The Overthinkers

With the Oscars on the horizon, everyone's talking about awards. But should we try to win awards? Or are they a distraction from what our true priorities should be? Spencer Folmar of Hard Faith Films and the Hard Faith Film Festival joins Nathan and Joseph to discuss.

Definition of award: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/award

Christian artist Forrest Frank no longer accepting awards: https://cbn.com/news/entertainment/forrest-frank-says-he-will-no-longer-participate-awards-shows-shares-conviction

Hollywood actorTimothy Challamet wants to be great: https://www.imdb.com/news/ni65146405/

Why awards are meaningless: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2023/2/23/23610516/awards-oscars-grammys-best-business-media

Actors who say awards don’t matter are lying: https://www.imdb.com/news/ni64429244/?ref_=hm_nw_tp_4

Websites

The Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.world
Nathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.me
Joseph Holmes: linktr.ee/JosephHolmes
Spencer Folmar: hardfaith.org

More and more people are defining themselves as "Spiritual But Not Religious". But what does that mean? Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes interview academic and author Dr King-Ho Leung for answers. 

References and resources

Spiritual definition: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spiritual

Spirit definition: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spirit

Number of Americans spiritual but not religious: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2023/12/07/who-are-spiritual-but-not-religious-americans/

Websites

The Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.world
Nathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.me
Joseph Holmes: linktr.ee/JosephHolmes
Dr. King Ho-Leung: www.kcl.ac.uk/people/king-ho-leung

How do you raise your kids such that they stay in your faith? Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes discuss with celebrated author and speaker Sally Clarkson--who raised four children who all stayed Christian, including Nathan--what she did and what other religious parents can do.

References and resources

The rise of the nones: https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/the-nones-have-hit-a-ceiling

People who stay in vs leave their childhood faith: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/12/15/why-do-some-americans-leave-their-religion-while-others-stay/

Majority of kids check out of their faith by 8th and 10th grades: https://ifstudies.org/blog/secularization-begins-at-home

Authoritative parenting vs authoritarian and permissive: https://ifstudies.org/blog/parenting-is-the-key-to-adolescent-mental-health

Fathers especially mattering for faith transmission: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/01/us/book-explores-ways-faith-is-kept-or-lost-over-generations.html?_r=0

Websites

The Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.world
Nathan Clarkson. nathanclarkson.me
Joseph Holmes: linktr.ee/JosephHolmes
Sally Clarkson: sallyclarkson.com

One of the biggest reasons people aren't getting married is that they can't find the right person. But how do you find the right person? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson discuss with sociologist and researcher Dr. Wendy Wang.

References and resources:

Marriage rates dropping: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/02/america-marriage-decline/681518/

Is having a boyfriend embarassing? https://www.vogue.com/article/is-having-a-boyfriend-embarrassing-now

Majority want to marry but can’t find the right person: https://ifstudies.org/blog/why-americans-arent-getting-married-and-having-kids-and-how-to-fix-that

Websites

The Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.world
Nathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.me
Joseph Holmes: https://linktr.ee/JosephHolmes
Wendy Wang: https://ifstudies.org/about-us/wendy-wang

Why are romance novels so popular? Particularly with women? Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes ask actress and author Keelia Clarkson why they resonate, ahead of her own upcoming romance novel "Chapter One Again". 

Romance movie’s popularity with women

https://oxfordre.com/literature/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780190201098.001.0001/acrefore-9780190201098-e-415

https://www.theatlantic.com/books/2025/10/romance-fiction-genre-open-elite-popularity/684445/

https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=5002#m67973

Websites

The Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.world
Nathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.me
Joseph Holmes: josephholmesstudios.com
Keelia Clarkson: keelia.me
Chapter One Again (Avila Falls Series): https://www.amazon.com/dp/151401372X