The Incomplete Skeptic & Sober Wise Guy Podcast Overview
Truth without compassion is cruelty. There is beauty in being brutally honest with oneself, but remembering who we are or were before all the stuff that happened to us is the beauty part. Compassion in the face of inconvenience is critical to raising strong people. One of the biggest problems in our world is those who, to convenience themselves, are willing to inconvenience others. Replacing love with TOUGH is strange to me. Tough Love is fine, for it's akin to detaching with love. But it is cowardly to 'detach' as an endgame program. Sure, we detach to survive sometimes, but then we remember that we are to love no matter what. Love is never wrong, but what we do in the name of love can be pretty messed up.
So, the above is a hint of what I want for The Incomplete Skeptic. To question paradigms and explore marginalized perspectives, no matter how far out of the park they seem to be to the average person. Whatever 'average' is, I don't know for sure. Normal is a setting on a dryer.
The Sober Wise Guy Podcast is about interviewing people in long-term recovery from Alcoholism or drug addiction, generally clean or sober for 30 years or more.
Here's my website, poetry, and LinkedIn links if you are interested:
https://www.cameron-communicationz.org/
https://allpoetry.com/Timothy_Cameron (I typically write abstractly, so it isn't for everybody)
/ timothy-g-cameron-21b91b32
Please Like & Subscribe.
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Darrell B . 43 Years Sober: DOS 6/8/1981 The Incomplete Skeptic SOBER WISE GUY SERIES
Thanks for tuning in to The Incomplete Skeptic SOBER WISE SUY Series.
This gentleman's Story of long-term sobriety is quite uplifting. He trusted God, cleaned house, and helped others—and still does.
If you care to learn how a 16-year-old male got sober despite a dismal prospect of so doing, this is the story for you.
Myself, I was a slow learner, having sobered up at 33. People like Darrell, the 'Old Timers', were around to help the rest of us see a reason to live again. Hope is a powerful tool.
I apologize for my ability to pronounce some words. A tooth came out and I can't afford a dentist right now. But I'm not going to drink over it. LOL!
ENJOY!
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Melissa Huray from The Hope Report Shares Her Story of Recovery from Addiction & Her Faith in Christ
The Incomplete Skeptic, 'Sober Wise Guy' series, rarely has a Guest who has so much faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus healed me from many serious maladies in my life, and it was an honor and a privilege to "Talk Shop" with Melissa Huray about recovery and Jesus in this interview. Her synchronistic adventures with God will surely move the Holy Spirit over the waters of your listening.
For those who might not know, Melissa Hosts "The Hope Report" on Lindell Recovery Network, an addiction-focused non-profit serving recovering addicts. Jason Perry co-hosts the show. Both have had their lives touched by addiction and other serious struggles. They produce at least five Reports per week.
She's also the Author of "Blackout to Blessing: How the Perfect Love of Jesus Saved Me From the Highway to Hell." https://melissahuray.com/
She was a 'News Reporter by Day, Blackout Drunk by Night'. Like so many of us in recovery from Alcoholism or other addictions, we need to burn HOPE and not guilt it into the consciousness of every suffering soul that we can get well regardless of anyone or anything. For me, when I gave up, God showed up. There's never been a three-day 'take a number' waiting period.
Melissa reminded me of my shortcomings and the miraculous miracles that arise from listening to the Holy Spirit. Indeed, in God's Economy, nothing is wasted.
Come listen with an incomplete skepticism to this Sober Wise Guy interview with the Hope Reporter, Melissa Huray.
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Never Get Into a Pissing Contest with a Skunk - Upcoming Zoom Discussion on Saturday
Wise words from my old Sponsor (Spiritual Advisor): 'Never get into a pissing contest with a skunk.'
This is the first of three principles we'll discuss next Saturday at 1:00 PM Central. I hope you'll join our Zoom!
We're also discussing 2 other concepts.
H.A.L.T: Hungry (eat right), Angry (watch for extreme emotional imbalance), Lonely (we're only as sick as our secrets, so don't isolate), Tired (get enough sleep and rest). How does neglecting our emotional and physical health affect our freedom of choice?
Lastly, we'll discuss having a 'profound alteration in our reaction to life.' The truth is that we don't see life as it is. We see it as we are. Change your mind, change your life. Take your power back.
I hope you'll join us in this one-hour Zoom on November 18th! Share your wisdom with us on The Incomplete Skeptic Podcast Zoom meeting! It'll also be Live on Facebook if the technology allows it.
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A Few Thoughts on The Garden of Eden, Reclaiming Our Innocence, and Turning Our Lives Over to God.
Wearing my Knock-around after-church clothes (and an old MADD cap so I don't have to comb what's left of my hair).
Yeah, TMI. Nothing new there, but I hope these musings generate some thoughts that help you.
If you want to help my Ministry and Phoenix 490, please free to join my email list or donate a few bucks (paste in your browser):
www.cameron-communicationz.org/checkout/donate?donatePageId=62c362941cf1dd788941a6e3
Alms for the Poor. :-)
Love one another.
If you want to join my Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/QuantumCommunicationz/
or my LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-g-cameron-21b91b32/
...or...read some of my poetry: https://allpoetry.com/Timothy_Cameron
Thanks for tuning in. If you want to hear about a certain topic or aspect of my life as a person in long-term recovery and free from prison, please feel free to ask. Sober 32 years and out of prison 32 years.
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Pre-speech Contemplations, Dreams & Godly Visions
I was meditating on what to say at a Forgiveness Panel at The Twin Cities Prison Ministry back in October. I was really 'talking to myself' but recording it to rehear my thoughts more objectively. The Panel went well, as did the other speech I presented the following week at the Minnesota Corrections Annual gathering.
In this recording, I talked about some creams I had that I felt were from God. Deep forgiveness on task, no doubt. Forgiving the unforgiveable means at some point that there's nothing to forgive.
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MEEK: Power Under Control & Mean People
EGO, pain, consequences, NDE, mean people, rising above problems through meekness (as defined in ancient times).
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Author Rosemary Thornton "Remembering the Light; How Dying Saved My Life", on The Incomplete Skeptic
Rosemary Thornton is a fantastic Instrument entrusted to the hands of God's Angels.
Explore beyond the cynical; hear her TDE, Temporary Death Experience story. Her experience defies rational comprehension in the scientific sense. I experienced 'synchronicities galore' when hearing her story. If you believe in synchronicities, you'll find nuggets of gold here, as I did.
Her website: www.temporarydeath.com
Her book promo:
Remembering the Light:
How Dying Saved My Life
When Rose's husband committed suicide at their home, she fell into a deep and dark pit that medical professionals doubted she would ever fully recover.
Two years later, Rose was diagnosed with cancer, and during a "minor medical procedure," she bled to death and had no heartbeat for 10+ minutes.
In heaven, she was told that if she agreed to return to earth, she'd' be restored to good health, physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Subsequent medical tests affirmed that every vestige of the disease was gone, but as Rose often says, the "bigger story" was the restoration of her soul. The crippling grief occasioned by her husband's suicide was gone.
The story of Rose's' "temporary death experience" has garnered more than 3 million views on a wide variety of video platforms, including a recently released documentary (Life to Afterlife: 2). The prevalent comment shared by viewers is, "This is the best NDE story that I've' ever heard."
The music lead-in to this video recording is 'Life is a Mystery' and is from my favorite musician, Michael Monroe. Michael is also a friend and said I could use his music for these recordings. I'm sure he's like recognition. His music has been responsible for a huge transformational shift in how I view manhood. Here's his website link: http://michaelmonroemusic.com/. Check out his music. You'll be amazed!
So that you know, I'm testing software for creating intro/outro to videos; definitely on the learning curve. Please be patient with me as I grow my Channel. I doubt I'll ever ask people to like and subscribe or 'smash' some button or other. I'm glad you're here. Yes, I'm happy I'm here, too. We're in this together.
The Incomplete Skeptic is for YOU (my minor contribution to bringing more love to the world and suspending cynical/negative thinking) more than my popularity.
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Forgiving the Unforgivable
This was a speech at Chain Breakers, a Christian recovery ministry. Brady, a recovery friend in a 12-step program, invited me to speak.
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REST, MY CHILD: God Freed Me From Insomniac Hell A chapter from my book
The Little Book of Miracles Stories from the Incomplete Skeptic.
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Michael Monroe on The Incomplete Skeptic
The Incomplete Skeptic seeks to free minds from self-imposed limitations; our primary purpose is to open minds and hearts in balance and shift consciousness.
Michael Monroe is, without a doubt, my favorite musician. Everyone has a 'Voice' that can impact the world, and Michael's Voice does so with elegant simplicity. His album, Simple Life, exemplifies this beauty.
This episode of The Incomplete Skeptic is biographical in nature, with some twists of philosophy.
My Guest is Singer and Songwriter Micahel Monroe. This Minnesota Maestro's music has helped many people rise above everyday challenges. I'll tell you this much about Michael and his music. when I attend his gigs or Log Cabin Concerts, all my coils of stress fall off. I am at home with the world.
When I was young, I was unequivocally schooled to believe that 'real men don't cry' in a hundred different ways. Well, the first time I heard Michael's music happened to be 'live' and was also the first time I cried in public. My tears were happy tears.
Michael lived and recorded on the North Shore of Lake Superior in his solar-powered log cabin studio until his relocation to the Twin Cities, MN, in 2021. is instrumental music was seen across the nation on PBS and Canada in the award-winning documentary, "Chased By The Light," about Jim Brandenburg, National Geographic photographer, and best-selling author. The documentary was shown at the Toronto Environmental Film Festival and New York Indie Film Fest. Brandenburg and Monroe created a LIVE theater experience in several venues, including the Guthrie Theater, which featured Brandenburg's magnificent images and Michael Monroe's instrumental music. Michael received a 2004 regional Emmy for his music in the KSTP television documentary "Soaring on Mended Wings."
He's recorded 11 albums of original music with one TOP Ten Star Tribune. Legacy funds were awarded Monroe for his 2 DVDs: "LIFE OF MY TIME" and "LOG CABIN CONCERTS" about the concerts hosted in his log home near Grand Marais, MN. long with Moonshadow, A Tribute to Cat Stevens, and his I Dig Peter Paul & Mary albums, Monroe's 3 additional recordings "Folk Legends" pay homage to the many folk artists who inspired his music.
Here is his website, where you can find his Bio, concert schedule, and order from his store: www.michaelmonroemusic.com/
His Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/MichaelMonroeMusic
If you want a really good guitar, here's David Seaton's link: www.seatonguitars.com/ordering/
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Bill B. Celebrating Long-term Sobriety!
Welcome to the Sober Wise Guy series of The Incomplete Skeptic where persons in long-term sobriety share their experience, strength, and hope.
This guest is a gentleman who was one of the people that helped me in early sobriety. He was working a program by helping others, which to me was leading by example.
Bill has a heart for our Creator, recovery, and building healing zones to use God's Gifts.
His wisdom, like so many of us, has been hard-earned. Listen as we share gratitude and tools for living a sober life.
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Reverend Dr. Edward Treat Shares his Story on The Incomplete Skeptic, Sober Wise Guy Series
He has a Doctor of Ministry (Dmin) focused in Mission and Leadership from Luther Seminary. He's an Addiction Crusader! To whom do I refer?
The delightful Reverend Dr. Edward Treat!
He was a Lutheran pastor in Bloomington, Minnesota, but shifted gears and realized his new calling. He felt the churches have largely been afraid of addressing the problem of addiction and grace. To help remedy this problem, he birthed the Center of Addiction and Faith, in order to create and better knit together Recovery and Faith Communities.
'Pastor Ed' works to engender ALL faith communities, whether they be Christian, Muslim, Jewish, to unilaterally harness healing power over the deeply ingrained pains and societal implications of addiction. If we strive to understand the truth about this battlefield, we'll be better able to respond more faithfully, rather than fearfully.
The Center of Addiction & Faith is based in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota. Its Vision is to sustain a movement of God’s Spirit to open churches and other faith communities to better understand the extensive ramifications of addiction (of every kind), and how to execute realistic responses. Leaving the taxpayer-funded programs to help communities doesn't go far enough.
Reverend Ed knows about addiction. He authored a book, titled, "The Pastor". It's a book about sin and darkness, despair and hope, death and new life, winter, and springtime...maybe it's a book about an eternal Easter hope. Available in hard copy, softcover, kindle, and audible. www.amazon.com/.../dp/B07BF9H3KQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_3
Center of Addiction & Faith has a great phone APP, so go check it out!
His website and Links: www.addictionandfaith.com/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCw63NYLllc1iGDQEJernbMQ
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rev-dr-edward-treat-092a45a/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PastorTweet
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January 10, 2022
From my perspective, Candace Lightner changed the attitude of a nation when she got mad and started MADD. It happened before I sobered up, and I had misgivings about it because it seemed to paint a face that was untrue: mothers are more valuable than fathers. I am not fond of sexist attitudes, yet I often suspect that women carrying human beings in the womb (womben, not women) generates an indelible connection between the baby and the woman that a father may never fathom. But I resigned my beliefs in the interest of the Greater Good and I celebrated that MADD was breaking open the hearts and minds of the American Conscience, and was grateful that brave women were leading the charge akin to the Light Brigade.
MADD changed my life, and help SAVE my life, and I look back on decades of work and reflect on how many people said my story saved their lives. I take no credit for this. They saved their own lives. I was not the Message, but rather, one among many Messengers. I prayed before every speech (maybe missed praying here and there, but I had an attitude of being guided by a power greater than myself) which reduced EGO (Edging God Out) from contaminating my speeches.
Candace challenged some of my cherished beliefs about the value of forgiveness. I can honestly say that the people in my life that disagreed with me have been my greatest teachers. What doesn't kill me, makes me wiser.
I thought I knew Candace Lightner's story pretty well, but this interview revealed some of her innermost thoughts on what it means to be an Agent of Change, what forgiveness is and is not good for, and what true grief looks like over the decades, PTSD, and more. I love her depth and honesty. She gave me a lot to think about.
Here is something you may not know. All three of her children were hit by drunk drivers, Travis sustained immense lifetime injuries, Cari died, and Selena was injured and went on to form SADD, Students Against Drunk Driving, now Students Against Destructive Decisions https://www.sadd.org/. Candace herself was later hit by a distracted driver and suffered a broken back. Listen to the interview for some more details.
Candace Lightner is also an accomplished author, having published articles in magazines, newspapers, and journals including USA Today, Abstracts and Reviews, the Judges Journal, Advertising Age, Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Salt Lake Tribune.
Grief is a private language interpreted only by those who know what it means. On September 1, 1990 (Thirteen days after I sobered up), Candace co-authored and published the hardcover book "Giving Sorrow Words: How to Cope with Your Grief and Get on with Your Life."
Written with compassion and insight, her book can help you travel through the rough terrain of grief. By giving sorrow words the authors tell you what to expect when mourning, how to get the support you need, and how coping with death can transform your life.
The book rates as a main selection of the Psychotherapy Book Club.
The book is available for purchase on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Giving-Sorrow-...
To her credit, she created her own wiki page because Wikipedia kicked her off their site, saying she wasn't popular enough. She wanted to stem the online misinformation out there about her life. https://www.candacelightner.com/Meet-...
Candace has two separate websites, one for her life and personal work https://www.candacelightner.com/, and one for public activist work, https://wesavelives.org/.
At the end of January 2022, Candace is starting a big campaign as referred to it as her "Legacy". Please help support her. She deserves our help. Thank you.
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The Incomplete Skeptic: Humility & Powerlessness Defined
No one's more humble than me. That's what gives me the right to define humility. OK, that's my way of being tongue in cheek about the paradox of humility.
Take what you like and leave the rest. Just exploring the few nuts and bolts I have left in my reasoning powers. LOL!
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Deep Dive into Human Value; Spiritual Math
Thank God life ain't fair. Yep, I said the "G-Word," but I beg you to hear me out, even if you think this recording is just a bunch of God Stuff.
Today, I watched the Minnesota State Board of Pardon's decisions about offenders and re-contemplated the topic of official forgiveness.
Pretend Christians will never bring the Kingdom to fruition. They talk a good game but don't practice forgiveness as directed by Jesus Christ. They talk the talk but don't walk the walk at best. Sure, I fall short, too, but Jesus was most pissed-off at hypocrites. Yeah, I suppose I am one, too. I'm imperfect. But I do more than get ready to meet God; I also meet God to get ready.
Vengeance in the human heart is always ugly, and I'm not sure God is even vengeful, even when 'vengeance belongs to God.' Anyone can forgive. It's one of the godliest things anyone can do, whether an atheist or person of faith.
I trust an Atheist with forgiveness in their heart more than a 'saved' Christian with the addiction to anger distorting their perception about love.
Forgiveness runs deeper than the offense that calls it into existence. If it ain't about Love, it ain't about God because God is Love.
Look for the Good & You'll Find It
I was told to 'look for the good' in early recovery. I wondered if it would work in a difficult situation in everyday life. It did!
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The Incomplete Skeptic on Critical Vs. Cynical Thinking and the Art of Condescension
Morning Thoughts recently. I didn't want to forget what I was thinking about, so did the video in my Morning Attire.
OK, so on Facebook someone was trolling for morons and here I Am sharing my perspective. LOL! The addiction to judgment is so prevalent in society and the wallowing in condescension is still blowing hot air. But seriously, I didn't engage in the conversation, because I prefer to never get into a pissin' contest with a skunk. Instead, I just decided to make this video and discuss a few thoughts that might help cleanse a Free Thinker's EGO from its self-imposed cage.
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November 23, 2021
Firstly, never get into a pissing contest with a skunk. Secondly, don't have a box to think outside of. Freedom is a choice, not a box. The decisions we create are the ones we determine our definitions and destinies by. The stories we tell ourselves either keep us free or imprison us. The most secure prison in the world is the one we construct for ourselves.
If you've never heard Sean Stephenson's speech in a California prison, please check it out. https://youtu.be/VaRO5-V1uK0
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