In this episode we examine the strange phenomenon of Parler (the new alt-right social media platform) users getting upset they can't use any password they want when creating a profile. Somehow, their internet safety is much less important than the absolute freedom to make a password without a special character. Join us as we discuss how this mentality of pseudo-freedom over security is part of a larger pathology that extends beyond mask wearing and password protecting.

We are stuck, waiting. Waiting to see if there is a relatively peaceful transfer of power in January. Waiting as drug companies announce promising vaccines as we long for an end to this pandemic. Advent, the Christian season of hopeful waiting, approaches with a deeper urgency and anxiety than many in our society have experience. What do we do as we wait?

Today we discuss apologies and forgiveness. Do we have to forgive everyone who says "I'm sorry?" Or is it possible that apologies without restitution, reparation, or some tangible form of repentance are actually harmful?

Billionaire Charles Koch has been in the news over the weekend for apologizing for decades (and millions of dollars) spent pushing a partisan agenda that has led to a deeply polarized society. Though donating a variety of progressive causes that also line up with his libertarian ideology, most of his spending remains entirely partisan. We'll start our discussion using Koch as one example among many public figures who have, over the years, publically apologized for misdeeds or mistakes with little action to back them up.

It's been nearly two weeks since the election and Trump withholds his concession. Trumpites are dumping FOX for more even-more-myopic networks. They are leaving social media for niche alt-right platforms. All the while, Trump is manipulating things in order to increase his ratings and his profit margin.

In the months leading up to the election, criticisms of Biden were often brushed aside by democrats. They told us: "The highest priority is stopping Trump. Let's wait until Biden's elected, THEN we'll hold his feet to the fire." Now that the people have voted and Biden is (theoretically) elected, what does it mean to hold his "feet to the fire?" What leverage do we have? How do we use it?

Leading up to the 2020 presidential election, many self-described "prophets" proclaimed that Trump would be re-elected. Since then, some have apologized. Others are pointing to their prophecies as proof of voter fraud—after all, God is never wrong! And many continue to see fighting for Trump as an act of spiritual warfare. In this episode, we look at the strange spirituality of these false prophets and their followers, and how it feeds fascistic political movements.

Trump is (unsurprisingly) refusing to cede the election. While some republican leaders have already acknowledged the win of Biden/Harris, many continue to fuel the unsubstantiated accusation of wide-spread voter fraud. The rhetoric that the democrats have "illegally seized power" persists.

The US presidential election is undecided. That it wasn't a blowout for Biden shocks many. Many, particularly the Democratic Party establishment, underestimated support for Trump. As one voter put it "My IRA is doing fine, my husband and I can do whatever we want, I'm voting for Trump." In an election energized by growing fears and anxieties, what does the election reveal about our nation and it's people?

Today is the 2020 US presidential election. It is almost universally understood that if Trump wins, it will be because of the strange arcanery that is the Electoral College, not the popular vote. We're a REPUBLIC not a DEMOCRACY, right? As conservatives attempt to limit voter rights, defend the electoral college, and stifle the path toward citizenship, they intensify minority rule in the United States. Today, we discuss the dynamics of minority rule as voters go to the polls.

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Don Matthews, retired professor of religion and pastoral counseling and the author of numerous papers and several books on Christian history and theology. Don's recent book "Blackcentricity: How Ancient Black Cultures Created Civilization. Revealing the truth that White Supremacy Denied" explores the way White-Supremacist Christianity "whitened" Ancient Egypt and Sumeria to deny influence of Black civilization on European and Christian development.