All in Anxiety

407 Anxiety—The Snake That Strangles All (4) Empathy? Exhausted!

407 Anxiety—The Snake That Strangles All (4) Empathy? Exhausted!

Uncensored Unprofessor
Anxiety

Perhaps more than other people, Christians are susceptible to having their emotions manipulated. After all, love of neighbor is an express way to show love of God. But that beautiful attribute can be abused, primed, and played. What's happened? Well, we used to encourage compassion: feeling for the other such that one is moved to action. Today the emphasis is upon empathy: deeply sharing the feelings of the other person. I don't think it started out this way, but empathy has been so emphasized that today it can become not only exhausting but sinful. I explain the hows and whys of that possibility. Today our culture wants us to be mired in empathy and that can transpire to the point of being sinful. In my opening reflection I note different kind of Christian spiritualities: Baptisty, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, spiritual warfare, logos oriented, and affective types. I've learned from them all, but I explain what is dominating my own worldview right now. And then, in my cultural remarks I talk about pastors who shamed their congregations in various progressive ways. Have those same pastors either repented or apologized now that our culture is swinging happily back toward common sense?

406 Anxiety—The Snake That Strangles All (3) Sober-Mindedness

406 Anxiety—The Snake That Strangles All (3) Sober-Mindedness

Uncensored Unprofessor
Anxiety

The Bible is most aware of the problem of anxiety vortexes. But whereas too many believers today get sucked into those vortices the Bible counsels sober-mindedness. In this episode we unpack just what is sober-mindedness and offer some steps for how to achieve emotional sobriety. If you've ever watched professional golf you'll have realized that the pros intentionally seek to remain calm, sober-minded. Why is that? In the NFL Patrick Mahomes is a superb example of sober-mindedness, if not also athletic excellence. Let's examine some biblical cues so we can move toward emotional health. In the episode's cultural reflection I unpack further how unprecedented are the Trump administration's efforts to assess and trim the Federal bureaucracy. America's founders, when they established the grounds for our nation, never foresaw the explosive and unconstrained growth of what has become the fourth branch of government: the bureaucracy. Come laugh and think with me.

405 Anxiety—The Snake That Strangles All (2) Stepping Back In Differentiation

405 Anxiety—The Snake That Strangles All (2) Stepping Back In Differentiation

Uncensored Unprofessor
Anxiety

We get enculturated: the anxiety of someone (anyone!) should trump the norms, behaviors, hopes, and values of everyone. "Anxiety trumps all!", we are incessantly taught. So what to do? How to respond? When to respond? I offer several strategies for dealing with hyper-anxious groups and persons, strategies oriented in the notion of differentiation. What is differentiation? How can you practice that as you pursue your own peace and stability? What is a Christian's first calling when confronted with an anxious person? Also, in the show's first fifteen minutes I reflect on what Elon Musk and DOGE are doing, what their stated procedural mandates are, and how historically unprecedented are their efforts. Specifically, what has DOGE been up to that is historically unprecedented? Come laugh and think with me.

404 Anxiety—The Snake That Strangles All (1)

404 Anxiety—The Snake That Strangles All (1)

Uncensored Unprofessor
Anxiety

Families and churches are swept through with anxiety, and they get split, shredded. If we don't see it everywhere we feel the power of anxiety everywhere. Why does anxiety disassemble entire communities? Why is it that the entire community gets pulled down to the level of its least mature members? In this first episode in a new series we talk about the mechanisms that force anxiety down everyone's throats. Why has our country been pulled down into a Peter Pan syndrome? Why is it that company workers are not allowed to name the big Pink Elephant everyone knows is in the room? Why does anxiety seek a "shoot the messenger" strategy? And why oh why is it that when we all gather to help anxious persons it only seems to reinforce, in their minds, that they are after all the most oppressed? In the episode's opening segment I work through the recent curtain-pulls regarding Church culture and the effects of USAID money. How and why have churches worked against their own members' best interests? What happened to the Roman Catholic church that caused it to turn to the government for billions of dollars? The camel has its nose in the tent, let's see what that smells like.