For TMR 200 we welcome back Mike Hopkins, co-host of Fight the Lies Radio, for a thought-provoking conversation on the subject of conspiracy theories and the Christian believer.

Is it wrong, as some suggest, for Christians to believe in conspiracy theories? While this might seem like a strange question to ask on TMR, many today in the wider Christian community—including people in positions of leadership—strongly maintain that a Christian shouldn't entertain such thoughts.

But what does this actually mean? Indeed, what are "conspiracy theories"? Are they essentially different from other kinds of belief? And what would make them especially problematic? But are there real dangers lurking here? Might there be, in some cases, good pastoral reasons for giving such advice? And where do we draw our "crazy line"? How might critical worldview thinking help to guard us against the nonsense.

"Mike Hopkins was born and raised in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, USA. In 2005 he accepted Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). He has a thirst for truth and for conveying that truth to all who are willing to hear. He and his wife Kelli host their own podcasts at Fight The Lies Network. Mike currently works in the tech industry and lives in Virginia Beach with his wife and their Boston Terrier, Kayla."

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Strange though it may seem, there are people who claim to have had sexual experiences with "ghosts", "spirits" or "aliens". But what are we to make of such claims?

We welcome once again the spiritual counsellor and radio host Laura Maxwell, who joined us last year to share her testimony of coming to faith in Christ after having once been involved in Luciferian spiritualism. For this second conversation she joins us to discuss the disturbing phenomenon of spectrophilia and the popularisation of such unhealthy and potentially damaging ideas in both the mainstream media and online.

"As a spiritual counsellor, Laura is honoured that her work is shared worldwide via satellite TV, radio, books, magazines and online. She and her mother were taught that Lucifer is god when involved in New Age spiritualism. Now, a follower of Christ, she hosts a show on Eternal Radio interviewing ex-occultists about their Christian conversion stories and their outreach to those still involved in the New Age, cults and the Occult. She is the founder of the international ministry Our Spiritual Quest, based in Scotland."—Laura Maxwell

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As many of you know, I have recently been heavily involved in my elderly parents' house move, so normal TMR programming is "on hold" for a while until they're settled into their new home. In the meantime, I'm using the opportunity to do a few unusual things. So here's one.

In "A House Move Diary" I invite listeners simply to listen in on a selection of captured moments from the move, some of them amusing, some of them reflective and some (hopefully) offering food for thought. But as you listen (if you do), please be sure to listen out for the bell wire and scissors, the mysterious loaf of bread and (perhaps most important) the large collection of trouser belts.

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"I said, "I'm done", and I turned around and ran head-first out of a closed window"—Rob Decker

We are joined by Rob Decker—husband, father, personal trainer and health coach—for a conversation centred in his remarkable testimony of coming to faith in God after a failed suicide attempt.

"My objective is to share the story of my failed suicide attempt that led to a relationship with God. I suffered many years of sadness, anger and confusion, and fed that with drugs, alcohol and bad relationships, but eventually God turned all that into a story of forgiveness, understanding and love. I desire to inspire, encourage and give hope to those who have had similar battles."—Rob Decker

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We are joined by Jeff "T-Rex" Bankens—a Christian minister and performing Strongman with several World Records to his name—for a conversation on his experience of coming to faith in Jesus Christ and his unique ministry of combining world-class feats of strength with preaching the Gospel.

"TRex—who lives in Westlake, Louisiana—performs strength demonstrations that evoke the olden-days Strongmen such as Dennis Rogers, The Mighty Atom, WA Pullum, Eugene Sandow and Louis Cyr. After growing up in a broken home and living a life of addiction and dissipation, T-Rex was converted to faith in Jesus Christ and now testifies to the life-changing power of Christ to audiences of all ages. He also uses his unique performance skills to encourage children to be the best persons and students they can be, and is planning to expand into prison ministry in 2018."

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We are joined by Joe Jordan, President and co-founder of CE4 Research Group (http://www.alienresistance.org/ce4.htm) for a discussion on his group's research into claims of Alien Abduction. Neither taking such claims of extraterrestrial activity at face value, nor dismissing them as delusional experiences, the CE4 Research Group has developed an understanding of this phenomenon based on years of collecting and assessing the testimonies of those affected.

"The mission of CE4 Research Group is to share with the world the most powerful evidence known that exposes the Alien entities for who they really are. That evidence is in the testimonies of those who have overcome the experience—the oppression, the bondage, the harassment, the control, the lies, the deception that these entities perpetrate—by calling out in the name and authority of Jesus Christ."—CE4RG

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We are joined by F. Remy Diederich, lead pastor of Cedarbrook Church in Menomonie, Wisconsin, for a discussion on his recently-published book, Broken Trust : A Practical Guide to Identify and Recover from Toxic Faith, Toxic Church, and Spiritual Abuse.

"Remy Diederich is the author of six books related to helping people overcome their setbacks with God's help. He is the founding and teaching pastor of Cedarbrook Church in Wisconsin, USA, and he is also the spirituality advisor for Arbor Place Treatment Center. He blogs at readingremy.com."

(Please note that none of the opinions expressed in this interview should be taken as advice in any particular case. Every situation is different, and it is entirely the responsibility of each and every individual to judge for themselves what they should do any particular circumstance.)

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In place of our scheduled interview (which unfortunately had to be abandoned), we take the opportunity to present an exclusive interview with the broadcaster, science historian and futurist James Burke.

During the 1960s, '70s, '80s and '90s, James Burke was one of the most famous and most engaging presenters of science and technology programmes on British television. In 1969 he was one of the main presenters of the BBC's coverage of the Apollo 11 moon landings. A household name in the UK, but also well-known around the globe, James Burke became widely admired for his enthusiasm, humour and ability to explain scientific and technological advancements in their historical contexts.

In this engaging interview, conducted by Mark Campbell in 2014, James Burke talks about his life in television, his experience of creating the TV series Connections, and shares something of his personal vision as to how technology might impact human society in years to come.

[The Mind Renewed would like to thank both Mark Campbell and James Burke for kindly agreeing to their interview being included in this programme.]

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We are joined by the veteran author, lecturer and film-maker G. Edward Griffin, for a conversation on his forthcoming Red Pill Expo (to be held in Bozeman, Montana on the 23rd and 24th of June), and to discuss issues relating to the so-called "Truth Movement".

What is "The Truth Movement"? And what are its aims? Indeed, is it even meaningful to speak of "the" Truth Movement at all?

G. Edward Griffin is the Founder of Freedom Force International, and is listed in Who's Who in America. His research has led him into many areas over the years such as archaeology, ancient Earth history, the Federal Reserve System, international banking, the science and politics of cancer therapy, US foreign policy, and the United Nations. Perhaps his best-known book is The Creature from Jekyll Island.

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Hasn't the Shroud of Turin been exposed once and for all as a Mediaeval forgery (albeit the work of an artistic genius) thanks to rigorous carbon-dating tests carried out in the 1980s? Or is there more to be said?

This week we are joined by attorney and author Mark Antonacci, founder and president of Test the Shroud Foundation, for a discussion on his fascinating book Test the Shroud : At the Atomic and Molecular Levels.

Arguing that new scientific tests might contest these findings and reveal the Shroud to be very probably the genuine burial cloth of Jesus Christ, Mark Antonacci proposes a scientifically-testable hypothesis that particle radiation emanating from the shroud-wrapped, crucified body may account for very many of the Shroud's features, such as full-length body images, still-red blood marks, erroneous carbon dating and more. He also describes scientific tests that could be applied to the burial cloth and its human bloodstains that could, he believes, demonstrate whether or not the Shroud was impacted by a miraculous event, when and where it happened, and even the identity of the victim.

Join us as we discuss the issues and debate whether or not his proposals might be fruitful in the ongoing quest to determine the truth about The Shroud of Turin.

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We are joined by Rev. Israel Oluwole Olofinjana—an ordained Baptist minister and pastor of Woolwich Central Baptist Church, a multi-ethnic inner-city church in south-east London—for a discussion centred in his provocative 2015 book, Partnership in Mission : A Black Majority Church Perspective on Mission and Church Unity, published by Instant Apostle.

Israel Olofinjana comes from a Nigerian Pentecostal background and holds a MTh (Master of Theology) from Carolina University of Theology. He is many-times published academically and is a member of the editorial board of Missio Africanus, an online journal of African missiology in Britain. He has authored three books to date: Reverse in Ministry and Missions: Africans in the Dark Continent of Europe (2010), 20 Pentecostal Pioneers in Nigeria (2011) and Partnership in Mission (2015). Israel speaks and teaches in many venues across the UK on the subjects of Reverse Mission, African Christianity and Black Majority Churches.

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If you're wondering what's happening to The Mind Renewed, all is revealed in this thoroughly dehumidified episode, as we explore the effects of the Boxing Day Flood upon the state-of-the-art studios at TMR, and uncover the host's various attachments to David Bowie, Pierre Boulez and solid oak flooring. Thereafter, in place of thwarted antediluvian good intentions, we take the opportunity to present a fascinating lecture by academic philosopher Dr. Del Ratzsch on the subject of Supernatural Design and the question of its place within Science.

Variety, as they say, is the spice of life...

(The lecture by Dr. Del Ratzsch included in this episode is Copyright © MaclaurinCSF (http://maclaurincsf.org/), all rights reserved, and used here with kind permission.)

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Are you an "extremist"? Of course not; you wouldn't hurt a fly. But are you a "non-violent extremist"?

"What's one of those?" I hear you cry. Well, quite possibly, it's YOU.

The UK Government plans to introduce sweeping new powers called "Extremism Disruption Orders" and "Extremism Banning Orders" to combat individuals and organisations it deems to be "extreme". Who are "extremists"? Well, terrorists, of course. But what about political activists? Religious groups? Anti-religious groups? Trade unionists? Environmental campaigners? Are they "extremists" too? Well, they could be under the Government’s vague proposals: plans that are so opaque, poorly defined and broad in scope that they risk shutting down all kinds of legitimate speech in the UK.

Please support and publicise the Defend Free Speech Campaign, and (if you're in the UK) write to your MP.

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Well, it's not exactly a masterclass! But in place of the postponed interview with Tom Secker, I thought I would take the opportunity to share a few tips on how I go about producing podcasts and how I approach the whole business of conducting interviews (as requested by some TMR listeners). Highlights include: useful free software, how to avoid common errors, getting the most from a guest, big easy chairs, Japanese saucepans and phone calls about rabbits.

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"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country."

(Edward Bernays, Propaganda, 1928)

Entertaining, informative, irritating, embarrassing - you fill in the blanks - advertising certainly works on all of us; none of us is wholly immune. But surely it can never really control us (?)

Joining us again for one of our occasional, relaxed and informal conversations we welcome back Antony Rotunno, teacher, blogger and free thinker, and delve into the sometimes-funny-yet-sometimes-disturbing world - (our world) - of the corporate advertiser.

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This week we are once again joined by Dr. Tim Ball, retired professor of Climatology at the University of Winnipeg, for a wide-ranging conversation centred in the subject of... maps!

Ours is a multidimentional world, yet the ways in which we represent that reality to ourselves - and, perhaps more worryingly, find that reality represented to us by others - is very often "two-dimensional" (speaking both literally and figuratively). Join us as we think about Representation and Reality, and consider some of the problems that can arise when we mistakenly read the Map as if it's faithful to Reality itself.

(Please note: The Mind Renewed will now be taking a Half-Term break for two weeks.)

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For our second interview this week we welcome Dr. Simon Pardoe, director of "Vote Or Vote NONE" (VoteNone.org.uk), who joins us to discuss the hopes, aims and merits of that campaign as we approach the UK General (S)election on the 7th of May 2015.

"Faced with the overwhelming public anger at UK politics, and determination not to vote, I found myself suggesting people Vote NONE as the only potential form of participation. Surprisingly, it shifted those conversations from anger about UK politicians to a shared concern about how to revitalise UK democracy and improve UK politics. I realised that whereas not voting can be an end to thinking and engagement, the option to Vote NONE can re-engage people in thinking about politics and democracy. Suddenly there’s no reason to be silent, and every reason to think about what to do." (Simon Pardoe)

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On the thirteenth anniversary of 9/11, we welcome (back) to the programme teacher, blogger and free thinker Antony Rotunno, who joins us for an informal, unstructured and fairly wide-ranging conversation on the subject of "Changing the Discourse".

What is the so-called Truth Movement about? Is it mainly about practising and encouraging others to exercise "critical thinking"? Or is it essentially about removing psychological barriers to thought in certain areas? Is it about changing the way we and others see the world? If so... from what, to what? Many speak of wanting people to "wake up". But is "sleep" really the best metaphor to describe the problem? And is it helpful to speak of "a" Truth Movement anyway? These, and many more issues find their way into the conversation, as I misuse the word "anthropology" and win my very first bet on a podcast.

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Confused? Not sure what to believe about science, history, philosophy and everything else? Worry no more! Academia has a system called Peer Review in which experts check new research for "validity, significance and originality" before it appears in respectable journals, so you and I can rest assured that only the very best gets published. But is Peer Review really all it's cracked up to be?

Joining us once again is Dr. Tim Ball, retired climatologist from the University of Winnipeg, who explains the many reasons why he believes Peer Review has become at best a useless - and at worst a treacherous - system in which bias, error, dogmatism, cronyism, and even fraud frequently prevent the most important and challenging ideas from seeing the light of day. Whether one agrees, or disagrees, it's difficult not to sympathise with Dr. Ball's conclusion: Peer Review looks like something we could well do without.

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