Interview with David Leblanc Summary: Jeramiah Giehl and David LeBlanc introduce themselves and outline the purpose of the interview, which is to explore their spiritual journeys and provide resources for others on similar paths. David LeBlanc's religious journey was shaped by his upbringing in a devout Catholic family, his questioning of the religion as a pre-teen, and an incident in high school where he discovered his parish priest drunk at a house party. He also struggled with self-identity and sexuality after being sexually abused by a Scoutmaster. In college, he was spiritually intense but had no compass to find what he believed in, and had already decided that Catholicism was not for him. David LeBlanc shares his spiritual journey, including his experiences attending different churches and his reaction to altar calls. He discusses his work at a nursing home and how it gave him perspective on life and death. David expresses his doubts about the authenticity of some religious expressions and his desire for a more intellectual approach to spirituality. He also talks about his exposure to name it and claim it preachers through his involvement in Amway and how it influenced his views on religion. David LeBlanc and Jeramiah Giehl engage in a conversation about the interpretation of Jesus in Christianity. LeBlanc argues that Jesus is a concept rather than a person, and notes that every denomination has a different picture of Jesus. Giehl agrees and adds that Christianity has never been able to document a real Jesus, making it difficult for people to understand him.They also discuss a woman who finds certain parts of the Bible too scary to read, and the importance of getting to the root of things. The conversation highlights the challenges of interpreting religious texts and the different ways in which people understand and relate to religious figures. David LeBlanc and Jeramiah Giehl delve into their views on the origins of Christianity and the role of Roman Providence in its development. They discuss the influence of various scholars, including James Valiant, Robert Eisenman, and Joseph Atwell, and debate the extent to which Roman influence played a role in the movement. LeBlanc presents a unique view on Roman Provenence, arguing that the original Christians were Jewish zealots trying to overthrow Rome, and that Paul, if he existed, was a mystic, Hellenized renegade. Giehl shares his own journey of deconstructing and reconstructing his views on the origins of Christianity. Full Transcript here: http://jesusthejewwithinjudaism.com/?p=1427 Chapters & Topics: 00:08 Introduction and Interview Overview:      * Personal doubts and questions about faith 06:47 David LeBlanc's Religious Journey 14:13 David's Spiritual Awakening:      * David's drug experimentation and spiritual awakening 23:38 David's Spiritual Journey 31:28 The Interpretation of Jesus in Christianity:      * The concept of Jesus and its interpretation in different denominations 34:34 Calvary Chapel's Leadership Model:      * Calvary Chapel's leadership model 38:16 Struggling to See Jesus in the Text:      * The difficulty of finding Jesus in the text of the Books of Moses 43:41 David LeBlanc's Encounter with a New Perspective 46:13 Discovering Messianic Judaism:        * Language learning and scholarship 49:56 Discussion on Jewish denominations and conversion 1:00:59 Discussion on the Origins and Authenticity of Paul's Writings 1:10:15 Views on Roman Providence and the Origins of Christianity 1:17:54 Roman Providence and the New Testament Action Items: 06:09 * Read David LeBlanc's book, "There's No Such Thing as Magic Blood" 35:00 * Discuss the potential issues with Calvary Chapel's leadership model 41:26 * Discuss the Marcion priority position and the origin of the gospels in the New Testament in another conversation.