Conversations That Matter

In this News Roundup, Jon Harris covers the latest developments in American politics, the Christian church, and the broader cultural landscape. From the controversy surrounding YouTube’s copyright complaint against *All Are Not Welcome* to the biblical case for capital punishment, this episode examines the ideas and institutions shaping America’s future.Jon discusses the United Nations’ pandemic preparedness resolution and the U.S. decision to oppose it, a recent school shooting and the role of armed citizens in stopping violence, and a new report examining suicide rates following restrictions on transgender medical procedures for minors.In evangelical news, Southern Baptist Convention President Willie Rice calls on pastors to engage in the political process ahead of the midterm elections. Jon also examines the latest legal developments involving McLean Bible Church and considers whether growing public expressions of Christian faith in the music industry point to a broader cultural shift.Topics covered:- YouTube’s copyright complaint against All Are Not Welcome- The biblical case for capital punishment and public accountability- The Pope’s opposition to the death penalty and American sovereignty- The United Nations’ pandemic preparedness resolution- A school shooting and the role of armed citizens- New findings on restrictions on transgender medical interventions for minors- Willie Rice, the SBC, and Christian political engagement- The latest McLean Bible Church legal developments- Billy Corgan, Kid Rock, and the growing visibility of Christian faith in musicJon's Music: jonharristunes.comTo Support the Podcast: https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/Become a Patronhttps://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcastSubstack: https://substack.com/@jonharris Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989Follow Jon on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonharris1989/00:00 Introduction and News Roundup (Low Bandwidth)04:57 YouTube Targets All Are Not Welcome09:01 The Death Penalty, the Bible, and Public Justice17:42 The Pope, Capital Punishment, and American Sovereignty20:05 The UN Pandemic Resolution and Medical Freedom22:43 School Shooting: The Good Guy with a Gun24:20 Report on Transgender Treatment Bans and Suicide Rates25:36 Willie Rice Calls Southern Baptists to Political Engagement27:49 McLean Bible Church: Latest Legal Developments30:21 Billy Corgan, Kid Rock, and Christianity in Music36:12 Midterm Elections and Audience QuestionsOur Sponsors:* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & 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 America06:00 – The Forgotten America Between the Revolution and Civil War07:14 – Manifest Destiny and America's Expansion West13:26 – How the Mexican-American War Began20:35 – Life on the Mexican Frontier24:21 – Population, Settlement, and the Growth of the Southwest28:00 – Texas, California, and Mormon Settlement35:00 – The Mexican War: Training Ground for Civil War Generals42:02 – America's First Foray Into Imperialism?52:58 – The San Patricio Battalion, Borders, and the Modern SouthwestOur Sponsors:* Check out Mars Men and use my code Mengotomars.com for a great deal: https://mengotomars.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & 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 #ChristianCulture00:00 Why I Was Drawn to Anglicanism02:19 Conversion, C.S. Lewis, and the Gospel07:02 Evangelical Christianity at Yale08:56 The Episcopal Church's Crisis in the 1990s13:18 Unitarianism, Darwinism, and the Loss of Christian Belief22:45 From Yale to the Ministry30:20 The Conservative Blacklist35:20 Gene Robinson and the Breaking of the Episcopal Church40:58 How Managerialism Changed the Church49:20 2020, DEI, and the Decision to Speak Out54:34 Operation Reconquista and Leaving the Episcopal Church01:16:08 Advice for the Next GenerationJon's Music: jonharristunes.comTo Support the Podcast: https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/Become a Patronhttps://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcastSubstack: https://substack.com/@jonharris Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989Follow 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.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & 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 Conscience05:16 — When the “Weak Brother” Becomes a Human Shield06:25 — Alcohol, Communion, and Christian Freedom08:34 — What Actually Makes Someone Godly?10:42 — The Biblical Marks of a Godly Man11:57 — Modesty, Virtue, and Godly Women13:08 — The Problem With a Pornographic Culture15:34 — What Strong Christians Are Actually Known For17:24 — Halloween, Alcohol, and Circumstantial Wisdom19:04 — How to Avoid Becoming a PhariseeJon's Music: jonharristunes.comTo Support the Podcast: https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/Become a Patronhttps://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcastSubstack: https://substack.com/@jonharris Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989Follow 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.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & 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 Intro01:00 The Fight After Willie Rice's Election02:50 Filling SBC Committees and Trustee Boards03:34 The Truth and Unity Amendment04:36 What Willie Rice Has Accomplished06:11 The Future Direction of the SBC07:40 Is Willie Rice His Own Man?09:54 The Push to Ratify the Truth and Unity Amendment10:52 Can Conservative Momentum Continue?12:23 Restoring Trust in the SBC13:30 The IMB and Vaccine Mandates15:00 Are Progressive Forces Still Active in the SBC?18:00 Opposition to the Truth and Unity Amendment19:30 From Wokeness to "Managed Decline"20:45 What Courageous Conservative Leadership Looks LikeJon's Music: jonharristunes.comTo Support the Podcast: https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/Become a Patronhttps://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcastSubstack: https://substack.com/@jonharris Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989Follow 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.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & 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 Question01:05 Voting Is Not Social Renewal03:00 What Political Options Do We Actually Have?05:45 Practical Politics vs. Pragmatism09:00 The Problem With Accelerationism10:25 Why Build on MAGA?16:00 Stewardship and Imperfect Political Options25:45 What Has MAGA Actually Accomplished?Jon's Music: jonharristunes.comTo Support the Podcast: https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/Become a Patronhttps://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcastSubstack: https://substack.com/@jonharris Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989Follow 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.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & 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 Reality03:41 The H-1B Debate Explodes21:03 The Lindsay Clancy Jury27:22 Race, Morality, and Civilizational Identity48:13 Tucker Carlson and Abdul El-Sayed58:33 El-Sayed, 9/11, and the Michigan Senate Race1:02:33 A Test for Right-Wing Media1:06:11 Christian Persecution in China1:08:04 Islam and the West1:11:05 Surrogacy, Family, and the Future1:14:10 American Courage and the Good NewsJon's Music: jonharristunes.comTo Support the Podcast: https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/Become a Patronhttps://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcastSubstack: https://substack.com/@jonharris Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989Follow 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.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

America is losing its hunters.The number of Americans who hunt has been declining for decades, and that trend raises questions that go far beyond hunting itself. What happens to conservation when fewer people hunt? What happens to our relationship with land, animals, food, and the outdoors? And what does the disappearance of hunting tell us about the broader changes taking place in American culture?In this episode of Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris examines the decline of hunting in America and why the loss of hunters could have consequences that most Americans have not considered.Hunting is not simply a recreational pastime. It has historically connected generations of Americans to the land, provided food, supported local economies, and played an important role in funding wildlife conservation. The question is whether those traditions can survive when fewer young Americans take them up.The 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation recorded 14.4 million hunters age 16 and older. At the same time, researchers and wildlife organizations have raised growing concerns about declining participation and the difficulty of replacing older hunters with younger generations.So why are Americans hunting less? And what are we losing when the American hunter disappears?Join Jon Harris for another episode of Conversations That Matter.#Hunting #America #ConservationJon's Music: jonharristunes.comTo Support the Podcast: https://www.jonharrismedia.com/support/Become a Patronhttps://www.patreon.com/jonharrispodcastSubstack: https://substack.com/@jonharris Follow Jon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonharris1989Follow 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.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy