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Confessionalism, Satanism, And Cigars: The Joe Thorn Interview

2020-01-17 | 🔗

Editor-in-chief Kyle Mann and creative director Ethan Nicolle talk with pastor and author Joe Thorn. Joe is the founding and Lead Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship in St, Charles, IL, the author of several books (such as the Life of the Church, The Heart of the Church, and The Character of the Church), and co-host of the podcast, Doctrine and Devotion. Kyle and Ethan ask Joe tough questions in a round of Sin Or Not Sin, discuss his former Satanism, and talk cigars. 

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Kyle and Ethan ask for pastoral advice in a round of Sin Or Not Sin:

  • Vaping like a total cheesebag

  • Throwing up the sign of the horns while listening to heavy metal

  • Jazzercise

  • Well-done steak

  • Reading a Doug Wilson article

  • Tattoo of John Piper’s face

  • Sprinkling a baby with water for some reason

  • Following Beth Moore on Twitter

  • Following John MacArthur on Twitter

  • Reading Relevant Magazine

  • Reading Pulpit & Pen

  • Drinking IPAs when there’s perfectly good bourbon nearby

Topics discussed

  • Thoughts on Reformed Theology and what the benefits may be of finding a church which subscribes to a historical confessional document

  • Satanism

  • Joe's openness about smoking cigars since he has written on Christians smoking cigars

  • Joe's latest hot take: “I want my kids to stay away from Christian Twitter almost as much as pornography.” 

Some of this interview is in our premium Babylon Bee Subscriber Lounge, so...

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This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Real people real interviews, I have to say that I have just strenuously tee a hard hitting questions. What evening about feminism like taking you to, the cutting edge of terms will last year is one of the worst movies ever made, and it was very clear that Ryan Johnson doesn't like Storm Kyle poles no punches ask how how you're evil to sleep tonight he's brings own shattering common sense from the top robe defining noble dear you. This is the Babylon Bee Interview show there will come to the Babylon Bee Brand new interview show there were doing the basically by weight. Ethan, that's Kyle we're splitting our show up
into a show, it's more kind of the weekly news and can a talking about topics. Our interviews are gonna get their own show. So what means for you is we're gonna, be putting out to podcast a week generally whenever we can get an interview for a week, but always have our new show and ass, this is our first ever interview Scuse me show and for the subsidy we are bringing on Show Thorn Kyle, whose Joe Thorn Joe Thorn, is a pastor and a writer and upon cast host and I became familiar with him through his podcast and studied big fit you, Sir, he said kind of So I struck me as very thoughtful and very chill because of pastors give their hot taken. Whenever you know, policy- in this and that Whenever there is a controversy and spike he's, always very and it was the middle of the road like riding nor any offence or anything, but he'll definitely give equal weight to both sides of the discussion and a kind of
in kind of conclude with, so let's all take it down a notch, everybody in you, I can guess he likes heavy metal in his joy beard ia and he sees an interesting guy because it saw him on the street. It would be like is a scale a biker like a part of a biker gaining or and get it that's in the beard and indeed ex satanist interesting talked about that so that he be a good fit for a very first interview show in the various pastor. Remember how the pike S so without further ado, let's bring on. Joe thought. Presenting an exclusive Babylon, we interview are any room we're sitting here: digitally across the airwaves separated by thousands of miles with Joe Thorn is thousands of miles away from that I wanna see religious authority assumes in Illinois. Are you know, annoy Joe yeah yeah, I'm about shroud
thirty miles let the Chicago and a little town complain Giles some, probably thousands by close to a couple thousand miles away, suggests. Is a pastor, the founding only pastor of Redeemer Fellowship and Saint Charles Illinois, author of many, not many as many the right word when windy when you get to call yourself the author of many books well, think of it. Bright salmon are moors, mowing many families, five in my book, Superstore delight bathroom leaders, I don't even know. I give you staple them altogether. A good mother get my equal one book. So? I am really qualified for the author, many books. Yet so, author of several books, author of the modest stack of bathroom years, feed a few battering reader that they let the better way, and he also hosts comatose upon cast com doctrine and devotion in writing. As Hungary,
gotta, dig it greatly value and emotionally this is pretty pretty legit operation. I gotta say, he would say there this is the doctrine and devotion is how I learn about Joe Thorn We started upon gas it we gotta get Joe on at some point and- and here we are so thanks for having a guy like that, an honor. I still don't know why you're happy aren't you have really interesting and smart people on end. And now you having me out so I dont know what it means, but I'm going to play but we must realise this morning we haven't had a single pastor on our show. Yet, and we were already battle. Okay, so you you're the first castor we had on and we're like over pretty episodes in here so this time they wanted to get me. Doubly honoured angrily,
scared, that passengers are gonna, be that interesting, but you have a giant beard and stuff so where we feel a little safer with you Unfortunately, I trust my dear down really short surprised, my wife. So might I'm not very, sure thing these days, like your voice. I don't know why I definitely get and when I shaved my beard for my, why did she, but I turned it down like a normal beard, like my walked out. There what's up girl major goals, I am totally I totally screwed up. I should not have had yet you like. You should elaborate long, and I were you, you told me you don't like the beard, you like you and I had no beard and you look now. Allow me to tell you the letter. You don't turn your beard up that evidence the bearded a scapegoat for wives.
But when I was getting my life will we did what we were very adorable, who did alphabetical dates so like for alien to antique, show view and bowling, see you and you could do alphabet reaction, worked it out. So, where we're acts was our wedding night and then, when you play the xylophone, be able to vote on beer and and inferred our honeymoon, we went to Yosemite in science. We finish the alphabet with our honeymoon anyway. The durable thing was Virginia. Her name is Jessica, so for Rj when she got to pick whatever she want to just her dream date, whatever she just got to make the rules. So for that, when she said I had to shave all my facial hair off cuz, she had never seen me that any facial hair the first thing she said when I walked to the bathroom, looking like a giant man, baby she's, like a girl
grow back immediately. They forget that beard hide. The ugly should be asked what they forget, and I both at. Why am. I here gives you a job line of some kind and without a beer do just you just up. A fat with eyes when I use you specifically showed me. I mean now leave before I had a beard. I looked like high. You like, I was like a ship. We can even kid who die in a cancer it. What I look like and cleaner cancer forbidden calculating kids, looks likely that the fact, but I'm just saying I looked like kind difficult, so healthcare system,
premium the premium at their Joseph, since you are the first pastor that we had on, we wanted to hear we as we live, our christian lives. We encountered tough decisions. You know we want to know our eyes on the road it if these, so we have a list of things that were curious. If you think these are sin or not, syn, we'd like to read these off to you will take turns arena, and then you can just give couple of words or yes now you know who it whatever you want to do or if you feel really passionately that one of these things is in you. Can kind of do a job if sermon for us, if you want do they make a cue? He should do in alphabetical order, men, smart enough too much? none of us can be as Cuba is eaten in his way and ethical dates I soon or not. Sin raping like total cheese bag, yeah,
the chief here to pursue the path and bought a vague, like one time in a moment of, like I'm, gonna, stop smoking cigars, like you get a cheaper like insurance life, insurance policy, I do a and I went back smoking cigars right away, and a higher premium because of the fulness of being chiefly due for sleeping so I'm gonna happen. I had a similar experiences like maybe do something it love more I fear that either try but many I felt like such a cheeseburger. I couldn't do it to stop. I see it. I can tell you get fifteen year old boy, I didn't do it, I just you know I'll, take a bad brush endless the shorter life and try Daphne
ok export is throwing up the side of the horns while listening to heavy metal- oh no, that's righteousness right there in ITALY. You got no you're talking to me right. That's why we wanted to see how we know we can. I've got to make sure that, like I know right there guy, the little people boys and what not like those petered out there Finally, because eight or ten, wicked, because I listen to any metal. What not beyond not apologizing for listening to the detriment of basic that mankind is created mental or is always good. If you looking the metal any granted, you can google it. From any grant throwing the middle under one per concerts. Oh man, but the discernment blotted out a field day settled lethargy in better shape, do. I look. Emigrants is one of the founding church fathers. So whenever she does That's what we signal
but there are no horns. The sea like Satan, didn't want me, namely riots and anti its devil ass. The Donnelly report you wanted level with your hands. In our view it as a former sadness He landed at the end of it, a person who has been keeping them. That's when I was six years old, I had just destroyer posted on the wall like I've been in them, None of my younger days, I will tell you the origin of the metal horns. And where they came from she'd like this What is version, is it right, deal is the one who made popular and he got it from his grandmother, can do a Satanism. It's like the evil eye, she used to like ward off like sparing areas like right now world like a little curse at you. I saw Ronnie James Deal live twice the summer before he died. As you said, that was worth Turning to Hell
yeah relax next one jazz her sighs. I don't know that is always the honor of openly at that voting. That's like a fitness craze in the eighties Riverledge churches. We're doing maybe we're satanist. At this time, but there was Turkey to highlight they would host Yasser size, nine, probably sacrificed and gesture sizes. Well you're saw now with just the wizard. Their children are the same thing that no young Ladys, I would have had a well done- stake my gosh, yeah well once taken. Definitely is definitely an abomination. I an early. I a welcome stake is offensive,
culturally Anthea. Logically enough, and so to the animal. I think yeah. You know give the annals and dignity in that they would. It tastes good at least I mean the animal worked for that body. News, gonna, shrivel it up into a chunk of bark urinate, Lincoln, animal, provided you with all that threatened use, and you want to bring it out. You make it like whether it's not good are you guys people that will send stake back? I'm too, by timid, admitted I nonsense back, but I would now like to let people know which ought to be really a is definitely a button. Medium term analytical needed just make sure you're good, bye, watching their lunch in the channel tunnel, closing their eyes and aggressive I will lie and was amazing and didn t them and never let them know was horrible.
I'm so low can be like. So you are you I speak as in California, or something Could you tell us that is the out here you're talking about out here than the West's there's, something called Square cut pizza and go in Do the pike were each Greece with a little triangle with the fatty crust? They do we got all much square like Tik, Tok stupid, aggravating and C4 and Joe had to tell them I order. My people won't play the game I cut gotta. Do I got off? It frightens pike, Should they deliver that people in its work up, I got to get back on the one hand, for nothing now bring like I can't, I can't do it. So that is what I will come back to the square copy. You like the kids that only want the sandwich sliced known triangular here, pizza Sahara spiral Emily specific. Are you tell it
when you people are so we're your pizzas always serve like on a brick or somethin. They bring it out on this weird cook. It in liquor incinerator our next question, reading a dog Wilson, article in this, I don't know how you qualify the savages tat. I would pay it back, I thought you guys beards stuck together. Well, here yeah, we I saved your life going. We used to other. Until that thing called the civil war and the note a division of the beard to intervene. End of the year so excited you saying you're on and dug Wilson's explore. What did we know? It's a gun, rather obvious Oh yeah, I'm I'm from from up. Nor so you know
I'm not gonna confederacy huh good here, you said here. You sided with the bad guys like your mother our war of northern aggression, the necessity gonna just like we had to do a cabinet. Getting a tattoo of John Piper space. No definitely not answered drowsily one under the tramp stamp. Either In our view, using down piper space encouraged people's eyes to sin to wander, to wander in bed direction you that, through that do my best That does not mean that unanimity danger everyone's guided his ring, I propose that we give everything if you're putting me well, I believe that the ship John Cycle of medicine-
that's true, that's actually interesting like it. So in his eyes were wandering, they shouldn't be and then suddenly, there's John Paper reaching out and their moment within. That's good Libraries are given its leaves me that that might be the best antidote We could somehow get them hackers, the put Jones Hyper imagery on very married location, billboards internet. So my pop up, I bought a puppet piper gathered the money there too. I beg of you can help people and they, like there's any hackers out there listening to the ban on beef on get on it, ethical Christ, Senate hackers, ethical hacking. Every time you search box, one in your browser, a John typewritten pops up and give you some of that Some hedonism with them. I like this idea, it's called a paper start Randy you about how I John. I do on time and
John above my about my dad and how he was converted recently and an HIV, you had your book and you. Let me return killers book and he liked him tell us more. I don't know, I thought You told agenda. May we needed the eight hundred page on paper? In ITALY, which was we're because, like I like jump, eyebrow was tried. It dog image of Canada, I don't know I was in fact I gasped any didn't eat is commanded me without at nice. What do people yelling at me about it afterwards, how Rudy trying to readjust star, struck, and you didn't want to say that these random facts and just filling in your head, like the TIM Colors book, is better than yours. I would start struck. I just think, and I dont have alone, I don't have much of a shelter. So it did you ve gotta, be just things just gonna come out
just trying to put down a little bit, but I'm sorry literally stop with the piper pumps, bout baptizing, a baby you'll need to send out an easy one to three suddenly became for the record for the record Emma Presbyterian Button, they are our smarter, more sophisticated, siblings. All love to our presbyterian, eight about it. Sprinklers no hake- and I just we disagree on that- one- I don't know who listened to your pockets. They don't know why I make it become really eight Norma hate, Mama profiteering, boxcar audiences, entirely made up of the bloggers that are getting re destroy. You I'm gonna, have a week. Following Beth more on Twitter Image wrong. I don't wanna, be right,
hey. I got a word then Ozma had now followers on Twitter, so I dont know what they say that I just got a million people are why do people week? How about that more so much. I don't like you're the pastoral multilaterally. Humanitarian I agree too Danvers statement, if no, that is not done. Your last year's restore phantom. What's that smell I'm good public, and I like her too much in agreement with most of the company giant in them. Today we really seem to be Jones in for some bashing or had I don't know why so so angry yeah. Well, I didn't you like you, do lady an hour. She hasn T had said:
I'm a reformed about it so might feel just very particular in very specific, in we tend to be little uptight about doctrine, and so I see the boy, that more haven't got kind of issue. They disagree with and I got. I think that's a really good idea that re state, I dont, think you the crazy like Eric, that needs to have a house dropped on her or something I think she's just that they should be like a night laid it on the table that one You do with heretics. Got ashes well burned. Lady Erika gas plants, lady, a major talks about all John Macarthur on Twitter. I dont think I follow me, I tell tee well, you owe me so we get the stomach author twitter. That's actually unlikely either. He probably has one that has staffer run John Carter. One time wrote an article about these things.
It through acts, twenty nine churches that are trying to get people. Their churches with beer, maybe he actually link too much the shirt. I passed your view that article sure, I'm sure he did right. I doubted about like a google search. You know, I don't believe you, They do everything that, unlike get I've, been and for all I know we're not we're like them simple boring church in the world, like I don't understand why we get targeted by and by. I am very grateful for democratic rights you like, needs chill. That's all He's good advice for all of us is just. I can tell you that you need me what about chilling out in reading relevant magazine Jackson sooner eight billion per year, while who savage burn I didn't know
but those went out when Numa video stopped being released. I thought I'd Numidian, I don't know most new made. There is the rub bells thing advising really ash. Newman. I know that's different us, not Numa video. Rebuild it he's really hit videos or intact about been really say much, but he would like yeah production quality was all right all right so attractive. Reading pulpit and pin syn That's not good! I'm on that one is not just because they ve done like three article. One me if there is to it it's good for you This guy's manage because you know we're we're doing. Some for this interview and they always manage to get up in the top. Like There are three of the Google results whenever you, Google somebody. I know how, because I don't think that many people read discernment blogs. They must use certain words that just
to Google's algorithm as being controversy or interesting, and so they always pop up he hasn't you got my name and other than comes up yet the first thing I learned that you're, an angry elf you left your only I'm angry dwarf and angry. When what are we doing picture elves ardent that short towards I'm, definitely right, here, all right! Ok, if I try to all much of the online presently I can, but apparently I get home I guess I'm going associated with some haters. Ok, honourable yeah yeah, yeah, Associated rights, them talkin smack. Yet managed to get there there their anti Joe their hot, take yeah hot take is a picture of it. It's funny because, like I don't, even but why why it matters there, like him,
negative, faster or money tv or the the uttering right when people are like take time on other data spending. Can I and our entire our talking about you and it's gonna? Flattering there like when a gig exactly at the restaurant. Just like that happens, say it is a matter. I would like you to bear them to say like I well thing- is it as an orthodox Chris the protestant, I think should be limited to relationship between married men and women sad, but it still further guy there, or at least in part, You know your answer. I appreciate that, as we do. Have had happened. Something pulpit intend to sermon. Bloggers are like gig likely. I want to be clear that I do not like being I just like me in your leg. We found a title allowed us digital adorn coms.
Open and now they're gonna they're gonna have you. Look at her alone on the Georgian higher here, and we have already talked about him too much. We be more publicity looking at that final sin drinking PS when there's perfectly good Berman, bourbon, nearby, Well, I'm definitely a bourbon guy, so yeah yeah. I would agree there. That's a sin urban overbear better for you and and better failure? what about this at all? When there's like great doubts importers around to drink. I'm not a b. I like an idea, I like a stout, but I don't really care sat in it. If I'm I'd, probably rather just do a loaf of bread, Basically, what I'm getting one I drink beer- I, like you, breathe easy on beer, don't really care about them the journalists, spirits yeah
bourbon that whisky so now we all know all the various sins and nonsense. So thank you, Joe. For our first test, all advice that we have given on this pine cast, Well, I'm glad you have been able to do to help out. You know it's not every day another. That a person is given the opportunity to call shit? when the Bible built into it, and then I think we do know that I'm progenitors every day. I thought I thought the cumbersome and bloggers head on the market. Now the book So let's talk a little bit about doctrine and devotion, and I dont mean the name of your podcast where'd get less interesting, but what it actually stands for, so you're I mean
We know you, I think, you're being on confessional, listen. I know your big on conventional wisdom, you know, you're. Sixteen. Eighty nine London Baptist confession of Face guy so how does subscribing to very specific theological statement like that? How do you think that affects the christian life? Well in France, let specifically is helpful in a couple of ways on the one hand, it puts you within a stream of orthodoxy that is, is equally historical, and it shows your connection to not just your try but other tried. So because I am right, sixteen. Eighty nine second money confession not only to the connect me too distort history going back,
seventeenth century, but it also collectively to Presbyterians in combination with, because it is built upon the Westminster and TAT Boy so a concession can show a commonality that you have, which other like minded believers historically and which is likewise we have a lot in common with others to brothers and sisters, not everything, so those differences This picture you without delay kind of delegation. That means partner together in anyway. So I like it, it brings about a sense of unity. It helps to do show us the way. Have some very strong familial ties even lower in our, what we shared differences and begin its also because it is historical significance to it. There's a lot of resources around the tree than the confessions net.
Practical nature, so you will have sermons and whether we call explanations of votes, confessions and creed catechism. You can resource there's a lot of material. That's been put out air about those documents You are you are you have access to and then finally, I would say that the emphasis not all of our history, but for much of the history of Europe and theology there is an emphasis on experimental, Calvinist, or experiential geology and you'll find that they are not just in the sermon, but also many of the treaties in the kitchen. Come true our Motorola writers, because his knee I'll watch for these people agriculture is not to just be
three handed and articulated but should be believed, received, experienced and put the use. They were really big on uses of doctrines and so that those of us from three reasons I would say that there is a lot of help that comes from people that embraces. In mercury and was it between something like the one. Eighty, nine and the men, church down the street and throws up a statement of faith that Other me yeah the main differences that a confession. Like the watchmen, sir or District Jane. I wish together by team of the most brilliant theologians of their day. The mega church had. Their doctoral statement. Written by a bunch of guys the galloping aged from Bible colleges, and so I do not really the fainting right- it's like I could write a statement of faith but going to do I'm kind of work as a
the illusions of a generation are working together to put together the clearest and most comprehensive and useful document show, in other words, can it be helpful marking to be his accurate closed. It disconnects you from it. Create more distance between you and the rest of the church. Search history than using a confession. Word watched: why are you so? You need your so unique in your own peculiar, weird theology that you just can't find some historic document that you can stand, but one out there doing here The idea that weird and unique I don't buy it. Yes, yes, I am that any thank for us out. Ok, I like to shift gears here and ask Satanism why'd you leave it,
Well, it wasn't give me my best life now, that's what I can tell you that not what then, when I was. I was Little kid ask in all kinds of questions. Why are we here? But the point lies wiser suffering in I didn't get any answers. My family didn't go to church. I never been the church. No God in the picture, if you like that, plus our little kid with a real smart mouth. Until I got beat up a lot, and so am I the kid would like. I can economy and burn you good, but then you'd beat me up and then, He walked back home. What we got a block away at Yale, you'd, look: I've been slipping the finger and run off and the next day. Up again, because I did that that was a little kid that I was and eventually got tired of getting better, and not having what I wanted to do. I wanted I wanted to be
a certain way. I certainly I wanted in life and I began to look into a witchcraft and only a cop, and then I got under shaken withdrew and conveys Brandon Satan is only what you gonna go along the man, from that more atheistic brand of signals and again the theistic signal going on in the eighties, and I found was I got all the stuff, but I wanted right aren't I started getting girlfriends and night at a certain reputation, and even though I didn't play up to straighten angle like nobody would say, let Jos obviously a signature. I was getting all the stuff that I want. I started to get pressure group, a guy that respected me in a nobody, pick them anymore and are not a fight and all this stuff so, but it really felt it The devil is giving me what I wanted and around this time,
I use a friend of mine who, having finished, arose about having a couple years earlier choosing to Satanism and he started to go down this path. Now what happened here, the short story that some people are gonna find hard to believe is that he began to experience, demonic oppression and even suggestion that I had seen other people would think he was tortured soul. That was miserable and knowledge Last time I saw him I was holding him in my arm after this crazy applause. And it was literally crying in my arms in front of other people Jane eighty eighty, slave and he wants to be set free. Just you know, he's cursed and then he died in car wreck. We were both. Should I get seventy years old shell when that happened, I felt really guilty about,
I'm getting into that stuff and what is done to his light and it really messed up his life, and I began to question the things asking earlier right. What's the curb tonight, why am I here? Because, while I was getting worldly satisfaction, I wasn't getting any answers to my bigger questions, began to wrestle with my guilt and my discouragement over taken as a man, the impact that it had on another funds life. I I began to pull away from that, and that was the time or the God will. For the first time when I was a senior nightfall, friends who were like dabbling in sickness when I was in high school whose Eleazer very appealing as having has had some good kind of good marketing, whose kind of lost of a teenager it be like yeah way than religion. Like this, no it in
the colombian brand of, has just basically pure american village, is really what did it. You ve got cool botched because all you did a library of your own god indulged. Don't listen to anybody Dante Crap, often anybody, that's that's all that it. Yet there is no There is no devil. Do you live here? live now like that. You really what it was, and I it is. Very appealing to like it to put myself first, but it filled with inconsistency. It's just a hypocritical as any worldly form of Christianity that isn't typical. It's it's a good, but it is an and especially to the younger, get there, and this guy shock factor I ran Anton Lavey story. Is the girl that I dated in high school her dad used to walk Anton Lavey, his daughter? Cool in the morning
their neighbour I said he had like carries like an albino lie innocent. He had some kind of pets anyway. Cybercrime, You, you got, you ve been a California the whole time No, he lived in California and he'll. Have I knew him in Oregon? He, where I'm from. We're, but he lived. He lived. He grew up in California, but he lives now Oregon, which is where I am from, and that's where I heard the story. He He found yes through the Jesus Movement, working people learn more about. Thorn in all your bathroom readers right. So the most important thing that would probably benefit anybody to interested in a ramblings. To an emotion, dot com is, You can find out again.
That's Jimmy followed. I drew the pastures here everyday reality. We got geology and weakest chops and laughed at a good time to have come out every Monday and Thursday, so sloppy content and thinking might enjoy it so get on over there, I'm on Twitter that Joad, basically on Georgia at YO, Thorn, you're. Finally, Facebook in Twitter, all that stuff, but really care about it in the ground. I'm on integrated likely to find you Victor procedure. I don't have anything on take back. I wash your gross time lapse. Videos, zero growth, time, lamp or beard. Cutting videos want to see it
enjoying this hard hitting interview become of Babylon, be subscriber to hear the rest of this conversation and go to Babylon, be dotcom, flash plans for full length free by gas Kyle and either would like to thank Seth Dylan for paying bills Adam forward for creating their job, the other writers or tirelessly pitching headlines subscribers and the list until next time. This is Davy Andrea Voice of Babylon. Without a beard, just he just up a bit
Transcript generated on 2020-01-26.