In this special episode of The Life Wisdom Project Jerry L. Martin is joined by acclaimed horror author, essayist, and religious thinker Matt Cardin for a profound exploration of divine duality, Zoroastrian cosmology, and the moral landscape of good and evil.
Together, they dive into God’s revelations to the prophet Zoroaster as recounted in God: An Autobiography, As Told to a Philosopher, unpacking a worldview where life is not a passive unfolding — but an active battlefield between light and darkness, truth and illusion. Through the lens of Zoroastrianism and Manichaean thought, the conversation traces how spiritual maturity demands we choose a side — not in tribal allegiance, but in moral clarity and existential responsibility.
Matt Cardin brings his unique background at the crossroads of religion, metaphysical horror, and philosophical inquiry to the fore. The episode confronts some of the most challenging spiritual insights from the book, including:
These statements form the foundation for a dialogue about spiritual integration, shadow work, divine self-awareness, and the lived tension between peace and calamity — as illustrated in both Zoroaster’s vision and Isaiah 45, where God declares, “I form the light and create darkness.”
The episode also explores how horror writing, when used with spiritual intent, can serve as a radical form of not turning away — of confronting the hidden, the repressed, the divine and monstrous within. Cardin’s reflections on Jung, Freud, and the archetypal struggle for integration are especially resonant for seekers navigating complexity in both self and cosmos.
Whether you're drawn to Zoroastrian theology, psychological integration, or the spiritual function of horror literature, this conversation invites you to experience divine reality with open eyes — and a willingness to face the truth, however unsettling it may be.
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