Jesus starts talking in riddles to hide the wonderful secrets of the new society from those who would destroy it. The wise will understand while those in power will not.This episode and the next two regular episodes, numbers 33 and 34, explore the parables discourse of chapter 13 (which begins at the end of chapter 12). Through this discourse, Jesus trains his disciples to be scribes of the New Society.

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In this episode, we talk about democracy at the local level with Whittier Mayoral candidate Rolando Cano. We discuss the ultimate voter suppression: believing your vote doesn't count. When we understand what's at stake and recognize that our vote does count, we become more involved.

 

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In this special episode, Bert Newton interviews Dr. Sebastien Doane, Professor of Biblical Studies at Laval University, in Quebec City, and author of Zombies, Unicorns, Cannibals; Strange Tales from the Bible (published by Paulist Press).

This is the premiere episode of Democracy Under Fire! My new YouTube and Facebook show. My guest is Shawn Cassey O'Brien. He is the author of "For the Love of Long Shots: A Memoir on Democracy." We discuss the current crisis for democracy with nearly 400 bills introduced in Statehouses across the country restricting people's right to vote. and the failure of the United States Senate to pass the For the People Act and to modify or remove the filibuster for the sake of democracy and our freedoms, including our constitutional and sacred right to vote. 

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As Trump continues his ongoing coup plot to overthrow our government, we read about the seven demons that return to make matters worse than before. In this episode, Bert Newton tells us how to store up treasure in heaven and how to bring the kingdoms of this world down.

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On Saturday, August 7th, I held a Democracy Can't-Wait Town Hall in the City of Whittier with City Council Member and California State Senate Candidate Henry Bouchot. After I and Council Member Bouchot speak, the community weighed on the importance of Democracy and of eliminating or modifying the filibuster. 

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We must fight for and protect our God-given right to rule ourselves. In this episode, Jesus diagnoses the problem of demon possession differently than his upper-class opponents. He finds the root cause of the problem not in the demon-possessed individual but in the situation of oppression.Special Music by Murry Hammond whose music can be found here.

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Jesus calls for a more humane application of the Law and defeats the elite legal scholars of the old society in public debate.

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Our democracy is threatened. We just escaped an attempted coup and another is on the way. Republican legislators, emboldened by the "Big Lie," are passing laws restricting people's right to vote. This episode offers a biblical and spiritual reflection on race and voting rights. 

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Ever wonder about that parable about the children playing games in the marketplace? Bert Newton will unpack this parable and the lesson of the light and easy yoke from the second half of chapter 11 of the Gospel of Matthew. As we will see, Jesus is the broker of God's wisdom to the people, wisdom for a new society that is not oppressive.