Truce usually uses research, music, sound effects, and expert interviews to tell complicated stories about the Christian Church. We’ve made something like 100 episodes! Our listeners recommended that we celebrate by asking Chris questions submitted by audience members.
Special thanks to Melvin Benson of the Cinematic Doctrine podcast for asking the questions!
Jackson, Wyoming is a small tourist town in the middle of nowhere. It is just a few miles south of Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone. Millions of people pass through each year as tourists. It’s a vacation hotspot. But for those who choose to stay in this region, Teton County is anything but a vacation. Rising income inequality and housing costs have created a hostile environment for working people. The median home price in Jackson went up 47% in 2020 alone, rising to $2.2 million while wages remain stagnant.
We’ve been talking for the last few episodes about myths of the American West, how cowboy myths about a lone rugged individual have shaped the US. Now it’s time to understand how cowboy myths have impacted American Christianity.
Our guest today is Justin Farrell. He’s a sociologist and professor at Yale. His book is Billionaire Wilderness. In it, Farrell recounts his studies of the ultra-wealthy. What makes them tick? What are they afraid of? Why do they dress the way they do? And what draws them to the far western border of Wyoming?
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In 1954 the United States government, led by Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, staged a coup to oust President Jacobo Arbenz of Guatemala. For what reason? To help the United Fruit Company.
United Fruit was a giant company, capturing over 90% of the market in its heyday. The juggernaut found President Arbenz to be a nuisance when his agrarian reform meant they would be paid for some of their unused land, which would be given to peasants. With the help of powerful friends like Allen Dulles (the Director of the CIA), the United States staged a coup, installing Castillo Armas in his place.
All of this took place while the USA was busy framing itself as a Christian nation. What does that mean for the Christian Church today? Are we a nation that supports that kind of behavior?
Our special guest for this episode is Stephen Schlesinger, co-author of the excellent book “Bad Fruit: The Story of the American Coup in Guatemala“.
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If life begins at conception, what do we do with all of the embryos left after in vitro fertilization? Author and journalist Nate Birt (Twitter: @natebirt) joins us to discuss embryo adoption and his book Frozen But Not Forgotten.
This is a Truce Podcast extra. Truce is a listener supported show. Donate on Patreon, GoFundMe, and on our website. Send us an email to let us know what you think of the show and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Did you know that Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump have all stumped for the multi-level marketing industry? MLMs, direct sales, and network marketing have powerful friends. But what about Christian “celebrities”?
On this, our fourth and final episode on MLMs, we’re going to demonstrate how the gospel is used to sell an illegitimate business model. People like Josh McDowell have spoken for Amway. But does that make his actions wrong? He is, after all, there to preach the gospel to a captive audience. Who can blame him?
Ideas explored in this episode:
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Truce is a listener supported show. Donate now on Patreon, GoFundMe, or at www.trucepodcast.com.