Sacred Musings - building on Christian foundations

It's no secret that the secular version of Christmas has been evacuated of any real meaning. But is the version the church is presenting any better?

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It's no secret that Western foreign policy doesn't seem to be working very well. The West is in a weaker state than it has been, and it keeps getting worse. What's going wrong, and what can be done about it?

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In this podcast we look at World War Three. We start by thinking about Niall Ferguson's comments about being in a second cold war, the possibility of that turning into a 'hot war', and how it seems to be a battle of ideologies. We then look at Ayaan Hirsi Ali's comments about why she is now a Christian to see what the West needs to do. The podcast finishes with a sermon from Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

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We are constantly being encouraged to take sides: in wars - e.g. Israel / Palestine, Russia / Ukraine - as well as in moral issues such as the Russell Brand affair. But whose side should we take? Is it right for us to take sides? What does the Bible have to say? In this podcast we look at Mike Ovey's essay "Victim Chic: The Rhetoric of Victimhood" to help us understand.

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In this podcast we think about how the situation in Israel is like a microcosm of the West. We think about Christian Zionism and the relation to the history of the West, and what things might look like for the future. We also look at a few links - see below - and finish with a reflection on Psalm 96.

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A shorter podcast today with a round-up of the news from the last week. We look at Victoria's Secret and the relationship between men and women; the way that rules are used (or abused) today; an open letter from Palestinian Christians to the West; the similarity of the Ukraine war with the situation in Israel / Palestine; and the role of Islam.

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The BBC recently got into trouble for refusing to call Hamas a "terrorist" organisation. But in this podcast, we turn the focus to the actions of the Western world. Does the West have the moral legitimacy to call Hamas a terrorist organisation?

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"Misdirection - what the eyes see and the ears hear, the mind believes". Who controls what we see and hear today? And how does that influence our perceptions? In this podcast we look at the role the media has to play in our perception of the world, and take as an example what's been happening in Israel over the last week. How can we combat this?

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In this podcast we look at a documentary called "Peace, War, and 9/11" to see who benefits from war and how we should think about 'conspiracy theories'. Who benefits from our trust?

We finish with a reflection from Psalm 75.

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To celebrate reaching the 100 episode milestone, something a little bit different. I talk about my journey over the last few years, and think about where we've ended up. Is there anyone we can trust? And what does that mean for how we relate to the church in particular?

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In this podcast we focus on the Russell Brand affair over the last few days. The whole thing has made me realise just how deeply sick we are as a culture: the way the accusations were made, the hypocrisy of the media, the social media reaction, and the contrast with Christian sexual ethics.

* Apologies for the audio quality - I made a mistake with the microphone so isn't as good as it should be - will be back to normal next week! *

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It doesn't take a genius to work out that there are huge problems with money at the moment. Inflation, interest rates, money printing - all leads back to problems for the ordinary person. Where do the problems come from, what is driving it, and what can we do?

We also look at an article by Louise Perry about the repaganisation of the West, and an article by David McGrogan about "Law 3.0" - how the law is being used to control. All the other articles are linked below.

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We seem to be living in days which are abounding in accusation. Miscarriages of justice seem to be common, as well as things like cancellation. It's even more important to ensure that we have a fair legal and judicial system. How can accusations be managed fairly? And how does that relate to the Christian faith?

We also look at the why it's important not to deify the NHS; a documentary about how London has changed - especially through migration; Mike Yeadon's journey to faith; and how the decline of Christianity has led to real problems in the country.

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The 'main' topic in this podcast is why people hate God. Nothing seems to get people going more than a discussion about God. Why is it that it seems to get under people's collar so easily? It is a question of 'methinks he doth protest too much'?

We also look at some other topics: infrastructure - why is it so expensive in this country? Why is it important to think? The hypocrisy of the new 'woke' religion. Why our society seems to be all about accusation. And how the new green / net zero movement is like - and unlike - the 1660s.

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In this podcast we look at some articles from the past week or so, covering atheism, the problem with tax and the welfare state, the Church of England and the women's world cup, the war in Ukraine, and the case of Lucy Letby. We finish with a reflection from Mark 5, about Jesus restoring a demon-possessed man.

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A shorter podcast looking at how evil is not spectacular or dramatic, such as Blofeld in the James Bond films. Instead, it is simply people choosing the path of self-interest over what is right.

The church has traditionally seen three categories of self-interest - money, sex, and power. All it takes for evil to flourish are for people to prioritise these above doing what is right and just. Evil consistently makes people look bland and grey - those who are evil look the same as one another. To help explain, in the podcast we look at a couple of quotes from C.S. Lewis' book Mere Christianity, and Psalm 15.

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Are people less emotional than they used to be? Do people feel things less deeply? In this podcast we look at how the world has changed, and why that should be the case.

We look at the difference between the world today and that of Jane Austen's day, as well as comparing teenagers today with those 20 years ago. We think about some of the factors contributing to the change, including social media and technology. We also look at why emotions are important. We finish by looking at what the Bible has to say about the importance of emotion and what causes the lack of it.

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Is there a single institution in this country which has not been corrupted in some way? From the government to banks to schools to the church - it seems that everything has been corrupted. Especially by this alternative 'woke' religion. In this podcast we look at what institutions should be like, how they have become corrupt, some examples and some Biblical insight as to how they got this way. We also look at Mike Yeadon's spiritual epiphany, and have a reflection from the Bible about God's judgement.

How should we understand Artificial Intelligence? Is it a good or a bad thing? Should we be worried about it? Can it replace human beings? How should Christians think about it - and what can we do? In this podcast we look into all these questions! Also - we look at some news, including the way that we are being manipulated about the climate "emergency", how this country is no longer welcoming to Christians, and Nigel Farage's cancellation by Coutts. And a recommendation for Sophie Spital's interview on Triggernometry about transgender and autism issues. // LINKS //

We live in a world which, on the surface, celebrates and champions women - yet women are becoming increasingly erased. How did we get to this point, and what can we do about it?

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A lot of people have noticed that covid became a sort of 'cult'. But there are many cults operating in society today. How do we recognise them, how do we resist them, and how do we win against them?

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Why should we believe in the existence of spiritual beings like angels and demons? This week, we are looking at another listener question - why Christians can't just focus on sin and evil rather than looking to deeper spiritual realities.

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Last week we were thinking about Satan's strategy in the world. In this podcast we think about how we can wake people up from Satan's influence. If people are held captive, how can they be released?

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A lot of people recently have been more interested in understanding evil. In the Biblical worldview, it's important to know about Satan and to understand how he (and evil) operates. In this podcast we look at how Satan works and why it's important for us to understand.

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Satanism has been in the news lately, with a generally positive piece in the BBC last month. I thought it would be interesting to compare the values of the Satanists with the values of the hierarchy of the Church of England.

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In this podcast we take a look at the thorny question of Christian unity. Should Christians be united? And how?

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In this podcast we look at how important it is to pass freedom on to the next generation. How can we be involved?

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How can we live in freedom together - as a society? In this podcast we look at the chapter on covenant from Os Guinness' book The Magna Carta of Humanity.

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This podcast looks at the importance of telling the truth, and how lies hollow out people and institutions. Riffing on Tucker Carlson's speech I mentioned last week.

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In the next chapter of The Magna Carta of Humanity, Os Guinness explains how our freedom is won by the sovereignty and freedom of God. If we trust in people, we will end up disappointed.

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In this podcast we continue looking at Os Guinness' book, The Magna Carta of Humanity. In particular we think about his insights on freedom and whether freedom can be absolute.

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"Christianity has died many times and risen again; for it had a God who knew the way out of the grave." - G. K. Chesterton

In this podcast we look at some news from the last week, a bit of personal news, and a reflection about Easter.

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Our view of human beings is fundamental to society, government and our relationships. In this podcast we continue looking at Os Guinness' book "The Magna Carta of Humanity" about the Biblical view of human beings and the difference it makes.

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In this podcast we look at the "1997 Hypothesis" - the idea that 1997 was a watershed moment for our society. (At least) three significant things happened - the election of Tony Blair and New Labour, the death of Princess Diana, and the release of Harry Potter. I argue that all three things were significant moments.  

In this episode we start looking at Os Guinness' new book "The Magna Carta of Humanity" and compare the 1776 American Revolution with the 1789 French Revolution. Which one do we want to build our society on?

Given what has happened in recent weeks, has the time come for orthodox believers and churches to leave the Church of England? In this video I give my thoughts on this question. Also we have some news and a reflection about the Railway Children.  

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In this podcast we think about the revival in Asbury and whether we need more than revival as a society. Do we need something more akin to a new reformation, and what might that look like?

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A brief podcast this week due to half term. Looking at the question of whether it's right to be politically "neutral".

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In this podcast we look at events happening in the Church of England and think about whether this means 'game over'. How should orthodox Christians respond?

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In this podcast we look at how the government is involved in just about every area of our lives. We think about the problems of taxation and about how the government needs to be scaled back.

In this podcast we look at how so much of what is happening is War on Creation, and also why it is that conservatism has failed to make an impact.

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A shorter podcast with my thoughts about strikes, the Church of England and same-sex "blessings", and Os Guinness on Freedom, Faith and Virtue.

In this podcast we look at John Locke's Second Treatise on Government to see what we can learn about liberty and the role and limits of civil society.  

** APOLOGIES FOR THE AUDIO QUALITY IN THE MIDDLE ** - I was using a new feature on my software I hadn't tested, and it distorted the audio. I hope it doesn't distract too much.

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In this podcast we look at the question of whether being secular and free are mutually exclusive. We also look at some news and finish with a reflection on Psalm 146.

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A special Christmas episode. A lot of people have identified in the last 2-3 years that there is a battle going on between good and evil. In this episode we look at 1 John 3v1-10 to see what part Christmas plays in that battle.

How did we get to the point where the government are so totally unable to solve ordinary problems, while assuming more and more control? In this podcast we look at some of the roots of the problem in the political and media class.

In this podcast we think about what's wrong with the NHS. I respond to a critique of the article I mentioned last week, and add a few thoughts of my own about the problems with the NHS at the moment.

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Over the last 50 or so years, personal responsibility has become eroded and eventually virtually erased. Why has this happened, and how does it compare with what the Bible says?

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In this podcast we think about what is most likely to happen over the next few months or years, and how we can survive it. From a Christian perspective!