Father of Lies, Thief of Trust: Disbelieving the Devil and Giving Our Attention Back to God
What if obedience isn’t about mindless rule-following, but about whose voice we trust to help us interpret our reality? January Jaxon and Andrew McRae dive into the linguistic roots of the word “obedience” and draw parallels with René Girard’s concept of méconnaissance, or misrecognition. Moving from the neuroscience of human attention to Simone Weil’s theology of affliction, they look at how “The Father of Lies” warps the human imagination and how the Crucifixion re-orients us to the truth that God withholds nothing from us — not even God’s own life.
You’ll hear:
- The roots of obedience as “listening toward” and why that might change how we understand the Fall
- Why Jesus calls Satan “a murderer from the beginning,” even though we never see the devil raise a blade
- How Jesus exposes the lie at the heart of accusation without retaliating against his accusers
- Why disbelieving lies requires more than tearing false stories down — it requires learning what truth feels like in the body
PLUS January demonstrates The Work of Byron Katie, a practice of embodied inquiry that can help us stop obeying the lies that keep us trapped.
“What I feel most is the infectious enthusiasm and life force that is created between the hosts. It holds a spark that can rekindle faith. Their connection is palpable and the perspectives they’re bringing to the conversation breathe life back into the teachings.”
—Jessica Peterson
Ideal for listeners interested in Girardian mimetic theory, Internal Family Systems as a spiritual practice, and the neuroscience of human attention.
Chapters:
Theology Kills is exclusively listener-funded. Subscribe to us on Patreon for bonus audio, downloadable worksheets, and a friendly community to carry on the conversation.
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Note: This podcast is a personal exploration of theology, creativity, and human experience. January Jaxon and Andrew McRae are not medical or mental health professionals, and nothing in this podcast should be understood as medical or psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Our discussions are general and are not a substitute for personalized care. If you need medical or mental health support, we encourage you to seek care from a qualified professional.
Chapters:
- (00:00) - Introduction
- (01:10) - Presentation: Disbelieving the Devil's Lies
- (34:11) - Is background listening "listening toward"?
- (39:51) - Is willful disobedience even a thing?
- (43:08) - Are lack and abundance really opposites?
- (54:59) - Wait. Does that mean life is a bigger reality than death?!
- (01:04:26) - Compassion, attentive presence, and Girardian mediation
- (01:11:09) - What does it mean to "stop listening toward" our shame & blame?
- (01:20:40) - How do we learn to recognize truth, then?
- (01:32:05) - Introducing The Work of Byron Katie
- (01:45:09) - January demonstrates The Work
- (02:07:48) - Questioning our misrecognitions renders violence less contagious
- (02:13:26) - End credits
Theology Kills is exclusively listener-funded. Subscribe to us on Patreon for bonus audio, downloadable worksheets, and a friendly community to carry on the conversation.
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Note: This podcast is a personal exploration of theology, creativity, and human experience. January Jaxon and Andrew McRae are not medical or mental health professionals, and nothing in this podcast should be understood as medical or psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Our discussions are general and are not a substitute for personalized care. If you need medical or mental health support, we encourage you to seek care from a qualified professional.
