The Far Side of Faith

Simon and Darian take a deep dive into Genesis, Chapter 10. which begins another rhythmical Toledoth Progression. There is a lot of meaning and symbolism in the names here and a ton of geography so we are splitting this up into two parts. Drawing from biblical scholarship in the areas of linguistics, history, anthropology, geography and ancient Near Eastern context, Simon and Darian explore what this portion of the Bible likely meant to its original audience and how those meanings have evolved over time.

Simon and Darian take a deep dive into Genesis, Chapter 9. which covers the post flood world and Noah and the new convenant. Drawing from biblical scholarship, history, anthropology, geography and ancient Near Eastern context, they explore what this portion of the Bible likely meant to its original audience and how those meanings have evolved over time.

Simon and Darian take a deep dive into the last part of the Flood Story. Drawing from biblical scholarship, history, anthropology, geography and ancient Near Eastern context, they explore what this portion of the Flood Story likely meant to its original audience and how those meanings have evolved over time.

Simon and Darian take a deep dive into Part 1 of the Flood Story. Drawing from biblical scholarship, history, anthropology, geography and ancient Near Eastern context, they explore what this portion of the Flood Story likely meant to its original audience and how those meanings have evolved over time.

Simon and Darian take a deep dive into the first part of Genesis which covers Noah and the pre-flood story. Drawing from biblical scholarship, history, anthropology, geography and ancient Near Eastern context, they explore what this portion of Genesis likely meant to its original audience and how those meanings have evolved over time.

Simon and Darian take a deep dive into Genesis 5 which covers The generations of Adam. Drawing from biblical scholarship, history, anthropology, and ancient Near Eastern context, they explore what Genesis 5 likely meant to its original audience and how those meanings have evolved over time.

Simon and Darian take a deep dive into Genesis 4 which covers the story of Cain and Abel. Drawing from biblical scholarship, history, anthropology, and ancient Near Eastern context, they explore what Genesis 4 likely meant to its original audience and how those meanings have evolved over time.

In this episode of The Far Side of Faith, Simon and Darian begin a different kind of Bible study voyage...the kind they both wish they had growing up.Together, Simon and Darian take a deep dive into the Garden of Eden, not to defend a doctrine or push an agenda, but to understand the text on its own terms. Drawing from biblical scholarship, history, anthropology, and ancient Near Eastern context, they explore what Genesis 2–3 likely meant to its original audience and how those meanings have evolved over time.This episode also marks the beginning of a larger project. Using this same open-minded, scholarly, and historically grounded approach, we’ll be working our way through every book of the Bible, one text at a time, creating the kind of Bible study that invites deeper thinking, honest questions, and a more mature faith.

The boys continue to check out the Book of Mormon and this time they dive into Nephi. The fellas also discuss commandments vs. outcomes and ponder if people focus more on the commandments of relgious texts or the outcomes. Buckle up and get ready to study and learn with Simon and Darian!

Simon and Darian take a deep dive into The Doctrines and Covenents to discuss everything after verse 50. And well...its all about polygamy and really...what could go wrong?

In part 2 of this triology, the guys break down several areas of Christian scripture where accuracy is highly questionable and flat out wrong. The guys also discuss the charismatic qualities of leaders as a part of why accuracy of information may not be important in religion.

In today's epsiode Simon and Darian discuss why accuracy of information may be important to them in their study of faith, but why it may not be important to others in their faith journey.

In this episode, the guys discuss a very big topic within religion, which is prayer. They tackle questions such as what is the science behind prayer neurologically, psychologically and socially? Does prayer like intercessory prayer actually work? Darian and Simon tackle these questions with open arms and also discuss why wrestling with faith is one of the most important parts of your spirtiual experience.

Just as the title says...would Jesus be welcome in churches today? Simon and Darian take a deep dive into this topic and discuss the teachings of Jesus and how this might be in conflict with various denominations of churches across the US. What do you think?

In part two of this conversation, Dr. Darian Parker and Simon explore the complex relationship between slavery and religion, particularly focusing on the Bible's stance on slavery. They discuss the multiple traditions of the Bible, the authorship and context of biblical texts, and the implications of Jordan Peterson's interpretations. The conversation also delves into the power dynamics present in religious narratives, the future of organized religion, and the radical teachings of Jesus, emphasizing the importance of altruism and skepticism in understanding faith.TakeawaysThe Bible's stance on slavery is complex and often contradictory.Different traditions interpret the Bible in various ways, affecting their views on slavery.Jordan Peterson's interpretations of the Bible can be seen as misleading.The Exodus story is often misinterpreted as anti-slavery, despite its context.Religious narratives often reflect power dynamics rather than pure moral teachings.Skepticism is a valuable approach to understanding religious texts and teachings.Altruism should be a core principle in religious practice, as exemplified by Jesus.The future of organized religion may involve decentralization and personalization.Understanding the historical context of biblical stories is crucial for interpretation.Religious institutions often prioritize financial stability over altruistic actions.Chapters01:33 Exploring Slavery and Religion05:11 Traditions of the Bible10:05 The Role of Authors in the Bible14:47 Jordan Peterson's Perspective on the Bible19:40 The Exodus Story and Its Implications24:12 God's Power and the Message of Exodus26:08 The Plagues and Pharaoh's Resistance27:54 Israel's Historical Grudge Against Egypt30:03 Myth, Legend, and Historical Context31:47 Complexity of Biblical Interpretation33:05 Absurdity in Religious Narratives36:53 The Nature of God's Plan42:12 Human Sacrifice and Biblical Morality47:55 Prophecy and Free Will48:02 The Complexity of Faith and Skepticism51:01 Jesus and the Call to Care for the Less Fortunate54:07 Embracing the Absurdity of Life56:04 The Power Dynamics in Religion01:01:10 The Future of Organized Religion01:05:25 Financial Ethics in Religious Institutions

In this episode Simon and Darian discuss religious texts and how racism and slavery are viewed and discussed in various readings. Why isn't this talked about more in churches and in general spiritual discussions? The guys take a deep dive to explore more about this topic.

Simon and Darian study whether God can be both good and evil based on study from the bible. They guys dive into scripture from Genesis, Isaiah and more to provide context to this idea. In the end it is all about what you believe based on what is actually in the bible. Join us to learn and grow!

What happened during the lost years of Jesus. You know, all the times between his birth, him being around 12/13 and then reappearing around age 29? Simon and I discuss what may have been happening in the in between times and create a different take about the self-actualized Jesus and the wonderful similarities of Jesus' teaching to Buddhism.

The greatest commandment is Love God and Love Your Neighbor as You Would Love Yourself. However, how can you love your neighbor as you would love yourself if you don't love yourself? It is just a question to ponder and in this episode Simon and I discuss this and some ways we can begin to love ourselves so that we can be better equipped to strive towards this really beautiful principle.

Simon and Darian discuss the many flaws and reasons why taking the Bible literally is not a great idea. Check out as we dive deep into this topic and break open some scripture to gain a better insight into the historical, anthropological and archeological aspects of the Bible.

What has been your experience with Baptism? If you spend time researching Baptism, it is certainly much more nuanced and different than what is presented in most churches. Check out repentance and Baptism have been linked together and the differing ideas and traditions about Baptism throughout time. Let's go!

What is a biblical marriage? Well according to the Bible, its probably not what you think it is. Listen as Simon and Darian break down the various definitions of biblical marriage. Here's a hint...there are several meanings and probably all of them you don't want to be a part of! Also, Simon asks a really interesting question based on the context and translation of Matthew 19. Was Jesus a....listen in to hear what Simon asks on The Far Side of Faith!

In this episode Simon and Darian discuss why tithing is rarely discussed in spiritual based podcasts. Also, Simon does a deep dive into the biblical scripture about tithing. Very surprising!

In this inaugural episode of the The Far Side of Faith, hosts, Simon Milliman and Darian Parker, discuss how Jesus wasn't an influencer as we think of in today's terms, but become one of the most important people in history. The guys also discuss why it is so important to be wrong and admit it. They also discuss their definitions of faith and ponder the current significance of tithing. Simon Milliman www.urbanjackproductions.com Darian Parker www.doctordarianparker.com