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34. Divine Comedy with Jason Mock and Rodney Norman

Does God have a sense of humor? What is the role of comedy within society? Craig and Jason Mock are joined by comedian Rodney Norman for a fun(sometimes funny) conversation on comedy, politics, and Christianity. In this episode we are reminded of the importance and the power of joy and laughter. God wants us to be happy, to love one another and be joyous, but politics and fear can get in the way. Rodney helps us remember to laugh and to take life less seriously through comedy and a never ending curiosity. 

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TIMESTAMPS AND STARTING POINTS:

00:22 Episode Intro

02:20 Jason’s go to comics

02:53 Rodney’s (fake) Background

  • Member of Q

3:36 Rodney’s Real Background

  • 20 years in comedy

  • Alcoholic grandfather acts

  • Philosophy

  • Role of Comedian

  • Nietzsche is big inspiration

5:57 Inspiration behind Sunday Sermon Video

  • State of the world, battles of who is a “real christian”

  • All comes down to treating others with love and respect - if we could do this, governments become unnecessary 

  • Kill the idiots to stop idiots?

  • Gospel isn’t about being right it’s about being nice and loving one another as ourselves

 8:38 Message of Jesus and how government blocks us from attaining the truth of the message

  • It’s in our best interest to live in peace with one another

  • How much power do you want to give anyone over your life?

  • When you have a final authority, they’re the only authority

10:54 Why having more Christians in office won’t make things better

  • Christians are called to the fringes of society the the centers of power

12:09 How Rodney uses comedy to spread the message of loving your neighbor

16:52 Untangling from the american media-political machine

  • Faith in God vs. fear of finite political leaders

  • Christ and stoicism

  • Straw-God, we have watered down and oversimplified who God is and made him into an impossible version

22:22 Politics or WWE - which is more real?

25:22 Why the rise in comedians challenging the system, and how does it affect how Rodney sees the future or social media(censorship, maintaining audience, free speech ect.)

  • Comedian is supposed to mock the things in the system to beat the system

  • When social media creates taboo, it give the comedian more material

  • Allegory and similes 

  • Some are trying to be the smart guy vs. a comedian

  • Lenny Bruce and George Carlin

  • If your playing safe you're not getting anywhere

32:22 Social media and life

  • Enjoy our lives vs. let others control it

33:25 Founders of America and what they fought for

  • 3% tax

  • Patrick Henry, George Mason\

  • Oath of to protect Constitution to protect from “enemies foreign and domestic”

 36:21 Jesus was a snark

  • Laughter as medicine

39:50 Comedy as medicine

45:17 Mitch Hedberg

  • Jokes

  • Working with him

48:43 Rodney’s Plugs