Sold Separately: How the Market Replaced Religious Comfort: Tim Blackmon w/ Panel and Q/A

In this closing plenary address from the Sacramento Estuary Conference at Living Stones CRC, Pastor Tim Blackmon delivers a moving address titled "Sold Separately: Religious Institutions, Deconstruction, and the Technologies of Consolation." Beginning with the story of a 75-year-old Michigan newsstand selling adult magazines behind cardboard to lonely patrons, Tim explores theologian Simeon Zahl’s concept of "affective technologies"—the liturgies, prayers, meals, and funeral songs that historically mediated comfort within covenant communities. Tim argues that when religious institutions deconstruct, these technologies of the heart don't disappear; instead, they come loose and are "sold separately" by the market as addictive commodities like social media feeds, substances, and AI companions. Following the address, Pastor Paul Vander Klay, Dave Busuttil, Raj, and Jared Smith join Tim for a panel discussion and audience Q&A examining creaturely comfort in Genesis, existential lament, ministering to suicidal despair, and whether independent channels risk becoming the very institutions they seek to replace. What is the TLC? ("This little corner of the Internet" also know as "the corner" https://youtu.be/Y3vqSjywot8?si=IVS3bnriwje5syPO TLC Search tool. https://thislittlecorner.netThe Flotilla List: https://thislittlecorner.net/channels https://www.livingstonescrc.com/give Paul Vander Klay clips channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX0jIcadtoxELSwehCh5QTg https://www.meetup.com/sacramento-estuary/ My Substack https://paulvanderklay.substack.com/ Bridges of meaning https://discord.gg/UKg8k93c Estuary Hub Link https://www.estuaryhub.com/ Retro PVK Merch by his daughter a few years ago: https://www.redbubble.com/people/raindoodles1/shop There is a video version of this podcast on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/paulvanderklay To listen to this on ITunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/paul-vanderklays-podcast/id1394314333 If you need the RSS feed for your podcast player https://paulvanderklay.podbean.com/feed/ All Amazon links here are part of the Amazon Affiliate Program. Amazon pays me a small commission at no additional cost to you if you buy through one of the product links here. This is is one (free to you) way to support my videos. https://paypal.me/paulvanderklay Blockchain backup on Lbry https://odysee.com/@paulvanderklay https://www.patreon.com/paulvanderklay Paul's Church Content at Living Stones Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh7bdktIALZ9Nq41oVCvW-A To support Paul's work by supporting his church give here. https://tithe.ly/give?c=2160640 https://www.livingstonescrc.com/give