Stories Are Soul Food

How do we, the members of a rotting democracy, read the story of the botched assassination of President Trump? God put a few more minutes back on the clock when DT turned his head to look at that immigration chart. Not only did we get a key character moment from Trump -- courage after being shot cannot be faked -- but we also got even bigger helpings of legacy news spin cycles flailing and bureaucratic incompetence. There have been at least three other assassination attempts in a millennial's lifetime (Reagan, Bush grenade, Clinton Cessna), but this is the first one to happen in an age of social media. And the photo op alone has tanked Democrat plans for the DNC. Also, we never would have gotten that moment with a competent Secret Service (or a male Secret Service agent). Nate tells us when to admit that you'll never know the complete truth (and why that's okay), and how to avoid becoming a Trump Apostle while still praying fervently that he'll win (Nate makes his claims about the election this November into the camera). Brian asks about the Deep State and Good Paranoia, and Nate wants our country to turn its attention to the Deepest State: public schools. But what the guys want you to take away from this episode is how to read this moment as a Christian -- Trump is AN answer, but the not THE answer. And you need to turn your attention back to the task that matters right now: build build build.

This week Brian has abandoned Nate to attend the birth of his daughter, so Nate strikes back by having two of his own daughters on the pod instead. The discussion begins with what books the girls, Lucy and Ameera, are reading, and why Lucy hates detective novels and green food. Lucy is moved to love, though, when the trope of "unsung heroes" is introduced. Nate pursues this line, getting his daughters to articulate exactly why praise-less sacrifice is such a stirring concept. Frodo finally gets the love that he has been missing both from the hobbits of the shire and the audience of the Peter Jackson's movies. This episode touches down on all sorts of authors, ranging from the obligatory Tolkien (All Hail!) to Terry Pratchett to Jane Austen, Agatha Christy, and (who else?) C.S. Lewis. It wouldn't be a SASF episode though if Nate didn't sneak in some comments at the end about behaving like the kind of character you want to be and ... which episode number are we on anyway?

Today's Stories Are Soul Food episode covers two new dystopian tales, a book and a show. The book is Leif Enger's "I Cheerfully Refuse", which Brian cheerfully despised for Leif's overly luminous characters and bass-playing giant protagonist. The show is Amazon Prime's "Fallout," which Nate skipped his way through, watching the innocence of the virginal protagonist be stripped from her episode by episode through violence, immorality, and (apparently) cannibalism. Nate talks about how the show's potential was ruined because the director, Jonathan Nolan, had only one trick: take innocence and corrupt it. Beyond that, the show never gets beyond the video game logic which bounds it. Brian asks why the destruction of the innocent seems to be the theme of most postapocalyptic fiction, and the guys talk their way through Margaret Atwood, The Road, Mad Max, and other tales of scientific dystopia. Why do we love such stories? Brian answers that it's because our lives are so easy. Listen to the episode to see if Nate agrees... #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #Books #Movies #NDWilson #JonathanNolan #Fallout #AmazonPrime #ICheerfullyRefuse #LeifEnger #DystopianSciFi #Postapocalypse #Innocence

If you're a crippled Eskimo girl, would the best story you could ever read have a crippled Eskimo girl as the hero? Many book publishers and movie studios today would say YES. (The part they don't say is that the only reason they don't make more movies about Eskimos on crutches is because that demographic doesn't sell enough tickets.) Another way to ask this question: Do stories appeal because the main character represents you? Or do they appeal because you connect with the main character? Here's the takeaway: Representation is pointless; connection is the holy grail of storytelling. And the confusion of "representation" and "connection" is behind much of our worst woke storytelling today. Nate doesn't connect with a "father of five" on screen because he himself feels represented as a father of five -- there needs to be some human connection, some shared feeling or experience, if you want a character to resonate with the audience. The SASF guys discuss the difference between, say, the generic heroine of Princess Diaries versus Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing. And then they get into a discussion of character archetypes, and how, in storytelling as in a restaurant, you can have all the ingredients of a great burger and still end up with a terrible burger. You also get to hear Nate hate on Shakespeare's tragedies while Brian tries to defend them, and hear which Shakespeare play Nate has adapted into a high-school rom-com. #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #Books #Movies #NDWilson #Shakespeare #PrincessDiaries #wokestorytelling

Nate talks about his ability to sense changes in the weather, and proceeds to roast Brian for his opinions on prologues. But that's not the occasion for this wandering episode: If you're a regular SASF listener, you'll know that the guys are big proponents of filtering films for family movie night (they recommend ClearPlay and VidAngel both). But what about books? When do books cross the line, and what should you do about it? Brian and Nate discuss this question. They kick things off, though, with a discussion on prologues -- turns out Brian hates them and Nate has written them, so stay tuned for the drama. #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #Filters #Books #Movies #NDWilson #prologues

Nate claims that talking about music is boring, but in this episode you're going to find out he has written lyrics to more than twenty (!) songs (as yet unscored). You're even going to get one scandalous title. Then Brian ambushes Nate by reading a stanza of Taylor Swift's new lyrics, and the guys discuss all the questions that come along with music. What if you're a mom who sings secular jazz to her kids at bedtime? ("You are all I long for / all I worship and adore.") More power to you! What if you're a high school girl who bops to TSwift in her car all the time? Be careful you're not using your playlist as an aid to personal fantasy. Nate makes the point that it's just as easy to fantasize while reading Bronte, but your parents may not think to object to the classics. What about young guys whose workout tracks are a solid mass of E (for Explicit)? Masculine version of personal fantasy. How do you immunize yourself to music's pop culture? Well, that's the question. To conclude, Brian laments the decline of story-telling ballads into pop music -- and Nate says they're not even on the same tree: a Taylor Swift song is more of Starbucks frappe. What is the modern ballad? THE MOVIE. #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #Jazz #Country #playlist #TaylorSwift #TorturedPoetsDepartment #Swifties #ballads

Can you name a successful Christian artist living today? Right now, to be a Christian artist means to be not a very good Christian and not a very good artist. Nate and Brian welcome the larger-than-life figure of Doug TenNapel to the SASF show to discuss this problem. Doug T. is a comic artist and video game maker who has pivoted with the times and is now reaching a monthly audience of 17 million+ via his YouTube show, Doug in Exile, where he is known for political noticing. But the guys aren't here to talk about politics -- they want to debate art and Christianity and why so many artists are deviants. Doug tells awful stories about furries: Doug's been calling out perverts in Hollywood since the late 80s, and the furries who just recently started biting kids in public schools are just one more thing that Doug T. foretold. Since artists are the canaries in the world's coal mines, we know things are bad when our artists are crazy. Nate asks Doug to name one successful artist who isn't screwed up. Doug brings up the cave art in Lascaux, and hypothesizes that this early artist might be the only one who didn't sell out. Nate says he tells young Christian kids NOT to join the art world -- books, movies, paintings-- because it's corrupt and will try to chew them up and spit them out. Doug agrees, and then offers his own solution to the twin problems of art vs morality and commerce. Nate wants the Christian artist to know the industry's demands, Doug wants the Christian artist to never think once about what his audience wants. But both of them want to protect young artists from being ramrodded into the machine, and both of them are very indie in their efforts, and so Brian asks Nate and Doug why they have moved on from the publishing world, and the guys argue about whether the goal of art is to innovate. They argue about fine art being experiential or a tradesman-like craft. The crux of the show comes when Nate tells Doug he has a little bit of "follow your heart-ness" in him. Doug objects -- sort of. You'll also hear a bit about Doug's dreams for a cardboard movie, what Nate would work on if he had ten million dollars, how Doug had to give himself grace to make art. And of course you'll hear a bunch of great one lines: "Bulk is still a quality", "Anything worth doing is worth doing badly... so that you can learn to do it goodly," "I can't think of successful Christian artists who didn't sell out," and much more... #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #DougTenNapel #Cardboard #EarthwormJim #BigfootBill #Nnewts #DougInExile #NDWilson #CanonPress #Publishing #Art #DeviantArt #ArtDebate #ChristianArt #ChristianArtists #CavesofLascaux

Breaking news: Nate's son Rory is a senior at Columbia University where, late last night (Monday April 29th), a mob of professional protestors advocating intifada and abolition of Israel climbed through dorms and tried take possession of a university building. Only Rory and his friend Charles stood up to bullies at the door of Hamilton Hall, defying hundreds of protestors, some professional antifa types, slinging threats and trying to pull them away with human chains and the crush of the crowd. Nate calls this moment of bravery Rory's "true graduation", and describes how he and his wife couldn't be prouder as parents. When campus security and actual police failed to respond, other Christian friends pulled the students away and the Hall was taken, windows smashed, and the protestors barricaded themselves inside. But the moment -- two calm students facing a mob of masked protestors in shemaghs -- was a perfect example of flipping the script and making a lie of the pro-Palestinian bullies' claim to be the oppressed. Nate and Brian break down the whole event, including how Christians can learn from radicals like Saul Alinsky by applying Doug Wilson's Rules for Reformers. When you see a bully, you shouldn't be doing "wuss calculus" about whether you will win. That kind of math can happen later. To quote Nate's novel Dandelion Fire, "Sometimes standing against evil is more important than defeating it. The greatest heroes stand because it is right to do so, not because they believe they will walk away with their lives. Such selfless courage is a victory in itself." Congratulations on your graduation, Rory! #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #BreakingNews #ColumbiaUniveristy #ProPalestine #Intifada #NDWilson #DouglasWilson #TuckerCarlson #ProudParents

FACE YOUR FEARS: If this week's "Soul Food" discussion is a sandwich, the first slice of bread is advice for helping your children face their fears, the other slice of bread is how moms and dads fail to face their fears as adults, and the mystery meat in the middle is delightful discussion on demon possession, Jesus and Legion and the pigs, why demons seem to hate water, and why exorcisms happen more in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox communities than, say, Presbyterian ones. There's some speculation in that middle section -- but also a dose of biblical interpretation about Jesus as the strong man in Mark 5, and how he fulfils David's story in his rescuing of the demons. You'll also hear why most horror movies are dumb and why it's more helpful to look for scary stuff in Flannery O'Connor's short stories of hypocritical, self-obsessed grownups. #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #demons #exorcism #FaceYourFears #FlanneryOConnor

Nate and Brian discuss Doug Wilson's gospel-filled appearance on the Tucker Carlson Network. Turns out, this isn't Doug's first big media rodeo, and it makes perfect SASF fodder to discuss the different characters that come out of the woodwork after such an event. The guys discuss the "I don't agree with Doug on everything, but" guy, the "criticize you publicly and beg for private favors" guy, and of course the outright haters vs. the tough-minded allies (we know who you are, SASF kingdom). Oh, and of course the Big Eva folks -- who are actually Tiny Eva -- who are unwilling to mention Doug's name for fear they might get cooties. But we don't care about their tiny walled commune -- because the Gospel is so much bigger. As many a SASF episode does, the conversation launches into a discussion of how not to be a terrible dad who, for example, abdicates on his kids' homeschooling and then blames his wife for the bad result. The episode ends with a classic sign-out: "Go hard, suffer, keep the Sabbath. This has been Stories Are Soul Food."If you want to listen to the audio of the Doug / Tucker episode, check it out on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3HYgx4GuY9Z8J7o6VKIp0l?si=FM_HhemDRniSQ-WmvE89tw #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #TuckerCarlsonNetwork #TuckerCarlson #DougWilson #BigEva #BadDads

This episode starts with a discussion of woke adaptations and ends with a discussion of the unavoidability of fiction in shaping your life. Would Nate be fine with having "woke" elements in a major adaptation of his films? His answer might surprise you. You'll hear war stories about ancestor worship in Hello Ninja (the show), the importance of a team with different strengths, and more war stories from the movie industry. Then they turn their attention to a claim from a pastor that "No work of fiction should ever change our worldview. As a Christian, my worldview is shaped by Scripture alone." Turns out, the Bible is full of stories, and (cue the Grey Havens opening music) -- STORIES ARE SOUL FOOD. How you handle the stories of the Bible will determine how you handle your own life stories. Try to get away from modernist thinking and start thinking like Solomon: add instead of remove. The episode ends with a strong endorsement of a life of imagination.#SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #HelloNinja #Netflix #imagination #metaphors #ScriptureAlone #WorldviewOfStories

Would you say Shawshank Redemption is "a movie with a happy ending"? Years ago as a young husband, that's what Brian picked to watch when his wife made a request for just such a film with a happy ending. (Spoiler: Shawshank Redemption was not the kind of movie she had meant.) For this momentous 145th episode, and the first ever LAMPC pick WITH CLIPS FROM THE MOVIE INCLUDED IN THE EPISODE (go watch it on Canon+, people), the guys discuss a movie this film that was a box-office failure upon release, and has since climbed into the upper echelons of film conversations. Brian asks Nate about its popular appeal. Nate surmises why it flopped upon release, and makes suggestions for improving that release (if given a time machine). Brian fails at describing Andy Dufresne's character flaw. Nate avoids talking about Stephen King, who wrote the original story. They discuss how Christians interpret movies wrong (Andy giving the 12 prisoners beer on the roof is the Last Supper) and how atheists do the same thing (Zihuatanejo is a Nietzschean paradise beyond guilt and innocence!). Enjoy! #LAMPC #LookAtMovingPicturesClub #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #ShawshankRedemption

Prepare yourself for the Dune-versation! (Sorry.) The guys liked Dune 2 and Denis Villeneuve proved that he "got" what made Dune great. But of course, the fun of a movie discussion is often in what you hate: Brian really disliked pouty Zendaya and the northern "modernist" Fremen. But Nate says there was nothing wrong with Chani's character that couldn't be fixed (and in fact, an amazing character might exist on the cutting room floor). If only Paul had chosen to implicate Chani in his decision to become Lisan al-Gaib, instead of relying on the deus ex machina of her saving him! They discuss scenes that were great (opening scene), scenes that fell flat (Feyd Ratha fight), prophecies, and everything in between (Frank Herbert's obsession with peyote and Lawrence of Arabia). The guys also announce the next LAMPC (Shawshank Redemption), how the Boys in a Boat movie was fine on its own but really disappointing if you had read the book, and how we live in a place where airplanes have their wheels fall off mid-flight. #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #Dune #Dune2 #Zendaya #Chani #FrankHerbert #LisanAlGaib #Stilgar

In this episode you'll get to hear Nate sing (!) the unofficial English national anthem "Jerusalem"... but there's lots more: In England 1924, the sport of "sprinting" is in tension between faith and secularism, amateurism and the pros, and the nation versus world. Chariots of Fire is a tale of two athletes making their mark in this moment, and the SASF guys discuss this classic sports film. First thing to note is that Eric Liddell is actually not fulfilling the role of the protagonist in this story. It's Harold Abrahams's character arc that resolves -- putting Liddell in the role of "side" character. Second thing to note is that Harold's conversion is what allows his character to resolve -- although Brian brings up a rabbit who views Harold as a villain for just that reason. The guys discuss the iconic music, adaptations that aren't strictly accurate, Scipio Africanus Mussabini, what an emotionally sabotaging villain Eric Liddell's sister was and how he didn't respond to her correctly, Eric's faithfulness up to his death in a Japanese internment camp, and much more. #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #LAMPC #LookAtMovingPicturesClub #ChariotsOfFire #EricLiddell #HaroldAbrahams #England #Blake

As regular listeners know, Nate is a high school basketball coach, and for the first half of this episode he updates the SASF crowd with all travail his team has gone through -- the worst having to do with lies being told about his guys. This leads to valuable lessons for these young men, and has amply demonstrated their theme for the season, which Nate has taken from Romans 5: Hardship is not glory in itself, but great glory only comes through hardship. After this the guys move on to a discussion of comedy. Brian suggests Nate doesn't use humor in his fiction-- Nate is very displeased. An enjoyable discussion follows as the guys move on to critiquing Marvel. #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #Comedy #Basketball #Coaching

Did you think we were dead? Brian apologizes for the long break between episodes and Nate does not. They then open the new year with a banger about being boring. Let's face it... most of us don't live what could be called "interesting" lives. We don't travel extensively, kill and then circumcise dead Philistines, explore new continents, build spaceships -- and yet, perhaps the most commonly given piece of SASF advice is BE AN INTERESTING CHARACTER. Are we all failing to live like King David, like Cyrus Smith, like Huck Finn? The answer is actually yes. The guys dig into the discussion of what it means to be interesting. And it starts with being interested. #MostInterestingManintheWorld #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #Characters #Fiction #parenting #insects #RiotAndtheDance

What should parents do if their six-year-old son wants to dress up like one of the most murderous bad guys, Darth Vader? It's fine -- and the key lies in a weakness in the story itself: Luke is a vanilla protagonist (at least until he gets his own robot hand). 2D good guys aren't inspiring to your kids? Why should they be? That's most often a problem with the story itself...because, after all, stories are soul food. The bigger issue would be if you had a son who wasn't at all interested in swinging a light saber and saying "koooh-prrrrh." Of course, there are some checks and balances to this process, especially as your kids get older. You'll hear plenty more on this topic as the guys spend a pleasant hour not discussing Les Mis. #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #DarthVader #StarWars #MerryChristmas #NDWilson #PaintItBlack #vanilla #2DCharacters

Brian reads the hate-mail after SASF fired a few shots at Les Miserables. For some reason, Les Mis has become untouchable: one guy wrote that critics like Brian and Nate "will miss God's grace, for they do not have the capacity to receive it." Always willing to hear criticism themselves, the SASF guys take the opportunity to dive into Les Mis on a much deeper level, and eviscerate it in its own words. Not to overstate things, but Les Mis is teaching you to rely solely on your emotions. The vehicle for it is a heart-forward story, full of sentimental schlock and holy victimhood, and you need to inoculate yourself against its appeal. Only then can you enjoy the parts that are catchy and enjoyable (the songs, Valjean's forgiveness). After all, it's okay for you to enjoy things... once you can see where they're messing with you. The guys also perform a SASF emergency surgery on Les Miserables to determine what changes could make it good -- and they settle on Valjean being actively on the side of the government's troops. Imagine what could have been... #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #LesMiserables #InoculationStation #MerryChristmas #NDWilson #VictorHugo #LesMis #hatemail #LesMisIsLying

As longtime fans may remember, it's a Christmas tradition here at the SASF headquarters to take the worst Bible Stories and turn them into Christmas fodder... because that's what they are: they are the dark before the Light came down at Bethlehem two thousand and twenty-seven years ago. Today Nate chooses the tragedy of Onan and weaves it into the Advent story. We hope this SASF episode will help you read the Old Testament better. Merry Christmas! #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #Onan #DarkChristmasStories #MerryChristmas #TheLightCameDown #MessianicLine

Christmas is coming, so as a gift Brian lights the fuse and Nate destroys Dickens and Les Miserables. But first, the guys discuss whether “It’s a Wonderful Life” mishandles George Bailey’s depression -- does the movie pat him on the back and tell him what a good boy he is, when it should be handling his sin more roughly? (The answer is the movie handled it well). However, to be fair, Nate then sets off on a tirade against the more saccharine elements of the movie, which leads into a natural discussion of Charles Dickens’ strengths and weaknesses from “Tale of Two Cities” to “David Copperfield” and “A Christmas Carol.” Turns out, despite his characters, his work is mostly weaknesses -- could Brian edit them to be better in a editions titled “Dickens But Good” (trademark?). The guys review the truism that Tiny Tim is a really odious character, and then move on to Victor Hugo, concluding this fantastic Advent episode with a demolition of Les Miserables the musical, including its approach to justice and sacrifice, its deification of victims, and its catchiness. If Stories Are Soul Food podcast had to diagnose the disease that most evangelicals have, SASF would say they’re sick with the idea that victimhood is holy.#SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #LesMiserable #ItsAWonderfulLife #CharlesDickens #AChristmasCarol #TaleOfTwoCities #DavidCopperfield #LesMiserables #VictorHugo #MerryChristmas

Were you, like Nate and Brian, somewhat scarred by Watership Down -- and loved it because of that fact? Stories Are Soul Food welcomes on Joe Sutphin, the illustrator whose stellar pen & ink drawings you might recognize from Little Pilgrim's Progress, Word of Mouse, and the Wingfeather Saga. Joe's neverending project for the past five years, though, has been a full-length graphic novel adaptation of Watership Down, Richard Adams' fantastic rabbit epic. With Watership Down, Joe went crazy with all the colors of the English downs -- and turns out, that's a lot of green, plus a gazillion gnats (and a huge team to help him). The guys discuss what makes Watership Down a classic, what Joe is doing next, how to avoid burnout as an illustrator, and much more. Plus, a special offer: If you want to order a copy of Watership Down for Christmas, you can now get an exclusive limited SASF edition: Each copy ordered from Canon Press will come with an exclusive Stories Are Soul Food bookplate signed by the illustrator himself. Limited to 200 only, so order now. https://canonpress.com/products/water...

The guys open this episode with a brutal question: how do you deal with a family member who claims they're trans? The discussion wends its way into how to love that family member, and how to protect your own family at the same time. And that doesn't involved being "nice" to sin. The bulk of the episode is about sports -- specifically girls in sports, and that noisy redpilled group who think girls shouldn't play any (to be clear, this is dumb). Brian also pushes Nate on the so-called tension between academics and physical education, and Herodotus's truism that soft lands breed soft men. Nate makes the controversial claim that he learned more on the field than in the classroom. #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #Herodotus #GirlsSports #Coaching

The nice part about living in Moscow, ID is that you get pickled in conflict, meaning you start to become immune to troubles that stress other people out. And it's key that you teach your kids to be comfortable being different -- and being seen as disagreeable. A great way to do that is through -- cue the Gray Havens theme music -- stooooooooories (they are soul food, after all). Brian corners Nate for a discussion of some key stories for parenting: when do you decide to work with someone you disagree with, and when do you decide to throw down? As a Protestant, how do you work with Romanists -- and vice versa? The guys discuss misbehaving in college -- Nate has been thrown out of three classrooms and the stories are juicy. They also discuss the dangers of being fearful parents, and the dangers of presumptive parents. An all-around great episode. #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #NDWilson #MoscowID #Conflict #College

Have you ever thought about how difficult it would be to make a movie about child trafficking that anybody would watch? Alejandro Monteverde, director of the hit indie film "Sound of Freedom," thought of little else for the past five years as he searched for the right partners. The SASF guys talk with Alejandro to hear how -- far beyond the $20 million-dollar movie he hoped it would be -- "Sound of Freedom" because a summer blockbuster, now on track for $300 million. They also get Monteverde's explanation of how he made Light a character in a dark movie, how he fought to make it "feel" like theater instead of reality, how he went through four composers before he found one who could make Sound a character too, how a "divine moment" made the end of the movie perfect, and much more. You'll also get a sneak peek at the director magic behind Monteverde's upcoming new film, Cabrini (2024), how reflections become a symbol for immigrants, and the tension between a director's artistic ego and the project itself. #SoundofFreedom #Monteverde #Cabrini #SASF #storiesaresoulfood #NDWilson #AlejandroMonteverde #BrianKohl

A dozen years ago, Nate had lunch, in Jerusalem, with a Palestinian, an Arab, and an Israeli. The three locals all agreed that Israel wouldn't exist in ten years as a nation state -- and the Palestinian said it was because he wanted every f-ing Israeli to die. Tune in to hear the rest of the story as the SASF guys discuss this bleak development in current world history, as well as the US's part in it and a brief foray into the role of empire. In typical SASF style, the guys blend two disparate topics: after the discussion of Hamas's murder of innocents, they affix a discussion of why the original Star Wars trilogy worked so well -- and almost everything in the franchise afterwards hasn't. #Israel #Hamas #Palestine #StarWars #GeorgeLucas #antisemitism #Jerusalem

The weather is turning, you're too happy it's fall, you want to read about the world falling apart -- it's DYSTOPIA TIME! The guys counter the autumnal desire for falling leaves and scented candles with a discussion of the wintry novel "Forbidden Child," a brand-new adventure story by Gwen Newell. Gwen comes on the show to discuss the years of writing and editing that finally resulted in this exciting new story: "Forbidden Child" takes place aboard the last piece of America in a flooded world, which is a huge cruise liner called "The Mothership" ruled with the loving, iron hand of the Godmother. The novel follows 13-year-old Piper Pascal, one of the Godmother's most dedicated child spies, who accidentally finds the most illegal thing in the world: a baby. Once she finds this "illegal organism," Piper has to decide whether to turn the baby or try to hide it aboard the ship. non-stop action story ensues. Also in this episode: Nate and Brian get into a pitched battle over the difference between post-apocalyptic sci-fi and dystopian sci-fi. Brian declares victory. Gwen also talks about how much her research into North Korea and Stalinist Russia influenced this cheerful tale (just the right amount). Pre-order Gwen's new book at canonballbooks.com to get free shipping. #ForbiddenChild #NDWilson #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #GwenNewell #dystopia #postapocalypse #scifi

Secular media is enthralled with exvangelicals... those former evangelicals who post some variation of "I've just been asking a lot of questions lately, and I've realized that organized religion doesn't have all the answers." Of course, turns out that "unanswered question" is usually the Problem of Evil... and every last Christian has had to answer the P.O.E. since the time of Adam. But investigating apostasy is helpful for other reasons as well, and Brian asks Nate about the storylines for such characters -- Jon Ward, Joshua Harris, Derek Webb, Glennon Doyle, and others being recent tragic examples. Turns out evil does not present a logical problem for Christians -- but it does present an emotional one. And the truth is, when you're clinging to sin, no matter how large, you've only got two choices: drop it and come to Jesus, or clutch it tight and try to remove your tender conscience from the Holy Spirit. And that's the exvangelical problem in a nutshell. #StoriesAreSoulFood #SASF #NDWilson #Exvangelicals #Evangelicals #Christians #ProblemOfEvil #POE #apostasy #repentandbelieve #JesusChrist #JoshuaHarris #DerekWebb #EnlightenMe #RachelMartin #JonWard #GlennonDoyle

Is it a bad thing to be a black sheep? The answer used to be yes (a horde of shrieking Disney movies to the contrary). But after the 2020 shutdowns, our world has gone mad, and the SASF guys think every kid needs to learn how to be a black sheep. What does that look like? Be a sheep who's out of step with the status quo; willing to joyfully devote your life to working, worshipping, and having a family, no matter how many people say boo. To further this goal, the SASF pod welcomes illustrator Forrest Dickison, who just finished drawing your kids' new favorite character, Blah Blah Black Sheep. Blah Blah is a lamb who can't baa (he "blaaahs" instead), and the rest of the flock does not appreciate his boundless energy, curiosity, and desire to fight. Will Blah Blah's aunts realize too late that SOMEBODY needs to able to fight coyotes? (Blah Blah Black Sheep releases this October in a new rhyming children's book written by N.D. Wilson and published by Canonball Books). The Stories Are Soul Food podcast wants kids to distinguish between the "Rebels Without a Cause" and the healthy, happy black sheep -- because the world needs more of the real kind. You also get to add the phrase "Chestertonian Outlaw" to your vocabulary, and hear a discussion of Starlink, Papua New Guinea, and Forrest being an insufferable artist (it's his job). Stock up on the Blah Blah preorder special at blahblahkids.com. #StoriesAreSoulFood #SASF #NDWilson #ForrestDickison #BlahBlahBlackSheep #BlahBlah #BeABlackSheep #BlackSheep #CanonballBooks

What happens when an audience doesn't "get it"? That's ultimately the director's fault. Nate argues there are two kinds of directors: the ones who care what the audience thinks, and the ones who put the art of a pedestal and don't. Spielberg's an example of the first, and Nolan's an example of the second. This is true for authors as well, mutatis mutandis. But Brian pushes back a bit, as the SASF pod has been known to tell critics they don't get it and it's THEIR fault. Brian asks Nate how he thinks through people who didn't "get" his nonfiction books -- when its their fault, when it isn't, and when it doesn't matter if they get it (sorry, boomers -- Notes from the Tilt-a-whirl wasn't written for you). #StoriesAreSoulFood #SASF#NotesfromtheTilt #DeathbyLiving #NDWilson #ChristopherNolan #Spielberg

The key moment from this podcast is when Brian investigates a short story idea of Nate's with a provocative title (Heather would prefer it not to be written). This is all in the context of discussing Flannery O'Connor's "dark grace." It turns out the guys have never discussed short stories, so prepare for an extravaganza on O'Connor, Hemingway, O. Henry, and more. A key question is "why are short stories dead as a genre?" They also get into specifics about how the best short fabulists write, which short stories could make feature films, and some key moments in favorite O'Connor stories -- and why her novels are poor. Also, Nate puts down a rumor that he would name "The Chestnut King" "The Conker King" were he British. #StoriesAreSoulFood #SASF #FlanneryOConnor #darkgrace #OConnor #shortstories #Hemingway #NDWilson

Oliver Anthony's unexpectedly viral song "Rich Men North of Richmond" provides the fodder for this week's SASF as the guys discuss how rural Idahoans have more in common with the inhabitants of the inner city than they do with rich, white, Republican suburbs (or Washington, D.C.). The overnight success of a song simply speaking truth is a good example of how to use stories to unite huge groups of people -- another instance of the Tucker Carlson and Ice Cube phenomenon. The guys also discuss criticism of the song from Christianity Today to National Review Online. However, the song's popularity is also a great picture of Americans uniting in the face of those who want to take control by dividing us -- that's the origin of the phrase "divide and conquer." Yes, they discuss the bad words he uses, and how he can avoid becoming a one-hit wonder, and how he can make sure his life's work isn't squandered. (Also: This is also your last chance to get questions in for the "Sound of Freedom" Look at Moving Picture Club episode. You can email by subscribing at canonpress.com/sasf or message on Facebook.) #StoriesAreSoulFood #SASF #OliverAnthony #RichMen #RichMenNorthofRichmond #viralsong #BillboardTop100 #politics #TuckerCarlson #IceCube

The guys jump from Percy Jackson into a discussion of child actors (it kinda makes sense, we promise). Then they really find their groove at Nate describes how he maxed his credit cards to make memories when it mattered, how he was approaching the possibility of dying during brain surgery, and how to make moments "last" for your children -- or, on the contrary, how to lose entire years of childhood. Don't forget to be watching "Sound of Freedom" for this month's LAMPC! #StoriesAreSoulFood #SASF #Parenting #NDWilson #PercyJackson

Are you uncomfortable with the stories of Esther and Tamar, two women of Scripture who manipulated powerful men's sexual desire as part of their strategies? Was that "wrong" of them to do? To get the answer to this question, we've got to look at the stories: How does God talk about these two ladies? Turns out they're both described as virtuous heroines who saved the entire human race -- if Esther and Tamar hadn't had the "courage of their convictions", the Messianic line would have failed. God's storytelling always messes with our preconceived notions -- Tamar, for example, is the first woman listed in the New Testament. Learning to read the stories of the Bible correctly is the point of saying "Stories Are Soul Food." Oh, and speaking of uncomfortable stories, the next Look at Moving Pictures Club (LAMPC) pick is Angel Studio's "Sound of Freedom," by popular request. Get to the theater and watch the indie film that beat Indiana Jones. #StoriesAreSoulFood #SASF #Esther #Tamar #MessianicLine #ReadtheStory #UncomfortableBibleStories #SoundofFreedom #AngelStudios #LAMPC

Some have accused Brian of being pretentious. More have accused Nate of pretension. But the most have accused SASF of being "pretentious" when they criticize Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings. The guys set out to dispel the myth of pretension and to answer charges leveled against them fairly and honestly. Yes, thirteen-year-old Brian loved Aragorn hacking orcs. However, if you don't understand why PJ's LOTR would make Tolkien vomit, listen to this episode. Ep. 123 also functions as a follow-up to earlier episodes on taste and sophistication. Plus you'll get solid reasons for what the movies did well (Gandalf, Gollum, setting), what they did poorly (Aragorn, Frodo, Tony-Hawk Legolas, oliphaunts, the Dead), and what they did abysmally (Faramir, Eowyn, no cleansing of the Shire) -- and why they get graded harder for it. All around a fun episode about why Brian and Nate refuse to bury this particular hatchet. #LOTR #LordoftheRings #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #Aragorn #Legolas #Tolkien #JRRTolkien #TheHobbit #Gandalf #Gollum #PeterJackson #WetaWorkshops

You must approach the crazy moment we're living in right now with courage, determination, and a breadth of skills. Unfortunately, many young people and adults around the country have chosen apathy instead. The SASF guys take on another studio audience of more than a hundred high schoolers visiting Moscow for New Saint Andrews College's Called Conference. They start with some (gentle) teasing of novel pitches the students sent in for consideration and then move on to the meat of the discussion: comparing the difference between David and Samuel (a king of Israel and the faithful prophet who anointed him) with Jeroboam and Abijah (another king of Israel and the faithful prophet who anointed him). David remained faithful to God over the course of his life, and Jeroboam led the northern kingdom astray. What do you do with the fact that there's a clock above your head, counting down the days left in your life? How do you seize the moment you're in? What happens when you see someone lose their leg in a car wreck, as Nate just did? #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #NDWilson #NSA #NewSaintAndrewsCollege #MoscowID #CalledConference

New Saint Andrews College hosts the SASF podcast with a live studio audience of a hundred and fifty high schoolers visiting Moscow for NSA's Called Conference. The kids take full advantage of the opportunity, asking questions ranging from "what do I do if my friend has been working on a novel for eight years and won't show anybody" to "why do Peter Jackson's LOTR movies suck" and many other pressing questions. #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #NDWilson #NSA #NewSaintAndrewsCollege #MoscowID #CalledConference

Huge excitement for this episode as the guys have up-and-coming director Francis Annan on to discuss his movie "Escape from Pretoria" (which all must watch...really, do it!). Francis describes what it was like to get the film made, including challenges from local governments to talent and, ultimately, to a virus shutting theaters down four days into his movie's launch. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as do most things given by a good Father. This episode is extra long as the conversation covers all steps of the directing process, from inspiration to adapting from a book to working with A-list talent like Daniel Radcliffe and the real-life heroes behind the film. You'll find that there was a conscious decision behind everything the film portrays. And you'll hear the real-life pressure-cooker situation behind shooting the infamous "gum" scene. #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #NDWilson #FrancisAnnan #EscapefromPretoria #SASFLAMPC #director #directing

The guys discuss gangsters today, specifically the Godfather and why there's something compelling about the big happy Italian mob families portrayed -- at least until the murders start. But first: Nate's kids correct Brian's error that Jojo Rabbit won an Oscar. It was only nominated -- Parasite won in 2019. At this point, the guys wander into a discussion of violent portions of world history, foraying into ancient Israel and King David. Brian recently finished "Blood Meridian" by Cormac McCarthy, and explains why that book was so unpleasant and violent (it's about the Glanton gang of scalp-hunters on the Tex-Mex border). Nate never wants an episode to be too unobjectionable, so they stray into a discussion of why Untouchables is such a loser of a movie -- Elliot Ness/Kevin Costner is killing people over alcohol? And we thought our current tyranny was bad... Lest this episode be too Italian, the guys mix Ireland into the discussion with "Banshees of Inisherin" and "The Irishman" (also nominated for an Oscar in 2019). #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #gangsters #Godfather #BloodMeridian #violence #AlCapone #Untouchables #Italians #Irishman (edited)

Why do you discipline your kids? What happens when your kids aren't characters you like? Ultimately it means YOU aren't being a good character. This SASF discussion ventures into the fraught world of parenting for a discussion of when kids are in control, when your home tiptoes so that one kid doesn't get upset, and why your kids should be well-behaved -- so that you can do awesome things with them. There are also stories containing tears and blood, and advice on how to deal with adults who aren't great characters either. #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #characters #writing #parenting #discipline

This episode begins with something you probably missed in Jojo Rabbit -- and it answers the question "what's up with Yorki?" Brian thinks he has figured it out: The answer is that Adolf isn't the only imaginary character in Jojo Rabbit -- Yorki is also only in Jojo's head. Listen to the arguments and see if Nate is convinced. This episode is how to handle holocaust in stories, exaggeration and characterization, the strengths of caricature and its weaknesses, and why Taika Waititi chose this subject and this way of telling his story. For a movie that's so funny, Jojo Rabbit packs quite an emotional punch, set up perfectly with shoelaces. Yes, the guys also discuss the fabulous Klinzendorf, Taika's mockery of pre-WW2 Germany, and how in the world Taika thought of ending the movie with a David Bowie dance scene. If, like the guys, you grew up watching WW2 movies (Schindler's List, Boy with the Striped Pajamas, Inglorious Basterds, Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, etc.) or reading WW2 books like All the Light We Cannot See, The Book Thief, or Snow Treasure, this episode will be a great listen. #JojoRabbit #Yorki #imaginaryfriends #TaikaWaititi #SchindlersList #BoywiththeStripedPajamas #IngloriousBasterds #SavingPrivateRyan #BandofBrothers #AlltheLightWeCannotSee #TheBookThief

The start of this episode, as the guys suggest improvements to Narnia, when you should be fine with a dad bod, and that time Nate almost died, is not to be missed. They also touch base on parenting submissive but fearless boys, when not working out is a good sacrifice (and when it's lazy), postmillennialism, and why the Narnia Chronicles as as series would be "much better" if "The Last Battle" was a better book. Then they finally get to the long-awaited Jesus Revolution episode: What is a "faith film"? What do "Chariots of Fire" and "Jesus Revolution" and Terrence Malick have in common? How is Jesus Rev organized? What's up with Lonnie Frisbee? How does the Spirit work in times of chaos, and does God care about the carpets? How can organizations use young people? How can hippies and squares co-exist? Ultimately Jesus Revolution is the story of parents reconciling with their children when they both find the Truth: because He is powerful. #JesusRevolution #ChariotsofFire #NDWilson #sasf #StoriesAreSoulFood #SasfLampC #watchingmovies #filmcriticism #TerrenceMalick #Narnia #TheLastBattle #CSLewis

Brian argues that murder mysteries are the worst genre for doing what literature does best. Nate disagrees, and the guys launch a discussion of whodunnits (which are actually a favorite reading snack of both). You'll learn why Agatha Christie isn't re-readable, how Father Brown is like a fig newton at your grandmas, what happens at the intersection of good and evil, why Raymond Chandler is one of the top writers in English; why detectives are so often atheists (it has to be that way if you don't want an incredibly devout protagonist!). And yes, you'll also hear which genre(s) Nate thinks are actually the worst. #sasf #storiesaresoulfood #AgathaChristie #RaymondChandler #FatherBrown #SherlockHolmes #murdermysteries #lotr #twokingdoms #ndwilson

Do we win down here? And what does winning look like? We'll tell you what it doesn't mean: holding on to your own life, and your own happiness, until they're pried from your fingers. But is it accurate to say we "lose" here on earth -- but win ultimately in heaven? The guys use MacArthur bashing on postmillennialism as a jumping off point to discuss an optimistic eschatology vs a Viking eschatology, what kind of story the Lord of the Rings would be if Frodo had had his throat cut by an orc, why Christians think it's prideful to talk about "winning" on earth, and -- finally -- how to actually win, because we serve a Lord who DID win, and wants us to follow in his footsteps. MacArthur has done a ton of winning vs mask tyrants, and he illustrates a wonderful truth: that "Christ is Lord" is the reason you have kids, start businesses, go on vacations, host block parties, and much more. Truth is, winning looks like sitting on a throne on top of a pile of skulls. And one of the best ways to behead an enemy is to convert him. #sasf #storiesaresoulfood #MacArthur #wewindownhere #christislord #merechristendom #lotr #twokingdoms #ndwilson #graceagenda

PSA: The LAMPC discussion for Jesus Revolution got postponed a week (sorry, it's almost like Jon Erwin is busy or something). In the meantime.... Puke or pass out: Ah, the joys of spring sports! Nate coaches track, BK coaches little kid rugby, and life lessons abound. The takeaway is that both boys and girls should be playing spring sports. Nate can't remember any individual moments from his school education, but can remember a multitude from high school sports. Brian thinks Nate must have been a very different kind of student. The guys discuss how good it is to have unhinged parents screaming at your kid on the basketball court. They discuss how good it is to be made to puke. They also discuss the dangers of being obsessed with sports. All around, another good time is had on the SASF podcast. A final PSA: Send in your Jojo Rabbit questions sooner rather than later to [email protected], so we can be sure to see them before we record. #StoriesAreSoulFood #sasf #sports #football #basketball #JojoRabbit

LAMP Club is postponed a week because John Erwin, director of "Jesus Revolution", is coming on the SASF pod next week to discuss the movie himself! So in the meantime: You might remember that Nate had thrown out some reckless bait about Breaking Bad. A few bold listeners pushed back: Surely Breaking Bad isn't so very Bad, is it? The guys dig into the nuts and bolts of Christian artistic appreciation: the responsorial tier (what does the audience do with what they've watched), the aesthetic tier (how well or poorly is it made), and the objective tier (does God like it). You'll find such a system of criticism maps perfectly onto the classical trifecta of the true, the good, and the beautiful. So how does that apply to Breaking Bad? Listen to find out. Hint: It doesn't look like hosting a Breaking Bad party with rock candy in place of meth, as some Christians have done. The guys also discuss the next LAMP Club pick, which will be Taika Waititi's "Jojo Rabbit." #StoriesAreSoulFood #sasf #BreakingBad #JojoRabbit

Have you ever wondered why God makes it so much easier to remember a novel than, say, your own memories? He appears to put a priority on received or secondhand experience (think of his blessing and admonition to Doubting Thomas). This SASF launches off into a discussion of how to interview your own (elderly) relatives, and why you should do that sooner rather than later. Then you get advice on telling your own (real) stories to your own kids, and musings on problems with being human, mostly about why our memories are so spotty. Don't forget to be watching Jesus Revolution for next week's LAMP Club -- and of course to be posting a review to iTunes or Facebook that makes Nate cry. #sasf #StoriesAreSoulFood #memory #novels #ancestors #relatives #FourQuartets

Time to discuss a movie that's on both Brian and Nate's Top-10 list: Studio Ghibli's "Spirited Away." (Consider this a bonus LAMPC, because Nate won't let it be a real one.) But first, a quick follow-up from a listener regarding Slumdog Millionaire: Does Salim's sacrifice make him a Jesus figure? To help answer this, remember the SASF rule that if you can't understand WHY a villain did what they did, they're a cardboard character (i.e., bad). Next, let's address the elephant in the room: Is Spirited Away too weird to be good? What's with the pig transformation and the jumping heads and the big baby and the stink spirit? Don't get caught looking at the ornamentation of the story -- Spirited Away is Japanese art layered on top of western story structure. The combo is wholesome enough for parenting lessons. And what's even better, Miyazaki also has the film work as a post-war investigation of Japan -- all set in a spirit bathhouse. Last teaser: one of Nate's favorite stills in all of cinematography is in this movie. #sasf #StoriesAreSoulFood #SpiritedAway #Miyazaki #StudioGhibli #stinkspirit #bathhouse

The first step to fixing a problem is admitting you have one -- and you do: You've got bad taste. Inspired by That One Review which accuses SASF of being overly arrogant in subjective areas, Brian asks Nate how many bad takes are just because a person has bad taste. (We won't spoil the answer for you.) The guys discuss how to fix bad taste, and this begins with NOT treating your own preferences as the standard. To treat yourself as the judge, W.H. Auden argues, is to have the artistic judgment of a child. The solution to bad taste begins with zealously copying the biggest Creator in everything he does. And until you make that commitment, your own artistic judgments are always going to feel lackluster and uninspired. Furthermore, then you can actually KNOW what God thinks of a piece of art. Unfortunately, its these sorts of objective claims about subjective art that make people mad at SASF. So, in retaliation, please send a review that will make Nate cry (with cheerfulness, or anger). Also the next LAMPC pick is "Jesus Revolution." #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #objectivity #art #subjectivity #taste #judgment #art

It's time for the second every LAMP Club -- and we know you enjoyed/suffered through "Slumdog Millionaire" as much as we did. But first, Nate has a tragic story about airports and the coming collapse of our workforce (if you're not in the mood for airport depression, skip to minute 29:46 for the start of the LAMP discussion). "Slumdog" cleaned up awards and money in equal measure, and it's easy to see why. The story of two brothers is a compelling one -- but each brother has a problem. What does the movie want you to think about their relationship? Is it a problem that this movie deals with tragedy and yet doesn't take itself seriously? What about the Bollywood soundtrack? Turns out joy in the midst of pain is deeply human. The guys dive deep in the second ever Look At Moving Pictures Club. #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #SlumdogMillionaire #Lion #Bollywood #LAMPClub

The question is simple: Do you want to be like God? If so, you need to buy your kids a pet, because He filled a world with 'em. (Is it that simple? Listen to find out.) You'll meet a billion garter snakes in this episode along with Timothy the Owl, Odd the Mouse (tragedy of sentimentality there), Scout the Beagle, Rosalind the Tortoise, that green vine snake that tried to take a piece out of Nate, and several of Brian's failed wildlife experiments. The guys have fun in this episode telling stories about various and sundry snakes, birds, dogs, tortoises, rats, and other pets they encountered. #NDWilson #Sasf #storiesaresoulfood #Pets #DominionMandate #Mice #Beagles #Owls #Snakes