Fermenting Opinions

On this episode I sit down with my friend and long time Fermenter, Kyle Robinson, who is the host of the new podcast, Amplified Silence. We discuss how his podcast series takes aim at overincarceration in America, the multitude of flaws in the criminal justice system, and the more philosophical questions of who deserves a … Continue reading S06E08: On Redemption with the Amplified Silence Podcast

Are you a moral realist? An antirealist? Have you ever even heard these terms before? Morality is a complex topic and its a central feature of the Great Debate on the existence God. On this episode I sit down again with Jaylen and Dylan of the Identity Christ-Is podcast to discuss morality, how we may … Continue reading S06E07: Discussing Moral Realism and Anti-Realism With The Identity Christ-Is Podcast

David Baker is running for county mayor of Maury County, Tennessee. On his public platform and his podcast he espouses a very pro-Christian view of governance, so much so that it may be a cause for concern for any of his potential constituents who happen to no be Christians themselves. In light of this, Mr. … Continue reading S06E06: A Pastor Running for Mayor and an Atheist Discuss Politics and Religion

On this episode I will be discussing the grand philosophical concepts of value and purpose and what may be entailed by regarding these topics through the lens of a Christian or atheistic worldview. Joining me in this discussion will be Jaylen Thompson and Dylan Schweitzer of the Identity Christ-Is Podcast. I’m very much looking forward … Continue reading S06E05: Discussing Value and Purpose with the Identity Christ-Is Podcast

This will be a conversation about what it’s like to approach matters of faith from the perspective of someone who is on the autism spectrum. To aid in this discussion I will be joined by Nick Peters of Deeper Waters Apologetics and author Erin Ruth who will be sharing their personal experiences on the matter … Continue reading S06E04: Theology on the Spectrum

For this interview I sit down with an old friend who happens to be Russian. We discuss the ongoing invasion of Ukraine and Putin's vision of a carved up nation that his likely desired endgame. Is victory possible for Ukraine? What can stop Russia’s march westward and will we see an escalation or will this … Continue reading S06E03: Russia, Ukraine, and Putin

Today on the Ferment we will be tackling the I”I do my own research” trope by talking to someone who does their own research. In a lab. On COVID. Zachary and I begin by discussing his background, professional work, and involvement on COVID-19. From there he goes on to explain what is involved in the … Continue reading S06E02: “I Do My Own Research” with Dr. Zachary Arden

This episode is going to be a little different. I’m bringing on a friend of mine who is a conservative with pretty strong opinions. We are going to talk about the breakdown between the left and right, if anything can or should be done about it, and if there is any advice that each of … Continue reading S06E01: Two Americas: Why the Left and Right Can’t Talk to Each Other

Okay, so this episode doesn’t exactly keep perfectly with the underlying theme of Fermenting Opinions but as I see Ben Shapiro as the worst kind of polemicist and grifter I think he has this one coming. If you see yourself as a person on the right or as a fan of Shapiro I encourage you … Continue reading S05E03: Ben Shapiro is an Idiot’s Vision of a Smart Person

Some people are not going to like this, and that’s okay. The issue of COVID vaccines and mask mandates have become an irrationally divisive issue and it’s killing us. So on this episode I sit down with lawyer and longtime friend of the Ferment, RJ Proie, to lay out both the legal case and the … Continue reading S05E02: Forcing the Vaccine

Hello, my people! I am back from a long hiatus to bring you a discussion on two of my favorite topics: deconversion and the lost art of civil discourse. Steven Dvorak is an old acquaintance and former theological debate partner of mine. I had recently come to find out that since our days at Bible … Continue reading S05E01: On Deconversion and Discourse

Is all media biased? How can you know who to trust? Is everything you disagree with #FakeNews ? There used to be a time where the news was just accepted as the news. It was regarded as factual, truthful, and unbiased. Whether or not people were being naive in that assessment that is no longer the case today. … Continue reading S04E11: On Media Bias, with Vanessa Otero

In this episode I’m joined by returning friend of the Ferment, Mariah Philips, to discuss her campaign for Tennessee’s State House in District 37.  We talk about how COVID has impacted the district along with the particular effects it’s had on jobs and public schools.  Mariah offers her insights on what could be done to improve school reopenings while … Continue reading S04E10: Mariah Phillips for TN State House

This episode’s guest is a man we’ll call “Brandon” and he joins me to discuss his recent experience at the Maury County Republican Party’s (MCRP), annual “Ronald Reagan” dinner. From the lack of basic health protocols to the insane conspiracy theories being peddled by the keynote speaker and others, this one is a howler from … Continue reading S04E09: Credulity, Conspiracy, and Rabid Tribalism: Meet the Maury County Republican Party.

Stacie Odeneal is a Child Welfare Law Specialist that works with the state of Tennessee’s adoption and foster care services. In March she wrote a column for the Tennessean in response to the passage of a bill that allows state funded adoption adoption agencies to discriminate on the basis of their religious beliefs. In this … Continue reading S04E08: Hurting Children in the Name of Religious Freedom, with Stacie Odeneal

Christopher Hale is a Democratic candidate for US Congress in Tennessee’s District 4 against Republican incumbent Scott DeJarlais. Unlike many modern Democratic candidates, Mr. Hale is outspoken about his Christian faith and how that inspires his involvement in politics. He’s also avowedly Pro-Life, which is surely a statement that will raise eyebrows. But he goes … Continue reading S04E07: Hale Yes! Christopher Hale for US Congress

Mark Viola is comedian, actor, and writer that is fed up with the two party duopoly and the odious electoral choices it has left us on offer in the upcoming 2020 presidential election this November. Mark joins me on this episode to talk about his refusal to vote for the lesser of two evils by … Continue reading S04E06: Bernie or Bust! Going Third Party with Comedian Mark Viola

Lindsey Boylan is running for US Congress in in New York’s District 10 as a primary challenger against establishment figure, Jerry Nadler. During our conversation Mrs Boylan shares what motivated her to become politically active and her reasons for running for US Congress in particular. With concerns for the future regarding the climate, income inequality, … Continue reading S04E05: Taking On The Establishment And COVID 19, with Lindsey Boylan

On this Episode I am joined by returning guest and friend of the Ferment, Ben Watkins of the Real Atheology Podcast. Ben recently participated in a couple of debates on Divine Hiddeness and the definition of Atheism so the first half of the recording is devoted to a breakdown of those arguments and a debate … Continue reading S04E04: Understanding The Political Evangelical, with Ben Watkins

On this episode I sit down with FO group member, Haji Shareef, to discuss his experiences as a black man and a military officer in the United States. Attached below is a post shared in FO as well as other places where he describes a number of events that would shock the conscience of many … Continue reading S04E03: On Racism and Perspective with Haji Shareef

This episode is devoted to the ” Ok, Boomer!” phenomenon that has become popular as a dismissive slur against certain members of the Baby Boomer generation. My guests, Sarah Harris Barry and Ross Jaynes, and myself disambiguate when and why its used and the generational hostilities between the Baby Boomer and Millennial generations. Should we … Continue reading S04E02: Boomer, Are You Ok? Are You Ok, Boomer?

“Blake Giunta is founder of BeliefMap.org, an advanced debate simulator for exploring the question of God’s existence and Jesus’s resurrection. As an enthusiast, he has been studying these debates and cataloguing the academic responses and counter-responses for almost 15 years to evangelize and aid the public in navigating their way to belief in Jesus. He … Continue reading S04E01: Following the Belief Map with Blake Giunta

On this episode James and I go over the blatant quid pro quo as laid out by the leaked testimony of former ambassador to Ukraine, Bill Taylor. This fits well as a follow up to our previous two episodes as Taylor details the timeline of events regarding the hold placed on the military aid package … Continue reading S03E10: Quid, Quid, Quiddy, Quid, Quid.

On tonight’s episode, we discuss the now-infamous July 25th phone call between President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky, the House impeachment inquiry that followed, and the fallout that continues to snowball each day. Included in this is a deep-dive on the similarities and differences in the now three separate requests from President Donald Trump for … Continue reading S03E09: The Ukrainian Situation

The title says it all. Even if you have been living under a rock you will be aware of the explosive news that has rocked the prior dynamic in the Democratic caucus. President Trump’s July 25th phone call to the Ukrainian president is being treated by congressional Democrats and Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi … Continue reading S03E08: Pelosi Moved On Him Like A Bitch

Randall Theo, also know as the Secular Scouter, is a 28 year veteran and former member of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). On this episode he joined us to talk about his experience with the socially oppressive policies of the BSA, where they came from, and why some but not all of them have … Continue reading S03E07: The Secular Scouter and the 4 Gs: Gays, Girls, Gender, & the Godless

Enough is Enough is a national project started by Dr. Michele Dauber that has been created for the purpose of combating and removing known sexual abusers from their positions in political office or other authority. Last year, Enough is Enough has had its attention drawn to the Tennessee Legislature and State Representative, David Byrd.  Byrd … Continue reading S03E06: Enough is Enough

The day is Monday, May 20th, 2019.  The Maury County Republican party, as an official meeting, hosts Kathy Hinners whom is nationally famous for spreading fear and hatred towards Muslims. Her rhetoric has previously been a cause of division and anger locally as she propagates half-truth’s and outright falsehoods that suit her narrative and the convictions … Continue reading S03E05: A Republican Speaks Out Against Hate

It’s only been about a week since the release of the redacted Mueller report was released to the public and already the contents of this 400+ page document has become the subject of much debate and much spin.  We here at Fermenting Opinions decided to take our own crack at it with two lawyers and … Continue reading S03E04: A Finely Fermented Mueller Report

On this episode, we are joined by David Lakeman, one of the first senior staff members and authors of both legislation and policy regarding the legalization of marijuana in the State of Massachusetts.  We discuss the process of writing and crafting these laws on the state level, the pitfalls and hurdles that have to be … Continue reading S03E03: Getting Into the Weeds on Marijuana Policy, Part 1

On this episode of Fermenting Opinions we sit down with friend of the Ferment, Danny Coleman. Mr. Coleman lives in Maury County, TN’s District 1 and he’s pursuing the office of County Commissioner due to the vacancy created by the passing of Commissioner Ronnie Attkinsson. Mr. Coleman is not campaigning for this seat in a … Continue reading S03E02: Put Coleman on the Commission

Michael Wolcott is an airline captain, Vice Chair of an airline union, and longtime friend of the Ferment. On this episode he joins us to explain how he became involved in union work and their role and function in protecting workers. Mr. Wolcott covers how unions engage in both partnerships with businesses on safety issues … Continue reading S03E01: On Unions with Michael Wolcott

On this episode of Fermenting Opinions, we talk with Matthew White, Maury County Commissioner for District 4.  Mr. White recently won his seat during the local August election in Tennessee and we discuss his motivation for running for office, the issues that most interest him, and goals he would like to see realized during his … Continue reading SO2E22: Talking Civics With Matthew White, County Commissioner

On this episode of Fermenting Opinions, we are joined by Rebecca Baillie, Treatment Specialist for Addiction Campuses and a sexual assault survivor. Ms. Baillie talks with us about the #MeToo movement, the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings, and her own experiences with sexual harassment, assault, and why she didn’t report. Specifically, we discuss the motivations of … Continue reading S02E21: Why I Didn’t Report

On tonight’s episode of Fermenting Opinions, we are joined by both A.J. Holmes, Democratic candidate for the 64th District of the Tennessee General Assembly, and Michael Fulbright, former 4th District Maury County Commissioner and former Chair of the same Commission.  Together, we discuss recent developments in the 64th District race, as well as the importance … Continue reading S02E20: A Democrat and a Republican Walk into a Podcast

Our guests today are Danny and Darren, who have asked to have their last names omitted for anonymity, and they are members of an orginization called Recovering From Religion (RFR). RFR is dedicated to helping those who are doubting their faith or have outright left it and are in need of support and advice. This … Continue reading S02E19: Disfellowshipped and Disowned

Justin Cornett is a former Independent Gubernatorial Candidate from the State of Tennessee. He is a longtime Libertarian and outspoken proponent of the Libertarian Party and their corresponding views on the role of government. Recently, he gave up his bid for public office to join the Tennessee Chapter of Americans for Prosperity, the Koch-funded organization … Continue reading S02E18: On Americans for Prosperity with Justin Cornett

On tonight’s episode of Fermenting Opinions, we sit down with AJ Holmes, the Democratic candidate for the 64th District of the Tennessee State House of Representatives.  We have taken questions from local constituents across the political spectrum so that Mr. Holmes can elaborate on his platform and explain to you, the voters, why he feels … Continue reading S02E17: “Ask Me Anything” With AJ Holmes, 2018 Democratic Nominee for TN64

Tonight we are joined by friend of the Ferment and Digital Wizard, Ross Jaynes as we go over last Thursday’s Tennessee Primary results. We go over some state-level winners and losers before turning to the fates of our candidates, including , several who have appeared on our show. After all are tallied, we talk a … Continue reading S02E16: The 2018 Tennessee Primary Results

On this episode of Fermenting Opinions, we follow up with Mariah Phillips, Democratic candidate for the 4th District of Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives. Mrs. Phillips has been hot on the campaign trail and has taken the time to update us on her race for the Democratic nomination thus far. Mrs. Phillips discusses … Continue reading S02E15: Following Up With Mariah Phillips, Candidate for U.S. Congress

What is tribalism and where does it come from? How does it effect the way we see the world and how we interact with each other? Friend of the Ferment and counter-terrorism professional, Richard Suttles walks us through the works of Edward Wilson, Pascal  Boyer, Johnathan Haidt, and others as he explains the evolutionary roots … Continue reading S02E14: On Tribalism with Richard Suttles

Justin Kanew is running for Congress in Tennessee’s district 7. In this episode we touch on his background in entertainment, to include his appearances in The Amazing Race and how that inspired the theme of his campaign as he “races” through the District. From there we get into the meat of how the 2016 election … Continue reading S02E13: Kanew for Congress

On this episode of Fermenting Opinions, we talk to Anthony Magnabosco, a practitioner and advocate for a method of discussing beliefs called Street Epistemology (SE). Anthony walks us through how this method works and his successes and failures in using this approach when discussing beliefs with people he encounters on the “street.” Street Epistemology has … Continue reading S02E12: Street Epistemology with Anthony Magnabosco

On this episode of Fermenting Opinions, we talk with Michael Fulbright, the current Maury County Commissioner for District 4 who is running for the Republican nomination in the race for the 64th District of the Tennessee General Assembly. Mr. Fulbright has been the District 4 County Commissioner for the past four years and is seeking … Continue reading Fermenting Opinions S02E11: Michael Fulbright For TN State Rep.

On this episode of Fermenting Opinions, we talk with Colby Block, a local attorney who is running for Maury County Commissioner in District 4. Specifically, we explore what Ms. Block would bring to this office, what drove her to run, and what pressing issues are facing the County Commission.

On this episode Fermenting Opinions, we are joined by one of the moderators of  the Facebook group “Incelistan” and who is a self-professed “incel.” What does that mean? Glad you asked! Incel is sociological term that stands for “involuntary celibate” and embraced by those who describe themselves this way. The term gained notoriety in 2014 … Continue reading Fermenting Opinions S02E09: Incels and Involuntary Celibacy

Today on Fermenting Opinions we have local Democrat, AJ Holmes who is running for State Representative in the 64th district in Tennessee. We ask him about why he decided to run, where he stands on issues facing his potential constituents, and what his strategy will be to win in November.

On this episode of Fermenting Opinions we wanted to talk about the idea of Second Amendment Absolutism, which is the belief that the plain text reading of the phrase “shall not be infringed” should stand as a bulwark against any and all attempts to legislate restrictions on firearms in the US.  The question is how … Continue reading Fermenting Opinions S02E07: “Shall Not Be Infringed”

The city of Austin, Texas is currently dealing with a “serial bomber.” This month, there have been four bombings in the city, killing two people and injuring four. The first three bombings were caused by packages left on neighbors doorsteps, while the last bombing involved an explosion left near a hiking trail that was triggered … Continue reading Fermenting Opinions S02E06: A Local Fermenter Reports on the Serial Bomber of Austin

On this episode of Fermenting Opinions, we talk to Amanda Kelton, a resident of Columbia, Tennessee who has decided to throw her hat in the ring for the position of Maury County Mayor in a local August 2nd election. Mrs. Kelton is running on a non-partisan platform, on the basis that a local mayor should … Continue reading Fermenting Opinions S02E05: Amanda Kelton and the Race for Maury County Mayor

On this Episode of Fermenting Opinions we get to introduce friend of the Ferment, Ezra E. Fitz. Ezra is a long time friend of our co-host, James, but more importantly he had a recent undertaking that he wanted to share with us. For the last several years he has been working with prominent news anchor … Continue reading Fermenting Opinions S02E04: On Jorge Ramos’s ‘Stranger,’ with Ezra E. Fitz