Welcome to Crucible of Thought! I'm Brandon, and I was a member of conservative evangelical congregations for 45 years. This blog is about things that I've learned since 2020, as I've been undergoing a process of "deprogramming," "deconstruction," "reconstruction"... pick whatever term you want, but basically a process carefully examining many different aspects of my social, political, and religious beliefs to see what really actually aligns with the Bible and specifically the teachings of Jesus, more than what aligns with the host of dogmatic statements I inherited in years of church training. I'm not trying to persuade anyone: I'm sharing my process, in the hopes that it inspires and enlightens others. I welcome you to join me as we move forward in our faith together.Heaven Is Not Your Destination
Is heaven really where you go when you die? A biblical and historical case that heaven is the source – not the destination – of God’s Kingdom.
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Brandon’s Music
Over the years, I’ve written a small amount of original music. I’ve been posting it on YouTube; here’s some background info.
Tokenizing God
What if the very way your brain processes information is actively distorting your picture of God – and driving you to harm other people in God’s name?
It’s the Heart that Counts
Did you grow up feeling really squeamish about Jesus’ assertion that if our eye makes us lust, we are supposed to gouge it out? I sure did. But maybe He was talking about something much deeper.
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Kissing the Ring
I’ve been so deeply disappointed in watching famous preachers and worship leaders kissing the ring of this antichrist administration. The Pentagon worship services established by Pete Hegseth are not in keeping with the founding and the character of the United States of America, and the preachers and worship leaders supporting them have abandoned any pretense of serving the church universal, and have taken sides with the empire that stands opposed to righteousness.
Turning My Back On Armageddon
Some things are Truth, but not true. What if everything most Christians have assumed about Armageddon is wrong, and if our holy calling is to love our enemies and lay down our lives in peace, not to march out in war against them?
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Why Many Evangelicals Misunderstand Universal Reconciliation
Most of the time that conservative Christians encounter the doctrine of universal reconciliation, they usually describe it with a bunch of caricatures, and I thought it would be useful to discuss those caricatures and contrast them to the truth about this doctrine.
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What Can a Follower of Jesus Do When America Is Failing?
What do we do when our government becomes untrustworthy? I’ve been wrestling with this question for a while now. And everything I see coming convinces me that we’re in for a REALLY rough ride in the near future. So what do we do about it? I have some ideas that won’t fix any of our nation’s problems – but they will give us a roadmap for bringing the love of God to those around us, even as the darkness grows.
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Political Predictions for the USA in 2026
This is my personal appeal to be aware of the extreme political danger the USA faces this year, and my thoughts about how we might react.
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My Social Media Ethos
Recently I was told I should do short-form videos to gain followers and increase engagement. Here are some thoughts about why I choose not to do that.
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