ICE, the Fed, and How Power Bends the Truth

New footage and reporting about the Minneapolis ICE shooting of Renée Good have complicated the story. Esau, Mike and Taelor Gray revisit the incident one week later and ask how political power shapes the narratives we're given, and what it means for Christians to tell the truth when the truth is inconvenient. Then, they turn to the surprising posthumous "ordination" of DMX and consider what it reveals about the nature of pastoral ministry, proximity, and presence in an age obsessed with platforms.   0:00 - Theme Song   2:25 - Wall Street Journal Complains About Sushi for Kids   8:15 - Renee Good and the ICE Stop   21:00 - Sponsor - Glorify - Get full access all year for $29.00 at https://www.glorify-app.com/Esau   22:19 - DMX Ordained After His Death?   43:44 - End Credits   66 Verse to Explain the Bible - Ezra: https://www.patreon.com/posts/148221073/   Wall Street Journal Article on ICE and shootings: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/videos-show-how-ice-vehicle-stops-can-escalate-to-shootings-caf17601?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqcM4suCejir2XhY_aFDJ2--sqzFMzLxUYZ4SWneBn28PnkIFR-SG7O92GaLvw%3D%3D&gaa_ts=6967c046&gaa_sig=POa3tPcvJz_pC4-M5-e4uWuWjboR_sO0jyfq1BCM0XWAAXYxeb8OSWlKQ2SbkOYLAfCMr-_WetVC1fqY1L8b3g%3D%3D

A woman is dead in Minneapolis after an encounter with ICE.  Esau McCaulley, Justin Giboney, Malcolm Foley, and producer Mike sort through what we know so far, what the law actually says about deadly force and compliance, and how Christians should think about state power and the value of a human life. The conversation wrestles with fear, responsibility, split second decisions, and the narratives forming around the shooting long before the facts are settled.

The fall of a dictator feels like good news, but what if the motive matters as much as the outcome? Esau, Mike, and Sho Baraka dig into the Venezuela raid through the lens of just war theory, Trump's own comments, and the broader unseriousness of the administration. Then Sho reflects on his recent writing about AI and efficiency, asking where the line is between using new technology wisely and setting boundaries for the sake of rest, imagination, and what it means to be human.   0:00 - Theme Song   2:35 - Hard Classes That Mattered   8:03 - Venezuela   22:30 - The Donroe Doctrine   30:10 - Sponsor - Brooklyn Bedding - For a quality mattress, go to https://www.brooklynbedding.com and use promo code ESAU to get 30% off site wide!   31:08 - AI and Utilitarianism   50:39 - End Credits   Sho Baraka's Music: https://www.shobaraka.com/ https://www.instagram.com/amishobaraka/

Medically assisted suicide is on the rise in Canada, and it's no longer limited to those who are terminally ill. Esau, Malcolm, and Mike examine what this shift reveals about modern assumptions around autonomy, dignity, and choice, and how Christian convictions about suffering and care for the vulnerable complicate the logic behind assisted dying policies. Also, after Travis Kelce recently claimed that he and Taylor Swift have never fought, the team asks whether conflict-free marriage is actually a sign of health. They explore why disagreement can be formative rather than destructive, and why couples should be cautious about overusing therapy language—like "gaslighting" or "narcissism"—without fully understanding what those terms mean. 0:00 - Theme Song 1:40 - Scheduling Wedding for Money? 7:00 - Do Couples Need to Fight? 1 7:26 - Therapy Talk 22:34 - Medical Assistance in Dying  30:52 - Dying with Dignity 38:28 - What to Leave Behind in 2026? 45:00 - End Credits #HolyPostMedia #hpm

No new episode this week, but here are three more episodes of the HP+ exclusive series, 66 Verse to Explain the Bible. We'll be back next week with Malcolm Foley for a brand new episode. Merry Christmas!   0:00 - Producer Mike's Discount Code Challenge   2:40 - Theme Song   2:45 - Numbers   7:05 - Deuteronomy   14:30 - Sponsor - Brooklyn Bedding - For a quality mattress, go to https://www.brooklynbedding.com and use promo code ESAU to get 30% off site wide!   15:25 - Joshua   22:42 - End Credits

In the wake of the tragic murder of Rob and Michele Reiner, Trump's response on Truth Social reveals a striking lack of empathy. Esau, Mike, and Justin Giboney reflect on how his reaction once again exposes a failure of compassion at the highest level of leadership.   Then the conversation turns to Wake Up Dead Man, the latest film in the Knives Out franchise, which unexpectedly offers a sharp and thoughtful portrayal of Christianity in America. What does the movie get right about sin, confession, and grace, and could it be one of the most theologically insightful secular films in years?   0:00 - Theme Song   3:33 - Christmas Movie Character Equivalents   10:05 - Wake Up Dead Man   22:48 - Sponsor - Exclusive $45-off Carver Mat at https://www.AuraFrames.com. Use code ESAU at checkout to save!   23:50 - Sponsor - Tyndale - The Life Application Study Bible is here to give you resources to help you understand why scripture matters and how it applies today! Check it out now at: https://www.tyndale.com/sites/lasb/?utm_campaign=Bibles%20-%20NLT%20Life%20Applicati[…]ource=Holy%20Post%20Podcast&utm_medium=Microsite%20Nov%202025   24:48 - Trump on the Reiner Murder   34:30 - Australia and Gun Laws   Esau Article on School Shootings: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/28/opinion/how-can-we-be-a-country-that-does-this-to-our-children.html

Esau is live in Boston with producer Mike and Dr. Amy Peeler for a conversation on whether today's chaos means we're living in the end times. Amy and Esau talk about how Christians should think about apocalyptic anxiety, why every generation believes it's the generation, and what Scripture actually gives us—hope, perseverance, and a call to faithfulness. Then, Amy and Esau talk about how they manage being a scholar and a pastor, past regrets they have, and Amy's former life as a tv commercial star.   Q&A Bonus Segment on Holy Post Plus: https://www.patreon.com/posts/145553700/   0:00 - Theme Song   7:30 - Are We in the End Times?   15:00 - America and Eschatology 20:00 - Sponsor - Exclusive $45-off Carver Mat at https://www.AuraFrames.com. Use code ESAU at checkout to save!   21:03 - Sponsor - Tyndale - The Life Application Study Bible is here to give you resources to help you understand why scripture matters and how it applies today! Check it out now at: https://www.tyndale.com/sites/lasb/?utm_campaign=Bibles%20-%20NLT%20Life%20Applicati[…]ource=Holy%20Post%20Podcast&utm_medium=Microsite%20Nov%202025   22:10 - Scholars and Pastors   30:35 - How Learning Adds Depth to Faith   39:30 - Being a Pastor in Scotland   42:47 - What We Learn from Hebrews   51:37 - End Credits   Amy (Beverage) Peeler's Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dXsbEtUq9E

Trump's latest comments on immigration turn a single tragic incident into a sweeping indictment of entire communities. Esau, Malcolm, and Mike examine why some crimes are framed as isolated events while others are weaponized to justify exclusion. They then dig into new research on crime shows that consistently misrepresent Black communities as dangerous, exploring how entertainment shapes public fear and reinforces old myths that refuse to die. Finally, a surprising essay about "good divorces" sparks a deeper conversation about the purpose of marriage, the kind of love Christian marriage is meant to form in us, and why covenant isn't built on frictionless happiness.   0:00 - Theme Song   1:45 - Ragebaiting's the Word of the Year   5:30 - National Guard Shooting and Immigration   21:38  - Sponsor - Brooklyn Bedding - For a quality mattress, go to https://www.brooklynbedding.com and use promo code ESAU to get 30% off site wide!   22:22 - Sponsor - Exclusive $45-off Carver Mat at https://www.AuraFrames.com. Use code ESAU at checkout to save!   23:30 - Cursification of Politics   27:30 - Race in Crime Shows   35:00 - Marriage   48:20 - Malcolm's Marriage Advice   52:10 - End Credits

Esau and Mike are celebrating Thanksgiving this week, but we still have a special treat for you all. Enjoy four episodes of Esau's HP+ series, 66 Verses to Explain the Bible. If you want to hear the all the episodes in the series, sign up for Holy Post Plus today! New and returning subscribers can get 50% off their subscription! Deal ends December 2nd

Newly released Epstein files raise fresh questions about the moral compromises of the powerful and the willingness of Christians to look away when politics makes clarity inconvenient. Esau, Malcolm, and Producer Mike examine what the emails do and don't reveal and how the church's credibility erodes when it excuses the inexcusable. Plus, a viral SNL sketch about AI-animated photos and the reveal of the villain in Toy Story 5 leads to a broader conversation about technology, the disappearing art of boredom, and whether it's possible to reclaim silence and imagination in a distracted age. Plus, Malcolm debuts his own new segment this week. Can it compete with Mike's Corner and Miller Time?   0:00 - Theme Song   2:35 - SNL AI Skit   11:40 - Toy Story 5's About Tablets?   23:55 - The Catholic Church and Immigration   32:17 - Epstein Files   47:03 - End Credits