Dan and Can Podcast

Dan and Can
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Religion & Spirituality
  • Updated Weekly

Just a middle-aged exevangelical couple deconstructing from evangelical Christianity discussing spirituality, the Bible, and whatever they feel like because they are finally free to ask questions and say what they want to say. Email: candace@danandcan.com We would love if you would consider subscribing to our Substack! Weekly posts for free subscribers and audios and PDFs for paid subscribers. Thank you! https://lovecandid.substack.com/subscribe

  1. 2d ago

    Candid Conversations 181: Who Told Women Gossip Was Bad? | Deconstructing Gossip & Patriarchy

    Strong alternatives: What If “Gossip” Is How Women Find Their Power? Why Powerful People Don't Want Women Talking to Each Other Gossip Isn't Always Toxic | Women, Power & Patriarchy When Women Compare Notes, Things Change They Called It Gossip. Women Called It Survival. Why Women NEED to Talk About Each Other’s Experiences It has women, gossip, patriarchy, and deconstructing while leaving the historical claim open for the conversation rather than putting it in the headline. What if everything we were taught about gossip deserves a second look? In this episode of Candid Conversations — Your Deconstructing Everything Podcast, we react to a video challenging the assumption that when women talk about other people and their experiences, they're automatically being petty, malicious or tearing someone down.Because gossip and slander aren't necessarily the same thing.There absolutely is harmful gossip. People can spread lies, humiliate others, violate confidences and use information as a weapon.But there's another kind of conversation that matters enormously:“Is this happening to you too?”Those conversations allow people to compare experiences.Recognize patterns.Warn each other.Discover that something they thought was an individual problem is happening to many people.And sometimes organize to change it.Throughout history, women's ability to gather, communicate and organize has been crucial to movements for women's political, economic and social rights. Women didn't gain voting rights, greater financial independence and other legal protections because everyone individually and silently arrived at the same conclusion.They talked to each other.And that got us thinking about the word gossip itself.When does sharing information become malicious gossip—and when is calling something “gossip” a convenient way of discouraging people from comparing notes? We also talk about patriarchy and why rigid gender hierarchies don't only affect women. Systems that restrict women's voices, autonomy and opportunities obviously harm women. But systems that tell men they must dominate, suppress vulnerability, compete constantly and conform to rigid definitions of masculinity can constrain men too. So maybe gossip is another thing worth deconstructing. Not so we can justify cruelty, rumors or betraying people's trust. But so we can reclaim the importance of safe conversations. Maybe we need the lunch table. The group chat. The coffee date. The circle of people we trust enough to say: “Something doesn't feel right. Has this happened to you?” Because sometimes another person saying “Yes. Me too.” changes everything. And sometimes the first step toward changing a system is simply discovering: You're not the only one experiencing it. This is Candid Conversations — Your Deconstructing Everything Podcast. We're deconstructing the lives we were given so that we can create the lives we want. Subscribe for more candid conversations about healing, nervous system regulation, deconstruction, psychology, relationships, subconscious programming, and reclaiming your authentic self. SEO-Friendly YouTube + Spotify DescriptionReprogram Your Subconscious On Your Own Time: https://www.humanreprogram.com?sca_ref=12239479.1igrxtA4bmWHnM (We do receive a commission of any purchases here.)Support us:  https://buymeacoffee.com/danandcanWork with Candace (Hypnotherapy & Subconscious Reprogramming after leaving toxic religion): http://CandidCoachingCo.com#CandidConversations #DeconstructingPodcast #DeconstructingEverything #Gossip #WomenWhoTalk #WomensHistory #WomensRights #Patriarchy #GenderRoles #Feminism #WomenSupportingWomen #WomensVoices #GenderEquality #Deconstruction #SocialConditioning #WomenEmpowerment #HealthyCommunication #FemaleFriendship #CriticalThinking #CommunityEmail us: DanandCanPod@gmail.com Website: ⁠https://danandcan.com/⁠ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBwo81prdWtTl29X5ffC73w Help w/Deconstruction: https://CandidCoachingCo.com

  2. 4d ago

    Dan & Can Podcast 192: The “Alpha Male” Jesus Isn’t in the Gospels | Deconstructing Jesus

    In this episode of Dan & Can — Your Deconstructing Everything Podcast, we continue our Deconstructing Jesus series by examining a version of Jesus that's becoming increasingly visible in parts of American evangelical Christianity: muscular Jesus. He's ripped. He's aggressive. He's carrying the cross like a warrior. He's powerful, dominant and ready to return to destroy his enemies. Basically, Jesus becomes the ultimate alpha bro. But is that actually the Jesus portrayed in the Gospels? When we look closer, we find something much more interesting. Jesus isn't simply meek and mild—and he isn't constantly throwing his authority around either. He seems to understand when strength is necessary and who actually needs to experience it. When he's interacting with ordinary people, outsiders, people considered “sinners,” the hurting and those pushed to the margins, we repeatedly encounter compassion, patience and mercy. Put him in front of religious leaders whom the Gospel writers portray as hypocritical, controlling or burdening other people with religious rules? That's when Jesus gets harsh. He calls religious leaders whitewashed tombs and a brood of vipers. He challenges their authority. He questions their rules. He refuses to participate in religious systems simply because those systems claim God's authority. That doesn't look like weakness to us. It looks like knowing how to use power. We also talk about the Good Samaritan, where Jesus makes the hero of the story someone outside the expected religious boundaries. And when the story is finished, Jesus doesn't tell his listener: “Go believe exactly the right things.” He tells him: “Go and do likewise.” Show mercy. That's a radically different way of measuring someone's goodness. We also explore the biblical language of love: patient, kind, not insisting on its own way, not keeping a record of wrongs. Those aren't descriptions of domination. And maybe that's where the modern “alpha Jesus” gets strength wrong. Physical force is one of the simplest ways human beings can demonstrate power. Real strength can require something harder: knowing when NOT to use the power you possess. Knowing when to confront. Knowing when to be gentle. Knowing when to protect. Knowing when to show mercy. Knowing when someone doesn't need correction—they need compassion. Jesus' message was radical in his world, and perhaps it's still radical today: Love your neighbor. Love your enemy. Show mercy. And stop confusing domination with strength. We're continuing to deconstruct the Jesus we inherited through evangelical Christianity and compare him with the Jesus we encounter in the Gospel stories. This is Dan & Can — Your Deconstructing Everything Podcast. We're deconstructing the lives we were given so that we can create the lives we want. Support us:  https://buymeacoffee.com/danandcanWork with Candace (Hypnotherapy & Subconscious Reprogramming after leaving toxic religion): http://CandidCoachingCo.com Subscribe for more candid conversations about culture, deconstruction, relationships, healing, psychology, and rebuilding life with intention. #DanAndCanPodcast #DeconstructingPodcast #DeconstructingEverything #DeconstructingJesus #Jesus #JesusOfNazareth #AlphaMale #AlphaMaleCulture #EvangelicalChristianity #ChristianNationalism #EvangelicalDeconstruction #FaithDeconstruction #ReligiousDeconstruction #Exvangelical #Deconstruction #GoodSamaritan #LoveYourNeighbor #LoveYourEnemies #Christianity #CriticalThinking Email us: DanandCanPod@gmail.com Website: ⁠https://danandcan.com/⁠ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBwo81prdWtTl29X5ffC73w Help w/Deconstruction: https://CandidCoachingCo.com

  3. Sep 25

    Candid Conversations 180: What If Women Ran the World? | Deconstructing Patriarchy & Matriarchy

    What if babies didn't come from women's bodies? Imagine that new human beings mysteriously appeared through portals.Would we build monuments around those portals? Protect them? Revere them? Consider the ability to produce human life miraculous?Probably.But human beings don't emerge from mysterious portals.They come through women.In this episode of Candid Conversations — Your Deconstructing Everything Podcast, we react to a video that asks why something as extraordinary as creating and giving birth to another human being can become so ordinary to us that we barely recognize the value of the people whose bodies actually do it. And that takes us into a much bigger conversation about women, patriarchy, matriarchy, motherhood, relationships and power.This isn't about putting women on a pedestal.And we're definitely not interested in replacing a system where men dominate women with one where women dominate men.We're asking something different:What if leadership didn't have to mean domination at all?We react to another video arguing that many men already trust women with an enormous amount of responsibility inside their homes. Women frequently manage schedules, create comfortable living spaces, anticipate children's needs, maintain relationships, remember what everyone needs and carry enormous amounts of the invisible work required to turn a house into a functioning home.Obviously, that's not every woman, every man or every family.But it raises an interesting question:If we recognize the value of care, cooperation and considering everyone's needs inside a family, what would happen if we valued those qualities more broadly?What if success wasn't always about somebody winning and somebody losing?What if strength wasn't synonymous with domination? What if leadership sometimes meant asking:What does everyone here need in order to thrive?We also talk about patriarchy—and why a system that gives men greater authority doesn't necessarily mean individual men flourish within it.Rigid gender roles can place enormous expectations on men too: provide, dominate, compete, suppress vulnerability, stay strong and prove your masculinity. Maybe liberation doesn't require women taking men's place at the top.Maybe we need to question why someone always has to be on top in the first place.Perhaps there's another way to organize our homes, relationships and communities—one that recognizes the enormous value women have historically provided through caregiving, relationship-building, homemaking, child-rearing and community while also recognizing that these qualities aren't exclusively femaleBecause valuing women doesn't require devaluing men. And dismantling patriarchy doesn't have to mean creating a new hierarchy.Maybe the goal is something much simpler:Build a world where everybody matters. This is Candid Conversations — Your Deconstructing Everything Podcast. We're deconstructing the lives we were given so that we can create the lives we want. Subscribe for more candid conversations about healing, nervous system regulation, deconstruction, psychology, relationships, subconscious programming, and reclaiming your authentic self. Reprogram Your Subconscious On Your Own Time: https://www.humanreprogram.com?sca_ref=12239479.1igrxtA4bmWHnM (We do receive a commission of any purchases here.)Support us:  https://buymeacoffee.com/danandcanWork with Candace (Hypnotherapy & Subconscious Reprogramming after leaving toxic religion): http://CandidCoachingCo.com#CandidConversations #DeconstructingPodcast #DeconstructingEverything #Patriarchy #Matriarchy #GenderRoles #WomensValue #WomenEmpowerment #Motherhood #Feminism #GenderEquality #HealthyRelationships #MentalLoad #EmotionalLabor #WomensRights #HealthyMasculinity #Deconstruction #SocialConditioning #RelationshipDynamics #EqualityEmail us: DanandCanPod@gmail.comWebsite: ⁠https://danandcan.com/⁠YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBwo81prdWtTl29X5ffC73wHelp w/Deconstruction: https://CandidCoachingCo.com

  4. Sep 23

    Dan & Can Podcast 191: What Did Jesus Really Teach About Wealth? | Deconstructing the Real Jesus

    What did Jesus actually teach about money and wealth? In this episode of Dan & Can — Your Deconstructing Everything Podcast, we continue our Deconstructing Jesus series by looking at Jesus' relationship with money, possessions, wealth, poverty and generosity. Growing up in Christianity, we encountered two very different messages about money. On one side was the idea that being poor somehow makes you more spiritual—that denying yourself comfort, possessions or financial success demonstrates greater devotion to God. On the other side is the prosperity gospel: name it, claim it, believe hard enough, give enough, and financial abundance becomes evidence of God's blessing. So which one represents Jesus? Was Jesus actually against having money? Did he believe poverty itself was virtuous? Or is there a much bigger conversation happening in his teachings about what we DO with whatever resources we have? As we continue deconstructing Jesus, we're exploring the difference between having wealth and being controlled by wealth. What happens when money stops flowing outward and begins accumulating simply for the sake of having more? What responsibility do people with resources have toward people without them? What does generosity look like? And when does security become hoarding? Money is literally called currency—and currency flows. Maybe the important question isn't simply: “How much do you have?” Maybe it's: “What are you doing with what you have?” Because having less doesn't automatically make someone righteous. Having more doesn't automatically mean someone has been blessed by God. And wealth certainly doesn't tell us someone's worth. When we look at the teachings attributed to Jesus, we find repeated warnings about attachment to wealth alongside an extraordinary concern for the poor, hungry, marginalized and people struggling to survive. So perhaps the problem isn't money itself. Perhaps it's what money can reveal about our relationship with security, power, generosity and one another. Join us as we continue separating the Jesus we inherited through modern evangelical Christianity from the Jesus we encounter when we actually examine the stories and teachings attributed to Jesus of Nazareth. This is Dan & Can — Your Deconstructing Everything Podcast. We're deconstructing the lives we were given so that we can create the lives we want. Support us:  https://buymeacoffee.com/danandcanWork with Candace (Hypnotherapy & Subconscious Reprogramming after leaving toxic religion): http://CandidCoachingCo.com Subscribe for more candid conversations about culture, deconstruction, relationships, healing, psychology, and rebuilding life with intention. #DanAndCanPodcast #DeconstructingPodcast #DeconstructingEverything #DeconstructingJesus #Jesus #JesusOfNazareth #JesusAndMoney #ProsperityGospel #ChristianityAndMoney #Christianity #EvangelicalChristianity #EvangelicalDeconstruction #FaithDeconstruction #ReligiousDeconstruction #Exvangelical #Deconstruction #ChristianNationalism #WealthAndReligion #ReligiousTrauma #CriticalThinking  Email us: DanandCanPod@gmail.com Website: ⁠https://danandcan.com/⁠ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBwo81prdWtTl29X5ffC73w Help w/Deconstruction: https://CandidCoachingCo.com

  5. Sep 18

    Candid Conversations 179: Why Is the Bar So Low for Men—and So High for Women?

    Why does it sometimes feel like the bar for being considered a “good man” is incredibly low—while the expectations placed on women just keep getting higher?In this episode of Candid Conversations — Your Deconstructing Everything Podcast, we react to a video arguing that violence against women can indirectly lower the cultural bar for men: when the worst examples of male behavior involve violence, abuse and control, simply being a kind, nonviolent man can begin to look exceptional.And that got us talking.Because while the minimum standard for men can sometimes feel incredibly low, women are navigating an ever-growing list of expectations. Be a good mother. Be successful. Make money. Keep the house running. Cook. Take care of everyone. Be emotionally available. Be independent—but not TOO independent. Be sexy—but appropriately sexy. Be confident—but not intimidating. And whatever you do... Don't look like you've aged. Women are expected to diet, exercise, color their hair, manage wrinkles, maintain their bodies after pregnancy and sometimes turn to medications, cosmetic procedures or surgery simply to keep chasing a physical standard that naturally moves farther away as they age.Meanwhile, we've normalized the “dad bod” while women can still be shamed for having the body of someone who literally became a mom.Something isn't balanced.We also get personal about our own marriage and how we've had to reconsider the effort both partners put into remaining attractive, emotionally connected and engaged with one another.If one partner continually considers what the other wants and needs while the other stops trying, resentment can growAnd this goes far beyond appearance.What does it mean for a man to grow from a boy into an emotionally mature adult? How involved is he in parenting? Does he carry some of the mental load? Can he communicate? Can he care for himself? Does he invest in his relationship? Can he provide emotional safety and support rather than expecting his partner to manage his emotions for him?And on the other side, what might happen if women were finally allowed to put some of those impossible expectations down? Maybe women get to age. Maybe gray hair is allowed. Maybe bodies get to change. Maybe exercise can be about feeling strong instead of becoming smaller. Maybe femininity doesn't require performing perfection. And maybe men raising their standard doesn't mean becoming some hypermasculine “alpha male.” Maybe it means becoming a fully participating partner. The goal isn't to reverse the hierarchy and create another competition between men and women. It's to close the gap. Let women breathe. Expect more emotional and relational maturity from men. And create relationships where two grown adults show up for themselves, each other and the life they're building together.This is Candid Conversations — Your Deconstructing Everything Podcast. We're deconstructing the lives we were given so that we can create the lives we want. Subscribe for more candid conversations about healing, nervous system regulation, deconstruction, psychology, relationships, subconscious programming, and reclaiming your authentic self. Reprogram Your Subconscious On Your Own Time: https://www.humanreprogram.com?sca_ref=12239479.1igrxtA4bmWHnM (We do receive a commission of any purchases here.)Support us:  https://buymeacoffee.com/danandcanWork with Candace (Hypnotherapy & Subconscious Reprogramming after leaving toxic religion): http://CandidCoachingCo.com#CandidConversations#DeconstructingPodcast#DeconstructingEverything#GenderRoles#GenderExpectations#BeautyStandards#WomensStandards#HealthyMasculinity#HealthyRelationships#RelationshipDynamics#Marriage#MentalLoad#EmotionalLabor#MomBod#DadBod#BodyImage#WomenAging#MensMentalHealth#RelationshipAdvice#Deconstruction Email us: DanandCanPod@gmail.com Website: ⁠https://danandcan.com/⁠ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBwo81prdWtTl29X5ffC73w Help w/Deconstruction: https://CandidCoachingCo.com

  6. Sep 16

    Dan & Can Podcast 190: Who Was Jesus Actually Angry At? | Deconstructing the Real JesusWho was Jesus actually angry at?

    Who was Jesus actually angry at? In this episode of Dan & Can — Your Deconstructing Everything Podcast, we continue our Deconstructing Jesus series by looking more closely at the character of Jesus portrayed in the Gospels—and discovering something interesting about his anger. We begin by reacting to a clip arguing that Jesus wasn't some meek, gentle hippie. He's a lion. He's coming in judgment. He's powerful, confrontational and dangerous. And there's some truth buried in there. The Jesus portrayed in the Gospels wasn't always gentle. He could be incredibly confrontational. But here's the question: Who was he confronting? Jesus wasn't a Christian. He was a first-century Jew operating within a Jewish religious and cultural world under Roman rule. And when we look at the stories told about him, an interesting pattern emerges. Jesus is repeatedly portrayed showing compassion toward people who were sick, poor, grieving, socially marginalized or treated as outsiders. But put him in front of religious leaders whom the Gospel writers portray as hypocritical or placing burdens on others? Suddenly the language changes. “Brood of vipers.” “Whitewashed tombs.” He calls out hypocrisy, challenges religious authority and condemns leaders who demand things from others while failing to live according to the standards they proclaim. So yes—there's a tender Jesus AND a confrontational Jesus. But we think some forms of modern evangelical Christianity and Christian nationalism have flipped around who gets which Jesus. The marginalized get judgment. The unbeliever becomes the enemy. The religious outsider becomes someone God will eventually punish. Meanwhile, religious and political power can become something to defend. But is that the pattern we actually see in the Gospel stories? Maybe the question isn't: Was Jesus a lamb or a lion? Maybe it's: Who received his compassion—and who received his anger? That's an important distinction as we continue separating the historical and biblical portrayals of Jesus of Nazareth from the Jesus many of us inherited through American evangelical Christianity. We're not asking you to simply replace one version of Jesus with ours. We're asking you to look again. Read the stories. Ask uncomfortable questions. Pay attention to who holds power, who doesn't, and how Jesus responds to each. This is Dan & Can — Your Deconstructing Everything Podcast. We're deconstructing the lives we were given so that we can create the lives we want. Support us:  https://buymeacoffee.com/danandcanWork with Candace (Hypnotherapy & Subconscious Reprogramming after leaving toxic religion): http://CandidCoachingCo.com Subscribe for more candid conversations about culture, deconstruction, relationships, healing, psychology, and rebuilding life with intention. #DanAndCanPodcast #DeconstructingEverything #DeconstructingPodcast #DeconstructingJesus #JesusOfNazareth #HistoricalJesus #Jesus #ChristianNationalism #EvangelicalChristianity #EvangelicalDeconstruction #FaithDeconstruction #ReligiousDeconstruction #Exvangelical #Christianity #ReligiousLeaders #ReligiousTrauma #LeavingEvangelicalism #ChurchCulture #CriticalThinking #Deconstruction  Email us: DanandCanPod@gmail.com Website: ⁠https://danandcan.com/⁠ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBwo81prdWtTl29X5ffC73w Help w/Deconstruction: https://CandidCoachingCo.com

  7. Sep 11

    Candid Conversations 178: The Alpha Male Myth: Healthy Relationships Don't Need a Boss

    What happens when the “alpha male” meets an actual lioness?  In this episode of Candid Conversations — Your Deconstructing Everything Podcast, we react to a hilarious video challenging the way some self-proclaimed “alpha males” compare themselves to male lions. Because when you watch what actually happens between lions and lionesses, the metaphor doesn't always work quite the way the alpha bros think it does. The lioness hunts. She protects her cubs. And when the male crosses a line with those cubs, she isn't exactly waiting submissively for him to lead. That gets us laughing—but it also leads to a much more serious conversation about power, masculinity, gender roles and healthy relationships. We question the idea that every heterosexual relationship needs one permanent leader. When a man believes masculinity requires him to always be in charge, what happens when his partner disagrees? And what happens when a relationship that looks male-dominated publicly has a completely different power struggle happening behind closed doors? Either way, the problem is the same: Two people fighting over who gets to control the other. We think healthy relationships offer another option. Partnership. Sometimes one person leads. Sometimes the other does. Sometimes the person with more knowledge, experience, emotional capacity or skill in a particular situation steps forward—and the other trusts them enough to follow. That can change from situation to situation. A man doesn't lose his masculinity because his wife is better at something. A woman doesn't lose her femininity because her husband takes responsibility for something traditionally considered “women's work.” And neither person needs to become smaller for the other to feel powerful. We also talk about how rigid gender roles—particularly those found in some forms of evangelical Christianity, Christian patriarchy and online “alpha male” culture—can turn relationships into hierarchies instead of partnerships. And hierarchy can create fertile ground for control, resentment, coercion and, in some relationships, abuse. Maybe a healthy relationship doesn't need an alpha. Maybe it needs two adults who respect each other's strengths enough to stop competing for the throne. This is Candid Conversations — Your Deconstructing Everything Podcast. We're deconstructing the lives we were given so that we can create the lives we want. Subscribe for more candid conversations about healing, nervous system regulation, deconstruction, psychology, relationships, subconscious programming, and reclaiming your authentic self. Reprogram Your Subconscious On Your Own Time: https://www.humanreprogram.com?sca_ref=12239479.1igrxtA4bmWHnM (We do receive a commission of any purchases here.)Support us:  https://buymeacoffee.com/danandcanWork with Candace (Hypnotherapy & Subconscious Reprogramming after leaving toxic religion): http://CandidCoachingCo.com#DeconstructingPodcast#CandidConversations#DeconstructingPodcast#DeconstructingEverything#AlphaMale#AlphaMaleMyth#AlphaMaleCulture#HealthyRelationships#RelationshipAdvice#Marriage#MarriageAdvice#GenderRoles#Masculinity#ToxicMasculinity#ChristianPatriarchy#EvangelicalDeconstruction#FaithDeconstruction#Deconstruction#RelationshipDynamics#Equality#HealthyMarriage  Email us: DanandCanPod@gmail.com Website: ⁠https://danandcan.com/⁠ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBwo81prdWtTl29X5ffC73w Help w/Deconstruction: https://CandidCoachingCo.com

  8. Sep 9

    Dan & Can Podcast 189: Who Was Jesus Really? The Jesus Evangelical Christianity Left Behind | Deconstructing Jesus

    Who Was Jesus Really? The Jesus Evangelical Christianity Left Behind | Deconstructing Jesus  Support us:  https://buymeacoffee.com/danandcanWork with Candace (Hypnotherapy & Subconscious Reprogramming after leaving toxic religion): http://CandidCoachingCo.com Who was Jesus of Nazareth—and does the Jesus described in the Gospels actually resemble the Jesus of modern American evangelical Christianity?In this episode of Dan & Can — Your Deconstructing Everything Podcast, we continue our Deconstructing Jesus series by moving beyond the Jesus we were taught and beginning to examine the Jesus portrayed in the biblical texts themselves.We start with an important question: Did Jesus actually exist?While we can't prove every story told about Jesus happened exactly as recorded, there are historical reasons to believe that a Jewish teacher named Jesus of Nazareth existed in first-century Judea. For the rest of this series, we're going to work from that starting point and ask a different question:Who was this man, and what was his message?When we begin reading the teachings attributed to Jesus, we find someone remarkably concerned with the people near the bottom of society.Blessed are the poor.Blessed are the hungry.Blessed are those who weep.And then come the warnings:Woe to the rich.Woe to those who are full.Woe to those who laugh now.Jesus repeatedly appears in conflict with religious authorities, wealth, status, exclusion and systems that place burdens upon ordinary people.And that creates an uncomfortable contrast with the Jesus many of us encountered in American evangelical Christianity and Christian nationalism.We were often given a militant Jesus—a Jesus connected to armies, political power, American nationalism, punishment, vengeance and eventually the violent overthrow of his enemies.But the Jesus we're encountering in these passages looks remarkably different.To understand why, we also look at the world Jesus entered.First-century Jewish people lived under Roman imperial power, and some Jewish hopes for a Messiah included expectations of liberation from foreign rule. Yet the Gospel portrayal of Jesus repeatedly complicates the expectation of a conventional military ruler who conquers Rome and replaces one empire with another.Instead, his message centers on a very different kind of Kingdom.That raises another question for modern Christianity:Have some Christians recreated the very kind of Messiah Jesus refused to become?Today, some forms of Christian nationalism seek political power, legislation and government authority to impose Christian beliefs on people who don't share them. Some Christians also describe themselves as persecuted in the United States when what they are experiencing may instead be the loss of cultural dominance or resistance to imposing their beliefs on others.Religious freedom means Christians are free to practice Christianity.But that same freedom must allow everyone else to choose differently.So as we continue deconstructing Jesus, we're asking:Who did Jesus stand beside?Who did he challenge?What did he say about wealth and power?What did he mean by the Kingdom of God?Why did powerful people find his message threatening?And eventually:Why was Jesus killed—and who actually killed him?Next week, we'll continue looking at the Jesus portrayed in the Gospel traditions and asking how much of the Jesus we inherited came from Jesus of Nazareth—and how much was created by the religious and political systems that came after him.This is Dan & Can — Your Deconstructing Everything Podcast.We're deconstructing the lives we were given so that we can create the lives we want.Subscribe for more candid conversations about culture, deconstruction, relationships, healing, psychology, and rebuilding life with intention.

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Just a middle-aged exevangelical couple deconstructing from evangelical Christianity discussing spirituality, the Bible, and whatever they feel like because they are finally free to ask questions and say what they want to say. Email: candace@danandcan.com We would love if you would consider subscribing to our Substack! Weekly posts for free subscribers and audios and PDFs for paid subscribers. Thank you! https://lovecandid.substack.com/subscribe

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  • Creator
    Dan and Can
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    374
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dan and Can
  • Show Website
    Dan and Can Podcast