Podcasts about protestants

Jewish Autonomy in a Slave Society: Suriname in the Atlantic World, 1651-1825 (U Pennsylvania Press, 2020) explores the political and social history of the Jews of Suriname, a Dutch colony on the South American mainland just north of Brazil. Suriname was home to the most privileged Jewish community in the Americas where Jews, most of Iberian origin, enjoyed religious liberty, were judged by their own tribunal, could enter any trade, owned plantations and slaves, and even had a say in colonial governance. Aviva Ben-Ur sets the story of Suriname's Jews in the larger context of Atlantic slavery and colonialism and argues that, like other frontier settlements, they achieved and maintained their autonomy through continual negotiation with the colonial government. Drawing on sources in Dutch, English, French, Hebrew, Portuguese, and Spanish, Ben-Ur shows how, from their first permanent settlement in the 1660s to the abolition of their communal autonomy in 1825, Suriname Jews enjoyed virtually the same standing as the ruling white Protestants, with whom they interacted regularly. She also examines the nature of Jewish interactions with enslaved and free people of African descent in the colony. Jews admitted both groups into their community, and Ben-Ur illuminates the ways in which these converts and their descendants experienced Jewishness and autonomy. Lastly, she compares the Jewish settlement with other frontier communities in Suriname, most notably those of Indians and Maroons, to measure the success of their negotiations with the government for communal autonomy. The Jewish experience in Suriname was marked by unparalleled autonomy that nevertheless developed in one of the largest slave colonies in the New World. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jewish Autonomy in a Slave Society: Suriname in the Atlantic World, 1651-1825 (U Pennsylvania Press, 2020) explores the political and social history of the Jews of Suriname, a Dutch colony on the South American mainland just north of Brazil. Suriname was home to the most privileged Jewish community in the Americas where Jews, most of Iberian origin, enjoyed religious liberty, were judged by their own tribunal, could enter any trade, owned plantations and slaves, and even had a say in colonial governance. Aviva Ben-Ur sets the story of Suriname's Jews in the larger context of Atlantic slavery and colonialism and argues that, like other frontier settlements, they achieved and maintained their autonomy through continual negotiation with the colonial government. Drawing on sources in Dutch, English, French, Hebrew, Portuguese, and Spanish, Ben-Ur shows how, from their first permanent settlement in the 1660s to the abolition of their communal autonomy in 1825, Suriname Jews enjoyed virtually the same standing as the ruling white Protestants, with whom they interacted regularly. She also examines the nature of Jewish interactions with enslaved and free people of African descent in the colony. Jews admitted both groups into their community, and Ben-Ur illuminates the ways in which these converts and their descendants experienced Jewishness and autonomy. Lastly, she compares the Jewish settlement with other frontier communities in Suriname, most notably those of Indians and Maroons, to measure the success of their negotiations with the government for communal autonomy. The Jewish experience in Suriname was marked by unparalleled autonomy that nevertheless developed in one of the largest slave colonies in the New World. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/latin-american-studies

Jewish Autonomy in a Slave Society: Suriname in the Atlantic World, 1651-1825 (U Pennsylvania Press, 2020) explores the political and social history of the Jews of Suriname, a Dutch colony on the South American mainland just north of Brazil. Suriname was home to the most privileged Jewish community in the Americas where Jews, most of Iberian origin, enjoyed religious liberty, were judged by their own tribunal, could enter any trade, owned plantations and slaves, and even had a say in colonial governance. Aviva Ben-Ur sets the story of Suriname's Jews in the larger context of Atlantic slavery and colonialism and argues that, like other frontier settlements, they achieved and maintained their autonomy through continual negotiation with the colonial government. Drawing on sources in Dutch, English, French, Hebrew, Portuguese, and Spanish, Ben-Ur shows how, from their first permanent settlement in the 1660s to the abolition of their communal autonomy in 1825, Suriname Jews enjoyed virtually the same standing as the ruling white Protestants, with whom they interacted regularly. She also examines the nature of Jewish interactions with enslaved and free people of African descent in the colony. Jews admitted both groups into their community, and Ben-Ur illuminates the ways in which these converts and their descendants experienced Jewishness and autonomy. Lastly, she compares the Jewish settlement with other frontier communities in Suriname, most notably those of Indians and Maroons, to measure the success of their negotiations with the government for communal autonomy. The Jewish experience in Suriname was marked by unparalleled autonomy that nevertheless developed in one of the largest slave colonies in the New World. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Jewish Autonomy in a Slave Society: Suriname in the Atlantic World, 1651-1825 (U Pennsylvania Press, 2020) explores the political and social history of the Jews of Suriname, a Dutch colony on the South American mainland just north of Brazil. Suriname was home to the most privileged Jewish community in the Americas where Jews, most of Iberian origin, enjoyed religious liberty, were judged by their own tribunal, could enter any trade, owned plantations and slaves, and even had a say in colonial governance. Aviva Ben-Ur sets the story of Suriname's Jews in the larger context of Atlantic slavery and colonialism and argues that, like other frontier settlements, they achieved and maintained their autonomy through continual negotiation with the colonial government. Drawing on sources in Dutch, English, French, Hebrew, Portuguese, and Spanish, Ben-Ur shows how, from their first permanent settlement in the 1660s to the abolition of their communal autonomy in 1825, Suriname Jews enjoyed virtually the same standing as the ruling white Protestants, with whom they interacted regularly. She also examines the nature of Jewish interactions with enslaved and free people of African descent in the colony. Jews admitted both groups into their community, and Ben-Ur illuminates the ways in which these converts and their descendants experienced Jewishness and autonomy. Lastly, she compares the Jewish settlement with other frontier communities in Suriname, most notably those of Indians and Maroons, to measure the success of their negotiations with the government for communal autonomy. The Jewish experience in Suriname was marked by unparalleled autonomy that nevertheless developed in one of the largest slave colonies in the New World. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Jewish Autonomy in a Slave Society: Suriname in the Atlantic World, 1651-1825 (U Pennsylvania Press, 2020) explores the political and social history of the Jews of Suriname, a Dutch colony on the South American mainland just north of Brazil. Suriname was home to the most privileged Jewish community in the Americas where Jews, most of Iberian origin, enjoyed religious liberty, were judged by their own tribunal, could enter any trade, owned plantations and slaves, and even had a say in colonial governance. Aviva Ben-Ur sets the story of Suriname's Jews in the larger context of Atlantic slavery and colonialism and argues that, like other frontier settlements, they achieved and maintained their autonomy through continual negotiation with the colonial government. Drawing on sources in Dutch, English, French, Hebrew, Portuguese, and Spanish, Ben-Ur shows how, from their first permanent settlement in the 1660s to the abolition of their communal autonomy in 1825, Suriname Jews enjoyed virtually the same standing as the ruling white Protestants, with whom they interacted regularly. She also examines the nature of Jewish interactions with enslaved and free people of African descent in the colony. Jews admitted both groups into their community, and Ben-Ur illuminates the ways in which these converts and their descendants experienced Jewishness and autonomy. Lastly, she compares the Jewish settlement with other frontier communities in Suriname, most notably those of Indians and Maroons, to measure the success of their negotiations with the government for communal autonomy. The Jewish experience in Suriname was marked by unparalleled autonomy that nevertheless developed in one of the largest slave colonies in the New World. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Jewish Autonomy in a Slave Society: Suriname in the Atlantic World, 1651-1825 (U Pennsylvania Press, 2020) explores the political and social history of the Jews of Suriname, a Dutch colony on the South American mainland just north of Brazil. Suriname was home to the most privileged Jewish community in the Americas where Jews, most of Iberian origin, enjoyed religious liberty, were judged by their own tribunal, could enter any trade, owned plantations and slaves, and even had a say in colonial governance. Aviva Ben-Ur sets the story of Suriname's Jews in the larger context of Atlantic slavery and colonialism and argues that, like other frontier settlements, they achieved and maintained their autonomy through continual negotiation with the colonial government. Drawing on sources in Dutch, English, French, Hebrew, Portuguese, and Spanish, Ben-Ur shows how, from their first permanent settlement in the 1660s to the abolition of their communal autonomy in 1825, Suriname Jews enjoyed virtually the same standing as the ruling white Protestants, with whom they interacted regularly. She also examines the nature of Jewish interactions with enslaved and free people of African descent in the colony. Jews admitted both groups into their community, and Ben-Ur illuminates the ways in which these converts and their descendants experienced Jewishness and autonomy. Lastly, she compares the Jewish settlement with other frontier communities in Suriname, most notably those of Indians and Maroons, to measure the success of their negotiations with the government for communal autonomy. The Jewish experience in Suriname was marked by unparalleled autonomy that nevertheless developed in one of the largest slave colonies in the New World. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

Questions Covered: 01:23 – I've heard an argument from Protestants that Mary did have original sin because it was transferred through the male parent. This would solve the issue of Jesus being associated with sin. How do I respond?  06:19 -Where do near death experiences fall into the Church's understanding of the afterlife?  13:49 – What empire treated the Israelites best in the Old Testament?  17:55 – How do I reconcile the violence in the Old Testament compared to what Jesus taught in the New Testament?  28:58 – Does the prophecy in Daniel 7 prove that the Catholic Church is going to mislead the world?  36:30 – How do you respond to someone who claims that scripture supports or condones slavery?  44:04 – Could a non-Christians receive absolution in a case of emergency?  49:55 – Where did the people that died before the coming of Jesus go?  52:13 – I'm interested in going to a bible school. Are there any Catholic bible schools or should I pursue a Christian bible school?  53:46 – Are Anglican prayer beads and prayer ropes permissible to be prayed as a Catholic? What are your general thoughts on them?  …

INTRODUCTION: Jenn has a story of her own. As a child, she suffered solitary confinement, physical abuse, mental abuse, sexual abuse, rape, divorce, abortion, cutting, and suicide attempts. Her turbulent background has forged a path to help those who are suffering, ignored and silenced. Sh!t You Don't Want to Talk About is a place people can come to find hope and healing, to know they are not alone, and to finally be heard. Clearly, Jenn's been through plenty of sh!t most people probably don't want to even acknowledge, let alone talk about. She thought she'd dealt with her past, but brain surgery in November 2020 unleashed a tsunami of memories that couldn't be ignored. Working through trauma, depression, anxiety, bipolar type 2, and ADHD will be a lifelong journey. Jenn strives to break the stigma of Sh!t You Don't Talk About and turn it into Sh!t 2 Talk About.  INCLUDED IN THIS EPISODE (But not limited to):  ·      Let's Talk About The Elephant In The Room·      The Effects Of Shame On Mental Health·      The Importance Of Not Feeling Alone·      The Usefulness Of Vision Board·      Let's Have Boundaries With Family, Shall We?·      Why God, Church & Religion Are Separate·      A Super Moving Abortion Story·      Surviving A Suicide Attempt·      Child Abuse Trauma·      A Glimpse Into The Cult Of Christianity Podcast  CONNECT WITH JENN: Website: https://www.Shit2talkabout.comLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/shit2talkaboutTikTok: tiktok.com/@shit2talkaboutLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shit2talkabout/YouTube: https://bit.ly/3BRnT50Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shit2talkabout/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shit2talkabout/Twitter: https://twitter.com/shit2talkabout   CONNECT WITH DE'VANNON: Website: https://www.SexDrugsAndJesus.comWebsite: https://www.DownUnderApparel.comYouTube: https://bit.ly/3daTqCMFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/SexDrugsAndJesus/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sexdrugsandjesuspodcast/Twitter: https://twitter.com/TabooTopixLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devannonPinterest: https://www.pinterest.es/SexDrugsAndJesus/_saved/Email: DeVannon@SexDrugsAndJesus.com  DE'VANNON'S RECOMMENDATIONS: ·      Pray Away Documentary (NETFLIX)o  https://www.netflix.com/title/81040370o  TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk_CqGVfxEs ·      OverviewBible (Jeffrey Kranz)o  https://overviewbible.como  https://www.youtube.com/c/OverviewBible ·      Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed (Documentary)o  https://press.discoveryplus.com/lifestyle/discovery-announces-key-participants-featured-in-upcoming-expose-of-the-hillsong-church-controversy-hillsong-a-megachurch-exposed/ ·      Leaving Hillsong Podcast With Tanya Levino  https://leavinghillsong.podbean.com  ·      Upwork: https://www.upwork.com·      FreeUp: https://freeup.net VETERAN'S SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS ·      Disabled American Veterans (DAV): https://www.dav.org·      American Legion: https://www.legion.org ·      What The World Needs Now (Dionne Warwick): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfHAs9cdTqg  INTERESTED IN PODCASTING OR BEING A GUEST?: ·      PodMatch is awesome! This application streamlines the process of finding guests for your show and also helps you find shows to be a guest on. The PodMatch Community is a part of this and that is where you can ask questions and get help from an entire network of people so that you save both money and time on your podcasting journey.https://podmatch.com/signup/devannon  TRANSCRIPT: [00:00:00]You're listening to the sex drugs and Jesus podcast, where we discuss whatever the fuck we want to! And yes, we can put sex and drugs and Jesus all in the same bed and still be all right at the end of the day. My name is De'Vannon and I'll be interviewing guests from every corner of this world as we dig into topics that are too risqué for the morning show, as we strive to help you understand what's really going on in your life.There is nothing off the table and we've got a lot to talk about. So let's dive right into this episode.De'Vannon: Jenn Junod is the host of the shit. You don't want to talk about podcast, but baby, we've got some shit to talk about today. This girl is here to serve up some vulnerable and transparent realness y'all and she's doing it in a way that's so sincere. And so heartfelt that even on myself was taken aback.This girl has been through all kinds of shit in her life from child [00:01:00] abuse, to mental abuse, to rape divorce, and. She's got an abortion story that would make anyone with a heart cry or at least feel something for God's.Please listen to what Jen has to say. Been heart and an open mind and share it with someone you care about. Hello? Hello. Hello everyone. Welcome back to the sex drugs and fucking Jesus podcast. I have with me, the lovely gen ALD of the, of the, of the shit. You don't want to talk about podcast, bitch. How you doing today? Jenn: delightful, especially since, you know, last night we did the first live with you and I was fangirling so hard that I was like, just stumbling all over myself and I'm just like, yay.We're [00:02:00] gonna do it again next week. So I am delightful. It's like, you know, the day after. De'Vannon: Yeah, that after glow, like we had some red, hot monkey sex all night then we'll do it again and again and again, and everyone gets to watch. And so, so today we're gonna be talking about Jen's life history. Her podcast, I think is a fabulous name shit you don't want to talk about.And you look gorgeous by the way. I love the hair. I love the plows, the tits, everything is just great. And so yeah, I was going through the titles on your podcast and I was like, this could have been like, like we could do like a podcast swap and switch the names from sex, drugs, and Jesus to yours.And it would both fit because yes, I love how you're cover. Very taboo topics and very things that are usually off the kitchen [00:03:00] table. Although it's still at the kitchen table, this it's just not being stated. So I think you and I agree that the elephant is the room is pro in the room is probably the most important thing to not miss out on.So, so your show is titled shit. You don't wanna talk about, which is all about the elephant in the room. So why, why, why should the elephant in the room not be ignored Jenn: when you ignore the elephant and skirt around it, go hi, you know, go around the Bush. What, however you want to say it. It, a lot of it has to do with shame.And when you create shame, it causes. So much more mental health issues that can there's a book that I absolutely adore called the body, keeps the score where when you go through trauma, it can cause many mental health issues and can cause autoimmune [00:04:00] diseases. And I feel like on so many podcasts that I've, I've been on and of guests that have been on the show, we have Brene brown to really think of streamlining a lot more about the knowledge around shame and being able to start talking about it.So therefore we're not hiding behind it anymore. And it's something that I never meant to always talk about. It's just, I always felt really awkward at parties or meeting people. And the only people I really connected with was when we were talking about real shit, not talking about the weather.De'Vannon: Talking about real shit. I sometimes I think about a lot of how back when I got HIV and everything, if I wouldn't have felt so alone, if me and my friends were talking about real shit, but instead we were too busy judging everyone else. We were too busy being, you know, cute little gaze running from club to [00:05:00] club and doing a bunch of cocaine in the bathroom all the time.And you know, but we never really no judgment against being a cute little gay running from club, the club, doing cocaine in the bathroom far. Be it for me to judge you. I would've been your dealer back in the day, but my whole thing is while we were starting all the cocaine and partying it up and judging everyone else, we should have also been.It would've served us better if we would've also been vulnerable about our problems, you know? And then when I got HIV, I wouldn't have thought I was the only one running around with it when probably half the damn people in the bathroom, starting to cocaine with me either also had it too. So, or knew someone who, you know, who had it.There was no reason for me to have this sense of isolation. And that's a huge thing that I. A trend with you and your writings on your website and your videos, especially your TikTok videos. Okay. Everyone needs to check out her TikTok channel, wanna list everything in the showy notes from the hair and the makeup and all the goddamn [00:06:00] sequence that you're dazzling with.And she, she is a straight ally, but my God is her pride flag fly high. Jenn: I, I met some friends at, at pride this year and she sent in a group chat of, you know I'm queer, but I hate, I hate bright colors and I'm like, so can I get a shirt that matches yours and says, I'm not queer, but I love bright colors.And she's like, yes, we need to go and match with that because I absolutely love everything bright and color. De'Vannon: Bright and colorful and shiny and new that sort of shit is for you. Ooh. I Jenn: love De'Vannon: that. and so thank you. And so a common theme that I see is this whole you are not alone thing. Talk, talk to me about why it's so important for you to reiterate the fact that people are not alone.Jenn: Something that [00:07:00] I, I also want to, to answer that that is coming up for me is when you mention going club to club and you know, stewarding Coke or that's a lot of times for many of us. Yes. It can be fun. Yeah. A lot of times it's us hiding behind something and I know for myself, In the past, it was like self harm.I was a cutter. I have suicide attempts getting in very, very bad situations. I never did well with drugs, which come to find out. It's probably because I'm bipolar type too, which apparently that makes you not as drugs and alcohol don't mix as well. I don't know. Maybe I was just like way too depressed all the time to do them.But I, I mentioned that because when we think about our coping strategies, we are taught coping [00:08:00] strategies from someone somewhere. If it's like I was gonna say media, but now it's probably social media. We are taught about it from our parents, from school, from TV, from friends. And that can be taught that we are alone.because of that shame because we don't know anybody else that's going through it. And a big reason that I always come back to people are not alone, is from the ages of two to about eight. I was locked in my room for weeks on end in solitary confinement. I had like the potty potty bowls, like the potty training, like toilets, like for little kids.And that's what I had to use. There were times where I didn't have anything in my room. There were times where I started and my dad took away all of my [00:09:00] toys and the first night I got my sleeping bag. The second night I got to have my Teddy bear or a pillow. And I wanted baby, my Teddy bear because I knew.I felt so alone. And I knew what it was like when my best friend would go around the side of the house and talk to me when my dad was throwing pool parties. And I never ever want anyone to feel that alone because just because we're in this situation and it can be any shitty situation. And there are people out there that care it's a lot of times, at least from what I've seen from so many individuals is figuring out for ourselves that we're not alone to push through it.And then we like end up finding people that are willing. Like we attract people that want to help. That sounds a little blue. Woo. [00:10:00] But it's like our vibe changes. De'Vannon: There's nothing wrong with some spirituality, honey, because the spiritual things affect. Everything. And just like the, the elephant in a room that doesn't get spoken about that yet, he really affects everyone in the room, spiritual and mental and emotional things are the same way.So the things we do physically are gonna say more than a manifestation of what came up inside of us first. So if you wanna call it woo, woo or whatever, who, whoever the hell, who, you know, you know, do not deny it's importance, embrace that shit, you know? Yes. We change our vibes. We change what we attract to us, you know our expectations.It's like, if you don't believe in yourself and you walk into a room, I'll crest, fall letting sad and wearing boring colors and shit, then people are not likely to believe in you as well. [00:11:00] But if you change your vibe and the way you think about yourself, then when you walk into the room, because you believe in yourself now, Everyone else will believe in you too.And then you only have your haters of course, but you know, that just comes along with success and strength. So , Jenn: and that is a lot easier said than done of changing your vibe and your mindset. And that's like a story for another day. I just wanna call out that it's not always that easy of just like changing your vibration and bam everything's fixed.It does definitely take time, De'Vannon: takes time and dedication and and learning a new path, you know, because you know, you learn to be defeated, self defeating and things like that. A lot of times when we're young and we don't realize we're taking on these habits, so now you gotta relearn how to live. And I use the vision board.I put pictures on my wall of how I wanted [00:12:00] to be, cuz I had to transition from being homeless and having nothing and spinning out control to having. Solid life that is structured into having prosperity and everything. And I put colorful pictures of everything, and I use that to reshape and to reframe the way I, I think about thought about myself and I still keep it to this day.So that's just one thing that worked for me. I recommend vision boards you know, and a lot of prayer and fasting and calling on the Lord. And we know whoever your higher power is connecting with that in whatever way you want to do it. But on a more practical level, you know, the vision board is something that's physical.You stick it on the wall and voila Jenn: exactly, exactly. And it's definitely something that I know at one point I was in my early twenties and I went to a five day like personal development workshop. And at the end of it, they were. [00:13:00] Picture what you're going to be doing in five years from now. And I completely drew a blank.And because at that point I was surprised I was still standing. And then on my I think I was around 25 when that happened. And then on my 30th birthday, that weekend, I had an opportunity to work in Europe and I'm on the train from cologne, Germany to Paris. And I get it checked into my hotel room and I just cry because I couldn't imagine being able to live the life I wanted to live to be able to even see Paris, to let alone live till I was 30.And it's even if you can't picture it right now, knowing that. You're not alone in that you can get through it [00:14:00] as my mom has always said. And it does help sometimes. Not always, but this too shall pass. And that's where I lean into a higher power of knowing that if I keep showing up, even if I don't have the answers, it will work out.And I love how you keep bringing up spirituality, because I think that's something that I, at least on shit you don't wanna talk about. We don't talk about it very often because I myself believe in ju in a higher power, not necessarily a title or anything, but, and it can be tricky bringing those type of topics up with people and not putting in my own views with it.so, well, I appreciate that. You talk De'Vannon: about. I don't see anything wrong with mixing in your own views, but you know, when it comes to higher power, you know, I, I [00:15:00] believe in YWE the God of the Hebrews, you know, what, whatever you wanna call him. But I, I always remember, you know, you know, the story of Moses when he's on the side of the mountain and he's first really meets God for real.And he wants to identify God, and he's asking him, who are you? You know, what category shall I put you in? How shall I address you or whatever. And the Lord told him, you know, I am that I am, which means in that moment, God was not necessarily ascribing to any sort of title or name or whatever, because any title that we can give to him is too small.Anyway. So the ones that we have are just a negotiation of God on our part, you know, to help us because we need, you know, do you know, to always have something in a category that we can understand. So. She needs to, we need to, she has to be a woman. She can't be non-binary, she can't be transgender. You gotta be straight.You know, it's other about humans, you know, in order for [00:16:00] us to feel comfortable, we have to know how do we classify you? Where do we put you? Mm-hmm you know, and so, so sure if you're higher power has no name. Okay. , it's something we've seen before about that. So Jenn: I love that. I love that. And I love how welcoming you are with that, because it's, it's not a conversation that I get to have very often.De'Vannon: Oh, but you did, to an extent with Mr. John Vanna yes. Of a cult called cult of Christianity podcast. And I'm gonna be interviewing him on Friday, but yes, that's the one show though that I am gonna pick your brain about towards the end of this interview. Okay. Just to kind of, you know, give people a little taste test of the flavor of the, a, of like, of an actual show.Yeah. And then we go from there. So this whole being locked up in solitary confinement as a [00:17:00] kid, first of all, I'm sorry that it happened. I'm just gonna say in advance, I'm sorry for everything bad that happened to you. That we're gonna talk about because it's quite a lot of shit so, okay. Couple of things.So you said your friend. Would talk to you. I'm imagining that there's some sort of like vent or a window to this room you're locked up in. How was she able to access you? Because I'm assuming she didn't just Walt sit down the hall through the house. Jenn: No, she didn't. It, so I lived in a three bedroom ranch.I would probably call it a two and a half bedroom ranch house. It, the, the room was pretty small and it had one window. And what would happen is my dad would throw, I grew up in Phoenix up until the age of eight and we, well, he would throw pool parties all the time in the back. And then she would go through the side of the house [00:18:00] and talk to me through the window.So. I would be able to open the screen the window a little bit to hear her and talk to her for a little bit until normally it was her mom trying to get her, luckily because her dad is not nice. Like my dad. And at that time, my mom was very, verylike brainwashed by my dad. I mean, he was, he was physically abusive, emotionally abusive to her, very narcissistic gas lighting that my mom ended up being physically and emotionally abusive to me in the long run yet. She never wanted to do it. It was like I ended up being her only outlet. So it's been a lot easier to forgive her.I also have forgiven my dad. At the same time, I choose not to have a [00:19:00] relationship with him because you can forgive and still keep a boundary. And that boundary is what I need to not have that toxic individual in my life. De'Vannon: Okay. I'm all further forgive. This is the boundaries there's family member right now.Who's cut off because they don't know how to talk. Talk to me and treat me right. So am I better? Don't have time for all that, cause I'm not gonna hurt myself over saying angry at that person. But at the same time, I don'tappreciate you doing that all the time about people getting over this addiction to family. So if it's blood family, it's not serving you, dad, sister, brother, cousin, fuck them. Get you a chosen family. You don't have to deal with that shit from them. Because I'm, I'm happy you explain it about your mom, cuz when you told me her quote, this two show pass, I wrote that down because I was trying to [00:20:00]reconcile in my head.How in the hell you were being abused in this household and yet she has this nice flower reword from the Hebrew Bible here. This is from Isaiah who said this in the book of Isaiah, cuz she's, he's preaching to you the Hebrew scriptures while you're being, you know, abused and locked up in the room. But you know, you explain just now like how she was going through everything.Like, Jenn: So it's also very complex, like even looking at it to this point of like in, after many years of therapy and being in a very stable relationship now for myself has taught me a lot about my mom too, which may sound weird. I'm an only kid and I feel like the older I get the easier it is to understand my mom, because I'm almost the age that she was when she had me.And I say that in [00:21:00] the fact that I'm learning that when I get very, very upset of like if my partner and I fight and it's a horrible fight, I may, majority of the time will black out the event, but I know what I felt. And it took me a long time to realize that that's what happened to my mom too. Of it's a coping mechanism.It's where you detach yourself or people may. I don't remember what the term is, but you actually like step out of yourself and see it happening to you. So it's happening to you instead of you doing it. And I think that's what my mom went through quite a bit because I I'm bipolar type too. I have depression, I have [00:22:00] anxiety.I have ADHD. I am also dyslexic. So it's just a, and PTSD. It is a very fun bunch. And I say that in the fact that there will be times where there's too many noises going on at once. Like a friend was pulling out of my grandmother's driveway, the music was playing. She was talking to me, there was a car coming down the street and she was about to pull out.She had plenty of room, but I was like, stop the car. You have to stop the car. And she's like, why? And I'm like, I can't breathe. And it's because I was going into a panic attack. I was, it was too much stimulation all at once that I couldn't comprehend what was going on. And I know that my mom has dealt with panic attacks her entire life.And yes, it was a different generation, but my dad would smack her in the [00:23:00] ear to try to get her to snap out of it. He would dump, like go fill five gallon buckets and pour them over her over and over and over again. He's pushed her downstairs. He's he conditioned her to think that she was nothing. And he isolated her as well, where I was isolated in my room.She was being isolated from all of her friends and family. He, for example, I didn't meet my family in Colorado until I was. 19. I think like I have a memory or two when I was under five and then I'd never met them again till I was older. And it was because my dad would tell this side of the family. So this is his family in Colorado that my mom and I want nothing to do with them that they can't stand, we can't stand them.And then he would come back and tell my mom and I, that we're unloved. No one [00:24:00] will love me. He's only going because he has to go. And so my mom really started believing that she was unloved. And my dad also a Barry's Lynn that I have a hard time with religion at this time where this is all happening is my dad.I feel that my dad joined the Mormon church for power, not for good. And when my mom has gone to the church for help. They didn't listen to her because my dad was this almighty cool dude. And the same thing happened to me when I tried to get help from my mom, no one believed me. And it's the type of thing that it's taken a lot of work yet, even though my mom and I have, she is very conservative and religious and hates the podcast half the time and [00:25:00] loves it the other half.And I'm just like, okay, mom, just, we're not gonna talk about anything. Yet at the same time, we do get into these very big debates of for example, about Juneteenth. She was like, I think it's stupid holiday. And I was like, why? It is one of the most important holidays that we need to stop whitewashing history and.Getting her to start thinking about it, made it, so that way eventually she understood and appreciated why Juneteenth was a holiday and that growth that I see in my mom, she has her ways yet she's still open to learning about other things and also has worked incredibly hard on being someone that cares for me without she's not looking for a return on investment, [00:26:00] basically where they're at a point that is what she was doing.If she didn't get anything at it out of it, she wouldn't do it. My dad to this day is definitely for the ROI. If he can't control it or get something out of it, he will just throw a tantrum and try to get control. De'Vannon: The way you speak of him, reminds me there's a, a documentary called keep sweet prey. And that is on Netflix.And it Chronicles the fellowship of a latter day saints. The Jeff's guys and all of that, that of course is an offshoot from Mormonism. Yeah. They became so extreme. I think even the Mormons was like, God damn, you know? Yeah, damn. And so, but it talks about that, how they suppress the women. And of course they're having sex with these 11, 12 year old girls and getting them pregnant.And then when the women, a few of them dare to try to complain, then of course it's always the woman's fault. She doesn't know what she's talking [00:27:00] about. The women are stupid, you know, they're cut off from everybody and stuff like that. And it's unfortunate that it makes God look bad in a way, because people until a person becomes spiritually mature, they will conflate.Church, religion and God, when in fact those three things are completely separate. A church is just a building. You go to . And so you don't, you know, again, churches came about, because back in the old Testament, people wanted to be like the other nations around them. God was perfectly cool. Just like hanging out his tents and hanging out in people's hearts is really what he wants, but they pushed the issue on this whole building.And God being super flexible, worked with humans and gave them, you know, let them build these churches, but he wasn't really trying to have all that from the beginning. And then religion is all man made all of these different denominations from the beginning. People were either you believed in God or you didn't there wasn't a [00:28:00] Christian way in a Catholic way, in a fucking Baptist way, in an AME way.Wasn't all of that. You know, as I say that the further I get away from churches and religion, the closer I get to God. And so, but I understand it is, is a bitch of a process, especially once you've been hurt and received trauma from a church of all places or watch somebody you love go through hurt to get back to good spiritually because you know, you look at the church, the church hurt people, you know, where's God, and all this, it takes a while, but you can overcome it.You know, whoever it is. I say, you, during this interview, I'm not actually talking to you. I know I got you talking to you and the whole world, all 8.7 billion people, however, oh, geez. So, okay. So I just, you can't imagine, like when you say solitary confinement just reminds me of the times [00:29:00] that I've been locked up in jail and just knowing that the world is going on around you mm-hmm you cannot be a part of it.Is like a terror in and of itself. So I imagine you in that room, hearing the parties and hearing the music and the noise, and you can't be a part of it, it sucks to be that close to something. And you have a wall standing in between you being in jail sucks. And so let me get, let me get more more you, how shall I say more granular, more intense with you here?Cause she, you know what I, I think I'm gonna read, I'm gonna read your bio that's okay. Because it's such a well written bio, so, and it will be of course included the show notes. And of course it is on her website, which will also go in the show notes, but it. Shit two. [00:30:00] Talk about.com, which is the number two.I'm also gonna put her link treat and show notes as well. But let me read this bio to y'all it's story time y'all should have bought my drag.So it says Jen has a story of her own. As a child, she suffered solitary confinement, physical abuse, mental abuse, sexual abuse, rape divorce, abortion, cutting, and suicide attempts. Her turbulent background is forged a path to help those who are suffering ignored and silenced. Shit, you don't wanna talk about is a place.People can come to find hope and healing to know they are not alone enough. Finally be heard. Clearly Jen's been through plenty of shit. Most people probably don't want to even acknowledge, let alone talk about, she thought she dealt with her past, but brain surgery in November, 2020 unleash [00:31:00] just tsunami of memories that could not be ignored.Honey, working through trauma, depression, anxiety, bipolar type two in eight, the D to the age to the D will be a lifelong journey. Jen strives to break the stigma of shit you don't talk about and turn it into shit. You do talk about. Jenn: I'm like trying not to smile the entire time you're talking about this.Like, I've I'm just gonna steal this clip. And at some point I'm putting like that part of it on TikTok, just as a heads up like that is going on, my TikTok De'Vannon: do with it, what you will, it's like, it's like a single episode that probably be done on your journey to deal with each one of these things. But tell me about the one thing that I know on this list would piss every Republican off the abortion.[00:32:00]Jenn: Yeah. So I've actually had two of them. The, the I'm gonna go with a second one first because I was heartbroken over that one. It was I had an I U D and my I U D failed and the person. I was with, and I'm still with I could see him. He would be an amazing father. I fell in love with him while we worked together and just seeing how his leadership and how kind he is and how well he takes care of his fam, how well, and he puts up with me, like, he's just like such an incredible human that it broke my heart.When luckily my doctor and my gynecologist, they [00:33:00] they're friends. That's actually how I got the referral. They both got on the phone with me at the same time. And they were like, Jen, if, if you keep, if you take this to term, either you could die, the baby could die, or both of you could die. The likelihood of you, both living with where the I U D implanted itself is not likely that.You'll be able to live and taking out the I U D will terminate the pregnancy. And I say that in the fact of it's like, I had a choice, but I didn't have a choice that one I've never wanted to have kids. And Tyler doesn't want kids either. It's, I've always, even since a young, young child, I have always wanted to adopt, I want every possible person to adopt of every age, like ever, [00:34:00] like this is my big lifelong dream.And so it was very conflicting in the fact of I wanted it yet. Didn't want it, but couldn't have it. It was a very, very different emotional experience than my first termination. My first termination. It was very interesting. I had a group of three friends and three friends plus me. So four of us, and we would all talk about it in like high school that, you know, if we ever got pregnant, that we would take it to term, we would never want an abortion.And then, and then it happens to you and you're an abusive relationship. And you can't imagine this kid [00:35:00] being somebody's child and picturing them going through worse things than you went through as a child.It was the type of thing that at that point in my life, I was still very much trained to be in very toxic relationships because that is what I grew up in. I. I always, always strive to get my father's approval in everything that the relationship I was in, I was doing the same thing. It was, I put this guy on a pedestal.Yes. He was a PhD student. Yes. He was from China. Yes. He's like really hot and six two, but he wasn't the coolest human on the inside. And it was not only was he like yelling at me that I got pregnant. It's like, it's not my fault. It wasn't like I [00:36:00] was trying to get pregnant. And when you go to get a termination, you're asked, is anyone forcing you to do this?Because your partner's not allowed in the room with you. And I get why they're asking it yet at the same time.I it's not like they planned parenthood or anybody or society in general is gonna do anything, even if I was forced, because it's not like they're going to go arrest him, which that would just fuck up his life. And I'm like, what would that do? They're not gonna let me raise on my own because of parental rights.It's it was definitely a different, a different situation [00:37:00] and a different type of guilt than the, the second one yet the first one, it wasn't the guilt of necessarily getting the termination. It was like getting. It done being with this human and possibly putting a child at risk yet at the same time, I luckily had the same primary care doctor.She broke it down for me and she's like, Jen, it sells at this point, it sells, it's nothing it's just sells. And that really did help me comprehend what was happening because my body, like I got COVID and I was like, literally like thought I got hit by a bus. I get sick. Like if I get a cold, I'll get bronchitis because of my asthma.I'm a pansy [00:38:00] when it comes to like anything medical. And so the effects of the pregnancy hit me faster than it can other women or those who have, can get pregnant. I do wanna say that, but it definitely.It was scary each time going to planned parenthood to people that were incredibly kind there and them having to be outside with security, being able, because there were people out there threatening, threatening me, just like they were threatening other people, just going to go get birth control. And I honestly, I wish I could just tell.I get, I get people are pro-life like, you want to see other, like people succeed yet. Our system is very broken because the people that we have right now, [00:39:00] we have so many systemic issues that I, I would've been in a very bad situation if I took it to term yet. Now we're being told in so many different states that.It's not our choice. And that terrifies me because it's like my grandfather having control of my body. But my grandfather wouldn't, you know, be here to take care of the baby. He wouldn't be here to give me money for the baby. And I feel like that's what it is. It's some old white dude just saying, yeah, you gotta keep it.And it's like, I don't know. This one is hard for me too, because it does remind me a lot about religion in the fact of, in many religions and humankind growing up, you know, as humankind [00:40:00]grows up there was where, you know, men wanted to propagate. They were like, let me, you know, get all the bitches pregnant.And I feel like that's almost what's happening again. Is. Yet, like back in the day, at least from what I've seen from studies is that there was a sense of somehow for community to help raise the child when that happened. And I don't think back then they really, you know, had abortions, but it's like, they want that to happen again yet, not give these pregnant humans, the resources, and they're not giving the humans that currently don't have resources, accessibility.There are too many communities and children that even in the us, don't have a safe roof over their head and are scary neighborhoods. And I am [00:41:00] grateful that I did both of them because it gave me the strength and understanding of what individuals may go through when they choose to have an abortion.De'Vannon: Okay, so good. God girl. So let me see how I'm gonna come at this. So, you know, religion is, religion is a thing which can be forced, but always like to remind people that this is the importance of getting to know God for yourself. Mm-hmm because God is not a forceful being. And the best example that I have of this is the whole road to Damas conversion story.Now, whenever this is preached, people usually preach it because this person was converted and Jesus appeared to him in the shining light. And there was much rejoicing. But what I get out of this story is. Saw the character in question here was [00:42:00] trying to do before Jesus cock blocked him. What he did was he went and got the religious leaders, lawmakers of the land, the San Hedron to give him political and legal power to persecute people who were not living according to how he thought they should be living.It's no different than what Republicans are doing today. And then on the, on his wages was like, no, bitch, I rebuke you stop. I did not commission you to go and force people in chains and in, and through threats to live, according to what you consider to be righteous, it's no different than what Republicans are doing.They get all, and the people hanging outside the abortion clinics, trying to threaten you. They've gotten all spun up on their emotions and they've gotten this confused with thinking that it's the voice of God and really it's just their own head talking to them. And now they've gone on all these witch hunts.and everything like that. But the Lord, you know, has already told [00:43:00] them, you know, you can do all these things and try to persecute all these people. But if you never know me, then you're not going to be able to enter into my rest when you die. So it's not about going out and trying to change the world.It's about trying to get close to God and these Republicans and these people hanging outside the abortion clinic wouldn't know God, if he walked up and stood in front of them, they know the first thing about spiritual living. And so, so I like to throw that out there because I know how easy it is to see these people who.Religion in the name of God, doing things like this that are totally not nice and it can be confusing, but the only way you can overcome that is to get to know God for yourself. You Jenn: know, I'm just giggling, cuz you're doing the finger pointing as you're talking, which just like reminds me of somebody that's like super religious.Like, you know, when they're like pointing at you. I, I will say for myself, I know that [00:44:00]there's a distinction I'm personally like. And so when I mention it, I, I specifically do try to say religion, not like God, like it reminds me of, you know, religion and like there's so many different, like for change to happen.Like for some reason there's we have so much history of just humans wanting power and mostly. Is white dudes and Catholicism and colonialization the entire world. Yet, that doesn't mean that, you know, all of Britain is bad. You know, it's not, all of Catholicism is bad, it's not, you know, all religions are bad.It is religion as a whole is I personally struggle with it [00:45:00] and I'm finding my own path to a higher power, especially something that I really, really struggle with. And this does have a bit to do with the abortions, but yet at the same time, not of one of my best friends passed away when I was 15 and I she passed away in November and in.February. I tried to take my own life and all I could say was why didn't she live? And I did. And it's very, very difficult for me. And I, I would say a lot of people of like, why things happen like that? Why do these traumas happen? And I think a lot of it is we [00:46:00] can't just blame a higher power. There are things out of control.There are things that need to happen to because become who we're meant to be. And a lot of those things are shit. You don't wanna talk about so it's. That's why I, I know I, I said earlier that I struggled to talk about religion because it's still a very unknown for me yet. I am working on finding my own spirituality because it does help me center myself believing in something.De'Vannon: Well, I think you're on the, the best path because to me, the whole point of, of spirituality is to have a personal relationship to God. And so when you say that you're finding your own path, I think that that's the whole point. I view churches in this whole instructional way of approaching God. Okay.That's a starting point, but I believe people [00:47:00] should graduate from the need to go to church. And stuff like that. Cuz church is a schoolhouse is a place where you go to learn shit. There's no other school that you are expected to stay in for the rest of your fucking life. Yeah. You know, at some point you've gotta get close enough to God where you can be like, all right, church, thanks to the foundation.Bye bitches. I'm just gonna go be with God now. Cuz if you don't do it now you're gonna do when you die. Cause you cannot, can't stay attached to the church's nipple forever. I mean, they want you to cause they want your fucking money, but, and I don't mean that negatively or positively, but it's just true.They're an entity. They need fucking money to stay around. Yeah. And bitches get to graduating on their asses and it's gonna put their bottom line in jeopardy. So I don't have an agenda of what I'm telling you. I'm just trying to get you super free. So But I think that what you're doing is, is perfect.Like I want to find a way to God for myself and I just wanna be with him or her or they, however it is you choose to refer [00:48:00] her power. And I don't want to have a church or an old white wrinkly man telling me how to do it. I'll just take it from here. Thank you very much. I think, I think that's perfect.Jenn: and, and to that point, something that I do wanna mention that I don't know if it'll help anybody else, but a few years ago I was at a different personal development course. I've been to a lot of those and I met someone named TA and I just went tall, ALA just cuz it rhymed. And it made me happy that when things rhyme and she's like, that's cute.But a is God, I was like, whoa. Oh, oops, my bad. And it. And she's Muslim and that's where she's she's from. Actually I don't remember where she's from, but ever since that point, for some reason, if I say ALA, [00:49:00] it feels safe. If I say, God, it doesn't. And I think it is the terminology of the association with the word, not with the, the higher power.And I wanna mention that to like anybody listening, because if you're struggling with just like finding your way through this shit, and you wanna hire power, you don't have to call them God. There are other terms for them. It could be higher spirit. It could be boss lady. It could be, you know, whatever is gonna make it easier for you to know that somebody has your back.De'Vannon: Amen. And amen. So when, when you said you had the suicide attempt, was it does this have anything to do with you fearing, like you wouldn't live past 30 or was that like mental health thing? Is there a correlation there is, are those two separate things? [00:50:00]video1201517871: There's Jenn: a correlation yet? It would be easier to tell you after the rest of my story, like out of all the other pieces, because me not thinking that I would live till 30 sprouted from such a young age of, I don't even remember when I just never thought I would live very long.And by the time I was 15 having a suicide attempt and wondering why I lived, I just figured I would die soon. De'Vannon: How did you try to kill yourself? Jenn: Pills. and I sh I technically should have died. I went, I went home and I gave my mom a hug and kissed goodnight for the first time in like a really long time.And I [00:51:00] told the cats goodnight. We had two cats and I went to the bathroom and I had this giant bottle of medication and I had a water bottle and like a gallon water. And I just started pouring them in my mouth and then chugging pouring in my mouth and chugging. And at that point I sat there for a minute and the world already started getting dizzy.And so I stumbled into my room and I just fell on my back and I woke up in the morning. Because my mom's like, Hey, you need to get up for school. And she's like, oh shit, you're sick. Never mind I'll call in for you because I just had white paste all over me, which falling asleep on my back and puking many, many times someone can die from that.By suffocating on their own vomit. And I lived, and [00:52:00] my mom, I was always sick. I mean, I'm sick all the time anyway, but I was really sick all the time then. And it was, that happened on a Wednesday and I didn't get to the hospital until Sunday because I didn't tell my mom what happened. She just was like, you're sick.Okay. Whatever. And finally she saw I wasn't getting better. So she took me to the ER and I'm going in and out of consciousness. And I still can't keep anything down at this point. And. The nurses told my mom that I have hepatitis C, which is, I guess is not like hepatitis a and B I don't know enough about them, but it's like, can be like a serious cold, but not like I don't understand it.All I know is that's what happened. And my mom went to call some of my friends let them know because it can be very contagious. And that's when I told the nurse that I took the Tylenol [00:53:00]and they charge started checking my liver and they were gonna Lifelight me down to I, at this point, I'm in Idaho.They were gonna Lifelight me down to salt lake for a liver transplant. And for some reason they couldn't do it that night. They were planning on doing it. First thing in the morning, they checked all my numbers again, and I was fine. Like it never happened.De'Vannon: Do you think you received a miracle.Jenn: I think that's a very complex question to answer. I,I think thata few years after that, I worked at a restaurant where this friend's name was our letter that passed away a few months beforehand. And [00:54:00] our letter was seriously, one of the best humans in the entire world. And her mom came into this restaurant that I was a hostess at, and it's been years, I'm a senior in high school and she just like starts crying when she sees me.And she's like, Jen, you have to promise me that you will do something big in the world because their letter couldn't and. It's the type of thing that I've learned that yes, I've gone through a lot of shit, but at the same time, I do have opportunities and privileges that others don't and I can give them a platform.I can be an advocate. I can be an ally because nobody deserves to go through this shit and we all need help. And [00:55:00] I don't know if it was just our letter, you know, hanging out and you know, going like, bitch, you're not gonna die. She would say something like that. or a miracle or whatnot, but it's definitely something that I do my best to.Remember now that if I don't take care of myself, I can't take care of everyone else. And it's can be incredibly lonely wanting to strive to help. And yet knowing that you can't help everybody in the world, which I feel like you, you might understand in the fact of like your book was, you asked me if I found any of it cathartic.And it was, it was knowing that like when your mom kept [00:56:00] showing up, even though like in the book, at least it sounded like you didn't always like reply to her very nicely or treat her nicely at that time. And it, it was cathartic in the fact that my father-in-law who. Has been, was a meth addict for 30 years, moved in with us last year.And he's been clean for over a year now. And it's these type of things that I'm like, you know, if I didn't go through this shit, I wouldn't have been able to handle my father-in-law living with us. I wouldn't have been able to, you know, talk about Juneteenth with my mom. And I'm, I'm not trying to say this as like, oh goodness, I heard this term the other day value preaching or something like that, where like, people are like, I'm doing this.So you should feel like, so sorry for me. I'm [00:57:00] like, oh God, that is a really annoying thing. But it's like, if we go through shit, there was a reason for it. We just have to find it De'Vannon: true. We've got to be an Alchemist and turn it from one form of matter into another. So I love that book.Which one I'm I'm thinking of the anime full metal Alchemist. Jenn: Oh no. The Alchemist is actually an incredible book. And from Pablo, like Alta, it could be, I don't I'm do not quote me on that. I'm looking it up right now. It's like, seriously, one of the best books. It is Paul Coelho. We're gonna go with that.It's by a Brazilian author, which was actually first [00:58:00] published in 1988 and has been translated in so many languages. And it is, I think, have you ever read it? I'm guessing you haven't read it. You should read. It is a It's about a boy seeking treasure and that's all I'm gonna say. And there's a much bigger picture in it that you, I feel like would absolutely love and enjoy.De'Vannon: If the winds below in my favor for that, then I shall read it. One day I will tuck it right back in the back of my nogging and then if it makes its way to the front, then it's meant to be thank you for the suggestion. So do you still have hepatitis C or was it like a childhood thing? Jenn: I never actually had it.It was my, all the liver failure was from my taking the pills. De'Vannon: Gotcha. So, [00:59:00] and what we're going to do since we're nearing the end of our hour here, I'm going to invite you to come back on the show because there's some stuff that I wanted to talk about. Like, like your own history of homelessness. I wanted to get, get into those TikTok videos too.When you did one on June team, you did one about being an, an LGBTQIA plus ally. That was the one that you were crying and talking about the anxiety and the depression. And then I wanted to get more into like the ADHD and the bipolar type two because of your passion about speaking. So those are the things that I wanna have you back on to cover the next time.Yay. And so, but I still wanted to, so to close out, I wanted to talk about a boy over at the call of Christianity. Oh, yes. Yes. So I wanted to read some of the topics of some of the titles from your show, which I mentioned at the beginning of this one, just so people can get a feel [01:00:00] for the flavor. So the most recent one that came out is called raise the lie.There's another one called repeatedly dead dealing with self hatred. Andralia what's endophilia gay guys.That's it then Jenn: it has a better like proper term then, but I think it is gay men andCelia meaning is oh no, it is just wait, showing pre preference for males or humans as distinguished from animals. It's normally showing a preference for males. So men showing a preference for males. Yeah. De'Vannon: So they can get into all kind of things like toxic masculinity and stuff like that too.Jenn: [01:01:00] Oh yeah. Like they're pride month. That was a fun one.That, that was a fun one that. We talked about a lot of shit that month De'Vannon: mm-hmm I love on your website, you have a little colorful pride logo on some of the episodes that, that looked like they were pride, distinct, distinct Jenn: for pride. Yes. I need to switch my, the logo back on so many things, because I just really liked the logo being so colorful, but I'm at the same time, I'm like, Jen, you have to put it back to the normal logo.Okay. De'Vannon: keep the color on my, on my down under apparel website, my clothing website, E each year we do pride sale each year up until now. It's been through June, but I couldn't bring myself to end it because of everything that's going on and how much a love, I feel like needs to just be proliferated and just infused into the world.I was like, you know what? I don't think pride needs to end because June is over. And so, you know what? I'm just gonna leave the cell up [01:02:00] until I feel like taking it down. And I don't know when that'll be. And so. So cult of Christianity John veer you know, he has his own podcast and everything like that.So just as we get ready to close here, just tell me about like your experience with that, because I think it's so interesting, cuz religion is one of the things I love talking about the most mm-hmm , it's something that you're struggling with and then we have the call to Christianity bringing us to like a meeting point.So how was your experience with that episode? Jenn: I would say that it was a,Hmm. Validating in the fact of, so I asked John to go a little bit out of his wheelhouse to kind of go [01:03:00] over quickly, a brief history of religion. And more distinctly Christianity. And I think he did a fabulous job doing so it was hard because it really does show how religion and so much of religion is.And notice I'm saying religion, not God mm-hmm , but religion is based off of men in power. And it was very, very validating hearing that. And I ended up actually cutting that episode short because on shit, you know, I wanna talk about, I wanna give people talk about this shit in a way to share the knowledge, not necessarily my opinion.And so I'm actually gonna be having somebody come on. That is [01:04:00] Is Christian and goes to multiple different denominations. And like, just because it is the type of thing that we all have our own spiritual path, I've been so curious about so many different religions. That's also, I wanna have all sorts of religions on the podcast yet.It was very, very difficult not to be like amen to everything John was saying and fuck religion, but I didn't. And that was my experience with it because it wasinteresting of how so much of history is only written by those. I mean, it makes sense, but history is written by those who win and those who overpower others. So the story of religion is very different than what. [01:05:00] A higher power may have wanted. De'Vannon: That's all true. And I, I love this may sound like sadistic and shit, but I love the way God doesn't necessarily make it super easy for us to hit it.I mean, it's there, I mean, for God sake, the internet and everything, if you really wanna look cause I'm shit up and fact check it, you can. Yeah. I love the way that it's kind of riddled. And tainted like that because through the struggle of reaching for God, it's like a, it's like a plant that's planted in dirt, but it has a climate's way out or butterfly coming out of its cocoon.It's not an easy process, but like you stated earlier, we need that struggle to turn us into who we're going to be. And so God does it. It's easy for us to get to God, but we may have to cipher through some bullshit, you know, to really get clarity on him. But I think it's like that because he wants to see if we really give a fuck enough about him to, [01:06:00] to try cuz we'll go for anything hard in life money.Sex relationships, our children, that many people put on pedestals, our pets, which many people put on pedestals, you know, I do. And I'm my, dog's Jenn: the cutest in the world. I'm De'Vannon: sure that he or she or they are, but, you know, but what I'm saying is I love it because you know, just too many times people get real casual with spiritual stuff and they're like, well, we'll get to it one day or I'll just twirl through church on Sunday for an hour that you'd cut it.I'm more like, I'm like you know, maybe not, you know, if you really, really trying to get close. And so, so I'm happy you have that conversation with oh, good old John. And what you're saying is true, and I'm gonna be talking with Barry Bowen from the Trinity foundation, which investigates churches and PR pastors and stuff like that.And we're gonna talk about the money trail that follows the people [01:07:00] who interpret the Bible. Now and how it, how it's behind the scenes is quite corrupt. I think it's quite corrupt. They have yet to do the interview, but because because I've been wondering for a while, you know, who the fuck interprets the Bible, you know, I know when they sit down and do it, they don't invite trans people and black people and indigenous people.It's still old fucking white people, you know, doing it all. So the last thing I'll say before we wrap this up to echo your point, there's this I'm a documentary who I just consume them like a, like a porn store consumes Dick. I'm telling you, I just can't get enough. And so ghetto, cock consumption. And so so there's a book of queer that is on discovery.It's the five episode thing and they get into the true history. So they tell us about how Abraham Lincoln was big, old queer, you know, and everybody, and all these people you didn't think. And even king [01:08:00] James himself, according to the book of queer, the same person, the king James version of the Bible is the one I'm talking about.Apparently he loved the boys too. And so, so I, I suggest people to check it out, but the whole point of what they was saying is that the same people who commissioned this whole transcription of the Bible were like not straight themselves. Mm-hmm . And then@overviewbible.com, my friend Jeffrey Crans runs that website.And then he gets into like historical topics about the Bible. There's one video of his, I watched today really gets in the detail about how, how, like it took about 500 years of really for the Bible to come to be what it is, how there's really no original text of it left. You know, it gets into like the subject, you know, the subjectivity of the nature of it, who commissioned at the Bible, how the Catholics had their 73 books.And then the, the Protestants had their 66 books, you [01:09:00] know, you know how it was really not a set in stones thing. Right. So that's all I have to say about it. I'm looking forward to speaking with John. I've loved talking to you for this first time around. I'm looking forward to doing it again, bitch. Is there anything else you would like to say to the world?Jenn: Yes on the mental health aspect. On my Twitter, I host a Twitter space every Wednesday at 9:00 AM, Pacific noon Eastern to talk about all of these NeuroD diversities. A lot of it is coming from the tech world, but I specifically mentioned that because a lot of times we don't always know how to deal with NeuroD diversities, which is like bipolar ADHD dyslexia, you know, these not being [01:10:00]atypical and the struggles.And that is I think, a great spot to learn more. About it without having to, like, you can ask a question and I feel like Twitter is kind of a cool space to do so. Cause you don't need to be as public about it, you know, to get answers. So definitely suggest checking that out. And it's on my personal Twitter, which is Jen genau, Jen gen.De'Vannon: Okay. I'll be sure we include all of that in the show notes. Thank you so much for coming on and we look forward to filming part two. Yay. Thank you.Thank you all so much for taking time to listen to the sex drugs in Jesus podcast. It really means everything to me. Look, if you love the show, [01:11:00] you can find more information and resources at SexDrugsAndJesus.com or wherever you listen to your podcast. Feel free to reach out to me directly at DeVannon@SexDrugsAndJesus.com and on Twitter and Facebook as well.My name is De'Vannon and it's been wonderful being your host today and just remember that everything is gonna be right. 

A pastor and a priest walk into a bar... it sounds like a joke? Or to some, even offensive... like an argument waiting to happen. But that's not the case with Father David Michael and myself. We are new to our friendship, but we are committed to showcasing the unity that can still exist between us, first and foremost, as Christians. (Furthermore, we are only a few months apart in age!) Catholics and Protestants have a lot more in common than many think! And at the end of the day, we are both part of the body of Christ and the kingdom of God. However, there is no way around it, we do see some things differently. This was a fantastic conversation where I inquired about some of those things. I also shared with Father David Michael something I believe is closer to Catholics about than some Protestants do. Overall, it was an enriching conversation and I hope you are blessed by it! Follow Father David Michael on Instagram: @father_david_michael Follow me on Instagram: @braydenbrookshier Get my book: Flash Theology: A Visual Guide to Knowing and Enjoying God More Like the podcast? Subscribe and give a five-star rating on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen from! And please share this podcast with others who you think would be encouraged by it. Your help in spreading the word is highly appreciated. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adventures-in-theology/support

Our focus in this lesson is verse Exod. 20:3 … “You shall have no other gods before Me.” This is the 2nd commandment in the Jewish list of the Ten Commandments.  But, it is part of the 1st commandment for Catholics and Protestants.  See the list of the Commandments for Jews, Catholics, and Protestants below. One thing we notice is the Catholics and Protestants both left out the phrase “who has taken you out of the land of Egypt.”  We will find in this lesson that for Catholics and Protestants this will show that the verse Exod. 20:3 can not be clearly understood.  It can be, however, if one studies it in textual and historical context.  This lesson will bring that out quite clearly.  It is another glaring example that one must study the Ten Commandments in their textual context and not “stand alone” as in the Catholic or Protestant lists.  Just consider the lists below.  In the first is the Protestant Ten Commandments highlighted within the all the words of verse 1-17.  The second is the Jewish list of the Ten Commandments (they are underlined).  If one wants to truly understand the Commandments and their interpretation one must leave them in the original textual context.  Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, a Christian rabbi or Messianic rabbi,  is quite famous for his books, “The Harbinger” and “The Harbinger II.” He has written another fascinating book I highly recommend, “The Return of the Gods.”  His premise is that there is evidence in our society today that the reasons why the ancients revered and bowed down to ancient gods have returned.  It is as if those ancient page gods are back among us.  AS a Bible historian I find Rabbi Cahn's writings very convincing and totally disturbing.  See the picture of the rabbi below and the book, “The Return of the Gods.” The reason I bring up this book is it so relates to Exod. 20:3 … “You shall have no other gods before Me.” We will see that this verse properly interpreted from the ancient Hebrew shows that a false god is more than some idol of ancient days.  It seems as if the TORAH defines what a false god is and thus God's INSTRUCTION, His תּוֹרָה Torah, shows that this is applicable to today.  Jonathan Cahn suggests this in his book makes a clear and convincing argument.  Not only him as a Christian, but Dennis Prager as well.  He brings it up in his Torah commentary, “Exodus: the Rational Bible,” but also in his excellent 5 minute video on Exod. 20:3.   You will see how Dennis Prager, a true scholar and deeply religious Jew, shows us what are modern false gods.  Here's the link to the video that is found at PragerU. Link - https://www.prageru.com/video/no-other-gods Once again I say thank you to Jonathan Cahn and Dennis Prager.  Each man has given us excellent teaching on the false gods in our day.  However, the Torah shows what is behind all this.  God's word is clear and precise and quite basic and simple.  Taken all together we find that this statement of the Lord in Exod. 20:3 is so awesome and so terrifying as it relates to our day.  You'll see what I mean as you study along with me in this lesson. Rev. Ferret - who is this guy?  What's his background?  Why should I listen to him?  Check his background at this link - click here for the teacher's background            

Today's Reading: Small Catechism: Baptism, part 3Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 1:1-18; Matthew 5:1-20How can water do such great things? Certainly not just water, but the word of God in and with the water does these things, along with faith which trusts this word of God in the water. For without God's word the water is plain water and no Baptism. But with the word of God it is a Baptism, that is, a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says in Titus, chapter three: “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying.” (Small Catechism: Baptism)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When Naaman dipped himself in the waters of the Jordan, he was healed of his skin disease (2 Kings 5). How could water do such a great thing?Ironically, the same Protestants who scoff at Baptism and wonder how water could ever do such great things treat the muddy water of the Jordan River with special reverence (or rather, superstition). They seem to think that the Jordan River is something special, something holy. Many long to be baptized in the Jordan and countless tourists have filled small bottles with water from the Jordan to take to their homes.We know that the water of the Jordan is just water, no different than the water in your tap. You won't find any fountain of youth or water with any kind of magical properties. Water is just water.How did the Jordan heal Naaman? God connected a promise to the Jordan: “Dip yourself in the Jordan and be healed.” The Word of God is effective and does what it says.In the same way, the Lord connects His promises to the waters of Baptism. He promises that Baptism will wash away your sins (Acts 22:16), crucify and bury you with Christ (Romans 6:3), give you new life (Titus 3:5-8), make you a disciple (Matthew 28:19), and save you (Mark 16:16). Faith believes the promise and receives what was promised in Baptism. It's as simple as that. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The gifts flow from the font Where He calls us His own; New life He gives that makes us His and His alone. Here He forgives our sins With water and the Word; The triune God Himself Gives pow'r to call Him Lord. ("The Gifts Christ freely Gives" LSB 602, st.2)-Pastor Alexander Lange is pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Albany, Oregon.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Duane BamschStudy Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by my good friend Keith Nester, a former Protestant pastor, to unpack the rosary. What exactly do we do when we're praying the rosary? How do we pray it more fruitfully and more authentically? How can we avoid the trap of "vain repetition" that Protestants often accuse Catholics of. And more. Keith explains how the rosary is a Bible study, a sermon series, and a recounting of the life of Christ that we can enter into again and again, each time discovering new fruits from God.Keith Nester is a former Protestant pastor – he spent over 20 years in ministry before converting to Catholicism. Keith is the host of the Catholic Feedback podcast and has an incredibly popular YouTube channel (that I'm sure you've already heard of). You can find the Rosary Crew on YouTube, too.To check out Keith's book, Unpacking the Mysteries of the Rosary visit his website. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Check out Former Runes through the website, Bandcamp, or wherever you stream your music! This podcast is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers Gina, Eyram, Susanne, Elli and Tom, Kelvin and Susan, and Stephen.Support the show

In this episode, we welcome John Lennox to the show. He is a Christian apologist, mathematician, and bioethicist from Northern Ireland. He is the author of many books including Can Science Explain Everything?, Seven Days That Divide the World, Gunning for God, and God's Undertaker. He has done numerous high-profile public debates with noted atheist thinkers like Richard Dawkins, Michael Shermer, Peter Singer, and the late Christopher Hitchens. Additionally, he is an Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford, an Emeritus Fellow in Mathematics and Philosophy of Science at Green Templeton College - Oxford University, an Associate Fellow of the Saïd Business School, and a Senior Fellow at the Trinity Forum. In this interview, we discuss what it was like growing up in Northern Ireland during the sectarian violence between Protestants and Catholics, the difference between “science” and “scientism”, why Christians shouldn't be scared of science, how he prepares for debates with noted atheists, what he thinks is the most compelling arguments for Christianity, his thoughts on Old Earth vs. Young Earth, his thoughts on manhood in the church, why we should worship God with our minds and not just rely on feelings, and much more. Let's get into it…  Go to the ORIGIN website to check out the full line of Origin and Jocko Fuel products: Gis, jeans, boots, protein, energy drinks, supplements, and much more. Use the promo code KYLE to get 10% off your order! Episode notes and links HERE Donate to support our mission of equipping men to push back darkness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emotions are an abnormal state of being…; Rob from Chicago, IL sees it Jesse's way now in certain ways. Melissa from Alabama describes how her life was chaos when she was subject to her emotions. She reacts to today's topic and realized how she found out that she wasn't in control of her life. Joe from Phoenix, AZ speaks on overcoming ghetto culture by education but Jesse has a better prescription. He also challenges Joe and warns that his methods won't work. — Rudy from Riverside, CA asks if Jesse has ever heard of gamma/sigma males. John from Tyler, TX asks Jesse's thoughts on Protestants vs Catholics.

Introduction : The intention of this series of The Disillusion Christian, is to take the ancient knowledge, the ancient unchanging truth, that's not seasonal, that doesn't vary with the cosmic seasons, as religions do and to uncover the deeper meaning of the stories in the Bible. You will find if you look at religions and their interpretation of their ancient manuscripts, that this interpretation changes every 2000 years when we enter a new age, these interpretations are revised to fit with the times because even the religions do their absolute best for their truth, their version of the truth to correspond to what's happening or what's in the consciousness of mankind at that time. So the purpose of this channel is to take those ancient truths that come from a golden era called The Perennial Truth and to apply that to the content of the Bible, and to reveal the Power of the Bible. If you're a Disillusion Christian, join us in discovering the hidden meaning of the deeper stories in the Bible. And learn how that affects your experience of life, how that helps with your understanding of your place in this world, and also with your understanding of the world.About the Spiritual Adept : At the age of 18, TLB Kruger, was offered a bursary by the reformed church, to study to become a minister, to which he declined. Now 3 decades later he returns as the Ambassador of The Truth and Defender of God. "So I have a passion for the truth. I have a passion for understanding. I have a passion for the beauty of understanding this amazing garden of Eden. We find ourselves where everything has remained innocent. And only the humans have become corrupt from the time of Adam and Eve so my passion has always been to delve deeper and deeper into truth to delve deeper and deeper into understanding and to expand my acceptance of what is and we're going to be speaking much more about this so I consider myself an ambassador of the truth. And with that, I considered myself an Ambassador of God because at one level, God is love. But at another level, God is Unfaltering Truth and I've always had this attraction to the Unfaltering Truth because I've always seen that as the gateway to the unfaltering love so, to me that can be no higher mission, they can be no higher purpose than discovery uncovering the ancient truths and bringing that value that bounty to our modern understanding. Journey with us in understanding and reconnecting with the essence of Divinity. Join me in resurrecting the power of the Bible through understanding the hidden meaning behind the stories of the Bible." About The Perennial Truth Foundation : The mission of The Perennial Truth Foundation is to offer understanding to the unfairness of your life so that you may live the best version of yourself. The vision of the foundation is rooted in Oneness through the adoption of spiritual sciences for the awakening of each individuals truth. Our vision is to promote a global community of generosity and righteousness with a deep sense of gratitude towards the Creator. Our Cause : Any donations offered support our cause. *Sponsorships for Young Adults & the Elderly*God is Nature for giving back to the environment 12 Religions | One Truth | A Global Foundation for Spiritual SciencesOfficial Website : https://www.thedisillusionedchristian.orgMore exclusive content : https://www.theperennialtruthfoundation.orgBuy the book : https://www.theperennialtruth.orgMove with Awareness. Inspire with Awareness. Lead with Awareness.Integrating Spirituality with our Modern Day Lifestyles.Support the show

Mark Three: A Biblical Understanding of the Gospel by William Klock Faithful preaching of God's word is the first mark of a healthy and faithful church.  These last two Sundays we've begun to explore what that looks like.  First, we saw that we must preach the word in such a way that we give it priority and let it be our guide, and that means that we commit ourselves to preaching expositionally.  And last Sunday I talked about the importance of allowing the Bible, as we preach it and immerse ourselves in it, to shape and define our understanding of God.  The Bible is, after all, his revelation of himself to us.  We cannot know him apart from his word.  And that leads us to today's topic: A healthy church will have a Bible-informed understanding of the gospel.  Now, no one ever sets out deliberately to preach an unbiblical gospel, but that doesn't mean such things aren't preached.  Sometimes we unwittingly allow unbiblical cultural ideas, values, and philosophies to colour our gospel.  Sometimes, when the Church is beset by controversy over gospel issues, we can over-react to one error by falling into its opposite.  Sometimes the errors are small, but sometimes they're great—to the point of apostasy.  The antidote, Brothers and Sistes, is to preach God's word faithfully and systematically. So what is the gospel?  Our English word “gospel” is from Old English god spel, literally meaning “good news”.  The Greek word used by the New Testament writers and the ancient Jewish translators of the Old Testament is euangelion.  Originally euangelion was the reward that was given to someone for bringing good news, but by the time the Bible was written it had come to mean the good news itself.  The related verb, euangelizo, means to proclaim this good news.  This is where we get the English word “evangelical”.  We are people of the good news.  This is a good place to start.  The gospel is good news.  For example, think back to the death of Saul and Jonathan in 2 Samuel.  David mourned their deaths and the messengers came with the news, he said: Tell it not in Geth, and proclaim it not in the exits of Ascalon…lest daughters of the uncircumcised exult. (2 Samuel 1:20 NETS) In the Greek Old Testament, when it says “proclaim”, it's using this word for proclaiming good news.  The Philistines would take the death of Saul as good news.  When the messenger brought this news to David, he thought it was good news, too.  David's enemy had been defeated.  Now, for personal reasons David didn't take it that way.  To him it was bad news, but he knew that to everyone else it was good news—a victory had been won and that victory meant things were about to change.  And, notice, the natural thing to do with good news is to proclaim it.  The heralds were ready to do just that until David told them not to. Or think of Isaiah.  Israel had been defeated, but he saw a vision of Jerusalem as the herald of good news.  The Lord would come and deliver his people from their exile. Go on up to a high mountain,          O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength,          O Jerusalem, herald of good news;          lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah,          “Behold your God!” (Isaiah 40:9) And Isaiah uses this concept as he envisions the messenger, running across the mountains with this good news: How beautiful upon the mountains          are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,          who publishes salvation,          who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” (Isaiah 52:7) Something was about to happen.  The Lord was going to act and he would act in such a way that things would never be the same.  God was finally going to take up his throne as King.  This is exactly what Jesus had in mind when we read Mark's account of him saying: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15) The Lord was about to act.  Specifically, he was about to act as King in such a way that everything was about to change.  And Jesus isn't just saying that people in Judea needed to “believe” in the sense of giving their intellectual assent to some new theological truth.  When “good news” happens, it's a world-changing event.  To “believe” means to change one's life in order to take part in what's about to happen and be part of its benefits.  In Jesus, God was becoming king—as he had promised so long before.  To refuse to believe, to refuse to recognise this change and this new reality is, at best, to be left behind and, at worst, well…it wasn't good.  Let's look at how the Greeks and Romans used this term, “gospel”. If you're familiar with Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra or Mankiewicz' 1963 Cleopatra with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, you know something about the aftermath of the Roman civil war.  On the death of Julius Caesar the Empire was plunged into conflict.  On one side was Caesar's heir, Octavian, and on the other his friend, Mark Antony.  Octavian defeated Antony in a great naval battle at Actium.  Antony fled to Egypt, where he eventually committed suicide with Cleopatra.  Octavian was enthroned as Caesar Augustus and euangelion—the good news—was proclaimed throughout the empire.  Augustus had defeated the enemies of Rome.  He had brought peace at last and, with it, prosperity.  He even started using the title “son of God”.  He was the saviour of the empire. Now, what did this good news mean to the people of the empire?  Imagine if you'd been a local official or ruler and you'd been a firm supporter of Mark Antony during the war.  The good news about Caesar Augustus meant that everything had changed and you had to make a choice.  There was no continuing on supporting the losing side.  That was treason and it would lead to only one thing: execution.  This was the choice King Herod faced when this good news reached him.  He'd backed Antony.  He was no dummy.  Hearing the news, he went straight to the new Caesar and pledged his loyalty.  The world had changed and he committed himself to the side where he got to live—and keep his throne. So, now, think about “good news”.  It means that something has happened—or is happening or is about to happen—something that changes everything.  Nothing will ever be the same again and, in light of it, everyone has got to make a choice.  There's no fence sitting.  And there are consequences if you make the wrong choice.  If Herod, for example, had continued to back Antony's forces it would have meant the end of Herod.  In Jesus, Israel's God has become King and he calls for our allegiance—to him, to his kingdom, to everything it stands for.  Sin and death are defeated and everything about the world that was shaped by them is being undone by Jesus and his act of new creation.  The gospel calls us to make a choice, to announce our allegiance.  Do we continue to give our allegiance to—as we say in our baptism—the world, the flesh, and the devil, or to Jesus, his new creation, and the Holy Spirit? And this points to something else important about the gospel.  Good news isn't quietly whispered.  It's always proclaimed.  It's announced with great fanfare.  The announcement that Jesus is Lord, that in him the God of Israel has come as King, that's not some private truth to keep to ourselves or to whisper to our friends.  But that's not far off from how many people treat it.  Something changed in the first half of the Twentieth Century and we started talking about “sharing” the gospel.  Christians had never used that kind of language before.  But it goes along with a shift that slowly took place over the last two hundred years or so.  Instead of seeing the gospel as good news, we started treating it instead like good advice.  We've made this shift subtly in how we do evangelism.  We often present the gospel—the good news about Jesus—as if it's just another offering on the religious or philosophical smorgasbord and suggest that people give Jesus a try. Maybe they'll like him and believe—or maybe they won't, which would be sad, but…whatever.  But, Brothers and Sisters, the gospel is not good advice.  It's not like a stock tip or a life hack or a new recipe.  It's good news.  It's not just a message that will change your life.  It's a message that will change your life, because it's a message that in Jesus the whole world has changed. Consider Peter's sermon on Pentecost, recorded in Acts 2.  He starts out: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. (Acts 2:14) I think we pass over this introduction too quickly in order to get to the meat of his sermon, but notice how he proclaims this good news like the royal herald that he is.  This isn't a good piece of advice.  It's not a pro tip.  It's not something that might be worth giving a shot.  It's good news.  It demands action.  And Peter goes on, reminding the people of the promises the Lord had made to Israel—promises to set things to rights by sending his King.  He tells them: “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.  God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. (Acts 2:22-24) “You killed him,” Peter says, “but God raised him up.”  What does that mean?  Peter, again, looks back to the promises God had made to Israel—particularly through David.  For Peter, Jesus' death was vitally important, but the crucifixion of Jesus wasn't the thing that changed the world.  Ultimately, it was his resurrection from the dead that did that.  In his resurrection, Peter says, God has loosed the pangs of death.  By his resurrection, he says, Jesus has been exalted at the right hand of God and given to his people the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus has fulfilled all the Lord's promises.  But Peter ends with the most powerful note of all in verse 36: “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and [Messiah], this Jesus whom you crucified.”   By raising Jesus from the dead, God has declared him to be Lord and Messiah—to be not just any king, but to be the King—the one who will set all to rights—not just his people, but eventually the whole of this broken creation. The crowd, Luke says, were cut to the heart and asked Peter what they should do.  In other words, they knew this good news meant that the world has changed and they wanted to know what they had to do to in response.  And Peter says to them in verses 38-39: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”   Luke says about three thousand were baptised that day.  But what did Peter mean by “repent and be baptised”?  To repent is to turn around.  The good news is the announcement that in Jesus the world has changed, there's a new King, and God's kingdom is breaking in.  The good news calls us to turn aside and to leave behind the old regime, the old order—our rebellion, our sin, our idolatry—and to take hold of the new King and his kingdom in faith.  In Jesus, God has become king.  Peter's sermon is incredibly important, because in it he reminds us of what the Lord had promised to Israel, and then he explains that it has all been fulfilled or is in the process of being fulfilled by Jesus—and those promises point to what the good news is all about.  The promises remind us that what Jesus has done is far bigger and all-encompassing than what we often think.  It's about all of creation being set right and made new.  It's about Jesus binding the devil and triumphing over the powers and principalities that have corrupted this world.  It's about the old gods being cast down and the true God being raised up.  It's about humanity being made right with God to finally live in his presence and to take up our vocation again—the one that Adam and Eve rejected—to be his image-bearers, the priests of his temple, as we steward his creation.  It's about heaven and earth, about God and man finally being reunited. Jews knew that one day God would set things right and that when he did so he would judge—and destroy—everything and everyone who was opposed to him.  They called that day “the day of the Lord”.  Throughout his ministry Jesus warned that it was coming—and soon.  When he warned about the easy way that leads to destruction and urged people to follow him on the hard and narrow way that leads to life, that's what he was talking about.  He was pointing to the events we read about in our study of Revelation when Jerusalem and the temple were thrown down by the Romans as an act of judgement by God on his unbelieving people—much as he'd done six centuries earlier, although that time it had been the Babylonians.  Jesus wasn't warning about some event thousands of years in the future.  He was warning of a judgement that was just around the corner.  That judgement certainly foreshadows that last great day of final judgement when every last enemy of God will be wiped from creation.  But Jesus—and Peter—were focused on Israel and her near future.  Again, Peter's hearers were cut to the heart, because they realised that this is what Peter was talking about too.  They wanted to know how to escape the coming judgement and to be part of God's new people in the age to come. If people thought the victory of Octavian over Antony was a world-shaking event—so much so that King Herod went to grovel before the new emperor that he might have a place in it, imagine how much greater, how all-encompassing this good news about Jesus is.  If the Lord was going to come with both salvation and judgement to set Israel to rights and to deal with the unrepentant in her midst, one day he will surely do the same for the whole world. This ought to put our attention on another aspect of the good news.  Herod could only speculate about where he stood with Octavian.  He could very easily have gone home headless.  By his resurrection Jesus has inaugurated God's new world, and Brothers and Sisters, by his death he has shown his mercy.  We need but repent—to turn aside from the old gods, the old ways, the old systems—to believe—to take hold of him in faith and to give him our allegiance, and we can be sure of where we stand before him.  The first step we take after repentance is to be baptised.  The waters of baptism hold his promise of forgiveness and new life and as we pass through them in faith, he washes us clean and fills us with his Spirit.  He makes us his own.  As St. Paul writes in Romans: For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”  (Romans 8:15) Jesus' Father becomes our Father and he loves us as he loves his own son. But speaking of Paul…  How do the Gentiles find a place in this good news.  Jesus was Israel's Messiah.  He came in fulfilment of the Lord's promises to Israel.  Even in his death by crucifixion, he died the very death that the unbelieving Jewish rebels would suffer a generation later when God's judgement fell on Jerusalem.  Jesus and the good news are integrally tied to Israel and to Israel's story.  How is it good news for the rest of the world?  We see the struggle in Acts.  The Spirit all but summoned Peter and John to Samaria.  The good news had reached people there and they believed, but—a mystery to the apostles—they did not receive the Spirit.  The apostles had to go and lay hands on these new non-Jewish believers.  It was a not-so-subtle hint from the Spirit that the good news was for everyone.  An angel directed Philip to his meeting with a man from Ethiopia.  The Spirit had to convince Peter, against everything he thought he knew was right, to go to the home of Cornelius, a gentile centurion.  And what was to be done with these gentile converts?  Did they have to become Jews first?  Be circumcised, keep the law, and all of that.  And then along came Paul.  Or, more precisely, along came the risen Messiah to meet Paul on the road to Damascus. Maybe more than anyone else, Paul realised just how much the resurrection of Jesus changes everything.  C. S. Lewis famously wrote, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen.  Not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”  The resurrection of Jesus was just like that for Paul.  And Paul realised that if the Lord's promises to Israel were fulfilled in Jesus, in his resurrection, and in the outpouring of the Spirit to create this new people of God called the Church, then all of this was for the gentiles too.  Israel had always been called to be a light to the nations and so too must this new Israel.  Paul thought back to the Lord's deliverance of Israel in the Exodus—something that shaped Israel's identity and is there behind so much of Paul's writing.  The Lord delivered his people from their bondage and in doing so, he made his might and his glory known to the nations—especially to Egypt.  Her king and her gods were exposed for the powerless frauds they were.  And yet there was no mass conversion of the Egyptians in the wake of the Exodus.  The whole thing was an embarrassment that they expunged from their records so that they could continue in the idolatry. But Paul recognized that in Jesus and in this new exodus, there was a new element that had been missing in the old and that was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  Paul knew that this good news about a crucified Messiah was, as he writes to the Corinthians “a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles” (1 Corinthians 1:23).  A crucified Messiah was blasphemy to the Jews.  And it was just stupid nonsense to the gentiles.  Paul knew this first hand.  The Jews stoned him for the things he said and the Gentiles threw him in jail.  “But,” he goes on in that same verse, “to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, the Messiah—the power of God and the wisdom of God.”  That was the key—those who are called, those in whom the Spirit of God is at work. How does the Spirit work?  It seems like it's different for everyone.  For Paul it was the realization that Jesus really had risen from the dead and that that truth changed everything he'd ever known.  He had to go off by himself for a few years to work it all through, but work it through he did.  For others it was simply the realization that in Jesus the God of Israel was truly at work.  This time the Gentiles saw the God of Israel in this mighty act of redemption that proved his faithfulness to his promises and instead of forgetting about it like the Egyptians had so long ago, they recognized the living God and they threw all their idols away.  For others it was the fact that in Jesus, God drew near.  By his Spirit they somehow knew him and experienced him—something that never happened with the pagan gods.  Paul recognized that this good news was for everyone.  As he wrote to the Galatians: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Jesus the Messiah. (Galatians 3:28) This time the gentiles saw the mighty and saving deeds of the God of Israel and they believed—because of the Spirit—and they were welcomed into this new people of God to share in the forgiveness and the new life and the future hope that Jesus had given them. But, in closing, what's the significance?  Where does the good news take us?  What are we supposed to do with it?  If we understand that the death and resurrection of Jesus give us a place in the renewed people of God and that Jesus is setting everything to rights, that itself should point us in the right direction.  The problem is that in the 19th and early 20th Centuries, liberal Protestants largely turned the gospel into a message of good works—and then, gradually, those good works became more and more like the values of secular culture and Leftist politics and Jesus became nothing more than an example.  In response, fundamentalists and evangelicals rightly re-emphasised the personal and spiritual nature of redemption and the forgiveness of sins, but often over-reacted when it came to the good works.  We've made the gospel a message very narrowly of forgiveness of sin and restored fellowship with God.  Salvation should result in a changed life and good works, but we've stressed—wrongly—that those good works are the fruit of the gospel, but not the gospel itself.  So on one side the gospel is proclaimed as a message of public welfare and on the other as a personal or private spirituality.  Then, throw into that mix the misconception that the end goal of all of this is someday to leave this world behind so that we can live a kind of disembodied spiritual existence in heaven, and we make a right mess of the gospel. Brothers and Sisters, this is why we've got to preach the scriptures—so that we remember the big story.  This is what Peter did on Pentecost.  And when we do that we find that this faithful God we spoke about last Sunday has been working all along not to give us a plan to escape this fallen Creation, but rather a means to set this fallen creation to rights and us along with it.  We're creation's stewards—or at least that's what we were created to be—but we rebelled and made a mess of everything.  And so the Lord has called a people through whom he will work, and he's sent his Messiah to set us to rights, to fill us with his Spirit, and to get us back on task: to make him known, to do justice and mercy in this world, to bear the fruit of the Spirit, and to proclaim his King in the knowledge that the same Spirit who is in us, is also working in the hearts of men and women around the world, men and women just waiting to hear our proclamation of the good news about Jesus.  Men and women read to believe, to repent, to be baptised, to join in the life and work of the kingdom—they simply need to hear our proclamation of this good news.  It is a stumbling block and it is foolishness to many, but to those who are called, to those in whom the Spirit is at work, it is the power of God—for our salvation and for the salvation of the whole world. As we've seen recently in Revelation, Jesus has prepared the way.  He has bound the devil and brought low the principalities and powers that once held this world captive.  This is the good news: that Jesus died for our sins and was raised by God, victorious over sin and death.  He is the Messiah—the Lord, the King—and he is making all things new.  This new creation, our hope is summed up in those words of the Lord's prayer: on earth as in heaven.  Those words ought to shape us as gospel people.  Don't just pray them.  Live them.  For the sake of the world, lift the veil and show the world a glimpse of God's new creation.  And while you do it, remember that we are royal heralds of the King, commissioned to proclaim this good news to everyone around us. Let's pray: Merciful Father, we thank you this morning that you have made Jesus your King.  By his death you give a means of forgiveness and reconciliation and by his resurrection you've restored to us the life we had once rejected in our rebellion against you.  We thank you for those in whom you have worked by your word and Spirit who proclaimed this good news to us.  And we pray that your word and Spirit will now be at work in us to make us the gospel people you desire us to be.  Renew our hearts.  Turn them ever more towards you.  Strengthen our allegiance to Jesus and fill our heats with love for you.  Make us a people full of life and of hope, a people of mercy and love and grace, a holy people—an on-earth-as-in-heaven people eager to show the world your kingdom and to proclaim the good news that Jesus is Lord.  Through him we pray.  Amen.

The Smart 7 Ireland Edition is the daily news podcast that gives you everything you need to know in 7 minutes, at 7am, 7 days a week… Consistently appearing in Ireland's Daily News charts, we're a trusted source for people every day. If you're enjoying it, please follow, share or even post a review, it all helps… Today's episode includes references to the following items: https://twitter.com/i/status/1571874961375084552 https://twitter.com/i/status/1572494884917116929https://twitter.com/i/status/1572606341381758978https://twitter.com/i/status/1572698872505417729https://twitter.com/i/status/1571842816564658176 https://twitter.com/i/status/1571884029196046338 https://twitter.com/i/status/1571766356676317185 https://twitter.com/i/status/1573003711772872705https://twitter.com/i/status/1573075573592805377https://twitter.com/i/status/1572621592487727106https://twitter.com/i/status/1571970493057564674https://twitter.com/i/status/1570428407065747458Contact us over at Twitter or visit www.thesmart7.com Presented by Ciara Revins, written by Liam Thompson and produced by Daft Doris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode, Sebastian takes you on a crash-course of Eastern Christianity - truly obscure and little-known stories about the faithfulness of God's church in the Far East. Roman Catholics have manipulated history ever since they battled Eastern Orthodox (and eventually Protestants) - they have long labelled Eastern Christians 'heretics' and discounted the expansion of the Gospel far beyond the reach of the Vatican. However, we show that this view of history is unbalanced, biased, and makes God's story throughout the world seem unduly Western, sudden, and modern. Sources below:   Frykenberg, R. (2008). Christianity in India: From Beginnings to the Present. Oxford History of the Christian Church. Oxford University Press.   Godwin, T. (2018). Persian Christians at the Chinese Court: The Xi'an Stele and the Early Medieval Church of the East. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC.   Herman, G. (2016) Persian Martyr Acts under King Yazdgird I. Persian Martyr Acts in Syriac: Texts and Translation, 5. Gorgias Press.   Jenkins, P. (2008) The Lost History of Christianity: The Thousand Year Gold Age of the Church in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia–and How It Died. Harper Collins Publishers.   Kozah, M., et al (eds.). (2014). The Syriac Writers of Qatar in the Seventh Century. Gorgias Eastern Christian Studies, vol 38. Gorgias Press.   Kozah, M., et al (eds.). (2015). An Anthology of Syriac Writers from Qatar in the Seventh Century. Gorgias Eastern Christian Studies, vol 39. Gorgias Press   McClean, N., Kiraz, G. (ed.). (1899). An Eastern Embassy to Europe in the Years 1287-8. Analecta Gorgiana, 957. Gorgias Press.   Mingana, A., Kiraz, G. (ed.). (1925) The Early Spread of Christianity in Central Asia: A New Document. Analecta Gorgiana, 640. Gorgias Press.   Mingana, A. (1928). Timothy's Apology for Christianity. Christian Documents in Syriac, Arabic, and Garshuni, vol 2. Cambridge Heffer & Sons Limited. Tertullian.org   Palmer, M. (2001). The Jesus Sutras: Rediscovering the Lost Scrolls of Taoist Christianity. Ballantine Publishing Group.   Rossabi, M. (2010). Voyager from Xanadu: Rabban Bar Sauma and the First Journey from China to the West. University of California Press.   Soro, B. (2007) The Church of the East: Apostolic and Orthodox. Adiabene Publications.   Tang, L., Winkler, D. (eds.). (2013). From the Oxus River to the Chinse Shores: Studies on East Syriac Christianity in China and Central Asia. University of Salzburg, vol 5.

This evening, we start with a CNN exclusive: former President Donald Trump's attorneys are waging a secret court battle over what they claim is privileged information. Oil prices have plunged - but that might a red flag for the economy. Justice Department prosecutors have recommended against charging GOP Congressman Matt Gaetz in a sex-trafficking investigation. Parts of Iran are seeing their internet access restricted or shut down amid protests - we'll tell you how the US is responding. Lastly, Catholics outnumber Protestants in Northern Ireland for the first time since its partition.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

The Smart 7 Ireland Edition is the daily news podcast that gives you everything you need to know in 7 minutes, at 7am, 7 days a week… Consistently appearing in Ireland's Daily News charts, we're a trusted source for people every day. If you're enjoying it, please follow, share or even post a review, it all helps… Today's episode includes references to the following items: https://twitter.com/i/status/1573003711772872705https://twitter.com/i/status/1573003711772872705https://twitter.com/i/status/1573003711772872705https://twitter.com/i/status/1573075573592805377https://twitter.com/i/status/1573075573592805377https://twitter.com/i/status/1572962373819924480 https://twitter.com/i/status/1572997905614393345https://twitter.com/i/status/1572790894834913280 https://twitter.com/i/status/1572718564867330048https://twitter.com/i/status/1572810113995665409https://twitter.com/i/status/1572659726529269760Contact us over at Twitter or visit www.thesmart7.com Presented by Ciara Revins, written by Liam Thompson and produced by Daft Doris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Colin and Jack discuss Padre Pio, Why are some Protestants so antagonistic towards the Church?, Are there any married saints?, What is a devotional confession?, and more on today's Open Line.

Colin and Jack discuss Padre Pio, Why are some Protestants so antagonistic towards the Church?, Are there any married saints?, What is a devotional confession?, and more on today's Open Line.

More people in Northern Ireland are Catholics than Protestants for the first time in its 101-year history, the latest census figures released yesterday show. Kieran was joined by Andrew Clarke, founder of the 'Tanistry' Instagram account who grew up in a Unionist background...

Tom McDonald previewed Picard, seasons 1 and 2, and Cobra Kai 5. Dr Chris Shannon continued our series on his book, American Pilgrimage. Today, we talked about the walls put up by the Protestants in order to distance themselves from Catholics. Fr Mateusz Rudzik provided our Sunday Gospel reflection for the 26th Sunday in ordinary time. 

For a quick catchup on the political news of the week, Harry McGee and Pat Leahy join Hugh Linehan. Topics include: Sinn Féin holds a pre-budget press conferenceCensus in Northern Ireland shows Catholics outnumber Protestants for the first timeGovernment announced its plan for pensions Our panel's favourite reads from the week Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Protestant theology flat-out rejects Catholic Eucharist doctrines. Why? And how should Catholics respond to the objections of their Protestant friends and family?

On tonight's episode of Piers Morgan Uncensored, Piers criticises Russia's "Frankenstein" system of "fake votes". Amid Putin's threats of nuclear attacks, expert Alex Wellerstein explains what sort of weapons could be used. Truss and Biden clash over Northern Ireland, but Piers asks if it's very existence is in question as Catholics outnumber Protestants in Northern Ireland for first time. Britain's strictest headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh addresses the backlash she's received for her methods as Piers asks if tough love is needed to prevent kids from turning to crime.Watch Piers Morgan Uncensored at 8pm on TalkTV on Sky 526, Virgin Media 627, Freeview 237 and Freesat 217. Listen on DAB+ and app. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What were the ecumenical councils of the early church? Today, Stephen Nichols explains what these church councils were, why they assembled, and how they relate to us as Protestants. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by calling 1-800-607-9386 or by emailing an audio recording of your question to askligoniervm@ligonier.org. You can also receive real-time answers through our online chat service at https://ask.Ligonier.org/. Read the transcript: https://ask.ligonier.org/podcast-episodes/what-does-it-mean-that-the-first-seven-church-councils-were-ecumenical A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://ask.ligonier.org/podcast/donate/

This is a catch-up version of James O'Brien's live, daily show on LBC Radio. To join the conversation call: 0345 60 60 973

Catholics outnumber Protestants in Northern Ireland, but what does that really mean? Are there any winners in the 2021 Census? What about passports identity and language? Andrew Madden and Ciarán Dunbar discuss the Northern Ireland census results, if they mean a border poll and there's even a mention of kangaroos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vincent Kearney, Northern Editor, previews the publication this morning of the Northern Ireland Census.

We speak to our Northern Editor Vincent Kearney, and get the thoughts of Dr Paul Nolan, a Belfast-based expert in social trends and demography.

More people in Northern Ireland are Catholics than Protestants for the first time in its 101-year history. Kieran was joined by Barry Whyte, Newstalk's Chief Reporter to discuss the census figures. Gregory Campbell, DUP MP also joined Kieran on The Hard Shoulder...

Chuck in OH asks Patrick if Protestants have the ability to forgive sins. He asks if he can become Catholic even if he doesn't accept all of its teachings.

Most Catholics know that anytime they mention the Virgin Mary on Social Media or around their Non Catholic friends and co-workers that the insults and lectures will soon follow. Yet when the Queen of England passed, and Prince Charles was made King, they quickly switch gears and it's suddenly ok to post wonderful things about the Royal Family! Quite the Double Standard, eh?

Eamonn McCann's name is synonymous with the Civil Rights Movement, Socialism, and his home city of Derry. Garret Hargan interviews him about his influences, his views and whether or not he thinks there will be a United Ireland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this clip Fr. Darryl Fitzwater explains the Anglican view of confession and why even Protestants need to practice confession.Listen to the FULL CONVERSATION AT: 

Mark Two: A Biblical Understanding of God by William Klock Last week we looked at the subject of expositional preaching as the first mark of a healthy church.  It's the central component of a word-centred ministry.  And, at least in theory, if we get biblical preaching right, everything else should follow naturally—although it will take some time.  But that doesn't mean we're done.  It's not just how we should approach and preach God's word, but we need to spend some time looking at what the content of biblical preaching is.  So today I want to begin with a look at how biblical preaching should be giving us a biblical understanding of God.  That's the second mark of a healthy church: a biblical understanding of God. Now that might seem like a no-brainer.  We're Christians, so of course we're going to be committed to a biblical understanding of God.  But if you start looking at what's going on around us, it doesn't take long to see that it ain't necessarily so.  The song of that title written by the Gershwin brothers for Porgy and Bess, highlights the problem.  If you're not familiar with it, it's a litany sung by a drug dealer, casting doubt on the stories of the Bible.  He ends, “They tell all your children/The Devil he's a villain/It ain't necessarily so”.  That drug dealer thought that maybe it's God who's the villain.  He's always spoiling everyone's fun, after all—or at least that's how it seems to a lot of people.  Maybe the devil's actually the good guy.  Some people think that way, although it's usually more subtle.  More often than not what it seems we've done is to swap their roles.  Ask someone on the street—or one of your non-Christians friends—who God is and they'll describe a non-judgemental man in the sky who just wants you to be happy.  Ironically, this has more to do with the lies the devil routinely tells than it does the God we meet in the Bible. It used to be “liberal” Protestants who rewrote the God of scripture.  Like the Jesus Seminar folks who wrote that all the warm and fuzzy stuff in the gospel is what Jesus really said, but all the stuff about sin and judgement—that was added later by men who had forgotten who Jesus really was.  But it's not just liberals.  Many parts of Evangelicalism, particularly amongst younger people, have come to be dominated by a belief system that's come to be called “Moralistic therapeutic deism”.  In short, it's the belief that God wants people to be good—although the bar is pretty low; that God wants us to be happy and to feel good about ourselves; that he's distant, but available when you've got a problem; and that if you're good, you'll go to heaven when you die.  Brothers and Sisters, this is not the God of the narrow way that leads to life; this is the devil of the wide gate that leads to destruction. This is what you get when you stop preaching the word and, instead, preach pop-psychology, current events, and feel-good fluff.  It's what you get when you preach human-centred sermons instead of God-centred sermons.  We've shifted the culture of the church.  John 3:16 used to be the best known and most oft quote verse of the Bible: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”.  These days that pride of place goes to Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, lest ye be judged,” quoted loudly by folks who have no idea about its context or what Jesus meant when he said it.  They just don't want anyone telling them what to do and have embraced a false god who indulges their every desire.  Our culture, like the pagan cultures of old, and not a few within the Church, have recreated God in our image.  The antidote is the faithful preaching of God's word. And the culture will not be happy with it.  Post-modern culture hates meta-narratives.  Meta-narratives are those big stories that give meaning to life, the universe, and everything.  And today such things are said to be oppressive.  And being “oppressive” is the absolute worst thing anything can be in post-modern culture, where everything is about the individual and the individual being whatever he or she or they or them or ze or zir wants to be.  But if we believe the Bible is God's word to us, then we can't escape the Bible's meta-narrative, its grand story running from Genesis to Revelation with Jesus at its centre, the story that does, in fact, give meaning to life, the universe, and everything.  And so it makes sense, then, that the God who has given this great narrative that runs from beginning to end describes himself as the Alpha and Omega.  Get the story right and you actually get to know the God behind it all from beginning to end. So we can't cover every aspect of a biblical understanding of God in a single sermon, but we can hit some high points—and especially the points that are often so challenged by our culture today.  So what does the biblical story tell us about the God behind it? Well, let's start at the beginning.  The story starts with Creation.  “In the beginning, God created…” is how Genesis begins.  St. John opens his gospel with those familiar words reminding us that it wasn't just “God” in some generic sense that was there in the beginning, but the Triune God: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  Right at the beginning, the first thing the story teaches us about this Triune God is that he is a creator.  He is the great initiator.  There was nothing and it pleased him to make something of it.  And not just something, but a world.  And not just a world, but as Genesis 1 shows us, a word that is good because it is suitable for human life.  And God finishes his great creative act by creating human beings—and he does so for a purpose.  He created us to be his image bearers—to act as his regents, his stewards, his priests in this world he created. But notice that God's creative acts don't end there.  As I said last week, his word gives life and so he continues to speak.  Humanity rebelled and sinned.  We gave up the vocation for which we were created and had to be removed from the garden-temple.  And things went from bad to worse.  It took only a single generation before the first murder happened and only a few generations later we have men boasting of slaughtering their enemies.  The Lord causes a flood to wipe sinful men from the earth and he speaks, calling forth Noah so that he can spare him, start over with him.  But again, human rebellion goes from bad to worse and so the Lord speaks again into the darkness and calls forth Abraham and from Abraham he makes a people for himself.  And as we read the story of that people, it's full of ups and downs, of faithfulness and rebellion—mostly rebellion.  But the Lord repeatedly speaks his word and sustains the life of that people and at its lowest points he promises new life in the future.  And then we meet Jesus, the word incarnate, who fulfils those promises himself and creates a new Israel.  The god of the great biblical narrative is a creator. That God is the creator also tells us that we can't pick and choose the parts we like from this great story.  The first major heresy in church history was that of Marcion, who cut the Old Testament out of the Bible so as to dump all the things about God he didn't like.  And this problem crops up repeatedly.  A couple years ago, popular pastor Andy Stanley preached that the Church must “unhitch” itself from the Old Testament.  Again, people want the warm-fuzzies, they want the welcoming message of forgiveness, but not the judgement or the wrath or the call to repentance.  But the grand biblical narrative shows us that it's all connected.  The story doesn't make any sense if you hack it up.  Forgiveness loses meaning when there's nothing to be forgiven.  It's all connected and biblical preaching reminds us of this truth. But, too, there's more to God's creating than just speaking and creating.  In the story of his people we begin to see something we first saw a glimpse of with Noah.  For the Lord to create is also for the Lord to call and to choose or to elect.  He chose Abraham out of all the people on earth.  And, again, he chose Isaac over Ishmael and Jacob over Esau.  When it came time for a King, he would choose young David over his older brothers.  And Jesus chose twelve out of all his followers from which to build God's new people.  And we look at that and we think, “Wait, that's not fair!”  Brothers and Sisters, that's when we need to go back to the story and remember that the Lord didn't have to create anything at all.  He created in the first place to manifest his glory and to show his love.  And when we rebelled against him he didn't have to begin this great act of new creation that would eventually cost his own Son.  But he did.  Because he is good.  Because he loves.  Because he is wise.  The big story reminds us repeatedly that he is all these things, and that reminds us that when things don't make sense or when they seem unfair to us—with our limited perspective and knowledge—we can trust him.  This also reminds us—against the popular view of things today—that God does not exist to serve us, but we to serve him—and knowing his goodness assures us that this, too, is good. Second point: The great narrative of the Bible reminds us again and again that God is holy.  Most people like to ignore this, because for something to be holy means that there really are things called “right” and “wrong”.  It means that if God is holy, then he also has expectations for us.  Post-modern culture is built around that idea that we're each the centre of our own universe.  We make our own truth and we each define our own happiness.  You can do whatever you want and be whatever you want.  If you want to do drugs or have promiscuous sex, that's your truth and your happiness.  If you're a man, but you want to be a woman—or a cat—woe to anyone who says you can't or that there are objective standards.  And this is why our culture has created a false god that just wants us to be happy and is never judgemental. But there at the beginning of the story we're reminded that Adam and Eve were forced to leave the Lord's presence because they rebelled against him, they sinned.  And then we see throughout the story this theme of holiness.  Humans do what they want and everything goes from bad to worse.  We like to say that it's okay to do what you want as long as you don't hurt other people, and that may be our only political option in a pluralistic, modern society, but the big story shows us that this doesn't work in the end.  And so when the Lord created a people for himself, he not only delivered them from a life of slavery, he also gave them a law—a way of life that not only included all the dos and don'ts, but a system of offerings and sacrifices, means of atonement for their sins, so that they could live in his presence and he in theirs.  The tabernacle in the midst of Israel was a reminder of the holiness of God and the need of sinners for redemption.  There it was, the Lord's dwelling place in the centre of the camp.  The Lord lived in the midst of his people.  It was a powerful reminder of how things are supposed to be—as they were when Adam and Eve lived in the Lord's presence in the garden-temple.  But it was also a powerful reminder that even in Israel, things were not as they should be.  The Lord dwelled in their midst, but he dwelled in a place they could not go.  The holy of holies, glorious and beautiful and filled with the cloud of his glory resting on the ark of the covenant, was off limits.  The relationship between God and human beings was still broken—and the brokenness was not on his part, but theirs.  Again, we see his love and his grace and his mercy.  Through the law and the sacrifices he gave the people a means of drawing near, of truly being his people, while at the same time reminding them of the seriousness of their problem, of the sinfulness of sin, and that something greater was needed to finally restore full fellowship with him.  The tabernacle (and later the temple) was an abattoir where continual animal sacrifices were offered to atone for sin.  Those weren't the only offerings.  The people came to offer their thanks to the Lord as well.  But the blood sacrifices overshadowed everything else—a reminder that the problem of this broken fellowship is on our end, not God's; that it is not his holiness that is the problem, but our sin.  They were a reminder for Israel of the mercy of the Lord—that he desires to be reconciled with sinners—but also that sinners must come to him on his terms and not our own, and that there is a great gulf between holiness and sinfulness.  And so the story of Israel and her covenant with the Lord prepared the people of God for Jesus.  Every Sunday you and I come to his Table and are reminded that the son of God gave his life as a once-for-all and perfect sacrifice for sin, his blood given in place of ours, to bring atonement, to restore us to the presence of the Lord—because of his great love for us.  And again, that reminder is there that we come to God on his terms and not our own, because he is holy and apart from him we are not. And here the God of Scripture clashes with the false god we so often create for ourselves.  We're like petulant children who get angry when our parents lay down rules.  “You don't love me if you won't let me do whatever I want,” we shout at them.  But they know better.  Our parents know things that we don't, and so they give us rules when we are children, not because they're mean, but because they love us.  As adults with hindsight we see our foolishness.  We knew other kids whose parents let them do whatever they wanted and we'd foolishly think that those kids' parents loved them more.  Now we're adults and know better.  Brothers and Sisters, we do the same thing with God.  He created us out of love in the beginning, he delivered Israel from her Egyptian bondage out of love, he lived in her midst out of love even when she was so often unfaithful.  He taught her how to be holy.  He gave her instructions for sacrifices as a means of atonement.  And like petulant and ungrateful teenagers Israel went after other gods instead.  But the petulant and rebellious teenager is a modern phenomenon, not the one used by the Lord when he spoke to his people.  When he spoke to them of their relationship with him, she was his beautiful and beloved bride who turned to adultery and unfaithfulness.  That's a much darker and troubling image then the rebellious teen.  But as we read Israel's story, we see that the Lord never abandons his bride.  The prophecy of Hosea may be one of the most profound witnesses of the Lord's love for his people, despite their unfaithfulness.  Hosea wrote: “In that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband,' and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.'  For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more.  And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety.  And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy.  I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.”  (Hosea 2:16-20) The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, as Jeremiah wrote, and his mercies never end (Lamentation 3:22).  And we see this as the great story eventually leads us to Jesus, who, as St. Paul writes: …though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  (Philippians 2:6-8) And St. John reminds us so poignantly: In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.  In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins…We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:9-10) The great story reveals the faithlessness of human beings to the one who has loved us from the very beginning.  No matter how great our rebellion, our idolatry, our sin, our unfaithfulness to him, he has loved us from the beginning and he will love us to the end and has given his own life to restore us to his presence and fill our hearts with love for him.  Again, we love because he first loved us.  The God of the Bible is a God of love. Now, there are lots of things we can say of the God of who reveals himself in the Bible.  He is patient, for example.  Or he's sovereign.  The list is long and all of these things are interrelated.  He is patient, because he is loving.  The fact that he is a creating, calling, and electing God means that he is also a sovereign God.  We have confidence in prayer, because we know that he is sovereign and has the power to answer.  And we have confidence in his answers, because we know he is wise and good and loving and so on.  But I want to close on a different point and that is that the God of the Bible is a faithful God.  More than anything else, this is the aspect of God we need to grasp as we struggle to trust him. The great story reminds us of God's faithfulness from beginning to end.  We see his faithfulness in that he didn't give up, wipe everything out, and start over when we rebelled.  Instead, he has lovingly, patiently, graciously, and mercifully stuck with us.  If it weren't for his faithfulness he wouldn't have called Abraham, he wouldn't have rescued Israel from Egypt, he wouldn't have given his law or a king, he wouldn't have disciplined his people, he wouldn't have spoken through the prophets.  He wouldn't have made promises—or might have, but he wouldn't have kept them.  If he were not faithful, he'd be like the gods of the pagans—fickle, unreliable, unknowable.  And, of course, we see the faithfulness of God fully revealed in Jesus.  In Jesus he shows his faithfulness to us, even when we are unfaithful.  In Jesus he fulfils his promises.  As St. Paul wrote to Timothy: If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.  (2 Timothy 2:13) It's who he is.  God cannot be anything other than faithful and we know it because of the Scriptures.  In the Bible we have the record of his character—of his goodness and wisdom and righteousness and holiness and everything else that comes together and culminates in his faithfulness.  One of the things I like best about the Psalms is their repeated acclamation of the faithfulness of the Lord to his people, to his covenant, to his promises.  They sing out his mighty deeds for Israel and remind the people not only that they have every reason to trust in him, but that they would be fools not to.  And if that was the case for Israel in the Old Testament, how much more is it the case for us, his new Israel.  We have known Jesus and the Spirit as the fulfilment of all that he promised.  We have been plunged into this life in our baptism and we come, week after week, to his Table.  We bear in our baptism his mark—the gift of his own indwelling Spirit—and here at the Table we participate again and again in those events—the death and resurrection of Jesus—through which God has delivered us from our bondage to sin and death and made us his own.  Brothers and Sisters, this is the God whom healthy churches proclaim, this is the God whose mighty and saving deeds we sing, this is the God whom we make known to the world.  This the God in whom our future hopes rest.  As St. John wrote: Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.  (1 John 3:2) As I say so often, in Jesus and the Spirit—at the cross and in the upper room at Pentecost—our God did the hard part.  His word tells us and our baptism and the Lord's Supper serve as perpetual reminders of his faithfulness.  He is the Alpha and Omega, the one whose faithfulness knows no bounds and is as long as eternity itself.  It is in him we trust and it is him we preach. Let's pray: Holy, loving, sovereign, patient, faithful Father, we give you thanks for revealing yourself to us in your word—for who you are, for what you have done, for showing us that you are worthy of our love and worthy of our trust.  By your word and through your Spirit you give us the gift of faith.  We ask that as we continue in your word and as we share in your sacraments, as our knowledge and experience of you grows, that our faith will deepen.  Purge our hearts of fickleness we pray, that we might set aside every idol and every false idea we might have of you.  Give us your great grace, that we might ever more each day trust in you and love you more as we steep ourselves in your word and each Sunday as we come to your Table to be reminded of the great love you have shown to us in the death and resurrection of Jesus and the gift of your Spirit.  Amen.