Sound Engagement

We wrapped up our discussion of Part 3 of the book covering chapters 9-12. The hero paradox suggests that men are rewarded for being successful at work and war. We praise the firefighters who sacrificed their lives by entering into the twin towers on 9/11—99% of whom were men. The catch-22 is that the same men who are successful in work and war tend to be horrible examples at home. How can we be better balanced as husbands and fathers? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

In this episode of Sound Engagement, Peter and Brad begin to discuss Part 3 of The Boy Crisis by Warren Farrell and John Gray. We talk about the purpose void among boys and how we might broaden their purpose to something beyond themselves. This forces us to deal with our own childhood, where we learn to have compassion for our fathers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

Peter and Brad begin discussing The Boy Crisis by Warren Farrell and John Gray. We cover the Introduction and Part 1 discussing the evidence of a boy crisis with regard to mental health, physical health, economic health, and education. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

In this episode Brad talks with Leondre McBride about the details of the Kyle Rittenhouse case. What has happened so far and what do you anticipate the results will be?You can follow https://www.facebook.com/ELL.ARR.EMM (Leondre McBride) on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PoliticalBlackout (Political Blackout). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

Peter and Brad reconnect after a long break from the podcast to discuss a common dilemma Christians face today. Should we stay in an environment that is growing more hostile to our values or move somewhere that is more hospitable?The idea for this episode was sparked by a snippet of Brad's sermon "http://gracefresno.com/sermons/preparing-to-rebuild/ (Preparing to Rebuild)." This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

Today I'll be speaking with Dr. Valerie Thomas. She is a writer, trainer, psychotherapist and author of two Routledge publications: Using Mental Imagery to Enhance Creative and Work-Related Processes and Using Mental Imagery in Counselling and Psychotherapy. We will be discussing her recent publication in New Discourses on her main concern with Critical Social Justice Theory (CSJT) and how it "cuts the heart out of therapy" and how it's a danger to the profession. You can find her articles here: https://newdiscourses.com/author/valthomas/?fbclid=IwAR2-IAbMXak5X5WDm0V0TMt_vrM18NWl3nG4KjR49miJfXCCg53qMcCaqDo (https://newdiscourses.com/author/valthomas/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

Peter and Brad talk to Sonia Orlu, a PhD student in Political Science at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver. Her article "https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/files/pdf/20210224_Black_Lives_Matter_Orlu_COMMENTARY_FWEb.pdf (Why I do not support the Black Lives Matter movement)" provides an important perspective from someone who has transitioned away from the antiracism rhetoric of Ibram X. Kendi and BLM advocates.Resources:"https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/orlu-racism-is-real-but-that-doesnt-make-blm-right (Racism is real, but that doesn't make BLM right)" (Toronto Sun)Follow https://www.instagram.com/sonia_orlu/ (Sonia Orlu on Instagram)https://www.soniaorlu.com/ (www.soniaorlu.com) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

In this episode of Sound Engagement, Peter and Brad are joined by SooSang Park to discuss Christianity and culture. We will spend some time following up on issues related to the PCA General Assembly that took place last week. Then we will transition to consider Thomas Sowell's critique of our nation's current approach to cultural issues. Finally, we will conclude with some recommendations for a better approach to cultural issues.Recommended Resources:https://www.google.com/search?q=thomas+sowell+books&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS894US894&oq=thomas+&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j35i39j46i433j69i60j69i65j69i60l2.1350j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 (Anything by Thomas Sowell). We specifically mentioned Conquests and Culture, A Conflict of Visions, and Discrimination and Disparities.https://erinmeyer.com/books/the-culture-map/ (The Culture Map by Erin Meyer)https://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/customs-of-the-world-using-cultural-intelligence-to-adapt-wherever-you-are (Customs of the World by David Livermore) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

We have the privilege of interviewing Carmen Schober again. We ask about her recent comments given to the school board in Manhattan, Kansas regarding CRT training and education in their district. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

In this episode Peter and Brad continue their discussion of chapter 5 of Cynical Theories by Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay. We see how Critical Race Theory leads to Intersectionality. We define the terms and consider how they impact the modern social justice movement. We conclude with a discussion of several PCA Overtures related to CRT.Related Links:https://1bf02db2-a-62cb3a1a-s-sites.googlegroups.com/site/natalyadell/home/intersectionality/nocite-Axes%20of%20dominance%20privilege%20and%20oppression.png?attachauth=ANoY7criuL1HWGDAk7A-MQQhPdVRaLof0j80gjJHz6OYtnaMbAhj-GgyYnp8NAxtW36_bjDakQ_NgRS69oN_AHTYvXyfXRjueYH_SmRvtdD8LcSP3QuwakG6346eOa7K8Fd021HAoyGpumfBUhcoCyke-PimSRsZYCM25LZrFbXieNwnCxalmO5jMwbXR0mrqV2HQK9Xycn13Fkz0_qQQM2a_x2-5ComQNjI2Hoqdf4AZuN2FX1iQVn8-wYvVTIl3IXHlYTOrUNhZ3w0AT07_wcnSDIE2kKUo1TYk19VYn0bAsMl5Egi6gs%3D&attredirects=0 (Intersectionality Graphic)https://pcaga.org/resources/ (PCA GA Overtures):https://pcaga.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Overture-36-Chesapeake-Study-Comm-White-Supremacy.pdf (36 - Study Committee on White Supremacy)https://pcaga.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Overture-45-Metro-Atlanta-Seek-Asian-American-Flourishing.pdf (45 - Seek Asian American Flourishing)https://pcaga.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Overture-47-Chesapeake-AIC-on-CRT.pdf (47 - Study Committee on CRT)Article by Jennifer Ho, Professor of Asian American Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, "https://theconversation.com/white-supremacy-is-the-root-of-all-race-related-violence-in-the-us-157566 (White Supremacy is the Root of All Race-Related Violence in the US)." This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

In the episode we review chapter five of Cynical Theories by Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay. The subtitle of the chapter is "Ending Racism by Seeing It Everywhere." It is an excellent and concise way of explaining the approach of critical race Theorists and advocates of Intersectionality. We review the postmodern background to these views and consider ways in which CRT/I has affected psychology and the church.We discuss a chart that defines "Aspects & Assumptions of Whiteness & White Culture in the United States" that was put together by the African-American History Museum. You can find the chart in this article "https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/07/antiracism-training-white-fragility-robin-diangelo-ibram-kendi.html (Is the Anti-Racism Industry Just Peddling White Supremacy?)"We also discuss the relationship between CRT and https://thewitnessbcc.com/leave-loud-jemar-tisbys-story/ (Jemar Tisby's #LeaveLOUD movement). Here's a link to our podcast review of https://player.captivate.fm/episode/aa0a0ef1-e52a-474c-ae55-031ea4d72879 (Jemar Tisby's The Color of Compromise). Ibram X. Kendi and many others have promoted the authority of personal experience and moved away from materialist analysis. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

In this episode Peter and Brad will review the fourth chapter of Cynical Theories by Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay. This chapter provides a brief history of Queer Theory and shows how it depended upon the postmodern philosophy of Michel Foucault.Related Episode:https://player.captivate.fm/episode/ff732920-e755-4551-ae7f-6fee5b62bd2d (Transgender Kids with Dr. Jeffrey Barrows) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

In this episode Peter and Brad discuss the incomprehensible beginnings of postcolonial theory and how it compares to the mindset of today's postmodernism. As the first example of applied postmodernism, postcolonial theory provides a foundation for queer theory, critical race theory, and gender studies that follow. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

In this episode of Sound Engagement, Peter and Brad discuss a couple of highlights from chapter two of https://www.amazon.com/Cynical-Theories-Scholarship-Everything-Identity_and/dp/1634312023 (Cynical Theories) by Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay. This chapter explains how postmodernism became a useful paradigm for political and social activism.Related Links:http://www.soundengagementnow.com/sample-page/cynical-theories-part-1-postmodernism/ (Cynical Theories (Part 1): Postmodernism)https://quillette.com (Quillette) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

In this episode, Peter Anderson had the privilege of interviewing Cynthia Meyersburg. Dr. Meyersburg is a research psychologist who earned her Ph.D. from Harvard University in 2010.  Her dissertation investigated the phenomenon of people thinking they had recovered memories from one or more past lives.  Cynthia is fascinated by how people come to adopt unusual beliefs.  She has discussed her dissertation research on Big Picture Science.  She also has consulted and appeared as an expert on the Brainwashed episode of the Discovery Channel's Curiosity series.  More recently, while she was a research fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, Cynthia conducted research on the impact of trigger warnings.  Currently, she is teaching for the Harvard Extension School, which is the continuing education division of Harvard University.  This coming summer she will be teaching a course on Pseudoscience and Mental Health for the Harvard Summer School. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

Many of you following Sound Engagement have probably heard of Greg Lukianoff because of the success of the book he co-authored with Jonathan Haidt, The Coddling of the American Mind. In this episode, we divided our conversation into three parts based upon the three Great Untruths that explain how we got to our current cultural crisis.The Untruth of Fragility: What doesn't kill you makes you weaker.The Untruth of Emotional Reasoning: Always trust your feelings.The Untruth of Us Versus Them: Life is a battle between good people and evil people.Find Greg Lukianoff on Twitter https://twitter.com/glukianoff (@glukianoff)Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) https://www.thefire.org/resources/fire-staff-speakers/greg-lukianoff/ (thefire.org)/https://www.facebook.com/thefireorg (Facebook)/https://twitter.com/TheFIREorg (Twitter)/https://www.youtube.com/thefireorg (YouTube)/https://www.instagram.com/thefireorg/ (Instagram) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

In this episode we begin a series reviewing https://www.amazon.com/Cynical-Theories-Scholarship-Everything-Identity_and/dp/1634312023 (Cynical Theories): How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity - and Why This Harms Everybody by Helen Pluckrose and James LindsayWe briefly cover the introduction and first chapter. We encourage you to pick up a copy of the book and join us as we discuss it together. Our goal is not simply to summarize the content of the book, which is an analysis of the culture, but to elaborate upon how these ideas impact Christianity and the Church specifically. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

How do we encourage one another in the midst of such despairing times? Join us for a live discussion. We would love to hear your questions and feedback. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

Monique spent 2 decades advocating for Critical Race Theory (CRT), but through a series of events began to see the contradictions of CRT with the historic Christian worldview. We learn about her journey and ask her thoughts on controversial matters such as CRT & BLM infiltrating the Church.Related Episodes:http://www.soundengagementnow.com/sample-page/book-review-the-color-of-compromise/ (Book Review: The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby)http://www.soundengagementnow.com/sample-page/anti-racism-religion/ (Anti-Racism Religion) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

In this episode we react to the current presidential election results. We discuss everything from the media misses to the accusations of election fraud. What are the chances Trump wins in court? And what does the future look like if indeed Biden/Harris pull out the victory? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

Have the COVID lockdown's been worth it? What has been their impact upon the church and culture? What factors should we consider before locking down again? We close out the last ten minutes with a brief election prediction.COVID Lockdown Resourceshttps://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/11/magazine/why-are-more-american-teenagers-than-ever-suffering-from-severe-anxiety.html?auth=link-dismiss-google1tap (NY Times article on severe depression/anxiety).https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/28/dr-fauci-warns-of-a-whole-lot-of-pain-due-to-coronavirus-pandemic-in-the-coming-months-.html?fbclid=IwAR2-ZsDMut7y0qjE3b4-J9mA0XtubPh4my-oZxyA-DeEVYeIxyfWIiofJhw (Fauci warns of "coming pain").https://gbdeclaration.org/ (The Great Barrington Declaration).https://www.axios.com/france-coronavirus-covid19-second-lockdown-09bb13b2-e758-467b-bd71-f337142b9bda.html (France imposes second round of lockdowns).https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/global/coronavirus-who-backflips-on-virus-stance-by-condemning-lockdowns/news-story/f2188f2aebff1b7b291b297731c3da74 (WHO condemns lockdowns): “Lockdowns just have one consequence that you must never ever belittle, and that is making poor people an awful lot poorer,” Dr. David Nabarro.Election Tracking ResourcesHelmut Norpoth, one of the few experts who predicted a Trump win in 2016, is again predicting a Trump victory. "http://primarymodel.com/2020-1 (The Primary Model)" is giving Trump at 91%-chance of winning re-election.Instead of trusting the polls, it is the vote-by-mail and in-person-early-voting that we should be watching. You should follow https://twitter.com/LarrySchweikart?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor (Larry Schweikart), author of A Patriot's History of the United States. Schweikart provides some excellent election analysis of the Battleground States he sees favoring Trump. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

In this episode Peter discusses what he learned from an online conference he attended where John McWhorter was discussing the religion of Anti-Racism. Peter had the opportunity to be among a small group that was able to interact with John personally. He shares what he learned and pushes back on calling Anti-Racism a religion.We wrap up the discussion with our reflections on the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

We are excited to share this important conversation with Ian Huyett. Ian is a litigation attorney and an editor at https://www.staseos.net/ (Staseos). He has published several academic articles on law and religion, including most recently https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3630725 (How to Overturn Employment Division v. Smith: A Historical Approach) with Regent University Law Review.We asked Ian about the Constitution's free-exercise clause and how recent court decisions have had an impact upon the Church. He addresses decisions concerning anti-racism and its relationship with cancel culture. He has an optimistic view of the Supreme Court that is worth hearing, although it is dampened by worry that the Left will pack the court if Joe Biden wins the election in November.Unfortunately, we recorded this episode the day before Ruth Bader Ginsburg died. We certainly would have wanted to ask him about the implications of that upon our nation's immediate future. However, Ian has written an excellent article in response to her passing where he further discusses his concern for packing the court. I encourage you to check out "https://stream.org/after-ginsburgs-death-a-coup-is-a-realistic-possibility/ (After Ginsburg's Death, a Coup is a Realistic Possibility)" available on The Stream. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

Today we have the privilege of hearing from https://cmda.org/jeffrey-barrows-do-ma-ethics/ (Dr. Jeffrey Barrows), Senior Vice President of Bioethics and Public Policy for the Christian Medical & Dental Association (CMDA). In this episode, Dr. Barrows shares his research on transgender children.As of 2017, about 150,000 teenagers ages 13 to 17 identified as trans. The number of young people seeking clinical services appears to be growing as well. A major clinic in the United Kingdom saw a more than 300 percent increase in new referrals over the past three years. Where should Christians go when studying these issues?Resources Mentioned:https://www.amazon.com/Irreversible-Damage-Transgender-Seducing-Daughters/dp/1684510317 (Irreversible Damage) by Abigail Shrierhttps://waltheyer.com (Walt Heyer Ministries)https://www.focusonthefamily.com (Focus on the Family)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26754056/ (Gender Dysphoria in Childhood) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

Peter, Brad, and Carmen have a conversation about engaging persuasively with progressive Christians. Carmen Schober is the co-founder of https://www.staseos.net (Staseōs.net). Carmen recently invited Peter Anderson to discuss "https://www.staseos.net/post/the-no-apologies-podcast-loving-others-in-a-woke-world (Loving Others in a Woke World)".We discuss several topics including the church's compromise with culture, Tim Keller's critique of secular justice, virtue signaling, cancel culture, and Donald Trump. We covered a lot of ground and Carmen brings some excellent insights.Resources mentioned in the episode:People to follow: https://twitter.com/ostrachan?lang=en (Owen Strachan), https://twitter.com/johnmarkcomer?lang=en (John Mark Comer), https://twitter.com/therealmoniqued?lang=en (Monique Duson), and https://twitter.com/realADRobles?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor (AD Robles)https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/a-biblical-critique-of-secular-justice-and-critical-theory/ ("A Biblical Critique of Secular Justice") by Tim KellerStaseos No Apologies Podcast Episodeshttps://www.staseos.net/post/the-no-apologies-podcast-talking-justice-with-ad-robles (Talking Justice with AD Robles)https://www.staseos.net/post/the-road-to-hell-is-paved-with-virtue-signaling (The Road to Hell is Paved with Virtue Signaling)https://www.staseos.net/post/donald-trump-is-not-a-christian (Donald Trump is Not a Christian) (but why Christians should still vote for him) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

In this episode Peter and Brad catch up on some current events. We talk about the disappearing respect for the authorities within conservative Evangelicalism. Then we transition to discuss Peter's latest article "https://www.tiderisestidefalls.com/2020/08/a-call-to-stand-why-i-believe-us-may.html (A Call to Stand: Why I believe the US may have less than 20 years.)" This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

In our first interview episode we had the privilege of discussing the topic of defunding the police with the Clovis Chief of Police, Curt Fleming.We specifically wanted to give him the opportunity to respond to some criticisms from a project of Campaign Zero called https://policescorecard.org/?city=clovis (The Police Scorecard). This project gave the Clovis PD an “F” in use of force, accountability, and approach to policing.Chief Fleming was gracious to give us a considerable amount of his time to address these matters. He responds to the misconstrued data on deadly use of force and some of their current policies to limit brutality. He discusses their measures of accountability and the importance of fostering a trusting relationship with the community. Finally he corrects the misconceptions about unsolved homicides.If you enjoy the episode please leave us a rating and review! You can join the conversation on our https://www.facebook.com/Sound-Engagement-106029807839159/ (Facebook Page). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

The theme of Jemar Tisby's book is that racism will never go away. It adapts. The white church has done several things since the founding of our country that have been “complicit” or has “compromised” on race rather than standing up to it. Jemar takes a “you should have known better” approach in several chapters and then offers some applications on what the church can do to stop its complicity.In this episode Peter and Brad start off by discussing what they liked about the book before sharing their concerns that it may do more harm than good in the Christian community. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com

Welcome to Sound Engagement, a podcast devoted to engaging with our culture and community from a Christian worldview. In this introductory episode we wanted to provide a little background about your hosts Peter Anderson and Brad Mills.We also discuss a few of the topics we will begin engaging with in our future episodes. Hot button cultural issues we would like to address will include race, gender/sexuality, criminal justice, and the economy.Resources Mentioned:https://vtdigger.org/2020/06/14/windsor-principal-on-leave-after-black-lives-matter-comments-stir-controversy/ (Principal on leave after Black Lives Matter comments)https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631/ (The Case for Reparations) by Ta-Nehisi CoatesJoin the conversation in our https://www.facebook.com/groups/soundengagement/ (Sound Engagement Facebook Group)! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit soundengagement.substack.com