Podcast, 2022
Craig Harguess
51. Jesus the Anarchist with Alexandre ...
,

35. All Christians Should be Anarchists with Pete Quinones

,

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

Timestamps & Starting Points:

3:35 The early Church and anarchy

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

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

  • 86% of people in Congress identify as Christian

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

6:11 How Christians are perceived by non-Christians

  • Divided

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

11:39 Reasons Christians Excuse Anything Israel Does

  • Dispensationalism 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Israel is not a democracy!!

    • It’s a theocratic socialist state

    • They’re welfare queens!

    • “This is theatre.” - Pete

22:46 2020 Theater

  • Elites have been buying land to live underground

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

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

  • Insurrection

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

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

    • They’re defending the state.

28:10 FBI infiltrators

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

  • Terror Factory by Trevor Aaronson

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

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

33:35 The Constitution

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

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

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

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

  • Police disregarding the Constitution

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

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

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

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

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

    • Duncan Lemp

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

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

      • Read More

48:19 Plugs

,

34. Divine Comedy with Jason Mock and Rodney Norman

,

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

br34 Copy 2.png


TIMESTAMPS AND STARTING POINTS:

00:22 Episode Intro

02:20 Jason’s go to comics

02:53 Rodney’s (fake) Background

  • Member of Q

3:36 Rodney’s Real Background

  • 20 years in comedy

  • Alcoholic grandfather acts

  • Philosophy

  • Role of Comedian

  • Nietzsche is big inspiration

5:57 Inspiration behind Sunday Sermon Video

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

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

  • Kill the idiots to stop idiots?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

16:52 Untangling from the american media-political machine

  • Faith in God vs. fear of finite political leaders

  • Christ and stoicism

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

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

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

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

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

  • Allegory and similes 

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

  • Lenny Bruce and George Carlin

  • If your playing safe you're not getting anywhere

32:22 Social media and life

  • Enjoy our lives vs. let others control it

33:25 Founders of America and what they fought for

  • 3% tax

  • Patrick Henry, George Mason\

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

 36:21 Jesus was a snark

  • Laughter as medicine

39:50 Comedy as medicine

45:17 Mitch Hedberg

  • Jokes

  • Working with him

48:43 Rodney’s Plugs

, ,

33. Politics & Religion Roundtable with Two Christian Anarchist & Two Atheist

, ,

What does Christianity look like to a non-Christian? How does the secular world view Christian involvement in politics? Craig and Abby Cleckner(well know Bad Roman Christian-Anarchist) sit down with Nick and Josh(self-proclaimed atheist, who come with a mix of libertarian and socialists political views) to discuss faith, the state, and the mixed messages they see from Christians when these two worlds collide. In a true demonstration of how to have a civil conversation, we invite you to join us, from whatever political or faith background you may hail from, to keep asking questions and having hard conversations, especially with those you may assume you disagree with. Maybe God gave us atheists so we never stop asking questions in a pursuit to follow Christ.

br34.png

Timestamps and Starting Points:

00:22 Episode Intro - What does christianity look like from a non Christian perspective? 

01:28 Josh’s Background

  •  Atheist

  •  Studies Mathematics at graduate level, undergrad in Physics 

  • Libertarian/socialist political views

2:06 Nick’s Background

  •  Atheist

  • Socialist(technically)

  • Non-religious background

3:48 Fundamental opposition to Christianity itself or how Christians behave vs. what they claim to believe?

  • Josh’s background with Christianity and religion

    • Science and religion

    • Difference of geography

    • Christian believers and Islamic believers devoutness is the same

    • Poison of religious beliefs in politics

    • “Going to hell for voting for a democrat”

  • Nick’s experience with religion

    • Never brought up with the Bible, has not read the entire things

    • Christians seem to not care about Bible in way they act

    • Told he was going to hell the one time he went to church

    • Fear based religion contradicts with idea of “loving God”

13:27 In John 3:6 Jesus says “if you do not remain in me you are like a branch that is withered, such branches are picked up thrown into the fire and burned” - is that not aggressive from a pacifist stance?

  • Diversity in Christian Belief, we read the Bible with baggage

  • Bible uses hyperbole

  • Jesus never said to subscribe to certain beliefs, but to follow him and how he treats people. If you try to rule over them you will experience being “cast out like a branch”

16:55  Abby and Craig’s stance on scientific knowledge, how does it affect your views? 

  • Craig keeps it simple, follow Christ is the best he can do

  • Abby - the bible is not a scientific document, but science can have religious elements.

    • As anarchist, money for science comes from government which is a contention

21:18 How has Josh’s understanding of science discount the existence of God, why couldn't he be the one who generated the science? 

  •  No physical/natural evidence for God

  • Perfectly ok imagining God as the master mathematician

  • Cannot accept monotheistic view of something that can be a part of the natural world, but also not be

24:02  Mythology & Religion

  • Means to explain the unknown(pre-science and pre/within religion)

  • Search for simple pleasant answer

28:13 Science is always pitted against religion, but are the two really opposed?

  • People have different levels of need for certainty

  • It is important to keep asking questions on both sides 

  • Religion ask us to follow faith, feelings/belief, to be accepted, while science requires replicable evidence before it is accepted as knowledge 

33:57 Christians and Government 

  • Josh - very hypocritical, evangelical shouting

  • Nick - sickened on every level by the hypocrisy and lack of empathy for fellow man, amplified even more in evangelical movements

  • Praying for votes?

  • Equating Trump as chosen by God and America as doomed by his defeat

  • The Rapture

39:18 Fear based gospel & the evangelical love for Trump

  • Franklin Graham

  • Early church and the state

  • What does God care about? 

  • Romans 13 

41:28 If Christians were not being hypocritical how would they act in the political realm?

  • Josh- Government would tend toward a secular system if beliefs were “checked at door” and there would be no issue. The problem begins when a narrow view from the Bible is imposed on laws today.

  • Nick - when Christians get into gov’t it’s their rights above all others, which seems to be in bad faith, when rhetoric of the evangelical base seems hate filled.

  • Where were the evangelicals speaking out against kids in cages?

44:57 Christians need to understand the Republican party is not pro-life or Liberty

  • Why do they care more about fetuses than people who are already alive?

  • Never ending wars? 

47:17 Donald Trump is more akin to the antiChrist

  • Trump “I never had a reason to ask for forgiveness”

  • Is he what Christians actually stand for vs. what they proclaim to stand for?

53:11 People raised in the mindset of all powerful God, adopt a very top-down authoritarian worldview, does this prime these future voters to fall for someone like Trump?

  • Mass incarceration, uncountable amount of laws, need for authority

  • Theocracy is equally unsettling  

  • Avoiding extreme positions, forgetting the nuances - math and life

  • Thought crime

  • Authoritarian political candidates and authoritarian view of religion

58:10 Is there Hell?

  • Universalist Ideal

  • Hell is an experience we have in life not eternal torment

  • Jewish Mysticism - Kabbalah and Hell

  • Worshiping the Bible vs. Jesus

1:01:46 Is the Bible the word of God or translation from others?

  • The bible is a translation and collection of stories written by multiple people

  • Just follow Jesus

  • We are not going to full understand it in today's terms because of its origin

1:03:15  Dangers of having multiple interpretations of the BIble - is this the reason why it needs to be out of politics and why we need some level of secular governance?

  • “The evangelical vote”

  • Josh - don’t we need government to do some level of things

    • Markets can be forms/sources of authoritarianism?

      • Free market - Libertarian right, eco-libertarian, anarcho-capitalist

        • Monopolies that suppress rights of people

    • Abby - not possible without gov’t support to get Barons of industry, we don’t have true competition in the market because of regulations stopping it

1:07:15 The freer the market the freer the people?

  • Josh - market is a tool, in some circles the market becomes the government

    • Things like climate change or harmful products require some kind of oversight to remove dangerous things from being freely traded

  • Clear Patterson - geochemist, discovered age of earth and that lead content in water/atmosphere was toxic

  • Are oil companies the market? No, because it is controlled by the government, not a free market.

 1:11:05 What can Christians do differently to make non-christians be non-resentful towards Christains? 

  • Nick - Christianity is too far gone? 

  • Religion vs. Christianity 

  • Why Craig is not a big fan or religion anymore 

  • Josh - ignoring science in facts is where he loses them, if in any sort of public entity that has to be checked at the door 

  • Morality can not be legislated

11:16:16 Outsourcing morality to the state, Is the state evil?

  • Nick - tries to be cautious of notions of good vs. evil to avoid black and white dichotomy.

    • Bigger issue is our system is broken on almost every level

    • We all have our individual ideas but putting them into action is what's difficult

    • Is there a system now that truly benefits everyone?

  •  Can you change the mafia from the inside?

  •  Josh - saying all government does is evil ignores success of government, it is a tool that can be used both for “evil” and “good”; government meaning a collection of people who have come together to navigate something

  • Abby - initiating violence is never permissible

1:21:23 Violence by government - what do we define as violence? 

  • Josh - harming human beings is violence or but being taxed?

  • Craig - majority of taxes go to military to kill people we will never meet in our lives

  • Voluntary Taxation Systems - base taxes then option to choose where your tax portion goes

1:24:18 Majority of Christians celebrate war

  • Blind patriotism - weird sense of freedom

  • Care more about soldiers who have died than those who come back injured

1:29:57 American exceptionalism & Christianity

  • God created everybody

  • Being a living God means he doesn’t control anything

  • Can’t pray cancer away with enough faith

  • Story of three boats

1:33:21 Prosperity Gospel - televangelist - the people who exploit people’s faith and profit

1:36:14 Be a Cheerful giver - Doctrines and Children

  • Science must exist in free system

  • How can a Christian grow in their faith without questioning what is going on? 

 1:39:39 Josh’s Plug’s

  • Articles at universe today Josh Campbell

  • Journey to the Stars

,

32. The Troops’ Battle, The State’s Evils: Waging War with Eric Campbell and Nicolas Harrelson

,

What if everything you have been told about the War on Terror has been a lie?  

In this episode Craig talks with veterans Eric Campbell and Nicolas Harrelson about their experiences as servicemen who toured in Iraq. They discuss how their experiences changed their view on war, and led them on a path to anarchism. Putting a face on the humanity in Iraq and learning that the people there are everyday men and women who are just trying to provide for their families and live in peace, brought about a change in perception for these men. Discovering that the military presence and intervention has caused more harm than good, and the people of Iraq preferred Saddam to the US military was a sobering realization. What is the truth, and why do we continue to occupy these countries? 

br29 YT_Web Copy 2 (2).png

LINKS & STARTING POINTS:

2:33 Eric’s Background 

  • 20+ years of service 

  • Professional national guardsman 

  • E5 sergeant 

  • Radio operator/communications specialist 

3:51 Nicolas’ Background

  • 2nd deployment to Iraq 2011

  • Wounded on second deployment, October 2011

16:05 Eric’s Story of being in the military & deployed overseas

  • Got to know the locals

  • Conditioned to believe that “they” were evil and vile

  • Dealt with normal everyday truck drivers who were not devoutly religious Muslims but instead...stereotypical truck drivers

  • Realized he was lied to about what kind of people the Iraqi people were 

  • The lies and propaganda is in the American churches, media, and military training 

  • The Iraqi people are just normal everyday people struggling to survive, and we ruined that. 

32:36 Nicolas’ Story of being in the military & deployed overseas

  • The United States being in conflict and war with other countries has been normalized 

  • There is no longer peace between us and the rest of the world 

  • There has been a complete dehumanization of others 

  • The effects of war on his friends 

  • Suicide of friends he served with 

  • Began putting a human face on the “others”

  • “It says a lot about the effects we have had in Iraq when the Iraqi people rather have Saddam as opposed to what we have brought them” 

  • We have been involved in the war on terror for 20 years 

  • Created the perfect storm of ambiguity that allows for the government to do as they please 

  • Creates broken individuals(veterans)

  • How does the war effect those who didn’t ask to be involved?

  • Heavy burden to bear 

44:56 We have not been in a declared war since World War 2

  • Military industrial complex benefits from perpetual war

  • Conflict profits the government by growing it 

  • “For every terrorist we kill, multiple are created” 

  • Average everyday Americans are sucked into the cycle 

  • War makes money 

  • The soldiers are there to protect Halliburton and those connected to Halliburton and their profits

  • Every aspect of the military has some company tied to it 

54:02 Afghan Papers 

  • In-depth account of evidence that the military strung along the public and the government to perpetually continue the mission in Afghanistan and Iraq, as a means to continue receiving funding 

  • War and conflict has become normalized 

  • The United States government has always been the aggressor in all of these conflicts 

  • There are no sensible and rational arguments for going into Iraq and Afghanistan 

  • We trained Saddam Hussein

  • Bin Laden trained by CIA

59:56 There is a need for ministry and mental health assistance in the military 

  • War should be the last resort of failed diplomacy 

  • There is a large number of service men and women who believe that war should be a last resort 

1:09:59 Eric’s gaming blog: The Anarchist Gamer on blogspot 



,

31. Christians and Muslims Breaking Bread with Peace Catalyst

,

On this episode, Craig and Abby Cleckner talk with Keith Giles and Becca from the Peace Catalyst Podcast. The Peace Catalyst is an organization that is committed to fostering understanding, reconciliation, and peace between Christians and Muslims. Jesus was the Prince of Peace, and as Christians we should be constantly striving to live a life of peace and love towards others, especially those with differing beliefs or culture than ours. Because of the political narrative, driven by the media, American Christians have been misled and taught to hate and fear those who we don’t understand. The Peace Catalyst helps to foster conversation and relationship, which in turn, help to bring an understanding of the humanity and dignity of others we may currently see as different. 

br29 YT_Web Copy 2 (1).png

LINKS & STARTING POINTS:

2:45 Becca’s background 

  • working with Peace Catalyst for 2 years

  • was looking for a faith based peacebuilding avenue 

6:10 Keith’s history with Peace Catalyst

  • got involved in Peace Catalyst about 1 ½ ago

  • first involvement was a Peace Feast

  • Martin Brooks: Director of Peace Catalyst 

10:09 Becca: burdened to help facilitate peace between Christians and Muslims

  • Israel/Palestine

  • while in college developed a deeper understanding of the Middle East and the conflict between Israel and Palestine 

  • grew up in a pro Israel environment 

  • while in Jordan developed a deeper understanding of the Middle East 

  • connected with others who have a heart for peace 

  • wanted to participate in restoring Shalom 

  • push back from people who don’t have a holistic view of the situation and don’t understand the many factors at play 

15:38 Peace Catalyst 

  • proponent of loving everyone, regardless of race or religious affiliation 

  • facilitate reconciliation 

  • remind and educate Christians about their ministry of reconciliation

18:01 American Christians have bought into a false ideas 

  • “they hate us for our freedoms” 

  • the truth is not the story as it has been told and presented to us by media and those with political interest in the narrative

  • the way to break down barriers is by sitting down and talking to the “other side”

  • listen to their story to build empathy 

  • “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” Mahatma Gandhi 

  • Christian Tribalism 

  • it is not black and white, good guys vs. bad guys

25:40 Three Stages of Peace 

  • Stage One - Understanding 

  • Stage Two - Connecting

  • Stage Three - Collaborating

  • American Christians don’t realize that most Muslims condemn 9/11 and violent extremist/terrorist (just like they do) 

32:05 Are people afraid to be wrong? 

  • politics and media are used to instil fear and misconception 

  • we don’t have to believe the same thing in order to respect each other’s dignity as fellow human beings

  • it’s ok to disagree 

  • fear is heretics 

  • we act as if Christianity had all the correct information about God 

  • the Gospel is not about information, it is about transformation 

  • if you are going to follow Christ you are called to love your neighbor 

  • move away from the need for certainty 

  • move away from fear, move towards love

  • Romans 12, transformed by the renewing of your mind 

  • you are closer to God when you are asking questions, than when you have it all figured out 

44:20 Peace Catalyst started by Rick Love

  • he also started Evengelicals for Peace 

  • the goal is fostering peace between Muslims and Christians and bringing peace to our communities 

  • how can we work together as a community 

  • why and how Christians should engage in peace building 

48:42 Plugs 

,

30. Anarchy in Action - A Look at Agorism with Joshua of Our Foundations Podcast

,

Is Agorism an ideal that meshes with the teachings of Christ? Are agorism and anarchism similar or are they distinct ideals?

In this episode, Craig talks with Joshua, founder of Our Foundations, a podcast focused on agorism and how it overlaps with Anarchism and true Christianity. Joshua explains how agorism looks in everyday life and how we might implement these principles within society. Joshua draws out the stark contrast in how the first Church, the Church of Jesus, functioned in comparison to how the Church, as a whole, functions today. What is a Freedom Cell and how might you utilize one in your everyday life? Not only does Joshua give us a lot to think about, here provides real-world examples of how he has overcome the challenges of living out Agorism...one of which is the Freedom Cell. 

br30 sq.png


Links & Starting Points:

1:29 Joshua’s Background 

  • Started digging into economics, political theory, and Bible studies 

  • learned about agorism and related it to political philosophy 

  • started podcast

  • anarchism: political philosophy 

  • agorism: a way of life or applied radical libertarianism 

  • Samuel Edward Konkin 3rd, SEK3

  • grey and black markets

  • red markets: anything involving violence, theft, war

11:00 In the kingdom of God this is our system within the system 

  • impacting the state starts on a personal level 

  • personal responsibility is both anarchism and Christianity 

  • applying these principles in our own life so it can have a personal impact 

12:50. Examples from the early church

  • settle disputes outside of court 

  • Bible gives guidelines for settling disputes outside of the state 

  • welfare is a personal and church responsibility 

  • if modern Christians viewed the church the way they view the state things would be completely different 

  • the church, as a whole, doesn’t exist the way Jesus intended 

20:20 Christians want to outsource responsibility to the state 

  • it is a church on individual responsibility 

  • society has been taught to obey and respect and authority without question: teacher, textbooks, experts 

31:20 Historical Patterns/Cycles 

  • Vin Armani and the Dim Age 

  • leaving material age, entering mystical age 

  • spiritual focus 

  • disregards fact of Bible or science 

  • technology: cell phones, artificial intelligence, genetic therapy, MRNA vaccine 

  • The Church is awakening a new religion. 

  • going against it will and you will be ridiculed, fired, blacklisted 

  • people are searching for spirituality 

  • true Christianity is something that will fill the void

51:43 Agorism group and Freedom Cells

  • online platform for like-minded people to organize 

  • a way to develop real local connections 

58:05 Joshua’s Plugs

,

29. Bringing Jesus to the Secular World - Meeting the Youth Where They Are with Luke Greenwood

,

For many people around the globe today, religion is viewed as a dead tradition of the past with no current relevance. How is it possible to bring Jesus to those who have a distaste for organized religion and Christian values? Craig talks with Luke Greenwood of Steiger International about how Steiger approaches their target mission field. Steiger focuses on sharing the good news of Jesus in a manner that crosses secular cultural boundaries and preconceived prejudices. They have teams in major cities all around the globe, engaging and building relationships as they immerse themselves with the youth of the world. 

They present the gospel in a relevant, yet bold, manner that works to break through the apathetic demeanor of the culture and bring the living God to life for them. 

br29.png

TIMESTAMPS AND STARTING POINTS:

4:20 Luke’s background 

  • born in UK to missionaries

  • grew up in Brazil as a missionary kid

  • call from God to go on missions

  • call to cross secular cultural boundaries

  • now serves in world wide missions

  • uses music as a tool to share the gospel

11:18 Experience at Polish Woodstock 

  • secular youth culture views religion as a dead tradition of the past 

  • there is a distaste towards Christian values 

  • “illegal” concert 

  • invited back the next year to perform on the Hare Krishna’s main stage 

25:00 More about Steiger International 

  • Steiger’s primary purpose: bridge the gap between the church and the global youth community 

  • Steiger teams in major cities around the world 

  • proclaiming the gospel in the secular culture 

  • discipleship 

29:30  How to get involved 

33:30 Provoke and Inspire Podcast 

36:40 Luke’s Book

  • Global Youth Culture: the Spiritual Hunger of the Largest Unreached Culture Today

  • find it on Amazon

  • What is the world’s view today? 

  • secular humanism 

  • how can we bring the good news of Jesus into that scene?


Luke’s Plugs: Steiger.org, his book, the podcast

Get involved in a city near you! 



,

28. The American Church’s Political Obsession with Scott Arnold

,

Many Christians in the United States are outspoken about their desires for Christian men and women to obtain political power and influence. The stance is that religious freedoms need to be protected, but is forcing morality on the people through legislation an effective way to spread the gospel?  Could Christians be doing more harm than good in their efforts?

Scott Arnold is the author of the article Winning the Battle, But Losing the War: The American Church’s Political Obsession.  In this episode, Craig talks with Scott about his transition from a world of conservative, Christian, and redline Republican upbringing into one of Christain Anarchy. They explore how the gospel message can be destroyed or damaged by using politics to force a Christian agenda. Scott also explains his involvement with Steiger International, whose mission is to impact the global youth culture and make the gospel relevant. This is a thought-provoking episode for any Christian who has been of the mindset that Christians need to use politics to further their agenda or force their morality on others. 

br28.png


Timestamps and starting points:

1:27 Scott’s Background

  • Grew up in the conservative Christian republican culture 

  • majored in pastoral ministries 

  • currently lives in northeast Georgia 

4:04 How Scott found The Bad Roman

8:04 Learning about anarchy 

11:35 Discussing Scott’s article: Winning the Battle, but Losing the War: The American Church’s Political Obsession

  • Christians equate increased political power with increased influence

  • When bringing the gospel into the political realm pieces are lost 

  • Abortion and the messy art of law making

  • using politics to force Christian values on others

  • using the government to control morals 

  • outsource morality to the state

  • the state is not, and cannot be, Christian

  • Myth of Christain Nation

26:25 What is the endgame in winning this war?

  • Best case: Christian religious freedom and comfortability 

  • worst case: suppression of all other philosophies 

  • is it really religious freedom Christians are fighting for?

  • prayer in school 

43:05 Polish Woodstock

Scott’s Plugs:

,

27. The Pacifist Case for Gun Rights with Abby Cleckner

,

Most people wouldn’t include the ideas of pacifism in the same thought as contemplating gun rights, except possibly to concur that those things are opposing ideas on the spectrum of peace. Abby Cleckner does an excellent job of explaining how the two can naturally coexist in the same paradigm.

In this episode, Craig tackles this topic, as well as digging into what defines a human right. The term “right” is tossed around a lot in today’s society, but what truly is a human right? And how can someone who advocates for peace and complete pacifism also advocate for the right to own a gun? Can the same Jesus who says “blessed are the peacemakers”, and commands us to turn the other cheek and to love our neighbor, be the same God who created us with the right to own a weapon that has the ability to bring to fruition the opposite of all those things? Abby addresses this along with other related topics in this episode. 

br26 (4).png


Timestamps and starting points:

1:18 Is pacifism inaction? 

  • blessed are the peacemakers 

  • using violence to fight violence, creates more violence

  • “peacemaker” is a term of action

  • planning for peace: consider peaceful ways to defend your family and yourself

  • civil rights activist: trouble makers for peace

  • if we believe that we are a part of God’s kingdom then we have to use His methods. 

7:11 Civil Rights Movement: troublemakers for peace 

11:42 Les Miserables

19:07 Using Legislation to Correct Behavior

  • Why it doesn’t work

  • causes collateral damage

  • Henry Hazlitt: seen and unseen consequences 

  • how does a society get to the point of Nazi Germany

23:30 The Pacifist Case for Gun Rights

  • gun control

  • Advocating the government to use violence on your behalf is not pacifism

  • increases violence

  • you become the judge of others motives

  • gun control is essentially a “thought crime”

  • legality becomes synonymous with morality: war on drugs, prohibition   

37:00 Human Rights are Property Rights

  • What defines a human right? 

  • Property rights start with self-ownership

  • taking our rights seriously is an act of love for others

  • respect for others is essential for establishing the kingdom of heaven on earth 

42:02 Stop using political violence against your enemies

,

26. How to be a Bad Roman with Scott Goldman

,

What does it mean to be a Bad Roman, why is it a good thing for Christians? Craig talks to Scott Goldman about his article “Come Be a Bad Roman”. They discuss the Christian’s entanglement with the state and address the issue of whether or not it is possible to simultaneously engage with the state and follow Christ. Nations, such as the United States, make claims of freedom for all and give mouth to ideals held by Christianity, but does a State really behave in such a manner?

When we misconstrue a nation to be based on Christian values - when that State's involvement at home and abroad proves to be in stark contradiction to its claimed values we must turn away. As Christians we must decide: do we believe in the goal of peace at all cost, peace by might makes right, that the government justifies being their objective, or do we truly adhere to the teachings and challenge of Christ to love our neighbors and enemies?

Join us as Craig and Scott take on these questions head-on and address reasons why Christians seem too ready to follow a man-made government whose functioning is in direct opposition to Christ’s Kingdom.

EP26 Copy.png

Timestamps and starting points:

2:37 Intro to Scott’s article: Come Be a Bad Roman

  • We(Christians) are not called to be involved with the state.

  • Is it possible to engage with the state and follow Christ?

  • Pax Romana or the way of Christ?

  • Jesus did not come as a war hero

7:20 How can we expect the rest of the world to perceive the United States as a “Christian” nation when we are actively killing them?

9:30 A new kingdom emerging

13:07 The desire of control by both the left and the right side of the political spectrum. 

21:52 Why are Christians so ready to follow a man made government? 

  • Fear

  • Laziness and scapegoating 

26:10 American Christianity’s shirking of their responsibility

  • Christians support for Trump 

  • Is there a difference between the Democrats and Republicans?

  • How would we behave if the bombs were being dropped in the USA? 

30:24 Christ’s story through a different lens 

  • Pacifism explained

  • Christ was a pacifist, but also a man of action 

36:36 Our kingdom is not of this world 

  • fall of the Roman Empire 

  • Christ’s command to not worry 

  • The Mind of Christ 

  • Uprooting From the Poverty Mindset

46:00 No King But Christ

,

25. Romans 13 & Stateless Civil Governance with Gregory Baus

,

Is an elected official’s authority automatically ordained by God? What is Jesus referring to when he says “render unto Caesar what is Caesar's”? In the episode, Gregory Baus delves into Romans 13 and stateless civil governance. 

Are Christians required by God to submit to the governing authorities, even when they are tyrannical or immoral? Are all elected officials ordained by God? Is “render to Caesar” referring to a Biblical requirement for Christians to pay taxes? All of the questions and more are answered in this episode. Craig and Gregory also discuss their transition into anarchism and Gregory’s nomadic lifestyle, along with touching on reformed theology and how that affects an anarchist interpretation of Romans 13. 

BR25SQ.jpg


Timestamps & starting points for further exploration:

1:50 Gregory’s background 

  • Baltimore

  • Munich

  • Covenant College

  • Redeemer University

  • teaching English overseas

7:30 Christian Philosophy 

11:15 Transition to anarchism

28:45 Proper understanding of individualism within anarchism

31:45 Romans 13  and Stateless Civil Governance: A Reformed View by Gregory’s Baus

45:25 Nomadic Lifestyle 

  • overseas during middle school 

  • Japan

  • California 

  • Canada

  • Netherlands

  • Cambodia 

  • Beijing 

  • Budapest 

49:00 Dave Ramsey

49:45 Gregory’s plugs 




,

24. Mike Gaddy - Revisionist History - The US Constitution & Secession

,

In the episode, Craig talks with his mentor and dear friend, Mike Gaddy, about secession. For many people, when they hear the word “secession,” slavery is the first thing that comes to mind. But is that a correct representation of secession throughout American history?

Mike has spent over 30 years searching for answers and information to map out a true and accurate representation of US history. His discovery? Oftentimes what we were taught in history class was a filtered down version of a multitude of complex events. This historical filter contributes to a false narrative regarding our understanding of the Constitution and our rights therein. According to Mike secession is peppered throughout true US history, and this fact has just been suppressed and removed from its historical context. Tune in to hear about the historical precedents for secession pre-Civil War, why the South wanted out of the Union, and if secession may be feasible in a modern context. 

My Post copy copy (2).png


Timestamps for further exploration:

1:20 Mike’s background

  • Born and raised in Appalachian Mountains

  • American Foundation for Accountability for POW and MIA    

2:40 Frustration over false historical information

  • United States’s laziness for information

  • People are comfortable in their ignorance 

  • Blatant lies keep the masses comfortable

11:33 Secession: Is it constitutional? 

14:55 Election of 1800

17:00 Election of 1860

21:20 Is the Supreme Court, the biggest racist in American History? 

27:09 Southern States Seceding 

40:05 Current active secession in the US

44:00 Is there a peaceful path to secession in the US? 

Catch Mike at rebelmadman.com and Addicted to Your Own Destruction 



,

23. Scott Horton - The United States Empire - Genocide in Yemen and Beyond

,

In this episode, Craig digs deep with Scott Horton about the US government’s direct involvement with the war of genocide occurring in Yemen and the general stirring of the pot by the US in the Middle East. In addition to being the editorial director at antiwar.com, Scott, a self-proclaimed Ron Paul libertarian, is also the founder of The Libertarian Institute and author of the book, Fool’s Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan. Scott shares his insights regarding the culture war aspect in partisan politics and how every president since George H. W. Bush has been the same product with a different brand name. 

Is the war in Yemen designed to create famine? And if so, how did we get there, why, and what should a Christian’s response be to their government’s involvement in such heinous atrocities? 

Attachment-1 (10).png

Timestamps for further exploration: 

1:22 Scott Horton’s background 

6:20 The Culture War Aspect 

11:45 Craig’s transition, beginning in 2000 

13:00 Bill Clinton’s role in the hate for the US found in the Middle East 

  • Are we required to defend Clinton because of patriotism? 

  • Bush’s blue blood 

  • Carole Quigly 

23:00 Trump’s relationship with Wall Street 

25:45 Exploring the problems US involvement causes  in the Middle East 

  • the effect of sanctions 

27:30 What would it take for a libertarian to become president?

32:20 Biden: Zionist agent of a foreign power 

36:50 Yemen: Why are we there? 

  • the effects of US involvement 

Do people have to decide where their priorities lie? God? Or the state? 

Additional links:

The Great Ron Paul, Interview Transcripts 



,

22. Brian Zahnd, Kathi Peters, & David Peters - Postcards From Babylon

,

For our first podcast of the New Year we sat down with pastor, author, and Comino walker Brian Zahnd and Kathi and David Peters, the founders of Global Stories Films, to discuss their joint project, Postcards From Babylon. Postcards From Babylon is a long-form documentary featuring Brian, as he investigates possibly the most important question for the church in North America today: How does the church stay faithful to the beautiful way of Jesus while situated in one of the most divisive political climates in our nation's history?

If are able and would like to contribute to our Postcard From Babylon Premiere Fundraiser to fund seven tickets, please visit: www.thebadroman.com/fundraiser (please note this has ended)


Timestamps & starting points for further exploration:

01:07 Kathi’s Background

4:13 David’s Background

  • Media Pastor

  • Independent Filmmaker

  • Making Postcards Documentary

10:19 Christian Nationalism - Trump Worship

10:42  Biran’s Story

12:30 America as a Biblical Babylon 

  • The shift needed in the evangelical church

  • Manifest Destiny Fallacy of Empires

  • Churches and flags

19:10 The film and challenges in production during corona

21:23 Early church and government

  • Constantinian Shift

  • The American Context may be getting worse, but this is not a new phenomena

  • Baptism made early Church strangers in their own worlds

  • World Wars and Nationalism between Christians

  • Trump will be hard to recover from

27:55 Motivation for making the documentary

31:02 Ambassadors for Jesus

  • Limited ability in sharing the gospel, requires consistent messaging as representatives of Christ

  • Calling the church to account

33:15 Political Rhetoric and compromising hope in Christ as King

  • Exiles by baptism

  • Live in the political reality, but don’t belong to it

  • Call to a counterculture of Christ

37:55 Bearing witness for Christ and those who do not yet know Him

  • The Republican party can not be the Christians future

  • Conservative push back: if we are Democrats, the Democrats are in trouble

  • Can like Trump’s policies, but cannot defend his behavior/character

  • Speaking truth to power   

43:22 Staying Faithful to Jesus in a divisive political culture

  • Can it be done through politics?

  • Is the church an alternative politics

    • Perhaps, but this does not mean directly

  • Politics of Sermon on the Mount

53:25 Brian’s plugs

Learn more about Kathi and David’s work on their website or Facebook page.

, ,

21. Year End Round Table - All Things 2020

, ,

In the final episode of 2020, we look at the year in review. From sports and celebrity deaths to Coronavirus and lockdowns, tune in to hear nine Christian Anarchists/Voluntaryist make sense of this year and what we can learn from it, both as Christians and Anarchist, moving into the New Year.

If you are interested in donating please click here.

adobe-spark-post (9).png

[please check back for show notes*]







**if you need any questions answered sooner, please send us an email) thank you for your patience!

20. Mark Kreslins - Loving God with Your Mind

In this episode, Mark Kreslins takes us through his pursuit of loving God with his mind and how this path leads us to see anarchism/voluntaryism as our fundamental state. What does this entail? Understanding the Gospel through God's words rather than the allure of experientialism. Mark invites us to rediscover the importance of exegesis and hermeneutics in bringing God's word to life for 21st-century minds. 

Mark is the principle writer for Love God with your Mind and considers himself but a humble sinner saved by the grace of God. He has an extensive background in politics having previously worked for two “conservative” GOP Members of Congress. He had an insider's view of the evil and corruption in Washington D.C. and understands the solution to the mess there. (Bio Lifted from Mark’s site)

Timestamps and starting points for further exploration:

02:00 Marks background & story

10:19 Being Patriotic in Church

13:37 Allure of experientialism

18:52 Constitution is misunderstood

23:00 Political pragmatism and moral relativism among Christians

  • God gives us binary Choices - steal or don’t steal, murder or don’t murder 

28:13 Living the Gospel on Social Media

29:29 Is there a grey area for God?

40:12 Avoiding heated debates online

44:09 The Whiskey Rebellion and talking to people who don’t know the Constitution

50:30 How Mark became an anarchist

 58:00 Mark’s Article - Who is Right, God or Thomas Hobbes?

,

19. John Dangelo - The Battle of Two Faiths - Politics & Christ

,

In this episode of the Bad Roman Podcast, Marine Corps veteran and former atheist, John Dangelo joins Craig for a conversation on the disconnect between what the state does and its compatibility with living the way a faith in Christ challenges us to live. They explore themes of war, contemporary progressivism, and how Christians on the right and left have forgotten how to separate political and religious faith.

As Christian Voluntaryist/Anarchist, we put our faith in Christ, not the authority of man made states. When we take a step back, most of our life, from who’s going to fold the laundry, to where we should go on vacation, or to whose turn it is to pick the kids up from soccer practice is done without government intervention, it is voluntary, it is the true definition of voluntaryism/anarchism. So why did Christians cry out at a man kneeling before a flag rather than kneel before that same flag for the sake of Christ? The realities of this entanglement is what we explore in episode 19 and the cornerstone of what the Bad Roman Project seeks to explore.


Timestamps and resources for further exploration:

00:51 John’s background

01:47 Clinging to faith in political parties instead of in Christ

03:59 Does it benefit politicians on the right to ban abortion

05:24 “Where else would they go”

06:38 Theatrics in place of debate - contemporary progressivism

09:13 Evangelical left

  • Pew data on evangelicals and protestants political bends

13:06 Push back from other veterans on John’s writings

13:57 Talking with other Christians

  • Being a Sunday school teacher

  • Thrive Church

15:04 Where is the disconnect for Christians when it comes to war?

18:58 What is the hold up for Christians?

  • Losing site of faith when talking politics

 22:23 The failures of the two-party system & the path to anarchy

25:56 Colin Kapernick kneeling and the response from the right

26:37 Overtly political symbols in Church

  • You cannot be a servant to two masters

  • Peaceful protest

  • Anarchist are supposed to be peaceful

29:50 We are anarchist in 99% of our lives

  • Reject rules, chose it voluntarily 

32:10 Collapse of the Soviet Union

  • Was relatively peaceful, things did not go up in flames

35:40  Government as Mad Max analogy 

38:16 John’s plugs

,

18. TJ's Story

,

In this special episode of the Bad Roman Podcast, John Dangelo, Scott Goldman, and Nicholas Harrelson join Craig to help us understand more about addiction. This episode is dedicated to TJ, Craig’s brother who recently passed away and we hope by sharing his story will help at least one person find some light in a dark place. Addiction and mental illness touch everyone’s family in some shape or form. If you or someone you love is struggling we encourage you to seek help. Below is a list of resources, which of course are only starting points.

  1. Suicide Hotline: 800-273-8255

  2. Substance Abuse Hotline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

  3. Hub site of resources

  4. Find an AA meeting 

adobe-spark-post (2).png

Timestamps & resources for further exploration:

2:01 John’s Experience with addiction

  • poly-substance addiction

  • importance of the disease model


3:15 Nicholas’s Experience with addiction

  • Opiates & heroin stats

 5:05 Scott’s experience with addiction

6:30 CRAIG Background on TJ and why this episode exist

  • alcoholism

  • addiction

  • depression

  • coronavirus and mental health

  • suicide rate since corona

  • alcohol sales since corona

13:20 Dangers of quitting alcohol “cold turkey”

15:03 God loves the addict

  • millennial suicide rate during quarantine (1 in 4) 

20:23  What is a “moment of clarity” for an addict?

21:34 Nicholas describes his moment of clarity

25:11 Scott’s moment of clarity 

28:28 How do we reach someone who does not want to be reached, l can you induce clarity?

38:10 How can we better understand addiction and support those affected by it? Is the system set up for failure?

  • C Car in Connecticut

  • No clear guidelines for addicts to recover

  • Chasing the Scream book

53:37 Do addicts not care?

55:43 Addiction changes the brain

57:44 How Portugal successfully decriminalized drugs, reallocated resources to recovery efforts, and changed its addiction rate

58:44 The importance of rediscovering the spiritual realm as an addict



,

17. Kerry Baldwin - Asking Better Questions

,

In this episode, Kerry Baldwin is back to talk about her new courses designed to help people of all ages become critical, reflective, thinkers and why this lost skill is becoming more and more crucial. Craig and Kerry begin their conversation by taking a look at how both the public’s and the government's responses to COVID-19 have shifted since April.

They next dive into Kerry’s course where we are invited to reconsider how we think about thinking, learning, and what actually is wisdom? This episode is not about answers, rather it is a beacon to the importance of crafting the question to precede any answer.

Timestamps and resources to start learning more:

1:17 Who is Kerry Baldwin

5:51 Shifts in public attitudes toward COVID-19

11:16 Are coronavirus measures removing our humanity?

13:35 Kerry’s Socratic Seminars

21:36 Materials Kerry uses in her course and why

26:53 Social media contrasted with the Socratic method

28:41 Importance of participation in the Socratic method...aka why you can’t skip the Zoom call

  • Benefits of a coach in facilitating an open learning environment

  • Starting with asking questions and feeling safe asking them

  • Answering questions you weren't’ prepared for

33:58 How does this method teach critical thinking?

  • Different skill levels in thinking - 6 Stages

  • Socrates definition of wisdom - the more knowledge you have about the world the more you realize how much you don’t know 

  • Those with less knowledge believe they know more than actually do - Dunning-Kruger Effect 

  • Socratic method as a way to learn about the world and self

  • How can these skills help us with social media?

40:09 Understanding how true statistics can be framed to manipulate us

43:04 Kerry’s Socratic seminars vs. lecture-style classes  

  • What does learning look like to you?

  • Permission to fail and be wrong

  • Teacher pouring knowledge into student vs. engaged learning

  •  Forced vs. voluntary engagement/participation

50:00 Why we need more people involved in asking good questions and productive methods of conversation

  • It’s ok not to agree, in fact, we don’t want everyone to agree with us

  • It’s not about “putting someone in their place”

  • Social media and the desire to be right, even without understanding why you may be right (or wrong)

53:16 Learning more from being right than being wrong

  • The “gut punch” of being wrong

  • Getting comfortable with not knowing

  • Bruised egos

55:37 What skills do students develop?

  • Compare and contrast, clarifying issues conclusions and beliefs, understanding the difference between over-simplification and generalization

  • “Feelings care about facts”

  • Intellectual humility, courage, and integrity

  • Independent thinking, self-awareness, fair-mindedness

  • Perseverance, confidence, and reason

  • And more!

57: 41 Feedback: What people have said of Kerry’s Socratic Seminars 

  • Don’t underestimate kids!

  • Giving kids a safe environment to make mistakes and what they will reveal they know

1:01:00 What we can learn from younger generations

  • Why “old people” may be stuck in their ways - what’s going on in a child’s brain?

  • Neuroplasticity

1:04:25 Kerry’s plugs

 
,

16. Patrick Carroll - If You Vote You Can’t Complain

,

In this episode, Craig speaks with Patrick Carroll about his article If You Vote You Can’t Complain. Their discussion explores topics on suffrage in Canada and the United States and possible answers to why voters seem to be growing more and more apathetic to participating in the democratic system. 

They explore the problem with “defensive voting” and how it may not be disrespectful to the past to refrain from casting your ballot every 2-4 years. In the midst of a Presidential Election in the US, this episode is an offering to listeners to consider what a vote is, who gives you that right, and who’s Kingdom you may be endorsing by participating in a system that upholds its power through force. 

adobe-spark-post (13).png


Timestamps and links to start learning more:

01:10 Who is Patrick Carroll

04:05 What prompted Patrick to write his article “You Can’t Complain if You Vote”

  • Response to you can’t complain if you don’t vote

  • Voting as complicity in system you are complaining about

06:26 Explaining low voter turnout

11:29 Let’s (anarchist/voluntaryist) talk to the nonvoters

15:54 Speaking to individuals vs. groups

19:45 Relationship between individualism/collectivism and fallacy of representation

23:38 Justin explains Canada’s political systems and issues he has seen in elections

26:10 Popular vote vs. who actually wins in US politics 

27:55 Response to “why you should vote” i.e. people have died for the vote, disrespect to suffrage movements, ect.   

  • Is it disrespectful to ask politicians to rule over your neighbors?

  • Is voting important?

  • Positive rights vs. negative rights

    • Positive rights means someone else has a corresponding responsibility (similar to entitlement)

    • Negative implies someone has to not do something e.g. Freedom of Speech means others have to not interfere with your speech

  • The “right” to vote only exist in context of the state

    • Is right to have say in how you are ruled

  • Misnomer to call voting a right

    • The “right” to vote only exist in context of the state

      • Can be seen as right to have say in how you are ruled

  • Respecting people starts by not ruling over people, which, on the contrary, voting supports

33:11 Is America following the constitution? 

37:07 Voting and Slavery

  • Larken Rose video 

  • “Asking your master implies it is their choice...legitimizing their role as master”

  • Being principled is most pragmatic approach, “defensive voting” compromise principles

  • Abolitionist movement was uncompromising

    • Anything less than total abolition of slavery was not sufficient

  • Being ruthlessly principled is the way of Jesus

    • Example: He could have gone on military conquest and overthrown the Romans

  • Lysander Spooner on defensive voting 

41:27 We need to stop pretending

  • Can a broken system fix itself?

    • Does it have an interest to?

  • What message does showing up at the poles send?

 44:30 Patrick’s Plugs