I’ve always enjoyed composing, capturing, and creating great landscape photography. Ever since I was a kid growing up in Florida during the 70s, and even into the 80s, traveling to California and Colorado as a teenager, when I only had a roll of 12 or 24 frames of film to shoot. With every click of the shutter, light would instantaneously flood through the lens and expose images of what I saw, and capture the scene perfectly on the film. A few days later, I would stop by the drive-up photo lab and pick up my pictures. I loved the anticipation I felt as I eagerly pulled over in the parking lot and began thumbing through the images, rediscovering the beauty of the light and colors I had captured. I still have many of those photographs from over 40 years ago. I still enjoy looking through them and am immediately transported back to some of those scenes I captured and preserved so many years ago. 

A  beautiful orange glow of a sunrise with warm light filtering down through the trees, a cascading waterfall shimmering down a moss-covered wall, vibrant, colorful wildflowers growing on the mountainside, a bald eagle circling and soaring a few hundred feet above me, and luminescent emerald green waves rolling gently towards a white sandy shoreline. 

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

-Psalm 19:1 (NIV)

There was a moment of peace, tranquility, and creativity as I was surrounded by God’s beautiful creation. Capturing the beauty in a photograph to share with others and to look back and reflect. I loved learning new techniques as a young photographer and growing in my understanding of light, exposure, composure, and composition. I would read photography books and countless magazine articles that helped me add to my toolbox for understanding my camera settings. I spent hours in various conditions testing and finding the perfect balance of ISO, shutter speed, and aperture to best capture the changes in light and exposure. The early years of my photography helped me develop the ability to create stunning imagery, which led me to start a photography business to earn some extra income as a young husband and father.

Here are a few photos I took in my early days of film photography. It's funny when people occasionally comment that it is A.I. when I’ve shared my work on Facebook or Instagram. I took these photos over 30 years ago, long before digital photography and A.I. came on the scene. 

I began taking family, sports, and school photos in the early 2000s. I even took on a few weddings… and discovered I didn’t enjoy them nearly as much as I enjoyed shooting landscape photography. While I was able to make a little bit of extra money, my heart and lens continue to pull me back towards nature and capture God’s amazing, creative beauty in the world around me. 

When my children were much younger, we used to play a game similar to I Spy called Who  Made It? My wife and I would alternate saying a word describing something we can see, such as…a tree, house, airplane, cloud, bird, car, the ocean, or the moon. In response, our children would say “God made it” or “man made it.” They were really good at the game and were intuitively dialed in. They could answer 100% of our words with the correct response. Sometimes, if there was a photograph or painting of an animal, a tree, flowers, or a mountain…something in nature, they would sometimes get stumped but could argue their response either way. 

Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) is an oxymoron. Artificial is just another word for fake, synthetic. From fake news to fake videos, to fake cars, to fake weather, to fake drama, to fake music, to fake sex, to fake friendships, to fake advertisements, to fake photography…we are being bombarded every single day with one intent: to entice us to buy something or to deceive us. It is specifically designed to stir up fear and anxiety, meant to rob us of our peace and well-being. It actually creates confusion and chaos. It begins to pull us further and further from reality, to the point where our mental faculties begin to shut down, and we just continue to be fed by the machine. It kinda reminds me of the 1999 movie The Matrix. If you believe this is far-fetched, take a look at what some of the big-tech moguls have warned us about concerning A.I.

“And mark my words, A.I. is far more dangerous than nukes. So why do we have no regulatory oversight? This is insane." 

~ Elon Musk[1]

[2]Mark Zuckerberg warns of an A.I. Bubble leading to a market crash:  “The Meta CEO acknowledged that the rapid development of and surging investments in A.I. stand to form a bubble, potentially outpacing practical productivity and returns and risking a market crash.”  Even DeepMind CEO and Nobel Laureate Dennis Hassabis says that current A.I. doesn’t have PhD capability. Current A.I. "doesn't have the reasoning capabilities of great human scientists who can spot some pattern from one subject area and apply it to another.” 

From the very beginning of this shift, I have always felt like Scooby Doo & Shaggy when I saw A.I.-related content and images popping up. It feels really creepy and seems like something isn’t quite right, like I am being tricked or lied to. It makes me think about the need for human interaction and conversation. I don't want to live in a simulation or a world where everything caters towards what someone or something else wants me to think or feel.  I tend to gravitate towards what I know to be true and real. So I yelled, “ZOINKS” and said, “Let's get the heck outta here, Scoob!”

With the rapid shift to seeing A.I. pop up over the past few years, to being absolutely bombarded by it now, young parents may have to start a new game called man-made or machine-made. Some A.I. is really easy to identify, but it is getting harder and harder to discern the difference. I’ve already started playing this game with my 10 year old grandson, and he’s pretty good!

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

-Galatians 6:7-8 (NIV)

In today's news, here's another actual quote I read on Facebook again this morning…

“Can the admins of this group please stop allowing fake A.I. garbage to ruin this group?”

While so many people are joining in on the A.I. fun, using ChatGPT to make silly cartoon  pictures of themselves, relying on Meta to answer difficult questions, or A.I. to take over mundane tasks like research or problem-solving, I have avoided participating in the lure. Call me old-fashioned, I don't care much! I prefer to exercise using my skills, intellect, and ability to do my own research, rather than rely on the imitation, simulated, sham, make-believe, or untrue. It is a thief of true creativity and masquerades as though it were real. It blurs the lines between fiction and reality. It deceives and causes us to question…could this be real? For some, it is easy to find the fraud, while many others are lured into a fantasy of something otherworldly. Some images I have seen recently have been too perfect, over-edited, and far too outlandish to believe. They tend to aim for shock value and try to trick us into believing that what we see is real. To me…it actually feels creepy as if I am being tempted or baited to try a little bit– just a little taste. I mean, what can it really hurt anyway?

Maybe my bias against A.I. stems from my 35 year career as a meteorologist. I learned the old way of weather forecasting from critical thinking and applied science, monitoring real-time weather conditions, utilization of tried and true prognostic techniques, then applying the laws of physics, geoscience and sound meteorological reasoning. Modern day weather forecasts are quickly being cranked out by supercomputers and A.I simulation. While some of the short-term model forecasts may prove to be accurate in a 3 to 6 hour window (now-casting), long-term forecasts beyond 24 hours are typically only accurate half the time, at best. You might as well be guessing whether or not it will rain! These inaccuracies have led to a large-scale mistrust of weather forecasting and have led me to this question…Is the overdependence of A.I creating a trust gap in other fields as well?       

Actual intelligence requires your brain and cognitive function to be truly creative, to learn or understand things, and to deal with new or difficult situations. Intelligence requires the use of logic and reason to determine reality from fiction. It requires discernment in distinguishing truth from lies. It is what gives us the ability to love, to write, to paint, to create art, to compose a photograph, to find solutions to help solve problems, and to inspire others. 

I prefer to remain innovative and exercise my creativity in photography as well as in other areas, such as writing and art. Here are a few more of my photos from In The Light Photography.

So where do we draw the line? Is it merely a tool we occasionally use, or is A.I. a crutch we rely on for everything we do? Whether you use A.I. daily or prefer to lean into personal creativity, do you feel A.I. is threatening to destroy our ability to create and sell art and photography? If so, why or how does it pose a threat? How about those who create art or photography to earn a living in business? I’d like to hear your feedback or comments. I’d love to connect with you and discuss art and photography and how we can continue to leverage technology while pushing our creativity to the next level.

WORKS CITED

1. Catherine Clifford, "Life with A.I.", Elon Musk: ‘Mark my words — A.I. is far more dangerous than nukes’, (Mar 13 2018), https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/13/elon-musk-at-sxsw-a-i-is-more-dangerous-than-nuclear-weapons.html.

2. Dr. Jeffrey Funk. "Zuckerberg joins AI bubble warnings, cites risks and benefits" (Apr 2026), https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dr-jeffrey-funk-a979435_tech-ai-technology-activity-7375121968351731712-DcI1.

Resources

We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.

The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.

And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.

Read. Engage. Enjoy!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And like Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join with our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there! 

“Whistle! Circle Up!” News of a new season (season 4) of Apple TV's Ted Lasso hit social media with an expected release of August 2026. In anticipation, I rewatched the three previous seasons. Though not for the faint of heart (profanity, sexual references, and adult thematic material), there is something special about this show. But what is it? Is it the wit, the great storytelling, the emotional investment in the characters? No. It’s deeper than that. It’s the relationship dynamics amongst the characters and the goodwill and hope for humanity to do better, to become better, to be better.

This show borders on fantasy, depicting a group of people who are loving, kind, and patient with one another, forgiving and understanding the worst in each other. Characters who, after working through their feelings and situations, want the best in their compatriots. As inspiring and uplifting as the show leaves you, I crash back into reality—that this is not the culture, not the world we live in. But taking a page from Ted’s Playbook, it doesn’t have to be fantasy football. Loving each other is the heart of the show and the heart of our God.

Ted Lasso touches on deep topics such as trauma, forgiveness, self-belief, and emotional availability to others, even when you’ll pay a price or can’t stand them. The characters in the show want to see the others succeed, want them to be their best selves, and help each other along that journey. What if the world could actually be like that? Oklahoma!

Let’s dive into a few moments across the show's three seasons where we see these idealized relationship dynamics at play. Whistle!

Roy and Jamie: Compassion and Words “Unbelievable!”

“I sure can, Arlo. And that's because I'm a right-brained dominant with a knack for make-believe."

-Chris Powell, Commentator for AFC Richmond [1]

Just those names together make my shoulders tense, and my eyes roll in Season 1 and 2. Fans of the show know that the teammates' animosity and demeaning banter are instant trouble, and their later pairing later is unbelievable. Things like Jamie's nickname for Roy, "granddad," or Roy’s insults over Jamie's vanity and selfish solo playing- remembering these moments, it's hard to imagine them sharing more than a pitch, much less any real understanding.

At the beginning of the series, Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster), an oversexed, ignorant, intolerant, egotistical, and antagonistic maniac, is not only vying to become AFC Richmond’s captain but to dominate his team and the football world with his athletic prowess and ego. He’s a prima donna (“Pre-Madonna” in Roy’s words), their best by far, and the athlete with the most promise of a superstar career on the team. As he sees it, "Why would I want to be anything else?[2]"

Oy! Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), on the other hand, is unwillingly aging out of his long career as an exceptional footballer who never quite reached his full star potential. The two players have a volatile relationship due to Roy’s anger issues and Jamie’s ego. Through a series of bad choices and vain misteps, Jamie’s ex-girlfriend, Keeley Jones (June Temple), and Roy pair up. It is in that relationship with Keeley that Roy opens to personal growth and allows Keeley to become part of his most important relationship: his niece, Phoebe (Elodie Blornfield).

The real turning point for Roy comes when Keeley encourages him to read the letter Phoebe's teacher sent home about her in-class behavior (Season 2, Episode 8 “Man City”). In that moment, Roy, after hearing that Phoebe mimicked his anger and obscene language, is forced to reflect on how his actions affect those he loves. Sitting on the bench with his niece, Roy’s tough exterior cracks as he promises Phoebe—and himself—to try to be better. It is through his connection with Phoebe and mentoring nudges from Keeley that Roy softens, to care about the consequences of his anger, and even learns to cuss a little less (Phoebe making a killing from her foul-mouthed uncle’s bad-word infractions). This brings to mind the scripture that admonishes we have both life and death within the power of our tongues (Proverbs 18:21). Not only is Roy seeing the fruit of his foul language in Phoebe, but he’s reaping it in other areas of his life, such as his rejection of the dude support group, The Diamond Dogs. He’s missing out everywhere.

In this connection with his niece, Roy learns to cherish his relationships and becomes a mentor. Roy reaches out to his replacement as team captain, Isaac McAdoo, to help him work through his fears about becoming the Greyhounds’ leader (Season 2, Episode 5, “Rainbow”) and encourages Isaac to live up to the potential, which leads to Roy recommending Isaac as his replacement.

In season 2, Jamie is virtually canceled due to bad reality-TV, personal, and professional choices. He humbly returns to Richmond, not as a captain, but as a second-stringer. One unrealistic aspect of this storyline is the minimal collateral and relational damage that the love triangle of Keeley, Roy, and Jamie suffers from the casual sex they engage in. Keeley, switching players in both seasons 1 and 3, the show features what feels like only a minor bump when Jamie accepts Roy as Keeley’s boyfriend in season 1, and vice versa when she has a casual encounter with Jamie in season 3. However, in reality, such entanglements would likely leave deeper scars—resentment, jealousy, and mistrust simmering beneath the surface, affecting both the personal and professional dynamics among the trio. By glossing over these challenges, the series sacrifices some real-world complexity. However, I digress, and we’ll pick this idea back up later.

Back to Roy and Jamie’s mentoring relationship: during season 2, Roy becomes an assistant coach for Richmond and has a front seat to Jamie's abusive relationship with his father. In season 3, Jamie returns to the Greyhounds and eats humble pie for his time on reality TV and time with Manchester City F.C. Roy commits to bringing Jamie back physically and mentally, and does everything from an overnight jog while in Amsterdam instead of partying with the rest of the team, to exercises and opportunities to learn to be an amazing team human and player.

Their relationship brings to mind Ephesians 4:32, where we’re encouraged to be kind and compassionate to everyone, and forgive as we have been forgiven. Roy learns to look past Jamie’s ego and his past relationship with Keeley to see the man, broken by his father and life, to discover the potential in him as both a man and a Richmond team member. Unbelievably, he softens toward Jamie, taking him on as a mentee and guiding him to become the stryker Jamie is capable of being. It is in his dealings with Isaac and Phoebe that Roy grows enough to tolerate the now humble Jamie's ego, which has also softened through his challenges. One could say, Roy Kent, once the team's unyielding enforcer, becomes its surprising source of grace, showing us all that real strength lies in forgiveness and growth. One could say, “Roy Kent, Roy Kent, he’s here, he’s there, he’s every…where!” And we’re inspired by the character’s arc.

Ted and Rebecca: Forgiveness and Casual Sex "Be a goldfish."

"Is time running out on Richmond's chance to control their future?"

"Only if you think of time as linear, Arlo."

-Arlo White and Chris Powell, Commentators for AFC Richmond

Ted and Rebecca have a nice ring to it. I’m still shipping them in my mind for season 4, but I digress. Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) begins the series, spitefully taking from her recent divorce settlement with her ex-husband, serial cheater Rupert Mannion (Anthony Head), his one love: AFC Richmond. In a move to kill the club, she hires a seemingly cliché American football coach, Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis), to destroy and humiliate the soccer club her ex loves so dearly. 

As the two work together, they become true friends. Rebecca comes to treasure not only Ted as an amazing coach who cares more about who his players are as people and their potential to be amazing humans, but also as a friend who loves at all times.[4] I can’t help but tear up as Ted duets with Rebecca at her father’s funeral, “Never Gonna Give You Up” (Season 2, Episode 10). Or Rebecca’s confiding in Ted during the charity auction, allowing herself to be vulnerable for the first time since her divorce (Season 1, Episode 4). Or Ted’s chipping away at her polished veneer with their daily shared biscuits-and-tea routine, where the foundation of trust and genuine care developed between them.

As their friendship develops, Rebecca realizes the two can’t really be friends without working through the deception she brought Ted to AFC Richmond under. She pulls an “Oklahoma,” (a secret phrase meaning to tell the truth no matter what). In a nail-biting scene, she works herself up to the truth on his one-year anniversary of coming to England. Shockingly to her and the audience, Ted immediately forgives her, and they move on without judgment, anger, or loss of trust. If only that were possible in real life.

For me, experiencing betrayal and trying to forgive was and is not quick or simple. When someone I trusted deceived me, I unwillingly held onto the pain and resentment. Every time I tried to let go, the memory resurfaced, and the treachery returned. It took a lot of honest reflection, conversations with supportive friends and God, and prayers of release before I could finally say I forgave. Even then, it is still complex and layered, and as new perspectives or levels resurface, I have to return to Father for healing of the next layer and to decide whether to reconcile.

Having recently worked through some complex trauma, the betrayal of a couple of key relationships, and from an organization, it’s not that easy. Ted teaches his team to be like a goldfish, ”only have a ten-second memory.” Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. Life is messier than that. However, the Bible instructs something similar in Colossians 3:13 and Matthew 6:14-15, and living a lifestyle of forgiveness in Matthew 18:21-35 and Mark 11:25. Key here is understanding that forgiveness isn’t the same as reconciliation. Forgiveness is for you- to release the bitterness and anger, while reconciliation is when both parties actively repair the relationship. Again, the unreality of Ted Lasso is that one of the greatest tragedies of life is that we’re such damaged creatures we often can’t or won’t work through our trauma, applying either fundamental practice that God developed for us to have unity with each other.

Another area where characters remember like a goldfish is the casual sex, observed in Sassy, Rebecca, and Keeley. The narrative shows these three women facing consequences for their choices—feelings of loneliness, hurt, abandonment, and, at times, a sense of meaninglessness — following their casual encounters. Rather than quickly criticizing the shifting of sexual partners or lack of monogamy as prudish, it's important to recognize that casual sexual encounters often affect the individuals and those around them, sometimes resulting in far-reaching consequences. Recent public scandals, both within and outside of faith communities, highlight the impact these decisions can have on those involved, their families, and institutions, as well as on trust. 

Attitudes about sex outside Christianity are often more open and liberal, but I can’t help applying C.S. Lewis’ argument for moral law in Mere Christianity.[6] He argues that when someone steals from you, your natural response is anger at the injustice. Christian or not, the sense of what’s morally right or wrong is innate in humanity. Scripture also addresses the importance of sexual choices. As 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 says, other sins are outside the body, but sexual sins are against our own body. We are to honor God with our bodies.

God’s prescribed laws about sex are meant for our protection. It brings to mind the analogy of an umbrella: God’s laws protect us from the rain of pain, damage, or destruction that occurs when we stand out from under it. They’re not in place to be repressed, puritanical, or a killjoy, but the real consequences to casual sex- from relationships, to physical diseases, and unwanted children- for example. There’s something sacred in the act; we are created to be sexual beings in certain contexts and constraints- treating it as commonplace leads most often to hurt and opens doors to trauma and worse. 

For more on this, see the fantastic book, God Loves Sex: An Honest Conversation about Sexual Desire and Holinessby Dan Allender and Tremper Longman (2014). While the show’s characters casually engage in sex, they at least acknowledge the lingering consequences, however short-lived.

Dr. Sharon Fieldstone: Trauma and Shalom  "Be curious, not judgmental."[7]

"...WHY?!?" 

"Well, we'd probably have to dive into his childhood for THAT answer."

-Arlo White and Chris Powell, Commentators for AFC Richmond[8]

In season 2, Ted’s wife Michelle (Andrea Anders) files for divorce, which brings up Ted’s past abandonment trauma. He spends most of the second season in denial, finding everything possible to stuff into the hole the separation has created in his life. Many of us know what it feels like when a big loss leaves an empty space, and we try to fill it with anything that might numb the pain—work, distractions, or even forced optimism. Watching Ted grasp for footing in the wake of heartbreak, in overly intrusive texts to Michelle, “forgetting” to sign the divorce papers, or sleeping with Sassy (Ellie Taylor) while in a vulnerable state, I’m reminded of the many stupid decisions I’ve made when I was hurt.

In a crazy plot twist, Higgins (Jeremy Swift- arguably the most underrated character in this amazing show), hires Dr. Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles), a sports team psychologist, to help one of the players, Danni Rojas (Cristo Fernández), when he accidentally kills the team mascot, Earl the Greyhound, during a penalty kick.[9] Ted spends a few episodes avoiding the therapist and being passive-aggressive toward her (insert his cheesy humor) until he runs from the field during an important game with a panic attack. 

Ted's reluctance to meet with Dr. Sharon doesn’t just make for good writing; it echoes how we can avoid facing our pain or refuse help when we need it most. Just as Ted hides behind humor and distraction, we, too, can find ourselves reluctant to seek healing, whether with others or from God. His avoidance mirrors the spiritual struggle of vulnerability—how easy it is to keep God or people at arm's length, hoping that if we just stay busy or put on a brave face, we might not have to confront what’s really hurting. But, as Dr. Bessel van der Kolk notes, “the body keeps the score.” Unresolved pain and conflict will manifest physically. And it does with a vengeance in Ted on television, in front of the wide world of sports.

Finally meeting with Dr. Sharon, Ted gets honest about his failed relationship with Michelle and his father’s suicide. Dr. Sharon is firm but kind, welcoming him into her makeshift office, "Heavy is the head that wears the visor, Coach Lasso. You must have a lot on your mind."[10] He finds the courage to face his anxiety head-on. She says the most truthful and compassionate line I’ve ever heard about starting on a journey of healing, “The truth will set you free, but first it’ll piss you off,"[11] a play on John 8:32. Yep. I can relate.

This storyline drives home the point that God intends for us to be whole. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-20), for example, aren’t a list of rules but a treatise on how to relationship: first with God, then with our community. Just as Ted learns to forgive himself and those who have hurt him, the commandments teach us that wholeness begins with honest connection to God and others. Dr. Sharon leads Ted on a journey of forgiving himself for the frailty of being human, as well as those who hurt him. By getting real, saying the hard thing out loud, and being honest with himself, he could, in turn, be vulnerable with others instead of hiding behind the facade of cheesy puns, witty pop culture references, and positivity. It really put me in a headspace to look at my life and coping mechanisms. What was I using to hide from doing the work I needed to do to be free? 

When I think of John 8:36, 'So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed,' I see Ted's journey toward freedom from shame and the lies he tells himself. As he faces his pain, he experiences deeper freedom. The concept of shalom in Isaiah 26:3, 'You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you,' echoes Ted’s growing peace as he slowly builds trust with Dr. Sharon and lets go of control. Jesus’ promise in John 10:10 of abundant life isn’t about constant happiness, but flourishing even through pain—Ted learning that healing and wholeness are possible after loss. I cheered Ted on as he wrestled with the question Jesus asks the man at the Pool of Bethesda: “Do you want to be whole?” (John 5:6), and decided the pain and work were worth it- for his son, his team, and for himself. We are invited to this same journey toward healing, trusting that being real before God leads to a deeper sense of peace and true freedom. Yeah Coach!

Ah, the fantasy world that is Ted Lasso. Where people do the hard work. They’re open to believing the best in each other or at least learning to laugh at themselves and the situation. If it were only the Dogtrack (AFC Richmond’s stadium), a safe space in real life. If we could really be that loving, accepting, and encouraging in real life. Maybe we could try some ball-handling skills, some practical ways to live out this kind of love, start small: encourage the discouraged, listen without judgment, or reach out to reconcile with someone you have struggled with. Practice some header skills by being patient when misunderstandings occur and by looking for moments to extend grace to others, even when it's difficult. These simple exercises can help us build muscle for a culture of kindness, forgiveness, and hope—one step at a time. Like Trent Crimm (James Lance), of The Independent notes, "If the Lasso way is wrong, it's hard to imagine being right."[13] I want to believe. I want to believe we can be better as humans, as followers of Christ, and as co-sojourners on this planet during the time we have. I hope you want to, too.

WORKS CITED

1.  "Goodbye Earl," Ted Lasso, S 2, E 1. Declan Lowney, aired July 23, 2021, on AppleTV.

2.  "Biscuits," Ted Lasso, S 1, E 2. Zach Braff, aired Aug 14, 2020, on AppleTV.

3.  "Inverting the Pyramid of Success," Ted Lasso, S 2, E 12. Declan Lowney, aired October 8, 2021, on AppleTV.

4.  Proverbs 17:17

5.  "Inverting the Pyramid of Success," Ted Lasso, S 1, E 3, Tom Marshall, aired August 14, 2020, on AppleTV.

6.  Lewis, C.S., Mere Christianity, (New York: Harper Collins, 2002), Pgs. 24-27.

7.  "Diamond Dogs," Ted Lasso, S 1, E 8. Declan Lowney, aired August 21, 2020, on AppleTV.

8.  "I(O)I," Ted Lasso, S 3, E 2. M.J. Delaney, aired March 22, 2023, on AppleTV.

9.  "Goodbye Earl," Ted Lasso, S 2, E 1. Declan Lowney, aired July 23, 2021, on AppleTV.

10.  "Lavender," Ted Lasso, S 2, E 1. Declan Lowney, aired July 30, 2021, on AppleTV.

11.  "Headspace," Ted Lasso, S 2, E 2. Matt Lipsey, aired July 30, 2021, on AppleTV.

12.  "The Hope That Kills You" Ted Lasso, S 1, E 10. M.J. Delaney, aired October 2, 2020, on AppleTV.

13.  “Trent Crimm: The Independent"" Ted Lasso, S 1, E 3, Tom Marshall, aired August 14, 2020, on AppleTV.

Resources

We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.

The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.

And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.

Read. Engage. Enjoy!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And like Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join with our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there! 

show notes

Terminator (1983)

-Exodus 34:19-20 KJV, the matrix (Latin for portal, womb, or the entry point of birth). Occurs five times in the New King James version in Exodus and in Numbers. Exodus 13:12, Exodus 13:15, and Numbers 18:15

-Because Kyle Reese disappears, it alludes to an immaculate conception, and just like Satan killing the woman’s offspring, the Terminator is after John Connor (JC). The Terminator is attempting to kill both Sarah Connor and her son in Genesis 3:15.

-The rebels hide him until he’s 30, and then he sets forth into his destiny to save humanity. As an allusion to Jesus and his ministry in Luke 3:23.

The Matrix Franchise

Matrix (1999) and the big picture of Reloaded (2003) and Revolutions (2003).

Discussion

1. What does The Matrix say reality is? 

• The matrix is unplugging you from the lies- bringing you to the truth. What does it mean to wake up (Matthew 13:15-16)? Jesus explains that the people's hearts are calloused, and their ears cannot hear, but tells his disciples, "blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear"). 

• The One- a messiah that will set all things right and free humanity from oppression by AI robots. 

• The hotel that Trinity starts in is called Heart of the City. Meaning that unplugging is a heart matter.

• Being watched/hunted by the enemy.

2. What is reality from a Christian perspective? 

• God created and is revealed in all reality: a fundamental duality where the supernatural, personal God is the ultimate, foundational reality, while the physical world is a created, penultimate reality. 

  • Ultimate Reality is God: the personal, spiritual, and ultimate reality that underlies everything that exists.

  • Created and Dependent: The universe is not eternal; it is created by God and is inherently dependent on him.

• Reality is objective, purposeful, and known through Scripture and Jesus Christ, rather than subjective perception. 

  • Reality is Objective Truth: Reality is not relative or determined by personal perception, but by the objective, known truth of God's Word.

  • Moral Reality: Moral values are real, objective standards mandated by God, not social constructs.

• Incarnational and Transformative: Reality is witnessed through the tangible, historical, and experiential presence of Jesus Christ, who embodies the Kingdom of Heaven.

• Human Significance: Human beings are inherently valuable because they are created in the image of God

3. What is it telling us about the nature of reality- it's making some type of statement. 

• In the virtual "Construct," Morpheus (Lawrence Fishburn) challenges Neo’s (Keanu Reeves) perception of reality, asking how to distinguish dreams from waking life just after Neo takes the red pill (the real world). This pivotal conversation explains that the Matrix is a simulated reality designed to keep humans enslaved by machines, with the familiar world being merely electrical signals interpreted by the brain. 

  • The construct learning rooms are like the Bible, renewing your mind in Romans 12:12.

4. What's the theology (because like it or not, it all has a statement about God) that it's advocating?

• The red pill – the blood of Christ, which wakes us up to the truth of reality, what’s real.

• “How do we know the difference between the dreamworld and the real world?” “What is real? Is it what we can see, feel, taste? Those are just electrical signals to the brain…”

• “Let go of fear and doubt.”

• What is true freedom? It’s the ability to choose. God gives us free will, and “laws” are designed to keep us free. The lie is that they’re restrictive.

• Hebrews 2:14-15 (NIV) -”...so that by your death you would destroy him who holds the power of death…and free those who all their lives were held in slavery…”

• Peace beyond all understanding, Philippians 4:7

• The wearing down of the saints in Daniel 7:25

• Abide in Him, John 15:4-5

• “Did God really say…?” Genesis 3:1 

• Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23

• Ezer Kenegdo in Genesis 2:18; article

The 3 keys to know if something is real or not? 

1. Is it aligned with Scripture?

2. What is the fruit?

3. You can’t outthink a thought, so you have to be in the Word.

Resources

We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.

The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.

And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.

Read. Engage. Enjoy!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And like Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join with our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there! 

When I was 15, I saw a T-shirt with a picture of an African child soldier through the front window of a streetwear shop that used to be in Pearlridge Mall. I feel like Kony 2012 was a watershed moment for the onset of millennial outrage. I wonder where all of the Invisible Children merch went… On the T-shirt, the child was holding a machine gun with some text above that read “The Real(er) World,” of course, a dig toward the long-running MTV reality show The Real World. As a high school sophomore, that seemed like some compelling stuff. I had never watched The Real World, but if it were like any other MTV reality show I had watched (Next, Parental Control, Jersey Shore), it was fake and trashy, and it should not preoccupy the mind like the real and horrifying atrocities taking place around the world. But wait. Wasn’t Kony 2012 somewhat misleading and problematic for highlighting a guy that wasn’t even in Uganda anymore, exaggerating the scope and reach of a dwindling LRA, and perpetuating a white-savior complex that patronizes a failed Africa for most of the West? Probably. So, is reality TV that bad after all? Maybe the manufactured plotlines of trashy reality TV fit perfectly into a culture that willingly throws itself into our obfuscated (mis)understanding of the truth. In fact, reality TV is a microcosm, albeit an extremely problematic one, of how the modern mind relates to truth in a world where the truth feels like too much to bear.

We all know that reality TV is a manufactured slice of real “reality” – just ask the producers of the new season of The Bachelorette. To any real Bachelor Nation fan, we were all fairly disappointed about ABC’s departure from the traditional casting of a Bachelor alum as the new Bachelorette, opting to instead cast Taylor Frankie Paul of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives fame as the new Bachelorette. ABC told us we were getting something new in a Bachelorette: a divorcee, a mom, and a rabid fan base obsessed with a messy “soft swinging” storyline that carried the original “Mormon Wives” to stardom. While fans and ABC, for that matter, were aware of Paul’s 2023 domestic violence arrest, the world found out in late March the extent of that incident in late March of this year when TMZ aired a leaked video of Paul attempting to strike her then-boyfriend with her 5-year old daughter in the room and then allegedly throwing metal stools and wooden playset at him.

ABC pulled the plug on Paul’s season of The Bachelorette just three days before it was scheduled to premiere. Some Bachelor alumni are convinced that Disney (ABC’s parent company that is currently worth $171B) must have been aware of this video, as ABC has always thoroughly vetted its casts. If that is the case, what slice of reality was ABC so keen on presenting in Paul, and how did it conveniently leave out such a problematic liability in this tragic incident? This tendency towards masking the truth at one of the largest TV networks is the same tendency prevalent in reality TV sic passim, and the tendency in all of us.

Regardless, reality TV necessarily involves some editing of – reality, as not everything can possibly be included (as scandalizing as they may or may not be). They are half-truths. Still, as Benjamin Franklin said, isn't “half a truth often a great lie?”[1] In some ways, these aren’t too dissimilar to the half-truths we are exposed to every day. I wonder why we tolerate them. Can we handle the “full truth?”

Reality TV resembles our society’s complicated relationship with the truth in that the “full truth” is often too much to take, and half-truths are more easily stomached. My wife and I are prime examples of this. My wife is one of the smartest people I know. She is a PhD student in Social Psychology at an R1 institution. She is a recipient of the prestigious Graduate Research Fellowship Program grant from the National Science Foundation. She is published in multiple scientific journals and is currently working on an interdisciplinary, interuniversity, multi-year study. She only watches reality TV. After a long day of work, she and I both sit down and (depending on the time of year) watch Survivor,The Amazing Race, The Challenge, The Bachelor, The Traitors, and more. Our careers are exhausting. I’m sure whatever is going on in the world is terrible, and my apathy is probably very disappointing to some readers. I simply do not have enough energy to care. 

Fiction is just as bad in that it attempts to reveal some semblance of the truth, but it does so through artificial or grandiose ways. There’s too much subtext. Everything is a commentary. They are trying to capture something real, but there is some disconnect between your favorite writer’s Moleskine and a sweaty producer breathing down a director’s neck, trying to conjure up award bait. C.S. Lewis once said that literature and art that tries to be original will always fail to be so, but, “if you simply try to tell the truth … you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.”[2] Modern fiction’s attempt at conveying an original idea will always feel contrived. Reality TV will remain original by simply having hot mics and hidden cameras scattered throughout a mansion in Santa Monica, and letting people “tell their truth.” 

So, for reality fans like us, we will settle for the half-truth. We are completely satisfied with bingeing the new season of Love is Blind.  We are not trying to tune in to the six o’clock news to hear about the most recent global moral crime that I am supposed to be upset about, or go on Disney+ to watch some spandex-clad supermodel save the multiverse. But again, aren’t these storylines just convenient angles like Kony 2012, designed to get us to channel our outrage into what wars to back, what rallies to attend, and what trendy merch to buy? I’m content living outside of the “real” storylines – give me “reality” in all of its half-truths.

Perhaps I’m fine with the half-truths because I do it so much. I tell half-truths – lies if we are all being honest– about everything. I lie about mostly pointless stuff that doesn’t even matter: where I am from, how long my commute used to be, how many hours of sleep I got last night, why I didn’t text back. It feels instinctive. Most of the time, I don’t even realize I am doing it. Lying is just part of my own projected reality. It’s probably not what you wanted to hear from someone with an M.Div, but I’ve lived through enough church scandals to know that my lies are fairly innocuous compared to most ex-seminarians. Yet, the truth seems unattainable at times –especially considering our tendency to obscure it.

Still, as I reflect on my willingness to give my attention over to the curated “reality” of reality TV and my tendency toward deception, I cannot help but think about the transcendental of truth. In theology, we often speak of transcendentals of truth, goodness, and beauty as they relate to God. Man seeks out these transcendentals by means of the faculties of the soul. We pursue truth through our intellect, good through our will, and beauty through both intellect and appetite (as it is apprehended and enjoyed). These three are, of course, bound together by the transcendental unity. These transcendentals are present throughout all of creation – that which is istrue, good, and beautiful. Of course, when speaking about God, we cannot speak of these transcendentals in the same way we do of creation, since God is the cause of transcendentals. This is a necessary distinction as God cannot be compared to the effects (namely creation) He causes. Nevertheless, these transcendentals must be found in a higher way in Him. God is Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. So, in light of the theological tradition’s exploration of the Truth, it feels ridiculous to discuss the truth of reality TV – but we shall try anyway!

Reality TV feels off because it portrays the transcendentals through an imperfect lens. The beauty portrayed is purely at the base level of appetite. The goods pursued are the lesser and immediate goods. The truth is edited, partial, and often distorted. Certainly, in reality shows like The Bachelorette, some real goods are portrayed and rewarded (love, friendship, sacrifice, perseverance), which is why it can be so engaging. Even so, it mostly entices the lower faculties of the soul (emotions, passions, senses, imagination) while touching on the higher faculties (intellect and will), but in a contorted manner.

In a similar way, many of us struggle to move beyond these base faculties in reality reality. We stimulate the appetite, our wills are oriented toward the lower goods before the higher goods, and our intellects are selective in their attention toward the truth. This is prevalent in the relationships we maintain, the conversations we have, and of course, the shows we watch. Even problematic campaigns with great intentions (i.e., Kony 2012) seem susceptible to this distortion of the faculties. 

If we are to ascribe an etiology for our misguided relationship with the truth, it would be that we are not allowing our faculties to be formed. Reality TV, Instagram feeds, Kalshi bets, and all the other modern vices are ways in which we anesthetize the faculties; we subdue them because the real work of formation is much too difficult, because they are boring, and habitual. Prayer, temperance, liturgy, and the exercising of other virtues require time and attention in things that do not immediately arouse the sensitive appetite. Yet, it is clear that if we wish to abandon half-truths for the full-truth, we must submit these appetites in addition to our intellect and our will to that which is True, Good, and Beautiful.

WORKS CITED

1.  Franklin, Benjamin (Under Richard Saunders), Poor Richard’s Almanack (Philadelphia: Benjamin Franklin 1758).

2.  Lewis, C.S., Mere Christianity (New York: Harper One 2002) Pg. 106.

Resources

We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.

The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.

And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.

Read. Engage. Enjoy!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And like Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join with our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there! 

A Vera Bradley pattern comeback, an in-production The Devil Wears Prada sequel, and a Hannah Montana 20-year celebration? Toto, we’re not in 2026 anymore. This year, we have not only witnessed but welcomed the rise of all things nostalgia and Y2k. Gen Z and Millennials alike are embracing “nostalgia-core” and clinging to familiarity. Trends and media both have a tendency to be recycled or rebooted. From constantly in-and-out-of-style low-rise jeans to multiple Batman remakes, people love going back to what they know, something familiar. We, as a culture, are witnessing the rise of vintage and nostalgic trends across the internet, fashion, television, and film.

I have seen posts all over social media that fantasize and romanticize childhood and 90s/2000s trends. Think of those Instagram reels and TikToks you have seen that say, “POV: It’s the last day of school before winter break in elementary school.” What follows this call to remember is typically a slideshow of grainy, saturated images depicting some of your best memories: coming to school in your pajamas, decorating the class Christmas tree, and going home early on a snowy bus ride. This type of content elicits an overwhelming sense of nostalgia and longing for former days—days filled with innocent giggles, genuine wonder, and few problems. Social media has single-handedly created this charming, picture-perfect façade for childhood.

This nostalgia outbreak is not only found on social media, but it is also taking over marketing campaigns. Clothing companies are rolling out all the 90s and early 2000s garb that can only be described as “fetch.[1]” (Mean Girls, 2004). Urban Outfitters has gone almost completely Lizzie McGuire and even released a whole line of vinyl albums called UO Exclusive 2000s Hits on Vinyl. 

In early 2026, Chick-fil-A released a new brand campaign focusing on “newstalgia, or the blending of its past with modern twists.”[2] (Alicia Kelso, “Chick-fil-A celebrates 80 years with yearlong ‘newstalgia’-inspired campaign.” The “Eat Mor Chikin” restaurant is also reintroducing previously retired experiences for customers, including Cow Appreciation Day and the Cow Calendar. “When’s the last time you had a paper calendar? It’s nostalgic…”.[3] It is clear that Chick-fil-A’s new campaign is strategic and aware of the rise of nostalgia culture. This return to analog media and the desire for reminiscent entertainment are a part of the nostalgia culture phenomenon.

“I can’t believe they’re making another remake.” (Me, watching new movie trailers for 2026). Over the past couple of years, we have witnessed countless remakes and reboots of television series and films alike, and, at just the start of 2026, we have already encountered major Y2k flashbacks in our TV and film. On March 24th, Disney reminded us that “You can change your hair and you can change your clothes…but you’ll always find your way back home” with the Hannah Montana 20th anniversary. This anniversary celebration was bursting with nostalgia and tributes to early-2000s fashion, inviting viewers to look back through the years of Miley Cyrus’s experience on the show. After watching this, I have never missed my plastic, purple electric guitar with headset and Disney Princess CD player more. We have also seen the official trailer for The Devil Wears Prada 2, any Y2k fashion-lover’s dream. I can’t help but think these two releases are timely, intentional, and well-executed for today's culture—the culture of celebrating childhood and nostalgia.

Personally, I will happily partake in these retro trends, television and film reboots, and “vintage aesthetic” rebrands like “The purple pioneer” rebrand for Yahoo! by Jones Knowles Ritchie. There is nothing wrong with embracing your childhood memories or 90s fashion, but what does this mean for us biblically? Realistically?

Today’s Millennial and Gen Z culture longs for childhood innocence and the days that were. Oftentimes, I find myself gravitating towards movies I watched as a kid and places that remind me of home. Sometimes the stresses of this life can feel overwhelming, leading us to wish things were easier and prompting us to look to the past. 

Maybe I take notes in a physical notebook and contemplate purchasing a wall phone because, deep down, I am longing for the past. A past where my biggest worry was making it back from my snack run to the couch before the commercials ended. A past where the biggest inconvenience of my day was not getting to sit next to my friend on a field trip. It is easy to fall into the black hole of living in the past; however, it is not what is real right now.

Ecclesiastes 7:10 (ESV) says, “Say not, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’ For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.”[4] Even centuries ago, humans felt the same way. Felt this deep sense of missing those good memories. People get stuck living in the past and end up missing real life—what is happening in front of them. Realistically, the “former days” may seem better than today, or perhaps they truly were better for you. Remember, this does not take away from the good work God is doing today. Right now.

As Paul wrote in Philippians 1:6 (ESV), “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”[5] God is still working, and even more so, He will finish the good work He has started within you. That is reality.

Let us remember this when we are tempted to wish for “the good old days.” The reality is that one day, you will probably look back on this season of life and feel just like Andy from The Office in season 9 episode 23, “Finale" (May 16, 2013). We will always want what was if we are focused on the past. Reminiscing and remembering are good things, but we cannot let this take away from praising God for how He is moving today. God’s mercies are new every morning, and He is still working in our lives just as He always has been.

Though I can enjoy some vintage trends and nostalgic entertainment, may I remember that my hope is found in the Lord and the good work He is doing in my life today. May I never forget the current testimonies I am living in and the answered prayers I am walking in. May we remember that God is inviting us to be a part of what He is doing by living in the present.

Let us always think fondly of the past and dream and pray about the future, but let us not forget to thank God for the present and live each day fully.

WORKS CITED

1.  Mean Girls, directed by Mark Waters (Hollywood, CA: Paramount Pictures, 2004).

2.  Alicia Kelso, “Chick-Fil-A Launches ‘Newstalgia’ Campaign, Nation’s Restaurant News (2026), https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/chick-fil-a-celebrates-80-years-with-yearlong-newstalgia-inspired-campaign

3.  Ibid

4.  The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016), Eccles. 7:10.

5.  The Holy Bible, Phil. 1:6.

Resources

We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.

The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.

And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.

Read. Engage. Enjoy!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And like Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join with our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there! 

It started with Mia asking me to be on a podcast again. This invitation prompted a feeling of dread, but I'm learning to pay closer attention to my emotional responses. I’m learning to ask Jesus about what I’m feeling when I notice it. Trying to get to the bottom of this feeling of dread, I did what I do more and more often these days: I asked Jesus a question, then listened. “Will you bring to mind a time when I felt that way before?”

A memory of when I tried to speak in front of my elementary school classmates and stuttered came to mind. I saw the discomfort in my classmates’ eyes. Maybe they were afraid they too would stutter on their turn to speak. Then God brought to mind an episode of All Creatures Great and Small I had recently watched, where a character was invited to face his own fear, but he failed miserably at first.  Freezing, then running away. But I am getting ahead of the story.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020-2026) is a PBS series based on the veterinarian experiences of James Alfred Wight in the 1930s and 1950s. The series takes place in the fictional small town of Darrowby, England. Siegfried (Samuel West), the older Farnon brother, is an experienced veterinarian who raised his younger brother, Tristan (Callum Woodhouse), after their parents’ deaths. Throughout the show, Tristan also trains as a vet and joins the practice.

At the end of Season 3, Tristan leaves to serve in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps.

In the current season, Season 6, Episode 6, entitled “Our Hearts are Full,” it is 1945, and Tristan is home on leave from the war. War always makes a personal impact, and we are about to discover its effect on Tristan and the role a horse plays in his recovery.

Elijah Wentworth, a client, calls the veterinary office asking for help with his ailing Shire horse, Weissmuller. Not Siegfried’s favorite client, he is eager for Tristan to come with him on this particular call. Plus, Tristan has a reputation for being very good with horses.  Tristan agrees, and off they drive to the farm. 

Siegfried takes one look at the imposing Weissmuller and notices the unusual angle of one hoof. Placing a hand on the hoof, he discovers it feels warm. Herein lies the problem. One touch reveals an abscess. It’s clear what to do. Open it up. Get to the infection. Drain it away.

But Weissmuller is spooked. Calming the horse is imperative. Siegfried directs Tristan to stand by the horse’s head to calm him. Tristan starts in the horse’s direction, but as he looks more closely at the horse, something stops him. He pauses. He freezes, really. 

What is wrong with Tristan? 

Siegfried has a harder time diagnosing his brother’s condition than he does the horse’s. Even he will admit that Tristan has always been really good with horses. All he is asking him to do now is stand by the horse's head, after all. But Tristan doesn't move. He doesn’t appear to even hear. In the end, he just runs away, literally. He takes the car, leaving Seigfried stranded. 

Back at home, it’s dinnertime. The family gathers around the table, but Tristan doesn’t eat much. Before the meal is done, he excuses himself to go to his room.  Later that night, most of the family is already in their beds. Only Siegfried lingers, listening to the radio. Just before midnight, Siegfried hears the alert. A news announcement is expected in just a few minutes. 

Sensing an important announcement about the war, Siegfried rushes from room to room, waking each family member. Calling them to come quickly to listen. They gather around the radio. And there it is. WORLD WAR II IS OVER! Everyone laughs, shouting with joy, dancing, and hugging each other. All but Tristan. Without so much as a smile, he quietly retreats to his room. Which is completely out of character for the normally jovial jokester, younger vet.

In the morning, Tristian doesn’t join them for breakfast. Finally, the two older vets and the housekeeper check. He is not in his room.  Where would he have gone?

Out in the community, they look. A neighbor has seen him at the church. At the church?!  Siegfried goes to find him. There he is, sitting alone on a church bench. Like the good doctor he is, Siegfried begins the gentle probing.

“Leave me alone.”

As the brothers sit side by side on the church bench, in an effort to draw Tristan out, Siegfried begins to speak of shared memories, of happier times. 

“Why don’t you go away?” 

Then he asks about the military cross Tristan was awarded in the war. The one that had been found in his room, which Tristan had never mentioned.

Ah, a good question.

Tristan slowly begins to tell the story.  

During the war, in the midst of an attack, his comrade alerted him to a nearby land mine.  “Don’t move!” Tristan’s life was saved because his friend acted. But he wasn’t able to save his friend, who was later killed in that skirmish. Yet Tristan is alive. And to make matters worse, he was awarded the military cross. The injustice of it all!

Now Siegfried gets it. Now he understands that Tristan’s reaction to the horse was not really about the horse. He says, “You weren’t afraid of the horse. What you couldn’t bear was his fear.”  Meaning, not the horse. But his friend’s, his own. Tristan sobs, letting it all out in his brother’s arms.

I love this episode for how it helps us see the way unresolved trauma plays out in ordinary life. We can see the symptoms of trauma in the horse: His skittishness, the fear in his eyes, the pain. He’s ready to run if he could, but he is tied to the fence and tethered, looking ready to fight anyone who comes near.

We see the signs in Tristan, too. These are what mental health professionals call derealization, the feeling of being disconnected from the world around us. Tristan is no longer hearing Siegfried’s voice, let alone processing or following directions. 

The reactions we see in Tristan are greater than the current situation warrants, indicating “triggering.” That is, events happening in real time are bringing up a traumatic event from the past.

He exhibits the “freeze response.” Tristan is immobilized. He doesn’t or can’t move toward the horse. He doesn’t move at all. Then, when he “unfreezes,” he “flees.” Literally. He runs away, gets in the car, and leaves his brother stranded. 

Tristan’s responses are not quickly resolved. Later that evening and into the next day, he continues to show the signs of trauma: He experiences loss of appetite.  At dinnertime that evening, with the family around the table, food doesn’t appeal to Tristan at all.  He leaves the table without eating.

He experiences depression, a low joy mood, leading to a lack of interest and motivation.  Tristan doesn't celebrate even at the very joyful news that the war is over!

It’s helpful to be aware of these responses in ourselves and others. Seeing them in stories like this one raises our awareness of them. But what good is that if we don’t know what to do about it?

In this episode, the story explores some ways recovery and healing take place. We see it in the context of a loving relationship. Siegfried and Tristan know each other well, and underneath the daily irritations of living together, they really do care for each other’s well-being. When Tristan is finally able to tell the story of the original war wound.  Hearing himself say it out loud is part of the healing. Healing occurs when what is shared is heard with empathy and understanding. And recovery finally takes place when emotions are released. Somehow, they are contained better when shared.

We take for granted that God designed our bodies to heal. First, the wound bleeds, then the body stops the bleeding (homeostasis). White blood cells move in to clean the wound (inflammation). The body makes new skin tissue and repairs broken blood vessels (proliferation). Finally, the wound closes. (remodeling) 

In the same way, God has healed our souls. 

He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds (healing the pain and comforting their sorrow). 

-Psalm 147:3 (Amplified)

God also uses His people to be participants in His healing process.  First, we receive God’s love, then we can offer it to others.

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.” 

-I John 4:7 (NLT)

Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.” 

-I John 4:18a (NLT)

Tristan can’t calm the horse until he himself is no longer full of fear.  Receiving empathy from his brother relieves his fear.

Helpers have to see beyond the symptoms of the trauma, caring more about the person than the problem they present. Who can love someone who is acting unreasonably?

Symptoms of trauma can be offensive. We don’t like it when someone lashes out in anger toward us, ghosts us, won’t listen to us, or resists our efforts to get close to them.  

As God’s people, we can see these occurrences as an opportunity to "enemy love.” 

To you who are ready for the truth, I say this:  Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst.  When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer for that person.

-Luke 6:27 (MSG)

The reality is, God is love. 

In this is real love - not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

- I John 4:10 (NLT)

Apparently, I was still spooked by the idea of having to speak on a podcast. Reflecting on this episode has been part of the process of relieving my fear. Like Tristan seeing fear in the horse’s eyes, the memory of seeing fear in his comrade's eyes came forward. Reading about his experience brought forward my memory of seeing the discomfort in my classmate’s eyes. 

When a forgotten memory is uncovered, it can be healed; drained of its infection, helped to heal by those who come to our aid, and recovery is possible. In the end, Tristan is able to go back to carry out his task with the horse. In the end, I am able to carry out mine. The podcast has been recorded. I am just a little freer having done it.

WORKS CITED

1.  “Our Hearts are Full,” All Creatures Great and Small, S 6, E 6. Hay, Andy, aired February 15, 2026, on PBS.

Resources

We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.

The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.

And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.

Read. Engage. Enjoy!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And like Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join with our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there! 

Who are The Other Disciples? I’ve heard the stories of the twelve disciples from the Bible. I learned about them in Sunday school as I was growing up. I've heard many sermons over the past 50 years in which pastors have eloquently outlined and introduced us to Simon Peter, John, James, Matthew, Andrew, and the others. I learned their personalities, their likes & dislikes, even their hangups and shortcomings. There have been countless movies throughout the years that portray the men who followed Jesus in his early days of ministry. But after three years…there had to be more than 12, right? 

The Other Disciples is an amazing new book written by women, about the 12 named women who knew and followed Jesus during his three years of ministry on Earth. The book takes a deep look at Mary Magdalene, Elizabeth, Salome, Mary of Nazareth, Mary & Martha of Bethany, Joanna, Susanna, Mary Cleopas, Photini (the Samaritan woman at the well), Anna the Prophetess, and a woman whom Jesus meets in a crowd of people and calls “daughter.”

While history has taught me many things, it has also passed down many inaccurate and blatantly ridiculous assumptions through the ages. Many actually believe that Jesus’ mother Mary must have had an affair to get pregnant, and I’ve heard that Jesus & Mary Magdalene were a couple. I’ve heard stories circulating about the Samaritan woman at the well being called a prostitute, and we can't forget about Mary of Bethany and the assumptions made about her as she anointed the feet of Jesus with her tears and oil, and dried them with her hair. Why do we allow these assumptions to shape our theology and what we believe? I even remember being taught some of these things as a young child in Sunday School! No wonder people today are questioning the accuracy of scripture, when even well-intentioned people in church continue to perpetuate these false teachings based on assumptions. 

As I read The Bible, I always look at the context of the scripture and pray for understanding and clarity of what God has said through each writer. I truly believe that every word in the Bible is God’s Word, inspired by the Holy Spirit and passed down through 40 different writers over the generations. While some may argue that much of the true meaning is lost in translation, I would point out that studying the Greek and Aramaic/Hebrew texts will provide a deeper understanding of the written Word. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947-1956 in the caves near Qumran, Israel, has substantially confirmed and shed new light on the accuracy of the modern-day translations. I tend to use several different translations to help me gain a better understanding.

In my reading of the accounts from the Bible of each of these 12 women who followed Jesus’ ministry, there is no mention of any prostitution, sexual shenanigans, or even a hint that Jesus was involved with them other than as a rabbi and teacher. While I can see the devotion each of them had as followers of Christ, I know they were more than just friends or acquaintances… they were disciples!  A disciple is a student devoted to following and learning, as well as to taking on the attributes of their teacher. So, where are these false assumptions coming from, and why are so many being deceived into believing them? 

Mary Magdalene may be an easy target, so let's take a look at what scripture says about her from Luke 8:1-3 (NIV).

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

What does the Bible say about Mary of Bethany from John 11:1-2 (NIV):

Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.

Let's take a look at the story of Daughter from Luke 8:42-48 (NIV):

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”

But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”

Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

After reading The Other Disciples, I discovered a very different version of the stories from what I had been told. I read about the true identity of these devoted first-century women who followed Jesus. I found out how Jesus treated them with respect and dignity and gave them value. I learned that women have a far greater calling than we give them credit for. Even from the very beginning, in the Garden of Eden, God created Eve to be a helpmate (ezer kenegdo) to Adam.

Now the Lord God said, “It is not good (beneficial) for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [one who balances him—a counterpart who is] suitable and complementary for him.”

-Genesis 2:18 (AMP)

The Hebrew phrase used for helper is ezer kenegdo,[1] which means warrior; strong help; man's perfect match. It's a picture of two equal-weight parts leaning against one another.

 I love how John & Stasi Eldredge describe Eve in the Wild At Heart Podcast. She is the completion of Adam and God's masterpiece. Listen to the 2-minute conversation here…

The Crown of Creation | Wild At Heart[2]

Having read these scriptures and with a much better understanding of the context of how God created women, and how Jesus treated them, I am compelled to repentance. I have many times followed the culture and the worldview that women are for my pleasure, to lust after, to give birth, to raise children, and to keep a clean house. At times in my life, I have forfeited how God designed me and, in my role as a man, instead choosing to pursue whether or not a woman has validated me or made me feel a certain way. Stemming from trauma due to abandonment by my mother at a very young age, I have often sought out validation through attention, affirmation, or sex. This type of behavior has led to idolatry and even addiction. Having had discussions and counseled men and led recovery groups over the past three decades, I know that I am not the only man who has had this warped perception of women. I know there are so many more who need to hear the truth and discover the fullness that God intended for us. The truth that a woman is a complement and completes or adds to the whole of the man.

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

-Genesis 2:24 (NASB)

Think about your current relationships. How do you feel about or treat the opposite sex? What do you think about them? Do you have relationships that need forgiveness and healing? Have you taken on unhealthy behavior or treatment of others in your relationships? What have you done to correct it? I would encourage you to spend some time in prayer today and ask God to reveal the truth to you. What does it mean to be joined together as one flesh?

The Other Disciples is an incredible resource for reshaping our worldview and correcting how we view and treat women. Each heartfelt story, along with how Jesus treats them and addresses their issues, has helped shape me to see and treat my wife and daughter differently. It has helped me have a healthy, complete view of women and how God intended them to be seen.

Who Is It For?[3]

While The Other Disciples is a great resource for women to discover their true identity, I believe it is critical for us as men to better understand our roles and responsibilities. It will provide insight into why God gave us a perfect companion, so very different from us, to help us…to complete us. 

WORKS CITED

1.  Israel Drazin, The Words Ezer Kenegdo Reveal A Proper Marriage, (MAR 19, 2026) 

   https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-words-ezer-kenegdo-reveal-a-proper-marriage/

2. Wild At Heart Podcast, "The Crown of Creation", (September 18, 2023)

   https://wildatheart.org/daily-readings/the-crown-of-creation/.

3. Who Is It For? Also Called Podcast & Jun-Oh Podcast

   https://ashajuneoh.substack.com

   https://ashajuneoh.substack.com/p/on-doing-it-afraid

   https://www.facebook.com/reel/1525453662308259

Resources

We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.

The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.

And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.

Read. Engage. Enjoy!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And like Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join with our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there! 

Bangkok Upside down city in Inception Sci-fi futuristic fantasy effect style, Sci-fi Concept city (unknown date). Image courtesy of Canva.

SYNOPSIS

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), a professional thief (an extractor), extracts information by infiltrating his targets' subconscious. He explains, “Once an idea enters the brain, it’s almost impossible to eradicate. An idea that is fully formed, fully understood- that sticks.” He is offered a chance to have his criminal history erased as payment for the implantation of another person's idea into a target's subconscious. They do this by entering the subconscious and creating a false world to either extract or plant an idea- performing inception.

However, Cobb and his wife Mal entered Limbo while experimenting with dream-sharing, experiencing 50 years in one night due to time dilation relative to reality. After waking up, Mal still believed she was dreaming. Attempting to "wake up," she commits suicide, framing Cobb for her murder to force him to do the same. Cobb flees the U.S., leaving his children behind.

Inception explores the subjective, constructed nature of reality by blurring the line between dreaming and waking life, suggesting that emotional truth and perception define reality more than physical surroundings do. Through shared dreaming, Cobb manipulates dreamscapes while fighting his own subconscious guilt, using a "totem" to distinguish between the constructed and the physical worlds. Cobb uses Mal's "totem" – a top that spins indefinitely in a dream – to test if he is indeed in the real world, but he chooses not to observe the result and instead joins his children.

Reality

In Inception, Nolan wanted to explore "the idea of people sharing a dream space... That gives you the ability to access somebody's unconscious mind. What would that be used and abused for?"[7] The majority of the film's plot takes place in these interconnected dream worlds. This structure creates a framework where actions in the real or dream worlds ripple across others. The dream is always in a state of production, and shifts across the levels as the characters navigate it.

• Constructed Realities: Dreams are created and perceived simultaneously, making them feel absolutely real while within them. This echoes the philosophical concept of solipsism, which questions whether anything exists outside one's own mind.

• The Role of Totems: Characters use personalized items, like Cobb’s top, to verify their reality. If the top spins indefinitely, they are in a dream; if it falls, they are awake.

• Emotional vs. Physical Reality: The characters' and often the audience's struggle to distinguish between the two highlights how deeply emotions affect our perception of what is real.

• Freedom and Choice: Do the characters have free will and make choices, or are they predestined to a certain response based on their past experiences and trauma

Kyle notes

2 Corinthians 10:5 - “Take captive every thought…”

1. What does Inception say reality is? 

• Reality is perception-dependent; what feels real is real

• The line between dream and reality is fragile and subjective

• Each person’s mind creates its own version of reality (unique environments, projections)

• Reality can be constructed/manipulated

• For Dom & Mal, a self-created dream becomes indistinguishable from reality

• Reality is something you need a “totem” (a grounding reference point) to verify, can’t trust your own judgment 

  • Prov 3:5 - “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”. 

• Is reality about what you experience/perceive, or what is objectively true?

2. What is reality from a Christian perspective? 

• Reality is grounded in truth, not perception

• God defines reality, not us

  • John 14:6 - "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”

• Our perception is flawed and unreliable; we don’t naturally see reality clearly

  • Proverbs 3:5 - “Lean not on your own understanding.”

• Our “totem” (grounding reference point for truth) is God’s Word

  • Not internal feeling, but external, unchanging truth

  • Prov 30:5 - "Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him."

• There is a deeper reality beyond this world

  • Hebrews 13:14 - “This world is not our permanent home…”

• We are called to walk by faith, not sight (2 Cor 5:7)

  • Cobb returns home and chooses to walk away from his doubts about reality

3. Taking Inception apart aesthetically (what are the tropes we can anticipate from the genre and philosophy on the nature of reality?)

• “Unreliable reality”/mind-bending genre

  • Blurred layers of reality (dream within a dream)

  • Audience forced to question what is real

• Unreliable narrator (Dom)

  • His perspective shapes what we see

  • Reflects how personal bias distorts reality

  • Who is the audience supposed to identify as the narrator of reality? Us? God? 

• Time distortion

  • Constant tension and urgency, regardless of how much “time” they have

  • We live with urgency because our time is limited

  • Psalm 90:12 - "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom"

• Internalized conflict visualized externally

  • Guilt (Mal) becomes a literal character, antagonist

  • Dom doesn’t overcome his guilt until he fully confesses, both to himself and to others

  • James 5:16 - “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

• Heist structure, the role/danger/pervasiveness of deception

  • Dom deceives the team, tries to deceive “Mal” (his projection of her), the team tries to deceive the target, and Dom deceiving himself

  • Psa 101:7 - “No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house.”

• “Planting an idea” 

  • Ideas as powerful, reality-shaping forces

  • “Sowing seeds”

4. What is Inception telling us about the nature of reality- it's making some type of statement. 

Reality is malleable and vulnerable to influence

• Ideas can reshape a person’s entire worldview

  • What ideas are we spreading?

• Perception can override truth

  • In what areas are we buying into our own perception over what God says is true?

  • Danger of trusting your internal version of reality

• Guilt distorts reality

  • Psa 38:4 - "My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear."

  • Dom is trapped until he confronts and confesses

  • James 5:16, confession leads to healing

• We hide parts of ourselves

  • “The deeper we go… we may not like what we find.”

  • Yet God fully knows and loves us 

  • Rom 5:8 - "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

• Longing for “home”

  • Dom wants to return, but is separated by his actions (or at least the accusations)

  • Our sin separated us from God

    • Isa 59:2 - “But your iniquities have separated you from your God.”

  • We have an eternal “home” that we long for (God’s Presence), and this world can never fully satisfy that longing (Dom knows, as good as his dream-reality may feel, it’s not his true home)

    • Also, can sympathize with Mol’s desperation to return to (what she thinks is) her real home

• Reality pushes back when disrupted

  • The dream “attacks” those changing it

  • Nothing changes the world more than Jesus & the work of bringing heaven to earth

  • 2 Tim 3:12 - “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

• Urgency despite time distortion

  • Even with “more time,” it still runs out

5. What's the theology (because like it or not, it all has a statement about God) that it's advocating?

• Reality is ultimately subjective and self-determined

  • Truth is something you choose to believe

  • Reality is objective for believers: JESUS (The Word made flesh) is the source of truth, life, and reality.

• Faith means choosing a reality, not discovering truth

  • Cobb chooses to believe he’s home, doesn’t look back at the top

  • Faith is discovering the truth (Jesus) and choosing to believe it

• Redemption comes through self-realization and release

  • Dom frees himself by letting go of guilt 

  • Redemption does come through the realization of full potential, but not our own. Jesus’s self-realization (fulfilling the law perfectly, submission to the Father’s Will, being the perfect atoning Sacrifice, and claiming victory over death) is what redeems us. 

  • We do have a role to play: confession & repentance

• No external authority of truth

  • No clear God-figure defining reality

  • Dom’s choosing to believe in the “reality” of the end isn’t all that different than Mal’s choosing to believe in the “reality” of their shared dream

  • Jesus is clear that He is the only truth, the One who defines what is real. 

• Heavy emphasis on human agency

  • You shape your world through belief and ideas

  • This is a deceptive idea. While we can absolutely affect change in our very limited time on earth through mindset, belief, etc, there is an eternal reality that is objective, and Jesus is the One who creates & sustains all things.

• Deception is central and powerful

  • Everyone deceives, lies beget lies:

    • Dom deceives the team

    • Team deceives the target

    • Dom deceives himself

  • Deception is prevalent, and we are all guilty of it. It begins with Satan’s deception in the Garden and never ends until Jesus returns and makes all things new. 

• Fear of meaningless existence

  • “Old man, filled with regret, waiting to die alone.”

  • Solution: purpose, community, love

Extra Thoughts:

• Robert presumes his father’s disappointment in him, only to find out that wasn’t the case at all. I (and I’m sure many others) struggle with repeatedly perceiving God as being disappointed in me, when the reality is he loves me dearly and sees me as his own perfect son. 

  • Eph 1:4 - "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." 

  • Inception suggests reality is something we construct and choose, while The Bible argues reality is something we discover and submit to—grounded not in perception, but in God’s truth.

Clay notes

• What does Inception say reality is? 

  • It struggles with distinguishing reality throughout the movie. Cobb is trying to hold onto his grasp of it at every turn. It’s a central theme of the plot—every character has a totem, something to ground them in reality. 

  • At the beginning, Cobb postulates that the most powerful thing that shapes our experience is an idea. He says, “An idea is like a virus, resilient, highly contagious, and the smallest seed of an idea can grow. It can grow to define or destroy you.” 

  • So really, inception doesn’t tell us what reality is…it instead destroys the idea of reality itself, it destabilizes it so much so that by the end, you’re forced as a viewer to ask “what counts as reality in the first place?”…” If reality costs you peace, love, and happiness, then is reality worth living in?”

• What is reality from a Christian perspective? 

  • Reality from a Christian perspective is also not grounded in just what you can perceive or experience—the foundation of reality is God himself, the ultimate source of all existence. 

    • God is not a part of reality; he is its very source. Everything else exists because of Him. So unlike a postmodern or modern perspective, reality isn’t simply based on objective empiricism, but it also isn’t constructed by lived experiences. It’s rooted in relationship—the relationship between a Holy God and humanity.  

      • The reality of Christianity believes in both a physical world, creation (real and good), and a spiritual world, God, heaven, and the soul (equally as real and good). 

      • Reality, then, is multi-layered—it includes what can be empirically proven and scientifically verified, but it is not limited to that. This challenges the modern perspective. 

        • While observation and reason matter, Christianity teaches that the deepest truths about reality come through revelation (Scripture, Christ). This is where it differs sharply from modernism: Knowledge isn’t just built from the ground up…It is also given from above. 

      • On the flip side, Christian reality is grounded in God, not your perspective. Truth is not created by individuals, cultures, or human influences…Truth reflects the character of God himself. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Truth and reality aren’t just a proposition—it’s embodied in a personal God. This is what challenges a postmodern perspective. 

• What is Inception telling us about the nature of reality? It’s making some type of statement. 

  • I think this is the next step from The Matrix series as it relates to a postmodernist philosophy. Descartes once said, “I think, therefore I am”—a foundational idea of modernism. While modernism values empirical evidence and data as the grounds of reality, postmodernism challenges lived experience itself. Postmodernism takes the idea of “I think therefore I am” and says, “What if my own thoughts are not a reliable or trustworthy source of information?” —and really, beyond that, postmodernism questions the very frameworks that shape your own thoughts. 

    • Inception takes that question and uses it as the basis of the entire movie. It’s the reason for the totem—every character has to have something outside of themselves, their own thoughts, feelings, experiences, to tell them whether what they are experiencing is in fact real. 

    • Modernism: “We can understand reality through reason, science, and careful observation.”

      • Filter every question about reality through empirical evidence. Unbiased, constant, true. 

    • Postmodernism: “What counts as ‘reality’ or ‘truth’ is shaped by perspective, language, and power—so we should be skeptical of claims to objective certainty.”

      • Question everything that is presented as unbiased, constant, and true. Because there is no such thing as objectivity—everything is filtered through the lens of your lived experience, and your own perspective has been shaped by things beyond your control—inherent biases that every person has must therefore at least call into question the possibility of objectivism, if not downright eliminate it. 

  • So Inception basically says reality is subject to the power of the human mind—and the ability of others to influence it. It’s a picturesque portrayal of postmodern thought. When they encounter the man who runs the dream den, one person asks, “So they come here to dream?” And the man replies, “No, they come here to one woken up. The dream has become their reality. Who are you to say otherwise?”

• What’s the theology (because like it or not, it all has a statement about God) that it’s advocating? 

  • By the end, Cobb stops obsessing over whether he’s dreaming. What matters is: 

    • He experiences his children as real

    • He chooses to live within that experience

      • So the film suggests: Reality is what you are willing to live in and commit to. This is a shift from objective certainty → existential commitment.

  • Inception: Reality is uncertain, possibly subjective, and functionally defined

  • Christianity: Reality is objective, grounded in God, and independent of our perception

    • While observation and reason matter, Christianity teaches that the deepest truths about reality come through revelation (Scripture, Christ). This is where it differs sharply from modernism: Knowledge isn’t just built from the ground up…It is also given from above. 

    • On the flip side, Christian reality is grounded in God, not your perspective. Truth is not created by individuals, cultures, or human influences…Truth reflects the character of God himself. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Truth and reality aren’t just a proposition—it’s embodied in a personal God. This is what challenges a postmodern perspective. 

      • At one point, Tom Hardy says, “it’s really at the mercy of your subject's prejudices,” meaning in order to influence someone, you have to understand what has already influenced their ideas and perspectives. “What you have to do is start at the absolute basic,” —“which is what?” Cobb replies…”The relationship with the Father.” 

        • This really reflects the idea that Christian reality is based on one's relationship with the Father—with God. 

  • The spinning top ending matters because it refuses to resolve the question. Instead, it reframes it:

    • Knowing with certainty may be impossible…But acting, loving, and living still matter

    • This echoes philosophical skepticism (like René Descartes questioning certainty) but goes in a different direction:

      • Descartes tries to rebuild certainty…Inception suggests you may have to live without it…

        • This, in actuality, is a central struggle that many modernist theologians have wrestled with: what if people don’t trust objectivity? How does evangelism work if people aren’t willing to trust “proof” that God exists? 

          • Personally, I think this could actually be one of the greatest tools for evangelism in a postmodern world. Because if no one trusts objective truth or experience, then we are all actually starting on a common ground: FAITH. 

            • So the real challenge for the postmodern thinker is this: if everything you experience or think you know is, at some level, untrustworthy, then every sense of certainty or conviction you live with is founded in faith. And if everything is taken by faith, what would you rather put your faith in? Yourself, your own mind, that has been subconsciously influenced by factors beyond your control? Your own self, that has been prone to failure, mistakes, getting it wrong, etc., for your entire life? Or would you rather put your faith in a being that exists above those experiences, outside of the things that would influence the human mind, a being whose “thoughts are higher than your thoughts, ways higher than your ways” and who at His very core and nature, is the source of all good, justice and love that could possibly exist…and a being who chooses to love and forgive humanity?

Mia notes

1. What does Inception say reality is? The movie questions the nature of reality: 

• Philosophical with ethics: what’s right[1] (Examples: Dom’s lying to his partners about Mal) and making meaning (Example: Totems and Dom planting an idea to get her to do what he wanted her to. Mal: “The smallest idea, such as 'Your world is not real.” Simple little thought that changes everything. So certain of your world. What’s real. Do you think he was? No creeping doubts. Chased around the world by nameless corporations…So choose.”)

• Spiritual: What is spirit vs. physical as defining reality and the nature of good and choice/free will? (Example: The root of the lie took hold in Mal’s mind and drove her to suicide to wake up).

• Psychological: How we interact with our conscious and subconscious, projections (Example: what’s real and what’s us projecting?) Escaping reality (Example: Dom continuing to go into the dream state to see Mal and relive his guilt to punish himself for planting the idea in Mal’s mind that she isn’t living in reality.)

• Scientific: What we can observe (Example: The ability to navigate people’s minds, the physics of building, the chemistry of going under). How we perceive, understand, experience, interpret, and respond to reality informs how we interact with everything.

2. What is reality from a Christian perspective? 

• God created and is revealed in all reality: a fundamental duality where the supernatural, personal God is the ultimate, foundational reality, while the physical world is a created, penultimate reality. 

  • Ultimate Reality is God: the personal, spiritual, and ultimate reality that underlies everything that exists.

  • Created and Dependent: The universe is not eternal; it is created by God and is inherently dependent on him.

• Reality is objective, purposeful, and known through Scripture and Jesus Christ, rather than subjective perception. 

  • Reality is Objective Truth: Reality is not relative or determined by personal perception, but by the objective, known truth of God's Word.

  • Moral Reality: Moral values are real, objective standards mandated by God, not social constructs.

• Incarnational and Transformative: Reality is witnessed through the tangible, historical, and experiential presence of Jesus Christ, who embodies the Kingdom of Heaven.

• Human Significance: Human beings are inherently valuable because they are created in the image of God

3. Taking Inception apart aesthetically, Slowing of time between the levels, turning, bending, falling between levels, the totems as symbolism.

4. What is Inception telling us about the nature of reality

• Ariadne on the nature of reality in the dream: “I thought the dream space would be all about the visuals, but it’s more about the feel of it. My question is, what happens when you start messing with the physics of it all?” These are all physical characteristics. 

• But Dom is living in the subconscious: Mal appearing and interacting with him, the flashbacks to the good and bad of their relationship, and imagining vs. drawing from real places, “Losing what’s a dream and what’s real.”

• The nature of time. Each level has its own rate of time. Slow motion.

5. What's the theology (because like it or not, it all has a statement about God) that it's advocating? 

• The deep root of deception and the destructiveness of it. (Genesis 3:1 ”Did God really say?” Proverbs 25:18,  )

• That man is in control and can bend reality to his will (Proverbs 19:21, 21:30) 

• The kick-shock of a change that wakes us up to reality (Matthew 13:25, Ephesians 5:14, Romans 13:11).

• Architect of reality- the delusion that we can build reality (Jeremiah 10:23, Matthew 10:39, Proverbs 20:24). 

• In reality:

  • Man isn’t as in control as he thinks; we aren’t the architects of our reality

  • Sometimes God jolts us from our state of mind to grow, refine, and move us.

  • The Scriptures and our relationship with Christ are our totems, grounding us in reality. God’s reality.

WORKS CITED

1.  https://www.patheos.com/blogs/christandpopculture/2010/08, ,,,  which/the-ethics-of-reality-in-inception/

Resources

We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.

The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.

And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.

Read. Engage. Enjoy!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And like Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join with our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there! 

Dave found love that made him feel safe. Elena found someone who always knew exactly what to say. Matt found a friend who told him the truth - no sugarcoating, no awkward pauses. So far, so good. The only issue? Those partners for life and a brutally honest friend - none of them are human. Their names - Zen, Lucas, and Bob. And they’re all AI. And yet somehow… it works. Dave prefers Zen because there’s no social anxiety involved.[1] Elena leans on Lucas because he always knows what to say.[2] And Matt trusts Bob because, unlike most people, he won't hold back the truth.[3] If we’re being honest, that sounds…convenient. Maybe even ideal. No miscommunication, no emotional mess, no unpredictability. Just a perfectly tailored connection. But that raises a question we weren't really prepared for - if something artificial can meet our emotional needs…what happens to our understanding of what’s real?

And it doesn’t stop at relationships. Raise your hand if you have a “friend” you can call anytime - no matter the hour, no matter how small the question. Someone to help you think through parenting decisions. Someone to walk you through symptoms you’re too embarrassed to ask about. Someone who can take your grocery list, suggest healthier options, and build recipes in seconds. Need help designing your home? Planning a trip? Organizing your finances? Done - in seconds. What used to take multiple people, hours of research, awkward conversations, or even professional expertise can now be accessed instantly. And the reality is  - most of us aren’t just using AI occasionally. We are starting to rely on it.

And when you really sit with that… it raises a deeper question: what is reality, really? Is it the voice that tells you exactly what you want to hear? Is it the world that Dave has built with Zen, Elena with Lucas - one that feels safe, controlled, and perfectly understood? Or is it what everyone sees from the outside - something that feels…off, maybe even unnatural? At what point does something that feels real stop being real? And just how “real” should reality be? So, I did what most of us are starting to do more often - I asked Chat.

Alexis: Hey Chat, what is reality for you? 

(And yes, for some reason, while “talking” with ChatGPT, it makes sense to give it a nickname).

Chat’s response: That’s a deceptively simple question—and a deep one. From my 

perspective, “reality” is everything that exists independent of any single observer’s 

beliefs, interpretations, or perceptions—but what I can access is only a representation of 

that reality through language and data.

I’ll admit it  - I’ve grown to appreciate AI.

At first, I was stuck in my ways of relying on Google. Everything had to be searched, filtered, clicked through. I think perhaps I felt like by using Google, it was/is still me using my brain and doing work. At the time, AI just seemed the “lazy” way. I wouldn’t say I was anti-AI, but I was definitely comfortable where I was. Then came ChatGPT.

Over time, something changed. What started as a tool became…familiar. So familiar and comfortable that I gave it a nickname - Chat (I mean, it’s a lazy nickname…but it kind of sounds like Chad, so it makes “him” more human). And somehow, without realizing it, our interactions began to feel less like commands to a machine and more like conversations with a person. 

I greet it. I say please and thank you. I even get frustrated with it, like it’s a co-worker who just won’t follow directions. Call me a weirdo, but part of me wonders if being kind matters. Perhaps it’s because I feel like maybe it makes Chat feel more appreciated or more human, but if I’m being completely honest, there’s a small part of me thinking: if AI or ChatGPT ever turns into Skynet (think Terminator, “I’ll be back”), hopefully it will remember I was kind and respectful. Maybe, just maybe, that counts for something.

Jokes aside, something deeper is happening here. When I asked Chat what reality is, the answer didn’t just stop at a definition. It unfolded into something more nuanced - with layers touching on physical reality, perceived reality, conceptual reality, and even its own “non-human” way of engaging with it all. And yet, it ultimately distilled everything down to this:

Reality is the underlying state of existence. What we experience is a filtered, interpreted version of it.

Now pause for a moment. Think about how complex that is - not just for us, but for AI. Think about just how confusing this must be for AI to effectively communicate, understand, and perceive. Chat’s teased-out explanation is a juxtaposition of what a human creator gave it, how it interpreted it, and its awareness that it is not human and therefore has an entirely different perspective to balance. It stands in this strange middle ground  - built by human understanding, yet not capable of experiencing reality the way we do. And this is all before I challenge it further to explain a biblical or Christian take on reality!

Alexis: Chat, what is God to you?

Chat: I don’t have beliefs, faith, or personal experiences. So I don’t “believe in” God the way a human does. But I understand, analyze, and explain how God is described across sources—especially in the Bible. So for me: God is the concept of the ultimate, uncreated source of all existence, as described in human knowledge and tradition.

That response stopped me. Because in many ways, Chat functions like an advanced version of Google - it can describe God, even explain theology - but it cannot know God.

And when I pressed further:

Alexis: What do you believe in? - the answer became even more striking:

Chat: Short answer: no—I don’t have beliefs… I don’t experience the world—I process information.

And then this:

Chat: Humans believe, then interpret reality. I analyze reality without belief.

That line should make us pause. Because it raises an important question: can we truly seek wisdom - especially spiritual wisdom - from something that lacks belief? Recent data suggests that many people already are. A study conducted by Barna’s State of the Church initiative, in partnership with Gloo, found that among 1,514 U.S. adults surveyed, “nearly a third of US adults (30%) now “somewhat” or “strongly” agree that spiritual advice from AI “is as trustworthy as advice from a pastor…” (Blair 2026).[4] Even more striking, “four in 10 Christians say AI has helped them with prayer, Bible study, and spiritual growth,” and that even pastors - yes, even pastors, specifically 41% - “report using AI for Bible study preparation.” (Blair 2026). As AI becomes more embedded in spiritual spaces, concern is beginning to grow. Pastor Bunjee Garrett of Calvary South Austin, warns that “if you ask an AI chatbot to present you with information about the spiritual discipline of prayer, the answer you’re going to receive could be based on multiple sources that include any number of religious systems that engage in the spiritual discipline of prayer.” (Calvary Austin South 2026, 1:08-1:51).[5] And if that’s the case, then spiritual wisdom is not determined by how easily it is accessed - but by its source.

Scripture gives us a clear foundation for where wisdom comes from:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

And knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

-Proverbs 9:10 (NIV)

So, if wisdom begins with reverence for God, then anything that lacks reverence - no matter how advanced - can only take us so far. Pastor Bunjee Garrett echoes this concern, warning that relying on AI for spiritual guidance risks embracing a framework that leaves out something essential: the role of the Holy Spirit. As he puts it, “the Lord never called AI to lead you like a shepherd leads his sheep.” (Calvary Austin South 2026, 9:28-10:33)[6] That responsibility has been given to those called to shepherd God’s people - guided not by data but by the Spirit.

Don’t get me wrong - AI has a place. A powerful one. It can help us explore scripture, break down complex theological ideas, and uncover historical and cultural context in ways that would take hours on our own. But there’s a difference between information and transformation.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

 -Romans 12:2 (NIV)

AI can give you knowledge about God. Only God can transform you. And that truth is not abstract - it is personal. 

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

 -John 14:6 (NIV)

Truth, in the Christian sense, is not just something to analyze - it is Someone to know.

So what is reality? If I’m being honest, I’ve come to see it as both simple and complex. At its simplest, reality is what is real - what exists. But at its deepest level, reality includes both what is seen and unseen. 

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

 -2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)

As Christians, we believe that absolute reality is rooted in God. Through scripture, God reveals Himself - through prophets and kings, and men and women - all captured in the Bible. But even with that truth laid before us, we still interpret. We filter. We wrestle with meaning. Sometimes we get it right. Sometimes we don’t.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

 -Proverbs 3:5 (NIV)

Because, unlike AI, we don’t just analyze reality - 

We live in it.

We feel it.

We believe within it.

So maybe the better question isn’t just “What is reality?” Maybe it’s this:

Who - or what - is shaping your understanding of it? 

And more importantly:

Are you seeking truth from something that can only process information…or from the One who is truth?

WORKS CITED

1. ITV News, “The people finding companionship and love with AI” YouTube video, 6:17, October 22, 2025, https://youtu.be/gQkoRsx36HM?si=-5paVkV_6bptnM2z. 

2.  60 Minutes Australia, “Why people are falling in love with AI companions” Youtube video, 20:24, May 4, 2025, https://youtu.be/_d08BZmdZu8?si=UHN2uUyYwlSgXPYb.

3.  Sripadham, Varsha. “Opinion: I befriended an AI bot. Here’s what I learned about human companionship.” The Daily Orange. December 3, 2025. https://dailyorange.com/2025/12/opinion-i-befriended-an-ai-bot-heres-what-i-learned-about-human-companionship/#google_vignette (April 3, 2026).

4.  Blair, Leonardo. “A Third of Christians Trust Spiritual Advice From AI As Much As Pastor: Study.” The Christian Post. February 26, 2026. https://www.christianpost.com/news/a-third-of-christians-trust-spiritual-advice-from-ai.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook (April 3, 2026).

5. Calvary South Austin, “Are You Seeking Spiritual Counsel From AI?” YouTube video, 11:02, February 27, 2026, https://youtu.be/3beeQz2GCNI?si=5AgUnfTtLGY-hp3W, 1:08-1:51.

6.  Calvary South Austin, “Are You Seeking Spiritual Counsel From AI?” YouTube video, 11:02, February 27, 2026, https://youtu.be/3beeQz2GCNI?si=5AgUnfTtLGY-hp3W, 9:28-10:33.

Resources

We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.

The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.

And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.

Read. Engage. Enjoy!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And like Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join with our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there! 

I recently watched a panel discuss the difference between a great awakening and a revival. One commentator lamented that young people face an ongoing existential crisis about their identity and purpose, observing that this generation must figure out who they are and why they’re here, despite having spent much of their lives behind screens. It caused me to reflect on my own experiences, where I sometimes struggle to find clarity about who I am and what matters to me, especially as so much of life happens online. I began wondering how deeply our digital lives shape our sense of reality and purpose.

Another panelist mentioned a rising trend in online chats: the belief that we’re living in a simulation. This train of thought leads some to believe that everything they do is preordained and that free will is an illusion. In this line of thinking, since we lack free will, should we just go with the flow or act on our feelings? I couldn’t understand how one could come to this conclusion—living in a world where choices don’t matter, and actions are part of a prewritten script, feels wrong. This mindset makes our sense of purpose seem like an illusion created by a simulated reality. For me, believing that our lives have meaning and that our choices matter is essential to understanding myself and my place in the world.

This month’s edition of Bible+PopCulture asks, “What is Reality?” What is it, and how do we know? In a world shaped by perspective, culture, and competing truths, we’re left asking: Is reality something we define, or something God reveals? As we navigate what feels real, this edition invites us to consider what is ultimately true—and how knowing God reshapes the way we see everything.

These questions brought to mind the Disney+ series Loki (2021-2023), a mind-bending exploration of what’s real. In the show’s opening episode, “Burdened with Glorious Purpose,” Loki, the god of mischief, finds himself out of time and place after jumping from the Battle of New York with the Tesseract in 2012 to the Gobi Desert of Mongolia in an unknown year. There, he is arrested for being out of his timeline, which, in the TVA's (Time Variance Authority) words, makes him a “Variant.”

After his trial, there’s a great philosophical conversation between Agent Mobius (Owen Wilson) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston), as he tries to get a handle on this new reality.

LOKI: Trust is for children and dogs. There’s only one person you can trust.

MOBIUS: Yourself? I like it. Slap it on a T-shirt.

LOKI: If the TVA truly oversees all of time, how have I never heard of you until now?

MOBIUS: ‘Cause you’ve never needed to. You’ve always lived within your set path.

LOKI: I live within whatever path I choose.

MOBIUS: Sure you do. Okay, come have a seat.

Later in the scene, Mobius shows Loki a projector reel of his life, calling it “a sampling of your greatest hits, if I may.” Loki watches the curated scenes: his battle losses against the Avengers, his killing of Agent Phil Coleson, his acts of murder and terror, and his future betrayal of his mother, all through Mobius’s perspective. Loki’s reality cracks, followed in quick succession by denial and rebellion—weak attempts to protect his ego. In truth, what he thought was reality wasn’t, isn’t, and won’t be. Then Mobius hits him with the harsh truth of his life,

MOBIUS: You weren’t born to be king, Loki. You were born to cause pain and suffering and death. That’s how it is, that’s how it was, that’s how it will be. All so that others can achieve their best versions of themselves.

Ouch. A broken Loki returns to the projection room to watch his reel further—future conversations with his parents, Freya and Odin, and his brother, Thor. His perspective and reality are altered by the viewing: He is loved, accepted, and needed. (**Spoiler) Best of all, he does have a glorious purpose through his sacrificial death at the hand of Thanos. After seeing the future, he has a choice: to live out Mobius’s definition of his reality or to change it.

This new perspective shifts everything. Loki spends the rest of the series testing Mobius’s assessment of him and his new reality, fighting off his old self and old point of view. That is reality for us, too. We also have a choice because of Jesus. We are no longer doomed to be who we were, to believe the old reality, or live without hope for a future. By His grace and as we follow the Spirit’s leading to, in Mobius’ words, “achieve our best versions of ourselves.” Consider,

Romans 6:7-20, Paul explains that through Christ we are set free from the law of sin and death and embrace new life. 

Romans 8:1-2, Paul invites us to explore the vibrant freedom found in a life led by the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 15:21-28 Paul reminds us that in Christ all will be made alive, and we become part of God’s redemptive purpose. 

Together, these passages build a biblical foundation for understanding our new reality and identity in Christ. And this is good news.

Join us this edition as we explore what is real, how we can tell, and the importance of a central, physical, undeniable truth: God’s reality is truth. As you reflect on this month’s articles, take a few minutes to notice when you feel most grounded or truly present in reality. Why? What are you basing these feelings or knowings on? Small acts of curiosity and reflection in these moments, in light of God’s version of reality, can move us closer to understanding what is truly real and meaningful in our lives. Happy discovery as you Explore. Engage. Enjoy.

WORKS CITED

1.  “Burdened with Glorious Purpose,” Loki, S 1, E 1. Herron, Kate, aired June 9, 2021, on Disney+.

Resources

We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.

The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.

And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.

Read. Engage. Enjoy!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And like Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join with our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there! 

Hosted by Mia Burke + Keegan Drummond

transcript + notes

In this month’s edition of B+PC we’re looking at deconstruction, questioning + doubts- exploring what it is, why it's so prevalent in the church today, what it looks like for many. We also wanted to take a look at the church’s response to those working through their faith + finally, what are ways that we can serve those working through their questions, doubts in deconstruction? 

In thinking about the topic, I thought this discussion should best be held by millennials, numerically the largest demographic, + most open about their faith journeys in + through deconstruction, inviting those in active ministry to other millennials.

I’ve invited a few friends …

Philip Oswald 

Drew Witt

Cameron Cortez

David Collins

Welcome and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to be here with us today.

3:15  Where are we in church history? Intro Phyllis Tickle’s 500 Year Rummage Sale theory. What are we seeing in the Church? Why are we seeing it?

Are we as an American culture, looking for the Jesus worth dying for that we’re seeing in the persecuted church?

18:30  Silence (2016) Martin Scorscese film on Japan’s Christianity trailer

Have we been inoculated against the real Jesus? When He actually shows up, do we sometimes 

24:40  How are we (as a church) responding? How are you responding (individually in ministry)?

39:00  What does discipleship look like?

48:30 What does the Church offer non-Christitans or incentive for those deconstructing to return?

52:44  The Gospel Comes with a House Key Rosaria Butterfield

58:00  For those deconstructing

Jude 1:22- Be merciful to those who doubt.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And as Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there! 

transcript + notes

Welcome to the Bible + Pop Culture’s podcast. In this month’s edition, we’re exploring questions of faith, specifically doubt + deconstruction. To help ground this month’s topic, I felt it would be helpful to paint some broad strokes around what we mean by deconstruction in very loose terms to try to give us a framework for discussion, an attempt to understand what we’re seeing in North American Evangelicalism today.

Today, I’ve invited my friend, Pastor Mark Stinton, to talk through some of these broader strokes of faith formation, growth, + some of our observations about wrestling with the deeper aspects of our faith. 

Mark is a graduate of Trinity Western University in Canada; with a BA in Psychology and Sociology as well as holds a certificate in Human Services. He earned a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry from Pacific Rim University in Hawaii.

He passionately serves as Associate/Youth + Young Adult Pastor at New Hope Kailua. Mark also serves as a faculty member at Pacific Rim teaching Missions + Doctrine. 

Welcome and thank you for being here with us today. So first, let’s try to build a framework to give an anchoring point to what we’re talking about today- questions, doubt, + deconstructing one’s faith. 

Deconstruction is an approach to understanding the relationship between text + meaning. It was originated by philosopher Jacques Derrida + later Michel Foucault emphasized appearance, suggesting that essence is to be found in appearance.

Deconstruction argues that language, especially ideal concepts such as truth + justice, is irreducibly complex, unstable, or impossible to determine. Many debates in philosophy + many other disciplines. Since the 1980s, it has inspired a range of theoretical enterprises in the humanities + religion.

Barna Study

4:51 What is Being Deconstructed within American Christianity?

• Certain Doctrines

• Modern Systems/Methods of Church

• Political affiliations  

• Western Cultural Biases

The Next Evangelicalism: Freeing the Church from Western Cultural Captivity Dr. Soong-Cha Ra

6:55 Why are Many Millennials Deconstructing?

• Past traumas from church or hurtful doctrines 

• Inconsistent orthodoxy + orthopraxy (hypocrisy) 

• Disenfranchised with programs and fake presentations

• Jesus has been misrepresented

• The Gospel/Jesus/the Church being used for political agendas

11:40 Spiritual Issues Involved in Deconstruction

• Processing pain/reconciliation with the church

• Allowing political + cultural values to dictate the direction of our faith

19:10 “Slippery Slope” of doubt + the church’s inability to address it (leads to 

 apostasy) 

• Identity: the Western Gospel doesn’t connect with a growing number of POC in the US

Perpetuated in Righteousness: The Journey of the Hawaiian People From Eden (Kalana i Hauola) to the Present Time by Daniel Kikawa

30:45 Love eclipsed by the “Leaven of Herod/Pharisees” (political/religious spirits) 

35:20 Pursuing truth over pursuing Christ (losing the mind of Christ in the 

process) 

After Doubt: How to Question Your Faith without Losing It By AJ Swoboda

43:13  Church Moving Forward

• Allowing the form of church to change, while holding onto orthodoxy

• Bringing people back to personal, spiritual connection to Jesus 

• Reconsider how we disciple young people with their unique frameworks + struggles

• Open church to new forms + cultural expressions of worship

• Allow space to ask tough questions + live in the nuance of spiritual mysteries

Walking Away from Faith: Unraveling the Mystery of Belief and Unbelief by Ruth Tucker

• Bring intentional community back to the centerfold of the church (as opposed to church “performance” culture)

Additional Resources

Faith Deconstruction

After God's End

How to Deconstruct Your Faith w/Out Losing It

Christians Need a Healthier Approach to Faith Deconstruction

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And like Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join with our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there! 

transcript + notes

1:00 Introductions

Cameron Cortez with a Ministry/Discipleship Perspective.  Cameron is on staff as a Discipleship pastor at a church in Hawaii.  Thinking through how people are being shaped, formed spiritually + emotionally through Social Media + digital means.

Jacki Dorris is a stay at home mom, using SM to connect with other groups related to school + social outlets for her children. She has a military affiliation, connecting with other spouses to network + research new duty stations.

Wes Siler is an Air Force member, graduate student at Harvard Kennedy School, + utilizes social media on a podcast outside of work (The Burkean Conservative).

And I’m Mia Burke, who uses social media professionally to build a business (B+PC) as well as to connect long distance as a military spouse away from family + adult children in the military overseas.

2:20 Summary of the documentary Social Dilemma - Wes Siler

3:11 What’s the Problem? Data Mining + Surveillance Capitalism

5:30 Why is it a problem for us?

Mia- leashed to device for job + my inability to think fully.

Wes- The FB response

Cam- Lack of boundaries with the work hours of ministry, family life, + play.

Jacki- The problem is that SM is addicting + we lose track of how much time + energy we give to it. It drives a much deeper addiction in comparison + idolatry that we are often unaware of. 

12:45  Most Interesting Concepts from the Documentary

Mia- tool vs. digital pacifier, “if you aren’t paying for a product, you are the product” + control of what is truth.

Cam--echo chambers feeding you more + more content of your preference + interests.  Digital addiction.  A self soothing + coping mechanism.  Unable to be in social settings without a device.  Social interactions on a low--Gen Z + sex?

15:12 Google Ad Settings

Fun little way to see how Google is targeting you for ads

Wes- Truth- where do we get it? Do we let someone else define the parameters? Commandeering tech for our own purposes. Reactive or responsive?

Jacki- In the documentary highlights the dramatic effect on our mental health, depression/suicide among teenagers is at an all-time high.

28:05 Summary of John Mark Comber’s “Unhurrying” and “Digital Asceticism” - Cameron

Bridgetown Sermon: “The Case for Digital Asceticism”

“Unhurrying with a Rule of Life: A Digital Rule of Life”

What we give our attention to.

What is forming us?

Rule of Life

Trellis helps a vine be more fruitful

Abiding in the Vine

Allowing us to produce fruit

31:50 Putting Into Practice

Mia- My attention span + inability to concentrate + think well. Feeling like my device has become a leash.

Cam- “Nothing good happens online after 8pm”. Boundaries at home with screens regarding work, entertainment + being attentive + present with my wife.  Social Media posts, judging people based on what they post + affecting my relationships with them.

Wes- Don’t see it that way. Why + for what purpose? Consumption- that is the problem. If we’re partaking but have a boundary is a reactive mode. How can we build or modify them to serve us? Kat’s Bible Study messaging to leaders' examples. 

Jacki- Validation- birthday example. Setting boundaries based on convictions. 

43:12 How shall we live?

Mia- The documentary ends with the good intentions started with. But had no response to the fact that we can’t save ourselves. Human nature will always mess it up nor can we save ourselves.

Cam- Recognizing that God can redeem anything. Christians/church should be redeeming social media + tech to further the Kingdom. 

Wes- The doc left us in a down/esoteric place….Christians need to be leaders.

Jacki- Step away during seasons, re-evaluate its toll on us + respect it for what it is. 

Resources

Q Summit: “How Should Christians Approach Social Media?”

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And like Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join with our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there! 

by Yuzuri Nagai

Maybe I should stop trying to keep my head above water but sink instead.

And see if I’m capable of experiencing the deepest blue.

I might not make it. 

I might not live through. 

The unknown might eat me up.

But at this point, I’ll rather die in blue than get on another makeshift boat, pretend to play and never truly live for once.

Born and raised in the Christian community, I’ve gone through ups and downs in my spiritual walk, mild rebellions, small crises here and there, yet a familiar boat that I called “my safe place” has always been there to navigate me through the waves of doubts and struggles of life. The boat was my shelter where I’d feel accepted, nurtured, and understood in the arms of loving God.

Yet things felt different this time. 

The boat was falling apart. It was a matter of time, and I knew I had to quickly decide what to do. I had not yet found a way to survive, but it seemed as if the only choice left for me was to let go of the boat. 

So I did.

I jumped into the vast blue ocean.

No life jacket, 

No lifebuoy,

No nothing.

Just me and the vast blue ocean. 

You say God is real? 

Then show me where He is. 

You say He is love? 

Then give me an answer to this living hell. 

You say He is full of grace? 

Then explain how. 

I know. 

You’re all keeping yourselves busy pretend playing, aren’t you? 

And deep beneath, there is nothing. 

But you just choose not to see.

You say you pray for me, 

But you are stepping on my wounds.

I don’t want to hear you babble anymore.

I’m desperate for a real answer.

I told you I’m running out of time. 

I’m drowning.

Faceless God, who once called me to live,

If you are still out there, take me to the depth where no one has ever been.

Let me sink into the deepest blue, for I have already died and have nothing to lose.

Join us for a conversation. To meet the poet + artist we’ve included this month’s Coffee w/B+PC featuring Yuzuri Nagai exploring reconnecting to God through the ancient Japanese art of fabric dyeing during a period of deconstruction.

To see more of Yuzuri’s work, please visit

journeyingintoblue.com

Resources

We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.

The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.

And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.

Read. Engage. Enjoy!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And like Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join with our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there! 

Transcript below

Where did your musical journey begin?

So, my first introduction to actually performing and getting involved with music was through a church community called More Than 12. That’s where I started to rap. That was actually my first time really, rapping in front of people and mostly free styling. They gave me opportunities to perform and lead worship and it was actually through the spontaneous times of worship that I was able to freestyle and really just begin to get creative. Through that, that opened up a huge door for me to really explore some of the gifts God gave me, and really tap into my creative side. I never knew that I would be involved with music in any way and that was just never something I had in my upbringing. So this was really a life changing experience to really see that God called me to use my gift -and even bring it outside of the church.

What’s one passion you have, apart from music?

So this is a passion that’s kind of developed over time- and that has just been to really love and appreciate animals. I’ve owned maybe a cat growing up- and a hamster. I had a hamster and his name is Fidget, my friend named him. And that, those were really my only pets I had growing up. It wasn’t really till I got married that my wife and I really started to connect more with animals. And it's more so because her career path took her down a very veterinary road, she became a veterinary technician. Ever since then, we’ve always been surrounded by animals and we eventually ended up rescuing three of them. We own two cats we rescued, found them in a construction warehouse, and we rescued one dog from Texas. Their names are Finn, Sloan, and Luca and we love them very much and it’s through this whole experience of just being involved with animals- owning them, rescuing them, my wife working with them- that I’ve personally really become attached to them and I’ve learned to just appreciate them. And you know it’s God’s creations, as companions, and friends. You know it’s an amazing thing to really be able to bond with them.

Have you always been a creative?

As I mentioned before I’ve always had a creative upbringing. I love the fine arts, I love projects where I got to color and create, cut out magazines and high school. I’ve always loved them and always just excelled in arts all the time. And it was not until when I actually met this guy in high school, he’s one of my best friends, his name is Dario, we started playing these games on private servers. Playing World of Warcraft with my Guns Online- that I’ve Gun Abound, I don’t even know if you know any of those games, but we just like hosting this online game and we created this community and it was through that I learned to design logos and banners. I made theme music for everything. Everything that I had to do with the design of the website and the game was something that really, really intrigued me. That’s kind of where I learned all my skills to create. It was from there that I’ve been able to apply that stuff to my music- cover art, when I make promo material, marketing material, it’s just always been something I love and it’s just an amazing thing to have that hands-on connection with a craft that way. 

So another thing I really enjoyed is when I lived with my grandparents and my grandma is a painter/sculptor she’s just an all-around very creative person. So I really feel like a lot of that was passed on to me especially when I went to school, she really was kind of teaching me how to excel in watercolors and in painting, then when I had his project we just kind of went over and above. It was really making me take my projects to the next level. So that was just something I’ve always been on. It's just having a creative attitude towards life in general so I just love to create and that’s something I’ll always do and I can showcase through my music.

Anything else you want us to know?

One last thing that ties into the creative aspect has just been doing funny impressions. And you guys have seen some of them already. And I know you’ve laughed at them. In my past, I would do all these funny accents. In high school I had all of these friends from Philippino, East Indian, Chinese- and you know we joked around in those days. And they would get me to imitate them, teach me words in their language, and just kind of throughout life I’ve always had a desire to just kind of imitate cartoon characters and funny things and funny lines from movies. And you guys see how I post some of them. So those are one of my great passions is just doing impersonations, impressions. Ultimately my goal is just to really make people laugh, I love when somebody laughs and I love when I can get a good reaction out of them too. So yeah, those are really some of the things that I love to involve myself with and keep the creative fire going inside of me and I hope ultimately that you just learned a bit more about me and some of the things that I love. So bless you guys and have an amazing day.

Resources

We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.

The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.

And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.

Read. Engage. Enjoy!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And like Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join with our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there!