The Bad Roman: Christian Politics for Modern Times

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 🤝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 Jesus, or to trust the kind of power that protects itself behind closed doors?   Key Moments: (0:00) Opening the question: Freemasonry, Christianity, and the state (1:15) Meeting Scipio Eruditus (2:12) War, patriotism, and the breaking of trust (5:16) Fraternities as a gateway into deeper questions (6:43) The initiation experience that shook him (8:28) Freemasonry and the making of the modern world (9:24) Patriotism losing its innocence (10:14) The “mystery” question (11:05) Secret societies and conspiracy against church and state (12:26) Ancient religion, Babylon, and Egypt (13:32) The unfinished pyramid and “the great work” (14:25) The oldest heresy returns Genesis 3  (18:04) Lower ranks, hidden knowledge, and the shield of charity (29:01) Why such a small group carries so much influence (30:30) The Morgan Affair (31:46) Political dominion and suppression of scandal (49:09) Symbols on the currency (50:39) Allegiance, Lucifer, and false light (53:17) “Further light in masonry” (58:58) Is Freemasonry still driving government today? (59:17) Can Christians make government righteous? (1:12:20) Where to find Scipio’s work   Support the Show 💕 Want more episodes that keep our loyalty with Jesus, not power? 💕 Support the show at thebadroman.com/donate. Every gift helps, and everything beyond production costs goes to local charities in Memphis, Tennessee. 🌶️ SALSA THE LOVE 🌶️ Want to support the project in a tastier way? Grab Bad Roman Salsa at badromansalsa.com. Every jar helps fund more No King but Christ conversations and keeps this work independent. Want to support the project another way? Share this episode with a friend and ask: Am I trusting the open way of Jesus, or am I still drawn to the kind of power that hides behind closed doors?

What if the freedom we defend is really just control in disguise? In this episode, Craig and Cal Robbins dig into rightful liberty, the idea that true freedom comes from God and must honor the equal rights of others. From Thomas Jefferson to Galatians 5, they explore the difference between liberty and license, why legal does not always mean moral, and what it means to say No King but Christ in a world shaped by fear, borders, voting, and state power. This is a sharp, Christ-centered conversation about free will, neighbor love, and the lies we tell when we trust Caesar more than Jesus. In this episode: Rightful liberty and the equal rights of others Freedom, free will, and the teachings of Jesus Why legal does not always mean moral Slavery, immigration, voting, and Christian witness “Render unto Caesar” and what belongs to God alone   📖 For Full Show Notes: thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-156 Connect with Cal Robbins Republic Broadcasting Michael Gaddy’s Substack Listen & Reflect Listen for how early the episode defines rightful liberty. Everything else builds from that one distinction. Reflect: Where do we call something freedom when we really mean control? Where do we demand rights for ourselves that we deny to others? Read: Galatians 5:1, Matthew 22:15–22, and 1 Samuel 8. Then hold them next to Jefferson’s definition of rightful liberty and sit with the tension. Practice: Before you defend any law, policy, border, or political habit this week, ask one question: does this honor the equal rights of others, or violate them?   Key Moments & Starting Points: 0:00 Rightful Liberty 1:04 Safety Over Freedom 2:20 Cal’s Liberty Journey 3:45 Jefferson’s Definition 6:21 Equal Rights Of Others 8:24 Freedom Vs. Liberty 9:27 Sympathy And Empathy 11:12 Rightful Liberty And Christ 12:50 Freedom In Christ 14:20 Slavery And Immigration 15:12 Rejecting God’s Gift 16:45 Image Of God 17:30 Slavery Never Really Left 18:25 Voting And Coercion 20:00 Render Unto Caesar 22:45 War And Repentance 24:07 Unconditional Love 25:15 Broken Christian Witness 27:20 One Human Family 30:24 The Golden Rule 31:30 Rendering To Caesar What Is God’s 34:00 Jesus Rejected The Kingdoms 35:30 Why The World Rejects Us 37:15 Hate Cannot Heal 41:20 No King But Christ 43:00 Asking For A King 44:05 What Jesus Never Did 45:30 The Temptation Of Power 47:00 Rights Come From God 49:45 Proper Exercise Of Liberty 53:45 Don’t Hurt People 54:57 The Full Jefferson Quote 56:30 Patrick Henry and the Anti-Federalists 57:42 Forensic History 58:40Learn The Real History   🔗 Ways to Get Involved in the Project 🔗 Blog submissions: thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog Connect with us on social: thebadroman.com/social-links Want to get more involved? Request to join the private discussion group on Facebook (Bad Romans Only!!) Explore the No King but Christ Network: nokingbutchristnetwork.com

Paul Lazzaroni, pastor and writer behind Crossing Cornerstone, explores discipleship, kingdom thinking, and separation from state power. He discusses the Barabbas mindset and our appetite for a strongman savior. Conversation touches on Christian nationalism, wilderness formation, modern Babylon, and living No King but Christ as a way of life.

Bob Murphy, an Austrian-school economist and author of Chaos Theory, explores whether law, safety, and social order could arise without rulers. He discusses voluntary contracts, insurance, reputation, competing courts and security firms. They probe fear, Christian discipleship, consent versus coercion, and what social order would look like if no one had a special license to use force.

Are we wrapping the cross in a flag? How far can party and country go before our Christianity must say “stop”? Craig sits down with April Ajoy, author of Star-Spangled Jesus and co-host of The Tim and April Show, to talk about growing up inside Christian nationalism and learning to follow Jesus instead of the party line. The point is not to chase outrage, but to measure all power by the words of Jesus. God first, always. They cover flags in church, fear-based politics, and the quiet shift from “this is my conviction” to “the state should enforce my conviction.” Craig urges us to stop outsourcing love to Caesar and get back to simple, neighbor-first faith that looks like the Sermon on the Mount. If you feel the tug between cross and country, this conversation gives language, laughter, and a clean path forward, to put Jesus over team, platform, and flag. Their conversation digs into: How “good Christians” get discipled by politics without noticing Flags in the sanctuary and what symbols preach Humor as healing: naming the “Jesus juke” Propaganda, fear, and why panic feels like faith Coercion vs. consent: the Kingdom’s way of love Threads vs. tables: why face-to-face changes hearts A simple test for allegiance: cross over party, Jesus over nation 🤝Connect with April Ajoy: Get the book: Star-Spangled Jesus: Leaving Christian Nationalism and Finding A True Faith Listen to the Book on Spotify like Craig did! LinkTree Instagram: @aprilajoy Facebook: April Ajoy X (Twitter): @aprilajoyr TikTok: @aprilajoy Podcast: The Tim and April Show, YouTube, Instagram, Apple Podcast, Spotify Try This Week: an enemy by name; refuse to excuse violence because “it’s my side”; choose presence over outrage.   📖 For Full Show Notes:www.thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-153   Key Moments: (00:00) Waking up from Christian nationalism (01:04) Finding April’s work (02:18) “Good Christians” and blind spots (03:25) April’s current projects (10:31) Threads vs. tables (12:48) Flags in the sanctuary (15:05) The “Jesus juke” (18:22) Fear and propaganda (26:10) From conviction to control (30:44) Stop outsourcing love to Caesar (45:50) Where to find April (52:12) No King but Christ   💕 Want more episodes that keep loyalty with Jesus, not politics?💕 Donate at thebadroman.com/donate. Anything helps, and everything past production costs goes to local charities in Memphis, TN. 🌶️ SALSA THE LOVE🌶️  Prefer tasty support? Grab Bad Roman Salsa at badromansalsa.com. Every jar fuels more mercy-forward conversations. FREE: Share & Start a Conversation Send this episode to a friend and ask: Is my public faith wrapped in a flag? Where can I trade outrage for presence this week? Listen first. Love well. No King but Christ.   🔗 Ways to Get Involved in the Project 🔗 Blog submissions: thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog Connect with us on social: thebadroman.com/social-links Want to get more involved? Request to join the private discussion group on Facebook (Bad Romans Only!!) Explore the No King but Christ Network: nokingbutchristnetwork.com

Was the shooting of Renee Nicole Good murder or self-defense? We use this case as a clear, real-world test of state power. Craig and Larken Rose ask how far a badge can go before our Christianity must say “stop.” The point is not to chase outrage, but to measure authority by the words of Jesus. God first, always. You’ll hear a step-by-step look at the key moments on video, why the second and third shots matter most, what “watch his feet” reveals, why a doctor was turned away, and how “Have you not learned?” exposes a culture of fear. We connect those details to why people defend obvious wrongs, how training can overpower conscience, and a simple, repeatable test for Christians: one moral standard for everyone, no special pass for uniforms, God over government. Listen to get a clean framework you can use the next time the state uses force. You will leave with plain language, Scripture touchpoints, and the courage to put God first when the badge and the Bible collide.  🤝Connect with Larken ROSE: The Jones Plantation Film Platforms: Available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Tubi, Xmou Play, The Roku Channel, PLEX  The Rose Channel Book: The Most Dangerous Superstition  YouTube Candles in the Dark Facebook Try this week: serve one neighbor; tell the truth with kindness; pray for an enemy by name; refuse to excuse violence because “it’s my side”; choose presence over outrage. Their conversation digs into: Self-defense vs. murder in real time “Badges don’t make new morals” ethics for Christians Milgram’s obedience study and authority conditioning Romans 12 before Romans 13; one standard for all “Have you not learned?”—coercion and fear tactics Video cues: position, feet, proportionality, imminence Why many Christians defend state violence (and how to stop) 📖 For Full Show Notes:www.thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-152 Key Moments: (0:00) Framing the question: murder or self-defense? Larkin returns for “Swearing Sunday.” Christian allegiance vs. state power. (0:41) Banter and burden: the week’s exhaustion and why it still matters to speak. (1:26) Why people cheer evil: authority myths and plantation logic. (3:40) When evil shows itself, some finally wake up. (7:01) COVID parallels: neighbors revealed their true loyalties. (10:00) Badges and gangs: why morality cannot change with uniforms. (13:00) Craig’s Memphis test: you won’t stop to check a badge when guns are in your face. First agent opens the door; second moves in front of the car. (14:17) “That was murder.” Why shots two and three indict the shooter. (16:20) The physician they turned away; the shooter who fled. (17:40) “Few bad apples?” Where are the good apples denouncing murder. (20:00) “Have you not learned?” Obedience by threat is not freedom. (21:15) Milgram: training vs. conscience and why people excuse murder. (24:13) No other gods: when Christians side with Caesar over Christ. (33:34) “Was it murder?” clarified. (34:29) Watch his feet. (41:17) Tactics vs. morals: unwise choices don’t justify cages or bullets. (47:17) Bootlicking theology called out. (55:55) Constitutional limits & ICE. (1:06:56) Prosecution theater. (1:10:04) Signs of moral progress. (1:12:37) Keep saying stuff + outro. 💕 Want more episodes that keep loyalty with Jesus, not politics? Donate at thebadroman.com/donate. Anything helps, and everything past production costs goes to local charities in Memphis, TN. 🌶️ SALSA THE LOVE Prefer tasty support? Grab Bad Roman Salsa at badromansalsa.com. Every jar fuels more mercy-forward conversations. FREE: Share & Start a Conversation Send this episode to a friend and ask: Does my public faith look like help or hype? Where can I trade outrage for presence this week? Who could I serve quietly—by name—today? Listen first. Love well. No King but Christ. 🔗 Stay Plugged into the Project 🔗 Blog submissions: thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog Connect with us on social: thebadroman.com/social-links Want to get more involved? Request to join the private discussion group on Facebook (Bad Romans Only!!) No King but Christ Network: nokingbutchristnetwork.com  

Judge faith by the neighbor who gets help, not the hype of our politics. Episcopal deacon Gerri Endicott shows how preaching turns into rides, meals, and quiet care. She explains why she leads with “I follow Jesus,” a simple line that lowers walls and points to a Person, not a brand. Judge faith by the neighbor who gets help, not the volume of our politics.  Craig and Gerri test faith by its fruit. They sort out what happens when Christianity gets pulled into national politics. Gratitude for a country is good; loyalty belongs to Jesus. Gerri also names a pre-Advent practice from her church’s calendar that helps her community rehearse that loyalty (Christ the King). Not every church observes it, but the posture fits anywhere. Try this week: serve one neighbor, tell the truth with kindness, pray for an enemy by name, choose presence over outrage. If you want a public faith that looks like Jesus, start here. Their conversation digs into: What a deacon does: service over stage, church facing outward. “I follow Jesus” language that lowers walls. Christian nationalism vs. the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5–7). Christ the King (her practice): a simple loyalty reset. Nations (peoples) vs. modern countries—why words matter. Presence over outrage: small acts, kept promises, steady love. 📖 For Full Show Notes: https://www.thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-151   Key Moments with Gerri: (00:00) Farmers market hello: How they met (02:00) Memphis roots & call to serve: Gerri’s context (05:49) Scripture & strong women: Big story, not proof texts (06:50) A changed mind: Book + sermon (08:10) Easter’s first witnesses: Why this matters (12:30) “Follower of Jesus:”  Language that lowers walls (13:59) Loyalty & the Sermon on the Mount: Allegiance check (14:29) Taking Scripture seriously: How to read (18:45) Christ the King (her church calendar): A yearly reset (22:11) The big story: Creation to new creation (24:31) Nations vs. countries: Words matter (38:47) No new kings: Craig’s practice (39:56) Sermon preview: How Gerri will name it (46:56) Borders, ICE, neighbor love: Dignity in action (48:00) Stay in touch: What’s next   💕 Want more episodes that keep loyalty with Jesus, not politics?💕Donate to the project at thebadroman.com/donate. Anything helps, and everything past production costs goes to local charities in Memphis, TN. 🌶️ SALSA THE LOVE 🌶️ Prefer tasty support? Grab Bad Roman Salsa at badromansalsa.com. Every jar fuels more mercy-forward conversations. FREE: Share & Start a Conversation Send this episode to a friend and ask: Does my public faith look like help or hype? Where can I trade outrage for presence this week? Who could I serve quietly—by name—today? Listen first. Love well. No King but Christ.   🔗 Stay Plugged into the Project 🔗 Blog submissions: thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog Connect with us on social: thebadroman.com/social-links Want to get more involved? Request to join the private discussion group on Facebook (Bad Romans Only!!) No King but Christ Network: nokingbutchristnetwork.com

Do non-Christians see Jesus, or politics, when they look at us? Tasha Heath doesn’t identify as a Christian but has been around the church her whole life. She also worked inside party politics and saw enough behind-the-scenes behavior to step back. From the outside, her read is simple: basic kindness and steady presence change more than ballots and online fights ever will. Craig and Tasha ask the hard question: how do non-Christians perceive Christians, and is our politics-first posture helping or hurting the gospel? They dig into hypocrisy, homelessness, prisons, and why the church must find a way to look like Jesus, not the state.  They dig into: Optics of church vs. state and public witness. From activism to opting out & local care. Teens, algorithms, and outrage-discipleship. Prisons, plant “crimes,” and decriminalization. Early church imagination vs. modern nationalism. 📖For Full Show Notes: https://www.thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-150   💕 Support the Project 💕 If this convo with Tasha Heath showed how church can mirror the political system—and why kindness matters. Help us make more episodes like this at thebadroman.com/donate. 100% above production goes to Memphis charities. 🌶️ SALSA THE LOVE 🌶️ Prefer tasty support? Grab Bad Roman Salsa at badromansalsa.com. Every jar fuels Jesus-first, neighbor-first stories—Vegas homelessness, mercy over cages, and everyday kindness. FREE: Share & Start a Conversation Send this episode to a friend and ask: Do folks see Jesus or a political brand when they meet us? Do my posts sound like Christ or a pundit? Where could I trade pressure for presence (names, meals, socks, water)? Listen first. Love well. No King but Christ.   🔗 Stay Plugged into the Project 🔗 Blog submissions: thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog Connect with us on social: thebadroman.com/social-links Want to get more involved? Request to join the private discussion group on Facebook (Bad Romans Only!!) No King but Christ Network: nokingbutchristnetwork.com

Craig and Arkansas friend Misty Hubbard trace their journey from “vote harder” conservatism to No King but Christ. They talk about propaganda, “paid patriotism,” online Christian rage, compassion that crosses borders, and why the solution isn’t a better party but a deeper allegiance to Jesus and His Kingdom. How Mike Gaddy shattered Misty’s sense of civic religion, with the haunting question “When have you ever voted yourself more free?”, and what happens when your faith starts sounding more like a campaign ad than the Sermon on the Mount.  In the end, this isn’t a call to find a better party; it’s an invitation to step out of the culture war and into small, local communities where people quietly learn to look, and love, more like Jesus. What’s Inside this Episode: How “vote harder” patriotism discipled them more than Jesus The path Misty took that broke her founding myths and civic religion Propaganda, “paid patriotism,” and how getting back to Jesus expands compassion Online Christian rage vs. everyday kindness at work (and what Jesus has to say about it) Why the solution isn’t apathy, but deeper allegiance to Christ’s Kingdom Power and importance of small, local groups (like Misty’s in Russellville) as quiet deprogramming from empire 🤝Connect with Misty Hubbard: Facebook 📖 For Full Show Notes: thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-149 Key Episode Moments: (00:25) Meet Misty: Arkansas, restaurant, and kindness over hate (01:22) The Chris Ann Hall rally and early constitutional days (12:29) “Good candidates” and the lost cause of electoral politics (14:24) Owning neocon votes and paid patriotism (15:31) “Vote harder” and the salsa break (16:25) The class that wrecked Misty’s civic religion (18:00) When have you ever voted yourself more free? (39:29) None of us were born anarchists (47:40) Compassion that outgrows the flag (52:16) A daily Jesus lesson at work (54:06) Spotfund, “No King but Christ,” and Memphis charities (55:48) “Founded on Christian values?” vs cursing your enemies (57:04) You’re pushing people away from Christianity (58:00) Take it offline: Face-to-face hits different (59:10) The solution: Be more like Jesus (1:04:12) Misty’s local Russellville group (1:06:12) How to connect with Misty (1:08:08) Stepping back from social media and cat memes (1:10:21) Outro 💕 Support the Project 💕 If this conversation with Misty Hubbard about “vote harder” Christianity, civic religion, and untangling patriotism from following Jesus helped you see your own loyalties differently, please consider supporting The Bad Roman Project at thebadroman.com/donate. Your support keeps stories like Misty’s in the feed, calling out flag-wrapped faith, online Christian rage, and party-first discipleship, and keeps pointing people back to No King but Christ. As always, 100% of donations above production costs go to local Memphis charities. 🌶️ SALSA THE LOVE 🌶️ Donations are awesome, but salsa is hands-on neighbor love. Every jar helps us create episodes that confront flag-first, party-first “faith” and call us back to a Jesus-first, neighbor-first way of living. That's a lot of firsts... so grab your first jar at badromansalsa.com and snack your way into more Kingdom conversations about patriotism, discipleship, and what it really means to say, “No King but Christ.” FREE: Share the Episode, Start a Conversation with a Fellow Christian Know a friend whose Christianity might just be patriotism in a Jesus jersey? Send them this episode with Misty Hubbard and ask: Are we following Jesus… or just cheering for “our side” with Bible verses attached? Do my posts and conversations sound more like Christ, or more like my favorite pundit? What would it look like to let Jesus, not America, define what “faithful” means? Let the questions do the work. Then listen, don’t just lecture. 🔗 Stay Plugged into the Project 🔗 Blog submissions: thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog Connect with us on social: thebadroman.com/social-links Want to get more involved? Request to join the private discussion group on Facebook (Bad Romans Only!!) No King but Christ Network: nokingbutchristnetwork.com  

Are borders tyrannical or necessary? Returning guest Chris Polk helps us dismantle the political theater around immigration and ask what allegiance to Jesus looks like when the state shows up with masks and rifles. From truck-stop stories to John 4, they explore why restricting movement may be the worst tyranny and how ordinary neighbor love beats team-red/blue fear. Chris argues both parties fed the ICE machine, shares a Cuban car rescue story that needed no papers, and reminds us that Jesus walked through Samaria, not around it. If Mary and Joseph fled Herod today, would we demand their passports? They dig into: Why “do something!” turns into state violence Borders as cages that keep you in vs. others out The Good Samaritan as the “Good Immigrant” Cop-aganda and qualified immunity “Would Jesus follow the law?” when the law crushes the least 🤝 Connect with Chris Polk: Blue Ribbon Logistics Website Blue Ribbon's YouTube, Facebook, Tik Tok Previous Bad Roman Episodes with Chris Lessons from the Trucking Industry with Chris Polk (Episode #77) Home School: 2021 Year End Round Table (Episode #47) Your Rights with Chris Polk & Jacob Daniel (Episode #38) God's Country or Jesus’s Kingdom? Navigating the Nexus of Nationalism and Faith in America (Epsiode #99) 📖 For Full Show Notes: thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-148 Key Episode Moments: (01:00) Framing the Question: Christ vs. Caesar (04:00) The Machine Called “Do Something” (10:30) Fear Cycles & Border Theater (18:00) Borders as Cages (Keeping You In) (23:00) The Cuban VW & Neighbor Love (27:00) Jesus Through Samaria (35:00) The Worst Tyranny: Blocking Movement (44:00) When “Our Guys” Get Power (50:00) Cop-aganda & Qualified Immunity (57:00) Would Jesus “Follow the Law”? (1:02:00) Sowing Violence, Reaping Blowback (1:08:00) Repentance, Friendship, & “No King but Christ”   💕 Support the Project 💕 If this conversation on borders, ICE, and the freedom to move helped you fix your eyes on Jesus, not the state, not a party, please consider supporting The Bad Roman Project at thebadroman.com/donate. Your support keeps “No King but Christ” in the feed and resists the urge to baptize coercion. As always, 100% of donations above production costs go to local Memphis charities.   🌶️ SALSA THE LOVE 🌶️ Donations are awesome, but salsa is hands-on neighbor love. Every jar helps us create episodes that challenge border-first thinking and call us back to person-first, Jesus-first Faith. Grab yours at badromansalsa.com and snack your way into more Kingdom conversations about freedom, hospitality, and hope.   FREE ACTION: Share the Episode, Start a Conversation with a Fellow Christian Know a friend who thinks “law and order” equals righteousness? Send them this episode with Chris Polk and ask: Are we viewing immigration through the eyes of Christ or Caesar? Do borders keep “them” out, or keep us in? What would it look like to love the traveler first and let the paperwork be second?    🔗 Stay Plugged into the Movement: Blog submissions: thebadroman.com/contribute-to-the-blog Connect with us on social: thebadroman.com/social-links Want to get more involved? Request to join the private discussion group on Facebook (Bad Romans Only!!) No King but Christ Network: nokingbutchristnetwork.com