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Are my choices really mine? Is my destiny decided by fate? Do I choose my path? Does God determine my actions before I am even born? Doesn't my DNA force me to be the way I am? Do the planets select the course of my life?

For thousands of years, humans have been asking this question: "Are we really free?" Can Matt, Tom, and Karen answer this in a pub in 40 minutes? Will their weird drinks help? Join them for a great discussion.

Look out for Søren Kierkegaard, John Locke, Jesus and some porridge.

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Many countries feel they are under siege from immigrants. Small boats arriving in the UK from the English Channel. Crowds of people crossing from Mexico into the USA. Millions of Syrians living as refugees in Turkey. There are nearly as many displaced people in the world as there have ever been.

Should we be frightened? Will immigrants to our countries bring crime? Undermine our values? Disrupt our economy? Upset our way of life?

Should we welcome them? Should we send them away? What would Jesus do with an immigrant if He met one? 

Explore this provocative topic in the pub with Tom, Matt & Karen and some weird drinks.

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Every human dreams. Your dreams may be profound; they may be scary; they may be quickly forgotten. But what are they? Where do they come from? Do they mean anything? And, if there is a God, does He speak to us in dreams?

Join Matt, Tom & Karen in the pub for an exploration of the world of dreams. What are they? What do they say about our psychology? Should we pay attention to them? How have humans throughout history viewed them? Do they have a spiritual meaning?

With some weird drinks in the Horseshoe Inn in Chipping Sodbury, listen for 40 minutes of inspiration and curiosity.

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Is humanity handing control of the world over to machines? Will the computers soon be powerful enough to outsmart us? Are sinister people using AI for their own ends? Have we turned AI into God?

Or is AI helping us to work smarter, not harder? Will it lead to improved lives and better health? Will it free more people from boring work? 

What does God think about AI? Will AI be more powerful than God?

Join Tom, Matt & Karen in the Horseshoe Inn, Chipping Sodbury for a great chat and some weird drinks.

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Where did the universe come from? If there was a Big Bang - how did it start? Does this provide evidence for God? If the quantum world is so weird and beyond our imagination; isn't it possible that the supernatural world is like this too?

Or is this just wishful thinking from believers? Trying to squeeze some modern physics into their ideas about God to make themselves feel better?

Join Matt, Tom & Karen in the Bathurst Arms as they pretend to understand theoretical physics and try to wrestle with these big questions.

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Does God use violence? Should the church expand through force? How does God relate to political power?

Tom, Matt and Karen have mentioned in 9 previous episodes what the Kingdom of God is NOT. So today, they are back in the pub exploring what it IS. What is it all about? Why does Jesus talk about it so much?

Join them in a new location, along with some very weird drinks, for a fascinating exploration. Also joined by special guest "Francisco Pizarro" all the way from the 16th century.

Karma, the universal law of cause and effect, dictates that actions—good or bad—eventually return to the doer, acting as a cosmic balancer. 

Is this true? Is Karma the universal law? How does it affect us? Is God involved with it? Can we escape from its impact? Does what goes around come around?

Tom, Matt & Karen are back in The Plough in Cirencester exploring Karma. Join them, along with a few weird drinks to explore.

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Surely it is right to topple evil regimes? New leaders would be much better for the people. Isn't it worth spilling a little blood to get a more peaceful world? Didn't God remove some bad kings in the Bible? Shouldn't we use our military to force good changes on other countries?

Touched by global events, Tom, Matt & Karen are back in the pub, exploring this political, religious and ethincal question. With the help of some weird drinks, they wrestle with the rights and wrongs of violent regime change - and ask the question "What Would Jesus Do?".

Join them for 40 minutes of lively discussion and some terrible accents.

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Evangelicals. I've heard of them - but aren't they all crazy? Bigoted nationalists? Hating science? Misusing the Bible? 

What is an Evangelical Christian? Who are these people? Why are they in the news? What have they got to do with Donald Trump?

Tom, Matt & Karen are back in a busy pub (The Plough in Cirencester, UK) exploring this subject. Exploding some myths, explaining some history - and Tom answers the big question "Is he an Evangelical Christian?".

Join them and some weird drinks for a fascinating 40 minutes. 

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What happens after we die? Is there somewhere to go? Do we come back? Is there just nothing? Do we float around as a ghost?

Tom, Matt & Karen explore all the options. What are the ideas that humans have about heaven and the afterlife? Is there any evidence to support the idea that there is something beyond the grave?

Join them in a very busy pub, along with some weird drinks, for a fascinating 40 minutes of exploration.

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Was Jesus a myth? Was Jesus a Cynic? Was he an alien? Was he a prophet? Is Jesus a code-word for a magic mushroom? Did Jesus start a political revolution?

Christians claim Jesus was (and is) the Son of God. But isn't there an alternative explanation that fits the evidence better?

Tom, Matt & Karen consider 9 alternative theories for the life of Jesus. What do you think?

Join them, and some weird drinks, for 45 minutes of in-depth discussion and humour.

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Churches are closing, right? People are leaving. There are only a handful of old people going to church. Surely the church in the UK and in the West is destined to shrink away to nothing.

Is this true? What about stories of a "quiet revival"? What is happening? Is there a new openness to faith in God?

Join Tom, Karen & Matt in the pub for an intriguing discussion. Plus, or course, some weird drinks.

If faith in God is so good, why would someone give up on it? Surely, if Jesus is real - then turning away doesn't make sense. Why do people lose faith? Why do people get faith in the first place?

Matt, Tom & Karen are back in the pub looking at the 8 reasons for someone to lose their faith in God. Join them, and some weird drinks, for a fascinating 40 minutes of discussion - and maybe a little bit of faith.

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The British flag - the Union Jack - has been appearing on streets across the UK. What does this express? Is this a desire to return to 'British values? And is this flag a Christian symbol? Is patriotism a good thing? What does God think about love of country? What about other countries and their flags? Are St George, St Andrew & St Patrick to be celebrated in Britain?

Tom, Matt & Karen are back in the Plough to explore patriotism, nationalism, patron saints, immigration and what Jesus might say about all this. Join them and some more weird drinks for a fascinating discussion.

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Are the hidden humanoids living in the forest? Is there a Yeti in Nepal, a Bigfoot in America, a Yowie in Australia and big cats in the UK? What are they? Do they exist? Are they aliens? Are they hybrids? And how do they relate to the mysterious giants in the Bible - the Nephilim?

Tom, Matt & Karen are back in the pub wrestling with this unusual question - inspired by one of the regular listeners. Join them for a fascinating chat and some weird drinks.

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Does alcohol cause more harm than good? Does it damage our health, our relationships, our society, our finances and our mental well-being? Or is it one of the enjoyable things of life given for us to find pleasure in? And what does God think about it? Surely God doesn't like people being drunk - but Jesus turned water into wine.

Join Matt, Tom, Karen and a live audience at the George Hotel in Chipping Sodbury as they navigate this. Helped by the Booze Board, questions from the crowd and, of course, some weird drinks.

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How can you trust this ancient book? Surely it's been passed down from generation to generation and each time people have made a change - like a giant game of Chinese Whispers (Telephone to our US listeners). 

Tom, Matt & Karen are back in the Plough to ask this vital question. The bible may be popular, but hasn't it been changed by people with agendas? Hasn't it collected loads of mistakes over the years? How can you say it comes from God?

Join them and some weird drinks to uncover some surprising facts.

How can I get the life that I want? How can I overcome the problems in my life? Will the Universe help me? How can I get hold of this power? What do I need to do to manifest good things for me and for those I love?

Manifesting has grown in recent years as a tool to bring positive change to people's lives. Does it work? Is God involved with this? Is it just the same as prayer? Are the Universe and God the same thing?

Tom, Matt & Karen are back in the pub to explore this fascinating subject. And of course, there are another three weird drinks to be tested.

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Surely if we believe there were dinosaurs (and who doesn't) this proves that the Bible is wrong? Where are the dinosaurs in the Bible? Did they go on Noah's Ark? Why isn't the T-Rex mentioned in the book of Genesis?

Joined by some plastic dinosaurs, Tom, Matt & Karen are back in the pub to explore this question. Is it possible to believe in the Bible and in dinosaurs? Or are they mutually exclusive?

Join them, and some weird drinks for 45 minutes of illuminating and entertaining conversation.

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"God told me to do it". "I know God led me to do this". It is possible for people to be very convinced that God is speaking to them.

"How can I hear God's voice?". "Does God speak to people?". "Does God even exist?" It is also possible for people to think that God never speaks to them.

Tom, Matt & Karen are back in the pub wrestling with this question. They explore if God exists, does God speak to people, if God does speak how does he do it, what happens when people get it wrong, isn't 'hearing from God' open to abuse?

Join them for a fascinating 40 minutes, along with some of the weirdest drinks we've ever tasted.

As people hover between life and death - what happens? So many who recover report seeing and hearing extraordinary things. They see light, heaven, family, God, beauty - sometimes they experience fear. Do these mean anything? Are they just the working of our brains, or is more going on? What about people who have received information while 'dead' that they couldn't have known?

Tom, Matt & Karen are back exploring Near Death Experiences. With stories from many who have experienced these - see what you think. As usual, there are some weird drinks as they gather to discuss in the pub.

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Shouldn't church leaders be an example of honesty, purity and kindness? If they are followers of Jesus - isn't this just a normal expectation? So why do we hear so often of Christian ministers, preachers, pastors, bishops who seem to get it wrong? They say one thing and do another. They look good on the surface, but in secret there is something else going on.
Tom, Matt & Karen are back in the pub exploring this challenging subject accompanied by a selection of weird drinks.
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Surely any sane person can see that things are falling apart. Any optimism from the post-WW2 world and the end of the Cold War has gone – wars in Ukraine, Congo, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Sudan – a global pandemic – millions of refugees – chaotic unstable politics in USA, Korea, France, Germany – right-wing nationalism on the rise – humans rights being abused – climate crisis - mental health crisis – addiction to our phones – the obesity epidemic – economic instability & falling living standards.

Why does is feel that things are falling apart? Is the world getting worse (or better)? What does God say about the state of our planet, society and lives?

Matt, Tom & Karen are back in the pub wrestling with this. Join them and some weird drinks.

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Surely if God is powerful and He answers prayers – then the team with the most people praying for it should win. Is God interested in sport? Does He support the other team? Does God answer prayers for anything? Is there even a God in the first place? Does sport matter?

Tom, Matt & Karen are exploring this apparently trivial – but ultimately very deep subject. What is God's relationship with the world? Does He get involved with the stuff of human lives, or has he left us to it?

With some weird drinks – join for another fascinating discussion.

Why would you think God only speaks to Christians? Isn't God interested in everybody? Why wouldn't God speak to the leaders or holy people from any religion? Is the god of the Muslims, Hindus and Christians the same? Is there a god anyway?
Join Matt, Tom & Karen in the Plough Inn for this discussion exploring whether God speaks, what He thinks about all religions, why a religion might be wrong, how does someone hear from God anyway.
Plus of course - this episode's weird drinks.
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Trump. Harris. Democrat. Republican.
Economy. Migration. Foreign Policy. Abortion. 
US politics fills the news - even in the 95% of the world that can't vote. But how much does it matter? Is God interested? Does God have a favoured candidate?
Why are Christians - especially the famous 'Evangelicals' so involved in the election?
Is America any more important than other countries?
Tom, Matt & Karen are back in the pub, with some weird (US) drinks to explore this fascinating and current issue.
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What is wrong with women? Why does the church give women such a hard time? Do they think women are stupid or sinful? Why are all the leaders men?

Special guest Caz McCrone joins Matt Frost in the pub for this crunchy subject. They wrestle with this big question. Exploring if the church is misogynistic (women-hating) or is it just becoming feminist and woke because Western culture says it should. How did Jesus relate to women?

Back in the pub with more weird drinks for this fascinating and entertaining discussion.

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Matt & Tom are discussing this hot topic at the Ship Inn in Brimscombe.
Do animals have souls? Will Matt's dog Elsie be in heaven (or hell)? What should be our attitudes to animals and nature? Does God want me to be vegetarian? Are animals there to be used by humans?
Top-class canine, philosophical and theological debate - including some weird drinks and a passing French Bulldog.
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If I am in real pain with a terminal illness, isn't it right that I should be allowed to end my suffering? Isn't this simply compassion? Why should we prolong pain? Doesn't God want suffering to end?
But if we allow this, will it start to put pressure on people to end their lives so that they are not a bother to the living? If I have a disability, will I be asked to end my life? 
Who should supervise this process? Aren't doctors meant to preserve life?
If God created life - who should be allowed to end it?

Tom & Matt are back in the pub (The Ship Inn at Brimscombe) with weird drinks wrestling with this challenging and emotional subject. Join them for an impassioned discussion.
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What is Christianity? What is it all about? Does it change the way someone lives? What is at the heart of the Christianity? And is it even true? When someone says they are a Christian - what does that mean? And don't lots of Christians do bad things - so what is the value of their religion?
Matt & Tom are joined by the good people of Chipping Sodbury in the Old Bank Pub for a fascinating evening of discussion and audience questions. Plus some of the weirdest drinks ever tasted on the podcast.

What's the point? What's the point of life? Why are we here? Is there any meaning, or are we just a cosmic accident?
Matt has ditched Tom and Karen and headed for a sunny cafe to meet special guest Deano. 
Dean asks the "What's the Point?" question - and offers 3 possible answers. He also tells his journey of discovery  - and how he was 'guided' around a rainy town by a voice - and where that led him.
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Is Jesus a progressive liberal or a responsible conservative? Is he woke, or is he anti-woke?
Matt, Tom & Karen wade in the 'Culture Wars' in this latest episode. 
Does Jesus stand with the marginalised? Which side of the culture wars would he be on? Does he stand for law & order? Is he 
Questions of race, gender, poverty, politics - all are here. Accompanied as always by some weird drinks.
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Have you ever experienced a miracle? Have you ever heard of a miracle? Is there any evidence to support the idea that miracles happen? Is it just coincidence or wish fulfilment on the part of gullible believers? 
If there is a God, why does he need to do miracles? 
Join Tom, Matt & Karen as they explore this question, tell some amazing stories and 'enjoy' another round of weird drinks in the pub.
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Why Do Christians Sing to the Wall? Wherever you go, Christians seem to be singing. They sing on their own, they sing in groups, they sing at the wall. Why? What's with all the singing? Are they just deluded, singing to a God who isn't there? Is it just trying to convince themselves that it really is true? Does the devil have the best tunes?
Tom, Matt & Karen are back in the Plough Inn, with some genuinely awful drinks - to explore this subject. WARNING: Contains Singing!

In light of events in the Middle East, Tom, Matt & Karen wrestle with a current and curious question. We know why Israel is in the news, but why do Christians talk about it so much? Why do some Christians support the state of Israel enthusiastically? Why is Christianity so full of Jewish things?
Join our team in the pub, with some weird drinks, to explore this controversial subject.

In front of a lively but friendly crowd at the Star Inn our team of Karen, Tom & Matt wrestle with the question of the meaning of science and faith. Because of the growth of science, does this mean faith is pushed out? Is it reasonable to have faith in God and have a scientific worldview? 
Plus questions from the audience - this was a fun evening and a very interesting listen. 
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Tom, Karen & Matt are back in the pub (well, sort of) with some weird drinks - to ask what may seem to be an obvious question. Isn't it obvious that Christianity is a religion, along with the other big religions in the world? So why ask the question?
So, what is a religion in the first place? Are there things about Christianity that make it different to other religions, faiths or philosophies? Would every religion say that theirs is unique and special?
Take a listen as they wrestle with this question, and as is often the case on this podcast, come to a rather nuanced answer.

Are humans alone in the universe? Is there life on other planets? Did God create humans as unique? Do we share the universe? Has there been contact between aliens and humans? Are ETs found in the bible?
All this and more is explored by Matt, Tom & Karen in the 'pub' with some weird drinks. Looking at science, popular culture, personal experiences and the Bible - this will be an interesting listen for a believer and a sceptic.

Religion is full of rules, right? Do this, don't do that. Being 'spiritual' has become increasingly popular in the Western world - and being religious has greatly decreased. Can you be spiritual without being religious? Isn't it better to focus on the things of the spiritual world and less on rules, dogma and religious organisations like the church?

Tom, Karen & Matt are back in the pub to explore this. With special attention paid to what has been know as the New Age Movement. What is it? Where does it come from? And is it better than organised religion?
Join us for 40 minutes of informed chat and 3 very weird drinks.

Possessions, money, houses, cars, hobbies, clothes - what should we do with it all? Is it good to collect for ourselves and our families? Or should I sell everything except the essentials for the sake of the poor and the planet? Surely Jesus wasn't interested in money and stuff? He didn't own a house or a horse - so shouldn't we follow in his footsteps?
Inspired by a listener's question about his collection of Marvel action figures - Tom, Matt & Karen are back in the Plough Inn wrestling with their stuff. Joined of course by this month's collection of weird drinks.

Is the culture we live in good for us? Is it evil and corrupt? Is it creative and life-giving? Music, films, books, TV, games, ideas, conversations, art, sport.... all of this makes up our culture. How should we approach it? Does God have any interest in culture? Is culture now better than culture in the past - or is the opposite true? 
Tom Wharin, Matt Frost & Karen Simson are back in the Plough Inn, with some very weird drinks, wrestling with this question from one of our listeners. 
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Do spirits exist? Is it possible to be influenced or controlled by them? Are films like The Exorcist or Ghostbusters based on truth? Is it all just out-of-date fantastical thinking and rational modern people shouldn't even be thinking about these things? What about the stories from Jesus' life that describe him delivering people from evil spirits?
Tom, Matt & Karen are back in The Plough Inn (with some much-improved recording equipment) to wrestle with this tricky subject. Accompanied, as usual, by some very weird drinks.

Why might God be interested in who I marry? Isn't love the only thing that matters? Why does the bible talk about sex and marriage? Does it need to be a man & a woman?
Tom Wharin, Matt Frost & Karen Simson are back in a new pub to explore this fascinating and controversial subject. Talking about science, sociology, the bible and relationships Tom & Matt walk through this conversation  - helped by some weird drinks.

Is it right for someone with strong religious views to hold public office in a modern society? Will they just try to impose their views on others? Should everyone in politics have neutral views? Would it be better if all those in power were atheists?
Tom, Matt & Karen are back - in a new pub - to consider this question. Inspired by recent stories in the news they wrestle with the "mucky business" of politics & religion!

There are many good reasons for being an atheist. What are they? Do they make sense? And what to believers do with these reasons? Do they just ignore them? Are there good reasons for believing in God?
With the help of atheist friends, Tom Wharin & Matt Frost have compiled a list of reasons - and explore some of them with the help of Karen Simson.
Back in the pub again, tasting some more weird drinks too.

Recorded live in front of an enthusiastic audience in the Star Inn our two pastors Tom & Matt and their host Karen wrestle with the question "Is the UK (or any nation) a Christian country?".
Is there such a thing as a Christian country? What is one? Is the UK Christian? Was it ever? What about other countries? 
Live discussion from Tom, Matt & Karen followed by questions from the friendly and challenging audience at the Star Inn.
Join them for 55 minutes of discussion, laughs and some very weird drinks.

One of the Two Pastors in a Pub podcast's listeners described the internet at a "horrible machine with a mind of its own". Is this true? Is the internet evil? Is it controlling the world and allowing forces that want wrong to prevail to change the world? Or is it something that is benefitting many of us, bringing people together and even blessed by God?
Matt, Karen & Tom are back in the pub with their weird drinks to explore this. How is the world affected by the internet, and what does God think about it? Join them for 40 minutes of thought, ideas, stories and a bit of nonsense.

Catholic, Baptist, Orthodox, Anglican, Methodist, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Salvation Army, Episcopalian....... There are a lot of churches. Are they really saying and believing the same things about God? Which is the right one? Are they all wrong? It's confusing to people who are new to church, and for those who have been around for a while. The fact that churches argue with one another can really deter people from considering Christianity.
Tom, Matt & Karen are back in the pub to explore this issue with intelligence (!) and humour - plus a few weird drinks.

Should I love my country? Is it good to be proud of my country? What if I want to defend it? Is it OK to hate the country next door?
And what about my football team, surely it's OK to support them?
What do you think? What does Jesus think?
Tom, Matt & Karen are back in the pub exploring this. Inspired by the forthcoming World Cup (football/soccer) they wrestle with the love of country and why Tom really likes  Stephenson's Rocket. They explore the story of the Good Samaritan and what it means to nationalism.

The Sexual Revolution promised freedom. Freedom from old constraints, freedom for men and women, freedom to enjoy. Has it delivered? Are we free? Are we more fulfilled?
Karen and Matt are joined by guest Andy Bannister (from Solas) to explore the benefits and costs of the sexual revolution. They ask whether the picture that God paints of our identities and our sexuality works in practice.
Join them for 45 minutes of discussion  - plus the usual weird drinks.