Coffee-Time-Again

                               From Idealism to Tyranny

Dale and John began their podcast conversation after resolving technical issues, agreeing to use a dialogue format where Dale would ask prepared questions while exploring various topics. They discussed religious experiences and the nature of mystical encounters, with John sharing personal experiences and insights about different religious figures and historical texts. The conversation concluded with John sharing his beliefs about the afterlife and the influence of spirits, with both participants agreeing to schedule a follow-up session in three weeks.

Next steps

• John to send Dale a date and time for the follow-up podcast session in 3 weeks.
• Dale to send John the link for the next podcast session.
• Dale to create a separate frame in the editing to display John's book title "The False Paradigms of Today and the Timeless Truth of Tomorrow: Essays on Meaning".
• Dale to consider reading John's book and potentially writing a review.

Summary

Podcast Format and Topic Discussion

Dale and John discussed technical issues with audio setup before starting their podcast conversation. Dale introduced the show and John, and they agreed to have a dialogue format with Dale asking prepared questions while exploring various topics. John expressed uncertainty about his main message but indicated he would let the conversation flow naturally.

Religion's Role in Moral Guidance

John and Dale discussed the nature of religion and spiritual experiences. John explained that while religions can't fully convey the mystical experiences of their founders, they can still guide people to live good lives. He noted that most people are not spiritual "peakers" like Jesus, Muhammad, or Buddha, but can benefit from religious teachings. Dale agreed with this perspective, suggesting that different religious figures may have shared the same core message but expressed it differently due to their cultural and personal backgrounds.

Mystical Church Experiences Discussed

Dale shared a personal experience of a mystical encounter with the Holy Spirit in an Episcopal church, which he has since been able to replicate to some extent in other churches. John acknowledged this as a peak experience and discussed his own struggles with trying to recreate similar mystical experiences, expressing frustration at their unpredictability. They briefly touched on the topic of St. Peter and Paula's meetings with Siwo and Simon Magnus, though no specific details were provided.

Simon Magus and Peter's Debate

John discussed the biblical story of Simon Magus, who was known for performing miraculous feats and debated with St. Peter in front of Emperor Nero. Simon Magus challenged Peter's divine authority by proposing a sky-high jump to demonstrate his supernatural powers, but Peter prayed to God to stop him, causing Simon to fall and die. John also highlighted Simon's philosophical question about God's omniscience and omnipotence, which was later echoed by Emperor Julian the Apostate, who questioned the Christian faith.

Early Christian Texts and Traditions

John and Dale discussed the origins and development of early Christian texts and traditions. John shared insights from historical research, including the work of C.B. Waite, which suggested that the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were not mentioned until the mid-second century, decades after the last apostle's death. They explored how early Christian communities, particularly the Jerusalem church, were predominantly Jewish and followed Mosaic Law, but later evolved to become more gentile and less focused on legal observance. John also noted that St. Paul's writings, which form the basis of much of Christian theology, did not include certain elements like the virgin birth or miracles, which were added later in the second century.

Exploring Life's Futility Through Mushrooms

John discussed the inspiration behind his book, "The False Paradigms of Today and the Timeless Truth of Tomorrow," which he wrote after a profound experience with magic mushrooms. He explained that the book explores themes of life's futility and the cyclical nature of human existence. Dale inquired about the book's title and suggested adding a separate page in the editing process to highlight the book's name and author details. John shared that he spent a significant amount on editing and does not expect to make a profit, emphasizing the importance of the content. They briefly discussed the use of AI in writing, with John expressing skepticism about AI-generated content.

Personal Mystical Experiences Shared

John shared two personal mystical experiences. The first occurred while he was 18, when he spent a day repeating the name "Jesus" with his breath and later felt an overwhelming sense of love and invincibility while driving. The second experience happened when he was a college student in Claremont, where he was helped by a priest after running out of money in downtown LA. The priest's radiant presence and subsequent mystical feeling of love for all people left a lasting impression on John.

Peak Experiences and Spirit Communication

John shared insights about Colin Wilson, a writer who believed peak experiences could be induced through extreme stress followed by letting go, as described in his final book "Super Consciousness." John also discussed Emmanuel Swedenborg, a polymath from the 1840s who had out-of-body experiences for 40 years, communicating with spirits, angels, and demons, and believed in the progression of humanity with new prophets every few centuries. John mentioned that Johnny Appleseed, known for planting apple trees across the US, was actually spreading Swedenborgian tracts.

Beliefs on Afterlife and Spirits

John shared his beliefs about the afterlife, explaining that people's spirits linger and can influence others, with evil spirits causing mischief and good spirits guiding people towards goodness. He described four types of people based on their inner and outer qualities, and explained that in the afterlife, people gradually reveal their true selves and are attracted to others like them. Dale suggested scheduling a second session to cover more topics, and John agreed to return in three weeks.