The Overthinkers

Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes tackle the topic of celebrity crushes. Are they harmless? Or potentially bad for you?

It's our 200th episode! We bring both Nathans back together to discuss how you can make (and keep) friends as an adult. Links for more info:   https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/americans-fewer-friends-survey-b1890794.html   https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/researchers-find-strong-relationships-protect-long-term-health-and-happiness#:~:text=But%20the%20longest%20running%20study,healthy%20in...

Do miracles happen today? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson talk to Dr. Craig Keener, author of the book "Miracles Today", to discuss whether miracles are real and answer modern objections.   Link to more resources: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/miracle

So many creative people wrestle with whether to choose financial security, or their artistic dreams. But why should you have to choose? And how do you know what to choose? Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes discuss the trade-offs.   Links: https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/what-is-financial-security/#:~:text=Quick%20Answer,clear%20of%20high%2Dinterest%20debt .   https://www.pewresearch.or...

A growing number of people in The West are abandoning church, reinventing church, and saying we need to come back to church. But what even is church? We discuss with Anglican minister Father Astor on our latest episode.    Links to further resources:     https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/origin-nature-church/   https://www.catholic.com/audio/sp/the-true-meaning-of-the-word-church   https://...

Should you live more by reason or by faith? Two overthinking Christians--Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes--give their answer.    Link to resources: https://academic.oup.com/book/38895/chapter-abstract/338046901?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson welcome author and law professor Dr. John Inazu to discuss his new book " Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect ", and how we can learn to live and love across difference in a very divided time.   Links to further reading: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2019/06/19/public-highly-critical-of-state-of-polit...

How do the metaphors we use to describe ourselves and our world shape us--for good and ill? Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes bring back author Dr. Joy Clarkson to discuss the limits of how we describe ourselves in the modern world and what metaphors we should add to our vocabulary. 

Some filmmakers are claiming that blockbusters are dumbing down audiences so that they can't appreciate better, more challenging movies. But is that true? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson bring on film critic Jillian Schroeder to discuss on this latest episode.  https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/04/opinion/martin-scorsese-marvel.html   https://variety.com/2019/film/news/martin-scorsese-marvel-theme...

Many single people find themselves ashamed of their singleness. But is being single always a bad thing? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson--a single and a married man--discuss.   External links: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/more-americans-are-choosing-to-stay-single/

Everyone agrees that dating is more difficult and ever. So how do you find a spouse if you want one? Resident happily married couple Nathan and Keelia Clarkson tell their story to resident single Joseph Holmes and give great tips for all the singles out there on this latest episode. https://www.forbes.com/health/dating/dating-statistics/#:~:text=Data%20from%20Pew%20Research%20Center%20has%20found%...

More people are dating outside their faith today and fewer people are dating outside their politics. Is this a good thing? What should be a deal breaker when it comes to beliefs? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson discuss.

As fewer people are getting married, many people are arguing that single people are happier than married people. But is that true? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson interview sociologist and author Dr. Brad Wilcox on this deeply relevant topic. 

Nathan Clarrkson and Joseph Holmes take on one of the most popular pieces of advice today and unpack whether it's actually good advice--and when.

What is art and what is it for? And why does that question even matter? By request, Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson tackle with one of the most difficult questions yet.   Links to other resources:   https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/art-definition/   https://www.britannica.com/art/visual-arts  

Who are the most iconic and influential people of the past 20 years? Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes put forward and explain the people who they think shaped the way we think about the world?

"Romanticize your life" is a social media trend that has swept the internet. But what does it mean? And is it problematic? Keelia Clarkson joins Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes to discuss.

Our culture constantly gives us mixed messages about whether we live our best life by dreaming big and chasing those dreams or by being content whatever our circumstances. So which is it? We discuss on our first episode of the new year!   Links to resources:    https://www.forbes.com/sites/jodiecook/2020/06/01/dream-bigger/?fbclid=IwAR3ulZkJsYLXM0IQ1kFStJ3StW9J-J-B3i-V9QbZ9It8pUG7I21cvh7rtP4&s...

What is the true spirit of Christmas? How do we define it? We discuss this and more on 2023's annual Christmas episode.    https://www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas   https://www.statista.com/topics/3216/national-holidays-in-the-us/#topicOverview   https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/09/13/how-u-s-religious-composition-has-changed-in-recent-decades/

Is gratitude important? Surprisingly that's a controversial question. But even if it is important, how does one practice it? Joseph and Nathan discuss.   https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2022/11/24/gratitude-giving-thanks/   https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/can-expressing-gratitude-improve-health#:~:text=Studies%20have%20shown%20that%20feeling,pain%2...

Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson invite on author and filmmaker Brock Heasley to discuss how to deal with suffering in a way that makes us better rather than worse. Along the way they discuss Brock Heasley's new faith-based sci-fi film "The Shift", and all three of our own journeys with profound suffering.    https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/meditation-modern-life/201410/the-three-ways-we-...

So many people struggle with finding the balance between being nice and being honest. How do you find that balance? Nathan and Joseph break down their thoughts and their experiences with this very relevant issue, and of course, bring the data.   https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2022/12/do-real-friends-tell-truth-confrontation/672437/   https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/childhood-em...

We live in a complex world that requires specialized knowledge in order to live in, whether it's science, medicine, technology, psychology, and whatever else. And yet, a growing number of people are losing trust in experts to give them reliable information in their areas of expertise. But is this lack of trust misplaced? And what is the alternative? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson discuss.   htt...

With more and more people cutting out friends and family for being "toxic", Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes discuss when we should or shouldn't make the decision to axe a relationship.   https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/09/toxic-person-tiktok-internet-slang-meaning/670599/   https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/01/why-parents-and-kids-get-estranged/617612/   https://w...

Every culture and time has believed in witches and witchcraft, and each time and place has disagreed on whether they're evil or good. But is witchcraft real? And if so, is it harmful? Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes discuss and debate this topic just in time for Halloween!   Links to info on this topic: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2022/10/15/witchcraft-meaning-types-history/8191168001/  ...