Counterflow with Buck Johnson

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 286: Not Avoiding Pain and Discomfort, with Father Moses McPherson Nov 08, 2023

Show notes

This week, my guest is Father Moses McPherson, rector of Holy Mother of God Orthodox Church in Georgetown, TX. He is also the newest contributor over at Patristic Faith. Fr. Moses grew up in a rough area outside of Los Angeles, CA, with a Protestant Pastor as a father. He didn't have a lot of parental oversight and thus got into crime, drugs, and running adjacent with LA gangs. His journey into psychedelics took him down some seriously dark paths. He landed himself in an abusive military boys home where he soon found Christ. He details this wild journey that eventually led him to Orthodoxy. This is one of my deepest, most emotional interviews to date. I know you will be touched by this story.

To check out Fr. Moses's Church, go here: https://orthodoxaustin.org/

To visit his Patristic Faith page, go here: https://www.patristicfaith.com/orthodox-christianity/the-definitive-orthodox-opinion-on-halloween/

Sponsors:

The Texas Independence Conference (Texit Con): November 9 - 12 in Waco, TX: https://texitconference.com/

Use promo code BUCK at checkout for a discount on your tickets!

The Podsworth App: Get 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com when you use code BUCK50 at checkout!

Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com

Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow

Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com

Leave us a review and rating on iTunes! Thanks!

Ep. 285: The Orthodox View of Israel, with Jim Jatras Oct 31, 2023

Show notes

My guest this week is my friend Jim Jatras. Jim and I discuss what's going on with Israel, Hamas, and the USA. Many people see this as a "choose one side or the other" ordeal, and it's not that simple. Zionist politicians and pastors have a misunderstanding of what the Christian view of Israel is, and Jim is here to explain the truth about it all.

Sponsors:

The Texas Independence Conference (Texit Con): November 9 - 12 in Waco, TX: https://texitconference.com/

Use promo code BUCK at checkout for a discount on your tickets!

Amy Mastrine's art: https://amy-the-artist.com/

The Podsworth App: Get 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com when you use code BUCK50 at checkout!

Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com

Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow

Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com

Leave us a review and rating on iTunes! Thanks!

Ep. 284: Preparing For What May Be Coming, with Alex Braszko and Jonah Martin Oct 24, 2023

Show notes

Today our friends Jonah Martin and Alex Braszko are back on the show to discuss "prepping" from an Orthodox standpoint. Often, the term "prepping" can have a negative connotation to people. This may be because it very often focuses on what one can do to prep for themselves and their immediate household only. It often has to do with material goods and food alone. In this episode, my guests breakdown how and why we should prepare for a dim future as well as how we got here and why we even exist in the first place!

Practical liturgics for home (as mentioned in the episode): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4a3yUwdVneQ5FCPeYATWBG7YutLrLgOv

For more on Jonah's online family store, go here: https://holdfastfarmstead.com/

Sponsors:

The Texas Independence Conference (Texit Con): November 9 - 12 in Waco, TX: https://texitconference.com/

Use promo code BUCK at checkout for a discount on your tickets!

The Podsworth App: Get 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com when you use code BUCK50 at checkout!

Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com

Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow

Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com

Leave us a review and rating on iTunes! Thanks!

Ep. 283: Transhumanism and the War Against Humanity, with Joe Allen Oct 17, 2023

Show notes

This week, I welcome back Joe Allen to the show. Joe has a new book out called "Dark Aeon: Transhumanism and the War Against Humanity". This discussion dives into the dystopian future that we are facing with the rise of artificial intelligence and transhumanism. We get into the religious and spiritual lens that many AI proponents see AI through, their end goals, possible dangers we face, and then how to deal with it all.

Follow Joe on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/JOEBOTxyz

Sponsors:

Amy Mastrine's art: https://amy-the-artist.com/

The Podsworth App: Get 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com when you use code BUCK50 at checkout!

Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com

Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow

Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com

Leave us a review and rating on iTunes! Thanks!

Ep. 282: Foreign Policy, Agrarianism, and Sola Scriptura, with Father John Whiteford Oct 10, 2023

Show notes

My guest this week is Father John Whiteford. Fr. John is Archpriest and pastor at St. Jonah Orthodox Church in Spring, Texas. He is also the dean of the southern deanery (Texas and Louisiana) of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America ROCOR. Today, we are discussing some themes from a talk he gave at the Ludwig Orthodox Fellowship Inaugural Conference recently. It deals with his realization that once he became an Orthodox Christian, he could no longer support the neoconservative pro-war foreign policy philosophy. We get into the multiple wars that the US has participated in and the eradication of Christians in various parts of the world due to the actions of the US military. This leads us into a discussion on the Yankee mentality and the Southern mentality. The Puritanism of the Yankees has unfortunately won out when it comes to wars and democracy, and that has led to some very bad results. Fr. John feels as though Orthodox Christianity is suited for the agrarian southern heart and mind. We also get into a subject that Fr. John has written and spoken on many times over the decades, and that is Sola Scriptura. This is a wonderful discussion, and I think you'll learn a lot.

For Fr. John's speech at the Ludwell Orthodox Fellowship, click here: https://youtu.be/OcodXAjVLw0?si=kG3G7bsOkvoHCZ-0

Here is Fr. John's blog: https://fatherjohn.blogspot.com/

Sponsors:

Amy Mastrine's art: https://amy-the-artist.com/

The Podsworth App: Get 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com when you use code BUCK50 at checkout!

Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com

Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow

Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com

Leave us a review and rating on iTunes! Thanks!

Ep. 281: The 1960's Counterculture Was Controlled from the Top, with Jay Dyer Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

My guest this week is Jay Dyer. Jay runs one of the largest podcasts in our space as well as being the author of "Esoteric Hollywood" volumes one and two. He is known for his deep analysis of Hollywood, geopolitics, and culture. His graduate work focused on psychological warfare and film. In this episode, Jay and I get into the non-organic, controlled-from-the-top nature of the 1960's "counterculture" that so many people still think was a grassroots freedom expression. Jay discusses the multiple figures that had CIA ties, military intelligence ties, elite global ties, and so on. From Hollywood to LSD to the music business and from Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles to the Haight Ashbury scene in San Francisco, much of the movement was steered from the top.

For more of Jay's excellent content, go here: https://jaysanalysis.com/

Sponsors:

Amy Mastrine's art: https://amy-the-artist.com/

The Podsworth App: Get 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com when you use code BUCK50 at checkout!

Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com

Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow

Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com

Leave us a review and rating on iTunes! Thanks!

Ep. 280: Spiritual Sickness Leads to Physical Sickness, with Amy Mastrine Sep 26, 2023

Show notes

My guest this week is one half of the Mystic Sisters Podcast and Substack: she is Amy Mastrine. Amy is an Orthodox Christian and an artist and iconographer. Amy's journey through far-left politics and feminism left her not only spiritually sick, but she became physically and mentally ill as well from her empty political ideology. At times, she couldn't even speak because, instinctually, she knew her ideas were wrong. She went through multiple secular therapists, all of whom weren't prepared to give her the help she really needed. After a journey through atheism, Catholicism, and multiple other churches, Amy found Christ through the Orthodox Church, and her healing began. Her art showed in this transformation as she began to work on icons of Christ, Mary, and the Saints. Amy's story is gripping, and she's open and honest about her pain.

For more on Amy and her paintings, go here: https://amy-the-artist.com/

Sponsors:

Amy Mastrine's art: https://amy-the-artist.com/

Expat Money Summit: https://2023.expatmoneysummit.com/

The Podsworth App: Get 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com when you use code BUCK50 at checkout!

Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com

Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow

Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com

Leave us a review and rating on iTunes! Thanks!

Ep. 279: Artificial Intelligence, Symbolism, Beauty, and Truth, with Jonathan Pageau Sep 19, 2023

Show notes

My guest this week is someone I've wanted to interview for quite a while. He is the proprietor over at The Symbolic World, none other than Jonathan Pageau himself. Jonathan is a French-Canadian icon carver, public speaker, and YouTuber exploring the symbolic patterns that underlie our experience of the world, how these patterns emerge and come together, manifesting in religion, art, and popular culture. He's also the editor of the Orthodox Arts Journal and host of the Symbolic World blog and podcast. In this episode, we discuss the dark issues with AI and where the world is headed in that regard. We discuss how it works as far as "agency" goes, the demonic aspects of it, as well as what not to necessarily worry about. I get into art, beauty, Jordan Peterson, symbolism, and more. This episode is not to be missed!

For more on Jonathan and his work, go here: https://thesymbolicworld.com/

Sponsors:

Amy Mastrine's art: https://amy-the-artist.com/

Expat Money Summit: https://2023.expatmoneysummit.com/

The Podsworth App: Get 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com when you use code BUCK50 at checkout!

Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com

Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow

Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com

Leave us a review and rating on iTunes! Thanks!

Ep. 278: America is Owned by Oligarchs, with Nicholas from Orthodox Reflections Sep 13, 2023

Show notes

My guest this week is back for his second appearance. He is "Nicholas", a writer over at Orthodox Reflections. Nicholas wrote a very good piece titled, "There is No Free Market or Democracy in America", and he's here to dive into the points he makes in it. Largely, we discuss the three mega-companies that own much of what we know as corporate and governmental America. They are State Street, BlackRock, and Vanguard. The 401(k)s and pensions of millions and millions of ordinary Americans are the key to untold power and influence. The big three asset management firms own almost the entire corporate sector and an increasingly large chunk of the residential real estate market as well. How does it change things when the same management firms own everyone and their competitors? We discuss all this and more.

Here's the piece we discuss: https://orthodoxreflections.com/the-is-no-free-market-or-democracy-in-america/

Sponsors:

Amy Mastrine's art: https://amy-the-artist.com/

Expat Money Summit: https://2023.expatmoneysummit.com/

The Podsworth App: Get 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com when you use code BUCK50 at checkout!

Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com

Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow

Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com

Leave us a review and rating on iTunes! Thanks!

Ep. 277: Buck Talks About His Journey with Elissa Bjeletich Davis Sep 05, 2023

Show notes

This week, we do some things a bit differently! I was a guest on a show published by Ancient Faith Radio called "Everyday Orthodox" hosted by Elissa Bjeletich Davis. I explained my life, almost from the very beginning! We go through my family life, childhood, teenage years, and, of course, my political and spiritual journey. I rarely publish my own story on this show because I like to feature other people, much smarter than me. But I wanted to do some cross-promotion with Everyday Orthodox, and I thought this interview was a very enjoyable one. Let me know what you think!

For more information on Everyday Orthodox, go here: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=everyday+orthodox

...or here: https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/everydayorthodox

Sponsors:

Expat Money Summit: https://2023.expatmoneysummit.com/

The Podsworth App: Get 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com when you use code BUCK50 at checkout!

Visit my website: https://www.counterflowpodcast.com

Donate to the show here: https://www.patreon.com/counterflow

Audio Production by Podsworth Media: https://www.podsworth.com

Leave us a review and rating on iTunes! Thanks!