The Willing Fool: Recent Episodes
Paul Trimble
In The Willing Fool podcast, we ask questions and seek answers about the biggest questions of life--what is the meaning of life, what we should pursue and how. We question, think, explore, and discuss things that you care about but might not feel safe to say out loud. We consider this search for wisdom a sacred journey that we can take together.
We've come to the rootless, unhinged, and disingenuous endgame of our New Secular Religion. Claims are being made, lines are being drawn, and goalposts are ever moving in this movement towards group madness.
Check out the video podcast at https://www.youtube.com/@paultrimble22/videos
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Who are the founders of the modern movement that we now find ourselves a part of? What were their lives and thoughts like? Understand them can bring surprising insight and clarity into our confusing and chaotic cultural moment.
Psst...Did you know the podcast is now also available on YouTube in video form?
Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@paultrimble22.
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A hot button post and a spicy comments section are a thread that will lead us to a deeper analysis of what's going on in this cultural moment.
Pssst...Did you know that these episodes are also now available on YouTube? It's under my channel @paultrimble22 or search for Paul Trimble.
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Looking at the direction our conversations have been moving in the last five years points to a new sensibility, and maybe even a new religion being born.
Psst...These podcast episodes are now also available as YouTube videos. Just go to my channel @paultrimble22 or search for Paul Trimble. See you there.
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What happens when people take on a belief system that works like a religion but they claim to be non-religious? Something like what we see in the public today.
Psst...These podcast episodes are also now YouTube videos. Just go to my YouTube channel @paultrimble22 to check them out.
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Why have the progeny of early Feminists turned to devour their Mother? If you understand this, you may understand what's underneath our New Secular Religion--a movement which refuses to define what it is or what it stands for but feels justified in tearing down nearly everything.
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I discuss the difficult topic of transgenderism and what it points to in terms of language, power, fundamental mental categories, and the direction of humanity.
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Some people took offense at performances during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Were Christians imagining references to Jesus' Last Supper re-enacted by drag queens, or was it Greek mythology? Does it matter? Is there anything there to take offense?
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For some time, modern Westerners have prided themselves on building and basing their beliefs purely on scientific evidence. But this was never true, and this reality is becoming more obvious. Where science cannot speak, the bible has an important paradigm for how we believe and live.
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Sometimes it isn't the content of the critique but the tone and spirit of the critic that hits us hardest. In this episode, we talk through 5 critiques of belief and some ways to process them.
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The landscape about belief has changed in the last several decades, but these developments take time to work their way through to the popular culture. In this episode we track a few of the macro-developments.
Gary Habermas' website: https://www.garyhabermas.com/
Richard Hays' book: Echoes of Scriptures in the Gospels
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You may hear versions of these three arguments for why believing in God is ridiculous or unreasonable. Hearing and considering them can help you decide what you do believe and why.
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The ancient trope of making a bargain with the devil, then paying the price is one worth understanding and considering. Power, success, and advantage are nice in the moment, but what might we be giving away in their pursuit?
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If you've noticed a change in the environment in the last several years, you're not alone. Culture is always changing, but it seems the movement has accelerated in dramatic and unexpected ways during this specific time frame. What are the markers of that change, and what might be the reason for it? This is what we explore in this episode.
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From the mental health crisis and the meaning crisis, to growing interest in nonhuman beings, to the twin trans movements, is there something more than just the random unfolding of events at work when it comes to the flourishing and fulfillment of humankind?
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The pressing issues and conflicts of our day should drive us to gain a clear understanding of what a human is and should be. Some of these same issues also may reveal how we are being challenged and undermined--and to what end. It's worth the effort to think and consider deeply, for as much clarity as possible. The shape of the future depends on it.
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What is a human? What are we for and what is our purpose? How you answer that question will determine how you view life and reality. The truth is something that is scary, but also more fantastical and better than any answer we could invent.
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What is the solution to the so-called "male crisis"? And what is the cause in the first place? Opinions abound. There may be more going on than we can see at first glance.
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Is there a third way between avoiding the harsh realities and conflicts of the world, on one hand, and joining an entrenched position and posture of conflict, on the other? Jesus tapped into a rich vein, a kernel of truth, that we often miss, that enabled him to go from quiet reflection in the countryside to the heart of most tense geopolitical conflict of his day, with strength and authenticity.
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In this episode, we look at how language around transgender issues has changed in the last few years, reflecting an evolving rhetoric. Since our meta-narrative, values, and norms are related, this is one more manifestation of the new civic religion that has evolved.
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Is all inequality the result of oppression? Are there alternative explanations? In this episode we take a stroll through some of the public dialogue around gender and gender inequalities, questioning if the mainstream narrative of patriarchal oppression of women is the gold standard of narrative explanations.
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Many were shocked by the brutality of the attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians in October of 2023, only to be further amazed by the cheering of these events by many in the U.S. and other western countries. How did we get here? Is it possible to have an opinion in the context of such bitter conflicts without becoming an unthinking agent of one group or another?
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It's easy to be overwhelmed by what goes on in the world around us. It's easy to either A) try to ignore it and stay as safe and neutral as possible in our own life because it's all too much or B) enter the fray and take a well-established side in an acrimonious atmosphere. Are those the only options, or is there a different way? How did Jesus seem to walk that question out? What is the secret?
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In Jesus' day, a certain popular way of thinking and believing made religious people dumber, more arrogant, and resistant to change and correction. Their posture and claims as God's "honor guards" were betrayed by their resistance and dishonoring actions. What is the strain of theology and psychology that makes this possible, and is it still around and active today in churches? It's an idea worth considering. Take the challenge and listen to this short episode.
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The odd (to us) rituals listed in the Old Testament had a broader purpose than we are used to thinking. If we come to the Bible with one lens, all we will see is sin and sin solutions. If we replace that lens, we can see so much more (and more clearly). Listen to this episode for a take on Leviticus you probably haven't heard before, as well as why it matters for understanding the Story and what God is up to with us.
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The scriptures are peppered with visions of an exalted humanity. This is one of the better kept secrets within the church. Are we maybe a little afraid of what people will do with this encouragement? Or maybe it doesn't fit well with a message that centers on sin, sinfulness, and fixing and managing a sin problem?
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Once the veil has been pulled back on some of the strange but compelling elements of the biblical story, you start to see them everywhere. That's because they are everywhere. Identifying and tracking some of these major characters and their motives and roles in the Story makes a huge difference in how we see our own place in the Story--and the change is better and more important than we probably realize.
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Why would Jesus call some of the most ardent God followers of his day snakes? Or say that they were children of their father--the devil? Was this something that only Jesus could see and say, or something that could only be said or applied in His day? If not, what might we be missing about how He saw the story, His role in it, and our place in it?
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For most people growing up in church, the only real meaning the first chapters of Genesis have is to show us how bad or disobedient we are, or how we got saddled with this sin problem. But there's much more to the story, and discovering it brings new light (and new encouragement) to how we might see God, ourselves, and the Story.
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Have you ever heard of the ancient sea monsters in the Bible? If not, you're missing out, so listen to this episode, where we discuss how we can handle things that seem so weird or foreign to us that we read about. How we choose to do so can make an enormous difference in how we see God, ourselves, and the message of the scriptures. This is a fun test case.
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Kicking off Season 3, in this episode we ask if the reason we see so much in church that we'd rather not see, is not in spite of what we believe about God and the message of the Bible, but because of what we believe about God and the message of the Bible. If that's the case, then a serious re-examination and re-evaluation are long overdue.
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In this final episode of Season 2, we highlight some of the key differences between the two ways of understanding the words of Jesus in Mark 13. How well we will listen may determine not just our interpretation, but the shape of our lives and communities as well.
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We wrap up the discussion about whether we have misunderstood a crucial message of Jesus, and why it matters.
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In this episode, we read a crucial message from Jesus and ask if we have been misreading and misinterpreting it for generations. Listening with open ears and an open mind allows us to hold our assumptions in check as we investigate evidence that may unlock a new understanding and meaning.
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We continue looking at the pattern of hints and echoes dropped by the writer of the gospel of Mark, learning to discern what is being said without being said. The stage is set for looking at the granddaddy of these example texts, which we may have drastically misunderstood for generations--obscuring so much of the main message and meaning.
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If we're listening well, we hear things that might otherwise be missed--this can be the difference between wisdom and ignorance. In this episode, we look at a sampler of times where scripture is rife with hints and echoes that carry meaning--and if we miss them, we risk not seeing the picture before us.
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In this episode, we'll look at a seemingly bizarre statement from Jesus that causes careful seekers of wisdom to tune in as intently as possible. And we consider how we might handle a transformational message versus the counterintuitive way that Jesus did.
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People of faith have often tried to love God by guarding his honor, but when does honor guarding go too far? Loving also includes listening intently and carefully--something it is all too easy to overlook. Jesus and his first followers presented the message of a great story unfolding in real time, and this is the message we should listen intently to, whether we believe or not.
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Whether you are in a community of faith or not, you may have unknowingly made assumptions about how and why you believe (or don't). In this episode, the first of Season 2, we discuss some of the invisible limits or barriers we may have when it comes to belief, as well as some limits and checks that may be wise and helpful to choose in your faith journey.
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In the search for purpose and the meaning of life, we often fail to look to one of the most important sources of wisdom--the wisdom hidden deep within ourselves. Join us for a thought experiment that will reveal what you already know deep down inside.
In this episode, we explore what kind of place we find ourselves in--what is the universe like? It's the kind of question that's so deep, it can often go unexamined and unanswered. Of the four alternative explanations of reality we discuss, one is perhaps the most overlooked, and yet also perhaps the most compelling and helpful for understanding the meaning and nature of life.
Polarization gets a lot of attention these days--but what is the antidote? We explore the necessary yin and yang of being conservative and being change oriented. What is the proper aim of someone seeking to be a Willing Fool?
In this episode, we consider the idea that the religious or spiritual is the opposite of the natural and everyday. It's so embedded in our psyche that it often goes unchallenged and unnoticed. But what if the reality is cosmically better than that? There really is a better alternative, that's worth considering deeply, as all manner of new possibilities open up when we do.
In this episode, we ask the question "What kind of being is a human?" What is the shape or nature of a person? We query some of our deepest inner senses, and compare them to the alternatives explanations of life to consider which match and why. We also take a peek at a fascinating corner of psychology--the idea of "inner selves" within us that we communicate and negotiate with, in respect and compassion, in pursuit of being a fully integrated person.
What's in a name? We need words, categories, and labels to help us think and speak, but what happens when the categories and labels make it harder to think and communicate? In this episode, we explore how some of our well worn words can stymie our journey and tie up our attempts at deep communication into knots, especially when it comes to sensitive and important topics like the meaning of life. Is there any reason to hope we can find a way around the curse of language?
We don't all agree on the answers of life, but we do seem to agree that there is a way to be, a way to live, that is better and more admirable, than other choices. This is one of the deep bonds that connects us, and shines light on the nature of reality. We explore how this search for "the way" plays out in real life, and how it can connect us in common cause and language.
In this episode, we discuss what it feels like to find yourself in a liminal space--not quite belonging to any group in particular. It turns out that there are many more people in that space with us than we may realize, and that there are unique opportunities and lessons that come from being in a liminal space, if we are willing to journey honorably, openly, and authentically to discover them.
In The Willing Fool podcast, we ask questions and seek answers about the biggest questions of life and discuss things that you care about but might not feel safe to say out loud. We consider this search for wisdom a sacred journey that we can take together. Check out a sneak preview of what we'll cover in Season 1 of The Willing Fool:
--liminal space--when you feel out of place or "between two worlds"
--sources of wisdom inside you
--our search for "the way" to live
--how we can get bogged down in religious terms (or avoiding them) and what we can do about it
--shared interests and language for people of faith and open searchers
--what is the meaning of life and what's most important in life
--what is the nature of the universe/reality
--what is the nature of a human and how should I treat myself and others