Walk The Earth 32
Whether Thanksgiving is a Christian holy day or merely a national holiday?
Nov 20, 2015•40 min
Inappropriate Conversations
Too often, political and/or religious ideologies stop open dialog. It’s time to speak freely and break down the barriers that keep people separated. Let’s have an inappropriate conversation about …
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Episodes
177: Transitional Terminology
Looking back on this recording, I didn't once mention public restrooms and who is doing what business in which places. That is surprising considering all of the political rhetoric connecting gender identity and public facilities, most recently coming out of Texas. I'm not disappointed by the oversight. In fact, I'm pleased. In addition to making a transition in the courtesy we show others, in how we address people, there are many other aspects of gender identity and sexual orientation that we ne...
Nov 13, 2015•46 min
176: Halloween Sabbath
My Sunday School teacher when I was in high school worked for the local newspaper where he was, among other things, the music critic. A good guy, he wasn't the type to denounce rock 'n' roll as "the devil's music" or anything like that. On the other hand, he did tell me that I would one day grow out of my interest in early Black Sabbath and no longer have any use for their albums. Well, I have since bought the original eight "Ozzy years" albums on CD, so that prediction completely missed the mar...
Oct 28, 2015•2 hr 6 min
175: Halloween Tricks
"Tricks" refers to more spooky, scary, traditional elements of Halloween in music, movies, and performance art. Less from childhood and more from college on, this reminds me of candles, incense, and very strange sounds coming from either my television or stereo. Different Drummer: Molly Harvey The Weatherman Life Would Be Wonderful 2...
Oct 20, 2015•1 hr 14 min
174: Halloween Treats
"Treats" stands for a juvenile, as in young or childish, look at Halloween. This sound collage taps into several moments of observing the "trick or treat" time of year as a kid. Different Drummer: Rod Serling
Oct 13, 2015•1 hr 4 min
173: Seeing Spot Run
I don't want to talk about gun control. It's a topic I have generally avoided, partly because the conversation usually misses the point. It isn't about controlling ownership -- the confiscation hysteria -- and it should be all about maintaining a "control" over our standards for usage. Only the fully qualified (law enforcement, hunters, National Guard) and properly trained (a standard that will eliminate even some of the legally qualified) should be using weapons in public. My subconscious calle...
Oct 06, 2015•59 min
Walk The Earth 31
Whether pagan influences or appropriation is an issue in secular or even religious holidays?
Sep 29, 2015•43 min
172: Proud To Know You 2
Two years ago, I made a head decision -- an intellectual choice -- to attend a Pride48 event as soon as schedules could be coordinated. The time lag says a lot about my vacation schedule and nothing about my resolve. This year, I can say as a heart decision -- a more spiritual confidence -- that it was one of the better plans I've made. Anyone who has followed previous vacation episodes knows that my wife and I make excellent travel plans, too. So, while I normally don't do recap shows, it just ...
Sep 14, 2015•1 hr 4 min
171: Walking The Earth
The Walk The Earth podcast hit a milestone of sorts in recent weeks with an episode recorded before a live audience. Seems like a good time for Inappropriate Conversations to look back at the still-building history of Walk The Earth, including the mission of the show and the questions I have attempted to answer. Different Drummer: Francis of Assisi
Sep 10, 2015•1 hr
Walk The Earth 30
Whether you can ever go back to this moment in history? (Live from Pride 48, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 28, 2015)
Sep 01, 2015•29 min
Walk The Earth 29
Whether a happily married Christian should attend a Pride event with gay friends and allies?
Aug 22, 2015•43 min
170: The Book Of Nature
Time as a concept is, once again, the stumbling block for many people -- including Christians -- on the relationship between sinfulness and the nature of evil and pain. An inadequate understanding of words like logos, chronos, and kairos doesn't help. The unwillingness of outspoken Christians to read the book of nature as reverently as the book of scripture is, perhaps, the biggest problem of all. Different Drummer: Sandy Owen "The Sparkle" from Montage by Sandy Owen: Ensemble...
Aug 12, 2015•59 min
169: Before Politics Became 'a Game'
Perhaps on some level American politics has always had its share of game strategy. Maybe it's a myth that our so-called "founding fathers" set aside their own interests to form a new nation, and maybe all the key elements of the U.S. Constitution really just came from one influential leader trying to trick or embarrass a political enemy and that's the only way we actually have a freedom to assemble, for example. Seems unlikely, Even if such claims were true, we still have a major issue today wit...
Aug 04, 2015•1 hr 2 min
Walk The Earth 28
Whether a sense of patriotism invalidates the separation of church and state or similar founding principles in the United States of America? "O Master, Let Me Walk With Thee" (Washington Gladden, H. Percy Smith)
Jul 07, 2015•43 min
168: Epistles From Gay Christians
Strident Christian views about homosexuality have compromised any defense of infallibility, causing some to question the existence of God. Certainly there is justification for denying the validity of their anti-LGBTQ worldview. After all, in less than a decade “religious right” speakers presuming to represent Christianity have moved from there is no such thing as sexual orientation to homosexuality is just a choice to maybe it isn’t a choice but there can’t be anything inherent to it to if it is...
Jun 30, 2015•1 hr 41 min
167: Speaking Truth To Power
On June 22, 1633, Galileo was sentenced by the Roman Inquisition for being "vehemently suspect of heresy." He had told the truth, that the earth revolved around the sun according to astronomical evidence, but he was forced to recant that truth. There is a great deal of scientific knowledge we either would not have today, or would have obtained in very different ways, if Galileo had chosen a different course, if he had been "silenced" by more violent means. Speaking truth to power, as the saying ...
Jun 18, 2015•58 min
Walk The Earth 27
Whether sanctuary means the same thing today as the center of Christian worship has in the past?
Jun 07, 2015•48 min
166: One-ders
Most music fans these days are very comfortable with just one song from an artist. I'm not. I tend to be a collector, almost an archivist. For that reason, I was very surprised at the number of "one song only" artists there are on my MP3 player, although I was not surprised at how deeply I love those lonely songs. Different Drummer: Joseph Haydn
May 30, 2015•1 hr 50 min
165: Memorial Music
"I'll remember you, though," the title character of Lilo & Stitch says to the other as the alien leaves her home, "I remember everyone that leaves." How is the question. How do we remember those who leave? I've turned that question toward myself and provided some possible answers with songs. Different Drummer: Joseph Henry Burnett
May 19, 2015•1 hr 24 min
Walk The Earth 26
Whether the Holy Spirit deserves more recognition as God working in our lives?
May 13, 2015•40 min
164: Vinyl Box Sets
Where did the box set of popular music come from anyway? Long before CDs or cassette tapes, the first version of this format came in vinyl. I can't recall seeing any example prior to a series put out by the marketing division of a watch company that doesn't rest. Different Drummer: Jack Stelzer The Longines Symphonette proudly presents Mexicali Brass
Apr 21, 2015•54 min
163: It Is Not Who You Know
For me, celebrity encounters have almost always been chance encounters. I don't seek and collect autographs. I often forget to get pictures taken, even at reunions or meet-ups. It's not that I don't value those rare occasions to speak with someone who has been an inspiration, including a couple of Different Drummers. It's more understanding that "it's not about me" and it certainly isn't a matter of putting who you know above everything else. Different Drummer: Garth Brooks
Apr 14, 2015•1 hr
Walk The Earth 25
Whether Easter Sunday is the most important day in the church calendar?
Apr 05, 2015•57 min
162: First Do No Harm
America's commitment to vaccination has been so great that nearly 2 million children committed to test a vaccine in the 1950s, so why would anyone walk away from the protection this has provided over any modern understanding of "safety" and risk? Most Americans look back at the Jim Crow era with a great deal of embarrassment, justifiably, so why would anyone want to establish a set of "Jesus Crow" laws that surely will be just as embarrassing in the future -- to Christians in particular? When Wo...
Mar 30, 2015•1 hr
161: Debilitation
Life tends to end either suddenly (too short) are through debilitation. There are exceptions, of course. Some deaths may not even qualify as tragic. It seems that debilitating illness has become more common as people live longer. The reminder this provides, though, is how crucial it is to not wait until a metaphorical tomorrow to say what needs to be said, create what our hearts long to create, stand up and be counted. Allowing our ability to fade before our desire truly is tragic. Different Dru...
Mar 16, 2015•1 hr
Walk The Earth 24
Whether drinking alcohol should be permitted as Christians celebrate, interact?
Mar 11, 2015•52 min
160: Performance in a Supporting Role
Determining the difference between Academy Award nominations for acting in a leading role versus a supporting role isn't always easy. It doesn't seem like a precise distinction can be made. Even within the range of supporting performances, there is a significant difference between the cameo and the roles typically occupied by character actors. At their best, though, even small contributions can make a huge impact on the story or other characters. This year, in fact, the Oscar that interested me ...
Mar 03, 2015•48 min
159: Substantial Sexuality
I would have to confess that using terminology like "substantial beauty" refers to a perception that large female sexual characteristics are particularly attractive. At times, our society has veered widely between a bigger-is-better mentality and our current notion that anyone who isn't bordering on malnourished is "plus sized" or fat. Having a sexual interest in women includes a full range of sizes and shapes. It is only wrong to call that wrong. On the other hand, I know what I like. I worry a...
Feb 22, 2015•58 min
Walk The Earth 23
Whether the church should have a point of view about sexuality?
Feb 12, 2015•43 min
158: Track By Track
For the era of album-oriented music (rock, jazz, etc.), understanding the history of a musical artist or group happened at a track-by-track level. Back then we bought albums rather than songs, and the way those tracks were laid out on either vinyl or plastic was part of the artistry. Different Drummer: Brian Eno Track By Track at InappropriateConversations.org
Jan 29, 2015•1 hr 5 min
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