This Author Challenges Your Beliefs in Ways You Won't Expect - Dr. Rome Washington - video Dailymotion

Yaya Diamond TV

websites: jwiab.com or jesuswalksintoabar.com   Hear Dr. Rome Washington discuss his book, Jesus Walks Into a Bar, in this exclusive conversation with host Yaya Diamond.   This interview explores the core themes within Jesus Walks Into a Bar, offering viewers a direct look at the inspiration behind the writing. Dr. Rome Washington shares his perspective on the message of the book, providing context for readers and those interested in new faith-based literature. Yaya Diamond leads the discussion, ensuring a clear focus on the author's intent and the key takeaways found in the text.   Whether you have already read the work or are looking for a new perspective, this conversation provides a deeper understanding of the author's goals. We examine specific quotes from the book, giving you a preview of the content and the tone you can expect from Dr. Rome Washington. This session is designed for anyone seeking a thoughtful discussion on spiritual topics and the creative process behind contemporary religious writing.   Subscribe for weekly author interviews and book breakdowns, and comment below with your thoughts on the themes discussed in this episode.   ⚡ VidChapter AI generated these chapters, try it out https://vidchapter.com/?affiliate=yayadiamond  Recommended podcast platform get 10% off: https://podopshost.com/register/?ref=yaya    Tools and Services I use:  Appsumo has the best lifetime deals ever!!! I love this site.  appsumo.8odi.net/yayadiamond  The easiest way to make your graphics: https://buff.ly/2RTQLn0  Best website for musicians. Try it for free on me: https://buff.ly/2GMYugG  Make money with Fiverr.com: https://buff.ly/2KjTVvV    Our Amazon store: https://buff.ly/34RYNlm  DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. My affiliate links usually provide either a free trial or discount so go try them out on me! Thank you for supporting DreamChasersRadio.com  so I can continue to provide you with free content each week!  Privacy Policy: https://buff.ly/2XSrflS  ™Yaya Diamond  Red Hot Reality Ent. LLC

Transcript

00:00Hello, everybody. I'm Dr. Rome Washington. I'm the author of the book,

00:04Jesus Walks Into a Bar, and I'm here today with Yaya Diamond.

00:30It's too late. Inspiration flowing just like the breeze. Chase your dreams and feel at ease.

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01:06Wherever you watch your podcast, wherever you watch your talk shows, and wherever you want to be

01:11inspired, please, please subscribe to us, Yaya Diamond's Dream Chasers Radio, or even Dr. Yaya Diamond.

01:19I want to thank you guys so much for tuning in. We have an amazing guest on our show,

01:23and I want to thank him for his service, first of all, because without our service people out there,

01:30we would be captives. I'm just going to say it. We would be messed up. We would be captives,

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01:44That's what my mom says. Be good. Yeah, she always told me that. I want to thank you so much

01:50again.

01:50And today's guest is someone whose journey and voice are deeply needed right now. We need someone

01:56else's voice. Dr. Rome Washington, a Marine Corps veteran, lifelong student of theology,

02:04and the author of the new book, Jesus Walks Into a Bar, which I really need to ask him why

02:09Jesus

02:09would walk into a bar. I don't know, but I kind of get the point. But okay. Joins us for

02:15a powerful

02:16and refreshing conversation about faith, doubt, and the human side of spirituality. His book is

02:21written for skeptics, for people that don't believe, if you didn't know what a skeptic was,

02:26seekers, and anyone who ever felt spiritually tired or unsure about what they believe. It's honest.

02:33It's funny. It's completely free of jargon and pressure for people who often associate these

02:39things with Christian books. Jesus Walks Into a Bar, Tackles the Hard Questions, Suffering Hypocrisy.

02:47That one right there. That keeps people from going to church. That keeps people from being spiritual.

02:52That keeps people from being a Christian, from being a believer. Hypocrisy is big. Science and faith,

02:59without giving easy answers, it blends history, theology, and real life stories, and even includes

03:06imaginative theological humor breaks where Jesus shows up in modern places like a bar on Skid Row.

03:14I would love to see that. Okay. I would absolutely love to see that. Rome's approach is inclusive,

03:19compassionate, and non-coercive. So he's not trying to get you to convert. Okay. He just wants to show

03:26you another side of being a Christian. This is not dull. Okay. Hello. He's not here to preach. He's here

03:33to open the conversation. Please welcome the author of Jesus Walks Into a Bar, Rome. Well,

03:39actually, it's not Rome. It's Dr. Rome. Thank you so much for being here today. Thank you. Thank you

03:46for having me. Okay. Title. Title. Have to get into it. Title. Okay. Jesus Walks Into a Bar. Tell me,

03:54what were you thinking? How did that happen? Well, it happened after a little bit of thought.

04:00When you think about Jesus, when he did walk the earth, he didn't go into too many churches.

04:08He went every now and then, but most of the time he met people where they are, where they're living

04:15day to day. He wasn't afraid to go into a sinner's dinner or anywhere he was needed.

04:26So if he came today, I don't think he'd have much of a problem walking into a bar to hold

04:32a heartfelt

04:33conversation with people there who had a lot of questions. Lots of questions. You know, I love

04:41what you, you know, what you're, you're about the, the Jesus walks into a bar really takes the pressure

04:47off of a person. And it tells the person, look, I'm not here to bring you to the church. I'm

04:52here to

04:52bring you to me. And so I'm going to walk into this bar and I'm going to, I'm going to

04:57be there

04:58with you. And I'm going to go through this with you. When you were writing this book, what was the

05:05main purpose behind everything that you've written in there? And why did you do it this way? I mean,

05:11I understand the title. I understand the principle of it, but what about the outcome? Cause I know that

05:18there was something connected to that outcome. What did you want to do with the people who

05:24actually read this book? Yeah, uh, absolutely. And I'll step back a little bit, uh, toward the

05:30Genesis of the book and why it exists. Um, I've got well over 40 years of theological training and in

05:37my,

05:37uh, early, uh, younger days, uh, I've majored in apologetics and what that is, that's the defense

05:44of the Christian faith. So consequently, um, I would get into discussions if you will,

05:50with a lot of people. And though I, I could win the argument. Yeah. Yeah. Quite often. I lost the

05:59person. So I decided right then and there, I need to find a better way to communicate,

06:07communicate, to communicate these truths in a way that, that people would not feel pressured.

06:12They would feel free to, uh, consider the concepts that I was putting forward on their own terms.

06:21And that's what led to the creation, the birth of Jesus walks into a bar.

06:28And in it, I've, uh, tried to pour in a lot of things that I think are important to answer

06:36the

06:36questions that people have now. And I'm talking hardball questions here. Uh, you know, uh, is

06:43Christianity the only way to God? Um, why does God allow bad things to happen?

06:52Does he have a PR problem? Uh, what, what about heaven and hell? What would, uh, uh, kind and loving

06:59God actually, uh, hell? These are the things that, uh, are on people's minds now. They're not getting

07:08that really from the pulpit or, or other places in a way that feels relaxed and they can think about

07:16it

07:16and consider it and come to their own logical decisions. So that's what I try to accomplish in

07:21the book. I love that. I absolutely love that because I feel like I feel the same way. Like when

07:28you go up to someone and you say, Hey, you know, um, such and such and such and such, they

07:32feel so

07:32pressured because so many people have gone up to them and argued with them and, and told them you're

07:38wrong, you know, and they put the attitude on and it's like, you know, we have to meet the person

07:43where

07:43they're at. That is correct. And that's why I love when you, this book, Jesus walks into a bar.

07:49I think meeting them where they're at, understanding that they can't take more than what they can take.

07:55That's true. You know, um, as you think about your book and as you go through, what was it like

08:02to actually create the scenarios in your head and to answer these questions? Did it help you in any way

08:09to understand how you should talk with people? I know you talked about it a minute ago,

08:13but there is a personal aspect to every book that people write. What was that for you?

08:20Well, this was it. I felt that a lot of people, and I, and I covered this in, I believe

08:28the second

08:29chapter, a lot of people grew up in secular households and, um, other environments that never

08:36even got a chance to meet the gospels and to meet Christ properly. Um, so I said what I should

08:47do

08:48is just take that stance for somebody who doesn't know, never had the opportunity to know, to read

08:55it in an orderly and calm fashion so that then they can make their own decisions and finally be able

09:04to

09:04to ask the good questions to people who claim they know religion in a way that knowledge is power to

09:12them. After reading Jesus walks into a bar, they can hold their own. I believe with just about any

09:21theologian, you know, not the deep doctrinal stuff, but they all know what is true and what is just fluff

09:29a person's opinion. And that's one thing I wanted to accomplish with this book to give that gift to

09:37everybody who wants to know and do it in a conversational manner. I love it. Yeah. And,

09:44and the biggest thing about it is that you challenged something that a lot of people don't challenge,

09:49which are the skeptics. What was that like for you? You challenged the people who may even read your

09:55entire book and still be skeptical. I wanted to give them the freedom to do that. But I also wanted

10:03to give them the, uh, the Liberty to read the book on their own terms and raise their own questions

10:12and give them a basis, a foundation for researching these questions, whether true or false.

10:19I blend in history so that they will know how things got to look the way they do now.

10:27Yeah. Where did Christianity start? And not, not only that is there's, there's a chapter in there on

10:33the unsung heroines of the Christian faith that we have never heard about. These are women throughout

10:40the history of Christianity from the very beginning who upheld Christianity. And even to this day,

10:47they continue to do so, but nobody knows about this. So I wanted to pour that in there too,

10:55women of color, how they carried on the banner within Christianity. And I should say people of

11:01color. So there's a lot, I felt like a kaleidoscope of information that makes Christianity vibrant,

11:10makes it more than just, you got to go to church today. You got to obey the Ten Commandments,

11:16you got to raise your Bible. And if you don't, you're doomed. There's much, much more,

11:22especially in the words of the life of Christ.

11:24Yeah. And I love that you've tackled the women because a lot of times people say, Oh, you know,

11:31the women are just there as sisters or they're, they're, they, they can't be pastors. No,

11:37they can't be leaders. But I, I beg to differ. I mean, look, when Moses didn't circumcise his son,

11:45his wife stepped in and said, I'm not dying for you.

11:50I'm not, I'm not dying for you. You are a bloody husband to me because I had to do this

11:57so that we wouldn't die. That's right. You know, he took the leadership position because he didn't.

12:03There are many times where men would put a woman down, but their women are there to help the men

12:09when

12:10the men don't see right. And I love that. And you know, when you, when you wrote the book and

12:17when

12:17you finished the book, because this is the, during the writing process is wonderful because you go

12:22through all of these, these things and you, but you get to the end. What was that like for you?

12:28What did you feel like? Did you feel like it's incomplete or did you feel complete or are you

12:33doing something different or writing a different aspect of it now? When I got to the end of this book,

12:40I exhaled with gratitude because I think that although every word may not be perfect,

12:51I think I got across what was meant for me to get across. Because you see, in writing this book,

12:59in many ways, Yahya, I felt I was guided. Sometimes I, I would be up at two o'clock in

13:07the morning

13:07writing and then the next morning or so I get up and read and say, did I write that? So

13:15when I got to

13:16the end, I said, oh, thank you. I think I put forward what you wanted me to do. In regards

13:27to the second

13:28part of your question, Jesus walks into a bar, opens the door for people to examine Christianity and

13:35learn about Christianity. But there's a lot of people who have left the church. They call them

13:43deconstructionists, religious deconstructionists. They've left the church for one reason or another,

13:48and they number in the millions. These people need more than an explanation of that they will get

13:58through Jesus walks into a bar. So there is still more to be said on the issue, but in a

14:07different and

14:08and more clinical, helpful way. And that may well be the next project.

14:15And I did see some lines from the book. Many people walk away from the church long before

14:21they walk away from Jesus. Jesus didn't come to win arguments. He came to confront and transform.

14:28Doubt isn't the opposite of faith. It's often the doorway into it. I love that. You know, I,

14:35I do think that a lot of people who walk away from the church, just walk away from that congregation

14:41because there's something wrong with that or, or they don't agree with that or something happened to,

14:47or they moved. You know what I mean? But to walk away from the savior himself would be another thing

14:54altogether. Um, these three things, why did you choose three, these three particular excerpts from the book?

15:01Well, uh, those were, um, just some things that I, I felt directed it to this class of, of, uh,

15:12believers and former believers that, that I, I just talked about, uh, to let them know that their voice

15:18is being heard and that not only them, but also that there's another class of the, uh,

15:28uh, worshipers or former worshipers, uh, evangelists who needed to, to hear the same things. They would

15:37look at it and said, yeah, you know what? That's me. Yeah. That's the same thoughts that I had.

15:42So I thought they would be appropriate and, and, you know, there's, there's subject to change because

15:47the more I, I talk to people and get into it, there, there's a lot of motivations and, uh,

15:54a lot of aspirations, uh, because within us we're built to seek God. Once again, how you do that,

16:06uh, can be very personal in a lot of ways. Um, worship has moved, uh, from the cathedral to the

16:14living room, especially since COVID where people are feeling quite comfortable, either streaming or,

16:20uh, prayer groups or study one-on-one with the Bible and, and learning. So yeah.

16:29Yeah. Wow. Wow. Well, I absolutely love it. I love the beginning, like you said,

16:35cause this is just opening the door. Do you have anything else that is upon your heart to write?

16:41I mean, are you going to continue to write about, you know, opening the door and, and maybe even

16:47towards skeptics and people who have left? Um, I'm just kind of paraphrasing here, but I think that

16:53like you said, it's just the, it's just the beginning. Yeah. As, as, um, you read in, in the final

17:01chapter,

17:02um, I feel to the people who read this and finish it, it is a new beginning for them.

17:10A lot of them have left already. They're on the outside looking in, but they still have that

17:15internal spiritual struggle that has to be somehow. Um, I don't want to say dealt with, but they, they

17:23have to be able to hear a voice that helps them go through that. Think that through. I haven't seen

17:32that

17:32voice out there yet. Uh, so who knows? It's been missing for many years. I just like the grandmother

17:40that sat on the porch or the grandfather that sat on the porch and you sat underneath them and you

17:44got the stories and the life guidance. You don't get that anymore. That's true.

17:48That is so true. And, um, it's, it's missing. And, and I hope that this podcast brings a little bit

17:55back to encourage people to do that again. Not that this, this podcast or this TV show will replace

18:02it, but that it will inspire people to actually do this again. I missed it because my grandmother,

18:09my great grandmother used to sit on the porch. Oh yeah. And she used to have the lemonade and the

18:14fan

18:14blowing in the window, facing you. It was in the window. The AC was being blown out on her. She

18:26had the

18:26lemonade and the cookies. I absolutely loved. And I learned a lot. I learned a lot. I learned a lot.

18:34I learned about, about business, but I learned about life and ups and downs and different things in

18:39history. Um, you know, where they came from, where they started, how to be grateful. Um, these are

18:46things that I learned sitting on the porch, on the porch bench, just, you know, on the swing. Right. Um,

18:53and we don't have that anymore. Right. And they communicated it to you in, in just plain loving

19:00talk. Exactly. And that is what's missing too, because, uh, hearts are so hardened nowadays.

19:08And a lot of the, the, the, the mothers, uh, and grandmothers are rather young and they didn't get

19:18that. They didn't get that, you know, from their moms and grandmas. So what did they hand down?

19:24Unless they start themselves to grow their spirit to, um, you know, reconnect

19:33with the divine. Yeah. It's gotta start somewhere. It does. It does. And I think,

19:40you know, I'm, I'm not that old, but, um, I am 53 and I kind of got the tail end

19:50of my grandmother's

19:51life and, uh, my great grandmother, uh, her life too. I met her. Um, and it was a blessing.

19:59Yeah. Cause my mother was a young mom.

20:01Mm hmm. So, you know, I got that. I got that blessing. I got the blessing of being around my

20:08great uncles. You know what I mean? Okay.

20:11Like great aunts and people like that. And so, um, I think having that experience as a generation

20:19X kid was very unique because generation X was the latch, the latchkey kids.

20:28The latchkey kids. I know I got that too. So I got the tail end of that and I got

20:33the latchkey

20:34kid thing. And by the time I was eight years old, I was home alone.

20:39So I got that, you know, um, but that was, you know, my grandmother was already gone. My great,

20:45I mean, not my great, my grandmother, my great grandmother was gone by that time. Cause I got

20:49the tail end of her life. Um, and so, but I got those first few years and I, I I'm

20:56just, I'm blessed.

20:57And I think that your book, your book, Jesus walked into a bar is a blessing. And it's one of

21:04those,

21:05those books that put you on the, on the, on the porch and the spring. And it says, listen here,

21:13young kid. Yeah, it, it does. It does it in a conversational way. And, uh, what I've also,

21:19what makes this book unique and probably hasn't been done. I don't know if ever, uh,

21:27are the theological humor breaks where I bring Jesus to the 21st century.

21:34And he does in fact, walk into a bar and, uh, I, I won't say confronts, but, but interacts with

21:42the

21:42people there, uh, who have modern day issues and Jesus in a humorous way, uh, gives them sage wisdom,

21:53if you want to call it that. Right. And there, there, there's several scenarios. And the one that,

21:57that really gets me the most, uh, and it's not humorous, but it's poignant, uh, Jesus visits skid row.

22:08Yeah. You talked to him. Yeah. Yeah. We, I said that in the beginning. Yeah.

22:12Yeah. That, that is, is, is, is really, uh, I feel very powerful. And the message to us is don't

22:22forget about other people, love your neighbors as you love yourself and lend a helping hand whenever

22:29you can. Yeah. So that, uh, so it is, uh, eclectic, uh, collection of, of stuff in there and Jesus.

22:38That's wonderful. Thank you so much for writing that book. You know, we need that. We need that.

22:42We, we need the practicality of it. And we need the, um, how would we say, how would I say

22:50the,

22:51the ease of understanding that, you know, Jesus, Yeshua, however you, Yahushua, you know, different

22:59names, um, would approach a person where they're at with no pressure because it's all in his time and

23:07not ours. We will, we may want that person to be like, come on, let's go today. It just doesn't

23:14always happen that way. Sometimes it takes years. We just sit and watch and let the most high do what

23:23the most high does and in their lives, they, they move forward. I absolutely love this and can't wait

23:28for Jesus to walk into a strip club. I don't know if I go that far. But you get the

23:38point.

23:42It's like, I'm going to meet you where you're at. I mean, okay. So if in fact, Jesus created us,

23:48he knows what we look like naked. This is not something that's going to be like alarming to him.

23:53Oh, you know what I mean? So I just, it's a funny way of saying that no matter where you're

23:59at,

24:01he'll meet you there. He'll meet you there. And I hope that at the conclusion of a person's reading,

24:07that they will feel deep down inside that they matter to the Lord. That's right. And that he came

24:16first time for redemption and he's still redeeming people and transforming lives.

24:21Exactly. We've tried a lot of things to transform our lives here in this rat race society and it

24:26really hasn't happened. So you definitely need to, um, I don't know. I don't want to say, uh,

24:36anything so harsh as, uh, get your life in order, but you need to try something a little different.

24:42And Christ is more than just a little different. He loves you and wants to transform your life.

24:50Yeah. Just, just, you know, open your heart up and see, you know, and, and just be open to it.

24:56Yeah. You know, um, and, and, and don't be pressured. Don't feel pressured. It's not,

25:01it's not a pressure. There's, you know, in, in his time, it will happen if, and when it's supposed to.

25:08Mm. Yeah, definitely. Well, thank you. And I was just playing around with, with the other book. I'm just,

25:14I'm sorry, but just to say, like I said before that, that he will meet you wherever you are.

25:21So if that is where you're at, don't be surprised if all of a sudden, you know, he grabs your

25:28heart

25:28and that's it. You can't do it no more. And that's just the way that happens sometimes,

25:33you know, and there is no, I, I, you know, the human body was designed for greatness and, and by

25:39the creator and Jesus was there. So there's nothing you'd have done or haven't done that won't surprise

25:46him. Right. And, and, and, you know, you bring up a good point. Um, what you've done or haven't done,

25:52um,

25:54is forgiven. Yeah. And that, that was the, the, the whole, uh, point of him, uh, actually dying and

26:02his sacrifice. So come to him freely, like a friend and he'll be there for you. And that's it. That's

26:09it.

26:10I want to thank you so much, Dr. Ron Washington for being on the show today. This has been so

26:15much

26:15fun. I totally enjoyed it. I did too. And I'm looking forward to the next book whenever and

26:21however that happens. You'll be one of the first to know. I hope I didn't, I hope I didn't influence

26:26your title. No, I've, uh, believe me, I've got, got the title already. Okay. Good. Good. Okay.

26:32The X nail on the, on, on the other thing. Oh my gosh. I want to thank you. And I

26:40want to thank you

26:41guys so much for tuning in. Hey, don't forget to go to Jesus walked into a bar.com. That's

26:46Jesus walked into a bar.com and check out the book for yourself. If you want to gift that or

26:51read that,

26:52or even have someone and, and buy a few copies or send out a few copies so that people won't

26:57feel so

26:58pressured and, and in their, in that own time and their own time, and in the creator's own time,

27:04actually let the creator deal with them. And you just kind of step back and watch because that's how

27:09it usually happens. Anyway, go ahead and get this book. I want to thank you guys again so much for

27:14tuning in and don't forget to always completely dare to be different. All right, guys. Bye. And thank you for

27:20watching.

This Author Challenges Your Beliefs in Ways You Won't Expect - Dr. Rome Washington

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