The Cory Truax Show

On This Episode:

ENTERTAINING OURSELVES TO DEATH

An important book by this title came out in 1985. I recently went through it, and it's important. He primarily argues that George Orwell's vision of totalitarianism coming from an outside force was wrong. Instead Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" correctly demonstrates that totalitarianism will come from our triviality, addiction to distraction, and love of entertainment.

THINK ABOUT YOUR PHONE

I have long argued that it's the CONTENT of anything that matters and not the thing itself. I think I'm wrong about that. In an oral communication era, those with wisdom and age were desired. In a written world era, logic, preciseness, and rhetoric thrived. In a TV world, entertainment was king. In our new media world, we've designed it to reward all the wrong things. The devices themselves matter, and we need to rethink our relationships to our devices because of that.

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE FBI

I'm not even really talking about the execution of a warrant on a previous president. I'll wait to get more details before pronouncing judgment on that. However, there is a lot of oddity going on at the FBI that undermines its credibility. That's a dangerous development. I'll provide details.

A LOT MORE

On This Episode:

SOCIAL SCIENCE CATCHES UP TO THE BIBLE -- AGAIN

A recent study demonstrates the very real outcomes when lower incomes kids become friends with higher income kids. The study demonstrates what he know is obvious: who we choose as are social circle largely determines who we become. The Bible has been saying that for millennia. 

AOC, MTG, AND BURNING IT ALL DOWN

I want to compare Nancy Pelosi/Paul Ryan on one side and Ocasia-Cortez and Taylor-Green on the other. There's something instructive here about reforming a system instead of seeking to burn it down.

WHAT'S IN THE BILL?

We have a half-trillion dollar bill working through Congress. Let me give you the details about what's in it. Hint: it's mostly just taxes and spending.

On This Episode:

SIGNIFICANT DEPRESSION STUDY

Psychology today published a study that concludes the "Chemical Imbalance" theory of depression has no empirical evidence. Some folks are OVER-interpreting this data, but this is an important moment to assess our thinking on the future of mental health treatments. I have a ton to say on this one.

C-V-D19 THOUGHTS

Dr. Deborah Birx made an important admission I want to address, and a Canadian Court issued an import vindication of a pastor who refused to close his church during lockdowns. I have some other thoughts after looking back on the response.

VENGEANCE IS A TERRIBLE MOTIVATOR

The party on the Right in the US is poised to win a majority in at least one chamber of The Congress. It seems some have an agenda designed to extract revenge -- not to solve problems. In politics and in life, vengeance is a destructive motivator.

 A LOT MORE

ON THIS EPISODE:

PATRIARCHY VS. COMPLEMENTARITY

I found a group of believers recently that want to use the the term "patriarchy" to describe the Bible's teachings on gender roles. I want to argue that we don't need that word and all its baggage. We have better ways to explain the Bible's revealed truth and wisdom: masculinity and femininity are good, of high honor, and complement each other. Men still take the heavy responsibility to lead, care for, provide for, and protect in the home and the church in complementarianism. Women still fill their vital role. We just don't need that alienating term.

A NEW "ISM."

The culture is full of "isms." There's a new one, adultism, that claims, GASP, some of us believe parents and adults must set up boundaries to keep children safe without the children's consent. I'll tell you all about this madness.

3 STORIES IN 15 MINUTES

1. The Justice system's slowness is causing injustice and more crime.

2. A recent video tried to make me sympathetic to Christian bands who lost their fame over their support of aberrant sexualities. It did not succeed. We can treat the sinner outside the faith with grace, kindness, and winsomeness. If someone inside Christianity is claiming that which is evil is good, we must act for the purity of the church.

3.Everyone is talking about the political realignment happening now. I have some thoughts on how white, woke, Leftists are driving people in my direction.

On This Episode:

THE CHRISTIAN AN PATRIOTISM

I want to re-visit this topic with categories. We can trade in America First and "proud to be an American for "Kingdom first" and humility that God placed us in the most prosperous, safest, most stable place in human history. Let's be grateful for where we are, use its opportunities for the Gospel -- all without making the country an idol.

HOW TO REPOND TO COUNTRY IDOLATRY

The American story is beautiful. That's why it has patriots and followers. The Christian story is even better. The Christian story is better than the stories of our families, ethnicities, ideologies, countries or anything else. So, let's tell the beautiful story of Jesus.

SHEED DOGS VS. SHEPHERDS

In evangelicalism right now, there's a divide on how to present truth faithfully. I argue here that there's a role for sheepdogs -- snapping the flock into safety.  There's also a role for shepherds who more gently guide. Both types need to appreciate each other.

HARASSMENT OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS

We're in a season of people protesting at houses and restaurants. That's currently coming only from the Left. The Right will respond in kind if it continues. That makes for an ugly an contentious world.

On This Episode:

LOCAL UNIVERSITY DOES NOT RENEW LESBIAN PROFESSOR'S CONTRACT

A Baptist University is getting a little negative attention for letting a newly-open lesbian professor go. They made the exact correct decision, and I'll tell you why.

RAPID FIRE SECOND SEGMENT

-A reasoned response to our gender madness from... Bette Midler?

-Part of growing up is no longer letting our experiences tint our formulation of policy prescriptions.

-Another religious liberty win at a lower court. Now, what are we going to do with all this religious freedom?

-I think a listener convinced me that no person should say another person is going to hell.

THE SUPEREME COURT'S OTHER HUGE WIN

In the last year, the Supreme Court ruled:

-The CDC can't issue an eviction moratorium

-OSHA can't force employers to be vaccine police

-The EPA can't write specific regulation for carbon emissions without Congressional approval.

These are all good, important decisions that disempowers the executive branch, empowers Congress, and restores a lot of power to the States. We need that separation of powers if we're going to hold together. The Court is starting to put the federal government back in its box, and that's healthy.

POST-ROE REACTIONS

I want to respond to the good and bad responses I've seen since Roe was overturned.

On This Episode:

WHY THE LEFT TENDS TO BE UNPREPARED FOR ARGUMENTS

In the aftermath of rulings on abortion, guns, and religious liberty, I noticed the Left is bad at their arguments. I theorize that is because to be on the Left means your worldview is affirmed in school, on TV, in movies, in music, and the entire culture more broadly. To be on the Right is to be challenged by the world around you. That has left the Left unprepared and under informed on these topics.

PRAISE THE LORD: ROE AND CASEY ARE DEAD. WHAT NOW?

I want to spend some time equipping you to traverse the lies (and sometimes just ignorant claims) expressed regarding abortion the last couple of weeks. I want to recap the story of these 49 years and how we got to this momentous occasion. Finally, let's talk about how we serve our neighbors in a post-Roe world.

RULINGS ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

The Court also ruled that Christian schools can't be excluded from school voucher programs and that school employees don't have to drop their faith at work. These rulings have been a mercy, and I'm grateful for them.

JAPAN LOWER COURT RULES AGAINST GAY MARRIAGE

It's interesting that a totally non-Christian culture and government finds a very logical reason that marriage should be reserved to men and women. 

INDEPENDENCE DAY

I finish with a quick word ont he holiday and how we balance celebrating the country but keeping our eyes on the eternal home we get later.

On This Episode:

WHAT HAPPENED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION

-I found that we have a conservative vs fundamentalist divide over abortion, Critical Race Theory, Standards for Leaders and our general demeanor.

-I have a lot to say about all of those.

-Rick Warren bragged into a microphone, but it gives us a chance to examine the distinctions of the Church's governance. How is the Church to be run?

OTHER TOPICS

-The Supreme Court issues an encouraging ruling on religious freedom.

-Belief in God plummets on the Left and among Democrats. This divide is our most profound.

-Local  grandad finds LGBT propoganda children's books in the public library.

ON THIS EPISODE:

KAVANAUGH ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

The only feature of the tumult of the 1960s we haven't had is the assassinations. We are a people standing on shaky ground. We can't handle a major assassination. We can learn a lot from this plot and from whence it came.

THE CHURCH AND BIG DATA

Some churches are now using the same tactics that major digital media and digital advertisers use to target potential members or target people in need. Are you okay with churches using the same tactics as Google, Amazon, and other tech giants?

WE HAVE A WEIRD TAKE ON AGE IN THE US

As we've discussed raising the age on when someone can buy certain guns, it has occurred to me that we have an almost schizophrenic view of age. Alcohol, smoking, maybe guns, and other items are too sensitive for 18-years-olds. At the same time, we say 18-year-olds are mature enough to vote, take on large amounts of debt, or change their "gender." There is no cohesion.

RAPID FIRE:

-A way to fix social security

-Funny but also crazy End Times "prophet" on YouTube

-AOC misunderstands our government

-Thoughts on the January 6th hearings

ON THIS EPISODE:

LIVING AS A CHRISTIAN DURING THE SECULAR HOLY MONTH OF "PRIDE"

It occurred to me that all religions have a calendar. The Christian calendar just recently celebrated Ascension Day and Penteost.

In our secular progressive humanist religion -- the dominant religion in America -- Pride month is starting to seem like their Advent or Passover. That recognition prompted this question: how does a Christian behave when the secular church is celebrating its holy month. I have some ideas.

REVISITING THE SBC SEX ABUSE TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS

The SBC should adopt a lot of what has been recommended. I have a couple words of caution on how this process should work.

A LOT MORE