The Overthinkers

Should We Read Fiction? (With Amanda Dykes)

Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes welcome on celebrated author Amanda Dykes to discuss why we seem so embarrassed to read fiction and why that's a mistake.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/sep/17/us-losing-appetite-for-reading-fiction-research-finds#:~:text=But%20novels%20and%20short%2Dstory,24%2Dyear%2Dolds%E2%80%9D.
 
https://news.gallup.com/poll/388541/americans-reading-fewer-books-past.aspx
 
https://markmanson.net/read-fiction
 
https://hbr.org/2020/03/the-case-for-reading-fiction

Should We Care About Pop Culture? (With Dr. Daniel Blackaby)

People tend to either think that pop culture is harmful or that it doesn't matter. But is pop culture more important than we think? And might it be a positive force for good? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson bring on author and culture critic Dr. Daniel Blackaby to discuss.
 
 
 
Times of India
Are young people of a society more influenced by pop culture?
Rohit Chowdhury
 
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/readersblog/areyoungpeopleofasocietymoreinfluencedabypopculture/are-young-people-of-a-society-more-influenced-by-pop-culture-50519/
 
 
New York Times
Americans Despair of Popular Culture
 
https://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/20/movies/americans-despair-of-popular-culture.html
 
 
Welcome to the Era of Unapologetic Bad Taste
Judy Berman
 
https://time.com/6176272/bad-taste-pop-culture-summer-2022/
 
 

Why Don’t Men Go To Church? (With Jesse Dvorak)

Why do men go to church so much less than women do? We bring on men's coach and filmmaker Jesse Dvorak to discuss why church isn't working for men and what to do about it.
 
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2018/04/06/christian-women-in-the-u-s-are-more-religious-than-their-male-counterparts/

Are Women Having An Identity Crisis? (With Keelia Clarkson)

Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes talk to writer and podcast host of "The Wallflower Journal" and "Dear Wallflower" about why women seem to be having an identity crisis that nobody is talking about. 
 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4478054/
 
https://www.cnn.com/2016/06/08/health/women-anxiety-disorders/index.html

Should We Be Scared of AI?

Everyone's talking about AI. Is it something we should be scared of? If so, what should we be scared of about it? Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes discuss.
 
 
https://www.ibm.com/topics/artificial-intelligence
 
https://www.forbes.com/sites/cognitiveworld/2019/10/31/should-we-be-afraid-of-ai/?sh=2b90d8274331
 
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/06/youre-right-to-be-scared-of-ai-white-house-advisor-ivy-league-expert.html#:~:text=Among%20the%20other%20concerns%3A%20AI,countless%20human%20jobs%20to%20machines

Can God Make A Stone So Heavy He Can’t Lift It?

It's one of the most famous paradoxes in history. But is it really that big a deal? And what's the answer? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson answer the omniscience paradox on this latest episode.
 
The Omnipotence Paradox
 
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/omnipotence/#IntrPrel
 
 
A God Problem
 
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/opinion/-philosophy-god-omniscience.html
 
 
The Rock God Can’t Lift: Actually, It’s NOT Complicated!
 
https://www.ncregister.com/blog/the-rock-god-can-t-lift-actually-it-s-not-complicated
 
 
The Omnipotence, Omniscience, and Omnipresence of God
 
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/omnipotence-omniscience-omnipresence-god/

How Should You Define Success?

Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes discuss how society defines success and how we could or should define it differently.
 
Dictionary
 
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/success
 
The moral consequences of teleological beliefs about the human species
 
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2023-92110-001?fbclid=IwAR0gIv8NdbnL9jl92aRi5K3_s1zB6xaRXND_MsX47o-bDC-1xRJTF-sv-k8
 
 
‘Is This It?’ When Success Isn’t Satisfying
 
https://www.wsj.com/articles/is-this-it-when-success-isnt-satisfying-6fbd62f1?mod=WSJ_ACQ_NA_META_US_CONTENT_DPA_PAID&fbclid=IwAR25IDvxHUlgl0Cb8k0FwcU68X1AbHsP09KRUAk9NqvBdGx9RjGiM-i0E_w
 
 
The Triumph of Coming in Third
 
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/06/winning-third-place-competition-effort-happiness/674489/
 
Teleology
 
https://www.britannica.com/topic/teleology
 
 
Salary Makes You Happier… to a certain point.
 
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/28/how-your-salary-affects-happiness.html#:~:text=Psychologists%20have%20long%20agreed%20more,even%20if%20your%20income%20increases.
 
 

Should Preachers Have Nice Things? (With Ben Kirby)

Why do we feel uncomfortable with preachers having lots of money? Is there something wrong with pastors having expensive things? Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes bring on Ben Kirby--author and man behind the viral "preachers and sneakers" account--on this latest episode.
 
History of prosperity gospel: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/what-you-should-know-about-the-prosperity-gospel/
 

What Does The Bible Say About Conspiracy Theories? (With Dr. Dru Johnson)

Does The Bible have anything to say about conspiracy theories for the church? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson bring on biblical scholar Dr. Dru Johnson to discuss.
 
https://www.businessinsider.com/pastors-quit-after-qanon-radicalize-congregation-2021-3
 
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2021-03-03/la-na-church-qanon-conspiracy-theories
 
https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2019/december/jesus-cares-about-your-conspiracy-theory.html

How Do We Forgive? (With Karen Laing)

Forgiveness is one of the most most difficult values our culture aspires to. But what is it and how do we do it? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson are joined by author and forgiveness expert Karen Laing on this latest episode. 
 
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/forgiveness
 
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/forgiveness/#TheoForg
 
https://ndpr.nd.edu/reviews/before-forgiveness-the-origin-of-a-moral-idea/