Podcast appearances and mentions of Ross Douthat

What would make you want to have more children? This week on “Interesting Times,” Ross Douthat speaks with Dr. Alice Evans, a social scientist who is as concerned about the global decline in fertility as he is. The two discuss why this isn't just a gender issue — it's “a solitude issue” – and whether there's a way to bring relationships back.02:03 - What are the stakes of declining fertility??06:41 - Alice's master theory for why birth rates are falling09:04 - There are too many single people10:27 - We can thank technology for the coupling crisis12:58 - The digital segregation of men and women16:31 - Men have less to offer these days20:11 - What can bring the sexes back together24:31 - Could Hollywood help fix the problem?25:46 - Can the government incentivize people to have babies?27:30 - What role does religion play in all this?28:59 - The role of IVF40:50 - Does the fantasy of youth impact the numbers?43:43 - The world in 2080...(A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

In this episode of Thinking Out Loud, Nathan & Cameron dive into a nuanced theological discussion on Ross Douthat's latest book Believe, exploring the provocative idea that religion—even in its broadest form—can serve as a legitimate and vital stepping stone toward Christianity. They examine Douthat's arguments through the lens of current cultural disinterest in organized faith, C.S. Lewis's concept of “mere Christianity,” and spiritual seekers like Simone Weil and David Foster Wallace. Is structured religion still the best place to begin a sincere search for truth in the modern age? Join them as they wrestle with these questions, challenge each other, and consider whether religion is a crutch, a catalyst, or a compass in a post-Christian world. Perfect for Christians craving thoughtful, biblically grounded commentary on contemporary spiritual issues.DONATE LINK: https://toltogether.com/donate BOOK A SPEAKER: https://toltogether.com/book-a-speakerJOIN TOL CONNECT: https://toltogether.com/tol-connect TOL Connect is an online forum where TOL listeners can continue the conversation begun on the podcast.

Vice President JD Vance met with the new pope a few days ago. He then sat down with The Times to talk about faith, immigration, the law and the partisan temptation to go too far.Ross Douthat, an opinion columnist and the host of the new podcast “Interesting Times,” discusses their conversation.Guest: Ross Douthat, an Opinion columnist and the host of the “Interesting Times” podcast.Background reading: Ross's conversation with JD Vance.For more information on today's episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Ross Douthat is a columnist at the New York Times. In this episode we discuss his book "Believe : Why Everyone Should be Religious". We mention Bret Weinstein, Tucker Carlson, JRR Tolkien, Rod Dreher, St Paul the Apostle, Justin Brierly, Carlos M. N. Eire, and more. Believe : https://www.amazon.com/Believe-Why-Everyone-Should-Religious/dp/0310367581 ⁨@InterestingTimesNYT⁩  : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNJJ9QUabkA&t=1s Tucker Carlson (  ⁨@TuckerCarlson⁩  ) and Bret Weinstein (  ⁨@DarkHorsePod⁩  ) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaH2QalhJLI00:00 - Introduction01:00 - Why Believe?13:30 - Science and Religion19:00 - Complexity and Simplicity26:35 - The God Thesis31:20 - Woo Woo39:40 - The rebirth of belief42:45 - The future of religion

On this episode of “Interesting Times,” Ross Douthat interviews Vice President JD Vance about the Trump administration's deportations, the tariff backlash and how Vance's faith influences his politics.01:49 - How faith shapes JD Vance's politics04:26 - ‘Papal interventions in politics'14:44 - How will the Trump administration measure success on immigration?21:22 - ‘The courts are trying to overturn the will of the American people'23:55 - Are migrants really at war against the US?28:48 - The parallels between the War on Terror and Trump's deportation policies40:29 - What does a successful trade policy look like?48:10 - The "big, beautiful bill"58:57 - Does the Trump administration expect the AI revolution will take jobs?54:05 - What worries Vance about AI58:33 - JD Vance's message to shocked Trump voters(A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

​ @InterestingTimesNYT  Robot Plumbers, Robot Armies, and Our Imminent A.I. Future | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat https://youtu.be/wNJJ9QUabkA?si=rTdZUBOP6rRCZM_r   @TheTelepathyTapes  Episode 7: Telepathy is the Tip of the Iceberg https://youtu.be/lwmREg36OYU?si=DTt6A6szjIiiUDS6   @EzraKleinShow  Educating Kids in the Age of A.I. | The Ezra Klein Show https://youtu.be/HQQtaWgIQmE?si=sVnY3dAqpBhyKxXm  https://ai-2027.com/summary    Paul Vander Klay clips channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX0jIcadtoxELSwehCh5QTg Midwestuary Conference August 22-24 in Chicago https://www.midwestuary.com/ https://www.meetup.com/sacramento-estuary/ My Substack https://paulvanderklay.substack.com/ Estuary Hub Link https://www.estuaryhub.com/ If you want to schedule a one-on-one conversation check here. https://calendly.com/paulvanderklay/one2one There is a video version of this podcast on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/paulvanderklay To listen to this on ITunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/paul-vanderklays-podcast/id1394314333  If you need the RSS feed for your podcast player https://paulvanderklay.podbean.com/feed/  All Amazon links here are part of the Amazon Affiliate Program. Amazon pays me a small commission at no additional cost to you if you buy through one of the product links here. This is is one (free to you) way to support my videos.  https://paypal.me/paulvanderklay Blockchain backup on Lbry https://odysee.com/@paulvanderklay https://www.patreon.com/paulvanderklay Paul's Church Content at Living Stones Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh7bdktIALZ9Nq41oVCvW-A To support Paul's work by supporting his church give here. https://tithe.ly/give?c=2160640 https://www.livingstonescrc.com/give

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 1: 3:05pm- The Democratic National Committee has taken the initial steps to void the results of a party election that resulted in David Hogg and Kenyatta Johnson winning Vice Chair positions. According to complaints, the initial vote disadvantaged female candidates. However, Rich speculates that the real reason Hogg is on the verge of being replaced is because he has threatened to spend $20 million primarying moderate Democrats in the House of Representatives. 3:10pm- According to a report from Politico, internal polling suggests that Senator John Fetterman's (D-PA) support with Pennsylvania-based Democrats has faded—with only 46% having a “favorable” opinion of him currently. Meanwhile, New York Magazine reports that staffers for Fetterman are voicing concerns about the state of his mental health. But are these stories suddenly being pushed because Fetterman has vocally opposed the far-left? While speaking with reporters on Capitol Hill last week, Fetterman called the article a “hit piece” and noted that it only has one source. 3:20pm- While promoting his new book, “Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again,” CNN's Jake Tapper revealed that a White House physician informed then-President Joe Biden's aides that he might require the assistance of a wheelchair in his second term if he were to continue falling. While Tapper is reporting on these stories now, why wasn't he doing so prior to Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election? 3:35pm- While speaking with Ross Douthat of The New York Times, Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) struggled to defend his position that biological males should be permitted to participate in women's sports. Rich jokes: this might the worst answer to a question since Kamala Harris's appearance on The View just before the 2024 presidential election. 3:40pm- Democrat political strategist James Carville is now imploring his party to stop using terms like “intersectionality” and “oligarch”—noting that common Americans don't use those terms and “don't know what the f*** you're talking about.” 3:55pm- While speaking from Riyadh, President Donald Trump announced that Saudi Arabia will be investing $600 billion in the United States economy—focusing on technology development and including a $142 billion defense sales agreement. PLUS, should President Trump accept a $400 million plane from Qatar? According to reports, it would replace the current Air Force One—which is nearly 40 years old—and would eventually be gifted to the Trump Presidential Library after Trump leaves office in 2029.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Show (05/13/2025): 3:05pm- The Democratic National Committee has taken the initial steps to void the results of a party election that resulted in David Hogg and Kenyatta Johnson winning Vice Chair positions. According to complaints, the initial vote disadvantaged female candidates. However, Rich speculates that the real reason Hogg is on the verge of being replaced is because he has threatened to spend $20 million primarying moderate Democrats in the House of Representatives. 3:10pm- According to a report from Politico, internal polling suggests that Senator John Fetterman's (D-PA) support with Pennsylvania-based Democrats has faded—with only 46% having a “favorable” opinion of him currently. Meanwhile, New York Magazine reports that staffers for Fetterman are voicing concerns about the state of his mental health. But are these stories suddenly being pushed because Fetterman has vocally opposed the far-left? While speaking with reporters on Capitol Hill last week, Fetterman called the article a “hit piece” and noted that it only has one source. 3:20pm- While promoting his new book, “Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again,” CNN's Jake Tapper revealed that a White House physician informed then-President Joe Biden's aides that he might require the assistance of a wheelchair in his second term if he were to continue falling. While Tapper is reporting on these stories now, why wasn't he doing so prior to Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election? 3:35pm- While speaking with Ross Douthat of The New York Times, Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) struggled to defend his position that biological males should be permitted to participate in women's sports. Rich jokes: this might the worst answer to a question since Kamala Harris's appearance on The View just before the 2024 presidential election. 3:40pm- Democrat political strategist James Carville is now imploring his party to stop using terms like “intersectionality” and “oligarch”—noting that common Americans don't use those terms and “don't know what the f*** you're talking about.” 3:55pm- While speaking from Riyadh, President Donald Trump announced that Saudi Arabia will be investing $600 billion in the United States economy—focusing on technology development and including a $142 billion defense sales agreement. PLUS, should President Trump accept a $400 million plane from Qatar? According to reports, it would replace the current Air Force One—which is nearly 40 years old—and would eventually be gifted to the Trump Presidential Library after Trump leaves office in 2029. 4:05pm- Alexis Sneller—Policy Analyst for PA Family Council—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss the Pennsylvania state Senate ‘s passage of the “Save Women's Sports Act.” She explains that SB9 reinforces common sense and basic fairness. If it passes in the House, will Governor Josh Shapiro (D-PA) sign the bill? 4:15pm- Did Rich mention he was on Fox News today? 4:20pm- Should President Trump accept a $400 million plane from Qatar? According to reports, it would replace the current Air Force One—which is nearly 40 years old—and would eventually be gifted to the Trump Presidential Library after Trump leaves office in 2029. Appearing on Fox News, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said accepting the gift would be a violation of the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution and is not worth even “the appearance of impropriety.” Listeners call into the show and explain why or why not the president should accept Qatar's offer. 4:40pm- Should “Shoeless” Joe Jackson be banned from the MLB Hall of Fame for betting on baseball? Rich says yes…then no….but probably yes… 5:00pm- Jack Ciattarelli—Republican Candidate for Governor of New Jersey & Former New Jersey State Representative—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to offer reaction to President Donald Trump endorsing him last night. In a post made to Truth Social, President Trump stated: “Jack C ...

In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they take time to discuss all things related to the pope in light of the recent death of Pope Francis at the age of 88. He served as the head of the Catholic Church for 12 years, and his death certainly sparked a media storm. So this episode takes time to explore the history of the office of the pope, how future popes are elected through the process of the conclave, and more. Episode Links Dr. White mentioned the attention that the 2024 movie Conclave, has been getting, particularly since Pope Francis passed away. Holly Meyer wrote an article recently for Associated Press News titled, “So you saw ‘Conclave' the movie. Here's what it got right – and wrong – about real-life conclaves.” You can read that article HERE. And then, if this episode sparked an interest in learning more about the papacy, here are a number of articles we'd suggest you check out: “What are the Catholic Church's rites after the death of a pope and the election of a new one?” Los Angeles Times. Russell Moore, “A US Evangelical Considers Pope Francis,” Christianity Today. Olivia B. Waxman, “Pope Francis, the ‘World's Parish Priest' Who Led in an Era of Crisis, Dies at 88,” Time. Joel Hodge and Antonia Pizzey, “Pope Francis has died, aged 88. These were his greatest reforms – and controversies,” The Conversation. Thomas Reese, “Why the synod on synodality is confusing to American Catholics,” National Catholic Reporter. “Sede vacante: What happens now, and who is in charge?” The Pillar. Greta Cross, “Conclave smoke: What black and white smoke signal during election of a new pope,” USA Today. Colleen Barry, “Tens of thousands file into St. Peter's Basilica to pay final respects to Pope Francis,” AP News. Ross Douthat, “Can the Catholic Church Quit the Culture Wars?” The New York Times. Marc Ramirez, “Pope Francis was the first Jesuit pope of the Catholic Church. What is a Jesuit?” USA Today. Matthew Walther, “The Real Legacy of Pope Francis,” The Atlantic. Brian McGill & Marcus Walker, “Picking a Pope: Inside the World's Most Secretive Election,” The Wall Street Journal. For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.

Democrats are stumbling — badly. While the Trump administration redefines the limits of executive overreach, the Democratic party remains at odds over how to — even whether to — respond. But Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut has a plan for beating Republicans in 2026, and it involves taking a cue from President Trump. He shares it with Ross Douthat on this episode of Interesting Times. 02:07 - The First 100 Days for Trump and the Democrats04:06 - The Threat to Democracy Wasn't Enough Then or Now.06:49 - How Dems Fight Trump13:41 - Where Chris Murphy Can Agree With the Populist Right16:38 - Is Connecticut a Model of What is Wrong with Democrats?25:54 - The Spiritual Crisis in American Life27:56 - The Problem with Big Tech33:45 - How Do Democrats (And Murphy) Talk About Religion? Should They?45:35 - Is Trump Really Running An Oligarchy?50:34 - Does the Democratic Party Need a Bigger Tent?53:54 - A Need for a National Consensus on Immigration57:09 - “A Democracy Dies Without a High Stakes Confrontation”(A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

On episode 87, Charles asks Ross Douthat about his new book, Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious, and, in particular, to explain to him why he, Charles Cooke, should be religious. The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License.

Host Geoff Holsclaw engages with New York Times columnist and author Ross Douthat. They discuss the enduring relevance and shifting perceptions of religion in a scientific and secular age, driven by Douthat's book Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious. The conversation navigates the historical impact of new atheism, the existential malaise in youth culture, and a generational gap in religious knowledge. Douthat elaborates on his rationale for advocating religion not just for its therapeutic or social benefits but also for its intellectual robustness. Topics covered include the persistence of supernatural experiences, the case for commitment to established religions, and the importance of community and institutional structure in religious life. Douthat also shares his personal journey through various Christian traditions, culminating in his commitment to Catholicism. The episode concludes with insights into how suffering and chronic illness have deepened Douthat's faith and understanding of God's providence.Stay Connected: Check out our Attaching to God 6-Week Learning Cohort. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

​ @EzraKleinShow  Ross Douthat on Trump, Mysticism and Psychedelics | The Ezra Klein Show https://youtu.be/YVn0jNxz_cE?si=m9d-8lyTDqGjxl5M  @BenjaminABoyce  Internet Pastoral | with Paul VanderKlay https://youtu.be/-fqnpX_rU8E?si=NeqsDbCdZVdHquey  @TheProfGPod  What Happened to American Conservatism? — with David Brooks | Prof G Conversations https://youtu.be/pA9Bwd1zYDQ?si=YvH8NxTuKk12nvvw  @InterestingTimesNYT  The New Culture of the Right: Vital, Masculine and Offensive | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat https://youtu.be/tj1hSTDXmrI?si=H-Z5ftJILRDKuzQg  @SpeakLifeMedia  The Defining Moment of ARC 2025 https://youtu.be/B-j59rplugs?si=zKRRdKvD1shBAv5y  Paul Vander Klay clips channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX0jIcadtoxELSwehCh5QTg Midwestuary Conference August 22-24 in Chicago https://www.midwestuary.com/ https://www.meetup.com/sacramento-estuary/ My Substack https://paulvanderklay.substack.com/ Estuary Hub Link https://www.estuaryhub.com/ If you want to schedule a one-on-one conversation check here. https://calendly.com/paulvanderklay/one2one There is a video version of this podcast on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/paulvanderklay To listen to this on ITunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/paul-vanderklays-podcast/id1394314333  If you need the RSS feed for your podcast player https://paulvanderklay.podbean.com/feed/  All Amazon links here are part of the Amazon Affiliate Program. Amazon pays me a small commission at no additional cost to you if you buy through one of the product links here. This is is one (free to you) way to support my videos.  https://paypal.me/paulvanderklay Blockchain backup on Lbry https://odysee.com/@paulvanderklay https://www.patreon.com/paulvanderklay Paul's Church Content at Living Stones Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh7bdktIALZ9Nq41oVCvW-A To support Paul's work by supporting his church give here. https://tithe.ly/give?c=2160640 https://www.livingstonescrc.com/give  

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wisdomofcrowds.liveTrump has been in office for one hundred days, and Damir Marusic thinks America deserves him: “I do tend to intuitively see Trump and Trumpism as a correction on a social order that has lost its way and is somehow badly out of tune,” Damir wrote earlier this week. “Something is broken and unsustainable, and has been so for a while.”Christine Emba and Shadi Hamid have questions. Why is Damir still “ebullient” (his words) and “giddy” (also his words) about the current political situation? Why does Damir still believe that Trump is “a symptom, not a cause” of the nation's problems? In response, Damir argues that “immigration and the war in Ukraine” are two of the issues that the Democrats were not addressing and that were unsustainable in the status quo.Shadi, for his part, feels much more appalled by Trump than he ever expected he would be, and is rediscovering is “left populist” roots. Christine offers an interesting couterfactual: “Not totally joking here … four to eight years of a sort of Kamala Harris-led Democratic party with, you know, a tech alliance could have eased us into sort of Brave New World-esque Soma-induced quiescence once AI had grown up a little bit and the Internet and mega-tech corporations were given even more power.”Ultimately, disagreements emerge: Christine believes that the Democrats, for all their faults, still follow the basics of rule of law — unlike Trump — and she argues that what Damir thinks of us a failed system might actually be, for most people, just the normal, mediocre running of a democracy. Shadi ponders the Great Man theory of history, and argues with Damir about whether history is determined or whether free will plays a role. In our bonus section for paid subscribers, Christine muses on the importance of TikTok in American politics; Damir utters the phrase, “nation of Trumps”; Damir argues that, without Trump, “by 2030 we'd be constitutionally in the same place”; Shadi argues that “postponing the inevitable seems good”; Christine muses on the theoretical reign of President Rahm Emmanuel; the gang discusses whether the GOP is an effective political party; and more!Required Reading:* Damir's Tuesday Note: “We Deserve It All” (WoC).* “ ‘I never thought leopards would eat MY face,' sobs woman who voted for the Leopards Eating People's Faces Party.” (X).* Ross Douthat, “Donald Trump, Man of Destiny” (New York Times).* First Trump inaugural address (possibly written by Steve Bannon): “American Carnage” (White House Archives).* Pat Buchanan's 1992 “Culture War” RNC convention speech (C-Span).* Joseph De Maistre, Considerations on France (Archive.org) * Second Lincoln inaugural address (Constitution Center).* “Fact Check: Did Biden Ignore Supreme Court Over Student Loan Forgiveness?” (Newsweek).* Aldous Huxley, Brave New World (Amazon). * Great Man theory of history (Wikipedia). Free preview video:Full video for paid subscribers below:

Host Sarah Isgur and contractually obligated Jonah Goldberg are joined by Dispatch contributor Jesse Singal and Mike Pesca, host of The Gist podcast to discuss the Democratic Party's identity crisis. Also: Singal broke news on The Dispatch about the Trump administration's transgender policy. The Agenda:—The cajun rages on—Sarah is smarter than her son—We all know a David Hogg—The Dems should thank Trump for the 80/20 issues—The Trump administration and transgender health care for kids—2026 Senate map—Ross Douthat worries about the end of humanity The Dispatch Podcast is a production of ⁠⁠The Dispatch⁠⁠, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including members-only newsletters, bonus podcast episodes, and regular livestreams—⁠⁠click here.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Wake Up, Look Up, Pastor Zach discusses an opinion piece by Ross Douthat on the potential "extinction" of culture due to our increasing reliance on digital, mind-numbing content. Pastor Zach draws a parallel to spiritual stagnation, suggesting that just as culture is retreating from deep, meaningful relationships, so are we retreating from genuine spiritual growth. He encourages listeners to embrace offline relationships, Bible study, and prayer, emphasizing that true spiritual renewal comes from time spent with God and others, not through digital distractions.Have an article you'd like Pastor Zach to discuss? Email us at wakeup@ccchapel.com!

The New York Times columnist warns that digital life may be eroding the cultural foundations needed to sustain meaning, family, and community.

Maybe two non-Catholics are not the best people to discuss the legacy Pope Francis is leaving behind, although Catholics like Ross Douthat and JD Vance are doing worse. Jessa cries about the death of the pope, and Nico manages to put his Catholic school trauma to the side to assess Pope Francis as a world leader and not just a religious one.  Shownotes and references: http://theculturewedeserve.substack.com

​ ⁨@InterestingTimesNYT⁩  Can the Catholic Church Quit the Culture Wars? | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat https://youtu.be/9_i66tcCbHw?si=qaUBQjU2_mZs7_Pz  ⁨@EzraKleinShow⁩  Ross Douthat on Trump, Mysticism and Psychedelics | The Ezra Klein Show https://youtu.be/YVn0jNxz_cE?si=fXnDVmH6gdttfaRj https://www.christiancourier.ca/empty-council-rooms https://www.persuasion.community/p/europe-really-is-jailing-people-for Vatican I: The Council and the Making of the Ultramontane Church https://amzn.to/4m9dTuf    Paul Vander Klay clips channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX0jIcadtoxELSwehCh5QTg Midwestuary Conference August 22-24 in Chicago https://www.midwestuary.com/ https://www.meetup.com/sacramento-estuary/ My Substack https://paulvanderklay.substack.com/ Estuary Hub Link https://www.estuaryhub.com/ If you want to schedule a one-on-one conversation check here. https://calendly.com/paulvanderklay/one2one There is a video version of this podcast on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/paulvanderklay To listen to this on ITunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/paul-vanderklays-podcast/id1394314333  If you need the RSS feed for your podcast player https://paulvanderklay.podbean.com/feed/  All Amazon links here are part of the Amazon Affiliate Program. Amazon pays me a small commission at no additional cost to you if you buy through one of the product links here. This is is one (free to you) way to support my videos.  https://paypal.me/paulvanderklay Blockchain backup on Lbry https://odysee.com/@paulvanderklay https://www.patreon.com/paulvanderklay Paul's Church Content at Living Stones Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh7bdktIALZ9Nq41oVCvW-A To support Paul's work by supporting his church give here. https://tithe.ly/give?c=2160640 https://www.livingstonescrc.com/give

Today on the show, Fareed speaks with The Economist's editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes and hedge fund billionaire Ray Dalio about America's economic turmoil in the first 100 days of the Trump administration and President Trump's problems with Fed Chair Jerome Powell.  Next, Victoria Nuland, a former senior State Department official, joins the show to discuss the Trump administration's efforts to negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine. Finally, what will Pope Francis' progressive legacy mean for the election of the new Pope? Fareed speaks to The New York Times columnist Ross Douthat.   Guests: Zanny Minton Beddoes (@zannymb), Ray Dalio (@RayDalio), Victoria Nuland, Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just out here, two ladies taking in the view from three years into their podcast on the outskirts of the zeitgeist. The Old 97s make honest women of us. Dave Cicirelli gives us a new look. Nancy and Sarah are making this episode free to everyone, in celebration of 1095+ days of trying to make sense of this crazy world.Also discussed:* The Smoke ‘Em guests that riled up listeners* Ross Douthat “places his finger on the deep wound”* We love a dorky wedding!* Pop quiz for Nancy: Pronounce “swastika”* Our 2025 guest wish list: we're looking at you, Douglas Murray.* Conclave, cleavage, whatever* Mike Pesca and his “New Substack” panic button* “Don't put it down, put it away …”* Nancy will never lose her contempt for Bernadine Dohrn* The hotness of Diego Luna* The hotness of Tom Hardy* Nancy's mom* POP ROCKS!Plus, things that are sexy: men who take the lead, flying toward the story, pleather, and much more! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit smokeempodcast.substack.com/subscribe

I have no earthly idea how to describe this conversation. It's about religion and belief – at this moment in our politics, and in our lives more generally.My guest and I come from very different perspectives. Ross Douthat is a Catholic conservative, who wrote a book called “Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious.” I'm a … Californian. But I think everyone would enjoy this conversation — believers, skeptics and seekers alike.Some questions touched on: Is the Trump administration Christian or pagan? How do Christian Trump supporters reconcile the cruelties of this administration with their faith? Can religious experiences be explained by misfiring neurons? Should organized religions embrace psychedelics? Can mystery provide more comfort than certainty?And if you do enjoy this episode, be sure to check out Douthat's new New York Times Opinion Audio show “Interesting Times,” available wherever you get your podcasts, and on YouTube.Mentioned:Interesting Times with Ross Douthat“Donald Trump, Man of Destiny” by Ross DouthatLiving with a Wild God by Barbara EhrenreichBook Recommendations:Modern Physics and Ancient Faith by Stephen BarrAfter by Bruce GreysonMind and Cosmos by Thomas NagelThoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.You can find the transcript and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.htmlThis episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Elias Isquith. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair and Mary Marge Locker. Mixing by Isaac Jones, with Aman Sahota and Efim Shapiro. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show's production team also includes Marie Cascione, Annie Galvin, Rollin Hu, Marina King, Jan Kobal, Kristin Lin and Jack McCordick. Original music by Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The passing of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025 marked not just the end of a papacy but the end of an era in global politics. The moment in which Francis spoke before Congress a decade ago and identified Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, and Martin Luther King as models of Christian moral witness feels like another universe — far from the cruel, cramped, suspicious, and selfish world we are living in. What was the Francis era? Where did he come from, and how did he become pope? And what are we losing — besides a pretty good pope — with his passing from the mortal realm? Matt and Sam discuss the passing of Pope Francis and what his papacy meant (to us and to the world), why he scandalized the Catholic right, and why his message feels so necessary and yet so far away. Further Reading: Vinson Cunningham, "Many and One," Commonweal, Dec 14, 2020. Dorothy Fortenberry, "The climate apocalypse is also a religious crisis," Vox, April 12, 2023.Abeer Salman and Oren Liebermann, "The pope called them every night until his final hours. Now, Gaza's Christians cling to the hope he left behind," CNN, April 23, 2025. Matthew Sitman, "No, Pope Francis is Nothing Like Donald Trump," Commonweal, Feb. 26, 2016.— "Pope Francis and Civil Unions: We Need Clarity, Not a Media Blackout," Commonweal, Oct. 27, 2020.Pope Francis, Laudato si' (“On Care for Our Common Home”), May 2015.Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, Oct. 3, 2020.Ross Douthat, "Francis and the End of the Imperial Papacy," New York Times, April 21, 2025....and don't forget to subscribe to Know Your Enemy on Patreon for access to all of our bonus episodes!  

On this episode of “Interesting Times,” Ross Douthat is joined by the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and the editor of America, to reflect on the legacy of Pope Francis and the challenges facing the next papacy.(A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

In the past few weeks, Bari has done two episodes on religion—one asking, “Do we need a religious revival?,” and then a follow-up conversation with Ross Douthat asking how people who grew up in the secular West can actually find faith. Today, we have the last installment of this intellectual and religious inquiry, and we are asking a new question: What is the role of religion as a political force in this country? Our guest today, Jonathan Rauch, says: “Christianity is a load-bearing wall of American civic life.” In other words, the success of liberal democracy depends on a healthy Christianity to support it—and if Christianity falters, our American project will falter too. We get into why that is in this conversation. It's a fascinating position for a person who happens to be an atheist, Jewish, gay man. And Jonathan doesn't just say we need to embrace Christianity, he goes a step further. He says that Christians need to look in the mirror and reconsider how Jesus would approach American politics today.   Jonathan is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and he just wrote Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy. Bari asks him about the breakdown of religion. She asks about the religious and political forces that have shaped our present moment, like MAGA, the evangelical movement, and their marriage to President Donald Trump. And, she asks about the rise of Christian nationalism and the threat it poses. And, most importantly, she asks how we can restore health in political life. Go to groundnews.com/Honestly to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on today's biggest news stories. Head over to fastgrowingtrees.com/Honestly and use the code HONESTLY at checkout to get 15% off your first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comFrancis is a physician and geneticist whose work has led to the discovery of the cause of cystic fibrosis, among other diseases. In 1993 he was appointed director of the Human Genome Project, which successfully sequenced all three billion letters of our DNA. He went on to serve three presidents as the director of the National Institutes of Health. The author of many books, including The Language of God, his latest is The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust.Our conversation was entirely agreeable until we talked about trust, and his own handling of the Covid epidemic. I asked him in depth about the lab-leak theory and why he and Tony Fauci passionately dismissed it from the get-go, even as it now appears to be the likeliest source of the terrible virus. Things got intense.For two clips of our convo — intense debate on the “Proximal Origin” paper outright denying a lab leak as the source of Covid-19, and Francis finding God after decades of atheism — pop over to our YouTube page.Other topics: growing up on a rustic farm in Shenandoah; his parents creating a community theater; homeschooled until 6th grade; his amazing scientific accomplishments as a young adult; his scientism; his terminally ill Christian patients; the AIDS crisis; C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity; the First Mover question; Ross Douthat and “fine-tuning”; the multiverse; the limits to the materialist view; deism; cradle believers vs converts; evolution and sacrificial altruism; Socrates; Jesus dying for our sins; the doubting Thomas; how angels manifest; Francis Bacon; Richard Dawkins; being the NIH director during Covid; trust and mistrust in science; the early confusion in pandemics; tribalism; dismal safety standards at the Wuhan lab; gain-of-function; EcoHealth and Peter Daszak; intel agencies on lab leak; furin cleavage sites; Kristian Andersen; geopolitical fears over Trump and China; the opacity of the CCP; the Great Barrington Declaration; Trump threatening science funding at the Ivies; In Covid's Wake; and if Francis has any regrets after Covid.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy (the first 102 are free in their entirety — subscribe to get everything else). Coming up: Claire Lehmann on the woke right, Stephen Macedo and Frances Lee on Covid's political fallout, Byron York on Trump 2.0, Robert Merry on President McKinley, Sam Tanenhaus on Bill Buckley, Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson on the Biden years, and Paul Elie on his book The Last Supper: Art, Faith, Sex, and Controversy in the 1980s. Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

You may have noticed on this show that Bari Weiss is always asking her guests, “Do you believe in God?,” “What is your favorite biblical character?,” or “Do we need a religious revival?” And you might be wondering why she keeps knocking on this door? It's partly because we're curious about people's metaphysical beliefs. But it's also because we think something profound has gotten lost in our society, as we've lost traditional religion.  You can argue that we are starting to see the beginnings of a religious revival, and even if you don't believe in God, many think that the practice of religion—keeping Shabbat, going to church—has clear benefits like a community or a moral code. Religion, in other words, is a good program. Our guest today, Ross Douthat, has a different perspective. Ross makes the case that we should be more religious—not in order to cure society's many ills—but because it is the best way—the most accurate way—to understand the world around us. Belief in God, he says, is entirely rational. Ross is a best-selling author, a columnist at The New York Times, and the host of a new podcast called Interesting Times. His newest book is Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious. The release is perfectly timed to our strange moment of “plagues, populism, psychedelic encounters, and AI voices in the air,” as Ross writes. Ross says it's not enough to argue that religion is simply good for society, or that we must be religious to sustain our civilization. Ross argues that it's time for people to actually become religious. Bari presses him about this distinction. And this week, as billions of Christians gather for Holy Week—the sacred days leading up to, and including, Easter—we are wondering if this return that Ross suggests is even possible. And if yes, will it fix our problems? Today on Honestly, Bari sits down with Ross to understand why he thinks belief in God is the most logical way to understand our world, how he rationalizes and justifies faith, and how he thinks readers can move from doubt to belief. Go to fastgrowingtrees.com/Honestly and use the code HONESTLY at checkout to get 15% off your first order. Buy tickets for the first SAPIR Debate: “Is Donald Trump Good for the Jews?” at  sapirjournal.org/sapirdebate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Personally Speaking Msgr. Jim Lisante is joined by renowned NY Times Columnist and acclaimed author Ross Douthat. Ross' latest book is called, “Believe: Why Everyone Should be Religious”. His book is for everyone, from those who are devoutly religious, to those who are agnostic, and everyone in between. Ross shares his own personal faith journey and his embrace of the Catholic faith.Support the show

How can we explain the world's underlying order? How does consciousness emerge? And why do people from such different cultures have such similar near-death experiences? Listen as Ross Douthat, New York Times columnist and author of the new book Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious, argues that these and other unanswerable questions underscore his argument for the rationality of religious belief. He and EconTalk's Russ Roberts discuss Douthat's reasons for embracing faith with confidence, why science only bolsters his belief, and why he thinks that more religion would be a good thing for society.

The weekend provided no respite from tariff whiplash. And the tariff whiplash (and attendant cheerleading) just drove the rest of the economy that much further down. Greg Dworkin even titled the APR with a warning. And of course, when you've lost Ross Douthat, you've temporarily lost Ross Douthat. Trump spent the weekend snubbing VIPs and watching the wrong people win sporting events. In other weekend excitement—or incitement, as the case may be—there was a little extracurricular activity at the Pennsylvania Governor's mansion. Nayib Bukele is in town today. “Cool!” We'll see whether he “facilitates” Trump's defiance of the courts, or moots the whole issue (which he, like me, sees as just a contracts issue) by “gifting” Kilmar Abrego García back to the United States. Either way, we're preparing to ship still more people to El Salvador, despite the 90% “error” rate. And this extremely poor record is impacting evidence-free student round-ups not at all! The protests continue this weekend. Good thing, too! New for your radar: Binance wants the regulatory dogs called off, while it's busy trying to bribe Trump. And the latest trend in DOGE sleight-of-hand: declaring immigration targets “dead,” so that they lose their benefits, work papers, insurance, bank accounts, and pretty much everything else that makes it possible to live here. Which is the idea, of course.

Today on Upstream, Ross Douthat joins Erik Torenberg to discuss his new book 'Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious,' exploring the decline of new atheism, the intellectual defense of institutional religion, and the intersection between traditional Christianity, Silicon Valley, and modern materialism. This episode originally aired on Moment of Zen (April 12, 2025). —

In this episode of Moment of Zen, New York Times columnist Ross Douthat joins Erik Torenberg to discuss his new book "Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious," making the case that institutional religion is not just socially beneficial but intellectually defensible. They discuss the decline of New Atheism, the tension between traditional Christianity and Silicon Valley's techno-optimism within the "New Right" coalition, and whether AI consciousness points to something beyond materialism. --

Is the short-term economic pain of President Trump's unpredictable approach to tariffs a reasonable price to pay for a more resilient America? Mr. Trump appears to think so, and so does Oren Cass — sort of. On the first episode of “Interesting Times,” the founder and chief economist of the think tank American Compass joins Ross Douthat to discuss and debate the Trump administration's drastic trade war.(A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Ross Douthat is a New York Times columnist who writes about religion, society, and moral values. He is also the author of several thought-provoking books, including Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics, and a memoir of his personal struggle with a debilitating sickness, The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery. His latest book is Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious. Ross joins the podcast to discuss how decadence is shaping society and whether religion has a vibrant future. Why do so many people pray? Does it really work? And if so, in what way? Explore these questions and more in an essay by psychologist Frank Fincham, “What Can Science Say About the Study of Prayer?” Join our growing community of 140,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today.  Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.   

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit wisdomofcrowds.liveIn 2012, New York Times columnist Ross Douthat published Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics, a book about how mainstream American religion was devolving into the prosperity gospel, superstitious cults and other forms of heterodox faith. Thirteen years later, the American religious landscape has changed, and Ross wrote a new book tackling a much more basic question: why you should be religious at all. He joins Damir Marusic and Shadi Hamid to discuss that book, which is titled Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious.This new book, Douthat says, “assumes a highly individualist culture” as its audience. This individualist culture is one where each person thinks of whether to believe in a god as a highly personal choice. The culture as a whole can no longer support any one person's faith. The biggest individual challenge to Douthat's thesis in this episode comes from Damir, who says: “I feel most religious people try to get through … happiness and/or meaning. I am not thirsting for those. I am not hungry for them. I feel I'm ok.” Douthat responds by posing a hypothetical: “Suppose you die and you're summoned before the judgment throne of God and God says, ‘Seems like were friendly for arguments for being religious, you weren't one hundred percent convinced, but still: why didn't you go to church?'” Douthat argues that, while he himself is believing Catholic, there are nevertheless many “commonalities of religious experience. [World religions] are not all saying the same thing, but they are real and suggest something.” This makes common ground with Shadi who, as a Muslim, disagrees with Douthat about the divinity of Christ, but who, as a believer, agrees with Douthat that we should all be religious.In our bonus section for paid subscribers, Damir, Shadi and Ross talk about the philosophy of mind; whether AI will ever be conscious; what consciousness is for; whether Daniel Dennett is in hell; and why being lukewarm about whether God exists is a bad idea.Required Reading and Listening:* Ross Douthat, Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious (Amazon). * Damir Marusic, “A Lost Sense of Wonder” (WoC). * Nathan Beacom, “The Art of Hiking” (WoC). * John Lennon, “Imagine” (YouTube). * Daniel Dennett, Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon (Amazon). * Revelation 3:16: “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth” (King James Version). This post is part of our collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Governance and Markets.Free preview video:Full video for paid subscribers below:

New York Times columnist Ross Douthat, author of "Believe," talks about the converging evidences for the existence of God, and why it should be obvious to believe in Him in spite of your personal objections. Ruth Kramer of Mission Network News addresses what God's people are doing to help those in Myanmar impacted by a severe earthquake, even though it is a country with much religious conflict.  She also addresses the protests in Turkiye, and helps us understand other issues around the current US-Iran interplay.  Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here

Ross Douthat has a new book, arguing that America needs a new religious revival. Sir, there is a theocracy establishing itself in Idaho, we have Tradcaths in the government trying to force us all back into patriarchal marriages, is now really the time?? America has always been weird about god, we can't seem to contemplate him for more than ten seconds at a time without praying he destroys the whole world in fiery apocalypse. Jessa and Nico discuss our new gods and whether Jim Jones would have made a better VP than JD Vance. Shownotes and references: http://theculturewedeserve.substack.com

Comedian Chrissie Mayr joins Adam and Mayhem to share stories about pregnancy, comedy, and her experiences navigating the ever-changing media landscape. She and Adam riff on Covid-era misinformation, the medical industry's history of stretching the truth, and bizarre internet trends, including the strange rise of “hot” Down syndrome influencers. New York Times columnist and author Ross Douthat joins Adam to revisit their recent debate and continue their discussion on elite failures, media narratives, and government overreach. They break down how institutions push fear to control narratives, why politicians and the press distort reality, and the ever-growing divide between the ruling class and everyday Americans. In the news, L.A.'s parking ticket system is so broken that it's losing millions, while Chicago realizes it sold its parking meters to the UAE until 2083 and now regrets everything. Plus, pit bulls high on cocaine attack, and the Karen Bass recall effort stirs controversy. For more with Chrissie Mayr: MARCH 29 NEW HAVEN, IN @ Fort Wayne Comedy Club MAY 17 MT KISCO, NY @Jazz on Main AUG 8 BELLMORE, NY @ Brokerage Comedy Club Website: www.chrissiemayr.com Podcast: www.chrissiemayr.com/podcast YouTube: @ChrissieMayr Instagram: @ChrissieMayrPod X: @ChrissieMayr For more with Ross Douthat: New Book: “Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious”– A compelling case for the rationality of religious belief in the modern world. Podcast: MATTER OF OPINION: Thoughts, aloud. Hosted by Michelle Cottle, Ross Douthat and Carlos Lozada. Every Friday, from New York Times Opinion. WEBSITE: https://www.falconschildren.com A serialized fantasy novel TWITTER: @DouthatNYT Thank you for supporting our sponsors: Adam Live Shows oreillyauto.com/ADAM betterhelp.com/CAROLLA

Michael Steele speaks with New York Times opinion columnist and author Ross Douthat about his new book, "Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious." The pair discuss the biggest stumbling blocks for religious belief in America today. Check out the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Believe-Why-Everyone-Should-Religious/dp/0310367581 If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to leave a review or share it with a friend! Follow Ross Douthat @DouthatNYT Follow Michael Steele @MichaelSteele Follow the podcast @steele_podcast Follow The Bulwark @BulwarkOnline

Last week Bari traveled to Austin, Texas, to host a debate on a simple little topic: religion and whether we need more of it. There's a line from Proverbs that has guided believers for at least the past 2,000 or so years. It goes like this: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” But for most of our lives, this message has been turned on its head. We can't entirely blame the so-called New Atheists, who dominated the American intellectual scene in the first part of this century, for the death of God—for that, we'd need to go back to Nietzsche or Darwin or the Enlightenment. But the point is that for people of Bari's generation and cohort, to be an educated, sophisticated, respectable person was to be an atheist. Or at the very least, an agnostic. The percentage of Americans who identify as Christian fell from 90 percent in 1972 to 64 percent in 2022, while the religiously unaffiliated (the so-called “nones”) rose from 5 percent to 30 percent in the same period, according to Pew Research.The shift toward secularism has been even more pronounced across the Atlantic. Among Europeans ages 16 to 29, 70 percent say they never attend religious services. But after years of decline, this trend may be starting to reverse. A massive new Pew survey found that the share of Americans identifying as Christian has, after many years of decline, finally started to rise again. And the share of Americans identifying with other religions is actually increasing. So are we better off with or without God? The other night in Austin Bari sat down with Ross Douthat, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Michael Shermer, and Adam Carolla. They came together to debate the following resolution: Does the West need a religious revival? Ross and Ayaan argued yes. Ross is a New York Times opinion columnist. His most recent book is Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious. Ayaan is an activist and best-selling author of many books including Prey: Immigration, Islam, and the Erosion of Women's Rights.  On the other side, Michael Shermer and Adam Carolla argued no, we do not need a religious revival. Michael is the founding publisher of Skeptic magazine and the host of The Michael Shermer Show. He, too, is the author of multiple New York Times bestsellers on science, psychology, and faith. Adam Carolla is a comedian, actor, radio personality, TV host, and best-selling author. He currently hosts The Adam Carolla Show. If you liked what you heard from Honestly, the best way to support us is to go to TheFP.com and become a Free Press subscriber today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Steele speaks with New York Times opinion columnist and author Ross Douthat about his new book, "Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious." The pair discuss  how political identity now overshadows religious identity, the decline of religion in the U.S and how we can begin to reconcile science and faith. Check out the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Believe-Why-Everyone-Should-Religious/dp/0310367581 If you enjoyed this podcast, be sure to leave a review or share it with a friend! Follow Ross Douthat @DouthatNYT Follow Michael Steele @MichaelSteele Follow the podcast @steele_podcast Follow The Bulwark @BulwarkOnline

Does the West need a religious revival? This was the subject of a debate hosted by The Free Press at the Paramount Theater in Austin Texas on February 27th. The debate pitted two religious advocates—Ayan Hirsi Ali and Ross Douthat—against two avowed atheists—Michael Shermer and Adam Carolla—in search of an answer. The scene of current affairs in the West was set by The Free Press as follows:“The West has experienced a rapid erosion of our shared culture. Political polarization, loneliness, depression and addiction have surged, while marriage and birthrates have plummeted. There's a crisis of meaning, and a growing chorus of intellectuals are pointing to secularism as the cause. Studies show that religious service attendance correlates with lower rates of depression, suicide and substance abuse. Religious individuals are also more likely to marry, stay married, and have children. For the first time in U.S. history, church membership among Americans has fallen below 50%. Less than a fifth of Western Europeans attend church regularly. In Sweden, over 75% of young people claim no religion at all. So, is the decline of religion to blame for our social unraveling? Or are rapid technological changes, growing economic inequality, and other social disruptions the culprit? And would empowering religious institutions, which have historically abused their power to stifle scientific progress, fuel war, and discriminate against perceived enemies be a mistake? In short, would a return to faith restore order, or simply revive old divisions?”David Hanegraaff traveled to Austin, Texas to cover the event—you can find his review and response here. [Coming Soon!]  He joins his father Hank Hanegraaff on this edition of Hank Unplugged to discuss the debate, his role at the Christian Research Institute and much more.  Topics discussed include: The Free Press organized a debate about religion that was unique for our time—secularism was not regarded as the default, but forced to defend itself (2:15)Who were the debate participants? (4:45)Why is the perspective of Ayaan Hirsi Ali so important? (6:30)Is a religious revival on the horizon? (8:00)What are the detrimental impacts of secularization on society? (12:25)Were the arguments made by the atheists—Adam Carolla and Michael Shermer—convincing?  (14:00)New atheists, same old, tired arguments (16:50)Richard Dawkins claims to be a cultural Christian (18:15)The consequences of an unexamined life—worldviews matter (20:50)The role of technology in our world today (25:50)Why was this debate significant? (27:00)The importance of localism (30:25)The transformational nature of a Christianity lived out in practice (33:20)What was it like growing up as the son of the Bible Answer Man? (37:05)The legacy of Johannis Hanegraaff (40:00)The importance of apologetics (42:30)The sign of the cross (49:30)The importance of being equally yoked (53:30)Church and life are inextricably woven for Christians (55:15)The detrimental impact of bad theology (58:25)The joy of parenthood (1:02:20)Meeting Jay Richards in Greece—a favorite Hank Unplugged guest (1:07:15)Traveling to the monastic community at Mt. Athos (1:10:45)The joy of having your children in the Church (1:14:45)Why David Hanegraaff loves the Republic of Georgia—aggressive hospitality (1:20:00)A boy named Grace—why? (1:23:20)The importance of reading and the role books play on the Hank Unplugged podcast (1:26:00)Listen to Hank's podcast and follow Hank off the grid where he is joined by some of the brightest minds discussing topics you care about. Get equipped to be a cultural change agent.Archived episodes are  on our Website and available at the additional channels listed below.You can help spread the word about Hank Unplugged by giving us a rating and review from the other channels we are listed on.

Ross Douthat joins John Hirschauer to discuss his book, Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious.

Ross's new book, Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious ... An argument for cosmic purpose ... The mysterious persistence of weird shit ... Does human consciousness point to something bigger? ... Tensions between science and Christian orthodoxy ... A few more words about consciousness ... A few more words about weirdness ... Why doesn't the weirdness show up in controlled studies? ... Heading to Overtime ...

Ross's new book, Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious ... An argument for cosmic purpose ... The mysterious persistence of weird shit ... Does human consciousness point to something bigger? ... Tensions between science and Christian orthodoxy ... A few more words about consciousness ... A few more words about weirdness ... Why doesn't the weirdness show up in controlled studies? ... Heading to Overtime ...

2 op-eds by Ross Douthat https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/30/opinion/abortion-dobbs-supreme-court.html https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/opinion/religion-god.html

A special Culture Friday interview with New York Times columnist Ross Douthat on his new book that argues why religious belief is more rational than skeptics claim

Glenn goes through some of the latest news, including an ex-Illinois House speaker being convicted on 10 corruption charges, Tulsi Gabbard being confirmed as director of national intelligence, and President Trump firing multiple board members of the Kennedy Center. Should the government have a vested interest in the arts? Glenn discusses some of the corrupt NGOs being used to fund leftist causes. Something weird is going on with America's gold supply, and Glenn warns of the coming economic hurt. Famed attorney Alan Dershowitz, after being falsely connected to the Epstein list, joins to shout his full approval for the complete release of the Epstein files. Alan also warns of the dangers of "selective disclosures" as the biased politicians may try to protect their own. Glenn and Stu go through some of Epstein's possible connections, including Bill Gates and RFK Jr. New York Times opinion columnist Ross Douthat joins to discuss why living without faith is noticeably more challenging than living with faith. Glenn previews the latest episode of the Blaze Original series "The Coverup," which exposes the money laundering and experimental gain-of-function research done by the recently pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci. A 12-year-old relative of Vice President JD Vance was denied a heart transplant due to not being vaccinated against COVID-19 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Something weird is going on with America's gold supply, and Glenn warns of the coming economic hurt. Famed attorney Alan Dershowitz, after being falsely connected to the Epstein list, joins to shout his full approval for the complete release of the Epstein files. Alan also warns of the dangers of "selective disclosures" as the biased politicians may try to protect their own. New York Times opinion columnist Ross Douthat joins to discuss why living without faith is noticeably more challenging than living with faith.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White House is defunding USAID, one of the largest distributors of foreign aid, and blaming it on wasteful spending—like a D.E.I musical in Ireland. But as Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn unpack, the real losers are Christian relief organizations like World Relief and Catholic Charities, which now face devastating budget cuts. Then, it's been over 20 years since the release of Blue Like Jazz, the bestselling book that made faith feel cool. Did it offer a helpful critique of evangelicalism, or was this the beginning of the rise of vibes-based Christianity? Also, New York Times columnist Ross Douthat joins Skye to discuss his new book, Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious. He explains why our increasingly secular culture is still drawn to spirituality and why rejecting religious institutions in favor of “DIY faith” may not be the answer. Plus, we have a trailer for a new season of Why I'm Still a Christian. Holy Post Plus: Bonus Interview with Ross Douthat: https://www.patreon.com/posts/122056691/   0:00 - Show Starts   2:18 - Theme Song   2:41 - Sponsor - Hiya Health - Go to www.hiyahealth.com/HOLYPOST to receive 50% off your first order   3:45  - Sponsor - Rocket Money - Find and cancel your old subscriptions with Rocket Money at https://www.rocketmoney.com/holypost   8:25  - Trump and Christian Persecution   12:22 - Elon Shuts Down USAID   19:53 - Did USAID Really Fund That?   24:29 - Principle of Unitary President   35:42 - Blue Like Untethered Christianity   39:57 - Consumerist Christianity and Vibes   46:41 - Why I'm Still a Christian Season 2 Sneak Peak!   48:05 - Sponsor - Sundays Dog Food - Get 40% off your first order of Sundays. Go to https://www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout.   50:08 - Sponsor - Glorify - Sign up for the #1 Christian Daily Devotional App to help you stay focused on God. Go to https://glorify-app.com/en/HOLYPOST to download the app today!   51:11 - Interview   52:30 - A Case for Religion?   56:26 - Why Not Just Argue for Jesus?   1:02:23 - Are Secular Circles Falling Apart?   1:11:00 - Fine Tuning Argument   1:23:04 - Why Not Pursue Spirituality on Your Own?   1:28:05 - End Credits   Links Mentioned in News Segment: Editorial: SIlence in the Face of Trump's Cruelty is Complicity: https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/editorial/editorial-silence-face-trumps-cruelty-complicity   Contact Bishops and Diocese by State: https://www.usccb.org/about/bishops-and-dioceses/all-dioceses   USAID Trump Fact Checker: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/07/usaid-trump-fact-checker/   Blue Like Jazz: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/01/blue-like-jazz-donald-miller-church-optional/   Other resources: Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious: https://a.co/d/3oVuOKR   Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/   Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus   Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost   Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop   The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.