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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
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
On this episode of Fermenting Opinions our last guest, Ben Watkins of the Real Atheology podcast, returns to us following a bizarre exchange that took place on social media between several Facebook “friends” and himself in regards to the Nunes memo being released. We first discuss the actual content of this memo which alleges bias … Continue reading Fermenting Opinions S02E03: An Unintentional Part Two with Ben Watkins
On this episode of Fermenting Opinions we are pleased to introduce Benjamin Watkins who is a philosopher and co-host of the Real Atheology Podcast. We discuss Ben’s interest, as an Atheist, in the philosophy of religion as well as his approach to the bigger questions in life. From the we move on to discuss his … Continue reading FO S02E02: An Interview with Ben Watkins of the Real Atheology Podcast
Happy New Year and welcome to Season 2! On this episode of Fermenting Opinions, we delve into Quantum non-realism with Johanan Raatz, a proponent of the concept. Mr. Raatz has a backround in physics and he explains the basics of the theory to us. From there we explore the political and theological implications associated therewith.
Today on FO we have an interview with a charter Fermenter, Lacey Rochester, who spent her weekend in Mobile, Alabama to canvass neighborhoods for the Doug Jones campaign. Jones is the Democratic nominee in the Senate special election that is occurring on 12/12/2017. This race, which would normally be a republican landslide if it weren’t … Continue reading Fermenting Opinions SO1E17: Canvassing for Doug Jones
On this episode, we talk with Thom Gray about cryptocurrencies, the varied applications afforded by blockchains therefrom, as well as the intricacies of Net Neutrality in terms of the free market and consumer liberty. Mr. Gray is an attorney barred in both Tennessee and Virginia who works for a media consulting firm that utilizes a … Continue reading Fermenting Opinions S01E16: Thom Gray and the Call to Freedom
A conversation between Dr. Gleb Tsipursky and two hosts from "Fermenting Opinions" podcast, one from the right and another from the left, about the Pro-Truth Pledge. Fermenting Opinions is a podcast hosted by David Popiden and James McVeigh. David works in special education and leans left politically. James is an attorney who leans right and identifies as a Libertarian. It is the mission of Fermenting Opinions to promote civil discourse in political debate in an attempt to bridge the political divide that is currently plaguing the United States. To promote this mission, Fermenting Opinions utilizes a traditional interview format that presents questions to guests from both sides of the political aisle. In essence, as David tells us at the start of every podcast, Fermenting Opinions is the podcast in search of a more palatable political ferment. Original link here: http://fermentingopinions.com/podcast/fermenting-opinions-s01e13-dr-gleb-tsipursky-and-the-pro-truth-pledge/Please express your thoughts on the podcast through leaving comments, clicking Like if you like it, and if you do like it, Follow us!The podcast was brought to you by Intentional Insights, a nonprofit organization that popularizes science-based strategies to help people make wise decisions and reach their goals, with the aim of building an altruistic and flourishing world (www.intentionalinsights.org).Sign up for our newsletter here: http://intentionalinsights.org/newsletterDonate to support our work here: http://intentionalinsights.org/view/donate
On this episode of Fermenting Opinions, we discuss the ethical considerations in using violence in response to hate speech and violent rhetoric with a proponent of these tactics, Ronald Wuest. Mr. Wuest argues that “punching Nazis” is a justifiable response to the message and behavior of white nationalists.
On this episode of Fermenting Opinion, we speak with Rebecca Baillie, who joined the peaceful counterprotest organized by a movement called Murfreesboro Loves that brought over 800 counterprotestors together at a White Lives Matter rally scheduled for October 28, 2017. Rebecca discusses the organization’s strong presence at the white nationalist rally and the role that … Continue reading Fermenting Opinions S01E14: The Murfreesboro Loves Victory
On this episode of Fermenting Opinions, we talk with Gleb Tsipursky, a proponent of the Pro-Truth Pledge. In doing so, we seek to understand more about discerning fact from fiction or opinion in sources we read daily online, and we seek to establish a groundwork for doing just that.
On this episode of Fermenting Opinions, we discuss the issues with Mariah Phillips, Democratic primary candidate for U.S. Congress in the 4th District of Tennessee. In doing so, we give Mrs. Phillips the opportunity to explain her policy stances and to answer questions about how she would advocate for Tennesseans and our country as a … Continue reading Fermenting Opinions S01E12: Talking Issues with Mariah Phillips
On this episode of Fermenting Opinions, we discuss the issues with Steven Reynolds, Democratic primary candidate for U.S. Congress in the 4th District of Tennessee. In doing so, we give Mr. Reynolds the opportunity to explain his policy stances and to answer specific questions about how he would advocate for Tennesseans and our country as … Continue reading FOS01E11: Talking Issues With Steven Reynolds
On this episode of Fermenting Opinions we have a seemingly rare opportunity to have a chat with a real proponent of the Antifa movement with a twist: he professes a nonviolent approach and claims much of the movement does as well.
On this episode of Fermenting Opinions we are graced with the presence of Friend of the Ferment, Ross Jaynes. Ross is our tech guru who taught us how the sausage is actually made. We talk with him about who he is, his community involvement and projects, his county commissioner run, what’s next for him, and … Continue reading Fermenting Opinions: And Now a Word From Our Sponsor
On Episode 8 of Fermenting Opinions, we unpack the case of Coach Joseph A. Kennedy, an assistant football coach from Bremerton, Washington who was refused a contract extension for his religious practices. From there we discuss religious freedom rights and the constraints placed upon public officials regarding their religious practices performed under color of office.
On this episode, we had Fermenting Opinions co-host David Popiden as our guest to talk about his podcast. Under the Ross Jaynes umbrella, Fermenting Opinions is our “Brother” podcast. Topics ranging on this episode from adulting, Eclipse 2017, flat earth believers, to political discourse and drones. More links below on how to find Fermenting Opinions and … Continue reading Meet Fermenting Opinions
On this episode of Fermenting Opinions, we talk about the events that transpired in Charlottesville with Bradley Dick, a Friend of the Ferment who was present for the rally and who witnessed the attack by James Alex Fields, Jr. Bradley shares his story with us, providing detailed factual context as he witnessed the events unfold. … Continue reading FOS01E07: A Witness to Hate
On this (re-released) episode of Fermenting Opinions, we discuss deflection in debate–particularly why and how it has become a common practice in political debate. We also explore the tu quoque fallacy, whataboutism, and our own coined phrase: The “But Hillary” Fallacy, while trying to show why these positions are an impediment to the employment of … Continue reading FOS01E03: The Art of Deflection in Political Debate
On this re-release of Fermenting Opinions’ Episode 4 we discuss two topics: the congressional special election in Georgia between Ossoff and Handel–and what this signifies for both parties and the nation as a whole–as well as the trial of Officer Jeronimo Yanez in the killing of Philando Castile.
On this episode of Fermenting Opinions, we talk to the Chair of the Maury County (TN) Democratic Party, Seth Campbell to hear more about being the political minority in Republican territory. From there, we weigh in on the Unite The Right rally in Charlottesville, VA and where the fingers should point.
On this Episode of fermenting Opinions we discuss the Bill Browder testimony before the Senate judiciary committee, the Magnisky Act, why this is important to the ongoing Trump-Russia scandal, and why nobody noticed when this was happening. Below will be the links to the written opening statement by Browder as published by the Atlantic and … Continue reading Fermenting Opinions: The Bill Browder Testimony
On this episode of Fermenting Opinions we talk about the two Dirty I’s: Islam and impeachment. We talk about the Regressive Left (all 12 of them), vs the Far Right and how they both get it wrong on their interpretation of Islam and sharia. From there James leads us on a deep dive on the … Continue reading Fermenting Opinions S01 E02 The 2 Dirty I’s
We’re back after the ravages of internet hackers destroying our site. Please enjoy this (now vintage), first recorded conversation!