Refining Rhetoric
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Classical Conversations is a Christian-oriented curriculum company and homeschool organization here to help you educate with confidence!
06/11/2026
Is the psychedelic renaissance a spiritual threat...or just medicine? In this episode , host Robert Bortins sits down with Gary Stockton, a Classical Conversations Inc Challenge IV graduate, to discuss his senior thesis: "Stay Sober, Stay Alert: A Christian Guide to Mysticism." Gary’s 32-source academic argument — drawing from Johns Hopkins research, C.S. Lewis, Voddie Baucham, and Hebrew and Greek primary sources — makes the biblical case that Christians should reject the spiritual experiences offered by psychedelic-assisted therapy.
From the ancient cult of Asclepius and pharmakia to Margaret Sanger, N**i eugenics, and the modern therapeutic boom, Gary traces a chilling historical thread connecting serpentine deities, manufactured spiritual states, and demonic deception across cultures and centuries. Robert Bortins Freedom Maximalist and producer Chris Blackburn join Gary to explore what Scripture actually says about mysticism, what Galatians 5 and Deuteronomy 18 reveal about pharmakia, and why the very “benefits” of psychedelic therapy may be part of a much darker bait-and-hook.
If you’ve heard about Joe Rogan’s advocacy for psychedelic therapy, Trump’s executive order on psychedelics for PTSD treatment, or the growing number of Christians open to these practices, this episode will give you the biblical framework to think clearly and respond wisely.
What does it actually take to raise children of character in a culture that’s lost its moral compass? In this episode of Refining Rhetoric, Kirk Cameron sits down with host Robert Bortins Freedom Maximalist to talk about biblical parenting, the homeschool awakening, and what it means to be a faithful father in a post-truth world.
Hear the conversation on Episode 219 of the Refining Rhetoric podcast: "Kirk Cameron’s 3 Rules for Raising Faithful Children"
Link is in the comments.
"Don't outsource the teaching of truth" is one of Kirk Cameron's three non-negotiables he’s learned from 34 years of marriage and six kids.
Hear the rest on Episode 219 of the Refining Rhetoric podcast: "Kirk Cameron’s 3 Rules for Raising Faithful Children"
Link is in the comments.
Parents: It's not about how young you can get your kids to read a complex book; it's about the love of reading.
Full episode linked in comments.
Ted Kluck shares why he believes Union University is one of the last remaining truly Christian colleges left in 2026.
Write for a real audience: Union University journalism professor Ted Kluck shares what aspiring writers should actually focus on.
Episode 217 of Refining Rhetoric is out now. Link in comments.
Sure, you can use AI to cheat your way through a college course...if you're willing to give up your character, your reputation, and (most importantly for a university) relationships and opportunities with your professors. Is that a price you're willing to pay?
Episode 217 of Refining Rhetoric with professor Ted Kluck, professor of journalism at Union University, is out now. Link in comments.
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