11 07 2024 Pastor Paul Interview - Michael - Post Election Update - Church Dream Revisited

Our guest is Dr. Orçun Selçuk, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Luther College and the author of the new book The Authoritarian Divide: Populism, Propaganda, and Polarization, a comparative analysis centered on how populist leaders in Venezuela, Ecuador, and Turkey leverage propaganda and emotional appeals to deepen societal divides, and the strategies opposition movements employ to counter these. 

Veneco Podcast: Episode 19 - Orçun Selçuk

Today we continue with our worship series Fully Alive, based on the book of the same title by Elizabeth Oldfield. 

This book focuses on the question, “Who am I becoming?” In a world that is rife with division, pointing fingers, selfishness, and ecological destruction, am I becoming someone who is part of the problem or part of the solution? Am I becoming someone who is fully alive, or am I simply going through the motions of existence on this planet? 
More and more, I’ve been struck with the reality that people are searching for meaning in their lives—as Elizabeth Oldfield points out, they’re searching for wisdom. And there’s millions of places for people to find meaning and wisdom—social media influencers, authors and podcasters, on tags of teabags and inside Dove chocolate wrappers. 

The one place people decidedly don’t look is to religion, and particularly, the Christian faith. 
So much damage has been done in the name of the Christian God. And in Fully Alive, Elizabeth Oldfield acknowledges the harm that’s been done in the name of Christianity—she holds that and honors it, while also reminding us of the wisdom that the Christian faith tradition holds. 

She shares the signposts that show us how to become the kind of human this world needs. And she does this by digging into the seven deadly sins: how they show up in our lives and what it would look like to move towards more positive, life-giving virtues.
Last week, we talked about how sin is “the human propensity to screw things up.” And it’s part of the human experience—of who we are as humans. 

Sin is anything that causes disconnection between ourselves and others, us and the natural world, and us and God. 

It is something that needs to be met with grace, not judgment. And even though it’s part of the human experience, sin does not define us—our worst choices are not our identity. 
These are important truths to remember, particularly as we continue this series, focusing on one “deadly sin” each week. 

This week, we focus on a sin that is oh so fun to talk about—wrath. 

Wrath: From Polarization to Peacemaking

The Jepson Leadership Forum presents Peter Bearman, founding director of the interdisciplinary institute Incite at Columbia University and Jonathan R. Cole Professor of Social Science at Columbia University, for a discussion on "Class, Status, and Party: Polarization Dynamics and Our Fragile Democratic Experiment." March 4, 2025

The 2024-25 Jepson Leadership Forum invites scholars and experts to discuss how division and polarization affect American democracy. We will explore how and why divisions have manifested historically and currently in the United States, focusing on their impact on justice, education, politics, culture, technology, and class. Are division and the struggle to find common ground making us stronger or tearing us apart?

Class, Status, and Party: Polarization Dynamics and Our Fragile Democratic Experiment

This podcast is a discussion analyzing an article called "The Justice Trap: How We Confuse Bias for Virtue." It explores various cognitive biases, particularly focusing on naive realism (the belief that we see the world objectively while others are biased).
The hosts discuss:

How bias influences our thinking and decision-making
The concept of "righteousness" as bias disguised as virtue
How echo chambers and filter bubbles reinforce our existing beliefs
Five approaches to overcome bias:

-Intellectual humility (being open to being wrong)
-The "steel man" technique (strengthening opposing arguments)
-Seeking diverse information sources
-Creating spaces for non-polarized conversations
-Distinguishing between people and their positions

They also share a "Personal Checkpoint System" with eight methods to identify bias in oneself:

-The "uh oh gut check" (questioning certainty)
-The "reversible raincoat test" (checking for double standards)
-The emotional audit (examining emotional motivations)
-The media diet check (reviewing information sources)
-The steel person challenge (understanding opposing views)
-The complexity detector (recognizing nuance)
-The flip-flop inventory (reviewing changed beliefs)
-The hidden payoff probe (examining why we hold certain beliefs)

The podcast concludes with strategies for having productive conversations with people who hold different views, including using gentle questions and sharing personal stories of changing one's mind.

The Justice Trap_ Bias, Objectivity, and Judicious Thinking

This podcast episode explores the phenomenon of ghosting - when someone abruptly cuts off all communication without explanation. The hosts discuss:
What Is Ghosting

Defined as someone suddenly disappearing from communication without explanation
Technology has made ghosting easier than ever with blocking features
Described as particularly jarring because humans naturally crave connection

Why Ghosting Hurts

Triggers a primal sense of rejection
Creates a "Mental Time Machine" where victims replay interactions seeking answers
Leads to unresolved feelings and lack of closure
Can damage self-esteem through a "rejection collection"

Why People Ghost

Often stems from avoidance of difficult conversations
Can result from fear of confrontation, immaturity, or emotional unavailability
Becoming more common in our polarized world as people shut down uncomfortable discussions

DIY Closure: 5-Step Process

Feel Your Feelings - Set aside specific time to process emotions (a "feelings happy hour")
Rewrite The Script - Challenge negative self-narratives about why you were ghosted
Have a Goodbye Ceremony - Create symbolic closure (writing unsent messages, etc.)
Build a Receipt Collection - Gather evidence of your self-worth and positive qualities
Practice Acceptance - Acknowledge what happened and choose to move forward

When Ghosters Return

Evaluate the sincerity of their apology
Examine their motivation for reconnecting
Assess the risks vs. benefits of giving them another chance
Remember that forgiveness doesn't require reestablishing the relationship

Silver Linings

Helps refine your "relationship radar" for healthier connections
Builds emotional resilience
Encourages diversifying your social connections rather than depending on one person

The hosts conclude by emphasizing that while ghosting is increasingly common, it doesn't make it acceptable, and everyone deserves relationships built on honesty and genuine connection.

Ghost Stories: Finding Your Sanity When People Pull a Houdini on Your Relationship

Listen to my interview with Dr. Chris Cooper about unaffiliated voters and polarization in North Carolina.

Unaffiliated Voters and Polarization in North Carolina

Social movements – and the protests they give rise to – have happened on American soil since before the country’s establishment as an independent nation. On Dec. 16, 1773, American colonists demonstrated their dissatisfaction with British tax policies by dressing in disguise and dumping 342 chests – around 92,000 pounds – of valuable tea into Boston Harbor. Originally known as “the Destruction of the Tea,” the event was later nicknamed “the Boston Tea Party.”

In this century, we’ve seen part of that moniker repurposed by the tea party movement, a group interested in lower taxes and decreased government spending who staged protests in over 750 U.S. cities on April 15, 2009 – Tax Day.

Social injustices, environmental issues and political concerns are just a few of myriad reasons people have organized protests over the course of history. David S. Meyer, UC Irvine professor of sociology, political science, and urban planning and public policy, is one of the nation’s top scholars on social movements. In this episode of The UC Irvine Podcast, Meyer leans on years of study to put today’s realities into historical perspective, analyze the current state of polarization and share what he’s learned about how action can spark change.

“Downpour,” the music for this episode, was provided by Patiño via the audio library in YouTube Studio.

A lesson in social movements, protests and polarization

In this episode, host Cindi Koetzle is joined by Sara Taylor, Founder of deepSEE Consulting, to explore our competency around unconscious bias and how it shapes our actions, decisions, and workplace conflicts. Sara breaks down the concept of “filters” and shares practical strategies to recognize and shift them. With timely insights on conflict, communication, and polarization, this conversation offers valuable takeaways for leaders and HR professionals striving to create more inclusive and aware workplaces.

Bias, Brains and Better Conversations

Consensus reality holds communities together—but what happens when it falls apart? This lesson explores how culture, media, and belonging shape our shared sense of truth, and how psychological safety can determine what we’re even willing to believe.

Lesson 6 - Consensus and Culture – Shared Reality in a Fractured World

Professor RJ Starr is an academic psychologist, educator, and author exploring the inner life through the lens of emotional intelligence, regulation, and self-awareness.
This SoundCloud page features original short-form audio recordings—thoughtful reflections designed to help listeners navigate their emotions, relationships, and personal growth with clarity and maturity.

To explore more of my work, visit https://profrjstarr.com

Looking for fresh content to solve your human capital issues but don't have a full hour? Subscribe to the HCI podcast series to gain access to leading HR practitioners from Fortune 1000 companies, as well thought-leaders, authors, and academics. These experts cover everything from talent acquisition and analytics to engagement, retention, and development.

Veneco Podcast – Venezuelan Democracy & Social Movements is a podcast by Juan Andrés Misle. Through a series of interviews to experts on the field of Venezuelan democracy and social movements — academics, researchers, advocates and authors — Veneco seeks to create a nuanced platform for venezolanistas to discuss and debate the most pressing issues in contemporary Venezuela.

As the nation’s first-ever undergraduate school of leadership studies, the Jepson School takes "leading the way" very seriously.

That’s why we educate tomorrow’s leaders with a world-class program, preparing them for positions that drive real change in their communities and the world.

Through a rigorous curriculum, opportunities for outside experience, and support that extends far beyond their time at Jepson, our students find a leadership journey unlike any other.

Recently named the "Jewel in the Crown" of the University of Richmond’s academics by College Gazette, the Jepson School of Leadership Studies investigates leadership not only as a position, but also as a process and a relationship among people.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu.

Brecksville UMC strives to be an inclusive church. We intentionally make space for everyone to encounter a loving God—no matter your age, gender, race, income level, sexual orientation, or ability. No matter if you’re an atheist, someone struggling with faith, you live with constant faith in your heart, or you’re somewhere in between. You are welcome here and you are invited to participate in the life of our church.  Here at BUMC we’re all about creating safe spaces to grow with God and one another!

New tracks tagged #polarization