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Podcasts · Religion & Spirituality

Undeceptions with John Dickson

Undeceptions Ltd

268 episodes

Every week on Undeceptions we’ll explore some aspect of life, faith, history, culture, or ethics that is either much misunderstood or mostly forgotten. With the help of people who know what they’re talking about, we’ll be trying to ‘undeceive ourselves’ and let the truth ‘out’.

Episodes page 5 of 6

  1. 42. God's War II

    · 41 min · S4 E5

    This is the second part of our two-part series on the Crusades. For Part One, click here. A brutal slaughter at the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem marked the end of the first crusade. The Crusaders had recaptured…

  2. 41. God's War I

    · 41 min · S4 E4

    This is the first of a two part episode on The Crusades. Over nine hundred years after the launch of the first Crusade, world leaders are still invoking their memory to explain ongoing conflict. But how plausible is…

  3. 40. Religious Freedom

    · 57 min · S4 E3

    LINKS • Get to know our guest Professor Robert Wilken • This episode is sponsored by Zondervan's new book, The Problem of Jesus by Mark Clark • Read Robert Wilken's latest book Liberty in the Things of God: The…

  4. 39. Guilty Conscience

    · 56 min · S4 E2

    Guilt is a big topic - there is so much to say. Like the feeling of guilt itself, it is layered. We deal with guilt on an individual level and on a societal one. “Guilt is a religious problem which interests…

  5. 38. Mental Health

    · 43 min · S4 E1

    Perhaps you’ve heard it before - religion is bad for your mental health. It triggers feelings of guilt, self-loathing and bigotry. But, actually, there are many ways in which the opposite is true. Karen Pang's story…

  6. Unknown Soldier Single

    · 10 min · Bonus

    It is the day after ANZAC Day, that occasion when Australians and New Zealanders commemorate those who died in the defence of our country. At a time like this, it is worth considering the inscription bourne by many…

  7. The Troubles Single

    · 12 min · Bonus

    Critics of Christianity have often pointed to The Troubles in Northern Ireland as proof that, "Religion ruins everything." But how accurate is the statement? How accurate is it to even label The Troubles a religious…

  8. Western Fundamentalism Single

    · 15 min · Bonus

    Gordon Menzies advised the federal government on the deregulation of the Australian dollar, underlining his credentials when it came to liberalism. However, his new book titled 'Western Fundamentalism' suggests a more…

  9. American Soul Single

    · 9:37 · Bonus

    Dr. Laurel Moffatt rejoins the Undeceptions team to consider the state of the American soul. Researchers have revealed that this nation of the bold and the free is now united more by the things that its citizens hate…

  10. Still Cancer Single

    · 19 min · Bonus

    How do you face the rapidly approaching end of a battle with cancer? In Series 2, Episode 13 of Undeceptions, John Dickson met up with his friend Ben Shaw to discuss his recent diagnosis of that dreaded disease. The…

  11. 37. Racist Church

    · 59 min · S3 E13

    Some would argue that Christianity itself is racist. Given the sweep of history, this is a charge that has to be confronted. So we’re going to speak to a couple of people who, despite all the things the church has…

  12. 36. 100 Pages

    · 1 h 05 min · S3 E12

    Perhaps you’re sceptical, perhaps you’re just undecided - our challenge for you for 2021 is: read at least 100 pages of the Bible. This book has shaped much of our world. It would be great to think that you’ve got…

  13. 35. Ask Anything III

    · 1 h 00 min · S3 E11

    You may not feel ready to experience heaven or hell quite yet but Undeceptions listeners certainly had a lot of questions about it! In this season’s Q&A episode, John Dickson attempts to answer at least some of the…

  14. 34. World's End

    · 1 h 06 min · S3 E10

    Christianity has plenty to say about the future and what the end of the world might look like -- though some think it says a lot more than others. Christians have, in fact, been accused of being obsessed with end…

  15. 33. Danger: Proselytising

    · 59 min · S3 E9

    Proselytise: to convert or attempt to convert (someone) from one religion, belief, or opinion to another. Why are Christians such god-botherers? Is it possible to share your belief system with someone who doesn’t…

  16. 32. Homo Deus

    · 44 min · S3 E8

    Transhumanism is the transformation of the human condition through sophisticated technologies that modify our physiology and intellect. This episode, we continue our conversation about Artificial Intelligence with…

  17. 31. Artificial Intelligence

    · 43 min · S3 E7

    "I'm all for technology being used in a good sense. I often say to people, AI is like a knife, a very sharp knife. You can use it to operate with, or you can use it to kill people." -- Professor John Lennox Artificial…

  18. 30. Canon Fodder

    · 1 h 00 min · S3 E6

    How did the New Testament actually come together? Some have argued that is a “chaotically cobbled-together anthology of disjointed documents” that has been revised and ‘improved’ over centuries. Others have argued it…

  19. 29. Childish God

    · 59 min · S3 E5

    For years, people have argued that our minds’ natural default position is non-belief. Left to ourselves, we would never grow up thinking about God. Religion is, therefore, an imposition on the susceptible minds of…

  20. 28. Discordant Religion

    · 54 min · S3 E4

    In Episode 28 (Creation's Music) we spoke with Jeremy Begbie and Kirsty Beilharz about how music can point us to God. But what if it's music we just don't like? What about music that's genuinely bad. Or dissonant. What…

  21. 27. Creation's Music

    · 50 min · S3 E3

    What is music and what is it about music that stirs the human soul? Is it just a series of sound waves producing neurological responses … or could music be - as so many ancients believed - a signal from God? Join us…

  22. 26. Good Earth

    · 53 min · S3 E1

    Whether you’re a believer or doubter in Christianity, this episode is really more about whether you’re a ‘believer’ or ‘doubter’ in climate change … and the things that often lie behind such beliefs (hint: faith is…

  23. 25. Bible Mistakes

    · 51 min

    In the first episode of our third season, we're taking a close look at the New Testament - the second part of the Bible. Many scholars have pointed out historical inaccuracies in the gospels, or inconsistencies between…

  24. Introducing Season 3 of Undeceptions

    · 4:50 · Trailer

    We're back with a new season of Undeceptions. Join us as we chase down facts and explore the best arguments, to explode some of the myths about history, science, psychology, and the good life … and how it all relates…

  25. Tax Free Single

    · 12 min · Bonus

    John Dickson takes a deep dive into the murky world of church finances to discover the pagan ruler responsible for granting Christian congregations their special financial privileges. When the most powerful man in the…

  26. Confederate Statues Single

    · 8:37 · Bonus

    Dr. Laurel Moffatt makes a return to Undeceptions with a single aimed at making us consider the level of our indifference. The Black Lives Matter campaign has focussed America's attention on statues that commemorate…

  27. Indigenous Slaves Single

    · 9:53 · Bonus

    Matt Andrews makes a guest appearance on Undeceptions, tackling the thorny topic of slavery in Australia. Have Aboriginals been enslaved at various times in Australia's history? Certainly. Was that the intention of…

  28. Medieval Manumission Single

    · 8:40 · Bonus

    Eligius of Noyon was a French jewellery smith of uncommon talent who counted royal families and the highest nobility amongst his clients. As a young man, his success allowed him to dress so exorbitantly, his sense of…

  29. Freeing Slaves Single

    · 8:02 · Bonus

    St. Augustine was the Bishop of Hippo and the leader of the Christian church in a city that had become a hub in the ancient world's slave trade. He led his followers in an ambitious buy-back program for those captured…

  30. First Abolitionist Single

    · 6:10 · Bonus

    The fourth century bishop, Gregory of Nyssa, led the charge on ending slavery centuries before modern champions like William Wilberforce and Frederick Douglass ever stepped on to the stage. His arguments regarding the…

  31. Swing Low Single

    · 11 min · Bonus

    John Dickson delves into the history of the abolition of slavery in the 19th century and discovers its deep roots in Christian theology. His investigations reveal secular claims that Christianity was a leading cause…

  32. Paddling Through Single

    · 8:08 · Bonus

    Dr. Laurel Moffatt is a writer and researcher based in Sydney, and a special guest for our Undeceptions 'Single' this week. On a recent kayaking trip, she discovered a connection between our desperate need for 'places…

  33. Eternal Adieu Single

    · 8:00 · Bonus

    A remarkable event occurred on this day at 11:30am, 25 June, 1788. The 21 year old convict, Samuel Peyton, entered into eternity courtesy of the hangman's noose. But unlike many of his convict comrades who suffered a…

  34. 24. LGBTI Christian

    · 49 min · S2 E12

    Rachel Gilson says she grew up knowing two things instinctively: she was romantically attracted to women and Christians were NOT ok with that. Smart, sophisticated, with a love for big ideas not small minds … Rachel…

  35. 23. Ask Anything II

    · 51 min · S2 E11

    The end of the second season of Undeceptions is drawing night, so it's time to start unpacking all of the questions we've collected. This episode John Dickson tackles everything from is the Old Testament History to is…

  36. 22. Remembering Women

    · 54 min · S2 E10

    This episode, we’ll be zooming in on the early Christian women, for whom we have good evidence, and who had a profound impact on the church and its teaching in their time. Our guide is Dr. Lynn Cohick, who's written…

  37. 21. Post Christian

    · 48 min · S2 E9

    Greg Sheridan cut his teeth at the legendary news magazine, The Bulletin, before moving on to the national daily newspaper, The Australian, where he’s been the foreign editor since 1982. John catches up to talk to him…

  38. 20. Miraculous Physics

    · 49 min · S2 E8

    Ian Hutchinson is Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Plasma Science and Fusion Center. Among many, many other things he wrote the standard monograph on measuring…

  39. 19. Scientific Theology

    · 43 min · S2 E7

    It’s a popular misconception. If science is your guiding light, you’re going to see the world a particular way. And if you hold to religion well, you’re going to imagine the world a particular way. At least that’s how…

  40. 18. Confronting Christianity

    · 47 min · S2 E6

    Dr. Rebecca McLaughlin is a learned, feisty academic who's not afraid to confront the challenge that this two thousand year old faith has run its course. Claims of institutionalised homophobia, that religion is bad…

  41. 17. Hindu Priest

    · 59 min · S2 E5

    What do you do if you devote your entire life to one religion, then slowly realise you belong somewhere else? This episode isn’t an exploration of a forgotten piece of history, a tricky topic, or an ethical dilemma,…

  42. 16. Easter Myths

    · 41 min · S2 E4

    It’s Easter, and billions of people pause to contemplate the death and resurrection of Jesus. Alongside them are plenty of folks who look at Christ quite differently. Studies continue to show that most people have a…

  43. Pandemic Exposure Single

    · 7:53 · Bonus

    In ancient Carthage, those who faced the Cyprian Plague discovered that there were two sets of symptoms to contend with: those that afflicted the outer body, and those that afflicted the inner person. COVID-19 is…

  44. 15. She Persuades

    · 38 min · S2 E3

    If you’re preparing yourself for an assault on conservative Christian doctrine regarding women in church leadership, or different approaches to women teaching … you’re going to be disappointed. This is an episode…

  45. Pandemic Equality Single

    · 7:43 · Bonus

    Church leaders and impassioned Christians want to suggest that the Bible promises a special deliverance from COVID-19 for those who put their faith in the Son of God. However John Dickson resurrects the wisdom of an…

  46. 14. Six Days

    · 46 min · S2 E2

    Last season we brought you John Lennox, talking about the compatibility of faith and a scientific mind, and Ard Louis discussing the evidence for a rational universe … but we sidestepped one obvious debate. Creation…

  47. Pandemic Love Single

    · 7:23 · Bonus

    Simply taking care of yourself and those closest to you might seem enough - even the most important thing - at this time of international concern. But John Dickson picks out the story of a wealthy, ancient woman to…

  48. 13. It's Cancer

    · 37 min · S2 E1

    In this episode we’re delving into that frightening world. According to the World Health Organization, cancer is the second leading cause of death internationally, accounting for an estimated 9.6 million fatalities in…

  49. It's almost here!

    · 0:46 · Trailer

    The return of Undeceptions for 2020, kicking off with God and cancer, a better way of reading Genesis, woman leading the charge in explaining Christianity, Easter myths exploded and proof the faith you grow up with…

  50. First Church Service Single

    · 15 min · Bonus

    It's February 4, and the anniversary of Australia's first church service. But this wasn't a morality lesson from the chaplain to the prison colony. The Rev. Richard Johnson had something much more significant on his…

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