Cutting The Gordian Knot

Brian and I chat about Black swans, Randomness, Risk management strategies and all the while... the Catholic Faith and how it dovetails with the thought of one of our favorite economic thinkers.

We talk about the, "ordo amoris", what the Church teaches on immigration, and how Pope Francis actually wrote a pretty solid letter to the bishops.

Samson, in his own unique and often confusing way, pictures Christ's life to an extraordinary extent. In this episode we clarify a few quick points made in last episode, finish up the story of Samson, and reflect on St Augustine's sermon on Samson.

In this episode, Jake reviews a debate between Michael Knowles and Charlie Kirk, focusing on the Catholic faith, the significance of the Eucharist, the role of Mary, and the authority of the Pope. He critiques Knowles' arguments and emphasizes the importance of understanding Catholic doctrine, particularly regarding transubstantiation and the sacraments. The conversation also touches on the nature of salvation, the impact of schism, and the need for a living voice in the church. Jake concludes by urging listeners to pray for Pope Francis and to seek a deeper understanding of their faith.

Jake discusses the essential requirements for being a Protestant, emphasizing the need for legitimate pastoral authority, the historical context of Protestantism, and the importance of grounding beliefs in scripture and early church teachings. He critiques the simplification of doctrine and the implications of denial in faith, ultimately urging listeners to seek authentic Christianity rooted in historical continuity and scriptural authority.

In this episode, Jake discusses the current state of the healthcare system in the U.S., addressing misconceptions about healthcare companies, profit margins, and the inefficiencies caused by government regulations. He proposes 11 non-murderous solutions to improve the system, emphasizing the importance of personal responsibility, competition, and the need for a more rational approach to healthcare spending. The discussion highlights the flaws in the current system and advocates for a shift towards healthcare savings accounts and other market-driven solutions. takeaways Murdering people is not a solution to healthcare issues. Health insurance companies are often wrongly blamed for high costs. The U.S. healthcare system is heavily regulated and not a free market. Competition in healthcare can drive down costs and improve quality. Healthcare savings accounts (HSAs) could revolutionize personal healthcare spending. Government mandates often complicate healthcare delivery. Incentives should align with personal responsibility in healthcare. The current system incentivizes poor lifestyle choices without consequences. Allowing competition for drugs from overseas can lower costs. An end-of-life plan can significantly reduce healthcare spending.

Austrian Economics, Catholic Social Teaching and much more comes up as we discuss the role and moral basis of private property rights.

We cover every objection we can think of. We trace the roots of the argument through Jewish, Pagan, and Islamic thinkers. Not only that we think we ironed out some language shifts, and we also think that we sorted out a bit of the why behind Aquinas's version of the argument. Its a long episode but we had fun digging into this wonderful argument for God.

Former Chief Economist of the White House's Office of Management and Budget, Vance Ginn joins the show to chat about immigration and how a market approach will make all of us better off. You can find his Podcast, "Let People Prosper" in the following links: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/let-people-prosper/id1639806532 https://open.spotify.com/show/3tzOSVMDF1FoUNW09x1IPC?si=352687a0bd594ebd

Fr. Barton and I discuss hauntings and other such phenomenons just in time for everyone to have forgotten about Halloween.

In this episode, Jake discusses six spiritual practices that can help individuals grow in their faith and become more connected to God. He emphasizes the importance of penance, shutting off one's imagination, engaging with others, practicing humility, being a good steward of one's responsibilities, and embracing spiritual poverty through forgiveness. Each practice is explored in depth, with insights from saints and practical applications for daily life.

Your burning questions answered! If you ever want to reach out just email me at thegordianknot101@gmail.com

There is really just one huge thing that will torpedo your ability to get anything out of Scripture and we will talk about how to avoid it.

We dive into the details of the FairTax proposal, discuss the advantages of a consumption tax and address many of the objections that are raise against the FairTax.

We start with no topic, hit some moral philosophy and spend most of the time examining trends in health and fitness. Strange I know.

I answer 3 listener questions. One about whether God could be a thing in the universe, or the universe as a whole for that matter. A second about why we think God has a mind and will. And finally, we conclude by talking about Hell.

Our guest today is the founder of the Galen institute https://galen.org and has advised the White House, the USCCB, and many others on healthcare. She advocates for patient centered healthcare, free-market solutions, and plain 'ole common sense in a sector devoid each.

We contrast Intergralism with Liberalism and trace back the history of each in our discussion.

Matt and I discuss the morality and the economics behind the tangled and fascinating history of what people call Usury. His paper is worth a read and can be found right here: https://www.academia.edu/122554073/Usury_and_Interest_Forgotten_Contributions_to_the_Thomistic_Tradition

The answer? Its quite literally none of my business. We take the Biblical advice to be content with our own wages and go our own way envy free after exploring the topic and figuring out a few reasons for the rise in CEO compensation.

We talk about connections between faith and fitness and learn about how he came to the faith.

A lot of countries are doing it in one way or another. Is this a good answer to our population problem? Email me anytime at thegordianknot101@gmail.com

They are now being pushed by the right and the left. Should we embrace tariffs? Or are they a tariffyingly bad idea?

We talk about his marriage, the time he kills a lion, and the time that he gets married, and then, however, everything goes wrong.

The original Jewish warrior monk has one of the most fascinating stories in the Old Testament.

We learned the scriptural lesson that one ought not murder their daughter, we read strikingly similar foreign policy issues to today, and end on a depressing note, befitting the overall tone of the book of judges.

We talk about one of my favorite parables in the Bible, see some unexpected Jesus typology, and hear some great ye ole' political Philosophy

I am interviewed by Denys Damon from the new YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_TdfpkjVks We chat about political philosophy, economics and even practical issues of work.

Today we're looking past a lot of the surface level interpretation, which is typically applied to this excellent story.email me at thegordianknot101@gmail.com

We are onto one of the more famous parts of judges, the tent peg through the scull part. Email me at thegordianknot101@gmail.com

Jack is the CEO of Rex homes https://www.rexhomes.com and the Author of a new book, bringing Adam Smith into the home: a case against homeownership https://www.amazon.com/Bringing-Adam-Smith-into-American/dp/B0CM26DHKR

Yep, all that stuff and more. Thanks for joining me on the new series covering all of this outrageous and spectacular book.

Last time we talked about the worst arguments in favor of God. Today today's episode is kind of the opposite. John's book pdf: https://www.classicaltheism.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Answering-Atheist-Slogans_2.0.pdf reach out to me at thegordianknot101@gmail.com

This book has a massive amount to teach us about the ways I which God purifies the Church.

Many of the most popular arguments for God are terrible. Let's use ones that actually work.

His books are fantastic. You can find the one that we discussed right here: https://www.amazon.com/Build-Baby-Science-Housing-Regulation/dp/1952223415

Yet another long and rambling discussion covering the problem of evil, things like existential inertia, and various ideas we've been thinking about to tackle contemporary objections.

Read the context guys….. So many of these famous passages backfire hard.

Compared to what? In what circumstances? What are the pros and cons? All of these things we will be addressing.

I won't leave you in suspense. The Question is, “What is the advantage of the New Covenant?”

In the last 2000 years, interest in Saint Joseph has steadily risen. Today he stands as one of the most honored and respected saints.

And the mailbag is back and better than ever! Email me at thegordianknot101@gmail.com

Gary knows his topic from the inside and shares his story in addition to a number of great insights that we can all benefit from. His website is: https://eucharisticvirtue.com and he is open to speak at events.

Fr. Sirico is the cofounder of the Acton institute https://www.acton.org which you all ought to explore. We talking about the links between economics and the Faith.

Today we compare Zechariah and Plato's dialogue on laws. And the mail bag returns.

Not only does the mailbag return but we talk about the horror that is the current regulatory environment and how to fix it.

This is a more contemporary objection which falls under the overall umbrella of the problem of evil. It has real persuasive power, and it's been felt by most everyone. Email me anytime at thegordianknot101@gmail.com

The mail bag returns, and I have a few comments about last episode.

Pope Francis said things again…is an Empty Hell possible?

Ben Shapiro recently had a clip of his conversation with atheist, Alex O'Connor also called the cosmic skeptic. They discussed free will. I'll be commenting on that discussion in this episode.

We cruze through a couple chapters in his commentary on the Torah's alms giving laws. Email me anytime about anything at thegordianknot101@gmail.com