Malcolm Foley, author of The Anti-Greek Gospel, joins to discuss LeBron James' defense of his son Bronny against public scrutiny. They dive into the balance of parental support versus overreach and examine the cultural backlash against empathy. The conversation also critiques how power and privilege can be wielded for good. Add in some humorous reflections on seasonal depression and newfound love for soccer, and you have a fascinating exploration of parenting, empathy, and cultural challenges.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Parent's Protective Anger Story
Malcolm Foley shares the pain of his four-year-old daughter being excluded by other kids.
He felt anger and a strong urge to intervene, revealing the raw emotions parents experience in protecting their children.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Defending Son with Peace
Esau McCaulley recalls defending his son when another child pushed him off a slide.
He chose to remove his son and avoid confrontation, showing a loving, peaceful parental approach.
insights INSIGHT
Parenting Balance Insight
Parents often wrestle with balancing making life easier for their children and allowing them to experience struggle.
The question arises whether to help kids avoid hardship or let them learn through suffering.
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Why the Love of Money Is the Root of Racism and How the Church Can Create a New Way Forward
Malcolm Foley
Reading While Black
African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope
Rev Esau McCaulley
In *Reading While Black*, Esau McCaulley provides a detailed analysis of African American biblical interpretation, addressing contemporary issues such as protest and injustice, policing and police brutality, ethnicity and Black identity, and the Bible's stance on slavery. The book integrates personal narratives, insights into the Black church and American culture, and careful biblical exegesis to highlight how the Scriptures support Black justice and liberation. McCaulley draws on various biblical passages and interweaves them with the African American experience, emphasizing the Exodus narrative as a metanarrative of deliverance for the oppressed[1][2][4].
The Sin of Empathy
Compassion and Its Counterfeits
Joe Rigney
In this book, Joe Rigney argues that while empathy is often seen as a virtuous trait, it can also be a tool for manipulation and a source of harm. Rigney distinguishes between empathy and sympathy, suggesting that empathy involves joining people in their darkness and distress without making judgments, whereas sympathy involves showing compassion while maintaining a sense of boundaries and truth. He discusses how unregulated empathy can lead to emotional blackmail, selectivity, and cruelty, and how it has been exploited in various contexts, including under the progressive gaze and within feminist and church settings. The book emphasizes the importance of genuine compassion that is grounded in truth and justice.
Toxic Empathy
How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion
Allie Beth Stuckey
In 'Toxic Empathy', Allie Beth Stuckey explores how progressives exploit Christian compassion by using empathy as a tool of manipulation. She delves into five heated issues: abortion, gender, sexuality, immigration, and social justice. Stuckey argues that progressives use catchy mantras to present their perspectives as empathetic, while ignoring the other side of the moral equation. The book is about submitting empathy to God’s definitions of love, goodness, and justice, equipping Christians with research-backed, Biblical truths to dismantle progressive lies that have permeated culture and the church.
LeBron James made headlines for confronting ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith after criticism of his son, Bronny. Esau and Malcolm Foley unpack the moment and ask: What’s a parent’s role in their child’s success, and when does helping become too much? They also explore the growing backlash against empathy and wrestle with how we should use power and privilege for the good of others. Plus, in our new “Freezing Cold Takes” segment, we admit seasonal depression is real… and maybe soccer is actually good?
The Esau McCaulley Podcast 
