Radicalized by Basic Decency

Radicalized by Basic Decency

Author: Dr. Roger Ray June 1, 2025 Duration: 18:15

For centuries the world's religions have constructed a mental prison in which they try to control the conduct of their adherents through threats of eternal torture or, for the very good, promises of eternal reward. However, once you awaken to the reality that these are empty promises and threats, in a world where there is not heaven or hell, then there are no moral absolutes . . . then we are left to discern for ourselves, "how shall we then live?"


Each week, Progressive Faith Sermons-Dr. Roger Ray offers a thoughtful exploration of modern spirituality and ethics, rooted in the inclusive community of the Community Christian Church in Springfield, Missouri. Hosted by Dr. Roger Ray, this podcast presents recorded sermons that bridge traditional Christian faith with urgent contemporary questions. The discussions move beyond doctrine to engage deeply with philosophy, culture, and the practical work of social justice, reflecting a commitment to accepting all people without judgment. Listeners will hear a unique blend of theological insight, cultural commentary, and ethical challenge, all aimed at fostering a more compassionate and equitable society. This isn't about simple answers; it's about wrestling with complex ideas on how to live a meaningful, faithful life in a complicated world. Tune in for a perspective that is both intellectually rigorous and grounded in a tangible desire for community and change. You can find this podcast wherever you listen, inviting you into a ongoing conversation about what it means to believe, belong, and act justly today.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 350

Progressive Faith Sermons - Dr. Roger Ray
Podcast Episodes
From Mindless Consumption to Grateful Contentment [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:58
Many societies, including American society, have made mindless consumption a way of life. Not having clear paths for working with suffering in skillful ways, we are encouraged at every turn to merely cope, while our core…
"Out of Hand": Tyre Nichols, Police Brutality, and Nonviolence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:34
The beginning of Black History Month has been already crowded with new entries in our long history of violence and inequality. Yet even while we mourn, honoring the grief and rage of the recent murder of Tyre Nichols, of…
The Linchpin of a Chariot: Caring for One Another [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:00
We spend a lot of time focused on understanding and transforming social norms that bring about injustice, oppression, and violence. But we also know that it is just as important to hold that awareness of our capacity for…
Gun Violence, Trauma, and Wholeness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:11
Last weekend, we carried an awareness of the grieving communities in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, California. Then, on Monday, two high school students were shot and killed at a charter school in Des Moines, Iowa in…
Making Friends that Make us Better (Discourse on Happiness 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:53
It's easy to divide the world up into the foolish and the wise. It's harder to take the time to really discern how our actions impact one another. We easily forget that our friendships train our minds. Whom we spend time…
The Real Questions (Discourse on Happiness 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:15
We continue to face head-on the injustice in the world, because honestly engaging with that suffering is essential to change. But we also understand that this emphasis alone can be disheartening and exhausting. If we are…
Christmas Now and Then (Originally Posted Dec. 22, 2019) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:08
Once you accept that the Christmas story as recorded by Matthew and Luke in the New Testament is not a reporting of history then we are left to wonder what the point of these mythical stories is. Clearly, far from the sw…
Birth Pangs or Death Throes? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:47
In many ways, religion resembles a long-running, uncontrolled social experiment on the human condition and social change. And a moment's reflection reminds us that all cultural, including religious, systems, have been us…