Good Story 059: Jesus of Nazareth

The great question that will be with us throughout this entire book: What did Jesus actually bring, if not world peace, universal prosperity, and a better world? What has he brought?

The answer is very simple: God.... He has brought God, and now we know his face, now we can call upon him. Now we know the path that we human beings have to take in this world. Jesus has brought God and with God the truth about our origin and destiny: faith, hope and love. It is only because of our hardness of heart that we think this is too little. Yes indeed, God's power works quietly in this world, but it is the true and the lasting power. Again and again, God's cause seems to be in its death throes. Yet over and over again it proves to be the thing that truly endures and saves.
-- Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth

In this episode, Julie and Scott take a quick swim to the deep end of the pool (where all the cool kids hang out) to talk theology. The subject is Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration, written by Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI).

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #059|

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More stuff:

• Jesus of Nazareth on Goodreads

Good Story 058: Of Gods and Men

Julie and Scott talk about Of Gods and Men, directed by Xavier Beauvois. What a film it is!

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #058|  

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More stuff:  

• Of Gods and Men on IMDB
• The Monks of Tibhirine

Good Story 057: The Night Watch

Good and evil, collective good vs. individual good - these are some of the themes in Sergei Lukyanenko's The Night Watch. And vortex's. And some body switching. And vampires, werewolves, magic... urban fantasy, straight from Russia!

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #057|

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More stuff:

• Sergei Lukyanenko's discontinued blog
• Sergei Lukyanenko's website

Many years ago someone told me something that I flatly refused to accept. And I still don't accept it now, despite all the times I've seen it proved right. "The common good and the individual good rarely coincide..." Sure, I know, it's true. But some truths are probably worse than lies. -- Sergei Lukyanenko, The Night Watch

Good Story 056: Be Kind, Rewind

In Episode 56, Julie and Scott talk Be Kind, Rewind - a movie directed by Michel Gondry that stars Jack Black and Mos Def. Don't worry - they rewound it for you. Let them know if the tape is blank, and they'll see what they can do.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #056|  

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More stuff:  

• Michel Gondry on IMDB
• The SFFaudio Podcast #44: The First One with Professor Rabkin

Good Story 055: Parable of the Sower

Julie and Scott wander around in another failed civilization, this time with Lauren Olamina, who luckily has come up with her very own religion. We also talk a bit about the Pope and Tostitos. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #055|

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More stuff:

• Tostitos
• Scott talked about this excellent DVD: Understanding Sunday Mass: A Kid's Point of View
• Some stuff about Octavia E. Butler
• Wikipedia says that SolSeed is a social movement inspired by Earthseed, the fictional religion presented by the main character in this book.
• Hey, look! A Pope!

O God, who in your providential design willed that your Church be built upon blessed Peter, whom you set over the other Apostles, look with favor, we pray, on Francis our Pope and grant that he, whom you have made Peter's successor, may be for your people a visible source and foundation of unity in faith and of communion. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Good Story 054: The Godfather

Julie and Scott watch The Godfather. There's no way that they would ever write an intro to this podcast in which they mention "an offer you can't refuse". Nope. Won't do that. (WARNING: This podcast contains almost no Marlon Brando impersonations, and only one Tamahome mention.)

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #054|  

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More stuff:  

• The Godfather on IMDB

Good Story 053: Jurassic Park

Julie and Scott talk about Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton without once saying "hold onto your butts". They note that the Hammond in the book is not a very nice guy. After discussing the book, they bounce off the path and talk about education and our beloved Pope. Then the raptors chase them off.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #053|

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More stuff:

• Sandra Tayler at onecobble.com: Structuring Life to Make Room for Creativity
• TED Talk: Aaron O'Connell: Making Sense of a Visible Quantum Object.
• TED Talk: Ken Robinson: Schools Kill Creativity