Anyone who has made a point in life to pull their own weight has experienced the vexation of those who habitually try to get away with as little as possible. It is a whole other level however when these same people not only justify their sloth, but consider themselves good for their laziness. On today's episode, we'll be exploring how some say with…

Today we'll be running through a somewhat niche area where Christians consider merely feeling bad to in itself be evil. While also opening this up to the general concept as such, we'll also be talking about the deep dangers of such avoidance and moralizing.By Adam Poelstra

Recently I was inspired to notice a hypocrisy within the typical church view on judgement. Not only are such paradigms and practices often nonsense in themselves, sometimes when you look at two such examples in tandem, you'll notice that they so contradict each other that only cognitive dissonance could allow for both to exist in the same supposed …

We use the word "immature" on a fairly regular basis, especially with a negative connotation. Do we really understand its meaning? Is it even an insult or negative as such? Today, we'll not only be exploring this question, but also some areas where immaturity hides under the guise of graveness.By Adam Poelstra

Perhaps one among the saddest trends of modern day is that our own sense of what it means to be good and generous often leads people into positions where they become drained and taken advantage of. Persecution is one thing, if you are a Christian, but almost seeking to be abused and making that your lifestyle is something else entirely, and very da…

Having spoken about repentance and forgiveness before, there still remains the question: what do we do within ourselves about those who have both done us wrong, and have not admitted they did wrong, let alone repented of it? I believe the Bible provides good instruction on this as well, but modern people, especially Christians, get this muddled amo…

Integrity is a less commonly used word today, and yet it is in my opinion the backbone of any society. Without it, more than just trust among people breaks down. Even some of the very core components of culture decay without integrity. We'll be exploring why I think this is in today's episode.By Adam Poelstra

Given my many years of musing over how people tick and specifically how it would fit within a Christian worldview, how would I finish the adage of "there are two kinds of people in the world"? My answer has to do with two trends of life that everyone is on, without exception. We'll go into this in more detail on today's episode.…

What does it really mean to deserve things in life? Is it just a set of arbitrary standards, or is there an objective and philosophical way to define deserts? Most of us face obstacles to this not from the outside world, but from within ourselves. Join me for today's topic, discussing how we can know that we deserve good things.…

Most people in the west today believe that things like loss, pain and grief are simply bad in themselves, and should therefore be avoided or otherwise not be acknowledged. This I consider to be a tragedy. While loss is not something that should be sought out or wallowed in, there is great gain to be had in accepting and acknowledging it. That is wh…

Today, the world abounds in what we call "intellectuals", but are such people really the masters of the mind? Are experts and professionals those who have mastered the skill of thought? I do not think so, so what is it that is the stuff of good thinking? We will be exploring this question in today's episode.…

Almost anyone who is not themselves a legalist or dictator knows well just how intolerable they are. I also would argue that deep down, they know they are and have a guilty conscience as well. But if that is the case, it leaves us with the question of how authoritarians manage to be okay with their own existence. How, as we say, do they sleep at ni…

Many of us have grown up with the right advice about how to empathize, but few to no examples of what it looks like to actually do it. Including from those who gave us the advice. So what is it really to empathize with others? What does it cost to do it, and to avoid doing it? That is what we will be talking about in today's episode.…

There are those in the world around us who seem very keen on being helped, but that appears to be as far as they go. There are also Christians who seem to believe themselves modest for claiming how utterly useless they are, especially without God actively aiding them. Are such people really earnest, and do they understand the ramifications of their…

There are some ideas and beliefs in the world that not only sound very attractive, but even have the effect of making us feel very good about ourselves and the world around us, but they are mostly if not entirely false. Their power is in their attractiveness and in the relief they bring, but they cripple us in the long run. They are more like a dru…

The churchians of today often have it in their heads that to judge other people is among the worst things you could possibly do. But is that true? Are we instructed by Jesus himself that we shouldn't judge others? I think that this is nearly the opposite of the truth, and we'll be going through some of the reasons why in today's episode.…

The book of Job, which is one of the most challenging in the scripture, pushes in us and others some of the most difficult paradigm shifts. For those who resist the lessons therein, as well as elsewhere in scripture, in my opinion unwittingly destroy the concept of grace in their wake. That is the subject of today's episode of Musings.…

Particularly among Christian evangelicals, there is a fondness for talking about revival. Sometimes it seems that the standing hope of the future of these churches as it is apparently prophesied and otherwise predicted ad infinitum. But what is revival itself, and what does it take practically speaking to get there? Do the churches of today push fo…

Today's episode is a bit more freeform, as we'll be going through some fresh thoughts on why God may have chosen to create at all, and what His freedom to do such things means for us. Finally, taking these massive metaphysical ideas, and boiling them all the way down to our own daily responsibility.By Adam Poelstra

The debate often comes up among Christians as to whether the so-called Christian holidays we celebrate today, namely Christmas and Easter, are really honoring to God, and should or shouldn't be celebrated. through the many years and generations of their developments, the dates and traditions associated with them have been altered and mixed with the…

When Jesus told his disciples to be like little children, was He actually telling them to become simple, ignorant, weak and so on? Or was He perhaps pointing out something deep and easily missed about how to be human the way God designed us to be? That is the question we will be discussing in today's episode.…

Gratitude, which is not just an attitude we should have around Thanksgiving, but is one of the most beneficial, and I hear healthy, minuets we can have. Yet within and around us, I believe there are a number of circumstances and predispositions that sap us of thankfulness. In today's episode, we'll be discussing what those are and how to counter th…

In a study that looked at three groups of people: quasi-religious, non-religious, and committed-religious, it was the quasi-religious that were found to be the most unhappy. In like manner, those who struggle to keep their consciences clean by avoiding blame and guilt, self-justifying until their efforts entrap them, are in a perpetual existence li…

There is no doubt that there is what we would call the "showy" side of religion, and Christianity is no exception. But are the gaudy, expensive aspects of churches and Christian societies a good thing, or not? While they are in my opinion meant for the betterment of Christians in general, when taken too far, they can be deeply damaging. We go more …

As many of us are growing up, we hear over and over again the importance of obedience. Yet those of us who take the time to ask the right questions begin to notice that the world of obedience is not reciprocal, but rather is a power struggle. Yet people still adhere to something nonetheless. That is their examples: the people they respect and emula…

In today's episode, I'm goin further into the nature and results of Pride. The two primary manifestations it has, the prices people pay for holding on to pride, and a good deal more. I hope this listen will give you much edification!By Adam Poelstra

Having spoken last episode about the fallacy and non-biblical nature of universal forgiveness, there remains the issue of what lingers in us when we have been wronged. What do we do about that if we cannot simply let go through forgiveness? In this episode I try to expose the truth behind those feelings and what to do to solve our issues with havin…

Many modern day Christians would argue that we are required to forgive others no matter what, lest we not be forgiven in the end, or lest we carry a sort of soul toxin with us, etc. But does this conviction make sense? Is it consistent with scripture and the nature of God? In today's episode, we'll begin exploring this challenging set of questions.…

One belief that has been common among many religions including the Judeo-Christian tradition is the belief that divine judgement could lead to our misfortunes and ailments. Though this is now often scoffed at, and I do not believe it myself, there is a sense in which modern medical knowledge has linked our moral behaviors to our wellbeing more than…

Can a relationship really be called a relationship if one or both parties refuse to let the other have their way? Can a constant win/lose be called love? If one person in a relationship is effectively erased, how can we say there is enough of a "self" to love or to be loved? And finally, where does God come in in all of this? Hear about all of this…

Modern people like to pass off deep and hard-to-explain physical and psychological issues as chemical imbalances and by giving various labels to people. But what if the real issue is far simpler, and far more difficult to grapple with? Can the soul for example be infected with something much like the body can be infected by a virus? We'll be going …

How wearily often we run into those who make a big show of being the right kind of person, or paying attention to the "important" things, and yet we feel that there is little to nothing behind it. How wearily often we are ourselves these very people. What lurks behind such facades? Why do we prefer appearances to actually doing what it takes? We'll…

There are times when well meaning people end up going directly against the goals and values they espouse through their actions without even realizing it. Is it out of fear, pride, ignorance? I recently stumbled upon one of these examples, and wanted to share it with you all.By Adam Poelstra

In what passes for human relationships today, much of it revolves around control rather that agreements, discussions and the sharing and respecting of preferences. Such "relationships" do not merit that title, for since the rules we implement on each other often have the force of supposed morality, good versus bad, behind them, they are coercive ra…

Many churches try to entice newcomers with advertisements claiming that Jesus will simply remove this or that struggle or pain or condition if they will simply believe. Is this true, or is it simply snake oil? Even supposing God is out there and does work such miracles, does this pain-relieving god line up with scripture? This and more will be disc…

Much of the debate between creationists and evolutionists is characterized by straw men, immaturity and insults. Rarely do we get to hear from both sides those who genuinely care about and want to respect the other side. In this episode, I try to engage some of the strongest and most genuine evolution-based arguments I know.…

These days, we're often told to believe that an expert is someone "qualified" in a subject because they've been confirmed by those who have come before them, or because they've worked and payed to get a diploma, or because they've studied a lot. But is that really what makes an expert? Why does it seem that so many of the so-called qualifiers have …

There are plenty of behaviors we practice today which we refer to as love, and yet in our lives otherwise often behave in ways which we would general call hateful. We struggle to be loving consistently and even to understand what love really is. What is between us and this most desired state and understanding? That is what we will discuss on today'…

There is a seeming contradiction in the scriptures that few talk about. We are to honor and obey the government and its officials and yet our enemy is the principalities and powers. Is there a genuine contradiction here, just a matter of interpretation and context, or wisdom that only genuine life experience can shed light on? I believe it is the l…

In our "love wins" "love is the most important thing" world, what do we do with the words of scripture in the Old Testament regarding an emphasis on justice? In my opinion, one such verse, Micah 6:8, helps illuminate not only why it is important, but also why it is indispensable to a truly good life. listen in to find out more.…

One of the primary arguments used by Christians against abortion and others ways of killing is the notion that human beings or souls are of infinite value. Does this idea stand on strong biblical foundations? I challenge this idea in today's episode, but also show that I do not throw the baby out with the bathwater.…

There are two major ways we can accept responsibility in our lives. One Allows us to escape accountability, but cripples us. The other is more difficult, but empowers us. Found out what I mean on today's episode.By Adam Poelstra

Where does power come from, and where does it truly rest? Does the fate of society turn on the "big players" of the government elites or upon the shoulders of unknown people daily going about their business? In today's episode, we will discuss how I see the real-world rings of power, where they come from, and what gives them their strength.…

How to people cope with pain? What is the belief or psychology behind how people deal with, or don't deal with, their emotional pain and physical pain? What do our choices in response to our pains produce in and around us? In this episode I hope to show the importance and centrality of these matters.…

What is it that keeps some people from being able to rid themselves of crippling vices? What keeps people stuck in hypocrisy, apparently never realizing they are two-faced? On the other extreme, what attribute or ability is required to break through such pits? I give my opinion on such matters in this episode of Musings.…

In the Gospels, we always read quite a few of Jesus' words that are confusing and chaffing to us. They can seem impossible to live by, they can seem cruel, they can seem unrealistic. In today's episode, I'll be going through three of them, and explaining context that many miss, as well as my perspective on them. Hopefully rendering them more palata…

What does it mean to be joyful? How does that differ from happiness? What brings us to joy, or how do we develop it in our lives? Many of us cringe as we think about those religious or hyper-spiritual types who seem to wear a plastic smile and the sort of grinning demeanor that seems to belong in a horror film more than as an image of a joyful pers…

It's a subtle question, but what is the best representation of the truth? Is the truth just a set of ideas and arguments, or is it a person as Jesus claimed to be? How can we approach answering this question? I hope to give some good ideas about that, and I will be giving my opinion about the answer in today's podcast.…

In fiction, science and theology, time is a topic of a great deal of interest. What really is it? Can it be manipulated or tampered with? Does God alter the time series? We'll be exploring these and other questions in today's podcast.By Adam Poelstra

Does fearing God mean being afraid of Him? Does it mean a reverent respect for His power and authority? How does it differ from the fear of Man? In today's episode, I'm hoping to shed some light on these questions, and, failing to do that, at least provide some constructive food for thought.By Adam Poelstra