About this Episode

Tune in for an insightful conversation with Jeffrey Stevens, an independent journalist and director of the Azarius Project, as we take a hard look at the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory and the impact it's having on the Christian and other communities within these borders. Hear firsthand about the misinformation circulating among Christian Americans and learn about Jeffrey's own transformation from being pro-Israel to acknowledging the impossibility of supporting both Israel and the sanctity of life simultaneously.

If you’re one of us, or you’re new here, you should know that there has always been a personal journey at the heart of The Bad Roman Project. It’s been one that's demanded a complete overhaul of previous beliefs. A path paved with discomfort while challenging long-held perceptions and demanding an honest reassessment of Christian values. As always, there's so much more to the story than what's on the surface and what’s important is that we talk about it.

While mainstream media often skews the reality on the ground, our conversation challenges those narratives and scrutinizes the role of the US and Israeli governments in perpetuating the inhumane policies of the occupation. In this uncompromising discourse, we're asking the hard questions, discussing who gets to define terrorism, examining the treatment of Palestinians (both Muslim and Christian), and unlocking the transformative power of relationships to remedy bias in our perspectives.

But our journey doesn't stop there. In this episode, we're bringing the focus back home, because change starts on your doorstep. We discuss the importance of evangelizing in our own neighborhoods and fostering a personal relationship with Jesus. Be prepared for a lively debate on what Jesus' stance would be of his birthland today and the recognition that the world is indeed larger than just the United States. So, buckle up and come along for an enlightening, perhaps life-altering ride with us.

Connect with Jeffery:

Catholic Workers Project

Azarias Project

Arab American News

Catholic Wordsmith

Episode Timestamps:

1:05 Correct framing as the illegal Occupation vs. the Israel-Palestine Conflict

Joe Chadburn Episode
Importance of independent journalism
Importance of reframing the language we use to describe a topic
Unpacking beliefs about Israel in Christian upbringing
Used to cover Vatican news until 2009 began covering Israel-Palestine

4:52 Who is Jeffery Stevens?

Arab American News
Director of Azarias Project
Grew up: pro-life, pro-Israel Christian

Difference between pro-life and anti-abortion
Blood Brothers Book by Palestinian Catholic Priest, Elias Chacour (Author), David Hazard (Author), James Baker (Foreword)
Jesus is Palestinian, not Israeli

When Bible speaks of Israel it’s referring to Christians not the Israeli government

8:08 Conviction of USA and Israel as the “good guys” against terrorism

Post-9/11
You can respect veterans and still be critical of USA’s imperialism
Jesus Christ would not approve of what is happening in the Middle East no matter who is doing it
Governments can often be found to act more in accordance to the definition of terrorism than those we call the name
Military bases and proximity to oil reserves

Syria

Smedley Butler (Joe Chadburn)
French Concrete Company sued for assisting ISIS — millions of dollars the US government kept it
Should Christians care about what is happening in the birthplace of Christianity?

15:16 Where the End of the Earth Begins article on The Catholic Wordsmith

Acts 1:8

Popular Christian evangelical verse, we seek to evangelize in frogmen lands and forget to do so in our own neighborhood
Christians only on Sundays?

“Jesus would have to cross 15 Israeli checkpoints and a 30-foot wall to get to Bethlehem”
Americans fail to understand what “occupation” means
Palestinian Christian population over time and occupation’s influence on their decline
Israeli Occupation forces and desire for all Jewish state, turning Al_Asqua Mosque into a temple