656: Defunding USAID and Blue Like Jazz's Gospel of Vibes with Ross Douthat

The White House is defunding USAID, one of the largest distributors of foreign aid, and blaming it on wasteful spending—like a D.E.I musical in Ireland. But as Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn unpack, the real losers are Christian relief organizations like World Relief and Catholic Charities, which now face devastating budget cuts. Then, it's been over 20 years since the release of Blue Like Jazz, the bestselling book that made faith feel cool. Did it offer a helpful critique of evangelicalism, or was this the beginning of the rise of vibes-based Christianity? Also, New York Times columnist Ross Douthat joins Skye to discuss his new book, Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious. He explains why our increasingly secular culture is still drawn to spirituality and why rejecting religious institutions in favor of "DIY faith" may not be the answer. Plus, we have a trailer for a new season of Why I'm Still a Christian. Holy Post Plus: Bonus Interview with Ross Douthat: https://www.patreon.com/posts/122056691/ 0:00 - Show Starts 2:18 - Theme Song 2:41 - Sponsor - Hiya Health - Go to www.hiyahealth.com/HOLYPOST to receive 50% off your first order 3:45 - Sponsor - Rocket Money - Find and cancel your old subscriptions with Rocket Money at https://www.rocketmoney.com/holypost 8:25 - Trump and Christian Persecution 12:22 - Elon Shuts Down USAID 19:53 - Did USAID Really Fund That? 24:29 - Principle of Unitary President 35:42 - Blue Like Untethered Christianity 39:57 - Consumerist Christianity and Vibes 46:41 - Why I'm Still a Christian Season 2 Sneak Peak! 48:05 - Sponsor - Sundays Dog Food - Get 40% off your first order of Sundays. Go to https://www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout. 50:08 - Sponsor - Glorify - Sign up for the #1 Christian Daily Devotional App to help you stay focused on God. Go to https://glorify-app.com/en/HOLYPOST to download the app today! 51:11 - Interview 52:30 - A Case for Religion? 56:26 - Why Not Just Argue for Jesus? 1:02:23 - Are Secular Circles Falling Apart? 1:11:00 - Fine Tuning Argument 1:23:04 - Why Not Pursue Spirituality on Your Own? 1:28:05 - End Credits Links Mentioned in News Segment: Editorial: SIlence in the Face of Trump's Cruelty is Complicity: https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/editorial/editorial-silence-face-trumps-cruelty-complicity Contact Bishops and Diocese by State: https://www.usccb.org/about/bishops-and-dioceses/all-dioceses USAID Trump Fact Checker: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/07/usaid-trump-fact-checker/ Blue Like Jazz: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/01/blue-like-jazz-donald-miller-church-optional/ Other resources: Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious: https://a.co/d/3oVuOKR Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/ Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.