After some vacation time, here is the latest Wired Jesus Podcast. I’m highlighting one of my favorite web sites and streamed programs, Whitley Streiber’s Dreamland. A web page and streamed program that explores the unknown, paranormal, and unusual. As I mention in the podcast, Whitley does an excellent job in exploring some of the “fringes” of the spiritual journey, places that most mainstream Christians uncomfortable avoid. Yet Whitley is an experiencial mystic who links himself to the Christian tradition and has fascinating perspectives to share and challenging guests to listen to.
Here are the links to the two journal articles I mention in the podcast as well as to his radio program/podcast. Have fun exploring.
Here also is a link to Coast To Coast AM. Formerly hosted by Art Bell, George Noory now hosts during the week and Art covers the weekend. George is great and its good to still hear Art’s voice. Coast to Coast covers many of the same subjects but on a daily basis and the spiritual dialog is great, especially with the callers. With each caller, you hear people talking from their heart, even if you aren’t entirely sure where their head is at times. 🙂 Its a tight community of good folks with great curiosity and a sense of humor. You can find out more about Coast To Coast AM here.
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Great podcast – very challenging, particularly the final points. I think its interesting how the ‘normal christians’ around the globe shy away from some of the points you and Mr. Strieber explored. Perhaps the challenge is scary…perhaps we still feel safest in boxes. Will this change as ‘The Church’ tries to figure out its connection point with the post-modern generation??
Keep up the great podcast!
A Canadian fan, listening to you from Scotland
Hi – I only just discovered your podcast last night and have really enjoyed it! For someone exploring the spirtual road – and finding my current bible study efforts not really hitting home – I was very pleased to find someone I could listen and relate to! You’ve given some things to think about and I look forward to your next podcast.
thanks – A US fan listening from the UK
I have recently run across the podcast and after hearing about 4 of them i don’t quite know what is trying to be accomplished but propagating further exploration but no biblical necessities for true faith in Jesus Christ. Particularly Dreamland’s author’s ideas about without Jesus, it’s cool, without a bodily resurrection, it’s all good too… to that might I point that back at scripture that says: But tell me this – since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ was not raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your trust in God is useless.
Read more regarding this in 1st Corinthians Chapter 15 regarding how his bodily resurrection, which is believed in by faith, not just sight as those that witnessed it, is essential to fulfill original biblical prophecy.
I wonder if the podcast is simply propagating further exploration for exploration sake, instead of using the platform to expand on real Godly answers for a lost culture.
Discuss 😉
Part of the podcast is for my own purpose – it keeps me connected with the spiritual edges of postmodern generations, much like my subscriptions to Wired Magazine and Relevant keep me connected into the culture.
As far as the other aspect, what I do with each podcast is more of (to use some Biblical imagery) more of a Mars Hill thing, pre-evangelism if you will. Paul in 1 Corinithians is speaking to Christians who give his words authority by virtue of his apostleship. I come to this claiming no authority, only an open ear to those who want to question even things like the resurrection. Does the Bible say Jesus was raised from the dead? Yes. Do I accept that as truth for me in faith? Yes. Do I personally require all persons to buy into that before we have a discussion regarding faith? No.
If you want to check out an interesting way a Christian writer wrestled with this, look for A Skeleton in God’s Closet by Paul Maier. A well known Christian author and scholar, the book is based on the premise of archaelogists finding the bones of Jesus in the 20th Century, proof that Jesus did not rise from the dead.
I think Whitley Strieber respresents a common baseline for spiritual mainliners for conversations to begin and an openness that no question is off limits and many answers might be possible. That’s what I’m trying to do here.
On another track, thank you Andrea and Tracey. Judging from comments and email, I have quite a few listeners in the UK. Podcasting makes for a small world. 🙂