Gracearchy with Jim Babka

How does a candidate soar one week, riding high on the waves of good news, and then crash the next week with a burst of surprising, even shocking news? ...tales of corruption, ugly alliances, hidden business practices, or even sexual scandal? Do you know how you're being manipulated and why? A peak behind the wizard's curtain at the world of political reporting. To be informed is to be prepared. B...

My friends say we should talk. Why? Please give me four minutes to explain. Bill Protzmann is your moderator. ZeroAggressionProject.org is the sponsor. Be grace-full to each other.

In 1994, Mark Noll wrote a book to encourage reform with his fellow evangelicals. He titled it, "The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind."  But the pews are emptying. A mass exodus is underway. And many observers say the real scandal is the political mind of the religious right.  Are the critics correct?  Bill Protzmann and I (Jim Babka) had a long, wide-ranging discussion.  And it led me to praise th...

Must future outbreaks be brother vs brother? Bill Protzmann took the lead in this discussion and interviewed Dave Brisbin and me (Jim Babka) about our response to the shot, to mandates, and how that stuff affected us. Our responses are different. Our decisions about the shot were the opposite. So… How could they both be the "right response" from a shared faith perspective? How could brother agree...

You're going to think, based on the title, that we're doing an episode about Donald Trump's indictments. Well, as Thoreau wrote, "There are a thousand hacking at the branches... to one who is striking at the root." There could be a dozen more indictments. Let the regime media obsess about that. What's more interesting is that candidate Trump seems to be crushing it in the polls! Why? Could you ima...

Whether you love or hate the song "Rich Men North of Richmond," you would also have to admit... _It's a damned shame that this song resonates with so many people._ **Who are the Rich Men North of Richmond?** Even more importantly, what do those Rich Men (and women) actually do? Bill Protzmann joins me (Jim Babka) to analyze first the music, then the lyrics of Oliver Anthony's viral hit, "Rich Men...

Sex, God, Individuality, and Connection Our discussion about the Kingdom in the previous episode led to a dialogue about the Trinity. Inside and outside of Christianity, this is a wholly misunderstood concept. A discussion like this is needed. For me (Jim), the Trinity is one of the two most profound metaphysical concepts at the foundation of my voluntaryist worldview. If you know a Christian who...

This episode of Gracearchy with Jim Babka is efficient. In less than 14 minutes you get some innovative thinking, answering the question... What is the Kingdom of God? In the previous episode, Pastor Dave Brisbin and I (Jim Babka) agreed "98%." In this episode, I quickly picked a fight about the other 2%. You won't be surprised to learn that my answer, to the Kingdom question, was social with a li...

Why orthodoxy does addicts little or no good. In mid-May, Bill and I sat down with Dave Brisbin. He's pastor at theeffect, a church founded by and for people in recovery from addiction. We recorded four episodes. The first episode in this series with Dave Brisbin tackles right doctrine (orthodoxy) vs right practice (orthopraxy) as experienced in addiction recovery. Along the way, we discuss... * T...

Instant Grace question: Is Grace always warmth, kindness, and sweetness? News just came down that Sinéad O'Connor died suddenly at age 56. May she Rest In Peace. But Jim Babka notes how one event can seem to define a life, and in the case of Sinéad, much of the media is talking about how she tore the Pope's picture on an October 1992 episode of Saturday Night Live. Was Grace at work?   Bill Protzm...

A progressive politician, who is also a black person, ignores the fact that someone has to pay for the "free" stuff she wants to "offer." In response, the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire suggests she should be a slave! Both the political proposal and the response lack Grace. Jim Babka explains how this happens and then shows each side the gracious path. Bill Protzmann is your moderator. ZeroAgg...

Does anyone really believe that cocaine in the Biden White House matters? In this episode of Gracearchy with Jim Babka, we prove that no one really cares about this issue. Even the people talking about it are driven by other things. You see, our news cycle operates on something called Agenda-Setting Theory. The theory suggests that the media influences not what we think, but what we think about th...

**How can music bring grace to your world?** Music is not merely entertainment; it has powerful healing modalities. It can transform teams and tribes. It can integrate the person. Music enriches meditation, helps with depression, and aids motivation. Used correctly, it can heal the soul. A collection of favorite songs often plays a miraculous role in Alzheimer's patients and can provide a bridge w...

**There are three descending levels of inflation. Do you know all three?** Do you know why the central bankers and politicians MUST inflate? Do you understand what the U.S. Dollar really represents? And why don't you have a flying car by now? In just ten-and-a-half minutes, we cover all of that and more! In just ten additional minutes, I completely counter... **The Wasted Vote Argument** Maybe we...

Joe Rogan provides Dr. Peter Hotez an opportunity to debate and defeat RFK on the largest talk show in the nation. The dispute would be over covid vaccines, but knowing the two men's previous history, it would inevitably include childhood vaccinations. And Rogan promised a lot of money to Hotez's preferred charity. He's also promised unlimited time so that cheap debate tactics like the "Gish Gallo...

Which side was right, Rick Warren or the Southern Baptist Convention? When the Southern Baptist Convention's Annual Meeting hits the headlines each and every June, the media focuses on the culture war and, if anything, amplifies it. The actions of the messengers (the term the SBC uses for its attendees) are always stunning – like, can you believe they just did that? This year was no different. Ric...

8 Reflections on Faith & Religion Skeptics and nonbelievers are right to reject the religion and faith they've been presented by believers. You might be tempted to take that statement at face value. Don't! Everything you've been told about religion and faith is wrong. That goes for believers and nonbelievers alike. Presented here are eight personal expressions on religion and faith... Most of the...

We started June 7, 2022 -- since then, 50 Episodes of Gracearchy with Jim Babka. That's a wrap on Season One. WHAT DID YOU MISS? -What was your favorite episode? -Which one taught you the most? -Which episode was the most fun? Bill and I also get into... -Who this show is really for. -What are the key plans for Season Two? LASTING VALUE People tell me all the time, "I haven't kept up with all of t...

Jimmy Lai came from mainland China – from a communist hell – to experience freedom to the fullest. He used that freedom to build a retail clothing empire in the East and then a media empire. Jimmy realized that freedom the freedom he discovered in Hong Kong was a blessing, even a gift. He was grateful for it. And so he spoke up for it as the Chinese Communist Party came to steal it. In fact, he pa...

Show Notes Vanity Fair's item used in this episode - https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/05/ron-desantis-elon-musk-2024-announcement CNN's item quoted in this episode - https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/24/politics/ron-desantis-twitter-announcement-donald-trump/index.html Bill Protzmann is your moderator. ZeroAggressionProject.org is the sponsor. Be grace-full to each other. We are grateful to Sergio a...

Will any amount of YOUR money satisfy the New York Times? Wow! The New York Times has been pontificating about the supposed debt ceiling crisis, but they're getting it all wrong. Jim Babka and Bill Proztmann examine the errors and provide better answers in the latest episode of Gracearchy with Jim Babka. The New York Times claims... -The Republicans have abused the debt ceiling and the Democrats h...

CNN features Trump. Fox fires Tucker. Is it important or a distraction? If you consume media, even alternative media, we guarantee most of what you've heard has been transitory and fleeting. The partisan commentators say the same things over and over. But is there something deeper happening here? Yes, because... There's a reason CNN featured Trump in his own town hall, despite the fact that the ne...

There's a line of reasoning amongst many traditionalist conservatives. The Eisenhower years were essentially the Garden of Eden, and then... The Fall. The 1960s. The Original Sin varies from commentator to commentator. It could be… The Beatles. Prayer removed from public schools. Hippies. Drug culture. Vietnam protests. And more (as you'll see in a moment). In every case, they argue respect for tr...

How sharp is Jim Babka after two days of insomnia? We were scheduled to record. But Jim wasn't quite ready to do the show we'd planned to do. He was frustrated. He was tired. You'll hear the exhaustion in Jim's voice. But I found this list. It sounds a bit like stuff you'd hear at an average church. And I couldn't help wondering what Jim would do with it. Well, Jim's mind doesn't stop. The results...

When Voting Changes Things, They Make It Illegal Campaign finance laws are passed by incumbents. Obvious, right? But why? Claim One: Campaign finance laws are primarily designed to protect incumbents from challengers. But very few people understand that... Claim Two: Campaign finance laws also exist to destroy any troublemakers who manage to get elected - to make them a byword or notorious example...