The Incomplete Skeptic Podcast

My Valentine

My favorite version of this song is by my friend, John McAndrew.  It's his birthday today, so maybe look him up and buy a CD from him.  There's ZERO profit for me.  

Opus Derian Vocal Rendition

Stephen Anderson created this piece with his wife at the time.  They lost their son, Derian, to health issues early on in his life.

 

I was at a garage sale during my Dark Night of the Soul and bought a CD.  It had no cover, just a burned 'something' that I hoped would be good because the black magic-marker name was an Opus.  I had no idea what to expect, but it moved me to tears.  I looked Stephen up and asked permission to use it in my speeches about driving sober, at MADD, Minnesotans for Safe Driving, etc.  He said OK.  If you know my story, you'll hear this song in a special way.

 

 

Charly Rose from 26 Unstoppable Women Entrepreneurs

Charly is sober for a long time and went through a lot to get where she is today.  Listen to her story.  If she can do it, maybe anyone can.

 

Author Rosemary Thornton ”Remembering the Light; How Dying Saved My Life”, on The Incomplete Skeptic

Rosemary Thornton is an amazing Instrument in the hands of God's Angels.  

Explore beyond the cynical; hear her TDE, Temporary Death Experience story.  Her experience defies rational comprehension in the scientific sense.  I experienced 'synchronicities galore' when hearing her story. If you believe in synchronicities, you'll find nuggets of gold here, as I did.

Her website:  www.temporarydeath.com 

Her book promo:

Remembering the Light:
How Dying Saved My Life

When Rose’s husband committed suicide at their home, she fell into a pit so deep and dark that medical professionals expressed doubts that she would ever fully recover.

Two years later, Rose was diagnosed with cancer, and during a “minor medical procedure,” she bled to death and had no heartbeat for 10+ minutes.

In heaven, she was told that if she agreed to return to earth, she’d be restored to good health, physically, emotionally, and mentally. 

Subsequent medical tests affirmed that every vestige of the disease was gone, but as Rose often says, the “bigger story” was the restoration of her soul. The crippling grief, occasioned by her husband’s suicide, was gone.

The story of Rose’s “temporary death experience” has garnered more than 3 million views on a wide variety of video platforms, including a recently released documentary (Life to Afterlife: 2). The prevalent comment shared by viewers is, “This is the best NDE story that I’ve ever heard.”

The music lead-in to this video recording is 'Life is a Mystery', and is from my favorite musician, Michael Monroe.  Michael is also a friend and said I could use his music for these recordings.  I'm sure he's like recognition.  His music has been responsible for a huge transformational shift in how I view manhood.  Here's his website link:  http://michaelmonroemusic.com/  Check out his music.  You'll be amazed! 

Just so you know, I'm testing software for creating intro/outro to videos.  Definitely still on the learning curve.  Please be patient with me as I grow my Channel.  Me, I doubt I'll ever ask people to like and subscribe or 'smash' some button or other.  I'm glad you're here.  Yes, I'm glad I'm here, too.  The Incomplete Skeptic is for you (my minor contribution to bringing more love to the world and suspending cynical thinking) more than my popularity.

Secret Keeping: Overcoming Hidden Habits and Addictions, John Howard Prin Speech, Hazelden Second Sunday

John Howard Prin was the Hazelden Second Sunday Presenter. The title of his presentation: "Freeing Yourself from Unhealthy Secrets" 

 

Presentation Overview: Discover why 25 million everyday Americans struggle with the downward spiral of secret-keeping and how the tips and techniques you will learn in this Second Sunday presentation can foster change."

 

Bio: John Howard Prin is a national speaker and author who specializes in assisting people who want healthy minds and emotions by mastering their secret-keeping habits. He also works with the professionals who serve them through his company "True You Recovery" in Minneapolis. John’s talents as a counselor and educator have inspired individuals in recovery groups and treatment centers nationwide.

 

Formerly a clinical case manager and counselor at Hazelden, he currently serves clients in his private practice and at outpatient treatment centers in the Twin Cities metro area. John has published numerous articles on addiction/recovery topics in addition to authoring Stolen Hours and Secret Keeping. For more information, visit John’s website at www.trueyourecovery.com.

 

”Candace Lightner: The Conscience of a Nation”, President of WECHANGELIVES, Guest on The Incomplete Skeptic

From my perspective, Candace Lightner changed the attitude of a nation when she got mad and started MADD. It happened before I sobered up, and I had misgivings about it because it seemed to paint a face that was untrue: mothers are more valuable than fathers. I am not fond of sexist attitudes, yet I often suspect that women carrying human beings in the womb (womben, not women) generates an indelible connection between the baby and the woman that a father may never fathom. But I resigned my beliefs in the interest of the Greater Good and I celebrated that MADD was breaking open the hearts and minds of the American Conscience, and was grateful that brave women were leading the charge akin to the Light Brigade.

MADD changed my life, and help SAVE my life, and I look back on decades of work and reflect on how many people said my story saved their lives. I take no credit for this. They saved their own lives. I was not the Message, but rather, one among many Messengers. I prayed before every speech (maybe missed praying here and there, but I had an attitude of being guided by a power greater than myself) which reduced EGO (Edging God Out) from contaminating my speeches.

In this interview, Candace challenged some of my cherished beliefs about the value of forgiveness. I can honestly say that the people in my life that disagreed with me have been my greatest teachers. What doesn't kill me, makes me wiser.

I thought I knew Candace Lightner's story pretty well, but this interview revealed some of her innermost thoughts on what it means to be an Agent of Change, what forgiveness is and is not good for, and what true grief looks like over the decades, PTSD, and more. I love her depth and honesty. She gave me a lot to think about.

Here is something you may not know. All three of her children were hit by drunk drivers, Travis sustained immense lifetime injuries, Cari died, and Selena was injured and went on to form SADD, Students Against Drunk Driving, now Students Against Destructive Decisions https://www.sadd.org/. Candace herself was later hit by a distracted driver and suffered a broken back. Listen to the interview for some more details.

Candace Lightner is also an accomplished author, having published articles in magazines, newspapers, and journals including USA Today, Abstracts and Reviews, the Judges Journal, Advertising Age, Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Salt Lake Tribune.

Grief is a private language interpreted only by those who know what it means. On September 1, 1990 (Thirteen days after I sobered up), Candace co-authored and published the hardcover book "Giving Sorrow Words: How to Cope with Your Grief and Get on with Your Life."

Written with compassion and insight, her book can help you travel through the rough terrain of grief. By giving sorrow words the authors tell you what to expect when mourning, how to get the support you need, and how coping with death can transform your life.

The book rates as a main selection of the Psychotherapy Book Club.

The book is available for purchase on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Giving-Sorrow-...

To her credit, she created her own wiki page because Wikipedia kicked her off their site, saying she wasn't popular enough. She wanted to stem the online misinformation out there about her life. https://www.candacelightner.com/Meet-...

Candace has two separate websites, one for her life and personal work https://www.candacelightner.com/, and one for public activist work, https://wesavelives.org/.

At the end of January 2022, Candace is starting a big campaign as referred to it as her "Legacy". Please help support her. She deserves our help. Thank you.

Marc Hertz on The Incomplete Skeptic/Sober Wise Guy Series

Marc is 30-years clean from substance abuse and has used his recovery in stellar ways to help the still suffering addicts.  This interview was way above my pay grade.  He's articulate, super smart, and I love that he is not spewing platitudes.  He calls into question many of the accepted modes of therapy and recovery.  Totally intriguing Guest!

Deep Dive into Human Value; Spiritual Math. Are You More Than Your Mugshot?

Thank God life ain't fair.  Yep, I said the "G-Word," but I beg you to hear me out, even if you think this recording is just a bunch of God Stuff.

Today, I watched the Minnesota State Board of Pardon's decisions about offenders and re-contemplated the topic of official forgiveness.  

Pretend Christians will never bring the Kingdom to fruition.  They talk a good game but don't practice forgiveness as directed by Jesus Christ.  They talk the talk but don't walk the walk at best.  Sure, I fall short, too, but Jesus was most pissed-off at hypocrites.  Yeah, I suppose I am one, too.  I'm imperfect.  But I do more than get ready to meet God; I also meet God to get ready.  

Vengeance in the human heart is always ugly, and I'm not sure God is even vengeful, even when 'vengeance belongs to God.'  Anyone can forgive.  It's one of the godliest things anyone can do, whether an atheist or person of faith.  

I trust an Atheist with forgiveness in their heart more than a 'saved' Christian with the addiction to anger distorting their perception about love. 

Forgiveness runs deeper than the offense that calls it into existence.  If it ain't about Love, it ain't about God because God is Love.

Quit Looking at the Problem

Some "God Stuff" here.  If you don't like something I say, take it up with God.  God's the reason I'm alive.  If you LIKE something I say, don't give me any credit.  I'm just a Messanger (on a good day).  LOL!  There is One that has all power, and that One ain't you or me.  God, You, Me is a WE Program.  Take what you like and leave the rest.

 

 

The Incomplete Skeptic‘s Dream/Vision that God Gave Me in 1976

Part of the purpose of my life.