GodArchy Podcast

Should America build that wall? Should libertarians support it? And what about Christians? In this episode, I tackle the issue of immigration from both a libertarian and Christian perspective. I also share some thoughts on Christmas and the Kingdom of Peace that dawned with the birth of Jesus.

Do we really need government cops to "protect us?" Peter Quinones doesn't think so. In this episode of the GodArchy podcast, he joins me to talk about the concept of private policing. Peter and I discuss the myriad problems behind the "thin blue line," the myths many people believe about law enforcement, restorative justice, and examples of private policing in existence today. Peter R. Quinones is managing editor of the Libertarian Institute and hosts the Free Man Beyond the Wall podcast.

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What’s the difference between a country ruling over me and a religion ruling over me? Quite simply, I chose one and not the other. It all comes down to the issue of compulsion.

In this episode of the GodArchy podcast, I consider the role of authority in our lives. We chose to submit to some authorities. Other authorities force our obedience. I contend that coercing somebody to submit to your will isn’t a morally or ethically legitimate way to relate to them. But why not? Tune in and I’ll explain.

You can visit the GodArchy website at https://GodArchy.org.

A lot of people on the left (and the right) justify their politics because they view their preferred policies as just, compassionate and loving. In this episode of the GodArchy podcast, I look at a blog post by Christian activist John Pavlovitz making just such an assertion. He rides in on a moral high horse, but fails to realize it is crippled and lame. You don't get to claim the moral high ground when you advocate violence force and coercion.

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By now, you've probably heard about the Dallas cop who killed an unarmed man in his own home, and how the victim's brother forgave the killer cop. It was a beautiful picture of Christian grace and mercy.

But not everybody appreciated Brandt Jean's gesture. Some Christians even balked at this radical forgiveness. Did Amber Guyger even deserve forgiveness? After all, she didn't repent. And what about justice?

In this episode of the GodArchy podcast, I consider all of these questions. Along the way, I talk about cops and the moral authority of the state - death.

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Christian anarchist? Is that even a thing?

Yes it is. And in this episode of the GodArchy podcast, I have a little fireside chat with fellow AnarchoChristian and podcast host Stephen about the ideas.

Stephen shares a little bit about his faith journey and the path he took that led him to libertarian anarchism. As we get into the meat of the episode, we discuss some of the things that we've found particularly challenging as we've struggled to reconcile our faith and our political worldviews.

Visit the GodArchy website at GodArchy.org.

Come see the violence inherent in the system!

You've may have seen the famous Monty Python scene from the Quest for the Holy Grail where Dennis shouts that line as King Arthur roughs him up. The bit is pretty funny, but also poignant. Because it does often seem the system is inherently violent, doesn't it?

And it doesn't matter which system it is. Violence seems to be cross-cultural and even ritualized.

The work of historian, literary critic, and anthropological philosopher René Girard sheds light on this seemingly ubiquitous violence. He work revolves around two ideas - mimetic theory and scapegoat theory.

Libertarian entrepreneur, speaker, and writer David Gronoski has studied Girard's work extensively and applied it to our modern world. As David puts it on A Neighbor's Choice website, "Jesus offers a way of life not only for personal transformation but also a roadmap for how our neighborhoods and nations should be socially ordered."

In this episode of the GodArchy podcast, I talk to David about mimetic desire, how that leads to scapegoating, how Jesus breaks the cycle of systemic violence and how we can apply these ideas in our modern world.

In this episode, I talk with Robert Anthony Peters, writer and director of the Tank Man film.

You've probably seen the iconic image of the man standing defiantly in front of a line of Chinese Army tanks in Tiananmen Square. Nobody knows who that man was or what happened to him. The Tank Man film dramatizes the hours leading up to that historic moment. In this interview, we not only talk about the film, but the broader ramifications of that day. We also chat a little about the current situation in Hong Kong.

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Race has become one of the most dominant issues in American politics. In my view, both sides of the political debate get it wrong. In this episode of the GodArchy podcast, I explore the issue of race and identity politics from both a biblical and political perspective. Ultimately, I believe racial politics is used as a tool to divide us and empower government. Racism is real, but politics isn't going to fix that.

In this episode, I talk with Black Guns Matter cofounder Maj Toure. Black Guns Matter is an organization that educates people in urban communities about the Second Amendment through firearms training. But it's not just about arming people up. The organization places a heavy emphasis on conflict resolutions. Maj and I talk about the organization, the politics of firearms, self-defense, the importance of conflict resolution and the idea of self-ownership. We also touch more generally on racial politics.

"I don't really care if you think my life matters. I know my life matters. And my black gun will protect my life."