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A look at the messiahs we often run after, and how this is missing the mission.https://twitter.com/departiedEpisode Resources:David French: Christian Political Ethics are Upside DownKari Lake and "BDE"More Kari LakeThe Young Turks Response to BDELauren Boebert, AR-15s, and awful theologyMatt LaBash - Jesus WeptIn God We Trust Signs in Public SchoolsPew Survey: Declining Church AffiliationDW Interview of Rick Wilson (quoted from around 4:30 mark)Image: In God We Trust on the Gallows

In this episode, I take a look back at the transformation of Ted Cruz over the last six years. It isn't pretty.https://twitter.com/departiedLinks to some of the research for this episode:The Rise and Fall of the Cruz-Trump BromanceCognitive Dissonance and the Peg Turning experiment (correction, in the episode I said this was from 1915. It's actually from 1959) Let's Go Brandon"Leave the rest to the Republican congressmen"Inside Ted Cruz's Last-Ditch Effort to Keep Trump in PowerDavid French: There is No Remaining Christian Case for TrumpJonah Goldberg: The Descent of MenLiz Cheney's slaps away Jim JordanTed Cruz's remarks on Texas seceding from the Union

In this episode, I explore more deeply the consequences of ignoring character in our leaders, in light of the COVID pandemic and the aftermath of the 2020 election.Links:https://twitter.com/departied 300,000 US COVID deaths could have been averted through vaccination, analysis finds: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/300000-us-covid-deaths-averted-vaccination-analysis-finds/story?id=84753284 Trump's faith advisor goes HEAVY METAL!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzIym0eZsH0 1/4/22 PRRI Study: https://www.prri.org/spotlight/anniversary-of-jan-6-insurrection/

While there is reason to be hopeful, there's always place for lament as well. Some reasons for grief from the past four years, with a special guest monologue from Molly Wahlquist.

What does it mean to be pro life? My observations as a pro life voter in this contentious election year.

This is the second half of my interview with Bethany and Thomas Macias, in which we explore ways our civic engagement can be loving toward our neighbor.

This is the first half of a two-part interview with my daughter Bethany and her husband Thomas, in which we take a look at the conflict in our country and discuss the causes and the possible remedies. They also share the wonderful story of their pandemic wedding.

An analysis of the deal that Donald Trump struck with evangelicals in 2016; the terms of the deal and what each party to the deal received.

An interview with my wife Jill regarding her journey of listening to and learning from the voices of people of color.The title of this episode was coined by Dr. Drew Hart and describes the practice of listening to and believing the lived experiences and stories of others even when their stories seem foreign to us.

Welcome to Season 2 of the Departied Podcast. In this episode I examine modern evangelical End Times beliefs and how those beliefs can drive unhealthy views of our politics and the worth of other human beings.

Some parting thoughts as I close out this podcast.

In this episode I wonder when we will have finally had enough of conspiracy theories, ends-justify-the-means thinking, and the grief at another unarmed black man killed by the police.

This is the second half of my interview with Ira Hall, in which he provides some reasons for hope in our contentious culture and exhortation toward valuing truth more than political narratives.

Part 1 of my interview with Ira Hall, in which we discuss lots of things, including how difficult it can be to see things from someone else's point of view and within their life experiences.

My thoughts on the pandemic, the 9/11 attacks, and what current events say, both good and bad, about our nation's character.

Thoughts on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter, toxic political idolatry, a better way, and the Coronavirus pandemic.

In this episode I examine how Donald Trump views his presidency through a Reality TV framework, as evidenced by many of his actions during the pandemic.

My thoughts on the pandemic, social distancing, and what I hope are some encouraging words during this time.

My interview with Joel Goza, author of America's Unholy Ghosts. This is a wide-ranging discussion on faith, politics and race, and very few sacred cows survive unscathed.

How do we protect ourselves from lending support to something horrible? What are the narratives we build for ourselves to rationalize that support? Are we good people? A multitude of thoughts on this topic in this episode.