Episode 470: The Happiest Countries & Childlike Faith with Mandy Smith

The Holy Post

The United Nations World Happiness Report is out, and it says the United States is still behind the world’s happiest countries. Can we learn anything from them, or does America’s diversity mean perpetual conflict? Then, pastor and author Mandy Smith says Western culture has warped our understanding of what it means to be a Christian by focusing too much on knowledge and power. The antidote? Embracing Jesus’ call to childlike faith. Also this week—covid skeptics have some explaining to do because last year life expectancy in the US dropped the most since WWII—and it wasn’t because of murder hornets. Plus, a woman sues McDonald’s for tempting her to break her Lenten fast. News Segment: Woman sues McDonald’s after burger ad compelled her to break Lent fast [2:55] https://nypost.com/2021/08/06/woman-sues-mcdonalds-after-burger-ad-made-her-break-her-lent-fast/ COVID-19 caused U.S. life expectancy to drop 1.5 years [09:38] https://time.com/6082192/covid-19-us-life-expectancy-drop/ White evangelical COVID-19 vaccine acceptance has jumped 11 points since March [09:38] https://www.relevantmagazine.com/current/nation/study-white-evangelical-covid-19-vaccine-acceptance-has-jumped-11-points-since-march/ UN report on global happiness [21:47] https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/03/21/americans-are-unhappiest-theyve-ever-been-un-report-finds-an-epidemic-addictions-could-be-blame/ https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2021/ Interview with Mandy Smith:

Unfettered: Imagining a Childlike Faith beyond the Baggage of Western Culture - https://amzn.to/3nhS6o7

Interview Start [48:06] How is Western civilization in a tailspin? [49:56] An antidote for two false ways of engaging faith [52:35] Qualities of a childlike faith [56:01] Wholistic faith and childlikeness [57:29] Humility & honesty within disorder [01:00:37] Error in overreacting to rationality of Western culture [01:05:21] Story about dancing, healing, and releasing control [01:10:31] Reconciling the call to maturity with a childlike faith [01:19:59] Other resources mentioned: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1hiPIEqDMq2yobve2PyTH7?si=4ab2ce3ebf7d4bbb

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