{"podcast":{"title":"The Bad Roman: Christian Politics for Modern Times","slug":"the-bad-roman-christian-politics-for-modern-times-1217940","podcast_index_feed_id":1217940,"rss_url":"https://feed.podbean.com/thebadroman/feed.xml","website_url":"https://www.thebadroman.com","image_url":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/7566994/BR_podcast_logo.jpg","author":"Craig Harguess","episode_count":166,"summary":"Feeling caught in the crossfire of your Christian beliefs and the political turmoil around you? If the clash between your faith and the pressures of national loyalty has left you questioning where you stand, The Bad Roman is here to explore these very issues with you. Craig Harguess, once a neoconservative, now leads this engaging series, drawing from his own journey to understanding that being true to Christ often means challenging the expectations of the state. At the heart of ”The Bad Roman Project” is the provocative idea that ”sometimes to be a good Christian means to be a bad Roman.” This concept isn’t about defiance for its own sake (the mol tov cocktail version of anarchy) but emphasizes that our primary allegiance is to Christ’s teachings, which can sometimes put us at odds with worldly powers. It’s a call to prioritize our heavenly citizenship over earthly political ties, embodying the principle of ”No King but Christ.” This phrase underlines the choice to follow Jesus’s example of love, service, and justice, rather than aligning with the ambitions of worldly leaders within a state-bound system. This podcast offers a platform for those who feel the tension between their…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-09T20:22:21.694180+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bad-roman-christian-politics-for-modern-times-1217940"},"episode":{"title":"Freemasonry vs. Christianity: Hidden Altars of Government with Scipio Eruditus","slug":"freemasonry-vs-christianity-hidden-altars-of-government-with-scipio-eruditus","published_at":"2026-03-26T18:30:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bad-roman-christian-politics-for-modern-times-1217940/freemasonry-vs-christianity-hidden-altars-of-government-with-scipio-eruditus","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bad-roman-christian-politics-for-modern-times-1217940","url":"https://thebadroman.podbean.com/e/freemasonry-vs-christianity-hidden-altars-of-government-with-scipio-eruditus/","audio_url":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/8rn7ezxfi3qbb4bs/BR157.mp3","summary":"Not everything that competes with Jesus looks dark at first. Sometimes it looks polished, powerful, and close enough to the truth that people stop asking questions. In this episode, Craig and Scipio Eruditus explore Freemasonry, Christianity, and government, tracing both the bigger history and Scipio’s personal path from Afghanistan war veteran to active critic of the powers he once believed were worth defending. What unfolds is a conversation about secrecy, loyalty, and whether followers of Jesus are being formed by Christ or by a world that teaches us to trust what happens behind closed doors. They Explore: government and spiritual formation Freemasonry: secrecy, symbols, and hidden loyalty why power feels safer than trust the Christian pull toward influence truth in the open vs control in the dark allegiance to Jesus above every system 📖 For Full Show Notes: thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-157 🤝Connect with Scipio: Substack: Dispatches from Reality YouTube: Dispatches From Reality @ScipioEruditus Podcast: Dispatches from Reality - Narrated (Spotify and Apple Podcasts) Listen & Reflect Listen: Listen for how early the episode contrasts the way of Jesus with systems built on secrecy, influence, and protected power. That contrast carries the whole conversation. Reflect: Where have we learned to trust what feels strong, connected, and in control more than what is honest, open, and faithful? Where have hidden loyalties shaped us without our noticing? Read: Read John 3:19–21, Matthew 5:14–16, Matthew 23:27–28, and 2 Corinthians 4:2. Sit with the difference between what lives in the light and what depends on the dark. Practice: This week, before defending any leader, movement, institution, or system, ask one question: Is this teaching me to walk in the light with Je…","meta_description":"Not everything that competes with Jesus looks dark at first. Sometimes it looks polished, powerful, and close enough to the truth that people stop asking…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":4526,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-bad-roman-christian-politics-for-modern-times-1217940/episodes/freemasonry-vs-christianity-hidden-altars-of-government-with-scipio-eruditus/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bad-roman-christian-politics-for-modern-times-1217940/freemasonry-vs-christianity-hidden-altars-of-government-with-scipio-eruditus.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}