What Does It Look Like To ‘Value One’s Self’? – LIVE EPISODE

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-39tkm-104da83

Just as the title implies, but done in the context of a live recording. 

Bias…Bias…Bias…Who’s Got Bias?

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-udcny-fddfe3

You may have been told that you have a bias about something. Maybe it’s ice cream. Maybe it’s movies. Or, if you’ve been following along, maybe it’s about your political affiliation. Or religious institution. No matter which it is, “bias” is a word that gets used a lot in the social sphere these days. And not always in a context that makes for easy conversation. 

Today’s episode is an attempt to talk about “bias” and whether or not we are unwilling robots to our own biases. Prepare yourself for a biased talk about bias…or something. 

What Do We Do When Our Heroes Fail Us? – A Lament

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-4ibbb-fb5b85

When our heroes fail, two narratives tend to emerge: 

1. The hero is fallible, just like any of us. 

2. The hero did not fail. He never fails. This was a setup. Someone is trying to frame him for this failure. 

The late apologist, Ravi Zacharias, is one of the latest heroes to fall mightily in the wake of some very serious sexual allegations. To be honest, Ravi was one of my heroes. I read his books, binged on his many sermons and teachings, and followed his activities across the globe for years. Now, in light of an independent investigation that was conducted after his death, it would appear that Ravi had some hidden sin in his life. The kind that appears to be years and years of manipulation and control. 

To say this information was a shock would be a severe understatement and has taken a long while for me to process. But to talk about these things is what can ultimately bring healing and a path forward. 

For those of my listeners who aren’t of the Christian worldview, I would encourage you to consider how we all have heroes and idols in our life. And what we must do when faced with the reality that some of our heroes are not always who we thought they were. The same applies for ourselves as we are all privy to make mistakes. 

To the victims and families, I pray there is healing to be found in the days ahead. 

Interview with John Kerezy: “Social Media, Big Tech, and the Next Generation”

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-2cfdy-f92320

Media consumption is a massive part of our lives. Whether it be through televisions, tablets or phones, millions upon millions of people around the world are absorbing information daily. 

My interview with professor and writer John Kerezy talks about the ideological battlefield of media. What it means when we say things like ‘Big Tech’ or ‘Fake News’ and what might be around the corner as we navigate these unique times.  

This one is packed full of interesting tidbits and information you may not be getting regularly. Or have had the time to look back and reflect upon. Much thanks to Professor Kerezy for taking the time to talk through this one! 

 

What Does It Look Like When The ‘Good Guys’ Win?

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-zsue7-f845b7

Every great story has a victor. And that victor is often aligned with what is ‘good’; what is ‘righteous’; what is ‘just’. 

America’s culture would define these types as the good guys. You know, the heroes. The ones who look out for those who don’t have the strength necessarily to look out for themselves. It’s a characteristic that we often associate with athletes, war heroes, and as of late, our political leaders. 

Yet America doesn’t always agree on who the good guys really are. As evidenced from these past few elections, can America adequately define who its good guys are and who are her bad guys? There are many opinions on that. And it’s a topic I’ll be delving deeper into with this episode. 

Interview with Dustin Johnson of “Christ & Capital”: How Worldview and Economics Collide

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-fmuav-f66fad

I was fortunate to cross paths with fellow creative Dustin Johnson from Christ & Capital and was just as fortunate to record a conversation with him. There’s a lot of static out in the public space regarding economics, political policies, and how to do these things best. We hear the arguments and we are quite familiar with them. But all too often, we don’t dig deep enough to see what worldview is behind these talking points. 

My conversation with Dustin covers lockdowns, socialism vs. capitalism, stimulus checks, and all things in between. 

You can find more about Dustin, his blog and podcast, Christ & Capital, at www.christandcapital.com 

Polarization, Compromise, and Humility

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-yfsm4-f6134a

We live in what appears to be a polarizing time. But what does that even mean? There’s a large number of influencers and pundits throwing around words like, “polarized” and “compromise” but not a lot seems to be getting done about it. This episode explores some of the issues with having an outlook that puts labels (and people) into silos and what might be a means to remedy all of the under-the-surface disagreement that we have. 

Interview with Desh Amila, creator and director of “Better Left Unsaid”

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-ct6fp-f50d56

This episode is unique in that I’m not the only one speaking in it. My guest, Desh Amila, comes to the Narrative Wars to talk about his life experience, his reasons for going into filmmaking, and shares what his next movie will be on.  

Desh, originally from war-torn Sri Lanka but who now resides in Australia, is a strong voice in the arena of free speech and open dialogue. He creates content related to worldview issues and his latest work, “Better Left Unsaid” is set to be a continuation of those efforts. And as I say in my intro, Desh is someone whose worldview is slightly different than mine. Yet through our shared curiosity and desire to be part of the “larger conversations”, we came together for this lively interview.  

I think you’ll enjoy Desh’s story and hopefully check out some of his work as well. 

You can find him at https://deshamila.com/  and be sure to listen for his exclusive offer during my podcast. 

My Website is Moving in 2021!

This is just a short update. My website will be moving in 2021. I’ll no longer be hanging around at WordPress, but will be upgrading and moving to a new hosting domain. I’m still learning all of the terminology but it was the right decision at this point in time to do it.

With it, I’ll have a new “look” and will try to have most, if not all, of my content filtered through one location. That includes my books, my two podcasts (The Writer’s Lens and The Narrative Wars) and any / all blogs and articles I happen to churn out.

So yes, that’s quite a bit of material, but it needs a home. So I’m going to give it a home. Stay tuned and thanks for always tuning in with me.

– J.C.L.

Skepticism and Virtue:The Dilemma with ‘Question Everything’ Culture

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-4t6eq-f41be0

Is questioning ‘everything’ a sign of intelligence? Is it a sign of virtue? This episode explores our culture’s obsession with our ‘question everything, trust nothing’ attitudes. And if we really do hold this attitude in a way we claim to. 

 

What Does It Look Like To ‘Value One’s Self’? – LIVE EPISODE

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-39tkm-104da83 Just as the title implies, but done in the context of a live recording.