Why is Northern Ireland still comparatively Christian while the Republic of Ireland has seen such a dramatic collapse in Christian practice and cultural influence?

I talk with Pastor @j_bambrick about conversion, discipleship, Christian institutions, free speech, Enoch Burke, and what Christians in America can learn from Ireland.

00:00 — Why Talk About Christianity Outside America?

01:28 — Meet Pastor Jamie Bambrick

03:04 — Why Northern Ireland Remains More Christian

06:30 — How Ireland Lost Its Christian Culture

09:02 — Institutions Are Not Enough Without Conversion

11:17 — The Troubles and Northern Ireland’s Christian Identity

14:00 — Christian Nationalism and the Need for Discipleship

17:34 — Enoch Burke and the Fight Over Free Speech

24:01 — Northern Ireland Faces the Same Cultural Pressures

52:56 — Are Young Men Returning to Church?

Jon's Music: jonharristunes.com

To Support the Podcast: 

https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/

Become a Patron

https://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcast

Substack: https://substack.com/@jonharris 

Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989

Follow Jon on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What did the Mexican-American War have to do with the Civil War, Manifest Destiny, Texas, California, and the modern American Southwest?

Jon Harris sits down with Thomas Wayne Riley of the American Southwest Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about the Mexican-American War and the history that shaped the American Southwest.

The discussion begins with the enormous territorial consequences of the war and the idea of Manifest Destiny, before examining the border dispute that sparked the conflict and the American campaign into Mexico. They discuss the Mexican frontier, Texas independence, California, Mormon settlement, the growth of American communities in the Southwest, and the many future Civil War generals who gained military experience during the Mexican-American War.

The conversation also explores the war's connection to American expansion and imperialism, the San Patricio Battalion, the changing population of the Southwest, and the much older history of the region.

This is a conversation about the history between the American Revolution and the Civil War that is often overlooked, and why understanding that history helps explain the United States and the Southwest today.

00:00 – Introduction: The Mexican-American War and Modern America

06:00 – The Forgotten America Between the Revolution and Civil War

07:14 – Manifest Destiny and America's Expansion West

13:26 – How the Mexican-American War Began

20:35 – Life on the Mexican Frontier

24:21 – Population, Settlement, and the Growth of the Southwest

28:00 – Texas, California, and Mormon Settlement

35:00 – The Mexican War: Training Ground for Civil War Generals

42:02 – America's First Foray Into Imperialism?

52:58 – The San Patricio Battalion, Borders, and the Modern Southwest

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuWSPoH3ncE

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What happened to the Episcopal Church and America's Protestant establishment?

In this conversation, we trace the transformation of the Episcopal Church and other mainline Protestant institutions, from their historic place in American religious life to the rise of theological liberalism, institutional gatekeeping, managerialism, and progressive politics.

Our guest shares his own journey into Anglicanism and the Episcopal ministry, including his years at Yale, his growing concerns about the direction of the denomination, and his attempts to remain faithful while working within an increasingly hostile institutional environment.

We discuss the controversy surrounding sexuality and marriage in the Episcopal Church, the impact of Gene Robinson's consecration, the role of seminaries and denominational leadership, and the ways institutional pressures can discourage clergy from speaking openly.

The conversation also examines Operation Reconquista and the broader question of whether conservative Christians can recover institutions that have been captured by a different theological and cultural vision. We discuss what it means to leave an established denomination, the personal and financial costs of taking unpopular stands, and what young Christians considering ministry should do when the institutions around them have changed.

Finally, we discuss the role of the pulpit in public life and why pastors must be willing to speak boldly about the issues confronting their congregations and communities.

#EpiscopalChurch #Anglicanism #Christianity #ChurchHistory #MainlineProtestantism #ChristianCulture

00:00 Why I Was Drawn to Anglicanism

02:19 Conversion, C.S. Lewis, and the Gospel

07:02 Evangelical Christianity at Yale

08:56 The Episcopal Church's Crisis in the 1990s

13:18 Unitarianism, Darwinism, and the Loss of Christian Belief

22:45 From Yale to the Ministry

30:20 The Conservative Blacklist

35:20 Gene Robinson and the Breaking of the Episcopal Church

40:58 How Managerialism Changed the Church

49:20 2020, DEI, and the Decision to Speak Out

54:34 Operation Reconquista and Leaving the Episcopal Church

01:16:08 Advice for the Next Generation

Jon's Music: jonharristunes.com

To Support the Podcast: 

https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/

Become a Patron

https://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcast

Substack: https://substack.com/@jonharris 

Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989

Follow Jon on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week on the Conversations That Matter podcast, Jon Harris covers a wide-ranging news roundup touching on the Southern Baptist Convention, Christian persecution, the Catholic Church, the Christian Nationalism debate, Steve Lawson, and what Jon calls the “true culture of death.”

Jon begins with a personal update following a house fire in his wife’s family, along with reflections on the recent Restoring Virtue Conference and upcoming speaking engagements.

From there, he discusses Eric Erickson’s criticism of figures on the Right and the importance of clearly defining neo-Nazi ideology rather than making broad accusations. He also examines recent controversy surrounding Candace Owens, a new Vatican document on interreligious dialogue, and claims surrounding the discovery of Noah’s Ark in Turkey.

The episode then turns to the Christian Nationalism debate, including J.D. Greer’s arguments concerning church and state, religious liberty, and the role of Christianity in public life. Jon also discusses Southern Baptist figures Jason Little and Walter Strickland, including Strickland’s comments concerning Nat Turner and liberation theology.

Jon then addresses the changing Christian legal movement, Steve Lawson’s recent book concerning his adultery and disqualification from ministry, and questions from listeners.

The final portion of the podcast examines assisted suicide, declining marriage and family formation, adult toy consumption, gender distrust, juvenileization, higher education, student loans, Title IX, and policies under the Trump administration. 

Jon concludes by discussing comments from Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu concerning persecuted Christians in the Middle East and the broader decline of Christianity in the region.

Listen through to the end for Jon’s thoughts on why Christians should focus less on theoretical political battles and more on the practical challenges directly in front of them.

00:00 Personal Update: House Fire and Restoring Virtue

10:40 The News Roundup Begins

11:45 Eric Erickson and the Debate Over Neo-Nazism

22:40 Candace Owens and Online Political Commentary

29:00 The Vatican, Vatican II, and Interreligious Dialogue

38:05 The Search for Noah's Ark

42:45 J.D. Greer and Christian Nationalism

61:45 Jason Little and the Southern Baptist Convention

63:00 Walter Strickland, Liberation Theology, and Nat Turner

77:00 The Christian Legal Movement and John W. Whitehead

84:00 Steve Lawson's Confession and Return to Public Ministry

89:30 Listener Questions

94:00 Assisted Suicide and the Culture of Death

95:00 Juvenileization, Marriage, and Gender Distrust

106:00 Trump, Student Loans, and Higher Education

109:40 Title IX and Gender Transition Treatments

114:30 Christian Persecution, Trump, and Netanyahu

123:50 Final Thoughts

Give Send Go: https://www.givesendgo.com/help-aaron-starsea-and-amber-rebuild-aft?utm_source=sharelink&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=help-aaron-starsea-and-amber-rebuild-aft

Jon's Music: jonharristunes.com

To Support the Podcast: 

https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/

Become a Patron

https://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcast

Substack: https://substack.com/@jonharris 

Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989

Follow Jon on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/Give Send Go: https://www.givesendgo.com/help-aaron-starsea-and-amber-rebuild-aft?utm_source=sharelink&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=help-aaron-starsea-and-amber-rebuild-aft

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What actually makes someone a strong Christian?

A viral post claimed that the strongest Christians watch Disney movies, avoid politics, wear bikinis, drink alcohol, shop at Target, and celebrate Halloween. The argument was that Christians who impose restrictions on these things are essentially modern Pharisees.

There is an important truth here: Christians should not invent laws and impose them on other believers as though those rules came from God. But there is also a problem with defining Christian freedom by a list of cultural behaviors.

In this episode, I examine the distinction between Christian liberty, legalism, conscience, modesty, discernment, and genuine godliness. Scripture does not present godliness primarily as a collection of cultural boxes that we check. It begins with the character of the heart and manifests itself in how we live.

The question is not simply, “Can a Christian do this?” The deeper question is: What actually marks a godly Christian?

The episode also considers the “weaker brother,” the misuse of Christian liberty, alcohol, Halloween, modesty, political involvement, consumer choices, pornography, and the danger of creating our own standards of righteousness.

Christianity is marked by inward virtue that manifests itself outwardly.

00:00 — The Tweet About “Strong Christians”

01:22 — Are These Really Issues of Christian Liberty?

02:58 — The Weak Brother and Christian Conscience

05:16 — When the “Weak Brother” Becomes a Human Shield

06:25 — Alcohol, Communion, and Christian Freedom

08:34 — What Actually Makes Someone Godly?

10:42 — The Biblical Marks of a Godly Man

11:57 — Modesty, Virtue, and Godly Women

13:08 — The Problem With a Pornographic Culture

15:34 — What Strong Christians Are Actually Known For

17:24 — Halloween, Alcohol, and Circumstantial Wisdom

19:04 — How to Avoid Becoming a Pharisee

Jon's Music: jonharristunes.com

To Support the Podcast:

https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/

Become a Patron

https://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcast

Substack: https://substack.com/@jonharris

Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989

Follow Jon on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Democratic Party appears to be changing its tune on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.

Politicians including Gavin Newsom, Pete Buttigieg, and James Talarico have recently used the language of fairness and safety when discussing women’s sports. That represents a significant change from the rhetoric surrounding transgender rights and school sports during the Obama and Biden years.

But is this a genuine change in conviction, or is it a political retreat?

In this episode, I look at the history of the Democratic position on transgender issues, the growing public resistance to males competing in women’s sports, and the political calculations surrounding the issue. I also examine the difference between voters motivated by deeply held convictions and voters who simply do not want political policies to produce consequences in their own families and communities.

The larger question is whether the Democratic retreat represents a change in principle or simply a strategic pause until the political environment changes.

Finally, I discuss why arguments about fairness and public opinion are not enough. If our understanding of men and women is ultimately grounded in God's created order, then political arguments cannot simply rest on whatever happens to be popular at a particular moment.

00:00 Democrats and the Trans Sports Reversal

02:18 Is This a Genuine Change of Heart?

04:26 The Gender Debate and the Nature Argument

07:20 Remembering the Biden and Obama Years

09:24 Why Democrats Are Changing Their Message

10:30 The Polling Problem for Transgender Sports

12:30 Convictional Voters vs. Convenience Voters

15:42 What Democrats Have Learned From the Backlash

18:05 Why “Fairness” Is Their New Argument

23:48 God's Rights, Nature, and the Foundation of Society

Jon's Music: jonharristunes.com

To Support the Podcast:

https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/

Become a Patron

https://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcast

Substack: https://substack.com/@jonharris

Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989

Follow Jon on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jon Harris sits down with William Wolfe of the Center for Baptist Leadership to discuss what has happened since Willie Rice became president of the SBC and what comes next.

The conversation covers the Truth and Unity Amendment, the effort to prevent women from serving as pastors in the SBC, appointments to committees and trustee boards, financial transparency, restoring trust in the Cooperative Program, the International Mission Board's vaccine requirements, and the continuing influence of progressive and DEI ideas within SBC entities.

Wolfe also explains why he believes the biggest danger may no longer be an obvious return to the previous "woke" era, but a period of what he calls "managed decline" in which institutions become less willing to take clear and courageous positions.

The discussion also examines Willie Rice's leadership, the upcoming fight over the Truth and Unity Amendment, and what conservatives and ordinary Southern Baptists should understand about the institutional battle ahead.

00:00 Intro

01:00 The Fight After Willie Rice's Election

02:50 Filling SBC Committees and Trustee Boards

03:34 The Truth and Unity Amendment

04:36 What Willie Rice Has Accomplished

06:11 The Future Direction of the SBC

07:40 Is Willie Rice His Own Man?

09:54 The Push to Ratify the Truth and Unity Amendment

10:52 Can Conservative Momentum Continue?

12:23 Restoring Trust in the SBC

13:30 The IMB and Vaccine Mandates

15:00 Are Progressive Forces Still Active in the SBC?

18:00 Opposition to the Truth and Unity Amendment

19:30 From Wokeness to "Managed Decline"

20:45 What Courageous Conservative Leadership Looks Like

Jon's Music: jonharristunes.com

To Support the Podcast: 

https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/

Become a Patron

https://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcast

Substack: https://substack.com/@jonharris 

Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989

Follow Jon on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Dr. D. Millard Haskell joins Conversations That Matter to explain what happened to Christianity's influence in Canada and why Americans should pay attention.

Haskell, a sociologist and author of Christ or Collapse: The Case Against Godless Government, argues that the evidence points toward the social benefits of traditional Christianity. His research led him from liberal Christianity toward a conviction that Christian norms produce greater stability and flourishing.

The conversation then turns to Canada as a cautionary tale for the United States. We discuss multiculturalism, the decline of Christian influence, government and media, the controversy surrounding the Ezra Institute, Alberta's political future, and Canada's increasingly difficult environment for Christians who publicly defend traditional Christian beliefs.

Haskell also discusses Bill C-9, freedom of expression, political apathy, institutional capture, the loss of Christian influence in academia and government, and the growing reluctance of Canadian pastors to address controversial cultural issues.

Finally, we look at the different historical foundations of Canada and the United States and why Haskell believes America's Christian heritage must be actively preserved rather than simply assumed to continue.

00:00 — Introduction: Canada as a Warning to America

01:13 — Why Haskell Wrote Christ or Claps

04:19 — The Empirical Case for Christianity

06:25 — Canada as America's Cautionary Tale

09:00 — Multiculturalism, Alberta, and the Canadian Divide

11:00 — The Ezra Institute and the "Christian Nationalist" Controversy

24:40 — Bill C-9 and the Future of Christian Speech

28:00 — How Canada Lost Its Institutions

32:00 — Political Fatigue, Immigration, and the Next Generation

38:55 — Why America Held Onto Christianity Longer

Jon's Music: jonharristunes.com

To Support the Podcast:

https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/

Become a Patron

https://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcast

Substack: https://substack.com/@jonharris

Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989

Follow Jon on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The 2026 midterms are approaching, and there is growing pressure on conservatives to sit out elections, reject Republican candidates, or pursue some kind of political accelerationism because Republicans have not accomplished everything conservatives hoped they would.

In this episode of Conversations That Matter, I make the case for why Christian conservatives should generally vote Republican in the midterms, while also explaining why voting is not a substitute for the much more important work of Christian discipleship and social renewal.

The key distinction is between practical politics and pragmatism. Pragmatism means changing your moral standards to achieve a desired political outcome. Practical judgment means recognizing the political circumstances you actually inhabit and using the tools available to you without changing your moral convictions. As I argue in the episode, morality does not change, but political circumstances and available options do.

I also discuss the temptation to abandon the Republican Party because it is imperfect, the dangers of accelerationism, what the experience of Europe can teach us, my own decision not to vote for Donald Trump in 2016, and why that calculation would be different in a competitive state.

Finally, I look at what the Trump administration and the MAGA movement have actually accomplished on issues including immigration, DEI, abortion, and foreign policy, and argue that conservatives should consider whether to build on those gains rather than simply destroy the political apparatus because it has not delivered everything they wanted.

The question is not whether Republicans are perfect. The question is what political options actually exist, what can be accomplished through them, and how Christians should exercise stewardship in the circumstances God has given us.

00:00 The Midterm Question

01:05 Voting Is Not Social Renewal

03:00 What Political Options Do We Actually Have?

05:45 Practical Politics vs. Pragmatism

09:00 The Problem With Accelerationism

10:25 Why Build on MAGA?

16:00 Stewardship and Imperfect Political Options

25:45 What Has MAGA Actually Accomplished?

Jon's Music: jonharristunes.com

To Support the Podcast: 

https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/

Become a Patron

https://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcast

Substack: https://substack.com/@jonharris 

Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989

Follow Jon on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of Conversations That Matter, I examine the Presbyterian Church in America, Covenant College, and the broader question of whether Christian institutions are actually moving away from the ideas associated with the social justice movement or simply giving them new names.

I begin with several pieces of evangelical news, including the latest Southern Baptist compensation data for pastors and staff, the PCA's decision concerning Burke Parsons, and a complaint involving the Missouri Presbytery and the ordination of a same-sex-attracted man.

The main discussion concerns Covenant College's revised curriculum. Covenant has defended its approach as Christian, while critics such as Joe Rigney have questioned whether courses emphasizing diversity, cultural perspectives, identity, and critical theory represent genuine reform or continued ideological drift.

I look at the curriculum, faculty, and the ideas being presented to students, while also acknowledging that Covenant has good professors and that not every course or professor should be painted with the same brush. The central question is more basic: What direction is the institution going?

I also explain why Christians should be able to learn from other cultures without adopting the assumption that Western civilization requires a special set of alternative perspectives in order to recognize its own moral deficiencies. The Christian has Scripture, the church, and a long Christian intellectual tradition through which to evaluate his own civilization.

00:00 Why Christian Institutions Matter

04:08 The SBC’s Changing Pastor Compensation

10:16 Burke Parsons and the PCA Judicial Process

12:49 Same-Sex Attraction and Missouri Presbytery

14:15 Are Christian Universities Reversing Mission Drift?

17:49 Covenant College Changes Its Core Curriculum

20:16 Did Covenant College Put Woke Away?

24:30 Why Direction Matters More Than Individual Professors

29:44 The Evidence of Social Justice Thinking

42:15 Personnel Is Policy

50:12 How Social Justice Can Threaten the Gospel

54:58 Western Civilization, Diversity, and Critical Theory

Jon's Music: jonharristunes.com

To Support the Podcast: 

https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/

Become a Patron

https://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcast

Substack: https://substack.com/@jonharris 

Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989

Follow Jon on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this news roundup, I look at the controversy surrounding H-1B visas, the viral University of Texas football footage, and the argument over immigration, assimilation, race, culture, and the future of American identity. I also revisit the Lindsay Clancy jury and what the case reveals about the way people increasingly interpret moral questions through racial categories.

Then we get to Tucker Carlson and Abdul El-Sayed. What does it mean when prominent figures on the Right begin backing or defending political positions that would seem completely at odds with the Republican coalition? Is the Right actually beginning to converge with the Left on some of the most important questions facing the country?

I also discuss Christian persecution in China, the question of Islam and Western civilization, surrogacy and the changing meaning of family, and some genuinely encouraging stories about American courage and education.

The goal is not simply to react to the news. It is to step back, understand what is happening, and ask what these stories mean for Christians, conservatives, and the future of America.

00:00 Intro: The Hammer of Reality

03:41 The H-1B Debate Explodes

21:03 The Lindsay Clancy Jury

27:22 Race, Morality, and Civilizational Identity

48:13 Tucker Carlson and Abdul El-Sayed

58:33 El-Sayed, 9/11, and the Michigan Senate Race

1:02:33 A Test for Right-Wing Media

1:06:11 Christian Persecution in China

1:08:04 Islam and the West

1:11:05 Surrogacy, Family, and the Future

1:14:10 American Courage and the Good News

Jon's Music: jonharristunes.com

To Support the Podcast: 

https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/

Become a Patron

https://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcast

Substack: https://substack.com/@jonharris 

Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989

Follow Jon on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Twenty-five years after September 11, 2001, what has happened to the country that came together in the aftermath of the attacks?

In this episode of Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris reflects on his memories of 9/11 as a twelve-year-old living north of New York City, the fear and patriotism that followed, and the way the attacks transformed American politics and culture.

He discusses the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the growth of the surveillance state, declining trust in government and other institutions, immigration and changing demographics, the rise of political cynicism, and the way Americans came to view their own history and institutions differently.

But the episode is ultimately about more than 9/11. Harris argues that recovering a healthy American identity requires more than nostalgia. It requires personal responsibility, strong families, local and national identity, functioning institutions, and a genuine Christian faith.

The country came together after 9/11, but cultural unity based only on emotion could not last. The deeper question is whether Americans can recover the convictions and institutions necessary to hold a nation together.

Chapters:

0:00 Remembering 9/11

1:03 The morning America was attacked

3:47 Realizing we were under attack

5:27 The patriotism after 9/11

8:52 The post-9/11 political narrative

10:56 Iraq, Afghanistan, and the loss of trust

12:51 The surveillance state and changing America

18:42 The rise of political cynicism

23:25 How do we get out of this?

27:09 Christianity, identity, and America

28:48 Remembering the unity after 9/11

29:57 What we should teach our children

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Are white people really dying out? Is the West facing demographic collapse? And why are birth rates falling throughout the developed world?

In this episode of Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris is joined by statistician William M. Briggs to examine the numbers behind population decline, fertility rates, demographic change, and the future of Western civilization.

William Briggs discusses his experience in academia, supporting Donald Trump in 2016, and eventually being canceled by Cornell. The conversation then turns to one of the most important questions facing the modern world: Why are people having fewer children?

The discussion covers feminism and equality, housing and economic pressures, immigration, aging populations, technology, religion, pornography, online life, Israel's comparatively high fertility rate, Christianity, and the ways bad science can distort public understanding of environmental and medical threats.

Are falling birth rates primarily the result of environmental factors, or are people simply making different decisions about marriage and children? And will humanity eventually return to higher fertility rates?

Join the conversation.

Follow William M. Briggs and read his work at WMBriggs.com.

Support Conversations That Matter and stay connected with Jon Harris at JonHarrisMedia.com.

00:00 Introduction and Meet William M. Briggs

01:10 Supporting Trump and Being Canceled by Cornell

05:30 Can Conservatives Still Survive Academia?

09:00 Are White People and Europeans Dying Out?

11:30 Why Are Birth Rates Falling?

14:00 The ICU Theory: Population, Housing, and Economics

17:30 Understanding Fertility Rates and Demographic Data

24:30 Feminism, Sexual Behavior, and Population Decline

29:00 Will Fertility Rates Eventually Recover?

33:00 Technology, Online Life, and the Future of Human Relationships

36:00 Israel, Religion, and Higher Birth Rates

41:00 Environmental Causes and Bad Science

49:00 Christianity, Reality, and the Future of Civilization

52:00 Government Policy, Safety Culture, and Having Children

55:00 Final Thoughts

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris tackles a wide-ranging news roundup touching on Christian persecution, the future of the American right, immigration, Islam, JD Vance, and the growing tensions within conservative politics.

Jon begins with the 2026 Open Doors World Watch List and the persecution of Christians around the world, with particular attention to Nigeria and the question of how Christians in America should think about helping persecuted believers while also maintaining responsible immigration and government policy.

He then turns to the American right and the growing divide between competing factions, including the tensions surrounding JD Vance, Tucker Carlson, Israel, nationalism, and the future direction of the Republican Party.

Jon also examines criticism of JD Vance's proposal to expand federal childcare assistance to married families with a stay-at-home parent. Is the proposal socialism? Jon argues that the more fundamental question is what conservatives should do when government programs already exist.

The episode also explores the online right, evangelical institutions, woke ideology, social justice, American identity, and the importance of recovering a more grounded understanding of virtue, family, and national responsibility.

Topics include:

• Christian persecution and the 2026 World Watch List

• Nigeria and persecuted Christians

• Immigration and refugee policy

• Islam and Western civilization

• JD Vance and the future of the Republican Party

• Tucker Carlson and the online right

• Israel, nationalism, and competing factions on the right

• JD Vance's stay-at-home parent childcare proposal

• Socialism and the role of government

• Woke ideology and evangelical institutions

• American identity and recovering virtue

virtueconference.com

Jon's Music: jonharristunes.com

To Support the Podcast: 

https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/

Become a Patron

https://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcast

Substack: https://substack.com/@jonharris 

Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989

Follow Jon on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/

00:00 — News Roundup: What We Are Talking About Today

02:46 — Restoring Virtue: Why Some Conferences Should Stay Offline

06:22 — Christian Persecution Around the World

09:18 — Nigeria and the Reality of Christian Persecution

12:02 — Should America Help Persecuted Christians?

16:01 — ETP Coffee and Supporting Persecuted Christians

17:10 — Islam, Immigration, and Western Civilization

23:46 — 25 Years After 9/11: How America Thinks About Islam

24:00 — Woke Virginia and the Fight Over American Monuments

28:40 — The Online Right and the Loss of American Identity

01:16:32 — Is JD Vance a Socialist?

01:17:05 — Stay-at-Home Moms and the $12 Billion Childcare Fund

01:21:49 — The Political Future of the Right

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What is happening to American women?

In this episode of Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris sits down with Bethany Miller to discuss the Lindsay Clancy case, toxic empathy, social media, the radicalization of Gen Z, and the growing divide between young men and women.

The conversation begins with the surprising public response to the Lindsay Clancy trial and asks a larger question: Why are so many people responding to serious moral questions through identification, victimhood, and emotional narratives rather than evidence and accountability?

Bethany explains how TikTok, Instagram, entertainment, and online communities can reinforce these narratives by rewarding emotional identification and simplifying complicated questions. The discussion then broadens to the way our culture has learned to humanize villains, tear down heroes, and increasingly interpret reality through ideological and online communities.

But the conversation does not stop with women.

Jon and Bethany also discuss the radicalization of some young men, the manosphere, political resentment, dating expectations, and the difficulty Gen Z faces in forming healthy relationships. Both sides of the political spectrum can fall into the same trap: taking legitimate frustrations and allowing them to become an excuse for bitterness, isolation, or extremism.

The episode ultimately turns toward a more constructive question: How can young men and women actually build healthy marriages and families?

That means having difficult conversations while dating, looking for character and resilience rather than simply checking boxes, staying grounded in reality, and refusing to let the internet define the opposite sex for us. The conversation also considers the importance of fathers, family formation, and God's providence.

This is a conversation about women, men, social media, dating, family, politics, and the cultural forces shaping the next generation.

#GenZ #Dating #Christianity #Culture #ToxicEmpathy

00:00 — What Happened to Gen Z Women?

01:30 — From Theology to Politics and Media

04:00 — The Lindsay Clancy Case

06:00 — How TikTok Created a Narrative

13:00 — Toxic Empathy and Victimhood

17:00 — Why We Humanize Villains

20:30 — The Radicalization of Young Men and Women

28:30 — The Gen Z Dating Crisis

46:30 — Providence, Marriage, and Finding Reality

52:00 — Fathers, Family, and Raising Resilient Children

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Scott Greer joins Conversations That Matter to explain the rise of the online right and how it transformed American conservatism.

Drawing from his new book White Pill: The Online Right and the Making of Trump's America, Greer walks through the history of the alt-right, the rise of Donald Trump, the influence of Tucker Carlson and Charlie Kirk, the political upheavals of 2020, and the growing influence of online-right ideas within mainstream conservatism.

We also discuss why young conservatives became dissatisfied with the old conservative establishment, the importance of immigration and demographic change, the evolution from the alt-right to the dissident right, the relationship between Christianity and the online right, and whether this movement ultimately strengthens or undermines the American right.

Greer argues that the online right has brought new energy to conservatism and made ideas more appealing to young people, while also warning about the disconnect that can develop between online political culture and ordinary Americans.

00:00 — The Rise of the Online Right

03:25 — How Scott Greer Entered Conservative Politics

05:25 — How Tucker Carlson Changed the Right

08:05 — Charlie Kirk and the Griper War

09:50 — Why 2020 Radicalized Conservatives

12:45 — Where the Alt-Right Came From

18:25 — Alt-Right, Dissident Right, and the Trump Movement

30:25 — How the Online Right Transformed Conservatism

40:00 — Christianity and the Online Right

53:40 — The Negative and Positive Sides of the Online Right

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Curse of Ham is a theological idea that has been used throughout history in attempts to explain slavery, racial distinctions, and even racial hierarchy. But what does the biblical text actually say?

In this episode of Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris examines Genesis 9 and the historical interpretations surrounding Ham and Canaan. Was Ham actually cursed? What was Ham's sin? Does the text support the increasingly popular maternal incest theory? Why was Canaan cursed instead of Ham? And when did the idea emerge that the Curse of Ham applied to African peoples?

We examine the biblical text, early Jewish and Christian interpretations, church history, and the later development of racial applications of this passage.

The goal is not to force modern political concerns into Scripture, but to understand Genesis on its own terms and examine the historical record honestly.

00:00 The Curse of Ham Theology Is Back

05:20 What Does Genesis 9 Actually Say?

13:55 The Maternal Incest Theory Examined

19:12 Why Was Canaan Cursed Instead of Ham?

28:30 How Jewish and Christian Writers Interpreted the Curse

35:40 When Did the Curse Become Connected to Black Skin?

39:30 The Curse of Ham and African Slavery

45:00 Modern Race and Biblical Interpretation

52:00 The Prophetic Meaning of Noah's Blessings and Curse

59:00 What Did Calvin and Other Theologians Actually Believe?

Jon's Music: jonharristunes.com

To Support the Podcast: 

https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/

Become a Patron

https://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcast

Substack: https://substack.com/@jonharris 

Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989

Follow Jon on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What is happening in the Christian world right now?

In this news roundup, Jon Harris covers a wide range of stories affecting Christians, including the collapse of the G3 Church Network, Phil Johnson's recent comments on Christian nationalism, a controversial surrogacy battle, Skillet's decision to drop its opening act, the Protestant Accountability website, and the death of Dolly Parton.

We also discuss whether Christians should be more politically involved, the relationship between political action and evangelism, the problem of evil and natural disasters, terrorism in New York, declining marriage and dating among young people, the George Floyd case, and recent developments involving Israel.

Throughout the episode, the goal is not simply to react to the news, but to think through these issues from a Christian worldview.

Jon's Music: jonharristunes.com

To Support the Podcast: 

https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/

Become a Patron

https://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcast

Substack: https://substack.com/@jonharris 

Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989

Follow Jon on Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/

Plus, Jon discusses the upcoming Restoring Virtue Conference and the new Truthscript review of Mr. Burton.

Subscribe to Conversations That Matter for more Christian commentary, cultural analysis, and news from a biblical perspective.

00:00 — Christian Nationalism and the Christian’s Political Duty

03:15 — Why Virtue Is Necessary for Liberty

06:45 — The Surrogacy Battle: Who Should Get the Baby?

18:55 — Skillet Drops Its Opening Act

21:30 — The Protestant Accountability Website Controversy

25:20 — Dolly Parton, Death, and Can We Know Someone Is in Heaven?

37:20 — G3 Church Network Shuts Down

40:05 — Phil Johnson, Grace Community Church, and Christian Nationalism

53:20 — Terrorism, New York Politics, Dating, and George Floyd

59:30 — Natural Disasters, Israel, and the Problem of Evil

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

A controversial family photo went viral on X, and the reaction exposed something deeper than an argument over adoption.

Why were some people who consider themselves conservative accusing a Christian family of betraying their own race because they adopted two children? Why did people read sinister motives into an ordinary family photograph? And what does this reveal about the direction of the online Right?

In this episode of Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris examines the controversy surrounding a family with one biological daughter and two adopted sons, and argues that some online conservatives are losing the very principles they claim to defend.

Adoption is not about abandoning your family or your society. It can be an expression of responsibility, paternalism, Christian charity, and a willingness to shoulder burdens for the sake of children and the community. The adopted children in this case were American children who came through the Nevada foster care system, not foreign children imported into the country.

Jon also discusses:

• Why adopted children should be treated as genuine members of the family

• The Christian significance of adoption

• How social media encourages paranoia and impulsive reactions

• Why conservatism requires realism rather than utopian thinking

• The relationship between adoption, family, and social stability

• Why paternalism is not the same thing as cruelty

• The Christian understanding of masculine strength and responsibility

• The Western tradition of paternal responsibility

• Why Christians should think about preserving society while also caring for vulnerable children

The larger question is simple: **What exactly are we trying to conserve?**

Jon also shares an encouraging story from a recent visit to Word of Life in the Adirondacks and reflects on why Christians should not assume that Christianity is disappearing simply because the internet makes everything look like a crisis.

This is a discussion about adoption, conservatism, Christianity, masculinity, paternalism, social media, and the responsibility we have toward the people and communities we will leave to the next generation.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy