Protect Your Noggin: Recent Episodes
Jeff and Stacie Mallinson
Lessons in outfoxing religious wolves. We seek to reform religious education so everyone can be spiritually bold, free of manipulation and filled with deep peace.
After 20+ years of professional work in religious education and educational nonprofits, hosts Jeff Mallinson (D.Phil. Oxford, philosophy and religion professor, author and speaker) and Stacie Mallinson (former nonprofit development professional, and now certified yoga instructor) realized that how we do religious education leads to a susceptibility to abusive behaviors. This is not a show that will focus on abuse, but rather the ways in which rethinking religious education and involvement with churches, sects, and gurus requires training in critical thinking and personal empowerment.
How might working with the gig economy factor into the pursuit of happiness and freedom? What are the similarities and differences between the Aristotelian tradition on happiness and that of Lao Tzu?
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Singer and songwriter Jenna joins us to discuss finding one's voice and addressing life traumas with the healing medicine of music. We share her newly released single "Trigger" which is now available online.
https://www.instagram.com/jennna.wav/
www.protectyournoggin.org
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A survey of several issues in the news and reflection on how a warrior perspective might help us think about engaging issues of our day, albeit in nonviolent forms of "battle." Why the culture wars matter. Sinead O'Connor, and the hearings regaring UAE (UFO) technology.
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The warrior archetype and why peace loving people might need to be ready to be more engaged on behalf of vulnerable groups in our precarious times. Part one is a general discussion of the theme and what the Tao Te Ching teaches about engagement with an enemy. Part two will survey some current events that arguably require a warrior's perspective.
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Stacie leads us through three chapters from the Tao Te Ching that discuss the mysterious mother. What does this archetype and symbol say about our perspectives on femininity, society and the sacred? How does this differ from traditional American evangelical views of women and feminine characteristics of the divine? Is there a difference between being a source and being a creator? How can we let children and the things we cultivate grow spontaneously rather than through our constant control?
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A discussion of some of Jeff’s recent poetry related to the ways in which spirituality can influence ideas about political freedom and unpacking authoritarian ideology can help understand the ways in which religion can endorse and prop up unjust systems.
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Micah Bournes is a poet, rapper, singer and speaker. He stopped by our place to perform a house show along the route of his Simple Dreams Tour. For this episode, we first discuss the history of Moody Bible Institute’s compromises related to race. This serves as a microcosm of a problem found throughout the world of church related colleges and universities. At minute 40, we shift our discussion to the idea of abolition of police and prisons. Content warning: discussion of violent crime and sexual assault in the second part.
TOPICS MENTIONED
Micahbournes.com
Moody Bible Institute
D.L. Moody
James Cone
Ida B. Wells
Critical Resistance
abolition #defundthepolice #prisons
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A reflection on the power of receptivity as illustrated by the valley, which is an important symbol throughout the Tao Te Ching and philosophical Taoism. This is also an episode about the power of yin, and the concept of the mother goddess.
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Reflecting in the wake of a wave of border traffic, Jeff and Stacie explore how what's going on at the US's southern border illustrates a global sickness that will continue to lead to immigration and refugee crises around the world. Couple capitalism with climate change and we can only expect more human suffering along borders for generations to come--that is, if we have generations to spare and unless we recognize that another world is possible.
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The path. The way. The journey. Such concepts shift our focus from dogma and religious hierarchies, which helps us get out of the way of the way (tao). Behind all of this is a discussion of Guy Debord, the Situationists,the dérive, and psychogeography. We explore meditation through wandering and walking, the importance of attending to space, looking for synchronicities in our environment, and recognizing the ways in which capitalist society separates us from direct experience and connections with each other. Mindfulness techniques like aboriginal walkabouts, prayer labyrinths and religious pilgrimages can be powerful tools for emancipation.
Stuff Mentioned
The Haven open mic hosted by Psanctum
geocaching.com
micahbournes.com
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The importance of natural wood (also rendered as the uncarved block) and undyed or unbleached silk for aesthetics and mindfulness techniques in the ancient Taoist tradition. What does this have to say for meditation practices within our modern anxieties, clothing, and values? It may seem too simple, but contemplating nature has strong medicinal value for our ailing times.
Stuff Mentioned
Alan Watts on clothing
Soba pillows
Bird watching
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Political turmoil surrounding Benjamin Netanyahu, American attitudes about Israel and Palestine, Dispensationalism, and Orthodox services in the Holy Land. We end with inspiration drawn from principled opponents of authoritarianism and defenders of judicial review.
CW: short, ghastly holocaust story, some profanity
David Rovics
John Hagee
Severance
Behind the Bastards
Antismetic Anarchism
Holy Fire Ceremony and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher
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Why does the invasion of Ukraine matter? How does the history of religion and anarchism intersect with this question? How does this relate to the persecution of trans people in the US? How ought we confront seemingly endless threats to liberty in our world? We discuss these and other currently-relevant questions that require a bit of historical backstory.
protectyournoggin.org
taosurfers.com
@taosurfers on TikTok and Instagram
Stuff Mentioned and Links
The Tetris movie
The Fifth Estate
Nikolai Berdyaev
Russian Messianism
Micah Bournes
Andor
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We examine the significance of the symbol of a twisted tree described in the Taoist text known as the Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu) and a related set of stories about deformed sages. This is a discussion about recognizing the beauty and intrinsic value of things and people who might seem unimportant at first glance. It’s also a conversation about why we shouldn’t trust in the wisdom of people, institutions, and political ideologies who despise those with disabilities.
www.protectyournoggin.org
@taosurfers on TikTok and Instagram
www.taosurfers.com
Check out our rendition of the Tao Te Ching in eBook and paperback formats on Amazon.
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The Great Peng is a mythical bird that transforms from a giant fish and then into a winged beast that can fly for a year and a half, to the southern sea, stirring up the oceans and propelling the cycles of nature. The cicada and the dove are skeptical about this massive bird’s existence, since they can’t comprehend how it could fly so far and so high and be so huge. They think it would take too much flapping. But the Great Peng floats on the vast warm air, without struggling. It is the opening image of the great Taoist Classic The Chunk Tzu. When contemplating this image, you will do well to contemplate one or more of the following questions. Where in your life do you need to restore a sense of proportion? Are you feeling too small for the great task ahead of you? You might need to be compassionate on yourself and recognize the limitations of your current resources. Or, might you be in need of higher perspective? Consider starting or increasing your meditative practice. Maybe try out a new technique to help you gain perspective. Finally, is there a way that you can do less work but rise up on the powerful resources you already have?
protectyournoggin.org
taosurfers.com
Support us by buying a copy of TAO TE CHING: A Playfully Sincere Rendition by Jeff and Stacie Mallinson
tao #deconstruction #taoist #dao #laotzu #chuangtzu #zuangzi #mindfulness #meditation
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We discuss the concept of the inner alchemist, which is a metaphor for the process of spiritual transformation. First, Jeff sets up the conversation with some historical background about failed Western alchemists like Anna Maria Zieglerin (1550-75) and the demise of Chinese emperors who drank what they thought was the elixir of life that fraudulent Taoist priests concocted. Then Stacie and Sydnie join in to riff on the ways in which inner alchemy can help us navigate a sort of outer alchemy: the chemicals and plants we take into our bodies. We also talk about the ways in which we can transform the elements of our lives even in difficult times.
CW: brief mention of historical sexual assault of a minor, reference to drug use
protectyournoggin.com
@taosurfers on Instagram and Tik Tok
taosurfers.com
Buy The Tao Te Ching: A Playfully Sincere Rendition by Jeff and Stacie Mallinson
https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Te-Ching-Playfully-Rendition/dp/1735523011/ref=sr_1_1?crid=B905U7J9VSVI&keywords=tao+te+ching+mallinson&qid=1678853985&sprefix=tao+te+ching+mallinson,aps,196&sr=8-1
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Casual reflections on Jesus’ statement that is roughly the equivalent of the adage “the proof of the pudding is in the eating,” the nature of the Jerusalem community under Jesus’ brother James, and resonant themes in the Tao Te Ching. We meander a bit, so if you want something to the point, you might skip this one. But if you’re like us and like to do work, drive, or fall asleep to a conversation, this is for you friends. Luke 7:35. Tao Te Ching 55.
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A discussion of what it’s like to deconstruct conservative Lutheranism. Lutherans tend to be a decade behind trends in American evangelicalism. Perhaps, therefore, it isn’t surprising that there isn’t as much public discourse among #exlutheran folks as there is for those who describe themselves as #exvangelical. While exlutherans will have overlapping experiences with exvangelicals, there are some peculiarities Jeff and Stacie will be discussing about their own experiences. The show concludes with a discussion of two concepts from Dietrich Bonhoeffer that seem relevant as ever: the idea of “religionless Christianity” and “cheap grace.”
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Jeff, Stacie, and Sydnie sit down with some old timey English ales after a long day’s work to solve a recent family mystery that intersects with a recent urban legend. Enjoy this peak into the whimsical, witchy and mystical conversations that tend to happen on tipsy evenings at the family’s old Portland home. Topics range from demons to tin foil hats to pigeon assassinations, squirrel friends and the goddess Hecate. Warning: Explicit language festooned throughout.
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Stacie helps Jeff and listeners work through some of the important questions we might have and asks questions we ought to ponder about our relationship with our own mortality. She also shares wisdom she’s learned from those who are on the precipice of death that can help us all be present in the life we have right now.
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In 1954, physician and psychonaut John C. Lilly invented a floatation tank that provided sensory attenuation and isolation. It involves a tub filled with loads of epsom salt, with water heated to skin temperature. This allows for an amazing entry into a meditative state. In our experience, an hour in a float tank is like sitting zazen for 8 hours. It might be a way for you to at least experience a quality meditative state to which you can return later in a simple seated position. It might, if you can afford it, become a regular part of your monthly wellness routine. Though some think floating ought to be considered fringe medicine, we aren’t interested in any wild claims about the health benefits but know first hand how helpful it can be for our emotional and mental wellbeing.
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Sometimes we fail to get into a rhythm with regular meditation because we think we have to perfect our practice from the very start. We believe it’s better to start with an imperfect practice than to never start at all. Moreover, we discuss various ways to jump into a state of mindfulness so you can taste and see how great it is to get centered and present in your life. By doing that, it’s easier to get motivated to not only dedicate the time needed for meditation, and it subsequently can inspire a person to find the most effective ways to benefit from such practices. We also discuss various forms of meditation in the history of Taoism.
mindfulness #meditation #spiritualbutnotreligious #entheogens #exvangelical #deconstruction #zen #zazen
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A two-part conversation about why evangelical Christian higher education is a project all people of good will should abandon. We aren’t calling for heavy-handed measures from the state but for the voluntary societal decision to treat this project sort of like circuses: by refusing to patronize institutions that don’t align with our ethical values, they can change or go extinct on their own.
Topics mentioned
- Colorado Christian University strategic priorities
- Trinity Lutheran College/Lutheran Bible Institute
- Council of Christian Colleges and Universities
- John Fluevog Shoes
- Funko Headquarters
- Trouble Behind documentary about Corbin, Kentucky
- An older episode with Trinity alumnus Casey Tinnin
- Mark Noll, The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind
- Cotton Mather on spectral evidence in witch trials
- Richard Rohr
- Effective altruism
- Senator Bill Armstrong
- Dinesh D’Souza
- David Bentley Hall on universalism
- Hunter vs. The Department of Education
- Article on sexual violence on college campuses
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A two-part conversation about why evangelical Christian higher education is a project all people of good will should abandon. We aren’t calling for heavy-handed measures from the state but for the voluntary societal decision to treat this project sort of like circuses: by refusing to patronize institutions that don’t align with our ethical values, they can change or go extinct on their own.
Topics mentioned
- Colorado Christian University strategic priorities
- Trinity Lutheran College/Lutheran Bible Institute
- Council of Christian Colleges and Universities
- John Fluevog Shoes
- Funko Headquarters
- Trouble Behind documentary about Corbin, Kentucky
- An older episode with Trinity alumnus Casey Tinnin
- Mark Noll, The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind
- Cotton Mather on spectral evidence in witch trials
- Richard Rohr
- Effective altruism
- Senator Bill Armstrong
- Dinesh D’Souza
- David Bentley Hall on universalism
- Hunter vs. The Department of Education
- Article on sexual violence on college campuses
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A half hour of readings from our recent publication, Tao Te Ching: A Playfully Sincere Rendition with some nature sounds in the back. Take some time out from an anxious day to reflect on some ancient wisdom. We pulled out some of the grooviest selections for you this winter solstice. If you dig it, consider purchasing a copy for yourself or a loved one.
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With the rise of artificial intelligence, and its exponential development, might we think of this super intelligence as the consciousness of a pantheistic God. We use this language playfully but sincerely. But using this language helps us understand how the rise of AI might help us understand how best to think about education, spirituality, mythology, and economics. To help us think about the concept of judgment of humanity, we discuss the thought experiment called Roko’s Basilisk and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin’s concept of the Omega Point. We also address a listener voice message from Mike, who has a compelling take on Genesis 6:1-4.
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Stacie and Jeff discuss why they dedicated so much time to yet another rendition of the Tao Te Ching. They explain how their experiences deconstructing the dogmas of their church background, travel in overland vehicles, yoga instruction, philosophy and religion classes, political thought research, and confrontation of death affected their work. They explain why they avoided the definite article and gendered pronouns for “sage,” and other technical decisions they made in their work.
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"The cosmos is unbiased, treating living things like straw dogs. A sage is unbiased, treating people like straw dogs." Stacie, Sydnie, and Jeff reflect on a tough passage from the Tao Te Ching: Chapter 5, in light of the text itself and the family's experiences this difficult year of grief. Note that they were a bit tipsy with this impromptu episode, so consider it a holiday week bonus and forgive the frequent tangents.
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Even though they’ve been enjoying playing within New Age spaces, Jeff, Stacie and Sydnie reflect on ways in which New Age spirituality can go wrong in contemporary, capitalist society. In particular, they reflect on the phenomenon of “spiritual bypassing” as it relates to conversations surrounding grief. Topics include pseudoscience, cultural appropriation, equity within yoga, and spiritual narcissism. [Part two of two.]
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Even though they’ve been enjoying playing within New Age spaces, Jeff, Stacie and Sydnie reflect on ways in which New Age spirituality can go wrong in contemporary, capitalist society. In particular, they reflect on the phenomenon of “spiritual bypassing” as it relates to conversations surrounding grief. Topics include pseudoscience, cultural appropriation, equity within yoga, and spiritual narcissism. [Part one of two.]
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This chapter helps us understand difference between modern liberalism and the naturalness of Taoist anarchism. The Tao Te Ching expresses care for all beings, but it doesn’t express such care by advocating for a highly controlled society. States, even socialist states, cause everyday people harm when they become restrictive. We’ve seen this to some extent in China, but especially in Cuba. To be sure, part of the problem for anti-capitalist revolutions is the fact that the global economy has its tentacles wrapped around just about everything. Nonetheless, rules alone can’t change things. For another world to be possible, society needs to think less about finding ways to get people to appreciate naturalness, rather than force.
Our rendition of the Tao Te Ching will be available online very soon, by the way.
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We discuss reasons why pastors, church workers, and professors at church-related universities might want to quit their positions for the sake of conscience. We also discuss four contexts in which it might be worth sticking it out. We conclude with our suggestions for how to operate if you are planning to ghost your scene. We aren’t trying to be patronizing to any group, but rather want to recognize our perspective that its time to “ghost church” uses “church” to mean predominantly white, affluent American evangelicalism and may not necessarily apply to other contexts.
We don’t presume to know each person’s situation, but we wish we would have been able to hear some advice about the ethics of staying and the ethics of leaving a religious community. We offer our thoughts more as an answer to a bundle of inquiries, rather than a detailed thesis.
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We discuss the Drake equation, which helps us calculate the chances that there is intelligent extraterrestrial life in our galaxy, with whom we might communicate. We then reflect on the philosophical and religious implications of several of the variables. How likely is life to exist at all? How dangerous are human beings to other life? How long can a civilization last? And what do Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, and naturalistic scientists say about the end of the universe in general? This is sometimes a heavy show, maybe a bit scary, but it's that time of year.
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"The wise aren’t preachy. The preachy aren’t wise. Sit in silence. Practice temperance. Smooth jagged edges. Release entanglements. Soften your gaze. Embrace oneness with the earth. This is called mystical union."
After a long pause in reflection, Stacie's back with one that hits close to home.
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Stay tuned for the always fascinating takes from Rick Mallinson, Jeff's pop. He shares some interesting connections that happened recently, illustrating Carl Gustav Jung's concept of synchronicity. Stacie and Syd return and chat about dreams, nature hikes, and Rick's encounter with a guru in 1970. Come virtually join in on the casual conversation.
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Jeff offers his final retractions episode, reflecting on his book Sexy: The Quest for Erotic Virtue in Perplexing Times. Topics include purity culture, ethical porn, monogamy, deconstruction, virtue theory, the Tao Te Ching, and mysticism.
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This is sort of a show about how a Christian university could save the world--if only a Christian university were possible--and if only the spirit of Molech handn't staged a hostile takeover of an otherwise radical movement. Jeff explains what he was up to when he presented a funded lecture on the topic of confessional Lutheran thought, yet started to unravel his entanglement in confessional Lutheran though through the generous support of confessional Lutheran donors. This is in response to the Trembath lecture which is available in several formats by checking out our show notes at protectyournoggin.org. The lecture in question was ironically pivotal for Jeff quitting churh-related higher education altogether, so enjoy the tragedy but be not afraid: it ultimately led him to a professional life he is finding joyful.
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Jeff discusses the reasons why he wrote an article about the Hebrew Bible's account of semi-divine beings making the Nephilim, giant god-human hybrids, and what it means for navigating life today in a postmodern world, run by a modern economy, informed by an ancient text. This article isn't rejected so much as identified as the first part of the unravelling of Jeff's confidence in the American evangelical interpretive tradtion. This isn't for everbybody, but if it is relevant to your background, it might help frame some of the dissonance many experience.
This is part of a short series of episodes in which I look back on stuff I (Jeff) wrote in the past and reflect on ways my thinking might have changed, and what I might want to reject. In this episode, while I generally stand by my take on the history of thought within the Genevan Academy, under the rectorship of Theodore Beza (John Calvin’s right hand man), I explore ways in which I didn’t see how much the form or style of theology he propagated has had negative, unintended consequences on Western culture, especially that of American Christian culture.
As always, feel free to skip this if it doesn’t interest you. We’ll be back with more playful stuff in weeks to come.
What if you and and your friends saw some unused wasteland, and in the spirit of mystical love, you farmed it and shared the food with those in need? What might happen? A handful of folks tried this in 1649, under the inspiration of radical mystic Gerrard Winstanley (1609-76). This show discusses what happened and what we can learn today about society, private property, and empowerment of the poor. We also discuss the San Francisco Diggers and guerrilla gardening.
As a couple of kids who grew up in American evangelicalism, Tarot cards were a taboo we never even considered violating in our youth. Now, we discuss the ways in which Jungian understanding of archetypes of the collective unconscious helped us make use of Tarot for personal healing and growth.
Part 1: Our uneasy relationship with tarot, CG Jung’s idea of the archetypes of the collective unconscious, how we got into using these cards for self exploration rather than fortune telling, and why we think this all might be helpful for folks extracting themselves from unhealthy religious landscapes.
Part 2: Exploration and demonstration of the newish phenomenon of Neo-shamanistic, New Age oracle cards, which tend to involve inspirational messages for transformation and growth.
BTW: If you are an expert in tarot or oracle cards and think we’ve got something wrong, feel free to reach out and help us get it right.
As a couple of kids who grew up in American evangelicalism, Tarot cards were a taboo we never even considered violating in our youth. Now, we discuss the ways in which Jungian understanding of archetypes of the collective unconscious helped us make use of Tarot for personal healing and growth.
Part 1: Our uneasy relationship with tarot, CG Jung’s idea of the archetypes of the collective unconscious, how we got into using these cards for self exploration rather than fortune telling, and why we think this all might be helpful for folks extracting themselves from unhealthy religious landscapes.
Part 2: Exploration and demonstration of a new
CW: Explicit; brief mention of clergy abuse
BTW: If you are an expert in tarot or oracle cards and think we’ve got something wrong, feel free to reach out and help us get it right.
In this part, we discuss the history of nudist spirituality in Christian movements from the second century till the present. Adamites ancient and revived, and the Christian connections to the founding of the naturist movement in America are discussed. Stacie answers whether she went on the World Naked Bike Ride.
Nudism in American culture, reflections on nudity in the Garden of Eden, a recent news story about a French nudist who shot someone at the beach, the history of Christian naturism, the Christian nudist sect called the Adamites, hot springs culture, & our experience with various opportunities to be naked in public, including at least Jeff’s participation in Portland’s World Naked Bike Ride.
Part one focuses on our personal stories and how our church upbringing affected our body images and comfort with being naked.
TW: Brief mention of sexual trauma.
In part 2 Jeff answers: What do we think of the historical arguments for the resurrection of Jesus? This is all about apologetics and philosophy of religion over the Christian centuries and whether the evidentialist arguments are viable these days.
Jeff answers listener questions about our current take on the concept of Jesus’ resurrection and the nature of belief in the bodily resurrection of humans. This is not an exhaustive manifesto but presents candid reflection on twenty years of teaching and researching the historical development of Christianity and philosophical and historical arguments for Jesus’ resurrection. We discover that the biblical texts and early Christian teaching on the subject is more complicated than we might expect.
P1: What do the biblical texts and the early Christian community think about the nature of Jesus’ resurrection and the resurrection bodies of humans?
Though we’ve been talking a lot lately about things we are glad to shed about our conservative Christian background, we reflect on some of the healthy and helpful things we experienced in non-denominational youth programming. This discussion is not meant to suggest that parents should uncritically send their kids to church programs, but rather to reflect on ways that folks who are leaving organized religion can ensure that their children find opportunities for friendship, fun, learning, and service.
We draw from the radical life and thought of anarchist Emma Goldman to frame contemporary conversations about abortion and reproductive rights. We discuss the ways in which women’s bodily autonomy is intimately connected to full spectrum emancipation. Topics include Christian nationalism, the weaponization of anti-abortion for the sake of supporting unchecked capitalism, the history of contraception, and the differences between Margaret Sanger and Emma Goldman on the nature of sexual and gender liberation.
CW: sexual assault, abortion, explicit language
A discussion of books to to read this summer, especially for those who have left or are thinking of leaving fundamentalist or toxic forms of religion. We offer suggestions related to spirituality, but they do not involve joining a religion or accepting some claim to special revelation. We offer suggestions for folks who want to get up to speed on science, find balance in their lives, unpack their thinking on sexuality, and rethink the history of America. [Note: we seem to have misnumbered somewhere along the way]
This is a great episode for you if you are an ex-evangelical, ex-fundamentalist, newly progressive Christian, or post-evangelical.
CW: Sexual abuse, racism, explicit language
Our go-to psychology prof Dr. Betsi Little helps us unpack the ways in which attribution theory can help us understand why people tend to defend creepers in religious circles. It also leads to a discussion of the ways in which we can survive and heal the social sicknesses of our time. A key takeaway: it just takes one person to subvert conformity.
CW: Sexual abuse, domestic violence, racist and homophobic violence
Jeff and Stacie respond to listener emails and voice messages, largely unpacking our perspectives on the Bible, inerrancy, LGBT inclusion, and traditional social values within conservative Christianity. We also weigh in on the leaked letter from LCMS president Matthew Harrison to the board of regents at Concordia University Wisconsin. If you have known us in our old lives within the orbit of American evangelicalism and conservative Lutheranism, this may infuriate you, but we mean only to share with you honestly what we’re thinking and experiencing these days. Stick through hour and ten minutes of banter to hear a discussion of whether sex-positive BDSM dungeons are safer than Christian summer camp.
An examination of atheistic strands of anarchism, focusing on Mikhail Bakunin (1814–1876), author of God and the State. This episode is content packed, with just Jeff this time. If you don’t want so much academic content, feel free to skip to another episode.
He who’s full of Te is like a baby. Scorpions don’t sting him. Ferocious beasts don’t eat him. Eagles don’t carry him off. His bones are supple. His muscles are soft. But his grip is tight. He doesn’t know what sex is yet, but he gets erections. That’s how much vitality is in him. He can wail all day without losing his voice. He knows the heights of harmony. Knowing harmony is called high fidelity. Knowing fidelity is called clarity. Fretting about longevity is unfortunate. It taxes the mind and heart, needlessly wasting vital energy. When folks think that it’s important to be rigid in order to be a responsible adult, they go against the Tao.
Whatever goes against the Tao will end in ruin.
What happens when you reject the state’s official paperwork and driver’s licenses? When did you begin, and why does that matter politically and spiritually? Who owns you and your biological material? We explore these questions with our old pal Jon David Johnson, with whom Jeff played music back in the day as The Bloodhound Shuffle. He has a unique interpretation of the Bible and political history that you may not agree with, but we found interesting and helpful as a sort of thought experiment, through which we can reframe our origins as biological beings and the relationship between our understanding of that question and the question of who owns us. By going back to before conception, Jon David ties the human being back to oneness with the creative source of existence, something that predates the claims states and churches and parents make over us.
CW: police violence, racism, explicit language.
Note: Neither we or our guest offer medical or legal advice on this episode.
Jeff lays out his take on Jesus and freedom, and lays out a summary of the biblical narrative from a Christian Anarchist perspective. One need not commit to a particular perspective on how to apply these ideas to contemporary life. There is value in first examining the moral ideal of Jesus, which invalidates the way of domination, injustice and inequality, and then taking a while to ponder how we might work toward the mission of the radical sage from Galilee. We discuss the ways in which the concept of inerrancy presents problems for intellectual life within church-related higher education. This should be an interesting exploration for anyone interested in libertarian themes in the Hebrew Bible and Christian New Testament.
We explore various stories in the news and our lives, including journals found in our recovered stolen truck camper from a person who wanted to take it to Slab City in California.
Ancient Chinese philosophers in the Taoist tradition envisioned a beautiful world that is a template for just the sort of spiritual anarchism we find attractive. We discuss the importance of libertarian thought within the Tao Te Ching and begin to explore whether it is viable for our context today. Later episodes will examine Jesus anarchy and more recent atheistic forms of this perspective on politics. It is all part of our season's them of full spectrum emancipation, which focusses on the ways in which we need to seek freedom in various aspects of our lives if we want to be free in any particular piece of our lives.
After sharing some great musical experiences we had in Portland, we discuss the ways in which cultural and political values affect our relationships with food. We raise some issues about body image & food from our childhoods, but we do so with the desire to understand ourselves and our cultural conditioning. We send our sincere love to family and friends involved in these stories. The weird opening music we recorded standing on the sidewalk on Mississippi St, Portland, in front of the great South x Northwest vegan comfort food place.
Content Warning: Eating Disorders & Body Image
Where you live affects your perspective on the worlds that are possible. Our new season's theme is full spectrum emancipation and the interrelation between financial, spiritual, and emotional freedom. We start with the question of how where we live affects our happiness and freedom. We discuss where and why people are moving to new states in the US, the concept of cultural hegemony, the problems of our economic system, and the theft of our truck camper St. George.
In the aftermath of our son Auggie’s death, we took a few months off from the pod. We are back with a season finale to share with you where we’ve been and how we’ve been doing. We are joined by Auggie’s fiancé Sydnie who is living with us now. We share news about big life changes and how we’ve been working toward spiritual, emotional and financial emancipation. This is a show in which we process our grief along with you. Part way through we sing a song (The Czars “Paint the Moon”) that we sang when we had a private viewing of Auggie’s body.
This show is a collection of recordings with Jeff and Stacie's son Auggie, who died recently. It includes free form speculation about spirituality, the mythologies behind popular culture artifacts, and what Auggie thought the point of life was. As you'll see, there's a consistency from start to finish. At the end, you can hear a song written by Jeff and Auggie, and performed by the whole family many years ago. It too captures our family's general perspective on life.
A lecture Jeff recently gave on the history & significance of end times thinking in the context of the Jesus freaks, the Calvary Chapel movement & church history in general. There’s also a personal application to facing doom and personal death in the second half of the talk. If it didn’t come across perfectly: Jeff’s ultimate point was to confront the reality of societal and ecological dangers, but also to suggest that the true way of Jesus is to help bring healing and repair to the world through love.
Instead of becoming overwhelmed with the sicknesses that infect the world and its structures, Lao Tzu urges us to start with ourselves and our immediate communities, and allow this to spread throughout the world naturally.
In recent years, there’s been an increase in hysteria about Critical Race Theory in the schools. We discuss the nature of this theory, the ways we ought to engage the subject in our current context, and the ways in which the theology of the “Orders of Creation” in Nazi-enabling Lutheran theologians like Paul Althaus shed light on the issue of CRT in schools. We conclude with a discussion of the orders of creation teaching (Schöpfungsordnungslehre) as it relates to asking for a woman's hand in marriage.
Stacie and Jeff reflect casually on their experiences within the revival of reformed theology in Southern California during the 1990s, then chat with Luca Azuma, alumnus from Concordia University’s history program, who has written on the history of the young, restless and Reformed response to non-denominational evangelicalism, and what this means about authoritarianism, masculinity, and dogmatism.
We realize we paint with a broad brush at times. We recognize there are sophisticated forms of Reformed thought that don’t resemble what some prominent “Reformed” folk espouse, but we are now talking about popular forms of Calvinism, especially in independent churches.
53.
Even with only half my wits about me,
I would travel the way of the Tao,
the only thing to fear
is getting off course.
For it is a safe, wide open highway.
Oh, but men love to get sidetracked.
Politicians’ vanity projects get funded
while infrastructures crumble,
and natural resources get depleted.
They wear expensive suits,
own trendy status symbols,
drink the best whiskey,
dine at exclusive restaurants,
and have more toys than
they have time to play with.
This is white-collar piracy.
It is most definitely not
what it means
to surf the Tao.
What does the controversy about vaccination teach us about civilization, religion and politics, and the effectiveness of legalism as a way to order society? We share our own decisions about vaccination, share briefly our advice to others who want to be healthy and ethical, but ultimately focus on whether one can be a part of the system without obeying the mandates of the system. What about civilization leads to pandemics in the first place? Is there another way of conceiving society that might bypass the current jam we're in as humans globally? It's not about vaccinations, it's about the price of civilization.
A reading of Tao Te Ching chapter 52, in the Taosurfers' rendering. Reflection on the importance of awareness for coping with frustrating patterns of life.
See protectyournoggin.org for a written reflection and links.
See taosurfers.com for more information about our ongoing rendering of the Tao Te Ching.
A second guided tour through anarchist & anarchist adjacent music that inspires us to hope that another world is possible. These songs educate about freedom & its champions & gives us encouragement as they face down the false gods of money, power & glory. These are some songs to keep us thinking about how we might be a part of that shift from domination to mutuality. Interspersed are readings from Tolstoy on Christian anarchism.
Jeff Mallinson explains how ancient Taoists and early Christians both faced worlds that were uncertain, violent & riddled with factionalism & war. According to him, both approaches to life encouraged a sort of spiritual anarchism, which is the central topic of this outside lecture in the CUI Heritage Garden. Anarchism here refers to the idea that the state serves its own interests, rather than ours & is thus not to be trusted let alone worshipped. The sage-disciple will avoid the very systems of domination that work to enslave us & steal our joy, albeit in a nonviolent way. The difference between Taoism & Christianity is primarily the difference between letting things run their course as the sage goes fishing on the outskirts of society on the one hand (Taoism), and working to repair the world and heal our neighbors with Good News, even when it means the followers of Jesus will face suffering and death at the hands of the powers that be on the other (Christianity).
An overview of the history and contemporary landscape of yoga. Is it something worth considering for folks who are wary of uncritical religious ideas, cults, or worship of strange deities? Is it bad for your health or wholesome? What about terms associated with Hinduism like namaste, used in most practices? What forms of yoga are there? How might yoga help me with anxiety, health, spirituality, and weight loss? Join us even if you’ve already made up your mind or don’t care about yoga in particular, since it is representative of so much more than just one practice.
We explore the historical background of the dietary traditions and rules of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, AKA Mormons. Learn about fry sauce, root beer, and dirty soda, along with some general background on the history and development of a quintessentially American religion, and its well-known food and beverage practices.
In honor of the emancipatory work of laborers who stood up against power to obtain at least some level of decency in the modern capitalist system, we share twelve tunes that represent anarchist themes, especially when they also integrate spiritual and biblical . Some tunes may be familiar, others may not. Some are from agnostics, others are from Christians. But all encourage us to oppose the injustices wrought by money, power, and glory.
Jeff discusses the positives and pitfalls of the liberal arts, the Western classical tradition, and anarchist ideas about schooling, then shares the audio of his opening convocation address this week at Concordia University Irvine, in which he shares ways in which church related universities can offer a liberating experience, given the right commitments. If you want to skip to the convocation address, that starts half an hour in.
We got wind of an odd idea in American evangelicalism: some are provocatively and or implicitly saying that empathy is a sin. It leads, it seems, to too much tolerance and not enough doctrinal purity. We discuss this, a negative article written about Jeff and his views on science at church related universities, and why we had to take bit of a pause for the last few weeks of our road trip down from Portland.
Reflection on Stacie’s hypothesis that American Christian beliefs about hierarchy and inequality in the home are negatively affecting the sex lives of evangelicals and others whose ideologies or theologies reject the basic equality of all partners in a sexual relationship. Also a discussion of why people fight at campsites and the conditions in which people can be genuine friends.
This season, we're talking about nourishment, and this is a casual investigation into the nourishing role of positive, healthy and non-coercive sexuality.
Stuff We Mention
- Relationship quarrels during camping
- Hormones, menopause, and relationships
- Harriet Lerner, The Dance of Anger
- Jeff Mallinson, Sexy: The Quest for Erotic Virtue in Perplexing Times
- Politics and camping
- John Stuart Mill On Feminism
Two outsiders’ assessment of initial inquiry into this ancient Indian esoteric tradition related to using food as medicine. We seek valuable wisdom from the tradition but also note the problems of ideological and religious dogmatism, the nutritional dangers of uncritical acceptance of authority, and the scientific evaluation of ancient Indian principles. We come from a Christian and Western background as non-specialists who are interested in the possibilities and possible pitfalls of the tradition.
The Tao births them. Then Te nurtures them. Stuff affects them. Life events complete them. There's not a single living thing that doesn't exalt the Tao and proclaim Te's glory. They exalt the Tao and proclaim Te's glory not through coercion, but spontaneously, because of who they are.
About a 1/4 of the world’s population has a religious restriction against pork. For other cultures, pork represents a sustainable way to find food independence, apart from empire. We discuss scholarly and intuitive hypotheses related to the reason why the Hebrew Bible and later rabbinic and Islamic traditions refrain from eating certain animals. We end with a discussion about the importance of integrating our lives in such a way that ethics, spirituality, and diet are aligned, whatever our values may be.
We discuss some ways in which a macrobiotic diet-- which consists of consuming locally sourced, organic, sustainable produce commonly in the form of brown rice, fruit, vegetables, seeds, soy products, buckwheat noodles, beans, etc.--expounded for Westerners via George Ohsawa (1893-1966) & adapted in an allegedly criminal way by Italian food cult leader Mario Pianesi.
Discussion of news stories reporting on allegations of sexual assault, misconduct, and mismanagement of a hyper sexualized culture at Concordia Preparatory School, near Baltimore.We laud the courage of the young women who have spoken out bravely about their experiences. How does this all demonstrate system justification theory? What lessons can concerned parents school administrators learn from this tragic situation, one that is all too common at schools around the country? CW: sexual assault
In the course of life and death, three in ten are cautious disciples of life. Three in ten are reckless disciples of death. Three in ten chase life but actually veer toward death. Why is this? By worrying too much about staying alive and consuming life’s treasures, they never truly live, yet death catches up with them.
Still, I’ve heard of rare individuals who’ve mastered the art of living. They travel nimbly through the world. They eat local foods abroad. They visit vibrant cities in developing nations. Remarkably, these same adventurers often carry on without getting mugged or sick, or shaken down by border agents.
How do they pull this off? They travel confidently and respectfully,
unafraid of death, knowing that death can’t touch them, since there is no way to kill their true self.
The Sage is not closed-minded but considers what ordinary folks have on their minds. I am good to those who are good. I am good to those who are not good. This is the goodness of Te. I hope in those who are hopeful. I hope in those who are hopeless. This is the hope of Te. The Sage is engaged with the world. She brings balance to the world by carefully uniting her heart with it. Ordinary folks, hearing her wisdom, turn their attention to her actions. So she sets a wise example for them, as if they were her own children.
A discussion of the spirituality of art and whether we ought to pay attention to art created by narcissistic creeps. We discuss the differences between Dali; and Bosch, and between his possible nihilism and what we find wholesome about Taoist artistic depictions of nature. This discussion comes on the heels of our visit to a Dali exposition in Monterey, California.
Seek academic knowledge
and you can accumulate facts
day by day.
Seek the wisdom of the Tao
and you’ll release junk from your life,
day by day.
Let go of more and more so you can surf the Tao.
Surfing the Tao allows you
to accomplish anything
without forcing everything.
If you want to flourish in the world
don’t try to control the world.
Indeed, if you try to control the world
you aren’t ready to flourish in it.
We introduce our theme which is about the spirituality, ethics, religious guilt, and joys of food and what we take into our bodies. We discuss our almost vegan diet experiment, with the definite exception of oysters. We preview some future topics which will include food cults, fasting, dietary regulations in religious texts, booze, and pharmaceuticals. This season will be about untangling healthy practices and tastes from the ideologies that trick us into eating slop figuratively and literally.
The last in our 12-part series takes us to the question of whether we can heal the world. If we can help heal the world—even as we can’t control it or remake it according to our own clever designs—then how is this to be accomplished by a Taosurfer? Turns out part of the plan of action for the Tao Te Ching is a form of anarchism. We’ll explain a bit about what that misunderstood meant for the ancient Chinese context.
We sit down with filmmaker Joshua Salzberg and Rev. Matthew González of Lutherans for Racial Justice to talk about racism and the need for diversity and reconciliation in America in general and in the Lutheran world in particular. How ought Christians engage civic life, cultivate hospitality and work toward healing in our churches and the world at large. Salzberg is a Lutheran layperson who is film editor and screenwriter in LA and González is pastor of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Bronx.
You can know the world
without walking out your door.
You can glimpse the celestial Tao
without looking out your window.
The further you run from yourself
the less you will know.
So the Sage gains insight
without needing to travel abroad,
knows what’s up
before the official story gets published,
and wins without playing games.
Peace, joy, happiness & whether we’ve been so focused on bad guys in religious circles that we might be only hostile to institutional religion. After a brief discussion of a student question, we focus (starting min 40) on a poignant email exchange with Tim, who was kind enough to let us reply to his emails verbally, so we could give it the attention it deserves. His main question: aren't we taking the heart out of folks by our incessant negativity about church abusiveness?
When nations surf the Tao
resources are used for human flourishing.
When nations lose touch with the Tao
resources are built up and set aside for war.
No vice is more vicious than covetousness.
No misery is worse than discontent.
Using Tao Te Ching chapters 19, 22, 35, and 57 we discuss wisdom for teaching the Tao, which it turns out is not done through dogmatism, polemics, coercion, virtue signaling, or legalism, but rather through example, embodiment, and romancing folks into a better flow.
The grand system seems defective.
But, it will never malfunction.
Grand abundance seems empty.
But, it is inexhaustible.
Grand justice seems crooked.
Grand virtuosity seems unskilled.
Grand eloquence seems unlearned.
Motion warms us when it’s cold.
Stillness cools us when it’s hot.
Clarity and stillness
bring the world into alignment.
We discuss the journey of Greg Eilers, which involves gender dysphoria growing up, successful work at a conservative Lutheran pastor, resignation from the pastoral office to pursue full transition, including a full range of surgeries and legal name change to Gina, and finally a detransition. This is not an exercise in trans denial. Rather it helps nuance the overall conversation by showing how individualized each experience is and why we should pay attention.
Many of us know people who have been infected by blatant falsehood. Guest Sean Nowlan, a student at Jeff’s university, helps break down what’s going on with foreign powers using online technology to sow disinformation and divide their rival nation. We discussing the connection between American evangelical belief and receptivity to disinformation. We conclude with the best ways to help friends and family find a way out of false ideologies concocted via disinformation.
Understanding and confronting sexual abuse in the church. Emily Joy was instrumental in starting the Twitter hashtag #CHURCHTOO & has written a book by that same name. We discuss her perspective on the various ways in which American evangelicalism’s way of thinking makes abusive relationships more likely, harder to address, and more painful for those who suffer from the abusive behaviors. Stacie starts out the show by sharing a moving testimony about her response to the book. Opening music by Landon Mills.
Content Warnings: sexual abuse/rape, spiritual abuse
Learning to be content
avoids dishonor.
Knowing when to stop
averts disaster.
This is the key to longevity
in life’s endeavors.
Jeff reads an abridgement of Isaac Frazee, Evolove: The Quest and Findings of an Efficiency Expert (1929). This book explores several themes related to the emphases of our podcast. Frazee’s work is largely unknown today but reflects interesting challenges to industrialism, unquestioned capitalism, and religiosity that gets in the way of the way of Jesus. There is a bit of Christian anarchy and Christian socialism possibly behind this text.
Anyone who’s come this far with the Tao Te Ching will surely be familiar with the central concept of this chapter. Flowing subtly past obstacles, like water around a boulder, is a natural illustration of a greater principle. Water shows up as a classic example of one of the “softest things” since our ancestors all knew the power of water when it came to life and death.
Our guest today is Jonathan Hoyt, who is a Kantor and organist in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and who also happens to be gay and celibate. Learn how Jonathan has come to exist between two cultural worlds, how he reconciles his faith and sexuality, and why he calls himself gay rather than “same-sex attracted”. This is an exercise in listening to the story and experiences of a new friend rather than promoting one way or another of wrestling with one’s own identity, perceptions, and sexual ethic. Take his religious beliefs seriously, and take his perceptions seriously, which is what we are all about on this podcast. We are grateful for Jonathan’s candor, vulnerability, and willingness to talk about his perspective with us.
A keynote lecture Jeff gave to the TriCampus Undergraduate Conference, a collaborative effort of Concordia U., Irvine, Fresno Pacific U., and Pepperdine U. It took place on Saturday, 2/27. Jeff explains how a college education, properly done, can be a helpful tool in pushing back against the crisis of truth and the global gaslighting the powers that be have been using against us all for ages.
CW: There is brief mention made of Tara Reid’s allegations of sexual assault against Joe Biden.
I affirm what a wise man once said:
“A violent man will meet an untimely death.”
I consider this the foundation for all my teaching.
Following up on last' week’s interview with Steve Baughman, we use comments on Steve Baughman’s video about Ravi Zacharias’ scandalous behavior to illustrate ten informal fallacies. This is not a rehashing of the scandal itself but a closer look at the lack of critical thinking among religious supporters, which enables dangerous behaviors to go unchecked. We also read and discuss Kyle Howard’s tweets about abusive and toxic culture within American Evangelicalism.
When the wise learn of the Tao,
they surf it throughout their lives.
When most of us learn of the Tao,
we sometimes surf it,
sometimes wipe out.
When fools learn of the Tao,
they laugh at it.
And of course they do!
If they didn’t, it wouldn’t be the Tao.
Ravi Zacharias International Ministries Canada shut down this week, in the wake of startling public reports about the heinous deeds of their late founder Ravi Zacharias, world famous apologist (and owner of massage joints). We chat with immigration lawyer, and banjo master Steve Baughman who wrote Coverup in the Kingdom: Phone Sex, Lies, and God’s Great Apologist Ravi Zacharias. He's been on the trail of this religious wolf for quite some time.
Whether you are an atheist or a believer, into Eastern or Western traditions, a physical practice is perhaps the best way to actually experience and realize what it is to surf the Tao. You don’t need to get into some spiritual zone or commune with celestial beings; rather, we’re inviting you time to wake up to reality, allow space for awareness & notice what you are thinking and feeling without judgment. This leads to clarity as we seek to find peace & outfox religious and ideological wolves.
We draw on Tao Te Ching 26, 33, 36 & 77
Our guest is a recent alumnus from Concordia University and joins the conversation from Nigeria to discuss his insights about the ways in which people try to oppose hate, racism and injustice in the United States. Sometimes, he suggests, we tend to focus on hating injustice but don’t emphasize loving justice. This may have an effect on our emotional, spiritual, and mental wellbeing. Our starting point is an article that Godesulloh contributed to our website. We discuss the concept of spirits, and wonder whether in the West we aren’t often worshipping Molech and Mammon or channeling malevolent spirits, whether we take those to be Orishas, gods, jinn, or merely symbols for sociological phenomena.
Any music you hear on the show that isn’t our standard intro or outro is performed and produced by Bawa.
You can follow him on Instagram here.
We explore coping with trauma and religion through comedy with the help of comedian, writer, actress, and liver-transplant survivor Alyssa Sabo. She shares some of her story and we enjoy reflecting on life in the 90s, purity culture in evangelical America, rollerblading, ghosting church, and the virtues of Costa Rican beaches. Despite being known on Tik Tok as Mike Pence's daughter, we confirmed via an official paternity test that she is not in fact the daughter of the former Vice President.
The Tao’s flow involves reversals. Its methods are flexible. The living things in this world are born from something. That something was born from nothing.
The heavens met the One and were clarified. The earth met the One and became calm. Spirits met the One and became conscious. Valleys met the One and were filled with flowing water. The living things met the One and came alive. Leaders met the One and modeled justice for everyone. All of this all happened through realizing the One.
Jeff and Stacie try out a relationship strategy for use especially in the immediate wake of a conflict-producing event in a romantic relationship, religious community, or workplace. In order to “Taosurf” relationships, they suggest that it can be helpful to separate out a) intentions, b) actions, c) reactions, and d) resolutions. This conversation might help you think through the reasons why you get into relationship conflicts and how to not let them ruin a relationship. They discuss the difficulties of enneagram 7 and 1 relationship pairings and provide a couple examples from their own relationship to illustrate the relationship flow chart and potential first aid responses. This show was recorded off grid, beside the Colorado River, in the Mojave Desert.
Grab your favorite beverage and join us for a long form conversation with our new friends Lori and Cliff Lewis (veteran Christian radio DJ and hair metal guitarist respectively), to discuss their experiences with Contemporary Christian Music, Lutheranism, the idea of vocation, and Solomon’s wisdom. The music behind the opening is Lori singing and then a taste of Femme Fatale transitions us into the main conversation.
When societies focus on etiquette and the husk of ethical relations, we are often dangerously close to having to turn to coercion and force instead of naturally harmonious interactions. This is where “flexing the muscles” comes in. When folks don’t follow the rules, the enforcers of societal stability have to remind everyone of their punitive power that is behind the rituals and protocols of politeness.
An interview with Corey Farr, creator of the podcast A Christian Reads the Tao Te Ching. We discuss our favorite and least favorite chapters of the Tao Te Ching. We explore karma, providence, orphanages, and religious education. Farr is a seminary graduate, a Christian Anarchist, a writer, a poet and songwriter. He teaches at a residential school for Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and can be followed at coreyfarr.com. We were privileged to get a chance to talk with this wise student of Lao Tzu from a Christian vantage point.
Why do many set an “intention” at the start of a contemplative practice or yin yoga session? How does this relate to New Year’s resolutions? Without the normal opportunities for group festivities, Jeff and Stacie spend a quiet evening discussing the advantages and dangers of setting expectations and establishing goals. The discussion gets going after a bit of champagne, so forgive the meandering of this late-night chat.
Book mentioned: Martin Laird, Into the Silent Land
This episode shares an international student perspective on American food, work & religion. We interview Jeff’s compelling student Malik, who is an international student who was stuck with us on an empty campus over the winter break. We invited candid observations from our guest, who obliged our questions but is by nature not one to offer unsolicited criticism. Nonetheless, we believe that the best way to identify and heal unbalanced aspects of our own lives is to get an outsiders’ perspective, which is what this episode brings, even as we welcomed this student to be part of our inner circle of conversation for a time.
For the sake of social distancing, we used long mic chords and talked outside. Unfortunately, that means we picked up occasional aircraft and electric saw sounds at a couple points. There’s a segment where just Jeff and Malik are talking as we had to move the recording spot a couple times and Stacie stepped out to run an errand.
"The Tao does not coerce." --Lao Tzu. In this reflection, Stacie uses this chapter to help answer a question about rearing children through the way of non-domination.
If you want to exhale, first take a deep breath. If you want to relax, first tense your muscles. If you want to clear your mind first notice your frantic thoughts. If you want to receive, first give. This is how to perceive the light that’s hidden amid the shadows.
We discuss the nature of a true family and the importance of maintaining boundaries, especially in religious contexts in which we believe we have good intentions but are inappropriately trying to fix others. At min 41 we interview Rev. Casey Tinnin, one of Jeff’s favorite students over the years, and someone we think of as family. He shares his story of growing up in conservative Lutheranism and ultimately coming out as gay as a Bible college student.
CW: We briefly discuss suicidal ideation.
Hold fast to the Big Picture and all will be drawn to you. They will not harm you and will join with you in peace upon peace. There will be joyful music and vibrant street food, wayfarers will want to stop and join in the fun. The Tao that is mere talk is bland. Look for it: it is invisible. Listen for it: it is inaudible. Yet, if you embody it, you’ll discover that it’s inexhaustible.
In a world that is clawing for “winner” status and climbing over the “losers” without compassion, Lao Tzu teaches about three treasures he holds dear: compassion, minimalism, and the way of non-domination. Here, there is a sort of anarchy (listen to hear the precise definition of this term in both Taoist and Christian context), and definitely a rejection of the idea cruel power and domination as the key to life and good government.
For this, we draw from Tao Te Ching chapters 42, 69, 67, 30, 31.
The winding shape of a river is a natural occurrence caused by a natural flow. Observing its course, we see that it never attempts to smash straight through a rock or hill, but rather dances around obstacles and goes on its way. Nonetheless, only fools underestimate its power, which can undermine the mightiest of fortresses.
Discover what makes others tick and you'll be people smart. Understand your true self and you'll be enlightened. To confront others is gutsy. To confront your true self is heroic.
Lao Tzu speaks of a profound and perhaps dreadful power that one could wield through deciphering the power in, with and under a single atom. Perhaps he even knew that one day humans could channel this power in the form of nuclear fission and weapons capable of leveling entire cities.
Drawing from chapters 63 and 64, we discuss the ways in which acting by non-action (wu wei, or what we call surfing the Tao) actually leads to concrete action in the world. This is where the famous line: "a thousand mile trek begins with a single step" becomes especially relevant to life's overwhelming projects.
Lao Tzu says that we ought not only use weapons as a last resort, he teaches that it is unhealthy to fetishize weapons, glorify violence, or take delight in the death of an enemy. This is eminently sound.
Invasive weeds grow whenever armies march through a land. After great wars, countries sink into famine and economic depression.
Lao Tzu emphasizes value of carving out empty space in one's life for centering, creativity, and preparation for action. We discuss this, and the concept of Sabbath in the Jewish and Christian traditions. The chapters discussed are 11, 73 and 12.
The concept of wu wei is practically and clearly stated in this chapter. Again, this principle of acting by not acting isn't about disregarding one's duties, nor is it about being a pushover. It's about letting the natural forces of the world flow as they flow without arrogantly assuming we can step in and control the flow through force.
Lao Tzu clearly favors the feminine principle, the negative space, and the faith of a child. This last preference is especially resonant with the teachings of Jesus about being childlike. Over and over, we've been pointing to teachings from Jesus but not to create a syncretistic new way of thinking. Instead we are showing how Jesus and Lao Tzu often were teaching similar things. This has little to do with what is known as doctrine in Christian theological circles, however.
The Sage is a savior of all people and discounts no one. She's not content with heaven, so long as anyone remains in a living hell.
Drawing from Lao Tzu chapters 16, 62, 70, snd 71, we explain one of the most important lessons of the Tao Te Ching: that it’s not really that hard to find the truth, but it’s hard to face the truth. This episode discusses the ways in which facing the truth can truly set us free. Most importantly, we become free from the fear that keeps us from truly living. Toward the end, Jeff speaks to religious leaders who fear death and points toward a way to secure fearless love without wavering. Stacie shares just a bit about why her work as a death doula is actually about abundant life now. They conclude by exploring how the fear of death and the afterlife is a chief source of unhealthy manipulation in religious circles.
Some falsely assume that the Taosurfer is free from all material attachments. While it is true that Lao Tzu's philosophy embraces the value of minimalism and is uninterested in accumulating excessive stuff, it remains aware of bodily needs and the essential tools necessary for life in this world.
So, the Tao is sublime. Heaven, earth, and humanity are also sublime. See how there are four sublime realities in the universe, and humanity is included?
Discover what makes others tick and you'll be people smart. Understand your true self and you'll be enlightened. To confront others is gutsy. To confront your true self is heroic.
The language of "a million, billion, billion times smaller than a single atom is actually a direct quotation from MIT physicist Alan Lightman (Nancy Szokan, What Came before the Big Bang, Washington Post, Jan. 4, 2016). The language sounded both scientific and poetic. The Tao is sort of like that. It's the aesthetics of mathematics and the mathematics behind good art. It is the awe inspired by fractals, which demonstrate the infinite depth behind our concrete material world.
The sage learns that seeking goodness in the world isn't so much a matter of willpower as much as it the proper tuning of the senses to taste and see that good is good.
Here, Jeff isn’t saying he’s sorry for what he said in Part 1, rather he’s providing an apologia for his perspective on academic freedom within church related schools and universities. Check out the previous part, at least the first ten minutes, before heading to this part, which is more technical and deals especially with the epistemology of William of Ockham and it’s resonance with Lutheran epistemology later on.
If an academically free space is possible in society, it can only exist at a Christian University.
Some folks mistakenly think that the Lutheran Confessions represent a constraint on an individual believer's freedom, or a way to give churches conclusions about Scripture that allow members to bypass the important work of engaging directly with the Bible. While recognizing that the Lutheran Confessions can be misapplied in such ways, I will explain how a philosophy of knowledge (epistemology) inspired by William of Ockham and adapted by Martin Luther made it possible for laypeople to stand boldly for the Gospel with a shared Confession, despite authoritarian political and religious pressures. I will show how this same Lutheran approach to knowledge can help protect the minds of all congregation members, especially young people, from spiritual abuse and various forms of manipulation. I will offer practical suggestions about how Lutheran church-related education--whether it be in schools, confirmation classes, or adult studies—can cultivate healthy critical thinking and empowerment of individuals who confess Christ.
Storms blow across hills in the morning, then give way to stillness. Rain bursts from thunderclouds in the afternoon, then the evening sky enjoys silence.
Feeling a deep love for all living beings, the sage is uninterested in besting them at a verbal fight. If others ask for help finding truth, the sage is generous and obliging. If they want to feel superior, the sage is generous and obliging. It’s not that she’s a pushover; it’s that they can’t harm her. She’s not playing her enemies’ games so they can’t possibly win.
Heather Choate Davis is an author and has created a new album with her network of musical friends called LIFE IN THE KEY OF GOD. We talk about how the Christian contemplative tradition and the recovery of the biblical concept of Sophia (divine wisdom) can help us protect our noggins and bring healing to our culture and churches. Several beautiful tracks are previewed.
Instead of theories and concepts, this chapter explains how Taosurfers behave and why they are misunderstood by others.
A discussion of the concept of minimalism as understood by Lao Tzu, especially in chapters 59, 44, 48, and 80.
Lay down philosophy and theology,
so everyone can be blessed
a hundredfold.
Lay down virtue signaling and legalism
so everyone can recover
genuine compassion and begin
to really care for one another.
18.
When men lose touch with the Tao, they focus on legalism and charitable giving. This leads to scheming; then great hypocrisy ensues. Genuine love breaks down in a family; then relatives start to insist on family obligations. The nation falls into chaos, then people insist on partisan loyalty.
17.
The best leader goes unnoticed.
Second best is the one who’s loved.
Third best is the leader who’s feared.
The worst is the leader who’s loathed.
If you don’t trust people,
there’ll be a lack of trust all around.
Great leaders
choose their words artfully.
Then, when they
achieve something great,
everyone owns the endeavor
as if it were their idea from the start.
Bournes is a poet, hip hop artist & singer. He discusses his experiences in Long Beach public schools and later a conservative Bible college, laments some of the important elements that were lacking, and offers provocative but timely reflections on ways to reimagine education and other systems of society. This was recorded in front of a limited group of Micah at the Honors Living-Learning community at CUI. Micah has just released a book of poetry called Here Comes This Dreamer and is about to release a pop album with the artist Lucee. He reads two poems from his book and discusses a recent hip hop track which is included in this episode. For more about this compelling artist check out https://www.micahbournes.com. [Apologies for the mic gain being too high at first but it smooths out after the first couple minutes]
The galaxies blast out from the center of the universe; wait for their fall back to the center.
How internalizing virtue, and cultivating virtue in cultures is better than legalism, and how transcending legalism helps us to surf the Tao and evade religious and ideological manipulators. The three chapters we focus on for this lesson are 18, 27, and 38.
This chapter offers a vivid picture of what it looks like to surf the Tao. This isn’t about mere appearances, façades, or false egos. It’s about the way in which a person of integrity acts as if he or she is being witnessed.The way we treat a delicate flower or helpless baby bird who’s fallen out of a nest, or our neighbor’s lawn when we walk our dog says something about our alignment with goodness, truth and beauty. It says something to ourselves, even when no one else can know.
Look, but you can’t see it: it’s vague. Listen, but you can’t hear it: it’s silent. Reach, but you can’t grasp it: it’s intangible. Yet these three longings to perceive lead back to the One. There’s no heaven more wondrous than this. There’s no shadowy world darker than this. It’s everlasting and nameless. Wave upon wave, threads of energy spool out from it.Then everything drifts back into the void.
It is the shape of the shapeless. The portrait of the invisible. It’s incomprehensible. Greet it, and you’ll see it has no face. Chase after it, and you’ll find it has no backside.
Master the ancient art of being present; recognize the timeless source of all existence: follow this ancient thread and you’ll discover the secret to surfing the Tao.
The ancient Taosurfers were cool cats. They had poise. They demonstrated balance. They exuded integrity and compassion. But today, Taosurfers seem like bums to some. They seem not to be players. But maybe they’re playing a different game altogether. We discuss chapters 15, 20, and 67 of the Tao Te Ching. Jeff discusses how some racists in his world led him to lose his cool; Stacie applies Lao Tzu to the situation in order to explore more effective ways of being an antidote to a toxic situation instead of internalizing the poison of hate.
What does it mean that praise and shame invite anxiety and fear? Praise puffs you up; shame tears you down. Trying to stay on top brings fear that you will fall. Fear of failure keeps you from rising up.
12.
Focusing on flashy things
blinds eyes to beauty.
Listening to a cacophony of voices
makes it hard to hear the truth.
Too many spices will dull your taste buds.
Lust for luxury will drive you mad.
Riches entice men to evil deeds.
Therefore, the Sage
attends to essential nourishment
instead of mind-numbing diversions.
She selects healthy food,
ignoring empty calories.
Reflection
This chapter is especially relevant to our marriage. My (Jeff here) personality type is such that I love constant stimulation, spicy foods, loud music, and extroverted experiences. These can be fine for a time, but they definitely can overstimulate Stacie. Moreover, this chapter teaches that despite my penchant for overstimulation, I’m at my healthiest when I focus. It’s not that I need to lose flavor. Lao Tzu is saying that my problem might be that I’m failing to focus on the simple but deep flavors all around me. This can be understood in an emotional, professional, or spiritual way. But it is also literally true. I sometimes put too much seasoning in food, and the result is that it’s hard to appreciate the distinct flavors that were in the dish. I need to constantly remind myself to focus on good quality ingredients, with great flavors, but let two or three flavors work together to create a culinary experience.
The original Chinese of this chapter actually speaks about three sets of five. We chose not to relate that original way of speaking because we think it’s better to carry forward the core concept and meaning than the clever but foreign idioms from ancient China. That said, the original approach is fascinating for reflection.
First, there are the “five colors” which dazzles the eyes or distracts. Think not about a color palate here, but rather colors that represent five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water). Often, rulers would choose a color to represent the character of their reign. Interestingly, in the I Ching, the “color” black is associated with water (an important element in the Tao Te Ching of course) but also Heaven. Think the “dark mother” or “profound mystery” mentioned here and there throughout Lao Tzu’s work. The point for this chapter is that we can become distracted when we chase after too many things in this world. Trying to chase everything, we sometimes end up with nothing in our grasp.
Second, there are “five sounds” which could be thought of perhaps as notes. But again, the main point here is that there are voices, like siren songs, that can lead us astray. We need to stay focused on the true voice, or rather: the voice of truth, and ignore false voices like unjust criticism from enemies, negative self-talk, flattery, or even the rhetoric of cults. This chapter invites us to quiet the noise a bit so we can really discern what’s up in this raucous world.
Third, there are “five flavors” which could relate to sour, sweet, bitter, etc., but once again, the main point is the self-defeating path of gourmandizing. In other words, people who chase after too many sensual experiences find themselves numb. This is true especially of the super wealthy who lose zest for life, since they’ve become bored by luxurious pleasures. It is also true, however, for drug users who have chased addictions but ended up with a tolerance for the substance of choice. They consume more and more of the drug with fewer and fewer payoffs.
In all this, we have an opportunity in our day. Until recently, things were getting way too noisy. Too many of us were super busy but failed to really be present for our families. We might have been racing from event to event, but we never took time ourselves to enjoy where we were at each moment. As Yoda once said of Luke:
“A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away…to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing.”
So find some time for stillness. Listen to the quietude. Feel the Presence, then be present for those you love, even if you have to do it digitally for a while. Peace.
This show is dedicated listener question about what to do when you detect that a future pastor is a wolf pup, that is, a potentially dangerous clergy person in the making. How do we nip in the bud potentially abusive behavior without being too intrusive or outrageously in people’s business? We explore the value of asking the question: What are the wrong reasons I’m doing what I’m doing in my vocation?
Topics of Discussion
- Shadow self in Carl Gustav Jung
- Megachurches
- What makes academics tick?
- What makes clergy tick?
- Seminary and psychological evaluations
- Religious vocations
- Jordan Cooper
- The Orange helmet Awards
- Alexander VI
- Jeff’s poem about the Order of the Great Pyrenees
- Lutherans for Racial Justice
- Micah Bournes
Thirty spokes meet at a hub.
The empty space at the center
is what lets the wheel go ‘round.
Can you balance your mind and body and grasp the unity of everything? Can you soften your breath and become like a sleeping baby? Can you rinse from your eyes whatever is clouding your vision?
This episode is dedicated to a question from a listener who works in Christian education. They ask: How do I help change the culture of a church so that it's life giving & not authoritarian? In other words, how does one practically apply some of the themes we care about at Protect Your Noggin for the wellbeing of our kids? After minute 30, we give our actual interpretation of the Tower of Babel, & we discuss why non-Christians should want the Bible taught in public schools.
For this episode, Jeff asks Stacie (a death doula, AKA, end of life doula) to take over the episode and offer comfort and wisdom to our whole society the way should would work with an individual who was facing his or her mortality. This comes from our realization that, while we want to promote hope in our times, we also don't want cheap hope, or the sort of shallow positivity that covers over injustice without remedying it.
taosurfers.com
protectyournoggin.org
Overfill your cup: it will spill.
Over-sharpen your sword: it might shatter,
when it really matters.
Amass wealth: you can’t protect it.
Excessive pride in riches and prestige
will only leave you in disgrace.
A discussion of moral injury, how it shows up in the Bible, & how we might read accounts war and violence in antiquity.
Jeff interviews guest Dr. Brad E. Kelle is professor of Old Testament & Hebrew at Point Loma Nazarene University. His academic work focuses on the OT prophets, warfare in ancient Israel, trauma studies, moral injury, and the history of ancient Israel and Judah. He is author of The Bible and Moral Injury: Reading Scripture alongside War's Unseen Wounds (Abingdon, 2020).
To discover the greatest good flow like water. Water pours life into all creatures without striving. It pools in places men disdain. This is how it’s like the Tao. So make your home in low places. Draw from the deep well of the heart. Offer kindness to others. Let your words be sincere. Govern justly. Let your work be your art. Remain present with everyone you encounter. Live without striving and people won’t try to pull you down.
…the sage puts herself last yet comes out ahead. She dies to her ego yet she finds life. See how this makes her selfless? And this is how she becomes her true self.
Tao Te Ching chapters 3 and 12
We discuss the importance of being presence, attending to bodily needs, and the history of Western Christianity's move toward the idea that we can't do much about injustice so we should just focus on the life to come. At hour 1 or so we share the meaning of life. We end with some cooking tips from Lao Tzu.
The spirit of the valley is deathless. She is called the Mysterious Mother. The womb of the Mysterious Mother is called the source of heaven and earth. It flows endlessly, almost imperceptibly.
The cosmos is unbiased, treating all living things like sidewalk chalk drawings. The sage is unbiased, treating all people like sidewalk chalk drawings. The atmosphere is like a bellows.Wind blows through seeming emptiness.It stokes fires, but never runs out of breath. Yet when blowhards talk, everyone gets exhausted.
We discuss the insights from the Tao Te Ching that help us all evade various forms of manipulation & mental shenanigans. In addition to some introductory matters, we explore at least 5 common pitfalls or "wipeouts" that many experience when learning to surf the Tao. Lest you become crestfallen, as hard as these temptations & challenges are at the outset, rest assured that they soon give way to deep peace for those who are ready to rest secure in the source of deep rest.
The Tao seems like an empty vessel, but when you pour it out, it never ceases to flow. It is fathomless! A wellspring of all that exists.
(Note: Stacie was not a fan of Jeff's special effects on her voice toward the end of the recording, but she appreciates the spirit of playfulness nonetheless.)
Protectyournoggin.org
Taosurfers.com
Idolize celebrity and success, and men will bicker in envy. Overvalue possessions, and men will turn into thieves. Flaunt what you have, and others’ hearts will become restless. The sage leads by helping men let go of longing and fulfill living needs, let go of striving and enjoy good health. The sage emancipates men from mental slavery, and restrains the crafty from their manipulations. Surf the Tao and everything will be okay.
We made a list of seven reasons why the Tao Te Ching helps people from all (or no) faith tradition protect their noggins and learn to outfox religious wolves. In other words, this is an explanation of why we thought this text was ideal for our next set of lessons. We aren't quite ready to commit to 12 total lessons, but these 7 will likely be the backbone.
Once we perceive beauty in the world, we also discern ugliness. After we gain knowledge of goodness, we also recognize evil ...
A tranquil meditation on the first chapter of Lao Tzu's classic. Each week this season, we will be offering two such reflections alongside regular long-form discussions. For information about our rendering of the text, check out www.taosurfers.com. For additional written commentary and show notes in general, check out www.protectyournoggin.org.
Season one is all about Lao Tzu's classic The Tao Te Ching, and our two years of overland travel and exploration of this ancient Chinese book of wisdom. We discuss how this too can help us develop the mental, emotional and spiritual skills needed to find our own agency and avoid the wiles of unscrupulous religious folk.
Show notes are always to be found at www.protectyournoggin.org
Glossary of Terms we Use Throughout this Season
Best Translations and Paraphrases to Use
Dao De Jing
This is the twin parable of the new wine and old wineskins and the new cloth patch on an old garment. Religious people tend to be critical of any deviation from the way things have traditionally been done. Despite this, Jesus encourages us to not focus on the external appearances or outward manifestations of spirituality, but instead focuses on the quality of the content. Ancient wisdom may take slightly new forms in each age, but nostalgically clinging to old forms without being flexible can lead to ruin both for the content and the form of a spiritual movement. Finally, healthy religious communities do well to let the younger generation grow and expand through the power of bold imagination, without the unnecessary restrictions that come when they are pressured merely to mimic their elders instead of taking ownership of their core ethical and spiritual values. Ultimately, this text is about Jesus warning folks that they are in danger of screwing up the kingdom if they fail to pay attention to the importance of context and timing. That is, failing to understand the unique situation of younger generations can lead to leaders unnecessarily driving them away from the source of freedom Jesus offers.
According to Jesus, blasphemy against the Spirit is bearing false witness to the sacred. Find out more about The unpardonable sin, a.k.a. the unforgivable sin, the eternal sin, or the sin against the Holy Ghost.
Mark 3:28-30
Luke 12:8-10
John 11:48
What is a cult (defined as a high? How can you get out of one? How can you help a friend who's got caught in their snare?
For additional notes, go to https://www.protectyournoggin.org/podcast
It's possible for the official leaders of a movement—even a righteous one—to completely miss the point. Meanwhile, it's possible that outsiders actually are better at understanding the movement’s mission. Jesus emphasizes faithfulness to his way over membership in the group. Moreover, in the case of the movement that Jesus was ushering in, those who harm or hinder children on their path are condemned in the strongest terms, while children themselves are held up as models of the true kingdom.
A nonpartisan discussion of the ways in which the psychological theory of moral injury parallels what most Americans are facing now, as they must choose to vote or not vote, or vote for a candidate accused of serious misdeeds. Whatever you think of Tara Reade, Joe Biden's accuser or the list of allegations against Donald Trump, being forced to decide here threatens to implicate all of us in injustice. How does this work, what light does it shed on the ways we deal with similar issues in religious communities, and how can we restore moral perspective in our chaotic times?
The parable of the Unforgiving Servant. Jesus invites us all to let go of spiritual & relational bean-counting & to recognize the crushing burden of indebtedness. Those of us who cling to our systems of transaction & obligation end up condemned by those same accounting systems. If we let go of those systems, we can find peace. True nature forgiveness isn't meant to allow continued abuse or to force a traumatized person to move too quickly past their pain without processing it.
Sometimes, people keep you from adapting and thriving by labeling you in a way that limits your freedom to grow. We came to this topic because Stacie was getting to a spot where she wondered whether she might be cut out for podcasting, so instead of the episode we were planning, she applied lessons from the past couple episodes to her own life and to the question of whether we might be able to move past pre-conceived labels and self-doubt.
Jesus teaches his followers to be less judgmental about the lives of outsiders and yet more discerning about abusive behaviors in their own midst. Judgment involves condemnation with contempt. Discernment involves radical honesty with deep compassion. Most importantly, discernment starts with assessment of our own situation. Jesus isn’t inviting us to negative self-talk, but rather an unflinching confrontation and merciful embrace of what psychologist Carl Gustav Jung calls our shadow selves.
Dr. Betsi Little (Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology, Univ. of North Dakota & a faculty at Palomar College) shares a “Quarantine Positive Psychology Intervention Challenge” she offers to her students & provides tips for clearing quarantine head fog. Betsi's research focuses on the perceptions held of, and by, marginalized populations She lives in San Diego with her husband, toddler and beagle, Kyle.
The false sense of security we place on material wealth is detrimental to spiritual freedom. Jesus invites us to enjoy the peace and liberation that comes from letting go of our accumulated wealth and sharing with our fellow humans. Those who respond to Jesus’ invitation will find that, instead of feeling impoverished, they will receive the inheritance of the whole world, and will be free from the manipulations of people and systems that try to control us by dangling rewards or threatening to take away what we have.
If Jesus came to your place of worship, what would he think? If he were to tell you directly about the last being first, would you be ready to be last, least, and lost?
Jeff shares a message reflecting on the teachings of Jesus related to facing death, the concept of resurrection, childlike faith, letting go, and the nature of the true church.
This is a special episode of comfort and hope amid the current pandemic. A significantly abridged version of this was sent to students at Concordia University, in lieu of in-person chapel.
Why it’s hard to find something to inspire us on streaming services these days, why a student found it hard to read history texts in Jeff’s class, why Christians shouldn't deny science, positive and negative examples of religious responses to epidemics, and eight suggestions for filling your time up with wholesome things to watch, read and do.
Obviously the way of Jesus invites us to love everyone, and this includes your parents. Moreover, it is good to seek wise counsel from people who have lived longer than you have. But Jesus teaches that it is important for you to follow what you believe to be good, true and beautiful, regardless of what your parents, teachers, and religious authorities might say. After seeking the wisdom of others, you as an individual are invited to think what you think you should think, believe what you believe you should believe, and do what you think you should do.
Reflections on our anxious times facing Covid-19 and uncertainties. A poem from Isaac Frazee. Stacie shares insights from her training as a death doula that apply to valuing life in the present. A bonus reflection from Stacie on Tao Te Ching chapter 10 closes the show out.
PYNWJ5 Too often, people join a religion because they think it will bring them social or material benefits, as if God were some sort of genie in a bottle. Though the way of Jesus may ultimately be the best investment one could make, it nevertheless involves letting go of a lot of things we tend to hoard. If we go halfway, refusing to trust in the nature of his new kingdom, we make fools of ourselves and distract people from Jesus’ core message.
Can the principles we promote on this show be applied within Christian education? While it isn't always easy, one longstanding way to do so is through the liberal arts, especially in the context of church-related higher education. Guests Joel Oesch (theology) and Daniel Deen (philosophy), two colleagues from Jeff's university (Concordia University, Irvine) discuss the difficulties and opportunities for critical thought in liberal arts institutions.
Stacie is out of town this week, and Jeff will be traveling to Dallas, so we are shifting the schedule slightly. Next episode will return to our discussion of the teachings of Jesus, and how these teachings help students learn to outfox religious wolves.
Forgive some of the ambient sounds. We tried recording outside, since the day was beautiful. There are a few bird and vehicle sounds, but they shouldn't be too distracting.
Go to the show page at protectyournoggin.org to find out more about the Crosswise Institute, something all three of the gents on today's show have been involved in crafting.
Why it's important to read outside your normal library, meet people outside your normal sandbox, and welcome wisdom from abroad. We explain a bit about why we got into creating a new English version of the Tao Te Ching, along with two sample audio readings and reflections. This gives you a bit of a preview of what we'll be up to with season 3, which will be about Protect Your Noggin with Lao Tzu.
protectyournoggin.org
The well-known parable of the talents teaches us something unexpected: that sometimes it's not better to be safe than sorry. Sometimes, you'll be sorry if you play it too safe. This is about the character of God and whether we are free to take bold creative risks in our families, places of work, and religious communities. Go to protectyournoggin.org to find out how to get copies of the chapters.
Through answering questions from listeners, Jeff and Stacie weave together a conversation about the importance of people old and young experiencing agency in their lives and how we might help young people gain agency through a concept called Unconditional Positive Regard.
Equipped with the truth, Jesus demonstrates that we don’t need to be in fear of corrupt religious leaders, but are free to stir things up for the sake of what is right. Indeed, he invites us to be indignant and vocal when leaders are hurting the people they are called to serve. This is the famous story where Jesus smashes stuff up in the Temple. It's sometimes known as the “cleansing of the Temple” but it is not just a cleaning up, but a dismantling of a bad religious system that Jesus had in mind.
The first segment responds to a question about acts of evangelism for a seminary assignment. We discuss what it means to share good news that really is good. Then, 50 minutes in we move to an interview with a young woman named Autumn who demonstrates a bit of the boldness we discussed last week. Jeff asked her to join the show after hearing her poetry, which she shared at an open mic event headlined by Micah Bournes for the Crosswise Institute. As an exercise in unpacking her poem (which you can read at protectyournoggin.org) she shares her struggles with doubt, depression and anxiety but also her abiding faith. TW: Suicide, Depression
The story of Jesus calling his first disciples, the non-institutional basis for his authority, the value of boldness, and how Jesus located the holy within people rather than places and structures.
This is part of a 12 part series studying teachings of Jesus that can help us protect ourselves from manipulative tactics of folks who might come in the name of Jesus, and then find empowerment in the peace to which Jesus points.
This second part is rather to the point (compared to some of our shows!) We start with chapter 69 of the Tao Te Ching then dive into the criteria of just war theory to discuss when and how to ethically engage problematic people in our lives, whether just annoyances or criminals.
TW: sexual abuse, clergy abuse, guru abuse
This is the first of two parts this week. We seek wisdom regarding when to engage "bad guys" in our lives, reflecting on three news stories: 1) US military action in Iraq and the question of legitimate authority in acts of war, 2) Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's act of backing out of the cult of the British royal family, and 3) the death of Ram Dass and Jeff and Stacie's initial reticence to take seriously criticisms of this pop culture icon. This will set us up for the subsequent second part, where the discussion will focus on the various principles of just war theory and how they might apply (or not) to engaging with problematic people.
Protect Your Noggin with Jesus, a twelve chapter study, is the focus for this season. Study along with us.
First ten minutes: Jeff introduces season two and why we are focusing on the teachings of Jesus this round.
Then Jeff and Stacie discuss the story of Mary and Martha, why religiosity gets in the way of listening to the core message too often, and why legalism can be exhausting. After the break, we discuss some of the questions we have in the study book (find out more about that at www.protectyournoggin.org).
Forgiveness is a mark of the community of the followers of Jesus, according to the Apostle's Creed. It is also often said in New Age self-help circles that you should forgive because it is good for you. While we recognize the importance and power of forgiveness we also discuss some of the ways in which forgiveness is misused to keep people quiet about injustice. We discuss the problem of the just world fallacy, our frustration with the Babylon Bee, why all sins aren't equal, Tao Te Ching chapter 5, the Book of Job, and the writings of Fred Alfred and Miroslav Volf.
This is more of a laid back conversational show. Imagine we're just sitting around on couches, with a fire glowing. In the first segment we discuss how myths affect the way we approach life. How some myths become outdated and need replacement. Guest Auggie Mallinson talks about Gilbert Ryle on myth and the important lessons from the animated series Bojack Horseman, which teaches us that character is formed slowly over time, and it is unhealthy for us to expect quick resolution to life challenges. In the second hour, we interview Wayne Boyd, a recently retired army chaplain who is a pacifist who wrote a book called _The Twentieth Miracle_, which looks back on life challenges and renarrates them. We discuss the challenges there, and discuss his journey out of fundamentalism. His wife Sharon joins us part way through.
TW: Combat Trauma, Discussion of Suicide Among Combat Veterans
What is it to be "spiritual"? How does this differ from magic and religion, and where does mysticism fit in? This week, we address the connection between the infinite source of all existence, and the importance of embodiment for that eternal reality to be expressed. We discuss our visit to some Voodoo spots in New Orleans. Stacie shares a bit from our translation of Tao Te Ching chapter 1. We address three listener questions that all relate to the connection between spirit and flesh, including questions about the connection between the human and divine natures of Jesus, the connection between grace and a new logic of life, and whether Christians ought to consider practices like meditation.
The main point of this show is that we are invited to pay more attention to the wisdom that our bodily senses offer, to carefully listen to what they are telling us, and yet to not judge the stimuli too quickly. We discuss the importance of intuition, and the idea that the non-human universe is actively communicating with us through various senses even when it doesn't use human language.
We start with a discussion of our new Tao Te Ching translation project and share a sample of that work.
At 1:05 there's audio of Great Pyrenees working dogs in action, and what their barks mean.
At the end of the show, we address a listener email addressing the question of divorce in severely unhealthy relationships.
We mention abuse occasionally but not the details, only the ways in which intuition is important for navigating a world where not everyone is to be trusted.
Christian education in the US tends to sell folks on the idea that they offer train students in a Christian worldiview. Setting aside the question of whether they've got the right version, on this show we question the fundamental issue of whether that's a smart or healthy move in the first place. Then, in the second segment (at time marker 01:15) we discuss the ways in which Castro took over the minds of a whole island nation. TW: in our discussion of cultural hegemony we bring up the ugly practice of female genital mutilation.
This one is a grab bag. We discuss wisdom we've gathered from old and new friends on our cross country journey throughout the US. We share six lessons in the first hour from former students, a mariachi, a longstanding indie legend, and a moonshiner. Then, after the first hour, we chat with a friend who has a condition called hyperhidrosis, which kept her from going to church and also makes her feel guilty when she doesn't go to church now that she's found a cure.
Go to protectyournoggin.org for detailed show notes.
During their sabbatical semester traveling the country and studying American religion, Jeff and Stacie spent time at a legendary hippie commune called The Farm in Tennessee. It was founded by Stephen Gaskin and author of Spiritual Midwifery Ida May Gaskin. The group voted to stop being a "cult" and changed to an intentional community in the 1980s. This show is about the lessons learned from that transition, and how it might apply to religious communities and society in general. In the process it turns out they were rather impressed by the community and even contemplated moving there.
Check out protectyournoggin.org for detailed show notes.
Why Uber drivers are important for understanding a local scene. The commune called "The Farm", how young women are unplugging from the patriarchy through van life etc. Fear based religious signage in the US. Understanding return of paganism. The difference between mysticism and magic. Maslow's hierarchy of needs applied to religious expression. Climate change. Spoken word poetry. Ranking US hot dogs, especially Colombian dogs versus TJ Mexican dogs and El Guero Canelo.
Road lessons for the soul! We’ve been on the road for half a year now. We’ve discovered some wisdom along the way. For the next few episodes, we will be sharing insights from our overland travels across the US. The first two episodes will be about general lessons we’ve learned. Then, we’ll share direct advice from friends we’ve visited along the way. This show also provides some introductory information about living on the road if you or someone you love might find that worth trying. We normally talk about avoiding religious manipulation. Here, the topic is admittedly a bit different, but the connection is that by living simply, it is easier to untangle ourselves from unhealthy relationships, groups, and ways of living.
Who owns you? Does your father? Your spouse? Your church? God?
Segment one: the radical nature of Christian liberty, reflecting on a surprising ally here: the Apostle Paul in Galatians 3-4 who argues that no one owns an heir to the kingdom of heaven.
Segment two (starting after the first hour): the good, bad, and ugly about the classical Christian school movement, its valuable insights for K-12 education, but also its occasional association with white nationalism, opposition to racial integration and "kinism," especially in circles influenced by Doug Wilson.
Molech was the underworld deity to whom some in the ancient Near East sacrificed their children. In philosopher Bertrand Russell and poet Allan Ginsberg we see folks using Molech or "Moloch" as a reference to impersonal, authoritarian religions of cruel power. Through fear, folks find themselves turning religion into the exact opposite of what they originally came for: peace is exchanged for terror, flourishing is exchanged for spiritual death. In the first hour, Jeff gives an overview of ancient Israelite relationships with Molech in segment one and then Stacie then applies this to contemporary parenting and education via the work of psychologist Alfie Kohn.
“The goal is empowerment rather than conformity, and the methods are respectful rather than coercive. ... The way kids learn to make good decisions is by making decisions, not by following directions.” --Psychologist Alfie Kohn
"And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin." Jeremiah 32:35
“Look for truth that is like a solid granite mountain face. Let all fragile constructs dash to pieces against it.”
This is not a show arguing for or against the concept of biblical inerrancy, but it is a long form reflection on the nature of truth and what it feels like when we find it. It is also about ways in which people sometimes use ideas like biblical infallibility as a tool for authoritarian control. We spend a good bit of time discussing our application of the enneagrams to our relationships, but wait for the application of this seeming rabbit trail to the question of divine revelation. Whatever our view of our sacred texts, when we enforce allegiance to it in the minds of students in a way that bypasses their critical thinking and genuine engagement with the complexities that texts present us, we do psychological, intellectual, and spiritual harm—even when we are intending to do good.
We might get some stuff wrong but we are all but certain that if you take some of this to heart you will find a deep peace you may not have yet known, and a stronger trust in the truth of Jesus’ message (even if you don’t call yourself a Christian).
Segment 1: Background and opening with a question from a listener
Segment 2: Discussion of Stacie’s enneagram number and why it is helpful to consider: minute 0:23
Segment 3: Seven points about biblical inerrancy: 1:30
This is our longest episode yet, so you might want to break it into chunks throughout the week.
www.protectyournoggin.org
How the wolves tend to deny guilt but sling shame, but also how to have compassion but be wary of those wolves whose lives are a riddle.
First segment: a discussion of the main theme and the distinction between shame and guilt, along with another story of Jeff getting knocked unconscious by a bully.
Second Segment: discussion of a powerful lecture from Carl Gustav Jung to Swiss clergy, starting at 1:02
Third Segment: A fun but powerful game you can use to identify and confront your shadow self, starting at 1:20
Fourth Segment: we respond to a question about the meaning of our logo, created by Auggie Mallinson (check out his work on Instagram at @ars.viatoris)
For further show notes, check out our website at www.protectyournoggin.org
Twitter: @thepynp
Instagram: "Taosurfers"
For the first segment, Stacie shares her background in American evangelicalism: the good, bad, and ugly. Then she explains why she got into yoga.
The second segment (about an hour in) is an in depth discussion of research related to the psychological reasons people either minimize abusive behaviors or fail to report them. The most important thing here is that the research suggests that protocols and procedures, including enforced mandatory reporting rules aren't enough: we need to rethink the way we educate both students and educators. That's what this project is all about.
We ran out of time to respond to voice messages, but keep them coming by clicking on the blue "voice message" box on www.protectyournoggin.org.
TW: This show deals with sexual abuse in the context of people not reporting it. Again, we will not always be focusing on this topic directly, rather, in these first episodes we are trying to convey why training in critical thinking and trusting perceptions is important for individuals and, ultimately, the viability of institutions that were founded to serve individuals in the first place.
Again, keep the Crisis Hotline text number handy: 741741
PS: Here's a link to the Sarah Condon video we referenced: https://vimeo.com/350051797
Welcome to our first episode.
Segment 1: We'll share a bit about our backstory, focusing this time on Jeff's story (Stacie's will be on episode 2).
Segment 2: We discuss research from Donald Capps that relates bad forms of religious education to torment in students.
Segment 3: We address a listener call about leaving a religious group.
We offer and receive lessons in outfoxing religious wolves reforming religious education so everyone can be spiritually bold, free of manipulation and filled with deep peace.
After 20+ years of professional work in religious education and educational nonprofits, hosts Jeff Mallinson (D.Phil. Oxford, philosophy and religion professor, author and speaker) and Stacie Mallinson (former nonprofit development professional, and certified yoga instructor) realized that bad forms of religious education can lead to trauma. This podcast focuses on training in critical thinking and personal empowerment as we reform religious education.
The piano at the beginning is by Aidan Mallinson, free styling in the living room one day, with production by Jeff Mallinson. The drops during the closing are from the films "The Life of Brian" and "Gaslight".
Find us at www.protectyournoggin.org
Follow the hosts overland travels on Instagram as "Taosurfers"
Follow us on Twitter @thepynp