The Culture Translator

The wilted rose emoji is the new broken heart emoji, a new study about why the so-called “unhappiness hump” of midlife is shifting, and the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk shooting. Song of the Week - "Back to Friends" - sombr Elsewhere in culture: As of this past Sunday, Turning Point USA had reported 54,000 new inquiries from people wanting to start chapters of the organization Charlie Kirk helped to cofound. The game Borderlands 4 has been released, but it has several performance issues on gaming consoles. So-called “green witchcraft” is now trending, which is supposed to involve a mixture of herbalism and eco-friendly rituals. Apple's iOS 26, with its new Liquid Glass design style, is now available to anyone with iPhone 11 or later. The new Gen Z trend of “reverse catfishing” involves deliberately underselling oneself online, in the hopes of finding a connection with someone based on more than just edited images. To read the lyrics click here. Become a monthly donor today, join the Table. And for more resources, go to axis.org.

“We are very strict with our daughter about her presence on social media. However we often find that friends help her create accounts with Instagram and Snapchat on their phones and tablets. Just this morning I discovered an account (it isn't hard to find them) on Instagram where she was chatting with a boy from Miami she has never met. She was talking about how strict we are. He told her she needs to break free from her prison. The topic came up because he was wondering why she didn't have any photos of herself up. He also asked if she has a snapchat account. She doesn't realize how dangerous that very conversation is. This of all things is my "paranoid parent" issue. So I am reaching out to you Axis… how can we get our kids to understand how dangerous these conversations with strangers are. Sometimes I get afraid that the only way I can get her to understand would be to be far more graphic than I ever want to be. Can you discuss ways to have this conversation?” - Joy   Click here for the Everything Smartphone Guide on Amazon  Or experience it here. Donate today through The Table. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: Sabrina Carpenter's new album pushes predictable buttons. - 9:22 Why Gen Alpha loves throwing up peace signs. -24:44 Why some people think online age verification is a dangerous idea. - 36:16 Song of the Week - "Dead Dance" - Lady Gaga-2:22 To read the lyrics click here. Elsewhere in culture: - 56:10 This week, Apple announced the next generation of iPhone, as well as new Airpods that feature live language translation. Ariana Grande is opting not to use dynamic pricing for her upcoming shows, ensuring tickets remain the same price regardless of demand. MTV's Video Music Awards happened this week, with Lady Gaga winning “Artist of the Year.”AI videos stylized like video game cutscenes (specifically Final Fantasy) are being created to bring “Bible stories to life like no one's ever seen before.” “Ranch Style,” i.e. fashion that focuses on looking like you work or live on a ranch, may be the hottest fashion trend in the upcoming months. Become a monthly donor, join the Table.

Sabrina Carpenter's new album pushes predictable buttons, why Gen Alpha loves throwing up peace signs, and why some people think online age verification is a dangerous idea.  Song of the Week - "Dead Dance" - Lady Gaga To read the lyrics click here. Elsewhere in culture: This week, Apple announced the next generation of iPhone, as well as new Airpods that feature live language translation. Ariana Grande is opting not to use dynamic pricing for her upcoming shows, ensuring tickets remain the same price regardless of demand. MTV's Video Music Awards happened this week, with Lady Gaga winning “Artist of the Year.”AI videos stylized like video game cutscenes (specifically Final Fantasy) are being created to bring “Bible stories to life like no one's ever seen before.” “Ranch Style,” i.e. fashion that focuses on looking like you work or live on a ranch, may be the hottest fashion trend in the upcoming months. Become a monthly donor, join the Table. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.  

Clare is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where she directs EPPC's Technology and Human Flourishing Project. Prior to joining the EPPC, Mrs. Morell worked in both the White House Counsel's Office and the Department of Justice, as well as in the private and non-profit sectors. She is the author of The Tech Exit: A Practical Guide to Freeing Kids and Teens from Smartphones, which we'll be talking about today. Click here for Clare's book: The Tech Exit: A Practical Guide to Freeing Kids and Teens from Smartphones Donate today through The Table For more resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: A solution to the problem of what to do when our kids have friends we don't like Why some high school and college students are giving up the use of AI The aftermath of the tragic shooting at Annunciation. Resource of the Week - The Table Elsewhere in culture: Sabrina Carpenter said that her new album Man's Best Friend was “not for any pearl clutchers,” as reported by The Hollywood Reporter (strong language and sexual content). Memes about Wal-Mart's recall of “radioactive shrimp” started trending. Episode 1 of the new season of The Great British Baking Show will be released tonight in the United States. TCU destroyed North Carolina 48-14 in Bill Belichick's college football coaching debut. Long-awaited indie game Hollow Knight: Silksong was released yesterday and was so popular it was crashing digital storefronts. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

A solution to the problem of what to do when our kids have friends we don't like, why some high school and college students are giving up the use of AI, and the aftermath of the tragic shooting at Annunciation. Resource of the Week - The Table Elsewhere in culture: Sabrina Carpenter said that her new album Man's Best Friend was “not for any pearl clutchers,” as reported by The Hollywood Reporter (strong language and sexual content). Memes about Wal-Mart's recall of “radioactive shrimp” started trending. Episode 1 of the new season of The Great British Baking Show will be released tonight in the United States. TCU destroyed North Carolina 48-14 in Bill Belichick's college football coaching debut. Long-awaited indie game Hollow Knight: Silksong was released yesterday and was so popular it was crashing digital storefronts.

“I'm sure people are asking this but I am overwhelmed with technology. I have put into place the parental controls on the iPhone and my 15 yr old hacks around it. I bought him a bark phone now. But I can't seem to make him “get it”. To know and feel integrity and make wise choices when nobody is looking. It seems no matter what I do, the tech outsmarts me and I feel like a failure as a parent that my son has somehow gotten addicted to porn behind my back. I hope you can address this in a podcast.” - Cara This podcast is entirely Q&A based! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. Resources from the episode: Click here for the Everything Smartphone Guide on Amazon  Or experience it here. Sherry Turkle's book: Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age Brain, Heart, World Documentary Axis: Talking to Your Teen About Pornography Pure Desire - Ministry and Resources Donate today through The Table For more resources, go to axis.org.

It's Smartphone September, and we're releasing a whole suite of new content aimed at the glowing rectangles that dominate so much of our lives, and how families can navigate these devices with wisdom.  Click here for the Everything Smartphone Guide on Amazon  Or experience it here. Donate today through The Table. And for more resources, go to axis.org.  

Three Big Conversations: Roblox is getting sued for failing to protect children from online predators. - 6:58 Jazz-pop musician Laufey sings about self-worth on her new album (language). - 26:48 What the celebration of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's engagement says about our culture. - 39:20 Slang of the Week - “41” (language) - 1:40 Elsewhere in culture: - 53:40 The music-streaming app Spotify will soon roll out a direct messaging function for app users. Forrest Frank created a video offering forgiveness to the other Christians—particularly Cory Asbury—who have been making parody videos about his back injury. A California family is suing OpenAI for ChatGPT's role in their son's suicide. Many people on YouTube and other platforms are changing their profile pictures to images of the once-hated Clippy to protest ethical failures in modern tech companies. Our newest episode of the Conversation Starter is all about the hit zombie show, and game, The Last of Us. Check out our video on Roblox here. Become a monthly donor today with the Table. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Roblox is getting sued for failing to protect children from online predators, jazz-pop musician Laufey sings about self-worth on her new album (language), and what the celebration of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's engagement says about our culture. Slang of the Week - “41” (language) Elsewhere in culture: The music-streaming app Spotify will soon roll out a direct messaging function for app users. Forrest Frank created a video offering forgiveness to the other Christians—particularly Cory Asbury—who have been making parody videos about his back injury. A California family is suing OpenAI for ChatGPT's role in their son's suicide. Many people on YouTube and other platforms are changing their profile pictures to images of the once-hated Clippy to protest ethical failures in modern tech companies. Our newest episode of the Conversation Starter is all about the hit zombie show, and game, The Last of Us. Check out our video on Roblox here. Become a monthly donor today with the Table. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

I'm here today with Dr. Preston Sprinkle and Laurie Krieg, the President and Director of Parent Programs respectively for the Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender. Preston is a New York Times–bestselling author who's written over a dozen books, and got his PhD in New Testament from Aberdeen University. Laurie has a master's in evangelism and leadership from Wheaton Graduate School, and hosts the Hole in My Heart podcast with her husband Matt, with whom she also co-authored the book An Impossible Marriage, and the upcoming book Raising Wise Kids in a Sexually Broken World with Matt Krieg. Today we'll be talking about the new, upcoming resource from the Center for Faith, Sexuality and Gender called Christian Sexuality: Raising Kids, which is designed to be a comprehensive discipleship resource for parents, and will be coming out next week, on September 1. To check out the resource, click here. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: The Queen of RichTok makes $500,000 necklaces seem boring. - 07:34 Back-to-school trends come with a Y2K flair. - 25:50 AI researchers are preparing for the worst.- 39:34 Slang of the Week - “6-7”- 1:20 Elsewhere in culture: - 57:30 Europe's premiere gaming conference, Gamescom, kicked off this week, with new games being detailed and announced, including a new Lego Batman game. Christian musician Forrest Frank has surpassed Drake in terms of monthly listeners on YouTube Music. The Cambridge Dictionary has officially added the words skibidi and delulu. Educator and influencer Hank Green helped create a successful productivity app called Focus Friend, in which going to distracting apps prevents your cute pet bean from being able to finish knitting. A 2017 book about resisting tyranny has sold over 250,000 copies this year after going viral on TikTok. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

The Queen of RichTok makes $500,000 necklaces seem boring, back-to-school trends come with a Y2K flair, and AI researchers are preparing for the worst. Slang of the Week - “6-7” Elsewhere in culture: Europe's premiere gaming conference, Gamescom, kicked off this week, with new games being detailed and announced, including a new Lego Batman game. Christian musician Forrest Frank has surpassed Drake in terms of monthly listeners on YouTube Music. The Cambridge Dictionary has officially added the words skibidi and delulu. Educator and influencer Hank Green helped create a successful productivity app called Focus Friend, in which going to distracting apps prevents your cute pet bean from being able to finish knitting. A 2017 book about resisting tyranny has sold over 250,000 copies this year after going viral on TikTok. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

"How do you think artificial general intelligence will affect our children? How do we prepare our families for AGI's advent in 2 to 3 years?" - Christina Ai will change what it is to be human. Are we ready? - Article This podcast is entirely Q&A based! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. And for more resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: The “Nicki Minaj stiletto challenge” encourages influencers to film themselves balancing on one stiletto-clad foot. - 05:50 OpenAI released GPT-5 and users hate it. - 16:08 Why time (unfortunately) flies when we're using social media. - 43:22 Slang of the Week - "Dogwater" - 01:25 Elsewhere in culture: - 53:06 Taylor Swift announced (on her boyfriend's football podcast) that her 12th album will be titled The Life of a Showgirl, and available for pre-order soon. Popular TikTok couple Nick and Cassie, featured on @cassiesbooktok, are breaking up—and the video announcing it has almost 8 million likes and numerous comments, each with hundreds of thousands of likes. An article in Airmail connects the trend of brides planning wedding proposals for themselves to the fact that proposal content tends to get more likes on social media. The phrase “just found out I'm chopped and also unc” is trending, and jokingly refers to someone being both unattractive (chopped) and old (unc). Chappell Roan's new song “The Subway” is about struggling to get over a breakup (language and sexual content). For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

OpenAI released GPT-5 and users hate it, the “Nicki Minaj stiletto challenge” encourages influencers to film themselves balancing on one stiletto-clad foot, and why time (unfortunately) flies when we're using social media. Slang of the Week - "Dogwater" Elsewhere in culture: Taylor Swift announced (on her boyfriend's football podcast) that her 12th album will be titled The Life of a Showgirl, and available for pre-order soon. Popular TikTok couple Nick and Cassie, featured on @cassiesbooktok, are breaking up—and the video announcing it has almost 8 million likes and numerous comments, each with hundreds of thousands of likes. An article in Airmail connects the trend of brides planning wedding proposals for themselves to the fact that proposal content tends to get more likes on social media. The phrase “just found out I'm chopped and also unc” is trending, and jokingly refers to someone being both unattractive (chopped) and old (unc). Chappell Roan's new song “The Subway” is about struggling to get over a breakup (language and sexual content).

After earning a journalism degree at the University of Missouri, Strobel was awarded a Ford Foundation fellowship to study at Yale Law School, where he received a Master of Studies in Law degree. For fourteen years he was a journalist at the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers, winning Illinois' top honors for investigative reporting (which he shared with a team he led) and public service journalism from United Press International. He is a New York Times bestselling author whose books have sold millions of copies worldwide. We'll be talking today primarily about his new book Seeing the Supernatural: Investigating Angels, Demons, Mystical Dreams, Near-Death Encounters, and Other Mysteries of the Unseen World. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: The Summer I Turned Pretty is back for its 3rd season and is taking over Amazon Prime. - 3:00 What it means that 40% of 18 to 29-year-olds get their news from TikTok. - 25:32 Why it feels like most people aren't paying attention to the same parts of culture this summer. - 46:04 Survey of the Week - The Miraculous- 01:18 Elsewhere in culture:- 58:28 Gen Alpha now drives almost half of household spending, at least in the US. Vodka seltzer company High Noon recently issued a recall after some of their vodka products were mistakenly labeled as Celsius energy drinks. The first half of Wednesday Season 2 officially dropped on Netflix this week. The phrase “you need to nerd out” is being used as a new social media flex, helping to make obsessive, niche fandom cool again. “Clanker,” originally a Star Wars diss for droids, is now trending as a meme insult for AI and robots.

The Summer I Turned Pretty is back for its 3rd season and is taking over Amazon Prime, what it means that 40% of 18 to 29-year-olds get their news from TikTok, and why it feels like most people aren't paying attention to the same parts of culture this summer. Survey of the Week - The Miraculous Elsewhere in culture: Gen Alpha now drives almost half of household spending, at least in the US. Vodka seltzer company High Noon recently issued a recall after some of their vodka products were mistakenly labeled as Celsius energy drinks. The first half of Wednesday Season 2 officially dropped on Netflix this week. The phrase “you need to nerd out” is being used as a new social media flex, helping to make obsessive, niche fandom cool again. “Clanker,” originally a Star Wars diss for droids, is now trending as a meme insult for AI and robots. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Pheba writes in to say: “Hi! I'm excited about the podcast. I'd like to hear about navigating body image issues with teen girls.” This podcast is entirely Q&A based! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. And for more resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: A TikTok creator named Lewky takes idiotic dating app exchanges and turns them into musical skits the social media app Tea which allows women to share red flags about specific men gets hacked Marvel's Fantastic Four explores the power of family bonds in the face of total annihilation Slang of the Week - "Chopped" Elsewhere in culture: Memes about Ozzy Osbourne dying and being reincarnated as a baby named Aquaman started trending. Twitch streamer Ninja shared his Christian faith with 19 million followers. Labubu plushies are now luxury items, selling for up to $170,000. The book series Fourth Wing will be adapted into an Amazon TV show. “Proximity posting” is the new social media flex.

A TikTok creator named Lewky takes idiotic dating app exchanges and turns them into musical skits, the social media app Tea which allows women to share red flags about specific men gets hacked, and Marvel's Fantastic Four explores the power of family bonds in the face of total annihilation. Welcome to the Roundtable. Slang of the Week - "Chopped" Elsewhere in culture: Memes about Ozzy Osbourne dying and being reincarnated as a baby named Aquaman started trending. Twitch streamer Ninja shared his Christian faith with 19 million followers. Labubu plushies are now luxury items, selling for up to $170,000. The book series Fourth Wing will be adapted into an Amazon TV show. “Proximity posting” is the new social media flex.

After 20 years in the corporate world (with IBM, Pepsi and Goldman Sachs), Roland Warren spent 11 years as president of the National Fatherhood Initiative before joining Care Net in 2012 as president and CEO. A graduate of Princeton University and the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, Roland is an inspirational servant leader with a heart for Christ and a mind for business. His new book is called The Alternative to Abortion: Why We Must Be Pro Abundant Life.    For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: The term “septum theory” is being used online to suggest that women with septum piercings make trauma their whole personality - 13:16 What the Coldplay Kiss Cam footage going viral says about our culture - 32:44 Why short-form videos are going from social media to news outlets and other publications - 50:44 Song of the Week - "Big Poe" (feat. Sk8brd) - Tyler the Creator -1:12 Elsewhere in culture: - 1:02:46 Netflix officially announced an Assassin's Creed live-action series, IGN said the new Donkey Kong Bananza game is “shockingly good,” Superman may have just murdered the traditional press junket, Stranger Things star Sadie Sink is executive producing a modern reimagining of The Crucible called John Proctor Is the Villain, and comedian Shane Gillis made awkward fun of dozens of athletes in his opening monologue (language) for the ESPYs.

The term “septum theory” is being used online to suggest that women with septum piercings make trauma their whole personality, what the Coldplay Kiss Cam footage going viral says about our culture, and why short-form videos are going from social media to news outlets and other publications. Song of the Week - "Big Poe" (feat. Sk8brd) - Tyler the Creator To read the lyrics click here (language). Elsewhere in culture: Netflix officially announced an Assassin's Creed live-action series, IGN said the new Donkey Kong Bananza game is “shockingly good,” Superman may have just murdered the traditional press junket, Stranger Things star Sadie Sink is executive producing a modern reimagining of The Crucible called John Proctor Is the Villain, and comedian Shane Gillis made awkward fun of dozens of athletes in his opening monologue (language) for the ESPYs.

Eric writes in with this question: “We have had issues with seeking to encourage the type of free play that Jonathan Haidt discusses in the Anxious Generation with children AND their parents who have not done the moral formation to know what is appropriate on the playground or in free spaces. When parents haven't done the formative work, those kids seem to struggle the most with free play with others. Would love to know more about how to square that circle of less oversight when kids don't have the “chests” to use Lewis' language of moral character and formation.” For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Converserations: The “Gen Z Stare” was a big topic of discussion on TikTok this week, as generations debated social expectations and faux pas - 22:12 What it is: James Gunn's Superman is the genesis for a new DC universe, making $122 million domestically and $217 million worldwide in its opening weekend - 40:40 A recent update to xAI's chatbot Grok resulted in the AI praising Hitler and sexually harassing others on X  - 57:08 Song of the Week: DAISIES - Justin Bieber - 0:24 Click here for the lyrics. Elsewhere in culture: - 13:54 An AI-generated protest song called “Dust on the Wind” is trending on Spotify, the 2025 Emmy nominees were announced with the show Severance receiving a 27 different nominations, people online debated whether giving girlfriends the “princess treatment” was chivalrous or patronizing, more people started using the “Solid Snake method” of conversation which involves repeating the last word someone else says and adding a question mark, and Fortune explored why Gen Z men are still obsessed with Pokémon cards. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Generations are debating why Gen Z so often blankly stares at people who ask them questions, the new Superman movie is celebrated for its sincerity, and what it means that the AI chatbot Grok went rogue and started praising Hitler. Song of the Week: DAISIES - Justin Bieber Click here for the lyrics. Elsewhere in culture: An AI-generated protest song called “Dust on the Wind” is trending on Spotify, the 2025 Emmy nominees were announced with the show Severance receiving a 27 different nominations, people online debated whether giving girlfriends the “princess treatment” was chivalrous or patronizing, more people started using the “Solid Snake method” of conversation which involves repeating the last word someone else says and adding a question mark, and Fortune explored why Gen Z men are still obsessed with Pokémon cards.

Dr. Tim Mackie serves as the lead scholar and creative director for BibleProject. Tim's spiritual journey began when, as a teenager, he met a group of skateboarders who were creatively communicating the story of the Bible. With his brand-new faith, Tim enrolled at Multnomah University. After taking classes in biblical studies, he became fascinated with the Scriptural story of Jesus. Determined to deepen his understanding of Jesus' cultural and historical context, Tim went on to pursue a degree in theology at Western Seminary in Portland, and a PhD in Hebrew Bible and Jewish Studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition to his work with BibleProject, Tim has also served as a local church pastor and a professor at Western Seminary, and he now lives in Portland with his wife Jessica and their two sons.   To check out the Bible Project click here.   For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: The U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld a Texas law requiring actual age verification for access to pornographic websites - 13:58 An animated film called “KPop Demon Hunters” released on Netflix, and it's been dominating both music and video streaming charts - 32:28 Communities in Texas are reeling from grief as the death toll from last weekend's flash floods continues to climb. At least two dozen victims were children attending the Christian, all-girls camp known as Camp Mystic - 44:54 Resource of the Week - The Coversation Starter (Youtube) - 0:25   Elsewhere in culture: - 08:57 A new report claims that TikTok is building a U.S.-based app to launch in September, a 14-second video featuring Howie Mandel telling a 4-year-old that he is the “youngest person ever” was viewed and liked millions of times, podcaster Joe Rogan speculated that perhaps humans creating AI will be what “the second coming of Christ” was supposed to refer to, the English port of a “horseracing game” involving anime girls as horses started trending in the U.S., and Morning Consult reported that the youngest voting cohort (currently Gen Z) is 12% less likely to identify as liberal than the youngest cohort was in 2016. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.                            

An animated film called KPop Demon Hunters is dominating both music and video streaming charts, A new supreme court ruling could pave the way to federally mandated ID verification on all pornographic sites, and mourning the tragic losses in Texas's Camp Mystic after their historic flash floods.   Resource of the Week - The Conversaton Starter (Youtube)   Elsewhere in culture: A new report claims that TikTok is building a U.S.-based app to launch in September, a 14-second video featuring Howie Mandel telling a 4-year-old that he is the “youngest person ever” was viewed and liked millions of times, podcaster Joe Rogan speculated that perhaps humans creating AI will be what “the second coming of Christ” was supposed to refer to, the English port of a “horseracing game” involving anime girls as horses started trending in the U.S., and Morning Consult reported that the youngest voting cohort (currently Gen Z) is 12% less likely to identify as liberal than the youngest cohort was in 2016.   For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

"How do you get your tween daighter to talk and share things about her day, her friends and school?" - Erin This podcast is entirely Q&A based! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. And for more resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Converserations: A new cooperative game called Peak requires players to climb a mountain together - 10:00 the psychological thriller We Were Liars has teens weeping on TikTok - 22:14 posts about going #monkmode are romanticizing the minimalistic life of the monastery - 31:40 Resource of the Week - The Pour Over- 9:07 Elsewhere in culture: A new TikTok trend involves saying the phrase “bacon avocado” as a prelude to your actual message, Jurassic Park: Rebirth debuts in theaters this week, the humanoid robot Neo is learning how to do laundry and walk up stairs, a Supreme Court ruling will allow parents to opt their elementary-aged kids out of LGBTQ+ instruction, and today marks the 249th 4th of July holiday in the United States! For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

A new cooperative game called Peak requires players to climb a mountain together, the psychological thriller We Were Liars has teens weeping on TikTok, and posts about going #monkmode are romanticizing the minimalistic life of the monastery. Resource of the Week - The Pour Over Elsewhere in culture: A new TikTok trend involves saying the phrase “bacon avocado” as a prelude to your actual message, Jurassic Park: Rebirth debuts in theaters this week, the humanoid robot Neo is learning how to do laundry and walk up stairs, a Supreme Court ruling will allow parents to opt their elementary-aged kids out of LGBTQ+ instruction, and today marks the 249th 4th of July holiday in the United States! For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Molly Worthen is a professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a freelance journalist. She teaches courses on North American religion and politics, global Christianity, and the history of ideas. She writes on these themes for The New York Times and has contributed to The New Yorker, Slate, The American Prospect, Foreign Policy, and other publications. She has also created video and audio courses on the history of Christianity and the history of charismatic leadership for the Great Courses and Audible. Her new book is called Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump.  Check out the book Spellbound. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: AI-generated videos of people cutting and eating glass fruit are trending on social media - 18:55 the movie 28 Years Later makes the 28-numbered zombie saga worse - 30:10 TikTokers are reminiscing about 90s summer—whether or not they actually experienced it - 52:38 Song of the Week: “Manchild” - Sabrina Carpenter - 0:35 Click here for the lyrics. Elsewhere in culture: - 12:38 AI-generated “Would You Rather?” videos involving fruit with special powers began trending on TikTok, the live-action How to Train Your Dragon movie continued to be a theatrical success, Netflix's “Trainwreck” anthology landed documentaries about Astroworld and the so-called “Poop Cruise” in the top 10, people on #BookTok defended annotating books, and teens shared memes about World War 3. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.  

AI-generated videos of people cutting and sometimes eating glass fruit are trending on social media, the movie 28 Years Later makes the 28-numbered zombie saga worse, and TikTokers are reminiscing about 90s summer—whether or not they actually experienced it.  Song of the Week: “Manchild” - Sabrina Carpenter Click here for the lyrics. Elsewhere in culture: AI-generated “Would You Rather?” videos involving fruit with special powers began trending on TikTok, the live-action How to Train Your Dragon movie continued to be a theatrical success, Netflix's “Trainwreck” anthology landed documentaries about Astroworld and the so-called “Poop Cruise” in the top 10, people on #BookTok defended annotating books, and teens shared memes about World War 3. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

"I've been struck lately about how much teenage boys are getting into poker and gambling, even from good Christian families. Unfortunately, some of them are doing well, and gaining money doing it… I feel that is dangerous. Is it just something fun to do, or is it a bad habit that will develop into something else? These boys come from very well to do families, so I feel that they don't know how to work for money, or would prefer to just gamble in poker, or in the stock market to get their money.” - Anita This podcast is entirely Q&A based! Send in your questions to ask@axis.org. And for more resources, go to axis.org.

As we broaden the scope of this podcast to include some fun new things, you will see this feed has changed to Axis Conversations!   This will be the schedule you can expect: Interviews - Every other Tuesday Ask Axis (Our new show!) - Every other Tuesday (Alternating)  The Culture Translator (CT Audio) - Every Thursday The Culture Translator Roundtable - Every Friday  We are excited to continue to provide engaging resources including our new show Ask Axis premiering tomorrow!  For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: Summertime provides new opportunities to connect with teens - 14:33 TikTokers are enjoying something they call “fridge cigs”- 25:08 Some people think ChatGPT is giving them access to the spiritual realm.- 34:34 Slang of the Week - Blackpill- 01:20 Elsewhere in culture: - 11:40 19-year-old Kane Parsons signed on to direct a horror movie for A24 based off his YouTube series “The Backrooms,” AI-generated ASMR videos of people cutting glass fruit began trending on social media, TikTok got another 90-day extension, the third and final season of Squid Game was announced for next Friday (June 27), and our newest episode of The Conversation Starter gave some advice for those who can't seem to quit doomscrolling. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Summertime provides new opportunities connet talk with teens, TikTokers are enjoying something they call “fridge cigs”, and some people think ChatGPT is giving them access to the spiritual realm. Slang of the Week - Blackpill Elsewhere in culture: 19-year-old Kane Parsons signed on to direct a horror movie for A24 based off his YouTube series “The Backrooms,” AI-generated ASMR videos of people cutting glass fruit began trending on social media, TikTok got another 90-day extension, the third and final season of Squid Game was announced for next Friday (June 27), and our newest episode of The Conversation Starter gave some advice for those who can't seem to quit doomscrolling. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

New episodes in this feed every other Tuesday! Have you ever wished that you had a personalized parenting podcast based on the questions you were having about your own family? A place where you could ask experts and get guidance about what the Bible actually says about how you're raising your teen in today's world?  That's why we are launching our new podcast show, which we're calling Ask Axis, so we get a chance to hear from you. We'd love to hear from you! Submit your questions at ask@axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: New Roblox called “Grow a Garden” takes off - 09:10  Gen Z enjoys nautical-themed knitwear - 20:15 An article about how young men need heroes - 31:04 Resource of the Week - Parent's Guide to TikTok - 0:18 Elsewhere in culture: - 2:12 AI renderings of Bible characters as influencers went viral, TikTok's most-followed influencer Khaby Lame was detained (and released) by ICE, an apparent trend of using no-contact orders to avoid conflict on college campuses started catching on, Apple's WWDC 25 conference mostly focused on upcoming design changes and AI tweaks for their devices, and pop star Sabrina Carpenter announced a new album called “Man's Best Friend.” 7-Minute Video - Is Roblox Safe? For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.  

A new game on Roblox called “Grow a Garden” takes off, Gen Z enjoys wearing nautical-themed knitwear in the summer, and as Father's Day approaches, an article about how young men need heroes to look up to. Resource of the Week - Parent's Guide to TikTok Elsewhere in culture: AI renderings of Bible characters as influencers went viral, TikTok's most-followed influencer Khaby Lame was detained (and released) by ICE, an apparent trend of using no-contact orders to avoid conflict on college campuses started catching on, Apple's WWDC 25 conference mostly focused on upcoming design changes and AI tweaks for their devices, and pop star Sabrina Carpenter announced a new album called “Man's Best Friend.” 7-Minute Video - Is Roblox Safe? For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Nathan studied Preaching Ministry at Lincoln Christian University, and served on staff at two churches in New England, while attending the New York Film Academy in Boston, where he discovered his passion for filmmaking and storytelling. In 2005, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film and entertainment, and ended up getting a job at Disney, where he worked for 16 years, most recently as an executive in Cinema Partnerships, leading in-theater marketing campaigns for Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and Disney films. Then, in January of last year, he joined The Chosen as their Head of Marketing Strategy and Operations. He has an MBA and also holds an MA in Mythological Studies, and is currently working on his dissertation on humanity's narrative sense and how stories shape our understanding of the world. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations: Switch Up - 13:24  New Attitude - 24:48 Ties That Bind - 38:30 Resource of the Week: Anime + Manga: What parents NEED to know (YouTube)-0:30 Elsewhere in culture: 6:18 A song by Brendan Abernathy was relentlessly mocked on TikTok this week, rumors are swirling about the SEC potentially leaving the NCAA, a cooperative Elden Ring spinoff called Nightreign has taken off in the video game space, stuffed keychain monsters called Labubu are getting insanely popular, and an interview with OKC Star Chet Holmgren where he describes his favorite books has resurfaced as his team heads to the NBA finals. You can find links to these topics in the show notes. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

There's a brand new Nintendo console out in the world, Gen Z is beginning to reject that narrative that pornography is empowering, or good at all, and a story in the New York Times talks about the joy and exhaustion of grandparents being the primary caregivers of their grandkids. Resource of the Week: Anime + Manga: What parents NEED to know (YouTube) Elsewhere in culture: A song by Brendan Abernathy was relentlessly mocked on TikTok this week, rumors are swirling about the SEC potentially leaving the NCAA, a cooperative Elden Ring spinoff called Nightreign has taken off in the video game space, stuffed keychain monsters called Labubu are getting insanely popular, and an interview with OKC Star Chet Holmgren where he describes his favorite books has resurfaced as his team heads to the NBA finals. You can find links to these topics in the show notes. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

Three Big Conversations:  A new trend involves young men calling each other to say goodnight (11:22) A supposedly haunted doll named Annabelle is blamed for a plantation burning down (33:20) Gen Zers explain why they would give significant restrictions on technology to their own kids (48:28) Meme of the Week: "Holy Airball" (0:26) Elsewhere in culture (5:02): Lilo & Stitch had a bigger box office opening than the new Mission: Impossible movie A newly published study from JAMA found that social media use can predict depression but that depression doesn't necessarily predict social media use Transformers Director Michael Bay plans to direct a Skibidi Toilet movie Dr. Jordan Peterson debated 20 atheists simultaneously in a Jubilee video And, New York influencer @justjazzzyidk posted 20 TikToks on her own wedding day.   For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

A new trend involves young men calling each other to say goodnight, a supposedly haunted doll named Annabelle is blamed for a plantation burning down, and Gen Zers explain why they would give significant restrictions on technology to their own kids.   Elsewhere in culture: Lilo & Stitch had a bigger box office opening than the new Mission: Impossible movie, a newly published study from JAMA found that social media use can predict depression but that depression doesn't necessarily predict social media use, Transformers Director Michael Bay plans to direct a Skibidi Toilet movie, Dr. Jordan Peterson debated 20 atheists simultaneously in a Jubilee video, and New York influencer @justjazzzyidk posted 20 TikToks on her own wedding day. For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.  

Jake is a professional artist and is certified as one of only nine Master Penman in the world. He is self-taught in each of his disciplines (calligraphy, painting, drawing, woodworking, and engraving). While he typically works with private clients, he has also worked with Apple, Inc., Crossway Books, and Biola University, has spoken from countless stages including Tedx and Q and was featured on PBS Television. His new book is called Old Soul, New Creation: Experiencing God Through A Life of Art and Faith.