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Week 8, Climb Spree, Episode 598, Act One

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https://www.thisamericanlife.org/598/my-undesirable-talent Listen to Act One, 24 min All of us have probably fanaticized about being a cat-burglar, Mission Impossible-style. Okay, maybe you haven’t. Yes, it would be stealing… and breaking one of the 10 Commandments. This episode explores the story of a Mormon man who lived a double life as a cat-burglar, who was so successful and prolific in his crimes that the San Francisco police department named him “Spiderman”. But his nightly adventures were born out of an addiction that was destroying him. In the end he wanted to get caught. What is the most daring or crazy thing that you have ever done? All of us live a double life to some extent. There is who we really are and then there is the person we want everyone to think we are. We might have even convinced ourselves that the truth is found in the latter rather than in the former. Name two characteristics that are true about yourself - one ...
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Week 7, Rosie's Paradox, Episode 617, Act Three

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/617/fermis-paradox Listen to Act Three, 12 min All of us struggle in different ways to relate to our parents. Often we feel an natural affinity or connection to one parent over another. Or maybe it just takes creative effort to unlock what could be a much deeper connection with a more distant parent. That is the case with Rosie, a young girl in this episode who tried to reach her busy father in a way she thinks will get him to just talk to her… Which parent did you connect more naturally with? Why? Has that always been true, or have you connected with both parents at different points in life? Did this story make you think of any of your childhood events or relationships? Who and how? Of the questions Rosie posed to her father, which one would you most want to ask to someone who could provide a satisfying answer? Which one would you most want to answer from a younger person in your family? One of the...
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Week 6, I Think We're Alone Now, Episode 617, Prologue and Act One

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/617/fermis-paradox Listen to the Prologue and Act One, 22 minutes Is there intelligent life in the universe? Are we even sure we can find it on earth? Fermi’s Paradox refers to an observation made by physicist Enrico Fermi that challenges the often argued “high” probability of intelligent life on other planets. If you are unfamiliar with this, research the Drake Equation. With so many worlds out there, there just has to be other intelligent life, right? Except Enrico Fermi asked his colleagues on one occasion: “So where are they? As physicists have turned radio telescopes to the heavens they have been met with only silence…. no “man-made” radio signals discovered so far… What is going on? Listen to the Prologue and Act One, 22 minutes One of the producers of This American Life is a particle physicist turned journalist. This episode explores his personal struggle with the fact that this planet may contain the only inte...
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Week 5, Wonder Woman, Episode 508, Act Two

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/508/superpowers-2013 Listen to Act Two, Wonder Woman, 17 min This is a really quirky episode about a real life – self-made – superhero. At first it does not seem like it could be real, but it is very real. Zora is a real woman from Minnesota who plans from a very young age to acquire skills, experiences and abilities that would prepare her for a potential career in the CIA. What list did you have regarding dreams for your life? This episode addresses the idea of testing limits, perfecting the human being, or just perfectionism in general. Zora’s is an extreme example of this kind of obsession. But can you relate in any way? How has perfectionism affected your life or self-image? When did you first begin to honestly discover your limits? Zora finally had to face extreme disappointment in her quest. How have you faced disappointment? How did you adjust? What was the outcome? One of the theologi...
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Week 4, O Come All Ye Faithless, Episode 651 Prologue and Act One

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/651/if-you-build-it-will-they-come Listen to the Prologue and Act One, O Come All Ye Faithless, 35 min This episode is unique in that it represents a secular investigation of the modern church-growth movement, particularly active in evangelical circles. It follows the story of a young African American pastor in New York who tried to implement growth principles from corporate America and affluent, white evangelical churches, to a mostly minority congregation in a disadvantaged neighborhood.  0. What was it like to hear a secular podcast talk about church growth strategies?  1. How comfortable were you with the idea of church “planting” being related to a business plan? Is this a sell-out or just reality today?  2. What do you feel was the pastor's biggest mistake? 3. What do you feel he did that was right? 4. This episode pointed out a major disconnect that occurs sometimes between what a pastor might s...
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Week 3, The Rise and Fall of Carlton Pearson, Episode 304, Prologue and Act One

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/304/heretics Listen to the Prologue and Act One, 30 min When faith and spirituality is based on fear and the fantastic, devotees often face a crisis at some point in their life. Fear can be a great motivator in the short period and many leaders learn how to use it to manipulate people, especially when it is centered around the reality of evil. But, in the end, fear is a failed way to motivate people spiritually; especially, it become increasingly poor at drawing people into a life-giving relationship with Jesus. This episode is about an American preacher named Carlton Pearson who grew up in this kind of environment and ultimately gave up on it and key elements of the Christian message in response. This episode raises important questions about how to be a church that does not manipulate people for short term “religious success” but instead sustains people in a life-long walk with God that can weather doubts and challenges.   1.  ...
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Week 2, Uganda Be Kidding Me, Episode 598, Act Two

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/598/my-undesirable-talent Listen to Act 2, Uganda Be Kidding Me, 24 min: Zora Bikangaga grew up in a mostly white California suburb, the son of Ugandan immigrants. But when he went to college, he decided to play a joke on his roommate that went incredibly well and at the same time…. horribly wrong. Some of the themes this episode touches on are identity, striving for acceptance, unintentional racism, trust in friendships, letting people believe things that are not true, putting on a front or false self, and disappointing others.   What is the greatest practical joke you have played on another? How have you struggled for acceptance or wrestled with identity in friendships? Where and how did you find acceptance amongst peers? Have you ever led others to believe things about yourself that were not true? What character in the story did you most identify with? This episode also dealt with the pr...
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