{"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":"Iranian Christians, ICE Raids, and the Cost of Following Jesus with Ara Torosian","slug":"iranian-christians-ice-raids-and-the-cost-of-following-jesus-with-ara-torosian","published_at":"2026-06-04T18:30:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bad-roman-christian-politics-for-modern-times-1217940/iranian-christians-ice-raids-and-the-cost-of-following-jesus-with-ara-torosian","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bad-roman-christian-politics-for-modern-times-1217940","url":"https://thebadroman.podbean.com/e/iranian-christians-ice-raids-and-the-cost-of-following-jesus-with-ara-torosian/","audio_url":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/gw84bnk87zba6fyd/BR162.mp3","summary":"What does it mean to follow Jesus when governments demand your allegiance, your silence, or your fear? In this episode of The Bad Roman Project, Craig sits down with Ara Torosian, an Iranian-born Armenian pastor who grew up under the Islamic Republic of Iran, served in the underground church, and now pastors Iranian Christians in Los Angeles. Ara shares his journey from reading the Bible in Farsi as a teenager to smuggling Bibles, enduring house arrest, and witnessing the explosive growth of Christianity in Iran. He explains why many Western Christians misunderstand both Iran and the Iranian people, and why the underground church continues to thrive despite decades of persecution. The conversation also turns to the present. Ara discusses Iranian Christian asylum seekers detained by ICE, the challenges facing refugees fleeing persecution, and the responsibility Christians have to speak for those who have no voice. Along the way, Craig and Ara wrestle with difficult questions about war, government power, national loyalty, and what it means to follow Jesus when political solutions seem inadequate. At the heart of the discussion is a reminder that the Christian's ultimate citizenship is not found in America, Iran, or any earthly nation, but in the Kingdom of God. “I'm proud US citizen, but most important, I'm a heaven citizen.” — Ara Torosian Whether discussing persecution abroad or immigration policy at home, this episode calls listeners back to a simple but challenging truth: Jesus is King. Highlights & Takeaways The underground church in Iran continues to grow despite severe persecution. Iranian people should not be confused with the Iranian regime. Following Jesus often comes with a cost that Western Christians rarely consider. Christians are called to show mercy b…","meta_description":"What does it mean to follow Jesus when governments demand your allegiance, your silence, or your fear? In this episode of The Bad Roman Project, Craig sit…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":4180,"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/iranian-christians-ice-raids-and-the-cost-of-following-jesus-with-ara-torosian/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/iranian-christians-ice-raids-and-the-cost-of-following-jesus-with-ara-torosian.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}