September 15, 2014 Podcast

Show open and introductions

Ben opens the show live from the Pathway Studios in Johnston. He notes it is a truncated studio tonight: himself, Dan, and Dave Herrick hanging out. He previews the night's agenda.

Launching the 'What I Gained When I Lost My Religion' series

Ben introduces a Time Magazine article by a former evangelical Christian listing 10 benefits of losing his faith. Over the next ten weeks the hosts will take one item a week and try to understand where the author is coming from. Dan previews three trending news stories for later.

Christian musicians' breakup and the evangelical infidelity stat

Ben tells of recently discovering Christian musicians whose marriage broke up amid apparent infidelity, then shares a striking stat from the article: 90% of evangelicals remain opposed to extramarital affairs. The hosts riff on who the other 10% are and on polls showing many self-identified evangelicals do not really believe the Bible.

Reading the article's premise

Ben reads the opening paragraphs of the Time article: the author finds reactions to his unbelief painful, feels more at home in his own skin, and lists the personal benefits he derived from leaving his religion.

Reacting to the premise: religion without Christ

Dan reacts that the article is full of 'I' and 'me', seeing a self-imposed guilt and no real relationship with Jesus. Dave Herrick agrees Christianity reduced to a list of Christian things without Christ is ugly. Dan adds much of the modern church is about the event and the band with a lack of Jesus. Dave tells his birth-certificate story: in a country requiring a religion field, he wrote 'Christian' as family background while seeing himself simply as a guy who follows Jesus.

Bono, Mumford & Sons, and reclaiming the word 'Christian'

Ben recalls Bono of U2 and the lead singer of Mumford & Sons distancing themselves from the word 'Christian'. He argues the term originally embraced by the first-century church (first used in derision, meaning 'little Christs') has been co-opted, and part of him wants to reclaim it even though in practice he finds the term worn out and prefers 'Christ follower'.

Kitchen-table conversations vs broadcast media

Ben argues that Christianity's biggest media mistakes are broad-spectrum conversations that do not belong in that arena: the show is a conversation the hosts are having anyway, with microphones on, not wisdom sprayed at strangers. He critiques impersonal evangelism (interrupting strangers with a pitch) and the 'Earth is not my home' theology of the article author as a lame view of God.

Reading benefit #1: peace of mind

Ben reads the article's first benefit, 'Peace of mind': the author's worldview now fits the world he sees, bringing tangible satisfaction, quoting Julia Sweeney that 'the world behaves exactly as you would expect it would if there were no supreme being.'

Reacting to #1: top-down religion and a small-box god

• What causes someone to experience faith as shackles and loss of self rather than as freedom?

Dave Herrick rejects religion that postures as having all the answers, preferring God who walks with people in mystery. Dan says the author keeps God in a small box, and cites Proverbs: 'there's a way that seems right for a man, but in the end, it leads to death' — fearing the author is marching toward death without knowing it.

We stopped making disciples of Jesus

Dan argues the church stopped making disciples of Jesus and started making clones of itself — 'this is our brand, this is how we do it.' He tells of an alcoholic drug addict who found Jesus and dove into Scripture, and how he did not want to unleash the man into a Sunday-school class that would just teach him how the church does things. The hosts ask what it says that they want to shelter such people from the church's yeast.

Freedom in your own skin; Jesus invested in twelve

Ben responds to the author's 'at home in my own skin' line: Jesus transforms people into the best of what he created them to be — still themselves — while the church paints a skin for people to squeeze into ('get him a uniform... give him this ESV only'). He notes Jesus spent three years investing in twelve men, eleven clueless and one dead at the end, and God transforms rather than hires: 'It's not an open position. It's an invitation for a kingdom.'

The Holy Spirit and praying for the author

Dan notes everything changed at Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit came, and the same is true today: make space for the Spirit rather than building walls, fences and lists. Ben wraps the segment: pray for the article's author rather than dismissing him, read ahead at time.com, and check whether any of their own behavior contributed to such a man.

News: the lip balm ban and the fifth-grade petition

• If your elementary-school child wanted to reverse a policy set by the school board, how would you counsel her?

Dan presents the news item: a Virginia elementary school banned lip balm over sharing concerns; a fifth grader started a petition that drew the support of Balmtastic Lip Balm, a multimillion-dollar company started by two young sisters, who sent hundreds of tubes. The quiz question: how would you counsel your child who wants to reverse a school-board policy? The hosts land on helping her influence the decision properly; Dan honestly admits he would probably just tell her to sneak the lip balm in where no one can see.

News: the peekaboo beard video

Dan describes the viral video of a long-bearded dad playing peekaboo, shaving the beard mid-game, and his toddler daughter's inconsolable reaction — some viewers calling it cruel, others innocent fun. Ben sides with 'lighten up' and mocks the snarky internet commenters. Dan and Ben trade beard stories, including the claim that beards feel warmer in winter, which Ben calls 'growing a lie'.

News: Kanye West's concert and owning your awkward moments

• What is the best way to handle an awkward moment when you have said something you should not have said?

Dan recounts Kanye West halting a Sydney concert until everyone stood, with wheelchair users in the crowd and one man removing his prosthetic leg — an excruciating moment. The question: what is the best way to handle saying something you should not have? The hosts agree: apologize immediately, trust people to forgive, and move on — but really own how foolish you were, not just apologize for being caught. Ben shares his own twice-a-year foot-in-mouth apologies to his wife and kids.

The Pathway One Coat Challenge

Dave Herrick issues the Pathway One Coat Challenge: go through the closet, keep one medium utility coat, and donate the rest for the homeless served by Bobby Depper's Thankful Leper ministry in downtown Des Moines (Matthew 25). Donations can go to the Life From The Path studio or via thankfulleper.squarespace.com. Ben debates the shoveling-snow edge case, then agrees: 'I like to argue with Herrick — he's right about this thing.'

Ben's lying-kids story: God's rules are not shackles

Ben connects back to the article's 'shackles' theme with a story about a lying problem with his kids — including his own 15-times-a-day joke lies like 'a cow with a duck's tail.' He explains to them that God is a loving father whose commands are not bindings but guidance toward what is best: 'you're tied down already... what you call freedom is not freedom.' The Bible, he says, is not God's paddle but his way of communicating love.

Sponsor break and radio sign-off

Ben thanks the sponsors — Bob Eisenhower of the Eisenhower team (eisenhowerteam.com) and Westfield Veterinary Hospital in Johnston — and signs off the 99.3 radio audience while the podcast continues.

Parenting follow-up: the long talk as discipline

After the break Ben continues the parenting thread: his version of discipline is a long sit-down talk, which the kids dread more than a hand smacking — the younger one starts telling stories after forty-five seconds, the older one falls apart at a stiff look.

Dear LFTP: the school aide sharing confidential student info

• A school aide is sharing confidential student information in the community. Should I report her, or is it not my place to interfere?

Ben reads a letter from someone who overheard a school aide discussing students' special needs and behavioral issues with people in the community. The hosts agree it is inappropriate, that talking among teachers for collaboration is fine but the community is not the place, and advise one more direct confrontation then escalation: inform the principal, and if that fails, the parents. The Secular answer: inform the principal and let him or her seal the leak; go through channels first.

Dear LFTP: the friend's son's second sales presentation

• A friend's son wants me to sit through a second practice sales presentation after changing companies. How should I respond?

Ben reads a letter from someone whose friend's son, now at a new company, wants a second practice sales presentation. The hosts' unanimous advice: say no — the young salesman needs to learn to hear a no. The Secular answer: tell him you were very busy, that the last time was a special favor to his parent, and wish him luck.

Dear LFTP: the proud sister's 'cutest baby ever' captions

• Am I overly sensitive about my sister's 'cutest baby ever' captions and 'the greatest' shirts, or is she tactless?

Ben reads a letter asking whether the writer is overly sensitive about her sister's proud-mom posts — 'cutest baby ever' captions and 'the greatest' shirts for her one-year-old. Dave Herrick rules: you are absolutely overly sensitive; it is simply a proud parent. Ben agrees unless her actions otherwise betray contempt for others' kids. The Secular answer: she is over the moon; the cousins are too young to read the shirts; simmer down.

Close: agreed with Secular on everything

Ben notes they agreed with Secular on every letter — 'I don't think that's ever happened' — and jokes the common denominator is a missing mic boost. He reminds listeners of the One Coat Challenge, mentions a related post on the show's Facebook page, gives the studio address (6523 Merlehay Road, Johnston) and the next Thankful Leper gathering (Western Gateway Park, downtown Des Moines, the 28th at 2:00), and signs off.