From Soldier to Peacemaker: A Veteran's Journey Towards Faith and Justice with Joe Chadburn

About this Episode

Welcome to another episode of the Bad Roman podcast, where we examine the line between faith and statecraft. Join your host Craig Harguess to welcome well-decorated and honorably discharged US Marine Corps veteran Joe Chadburn, who has traversed the path from violence to peace, and uses the power of Christ as his compass. Together, we unpack the transformation of a bullied kid into a soldier, and how the teachings of Jesus Christ are brought about a sea-change in his perceptions.

In a society often marred by violence, Joe exemplifies the peaceful path, highlighting the power of 'no' as a guide. Together, we'll dissect the peaceful principles inherent in Jesus Christ's teachings and how the early church embraced these values. As we dive into Christianity, our discussion aims to refresh your perspective on its doctrines.

We investigate the propaganda that surrounds the US military, the churches’ direct role in perpetuating the cycle, and the misuse of tax dollars funneled into militarization. We reflect upon the legacy of General Smithly D Butler and the impact of grassroots efforts to protest against racial injustice. The military-industrial complex, the biggest polluter on Earth, is scrutinized - unveiling the significance of comprehending Jesus' teachings to prevent more human suffering.

We're not afraid to point out the privilege of the United States and its part in global injustice. The atrocities in Yemen and the complicity of the US government come under our lens, revealing a lack of media coverage and accountability. Hear from our guest as he expresses his frustrations with the multi-tiered justice system and the influence of corporate media in manipulating narratives.

We wrap up on an optimistic note, exploring the power of storytelling, human connection, and technology in addressing global injustice and promoting peace. Join us on this enlightening journey, and let's reimagine our world together.

Joe Chadburn

Website: International Peace Network

Email: peacedaddyjoe@gmail.com

Podcast: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube

Joe’s Article: War is a Racket

Episode Timestamps:

01:20 Christians in the State (12 Minutes)

• No King but Christ Network

• The article he wrote called 'War is a Racket Racket

03:11 Who is Joe Chadburn

• Early childhood tragedies and bullying

• Relationship to violence as a youth

• Journey to becoming a decorated US Marine Corps Veteran

• Journey to Jesus 

• Political propganda of venterans 

11:04 Joe’s Military Service

• Anti-war efforts from those who have served

15:03 Joe’s Article - War is a Racket from International Peace Network

• Contentious objectors

• Connection to walking with Jesus

• Stereotypes and real-world relationships

•  Double standards of USA military imperialism throughout the world

• Bullying

• “How dare these people put their countries by our military bases”

• Business of war - supply and demand

22:31 Critiquing the US Military and Propaganda

• Politicians exploitation of young people 

• Military demonstrations at sporting events

• Military flyovers in football games

• Colin Kaepernick

• Grassroots peace movement

• Major General Smedley Butler

• From hero to disgruntled capitalist pawn

• The fallacy of “nation-building”

• US Military recruiting trends

29:55 Collusion of American Churches and the Military

• how the church in the United States has perpetuated and normalized war propaganda in direct contradiction to Jesus' teachings 

• importance of a proper hermeneutic to understanding Jesus' teachings and the significance of understanding the wars and rumors of wars that Jesus was prophesying about 

• Challenging the idea that war is inevitable, and highlighting the power of cruciform love in Jesus' example.

• how the military-industrial complex is the biggest polluter on Earth and how we must take Jesus' teachings seriously to prevent more people from suffering

• Meaning of peace – not the absence of conflict

• Do we believe God failed?

• If you wouldn’t do it yourself, why do you want your tax dollars going toward it?

• War is the language of idiots

42:18 American Privilege and Global Injustice 

• how debates about American politics can obscure deeper concerns about global injustice

• The greatest generation should be the one with the most peace

• US government's use of Nazi war criminals and the bank's funding of Hitler

• need to recognize the privilege of the United States and to advocate for those who are suffering due to US policy

44:14 - Media Distraction, Global Atrocities, and American Privilege

• Yemen

• Frustration with the multi-tiered justice system and the ease with which people are distracted by insignificant topics 

• Need to pay attention to the deeper stories behind wars and the influence of corporate media in controlling the narrative

• Importance of seeking news from a wide range of sources to gain a broader perspective on current events 

• Don’t forget joy in the face of negativity

• The grace of God

54:16 - Promoting Peace and Friendship Overseas

• Power of technology to tell stories of oppression and the importance of making meaningful connections with people who don't look or think like you 

• consequences of the US ticking people off around the world and how peace can be achieved by being a peacemaker and a lover of humanity

• Power in the grace of god 

56:56 How saying 'No' to military propaganda, recruiters, and politicians can bring about world peace

• Share with others what is going on

59:50 Continue the conversation

• International Peace Network

• peacedaddyjoe@gmail.com

• No King but Christ Network

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86. The Legacy of the Early Church with Abby Cleckner (as host)

About this Episode

Abby Cleckner is back to host this episode with your regular host as today’s guest, and we'll be taking a captivating journey into early church history. Together, Craig and Abby shed light on the core beliefs of the early church, the lives, and works of key figures like Polycarp, Origen, and Tertullian, and the awe-inspiring resilience they displayed in the face of adversity.

Join us as we delve into Tertullian's unconventional views on the role of the church and the state, and how his words resonate with Jesus' teachings about the Gentiles. Discover why Tertullian ultimately left the church, and how his perspective on the church-state relationship in his time pushes us to question the present-day status quo. You won't want to miss this stimulating discussion!

Lastly, we'll compare the approaches of early church fathers like Polycarp, Origen, and Tertullian in handling the persecution of Christianity by the Roman Empire. Uncover the radical pacifism that set the early church apart and how their commitment to nonviolent resistance transformed the world. We'll also dig into their views on religious freedom, rooted in the belief that it was a gift from God, not the state. Don't miss out on this exploration of the early church's incredible legacy and its enduring relevance to our lives today.

Episode Timestamps:

01:11 The Return of Abby Cleckner

• Podcast Hosting Exhaustion

• Abby and Craig discuss balancing family life and work, maintaining a consistent recording rhythm, producing a podcast, and preparing content.

07:51 Abby’s Podcast Intro as today’s Host

• Craig’s “bio”

09:34 Craig’s Early Church Article

• Article: THE EARLY CHURCH AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF VOLUNTARYISM (CHRISTIAN-ANARCHISM)

• Why the interest in the early church

• Early church’s Influence on the Podcast

• No King but Christ

12:36 Significance of the first few hundred years of the church

• Pacifism and Christ's Kingship Significance

• Stakes of believing in Christ in those times

15:44  Exploring the Early Church's Leaders

• Polycarp, Origen, and Tertullian's beliefs in Jesus' divinity and how Christians should act 

• Polycarp and Apolstale John

• Unwavering faith vs. today’s

• Origen and historical claims

21:02 The value of taking the time to read the early church fathers

• Church vs. State relationship

• Roman Empire vs. Christians

23:49 Tertulian's Christian View on State

• Tertullian's perspective on the church and state challenges us to question the status quo

• black-and-white approach

• Contextual approach to reading history

 29:18 Why were these early church leaders writing things down?

• Tertullian was writing to Romans

• Origen was “talking to everybody”

• Writing your congressperson a letter vs these early church father’s writings' legacy

34:48 Early Church Fathers vs. Early Church History

• We have their writings – source text

• The Christians as the Romans Saw Them, 

• Use of propaganda by Romans

37:44 Book Recommendations

• The Christians as the Romans Saw Them, Robert Lewis Wilken

• The Early Christians: In Their Own Words, Eberhard Arnold 

• The Early Church on Killing, Ronald J. Sider  

• Liberty and The Things of God: The Christian Origens of Religious Freedom, Robert Louis Wilken

• Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, David W. Bercot

41:32 What the Early Church Got Wrong

• Tertullian's views on universalism and eternal conscious torment

• Origen being called a heretic and universalism 

• Grace Saves All Podcast

• Importance of reading and learning for yourself

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85. Journey to Freedom with Jared Wall

About this Episode

Jared Wall of the Best Practices podcast joins Craig for the series's latest installment, where Craig invites guests with their own podcasts to discuss their projects. Jared's podcast offers listeners interviews on expert ways to own and operate their industrial facilities and commercial properties. While they do discuss the Best Practices podcast, some of the most interesting parts of the conversation are when Jared shares his insights on starting a legal cannabis enterprise and what it is like to be an anarchist and then meeting Jesus in the gospels. Jesus' teachings were so exciting and inspirational that people dropped what they were doing and voluntarily followed him in the thousands; no wonder the Romans killed him.

The conversation begins with his journey from Republican to Libertarian Party activist, then to conceptualizing freedom as personal development, entrepreneurship, and earning wealth to become geographically free. It moves on to how he befriended anti-war activist Scott Horton and worked as a researcher on a few of his books. Jared tells about how hard it is to run a business that focuses on cannabis, as even when it is legal, it is difficult to find stable financial institutions that will work with you. Jared talks about looking for a mentor who could teach him to be a better father and unexpectedly arriving at Jesus. Then they finally discuss the Best Practices podcast content and what any would-be listeners can expect from it.

Connect with Jared:

wall.jared@gmail.com

Best Practices Podcast

Episode Timestamps:

1:35 – Who is Jared Wall?

• Works in energy efficiency

• Supported Ron Paul 2012

• Got into libertarian activism

• Tried to get a Republican candidate on the ticket

• The Republican Party took them to court

• Decided the Republican Party was a waste of time

• Listening to Tom Woods and Mises 

• Started thinking about entrepreneurship and personal development

• We are not going to get freedom from begging politicians for it

• Earn wealth and become geographically free

• Kenyan wife

• Want their kids to be able to spend some of their time growing up in Kenya

• Working on side hustles is the best way to bring freedom to one's family

15:20 – Scott Horton

• Jared is friends with Scott Horton

• Patient with the left while holding onto his ideals

• Reached out to him for a list of reading books and got to talk to him instead

• Helped him research for his book, Enough Already

• Built a business around legal weed

• Helped with Scott Horton's book Hotter than the Sun

• The church is not anti-war

• Never paid attention to what the presidents were doing in other countries

• Jesus is anti-war

• No one speaks to anti-war as well as Scott Horton

28:03 – The cannabis industry

• Jared launched Hemp Spot in 2021

• Banks are weary of doing business with anyone in the cannabis industry

• Perhaps they are scared of having to fight politicians and bureaucrats in courts that they own

• PayPal confiscated $600-$800 overnight because they don't work with people in the cannabis industry

• Now his E-Commerce website couldn't accept payment

• The bank did the same thing

• Eventually found someone who could work with 'high-risk' businesses

• But had lost their customers while down

• Bank changed their compliance requirements which became expensive

• Time to try something else

• The cannabis plant is stigmatized entirely because of the state

• In the 1800s, it was regularly used for medical purposes

• The social stigma is being eliminated these days though

• Cannabis grows well everywhere

• Every part of the plant is useful

• Can make textiles, rope, plastic, and cement out of it

• There are a lot of vested interests that would suffer if it were widely available

• Health benefits

• There may be legitimate concerns about it being a gateway drug

• But that doesn't mean the state should pass laws or lock people in jail

• The solution is to intervene at the family or church level

42:50 – Jared's religious journey

• Jared was forced into religious life as a child

• He left it once he had the choice

• He was looking for someone who could role model what being the best father looked like for him

• His wife told him to read just the gospels

• Found the mentor he was looking for in Jesus

• Next stop: learn to pray

• Jesus was so cool

• He just walked and preached and people followed Him

• That must have threatened the Roman government

• Coming at the gospels with anarchist roots was great

• Libertarians need something more; that something could be faith

• The teachings of Christ should be exciting

53:02 – Best Practices Podcast

• Expert ways to own and operate industrial facilities and commercial properties

• Episodes on industrial lighting and other parts of industrial facilities

• Episodes on asphalt and concrete repair services

• Episodes with Chris Polk

• Developing mutually beneficial economic relationships and opportunities is Jared's focus

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84. The Peaceful Path with Jordan Swaim

About this Episode

The Bad Roman is joined by Jordan Swaim of The Peaceful Way podcast, which explores the ideas, concepts, and mechanisms that produce peace and reduce violence. Jordan is well-versed in research on civil disobedience and explains some of the mechanisms that make it work. He talks about some sources he used to articulate a position on civil disobedience and how many people a movement needs to be effective. Jordan points out that an ‘intransigent minority’, a few people who refuse to go along with oppressive systems, can successfully use civil disobedience. He points out that even if you can justify a violent revolution and successfully overturn a government, the desired outcome will not be peaceful. Because it is in the nature of violence to multiply, it is dangerous to start.

Jordan is in Canada and switched jobs when he saw vaccine mandates coming for his workplace because “it is always inappropriate for your employer to tell you which pharmaceuticals you must consume.” He watched the trucker protests closely, and he shares some little-known insights with Craig as they discuss how the principles of nonviolent resistance were at work and how the mandates all quietly fizzled out within weeks of the protests proving their effectiveness.

Jordan Swaim:

The Peaceful Way Podcast

Twitter

YouTube

Craig on The Peaceful Way

PokeLab Radio

Episode Timestamps:

8:23 – Political activism

• The topic of how to view the state theologically will always be relevant

• The state takes up more and more conversation time

• The temptation to put forward an agenda is always present

• It’s fruitless to do things through the state; look at the history

• Let’s give Jesus a try

• The prince and power of the air, rulers of this age

• Colossians 1:16

• The kingdom of God should be a parallel society

• It is incompatible with the state

• Voting is legitimizing the state

• Using the state to bring social change feeds the beast

• 1 Samuel 8

• If rejecting God is not a sin, then what is?

18:45 – Who is Jordan Swain?

• Lives in Calgary, Canada

• Was in social services until the vaccine mandates came

• Became a carpet and furniture cleaning technician

• It’s inappropriate for your employer to tell you what pharmaceutical products to consume

• Side jobs and a production company

• Married with two kids

25:27 – Canada 

• The government doesn’t require vaccine mandates any longer

• But businesses are allowed to require vaccines in their employees

• More open than the US

• There are zero restrictions for entering Canada

• The trucker protest had a significant impact

• The new trucker restrictions were completely absurd

• Every time the Trudeau government brought in restrictions their popularity gained

• Trudeau ran a nasty campaign maligning the unvaccinated with absurd claims

• At this point, it would be more respectable to admit to getting things wrong than going silent over covid

• Vaccines were a failure

• Ed Dowd: Epidemic of Sudden Deaths

• The data says there are more young people dying on sports fields

• The trucker convoy was wildly long

• The largest civil disobedience protest in Canada’s history

• Within 6 weeks the majority of restrictions were ended or announced to be ending soon

• Media coverage tries to deny it had any impact on the restrictions

• The Intransient Minority

• You don’t need a majority of people to agree with something you just need 5% of people who refuse to go along with what they are told

• Nassim Nicholas Taleb: The Black Swan

• Organizers of the trucking convoy have been jailed

45:01 – Peaceful responses versus violent responses

• More often than not a peaceful response is more effective

• Erica Chenoweth: Why Civil Disobedience Works

• The data proves peaceful protests are more successful

• Revolution often brings worse rulers than the existing ones

• Russian Revolution

• You can make a case for justified violence but don’t assume you will achieve the desired outcomes

• Violence spreads and intensifies

• Society is propped up by the implicit threat of violent

• This legitimizes violence

• Violence is difficult to control, so dangerous to start

• When JFK was trying to eliminate the Mafia they were just trying to get rid of the competition

• Gandhi’s first act of civil disobedience was refusing to leave the seat he had paid for on a train

• From there he developed his theory

• You can’t get too hung up on the cult of personality surrounding heroes

• Until white people saw peaceful protesters being hosed by government thugs they couldn’t understand or support what Martin Luther King’s people were going through

• The trucking convoy was the demarcation line of when things started to get better

• We had the data but the second round of lockdowns came

• The hysteria around the virus was intense

• Like something out of a movie

• We have the ability to empower one another

• We outnumber the police and politicians

• We only need a small minority, the intransient minority

1:12:13 – The church’s response to covid

• Jesus was the supreme disobedient human being

• Pastor Tim Stevens was arrested for not complying with mandates

• You should decide early at what point you will refuse to comply with the government

• There is a good possibility that the government will push you to sin at some point

• We are capable of doing things that we know are completely wrong

• Craig doesn’t trust the church since covid

• Why do you need to be involved in a church?

• Spiritual community and participation without hierarchy, even if it is not in a church building is enough 

• It's tough to find people to connect with in a church hierarchy

• Church signs that say “If you have proof of vaccination, you’re welcome” are infuriating

• You cannot turn people away based on the pharmaceutical they consume

• It looks too much like the way the state acted

• The amount of people attending churches post-covid is still lagging even though the restrictions are gone

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83. The Cult of Statism with Larken Rose

About this Episode

Prominent anarchist activist and author Larken Rose joins Craig for a lively discussion on deprogramming people from the cult of statism. People are mostly inherently good at heart but have been indoctrinated from a young age to believe that government is a legitimate authority. Larken Rose makes a clear case for the immorality of government. Larken and Craig discuss how to engage statists using methods designed to combat their cognitive biases and awaken their inner anarchist.

Government preys on people's fears to keep them voting for corrupt politicians' forcible domination of their neighbors. To keep the rules, the ruling class (politicians) have enforcers (police) empowered to engage in acts of violence that most voters would bulk at committing against another human beings. Thus, when Christians vote, they are unwittingly breaking Jesus' golden rule and doing to others the exact opposite of what they want to have done to themselves. 

Christians should be the most suspicious of the state as it is a competing religious entity with all the rituals, fancy buildings and pomp. But unfortunately, some Christians strongly believe in the state and its illegitimate rulers even more than they believe in Jesus. These Christians need to be gently shown the contradictions in their beliefs and that when they advocate for a human ruler, they advocate for the subjugation of themselves and their neighbors. True followers of Jesus should see that Christianity and the cult of statism oppose each other, but Christianity and anarchy are not mutually exclusive.

Larken Rose:

The Most Dangerous Superstition 

YouTube

Candles in the Dark

Facebook

Episode Timestamps:

4:17 – About Larken Rose:

• Taught to doubt and debate ideas from a young age

• Began trying to decide what a legitimate or moral government looks like

• Accidentally fell off the political spectrum

• Realized that 'legitimate government' is an oxymoron

• Government has no special power to rob or legislate

• Assumes people have consciences and can distinguish right from wrong

• That's why he's an anarchist

•  Doesn't care what people say they believe about religion

• How they treat other people matters

• Do they abide by the non-aggression principle?

• If the government disappeared suddenly, Larken would prefer to be around Christian Statists than some atheist anarchists

• They are nicer people without the political monstrosity

• The quality of people matters most

16:09 – What currently ails the world?

• People have been taught to believe that when evil is committed by government authorities, it is no longer evil

• Individuals are tricked into cheering for evil

• Even Hitler, Stalin and Mao

• They fall for the false god

• Because their fears are played on

• Christians gloss over Matthew 20:25-28

• David Bently Hart New Testament Translation

24:33 – How to awaken someone else's inner anarchist

• People know the corruption of government but try not to know at the same time

• Larken Rose asks others to be personal, literal and specific while asking questions about why they need the government

• If they respond, "protect the innocent"

• Larken asks, "If I found a more efficient way to protect the innocent and refuse to pay for police. What should happen to me?"

• They get uncomfortable as Larken asks them to be specific about what should happen.

• They don't want to blurt out the violence of government

• No arguing is required

• Because if they advocate for a government they are advocating violence against peaceful citizens

• Wanting to "help the poor" is no longer fluffy-sounding goodness

• Should only the state have all the guns?

• Candles in the Dark

• No one wants to admit the violence they condone

• They don't dare look at the conflicts in their beliefs

• We need to lead them to the cognitive dissonance

41:36 – Don't do unto others what you don't want them to do unto you 

• Literally every voter does exactly what they don't want the other side to do to them

• Democracy is the best trick tyrants ever came up with

• It makes people mad at each other

• It makes people consent and vote for evil

• Politicians are all feasting together and laughing at your fears

• Did you just enable evil?

• The other bad guy option is irrelevant

• You cheer for your own subjugation

• You victimize everybody when you vote

• Jesus advocated serving others not lording it over them

• The Soviet Union, China and North Korea are all Constitutional Republics and have their own Bill of Rights

• It's wrong to ask someone else to commit evil for you

• Everyone who votes is a hypocrite without knowing it

• They vote for others to do things they know would be wrong if they did it themselves

• They are not going to go door-to-door to rob people to give to the poor

54:39 – Statism is a religion

• It has rituals, ceremonies, grandiose halls, pomp and tradition

• Voting is just choosing your new god

• The pieces of paper are religious texts

• Statism: The Most Dangerous Religion

• Government authority is not a real thing

• Pledging allegiance in churches doesn't happen in other nations

• Vaccines in churches

• It's frustrating to try to talk people out of their programming

• Need to use cult deprogramming tactics

• Belief in government is a cult

• They don't realize they hold a faith

• If people were living in a free society and someone came along and suggested we give them the power to forcibly rob and dominate we would say, 'no'

• But every election comes down to, 'give me power over you and everyone you know'

• People become violent if you dare bash the pledge of allegiance or trample on the flag

• Belief in government is a faith; not practical or logical

• People are trained to pledge loyalty to the authoritarian rulers of the US

• People are horrified if you admit to being unpatriotic

• Some Christians will become more upset when they hear, "I don't believe in government"
  then when they hear, "I don't believe in God"

• Government is what they really believe in

• Sometimes you need to offend people to shake them out of their indoctrination

1:08:28 – Government: The largest gang

• Without government, there would still be bad actors, but they would not be able to marshal the firepower that governments have

• People feel morally obliged to give them their extortion fees 

• All of the governmental power comes from the people they duped

• Taxpayers and enforcers

• Congressmen will not come to try to take your money personally

• They use it to make nuclear warheads and tanks

• Corporations cannot make us buy their products; if they tried, people would wipe them out

• No gang can enslave the population of the US

• Larken Rose is optimistic

• If people start ignoring the government and human rulers, the government is done

• The evil people are way outnumbered by good

• Rulers are just people

1:18:07 - Religion and anarchism are not mutually exclusive

• People can use gods to justify violence against others or as a standard to live by

• Government can never be legitimate, but belief in god is not automatically bad

• Not automatically authoritarian

• Religion has been used in the past to create authoritarian rulers too

• If society's standard is not initiating violence against others, that will allow peaceful co-existence

• It allows friendly discussions on all sorts of topics

• Christians have a reason to identify as anarchists: Jesus Christ

• Christian, who do you pay tribute to? Whom do you ask to save you from your enemies? If its people in Washington, you need to consider who your god is

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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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81. Unmasking the Truth Behind COVID-19 with Jeffrey Hann

About this Episode

In this eye-opening episode of The Bad Roman, we dive deep into the complex world of the COVID-19 pandemic with our guest, Jeffrey Hann, author of the book titled Covid-19 – Short Path to you’ll Own Nothing and You’ll be Happy. Our conversation covers a wide range of subjects that challenge the mainstream narrative, offering valuable insights and thought-provoking discussion points.

We begin by exploring Jeffrey's background, which includes experiences in the military, political analysis, libertarianism, and the rave scene. He shares his unique method of critical thinking, which involves grammar, logic, and rhetoric, and how it has helped him to examine various topics, including climate change and anarchism.

As we discuss the absurd behaviors during the pandemic, such as mask exceptions and social pressure, we question the validity of mask usage and whether they may be doing more harm than good. We also delve into the role of police (aka policy enforcers) in enforcing bad policies and ponder whether we truly live in a free country.

The conversation turns to the controversial mRNA vaccines and the reasons to be suspicious of their rapid development and rollout. We discuss the potential link between vaccines and various health issues, as well as the lack of accountability by those in power.

In exploring the fine line between conspiracy and questioning, we discuss the digital dollar push, potential new viruses, and the possible use of the vaccine as a biological weapon. We then examine who has profited from the pandemic and question whether the government cares more about profits than the long-term health of its citizens.

As we cover the erosion of self-sufficiency and market unpredictability, we touch on the voluntary reporting system of adverse vaccine experiences (VAERS) and the concept of "safe and effective." Finally, Jeffrey shares his understanding of Christ as an anarchist who fought against tyranny and offers insight into his book "COVID-19 to You'll Own Nothing and You'll Be Happy."

Don't miss this fascinating and thought-provoking episode that challenges the status quo and encourages critical thinking on the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.

Jeffrey Hann:

BOOK

WEBSITE: Journalistic Revolution

Episode Timestamps:

1:06 Why Jeffrey is on the show

• Paul Perol

2:00 Jeffrey’s Background

• PLUR (peace, love, unity) in the rave scene

• Military, political analyst, author

• Libertarianism, Ron Paul

5:02 Trivia Method of Critical Thinking

• Grammar, logic, rhetoric

• Climate Change and anarchism

7:24 Writing to Refine Rhetoric

• Jefferies articles

•  19,000-word report on covid in 2022

• Chapter layout and intention

11:36 Critical thinking

• Kerry Baldwin

• Absurd behaviors during covid

• Mask exceptions and social pressure

16:51 Is there a valid case for masks the way most people use them?

• Self-responsibility

• The challenge of using a mask properly

• Mask ratings, sealing, fit, and wear time, proper PPE use

• Could the mask be making you sicker?

• Keeping your hands clean

24:36 Is our food safe/helping keep us healthy?

• Public indoctrination

• Mcdonald’s was open and gyms were closed in Covid

• Defending the cops for enforcing bad policy

• Do we live in a free country?

• People forget very fast

• Gold Fish Mentality

30:18 The Thin Blue Line

• Modern-day redcoats

• Policy enforcers are the boots on the ground violating our rights

• 13th Amendment

• Free of slavery unless convicted of a crime

•  Supreme Court – no obligation to protect and serve

• Public Schools foster blind obedience to authority

35:17 Reasons to be suspicions of the mRNA Vaccine Push

• Gene Therapy

• Hard to find information

37:07 Policy Enforcers, Guns, and State Power

• Do you want the government to have guns?

• 2and Amendment is intended to be a check on the government not citizens

• Government is not static

• Global Tyranny is what we are headed toward

• Was covid a test to see how the global population would react?

• If anyone should not trust the government it’s Christians

• Jesus was killed by the state

44:24 The Vaccine Chaos and Future Health Cautions

• Religious exemptions

• Spike proteins and mRNA vaccine

• Buffalo Bills NFL player Hamlin collapse

• Could it be vaccine related?

• Australia Database

• RSV

53:59 Lack of accountability by those in power

• Arresting Trump for money vs mass murder

• Trump brought us the vaccines

• Liability free with the FDA and government funds

• Ohio Derailment

59:52 The fine line between conspiracy and questioning

• “Man in the middle attacks”

• Information scrubbing

• Is the vaccine a biological weapon

• The digital dollar push

• Has the next virus already been developed?

• Vitamin deficiencies 

• D & C & Zinc

1:11:08 Who profited from the pandemic?

• Pfizer and Moderna stock

• Its connection to members of Congress (most owned stock)

• Fauci patented HIV sequence

• Making money off taxpayer money

1:16:10 Does the government care about your long-term health or profits?

• Vaccine Commercial Marketing

• Vanguard and Black Rock own most of everything we buy

• Seed Oils

• Our food system has been poisoned

• Fresh eggs & meat vs. store-bought

• Increase in the price of eggs

1:23:33 Erosion of self-sufficiency and market unpredictability

• Lack of a unified American Culture

• Are we being infiltrated from within or destroying ourselves?

1:29:11 VAERS

• Voluntary reporting system of adverse vaccine experiences

• What is “safe and effective” — how much time is needed to know

1:35:03 Jeffrey’s Understanding of Christ 

• Jesus was an anarchist

• Against tyranny

• Balenciaga Runway Show

• Stantanism

• Sam Smith's Unholy Performance

• God is a pure source of consciousness

1:43:40 How to find Jeffrey’s book and where to learn more about him

• Book: Covid-19 Short Path to you’ll Own Nothing and You’ll be Happy

• More writing and website: Journalistic Revolution

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80. Pacifism History: Notable Examples of Peacemaking with Nicholas Harrelson

About this Episode

Combat-wounded veteran-turned-pacifist Nicholas Harrelson returns to the show to discuss his paper comparing the expressed pacifism of Martin Luther King Jr and Leo Tolstoy. Nicholas is a Transitional Deacon in the Anglican Church, currently pursuing a PhD in Political Theology and Christian Ethics. While studying, he learned that there is a historical connection between Tolstoy and MLK. Nicholas wanted to compare the non-violent stance of Tolstoy and Martin Luther King Jr. Through Gandhi, MLK learned about Tolstoy’s pacifism. However, MLK’s pacifist stance and thoughts became more like Tolstoy’s and less like Gandhi’s with time, arguably because of his understanding of the sermon on the mount and its practical applications. Perhaps this is why both men sought to break vicious cycles of violence.

Nicholas elaborates on the practical application of Tolstoy and MLK’s understandings of the sermon on the mount, revealing how they are still applicable to Christians today. As Tolstoy said, the sermon on the mount is always relevant in every situation. Although we may not be able to see into the future, when we act in ways congruent with Jesus and the sermon on the mount, God can use it to change the world profoundly. We can see this in the saying, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” As Christians, we should always seek to be self-reflective and see where we can make changes to better aspire to live out Jesus’ teachings and the sermon on the mount. 

Nicholas Harrelson:

Email: Nicholas.harrelson@duke.edu

Facebook

Episode Timestamps:

5:35 – Who is Nicholas Harrelson?

• Works at Duke University’s Office of Student Veterans

• Combat-wounded veteran from Iraq

• Worked for the government

• Transitional deacon in the Anglican church

• Father of two

7:50 – Why do discussions about universalism upset folks?

• Craig enjoyed the fact that Nichola’s church invited Dr Bently Hart for discussions about universalism

• But when he expressed it on Facebook, he was blasted by strangers

• It would be nicer if we could have respectful talks rather than getting angry

• Nicholas’ article – The Salvation Theology of C.S. Lewis

• CS Lewis might be termed a “hopeful universalist”

• Dr Hart can rile some people up with his approach to discussing universalism

• People who view universalism as a heresy may view its expression as leading people’s souls astray

• But things were taken out of context during the conversations at Nicholas’ church and got heated

• Origen wasn’t called a heretic because he was a universalist

• He believed that God would even restore Satan, which earned him the title of ‘heretic’

• Gary Chartier -  published author of Christian Anarchy books

• Christian anarchists seem to tend towards universalism too

20:21 – Martin Luther King Jr and Tolstoy

• There is a historical connection between Tolstoy and MLK

• Through Gandhi

• MLK’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail

• There are just/natural laws as well as unjust laws

• If a law is in tune with God’s law, even Christian anarchists are going to follow it

• By the end of his life, MLK was closer to Tolstoy’s version of non-violent civil resistance than where he began with Gandhi

• The sermon on the mount is relevant in every situation at every time, and in every place

• The US Government killed MLK

• King was adamant about not putting his hands back on the state, even though the state would put its hands on him and his followers

• The weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral; it multiplies hate

• Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that

• Both King and Tolstoy had a beautiful understanding of how Christ worked

• King sought a community where the oppressor and oppressed could be reconciled

• In refusing to return violence, he broke the cycle of violence

• Tolstoy also showed this desire to see the cycle of violence break in his letter to Czar Alexander III

• The Czar didn’t take Tolstoy’s advice but if he had, it could have changed Russia’s history

33:45 – Pacifism 

• You never know how God could use your pacifism

• The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church

• When you act in a way that is congruent with Christ’s actions it has a profound effect

• Saw this in Libya

• We are fallen and need to reflect on our own lives constantly

• We should aspire to live as Christ would

• Craig learns jiu-jitsu to ensure he can respond to protect others without a weapon

• Christ came to offer us eternal life

• We should focus on the way that He told us to live

• We should think about the eternal

• We can return good for evil

43:34 – Tolstoy 

• Craig loves Tolstoy’s black-and-white descriptions

• Jesus wasn’t grey either

• You must love your neighbor and enemy

• Tolstoy provided simplicity in his understanding of the sermon on the mount

• He was upset when people maligned his path rather than himself when he failed to live up to his own explanation of the sermon on the mount

• Why judge what you are reading because of personal flaws or the person who wrote it?

• What is beneficial stands on its own

• When people bring up the sins of the figure you are talking about its usually a deflection

• It’s a strawman argument

• If you are arguing with something that Jesus said, you are arguing with Jesus not people

• Jesus said to buy a sword “so that the prophecy might unfold.”

• Not as permission to buy a weapon

• People tend to come to conclusions and then search the Bible for proof texts

• When they do this, they take the scripture out of context

1:00:19 – On being a combat-wounded veteran

• Nicholas was tip-toeing around whether or not he wanted to come out as a Christian anarchist

• But was blessed to preach on Romans 13

• There was grace because he is a combat-wounded veteran, so people assume he has the right to talk about why pacifism really matters

• Craig enjoys talking to veterans and hearing their perspectives on war

• Christians need to hear why veterans take their positions

• War and pacifism are extremes

• When listeners hear about people who have gone from one to the other, it makes them curious

• The experience makes people more willing to listen

1:08:28 – David Bentley Hart’s translation of the Bible

• Reading the Bible which is directly translated from Greek, changes your perception of the Bible

• If people read it they would be less entangled with the state

• The state only needlessly hurts people

• The translation emphasizes how the words were used when the text was written

• Sometimes it changes the meaning

• Christian anarchists seek a life as independent of the state as possible

• Making tangible the kingdom of God

• Tolstoy understood that we are capable of bringing about the kingdom of God today

• We need to love our neighbors as ourselves

• We need to sort ourselves out first

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79. Spotting Government manipulations with Michael Storm

About this Episode

Natural-born anarchist Michael Storm of the Toward Anarchy radio show joins Craig to discuss anarchy, covid times, and institutional manipulations. Michael has been aware of the lies and manipulations of the political elite and Federal Reserve since he was a teenager. He was in Denver at the beginning of the Occupy Wall Street movement when it was an authentic movement before false anarchists appeared in order to give the movement a bad name. At the beginning of the covid period, Michael accurately predicted government lies, collusion with Big Pharma and how the government would behave. Throughout the conversation, Michael notes the times and places where institutions have lied and manipulated money and the public.

The government has never said anything for your benefit; it always lies for the sake of acquiring more money and power. Some key takeaways on anarchy include the recognition that people interact daily, building and creating without needing authority. Anything less than pure anarchy holds a degree of tyranny. Anarchists believe that it’s okay to be you, to live as you desire, to follow whomever you wish to, and that the only thing the government does is make it harder to be the best version of yourself. Everything we have built exists despite the government getting in the way, wasting our time, and leeching off of us. 

Toward Anarchy:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Episode Timestamps:

1:51 – Who is Michael?

• Norman guy from Denver, Colorado

• Plays multiple instruments

• Knew what the Federal Reserve was at 13 years old

• Knew that money is a manipulated representation, not real money

• Already an anarchist

• Former wild partier

• Understood 9/11 in light of false flags

• Radio presenter and producer

• Loves football

• Was there when Occupy Wall Street was just people gathering to protest big banks

• Saw the false anarchists come to:

• mess things up

• give real anarchists a bad name

19:11 – Social media is useless garbage

• You don’t have to be shouting at or about the state to be an anarchist

• Institutions are full of manipulations

• Will tire you out

• Let’s just be human beings

• Let’s not just sit on Facebook and rant

• Craig’s 3-day Facebook ban was pleasant 

• Corporate media does not talk about children dying in Yemen because of our government

• Prefer to talk about Kanye West

• People don’t even understand the things the media wants them to be angry about

29:33 – Changing the political system from the inside doesn’t work

• Ron Paul’s 30 years in government roles did not change much for freedom

• Ron Paul has done more to introduce people to sound economic theory than any economist

• You lose credibility when you try to use the system to change the system

• “Legalising freedom” does not work

34:19 – Toward Anarchy Show

• Michael’s show is just him journaling his life

• Podcasts can break down barriers when people just talk from the heart

• We are anarchists because we have no king but Christ

• Michael appreciates the people he gets to talk to

42:14 – Anarchy

• Anarchists should be able to have their thing if it’s a voluntary relationship

• Be it a King Jesus or someone else

• The absence of a state doesn’t mean there will not be a voluntary government

• Today’s state only has the illusion of participation

• Daily we cooperate and build together without any consideration for the authority’s input

• Everything we have built, we have done so despite the government

• Wasting out time

• Misdirecting our energy

• Leeching off of us

45:00 – Covid vaccines are a scam

• The government experimented on people with the Tuskegee experiment

• Then publicly honored the suffering and sacrifice of the victims

• Similar to the covid vaccines

• As soon as government is behind something, it is motivated by either money or politics

• At the beginning of covid Michael accurately predicted how things would happen

• Through his podcast

• His predictions proved correct

• Has studied vaccine history

•  The bell curve of knowledge about new diseases and vaccines

• People begin dying

• Scientists begin figuring out how the disease works and how to treat it

• Fewer people die

• Vaccine is introduced

• Strange health problems begin

• Government and Big Pharma will sell a vaccine whether it works or not

• The vaccine industry is built on lies

• When the government says something, Craig says ‘no.’

• People should say ‘no’ and take their business elsewhere

59:07 – Toward Anarchy

• Anarchists started the Libertarian Party

• David Nolan

• The World’s Smallest Political Quiz

• Are libertarians simply “settling”?

• There’s tyranny and anarchy, and everything in between is differing levels of tyranny

1:07:24 – Covid times

• The struggles of covid times overtook TJ

• There were many manipulations during covid

• The losses still take their toll on Craig and his family

• People died of manipulations that sent them into isolation, not just covid

• Without isolation and fear, TJ would probably still be here struggling along

• There are hidden costs to the government’s heavy-handed policy

• Suicide rates and alcohol sales spiked during lock-downs

• The next thing will be harder because we are in a weakened financial and mental state

• People only just beginning to wake up to the issues is bitter-sweet

• TJ is still gone

• Anarchists are still saying, “We told you so.”

• Craig was surprised at how people responded to covid

• Now he thinks people would prefer to be told what to do

• We are all born anarchists, and everyone is manipulated off the track

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78. The Role of Propaganda in Abusive Relationships with Derek Kreider

About this Episode

Derek Kreider, host of pacifist podcast “The Fourth Way,” joins Craig for a discussion on his latest season about propaganda. What is propaganda? Who propagandizes? And what benefits do they receive from doing so? From personal relationships, church institutions and the state, propaganda plays a part in how people organise themselves and Derek and Craig discuss them all.

The conversation starts with institutionalised abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention and how poorly churches deal with allegations of sexual abuse. Every year allegations of sexual misconduct are the church’s biggest problem. Even higher-ups who are not abusers are incentivized to cover up for underlings abusing their authority to keep the money flowing. We also learn that propaganda is not just what is communicated, but also includes leaving out important information, in this case to avoid “tarnishing God’s reputation” or other reasonable-sounding excuses.

Next, they discuss state propaganda. The state is basically an abuser who feels the need to control through the usual methods: charisma, controlling the flow of information and if these things fail then resorting to violence. Finally, Craig gets vulnerable about his abusive second marriage, the isolation and altercations, ending the episode with a note of hope for those who believe they are stuck in a situation of domestic violence: it is possible to escape.

Find Blue Ribbon Logistics: 

YouTube

Facebook

Spotify

Episode Timestamps:

3:08 - Who is Derek Kreider?

• Raised conservative with Christian education

• Likes apologetics

• Currently in Romania as a missionary

4:22 – What is causing the rise in atheism? 

• Institutionalising religion ruins it

• There’s a lot of people leaving the church in America, but it’s the institutions they are leaving

• Church could also be people gathered in Jesus’ name

9:19 – The Fourth Way Podcast

• 2016 and the election of Donald Trump made Derek want to start a podcast

• The ends don’t justify the means, but the evangelical community tried to justify Trump’s actions

• Consequentialism

• Watched a video on pacifism

• Pacifism works better than grasping for power in the political realm

• Made the podcast to explore his own Christian reasoning

• The name comes from Walter Wink’s “The Third Way” but Pacifism is a fourth way, not fight, flight or freeze, but being active in pacifism

• Families who allow their loved ones killers live on death row rather than have them killed have changed those people

• Pacifism requires a whole lot more creativity to solve problems

• It brings the humanity back to the killer 

• There is nothing in the writings of the early church that indicate they were not pacifists

20:06 – What’s happening with the Southern Baptists?

• Recently it has come to light that some of their prominent leaders have abused people and other leaders have covered it up

• Then asked others to be silent about it

• Rachael Denhollander – What is a Girl Worth?

• Famous for coming forward after being abused by a doctor

• Talks about how terrible the church was at dealing with that

• Became an advocate for abuse within the Southern Baptist Church

• Although it’s not specific to the Southern Baptist Church

• Sexual allegations are the biggest problems for church every year

• When people take advantage of their positions of authority it doesn’t look like Jesus

• There should not be flawed human beings being given power in the church

• “It shall not be so among you”

• Individuals must take personal responsibility for their actions

• A lot of times power ends up corrupting people

• The Southern Baptist Convention also had leadership that covered up abuse

• In order to keep their own power

• So they don’t loose funding or control

• Do it in the name of Jesus – don’t want Him to look bad

• This is simple consequentialism

• After studying conspiracies for a year Derek thinks lots of people can hide a conspiracy

• This is not a uniquely church thing, people are corrupt

• A new structure would be full of people doing the same thing

• Maybe people are pulling back from the church because it looks just like government politics

• Sometimes members of churches solely blame individuals for problems that may be systemic

• Pastors are celebrities not shepherds, leading to people abusing power

35:09 – Propaganda, the state and abusers

• Politicians are going to go wherever the funding comes from

• This is a structural problem

• Propaganda is 100% intentional

• But its often done by people who are sincere about their cause

• A jerk on a power trip is easier to disbelieve

• Everyone propagandises

• Derek educates his kids therefore by some definitions he propagandises them

• We use the word for education that we don’t like

• In the Southern Baptists the higher-ups silence the news media that’s also propaganda

• Because it shapes your understanding

• The higher-ups say they prefer to highlight the good and leave out the bad

• It’s propaganda to leave information out

• Its an intricate web of self-justification and gaslighting

• Trump was worse on the second amendment than Obama

• Jacques Ellul – Propaganda and The Technological Society

• Propaganda produces extreme polarization

• And other quotes that could have been written yesterday

• Propaganda seeks to isolate individuals

• Repeats simple content

• Creates a problem to resolve then offers itself as a saviour

• Abusers do the same thing

• Craig’s second marriage was abusive like this

• Derek’s episode about marital abuse: Propaganda and Domestic Abusers

• You can escape an abusive relationship and God won’t be offended

• Things escalate when the abuser feels like they are out of control

• Craig’s second wife threw knives and had him arrested

• Then moved in next door when he left

• Its different in every situation

• David Graber – The Dawn of Everything

• Talks about how the state functions

• The state is basically an abuser who needs control

• Violence is risky but effective if you are stronger

• Information can also be used to control

• Charisma can be used to control others, this is the most effective

• States work like this too, when charisma (stories) stops working then they try manipulation then violence

• Abusers isolate their victims

1:00:21 – The conspiracy of corporatism

• How do we discern truth and how are beliefs formed?

• How was propaganda implemented?

• A 70 episode series on propaganda could have been much larger

• Corporations and businesses propaganda

• How do they do it?

• What effect does it have?

• What should you look out for?

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77. Lessons from the Trucking Industry with Chris Polk

About this Episode

In this episode Craig welcomes back Chris Polk, “professional hornet’s nest kicker”, podcaster, content creator, trainer and truck owner-operator at Blue Ribbon Logistics. Chris regales Craig with stories about everything from how he found success in the trucking world, to history lessons, and about how government and citizens wreaked havoc with supply chains during covid times. Additionally, Chris tells how collusion between big corporations and government have led to over-regulation, driving shipping costs up and resulting in tough times for every-day truckers. That said Chris pulls no punches while discussing the things that truckers have done to make their own situations worse. 

Chris gives his best advice on how to become rich, with principles that will work whether you are interested in joining the trucking industry or not. The great news is that you have something unique to offer the world. If you combine that something with some good maths (get yourself a BS Eliminator 9000, otherwise known as a calculator), hard work and a customer centric focus you too will become wealthy. It will not be easy, but if you build your life in such a way that you give value to others by helping them to get what they want, money will naturally flow your way.

Find Blue Ribbon Logistics: 

YouTube

TikTok

Facebook

Website

Episode Timestamps:

1:04 - Who is Chris Polk?

• Enjoys stirring

• A trucker for 25 years

• Owner-operator of trucking business

• Podcast host at Blue Ribbon Logistics

• Training truck drivers to be owner-operators

• Content creator on YouTube

4:56 – Blue Ribbon Logistics

• Met Larry Long and went to work for him

• Began having Larry on his podcast

• The podcast brought them dedicated truckers

• Created a program to train them how to earn as a trucker

• Business only works when it's competitive and customer focussed

• You can have anything you want if you help enough other people get what they want

• Never thought he’d have to teach all sorts of people maths and map reading

• Calculator is the BS Eliminator 9000

• Craig would make a terrible truck driver 

• He’d be too busy napping on the side of the road

• Driving a truck and a car are two different things

21:45 - Broken supply chains and broke truckers

• Products were manufactured just in time to get them onto the trailer or the assembly line

• It used to be a finely tuned machine

• 2020 broke it with toilet paper

• Cascade effect means trucking has been in a state of crisis since March 2020

• Peoples spending drove demand

• People brought trucks for work 

• Truck prices went up

• Market demand is going back down 

• Those who bought overpriced trucks will go broke

• Truckers blame fuel costs and the government

27:09 – Lesson in supply line history

• Separation of church and state is a distraction

• The danger lies in the collusion of corporations and state

• Mark Levison – The Box

• When the market was deregulated in 1980 it made shipping more efficient

• Allowing for more competition by individuals

• Explosion of economic activity

• These days there are so many middle-men that it has driven the cost of shipping up

• Blockchain might make it more efficient again

• Any time there’s a bottleneck, you can generally find a bureaucrat standing in the middle of it

• There are a million single truck owner-operators

• That’s a third of the trucks on the road

• They haul the majority of life’s necessities

• Big businesses can’t keep up so they are lobbying for regulations that will wipe out the owner-operators in costs

• Truck makers make more money as more legislation is added

• Little guys can’t afford new trucks

• The state does the bidding of 15% of the trucking industry

33:15 – The biggest scam in trucking history

• The biggest scam in trucking history on YouTube

• No license points for warnings until 2008

• Chris got 30 points from one inspection

• No actual violations

• At his latest inspection, he fixed a light

• Another 18 points even though the light worked

• Fines came next

• Even though there were no violations

38:28 – The cheap driver shortage

• Subsidies from the state for hiring drivers

• There is a shortage of cheap drivers

• The largest expense at big corporations is wages for the drivers

• But they haul easy bulk stuff for cheap

• People like Chris are paid more for specialized freight

• You can’t idiot-proof a truck

• A bad driver is going to have problems

43:50 – The price of eggs and corruption

• Eggs are expensive

• Is this because the state interfered with supply chains?

• It costs Blue Ribbon about $200,000 per year to run a truck

• There are 3 million trucks on the road

• Reducing the cost of fuel won’t help that

• There’s inflation

• There’s manipulation

• Corrupt money

• Corrupt processes

• Shipping container costs quadrupled

47:15 – How to become wealthy

• Turn the television off

• Don’t make decisions based on fear

• You can control your own life and make better decisions

• Boom and Bust is the pattern of economics

• Build your life in a way that you create value for others

• Once you get that right the wealth comes

• That doesn’t make it easy

• Find a niche

• It will be uncomfortable

• Be unaffected by BS crisis

55:44 – Fauci

• Would be happy to see him handcuffed

• He’ll end up in the evil hall of fame alongside Hitler one day

• One day in heaven we may want forgiveness for him when he has to explain himself to Jesus

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76. "What about Romans 13?" with Matt Mouzakis

About this Episode

Craig is joined by Matt Mouzakis, worship pastor and co-host of Expedition 44, a popular theology podcast where the ancient languages and context of the Bible are discussed. Matt is doing his doctorate in New Testament studies, specializing in the passages often cited by Christian statists when they want to defend strict obedience to the government.

Matt explains how words like submit (hypotassesthō), and concepts like paying taxes take on very different meanings when placed in their proper context. Read Romans 13 through the eyes of a first-century Jew, see it in a fresh new light, and be prepared to confound the next statist who asks you, "But what about Romans 13?".

In fact, the only one to whom people owe allegiance and should be under the authority of is Jesus Himself. When we desire to put another into power over ourselves and our neighbors, it is a sin because humans are not to have authority over one another.

Craig and Matt delve into those passages used against women in ministry. Again, we discover that read in the context of the time and in their original language, nothing suggests women are to be subject to men in God's kingdom. We find God's ideals at the beginning and end of the Bible, and that is God alone reigning over humanity.

Expedition 44:

YouTube

Website

Covenant Theological Seminary

Expedition 44 episode on Romans 13

Ryan's book: This is the Way

Episode Timestamps:

1:54 – Who is Matt Mouzakis?

• Worship pastor at "Bapticostal" church

• Father of 4

• Theology geek doing Doctorate in New Testament

• Co-host of Expedition 44 podcast with Dr Ryan (Head Chair of Biblical Studies at Covenant Theological Seminary

• Expedition 44

• Discuss the ancient context of the Bible

• Salvation is a journey "expedition" 

• The separatist ancient Essene community gave themselves the number 22

• God doubles the portion, which is where the 44 comes from 

8:15 – The Church of Nationalism

• American pastors don't speak against the entanglement of Christians and the state

• Sometimes they advocate for candidates

• The early church was outspoken against the Roman Empire

• But it is glossed over these days

• Churches seek power through the state now

• There's no basis in the Bible for Christians to be seeking any power

• We need no king but Christ

• Politics comes into your theology

• Some would say that representative government is different from serving another king

• In the first two pages and last two pages of the Bible is where you find God's ideals

• Everything in the middle is messed up

• Humans are not to have authority over one another

• Not even men over women

• The hebrew word "Tsela" should be translated as "side" rather than "rib"

• On the last page of the Bible, you see men and women under God's authority

• That's God's ideal

• That should inform our politics

• We are ambassadors from another King

• Our government has its own kingdom

• The fall is the "defilement of all of creation"

• There are multiple falls in the Old Testament

• When people usurp God's authority, humans rule other humans

• That is not a part of God's ideals

18:58 – Women in Ministry

• A topic that is spoken about on Expedition 44

• Women were the first to tell of Jesus' resurrection

• The men were in hiding

• Paul was very egalitarian

• When we don't look at the Bible in context, it gets confusing

• If Genesis 3 is reversed in Jesus, the church should reflect that

• The local context of Paul telling women to be quiet was an all-women-led cult

• Right before that, he tells the men off for being angry

• None should have authority over others in the church

• The women were trying to teach before they had learned

• Greek tenses matter in better translation

• Keith Giles's episode about women and the church

• Women stayed at home and were less educated in Paul's day

• Women were to learn but not interrupt the service

• 1 Corinthians 14: 34-35 might be an error added to the text based on a scribble by a scribe

• Philip Payne's book – One In Christ

• Expedition 44 episode – Women Must Be Silent?

26:16 – Romans 13

• The words "submit" and "obey" are two different words

• Romans 13 is the go-to for opponents of "No King but Christ"

• Romans 13 should be read in light of Romans 12

• The chapter breaks weren't there originally

• Romans chapters 12-16 should be read as a chunk

• All the things that Jesus said about enemy love do not fit with Romans 13

• Romans 13:1 & 5 Submit is hypotassesthō

• Defined as voluntary yielding

• Obey God is hupakouó

• David Bently Heart – New Testament

• It is necessary that we obey God rather than man

• The Bible should be read as a whole

• The whip that Jesus used was a common tool to heard animals

• He didn't harm any people

• He was angry at the extortion in the temple

• The gospel spreads by word of mouth too

• "Governing authorities"

• A common expression for anyone with authority

• Not necessarily government

• The people of the day were in Rome

• A place of multiple layers of governing 

• Neighborhood watch role, rather than law enforcement

• Rome wasn't taxed at the time when Romans was written

• Romans 13:1 - exousia means evil powers

• And appears in Ephesians 6:12

• Paul understood demons controlled the empires

• Jesus didn't rebuke Satan when he offered Him the kingdoms of the world

• Deuteronomy 32 – Moses says God divided mankind and gave them to the sons of God

42:18 – Is voting a sin?

• 1 Samuel 8

• Craig has concluded that voting is a sin

• Jesus said the gentiles lorded power over others, but we were not to be the same

• God said it was not Samuel that was rejected, rather it was God Himself

• Rejecting God is a sin

• Sleeping is better than exercising power over others

• Matt and Steve discussed whether or not Christians should vote

• The desire to have a king is to reject God

• Voting is the desire to put someone in power over ourselves and neighbors

• Therefore, voting is a rejection of God

---

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75. Finding Common Ground Between Christian and Secular Anarchists with Alan Mosley

About this Episode

Craig is joined by Alan Mosley, the host of “It’s Too Late with Alan Mosley”, historian and libertarian writer, for a friendly discussion about what Alan, an atheist and anarchist, has in common with Christian anarchists. They work through the anarchist catchphrase, “No rulers, no masters, no gods”, exploring its meaning and conclude that Christian and secular anarchists can, and indeed should, be allies in liberty. 

Alan could school some Christians in the teachings of Jesus, especially concerning holding an anti-war stance, the application of the non-aggression principle and disdain for institutional structures. The way Alan sees it, the church has been conquered by the state. Churches fly the American flag and teach the Christian voting block to hate their neighbors and enemies, in direct contrast to the teachings of Jesus. The Bible is full of revolutionary thoughts that, if applied, should transform societies just as they have in the past. 

Craig and Alan discuss everything from dropping bombs to end WWII, support for troops and how to improve their psychological well-being, judging the morality of historical characters from past eras, and things that make the church unappealing to unbelievers. Yet, they continuously come back to the need to speak the truth about all of these things courageously. 

Alan Mosley:

YouTube: It’s Too Late with Alan Mosley

Facebook: It’s Too Late with Alan Mosley

Twitter: It’s Too Late with Alan Mosley

Apple Podcast: It’s Too Late with Alan Mosley

Article: Ike and Leahy Were Right: The Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Were Wrong

Episode Timestamps:

1:38 – Who is Alan Mosley?

• Podcast host

• Jazz musician

• Historian

• Writer

3:22 – What common grounds do atheists and Christian anarchists have?

• Anti-war

• Not interested in playing politics with war

• WWII and the atomic bomb

• Christian anarchists and libertarians are good on this topic

• The early church were pacifists and anti-war

• Christians should not defend war

• Christians should opt out until the government receivess no support for war

• We need to raise children on principles of non-aggression so they don’t join the military

• These need to be spoken of rather than ignored

• Police officers are trained in an us-versus-them mentality

• Churches teach this way too

• That was not in the teachings of Christ

• Supporting the troops is talking about the pressures that face them when they come home

• High suicide rates

• Participating in drone bombing pre-schools

• Improving their psychological well-being

• Stopping children from entering the recruiting offices

• Just following orders is not a good excuse

• It enables the bad ideas of angry rich men in DC to happen

25:27 - The state has conquered churches

• That’s what the American flag on the stage means

• The flag is a rival of Christ

• The state manipulates people through the state

• Turning you against your neighbor and enemy

• Making people afraid of the other team

• Creating a voting block

• Christians should be suspicious of the state; it killed Jesus

30:14 – Comparing morality through the ages

• It’s easy to look back and assume moral superiority over the founding fathers over their non-politically correct actions

• If you look at the state of the world now compared to earlier times, scripture was full of revolutionary ideas

• Live by the sword, die by the sword

• Might makes right was the ethos of humanities history

• The Bible is full of transformational thoughts

• Christian history is full of people giving their lives to defend their faith

• But these days, people won’t talk about their beliefs in case they are ostracized

34:55 – What makes the church unattractive to unbelievers?

• Not representing Jesus correctly

• Endorsing war and the state

• Not helping the poor and widows

• Unequivocal support for Israel’s war atrocities makes the church unappealing

• Warmongers in Israel don’t care about you even though your taxes pay their way

42:15 – The roots of liberty

• Anarchy is the root of liberty

• Christ made everyone with liberty

• Can anarchists serve Christ?

• More atheists are statists

• Alan says no enforced rulers, no enforced masters, no enforced gods

• True Christians are not for theocratic fascists

• Adding enforced to the catchphrase makes more sense

• Bible-thumping church-goers are insufferable

• Christian anarchists and secular anarchists should be allies in liberty

• Jesus was the OG anarchist

• Be charitable in attempting to understand your opponent’s worldview

• It helps build a community

• We should not be forced into relationships that we do not want to be a part of either

• Pick your battles

• Find the like-minded remnant

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Related Episodes

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74. Can We Love More Than We Hate with Hodey Johns

About this Episode

This week Craig is joined by Hodey Johns, co-host of the Enemy of My Enemy podcast from the We Are Libertarians Network. They discuss focussing on love that looks like how God loves us, contrasting these with social media discussions that look more like hate. They talk about political statements that assume God hates those on the wrong end of our favorite policies. However, Christians shouldn't even be on the political spectrum. Can the love of Jesus be made visible when we fight online over our political positioning?

The Israelites received laws from the very hand of God, but they missed His heart for humanity to follow their consciences in loving their neighbors. Not even Jewish regulations could justify people in the sight of God because love is the fulfillment of the law. Jesus proved this when he righteously ignored the Levitical laws, and the Pharisees proved that one could follow the rules perfectly and still be unrighteous.

Unfortunately, we haven't learned this; hate may be more natural to Christians than love. We fail to worship God according to His desires when we fail to love those around us. As Christians, rather than looking for the boundaries we should not step on and assume that the rest of our conduct is loving, we need to seek the narrow path and aggressively love everyone, including our enemies. After all, this is how Christ first loved us.

Hodey Johns:

·       Facebook

·       Instagram

·       Twitter

Episode Timestamps:

1:56 – Introduction to Hodey Johns

·       Loves debates

·       Theologian

·       Writes about video games

·       Parents weren't very interested in their own Christian faith

o   Hodey was self-taught in Christianity and the Bible from a young age

·       Became a Mormon for 15 years

·       Lived all over the states

o   Noticed that Christian culture differs from place to place

6:19 – Christians on Social Media

·       Do more Christians need to put themselves out there on social media?

·       People don't change their minds in an instant or one conversation

o   They contemplate new ideas for a while

o   Like planting a new tree, waiting and tasting its fruit

·       We can't let others do the theological thinking for us

o   Not even religious folks

o   Jesus called the Pharisees a brood of vipers

·       No Christian has everything figured out

o   Christianity is a process

o   But we don't need to worry because we know who God is

16:14 – Love one another and love your enemy

·       Christians have a tough time balancing being in the world but not of the world

·       Thankfully, it's not all over once you sin

·       When you sin and recover, you get better

·       Christians wield hate and fear as a conversion method

o   We have all experienced hate

o   As Christians, we know that hate is evil

·       Love is the highest commandment

o   Jesus loved us and died for us

o   Would we give up our lives for those we are fighting with on social media

·       Love is not just the absence of hate

·       We ought to be aggressively loving

o   Christianity is a narrow path

·       Christianity should not be us saying, "God opposes [insert pet peeve here]"

·       There is real hate from both left- and right-wing Christians

·       Christians should not be on a political spectrum

·       Biden's student loan debt write-offs are not forgiveness

·       The left likes to think it has a monopoly on love

·       Jesus only spoke in parables to the public

o   Stories of love and goodness

o   We should be using stories too and asking, "who is the loving neighbour?"

·       Moral choices are required for good deeds to be produced

·       Paying taxes is not a virtue

33:09 – How ethical is the law?

·       Immigrants from Mexico who come to better their lives are human beings too

o   They cross an imaginary line to come here

o   The law of the land is in opposition to God's law

o   They only come to eat and feed their families

o   Christians don't seem to understand this

o   They are still image bearers of God

·       Jewish law was superior to today's laws

o   They still condemned people

o   They still allowed for the killing of Jesus Christ

·       The Bible can be summarised as people trying to justify themselves by the law

o   It was to show the way to being led by the Holy Spirit

o   It was to give the Israelites time to escape the slave mentality of Egypt

·       Where is your faith?

o   Do politicians protect you and your nation?

o   It should be in Jesus Christ

o   Why are Christians scared of immigrants?

o   In Jesus' death and resurrection Christianity grew

·       Christianity's hey-day was when Christians were stateless

·       The Israelites' laws changed from chapter to chapter of Leviticus

o   The law was being revised constantly

§  God was stable; His people were not

o   They couldn't enter the promised land until they realised the law could not save them

·       Even the wandering Israelites went astray when they tried to turn their relationship with God into a law-based system

40:19 – We can't legislate love.

·       The complex legal system that we have cannot be used to promote Christian values

o   The Israelites walked together with God and couldn't make the law work

·       Laws are written on paper, but let's try to figure out what is right

·       The will of God is to love one another

o   Love is the command

o   We worship someone else when we fail to love

·       When Christians think they are God, they become hateful

·       Are you really a Christian if you are not moving towards love?

·       Are we being motivated by the love of Christ?

45:57 – Church is unappealing when we don't have love

·       Church attendance has dropped off since 2013

·       There are reasons why people don't go to church

o   Hate-filled sermons

o   Hate-filled conversations with people after church

·       Jesus hung out with prostitutes and tax-collectors

o   We should also be showing them the love of Christ

·       Jesus' measure of how to get into heaven was to forgive and not judge others

o   That is mentioned more often than other methods usually suggested

·       Homosexuality is not a sin

·       Whosoever is angry with his brother is at risk of being judged

·        Jesus said himself that if you call someone gay, you are in danger of being judged

·       Wanting to punish people crossing a border is wrong

·       Jesus ignored the law and healed on the Sabbath

o   This is why Hodey trashes the law

o   Jesus never denied breaking the Sabbath

·       The scriptures are stories of people working out morality in a complex world

·       The transformation of your heart is all that matters

·       You can break the law and be right

·       You can follow the Levitical law and be wrong

o   The Pharisees proved it

·       Jesus ignored the laws, so we can ignore immoral laws also

1:05:47 – Smoked meats

·       During covid, Hodey picked up a smoking meats hobby

·       Smoking meat makes Hodey a better person

o   It's a philosophical journey

o   The community is full of nice people

·       Well-cooked brisket is a bad piece of meat turned good through cooking

·       Mesquite trees make the best-smoked meats

---

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73. Foster Care, Adoption and the Church: 2022 Year End Round Table

About this Episode

It’s time for the year-end round table! Episode 57 on Foster Care, Adoption & the Church was a hit, so we are revisiting the theme of foster care, adoption, and the church while adding new voices. Our guests are Darren Freidinger, Amber Nelson, and Jessica Autrey, each has fostered and/or adopted children including special needs children and international adoptions. In this episode, we discuss ways in which churches and individuals can practically care for orphans and their families ensuring vulnerable children will grow up in loving families.

Our guests are here to share their experiences with the state, private adoption agencies, and churches. If you have ever considered adoption, this episode is a must! And if you haven’t ever considered adopting or fostering, this episode is still a must, as our guests are passionate advocates for children and want to see more placements in Christian homes.

If our guests cannot convince you to foster or adopt, you will still be given food for thought as we ask questions like: What do Christian anarchists think about the state being involved with vulnerable children? Is adoption easier through the state or private adoption agencies? How many families are willing and waiting to adopt children? Why are churches not ensuring children have healthy and safe homes? What can Christians do to help families rearing adopted children?

Connect with Jay:

Amber Nelson’s fan page

Episode Timestamps:

1:05 - Guest introductions

• Darren

• Returning guest from episode 57

• Popular episode with good response

• Two adopted daughters

• Fostering 3 younger children, waiting to begin their adoption processes

• Jessica

• Eight children, 3 are adopted from Ukraine in 2011

• Amber

• Music Teacher in public school

• Three sons

8:15 – How do we feel about the state being involved in child foster care?

• Craig: 

• Doesn’t like the state being involved in child protection

• Darren: 

• As bad as the situation is for children right now, the state made the right call on the girls in his care

• Christ following parents need to be involved

• The church could do better than the state

• Amber: 

• The children of addicts and mental health problems need better equipped helpers.

• Child safety is top priority

• As a schoolteacher, she saw that the caseworkers were so overwhelmed that referrals did not help suspected abused children

• Jessica: 

• Real cases fall through the cracks

• But when parents make decisions such as not vaccinating them, the state may become involved

• Wanted to adopt from her first child to ensure children had the love she wanted to give her son

• Saw a blog about the conditions of special needs orphans in Eastern Europe

• Special needs children are discarded

• Orphanage care is patchy, but especially terrible for special-needs children

• Experience in helping people with Downs Syndrome

22:09 – Roe v Wade

• When people are happy about the overturning, they should be willing to adopt kids

• It is easier to adopt children from other countries because the US government interferes

• It took Amber a year to get a license to adopt

• There are a lot of arbitrary rules that change between case-workers

• There are invasions of privacy while you foster

• The state is an obstacle to adoption

• There is a waiting list for adopting infants

• The children come with traumas

• Roe v Wade did not end abortion, just sent the decision back to the states

• It’s just politics

• Older children, sibling groups or those born with health issues face barriers to adoption

33:20 – Adoption and the church

• Why are churches not ensuring children have healthy and safe homes?

• Craig has never heard it in church

• When Amber has heard it is has been an addendum to the service

• The Baptist church sometimes runs training for foster parents

• There’s no sermons about it

• Darren’s experience in church has been hit-and-miss

• His church has a November adoption month

• Darren wants individuals helping families adopting children

• Babysit the children and let the parents go shopping

• Hang out with parents with eight children

• Have an adult conversation

• At least don’t judge or ask silly questions

• Amber had some good experiences of help from individuals

• Jessica has not seen adoption preached

• Christians helped Jessica to make the adoption process happen through donations

• Now attends a pro-adoption church

47:21 – Is the state still involved in private adoptions?

• Yes, there is paperwork and administrative processes

• Even privately there is a mountain of paperwork

• In Darren’s experience fostering through the state was easier

• But the state is involved to an intimate degree though

52:30 – What can individuals do to help families with adopted children?

• Jessica:

• Voice your support for families with adopted or fostered children

•  Tell them if you are praying for them

• Don’t give useless advice

• Do give hand-me-downs

• Just show up and play with the kids or give adult conversations

• Show up to fundraisers and get the word out

• Amber:

• Think about what the kids go through, then consider adopting

• Do laundry, that would help

• Darren:

• Agrees with Jessica and Amber

• Consider adopting or fostering

• The children need Christians

• Take someone a meal when they take charge of their children

• Take the kids to the park for an hour

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72. Christian Nationalism: Waging an Unholy War with Jay Newman

About this Episode

Jay Newman from Catacomb Podcasts joins Craig to discuss voting and Christian nationalism. Jay’s day job is pitmaster at Shotgun Willie’s Barbecue in Nashville, and he also runs his own barbecue catering service, Newman Family Barbecue. When he’s not transforming meat into award-winning tasty goodness, Jay bravely ventures into the culture wars on Twitter. While debating Christian nationalists and exposing their beliefs, he’s been accused of “reading too much evangelical pop theology” from those caught up in the military mindset of taking the reigns of power to expand the physical territories of the gospel.

Although George Bush was blasted for using the term “crusade” in the early 2000s, Christians are arming themselves for the new crusades and crying out for “jihads for Jesus”. This is the natural progression of Christian nationalism and does not look like what Jesus wants from His followers. Jesus was a pacifist and not interested in using the mechanics of state power to achieve the bringing of His Kingdom. When He came to earth, Jesus rejected the opportunity to reign over earthly kingdoms and allowed His enemies to kill Him. 

The early church understood this and were also anti-state pacifists. Even after the church and state became friends with Constantine, attempting to grab state power has never worked well for Christians. Jay would prefer Christians leave state control to non-Christians. In truth, any Christian who tries to exercise power antithetical to the Kingdom will have to deal with their inherent hypocrisy.

Connect with Jay:

Instagram: Newman Family BBQ

Podcast: Catacomb Podcasts

Episode Timestamps:

2:48 – Who is Jay Newman?

• BBQ Pit Manager

• Transforming meat into beautiful goodness

• Thinker and Writer

• Contrarian

• Doubting and testing new ideas

• Multi-cultural ties

• Brazilian and French family members

• Pastor’s kid

• Parents appalled by the merging of church and state

• No party loyalty

• Felt lied to by Bush after 9/11

• Learnt what politics does to people watching Mike Hukabee

• He drastically changed

• Became more Republican than Christian

• He sold out

• Ron Paul 2012

• Realized the whole thing is rigged

13:50 - Are you morally culpable for who you vote for? 

• People sanitize their favourite candidates 

• Society seems to have accepted that you are morally culpable for the actions of your candidates

• No nuance in liking some, but not all of a candidate’s policies

• All politicians commit atrocities

• Drones

• Aiding the rich and oppressing the poor

• None are consistent with Jesus

• Then who can we vote for?

• What power is there in voting?

• Maybe its time that all Christians stopped being a voting block

• Politicians would stop quoting scripture

• Politicians would stop pretending to care about Christian things

• Anarchy and Christian anarchy are separate issues

16:50 – Is voting a sin?

• Craig says yes

• If rejecting God is not a sin, then what is?

• The early church’s response to the Roman Empire

• Jay won’t judge others

• Sin comes from an individual’s intentions

• One can vote with a clean conscience

• Through being detached from outcomes

• Daniel was not removed from the state where he lived

• Christians should have a loud opinion on the state’s injustices

• Life in society means you have some influence

• Political influence is a part of that

• Jay leaves room for those who believe that working in the state is where God wants them

• It will probably corrupt them

• Historically it typically goes bad

• Why risk it?

• Perhaps people need to figure it out on their own

• Craig can’t force people into believing the same as himself

• People become more entrenched in their places if forced

• We’ve been electing Christians since the founding of the US

• Things are still getting progressively worse

• The country is an Idiocracy

• The upside of Trump being elected is it exposes the cultural Christians

• Baptist church choir “Make America Great Again”

• Nationalism was a sin of Israel

• Christians advocate repeating Israel’s folly

• Christians call themselves “Christian Nationalists”

• Christians should repent of putting people in power 

• America has killed a holocaust of people

• Killed children in Yemen

32:41 – Are we Americans or Christians first?

• Who is the biggest enemy of Americans?

• The biggest threat is the American government

• The largest church growth is happening in Iran, China and Russia

• The interests of the American state are opposed to the Kingdom

• Christians are thriving in places of persecution

• Christians should be more loyal to the church family than their national goals

• The US is sanctioning them, making life harder for Christians

• The populations of those nations are not our enemies

• We should be pro Christians in other states more than our national borders

36:06 – Jesus was not a statist

• Jesus was a snark

• All anarchists are snarks

• The leaders tried to trap Him 

• Everything belongs to God

• Pay your taxes to be a good citizen

• Trust God for financial provision

• It’s good for the gospel

• Don’t make decisions out of fear of lack of resources

• When you need money, He will give it to you

• When you put your trust in Him

• Jesus was passive-aggressive towards the state

• He turned down ruling the state when the devil offered it

• Why would Christians want to try it?

44:13 – Twitter conversations

• A pastor once said: “Start taking hills for Christ”

• Military terminology

• Jay’s response: “You take hills by dying; that’s what Jesus did”

• Jesus came to bring peace to the world

• The opposite of military actions

• Christians seem nervous about what would happen if Christians wielded power

• More than infidels, pagans and demons having political power

• Defending the crusades and name calling

• The early church were all pacifists and anti-state

55:39 – Spiritual warfare versus worldly warfare

• Jay sang on hills in India that had never heard the praises of God

• That’s how to take hills for Christ in the spiritual realm

• Not with military might, not physical territory

• Nations are a group of people with a common cause

• Christian nationalists want control of the state for Christians

• This has never worked before

• People agree with “jihad for Jesus”

• People want to take physical territory for Christ

• And enemy nations

• Christians arming themselves for the next crusades

• This is the logical conclusion for Christian nationalism

• We should be considering ourselves exiles rather than citizens

• The political system doesn’t give us a real say

• If Jesus was alive today, who would he vote for?

• Kings don’t vote

---

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71. Agorism is Practical Anarchy with Lily Forester

About this Episode

Lily Forester, of HBO’s “The Anarchists” documentary series fame, joins Craig to discuss freedom, anarchism, and agorism. Lily is a trailblazer of agorist activity, putting anarchist and agorist ideas into action in her own life.  She was a part of the Fireweed Universe City anarchist community in Detroit until her and her boyfriend John moved to Mexico and joined the Anarchapulco community. She ran a restaurant and farm from her house until John was killed in a shooting. These days she keeps herself busy training in circus arts, crocheting custom orders, blogging, building websites, and working with Anarchapulco and Anarchoforko.  

Craig and Lily discuss their frustrations with self-proclaimed anarchists who don’t act like anarchists. Both the ones that go back to the Libertarian Party to try to work through the state and the ones who abuse the title, complicating explanations of anarchist philosophy. Craig and Lily define the term agorist and discuss where it overlaps with anarchist as well as the differences. Where anarchists may shy away agorists tend to follow through on anarchist activities. They are the ones asking themselves how far they are willing to go and using their skills to build healthy communities of voluntary exchanges. Lily gives some advice on becoming an agorist, how to find an agorist community and using crypto-currency.

Where to find Lily:

• Website

• TikTok

• Instagram

• Personal Facebook

• Highly Functional Growth Community Facebook

Episode Timestamps:

5:15 – Who is Lily Forester?

• Girl with a fake name

  • Arrested for cannabis related stuff in Ohio

• Raised by agorists: practical anarchists

  • Mother was actively a fugitive in Ohio

• On the fringe of the Anarchapulco community

• Started Anarchoforko

• Had a restaurant and farm at her house

• Boyfriend murdered in 2019

• Trains in circus arts

• Features in “The Anarchists” documentary

7:58 – Frustrated with anarchists

• Why do anarchists go back to working with libertarian parties?

  • Anarchists should be principled

    • When they aren’t, Craig is disappointed

    • This drew him to Lily’s words in The Anarchists

  • Anarchapulco in The Anarchists seemed to be all about partying

• Shed the term anarchist for agorist

• Fireweed Universe-City in Detroit is the most truly anarchist community Lily has lived in

  • Fixing abandoned houses

  • Growing food

  • Community garden

• Agorists are practicing anarchy

  • Changing their lives

  • Unlicensed businesses

• Winters in Detroit were hard, so Anarchapulco was appealing

• Anarchists don’t all live their stated philosophy

  • When times get hard, some go back to the state

    • Or run for President

  • Some use the label to treat people poorly

    • “Don’t tell me what to do, I’m an anarchist.”

    • Manipulating people

• Anarchists that believe the ideas and try to practice have overlap with agorists

  • They will face hardship

18:04 – Anarchists paying taxes

• Anarchists do not “pay taxes” they are forcefully taken

  • It’s self-defence

  • It’s not voluntary

  • No one wants to live in a cage

• Anarchists who run for office are not anarchists

• Elections are like the movie “Groundhog Day”

• Lily campaigned for Ron Paul

  • Became an anarchist after he failed

  • Craig was booing him off stage 

• It’s hard to take anarchists seriously when they discus changing laws or using the libertarian party

• What Donald Trump calls anarchy is not anarchy

• Explaining the actions of some self-proclaimed anarchists is not easy

  • Complicates explanations of anarchy

• Agorists tend to shy away from calling themselves anarchists for this reason

• Agorists build healthy communities through:

  • Using their skills

  • Voluntary interactions

• Agorists need to ask themselves:

  • What laws are they willing to break?

  • How far are they willing to test the IRS?

• Anarchists say stop paying taxes and don’t vote

  • Don’t always follow-up

• The mark of a good community is how they respond to crisis

  • When John was killed agorists were there for Lily

  • Anarchopulco failed

    • They were a bunch of broken people calling themselves anarchists

    • They couldn’t get along with each other

  • When the police were called they took everything from Lily

    • Her dogs

    • Solar panels

    • Vehicles

  • In the US police conduct “Asset Forfeiture” and do the same

• Barry Cooper ex-cop fled the US and founded NeverGetBusted

• Anarchists are suspicious of police officers

  • Craig had an ex-officer on the show

  • They protect politician’s laws

33:04 – How to become an agorist

• Replace goods and services with people who are agorists

  • Directory: https://www.agoristnexus.com/

• Do what makes you happy, produce things

  • Accept payments in crypto currency

• Buy from people who are building the counterculture

• Cryptocurrency

  • Monero

  • Find ways to transact without having to turn it into fiat currencies

  • A tool to send and receive money that may hide your identity

  • Behaves like a regular market with booms and busts

  • Is unregulatable

    • Decentralised and worldwide

  • A stepping stone to seeing the state collapse

  • The IRS can’t see it

  • Buying and selling services with agorists

  • Crypto wallets are untraceable with a VPN

  • Some businesses accept it

  • There is a whole community building and using it

44:56 – Spirituality

• Psychedelics have been a part of Lily’s journey

• Prayer works

• No face or name or doctrine or worship

  • There is something out there who helps good people

  • People personify the unexplainable

  • Something is keeping Lily out of jail

• The world is not completely random

• Human Design

  • Focus on being good people

  • Doing things in ways that use your best modes

  • Makes life easier

• A taro reading suggested a female lawyer would help and then one contacted her

• Jesus said to love your neighbor and love your enemy

• Lily got involved with Anarchopulco and they went from enemy to friend

  • Building what she wants to see

  • Now there are more people from various religious camps now

  • No more drunken parties, like in the past

  • Bringing people together who are actually doing stuff

  • More families, chill people, and business people come now

55:37 – Food

• Lily’s guac recipe

• Mexican guac is just avocado, cilantro, white onion, jalapeno, salt, and lime

  • Tastes cheesy

• Texans believe beans don’t belong in chili

• White people are the worst

• Hot dogs go on every food in Acapulco

1:02:35 – Close the interview

• Anti-Politics – Sal Mayweather

• Highlyfunctionalgrowth.com

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70. Pawns of the Military-Industrial Complex with Jamie Cain

About this Episode

Jamie Cain, host of the Liberty Uninterrupted podcast, joins Craig to discuss the military-industrial complex as someone who lived as its pawn. Despite his father’s warning that he would not be fighting for freedom but rather for lobbyists and bankers, at 17 years old, liberty-loving Jamie joined the military. A few years later, Jamie left the military out of his love of liberty, having learned that war is a racket. Since then, he has had some success talking young people out of joining the military by exploring their reasoning for doing so and turning their patriotic logic on its head. Other times, shocking young people by being brutally honest is the only way, but Jamie is not scared of awkward conversations. 

With Craig equally likely to blow up comfortable public narratives, these two could write the book on conversations guaranteed to ruin Thanksgiving dinner! In this episode, they share their views on the military-industrial complex, its propaganda, recruiting and indoctrination techniques. The Military-Industrial Complex is the murdering wing of the state. It indoctrinates and enslaves young Americans as pawns in wars for the financial gain of special interest groups and politicians. 

Craig and Jamie envision a world where America’s competitors act the way America has, policing the world in the name of democracy, bombing critical infrastructure and setting up occupying forces and military bases. Of course, if anyone tried it, Americans would be rightfully angry. With military recruitment figures at crisis levels, maybe after 20 years of illegal wars it is time to bring the troops home.

Connect with Jamie:

Website

• Instagram

• Twitter

• Facebook

• Practical Christology

• TikTok

Liberty Uninterrupted podcast on:

• Apple

• Spotify

• YouTube

Episode Timestamps:

2:23 – Who is Jamie Cain?

• Podcast host at Liberty Uninterrupted 

• Voluntaryist with a libertarian podcast

• Joined the military at 17 years old

• War is a Racket – Major General Smedley Butler

• Dad’s advice at the start of his military career:

  • Remember that you are not fighting for freedom

• Wanted to join the army since he was seven years old

• Rich people all over the world send the poor to fight their wars

  • After getting rich from taxes

  • Their children do not join the military

9:15 – Why shouldn’t people join the military?

• The praise that military men receive helps keep people signing up

• Financial benefits help too

• More veterans have committed suicide than soldiers died in Afghanistan

• Military men believe they are doing the right thing

• Shaming soldiers is not going to change their mind

  • They don’t sign up to fight proxy wars

    • Or to support the Military-Industrial Complex

    • Or to be used as war game pawns

• Shame the Military-Industrial Complex, not the people involved

  • They don’t get to choose the jobs they do

    • End up in military prison if they refuse a job

• Soldiers sign a contract to become the state’s property

  • Even state military guards are misused

• During covid, citizen’s liberties were restricted but no help came from the military

• After six years, Jamie realized he had been lied to

  • Clung to protecting his buddies

• Jamie was woken up by Ron Paul in 2012 Presidential Election speeches

  • Said invading Iraq and Afghanistan was wrong

  • Talked about why the Middle East hated Americans

  • Read The Revolution: A Manifesto – Ron Paul

• Ron Paul’s “Giuliani Moment”

• We should write a book on how to ruin Thanksgiving dinner

• The United States Government has killed a holocaust worth of people

• The Middle East are angry because we are occupying their land

  • Children dying

    • Bombing hospitals

    • Bombing water supplies

    • Bombing weddings

  • Imposing sanctions

• We are not a “Christian Nation.”

  • Anarchism is what Jesus would do

• What would happen if other nations treated Americans the way we treat the Middle East?

  • We would not remain peaceful

• The US made Al-Qaeda recruitment easy through:

  • Drone strikes

  • Dropping bombs

  • Killing families

19:54 – Everyone has a man crush on Ron Paul

• Christians don’t vote

• Even Ron Paul, who:

  • Used the platform honorably

  • Woke many people up

  • Influenced culture

  • Used the system against itself

• If Ron Paul couldn’t change the system, no one can

• Anarchists don’t vote

• The state and military are backed by Satan

• Power corrupts even the best of intentions

  • Be it political or military

• Jamie’s dad’s speech annoyed him

  • But it helped him to understand Ron Paul’s words

  • Left him open to the truth

38:30 - Should we pull the troops back and simply defend the US?

• No one is going to come and kill Americans

  • There are 400 million guns in the US

• Taking guns from everyone does not make sense

  • More money and power will go to the state

  • Gun control is a means of controlling people

• Other countries have no interest in attacking the US

  • There is no advantage to doing so

    • Scott Horton and anitwar.com

• We can’t put military bases across the world without upsetting some people

  • There is no such thing as peacekeeping soldiers

  • They appear as an occupying force

• Our government is our biggest threat

  • China isn’t taking half my pay

  • China is not taking our guns away

  • China is not killing my neighbour for smoking weed

• Those who don’t vote have the right to complain about who is in power

  • Voters give power to the system through participation

  • They love it when their side is in control but not when the opposition has power

• Murray Rothbard – For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto

48:55 – Talking young people out of joining the military

• Jamie meets a lot of young people

  • They ask him for advice regarding joining the military

  • He asks them, “Why do you want to join the military?”

    • Establishes their reasoning

  • Often they say it because they feel they should

    • This is due to propaganda

  • Follow-up questions revolve around their answers

    • If they say they feel that they should, he asks “Do you come from a patriotic family?” and “What’s so patriotic about joining the military?”

  • Maybe it is more patriotic to stay home and build communities and families

    • Use their own reasoning and apply it to them not joining up

  • “What’s so exciting about getting your leg blown off for oil?”

  • Blow up their narrative

  • Every war since WWII that the US has been involved in is illegal under the constitution

  • Who wants to kill people they don’t even know?

54:58 – Do the police help?

• They didn’t prevent the slaughter of children in Uvalde

• The Supreme Court says they have no duty to protect anyone

• In an anarchist society, there is no monopoly on protection services

• Covid proved that police exist to protect the state

  • And politicians

• Libertarian views might not be socially appropriate

  • But we should open our mouths anyway

  • Be honest

• The military treats individuals like trash

  • Pawns in wars

  • No life skills outside the military

    • People get stuck

1:00:19 – We won’t all agree

• If you ask Craig a question, you will get his honest answer

• People do not all agree

  • If a voluntary society came tomorrow, people would still argue philosophy

  • Life is not black and white – Craig

  • There’s room for nuance – Jamie

• The military-industrial complex is the murdering wing of the state

  • It’s using Americans to build an agenda

• The Army military recruitment is down tremendously

  • Go woke, go broke

  • 20 years of war might have woken people up

  • The military has a serious recruiting problem – Congress must fix it

  • If numbers are down, will something new happen to make people patriotic?

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69. From angry An-Cap to peaceful Christian with John Krueger

About this Episode

Craig is joined by John Krueger for a conversation about his journey from being an angry Anarcho-Capitalist to a peaceful Anarcho-Christian. Unjust police killings, SWAT raids gone wrong and harsh lockdowns made John angry. He was eager to learn how to use a gun and imagined himself needing to protect his family from police violence. In the midst of this, the Holy Spirit met John and showed him a peaceful option.

Libertarian philosophy is peaceful, but we need Jesus and His word to have the whole picture. Craig and John advocate for Christian pacifism and examine what was going on in their hearts at the points when they both contemplated joining the military. Craig and John discuss the libertarian and Christian anarchist positions on the decriminalization of drugs, the real needs of terrorists, the US at war, gun control, and other contentious current issues.

The state is coercion and violence. Laws are enforced with fines that are begrudgingly paid to avoid the threat of violence or time spent in a cage. You cannot make people peaceful like this, using the state’s methods. But rather, we need to be those who allow the Holy Spirit to work in us to change the hearts and minds of those surrounding us; that is how social change works in the Kingdom. Let’s listen to Jesus and do things His way, forsaking violence and anger. Let’s work towards peace.

Connect with John Krueger on

• Practical Christology

• TikTok

Episode Timestamps:

1:27 – Who is John Krueger?

• From Columbus, Ohio

  • Grew up attending church

• 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 stood out

  • Paul writes about grace

• Journey to anarchism

  • Read Blue Like Jazz

    • Jesus was not a republican or a conservative

    • Became politically independent

  • Eventually considered voting

    • Began researching libertarianism

      • Clicked with his understanding of the Grace of God

  • Took a few more years to become an anarcho-capitalist

8:58 – Libertarians, drugs, and terrorists

• It’s easy to understand decriminalizing marijuana 

• Harder to understand decriminalizing heroin use

  • People shouldn’t be locked in a cage for it

  • People should be free to make their own choices

    • Provided they aren’t hurting others

• Osama Bin Laden needed Jesus

  • Not bombs

  • We can’t bomb people into peace

    • If we bomb all sinners, there will be no one left

• John and Craig let go of the war stuff last

  • The history of the Middle East is important

  • The US is still at war

    • More people are mad at the US for continuously bombing them

• Jesus said in His Kingdom:

  • You rule by washing feet

    • Only pagans lord it over their subjects

  • But instead, our “Christian Nation” goes to war

    • To spread democracy

• We don’t need the government for roads

• We don’t need police

• Losing friends because of speaking out about:

  • Getting troops home

  • Veteran suicides

  • Broken men and families

  • Sending the poor to fight a rich man’s war

20:11 – Craig and John considered joining the military

• Craig wanted to kill people out of anger after 911

  • Application rejected

    • 4 pounds over the weight limit

• John wanted to join the military because he felt powerless

  • Wanted to be great in battle - like David

  • Experienced God’s compassion for those killed on both sides

• Christians still justify war and killing

  • Jesus said when you have seen me, you have seen the Father

  • There is nothing about Jesus’ life that says you can kill in war

• Pacifism is the way for Christians

  • Craig still gets a hard time from Christians for his pacifist stance

  • The early church was 100% pacifist

    • Even to their own deaths

  • Jesus healed the Roman soldier and admonished Peter

    • When Jesus disarmed Peter, he disarmed every Christian

26:24 – Libertarians and Gun Control

• After shootings those on the left talk about taking away guns

• But guns will be taken away by force

  • Giving more power to the state

• Need to study history

• We don’t advocate for gun control

  • It’s enforced by violence

  • We should bear God’s peace instead

• The left sees calls to reduce state size as calls to let people starve

• John does not own guns, 

  • Only advocates for less government action

• We don’t use the state for any reason

• The same people who take guns away are those who shoot unarmed black men

• Fines are enforced through the threat of violence

• The ‘hero’ who ended the life of a would-be shooter still ended a life

• Jesus would not be training churches to enact violence

• We are here to bring the gospel to people

37:10 – From angry An-Cap to peaceful Christian Anarchist

• When John was an An-Cap he was angry at the state

  • Police killings made him angry

  • Made him want to get into guns

• Angry at government shutdowns because of shutdowns

• Holy Spirit showed him it would be better to defy the government in peaceful ways

  • Sneakily helping people

  • Blessing those who curse

  • Not needing to worry about what to say in front of judges

• Libertarians are never happy with the government

  • No matter who is in power they are stuffing everything up

  • Anger is not the fruit of the spirit

• Romans 11-14 need to be read together

  • Our heart position should be peaceful

• Libertarians need Jesus to have the full picture

42:48 – Romans 13 and libertarianism

• “Submit” and “obey” are not the same

  • When Christians get it wrong: 

    • They end up supporting government atrocities

    • Lives will be ruined

    • The state becomes an idol

• The early church withheld communion from people who worked for the state

  • Unless people were already soldiers

    • And had sworn off killing or oppressing people

    • None wore their weapons

    • All were to serve

• Getting Christians into power will not help

  • It is no longer Christianity

• The power is the wrong power

  • The Holy Spirit is the only power we need

  • Political power is force

  • Christians do not need to take the ”Seven Mountains” of power

  • These do not sound like Jesus

• Polycarp would not denounce Jesus

  • In the face of his own death

  • King Jesus has never done me any harm

• Everything that the state does harms somebody in some fashion

  • If they are helping you, they are harming someone else

  • The state is not a protector

• Jesus Christ is the only King

  • He wants the best for us

54:12 – How should we pray for government?

• We should pray for government and leaders

  • Craig prays for the state to end

  • The current chaos is caused by the state

  • We need to follow Jesus and walk away

  • John prays for leadership to know the gospel

    • Not the American folklore

    • But the true gospel

• Craig will take the words of the early church fathers over pastors

  • When modern pastors disagree with the early church

  • They still screwed things up

  • They aren’t Jesus

  • They were closer in time to Jesus

  • We need to get back to that

    • What we are doing now as the church is not working

• The Reformers had a blind spot when it came to the church

  • They killed people

• The Anabaptists became the Mennonites and Amish

  • They were peaceful

• Catholics are going back to mysticism

  • The church fathers and grace teachings

1:02:54 – Let’s bring it back to Jesus

• Listen to Jesus

  • Love your neighbor

  • Love your enemy

  • Love God

• It’s impossible to follow His teachings

  • But we should try:

    • Working towards good

    • Not working toward violence

    • Not working towards anger or hate

    • Working towards peace

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67. What do gambling and voting have in common? with Paul Varkey

About this Episode

Craig is joined by Paul Parayil for his first-ever podcast appearance. Through his prolific and provocative writings, Paul advocates for liberty, truth, honesty, and the Kingdom of God. His blog and Facebook posts have garnered quite a following. In this episode, they discuss Paul's article, "Do you believe Gambling is a vice? I don't think you do". In the article, Paul grabs the attention of the evangelical right audience and shows how Christians engage in high-stakes gambling on something worse than cards. Fear produces voting, but just like casino gambling, the house (or the state) always wins.

When the church condones the state's violence, it fails to align with people's consciences, becoming a stumbling block. However, the church will find itself more attractive when Christians promote Jesus's basic teachings of self-governance and doing no harm. We use the term Christian Anarchist because a core component of Christianity has been lost. Instead, that which should be an obvious and natural occurrence in the church must be emphasized. Anarchy is implied, and the entire gospel message is summed up in one sentence: No King but Christ. 

Since the beginning of the church, we have had one King. Jesus never sought political office! It is morally inconsistent of us to believe we have the right to coerce our neighbors with political power gained through participation in state activities, be they politics or voting. We are more consistent with Jesus's actions when we serve from the fringes of society with love and charity. The beginning of the healing of this world is through peacefully walking away from the gamble that is voting.

Paul's social media: 

• FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/paul.varkey , 

• Hive blog

Episode Timestamps:

1:15 Introduce Paul

• Enjoys writing 

  • Initially, to clarify his own thoughts

  • Found others enjoy thinking outside the box and reading his writings

• Often interacting in various Christian Anarchist circles

• Family originally from India 

  • A family of practicing Christians 

  • When Paul was three, his parents immigrated to the Middle East (Saudi Arabia) and lived there until he graduated from high school

  • Christmas holidays were spent visiting family in India

• Education

  • Graduated high school in Saudi Arabia

  • Went back to India for college

  • Moved to the US as a graduate student in 2004

  • Moved to California to work as a software engineer in 2011

  • Been working in Tech since then

5:45 How did Paul come to Christian anarchy?

• Brought up as Christians in Saudi Arabia.

• Moved to Chicago at 21 years old

  • Began thinking about politics

  • Knew he was pro-life because it's a matter that evangelicals care about

  • Became a republican quickly

• Knew that his support for GOP was tribalism  

• Heard of Ron Paul and what he had to say about:

  • The Fed

  • The Military-Industrial Complex, https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/military-industrial-complex 

  • Regulatory capture of the big corporations

• Provoked into considering the logical inconsistency of his own beliefs 

  • Began looking into political libertarianism

  • Kicked and screamed for a few years into anarchy 

• Was not aware of Christian anarchism 

  • A closet Christian Anarchist 

  • No one to fellowship with

  • Craig also had a similar experience until he came across the Anarcho Christian Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/645893438920507 

10:15 What is Christian Anarchism?

• The early church were anarchists 

  • Including Jesus 

• No title; the word didn't exist

  • But they practiced it

  • It was an obvious part of being a Christian

    • Do you tell people that you are a "virgin birthist"? 

    • There's no need to specify because most Christians believe in it

    • So it was with Christian anarchy in the early church 

  • A core message has been lost of how the kingdom of God works with nations here

• We've lost an essential message of the gospel, so we must use the label to emphasize it

• It's okay to disagree with others

  • Secular anarchists

  • Or even Paul of Tarsus

• It's more important to follow Jesus than anarchy

15:35 No King But Christ 

• Essentially communicates the whole gospel message 

  • While implying anarchy

• How are secular anarchists preaching better moral truths than the church? 

• Anarcho Christian Facebook group:

  • Don't all agree on Christian doctrines

  • They at least agree on the anarchist outlook

• More people seem to be latching onto anarchy

  • Self-rule

  • Do no harm

  • Don't take my things

  • Follow the basic teachings of Christ

• Voluntaryism doesn't trigger Christian minds to think of chaos.

• In the right-leaning "Christian" culture, there is an identification of patriotism and nationalism as the proper practicing of faith

20:30 Paul pokes the bear to make people think.

• The biggest tragedies of the church: 

  • We lost the concept of No King But Christ 

  • Colluding with the state

  • In both the Eastern Christian and Western church circles

  • We have compromised our values

22:46 Read Paul’s Article: "Do you believe Gambling is a vice? I don't think you do."

• Grabbing the attention of the evangelical right

  • It's addressed to people who think gambling is a vice or sin

• There is a loser in gambling

  • There is also a winner; it's always the house

• In the casino, most of the participants frequently lose

  • Some participants win big, keeping people hooked

  • The only one who wins is the house.

• Gambling is a vice because you produce no real wealth, 

  • One of us is poorer based on luck

  • There is nothing godly about this

• There is something far worse than gambling 

  • Christians engage in it regularly 

  • This form of gambling has a house, and the house always wins.

• When you vote, you wager your own life and liberties and securities.

  • Cannot recover lost freedoms back from the state through voting

  • You legitimize the beast through voting

29:05 What is voting?

• The state says, "Come along. All of you will lose some liberties, but some of you will have the chance to have less of your liberties taken."

• Fear takes over when people vote

• There are more than two people to choose from

31: 48 What is the state?

• Takes people's liberties

• Has never once shrunk

  • States grow or collapse.

• Taking the chance and succumbing to fear keeps the house growing

  • Yet people vote for candidates they don't like

• The idea of your "civic duties" being to vote is ridiculous

• "Go vote" is a religious mantra

• It doesn't matter to the elites who wins

  • The aura of the legitimacy of the beast improves when people show up to vote

  • Republicans are Democrats 2.0

  • Don't put others in power over your neighbours

36:00 God alone gives liberty 

• Jesus sets us free, not the US

  • There may be some good outcomes from voting

    • God makes good come from evil

• Paul's moral analysis of voting is the reason he doesn't

  • I don't have the right to dominate my neighbour

    • No coercing them to behave the way I want

    • Unlikely to bring more liberty

    • It's still a gamble

• Anarchists joining libertarian parties promote the state

39.00 Why don't Christians just walk away?

• One solution to the problems of government

  • Peacefully walk away

  • Christians should know this and opt out

• The empire is falling and we already have a King

  • Power will corrupt

  • You will lose while growing the state

• If someone is addicted to any addictive substance, they cannot go cold turkey

  • Voting gives a dopamine hit

  • If you feel the need to vote, at least vote for a third party

  • Take other political actions 

• The Libertarian parties will never take over the state

  • Their message is good

• Paul does more good outside of political processes 

  • Being morally consistent with his beliefs

• If anyone was going to change the US system, it would have been Ron Paul

  • You cannot change the mafia from the inside 

  • The point of the mafia is to be the mafia

  • Ron Paul changed awakened people https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/ron-paul-5118.php 

• Voting is a risk; why not simply obey Jesus Christ?

• When Satan tempted Jesus with authority, He didn't rebuke Satan, telling him that the authority was not his to give. Instead, He said, "No, I'm good." https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%204%3A1-11&version=NIV 

• Likewise, Christians should say, "No, I'm good." 

  • rather than seek power

  • Seek Jesus as our King

• The early church writings show:

  • They had no interest in the Roman Empire 

  • Tertullian called the affairs of the state foreign https://quotepark.com/authors/tertullian/quotes-about-the-world/

  • The kingdom of God is a literal Kingdom

  • Their King did not use a sword against Caesar and Pilot 

  • They expanded the kingdom through love, charity, and service

  • From outside the system

• Christians can enrich anarchism with the teachings of Christ

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