Inappropriate Conversations

Whether spirituality has become a private matter because churches are using spirituality to attack and exclude?

The previous TalkBack episode included the beginning of an essay called "Should Amendment Stand a Prayer of Success?" It was written in 2000 and shared on this podcast in 2010. Inappropriate Conversations #30 is the rest of that argument.  http://www.inappropriateconversations.org/e/30-establishment-of-religion/  

As far as I can tell, Inappropriate Conversations #29 is the most downloaded episode in the history of this podcast. I'm not sure why a wide-ranging perspective on the concept of school prayer would get such a response, but I'm pleased to share it here. This episode also qualifies under the heading of topics too large for one recording , so I'll share #IC 30 next, soon, to complete the thought. I...

When Inappropriate Conversations #38 was recorded 10 years ago, the annual Paper Football Classic in my family was still a nearly annual event, with 31 consecutive years of record keeping and bragging rights. I was not anticipating a long hiatus, but life as a parent has included high school and college graduations, young adults buying and moving into first homes, marriages, etc. In my mind, the T...

Inappropriate Conversations and Walk The Earth podcasts are now available on Spotify. It's a transition that will include reintroducing some of the oldest episodes of each, over time, in a process I've called TalkBacks.  Different Drummer: Johann Sebastian Bach  

What if I go low instead of high? The named Different Drummers might be people like: Mitch McConnell Rick Wiles Franklin Graham Candice Keller As opposed to the real answer this time. Different Drummer: Michelle Obama

Sharing a short promo for the Inappropriate Conversations podcast.

For two consecutive years now, the Pride48 podcasting expo in New Orleans has been a landmark in summertime vacation plans. Each year has been a combination of seeing old friends again and meeting new ones. These are conversations I intend to continue. Different Drummer: Bernie Taupin "He's my brother. Let us live in peace." (Taupin)

Spoiler alert regarding Avengers and Marvel Cinematic Universe. One of the Life In Hell strips Matt Groening wrote years ago featured his criticism of film critics. One-liners included newspaper critics writing tight capsule reviews and more serious magazine critics wearing sweaters and giving away endings. I don't often wear sweaters, but I do struggle with how to openly discuss subtext without s...

Whether "ghosting" is an appropriate alternative to an exit interview when severing ties? Pride48 2019 NOLA Schedule

The fear that dearest friends would not be close to us anymore is real. So is the burden. Different Drummer: Alan Parker

Odds and ends include: * How to interpret the role of Congress with Mueller Report. * Whether Missouri leaders are conspiring to commit sexual assault. * If Fred Rogers isn't my all-time favorite "Fred" ... who is? * "Third Person" from Manifestos Of Neosurrealism. Different Drummer: Vincent Kompany  

Whether understanding the meaning of words in their time is key to seeking the mind of God?   Christianity 201: Time for Solid Food  

The concept of parental control, even censorship, was clearly a part of my upbringing. I could cite numerous examples of inconsistencies, though: Three's Company, Soap, American Graffiti, National Lampoon's Animal House, Queen, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Harold Robbins (The Betsy), Xaviera Hollander (The Happy Hooker), Hermann Hesse (Siddhartha), Alex Comfort (The Joy of Sex, More Joy of Sex), Bari...

Whether progressive emphasis on affirming churches is even sufficient? Welcoming, Accepting, Affirming - Don't Get Stuck  

Concluding a long TalkBack series to start the year, I'm giving the last word to the Sermon On The Mount. Intentionally, I've done this in the most common English translations I can find, preferring an easily understood paraphrase to any version that makes it sound like Jesus was speaking to some gathering of experts rather than a crowd.  Next month, Walk The Earth will resume with new episodes an...

It is not possible for me to look back to February 2012 and Inappropriate Conversations #81 and not think of community. It's particularly true this year. This recording would not have been possible without a strong, supportive online community, one that now seems to be gone. At the same time, another online community, Pride48, is providing deeply meaningful support for its participants at the news...

The TalkBack series in January focused on scripture, theology, and religion with slices of Inappropriate Conversations #150 . February will finish this set of callbacks with episodes that function as an Appendix of sorts, supporting material consistent with Opening The Scriptures and taking the Bible seriously. Inappropriate Conversations #131 has a New Testament focus, primarily the story of Pete...

When Inappropriate Conversations #150 was first posted in September 2014, the best solution I had for liner notes was simply a list of all the quoted texts, which alone was quite extensive. Now, wrapping up this look-back to that long podcast, I'll use the last of these 6 parts with a link to the original post. It has the full set of scriptures and the name of the Different Drummer, and that segme...

Few figures in this history of Christianity are as controversial as Paul. Really, it's important to look at the story of the Apostle Paul as both a history of Saul and Paul. That is true whether you view "history" here as historical fact or the internal back-story of a fictional narrative. Either way, Paul's influence is quite real, and I wouldn't call him the hero of his own story. 

Having passed the half-way point in sharing Inappropriate Conversations #150 with the 3rd part, the excerpts will be shorter from this point on. Part 4 starts with the question of whether everyone the circles of family and friend were on board with Jesus and his ministry. Far from it.

Following up more quickly with Part 3 of the TalkBack to Inappropriate Conversations #150, in part because the way this portion of that long podcast ties into the section before.  Did Jesus ever address sexual orientation during his ministry? No. Or, maybe, by saying nothing at all.

Following the introduction in the first part of this look-back to Inappropriate Conversations #150, it's time to dive in to both the Word and the past episode, at length. As planned, much shorter introductions now that the next TalkBack posts are, essentially, mid-episode.

After spending the holidays sharing TalkBack podcasts related to Christmas, I want to start the new year with a series of TalkBack posts on the longest Inappropriate Conversations podcast released so far. It will take a 3+ hour episode into 6 parts. The original #IC #150 was intentionally long, making the point of quoting scripture at length and in context while trying, as stated right up from, to...

Wrapping up the TalkBack series for November-December, I'm putting the 12 Days Of Christmas podcast on Christmas Day, which is when that concept actually starts. Only part, a large part, of the Christian world celebrates the holiday in December. The rest have 12 days to go. The wise men have yet to deliver their gifts, after all. Only shepherds have appeared on the scene at this stage.  I plan to...