How to Read the Bible in Deconstruction ![rw-book-cover](https://img.youtube.com/vi/n_mzy2roJR0/maxresdefault.jpg) 🔗 **Source:** [How to Read the Bible in Deconstruction](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_mzy2roJR0) you would like to be on the live stream that I am doing right now, you can uh post in the comments that you are interested in that and um and I'm going to try to get you on the live stream, but because we are streaming on multiple platforms, um it's going to require you to uh to post that and I'm going to have to give you a link in a DM uh to be able to make that happen. And so if you are interested in doing that, um, go ahead and post that in the comments. And, uh, and that's great. Tonight I'm going to be doing a course on how to read the Bible um, during or uh, after deconstruction. Uh, and if you are interested in that, uh, not only are we going to be um, reading uh, are talking about that, but anyone who uh, registers to that is also going to get a free one-on-one session with me to talk about whatever issues that you particularly have. Um, so that's going to be tonight at 700 p.m. Eastern. But, um, today, uh, we're talking about whatever you want to talk about. And uh and if you are interested in actually coming on live stream, having your face up here and talking with me, uh go ahead and post that in the comments and I will send you a direct link um to uh to uh on exactly how to do that. Now this is my first time uh doing that and so uh we are we're trying something new here which means I am I am going to be doing my best to make that happen. Um and uh sometimes I know how to do things and sometimes I do not. So, we are going to do our best to make that happen. Um, and uh, yeah, so go ahead and post your comments there in the chat and I'm going to uh to to try to send you a uh a direct message with that link. Uh so yeah, I'm monitoring uh Instagram, uh Facebook, YouTube, and um and Tik Tok to be able to do this. But uh one of the things that people will ask me um oftentimes is about the King James version of the Bible and um and whether or not um and why I say that it is the uh most uh inaccurate version of the Bible. Um it the the Bible the King James Bible has all kinds of problems. The the very first problem is that it was uh it was created a long time ago and while some people will think oh it was created a long time ago that means that uh it's more reliable uh the um that's not always the case. Uh and especially not for the King James version because it was created so long ago. um we have many many many more ancient fragments and manuscripts that have been discovered since the King James version was translated. And so what that means is that um the the um we can see more of a progression. We have much more accurate understanding of what the original manuscripts say. We don't have any original manuscripts from the Bible. We don't have something that like Paul in Paul's handwriting or anything like that. And so what scholars do is when they uh discover manuscripts or fragments of manuscripts, they um they will uh put those in like a chronological order. And as you do that, you can see where there have been um edits or revisions, sometimes whole sections of uh added to the the text. Um, and uh, and when when that happens, um, they will sometimes even take a verse out of the Bible when it's super reliable. Um, you can, uh, you can see, but but they'll also just like put something in brackets or with an asterisk and they'll say, "Oh, uh, this likely wasn't in the the original manuscripts." Um, you can see that the easiest place to find that is the end of the book of Mark. It's called the long ending of Mark. And there's that whole section where it talks about holding snakes and stuff like that, drinking poison and um and that is uh not not accurate. So, um yeah, we do have a question from potato. By the way, if you'd like to join this live stream, um just post that you would like to do that in the comments and I will send you a DM. And uh it has to be done that way because I'm streaming on multiple platforms. Never done this before, so I'm gonna do my absolute best. But Potato asks, "Why does God allow some humans to have a child when he knows they will be terrible parents or a terrible parent?" That is a really um it's a really difficult question. Um and uh and so I I'd say there's a couple of things when you're talking about um sort of these horrible things happening in the world. Um it the the horribleness relates to um uh when we talk about God, it sort of relates to our view of God and humanity. And so there's a number of different ways that that people um address that issue. Um I I can just say there's not a really great answer. Um all of the answers that I've ever been given or uh tried to find for myself um would are just disappointing. But I think the one that uh helped me um has been the closest to being helpful has been um the uh this idea of free will. So in the Christian tradition in the book of Genesis when God creates humanity um God creates humanity in God's own image. And one of the the really clear pieces of God's image is this ability to make decisions on our own. Decisions that contradict what God would want us to do. Decisions that um make the world a worse place. And uh and so it's really frustrating because uh humans get to choose bad things, right? In that uh in that story in Genesis, uh Adam and Eve make a decision to disobey God and uh experience really horrible uh consequences of that. uh yet um in in the midst of that uh God is still present. And I think that's that's something that's been helpful to me, the idea that God is still present even in difficult times. But God doesn't remove the consequences of their actions. But uh God actually provides um something um helpful, something to to to help them live in that world that they created. Um and God doesn't stop them from doing the bad things, right? Uh but God gives them clothing and um and sends them on their way. God continues to engage with them. And this is I think a a ph there's a phrase from the Bible that that brings this to light that God uh creates beauty from ashes. So God doesn't leave people alone in the negative consequences but God um is present in those and is trying to bring good uh from the ashes that we create when we do awful things. Um, like I said, none of them are are really uh are really great explanations. Um, but it is uh it is what it is. Uh, all right. I had the first person ask me to join the live stream, so I'm going to do my best to uh try to invite this person. Um, and uh, oh, this is so Condor Tim, I think you're going to need to send me a direct message and then I can message you back on Instagram. Um, but in the meantime, uh, is there a a transcript or anything you can go back to? This is Real Mosaics. Um there is not a transcript of this but um there is a um there is uh a way for you to rewatch it on um Facebook. So uh Facebook will have this whole thing archived. You can go back to that. Um tonight I am going to be offering a course for how to read the Bible uh when you are deconstructing. It's a short course. The other thing is that for the people who register for that course, you're going to get a free one-on-one session with me at some point after that um where we can talk through your own issues and help you work through what's going on specifically um with uh in your in your life. Uh I'm trying something new here. Uh I am letting people who would like to come on the the chat um uh send me um send me a request and I'm going to do my best to uh to bring you on. So uh I have my first person that has asked and so I'm sending them direct message. we have to do direct messages because you're going to I'm I'm streaming on multiple platforms and so you have to come into uh the app that I um that I use to do the multiple streams. Um but if you don't want to join on the on the the the stream and you just want to post a question, you can do that in the chat and um and that will uh that will be wonderful. Um, all right. So, let let me see. I'm going to pull up the link. If you want to join, uh, just shoot me a DM and let me know in the comments that you've done that and I will, uh, send you a link so that you can actually be on. Um, I will tell you that if you're coming on to just be hateful or uh, you know, give me homophobic slurs, I I'm gonna boot you. But, uh, yeah. So, if you're interested in that, go ahead and post that in the chat on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, or YouTube. And um and if you've just got a question that you'd like me to answer, you can uh go ahead and uh and do that um uh right there in um right there in the chat as well. So, um so yeah. Uh uh Connor, I think, um it's uh Tim Condor. I did send you that DM back with the link. So hopefully we'll get to add our very first guest on a live guest on a live stream. Um uh we were talking for a minute about how inaccurate the King James version is. Another another thing that is really inaccurate about the King James version is the way that it is uh worded. So this is fascinating. Um in uh when the King James version was released, the um uh the the primary complaint of people was that um they they uh they couldn't understand it, that people didn't talk that way. And that's because of the way the King James version like ordered the words. um it was unclear. Uh and so it's difficult for us to read today for a number of reasons, but it's actually never been e easy for people to read. Um they uh people have been complaining about that since the very beginning. All right, we are live on Tik Tok, uh Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. If you'd like to um uh if you'd like to be on this live stream, I'd love to uh um uh um I'd love to have you on. I'm since I am uh uh since I'm doing this on multiple on multiple platforms, um we'll have to give you um we'll have to send you a link in a DM. So, shoot me a DM and I'll I'll send you the link. All right. So, our first guest, um, we're going to see if this how this works. Uh, Tim is joining us. Uh, and Tim, I'm not sure if you can hear me. Um, but, uh, but you're here. Hey, Tim. How's it going? >> Hi. Hey, thank you. I'm going doing very well. >> Absolutely. >> So, what do you want to talk about? Oh man, I didn't know I was going to get put on the spot. >> Oh no. Yeah. Well, I mean, you you asked to be a guest on the live stream, so uh so comments, questions, what do you got? >> Let's come back to me. Um I I will let me listen for a little bit, then I'll engage. >> Okay. Okay. Absolutely. I I'll I'll turn you off and just uh shoot me another DM and let me know when you are ready to come on. Uh so yeah, if you would like to come on the live stream, go ahead and post that uh in shoot me a DM and um and that will be uh that'll be a lot of fun. We're trying something new today. Um uh so uh yeah, I am I'm doing a a course today. If you've ever wanted to uh really get some help on you're deconstructing, you don't know how to read the Bible, you see videos like uh that I post, Dan Mlen post, and you're like, "Well, how do I do this?" I'm teaching a short course tonight at 700 p.m. You can get the link in my profile. Um but uh the other thing is everyone who registers is also going to get a free one-on-one meeting with me at some point after the course uh so that we can uh we can chat about whatever it is that's going on in your life and see how I can help you. Um okay. So uh if you want to join uh join the the chat, shoot me a DM and let me know in the comments that you've done that and I will send you the link so that you can be on the live stream. All right, back to the King James version. So, we've talked about the fact that uh we've got a lot more manuscripts that have been discovered since it was translated. That's one of the reasons that makes it inaccurate. We've talked about uh the way uh it it words things and how the when it was originally released, people had a hard time understanding it just like they do today. But the other thing that's really interesting um about the King James version is just the fact that um uh that words change, right? The meaning of words change. And uh and um and so uh you can see this in uh in Jude uh verse 22. It's only got one chapter. Uh, but I do see Antonio, what's my number one Bible to use? Well, scholars say that the um the most accurate version of the Bible uh on the market today, the most accurate English translation is the uh New Revised Standard Updated Edition. Uh I also uh use the CEB is a little easier to read, but I like I like both of them. So, uh the King James version a good uh example of the problems um uh uh the the problems in it is uh like with the language with the words. So, um so words change, right? the meaning of words change. And so in Jude verse 22 it says uh but if some have compassion making a difference. Now we have this idiom making a difference. And when we say making a difference we mean like uh you did a service project, you helped somebody else. You you made a difference in their life. And uh and so that is interesting uh because that is not the meaning of that phrase um back when the King James version was translated. Uh that meaning of the idiom make a difference doesn't doesn't mean the same thing. It's a very recent idiom. So when you read Jude 22 in the King James version but of some have compassion making a difference uh you think oh if we have compassion on someone it can change their lives but that is not what it's saying making a difference in the King James version in the English of that day meant to like make a distinction right so um so they meant uh like have compassion on people but be discerning uh who you're having compassion on. But that is still a bad translation because um that verse is based on a uh outdated uh outdated manuscript. And so, uh, when you actually, um, uh, translate it correctly, the real meaning of Jude verse 22 is, um, have compassion on people who are, uh, doubting and questioning, right? Um, and so, yeah. Oh, shady M. Uh, yes. Uh, the course is 700 p.m. tonight. Um, and uh, and I'm doing this course on how to read uh, the Bible when uh, you're deconstructing. And uh, and it's going to be a short course. Uh if you've ever seen um uh if you've ever seen uh videos by me or by you know like Dan Mlen and wondered okay yes I get that but how do uh how do I do that myself? This course is going to help you. The other thing uh when you register for that course you are going to be able to have a one-on-one uh meeting with me over Zoom at some point after the course. So, if you're interested in that, um you can go ahead and register for that. There's a link in my profile and uh and yeah. So, um yeah. Okay. So, how do we know uh Earl's 250 on Tik Tok? How do we know Paul was not like uh Joe Smith? Um I are you I'm not sure if you're meaning like Joseph Smith from the Latterday Saints tradition. Um and then Miles asks on Tik Tok is is it record is the course recorded? Um the the course is going to be recorded. Um so uh but I sometimes the recordings do well and sometimes they don't. Uh so uh uh yeah, if you um register, if the recording actually works out well, I will send it out. Um so I I'm guessing that Earl 250, you're asking how how do we know that Paul wasn't like Joseph Smith? And I I'm not exactly sure um what you mean by that. So, if you don't mind putting a little bit um a little bit more into uh the chat, I'll I'll give you an answer to that. Um uh so, no, Shady and Black, it's not a course on making videos. It's a course on how to read the Bible. And I that was a little confusing. What I was saying is that like if you've seen me or people like Dan Mlen make videos about the Bible uh giving like cultural background or helping uh clarify what it means and you're like that's great, that's fascinating, but like how do I do that myself? Um that's what this course is going to be about. There's a bunch of really simple tools that you can use um when you're starting to think for yourself or when you're deconstructing that um that you can that can help you read the Bible in that new way, in a more accurate way. And so that's what the course is going to be about tonight. It's a it's a short course. I'm going to teach for an hour, do Q&A for 30 minutes for anybody who hangs around. And anyone who registers for the course is actually going to get a free one-on-one meeting with me after uh after the course um at some point when you schedule that Zoom time. So uh I'd love you to register for that. You can uh go to the link in my profile and register for that for that course. Um, if you have a question, you can go ahead and put it here in the chat um on Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook, YouTube. If you'd like to come on, have your uh mug on this live stream, you can um you can uh shoot me a DM and put a note in the chat and I'll send you a link to do that. Um uh the jiu-jitsu, how much is the course? Oh, the course is whatever you want to pay. So, when you go to the link of my profile, um you can it's a there's lots of options. Uh you can even get in for free. Uh because I try not to make um teaching uh about God uh something that you have to have expendable income to afford, but at the same time um funding the work that I do, this is one of the ways that I that I do that. Um so um yeah if you want to come to the course link in the profile and um and uh register it will cost uh whatever you can pay and if that is free go ahead and do that um uh because uh yeah like I said uh this stuff shouldn't just be for people who have um expendable income. If you've got a question, you can put it in the chat. If you'd like to come on uh the live stream live and ask a question or chitchat a little bit, I'd love to to do that. And uh we can hear your story. You can ask a question, make a comment. Um uh all you have to do is shoot me a DM and then put in the the comments here that you did that and I'll send you a link. I've got to send you a link because uh we are streaming on multiple platforms and uh yeah, you've got to get into that system. Uh it is we're on Tik Tok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. And uh yeah, I would love to um to uh to do that. Uh and uh Kings Price on YouTube says, "What's good? What's good, man?" everything. My wife is only ever good. Uh and uh yeah, but thanks for asking. Um yeah, so we've been talking a little bit about the King James version in between questions and why the King James version is the least accurate Bible translation on the market. Um and uh and the other thing that the King James version is frust is frustrating about the King James version is that King James also had some rules that he gave his translators that uh made it even inaccurate based on the resources they had. Like for example, he didn't want things that were um in there that would uh help people justify rising up against the government. He wanted um the language that they used to be Anglican language. Um and when the King James version uh came out, it was horribly uh unpopular. Um and uh and the only way that it actually was uh able to be um uh to be uh popular was King James Band, the popular version of the Bible. All right. Um I have a a question um and you can post those in the chat, but this person uh sent it to me in DM. um dealing with a lot of anxiety and fear uh of disease my whole life. I think it stems from fear of dying. Uh I guess my question is as a Christian, how do I build up my faith in Christ and not do it from a space of just trying to appease fear? I feel like I've been in deconstruction phase for like 10 years now. Okay, so this is a this is a really great question. Um, Kayla, I would say um fear-based uh Christianity is um is something that has been programmed into us by um generally unhealthy church situations. And it can be really hard to um to let go of that fear uh because a lot of times that fear is based in like eternal punishment, eternal conscious punishment in hell. And I can tell you that the idea that um that God is going to send people to hell to burn forever for whatever finite sins that they uh they committed on earth. It's not supported by the Bible. Um the idea of hell is a much more modern uh that idea of hell is a much more modern interpretation. it it really was uh fully formed became fully formed in the Middle Ages. Um but uh you you can look for my videos on hell. There's um like a couple of words in the New Testament that are used for hell. One of them is Gehenna. And Gehenna is like an actual place, the Henam Valley. It was a place where people thought that uh the tradition was that uh old kings of old sacrificed uh children there and so it was polluted. It was super sinful. And so Jesus is using Gehenna to make a bigger point. The other thing that another word that's used is Hades. And Hades is um is the Greek mythology, right? It's uh you know, you go to the river sticks, you pay the toll, you get there, there's sort of three levels. There's um times where you're punished, there's times when you get to hang out with really cool people or or places. And uh and that's exactly what you see depicted in the the places where Hades is. So Jesus isn't endorsing the Greek mythology. Uh what Jesus is doing is making using this thing that everybody was famili familiar with to um uh to make a bigger point. Um and then the people will talk about revelation in the lake of fire. Revelation is actually not about the future. Uh the the book of revelation is written to the people of that time. It's a coded message to comfort them in a time where uh Christians were being deeply persecuted. So letting go of this idea of eternal conscious punishment is often a first step for people. If you would like a deeper dive into that, um I've got that in my book, How to Not Suck as a Christian, I also recommend Dan Mlelen's book, The Bible Says So. Um the other thing that I find is that when people are in this processing space um it is really really helpful to have a community of people that are um are working on the same things um that like a non-judgmental space and that's actually um what I've um uh that's why I formed this group called not church. Um we call it not church because uh somebody said early on it's like all the things that they missed from church. Uh but nobody's telling them they're going to hell because they've got a tarot deck on their bedside table. So we have a lot of people in there from all kinds of religious with all kinds of religious identities and non-identities that are in the same place as you and are exploring together with this like accepting and uh learning posture and and it's a it's a beautiful place. I've I've never had to moderate a discussion. I've never had to boot anybody. Um and uh and so I find that when you are in that kind of space a lot of times you're people are in a place where they can't question openly. They can't discuss that with the people around them either because they might lose their social connections or because um or or other reasons um and so finding a safe place. And so in not church um you can uh pe there's all kinds of channels we are we talk about the Bible we talk about um uh the modern events we talk about meditation and we share pictures of our pets and uh are really there for each other in hard times like somebody was in the hospital a little while ago and um people kept checking in on them uh like people do at church and uh I love it. The one of the things about Not Church is that um a lot of us have had religious trauma being manipulated out of money and so we don't accept donations. It's a pay for what you get system. It's three bucks a month. You can find the link in my profile. Um and if you can't afford uh three bucks a month, just shoot me a DM. I'll let you in for free. Uh because we are not trying to uh only allow access to spiritual community for people who have expendable income. That's also the case with the course that I am teaching tonight um at 700 p.m. Eastern. It's a course on how to read the Bible uh when you are uh in deconstruction or uh after deconstruction. So um uh so uh yeah, that's a a really it's really helpful. Um, and it's a short course. If you've ever seen me do a video on the Bible or like Dan Mlen do videos on the Bible and you think, "Oh, yeah, but how do I how do I do that myself?" That's really what this course is going to be about. Um, uh, so, uh, yeah. So, and and the other thing is that if you are, um, if you register for the course, you'll also get a free one-on-one meeting with me over Zoom after the course. Um, and like everything I do, uh, you can't it's it's like pay for what you get, but there's a free option. So, whatever you can pay for the course is great. The link is in my profile. Um, I don't want people to not be able to come because they they don't have expendable income, but it's also the way I fund my work, and so that's uh that's really helpful. Um, if you if you can pay something for it. So, links in my profile for that. Hey, I'm doing something uh new today and I am uh I am letting people come on uh uh that um just come on live stream if you'd like to come on live and with your camera and talk to me chat um go back and forth. Um yeah, I would I would love to have you on. just shoot me a DM and let me know uh then let me know in the chat that you did that. I'll send you a link and uh you can come on and we can chat. Um uh so I I'm looking and I see uh Shady, ever since I've been watching Dan Mlullen and your videos, I'm in the stage of deconstructing. Uh you have his book. Ah, that's great. Oh, hi uh River. It's so good to see you. Yeah. Um uh yeah. So, and yeah, I just want to recommend River is actually part of our not church group. She's in the or they're in the um they're in the the Instagram chat and they can tell you about not church. And uh and I really feel like anybody who's in this like processing uh deconstruction phase uh having a community of people who to do that with that are all like accepting and just hearing other people's stories and other people's perspectives can be really helpful and to have people that are there supporting you not just in your questions but just in life in general. Um uh yeah, I I um I highly recommend it. Um I think everybody should be part of it. Um and uh so River is there. She can tell you all about it. Uh RIP. Uh River is also an author. Brilliant book. You should definitely check them out. And they're often uh donating part of their uh royalties to charity. So really wonderful person. Um, uh, Roselene says on Instagram, "M"Most of my pain has come from being told to be, uh, one with my husband who is, uh, very emotionally abusive." Wow. Okay. Um, I I am I am not a a marriage and family therapist. Let's just put that out on the table. But um I can tell you that is not um that is not the message of the Bible. That is not um something that you need to uh stay in abuse because of that. In fact, one of the things, one of the passages that people will use to talk about uh and and try to manipulate people into staying in um in abusive relationships is this uh this teaching of Jesus about um marriage and giving a certificate of divorce and all of that. Um, and that passage is interesting because what Jesus is doing in that passage is actually enabling women to uh leave partners uh that are in an abusive relationship because in that culture it was um it they were not able to do that. And so um so Jesus's teaching actually allows women who are in abusive relationships to exit the relationships by giving them this way uh this pathway of doing that that uh was rejected by a whole lot of people at that time. Not surprisingly the men who were in control. It was something that was allowed in certain groups. And so what Jesus was doing was endorsing the groups that allowed women to leave relationships that were abusive. So like I said, I'm not a marriage and family therapist, but um uh yeah. So um I hope that that I hope that that helps. Um uh we're doing something new uh today where um if you want to join this live um you can shoot me a DM and um and the uh you can shoot me a DM and I I'll send you a link and you can actually get on uh the live stream. We can chitchat a little bit. We can hear your story. Um, and uh, and you can ask questions, whatever it is. Um, so, uh, I'd love for you to do that. Uh, if you are going to do that, uh, shoot me a DM and let me know in the chat that you have done that and I will send you a link. Um, also tonight at 700 p.m. um at 700 p.m. Eastern time, I am going to be um offering a course uh and the if you've ever seen me do a video on the Bible or Dan Mlen or those kind of people uh and like where we reveal something really interesting or unique um and you've wondered like but how do I do that myself? Um, there are some simple tools that you can use and that's what I'm going to teach tonight um at 700 p.m. Eastern. There's a link to my profile. Um, and if you uh get that uh if you register for that event, you're also going to get a one-on-one meeting with me for free uh over Zoom at some point after that. Um, the cost is whatever you can pay. Um, I never want to limit teaching uh to people who have expendable income, but it's also uh a way that I support what I'm doing. So, whatever you can pay for that uh that course, um that's how much it costs. So, uh check out the link in my profile and uh show up at 700 p.m. Eastern tonight uh for that course. If you would like to come on the live stream, I would love that. If you just have a question, you are totally welcome to uh to put that question in the chat uh if you don't want to do that. But if you do want to come on and um and uh and see uh uh if you don't want to come on and chat, um I'd love to have you and uh and I can send you the link. Um uh I just had somebody uh DM me, so we'll see what happens. Um but yeah, so you know, one of the things that's really helpful when you are reading the Bible is to um Oh, actually, sorry. Uh I've got uh the Enu BG game. Um can you explain what is required for salvation and what is just tradition and does works um a a must for salvation? Um so so this is something that changes from tradition to tradition. So you know basically if if I can't give you the answer for that because um it depends on um where uh where you are coming from. Uh some traditions will tell you uh that uh you have to just say a simple prayer. Um some traditions will say that um that salvation is about just following Jesus. I lean more on that. Um where um Jesus is the focus and um and it's not about getting into heaven or not getting into heaven. Jesus actually never says that. He's never like, "Oh, hey, here's how you get into heaven." Um uh it's uh it's uh it's follow me, right? That's what Jesus says over and over again. And so the focus uh of our uh expression of faith is about following Jesus. And so um I guess your phrasing is is different than I would phrase it, but what is required for salvation? Uh following Jesus. What is following Jesus? Uh read the gospels and uh Jesus shows you what that is. Um I hope that that helps. Um, and uh, that's a really helpful thing. Uh, Hannah says, "Thanks for your amazing content." You are so welcome. Um, thank you, Hannah. Uh, we do have somebody that has asked to come on and chitchat, which I'm really excited about. This is our first time trying that out. Um, and once they actually get logged in, uh, we will chat. If you want to do that, shoot me a DM and let me know in the comments that you did if possible and I will do my best to get you um to get you the link so that you can get in and we can chat live uh live on the internet. So, um so yeah, we are uh we're doing that and there's a course tonight. I'd love you to come. Anyone who registers for the course gets some free one-on-one Zoom time with me. It's a pay for what you get thing. It's at 700 p.m. Eastern tonight. If you would like to join and chitchat um live with your mug on the screen, I'd love to I'd love to do that with you. Just shoot me a DM. Uh, and but if you have a question that you just want me to answer, you can just throw that in the chat and uh and I will be answering those questions um those questions live um here. Uh so uh let me I'm I'm I need to make sure my Instagram chat has has faded. So uh we we're going to make sure we can see that. um Instagram and click on my live um so that I can just be in there. Um okay, great. It looks like uh we have Suzanne and uh so I'm going to bring Suzanne on and we're going to talk a little bit. Hey Suzanne, how's it going? >> Oh, so nice. So happy to talk to you this morning. >> Yeah, it's great. It's great to actually talk to you. So, tell me tell me what's going on. What What do you want to talk about? >> Oh my goodness. What don't we want to talk about? I I'm just giddy. I don't think you can see me. I'm not having a uh I'm having a camera issue, so >> Oh, no. I can see you. We can see you fine. >> Oh, great. Okay. Well, I look fantastic this morning. Um my question for you, my friend. Firstly, I want to thank you for your work because what you've been doing is absolutely phenomenal. It's wonderful to see somebody pragmatically break down uh scripture knowledge um inspiration. >> Wow. >> And and I think that you're helping far more people than you even realize, >> man. Thank you so much. That's really kind. I really appreciate that. >> I get a lot of hate online, so any of the compliments are always >> Gosh >> are always welcome. People are so quick to be mean these days if just just settle down, right? Just settle down for a second. Take a breath before you blah. >> Yeah. >> What I'd like to ask you, my friend, is um my husband and I have discussed this for a very long time. Um historically, um >> the uh Jesus um was a powerful philosopher, enlightened person, son of God, >> who instructed us that God is within us, >> right? He >> Yeah. >> that we're not apart, >> that there isn't, you know, dad upstairs that we are all >> right, >> we have it within us. Mhm. >> Do you think, and this is a really broad open question? >> Yeah, I love those >> because I can just make up a broad open answer. >> Okay, perfect. Do you think that if he were to appear now as he did a couple of millennia ago, would very very fundamentalist uh Christians recognize him? Would they see him as the Messiah or would they reject him as an alien, an immigrant? Uh, does does my question make sense? >> Yeah. No, I get it. So, >> the very people that use his name, the very people that abuse his name, would they recognize him if he stood in the room with them? >> Yeah. Uh, Suzanne, that's a great question. And so just so that I've got in my head, if Jesus came back, um, oh goodness, I disappeared for a second. That was weird. Okay, so if so, just to clarify your question, if Jesus came back the way uh that he came in the first time, not wearing robes or anything, but like uh in that sort of same position, would like fundamentalists recognize him or reject him? Um so yeah so Jesus came as a uh he was born into a poor family. One of the ways we know that is in uh in the book of Luke uh he was the firstborn to the to Mary and Joseph. So >> they had to take him to the temple and make a sacrifice for the firstborn. And the sacrifice was normally a a goat. Um but in Deuteronomy it says if the people are poor then they can do two doves. And so in the book of Luke, the writer of the book of Luke actually adds this random detail that most of us just sort of gloss over that his family came and they gave the offering of two doves, which is Luke saying like Jesus was poor and um and so uh so Jesus was uh poor and um so right there the prosperity gospel preachers are not going to be okay. like that's not Jesus can't be poor because right you know if he's that blessed um then uh in one of the versions of the story they have to flee to Egypt and so then they come back from Egypt uh they immigrate back in so we've got a poor immigrant uh so that's that's not uh okay um and then you have a poor immigrant who um who then uh is he grows up in a family who uh his father the the word for his father father's profession is tecton. Um people often the the tradition traditional thing that people sort of imagine is that he was a carpenter but they didn't really use wood much back then. So it's much more likely that Joseph was a stonemason, >> right? And that's also supported by the fact that where they lived was close to uh a place called Sepharus that had this huge building project using stones going on at the time. So Jesus was poor. He immigrated back in and he was a manual laborer um and born to a manual laborer's family. Um also fun fact, stonemasons are really jacked like they have big muscles. So Jesus probably had big muscles, but you know, whatever. Um, so so we we've got Jesus being um now uh poor immigrant uh manual laborer and uh and uh he was uh tan skinned, right? He was not white. Um and then Jesus when Jesus preached and this is something that I think is important for people to realize because oftenimes we will look on the teachings of Jesus as like from our modern cultural standpoint and actually this is one of the things I'm going to be teaching about tonight in the course at 7 p.m. Um that Suzanne I hope you're going to come. um you you pay whatever you want. 7:00 p.m. Eastern tonight um leaning the profile. But we often look at the Bible through our modern cultural lens and our modern values. So like if you're a progressive today and you are uh like a women's rights and um you know anti-ICE and all of that kind of stuff, you you look back on the Bible and you what what what being pro-omen's rights means today. um you don't see that. In fact, some of the things you see is the opposite of what we would consider that. But when you understand the biblical culture, actually what you see is Jesus and the writers of uh of the gospels and and throughout the Bible actually fighting for women's rights at that time in that culture. Right? So you know if you imagine like women's rights on from A to Z and maybe in the modern day were somewhere around F right they were at level C and Jesus is arguing for D right but level C is so far back from level F that we don't we don't see it so what we what we now have is a poor immigrant manual labor tan skinned fighting for women's rights and um and pushing back against all kinds of um injustice in that world. Jesus was very progressive. So if we want to ask well so I guess I would ask you the question was if Jesus came back today as he was then would the fundamentalists accept him or reject him? So um Suzanne Jesus was poor. He immigrated back in. He was a manual laborer, tan skinned, pro- women's rights, and um uh and just sort of politically progressive. What do you think? >> I have a very very clear answer to it. I just wanted to hear your perspective. >> Yeah. No, I think they'd reject him. I think I think they would make moves to uh to to uh call him a heretic. Yes. >> To call him a wolf in sheep's clothing. call him all of the all of the things that people call me all the time. I'm not Jesus. I am not Jesus. I am No, I would never say that. But they would say the things they say to me and worse because um partially because Suzanne uh I think one of the fundamental problems with fundamentalists and evangelicals is that they know that they're right. >> Yes. And and I think that really the posture for a person of faith is um is the opposite, right? You need to go into faith and life and spirituality knowing that you're wrong. You just don't know what you're wrong about. Um which means that you will you're open to learning and discovering. Oh that was like I was so wrong. Like I have so many things from my past that now I'm like, "Oh my god, I I can't believe I did that and I said that." Um >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Uh yeah. So I So I've So just a quick thing. Um we just did some stuff with the Bible. If you are interested in learning how to read the Bible once you started thinking for yourself, if you've seen videos like and I put put out about the Bible or Dan Mlen and you think like how do I do that on my own? Um not how do you make the videos? Somebody asked that earlier. That's not what I'm talking about. How do you read the Bible like that? Um doing a short course tonight. There's some simple tools that you can use to to do that. Um, and anyone who registers is going to get a free one-on-one Zoom with me um sometime after the course. And you pay what you can. So, if you can pay nothing, it's free. Uh, but it is how I support what I do. So, um, yeah. And I I hope you'll be there, Suzanne. Suzanne, do you have um do you have any other any other things you want to talk about? I I'm not seeing another another DM right away. So, uh, you you're still on the live. >> Oh my goodness. I didn't anticipate this. Okay, I have another question because I I know when it happened for me. When >> Okay. >> When did you And if this is too personal, that's okay. You don't have to answer it. >> Go ahead. >> When did you because you certainly have. When did you experience your spiritual epiphany? When did your brain open? It's like, my goodness, I was wrong. I get it now. How was that delivered to you? How did it happen for you? What was the moment of uh knowledge, truth is a word that's being bent right now a lot. >> Yeah. Right. Yeah. >> When did let's call it wisdom, knowledge appear to you? the openness of spirit, the openness of your mind. >> Uh, well, Suzanne, I I think that's a hard thing for me to nail down. Um, partially because like I am I don't know if you've heard I'm a deep skeptic. >> Yes. And uh I for me that's like a a personality trait which means that my whole life I have been like the person who ask questions and not sure about everything. And when I was younger like I'm old like I grew up before the internet and um I grew up in the Alabama part of Florida. And so um that meant that like the data that I was um I had available to me was limited. Uh the people who had advanced degrees in theology and stuff like that was limited. And so um I uh being a deep skeptic for me means wanting to base all of my beliefs, religious or otherwise on um on reliable data. And so like when I learned about evolution in school and I asked my, you know, pastor who had a seminary degree about it, they gave me creation pseudocience, right? >> And uh and so I believed that. But um as I grew older and I got access to more data from more reliable sources, I uh I changed different beliefs here and there. And but part of it too is that like um when you're really like indoctrinated, when you when you have what I call inherited beliefs, like beliefs that you've been told are correct and you've just accepted, >> um you it it's it's generally not the case that all of the sudden you don't believe any of it anymore. Um, >> right. >> For most people it's like you real like for me like I I uh one of the early on things for me was like this idea of um creation science, right? >> Little by little I started doubting that and getting more data and eventually I let go of that. Um, but I was 100% sure that uh queer people were going to hell, which was really problematic for me as a queer person. Um, because uh because I thought that my identity was a temptation. >> Oh, >> and not who I was. Um, and so that took a lot longer and it was at one point I I got to there. um the pro-life, pro-choice, that took a little bit longer um for me to to deal with. And so for me, it's been sort of this like lifelong progression. >> Um though, I know that for a lot of people, there's something that happens and they're like, "Okay, that that's it. I'm done." But that that wasn't me. The other thing that's very strange I think about me is that I am I'm both a deep skeptic and a very mystical person. >> Yes. >> And and sometimes my mystical sense is I want to label it spiritually and sometimes this mystical these mystical experiences I want to label psychologically. I don't know that it really matters either way. Um, and so those experiences really started for me when I was a teenager, which is when it starts for a lot of people because of the way the the brain is functioning uh with the way it it it releases all of the fun chemicals of adolescence. But >> that's great. >> That's when it happened for me. What What about you? When did it happen for you? >> Uh, it happened for me when um Oh, goodness. This is almost uh uh this is gonna cause a lot of uh doubt with some people. That's uh >> No, that's not okay. Pause. I'm sorry. I I'm not going to be mean, but sharing your own story does not cause other people to doubt. It helps them on their journey. We find our stories often in the stories of other people. And it helps. It helps. It helps. It helps. Doubts are not a sign of uh doubts are a sign of spiritual health. Um because it means that you're thinking deeply. So uh you're not wrong. I'm not being mean. But just give yourself permission to share the story uh knowing that it's a good thing that you that you're doing that. >> All right. Here we go. I'll make it quick. >> Yes. >> All right. Uh 14 years old. Um the perfect target. my friends and I friend uh decided >> Oh, does this need a trigger warning at all for people? >> It requires no trigger warnings whatsoever. >> Okay, great. Great. Great. >> There's no no danger, no nothing. This is just wonderful. Wonderful. >> Yeah. Um um but thanks for asking because I don't want to upset anyone. >> Um my friend and I decided that uh we were going to use a Ouija board. Okay. >> Oh, right. >> Right. This is going to be great. We're gonna have so much fun. Okay. So, um she was to be trusted um through board. We sure enough did contact something. >> Um and that something intrigued us. So, we went back and we did it again and we did it again and then the messages we were getting started to get creepy and mean. Uh-oh. So, we shut down the whole project. What resulted was a very lowle, I'm not going to use the word demon, a very low-level bad entity moved into my house >> and um subsequently it would show up in my bedroom at nighttime. It would look scary. Uh it was black, shrouded. >> Um it it started off by kicking my bed. It would rattle the headboard. Um, it pounced on me. It was >> Oh my gosh, that's horrifying. >> It was really, really bad. Uh, my parents at the time were having a lot of marital issues. I didn't want to add one more >> flame coal to the fire. >> So, I kept it to myself. I thought, "Okay, I gotta just deal with this. This is my fault. I did this. I brought this into our house." >> It really was quite terrifying. It it's it's um because I'm making this short honestly as it built it was a very very scary experience. Really bad. >> Oh, I bet. >> And so I became emotionally exhausted by it. >> I started I started with my Catholic upbringing by using my grandmother's rosary, praying every night, God, please help me. Um that didn't work. Okay. and uh it would rattle my headboard. You would just shake it really, really, really hard. Um so I put the rosary on the headboard. Okay, this is going to do it. And it rattled the headboard so badly it knocked it off. Pretty much saying, "Yeah, yeah, little girl, this isn't going to work." So this went on for a few months. Mhm. >> One night, at this point, because of my Catholic upbringing, God was extremely distant, uh uh unreachable, um someone I couldn't talk to, >> and it occurred to me, oh my goodness, I can I can speak with him. This energy is for all of us. We just have to >> bring it in. I can't I don't know where this I don't know where this came from. I don't know how this information came and I felt this sudden beautiful confidence and so I thought that's it. I'm going to take care of this. I've got this. So I prayed that night and I for the first real prayer in my life. >> God please stand by my side. I didn't say within me. I didn't say around me. I said right >> by my side like a buddy. Right. >> But what happened was I felt it for the first time. >> It was so powerful and so >> liberating. And that night, sure enough, this big bad awful thing showed up in in my room and >> and I sat up. I was waiting for it that night. I didn't go to sleep. I was waiting. I was like, "I know you're I'm gonna get you." And And it appeared he and I there I was standing in my room and I said, "You've got nothing. God's by my side. You can't scare me anymore. It's over. >> You've got nothing." And I was over my shoulder. God's by my side. >> Wow. >> It kicked my bed and left. And that was the end of it. Oh, what a wonderful story. >> Last little, you know, yeah, but I'm still big and bad. But that was my moment. It was 14. I don't know how I was allowed, given, offered this information. Um, from then on, it changed my life entirely. Now I had a direct >> communication and protection from the divine. Oh, I love that Suzanne. Thank you so much for telling that story. That is so beautiful. >> Thanks. Um, >> thanks. I haven't told anybody but my husband and mom. So, >> yeah, that's so great. Hey, you know, one of the things I think um Yeah, just thank you so much. I I've got a a question I'm going to answer, but thanks for coming on. and anyone uh give give Suzanne a high five in the in the chat and uh thank you so much. >> Thank you so much. I appreciate it every single moment and please keep continuing being the light that you are and the amazing work that you do. We love you so much. >> Thank you. Goodbye. >> Bye-bye, my friend. >> Okay, so um tonight I'm offering a course. Uh if you've ever seen videos about me uh videos by me or D Mlen on the Bible and and you're like that sort of help you unpack things and you're like but how do I unpack that stuff on my own? Um I'm going to teach you some simple tools to to do that tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. Links in my profile and uh it's pay what you can. So if it's if you need free free there I don't ever want my teaching to uh require somebody to have expendable income. Uh, I have one last question that I want to answer um that is really dear to my heart and I I'm going to try not to get emotional but um uh so it says my daughter is gay. She has been in religious schools, Episcopal and now a Je Jesuit high school. Each of these schools have loved her unconditionally and supported her 100%. Even with this support, she would have panic attacks sitting in weekly chapel at the age of 10 and 11. not because of what she heard there, but um but what she saw and heard Christians say on TV and even our last church, which put a blurb about heterosexual marriages in their values page, how can I help other Christians understand the impact of outwardly excluding people like this and the impact that it has we love God as a family but struggle to feel like uh loved like we are promised from other believers. Um this is wrong. This is evil. There should be no reason that a 10-year-old girl uh should be sitting in a church having panic attacks because uh of what people are saying about her identity and who God made her to be. Um I I I sort of want to say two things. I want to answer your question directly in just a second, but I'd also like to say um to you and everybody out there, there are progressive affirming churches uh that are w are actually welcoming to everybody. Um and uh there's a couple of websites you can go to. Uh gaychurch.org is great and uh one of my favorites is the reconciling ministries network. So that's rmnetwork.org or they've got a church locator there and you can find a local church. One of the things that I love about the the reconciling ministries network uh gay church like will also give you gaychurch.org will give you like like all of the churches in a denomination that is affirming. Uh but RM network uh these churches have to actively affirm that they are inclusive and like a small group within a church um can sign up even if the whole church isn't super accepting. So um yeah, I'd encourage you and anybody else who's looking for that to to go to rmnetwork.org or gaychurch.org. They can find a community like that. So, how do you um how can you help other Christians understand the impact of outwardly excluding the LGBTQ community? I there's a couple of things. I think telling the story is really helpful. I know that these stories can be really emotional to share. Um but sharing these stories is really powerful. Um and if your daughter would give you permission, like I would say, uh post it online. In fact, if you'd be open to telling that story on my podcast, Unbelief, um you can shoot me another DM and um and I'll interview you there and uh that's nice because you can uh we can edit it afterwards and um make it what you and your your daughter might be comfortable with. So, I think telling those stories is important. There's also a statistic by the Trevor Project that I think is really helpful. Um they found that um when uh LGBTQ young people are rejected by churches or family members on religious grounds, they are twice as more like as like twice as likely to attempt to unalive themselves. Um this is not a I think sort of shaking people into the reality that this belief this action um is a life or death situation. Um and it carries ultimate consequences and uh my feeling is that um our none of our beliefs should put the life of somebody else at risk. And if it does, uh we should let it go, reevaluate it, or just not talk about it. Um because that feels like a really low bar to clear. Um, and I think when people understand the consequences of this, it can help. Um, but the other thing that I would say is for people that are close to you, um, I teach this method called a thousand uh, a thousand interactions where the idea is that you don't start um, you're not going to change their mind in one conversation. You don't have to do everything in one conversation. there are people that close to you that you regularly interact with. You can start with very small things, right? Observations of a queer person or whatever uh doing something wonderful in the world and continue little by little to have more and more conversations and you don't have to talk about the Bible for a 100red conversations, right? Like you can wait until you're there because moving people to a different place uh takes time. The other thing that can really help, especially when you have a queer child that is dealing with maybe a non-affirming family, you didn't say that, but maybe maybe there is that is um is to to talk to your family and say, "Look, this is a life or death thing. Tell them that uh when queer young people are rejected on religious grounds, they're twice as likely to attempt to unalive themselves." and then say, "So, right now what my uh child needs is uh people telling them how wonderful they are, supporting them, encouraging them to be the best version of themselves. So, here's what I want to ask you to do. Whenever you interact with them, I want you to name something in your life that in their life that you are proud of, something about them, something you've seen them do. Every interaction that you have to do that um this is good in a couple of ways. Uh, one, um, it's good for your daughter to have that kind of support, but two, it actually moves the conversation with the non-affirming family members from um this like objective biblical argument uh to uh what is helpful and supporting your child. Um, and I and I find that that can also help people because what it does is is it begins to help them see that this queer person that they love is doing wonderful things in the world and it can sort of shift it into a different space. Um, yeah, I hope that helps. Thanks for sharing that story. Um, one last thing. Um, tonight, um, tonight we are I'm hosting a, uh, a course at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time. Um, if you've ever seen me do, um, me do videos about the Bible or Dan Mlullen do videos about the Bible that, you know, unpack it and help you understand it better once you've started deconstructing or thinking for yourself. And then you felt, okay, but how do I unpack that stuff on my own? That's what this course is about. Um, and uh, you can register the link in my profile. Uh, you can pay whatever you want. Um, I try to make sure that I'm never requiring people to pay uh, for teaching. And so, but it is the way that I one of the ways that I support what I do. So, if um, if you whatever you can pay, go ahead and pay. I'd love to see you tonight at 7 p.m. And anyone who registers is going to get uh free um one-on-one Zoom time with me uh sometime afterwards when we schedule that. So yes, I I thank you so much for being here today. Um and uh I will see you again soon. See you online., How to Read the Bible in Deconstruction, YouTube, 01krgn2dfc9w17qsxzptyr9j32.