The Warrior Priest Podcast

So off rode Sir Geraint, keeping at some distance behind the lady, the knight, and the dwarf. At last, after passing through many woods, he lost sight of them as they disappeared beyond the top of a hill. Sir Geraint rode up, and saw below him, in a valley, the one street of a little town. On one side was a fortress, so new that the stone of which it was built was still white; while on the other side stood a gray old castle, fast falling into decay. He saw the three people he was following enter the fortress... - Sir Geraint and Enid Link to Sir Geraint & Enid: https://www.heritage-history.com/index.php?c=read&author=warren&book=arthur&story=geraint

Ask a narcissist if they are dependable and they will say, I'm the most responsible person you know, you can always count on me. And they can be. But when the rubber meets the road (an old saying about being put to the test), narcissists seem to wiggle out of accountability. Why? Narcissists will gladly be responsible for the things they deem worthy, especially when it provides an opportunity to be the center of attention. However, when others place responsibility on the narcissist, the narcissist sees this as an attempt to control them. This violates one of their personal mantras: no one will have power over them. So they escape from all liability. How? Intimidate/Blame. The narcissist begins by bullying the person endeavoring to hold them accountable. Frequently they resort to name-calling and belittling to assert dominance over the other person. Once a subordinate position has been established, they blame the person for attempting to make the narcissist look less than superior. Accuse/Project. To circumvent any accountability, the narcissist preempts the attack by accusing another person. Usually, they pick an overly responsible, co-dependent person who idolizes the narcissist. Then the narcissist projects the things they are answerable for onto the other person. Thus escaping before the attack. Argue/Exhaust. This is the simplest tactic with great immediate results. When confronted, the narcissist picks one small detail and argues it to the umpteenth degree. If the other person argues back, they pick another tiny point and persistently wear down their opponent. Exhausted, frustrated, and annoyed, the other person gives up holding the narcissist liable. Deny/Rewrite. One way of avoiding responsibility is for the narcissist to deny they have any. Even if the item is written down, the narcissist will make excuses and rewrite history. Frequently they take the victim role by saying they were forced into being held accountable when in actuality they willingly did so. This tactic often leaves the other person questioning themselves and their memory. Divert/Attack. This method begins with an outburst over something very insignificant. Then, the narcissist exaggerates the point to incite the other person and draw their attention away from what really is happening. Whenever the narcissist is fueling a small fire, it is to keep the focus off the inferno somewhere else. The diversion is done to drain resources, energy, and time so the narcissist can attack when the other person is vulnerable. Fear/Avoid. Narcissists have the ability to take a person's small fear and turn it into paranoia. Their charisma is put to destructive use as they weave a believable story with an intense dreadful outcome. Once the other person is frightened, the narcissist uses the other person's terror as justification for avoiding responsibility. They often cite that the other person is reactionary and therefore any requests from the other person should be discounted. Rescue/Retreat. This tactic is the most manipulative of the bunch. First, the narcissist rescues the other person from a dreadful situation. Having gained the other person's loyalty, the narcissist waits. Eventually, the other person confronts the narcissist about a lack of responsibility, and then the narcissist retreats. The withholding of love/attention/time is so dramatic that the other person becomes horrified and assumes responsibility so that the narcissist will return. Once secured, the narcissist then accuses the other person of not appreciating the rescue. The other person feels bad and succumbs to the wishes of the narcissist even further. - Author Unknown 

Public education is designed to create obedient citizens who follow orders without questioning authority. John Taylor Gatto, in his book "Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling," argues that public education is not designed to teach children to think critically, but rather to be obedient and follow orders. He states, "Schools are intended to produce, through the application of formulas, formulaic human beings whose behavior can be predicted and controlled." This is supported by Neil Postman in his book "The End of Education," where he writes, "The central task of education is to implant a will and facility for learning; it should produce not learned but learning people." The full manuscript for this episode can be found on the website: https://wordpress.com/post/thewarriorpriestpodcast.wordpress.com/2005

“Neither necessity nor desire, but the love of power, is the demon of mankind. You may give men everything possible health, food, shelter, enjoyment but they are and remain unhappy . . . for the demon waits and waits; and must be satisfied. Let everything else be taken away from men, and let this demon be satisfied, and then they will nearly be happy as happy as men and demons can be. . .” Nietzsche, The Dawn

The opposite to courage is not cowardice: that, rather, is the lack of courage. To say a person is a coward has no more meaning than to say he is lazy: it simply tells us that some vital potentiality is unrealized or blocked. The opposite to courage, as one endeavors to understand the problem in our particular age, is automaton conformity. Rollo May, Man’s Search for Himself

Trauma can be a difficult obstacle to overcome, but in this episode, we will explore the insights from Theodore Roosevelt's book, The Strenuous Life, published in 1899, that can help us in our trauma...

In the same way, our own wounds are not a cause for shame, but for God’s glory. They are not a hindrance to God’s mission, but a means of fulfilling it. We are all wounded in some way, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually. We have all experienced pain, loss, and suffering. We have all been betrayed, abandoned, or rejected. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But the good news is that Jesus has taken our wounds upon himself. He has suffered for us, died for us, and risen for us. He has conquered sin, death, and the devil for us. He has reconciled us to God and to one another. He has given us the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us in faith to forgive and to be forgiven, to love and to be loved, to heal and to be healed.

Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways. - Sigmund Freud

The warrior ethos has been a defining feature of human society since the dawn of civilization. The idea of a warrior, one who is willing to sacrifice their own safety for the protection of their community, has been a source of inspiration for countless generations. The warrior ethos provides a sense of purpose and meaning to those who follow it, as well as a deep sense of connection to something greater than oneself. The warrior ethos has been present throughout human history, and it has been reflected in art, literature, and philosophy. From the writings of Sun Tzu to the heroic epics of Homer, the concept of the warrior has been a central theme. Even in modern times, the warrior ethos remains a powerful force. Professional fighters, for example, embody the warrior spirit by training tirelessly and putting themselves in harm's way in the octagon. However, the warrior ethos has become increasingly rare in modern society, which is marked by division, alienation, and dehumanization. Politics, health, leftist ideologies, and attacks on time-honored traditions have contributed to a cultural divide that threatens to tear apart the fabric of society. The warrior ethos can help to bridge this divide by providing a set of values and principles that can unite people across political and cultural boundaries... Link to full transcript: https://thewarriorpriestpodcast.wordpress.com/2023/04/05/0148-midweek-debrief-finding-meaning-in-an-ethos/

Similarly, the Nashville School Shooting was a paradoxical moment for the Christian community. Audrey Hale, a self-proclaimed atheist, targeted and murdered six Christians at her former school because, unlike her, they refused to deny their humanity and faith. In the face of such tragedy, it can be difficult to find comfort and hope. But the only hope of Christianity is in the face of death and evil. The martyrs of Nashville remind us that our faith is not a safe thing, but a risky thing. It is a faith that risks everything, even life itself. But it is in this risk that we find true life and true hope.