Tales from Sacred Texts (Caleb Howard)

Xanthippe discovers a new religion full of men that she fancies. The issue, of course, is that she's married. She tries to join the religion, but is hindered by her husband and demons of all sorts. When things finally get put back to (somewhat) right, and her husband joins the religion to hopefully get his wife back, a new danger emerges as a psychopath kidnaps Xanthippe's sister, Polyxena, and absconds with her on a ship crewed by demons. After managing to escape, Polyxena attempts to find a better method of protecting herself. She hears that if she is baptized, she gets an invulnerable shield, but she can't find anyone to baptize her. So she wanders around, making awful deals and meeting strange characters, until a fortuitous encounter brings everyone back together in the end. 

PLEASE MIGRATE TO @REDEMPTION ARC: bit.ly/rarc

We start the story of why evil exists in the world at its source, Lucifer, an influential angel gone bad. The struggle for power and domination progresses through Lucifer's heart and then moves on to infect others, as he uses deceit to turn even divine beings against God. Sin migrates to our planet, and we set the stage for next week's episode, Job, where we will confront God with the age-old question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" 

We also discuss why Eve being the first to sin does not mean that male headship makes sense. 

CONTENT WARNING:

Violence: 0/5

Consensual Sexual Contact: N/A

Sexual Assault: N/A

Discrimination: 1/5

THEME MUSIC CREDITS:

Intro Theme Music is "Carnival" by Roa.

"Roa - Carnival" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/c/RoaMusic⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Closing Theme Music is "Joy of Travel" by Zakhar Valaha.

OTHER MUSIC CREDITS:

Evoke Music

Ross Bugden, "Something Wicked," https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zuw_O5MU5CE.

"yenss - Forever" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/..⁠

"MegaEnx - Recovery" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...⁠⁠⁠⁠https://soundcloud.com/megaenx⁠

A oddly-dressed traveling prophet convinces Jehu to overthrow Ahab's dynasty, which he does with a combination of crazy driving, intimidation, trickery, and throwing a woman out a window. Jehu then suspiciously invites all of his enemies to a big event, but will he be able to pull off the Biblical version of the Red Wedding?

A small-time prophet is ordered by God to warn a city full of brutal tyrants that their city is about to burn. Not wanting to be tortured to death, he tries to get as far away from the tyrannical city and ends up struggling with a whale and screaming about how a plant betrayed him. 

A Hebrew outcast has a nefarious plan for an obese tyrant, and a young prince goes up single-handed against one of the biggest military machines of his day. 

As promised, we've finally got a whole episode developed to relics. More specifically, one of the most famous relics. In this wild tale, a guy who really should have been on disability and not leading a work team ends up learning just how similar Jesus Christ is to the basilisk from Harry Potter. He died, never realizing that he had held actual godhood in his hands, but future generations engage in a massive battle royale for the relic and end up stabbing themselves in, well, a place you'd rather not stab yourself. 

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Violence: 3/5

Sexuality: 1/5

Discriminatory Themes: 1/5

Negative Depictions of God: 4/5

MUSIC CREDITS:

Ross Bugden, "Something Wicked," https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zuw_O5MU5CE.

"Broken Elegance - Infinitum" is under a Creative Commons (CC-BY 3.0) license Broken Elegance: https://www.youtube.com/user/BrokenEl...Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: http://bit.ly/bkc-infinitum.

The book of Daniel recounts the stories of two proud and oppressive kings; one who changes his ways while another doubles down on his capricious nature. In both stories, God has to step in and do something uniquely drastic. This episode is an instruction manual on what to do with pride, and the importance of learning from previous mistakes and doing better. Gratefulness to God for the abilities He has given us is a key first step. 

MUSIC CREDITS:

"Arthur Vyncke - Refusing the Ultimatum" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... https://soundcloud.com/arthurvostMusic promoted by BreakingCopyright: https://youtu.be/YyLRofvgzrU

'The Medieval Banquet' by Silverman Sound is under a Creative Commons license (CC BY 3.0) Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: http://bit.ly/Silvermansound_Medieval

"Vadim Krakhmal - Runic Hills" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) license Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: https://bit.ly/bkc-runic. 

"MegaEnx - Recovery" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... https://soundcloud.com/megaenxMusic promoted by BreakingCopyright: https://youtu.be/pXtpqe5Z25g

The two pilgrims, still trapped in Giant Despair's dungeon, make their desperate bid for freedom. They exploit his greatest weakness to get back on the path to the Celestial City, where they meet cryptic shepherds and demons dragging poor souls to hell kicking and screaming. After they cross the final obstacle and arrive at their journey's end, we discuss the story of Pilgrim's Progress as a whole--and what it means to us in our day. 

PLEASE MIGRATE TO @REDEMPTION ARC: https://bit.ly/rarc

We see Hezekiah's son enter the world with seemingly no objective but to watch the world burn. When he is captured by his enemies, he must face himself and his own actions. When he dies, his grandson Josiah inherits the throne. Like a well-known fictional character, Josiah has to decide whether he'll look to his brutal grandfather as a role model or move beyond that legacy into a new way of living. 

CONTENT WARNING:

TW: Discussion of self-harm.

Violence: 2/5

Consensual Sexual Contact: N/A

Sexual Assault: N/A

Discrimination: N/A

THEME MUSIC CREDITS:

Intro Theme Music is "Carnival" by Roa.

"Roa - Carnival" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/c/RoaMusic⁠⁠⁠.

Closing Theme Music is "Joy of Travel" by Zakhar Valaha.

OTHER MUSIC CREDITS:

"Hayden Folker - Cast Aside" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license.⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...⁠

"Stomping Grounds - Silent Partner" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠

"WombatNoisesAudio - Cesare Rides Again" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license.⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠⁠

"Happy Mood" by AShamaluev Music. 

In the season 3 finale, we finally wrap up the story of David and Bathsheba as God steps in to wake King David out of his stupor. As he realizes the enormity of what he's done, David becomes overwhelmed and deeply repentant. Unfortunately, through his actions, he's already set a chain of events in motion that will lead to suffering and tragedy. We discuss how we as Christians have a duty to oppose those who, like David, use their power to hurt others.

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Violence: 2.5/5

Sexuality: 2/5 (including some mentions of sexual assault)

Discriminatory themes: 2/5

MUSIC CREDITS:

Vlad Gluschenko - Travelling - Folk Saxophone Beat - Instrumental [ FREE NO COPYRIGHT MUSIC ] License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...

We follow Job, who suffers a series of increasingly unfortunate events. When he turns to his religious friends for support, they tell him that he deserves to suffer. In desperation, Job begs God to show up in person and give him answers. A teenager named Elihu shows up and helps explain the problem of suffering--and then God makes an appearance to set everything right. We look for answers to the question of why, if God is so good, there is so much suffering. We also discuss how, as Christians, how seriously God takes using our faith to dismiss people's pain.

CONTENT WARNING:

Violence: 2/5

Consensual Sexual Contact: N/A

Sexual Assault: N/A

Discrimination: 3.5/5

THEME MUSIC CREDITS:

Intro Theme Music is "Carnival" by Roa.

"Roa - Carnival" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/c/RoaMusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Closing Theme Music is "Joy of Travel" by Zakhar Valaha.

OTHER MUSIC CREDITS:

"Aftertune - Colors" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) license. ⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQKf...⁠⁠

Evoke Music

"Vlad Gluschenko - After a While" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠⁠   / @vladgluschenkomusic  ⁠ Terms of Use: ⁠https://vladgluschenkomusi.wixsite.co...⁠

The Pilgrim encounters his latest challenge in the form of a court unlike any you will ever see where the judge and jury are overtly evil. Judge Hate-Good pronounces his sentence, a new character shows up and beats himself up for wanting to make a good financial investment, and the pilgrims stumble from one predicament into a far worse one as they encounter a sadistic character who leaves them nearly hopeless.

Tales From Sacred Texts will be rebooted as a new podcast, Redemption Arc, in lieu of a Season 4. It's a bittersweet announcement for me and I explain my reasoning in this short audio bite. Please find the trailer for Redemption Arc here:

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4HJB7Sm9JKWkLlo5f2Tjah?si=80165d9dd6814797

APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/redemption-arc/id1719030416

AUDIO CREDITS:

Intro music by Caleb Howard.

Closing music is by Evoke Music.

The Pharaoh, in his fear of a slave uprising, unwittingly creates the very leader that will free the slaves. God teaches this leader to do some very interesting things to gain the respect of Hebrews and Egyptians alike, but the Egyptians aren't quite convinced.

In this equally ridiculous prequel to the Acts of Peter, Peter gets to visit heaven and hell. He gets to see what Jesus and his angels get up to in their spare time, and learns what horrors wait in store for the people who commit the simple crimes of talking bad about God, doing what they think is right instead of what God thinks is right, or being a beautiful woman in the middle ages.

We finish David's story arc (pun intended) with his attempt to establish himself as King and bring the Ark of the Covenant to his new capital city. David faces intrigue from within, challenges from without, and way too many people murdering his enemies in cold blood. We'll watch David navigate the challenges of leadership as he finally sees the suffering of his youth pay off, and we'll find what happens just what happens when you a little too excited about that dance party with your subjects.

PLEASE MIGRATE TO @REDEMPTION ARC: https://bit.ly/rarc

High off the victory over Sennacherib, Hezekiah gets a crushing diagnosis from the prophet Isaiah. Yet all is not lost, and God plays with the laws of space and time to show the king that there's still hope for him. But when Hezekiah meets mysterious foreigners, he loses himself in a desperate attempt to impress them, and God is displeased. In a sudden turn of events, the king becomes surprisingly callous, and we discuss what it means to be insensitive to the plight of future generations. We also question whether we're really putting our best foot forward on our LinkedIn profiles. 

CONTENT WARNING:

Violence: N/A

Consensual Sexual Contact: N/A

Sexual Assault: N/A

Discrimination: 1/5

THEME MUSIC CREDITS:

Intro Theme Music is "Carnival" by Roa.

"Roa - Carnival" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/c/RoaMusic⁠⁠.

Closing Theme Music is "Joy of Travel" by Zakhar Valaha.

OTHER MUSIC CREDITS:

"Synthwave Piano" by Aries Beats.

"Alexander Nakarada - Hypershanty" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠

"Alexander Nakarada - Detective Goofarian" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/c/SerpentSoundStudios]

"Hotham - Morning Thoughts" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠ Stream: ⁠https://linktr.ee/hothammusic⁠ Free download: ⁠https://hypeddit.com/hotham/morningth..

Things get really bad for Diabolical and the people of Mansoul when God gets word of the demonic invasion. The result is a war of misinformation and fake news as Diabolical and his lackey, Will, struggle to keep the city under control. There are revolts within the city, heavenly armies battering on the gates from without, and people switching sides back and forth out of a desire for self-preservation. Meanwhile, God has a plan to win, not just the brick and mortar of Mansoul, but the hearts of the people within.

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Violence: 3/5

Sexuality: 0/5

Discriminatory Themes: 0/5

MUSIC CREDITS:

"Roa - Carnival" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... https://youtube.com/c/RoaMusicMusic promoted by BreakingCopyright: https://youtu.be/KDDEpQgzF20

For all the stories from the Bible I've told and all the times I've mentioned that Christianity will lead to more happiness here on earth, I've never really explained what following Jesus means, in practical terms. I attempt to do so here today, and we'll find out just how simple it is to be a follower of Jesus and that there's no X-factor needed to secure your spot in Heaven.

Two men believe that the church is corrupt and start preaching Jesus Christ. Unsurprisingly, the traditionalists don't like it, and order the two men tortured to death. The brave men refuse to give up their beliefs, choosing instead to suffer death. Little do the corrupt officials know that they have lit the fire that started the Protestant Reformation.

Jacob tries his best to make amends, but he's backed up into a corner and ends up getting jumped by a stranger in the middle of the night. As he fights, he realizes that his attacker is not an ordinary man, but God Himself. God gives Jacob a dramatic new name as his family derives a new cultural practice from comparing Jacob's body to a cut of meat. In light of Jacob's fistfight with God, we examine the idea that we need to "wrestle with God" in order for him to answer our requests.

CONTENT WARNING:

Violence: 3/5

Consensual Sexual Contact: 0/5

Sexual Assault: 0/5

Discrimination: 1/5

THEME MUSIC CREDITS:

"Elektronomia - Elektronomia - Collide" is free to use on YouTube with credits. Watch: ⁠⁠https://youtu.be/bWGhAfN9PAs⁠⁠ Stream: ⁠⁠https://spoti.fi/3nZ4A3y⁠⁠. Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: ⁠⁠https://youtu.be/QQXmUEuaVQg⁠.

Intro Theme Music is "Carnival" by Roa.

"Roa - Carnival" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/c/RoaMusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Closing Theme Music is "Joy of Travel" by Zakhar Valaha.

OTHER MUSIC CREDITS:

"Roa - Carnival" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/c/RoaMusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

With Moses gone into the mountains to see Yahweh, the Hebrews freak out that he isn't coming back and feel like insulting Yahweh by making a new god is the best option in this situation. They make some questionable choices in presentation, and when Moses returns furious, they trip over themselves making dumb excuses and end up in the middle of a bloodbath. They add to their problems when they attempt to force Yahweh to send them low-quality meat for dinner instead of tasty manna.

Elijah is a prophet of Yahweh who is constantly antagonizing the king, the people, and the prophets of Baal. He learns how to deal with lack of food, ridicule people from other religions, and get superpowers in this classic Biblical story.

We start the saga of the Biblical legendary hero, Jacob, a touted trickster who barely pulls off one deception thanks to incredible incompetence on the part of everyone else. The remainder of the time, he's offering very obviously bad deals and unfortunately people are gullible enough to bite. Nonetheless, he's a shady character, partially of his own volition and partially forced into it by his environment. The deception he does manage to pull off quickly catches up to him, and he finds himself running for his life through the desert, when he comes face to face with God. To be continued.

In our discussion of the story, we discuss why God is more upset with Jacob's gullible brother than the deceptive Jacob, and why monasteries completely miss the point.

CONTENT WARNING:

Violence: 1/5

Consensual Sexual Contact: N/A

Sexual Assault: N/A

Discrimination: 1/5

THEME MUSIC CREDITS:

Intro Theme Music is "Carnival" by Roa.

"Roa - Carnival" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/c/RoaMusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Closing Theme Music is "Joy of Travel" by Zakhar Valaha.

OTHER MUSIC CREDITS:

"EuGenius - Caravan" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license: ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠

"INOSSI - Infinite" Music by INOSSI Listen: ⁠https://fanlink.tv/b3xg⁠ Watch: ⁠   • INOSSI - Destiny (Official)  ⁠

Evoke Music

"Good News - The Piano Says"

Give a self-absorbed man who only cares about booze and prostitutes superpowers during intense tribal warfare and see what happens! That's basically what happens in the book of Judges and SPOILERS: it goes very bad. We'll find out how the somehow even worse villains team up to stop this loose cannon from rampaging around the country and destroying everything in sight, and how he ends up redeeming himself in the end.

Deborah, a chieftain of Israel, is forced to confront Sisera, an invading general who views women as property, but to do so she must first confront the misogyny within her own society. She enlists Barak, a hesitant but well-meaning general, to help accomplish her goals. Meanwhile, a woman has to make a choice between her husband's wishes and what is right. Everyone teams up at the end to sing a really long song that would absolutely be considered punching down if the enemy wasn't just simply awful. We discuss the need for women in leadership and the importance of protecting women's rights, as well as the need for men and women to work together to reach their full potential.

CONTENT WARNINGS: 

Violence: 3.5/5 

Sexual Assault: 4.5/5

Consensual Sexual Content: 0/5 

Discriminatory Themes: 4/5 

THEME MUSIC CREDITS:

"Elektronomia - Elektronomia - Collide" is free to use on YouTube with credits. Watch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/bWGhAfN9PAs⁠⁠⁠⁠ Stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://spoti.fi/3nZ4A3y⁠⁠⁠⁠. Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/QQXmUEuaVQg⁠⁠⁠.

Intro Theme Music is "Carnival" by Roa.

"Roa - Carnival" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/c/RoaMusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Closing Theme Music is "Joy of Travel" by Zakhar Valaha.

OTHER MUSIC CREDITS: 

"Hotham - Easy Love" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license: ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠ Music powered by BreakingCopyright: ⁠   • 🍓 Happy & Uplifting (Royalty Free Mus...  ⁠ 🔎 Find more music: ⁠https://breakingcopyright.com⁠

"Alexander Nakarada - The World's Most Epic Sea Shanty" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠⁠   / serpentsoundstudios  ⁠ Music powered by BreakingCopyright: ⁠   • 🐋 Sea Shanty (Royalty Free Music) - "...  

After Dinah is taken advantage of by a local man, her brothers look for revenge, and they find it in a bizarre, over-the-top way by taking advantage of the gullible locals. The only problem is that absolutely no one else thinks it was a good plan.

How much feet is too much when it comes to romance? Apparently, there's no limit to the number of feet needed to tell a love story. Ruth is an inspiring story of love and loyalty framed by an author that really can't seem to get his eyes out of the gutter or really anywhere past the shins. We see an unlikely romance blossom as two people that do their best to be the change in an uncompassionate society. But can the pair make it when they're confronted by the bizarre marriage laws?  

CONTENT WARNINGS: 

Violence: 1/5 

Sexuality: 3/5 

Discriminatory Themes: 1/5 

MUSIC CREDITS: 

"Vlad Gluschenko - Where No Man Has Set Foot" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...Terms of Use: https://vladgluschenkomusi.wixsite.co...Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: https://youtu.be/wl9XAeeOUbA 

Forest by Vlad Gluschenko https://soundcloud.com/vgl9 Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/forest-vlad-gluschenko Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/OMjF_LLOiC0 

Music: Surf - Vlad Gluschenko https://soundcloud.com/vgl9/surf-free-download?si=0814611bb2d740d79685d63eefa10a5d&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing 

Music: Stomping Grounds - Silent Partner https://youtu.be/5zbKu_YbigY 

Track: 24 Happy Hours a Day — Igor Khainskyi [Audio Library Release] Music provided by Audio Library Plus Watch: https://youtu.be/mLyP3rqZe3UFree Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/24-happy-hours-day

The king of Israel brutally slaughters the priests of Yahweh, and we take a look back through time to figure out what led to such a horrifying event. We meet an ordinary boy who saves his countrymen and wins their hearts. He slowly transforms from a one-hit wonder to a brave and competent leader who the tyrant king sees as his greatest threat, with lots of heartwrenching or thrilling moments in between. But will he survive when the king determines that he needs to die?

Episode #50! David returns, but maybe we wish he hadn't. This story forever mars our unblemished view of the former shepherd boy, as David shows he will not stop at anything—including intrigue, sexual assault, and murder—to get what he wants. Through a ruthless series of events, David destroys hearts and lives in his maddened pursuit for pleasure. We examine the concept of heroes and how to face ourselves when we find that the people we look up to aren't the people we thought they were.

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Violence: 3.5/5

Sexuality: 4.5/5 (including a sexual assault)

Discriminatory Themes: 4/5

MUSIC CREDITS:

"The Piano Says - Icicles" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... https://danirosenoer.wixsite.com/offi...Music powered by BreakingCopyright: https://youtu.be/Rh3q2AfPfCA

We mention Jephthah's use of the word Shibboleth to identify fleeing members of a rival tribe. This supplemental explores in detail the use of similar words and catchphrases as passwords throughout time, particular with regards to the LGBTQ movement and Christianity. We'll learn a good phrase to incorporate into your everyday life, and which word to learn in every single language you can think of so you don't get slaughtered at a river crossing one day.

My new podcast, Redemption Arc, will be streaming starting January 19, and then every other Friday until the end of the season.

You can find the show here: https://open.spotify.com/show/4HJB7Sm9JKWkLlo5f2Tjah

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/redemption-arc/id1719030416

MUSIC CREDITS:

Opening theme is "Carnival" by Roa.

"Roa - Carnival" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... https://youtube.com/c/RoaMusic

Closing theme is "Joy of Travel" by Zakhar Valaha.

A demon troupe takes their first stab at doing evil when they attempt to trick the residents of the glorious city of Mansoul. They have nefarious plans for the city—and for God. Each of the city's three most influential men react to the invasion in their own way, but we focus our story on Will, a young man who decides that he will do absolutely anything to keep the demon overlords happy. This episode begins our multi-part series on John Bunyan's lesser-known allegory, The Holy War. 

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Violence: 2/5

Sexuality: 3/5

Discriminatory Themes: 1/5

MUSIC CREDITS:

"Alexander Nakarada - The World's Most Epic Sea Shanty" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... https://youtube.com/c/SerpentSoundStu... Music powered by BreakingCopyright: https://youtu.be/cp5etbOGkqY

"SilentCrafter - Activation" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... https://youtube.com/channel/UCuwFIeJU...Music powered by BreakingCopyright: https://youtu.be/dj8NRNjf1_I

"Aries Beats - Escape" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... https://youtube.com/c/ariesbeats Music powered by BreakingCopyright: https://youtu.be/_NRscDY_Ulc

A remake of Episode 104, which I first published on this podcast in 2019.

Abim campaigns to become the authoritarian leader of his hometown, Shechem. What follows is a reign of terror. Just when things get really bad, a mysterious stranger named Gaal shows up to cause more trouble. Will anyone be able to put a stop to the constant cycle of brutality? We discuss how every single person, no matter their perceived weaknesses, is perfectly capable of landing a blow against evil. 

CONTENT WARNINGS: 

Violence: 4/5 

Sexual Assault: 0/5

Consensual Sexual Content: 0/5 

Discriminatory Themes: 3/5 

THEME MUSIC CREDITS:

"Elektronomia - Elektronomia - Collide" is free to use on YouTube with credits. Watch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/bWGhAfN9PAs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stream: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://spoti.fi/3nZ4A3y⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/QQXmUEuaVQg⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Intro Theme Music is "Carnival" by Roa.

"Roa - Carnival" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/c/RoaMusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Closing Theme Music is "Joy of Travel" by Zakhar Valaha.

OTHER MUSIC CREDITS: 

"Alexander Nakarada - Hypershanty" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠⁠

"Aries Beats - Escape" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) license. ⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/c/ariesbeats⁠⁠ Music powered by BreakingCopyright: ⁠⁠https://youtu.be/_NRscDY_Ulc⁠

"Peyruis - Olympic Games" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license: ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠ ⁠   / peyruismusic  ⁠ Music powered by BreakingCopyright: ⁠   • 🏊 House (Royalty Free Music) - "OLYMP...  ⁠  Find more music: ⁠https://breakingcopyright.com⁠

"Vlad Gluschenko - After a While" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   / @vladgluschenkomusic  ⁠⁠⁠ Terms of Use: ⁠⁠⁠https://vladgluschenkomusi.wixsite.co...⁠⁠

A feel-good story about a Jewish woman defeating evil and creepy invaders using a rather common trope about women. It's an attempt at a strong female lead, and we discuss whether or not the story achieved its goals.

An ancient world ruler's dream sends the kingdom into upheaval as the king erratically decides that he's going to torture his soothsayers to death for no good reason at all. Daniel shows up at the last moment and lets the king know that his dream was actually prophetic—but the king HATES the interpretation. Of course, his reaction is to build a 90-foot tall middle finger to God. This supplemental sets the stage for our next episode, in which our heroes are thrust into the middle of this king's war against Yahweh. 

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Violence: 2/5

Sexuality: 0/5

Discriminatory Themes: 0/5

Peter uses dark magic to wreak havoc on the lives of people, and particularly to keep women in their place. When a miracle-working deceiver shows up in town, it is up to Peter to prove that he is a liar, which gives him an opportunity to showcase his magical powers. Peter lets loose against this deceiver in a horrendous way, but the publicity he gets results in influential people starting to pay attention to his most ridiculous teachings.

PLEASE MIGRATE TO @REDEMPTION ARC: https://bit.ly/rarc

Hungry for opportunity, our main character nervously plants himself in the very region he's been warned is a haven for unspeakable evil. Years later, he's so desensitized that he can barely see the cruelty all around him. Two mysterious visitors show up on his doorstep, desperate to make him aware of the danger before it's too late. In our discussion of the story, we talk about why tolerating oppression is a major threat to our spiritual life.

CONTENT WARNING:

Violence: 3/5

Consensual Sexual Contact: N/A

Sexual Assault: 5/5

Discrimination: 3/5

LINK AS PROMISED: http://tinyurl.com/k35c7x7x

THEME MUSIC CREDITS:

Intro Theme Music is "Carnival" by Roa.

"Roa - Carnival" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... https://youtube.com/c/RoaMusic.

Closing Theme Music is "Joy of Travel" by Zakhar Valaha.

OTHER MUSIC CREDITS:

"Vadim Krakhmal - Runic Hills" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) license.

Music: Elektronomia - Collide Stream: https://spoti.fi/3nZ4A3y

Evoke Music

A young son gets a bit overconfident in his ability to manage money and forces his dad to give him coin on the threat of death. We examine the love of a father as despite the son's horrific actions, the father still waits in the road for him to come home. But how will the rest of the family respond to the son's return?

PLEASE MIGRATE TO @REDEMPTION ARC: bit.ly/rarc

We discuss one of Jesus's most famous parables about opposing prejudice, and discuss how even the language used to describe the story misses the point. A self-righteous lawyer attempts to finagle an exception to "love thy neighbor." In response, Jesus tells a story of a Jewish traveler that leads even the lawyer to conclude that "love thy neighbor" is a command without exception. The lawyer is forced to confront the fact that the groups of people that disgust him the most don't quite live up to stereotypes. We discuss what that means for us today. 

CONTENT WARNING:

Violence: 4/5

Consensual Sexual Contact: N/A

Sexual Assault: N/A

Discrimination: 4/5

THEME MUSIC CREDITS:

Intro Theme Music is "Carnival" by Roa.

"Roa - Carnival" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/c/RoaMusic⁠⁠.

Closing Theme Music is "Joy of Travel" by Zakhar Valaha.

OTHER MUSIC CREDITS:

"Alex Productions - Soul" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠⁠   @alexproductionsnocopyright  ⁠

Whitesand - Melodic Dreams

Vlad Gluschenko - Travelling - Folk Saxophone Beat - Instrumental [ FREE NO COPYRIGHT MUSIC ] License: ⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠

The Pilgrim ups the stakes of his Progress by fighting one demon, and then an entire valley of them. After making it through the gauntlet of demonic beings desperate to destroy him, the Pilgrim meets one last danger in an old man screeching threats through his remaining teeth. Catching up to his friend, he recounts his story, but learns to his dismay that his friend had a much easier time of it--but his friend is the one disappointed when he is warned that his good luck is up.

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A man wakes up in the Greek underworld and tries to piece together the circumstances of his death. As he talks to the mysterious bartender, he gleefully describes how he ignored his own eyes and ears until the moment of his brutal stabbing. We start to despise him for his stupidity, but maybe we're equally guilty?

CONTENT WARNING:

Violence: 4/5

Consensual Sexual Contact: N/A

Sexual Assault: N/A

Discrimination: N/A

THEME MUSIC CREDITS:

Intro Theme Music is "Carnival" by Roa.

"Roa - Carnival" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...⁠ ⁠https://youtube.com/c/RoaMusic⁠.

Closing Theme Music is "Joy of Travel" by Zakhar Valaha.

OTHER MUSIC CREDITS:

Evoke Music

"Johny Grimes - Affinity" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠.

Music: Vlad Gluschenko — On The Way. License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported: ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en⁠.

Watch anti-Semites get their comeuppance as the corrupt but somewhat incompetent Haman, who loves being worshipped and has it in for the Jews, makes a easily hateable villain as he meets his doom at the hands of the people who he tried to destroy. 

Tobit does some good deeds that get him into a lot of trouble, and he sends his son Tobias questing to solve all their family problems. But he wants to make sure that Tobias picks somebody from a good Hebrew family.

Job's life becomes a nightmare overnight as mysterious tragedies happen one right after the other. Job bewails his misery, but is not aware that his problems are much bigger than himself. He has been caught up in the war raging between God and Satan, and Satan has made it his special mission to harass Job, because Job is just so good!

Jacob finally arrives at his uncle's house, where he discovers that he has a crush--on his cousin. This is a problem, but for all the wrong reasons. Eventually, he gets his uncle's blessing. What follows is family drama that resembles bingeworthy TV. A family member with a disability is repeatedly trashed (TW) and we discuss what it's like to feel invisible, even among friends and family. We learn that those who are forgotten by humans are often given special attention by God. This episode also sets up the final confrontation between Jacob and God that will occur next time in the finale to this three-part series on Jacob.

I'm aware that there are noticeable issues with the audio quality both in the last episode and this episode. It's the result of me trying a new method of audio editing. The next episode has been prerecorded and unfortunately will have similar issues, but going forward the problem has been fixed.

CONTENT WARNING:

Violence: 1/5

Consensual Sexual Contact: 4/5

Sexual Assault: 2/5

Discrimination: 4/5

THEME MUSIC CREDITS:

Intro Theme Music is "Carnival" by Roa.

"Roa - Carnival" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/c/RoaMusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Closing Theme Music is "Joy of Travel" by Zakhar Valaha.

OTHER MUSIC CREDITS:

"SilentCrafter - Activation" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) license. ⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCuwFIeJU...⁠⁠

"Modern Superheroes" by Evgeny_Bardyuzha.

"Stomping Grounds - Silent Partner" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠⁠

"CloudGazing" by Gvidon.

Evoke Music.

I mentioned the basilisk in my previous episode, here's a little more historical background on their place in legends and myths from the Middle Ages. In addition to creating the Sahara desert, they have appeared throughout Europe over the centuries, and were brought back into the public eye, albeit as fiction, in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. If you're curious about the mythical origins of the basilisk, this short supplemental is definitely worth a listen.

We introduce the legends of Patrick with the story of a young English boy and his enslavement by the Irish. The stories of Patrick escalate from normal and believable to some pretty crazy magic stuff, and this is only part one.

In this unusual episode, I will be taking a strong position on debunking Eternal Conscious Torment, the theory that sinners will be tormented forever and ever. It is unbiblical and [should be] horrifying to anyone who considers the possibility. Is God a sadist who loves to watch his creatures "turning and burning and roasting" for billions of years because they told a couple lies, or is he loving?--those two concepts can't coexist. Eternity is an unfathomable amount of time; can any reasonable God think eternal punishment for a mere 80 years of sin is somehow just and fair? The time it would take a bird to wear away a mountain with the tip of her beak is just a fraction of the time God is said to torment his children. Personally, I think that's one hell of a bird.

Ever had co-worker trouble? Well, Daniel and his friends have co-workers that are constantly trying to get them tortured to death for just minding their business and worshiping their own God. Before they can even go online and give 0/5 stars for firm culture, Daniel and his friends are thrown right into the thick of some very bad situations—to put it mildly. It will take a miracle for them to make it out alive. We discuss God's power to save people from harm in the context of Christianity and a foodie holiday from 2000 B.C. 

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Violence: 4/5

Sexuality: 0/5

Discriminatory Themes: 1/5

MUSIC CREDITS:

"Aries Beats - Halloween Pipe Organ" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... https://www.youtube.com/c/ariesbeatsMusic powered by BreakingCopyright: https://youtu.be/sLlyOXK5pRo

Roa - Innocence - License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...

In possibly the darkest story in the Bible, one man's quest to win back his wife turns into something out of a nightmare. The entire country gets involved in a twisted tale of violence, mayhem, and blood. As one thing builds upon another, the entire nation becomes progressively more brutal and senseless.

WARNING: Potentially disturbing content. Listen with caution.

When all seems lost for the Hebrews, overrun by fearsome and brutal enemies, a young upstart destroys a national monument in support of one of the regional gods and claims Yahweh has given him a command to overthrow the brutal oppressors. With 300 handpicked men, he does just that. Unfortunately, he faces obstacles when his own countrymen stand in his way.

A re-recording of one of my favorite episodes. We join Jesus and Peter on a rollicking journey from the Mount of Olives to Heaven to the depths of Hell and we find out the punishment that high priests get (hint: it's not what you think), about Jesus's basement torture chamber, and how ridiculous the punishments of hell are compared to the crimes. We leave with Peter significantly horrified with the unbiblical concept of eternally burning hell, and hopefully will leave the audience feeling the same way as Peter did. 

There is unrest in the camp of Israel as there is a dispute about whether entering the Promised Land is safe. When a mob forms, God is forced to intervene, but a lot of people aren't happy with his actions and it creates a lot of unrest, leaving a power vacuum to be filled by Korah, the subject of the next episode.

This is a reboot of the Tobit story because I sold the story so short the first time. Tobias quests for a wife and some cash aided by magical fish entrails, an angel companion who gives him advice on his love life, and his dog that doesn't come into the story at all and is only mentioned for the cute factor. But will he return in time to save his father, who has given up on life? Or will God grant the prayers of both his father and a totally unrelated girl plagued by demons, and let them both die?

I briefly describe what my listeners can expect from Tales from Sacred Texts going forward and encourage everyone to check out this new season of my podcast.

Tobias, on his quest with the angel, finds a fish that is the cure to all of his troubles, and Sarah, plagued by a demon, desperately prays for a solution. The angel finds a surprising way to destroy the demon, because apparently prayer alone is not sufficient to cast it out.

A man who spent three years of his life hanging out with God Himself decides to sell out. What brought him to this point? And if someone that close to Jesus wasn't safe from falling to temptation, what could happen to us?

The Hebrews, once again, have gotten themselves in huge trouble, and this time it's a giant metal snake that bails them out. Themes of the gospel run from this story to an encounter between Jesus and a demon who just really has it out for a young kid. We finish this episode with an arrogant religious leader and an evaluation of how these stories should affect the way we live our lives today. 

Music credits:

"Aftertune - Colors" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQKf... Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: https://youtu.be/c2I4GrodM0A

"Arthur Vyncke - Cherry Metal" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) license. https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: https://youtu.be/2xn-rZw6IZY

"Elektronomia - Elektronomia - Collide" is free to use on YouTube with credits. Watch: https://youtu.be/bWGhAfN9PAs Stream: https://spoti.fi/3nZ4A3y Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: https://youtu.be/QQXmUEuaVQg

"Thomas Gresen - Eden" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... https://www.youtube.com/c/ThomasGresen Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: https://youtu.be/1NSx5K3xe7Y

"MegaEnx - Recovery" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... https://soundcloud.com/megaenx Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: https://youtu.be/pXtpqe5Z25g

Josephus saves his own life at the cost of his people and gets his name in a math textbook as a result. This episode examines the story and legacy of one of the most prolific and accurate ancient historians whom I have cited in previous episodes.

We tell the story of Ruth, a Bible book filled with so many foot references that it gets a little weird. Though the author really can't seem to get his eyes out of the gutter or anywhere past the shins, Ruth tells an inspiring tale of love and loyalty between family. Meanwhile, two people doing their best to be the difference in an uncompassionate society fall for each other, but run up against some uncomfortably foot-themed marriage laws that threaten to derail the wedding plans. 

CONTENT WARNINGS: 

Violence: 1/5 

Sexual Assault: 2/5

Consensual Sexual Content: 3/5 

Discriminatory Themes: 1/5 

MUSIC CREDITS: 

"Vlad Gluschenko - Where No Man Has Set Foot" is is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...Terms of Use: https://vladgluschenkomusi.wixsite.co.

Forest by Vlad Gluschenko https://soundcloud.com/vgl9 Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported  — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/forest-vlad-gluschenko Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/OMjF_LLOiC0

Music: Surf - Vlad Gluschenko https://soundcloud.com/vgl9/surf-free-download?si=0814611bb2d740d79685d63eefa10a5d&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing 

"Stomping Grounds - Silent Partner" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license. ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...⁠⁠

Track: 24 Happy Hours a Day — Igor Khainskyi [Audio Library Release] Music provided by Audio Library Plus Watch: https://youtu.be/mLyP3rqZe3U Free Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/24-happy-hours-day