The Don Johnson Show: Recent Episodes
Don Johnson
Reflections on life from a pro-life, pro-social justice, pro-traditional sexual ethics, politically homeless Catholic.
Don Johnson and Carl Olson discuss the nature of conversion to the Catholic Church, as well as why some people refuse to take that step.
Carl Olson joins Don to discussFiducia Supplicans, the Catholic Church's recently released document that allows a "blessing" for same-sex "couples."
Carl Olson joins Don to discuss the similarities between Andy Stanley's recent Unconditional conference and the ongoing Catholic Synod on Synodality. In both instances leaders claim to want to "journey together with people," especially those with same sex attraction, without bringing theology or doctrine into the conversation. It is a fool's errand.
Links to go with the show:
Synodality, Soteriology, and “Sharing the journey”
Welcome to the Church of Perpetual Change and Confusion
Can Ministry be Unhinged from Theology?
When Being Affirming Isn't Loving
Welcoming sinners where they are is one thing; affirming them in their sin and encouraging them to stay there is another. Carl Olson joins Don to discuss the disturbing tendency among Church leaders to use the language of love and grace to entrench people in destructive lifestyles.
Links to go with show:
How much Sexual Sin is OK?
The conflict over Communion is really about the cheapening of God's grace
The Consequences of Not Taking Sin Seriously
What is Salvation?
Called to Be Children of God: The Catholic Theology of Human Deification
Twisted Unto Destruction: How Bible Alone Theology Made the World a Worse Place
The Cost of Discipleship
Don Johnson and Carl Olson discuss the sharp decline in church attendance over the past few years as well as offer some thoughts towards a solution.
Show links:
How to Talk to a Skeptic
Twisted Unto Destruction: How Bible Alone Theology Made the World a Worse Place
What’s Behind America’s ‘Great Dechurching’?
The Largest and Fastest Religious Shift in America Is Well Underway
Don Johnson and Carl Olson discuss the popularity of Rich Men North of Richmond and how it fits into a growing resentment of the ruling class. This leads into some thoughts about the nature of sin and the relationship between justice, mercy, and judgment, and why everything boils down to worship. Also, Don explains how this relates to his new project about Sodom and Gomorrah: Libertyville
Some other links for the show:
Oliver Anthony Quotes Scripture to Open His Show
CDC says teen girls caught in extreme wave of sadness and violence
What do the Barbie movie and Taylor Swift's Eras Tour have in common? Don Johnson and Carl Olson discuss the two biggest cultural phenomenons of the summer, and offer some movie and music reviews along the way.
Resources:
What Feminism Gets Wrong about Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life
Unprotected
Don Johnson and Carl Olson discuss various news stories from the week, incuding the explusion of Saddleback Church from the Southern Baptist Convention and the rise of pro-gay and pro-feminist groups battling gender ideology.
Who is really following the science, here? Don and Alden discuss the increasingly cult-like and superstitious nature of the pro-lockdown postion.
Links to go with the show:
Why Christianity is the Worldview that Best Supports Science: http://donjohnsonministries.org/why-christianity-is-the-worldview-that-best-supports-science/
Masking craziness:
https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/john_canzano/2021/04/high-school-coach-calls-on-oregon-health-authority-and-governor-to-reconsider-mask-mandate-for-distance-runners.html
https://www.outkick.com/gretchen-whitmers-michigan-lunatics-tell-2-year-olds-to-mask-up/
Fauci the Messiah
https://twitter.com/CalebJHull/status/1386700740228521988/video/1
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/24/opinion/sunday/anthony-fauci.html
What happens when you mix the weak epistemology of the postmodern West with a crooked ruling class? The death of truth. In this episode, Don Johnson and Carl Olson discuss several factors that have led to the current cultural chaos, including the crisis of authority that results from widespread corruption among our media, tech, and political elite. They also examine the phrase "it's not who we are as Americans" and chat about whether calling people to "be good Americans" is a strong enough moral appeal.
Don Johnson and Carl Olson discuss various aspects of of our cultural moment, including the fact that even our religious leaders don't seem willing to offer God's perspective on our predicament. Along they way, they reference a recent New York Times article by Pope Francis as well as "Mr Biden and the Matter of Scandal," a First Things piece by Archbishop Charles Chaput. Carl Olson is the editor of Catholic World Report and the author of several books, including Will Catholic be Left Behind? A Catholic Critique of the Rapture and Today's Prophecy Preachers.
Don and Alden try to makes sense of some of the latest coronavirus developments by following the money. They also discuss Alden's interview with Erik Rittenberry about Erik's article "The American Life is Killing You."
Don and Alden discuss the history of propaganda in America, and how the practices and principles perfected in the first half of the twentieth century are still being used to great effect today.
Don and Alden discuss an America in which the media and political ruling class is completely corrupt and the general population seems to have only fear and anger to keep them going each day.
Don and Alden chat about living in a culture in which so many people act in public as if something is true, even when they don't actually believe it. They also discuss why there is no such thing as common sense anymore, and how various churches are dealing with the coronavirus.
Don and Alden discuss why mask wearing has become such a cultural flash point. They also examine what it means that the government is deciding what is essential and what isn't, and how this differs from their normal lawmaking role.
Don and Alden discuss the negative role social media is having on the coronavirus debate, and how relating to people only online makes it much more difficult to find truth, or even just common ground. They also talk about how historical ignorance leads people to be more trusting of their cultural gatekeepers, and how the way the media markets fear makes people far less rational when it comes to evaluating risk.
Don and Alden talk about the latest developments in the Coronapocalypse, and discuss why it is important to be willing to follow the evidence where it leads, even when it overturns something you have long thought to be true.
Why is it currently socially unacceptable to ask questions? Do we have to simply accept the “official” narrative of events and blindly obey our media and political overlords? What can we learn from scripture and history about our current cultural moment? And are we actually living in The Truman Show? On this Coronavirus edition of the show, Don is joined by artist and filmmaker Alden Olmstead to tackle these issues and more. You can learn more about Alden and find the t-shirt we discuss on the show at http://www.aldenolmsted.com
What is the Bible? Protestants like to say "The Word of God." OK, what is the word of God? Protestants like to say, "The Bible?" How does that work?
In this episode Don unpacks some common errors many Protestants make in understanding how God reveals himself, and what part the Bible plays in that revelation.
Since we ignore the Bible on slavery, shouldn't we ignore it on a host of other issues as well, including same sex sexual activity? Don tackles that argument and discusses the difference between Catholic and Protestant views of scripture, showing how the doctrine of sola scriptura has played out in history.
Links to go with the show:
Fr. James Martin finds this argument "interesting": https://twitter.com/JamesMartinSJ/status/1187090285332967424
The Civil War as a Theological Crisis: https://www.amazon.com/Theological-Crisis-Steven-Janice-Lectures/dp/0807830127
Did the Church Ever Support Slavery? https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/did-the-church-ever-support-slavery
According to Barna researcher Brooke Hempell, "More than any other segment of the population, white evangelicals demonstrate a blindness to the struggle of their African American brothers and sisters.” Why is this? In this episode, Don tackles this question from several angles, and addresses the myth that we live in a post-racist society.
Links to go with the show:
Black Christians Deserve Better Than Companies (And Churches) Like Relevant Media Group: https://medium.com/@andrehenry/black-christians-deserve-better-than-companies-like-relevant-media-group-42aed44528c9
This Topic Got Me Censored and Removed from Conservative Catholic Radio: https://medium.com/@don_43125/this-topic-got-me-censored-and-removed-from-conservative-catholic-radio-6ebbe3c142b9
Summary of Ferguson DOJ Report: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2015/03/04/the-12-key-highlights-from-the-dojs-scathing-ferguson-report/
I Can't Breathe: A Killing on Bay Street: https://www.amazon.com/Cant-Breathe-Killing-Bay-Street/dp/0812988841/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=i+can%27t+breathe&qid=1571810439&sr=8-2
The Case for Reparations: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631/
Don discusses the idolatry at the heart of the current culture war, arguing that both liberals and conservatives are on the wrong side of the battle that ultimately matters.
In the early 1990s, the number of Americans claiming no religious affiliation suddenly spiked. Don discusses an Atlantic article by Derek Thompson that offers some reasons why. Some links to go with the show:
How America Lost Its Religion: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/09/atheism-fastest-growing-religion-us/598843/
The Real Origins of the Religious Right: https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/05/religious-right-real-origins-107133_Page2.html
The Treasure of the Family: https://www.spreaker.com/user/11629208/donjohnsonthetreasureoffamily
Don reviews Toy Story 4 and wonders how such a traditional story line got past the studio gatekeepers.
Do too many Christians fail to recognize injustice in our culture? That suggestion lit up the phone lines when Don Johnson filled in for Patrick Madrid recently on Relevant Radio. Listen here as Don discusses the recent racial incident at Starbucks with several callers.
Don Johnson and Kaylyn Green discuss Hugh Hefner's death and take calls related to the NFL anthem controversy.
Don Johnson and Kaylyn Green discuss and take calls on a variety of topics, including Lady Gaga's move toward the Church.
Don Johnson and Kaylyn Green Interview Leila Miller about her book Primal Loss: The Now Adult Children of Divorce Speak
Don interviews Dr. Benjamin Wiker about his book The Reformation 500 Years Later: 12 Things You Need to Know.
MP3 Don Johnson talks to former atheist Lee Strobel about the new movie based on his conversion story. Lee tells some behind the scenes stories from the making of The Case for Christ and shares a few of the emotional...
MP3 Don and Timmerie join you for their second episode of Trending featuring: Breaking exclusive news of undercover journalist/investigators David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt’s 15 felony charges. MARVEL faces backfire over character changes catering SWJ and female characters. They also...
MP3 An Australian woman wants to make it illegal to be a stay-at-home mom. Comedian John Crist has this week's viral video with "Church Hunters" Time Magazine resurrects the "Is God Dead?" cover with a query about truth.
MP3 Don and Timmerie discuss the weaknesses of trying to make the Bible one's sole authority for faith, the rise of "born again virgins," and the N.Y. Times' attempt to figure out what it means to be human.
MP3 Don Johnson and Timmerie Millington discuss the current controversies surrounding the blockbuster movies Beauty and the Beast and The Shack. Also, why are we so judgmental when it comes to food? And Don has some good news regarding his...
MP3 Don and Timmerie Millington discuss Lent, The Oscars, and Sarah Silverman's struggle with motherhood. Along the way the chat about what it means to be a true feminist and introduce Don's new documentary project about the sexual revolution.
MP3 Don and Timmerie Millington discuss several stories from the week, including: According to survey of Millenials, sex before dating is OK, but a cracked phone is a turn off. "Casual" Sex is never actually casual. Chance the Rapper won...
MP3 Don and Kaylyn Green break down Stephen Colbert’s discussion with atheist Ricky Gervais about God, science, and religion. Don introduces his new online evangelization course. Don chats with Trent Horn about Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witnesses as part of the...
MP3 Don talks with Cy Keller about his new position as host of Catholic Answers Live and the role of Catholic radio in the culture. Don just released a new online course: Personal Evangelization: How to be a More Effective...
MP3 Why exclude feminists for life from the march for women? Smart kids and dumb phones. Don talks to Lucy Beckett about her Reformation novel The Time Before You Die Gender and gravity as social constructs.
MP3 Don Johnson and Cy Kellet discuss whether Rogue One fits into the original Star Wars universe, America's obsession with Jack in the Box tacos, and the benefits of experiencing nature.
MP3 Don discusses the fake news problem in the culture and how it relates to the end of the mislabeled Middle Ages. Junior Knows Best: How a troubling trope has taken over contemporary animated movies
MP3 Denzel Washington on Journalism and Truth Telling Be a Bookworm, Not a Goldfish Why Christmas Should Bother Everyone 10 Simple Ways to Slow Down this Advent
MP3 Post-Truth, the Word of the Year Jimmy Akin talks about his new book A Daily Defense You Should Thank God that your Kids are Mediocre Athletes
MP3 Don talks with Gary Michuta, author of Hostile Witnesses, about how the enemies of the Church in history provide strong evidence for its truth. Also, Don discusses C.S. Lewis on the difference between faith and emotion, and offers some...
MP3 Don offers some thoughts on the election, particularly in the context of how Christians can be an effective prophetic voice within the current political climate. Articles to go with the show: Time for Christians to Unplug from Our Secular...
MP3 Don talks with best-selling author Michael O'Brien about several of books, including his latest The Fool of New York City. Also, Don discusses The Metanoia Project and offers a few thoughts on how the Hatmaker fiasco shows the futility...
Don introduces The Metanoia Project, an interactive television series in the spirit of his film Convinced.
MP3 Don talks with Dr. Peter Kreeft about his 2 latest books, How to be Holy: First Steps in Becoming a Saint and I Burned for Your Peace: Augustine's Confessions Unpacked.
MP3 Don and Brandon discuss why we should have sympathy for victims of the sexual revolution such as Anthony Weiner and Amy Shumer.
MP3 Don and Brandon discuss why Brandon isn't a fan of Olympic swimming and talk about whether or not coarse language leads to a coarsening of the soul.
MP3 Don reflects on some of the more outspoken Christian voices at the Olympics and discusses some spiritual lessons we can learn from athletic competitions.
MP3 Don talks to Douglas Beaumont about his new book Evangelical Exodus: Evangelical Seminarians and Their Paths to Rome. They also discuss the Convinced screening in Modesto on Saturday, August 27, which they will both be attending.
MP3 Don and Brandon discuss how we relate to people of other races, and whether we should be doing more to try to understand other people's experience. They also chat about Five Thirty Eight's breakdown of gun deaths in America.
MP3 Don and Karen Moran discuss pastor Chad Vegas's decision to leave the Bakersfield school board and attempt to answer Jeremy Gordon's question in the New York Times: Is Everything Wrestling?
MP3 Don talks with author Devin Rose about his new book Navigating the Tiber: How to Help Your Friends and Family Journey Towards the Catholic Faith. They also discuss Devin's prayer app and his course for overcoming pornography addiction.
MP3 Lessons for Christians from Finding Dory The Emoji Bible has arrived. Is Polyamory a choice?
MP3 Don and Brandon discuss topics from the week, including: Chick Fil A Surprises Some People with Their Response in Orlando Should We Hipsterfy the Gospel? 5 Dumb Things Christians Should Stop Saying When Evil Strikes
MP3 Don talks about various issues related to the age at which we should try to have kids and then moves to more family related issues, including what priorities we should have for our children. The following links go with...
MP3 Don and Brandon discuss why people still go to events such as graduations and basketball games, even though they end up watching a screen when they get there. Then they relate this phenomenon to how we understand ourselves and...
May 27, 2016 What Don learned trying to fix is laptop. Jim and Jeannie Gaffigan give a commencement speech at Catholic University. 5 Surprising Spiritual Benefits of Owning Less Stuff An Ode to the Joy of the Happy Chewbacca Lady.
May 6, 2016 Don and Brandon discuss the presidential election, Mother's Day sermons, and Christopher Hitchens' objections to Christianity.
May 13, 2016 American Christians, you may need to start living like missionaries. The meaninglessness of our political discourse.
April 22, 2016 Don and Brandon talk about college students' view of identity and Barbara Boxer's view of philosophy.
April 15, 2016 Don and Brandon talk about The Impoliteness of Talking about Religion, the growing Western authoritarianism, and the futility of finding meaning in life through making "authentic" choices.
MP3 Don is joined by Brandon Ridley to discuss the following stories: I Had an Abortion Because I Love My Son Lex Luthor's Lousy Logic After 800 Yeas, Oxford Theology Students to Swap Christianity for Feminism, Buddhism, Islam Studies California...
MP3 Segment 1: Are conservative Christians religious extremists? Segment 2: The Secularization of the West and the rise of a new morality and why young Americans have been getting more anxious and depressed. Segment 3: Interview with Dr. Dan McGuire,...
MP3 Don tackles a "One question challenge to Christians" and then he talks about some evidence for the resurrection of Jesus.
MP3 Segment 1 and 2: The new shame culture and what it is doing to us. Segment 2: 6 ways you are making life harder than it has to be. Segment 4: What Kelly Clarkson can teach us about fatherhood...
MP3 Segment 1: Is "non-denominational" still Protestant? Segment 2: Bill Nye the Science Guy doesn't think philosophy is a worthwhile pursuit, which may explain his poor philosophizing. Segment 3: An L.A. Times reporter leaves Christianity over the problem of evil....
MP3 Don talks to Petty Ledezma of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Huntington Beach about the Alpha Course and the impact it is having in their community. He also speaks to Matt Fradd, author of Restored: True Stories of...
MP3 Segment 1: What liberal secular feminists have in common with conservative Christians. Segment 2 and 3: Why we should expect to be scorned by the culture and never apologize for speaking truth. Segment 4: Creation, the fall, and how...
MP3 Segment 1: Three reasons to fast. Segments 2 and 3: Interview with Rod Bennet, author of The Apostasy that Wasn't Segment 4: Insights for Lent from the Genesis story.
MP3 Segment 1: Former NFL star Antwaan Randal El says if he could go back, he wouldn't play football. Segment 2: Interview with Jim Papandrea, author of Handed Down: The Catholic Faith of the Early Christians Segment 3: More marks...
MP3 The reason we should be concerned about Donald Trump's new pro-life views. The marks of a new evangelist, and why it is so important to know how the Old Testament relates to the New.
MP3 Can we use the Bible effectively without any sort of interpretive authority over us? 4 ways a view of eternity changes everything.
MP3 Is Football the premiere American Religion? Why Jahaziel left Christianity Will Twitter Declare war on religious conservatives?
The Don Johnson Show, 11-20-15 Segment 1: Don breaks down Stephen Colbert's attempt to draw Bill Maher back to the Church. Segment 2: An interview with former atheist Devin Rose. Devin shares a bit about his journey and discusses his...
The Don Johnson Show 11-13-15 Segment 1: Don answers a couple of listener emails about hell. Is it really fair that one would spend eternity in hell for a few short years of sin on earth, and isn't it coercive...
The Don Johnson Show, November 6, 2015 Segment 1: After Scientology, Leah Remini Finds 'Amazing' Comfort in Catholic Church and I'm a Presbyterian Minister Who Doesn't Believe in God Segment 2: Were the gospel writers just borrowing from ancient myths...
The Don Johnson Show, October 30, 2015 Don chats with author and new media guru Brandon Vogt about a variety of subjects, including the Saints, social justice, StrangeNotions.com, and his role in the new film Convinced. In the second half...
October 23, 2015 Don offers some principles for interacting with skeptics of the Church and understanding their misconceptions.
October 16, 2015 On the day of the theatrical premiere of Convinced, Don talks to one of the film's stars, former Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson. He also discusses a letter sent to the Synod on the Family by over...
October 10, 2015 In the first broadcast on the Immaculate Heart Radio Network, Don talks to former atheist professor Holly Ordway about how she became Catholic and discusses why even the most successful people struggle with emptiness in their lives....
October 24, 2014 Don and Brandon answer a listener email about where Christians find a basis for authority and accountability.
10-17-14 Don and Brandon break down a segment from Orange is the New Black and answer listener email about Don's conversion to Catholicism, among other topics. Links to go with the show: Smarter than Thou by Charles C.W. Cooke From...
October 3, 2014 Don talks about his decision to enter the Catholic Church and what that will mean for his ministry.
June 20, 2014 Don and Brandon break down Ralph Reed's interview on Real Time with Bill Maher. Some links to go with the show: Bill Maher vs. Ralph Reed by Fr. Robert Barron The Case for Soft Atheism by Gary...
May 23, 2014 Don and Brandon discuss the conversion process from atheism to Christianity. While every story is unique, there are some aspects of the journey that seem to pop up again and again. Some links to go with the...
May 9, 2014 Don and Brandon discuss filming one's own abortion to show the world how cool it is. They also answer a listener email about why God seems to make different contracts with different people at various times in...
April 25, 2014 Don and Brandon discuss some aspects of the debate over same-sex marriage. Don argues that the discussion is ultimately about competing religions; it is an argument over who we should worship. Some links to go with the...
April 10, 2014 Don talks with Brain Godawa about how movies affect and reflect the culture. The conversation touches on several topics, including how stories communicate and how we can discern a filmmaker's worldview. Brian Godawa is an award winning...
April 4, 2014 Don, Brandon, and Calvin Moore talk about the theology of the Noah movie, specifically in light of how the New Testament interprets the flood story.
April, 4, 2014 Don and Brandon talk with Calvin Moore of The Christian Manifesto about the debate surrounding Noah and discuss some principles for effectively interacting with pop culture.
February 14, 2014 Don and Brandon discuss the shallowness of contemporary life and how the "hook-up culture" is missing out, not only on love, but even on sex. Don quotes from Dwight Longenecker's new book The Romance of Religion.
February 7, 2014 Don and Brandon discuss the Good Samaritan parable, Malcolm Gladwell's return to faith, and Oliver Burkemans' appeal to atheists to be better informed about theology.
January 17, 2014 Don and Brandon talk about how we celebrate the Super Bowl, why it has become the biggest party of the year in the United States, and what that tells us about being human. Along the way they...
January 10, 2014 Don and Brandon discuss the latest political scandal and the latest review of Don's new book.
December 13, 2013 What is Christmas all about? Don and Brandon talk about the meaning of the incarnation by surveying how Jesus was prefigured in the Old Testament.
November 15, 2013 Don and Brandon discuss some ways to find an accurate interpretation of the Bible and Don finds some parallels between the "atheist church" movement and some Christian approaches to gathering on Sundays.
November 8, 2013 Don and Brandon share some personal stories from the last week and discuss how they relate to our view of God.
November 1, 2013 Don and Brandon discuss John's Fugelsang's defense of Jesus in a debate with atheist Jamie Kilstein. They argue that Jesus was a radical teacher in regards to sexual ethics, but not in the way that Fugeslang suggested.
October 25, 2013 Don and Brandon answer listener emails regarding: whether or not God placed individual species of animals around the world all at one time what it looks like to strive after the good, true, and beautiful and whether...
October 18, 2013 Don and Brandon discuss comedian Jamie Kilstein's experience of becoming an atheist based on discovering how Niagara Falls was formed.
October 11, 2013 Don and Brandon talk about the latest developments in the Ridley's ongoing struggle to adopt their son.
October 4, 2013 Don and Brandon discuss comedian Jamie Kilstein's assertion that if God exists, he is a sociopath.
September 27, 2013 Don and Brandon discuss a very interesting interview from The Conan O'Brien Show. Louis CK explains how sometimes people should just get quiet and cry out in despair because of the fact that life is "all for...
September 13, 2013 Don and Brandon talk about last week's caller, Don's new book, and a very interesting article by Nat Case, an atheist Quaker who still hasn't found what he is looking for.
The Don Johnson Show, 8-30-13 Would people in today's culture still go on vacation if they didn't get to post pictures of it on facebook? In this episode, Don and Brandon discuss that and more, including Don's new book How...
July 19, 2013 Does the scientific method tell us all there is to know about the world? In tackling this issue Don and Brandon discuss an article by Barbara Forrest and refer to the new encyclical by Pope Francis.
May 2, 2013 Don comments on the Kermit Gosnell case. Some links to go with the show: Why Gosnell's Trial Should be a Front Page Story From Roe to Gosnell Gosnell Worker: Baby Surviving Abortion Struggled in Toilet Trying to...
April 29, 2013 Don discusses the idea that the Boston Marathon bombers may have been motivated to become Islamists because it provided their life some meaning. He analyzes the various ways people respond to the void we all feel in...
January 21, 2013 This week contained many culturally controversial events. President Obama was inaugurated on Monday, which was also Martin Luther King Day, and Tuesday was the 40th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision. Don and Brandon discuss how...
January 7, 2013 Corinna Nicalou is going to visit every church in her area in order to understand religion better and perhaps find God. Don and Brandon discuss her quest and take issue with some advice Corinna has received from...
December 24, 2012 Atheist Stephen Marche explains why seemingly miraculous events left his stomach in knots and why he was so relieved to see that bad things still happen. In discussing this article, Don and Brandon reference other apparent acts...