Beltway Banthas

About this podcast

Beltway Banthas is a monthly Star Wars podcast about the intersection of Star Wars and politics. Host, Stephen Kent, draws from politics IRL and connects the big problems we face to lessons in the Star Wars universe. Whether it be discourse about redemption, empathy, humility or hot button topics ranging from racial justice to cancel culture, Beltway Banthas takes it all on.

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Beltway Banthas

Beltway Banthas

Stephen Kent

About this podcast

Beltway Banthas is a monthly Star Wars podcast about the intersection of Star Wars and politics. Host, Stephen Kent, draws from politics IRL and connects the big problems we face to lessons in the Star Wars universe. Whether it be discourse about redemption, empathy, humility or hot button topics ranging from racial justice to cancel culture, Beltway Banthas takes it all on.

more

Language

Categories

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Religion & Spirituality Society & Culture Music Christianity Education Business Arts Technology Comedy TV & Film

158 episodes

Walk The Way: A New Podcast from Stephen Kent

Walk The Way: A New Podcast from Stephen Kent

If you loved Beltway Banthas, you can still keep learning from Star Wars. Stephen Kent has a new podcast with co-host Riley Blanton, it's called Walk The Way. Inspired by the writing from How The Force Can Fix The World and This Is The Way, Walk The Way is dedicated to building a community around po...

00:02:16

FINALE: Do you want to know the REAL politics of Star Wars?

FINALE: Do you want to know the REAL politics of Star Wars?

Join me at ThisIsTheWay.substack.com for the next chapter of Star Wars + politics and whatever else. Beltway Banthas has been one of the great joys of my life, and it's time to let it go. I believe even better things will come. I hope you'll come along with me. Twitter: @Stephen_kent89The Force will...

00:27:02

THIS IS THE WAY: An N95 masked bicyclist, The Phantom Menace and the problem with pride

THIS IS THE WAY: An N95 masked bicyclist, The Phantom Menace and the problem with pride

Have you ever felt anger, hatred or contempt toward someone? What about a total stranger? If you hadn’t, you might not be a human being. Just something to consider. This episode of Beltway Banthas: This Is The Way, is a reflection on loving your enemies. Not such an easy thing to do, and we don’t ha...

00:11:19

THIS IS THE WAY: General Leia, Marcus Aurelius and the state of the Beltway Banthas podcast

THIS IS THE WAY: General Leia, Marcus Aurelius and the state of the Beltway Banthas podcast

What's going on with Beltway Banthas?! Why is Stephen Kent speaking so softly and what is this lovely background music?! Beltway Banthas is in a new season of it's life called 'This Is The Way,' a run of episodes focused on taking Star Wars wisdom and turning it out onto real life. Today Stephen ans...

00:12:57

THIS IS THE WAY: Yoda, being prepared and a prayer for Ukraine

THIS IS THE WAY: Yoda, being prepared and a prayer for Ukraine

Introducing THIS IS THE WAY, a new series from Beltway Banthas focused on putting the virtues and lessons on living from Star Wars into action. Today's episode is a reflection on Preparedness, or being prepared. There are a lot of things in the world you can worry about, lose sleep over or feel anxi...

00:12:23

THIS IS THE WAY: Empathy, anger and Qui-Gon Jinn meditating during battle

THIS IS THE WAY: Empathy, anger and Qui-Gon Jinn meditating during battle

20 December 2021

Have you ever spoken in anger or put your foot in your mouth? It's sort of the way of the world these days, in case you haven't noticed or been online much. Today's podcast is an honest reflection on an experience I had with my own anger, understanding its source and a lesson on empathy. The Greek s...

00:08:17

THIS IS THE WAY: Named your fear must be, before banish it you can

THIS IS THE WAY: Named your fear must be, before banish it you can

08 November 2021

We live in a frightening time. Star Wars is steadfast in reminds us that Fear is the start of a road toward darkness. Fear leads to Anger, Anger leads to Hate, and Hate leads to Suffering. So says Yoda to a young Anakin Skywalker who admitted he missed his Mother. Understandably so, he was 9 years o...

00:07:46

THIS IS THE WAY: How Kylo Ren, Rey and love brought balance to the Force

THIS IS THE WAY: How Kylo Ren, Rey and love brought balance to the Force

05 November 2021

Why were the Jedi so obsessed with the prophecy of balance being brought to the Force? And why did they clearly fail so badly? It's because balance is easier said than done, and their moral commitments were out of step with the principle of what balance really is. This episode is an explainer on how...

00:17:56

THIS IS THE WAY: Rey Skywalker and your power to choose

THIS IS THE WAY: Rey Skywalker and your power to choose

04 November 2021

Do we have free will and the power to choose our own destiny? Star Wars is clear eyed about both the power and reality of choice, but also the gravity of choices that were made FOR us. How have you had choices in your life limited by circumstance for the actions of others? We've all been there. But ...

00:19:10

How Star Wars Mirrors The American Culture Wars ft Tom Luongo

How Star Wars Mirrors The American Culture Wars ft Tom Luongo

19 September 2021

Star Wars, like any worthwhile piece of art, will always reflect the tensions of trials of the time in which it was created. This was the case for the original trilogy in a post-Vietnam America, and it was for the prequels during the Bush years and the War on Terror. Star Wars clicked with the mood ...

00:42:27