Faith, Politics, & the War Within: Allegiance, Grace & Addiction with Josif Wright

What happens when the faith you inherited no longer looks like Jesus?

Josif Wright joins Craig to talk about leaving Christian nationalism, questioning the flag-and-cross mixture, and learning to trust Christ instead of political power. Josif is a teacher, coach, hospice chaplain, church speaker, and author of The War Within: My Story.

The conversation later turns toward his son Ryan’s decade-long struggle with addiction. Craig also shares memories of his brother TJ, whose battle with alcohol ended in 2020. Together, they ask what families and churches can do when control fails, shame makes things worse, and love is the only faithful path left.

They dig into:

• Why Christians should question “God-and-country” teaching
• Flags, pledges, voting, and divided allegiance
• Loving people beyond national and political teams
• Addiction from a parent’s point of view
• Grace, identity, recovery, and harmful church labels

📖 For Full Show Notes: thebadroman.com/show-notes/episode-163

🤝Connect with Josif🤝

• Book: The War Within: My Story at Barnes & Noble, Amazon
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @Josifwright 
• X: @Josifwright 
• Nostr/Damus: @j3

Josif also invites people who cannot afford a copy to email him. His stated goal is not sales, but helping families and people who are struggling.

Key Moments:

00:00 Leaving Christian nationalism

04:20 “Don’t trust the government and be kind”

08:30 God is pro-people

21:40 Flags, pastors, legalism, and fear

25:18 Can Christians pledge to two masters?

29:10 Voting and political identity

34:53 The War Within and Craig’s brother TJ

40:00 A family living on emotional life support

44:05 “Step back. Let God be God”

47:10 Recovery, grace, and new identity

53:40 Why people are more than their addiction

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Jesus over empire. Mercy over shame. No King but Christ.