It's no secret that men in Western culture tend to struggle with emotional intimacy. It seems almost ingrained in our culture. Ryan stumbled on a comment from a Reddit post that seemed to offer an interesting perspective on why men find being emotionally intimate so difficult and how that impacts our romantic relationships before they've even start…

In November, SDA Pastor Burnett Robinson stepped down after making egregious statements from his pulpit that went viral. There was an apology issued, but a couple of months later, Robinson showed up on a live stream in Jamaica for another SDA organization and defended his behavior, claimed he never apologized, and attacked those who publicized his …

In late 2021, Billie Eilish spoke about her experience with exposure to pornography and how it has affected her emotional health, sexual experiences, and more. As two Christians and one pastor, we figured why not talk about this?We discuss: Billie Eilish’s actual comments and our observations What her statements potentially mean for sex workers How…

The Oxford High School Shooting is a tragedy in its own category. Never before have we had such immediate insight into the behaviors of the parents in the time leading up to and after the incident occurred. Henry and Ryan discuss the importance of reporting, the atrocious behavior of Crumbley's parents, and the school's decision-making amidst the c…

We thought we'd do an update on the Josh Duggar case, though we didn't know the conviction would come so quickly. Josh Duggar has officially been convicted, but we believe this discussion is still highly relevant and important. We hope you do too! Absurdity is available on all major podcasting platforms and at https://theabsurdity.orgPatreon: https…

Henry and Ryan jump into where they've been the last few months and share some really MAJOR updates about their lives! October and November were crazy, but that's just 2021 for you! Absurdity is available on all major podcasting platforms and at https://theabsurdity.orgPatreon: https://www.Patreon.com/AbsurdNetworkTwitter: https://Twitter.com/RealR…

With the IATSE and the AMPTP in a standoff, the IA has officially put a potential strike on the table if talks don’t go more in their favor. This isn’t like the ‘07 writer’s strike; if these crews walk out, then productions halt immediately. Let’s talk about it. More info: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/04/iatse-strike-hollywood-union-workers-approve…

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Good quality conversations are seemingly fewer and far between. Especially when it comes to tough or controversial topics. Seth J. Pierce, a university professor at Union College, joins Ryan to talk about his new book, Seeking an Understanding: How To Have Difficult Conversations Without Destroying Your Relationships. You can get Seth’s book here! …

We are diving headlong into the vaccine conversation, sharing our frustrations and experiences with the antivax movement, the impact that’s had on us individually, and what we believe can and should be done moving forward.Want to take your podcast to the next level? https://PodMentoring.com/ServicesAbsurdity is available on all major podcasting pla…

With the US withdrawal from Afghanistan taking center stage the last couple of months, we discuss the impact of the withdrawal, what it means for veterans of the war, and how Christians should respond.Absurdity is available on all major podcasting platforms and at https://theabsurdity.orgPatreon: https://www.Patreon.com/AbsurdNetworkTwitter: https:…

Scarlett Johanssen recently spoke out about her journey playing Black Widow and other female characters in the film industry, and her goal to desexualize her characters. What can we learn from her comments and how can we be better? Want to take your podcast to the next level? https://PodMentoring.com/Services Absurdity is available on all major pod…

Between the pressure of being the GOAT, the weight of her story, and the fear of the "twisties," was Simone Biles right to withdraw from the Olympics? What example does it set for younger athletes? Want to take your podcast to the next level? https://PodMentoring.com/Services Absurdity is available on all major podcasting platforms and at https://t…

Struggling with shame and wondering how to deal with it? After a needed break in July, we are back with an absolute banger of an episode for you! Tyler Patrick, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, joins Henry and me to discuss the painful realities of a shame-filled life and practical ways for us to address shame, process it, and ultimately b…

The opportunity to build generational wealth is massively important. Unfortunately, not everyone has always had that opportunity. We will talk generational wealth, the GI Bill, debt, and more to jump into some of the groups most impacted by the inability to both grow their wealth and pass it on to their children.Sources:https://www.businessinsider.…

The way Christians treat the LGBTQ+ community needs some serious improvement. Regardless of beliefs, something needs to change, and in order to talk about that change, this week, we are diving into how Pride Month came to be, why it's so important, and how Christians and others can treat the LGBTQ+ community with more love and grace than we have in…

This week, we dive a little into the history of Critical Race Theory, seeking to understand a bit more of its origins, as well as diving into the real-world application of it today. Should we ban Critical Race Theory, or is it something that we should keep around? Also, we apologize for the late upload!0:00 - Intro1:53 - PodMentoring Announcement!5…

Male headship, or Complementarianism, is the belief that women should submit to men in the household, not hold positions of authority or leadership, and should primarily exist under a man's authority. In this episode, we take a look at why that theology is so damaging and offer some paths forward.See on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Svd…

With Texas updating their gun laws to join 20 other states in not requiring a permit, we decided to attempt a new conversation on guns even though we both come from radically different backgrounds with guns and gun ownership. We discuss problems with the current gun control conversation and how to bridge the widening divide between gun owners and n…

We believe that bad theology, both through human understanding and biblical understanding, only makes things worse. The Israel-Palestine conflict and tension is a complex and nuanced topic, so we won't pretend to have all or even some of the answers to the decades-long struggle, but we wanted to shed light on some aspects of this that we, as Christ…

Josh Duggar was arrested for strong charges of child pornography possession. This week, we trudge through the details to try and figure out some of the root theological causes for Josh Duggar's case as well as how the Church can and should respond to cases like this and prevent them in the future.Watch on YouTube! https://youtu.be/PbsAe2dALF8CONTEN…

Was the Derek Chauvin Trial verdict the correct one? If so, what do we do now and how. are cases like the Daniel Shaver shooting connected to this? Beyond that, in a time where things are already tense in America over the trial, we also have to navigate the Ma'khia Bryant shooting. Was that another unjustified police killing of a black person, or i…

Last week's guest had to reschedule at the last second, so we decided to improvise! That's always dangerous for a host that has some major ADHD. This week, we dive into Cryptocurrency and our thoughts on investing vs. gambling, the recent mass shooting in Indiana, and what we believe some alternative forms of policing worth investing in are.See thi…

Pastor Anthony Carter joins Ryan and Henry to talk about what it's like being a Black man and a Chaplain for two police departments at the same time. He shares his experience as a father with a teenager learning to drive, shares how he first became aware of racism in police encounters, and opens up about the tension he constantly lives in as he tri…

Ecumenism is demonized a lot between Christian denominations. What if, by demonizing it and each other so much, we are losing not just relevancy, but potency? What if we are giving up countless opportunities to change lives and make a real positive impact for the Gospel? And if all of that is true, what other kind of damage has the traditional atti…

Christian Nationalism is nothing new, but we have better language now than every before in history to talk about it and discuss its implications. Ryan and Henry dive into Christian Nationalism, explaining what it is, why it's so worrisome, and what that means for all of us.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/absurdnetworkCheck out our Sponsors for thi…

Ryan and Henry talk about the horrible mass shooting that took place in Atlanta, GA, on March 16.Episode Links:https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/there-were-3-800-anti-asian-racist-incidents-mostly-against-n1261257https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/03/17/us/shooting-atlanta-acworthPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/absurdnetworkCheck out our S…

Ryan goes through a major paradigm shift and we talk about how everyone, everywhere has the potential to influence others.Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/absurdnetworkCheck out our Sponsors for this episode:Southwestern! https://swau.edu/apn,The Love Potluck! http://bit.ly/3buvqcFYoutube: https://bit.ly/2XQrnAqAbsurdity is a proud member of the Ab…

This week, Henry and Ryan dive into Cancel Culture and try to find out if it's worth keeping around, or if it's something we should look to, you know, cancel. Which raises an interesting question: If you cancel Cancel Culture, does that automatically perpetuate cancel culture?Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/absurdnetworkCheck out our Sponsors for …

WE GOT BIG CHANGES, but is that really a surprise at this point? Henry Johnson, no stranger to Absurdity, now joins Ryan as our new cohost! This week we are talking the post-pandemic church and what we believe churches and Christians should be doing now to prepare for a new normal.Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://absurdpodcast…

In this episode, Ryan dives into some of what drives people to join movements with dangerous and damaging ideologies. With the right understanding of someone's core motivations, we can transform our arguments into constructive conversations that can correct misconceptions and help people see the truth.Check out our Sponsors for this episode: Southw…

With Trump having just signed the new COVID relief bill (which I didn't know yet at the time of recording this), I decided to talk about the value of accepting government aid, why it's important, and why government sometimes doesn't work for us the way it should.Kaiser Family Foundation Benefits Survey: https://www.kff.org/health-costs/report/2020-…

Tony and I recorded this back in August, but thanks to my health, I honestly had completely forgotten I had the episode waiting to be edited. So we are getting this out to you now! While the scandal is relatively old news, the lessons to learn from it aren't. We hope you enjoy!Become an Absurdity member! https://www.theabsurdity.org/ and click "log…

Our apologies everyone! Because of some health issues, Ryan was forced to put a halt to all completely nonessential content creation he was involved in for the last couple months. While things aren't perfect, we believe we have figured out a way forward. This week, Ryan will be sharing more on what happened over the last two months, where things ar…

Both Tony and Ryan have both felt the impact of drug addiction and overdoses in their lives through friends they have lost, so one this episode, as it is International Overdose Awareness Day, join them both for a conversation that will dispel many of the myths behind addictions and show you how you can become a better support for loved ones struggl…

Tony and Ryan explore the entire idea of Discipline within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. What is the proper approach to discipline, has the current model been effective, and how do we make improvements if we need any?Ryan's Youtube: https://bit.ly/2XQrnAqCheck out our Sponsors for this episode: https://swau.edu/apnAbsurdity is a proud member of…

With recent events in the gaming community, the Adventist community, and the entertainment industry highlighting the need for responsible accountability. Tony and Ryan give some recent examples of accountability and talk about what makes effective accountability and how we can use it in our relationships as well as in the public sphere.Ryan's Youtu…

(NOTE: This episode was recorded prior to the incident of a retired SAU professor posting a problematic, racist, and conspiracy-driven post on his social media and Southern's response to that. The next episode will address that more directly. Tony and Ryan jump into what makes a good "statement" when organizations respond to tragedies or controvers…

The passing of Ravi Zacharias, a celebrated Christian apologist, speaker, and author, has raised an important question about how Christians are often willing to excuse bad behavior because of likability. Tony and Ryan Jump into this discussion head first, not wanting to disrespect Ravi unnecessarily, in order to address some very real concerns abou…

This week Ryan brings on Josef Ghosn, a First Amendment lawyer in NYC who Ryan happened to grow up alongside! They talk all things First Amendment law, social media, and what things Americans should really be concerned about regarding free speech.Ryan's Youtube: https://bit.ly/2XQrnAqCheck out our Sponsors for this episode: https://danemarsolutions…

Tony and Ryan dive into the Amy Cooper situation and the George Floyd case from last week. How does individual exceptionalism and moral superiority perpetuate not just racism, but hatred of all types? What can you do about it?Ryan's Youtube: https://bit.ly/2XQrnAqAbsurdity is a proud member of the Absurd Podcast Network: www.absurdnetwork.comTo sup…

Tony and Ryan open up about what led to the decision to take a break and they give you the scoop on what the future of Absurdity will look like.Ryan's Youtube: https://bit.ly/2XQrnAqAbsurdity is a proud member of the Absurd Podcast Network: www.absurdnetwork.comTo support financially: www.theabsurdity.org/donateFor a list of gear we use and recomme…

Ryan and Tony return from the break for one special episode regarding the tragedy of Ahmaud Arbery's fatal shooting and what the battle against racism looks like for those who have the opportunity to make a positive difference and impact the lives of those around us.Click here to purchase the Podcasting 101 Webinar!Absurdity is a proud member of th…

Matt and Ryan talk a little about burnout and Ryan announces some important changes for Absurdity, and then they discuss some terrible experiences people have had with church and what they hope for the church moving forward.https://www.theabsurdity.org/surveyHere is the Reddit post we talked about today!Click here to purchase the Podcasting 101 Web…

With everything going on disrupting the normal flow of church life, Matt and Ryan discuss the different ways churches have been adapting, which ones they prefer or dislike, and what this all means for the church after this is all behind us.Click here to register for the Podcasting 101 Webinar!Check out Matt's projects here:Adventist History Podcast…

This wave of social distancing and quarantine in response to COVID-19 will have some unintended consequences and side-effects. That doesn't make it a bad thing, but it does mean we need to be aware of the risks we take by voluntary or compulsory isolation. Matt and Ryan discuss these consequences and wrestle with what we can do to deal with them.Ch…

Coronavirus is dangerous, meetings are cancelled, so what can and should the church be doing right now? Matthew Lucio of the Adventist History Podcast and the Peoria Adventists YouTube channel joins Ryan as the new cohost! They talk various ways churches have responded to the Coronavirus crisis, both good and bad, and they discuss ways churches can…

Today is a throwback episode as Ryan flies solo once again! Tony is taking a break for a bit, so Ryan takes the helm. What do privilege and the coronavirus have to do with each other? What does this mean for us, and how can we utilize this moment to be better educated, not just about health precautions, but about social responsibility as a whole?Ab…

Henry Johnson saves the day! Originally, we weren't going to have an episode this week because of difficult schedules last week between Tony and myself, but Henry swooped in this week and we were able to put something together for you!Absurdity is a proud member of the Absurd Podcast Network: www.absurdnetwork.comTo support financially: www.theabsu…

Yes, we know we are late, but it doesn't make the subject matter any less important! Don't let Ryan's poor scheduling and calendar awareness keep you from an important conversation on racism and how we can keep improving in how we treat one another.Absurdity is a proud member of the Absurd Podcast Network: www.absurdnetwork.comTo support financiall…