patreon.com/livingmyth     If you enjoy this podcast, we appreciate you leaving a review wherever you listen and sharing it with your friends. On behalf of Michael Meade and the whole Mosaic staff, we wish you well during this challenging and uncertain times and thank you for your support of our work.

We're so glad you're here! Mosaic is a global community of faith committed to inspiring and empowering people to live a life of passion and purpose.Subscribe & Watch More: mosaic.org/live Give to Mosaic: www.mosaic.org/Give

Find the complete episode here:   / offplanetmedia  ​ - free 7 day trial herehttps://emilymoyer.loc...​ - free trial month here w/ code - JOINEMILYFind Emily here: https://emilycmoyer.com​ https://emilymoyer.loc...​ - free trial month here w/ code - JOINEMILY   / offplanetmedia  ​ - free 7 day trial herehttps://rokfin.com/Emi...​ https://projectkids.lo...​ - free trial month here w/ code - PKLOVESYOUhttps://wordspodcast.l...​ - free trial month here w/ code - WELCOMETOWORDShttps://youtube.com/@emilymoyer?si=CiWmiiCcTRNacvvwBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/forbidden-knowledge-news--3589233/support.

September 14th, 2025 David Comstock & Freddy Williams What if mission isn't something you do—but who you are?As part of our Good News series, Pastor David unpacks how Jesus calls us “the light of the world” and sends us into everyday spaces to bring the goodness of heaven to earth. Mission isn't reserved for a select few—it's the identity of every follower of Jesus.Discover what it means to live as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, sent to embody the love of Christ in a world desperate for hope.

While the dismantling of the old order began with Moses, and the prophets guided his people through their deconstruction and disorder, Jesus energized his community by teaching and practicing a new way to follow God. Jesus ushers in a new expression of the Mosaic tradition he inherited. Similarly, we are called to practice prophetic imagination, and by putting into practice what we hope for, we embody the prophetic energy, the Spirit of God, to do the work our souls must have. www.TheLoftLA.org

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In this introductory episode to their new series on the Parables of Jesus, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb explore the profound theological significance of Christ's parables. Far from being mere teaching tools to simplify complex ideas, parables serve a dual purpose in God's redemptive plan: revealing spiritual truth to those with "ears to hear" while concealing these same truths from those without spiritual illumination. This episode lays the groundwork for understanding how parables function as divine teaching devices that embody core Reformed doctrines like election and illumination. As the hosts prepare to journey through all the parables in the Gospels, they invite listeners to consider the blessing of being granted spiritual understanding and the privilege of receiving the "secrets of the kingdom" through Christ's distinctive teaching method. Key Takeaways Parables are more than illustrations—they are comparisons that reveal kingdom truths to those with spiritual ears to hear while concealing truth from those without spiritual illumination. Jesus intentionally taught in parables not to simplify his teaching but partly to fulfill Isaiah's prophecy about those who hear but do not understand, confirming the spiritual condition of his hearers. The ability to understand parables is itself evidence of God's sovereign grace and election, as Jesus states in Matthew 13:16: "Blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear." Parables vary in form and function—some are clearly allegorical while others make a single point, requiring each to be approached on its own terms. Proper interpretation requires context—understanding both the original audience and the question or situation that prompted Jesus to use a particular parable. Parables function like Nathan's confrontation of David—they draw hearers in through narrative before revealing uncomfortable truths about themselves. Studying parables requires spiritual humility—recognizing that our understanding comes not from intellectual capacity but from the Spirit's illumination. Understanding Parables as Revelation, Not Just Illustration The hosts emphasize that parables are fundamentally different from mere illustrations or fables. While modern readers often assume Jesus used parables to simplify complex spiritual truths, the opposite is frequently true. As Tony explains, "A parable fundamentally is a comparison between two things... The word parable comes from the Greek of casting alongside." This distinction is crucial because it changes how we approach interpretation. Rather than breaking down each element as an allegorical component, we should first understand what reality Jesus is comparing the parable to. The parables function as a form of divine revelation—showing us kingdom realities through narrative comparison, but only those with spiritual insight can truly grasp their meaning. This is why Jesus quotes Isaiah and explains that he speaks in parables partly because "seeing they do not see and hearing they do not hear nor do they understand" (Matthew 13:13). The Doctrine of Election Embedded in Parabolic Teaching Perhaps the most profound insight from this episode is how the very form of Jesus' teaching—not just its content—embodies the doctrine of election. Jesse notes that "every parable then implicitly teaches a doctrine of election," because they reveal spiritual truth to some while concealing it from others. This isn't arbitrary but reflects spiritual realities. The hosts connect this to Jesus' words in Matthew 13:16: "Blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear." This blessing comes not from intellectual capacity or moral superiority but from God's sovereign grace. Tony describes this as "the blessing in our salvation and in our election that we are enabled to hear and perceive and receive the very voice and word of God into our spirit unto our salvation." The parables thus become a "microcosm" of Reformed doctrines like election, regeneration, and illumination. When believers understand Jesus' parables, they're experiencing the practical outworking of these doctrines in real time. Memorable Quotes "The parables are not just to illustrate a point, they're to reveal a spiritual point or spiritual points to those who have ears to hear, to those who've been illuminated by the spirit." - Tony Arsenal "Jesus is giving this message essentially to all who will listen to him... And so this is like, I love the way that he uses that quote in a slightly different way, but still to express the same root cause, which is some of you here because of your depravity will not be able to hear what I'm saying. But for those to whom it has been granted to come in who are ushered into the kingdom, this kingdom language will make sense." - Jesse Schwamb "But blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear. There's a blessing in our salvation and in our election that we are enabled to hear and perceive and receive the very voice and word of God into our spirit unto our salvation." - Tony Arsenal About the Hosts Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb are the regular hosts of The Reformed Brotherhood podcast, where they explore Reformed theology and its application to Christian living. With a conversational style that balances depth and accessibility, they seek to make complex theological concepts understandable without sacrificing nuance or biblical fidelity. Transcript [00:00:45] Introduction and New Series Announcement [00:00:45] Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 460 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse. [00:00:54] Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey brother. [00:00:59] Jesse Schwamb: Hey brother. New series Time, new series. Time for the next seven years that, that's probably correct. It's gonna be a long one. New beginnings are so great, aren't they? And it is. [00:01:10] Jesse Schwamb: We've been hopefully this, well, it's definitely gonna live up to all the hype that we've been presenting about this. It's gonna be good. Everybody's gonna love it. And like I said, it's a topic we haven't done before. It's certainly not in this format. [00:01:23] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And you know what, just, um, as a side note, if you are a listener, which you must be, if you're hearing this, uh, this is a great time to introduce someone to the podcast. [00:01:33] Tony Arsenal: True. Uh, one, because this series is gonna be lit as the kids say, and, uh, it's a new series, so you don't have to have any background. You don't have to have any previous knowledge of the show or of who these two weird guys are to jump in and we're gonna. [00:01:53] Tony Arsenal: Talk about the Bible, which is amazing and awesome. And who doesn't love to talk about the Bible. [00:01:58] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, that's correct. That's what makes these so good. That's how I know, and I could say confidently that this is gonna be all the hype and more. All right, so before we get to affirmations and denials, all the good ProGo, that's part and parcel of our normal episode content. [00:02:12] Jesse Schwamb: Do you want to tell everybody what we're gonna be talking about? [00:02:16] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I'm excited. [00:02:17] Introducing the Parables Series [00:02:17] Tony Arsenal: So we are gonna work our way through, and this is why I say it's gonna take seven years. We are gonna work our way through all of the parables. Parables, [00:02:25] Jesse Schwamb: the [00:02:25] Tony Arsenal: gospels and just so, um, the Gospel of John doesn't feel left out. [00:02:30] Tony Arsenal: We're gonna talk through some of the I am statements and some of that stuff when we get to John. 'cause John doesn't have a lot of parables. Uh, so we're gonna spend time in the synoptic gospels. We're gonna just walk through the parables one by one. We're taking an episode, sometimes maybe two, sometimes 10, depending on how long the parable is and how deep we get into it. [00:02:47] Tony Arsenal: We're just gonna work our way through. We're gonna take our time. We're gonna enjoy it. So again, this is a great time to start. It's kinda the ground floor on this and you thing. This could really be its own podcast all by itself, right? Uh, so invite a friend, invite some whole bunch of friends. Start a Sunday school class listening to this. [00:03:04] Tony Arsenal: No, don't do that. But people have done that before. But, uh, grab your bibles, get a decent commentary to help prep for the next episode, and, uh, let's, let's do it. I'm super excited. [00:03:14] Jesse Schwamb: When I say para, you say Abel Para, is that how it works? Para? Yeah. I don't know. You can't really divide it. Pairable. If you jam it together, yes. [00:03:24] Jesse Schwamb: You get some of that. You can say, when I say pair, you say Abel p [00:03:27] Tony Arsenal: Abel. [00:03:31] Jesse Schwamb: And you can expect a lot more of that in this series. But before we get into all this good juicy stuff about parables, and by the way, this is like an introductory episode, that doesn't mean that you can just skip it, doesn't mean it's not gonna be good. We gotta set some things up. We wanna talk about parables general generally, but before we have that good general conversation, let's get into our own tradition, which is either affirming with something or denying against something. [00:03:54] Affirmations and Denials [00:03:54] Jesse Schwamb: And so, Tony, what do you got for all of us? [00:03:58] Tony Arsenal: Mine is kind of a, an ecclesial, ecclesiastical denial. Mm-hmm. Um, this is sort of niche, but I feel like our audience may have heard about it. And there's this dust up that I, I noticed online, uh, really just this last week. Um, it's kind of a specific thing. There is a church, uh, I'm not sure where the church is. [00:04:18] Tony Arsenal: It's a PCA church, I believe it's called Mosaic. The pastor of the church, the teaching elder, one of the teaching elders just announced that he was, uh, leaving his ministry to, uh, join the Roman Catholic Church, which, yes, there's its own denial built into that. We are good old Protestant reformed folks, and I personally would, would stick with the original Westminster on the, the Pope being antichrist. [00:04:45] Tony Arsenal: But, um, that's not the denial. The denial is that in this particular church. For some unknown reason. Uh, the pastor who has now since a announced that he was leaving to, uh, to convert to Roman Catholicism, continued to preach the sermon and then administered the Lord's supper, even though he in the eyes, I think of most. [00:05:08] Tony Arsenal: Reformed folk and certainly historically in the eyes of the reformed position was basically apostate, uh, right in front of the congregation's eyes. Now, I don't know that I would necessarily put it that strongly. I think there are plenty of genuine born again Christians who find themselves in, in the Roman Catholic, uh, church. [00:05:27] Tony Arsenal: Uh, but to allow someone who is one resigning the ministry right in front of your eyes. Um, and then resigning to basically leave for another tradition that, that the PCA would not recognize, would not share ecclesiastical, uh, credentials with or accept their ordination or any of those things. Um, to then just allow him to admit, you know, to administer the Lord's Supper, I think is just a drastic miscarriage of, uh, ecclesiastical justice. [00:05:54] Tony Arsenal: I dunno if that's the right word. So I'm just denying this like. It shows that on a couple things like this, this. Church this session, who obviously knew this was coming. Um, this session does either, does not take seriously the differences between Roman Catholic theology and Protestant theology, particularly reformed theology, or they don't take seriously the, the gravity of the Lord's supper and who should and shouldn't be administering it. [00:06:22] Tony Arsenal: They can't take both of those things seriously and have a fully or biblical position on it. So there's a good opportunity for us to think through our ecclesiology, to think through our sacrament and how this applies. It just really doesn't sit well and it's not sitting well with a lot of people online, obviously. [00:06:37] Tony Arsenal: Um, and I'm sure there'll be all sorts of, like letters of concern sent to presbytery and, and all that stuff, and, and it'll all shake out in the wash eventually, but just, it just wasn't good. Just doesn't sit right. [00:06:48] Jesse Schwamb: You know, it strikes me of all the denominations. I'm not saying this pejoratively. I just think it is kind of interesting and funny to me that the Presbyterians love a letter writing campaign. [00:06:56] Jesse Schwamb: Like that's kind of the jam, the love, a good letter writing campaign. [00:07:00] Tony Arsenal: It's true, although it's, it's actually functional in Presbyterianism because That's right. That's how you voice your concern. It's not a, not a, a rage letter into the void. It actually goes somewhere and gets recorded and has to be addressed at presbytery if you have standing. [00:07:17] Tony Arsenal: So there's, there's a good reason to do that, and I'm sure that that will be done. I'm sure there are many. Probably ministers in the PCA who are aware of this, who are either actually considering filing charges or um, or writing such letters of complaints. And there's all sorts of mechanisms in the PCA to, to adjudicate and resolve and to investigate these kinds of things. [00:07:37] Jesse Schwamb: And I'd like to, if you're, if you're a true Presbyterian and, and in this instance, I'm not making light of this instance, but this instance are others, you. Feel compelled by a strong conviction to write such a letter that really you should do it with a quill, an ink. Like that's the ultimate way. I think handwritten with like a nice fountain pen. [00:07:54] Jesse Schwamb: There's not, yeah. I mean, you know what I'm saying? Like that's, that is a weighty letter right there. Like it's cut to Paul being like, I write this postscript in my own hand with these big letters. Yeah, it's like, you know, some original Presbyterian letter writing right there. [00:08:07] Tony Arsenal: And then you gotta seal it with wax with your signe ring. [00:08:10] Tony Arsenal: So, and send it by a carrier, by a messenger series of me messengers. [00:08:14] Jesse Schwamb: Think if you receive any letter in the mail, handwritten to you. Like for real, somebody painstakingly going through in script like spencerian script, you know, if you're using English characters writing up and then sealing that bad boy with wax, you're gonna be like, this is important. [00:08:30] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, this, even if it's just like, Hey, what's up? Yeah, you're gonna be like, look at this incredible, weighty document I've received. [00:08:36] Tony Arsenal: It's true. It's very true. I love it. Well, that's all I have to say about that to channel a little Forrest Gump there. Uh, Jesse, what are you affirming or denying tonight? [00:08:44] Jesse Schwamb: I'm also going to deny against, so this denial is like classic. [00:08:49] Jesse Schwamb: It's routine, but I got a different spin on it this time, so I'm denying against. The full corruption of sin, how it appears everywhere, how even unbelievers speak of it, almost unwittingly, but very commonly with great acceptance. And the particularity of this denial comes in the form of allergies, which you and I are talking about a lot of times. [00:09:09] Jesse Schwamb: But I was just thinking about this week because I had to do some allergy testing, which is a, a super fun experience. But it just got me think again, like very plainly about what allergies are. And how an allergy occurs when your immune system, like the part of your body responsible for protecting your body that God has made when your immune system mistakes like a non-harmful substance like pollen or a food or some kind of animal dander for a threat, and then reacts by producing these antibodies like primarily the immunoglobulin E. [00:09:36] Jesse Schwamb: So here's what strikes me as so funny about this in a, in a way that we must laugh. Because of our, our parents, our first parents who made a horrible decision and we like them, would make the same decision every day and twice in the Lord's day. And that is that this seems like, of course, such a clear sign of the corruption of sin impounded in our created order because it seems a really distasteful and suboptimal for human beings to have this kind of response to pollen. [00:10:03] Jesse Schwamb: When they were intended to work and care in a garden. So obviously I think we can say, Hey, like the fact that allergies exist and that it's your body making a mistake. [00:10:13] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. [00:10:13] Jesse Schwamb: It's like the ultimate, like cellular level of the ubiquity of sin. And so as I was speaking with my doctor and going through the, the testing, it's just so funny how like we all talk about this. [00:10:25] Jesse Schwamb: It's like, yeah, it's, it's a really over-indexed reaction. It doesn't make any sense. It's not the way the world is supposed to be, but nobody's saying how is the world supposed to be? Do you know what I mean? Like, but we just take it for granted that that kind of inflammation that comes from like your dog or like these particles in the air of plants, just trying to do a plant stew and reproduce and pollinate that, that could cause like really dramatic and debilitating. [00:10:49] Jesse Schwamb: Responses is just exceptional to me, and I think it's exceptional and exceptional to all of us because at some deep level we recognize that, as Paul says, like the earth, the entire world is groaning. It's groaning for that eschatological release and redemption that can only come from Christ. And our runny noses in our hay fever all prove that to some degree. [00:11:09] Jesse Schwamb: So denying against allergies, but denying against as well that ubiquity of corruption and sin in our world. [00:11:15] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I just have this image in my head of Adam and Eve, you know, they're expelled outta the garden and they, they're working the ground. And then Adam sneezes. Yes. And Eve is like, did your head just explode? [00:11:28] Tony Arsenal: And he's like, I don't know. That would've been a, probably a pretty terrifying experience actually. [00:11:33] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, that's that's true. So imagine like you and I have talked about this before, because you have young children, adorable. Young children, and we've talked about like the first of everything, like when you're a child, you get sick for the first time, or you get the flu or you vomit for the first time. [00:11:45] Jesse Schwamb: Like you have no idea what's going on in your body, but imagine that. But being an adult. [00:11:49] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, where you can process what's going on, but don't have a framework for it. [00:11:52] Jesse Schwamb: Yes, exactly. So like [00:11:54] Tony Arsenal: that's like, that's like my worst nightmare I think. [00:11:55] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. It's like, to your point, 'cause there, there are a lot of experiences you have as an adults, even health wise that are still super strange and weird. [00:12:01] Jesse Schwamb: But [00:12:02] Tony Arsenal: yeah, [00:12:02] Jesse Schwamb: you have some rubric for them, but that's kind of exactly what I was thinking. What if this toiling over your labor is partly because it's horrible now because you have itchy, watery eyes or you get hives. Yeah. And before you were like, I could just lay in the grass and be totally fine. And now I can't even walk by ragweed without getting a headache or having some kind of weird fatigue. [00:12:23] Jesse Schwamb: Like I have to believe that that was, that part of this transition was all of these things. Like, now your body's gonna overreact to stuff where I, I, God put us in a place where that wouldn't be the case at all. [00:12:35] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Sometimes I think about like the first. Time that Adam was like sore or like hurt himself. [00:12:42] Tony Arsenal: True. Like the, just the, just the terror and fear that must have come with it. And sin is serious stuff. Like it's serious effects and sad, sad, sad stuff. But yeah, allergies are the worst. I, uh, I suffered really badly with, uh, seasonal allergies. When I was a a kid I had to do allergy shots and everything and it's makes no sense. [00:13:03] Tony Arsenal: There's no rhyme or reason to it, and your allergies change. So like you could be going your whole life, being able to eat strawberries and then all of a sudden you can't. Right? And it's, and you don't know until it happens. So [00:13:14] Jesse Schwamb: what's up with that? [00:13:15] Tony Arsenal: No good. [00:13:16] Jesse Schwamb: What's up with that? So again, imagine that little experience is a microcosmic example of what happens to Adam and Eve. [00:13:24] Jesse Schwamb: You know, like all these things change. Like you're, you're right. Suddenly your body isn't the same. It's not just because you're growing older, but because guess what? Sins everywhere. And guess what, where sin is, even in the midst of who you are as physically constructed and the environment in which you live, all, all totally change. [00:13:40] Jesse Schwamb: So that, that's enough of my rants on allergies. I know the, I know the loved ones out there hear me. It's also remarkable to me that almost everybody has an allergy of some kind. It's very, it's very rare if you don't have any allergies whatsoever. And probably those times when you think you're sick and you don't have allergies could be that you actually have them. [00:13:57] Jesse Schwamb: So it's just wild. Wild. [00:14:02] Tony Arsenal: Agreed. Agreed. [00:14:03] Theological Discussion on Parables [00:14:03] Tony Arsenal: Well, Jesse, without further ado, I'm not, I, maybe we should have further ado, but let's get into it. Let's talk about some parable stuff. [00:14:13] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, let's do it again. When I say pair, you say able pair. [00:14:17] Tony Arsenal: Able. [00:14:20] Jesse Schwamb: When I say [00:14:21] Tony Arsenal: para you say bowl. [00:14:24] Jesse Schwamb: That's what I was trying to go with before. [00:14:26] Jesse Schwamb: It's a little bit more, yeah, but you gotta like cross over like we both gotta say like that middle syllable kind of. Otherwise it's, it sounds like I'm just saying bowl. And [00:14:34] Tony Arsenal: yeah, there's no good way to chant that. Yeah, we're work. This is why Jesse and I are not cheerleaders. [00:14:39] Jesse Schwamb: We're, we're work shopping everybody. [00:14:40] Jesse Schwamb: But I agree with you. Enough of us talking about affirmations, the denials in this case, the double double denial. Let's talk about parables. So the beauty of this whole series is there's gonna be so much great stuff to talk about, and I think this is a decent topic for us to cover because. Really, if you think about it, the parables of Jesus have captivated people for the entirety of the scriptures. [00:15:06] Jesse Schwamb: As long, as long as they were recorded and have been read and processed and studied together. And, uh, you know, there's stuff I'm sure that we will just gloss over. We don't need to get into in terms of like, is it pure allegory? Is it always allegory? Is it, there's lots of interpretation here. I think this is gonna be our way of processing together and moving through some of these and speaking them out and trying to learn principally. [00:15:28] Jesse Schwamb: Predominantly what they're teaching us. But I say all that because characters like the prodigal son, like Good Samaritan, Pharisees, and tax collector, those actually have become well known even outside the church. [00:15:40] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. And [00:15:40] Jesse Schwamb: then sometimes inside the church there's over familiarity with all of these, and that leads to its own kind of misunderstanding. [00:15:46] Jesse Schwamb: So, and I think as well. I'm hoping that myself, you and our listeners will be able to hear them in a new way, and maybe if we can try to do this without again, being parabolic, is that we can kind of recreate some of the trauma. In these stories. 'cause Jesus is, is pressing upon very certain things and there's certainly a lot of trauma that his original audiences would've taken away from what he was saying here. [00:16:13] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. Even just starting with what is a parable and why is Jesus telling them? So I presume that's actually the best place for us to begin is what's the deal with the parables and why is this? Is this Jesus preferred way of teaching about the kingdom of God. [00:16:30] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, and I think, you know, it bears saying too that like not all the parables are alike. [00:16:35] Tony Arsenal: Like true. We can't, this is why I'm excited about this series. You know, it's always good to talk through the bible and, and or to talk through systematic theology, but what really excites me is when we do a series like this, kind of like the Scott's Confession series, like it gives us a reason. To think through a lot of different disciplines and flex like exercise and stretch and flex a lot of different kinds of intellectual muscles. [00:17:00] Tony Arsenal: So there's gonna be some exegetical work we have to do. There's gonna be some hermeneutical work we're gonna have to do, probably have to do some historical work about how the parables have been interpreted in different ways. Yes, and and I think, so, I think it's important to say like, not every parable is exactly the same. [00:17:14] Tony Arsenal: And this is where I think like when you read, sometimes you read books about the, the parables of Christ. Like you, you'll hear one guy say. Well, a parable is not an allegory. Then you'll hear another guy say like, well, parables might have allegorical elements to it. Right. Now if one guy say like, well, a parable has one main point, and you'll have another guy say like, well, no, actually, like parables can have multiple points and multiple shades of meaning. [00:17:37] Tony Arsenal: And I think the answer to why you have this variance in the commentaries is 'cause sometimes the parables are alleg. [00:17:44] Jesse Schwamb: Right. And [00:17:44] Tony Arsenal: sometimes they're not allegorical. Sometimes they have one main point. Sometimes there's multiple points. So I think it's important for us to just acknowledge like we're gonna have to come to each parable, um, on its own and on its own terms. [00:17:57] Tony Arsenal: But there are some general principles that I think we can talk about what parables are. So parables in general are. Figurative stories or figurative accounts that are used to illustrate, I think primarily used to illustrate a single main point. And there may be some subpoints, but they, they're generally intended to, uh, to illustrate something by way of a, of a narrative, a fictional narrative that, uh, helps the reader. [00:18:27] Tony Arsenal: Uh, or the hearer is just, it's also important that these were primarily heard, these are heard parables, so there are even times where the phrasing of the language is important in the parable. Um, they're helping the, the hearer to understand spiritual truth. And this is where I think it's it's key, is that this is not just. [00:18:48] Tony Arsenal: When we're talking about the parables of Christ, right? There's people tell parables, there's all sorts of different teachers that have used parables. Um, I, I do parables on the show from time to time where I'll tell like a little made up story about a, you know, a situation. I'll say like, pretend, you know, let's imagine you have this guy and he's doing this thing that's a form of a parable when I'm using. [00:19:08] Tony Arsenal: I'm not, it's not like a makeup made up story. It's not asaps fables. We're not talking about like talking foxes and hens and stuff, but it's illustrating a point. But the parables of Christ are not just to illustrate a point, they're to reveal a spiritual point or spiritual points to those who have ears to hear, to those who've been illuminated by the spirit. [00:19:29] Tony Arsenal: And I just wanna read this. Uh, this is just God's providence, um, in action. I, um, I've fallen behind on my reading in The Daily Dad, which is a Ryan Holiday book. This was the reading that came up today, even though it's not the correct reading for the day. Uh, it's, it's for September 2nd. We're recording this on September, uh, sixth. [00:19:48] Tony Arsenal: Uh, and the title is, this is How You Teach Them. And the first line says, if the Bible has any indication, Jesus rarely seemed to come out and say what he meant. He preferred instead to employ parables and stories and little anecdotes that make you think. He tells stories of the servants and the talents. [00:20:03] Tony Arsenal: He tells stories of the prodigal son and the Good Samaritan. Turns out it's pretty effective to get a point across and make it stick. What what we're gonna learn. Actually that Jesus tells these stories in parables, in part to teach those who have spiritual ears to hear, but in part to mask the truth That's right. [00:20:24] Tony Arsenal: From those who don't have spiritual ears to hear, oh, online [00:20:26] Jesse Schwamb: holiday. [00:20:27] Tony Arsenal: So it's not as simple as like Jesus, using illustration to help make something complicated, clearer, right? Yes. But also, no. So I'm super excited to kind of get into this stuff and talk through it and to, to really dig into the parables themselves. [00:20:42] Tony Arsenal: It's just gonna be a really good exercise at sort of sitting at the feet of our master in his really, his preferred mode of teaching. Um, you know, other than the sermon on the Mount. There's not a lot of like long form, straightforward, didactic teaching like that most of Christ's teaching as recorded in the gospels, comes in the form of these parables in one way or another. [00:21:03] Tony Arsenal: Right. And that's pretty exciting to me. [00:21:05] Jesse Schwamb: Right. And there's so many more parables I think, than we often understand there to be, or at least then that we see in like the headings are Bible, which of course have been put there by our own construction. So anytime you get that. Nice short, metaphorical narrative is really Jesus speaking in a kind of parable form, and I think you're right on. [00:21:25] Jesse Schwamb: For me, it's always highlighting some kind of aspect of the kingdom of God. And I'd say there is generally a hierarchy. There doesn't have to be like a single point, like you said. There could be other points around that. But if you get into this place where like everything has some kind of allegory representation, then the parable seems to die of the death of like a million paper cuts, right? [00:21:40] Jesse Schwamb: Because you're trying to figure out all the things and if you have to represent something, everything he says with some kind of. Heavy spiritual principle gets kind of weird very quickly. But in each of these, as you said, what's common in my understanding is it's presenting like a series of events involving like a small number of characters. [00:21:57] Jesse Schwamb: It is bite-sized and sometimes those are people or plants or even like inanimate objects. So like the, yeah, like you said, the breadth and scope of how Jesus uses the metaphor is brilliant teaching, and it's even more brilliant when you get to that level, like you're saying, where it's meant both to illuminate. [00:22:13] Jesse Schwamb: To obfuscate. That is like, to me, the parable is a manifestation of election because it's clear that Jesus is using this. Those who have the ears to hear are the ones whom the Holy Spirit has unstopped, has opened the eyes, has illuminated the hearts and the mind to such a degree that can receive these, and that now these words are resonant. [00:22:32] Jesse Schwamb: So like what a blessing that we can understand them, that God has essentially. Use this parabolic teaching in such a way to bring forward his concept of election in the minds and the hearts of those who are his children. And it's kind of a way, this is kind of like the secret Christian handshake. It's the speakeasy of salvation. [00:22:52] Jesse Schwamb: It's, it's coming into the fold because God has invited you in and given you. The knowledge and ability of which to really understand these things. And so most of these little characters seemed realistic and resonant in Jesus' world, and that's why sometimes we do need a little bit of studying and understanding the proper context for all those things. [00:23:12] Jesse Schwamb: I would say as well, like at least one element in those parables is a push. It's in, it's kind of taking it and hyping it up. It's pushing the boundaries of what's plausible, and so you'll find that all of this is made again to illuminate some principle of the kingdom of God. And we should probably go to the thing that you intimated, because when you read that quote from, from Ryan Holiday, I was like, yes, my man. [00:23:34] Jesse Schwamb: Like he's on the right track. Right? There's something about what he's saying that is partially correct, but like you said, a lot of times people mistake the fact that, well, Jesus. Is using this language and these metaphors, these similes, he speaks in parables because they were the best way to get like these uneducated people to understand him. [00:23:57] Jesse Schwamb: Right? But it's actually the exact opposite. And we know this because of perhaps the most famous dialogue and expression and explanation of parables, which comes to us in Matthew 13, 10 through 17, where Jesus explains to his disciples exactly why he uses this mode of teaching. And what he says is. This is why I speak to them of parables because seeing they do not see and hearing, they do not hear they nor do they understand. [00:24:24] Jesse Schwamb: So, so that's perplexing. We should probably camp there for just a second and talk about that. Right, and, and like really unpack like, what is Jesus after here? Then if, like, before we get into like, what do all these things mean, it's almost like saying. We need to understand why they're even set before us and why these in some ways are like a kind of a small stumbling block to others, but then this great stone of appreciation and one to stand on for for others. [00:24:47] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, and I think you know, before we, before we cover that, which I think is a good next spot. A parable is not just an illustration. Like I think that's where a lot of people go a little bit sideways, is they think that this is effectively, like it's a fable. It's like a made up story primarily to like illustrate a point right. [00:25:09] Tony Arsenal: Or an allegory where you know, you're taking individual components and they represent something else. A parable fundamentally is a, is a, a comparison between two things, right? The word parable comes from the Greek of casting alongside, and so the idea is like you're, you're taking. The reality that you're trying to articulate and you're setting up this parable next to it and you're comparing them to it. [00:25:33] Tony Arsenal: And so I like to use the word simile, like that's why Christ says like the kingdom of God is like this. Yes. It's not like I'm gonna explain the kingdom of God to you by using this made up story. Right on. It's I'm gonna compare the kingdom of God to this thing or this story that I'm having, and so we should be. [00:25:49] Tony Arsenal: Rather than trying to like find the principles of the parable, we should be looking at it and going, how does this parable reflect? Or how is this a, um, how is this an explanation? Not in the, like, I, I'm struggling to even explain this here. It's not that the cer, the parable is just illustrating a principle. [00:26:10] Tony Arsenal: It's that the kingdom of God is one thing and the parable reveals that same one thing by way of comparison. Yes. So like. Uh, we'll get into the specifics, obviously, but when the, when the, um, lawyer says, who is my neighbor? Well, it's not just like, well, let's look at the Good Samaritan. And the Good Samaritan represents this, and the Levite represents this, and the priest represents this. [00:26:32] Tony Arsenal: It's a good neighbor, is this thing. It's this story. Compared to whatever you have in your mind of what a good neighbor is. And we're gonna bounce those things up against each other, and that's gonna somehow show us what the, what the reality is. And that's why I think to get back to where we were, that's why I think sometimes the parables actually obscure the truth. [00:26:53] Tony Arsenal: Because if we're not comparing the parable to the reality of something, then we're gonna get the parable wrong. So if we think that, um, the Good Samaritan. Is a parable about social justice and we're, we're looking at it to try to understand how do we treat, you know, the, the poor people in Africa who don't have food or the war torn refugees, you know, coming out of Ukraine. [00:27:19] Tony Arsenal: If we're looking at it primarily as like, I need to learn to be a good neighbor to those who are destitute. Uh, we're not comparing it against what Jesus was comparing it against, right? So, so we have to understand, we have to start in a lot of cases with the question that the parable is a response to, which oftentimes the parable is a response to a question or it's a, it's a principle that's being, um, compare it against if we get that first step wrong, uh, or if we start with our own presuppositions, which is why. [00:27:50] Tony Arsenal: Partially why I think Christ is saying like, the only those who have ears to hear. Like if you don't have a spiritual presupposition, I, I mean that, that might not be the right word, but like if you're not starting from the place of spiritual illumination, not in the weird gnostic sense, but in the, the. [00:28:07] Tony Arsenal: Genuinely Christian illumination of the Holy Spirit and inward testimony of the Holy Spirit. If you're not starting from that perspective, you almost can't get the parables right. So that's why we see like the opponents of Christ in the Bible, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, constantly. They're constantly confused and they're getting it wrong. [00:28:26] Tony Arsenal: And, and even sometimes the disciples, they have to go and ask sometimes too, what is this parable? Wow, that's right. What is, what does this mean? So it's never as simple as, as what's directly on the surface, but it's also not usually as complicated as we would make it be if we were trying to over-interpret the parable, which I think is another risk. [00:28:44] Jesse Schwamb: That's the genius, isn't it? Is that I I like what you're saying. It's that spiritual predisposition that allows us to receive the word and, and when we receive that word, it is a simple word. It's not as if like, we have to elevate ourselves in place of this high learning or education or philosophizing, and that's the beauty of it. [00:29:03] Jesse Schwamb: So it is, again, God's setting apart for himself A, a people a teaching. So. But I think this is, it is a little bit perplexing at first, like that statement from Jesus because it's a bit like somebody coming to you, like your place of work or anywhere else in your family life and asking you explicitly for instruction and, and then you saying something like, listen, I, I'm gonna show you, but you're not gonna be able to see it. [00:29:22] Jesse Schwamb: And you're gonna, I'm gonna tell you, but you're not gonna be able to hear it, and I'm gonna explain it to you, but you're not gonna be able to understand. And you're like, okay. So yeah, what's the point of you talking to me then? So it's clear, like you said that Jesus. Is teaching that the secrets, and that's really, really what these are. [00:29:37] The Secrets of the Kingdom of God [00:29:37] Jesse Schwamb: It's brilliant and beautiful that Jesus would, that the, the son of God and God himself would tell us the secrets of his kingdom. But that again, first of all by saying it's a secret, means it's, it's for somebody to guard and to hold knowledge closely and that it is protected. So he says, teaching like the secrets of the kingdom of God are unknowable through mere human reasoning and intuition. [00:29:56] Jesse Schwamb: Interestingly here though, Jesus is also saying that. He's, it's not like he's saying no one can ever understand the parables, right, or that he intends to hide their truth from all people. [00:30:07] Understanding Parables and God's Sovereign Grace [00:30:07] Jesse Schwamb: Instead, he just explains that in order to highlight God's sovereign grace, God in his mercy has enlightened some to whom it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. [00:30:17] Jesse Schwamb: That's verse 11. So. All of us as his children who have been illuminated can understand the truth of God's kingdom. That is wild and and that is amazing. So that this knowledge goes out and just like we talk about the scripture going out and never returning void, here's a prime example of that very thing that there is a condemnation and not being able to understand. [00:30:37] Jesse Schwamb: That condemnation comes not because you're not intelligent enough, but because as you said, you do not have that predisposition. You do not have that changed heart into the ability to understand these things. [00:30:47] Doctrine of Election and Spiritual Insight [00:30:47] Jesse Schwamb: This is what leads me here to say like every parable then implicitly teaches a doctrine of election. [00:30:53] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, because all people are outside the kingdom until they enter the Lord's teaching. How do we enter the Lord's teaching by being given ears to hear. How are we understanding that? We have been given ears to hear when these parables speak to us in the spiritual reality as well as in just like you said, like this general kind of like in the way that I presume Ryan Holiday means it. [00:31:12] Jesse Schwamb: The, this is like, he might be exemplifying the fact that these stories. Are a really great form of the ability to communicate complex information or to make you think. [00:31:21] The Power and Purpose of Parables [00:31:21] Jesse Schwamb: So when Jesus says something like The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, wow, we, you and I will probably spend like two episodes just unpacking that, or we could spend a lot more, that's beautiful that that's how his teaching takes place. [00:31:34] Jesse Schwamb: But of course it's, it's so much. More than that, that those in whom the teaching is effective on a salvation somehow understand it, and their understanding of it becomes first because Christ is implanted within them. Salvation. [00:31:46] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. [00:31:48] Parables as More Than Simple Teaching Tools [00:31:48] Tony Arsenal: I think people, and this is what I think like Ryan Holiday's statement reflects, is people think of the parables as a simple teaching tool to break down a complicated subject. [00:32:00] Tony Arsenal: Yes. And so, like if I was trying to explain podcasting to a, like a five-year-old, I would say something like, well, you know. You know how your teacher teaches you during class while a podcast is like if your teacher lived on the internet and you could access your teacher anytime. Like, that might be a weird explanation, but like that's taking a very complicated thing about recording and and RSS feeds and you know, all of these different elements that go into what podcasting is and breaking it down to a simple sub that is not what a parable is. [00:32:30] Tony Arsenal: Right? Right. A parable is not. Just breaking a simple subject down and illustrating it by way of like a, a clever comparison. Um, you know, it's not like someone trying to explain the doctrine of, of the Trinity by using clever analogies or something like that. Even if that were reasonable and impossible. [00:32:50] Tony Arsenal: It's, it's not like that a parable. I like what you're saying about it being kind of like a mini doctrine of election. It's also a mini doctrine of the Bible. Yes. Right. It, it's right on. [00:33:00] The Doctrine of Illumination [00:33:00] Tony Arsenal: It's, it's the doctrine of revelation. In. Preached form in the Ministry of Christ, right? As Christians, we have this text and we affirm that at the same time, uh, what can be known of it and what is necessary for salvation can be known. [00:33:19] Tony Arsenal: By ordinary means like Bart Iman, an avowed atheist who I, I think like all atheists, whether they recognize it or not, hates God. He can read the Bible and understand that what it means is that if you trust Jesus, you'll be saved. You don't need special spiritual insight to understand that that is what the Bible teaches, where the special spiritual. [00:33:42] Tony Arsenal: Insight might not be the right word, but the special spiritual appropriation is that the spirit enables you to receive that unto your salvation. Right? To put your trust in. The reality of that, and we call that doctrine, the doctrine of illumination. And so in, in the sense of parables in Christ's ministry, and this is, this is if you, you know, like what do I always say is just read a little bit more, um, the portion Jesse read it leads way into this prophecy or in this comment, Christ. [00:34:10] Tony Arsenal: Saying he teaches in parable in order to fulfill this prophecy of Isaiah. Basically that like those who are, uh, ate and are apart from God and are resistant to God, these parables there are there in order to confirm that they are. And then it says in verse 16, and this is, this is. [00:34:27] The Blessing of Spiritual Understanding [00:34:27] Tony Arsenal: It always seems like the series that we do ends up with like a theme verse, and this is probably the one verse 16 here, Matthew 1316 says, but blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear. [00:34:40] Tony Arsenal: And so like there's a blessing. In our salvation and in our election that we are enabled to hear and perceive and re receive the very voice and word of God into our spirit unto our salvation. That is the doctrine of of election. It's also the doctrine of regeneration, the doctrine of sanctification, the doctrine. [00:35:03] Tony Arsenal: I mean, there's all of these different classic reformed doctrines that the parables really are these mic this microcosm of that. Almost like applied in the Ministry of Christ. Right. Which I, I, you know, I've, I've never really thought of it in depth in that way before, but it's absolutely true and it's super exciting to be able to sort of embark on this, uh, on this series journey with, with this group. [00:35:28] Tony Arsenal: I think it's gonna be so good to just dig into these and really, really hear the gospel preached to ourselves through these parables. That's what I'm looking forward to. [00:35:38] Jesse Schwamb: And we're used to being very. Close with the idea that like the message contains the doctrine, the message contains the power. Here we're saying, I think it's both. [00:35:47] Jesse Schwamb: And the mode of that message also contains, the doctrine also contains the power. And I like where you're going with this because I think what we should be reminding ourselves. Is what a blessing it is to have this kind of information conferred to us. [00:36:01] The Role of Parables in Revealing and Concealing Truth [00:36:01] Jesse Schwamb: That again, God has taken, what is the secrets that is his to disclose and his to keep and his to hold, and he's made it available to his children. [00:36:08] Jesse Schwamb: And part of that is for, as you said, like the strengthening of our own faith. It's also for condemnation. So notice that. The hiding of the kingdom through parables is not a consequence of the teaching itself. Again, this goes back to like the mode being as equally important here as the message itself that Christ's teaching is not too difficult to comprehend as an intellectual matter. [00:36:27] Jesse Schwamb: The thing is, like even today, many unbelievers read the gospels and they technically understand what Jesus means in his teaching, especially these parables. The problem is. I would say like moral hardness. It's that lack of spiritual predilection or predisposition. They know what Jesus teaches, but they do not believe. [00:36:47] Jesse Schwamb: And so the challenge before us is as all scripture reading, that we would go before the Holy Spirit and say, holy Spirit, help me to believe. Help me to understand what to believe. And it so doing, do the work of God, which is to believe in him and to believe in His son Jesus Christ and what he's accomplished. [00:37:02] Jesse Schwamb: So the parables are not like creating. Fresh unbelief and sinners instead, like they're confirming the opposition that's already present and apart from Grace, unregenerate perversely use our Lord's teaching to increase their resistance. That's how it's set up. That's how it works. That's why to be on the inside, as it were, not again, because like we've done the right handshake or met all the right standards, but because of the blood of Christ means that the disciples, the first disciples and all the disciples who will follow after them on the other hand. [00:37:33] The Complexity and Nuances of Parables [00:37:33] Jesse Schwamb: We've been granted these eyes to see, and ears to hear Jesus. And then we've been given the secrets of the kingdom. I mean, that's literally what we've been given. And God's mercy has been extended to the disciples who like many in the crowds, once ignorantly and stubbornly rejected God and us just like them as well in both accounts. [00:37:49] Jesse Schwamb: So this is, I think we need to settle on that. You're right, throughout this series, what a blessing. It's not meant to be a great labor or an effort for the child of God. Instead, it's meant to be a way of exploring these fe. Fantastic truths of who God is and what he's done in such a way that draw us in. [00:38:07] Jesse Schwamb: So that whether we're analyzing again, like the the lost coin or the lost sheep, or. Any number of these amazing parables, you'll notice that they draw us in because they don't give us answers in the explicit sense that we're used to. Like didactically instead. Yeah. They cause us to consider, as you've already said, Tony, like what does it mean to be lost? [00:38:26] Jesse Schwamb: What does it mean that the father comes running for this prodigal son? What does it mean that the older brother has a beef with the whole situation? What does it mean when Jesus says that the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed? How much do we know about mustard seeds? And why would he say that? Again, this is a kind of interesting teaching, but that illumination in the midst of it being, I don't wanna say ambiguous, but open-ended to a degree means that the Holy Spirit must come in and give us that kind of grand knowledge. [00:38:55] Jesse Schwamb: But more than that, believe upon what Jesus is saying. I think that's the critical thing, is somebody will say, well, aren't the teaching simple and therefore easy to understand. In a sense, yes. Like factually yes, but in a much greater sense. Absolutely not. And that's why I think it's so beautiful that he quotes Isaiah there because in that original context, you the, you know, you have God delivering a message through Isaiah. [00:39:17] Jesse Schwamb: Uh. The people are very clear. Like, we just don't believe you're a prophet of God. And like what you're saying is ridiculous, right? And we just don't wanna hear you. This is very different than that. This is, Jesus is giving this message essentially to all who will listen to him, not necessarily hear, but all, all who are hear Him, I guess rather, but not necessarily all who are listening with those spiritual ears. [00:39:33] Jesse Schwamb: And so this is like, I love the way that he, he uses that quote in a slightly different way, but still to express the same root cause, which is some of you here. Because of your depravity will not be able to hear what I'm saying. But for those to whom it has been granted to come in who are ushered into the kingdom, this kingdom language will make sense. [00:39:54] Jesse Schwamb: It's like, I'm going to be speaking to you in code and half of you have the key for all the code because the Holy Spirit is your cipher and half of you don't. And you're gonna, you're gonna listen to the same thing, but you will hear very different things. [00:40:06] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And you know, the other thing I think is, is interesting to ponder on this, um. [00:40:12] The Importance of Context in Interpreting Parables [00:40:12] Tony Arsenal: God always accommodates his revelation to his people. And the parables are, are, are like the. Accommodated accommodation. Yeah. Like God accommodates himself to those he chooses to reveal himself to. And in some ways this is, this is, um, the human ministry of Christ is him accommodating himself to those. [00:40:38] Tony Arsenal: What I mean is in the human ministry of the Son, the parables are a way of the son accommodating himself to those he chooses to reveal himself to. So there, there are instances. Where the parable is said, and it is, uh, it's seems to be more or less understood by everybody. Nobody asks the question about like, what does this mean? [00:40:57] Tony Arsenal: Right? And then there are instances where the parable is said, and even the apostles are, or the disciples are like, what does this parable mean? And then there's some interesting ones where like. Christ's enemies understand the parable and, and can understand that the parable is told against them. About them. [00:41:13] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. So there, there's all these different nuances to why Christ used these parables, how simple they were, how complicated they were. Yes. And again, I think that underscores what I said at the top of the show here. It's like you can't treat every parable exactly the same. And that's where you run into trouble. [00:41:28] Tony Arsenal: Like if you're, if you're coming at them, like they're all just simple allegory. Again, like some of them have allegorical elements. I think it's fair to look at the, the prodigal son or the, the prodigal father, however you want to title that. And remember, the titles are not, generally, the titles are not, um, baked into the text itself. [00:41:46] Tony Arsenal: I think it's fair to come to that and look at and go, okay, well, who's the father in this? Who's the son? You know, what does it mean that the older son is this? Is, is there relevance to the fact that there's a party and that the, you know, the older, older, uh, son is not a part of it? There's, there's some legitimacy to that. [00:42:02] Tony Arsenal: And when we look at Christ's own explanation of some of his parables, he uses those kinds, right? The, the good seed is this, the, the seed that fell on the, the side of the road is this, right? The seed that got choked out by the, the, um, thorns is this, but then there are others where it doesn't make sense to pull it apart, element by element. [00:42:21] Tony Arsenal: Mm-hmm. Um, and, and the other thing is there are some things that we're gonna look at that are, um. We're gonna treat as parables that the text doesn't call a parable. And then there are some that you might even look at that sometimes the text calls a parable that we might not even think of as a normal parable, right? [00:42:38] Tony Arsenal: So there's lots of elements. This is gonna be really fun to just dig stuff in and, and sort of pick it, like pull it apart and look at its component parts and constituent parts. Um, so I really do mean it if you, if you're the kind of person who has never picked up a Bible commentary. This would be a good time to, to start because these can get difficult. [00:42:59] Tony Arsenal: They can get complicated. You want to have a trusted guide, and Jesse and I are gonna do our, our work and our research on this. Um, but you want someone who's more of a trusted guide than us. This is gonna be the one time that I might actually say Calvin's commentaries are not the most helpful. And the reason for that is not because Calvin's not clear on this stuff. [00:43:17] Tony Arsenal: Calvin Calvin's commentaries on the gospel is, is a harmony of the gospels, right? So sometimes it's tricky when you're reading it to try to find like a specific, uh, passage in Matthew because you're, you, everything's interwoven. So something like Matthew Henry, um, or something like, um, Matthew Poole. Uh, might be helpful if you're willing to spend a little bit of money. [00:43:38] Tony Arsenal: The ESV expository commentary that I've referenced before is a good option. Um, but try to find something that's approachable and usable that is reasonable for you to work through the commentary alongside of us, because you are gonna want to spend time reading these on your own, and you're gonna want to, like I said, you're gonna want to have a trust guide with you. [00:43:55] Tony Arsenal: Even just a good study bible, something like. The Reformation Study Bible or something along those lines would help you work your way through these parables, and I think it's valuable to do that. [00:44:06] Jesse Schwamb: Something you just said sparked this idea in me that the power, or one of the powers maybe of good fiction is that it grabs your attention. [00:44:15] The Impact of Parables on Listeners [00:44:15] Jesse Schwamb: It like brings you into the plot maybe even more than just what I said before about it being resonant, that it actually pulls you into the storyline and it makes you think that it's about other people until it's too late. Yeah. And Jesus has a way of doing this that really only maybe the parable can allow. [00:44:30] Jesse Schwamb: So like in other words, by the time you realize. A parable is like metaphorical, or even in a limited case, it's allegorical form you've already identified with one or more of the characters and you're caught in the trap. So what comes to my mind there is like the one Old Testament narrative, virtually identical, informed to those Jesus told is Nathan's parable of the You lamb. [00:44:52] Jesse Schwamb: So that's in like second Samuel 12, and I was just looking this up as you were, as you were speaking. So in this potentially life and death move for the prophet Nathan confronts King David. Over his adultery with, or depending on how you see it, rape of Bathsheba, and then his subsequent murder of her husband Uriah, by sending him to the front lines of battle. [00:45:10] Jesse Schwamb: So he's killed. And so in this parable that Nathan tells Uriah is like the poor man. Bathsheba is like the Yu a and the rich man obviously represents David. If you, you know what I'm talking about, go back and look at second Samuel 12. And so what's interesting is once David is hooked into that story, he cannot deny that his behavior was unjust as that of the rich man in the story who takes this UAM for himself and he, which he openly. [00:45:38] Jesse Schwamb: Then David openly condemns of course, like the amazing climax of this. And as the reader who has. Of course, like omniscient knowledge in the story, you know, the plot of things, right? You're, you're already crying out, like you're throwing something, you know, across the room saying like, how can you not see this about you? [00:45:53] Jesse Schwamb: And of course the climax comes in when Nathan points the finger at David and declares, you are the man. And that's kind of what. The parables due to us. Yes. They're not always like the same in accusatory toward us, but they do call us out. This is where, again, when we talk about like the scripture reading us, the parable is particularly good at that because sometimes we tend to identify, you know, again, with like one of the particular characters whom we probably shouldn't identify with, or like you said, the parable, the sower. [00:46:22] Jesse Schwamb: Isn't the Christian always quick to be like, I am the virtual grounds? Yeah. You still have to ask like, you know, there is not like a Paul washer way of doing this, but there is like a way of saying like, checking yourself before you wreck yourself there. And so when Jesus's parables have lost some of that shock value in today's world, we maybe need to contemporize them a little bit. [00:46:43] Jesse Schwamb: I, and I think we'll talk about that as we go through it. We're not rewriting them for any reason that that would be completely inappropriate. Think about this though. Like the Jew robbed and left for dead. And you know the story of the Grace Samaritan may need to become like the white evangelical man who is helped by like the black Muslim woman after the senior pastor and the worship leader from the local reformed church passed by like that. [00:47:05] Jesse Schwamb: That might be the frame, which we should put it to try to understand it whenever we face a hostile audience that this indirect rhetoric of compelling stories may help at least some people hear God's world more favorably, and I think that's why you get both like a soft. And a sharp edge with these stories. [00:47:20] Jesse Schwamb: But it's the ability to, to kind of come in on the sneak attack. It's to make you feel welcomed in and to identify with somebody. And then sometimes to find that you're identifying entirely with a character whom Jesus is gonna say, listen, don't be this way, or This is what the kingdom of God is, is not like this. [00:47:35] Jesse Schwamb: Or again, to give you shock value, not for the sake of telling like a good tale that somehow has a twist where it's like everybody was actually. All Dead at the end. Another movie, by the way, I have not seen, but I just know that that's like, I'll never see that movie because, can we say it that the spoiler is, is out on that, right? [00:47:54] Tony Arsenal: Are we, what are we talking about? What movie are we talking about? [00:47:56] Jesse Schwamb: Well, I don't, I don't wanna say it. I didn't [00:47:57] Tony Arsenal: even get it from your description. Oh. [00:47:59] Jesse Schwamb: Like that, that movie where like, he was dead the whole time. [00:48:02] Tony Arsenal: Oh, this, that, that, that movie came out like 30 years ago, Jesse. Oh, seriously? [00:48:06] Jesse Schwamb: Okay. All right. [00:48:06] Tony Arsenal: So Six Sense. [00:48:07] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. That movie came out a long time ago. [00:48:10] Jesse Schwamb: So it's not like the parables are the sixth sense, and it's like, let me get you like a really cool twist. Right. Or like hook at the end. I, and I think in part it is to disarm you and to draw you in in such a way that we might honestly consider what's happening there. [00:48:22] Jesse Schwamb: And that's how it reads us. [00:48:24] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And I, I think that's a good point. And, and. It bears saying there are all sorts of parables all throughout the Bible. It's not just Jesus that teaches these, and they do have this similar effect that they, they draw you in. Um, oftentimes you identify it preliminarily, you identify with the wrong person, and it's not until you. [00:48:45] Tony Arsenal: Or you don't identify with anyone when you should. Right. Right. And it's not until the sort of punchline or I think that account with Nathan is so spot on because it's the same kind of thing. David did not have ears to hear. [00:48:58] Jesse Schwamb: Right. Until he had That's good point. Ears [00:49:00] Tony Arsenal: to hear. [00:49:00] Jesse Schwamb: Good point. [00:49:01] Tony Arsenal: And he heard the point of the parable. [00:49:03] Tony Arsenal: He understood the point of the parable and he didn't understand that the parable was about him, right? It's like the ultimate, I don't know why you're clapping David, I'm talking about you moment. Um, I'm just have this picture of Paul washer in like a biblical era robe. Um, so I think that's a enough progam to the series. [00:49:20] Preparing for the Series on Parables [00:49:20] Tony Arsenal: We're super excited we're, we'll cover some of these principles again, because again, different parables have to be interpreted different ways, and some of these principles apply to one and don't to others, and so we'll, we'll tease that out when we get there next week. We're gonna just jump right in. [00:49:34] Tony Arsenal: We're gonna get started with, I think, um, I actually think, you know, in the, the providence of, of the Holy Spirit and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and then obviously the providence of God in Christ's ministry, the, the parable that kind of like frames all of the other parables,

Claire is back and we chat for hours about all the games, including Donkey Kong Bananza, Pokemon Friends, "Mosaic" games, Zexion, Robocop 3, Shinobi and Bubsy 4D. Oh, she also has been playing Hollow Knight: Silksong so Paul jumps in and we discuss that game pretty thoroughly for no spoilers. Big Nate, as he prefers to be called, revisits Day of the Tentacle, plays through Bluey: The Video Game and jumps into the hot 360 title Too Human. Paul also has been playing the new Bloober Team Dead Space-like horror game Cronos: The New Dawn and loves it as well. In news, Ninteno is litigious and runs out of 2DS parts. Also, Acclaim is apparently coming back as a publisher for Indies. All this and more in this edition of the Top Down Perspective!   TDP is listener funded. Like what you hear? Want to support the show and get ad-free episodes? Head over to https://www.patreon.com/topdownperspective

Send us a textThe Bums are back in the rail yard with S5:E0135 — and the top begins with the Bums giving thanks and praise for the return of regular season NFL football; a spitting contest ensues with Jalen Carter's ejection, leaving the Eagle's D short-handed vs. Dem Boys; the Bums face a strange quandary, watching JF1 in Jets garb and serial douchebag A-A-Ron “Horseface” Rodgers donning Pittsburgh black and gold — a dilemma ensues; take turns to Junior Varsity football (aka College Football), as the Longhorns get their nuts snipped by the Ohio cannabis leaves, the Golden Dumbers fall short, and SMU is nailed to the cross in the Jesus Bowl; talk turns to late season MLB — as the Cubbies induct Sammy Sosa and Derek Lee into their team HoF (Eddie doesn't care); the MLB playoff and wildcard race starts to take shape despite in the shadow of the Dodger's vs. Orioles near-no-hit; Angel Angst runs rampant amongst WNBA players and fans (along with neon colored dildos); and close with foul ball etiquette not being followed, and the memes aren't disappointing.The bottom half cracks off with another infamous beer review with a French Canadian brew from Quebec's micro brasserie Dieu Du Ciel and their “Fenetre Sur Les Tropique” (ABV 5.0%), a hazy blonde pale ale that is rich in Citra, Mosaic and Motueka hops — an easy drinker that isn't too sweet (everyone rejoices); Paddy and Rocky visit the Salt Shed on a school night to see the Red Clay Strays, following a delicious pregame dinner at Ada; meanwhile, Eddie and Company enjoy a set delivered by the Henry True Band at the G Man, with a few familiar faces; Genny Tacos “tries” to order a drink at G Man (and Eddie isn't having it); the praise for Blue Ash Farm bourbon continues; another Eddie chow report features Chicago's Bodega Sur; binge streaming updates with Dept Q, Smoke and Stick, and close with a Rocky-flavored grill review — highlighting Spider Grill's Huntsman—a hybrid kettle/kamado masterpiece.   The Bums are on the cusp of hitting 5,000 downloads, and we're just as surprised as you are. Recorded on September 7th, 2025 at B.O.M. northwest headquarters ‘The Eagle's Nest' in Chicago, IL USA — another al fresco edition.

能与澳大利亚零售巨头Mosaic Brands开展合作令热爱时尚的Shirley感到非常开心，但她并没有想到那会是她噩梦的开始。

This episode of Living Myth begins with a description of psychological projection as the necessary process through which people project their power on to others in order to see it and become more conscious of it. Modern mass media causes unprecedented amounts of power to be projected onto popular figures including political figures, tech leaders and “influencers.” Inevitably, the condensation of wealth and power causes an activation of their darker, shadow side which inevitably leads to misuses of power that are detrimental to both collective society and the Earth.     The oldest meaning of the word king is “to sacrifice” with the inherent meaning that those elevated to the heights of power should become willing to sacrifice their own desires for the benefit of the people as a whole. The classic symbol of the misuse of power appears in stories where a ruler acts out the shadow side of the archetype of the king. The shadow king symbolizes leadership reversed, nobility perverted, and sacrifice used in the wrong way. Instead of practicing self-sacrifice and serving other people, the shadow king requires the endless sacrifice of others to satisfy his own desires.     Michael Meade uses a series of mythic tales to depict the dangerous arc of descent that can lead from the heights of wealth and power to the depths of tyranny, oppression and brutality. What begins with an inflated sense of self-importance and a false sense of omnipotence inevitably devolves into delusional states of denial, along with an increase of cruelty and a growing taste for violence.     And in these dark times when fear and intimidation are in the air, when we can feel lost and isolated at any moment, it becomes ever more important to know that cruelty comes from weakness and that the will to power comes from an inner abyss of emptiness that cannot be satisfied. But also that we are each the inheritors of the gifts and the powers of our own souls and that becoming fully grown involves reclaiming our power by living out the meaning and purpose of our own lives.     An old meaning of the word soul is “the light found in darkness.” We are here to find the light within our own souls which knows, not just how to survive the dark times, but also how to bring creative energy out of darkness that can be used to offset the misuses of power and to reset the core values of humanity. The importance of truth, the wisdom that keeps mercy at the heart of justice and the necessity of love are part of the endowment of each soul born that cannot be denied or be deported, but rather are always on the verge of awakening more deeply in the hearts of the people.     Thank you for listening to and supporting Living Myth. You can hear Michael Meade live by joining his new online series “Finding Calling and Purpose in Uncertain Times” beginning on Thursday, September 18.   Register and learn more at mosaicvoices.org/events.      You can save 30% on this new series and further support this podcast by becoming a member of Living Myth Premium. Members receive bonus episodes each month, access to the full archives of over 700 episodes and a 30% discount on all events, courses and book and audio titles.   Learn more and join this community of listeners at patreon.com/livingmyth     If you enjoy this podcast, we appreciate you leaving a review wherever you listen and sharing it with your friends. On behalf of Michael Meade and the whole Mosaic staff, we wish you well during this challenging and uncertain times and thank you for your support of our work.

We're so glad you're here! Mosaic is a global community of faith committed to inspiring and empowering people to live a life of passion and purpose.Join us for three things today:

Episode 145 brings you "information whiskey" - the crew's loose, conversational format where they step back from their "really tightly wound formatted structure" to catch up on life, flying, and everything in between.Ben confesses to being a "plane jinx" after his multi-engine training gets derailed by yet another 100-hour inspection, while Brian plans an epic desert trip from Nashville to New Orleans to Marfa because "if I don't have something on the horizon to look forward to, I'm just a shell of a human being." Ted shares his Palouse flying video and recalls his motorcycling adventures from "above the Arctic circle" to "below the equator."The highlight of the episode is Brian's glowing review of Wendell Geek's masterful Fisk arrival video, calling it "the first thing I've seen where it actually made me want to fly Fisk" and praising its non-linear storytelling approach. Mark reveals he accidentally rendered over his original footage and had to rebuild the entire video from scratch.The conversation meanders through STOL competitions ("if I had your plane, I would be doing that"), insurance implications of MOSAIC rules, and the crew's ongoing battle with aging aircraft and cars. Ben gets his thrills with a massive forward slip through Atlanta's Delta airspace, while Brian contemplates whether anyone wants to rebuild a 4AGE motor in a 1985 Toyota MR2.As Ted notes about midlife priorities: "We chose this not because it was easy, but because we thought it was easy" - the same mindset that drives both flying and life decisions at this stage.Ben's wisdom: "Cleared for the approach means it's time to make math panic look graceful."Mentioned on the show:Music City STOL: https://nationalstol.com/musiccity/XNX - Music City Executive Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/KXNXPiperzilla: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1418719012179295Ted's "Palouse Is My Happy Place" vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhD9hx-XvIITailwheel CFI Ben: https://www.instagram.com/flyyywithben/RYY - Cobb County: https://www.airnav.com/airport/KRYYMGE - Dobbins ARB: https://www.airnav.com/airport/kmgeMark/1dullgeek's Oshkosh arrival vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIWmgdiTDj8Ted's Oshkosh arrival vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91smAolmRpICheckride debriefs and Killing Zone Konversationz: https://www.patreon.com/collection/1238009Midlife Pilot Podcast: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@MidlifePilotPodcastPatreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcastFreedom Aviation Network: https://freedomaviation.network/

In episode 98 of the Mind Shift Podcast, Aaron McManus and his father, Erwin Raphael McManus, catch up on their recent travels and experiences, from Mosaic gatherings in New York, to a special wedding and Erwin's birthday celebrations in New York after attending a business event in Vegas for Monat, a $3.8 billion company. They recount their time at the US Open, reflecting on the intensity of the matches, the role of mindset in athletic performance, and even the humor of overpriced stadium food. The conversation takes a serious turn as Erwin recounts a frightening home invasion attempt while his wife was inside, criticizing the mindset of criminals. This leads into a larger discussion on crime, responsibility, and the erosion of societal values, with Erwin emphasizing that character, not wealth, is what builds strong cultures and nations. They address the backlash Erwin received on social media for posting about the incident, clarifying his views on responsibility, property, and the assumptions made by critics. Together, Aaron and Erwin stress the importance of honest, passionate dialogue, personal responsibility, and the need to rebuild culture on the foundation of integrity and character, closing the episode with a commitment to continue unpacking these pressing issues in future conversations.Join the Mind Shift community here: http://erwinmcmanus.com/mindshiftpodFollow On Socialhttps://www.youtube.com/@ErwinRaphaelMcManushttps://instagram.com/mindshiftpodhttps://instagram.com/erwinmcmanushttps://instagram.com/aaroncmcmanusJoin The Newsletter!https://erwinmcmanus.com/newsletter

In the span of just twelve days, the strategic balance of the Middle East was fundamentally altered. Israel systematically dismantled Iran's drones, missiles, and air defenses, while American strikes turned its most important nuclear facilities into dust. But for all of that, another aspect of the war may not yet have gotten enough attention, and that is the demonstration of what American energy dominance can make possible. What does it mean that oil did not rise over $100 per barrel, as some predicted it might, and how did American policymakers ensure that it didn't? The answer to that question lies in part in the creation in February 2025 of the National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC). Our guest today is Richard Goldberg, a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who recently served as senior counselor to the NEDC. In conversation with Mosaic's editor Jonathan Silver, Goldberg examines what he calls “a National Security Council for energy,” its role in crafting a whole-of-government approach to coordinating American energy policy, and what it tells us about President Trump's vision for American power. We are currently living through a three-way strategic competition among the United States, China, and Iran for influence in the Middle East—and energy is the battleground. China is pouring billions into its Belt and Road infrastructure projects across the region while buying Iranian oil in defiance of sanctions. Iran is using energy revenues to fund proxy networks from Iraq to Yemen, threatening the very shipping lanes that global commerce depends on. The Trump administration's answer is to turn American energy abundance into a strategic weapon. To this end, it has signed an energy- and AI-cooperation agreement with Israel—designed to combine Israeli innovation with American infrastructure to dominate the technologies of the future. The administration is also working to cut off Iran's energy lifelines, ending waivers that allowed Iraq to buy Iranian oil and gas. It's also pushing massive infrastructure projects like the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor that would run through Israel and bypass both Iranian threats and Chinese influence. Coordinating and advancing these policies is the work of the NEDC, and Goldberg was in the room during the twelve-day war and the U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, as well as for the signing of that unprecedented U.S.-Israel energy-cooperation agreement during Prime Minister Netanyahu's July visit to Washington. Now that he no longer holds public office, he can talk about the experience.

Michael Meade talks about inner genius and how without a calling we can feel lost throughout our lives. Without a genuine purpose, we can turn bitter, drifting without genuine passion and withering without the blessing of the spirit of life. A true life purpose is not an optional choice or an outline of goals we might accomplish, but rather something inherent and expectant seeded within each heart and soul.     In that sense, being purposeful does not simply mean being goal oriented, but being connected to the inner meaning and core pattern of our self and soul. Finding a genuine purpose gives us a sense of being centered and dwelling deeply within our true self, while also being more able to respond spontaneously to a rapidly changing world.   This episode is edited from a Jung Platform Summit presentation.     Thank you for listening to and supporting Living Myth. You can hear Michael Meade live by joining his new online series “Calling and Purpose in Uncertain Times” beginning on Thursday, September 18.   Register and learn more at mosaicvoices.org/events.      You can save 30% on this new series and further support this podcast by becoming a member of Living Myth Premium. Members receive bonus episodes each month, access to the full archives of over 700 episodes and a 30% discount on all events, courses and book and audio titles.   Learn more and join this community of listeners at patreon.com/livingmyth     If you enjoy this podcast, we appreciate you leaving a review wherever you listen and sharing it with your friends. On behalf of Michael Meade and the whole Mosaic staff, we wish you well during this challenging and uncertain times and thank you for your support of our work.

Letty, a cleaner in an office building, was known for walking fast—really fast. In doing so, she could easily avoid people. Wounded by poverty and accustomed to condescension, she passed others with one hand reflexively covering part of her face. Her shame, in her words, over not being “like normal, beautiful, educated people,” was profoundly deep. When a woman at work extended her friendship, Letty began to heal. A man with leprosy lived with a shame perhaps deeper than Letty’s. His disease rendered him revolting and ceremonially unclean by standards of the Mosaic law, separating him from mainstream society. The man’s wounds weren’t just physical; they were also lesions of the soul and spirit. With this woundedness, the leper approached Christ, begging, “If you are willing, you can make me clean” (Mark 1:40). Heal me, he was saying, but also remove my shame. Jesus responded not with repulsion, but with compassion. “I am willing,” He said, “Be clean!” and reached out and touched the man (v. 41). Just like the friendship extended to Letty by a coworker, Jesus’ gesture was one of understanding all that the man had suffered and of acceptance despite it all. We may walk through life hiding what we feel separates us from “normal, beautiful people.” May we allow Jesus to touch and redeem these things that cause us shame. May we know that as His children, we’re accepted and loved.

In this archival episode of the Mind Shift Podcast, Aaron McManus and his father, Erwin McManus, sit down in Mexico City to reflect on trauma, mental health, faith, and the vision of Mosaic Church. Aaron opens with personal reflections on his years visiting Mexico City, his early 20s, and the origins of the podcast, born from his fear of speaking on stage alone. Together, he and Erwin revisit defining experiences—Erwin's battle with stage four cancer, Aaron's seasons of anxiety in New York, and the threats their family once faced—using them to highlight the importance of addressing trauma and mental health, especially in cultures and churches where it is often silenced. They discuss how faith and trauma intertwine, with Aaron sharing his struggles in reconciling hurt within the church, and Erwin stressing the need to confront pain honestly to create healthier spiritual environments. The conversation turns toward healing, personal growth, and emotional mastery, as Aaron reflects on his intentional pursuit of change and Erwin underscores the responsibility to design positive environments and replace painful memories with new ones. They also explore the balance between spiritual gifts and character, reminding listeners that maturity, integrity, and love matter more than talent. Finally, they share the unique story of Mosaic Church, founded in a nightclub in LA, with a vision to help people connect deeply with Jesus, reclaim their humanity, and create a community shaped by authenticity and compassion. The episode closes with Aaron and Erwin inviting listeners to join future gatherings, support Mosaic's mission, and continue pursuing healing, growth, and deeper faith.Join the Mind Shift community here: http://erwinmcmanus.com/mindshiftpodFollow On Socialhttps://www.youtube.com/@ErwinRaphaelMcManushttps://instagram.com/mindshiftpodhttps://instagram.com/erwinmcmanushttps://instagram.com/aaroncmcmanusJoin The Newsletter!https://erwinmcmanus.com/newsletter