A Christian and a Buddhist walk in to a bar

A Christian and a Buddhist walk in to a bar

Jacob is a Christian, Tai-Sen Is a Buddhist. Together they meander around theology, spirituality, religion, philosophy and whatever else happens to come to mind. A weekly podcast for anyone interested in what shenanigans a Christian and a Buddhist can get up to when given a few mics.

Episodes

December 22, 2025 44 mins

We return this Christmas with a re release of one of our favourite Buddhamas episodes, about Tim Minchin's classic: White wine in the sun. 

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We continue our conversation with Neti Mushin about all things Zen, life and being a priest. 

 

https://netiparekh.com/

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We've neen really looking forward to this one! 

Today we bring in a very special guest: Neti Mushin Parekh. Neti is senior prest and leader of Twining Vines zen centre, and was Tai-Sen's preceptor for his recent ordination. She joins us talk all things zen and being a priest, and its such a wonderful conversation. 

 

https://netiparekh.com/

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November 24, 2025 39 mins

Men. We need talk. About men, with men. we are two men talking about men. 

Men are more christian. why? what happened?

We dive in to the topic, and try to work out what to do about this podcasts man problem. 

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November 10, 2025 39 mins

Tai-Sen is off on a pilgrimage. But what even is that? We talk about the difference between a pilgrimage and a long walk, and Tai-Sen launches his 'is it a pilgrimage or not' scale (tm).  https://www.spiritualtravels.info/spiritual-travels-ordinary-trips/top10reasons/

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October 27, 2025 32 mins

We launch off from an earlier conversation into a rambling discussion on conversion. What is is? is it good? should we do it?

 

Please convert your friends to the pod, send it around :) 

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October 13, 2025 40 mins

Today in the cage - Christianity Vs Buddhism - in the showdown of the millennium.

 

Jacob and Tai-Sen discuss if religions are actually competing? or if they are in fact all speaking about the same truth. If you picked up some Bahai in this topic, well done you! 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/29/what-if-the-worlds-religions-arent-competing-but-rather-one-unfolding-truth
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We are picking up all the good vibrations today, and talking about the Beach Boys! yes you heard right, notorious Christian pop band the Beach Boys. 

 

We dive in to what makes their music actually maybe about God, and how Brian Wilson was perhaps an under heralded genius (but not really, he was pretty famous). 

 

https://mbird.com/music/you-need-a-mess-of-help-to-stand-alone/
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We are back to one of our favorite topics. The board game Diplomacy. Tai-Sen (Jamal) shares why he's known as the 'Jade Buddha', how he thinks about the game, and we talk about how others perceive him and the intersection between the game and his spirituality. Spoiler alert - its more closely connected than you may think! 

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September 1, 2025 42 mins

One Love dear listeners. Welcome to todays episode. And we are back with divine music! we know you missed it.  We jump in to the wonderful world of Bob Marley, and Rastafarianism in general. A highly informative episode to make, where we move beyond the cliché's and really take a look at what was behind some of the most spiritual popular music of the last century.

 

Give thanks 

 

https://theconversation.com/under-the-influence...
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August 18, 2025 44 mins

Newly dubbed KoJu Tai-Sen has done it! He's become a non monk.  We reflect on the ceremony of Jukai, Jacob's thoughts in attending, and how Tai-Sen is feeling after the whole process. 

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This is it, the final 'not-monk' episode. What a journey it has been! 

 

Join us for the last time, as we discuss disparaging the three treasures, and how to 'just do it' when it comes to the precepts. 

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July 28, 2025 41 mins

It's Hulk mode time on the pod, as we discuss not being angry. Is it even possible? what does anger do to us? Stay tuned to find out, and write us an angry letter if we don't answer your questions appropriately. 

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As the owners of this podcast, Jacob and Jamal spend the episode asserting their sole rights to it, keeping it from others and ensuring that no one else can have any of it.  Alongside that we continue exploring the Buddhist precepts. This time around not being possessive. 

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This week. We talk about why we are the best. Just so much better than everyone else. And also why Buddhism asks us not to praise ourselves at the expense of others. 

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This week in the bar we get out our critiques and slanders, and just go in on how much we really don't like each other.... not really. But we are looking at speaking ill of others, and the Buddhist precept that tells us... maybe don't.

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June 30, 2025 39 mins

Today we are back at the bar to tackle the topic of...being at the bar too much?  We look in to the role of intoxicants in the Buddhist precepts and discuss how one can better have a positive relationship with all things that cloud the mind. 

https://open.substack.com/pub/oldster/p/ask-a-sober-oldster-23-nadia-bolz 

 

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June 23, 2025 38 mins

This week on the podcast, Jacob finally converts and Jamal reveals that he's been a universalist the whole time. 

 

That's right! we are talking about lying, and how it interacts with the Buddhist precepts. Plus, stay turned for our brutal takedown of Kevin MacLeod.... nah I can't lie about that one. 

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Sex is a complicated topic. But the Buddhist precepts has the answer! Maybe? We'll find out this week as we continue exploring the journey in to the zen precepts. 

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June 9, 2025 32 mins

We have a new Pope! And he's from Chicago, which makes him Da Pope. Today Jacob and Jamal learn all about the new head of the Catholic church, and dig deep in to the dish to find our about what they think this might mean for one of the worlds biggest religions.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0ln80lzk7ko
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