The State of Texas went viral recently for requiring students to read parts of the Bible in public schools. In this episode of the Know Why Podcast, Liberty looks at what is actually going on. Topics covered include:
Understanding the First Amendment, the Establishment Clause, and the “Wall of Separation”
What the Supreme Court has said in the past about when it is and is not ok to read the Bible in public schools
Which Bible stories and passages Texas is actually requiring, in what grades, and why
And more.
Don’t rely on headlines or assumptions. Know for yourself what’s happening in Texas and why it may matter for educational trends across the nation.
More Resources:
Tearing Down the Wall: The True Meaning of Jefferson’s Separation of Church and State (2026)
The latest Gallup polling shows that rates of patriotism in the United States are at an all time low. Why does that matter?
Ahead of America’s 250th anniversary celebration, Liberty argues why you should be patriotic—and what that actually means.
Included in this episode:
What does patriotism actually mean?
Can Christians be patriotic? Should they be?
What about when I disapprove of my country or government?
The episode ends with a couple of challenges you can implement this weekend as you reflect on the nation’s history this Independence Day. Keep scrolling for links mentioned in the episode and a full blog post below.
A 2019 poll by the McCourtney Institute for Democracy asked 1,000 Americans to explain what patriotism means to them. The answers included some common themes, such as “Love of country and demonstrating respect for its symbols; The Constitution; Men and women who have served our country.” As the report put it:
Many of our traditional symbols and ideals of patriotism are embraced enthusiastically by liberals and conservatives, Democrats, Republicans and Independents, people of all colors, young and old alike.
But other answers revealed disagreement and misunderstanding about what patriotism means. Some even claimed that “patriotism” is an antiquated term with negative meaning. A 25-year-old woman from Pennsylvania argued that patriotism is “thinly veiled racism and over-zealous nationalism.”
Let’s look at the official definition.
Defining Patriotism
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines patriotism simply as “love for or devotion to one’s country.” It is not the same as nationalism, which is typically understood today to be more extreme or exclusive devotion. For instance, nationalists are more likely to believe in the superiority of their nation above all others, and have little or no regard for other nations.
For many people, hallmarks of patriotism include civic engagement, like exercising one’s constitutional rights, including informed voting and even peaceful protesting.
America is a large nation built on a foundation of smaller communities. If local families and communities aren’t healthy, the entire nation will suffer. So even though it may seem indirect, helping one’s local community to thrive — whether through volunteer work, support of local businesses, or involvement in local government — is an expression of patriotism for many.
Can Christians be patriotic?
The Bible teaches that when someone becomes a Christian, they are not only adopted into God’s family, but become members of his eternal kingdom. This kingdom (which exists in a spiritual sense now, but includes the eventual destination of Heaven) becomes our true home.
It’s apparent from these verses that our heavenly citizenship transcends earthly citizenships, allegiances, and prejudices. Moreover, both the Old and New Testaments emphasize that God must come first in our lives, with no other gods or idols placed before him in our hearts.
Does this mean that if Christians love their earthly country, they are rejecting their heavenly citizenship and even committing idolatry? Not necessarily.
The Bible also talks extensively about loving one’s neighbor, helping the poor, and seeking justice. If we love our country and its people, we’ll be more motivated to do these very things. And the more Christians invest in these activities, the better off their countries will be.
Of course, our love for people shouldn’t stop at our nation’s borders. The Bible teaches that all people are considered our neighbors. Our bond between fellow Christians — fellow members of God’s family — should be stronger even than national ties.
This is where patriotism can go wrong. Sometimes, people become so devoted to their own country that they become ambivalent or even hateful toward people of different nations and cultures. Another temptation for some people is to confuse or equate patriotism with Christianity. While healthy patriotism can naturally flow from a Christian worldview, love for country is not the same as love for God. As Christians, our love for and devotion to God should far outpace whatever affection we feel for our earthly home.
Caring about one’s country and pursuing its best interests in order to help one’s neighbors aligns well with biblical teaching. But Christians must remember that God comes first, and that we belong to his kingdom above all.
What about when there are problems?
Let’s look at what Frederick Douglass had to say:
Patriotism doesn’t mean agreeing with or endorsing everything about one’s nation, its history, or its current leaders. Someone can feel love for their country while also acknowledging its shortcomings. In fact, some would say confronting the problems in one’s country and striving to help it improve is a prime example of devotion.
Former slave, abolitionist, and writer/speaker Frederick Douglass articulated this tension in 1847. He said he lacked a sense of patriotism while his black brethren suffered under American slavery. Still:
As my voice can be heard on this or the other side of the Atlantic, I will hold up America to the lightning scorn of moral indignation. In doing this, I shall feel myself discharging the duty of a true patriot; for he is a lover of his country who rebukes and does not excuse its sins.
Justin Giboney encourages Christians to engage in politics outside of the two-party framework, which often doesn’t represent Christian interests very well. He wrote recently for Christianity Today:
Not long ago, I spoke to a racially diverse group of Christians about the trials our moment presents. They were enthusiastic with me as I named threats and prosecuted the case against their political opponents. But when I appealed to the bright side and detailed how we could do better, I could tell I’d lost them. They’d bonded over grievance, found identity in despair and a home in the drama. … It’s easier, I realize, to scream that the sky is falling than to detail which parts of our democracy are falling apart and which are sound or map out the realistic circumference of our sphere of influence and work hard within it. Nuance and hope rain on a pity party, but they allow us to create a cogent plan of action and save us from tortured imaginations about our neighbors.
Holding Onto Hope
When we care about something, we invest in it. Investing in something generally makes it better. If Americans are so despondent about life in America that they check out completely, they won’t invest in their communities anymore, and our entire nation will suffer.
A healthy sense of patriotism doesn’t blind us to our nation’s shortcomings, but should motivate us to work for its improvement, see glimmers of hope, and be grateful for the good things.
Independence Day Challenge
This Fourth of July, mark America’s 250th anniversary by partaking in the following challenge:
Read writings from some of the Founders, such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, or the Federalist Papers
Make a list of 10 things you’re grateful for about America
Make a list of 10 things you can change or improve for people in your sphere of influence in your community
The latest World Happiness Report reveals that English-speaking countries are the unhappiest, and sociologist Arthur Brooks theorizes that a major cause for this is the Anglosphere’s social media usage. According to Brooks, hours spent on social media is only part of the explanation.
In this episode of the Know Why Podcast, Liberty breaks down Brooks’s hypotheses and observes other recent research and cultural trends to help us understand why the way we use social media matters for our mental health.
A Conversation on Gen Z, Mental Health, and Spirituality with Garryt Bryant
Surveys show that Gen Z is spiritual. One study found that teens today are very interested in learning more about Jesus. And yet research also shows that young people frequently struggle with anxiety, depression, and even loneliness. Is prayer the answer?
In this week’s episode, Garryt Bryant, a youth leader and pray coordinator for his church, talks about prayer. Garryt shares his own experience with mental health struggles and loneliness, and what helped him heal. He also gives practical tips for how to pray, including suggested passages of the Bible to study for anyone who wants to grow in their spiritual journey.
Garryt also shares about a movement he’s a part of, Prayer at the Heart, which is aimed at helping people around the nation engage in prayer.
The man behind the robot vacuum has developed something new—”The Familiar,” an AI-powered robot “pet” designed to bond with its owner.
While the product itself is interesting or weird, depending on how you look at it, its existence highlights deeper issues in American society today, including…
The growing loneliness problem
Falling fertility rates and an aging society
The lie that autonomy leads to fulfillment
And more.
Listen to understand how we should think about many of the new AI products being pushed on everyday people and how we can build a society where AI friends, companions, and “familiars” aren’t needed.
More Resources:
The Roomba Guy’s Second Act: A Robot You’ll Want to Snuggle
A recent survey said that 60% of Gen Zers and 50% of Millennials cut someone out of their life in the last year. In the reasons given, many survey respondents listed reasons that had to do with conflict and disagreement.
At the same time, young adults report the highest rates of loneliness and poor mental health.
If we’re cutting out the people who stress us out, shouldn’t our mental health improve?
Liberty argues that young adults were raised in environments that eliminated friction, and that this has harmed expectations about conflict in relationships, and is harming young people today by isolating them from the people they need.
Sam Altman talks about uploading his brain to the cloud. Elon Musks says humans should merge biological intelligence with digital intelligence. Peter Thiel isn’t sure if the human race should continue without that kind of human-tech merger. What do these tech leaders have in common? Transhumanism—the idea that humans should be able to change, or even eradicate, their physical bodies by merging with technology.
This may sound sci-fi, but the core tenets of transhumanism aren’t actually new. In fact, humans have been moving toward this idea for a long time. Some even predicted it.
In this episode, Liberty discusses how ancient and classic literature and thinkers of the past, including J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, can help us understand transhumanism and the “brave new world” we find ourselves in.
More Resources:
Do You Want to Live Forever? A Tolkienian Critique of Transhumanism by Julie Miller
Is the American Dream dead for Millennials and Gen Z? Is there a version of traditional success that’s still attainable? How are young adults redefining their life dreams in the face of economic instability and loss of trust in institutions?
This week on the Know Why Podcast, Cole Douglas Claybourn and Liberty discuss all this and more. A journalist and former English teacher, Cole talks about fighting back against the lies we are prone to believe on his Substack blog “The Road Home” and on his In No Hurry podcast.
Both Millennials with similar backgrounds, Cole and Liberty break down why the traditional American Dream isn’t panning out for many young adults who are still struggling to pay off college loans, buy a house, and start a family.
They also contrast the expectations Millennials and Gen Z grew up with—change the world, go far in life, do great things—with the realities of what makes life more fulfilling, like local connection and a slower pace of living.
In short: Millennials and Gen Z are steeped in what feels like a never-ending hustle culture due to economic pressures and a cultural obsession with productivity. And it’s negatively affecting everything from our diets to our creativity to our families.
If you’re a young adult wondering if you’re the only one struggling to feel successful in life, or if you’re a listener who wants to better understand the challenges facing Millennials and Gen Z, this episode is for you.
First Lady Melania Trump recently asked Americans to imagine a humanoid robot tutor named “Plato.” Meanwhile, many schools are already incorporating AI into the classroom, in some cases eliminating human teachers altogether. Can AI help solve America’s education problems? Or should we draw a line and protect the classroom from AI encroachment?
In this episode, Liberty offers three reasons why AI doesn’t belong in education. First, from a Christian perspective, education is discipleship, and AI can’t disciple. Second, education requires relationship, which research confirms, and AI can’t truly relate. Third, studies are already showing evidence of cognitive decline in AI users, and education technology has, in general, been a large failure.
Learn more about these arguments in the full episode, where Liberty also shares some practical tips for parents to make sure their kids are truly learning to think in the age of AI. Dig in deeper by checking out the resources below, cited in the episode.
More Resources:
Ed Tech is Profitable. It is Also Mostly Useless. (The Economist) https://www.economist.com/united-states/2026/01/22/ed-tech-is-profitable-it-is-also-mostly-useless?utm_campaign=shared_article
Did Jesus really do the impossible—come back to life? In this interview, reposted in honor of Holy Week, Stand to Reason apologist Robby Lashua walks listeners through the historical evidence for Jesus’ resurrection, including what non-Christian historians have to say about the event.
More Resources
See the following resources recommended by Robby for more historical scholarship regarding the resurrection:
GaryHabermas.com
The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Gary Habermas
The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach by Michael Licona
The Resurrection of the Son of God by N. T. Wright
