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Crucible of Thought

Crucible of Thought

By Brandon Munday

An exploration of current affairs - refining my mind, burning away impurities, in the forge of truth. Find me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/crucibleofthght/
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The End of My Evangelicalism

Crucible of ThoughtMay 21, 2023

00:00
13:32
The End of My Evangelicalism
May 21, 202313:32
A Rainbow of Faith
May 05, 202313:32
Shoot First, Ask Questions Later: The Morality of Preemptive Violence
Apr 30, 202317:49
An Incomplete Bible
Apr 23, 202321:01
Shedding my Dragon Skin
Apr 06, 202313:22
Am I Going to Heaven When I Die?
Mar 30, 202330:24
The Preservation of Evangelicalism
Mar 24, 202319:17
How Revelation Warped My Theology
Mar 15, 202323:20
What Defines Biblical Marriage?
Feb 25, 202317:10
Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Feb 14, 202313:33
Outrage as Social Currency
Feb 09, 202311:11
It's Best Not To Ask
Feb 02, 202309:27
Can Homosexuals be Christian?
Jan 25, 202324:22
The ChatGPT AI Pastor of the Future
Jan 21, 202312:20
Is the Bible the Word of the Lord?
Jan 18, 202322:57
The Gospel According to Jesus
Jan 11, 202314:21
Was the Bible Created, Intelligently Designed, or Evolved?
Jan 10, 202323:54
Rejecting A Jonah Spirit
Dec 27, 202218:10
Deadly Contempt
Dec 23, 202209:07
A Caleb Generation
Dec 20, 202215:37
Counting the Cost of Change
Nov 19, 202215:08
If We REALLY are a Christian Nation...
Nov 04, 202214:26
What Revival Really Looks Like
Oct 25, 202223:09
Part 4: Becoming Affirming: National Coming Out Day
Oct 22, 202225:56
Part 4: Becoming Affirming: National Coming Out Day

Part 4: Becoming Affirming: National Coming Out Day

“I’m coming out.” Few phrases strike dread into the heart of conservative Christian parents and pastors as that one. It’s probably even worse than “I’m not sure I believe in God anymore.” Well, today is October 11th 2022, and since 1998, this day has been celebrated by the LGBTQ community as “National Coming Out Day.”

And I’m coming out.

Not as gay or queer, myself, but as explicitly an ally, as one who is affirming of the acceptability to the Lord and to myself of others’ LGBTQ identity and/or lifestyle.

This is part 3 of a series. In this episode we discuss homosexual identity versus behavior, transgender identity, cultural expectations, and pronouns.

The following links are mentioned in this episode:

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/21/us/group-that-promoted-curing-gays-ceases-operations.html

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/10/the-man-who-dismantled-the-ex-gay-ministry/408970/

https://www.thetaskforce.org/national-religious-leadership-roundtable-responds-to-closing-of-exodus-international/

https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/press/lgb-suicide-ct-press-release/

https://whatweknow.inequality.cornell.edu/topics/lgbt-equality/what-does-the-scholarly-research-say-about-whether-conversion-therapy-can-alter-sexual-orientation-without-causing-harm/

https://www.insider.com/more-lgbt-young-people-identify-nonbinary-2021-7

https://www.them.us/story/gen-z-millennials-queerest-generation-gallup-poll

https://www.newsweek.com/nearly-40-percent-us-gen-zs-30-percent-christians-identify-lgbtq-poll-shows-1641085

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus

There will be at least one more episode on this topic. Consider subscribing to the podcast to be notified of the next episodes. You can also read the paper itself here: https://crucibleofthought.com/coming-out-on-national-coming-out-day/

Oct 21, 202241:38
Self-Appointed Gatekeepers
Oct 19, 202209:44
Part 2: Becoming Affirming: National Coming Out Day
Oct 17, 202229:00
Part 1: Becoming Affirming: National Coming Out Day
Oct 13, 202234:00
Hanging On For Dear Life
Oct 06, 202208:29
For Two Billion Years...
Sep 23, 202211:58
Peter's Vision: An Inclusive Gospel
Sep 01, 202219:43
The Best-Kept Secrets in the World
Aug 26, 202204:56
A Man Shall Leave His Father and Mother
Aug 14, 202214:03
Is It Worth It?
Aug 13, 202219:39
Taking The Easy Way Out - Thoughts on Becoming LGBTQ Affirming

Taking The Easy Way Out - Thoughts on Becoming LGBTQ Affirming

I've been thinking about the challenges of accepting the so-called "affirming" position on LGBTQ issues, and it seemed like time to address my thoughts on the topic at some length.

You can also read this episode at https://www.crucibleofthought.com/taking-the-easy-way-out/

Aug 09, 202220:23
A Matter of Righteousness and Justice
Aug 04, 202216:59
How would You Like Your Milk - Rare, Medium, or Well Done?
Jul 26, 202213:37
On a Basis of Fear
Jul 04, 202208:05
Boundaries
Jun 29, 202208:14
Come Let Us Mourn and Rejoice TOGETHER
Jun 27, 202217:06
What is Salvation, Anyway?
Jun 23, 202228:36
Relics
Jun 08, 202208:08
Who's Actually Grooming?
Jun 05, 202206:04
To Be A Christian in Babylon
May 20, 202211:37
Further Up and Further In
May 16, 202209:40
On a Donkey, Not a War Horse
Apr 22, 202211:39
The Women of Passover
Apr 13, 202204:04
Military-Speak

Military-Speak

We're so accustomed to living at DEFCON-1 in the spirit realm, constantly being on a wartime footing against demonic forces and a culture that's falling apart, against unbelievers and misguided fellow believers, that we fail to see the bad effects that it's having on our culture and our unity and our peace. But Christ already won the victory - so why are we demonizing each other in the name of making America a great Christian nation?

You can also read this episode at https://www.crucibleofthought.com/military-speak/

Apr 04, 202216:19
Billions and Billions Served

Billions and Billions Served

It has occurred to me that most American Christians are just as much in love with a certain style of Christianity as they are with fast food, and for very similar reasons. It's fast, it's easy, it's cheap, and it requires no real personal involvement to get fed. But is it the right model?

You can also read this episode at https://crucibleofthought.com/billions-and-billions-served/

Mar 29, 202215:30
Protect the Brand
Mar 24, 202222:46
Exposed by Change
Mar 23, 202210:06
The Impractical Gospel
Mar 23, 202208:56
State by State
Mar 11, 202213:29
Works Of Faith
Mar 08, 202222:28
E Pluribus Unum
Mar 04, 202217:08
Visiting a Black Church During Black History Month
Feb 28, 202206:15
The Best-Qualified Candidate
Feb 26, 202208:04
Can Queer and Transgendered Persons Represent the Image of God?
Feb 21, 202236:27
In Guns We Trust
Feb 16, 202207:59
Let Us Agape One Another
Jan 17, 202208:29
Roller Coasters
Jan 10, 202216:25
Doctrinal Humility
Jan 03, 202214:32
Rabbis and Spiritual Fathers
Dec 24, 202108:56
The One Ring of Political Power

The One Ring of Political Power

The parallels between today's America and 1930s Germany are striking. In "The Lord of the Rings" J.R.R. Tolkien describes The One Ring, a malevolant and active power which subverts and dominates anyone who wears it. I wonder if the recent pursuit of political power by the Evangelical church is akin to slipping on that ring.

Read this at https://www.crucibleofthought.com/the-one-ring-of-political-power/

Dec 24, 202114:44
Exponential Christianity
Dec 21, 202126:05
Cinderblocks of Faith

Cinderblocks of Faith

I've discovered that once you kick out some cinderblocks from a faulty foundation, many other previously-stable things tend to be disrupted as well. And maybe that’s not a bad thing.

Read this episode at https://www.crucibleofthought.com/cinderblocks-of-faith/

Dec 10, 202117:33
Deconstruction or Repentance?
Nov 23, 202119:37
Small Groups and Synagogues
Nov 20, 202118:09
Let's Not Take Brandon to Church
Nov 17, 202120:07
What I Feared Did Happen - And That's Good
Nov 08, 202114:25
The Womb in the Wilderness
Nov 07, 202107:42
Fear and Accusation
Oct 26, 202109:52
How I Learned Empathy

How I Learned Empathy

A number of evangelical personalities are now calling empathy a sin and advocating that sympathy is the only Scripturally-appropriate way to deal with other people's difficulties. Over the last couple years, the Lord has been reworking my heart to restore an ability to empathize, so I share that testimony and challenge this unscriptural position.

(You can also read this as a blog post at https://www.crucibleofthought.com/how-i-learned-empathy/)


Oct 07, 202113:09
A Collective Identity

A Collective Identity

(Episode 4) With our individualist thought process, Americans seem prone to creating power structures where an individual is - or at least considers themselves to be - an absolute authority over a group. Any sense of accountability is often secondary to that sense of personal authority. 

This American individualism applies to all walks of life - religious, civil, and family. 

But much of the world - especially Asia and the Middle East - instead think about the group before thinking about individual rights. And I'm learning that's also true of the cultures into which the Bible was written and lived. As such, the Bible speaks to and teaches group ideals - where the group and its relationships are the focus, not the individual. 

This has some intriguing consequences for my belief structures.

Sep 30, 202110:36
Safe Places and Untouchables
Sep 24, 202120:37
COVID Contradictions

COVID Contradictions

Episode 2. The COVID epidemic has clearly exposed a number of contradictions in the thought process and the actions of many American Christians. The very group that is the most vocal about stopping abortion, preventing euthanasia, and denying "my body, my choice" is also the group agitating the loudest against masking and vaccination and activity restrictions. Isaiah 1 has some strong words for God's people in the face of their failure to look out for the vulnerable among them.

Sep 19, 202106:03
Introduction to the Podcast

Introduction to the Podcast

Hi, I'm Brandon. A few months ago I started blogging on my website https://www.CrucibleOfThought.com, and had several requests to release the content in audio format as well. So here it is.

I'd like to introduce myself briefly.

I've been hanging around conservative Christian circles since I was five years old, and pretty much all of that in evangelical spaces. The last 30 years have been in an Assemblies of God church, but only loosely affiliated with the AG denomination. Mostly, we're a Charismatic full-gospel church that believes in the Bible as the sole authoritative word of God, and Jesus as the only way to be reconciled to the Father. I was a church worship leader for 15 years, and a lay leader in my church for 30 years, including marriage ministry, audiovisual ministry, deacon, and core leadership team.

I've also been a devoted conservative Republican all my political life. I knew a few Democrats but never really understood them, and especially how a Christian could ever be a Democrat or a liberal.

In early 2019, a major life event happened for me - I discovered how I was broken emotionally, and I spent a year in discipline away from most of my church leadership duties, and six months in counseling learning how I had been emotionally wounded by many aspects of my personal history. The Lord rearranged quite a few things in my soul and my mind, and I came into 2020 restored to my leadership positions, with a brand new awareness, and a new ability to empathize with those around me.

Then, 2020 hit us all.

A big part of 2020 was George Floyd's murder, and for the first time in my entire life, I truly understood how others were being affected by a political or social situation. My awareness upended my Republican viewpoint, as I was able to hear the cries saying "Black Lives Matter" from a very new perspective. I began to hear the stories of my Black friends and churchmates with new ears.

Of course, COVID was another big part of 2020. Having spent nearly 30 years married to a nurse, and with an engineering and data analysis background, I approach understanding the epidemic from a very intellectual, science-based perspective. I tend to begin with the assumption that doctors and epidemiologists actually know what they're doing, and have our best interests in mind.

I'm generally conservative, although I have a bit of a libertarian bent - I tend to favor small and hands-off government, especially in fiscal areas, but in the past I have historically taken political positions that favor conservative Christian moral positions.

Recently, I have become rather discouraged by trends I see in evangelical churches, and I feel like the Lord is calling His people to repent of quite a few things that the American church has been doing over the decades, more out of habit and convenience than out of conviction. Many of the things you'll hear from me on this blog and podcast come from words I feel like the Lord is speaking to me about His people. I don't have much expectation that the non-Christian world will act Christian - but I do have a rather high expectation that the church should reflect the true values of its King. We should be light and salt to those around us, and lately I feel like even the world has begun to see what's wrong with the Church. When the world sees it, and begins to point it out, I think we need to pay close attention and seek the Lord whether we're missing something ourselves.

So that's my background, and I hope it gives some context for the kinds of topics and positions I discuss on this blog.

I'll talk to you again soon!

Sep 19, 202104:10