Partisan Political Bickering Is Boring, but the Human Use and Misuse of Power Is Interesting. Today's Show: Therapy for Congress, and The Autonomy of Goodness

Two parts to today’s show: the government shutdown prompts Chris to offer solution-based therapy for the US House of Representatives; and Shayna and Chris respond to Albert Mohler’s reflections on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in the premier of WIGN’s first “Answering Albert” segment.

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In the context of the current government shutdown, Chris proposes three interventions that would strengthen the US House of Representatives, and Shayna offers a fourth. Then, Chris and Shayna take some time to help listeners understand what the “Answering Albert” segment is about, and why it’s an important periodic part of the show.

After playing a clip of Albert Mohler’s podcast on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Shayna and Chris take turns surfacing their philosophical and theological differences with Albert. Moral philosophy, and the use and misuse of Scripture, are two topics of conversation.

Here are timecodes to help you navigate through today’s show:

00:22    Arlo is available for stud services. (Arlo is our show dog, Shayna’s shih-tzu).

02:12    The government shutdown prompts Chris to offer solution-based therapy for the US House of Representatives. These 3 interventions won’t solve the shutdown, but they will help make the House of Representatives more responsible to people, rather than moneyed interests, over the longer term.

05:47    Philosophical questions at issue with regards to Congress are: how do human beings respond to power? Does power corrupt people? Shayna then makes a movie recommendation.

07:12    Here begins the second, and distinct, part of today’s show. December 10, 1948, was when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was ratified. Chris introduces that topic, and the What In God’s Name segment “Answering Albert.” What is the proper role of religious voices in the public square of a pluralistic society like the United States?

11:55    Dramatic music signals the beginning of our 3 and 1/2 minute Albert Mohler clip. Listen for the foghorns at 14:40 and 15:13, indicating WIGN’s theological disagreement with Albert Mohler.

15:18    Shayna respectfully calls out Albert for epistemological hubris, and at 16:12, Chris respectfully calls out Albert for missteps in reasoning.

18:09    How should we read Leviticus? Shayna answers.

19:51    What does an educated reading of the Bible look like? And why is that important, even for people in our society who are not religious?

21:52    “You can be good, and not be religious.”

22:54    Chris and Shayna conclude with a generous interpretation of Albert Mohler’s reflections on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.