GodArchy Podcast

"For everything, there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven." And the season for GodArchy has come to an end. This will be the final podcast for the foreseeable future. In this episode, I explain why, reminisce a bit, and say some thank yous.

In the 21st century, America's founding political principles seem pretty mundane. But in their time, they were extremely radical. And Thomas Paine was one of the most radical of the radicals. In this episode of the GodArchy podcast, I talk with historian and Paine biographer Dave Benner. We discuss the radical nature of Paine's thinking in its time and what we can learn from it today. We also talk about how Paine's Quaker upbringing influenced some of his political ideas.

What good is cryptocurrency anyway? With the steep decline in the price of bitcoin and the high-profile bankruptcy of the FTX exchange, you might be asking that question. But despite all of the negative press of late, there is still great potential for cryptocurrency. In this episode of the GodArchy podcast, I talk with Joël Valenzuela about all things crypto. Joël knows a little bit about cryptocurrency because he has been using it exclusively in has daily life for over seven years. That means he's not using dollars at all. He does all of his transactions - from buying groceries to paying his phone bill - using cryptocurrencies. Joël and I cover a wide range of topics surrounding crypto, from the basic "what is this" to the demise of the FTX exchange. He also explains how he's able to navigate his daily life using only crypto.

GodArchy has partnered with the Libertarian Christian Institute with the GodArchy podcast joining the Christians for Liberty Network. In this episode, I drop the big news and then talk with Libertarian Christian Institute CEO Doug Stuart. We discuss the work of LCI, how Doug got involved, and how we plan to work together to advance the gospel and liberty.

What is inflation? How does government use inflationary monetary policy to steal from you? And what are the spiritual/biblical implications? I cover these questions in this episode of the GodArchy podcast.

As the saying goes, there's more than one way to skin a cat. How do we advance liberty? Should we engage the political process? Or should we spurn it and undermine the state through other means? And what's the best way to talk about liberty in a compelling way? In this episode of the GodArchy podcast, I talk with Spike Cohen about strategies for liberty. Spike was the 2020 Libertarian Party vice presidential candidate. Today, he is continuing to advance liberty through his organization You Are the Power. During the interview, Spike and I also talk about how he became a libertarian and how his spiritual views inform his political philosophy.

You can't trust politicians! Pontius Pilate is the archetypical politician, and the way Pilate handled Jesus's trial teaches a lot of lessons about political power, the political process, democracy -- and why we shouldn't trust any of it. In this episode of the GodArchy podcast, I talk about some of these lessons. Walking through the account of Jesus's trial before Pilate, I delve into a number of spiritual and political issues including the characteristics that make Pilate the quintessential politician, the implications of the crowd choosing Barabbas over Jesus, the danger of democracy, and why we shouldn't ever count on the political process to make the world a more peaceful, prosperous place.

The U.S. has been involved in a war in Yemen for years. It's time to end it now. In this episode, I talk to foreign policy expert Scott Horton. He explains how the U.S. got into the war, its convoluted politics, the human cost, and how we can help stop the carnage.

I talk a lot about the moral and ethical illegitimacy of government. But as it now stands, we're stuck with it. So, how do we live free in this unfree world? I talk about it with Tricia Stuart-Mann. We discuss strategies to live more freely, including agorism. Tricia is an anarchist, a Christian and a content creator. Among her many projects, she is the host of the GingerArchy podcast.

Does history repeat? Does it rhyme? Does human nature change? These are some of the meaty topics I discuss with Dangerous History Podcast host CJ Killmer. CJ and I talk history, his approach to teaching the subject, and how history led him to libertarianism. And of course, we also talk about how government sucks and creates death and chaos wherever it goes.

In this episode, I chat with Doc Dixon. Doc is a professional magician who fooled Penn and Teller. He's also a libertarian and a Christian. In this wide-ranging (and hilarious) episode, we talk about a bunch of topics including show business, how libertarian and Christian thought go together, the impact of the sickness that shall not be named, and the importance of having a life outside of politics.

After about a 9-month hiatus, the GodArchy podcast has returned! For the GodArchy reboot, I talk a little about where I've been and where the show is going. I explain why I decided to bring the show back and what you can expect moving forward. There is also a little foray into why Christians should reject the state.

In this episode, I share a little about my journey through grief guided by "A Grief Observed" by C.S. Lewis. I also talk a little about my plans moving forward -- such as they are.

The last enemy to be destroyed will be death. I recently watched my mother die. It was a profound experience. In this episode, I share a few thoughts about the experience and the flashes of light I saw during a dark time.

To jab or not to jab? That is the question. But a lot of people don’t feel like they have a whole lot of choice in the matter. In this episode I talk about the coronavirus vaccine, and vaccine mandates and passports, from a libertarian Christian perspective.

If all these mitigation efforts including lockdowns and mask mandates worked, we should see a significant difference between areas that implemented such measures and those that didn’t. We see no such difference. In this episode of the GodArchy podcast, I talk with Ian Patterson about efforts to control coronavirus. We discuss how various policies have worked (or not worked.) We also discuss the collateral damage from lockdowns — both economic and spiritual — along with a Christian response to a pandemic.

Is Simone Biles “soft?” Did she embarrass America? Is she indicative of deeper problems in American society? A lot of people think so since the American gymnast dropped out of Olympic competition. But perhaps there’s another way of looking at it. In this episode of the GodArtchy podcast, I tackle some of the issues surrounding the Biles saga, including our conception of “toughness,” mental health, and the ridiculous statism and collectivism on display.

Compulsory national service is slavery. Sound like hyperbole? I don’t think so. In this episode of the GodArchy podcast, I talk about compulsory national service, including military conscription, and explain how it destroys the fundamental concept of self-ownership. And if somebody else owns you — that’s slavery.

In my view, centralized power is the gravest threat to liberty. The best way to confront that threat is the break up centralized power through secession. Secession gets a bad rap in the United States because of its association with slavery and the Civil War, but secession itself has nothing to do with slavery and it doesn’t have to be violent. We can have what Mark Kreslins calls “peaceful political divorce.” In this episode of the GodArchy podcast, Mark and I talk about secession and how it could be used as a tool to move us toward liberty. Our conversation ends up going much deeper than that. We also discuss our personal political and spiritual journeys and talk about the feasibility of a voluntary society. Mark has worn many hats. He’s worked as a staffer on Capitol Hill, served as a pastor and hosted a radio show.

Racism is everywhere! At least that’s the narrative the "woke" social justice movement drives. Political movements spring from ideas and the left-wing social justice movement is rooted in postmodernism and critical race theory. But what are these ideologies? Where do they come from? And how do these ideas play out in society? In this episode of the GodArchy podcast, I talk with former NYU professor Michael Rectenwald about postmodernism, critical race theory and the movement driven by these ideas.