169. The State vs. the Midwife: Obeying God, Defying Caesar with Brenda "Granny" Smith

The letter said cease and desist.

Brenda Smith got upset for about five minutes. Then she got angry. Then she did something that tells you a lot about the rest of this story:

She wadded it up and threw it in the trash.

Brenda, “Granny” to plenty of people who are not technically her grandchildren, has spent more than 30 years attending births. She believes that work is something God called her to do.

So when the State of Arkansas told her to stop, the question in her mind was not simply whether she might get in trouble.

It was much bigger:

Who gets the final word when the government tells you to stop doing something you believe God told you to do?

That question carries this conversation from home birth and midwifery into Christian anarchy, consent, fear, obedience, and ultimately hope. Because Brenda has seen enough of the state to distrust it. She has also seen enough of God to refuse to fear it.

Before Politics, There Were Babies

Brenda’s story begins far from political theory.

She grew up on a farm where faith was woven into everyday life. Her mother gathered five children around for family devotions. Brenda ran barefoot outside, watched life happen all around her, and learned early not to be afraid of everything that might go wrong.

Birth became personal before it became a calling.

Her first son was born breech in a hospital. Brenda remembers the doctor arriving too late for a C-section and a room filling with people who wanted to witness a vaginal breech birth they had rarely seen.

Years later, a neighbor from the Netherlands asked Brenda to attend her home birth. Brenda went.

Something clicked.

Over time, attending births became more than an interest. It became part of how Brenda understood service.

She does not argue that everybody should make the same birth choices. Early in the episode, she tells parents to learn, ask questions, interview caregivers, understand their own values, and make informed decisions.

Her point is not that she should choose for a mother. It is almost the opposite. The mother should be allowed to choose, but to do they need to know all their options. Including those that don't center on hospitals.

When “You Can’t” Meets “I’m Called”

Years into Brenda’s work, a friend called her crying.

According to Brenda, rules surrounding her friend’s pregnancy meant the midwife she had expected to use could no longer attend her home birth. Brenda believed her friend needed someone beside her.

So she stepped in.

She did not charge her.

Later came questions from the state. Years after that, Brenda received the cease-and-desist letter telling her to stop attending births.

“I’m gonna do what the Lord calls me to do.” — Brenda Smith (15:30–16:00)

That sounds bold if we put it on a T-shirt. But it sounds different when the next envelope might contain something that can put you in jail.

Brenda kept attending births.

Eventually, after a stillbirth, she says Arkansas authorities pursued a case against her even though the parents did not blame her. She learned there was a warrant for her arrest through someone who saw her posted online.

Then came the discovery process. Brenda says the government had collected years of screenshots from her Facebook activity.

“They had eight years of Facebook screenshots on me.” — Brenda Smith (17:15–18:00)

According to Brenda, the case was eventually dismissed.

But “dismissed” does not give back the year she spent wondering what might happen. It does not give back the sleep, and it does not answer the larger question: what happens when two adults voluntarily agree to something the state says they are not allowed to do?

The Birth She Refused to Miss

One of the wildest stories in the episode begins with flashing lights behind Brenda’s car. A mother was already pushing.

Brenda didn't stop driving.

She reached the house, jumped out, told the officer she was a midwife, and started toward the door.

The officer caught her.

Brenda describes being bent over with her arm behind her back while the mother inside was trying to have a baby. Outside the state wanted compliance.

A woman is in labor. The midwife had somewhere to be. The officer did not know what a midwife was.

Brenda eventually makes it inside, leaving her ID and registration for the officer to find himself. The officer followed, asking to speak to her, now by the name on on ID. Then the mother roars through another contraction. The woman's mother tells him: that's not happening right now.

Birth wins the argument.

Brenda ends up in court months later over the traffic stop, but the real question is already sitting there in the delivery room. 

What is the law for? Is it meant to protect people? And what happens when enforcing it gets in the way of people voluntarily caring for one another?

Consent Changes the Meaning of Anarchy

Brenda did not grow up calling herself an anarchist.

She says she did not even realize the word described her until around 2012, when a friend explained it differently than she had heard before.

Not riots. Not burning cars. Not chaos.

Consent and non-aggression.

“If somebody doesn’t want to do something, you don’t get to make them do it.” — Brenda Smith (38:40)

Suddenly, pieces of her life started fitting together. Midwifery was built around the choices of mothers. Her faith was built around voluntary obedience to God. And her growing distrust of government came from watching institutions use force where she believed persuasion, relationship, and consent should have been enough. She did not become a Christian anarchist and then decide how to apply the philosophy to birth. She looked backward and realized she had already been living many of its principles.

What Does Faith Cost?

Brenda imagines a situation where staying out of jail requires disobeying what she believes God told her to do.

What kind of faith would that be?

“If your faith doesn’t require something difficult of you, why are you even doing it?” — Brenda Smith (40:15)

That does not mean every act of civil disobedience is holy. It does not mean our personal desires automatically become commands from God. It means Christians have to wrestle seriously with allegiance.

Craig connects Brenda’s story with Acts 5, where Peter and the apostles answer earthly rulers with a dangerous sentence:

“We must obey God rather than human beings.”

That verse is easy to admire when we imagine ancient Rome. It gets harder when obedience costs money, reputation, comfort, or freedom.

Brenda asks it even more plainly:

“Who is your master?” — Brenda Smith (41:15)

That question belongs far beyond midwifery.

We Don’t Need a Perpetual Parent

Brenda was an obedient child. Very obedient. She remembers talking back to her mother once and being more shaken by the disappointment on her mother’s face than by the punishment.

That story leads somewhere unexpected. Children need parents. They need guidance, protection, correction, and people who know more than they do.

But children grow up.

At some point, Brenda says, we learn who we are. We make decisions. We accept responsibility. We no longer need someone standing over us to make every choice.

Then she offers one of the episode’s best descriptions of government:

“You don’t need a perpetual parent, and that’s exactly what government is.” — Brenda Smith (47:45)

You may disagree. But the image is worth thinking about. How much of state power depends on convincing adults that somebody else always needs to be in charge of them?

And how much Christian political thinking has quietly accepted the same assumption?

Jesus did not tell His disciples to become better rulers over everyone else. He told them that rulers “lord it over” people and then said: Not so with you.

Anarchy Without Losing Jesus

Brenda has also met anarchists who think her Christianity does not belong.

“No gods, no masters” can become its own test of belonging. Her answer is simple. She is not giving up Jesus to make somebody else comfortable with her politics. And she has no desire to use force to make an unbeliever accept her faith. That is where she finds common ground even with secular anarchists.

Faith cannot be forced. Neither can love.

Craig points out that many anarchists he has met once belonged to churches and later walked away, sometimes because of "church hurt" or because the Christianity they were given looked more like authority and control than Jesus.

That should bother us. 

If someone rejects Christ because we have shown them Caesar wearing a Christian costume, what exactly did they reject?

Brenda even left a church she loved because the American flag remained in the sanctuary. She could no longer make peace with national symbols sharing sacred space. For her, the issue was allegiance. No King but Christ cannot just mean “Christ is my favorite king.” It means He does not share the throne.

When the Enemy Becomes a Person

Late in the episode, Brenda tells a story from the film Gandhi.

A man has committed a terrible act of revenge after losing his own son. Gandhi gives him a strange path forward: find a child like the one he killed, raise him as his own, and raise him in the religion of the people he had learned to hate.

Brenda hears Jesus in that story: Love your enemies.

Not tolerate them from a safe distance. Not defeat them and then feel merciful afterward. Love them until “enemy” stops being the most important thing you know about them.

That is where Christian anarchy reaches beyond government. If we reject coercion but remain full of hatred, we have not made it very far. Jesus does not simply free us from rulers. He frees us to love.

Become an Apocaloptimist

Then comes a word Craig can barely pronounce: Apocaloptimist.

Someone who knows things look like they are falling apart and still believes they will turn out okay.

Brenda laughs because the word fits. Christian anarchy can sound angry if all we talk about is corruption, laws, police, taxes, surveillance, and state power. But Brenda insists we land somewhere else: hope.

“Our heart is elsewhere. Our home is elsewhere.” — Brenda Smith (1:01:00)

That is why she says she can keep doing “forbidden” and noncompliant things without being ruled by fear. Governments can threaten. Bodies can get sick. Systems can fail. The world can look like it is coming apart. But Caesar does not get the last word. Jesus does.

Maybe that is the difference between simple rebellion and Christian anarchy. One is defined by what it refuses. The other is defined by whom it follows.

🤝Connect with Brenda “Granny” Smith🤝

• Catching Freedom: Facebook Page**, **Brenda’s birth-and-liberty page

• Catching Freedom: The Connection of Childbirth and Liberty: Brenda’s 2025 People’s Reset presentation is available as an audio episode. Listen to Brenda’s Catching Freedom presentation

Highlights & Takeaways

• Brenda’s path to Christian anarchy grew from lived experience before she ever adopted the label

• Consent matters because people are not property of institutions, experts, or governments

• Calling something “legal” does not automatically answer whether it is right

• Faith becomes real when obedience costs something

• “Obey God rather than men” is more difficult when the consequences are personal

• Government can function like a perpetual parent if adults surrender responsibility for their own choices

• Christian anarchy loses its Christian center if it becomes hatred of rulers rather than love of neighbor

• Hope keeps noncompliance from turning into despair

Listen

When Brenda moves from her arrest story into the question, “Who is your master?” Notice how quickly a discussion about midwifery becomes a discussion about allegiance.

Reflect

Where do you obey mainly because you are afraid of consequences? How would you tell the difference between faithful obedience to Christ and simply doing whatever you want?

Read

Acts 5:27–32, Mark 10:42–45, and Matthew 5:43–48. Hold them together: obedience to God, Jesus’ rejection of “lording it over” others, and enemy-love.

For a separate current story about state prosecution of home-birth midwives, PBS’s 2026 documentary Arrest the Midwife follows Amish and Mennonite families confronting similar questions about birth choice and government regulation. Watch or learn about Arrest the Midwife on PBS

Practice

Pick one area of your life where fear makes your decisions for you. Do not start by breaking a law. Start by asking what faithfulness, responsibility, consent, and love require, and whether you have handed your conscience to someone else simply because they have authority.

Episode Timestamps

(00:00) Meet Brenda “Granny” Smith

• childhood faith and farm life

• motherhood, grandmotherhood, and birth

• more than three decades attending births

(06:20) Home Birth, Choice & Informed Decisions

• hospitals, midwives, and personal fit

• researching birth options

• trust, prayer, and informed choice

(12:10) When Arkansas Comes for a Midwife

• friend needing birth support

• choosing service over licensure

• cease-and-desist letter

(17:00) Arrest Warrant & Eight Years of Screenshots

• stillbirth and state investigation

• warrant discovered through a friend

• Facebook evidence and legal costs

(22:10) Obey God Rather Than Men

• state authority versus calling

• Acts 5 and Christian obedience

• regulation, power, and birth choice

(28:00) The Cop, the Midwife & the Baby Coming Now

• refusing to stop on the way to a birth

• police confrontation outside the house

• courtroom aftermath

(34:10) Bringing Babies Into a Fearful World

• children growing up after COVID

• perpetual war as normal life

• peaceful beginnings and hope

(38:00) Why Christian Anarchy Made Sense

• consent and non-aggression

• discovering the label around 2012

• faith already pointing beyond the state

(43:30) Fear, Obedience & the Perpetual Parent

• childhood compliance

• authority that deserves obedience

• government as permanent parent

(51:10) Christians Among Secular Anarchists

• “no gods, no masters”

• church hurt and unbelief

• American flags inside churches

(58:40) Love Your Enemies & Apocaloptimism

• Gandhi story and enemy-love

• hope while systems fall apart

• Christ beyond fear and despair

(1:03:00) Catching Freedom

• Brenda’s Facebook page

• birth and liberty content

• closing invitation

Keep the Conversation Going

For more Bad Roman conversations on Christian anarchy, revisit Episode 51, Jesus the Anarchist, with Alexandre Christoyannopoulos and Nicholas Harrelson. Episode 51: Jesus the Anarchist

You can also hear Craig’s conversation with Larken Rose in Episode 83, The Cult of Statism, including their discussion of religion, voluntary relationships, and why belief in God and anarchism are not automatically at odds. Episode 83: The Cult of Statism

Support The Bad Roman Project, share the episode with somebody who will wrestle with it honestly, and keep asking the question underneath all of this:

Who is your master?

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Related Episodes

Related Blog Post

161. Flock Cameras, Privacy, and the Surveillance State with Jon Padfield

Should Christians care about privacy?

That question may sound strange at first. After all, if our Kingdom is not of this world, why worry about cameras on poles, license plate readers, data brokers, or government contracts? But then we remember something important: Jesus did not teach us to ignore our neighbors. He taught us to love them.

And love does not shrug when people are watched, scored, tracked, sorted, and controlled.

In this episode of The Bad Roman Podcast, Craig sits down with Jon Padfield, host of Business Reform, former Indiana state representative, engineer, professor, and privacy advocate. Jon brings a rare mix of tech knowledge, public policy experience, business insight, and Christian faith. His concern is simple: surveillance changes people. It makes them afraid to speak. It trains them to live like suspects.

As Jon says early in the conversation,

 “When people know they’re being surveilled, it affects the way that people behave” (03:00). 

That is not just a tech issue. That is a discipleship issue.

The Lie Behind “Nothing to Hide”

Most of us have heard it before: If you’re not doing anything wrong, why do you care who’s watching?

It sounds reasonable until you slow down. Who decides what “wrong” means? The same government that shut churches while calling other places “essential”? The same system that changes rules, shifts targets, and punishes people based on whatever fear is popular that week?

Jon calls that line a fallacy. It assumes guilt. It says if you want privacy, you must be hiding sin. But privacy is not guilt. Privacy is part of human dignity.

Jon gives a better answer he heard on the road: 

“Who gave you the right to decide if you’re doing anything wrong?” (18:00). 

That question cuts through the fog. Caesar always says he is only watching bad people. But Caesar also loves changing the definition of “bad.”

From Flock Safety to Flock Surveillance

Flock Safety is best known for license plate readers. Jon calls them “Flock Surveillance,” and he says their patent points to something bigger than simple traffic cameras: a “dynamic surveillance network” (06:00).

That matters because this is not only about stolen cars. Jon explains that Flock’s system can take in video from many sources: license plate readers, dash cams, doorbell cameras, police body cams, parking lot cameras, and other third-party cameras. The goal is not just to see one car. It is to catalog movement.

“Flock is tracking everybody doing everything, not just license plates,” Jon warns around the 11-minute mark.

 That is the part that should make Christians pause. A society built on constant watching is not a society built on trust. It is a society built on suspicion.

When Safety Becomes a Sales Pitch

Nobody sells surveillance by saying, “We want to control you.” They sell it with fear.

What about stolen cars? What about a kidnapped child? What about danger in your neighborhood?

Those are real fears. Craig does not dismiss them. Living near Memphis, he knows crime is not imaginary. But the question is not whether evil exists. The question is whether we should hand more power to the same institutions that already abuse power.

Jon points out that many camera searches are logged under the vague word “investigation” (24:20). That can mean almost anything. And when audit logs showed an officer using Flock information to provide data to ICE, Jon says the system changed from a free-form reason field to a pull-down menu. In other words, the problem did not go away. The paper trail got cleaner.

That is empire logic: not repentance, just better optics.

The Daycare Question

One of the most disturbing parts of the conversation comes when Jon talks about a daycare in Dunwoody, Georgia. According to Jon, a concerned father used public records to review audit logs and found Flock employees accessing cameras inside the daycare during the day, including cameras over the pool and gymnastics area.

Jon’s response is sharp and needed: if little girls at daycare are not doing anything wrong, why should anyone care who is watching them?

That question exposes the sickness of the “nothing to hide” argument. We know children deserve protection. We know watching people without cause is not harmless. So why do we forget that when the state points the camera at everyone else?

Consent Without Knowledge Is Not Consent

Craig and Jon spend time talking about consent. Cities and counties often install cameras without real public debate. People find out after the system is already in place. Then officials act like silence means approval.

Jon puts it plainly: 

“If you’re doing it without my knowledge, you are doing it without my consent” (49:00).

That line belongs on a shirt.

For Christians, consent matters because love does not force itself on people. Jesus invites. Caesar imposes. Jesus knocks at the door. Caesar installs a camera over it.

Christians, Voting, and Different Paths of Resistance

Craig brings the conversation back to a familiar Bad Roman tension: what should Christians do when they no longer consent to the government through voting?

Jon and Craig do not land in the exact same place. Jon still believes Christians should engage the political process. Craig explains why many Christian anarchists and voluntarists have stepped away from voting, especially when voting empowers rulers who can tax, spy, cage, and kill.

But the beauty of this exchange is that it never becomes a cable-news food fight. Jon says, 

“You’re my brother in Christ. You’re not the enemy” (1:02:54).

That is how Christians should disagree. Not by trying to own each other. Not by forming new tribes. But by asking: how do we resist evil without becoming what we resist?

Craig’s answer leans toward removing consent, speaking truth, making podcasts, writing, building community, and refusing to crown another king. Jon’s answer leans toward public pressure, state-level limits, data retention laws, and legal accountability. 

Both agree on the danger. Both agree the machine is real.

Practical Resistance Without Panic

This episode is not hopeless. Jon shares that cities and counties have canceled Flock contracts after citizens spoke up at meetings. He also talks about working with a state representative on language to restrict Flock statewide.

That does not mean the beast is tame. It means people are not powerless.

For those who do not vote, there are still ways to act: talk to neighbors, show up at meetings, request public records, share information, map cameras, support privacy advocates, and teach people how surveillance works. Christians do not need to worship the government to confront it.

We can be faithful without being frantic.

No King but Christ in a Watched World

The early church lived under empire, too. Rome had its own tools of control: soldiers, taxes, informants, prisons, crosses. Today’s empire has cameras, databases, data brokers, drones, and algorithms.

The tools changed. The temptation did not.

Will we trade freedom for safety? Will we cheer surveillance when it targets people we fear? Will we trust Caesar to define “good” and “bad”? Or will we remember that our King sees all things already, and unlike the government, He uses His power to heal, restore, and save?

Privacy is not about hiding sin. It is about resisting a world where every neighbor is treated like a suspect.

Sometimes being a good Christian means refusing to be a well-tracked Roman.

🤝Connect with Jon Padfield🤝

• YouTube: Business Reform

• Patreon

• Buy Me Coffee

• Tour: Brush Fires of Freedom Tour

• Privacy tool mentioned: DeFlock Me

• LinkedIn

• X: @Dr_Jon_Padfield

• TikTok: businessreform

Topics Jon covers: business, technology, society, privacy, surveillance, public policy, and faith

Highlights & Takeaways

• “Nothing to hide” is not a Christian argument; it assumes guilt and gives Caesar too much power.

• Flock cameras are not just about stolen cars; Jon warns they are part of a larger surveillance network.

• Safety language can hide control, especially when searches are logged under vague terms like “investigation.”

• Consent matters. If cameras are installed without public knowledge, the public did not truly consent.

• Christians can disagree on voting and still work together against surveillance, coercion, and state overreach.

• Privacy protects human dignity, neighbor-love, and the courage to speak truth.

• Local action can work: public pressure has helped some communities cancel Flock contracts.

• “No King but Christ” means refusing to trust empire with powers only God should hold.

Listen & Reflect

Listen

Listen for the way Jon connects technology, public policy, business, and faith. Ask yourself where surveillance has already become normal in your own town.

Reflect

Where have you accepted “safety” language without asking who gains power from it? Have you ever used the phrase “nothing to hide” without thinking about who gets to define guilt?

Read

Read Matthew 10:16–31 and Psalm 146. Sit with Jesus’ call to be wise, fearless, and loyal to God above rulers.

Practice

Look up whether your city or county uses Flock cameras. Talk with one neighbor about privacy, consent, and what it means to love people without treating them like suspects.

Episode Timestamps

(00:00) Should Christians care about privacy?

• Surveillance state concerns

• Flock cameras and public unease

• Following Christ, not the government

(01:23) Meet Jon Padfield

• Business Reform YouTube channel

• Engineering, public policy, and business background

• Faith and technology

(03:00) Surveillance changes behavior

• Reputation scores and monitoring

• Fear of speaking up

• “Stained Glass Masquerade” connection

• You Already Have a Reputation Score

(05:25) The “nothing to hide” fallacy

• Assumption of guilt

• Privacy as dignity

• Christians and concern for surveillance

(06:00) What Flock cameras are

• License plate readers

• Dynamic surveillance network

• Deflock mapping tool

(09:30) Beyond license plates

• Dash cams, doorbells, body cams

• AI cataloging movement

• Facial and vehicle recognition

(12:00) Daycare camera concerns

• Audit logs from Dunwoody daycare

• Pool and gymnastics area cameras

• Children and the privacy question

(17:54) Who decides what is wrong?

• Better answer to “nothing to hide”

• Lockdown memory

• State power defining guilt

(20:37) Local, state, and federal use

• Memphis and Fayette County examples

• Flock’s federal-data claims

• ICE and local law enforcement sharing

(22:30) Who owns the data?

• Agency ownership claims

• Flock’s perpetual license

• Data retention concerns

(24:20) “Investigation” as a search reason

• Vague police search labels

• ICE audit log example

• Pull-down menus replacing written reasons

(27:08) Pushback and privacy laws

• Ring  Superbowl backlash

• Thomas Massie and Lauren Boebert bill

• Warrant requirements and Fourth Amendment concerns

(28:15) Local wins against Flock

• Cities and counties canceling Flock contracts

• Public pressure at meetings

• State-level restriction efforts

(31:00) Federal privacy law concerns

• Stronger state protections

• California and Illinois examples

• Private right of action

(34:21) Data brokers and insurance companies

• Privacy policies as invasion policies

• Sensitive personal data

• Browsing, purchase, and search history

(41:30) How cameras appear without debate

• Local implementation questions

• Complacency and compliance

• Safety versus privacy

(45:56) Consent and government power

• Declaration of Independence language

• Consent of the governed

• Knowledge as part of consent

(49:30) The four boxes

• Soapbox

• Ballot box

• Jury box

• Ammo box warning

(52:32) Christian resistance and voting

• Craig’s Christian anarchist position

• Early church and empire

• Removing consent from rulers

(55:00) Jon’s case for engagement

• Christians in public office

• Not ceding ground

• Different paths, shared concerns

(1:02:54) Brothers, not enemies

• Agreement on the goal

• Different strategies

• Privacy advocacy and Christian unity

(1:04:00) Pragmatic limits on surveillance

• Data retention policies

• Warrants and targeted searches

• Higher chance of passing restrictions

(1:07:00) Safety arguments

• Kidnapped child scenarios

• Stolen vehicle concerns

• Cost of “a little privacy”

(1:28:00) Where to find Jon

• Business Reform on YouTube

• Patreon community

• Future conversation invitation

(1:29:13) Closing and support

• If this conversation helped you rethink privacy, surveillance, and Christian faithfulness, share it with someone who still says, “If you have nothing to hide, why worry?”

• Look up the cameras in your town. Ask questions. Talk to neighbors. Read the Gospels. And remember: our hope is not in better surveillance, better rulers, or better empire management.

• No King but Christ

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Related Episodes

Related Blog Post

102. True Crime, Religion and Podcasting with Cristy Ramos of Cristy's Chronicles Podcast

In this special episode of The Bad Roman, we take an atypical yet gripping detour into the sinister world of true crime, religious beliefs, and their troubling convergence. Cristy Ramos, the voice behind the budding podcast Cristy's Chronicles, where she discusses the finer details of real-life crime stories. Having worked in law and health insurance, she has deep knowledge of how the system functions. Cristy offers a fresh perspective on understanding the motivations of criminals and how the government deals with them.

In this conversation, we explore both infamous and lesser-known cases like those of Casey Anthony and Israel Keyes. With a past rooted in Christianity, Cristy offers an enlightening perspective on how religious upbringings and interpretations of scripture can intersect with and potentially influence criminal behavior.

Even though we're talking about True Crime, this topic helps us, as Bad Romans, understand how the government catches and punishes criminals, and if our justice system is doing a good job. It challenges us to think about what ‘No King But Christ’ means when faced with horrendous acts, how do we punish people in a voluntary society? 

As our discussion winds down we touch on the problems some cities like Memphis face, how technology and regular people can help solve cold cases, and spooky topics like UFOs and conspiracy theories!

Conversation Highlights:

• The role religion can have infamous crimes.

• The trial of Casey Anthony and the unanswered questions.

• How serial killer Israel Keyes planned his crimes and whether his religious upbringing had any role.

• The impact of crime on society and how the government responds, like in the case of Memphis.

• How common people and technology can help solve old mysteries.

• Fun topics like ghosts, UFOs, and conspiracy theories in our real-life crime chat.

Whether we're studying about criminals or pondering over statism, The Bad Roman is always here to help you learn and think differently. Join us for this episode and others as we continue to explore what it means to live as a follower of Jesus in the 21st century, Christians’ entanglement with political forces around the world, and the mystery of being alive that intrigues us all.

Connect with Cristy:

Cristy’s Chronicles Podcast – website, Apple Podcasts

Facebook Page

Discord 

Instagram @cristys_chroniclez

Email: cristyschronicles@gmail.com

Key Moments:

00:00:17 Exploring True Crime and Religion

◦ Discussion of the intersection between true crime and religion

◦ Insights from Cristy Ramos on religious influence in criminal behavior

◦ Impact of Israel Keyes' religious upbringing on his actions

00:03:45 Understanding the Causes of Disturbing Behavior

◦ Delving into the nature vs. nurture debate in criminal psychology

◦ The role of proper child nurturing and misuse of scripture in child-rearing

00:09:59 Mother's Emotion in Crime Case Perceptions

◦ Reflections on the emotional perceptions surrounding the Casey Anthony trial

00:09:59 The Casey Anthony Murder Trial

◦ Analyzing the controversial defense strategy and jury decision

◦ Discussion of the death-like odor evidence in the Casey Anthony case

00:15:12 Casey Anthony

◦ Exploring inconsistencies in Casey Anthony's story

◦ Post-trial life and public skepticism towards Casey Anthony

00:22:20 Israel Keyes and Serial Killers

◦ Dissecting the calculated crimes of serial killer Israel Keyes

◦ How Keyes' religious upbringing and early violence may have influenced his psyche

00:23:33 Israel Keyes' Different Christian Church

◦ Examination of Israel Keyes' unusual upbringing in a Christian-based church

00:29:45 Serial Killer's Moral Code and Restrictions

◦ Keyes' self-imposed moral code and avoidance of certain victims

00:35:08 Serial Killers and Gang Violence

◦ The contrast between gang violence and serial killers' methodical planning

◦ Addressing investigative biases and the controversial theory of Kurt Cobain's death

00:36:27 Questioning Cobain's Death and Investigative Biases

◦ Discussing Israel Keyes' social ostracization and early signs of violence

00:38:37 Cults and the Death Penalty

◦ Link between cult-like churches and criminal behavior

◦ Reflections on the death penalty and wrongful convictions

00:44:15 Serial Killer's Revelations and Suicide

◦ Israel Keyes' lack of remorse and calculated approach to crime

◦ Keyes' suicide in prison following capture and partial confession

00:48:29 Crime Impact, Role of Government

◦ Debating criminal justice policies and repeat offenses

◦ Role of citizen detectives and DNA technology in solving cold cases

◦ Personal anecdotes on dealing with loss through true crime narratives

00:53:50 True Crime and Victim's Families

◦ Impact of true crime stories on the lives of victims' families

00:56:17 Conspiracies, Crime, and Paranormal Exploration

◦ Introducing fellow podcasters and discussion on supernatural occurrences

◦ Intersections of true crime with conspiracy theories and unexplained phenomena

01:00:02 True Crime Podcast Halloween Plans

◦ Reflections on the origins of "The Exorcist" film and government UFO acknowledgments

◦ Cristy Ramos' journey into podcasting and aspirations for future collaborations

01:06:25 Impressive Crime Podcast With Learning Opportunities

◦ Invitation for listener engagement and suggestions for future podcast topics

Explore Related Episodes Below:

EXPLORE RELATED BLOG POSTS:

98. The Devil’s Lettuce: Cannabis and Jesus a Christian Roundtable

About this Episode

In this eye-opening episode of the Bad Roman Podcast, we venture into the intricate, complex, and often misunderstood realm of marijuana. Your host for this thought-provoking journey is Craig Harguess, accompanied by a diverse group of guests - Scott, Aaron, Jim, and William. 

Each brings to the table their personal encounters, knowledge, and unique viewpoints on the topic of marijuana use, which goes beyond the clichéd stereotypes and delves into societal, legal, and religious dimensions. Our intention with this episode is to challenge the prevailing misconceptions, stimulate intellectual discourse, and provide a fresh perspective on marijuana. 

We aim to demystify the subject and explore its multi-faceted dimensions – from the societal implications of marijuana use to the controversial war on drugs, and from the adverse effects of government propaganda to the potential medical benefits of marijuana. One of the significant areas of discussion is the comparison of marijuana with pharmaceutical drugs and alcohol. In a world where prescription drugs and alcohol consumption are largely normalized, we delve into the complex question of whether marijuana, a naturally occurring plant, is inherently any more harmful or beneficial. 

From a religious perspective, the episode ventures into uncharted territory as it discusses the place of marijuana in Christian teachings. Rooted in the belief that God is the ultimate creator, our host, and guests explore the concept that marijuana, as a part of God's creation, may have a significant role to play. They navigate through scripture and theology, bringing forth interpretations that aim to challenge conventional beliefs. 

Throughout this illuminating discussion, we are constantly reminded that this conversation is not about advocating for 'potheads', but rather about the legality and morality of a God-created plant. 

The goal is to encourage an understanding of cannabis that transcends the stigma and stereotypes, helping us to better comprehend the complexities of state power, control, and the choices we make as Christians. The conversation dives deep into the heart of the controversy surrounding marijuana - the legal implications, mass incarceration, and societal perception of marijuana use. It brings to light the interplay of political power and public opinion, questioning the narratives we've been fed and urging us to think critically about the societal structures that govern us.

 This enlightening episode of the Bad Roman Podcast invites you to partake in a thought-provoking conversation, unraveling the intricacies, complexities, and controversies surrounding marijuana. Whether you are a believer or not, this discussion seeks to broaden your understanding and encourage a more informed perspective on marijuana use. 

Join us on the Bad Roman Podcast as we embark on this exploratory journey, challenging preconceived notions, stimulating deeper conversations, and fostering an open-minded, nuanced understanding of marijuana use. Prepare to have your perspectives challenged, your curiosity piqued, and your understanding of this God-created plant transformed.

Learn More About this Topic:

Endocannabinoid System Facebook

Araon’s Instagram @heavyicerx

Episode Timestamps:

(00:02) Christian Perspectives on Marijuana Use

Marijuana, Christianity, and the state are discussed with guests sharing personal experiences and views on government regulation.

(11:02) Perspectives on Marijuana

Jim shares his experience growing up in a rural area where marijuana was stigmatized, but later discovered its widespread use among adults.

(19:19) From Pharmaceuticals to Cannabis

Aaron shares his personal experience with marijuana for chronic pain, limitations of pharmaceuticals, growing own medicine, and promoting natural remedies.

(27:17) Lack of Trust in Medical Industry

Erosion of trust in medical industry, influence of pharmaceutical companies, demonization of marijuana by church and government, importance of education on cannabis.

(31:31) Marijuana, Alcohol, and Control

Personal experiences, war on drugs, and power dynamics surrounding marijuana's legalization and impact on mass incarceration.

(43:13) Marijuana and the Stigma Debate

Nature's purpose for marijuana, stigma and stereotypes, fear-mongering tactics, modern-day perception, and charity donations.

(55:56) Effects of Marijuana on Individuals

Nature's marijuana: personal experiences, benefits and drawbacks, societal judgments, potential for managing anxiety and stress.

(01:02:31) Marijuana's Benefits and Conversation

Participants share experiences with marijuana for anxiety and pain, considering its benefits and religious perspective.

(01:14:07) Discussion on Marijuana and Religious Perspectives

Cannabis and faith are discussed, acknowledging its positive effects on anxiety and the natural goodness of the plant.

(01:24:41) Marijuana

Nature's healing properties of marijuana are explored, challenging stigma and promoting understanding through personal experiences and recommended resources.

(01:29:40) Personal Transformations and New Opportunities

Host's updates: new vehicle, wife's higher-paying job, leaving job, exploring opportunities, homeschooling, coding, coaching, starting podcast. Grateful for brothers' support. Assisting with weight loss and addiction. Emphasizes healthy diet. Love and appreciation for listeners.

(01:34:58) Beliefs, Apparel, and Social Media

The panel discuss cannabis benefits, wearing podcast apparel, and potential pushback for their beliefs.

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97. Christianity Unpacked in "Good Neighbor, Bad Citizen" with Domenic Scarcella

About this Episode

Are we forgetting the rebellious, defiant nature of Jesus? Have we overlooked his active resistance to the political and religious hierarchies of his time, and his challenging calls for us to be good neighbors rather than good citizens? That's what we'll be unpacking in our fascinating conversation with our guest, Domenic , author of the book "Good Neighbor, Bad Citizen". 

 Domenic provides an intriguing reading of Jesus' teachings, bringing to light the elements that often get overlooked in contemporary Christianity. We dissect the Stations of the Cross, Jesus's nonviolent resistance, and how to use his book as a tool for contemplation. 

As we journey through these narratives, we confront the controversial topic of police violence and its relationship to the Christian faith. This episode holds some challenging viewpoints that question the traditional support of law enforcement and military by modern Christians. The non-violent teachings of Jesus and his brutal treatment by the 'good cops' of his day serve as the crux of this discussion. We highlight that violence, be it personal or outsourced, remains a contradiction to the teachings of Jesus, and is thus a sin.

We also carve out time to talk about the unfathomable nature of God, and the significance of the Holy Spirit, offering some new food for thought on the intersection of faith and politics.  Domenic gives us a glimpse into his new sub-stack, extending an invitation to join the ongoing conversation about Christian ethics. As we round off, we reflect on the essence of community, shared faith, and why being both a good neighbor and a bad citizen, as Jesus was, might just be the unconventional perspective we need today. This is one episode that is sure to challenge your perspectives and spark spirited discussions. Tune in, and let's question together!

Connect with Domenic:

• Get the book!

• Follow his Substack - Good Neighbor, Bad Citizen

• Twitter (X) @GoodNeighBadCit

Episode Timestamps:

(00:00) Jesus' Way of the Cross

Domenic Scarcella shares insights from his book on being a good neighbor and citizen, using Jesus' teachings and the principle of no King but Christ.

(12:07) Stations of the Cross in Christianity

Early Christians made pilgrimages to Jerusalem, walking the way of the cross, and Jesus chose to be a good neighbor despite brutal treatment by civil authorities.

(26:02) Contemporary Christianity and the Nature of Christ

Contemporary Christianity, faith and presence, the temptation of Christ, Gospels as a guide, Jesus' resilience, God's gifts, the role of the cross in redemption.

(34:28) Cross and Nonviolence

Jesus teaches nonviolence, defiance of hierarchy, and humbling of authorities for redemption.

(45:05) Reflections on the Cross Stations

Veronica's role in Jesus' crucifixion and the importance of women in his ministry, along with the good neighbor model of crime and justice.

(53:35) Correcting Bad Theology, Bible Importance

Jesus corrects bad theology and prioritizes himself over the Bible, as shown in his death by good cops.

(56:59) Good Cops and Violence in Christianity

Police violence and Christianity, good cops led to Jesus' death, the entire system protects the state, Jesus practiced non-violence, early church's stance on non-violence.

(01:07:22) Holy Spirit and Book Promotion

Seeking the Holy Spirit, exploring the intersection of faith and politics, and discussing the harmony between anarchism and Christianity.

(01:11:28) Faith and Community Conversation

Domenic discusses community, shared faith, and how Jesus was a good neighbor and bad citizen in this passionate conversation.

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82. What do jiu-jitsu and anarchism have in common? with Tyler Rose

About this Episode

What happens when the Bad Roman meets a Christian Anarchist while training for jiu-jitsu? He invites him on the show, of course. Tyler Rose and Craig discuss Christianity, anarchy philosophy, self-reliance, and their experiences in the jiu-jitsu gym. They discuss why the term “good cop” is an oxymoron and contrast the need for a sovereign state with enforcers with self-reliance and the benefits of learning jiu-jitsu.

There seem to be a lot of libertarian or anarchism-inclined people amongst those who are regularly at the gym training in jiu-jitsu; many hold to ideas of decentralization, individualism, and self-reliance. Tyler suggests that jiu-jitsu has everything for the intellectual and anyone who is athletically built. Craig and Tyler talk about the various types of people they’ve met and their experiences grappling in the gym. As a Christian and a pacifist, one of the neat things about jiu-jitsu is its ability to teach anyone how to control any violent situation while deciding exactly how much damage their opponent will sustain as they take control of any violent incident to protect themselves or their family. If you practice a martial-art or have ever thought about taking up jiu-jitsu, this episode is a must-listen!

Tyler Rose:

Fountain Memphis – Pentecostal church in Bartlett

Brotherhood jiu-jitsu in Mountainview Arkansas

Memphis Judo and Jiu-jitsu

Episode Timestamps:

1:48 – Who is Tyler Rose?

• Pentecostal 

• Got into politics at age 15 with an interest in American political history

• Saw the revolutionary war as ‘God inspired’

• Became libertarian, then anarchist

• Self-reliance is important

• Grew up in North Memphis

7:56 – We don’t need a sovereign government or their cops

• The church should help the vulnerable, widows, and orphans

• It was done with consensual aid in the early church

• All laws end in death

• If it’s not worth someone dying over, don’t call the cops

• Good cops cannot exist

• The job of governing others is inherently evil

• Law enforcement is nothing but a gang

• Cops can disrespect a man, and he can’t do anything back

• If any man without a badge and gun spoke like a cop, they would be punched

• Cops have lost respect for other men

• “Just following orders” is a terrible excuse

• Tyler’s “friend” who was a cop, was bragging about injuring a man on the street

21:40 – Don’t rely on the police; learn jiu-jitsu instead

• Men should be able to defend themselves and their families on their own

• That’s why jiu-jitsu was attractive to Craig

• The jiu-jitsu community is very encouraging

• The anarchist and jiu-jitsu communities seem to overlap quite a bit

• People who are athletic and smart tend to enjoy jiu-jitsu

• Jiu-jitsu is great for increasing physical strength

• But it's still better to use defense and control the fight than overpower anyone

• Jiu-jitsu is good for teaching children discipline and self-defense

• Jiu-jitsu is the most popular art that avoids punching people but will still give the sportsman the advantage in a fight

• There’s no need to harm your drunk uncle 

• You can put someone out calmly with jiu-jitsu

• The argument can be over without ever injuring a person

• At 56 years old, Henzo could defend himself against a random attack on the subway

• It gives confidence in one’s capabilities to be well-prepared in any situation

• Jiu-jitsu can aid women in self-defense as well

• When Tyler began, he got his but kicked by a teenage girl who weighed much less than him

52:40 – Anarchy philosophy

• No King But Christ means, “I already have a king. I don’t need a politician.”

• There are two responses to the term anarchy

• People would just run the streets shooting people because there are no laws

• No, people don’t shoot other people because they are good people

• It’s still wrong to violate life, liberty, and property

• Anarchists aren’t out there throwing Molotov cocktails

• It’s in our best interest to get along

• Craig thinks jiu-jitsu and anarchy are similar in that everyone encourages and helps their fellow man to do better and succeed 

• Tyler agrees

• Tyler has noticed that most regular jiu-jitsu practitioners hold to ideas of decentralization and self-reliance

• They are intelligent enough to know they need to defend themselves

• They are mostly libertarian and close to anarchism

• Maybe even anarchists without realizing it or saying it

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56. Following God Beyond the Blue Line with Terrell Carter

About this episode

Terrell Carter is a pastor and the president of a community development organization. At 16, he felt the call to ministry to do what he can to improve people’s lives and help different groups understand each other. At 23, he thought he could do that as a police officer, and they offered him benefits that would support his growing family. After 5 years, he had to quit because he wouldn’t stand for the corruption in the force and testified against his partner. He’s written several books and runs Rise, a nonprofit organization working to connect communities with local institutions to empower the revitalization of neighborhoods in Greater St. Louis, while pastoring a church and raising his children. 

Terrell has come on the podcast to shed light on his unique perspectives and experiences. He shares with us what it was like growing up black in a predominantly white community, how the police force didn’t fit with his life of Kingdom mission, and what it looks like to actually carry out the call of God to care for other people. One of his life goals is to bring different groups of people together through an understanding of each other, and today he is doing that by sharing his own story with us, who mostly come from a different background than his.

Episode Timestamps:

5:23 Terrell’s story

• African American

• Has a twin brother

• Grandparents and parents were teen parents

• Parents got married, but didn't stay together after Dad went into the army

  • But Dad’s parents helped raise them

• Parents didn’t get through high school

• Mom got in with bad crowds

  • Boys moved in with grandparents

  • She was murdered when boys were 7

• Everything is dedicated to his grandparents because without them, he would have never succeeded

• Moved in with Dad’s new family in Texas at 14

• Only issues were people being suspicious of them since it was a predominantly white town

  • But Brother graduated 4th in class; he graduated 11th

  • His brother won several writing competitions; he won awards for art

  • Both played sports

  • Both earned academic and athletic scholarships

  • Brother still plays baseball

• At 16, Terrell heard the call to ministry

  • Not just made to soak everything up

    • But to influence God’s people from a leadership position

• Returned to St Louis after graduating high school

  • It was a completely different place

  • In 4 years, the community went from majority homeowners to gang members

  • The first thing their grandparents told them was: don’t wear red or blue

  • Still a majority white city

    • Now, everyone thought black young men were all criminals

      • Didn’t know that Terrell was in Bible college

      • His brother had just placed in a huge writing competition

      • They were both in college and working jobs and creating beauty and attending church

• Married

  • Both he and his brother wanted to be husbands and fathers

• When his wife got pregnant, he looked for a job to provide for all their needs

  • Became a police officer

    • Paid for him to finish college

    • Pension

• Started on patrol; wound up on the toughest corner in the city. At night.

• Reassigned to plainclothes narcotics investigator

  • Kicking down doors, search warrants…

  • Turns out, his partner was into illegal activities

    • Terrell didn’t lie for him

      • Because he fears God

      • And because his partner was disrespecting people who were in a different place in life than he was

    • His partner did about 5 years in federal prison

    • When Terrell found out he was going to actually testify in court, he quit his job

      • He was being threatened by multiple people

      • “I had been told in no uncertain terms that if I tried to stand up for those kinds of things, then I would find myself out on the street by myself and something was going to happen to me.” -Terrell

• Went through multiple careers

• Got second doctorate

• Now president of Rise, a community development organization

  • Also, exhibiting art

  • Writing books

  • And pastoring a church

• Life calling: to try and help people understand each other and see God’s image in one another

  • That’s really everyone's calling

18:39 Why Terrell needed to come on the show

• Craig heard Terrell on Michael Storm’s show, Toward Anarchy

• Craig grew up in West Texas with maybe one black kid K-8

  • In middle school in San Angelo, there was a mix of races

  • High school in Fort Worth, was even more, diverse

    • Got to know kids in his class who didn’t fit negative stereotypes

    • Played sports together

  • Now in Memphis, the most diverse city he’s lived in

• “One of the challenges we have as Christians in the 21st century is we don't embrace that diversity.” - Terrell

• 3 books were written to help white Christians Understand that their experience is different from everyone else's

  • Healing Racial Divides: Finding Strength in our Diversity

  • Police on a Pedestal: Responsible Policing in a Culture of Worship

  • Taking Apart Bootstrap Theology: Gospel of Generosity and Justice

• MLK said that the most segregated hour of the week is during church

  • People worship with people they’re similar to

  • If there’s someone of a different race within a majority church, chances are, they're of the same economic background as the rest of the congregation

    • Still have a common understanding of the world; speak the same language

23:12 Terrell’s time on the force

• Arresting somebody knowing they were a child of God

  • “Whatever their life circumstances may have been… God created them and I don't get to judge them based on how their life turned out.” - Terrell

• There was a church parking lot in St. Louis where he used to write police reports

  • The pastor got killed by a kid he had taken under his wing

    • No one wanted to take over his position

    • Terrell’s seminary asked him to step in

• He worried someone he arrested would come in and lash out at him

  • He had a signal to his wife to get the kids and flee

  • Someone he’d arrested for domestic violence approached him

    • And said thank you

    • Terrell had treated him like a human

      • Talked to him on the way to jail

      • Encouraged him to turn his life around

        • He did

  • Terrell got in trouble at work for trying to help people improve

    • The police department just wants the cops to gather statistics and arrest people, not care about them

• “I didn't treat people like they were animals. I tried to treat them like they were children of God and that they may be experiencing a negative life circumstance, but that didn't have to be where they were going.” - Terrell

  • Not the normal attitude

  • They were never told to go help people; they were told to not do anything stupid

• Could work a secondary job (like security) in uniform with all rights and power of a policeman

  • A sergeant told him to stop and just get overtime instead

29:48 Craig’s background

• Wore a thin blue line bracelet

• Defending all cops’ actions

  • “They’re just following/enforcing the law”  

• Realized police are there to protect the state, not citizens

• Then George Floyd got killed

  • Murdered

  • Craig would have once been one of the guys saying, “If he had just not resisted, he would not have been killed”

32:02 How we got here

• White people are in power and everyone else is subject

  • That’s the system that's in place

    •  Doesn't make white people bad

  • Certain people groups’ existence has been criminalized

    • Black women have been dubbed “welfare queens” – by a president

      • For the record, white women use social services more

    • Black men are assumed to be violent criminals

      • The culture of fear surrounding black people has been built up

    • Policing began to control the Native American population trying to get their land back

      • And then escaped or released slaves

• Police are there to protect against all crimes and criminalized peoples

  • “It doesn't matter what a police officer does, as long as they make white people feel better or feel protected, then we're okay.” -Terrell

  • But if police treat white people like they do minorities, they get in legal trouble

    • Minorities are believed to deserve it

• White people often ask, “Why didn’t he just cooperate?”

  • Why can’t they just do what they’re told??

    • Sounds like a slavery question

  • Why can’t they get along with everyone else?

  • “That's from a position of power when you have not experienced what these people groups have experienced. And so that's part of what the challenge is.” - Terrell

  • The state is an agent of slavery

• Sports example

  • Lebron James tried to speak out

    • Was silenced

    • “Just because he makes millions of dollars doesn't mean that people respect or view him as fully human. No, they view him as a commodity for their entertainment.” - Terrell

38:18 Trying to reconcile policing as a Christian (not to mention a pastor)

• “There's no way to reconcile them other than saying, ‘I'm just going to do what I'm told. I'm not going to think about it.’” - Terrell

  • Told himself there were no other prospects

• From the very beginning, people were expecting him to falsify reports

• He was told to go with the system

  • Pushback was dangerous

41:43 Terrell’s life now

• Has a handful of friends from the force

• Many officers have forgotten the past

  • But writing books opens old wounds

• Most are still mad he didn't toe the line 

• All his friends from the force kept being cops

  • Some acquaintances quit

• Several readers of his books have told him they wish they could have been as brave as he was

  • Or that someone in their department would have stood up because maybe they would have joined him

44:04 Rise

• Community development corporation that seeks to make safer, healthier, more equitable communities and neighborhoods in St. Louis city and St. Louis, Madison, and St. Claire counties in Illinois

• Builds or assists others in building affordable housing

  • Government funds cut the rent just about in half for those in need

  • Give funds to female or minority-owned construction companies

  • Fund developers who are looking to improve the health of the community

  • Assist cities and municipalities with planning

• Fits pretty well with the call to make people's lives better

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36. Love Without Borders with Josh Allen

Josh Allen sits down with Craig to discuss his article “Christians without Borders.” Josh is a deacon at his church and focuses his life on doing what’s right and loving everyone around him regardless of nationality, political party, or any other measure. 

Craig and Josh explore the Christian response to people coming across the United States' southern border and how they understand it as christians and anarchists. Regardless of one’s political stance, Jesus taught that everyone is our neighbor and commanded us to love them. Our focus should be on His borderless Kingdom, not on the Empire of America. We need to give ourselves permission to let our love for God and for all people be our priority in life life with others, whoever these "others" may be.

“Anarchist friends. Don't let anarchy be to you what politics is to the folks that we've sort of left behind. Right? Love Jesus. More than you love anarchy or anything else.”

- Josh Allen

Timestamps & Starting Points:

1:30 “a great governor in Texas”

• Craig’s coworker comments how glad he is the National Guard is protecting our border

  • So, Craig tunes him out and decides we need an article

    • Enter Josh Allen

2:37 Who is Josh Allen?

• Floridian

• Deacon

• Republican → Libertarian → anarchist/label-less

• 3:58 “People want to label everyone as either conservative or liberal; you're Democrat or Republican; you're this, or you're that. I'm in the camp of doing what's right.” -Josh Allen

5:00 Who is my neighbor?

• Literally everyone

• 5:53 “[Jesus] didn’t care about nation-states. He said all the time: He has a different Kingdom.” -Craig

• 6:10 “Jesus is essentially telling people to shift their focus, stop caring about what the government says is important and care about what I (you know, the Son of God who sacrificed Himself for the salvation of the entire world) -- focus on what I'm telling you is important. You know, as God-- the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, who is essentially the King of the universe.” -Josh

7:00 Interpreting Scripture

• Most Christians are biblically illiterate; they don’t know how to study the Bible 

• OR they’re proud and think they have all the answers

  • God is mysterious. No one has all the answers

  • They make the entire Bible say what they want about one political issue, like the border

• It's really all quite simple

  • Love God

  • Love your neighbor

  • Love your enemy

9:30 Are borders good or bad?

• I don't know

• But we don't have control over whether or not there are borders, so what's the point in arguing?

  • Why don't we just love the people around us?

• Are the people coming over the border evil? Are they coming to hurt us?

  • They're mostly coming to escape problems caused by our government

  • They're coming over to feed their families

• Threat or opportunity?

  • Christian priority is to tell people about Jesus and spread His love

12:17 Christian identity entangled in the state

• Giant American flag in church's ceiling

• Teaching that America is the new Israel

  • Or was at least created to protect Israel

  • But in reality, America is Babylon

• Religion of the state is blatant, but we don't see it

  • The temple of Abraham Lincoln

• People wrap their identity in who they watch on the news

17:33 Trump vs Biden on the border

• Trump said so many hateful things about the wall

• But Biden has locked up more kids and hurt more people than Trump ever did

  • And the Left is silent! 

  • They are so loyal to their team, they can't admit the evil

18:54 Teams

• People voted solely based on fear of the other side

• Christians latched on to Trump despite his hateful words because the Republican party is "godly"

• Choosing

  • Cannot support the atrocities of the bipartisan options

    • Voted 3rd party in 2016

  • No viable options in 2020

  • If we can’t even be libertarian, who are we?

    • American identity is so wrapped up in political tribes

    • Found anarchist communities

      • Space to actually talk through issues without being accused of hating America

28:09 Childhood Education Propaganda “Truths”

35. All Christians Should be Anarchists with Pete Quinones

Pete Quinones, podcaster on Free Man Beyond the Wall and By Any Memes Necessary, writer for the Libertarian Institute, and documentary producer of The Monopoly on Violence, shares with us his thoughts, as an unbeliever, on why anyone who claims to follow Jesus should be an anarchist.

Timestamps & Starting Points:

3:35 The early Church and anarchy

• “My reading of the Bible is that every Christian should be an anarchist, and I don’t see where the whole bowing to the state, much less worship of a state that I see in the United States [comes from].” - Pete

4:40 Christians aren’t supposed to be involved in the state

• 86% of people in Congress identify as Christian

  • “Anybody who goes into politics is going into politics to get wealth and power... so, I think they would say anything in order to secure that office.” - Pete

6:11 How Christians are perceived by non-Christians

• Divided

• Pete is not upset by hypocrisy because everyone on Earth is a sinner. What disappoints him is seeing Christians wedded to and worshipping the state.

11:39 Reasons Christians Excuse Anything Israel Does

• Dispensationalism 

  • Idea that Jesus won’t come back until the Temple is rebuilt in Jerusalem

  • Christians will forgive anything as long as Israel has power so the Temple can be rebuilt 

  • is only 200 years old, compared to Christianity being 2,000 years old

  • “Israel was never a place; it was the people of God.” - Pete

  • Israel is now populated by white Europeans, and that is who we want to side with over the brown people who don’t speak English

• Ryan Dawson of the Anti-Neocon Report talks about how the Israeli government is running the US government

• “People will say, ‘Well, that’s cool.’ because it’s Israel. Nonono! That’s not how this works. We follow the teachings of Christ, and everything that the United States government and Israeli government’s doing-- that’s not how Christ told us to behave. Ever.” - Craig

• Israel is not a democracy!!

  • It’s a theocratic socialist state

  • They’re welfare queens!

  • “This is theatre.” - Pete

22:46 2020 Theater

• Elites have been buying land to live underground

  • If there was a real dangerous pandemic, they would have disappeared

  • Bill Gates didn’t even wear a mask at all

• Insurrection

  • Congresspeople hid. These are the people who send others to fight in wars that benefit them. They’re cowards.

• If the military was fighting for us, they’d attack the government

  • They’re defending the state.

28:10 FBI infiltrators

• People in the insurrection who are not being charged or even named

• Terror Factory by Trevor Aaronson

  • The FBI groomed kids to become terrorists and then arrested them

  • They don’t hate us for our freedoms. They hate us for killing their people and occupying their land.

33:35 The Constitution

• “This is actually where my rabbit hole started that led me to anarchy. It was my study of the United States Constitution.” - Craig

• “According to the United States Constitution, every war since WWI has been illegal.” - Craig

36:49 People trust cops, even when they don’t trust the government 

• Police are the worst because it’s your trusted neighbor, family member, or friend enforcing unconstitutional laws

• Police disregarding the Constitution

  • If you talk back to a cop, you’ll get thrown on the ground and arrested

  • If a cop sees you have a weapon, he’ll shoot you and/or take it from you

  • If a citizen did what cops do every day, they’d be called a criminal

  • “There’s a class of people above us in this country, and we all don’t have equal rights.” -Pete

  • “The state only protects the state. They have no interest in your rights.” -Craig

  • Duncan Lemp

    • Cops showed up at 4am to confiscate his illegal guns

    • Shot him dead through the window, dragged out his pregnant girlfriend and left her there outside

    • Read More

48:19 Plugs

• Episode 593 with Matt Erickson; talks about religion/Christianity

• Pete on Twitter

• Facebook