Them Before Us Podcast #091
“Truth Rising: Our Civilizational Moment” | John Stonestreet
Published: September 4, 2025
Episode Overview
In this thought-provoking episode, host Jennifer Friesen, Training Director at Them Before Us, talks with John Stonestreet—President of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview—about the upcoming documentary “Truth Rising.” The discussion covers the urgent “civilizational moment” facing Western society, the consequences of abandoning truth, the value of human dignity rooted in the Christian worldview, and personal stories of courage when living out truth. The episode emphasizes practical action for Christians and offers hope amidst cultural upheaval.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Motivation Behind “Truth Rising”
[00:59–05:09]
- The documentary is a major joint project between the Colson Center and Focus on the Family, with input from other notable partners.
- It aims to explore the sweeping arc from the decline of civilization to the personal call to action.
- Oz Guinness, likened to “the Gandalf of the film,” helps frame the narrative: why are current issues so high-stakes, how have cultural norms shifted so dramatically, and what should Christians do?
- Stonestreet traces a lineage of Christian thinkers (Francis Schaeffer, Chuck Colson, and Del Tackett) who all called for a return to truth—warning that abandoning truth leads society to dehumanization and social decay.
Notable Quote:
“We live in such a crazy cultural moment where up is called down and down is called up… the work that Them Before Us does better than anybody is to point out how children are the victims of bad ideas.”
— John Stonestreet [04:40]
Takeaway:
Previous projects predicted the current crisis; “Truth Rising” is the next step, calling not just to know what's true, but to live it, even at personal cost.
2. The Unique Gifts of Western Civilization
[05:09–10:30]
- Driven by Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s critique in the documentary, the conversation highlights the Christian principle of human dignity as Western civilization’s greatest contribution.
- Even non-believing commentators in the film, like Constantine Kisson and David Berlinski, acknowledge the “sacredness of the individual,” despite atheistic backgrounds.
- The film asserts that post-Christian societies risk returning to the dehumanizing practices of pre-Christian paganism (“child sacrifice,” “women dehumanized”).
- Oz Guinness introduces the “cut flower moment”—Western values have been severed from their roots; unless regrafted, they eventually wither.
Notable Quote:
“Tearing down is easy. Building’s hard… someone who couldn't build a pigsty [is] perfectly capable of tearing down a chateau.”
— David Berlinski (as paraphrased by Stonestreet) [07:40]
3. Deconstruction, Spiritual Warfare, and the “Civilizational Moment”
[10:30–14:24]
- Jennifer asks if the cultural tearing down is intentionally aimed at replacing institutions or merely destruction for its own sake.
- Stonestreet invokes spiritual warfare, referencing Ephesians 6: our struggle is ultimately “against principalities,” and Christian apologetics is about “tearing down arguments” that “set themselves up against the knowledge of God.”
- Discusses secularism’s hollow promises—how science and reason failed to provide meaning, as even critics like Hirsi Ali now admit.
Notable Quote:
“Men have forgotten God.”
— Alexander Solzhenitsyn, cited by Stonestreet [12:40]
4. Crisis of Trust and the Role of Institutions
[14:24–17:00]
- David Berlinski, featured in the documentary, observes that American institutions have “gone through internal dissolution,” leading to widespread skepticism.
- Loss of trust extends from scientific and government bodies to schools and even large evangelical organizations.
- Stonestreet comments on the “crisis of trust,” noting the opportunity for the church to be a reliable source of social cohesion and truth.
Notable Quote:
“We all know that 9 out of 10 dentists will prefer anything that you pay them to prefer.”
— John Stonestreet [17:15]
5. The Church’s Call: Beyond Politics, Into Truth-Telling
[17:00–24:55]
- Stonestreet warns that the political “vibe shift”—pushback against problematic cultural ideas—while positive, is incomplete if not grounded in “realigning to what is true.”
- Christians are tasked not just to reject falsehoods, but to love and live truth, even when it demands sacrifice.
- Highlights stories from the documentary:
- Jack Phillips: Chose not to bake a cake conflicting with his beliefs, facing legal and personal hardship for over a decade.
- Katie Faust (Them Before Us co-founder): Moved beyond anonymity to advocate publicly for children’s rights.
- Chloe Cole: After transitioning as a teenager, bravely spoke out about her regrets to prevent others from being harmed.
- Seth Dillon (Babylon Bee): Refused to delete satirical posts despite significant pressure, catalyzing wider cultural debates.
Notable Quote:
“In an age of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
— George Orwell, cited by Stonestreet [24:46]
6. The Nature of Truth and the Power of Personal Action
[24:55–30:49]
- These stories rarely begin with high-profile figures, but with ordinary individuals facing decisions that test their values.
- Jennifer notes the personal cost for “little people” who choose integrity over conformity.
- Stonestreet emphasizes that the courage comes not from arbitrary personal values, but from conviction that their beliefs are objectively true—truth with a capital “T.”
Notable Quote:
“There’s no your truth, no my truth, Jesus Christ is the truth.”
— Chloe Cole, in the film (shared by Stonestreet) [27:10]
Notable Quote:
“If my response when somebody challenges... is to get quiet or rant and rave, it betrays a crisis of confidence. This project is aimed at that crisis of confidence.”
— John Stonestreet [28:00]
7. Documentary Release and Call to Action
[30:49–33:41]
- The documentary premieres September 5th and is available for streaming at truthrising.com.
- A companion study series aims to help viewers “cultivate courage” through themes of hope, truth, identity, and calling—virtues that must be exercised, like muscles.
- Stonestreet’s hope is for the film to inspire ordinary Christians in all walks of life to take small but courageous stands for truth, whatever the cost or outcome.
Notable Quote:
“What if there were thousands of Christians in every different cultural corner of the world… willing to take that step of courage?”
— John Stonestreet [31:54]
Memorable Moments & Quotes
- “The work that Them Before Us does better than anybody, is to point out how children are the victims of bad ideas.” — John Stonestreet [04:40]
- “It's human dignity that made us say, oh, women deserve the same rights as men… that kids aren't property… that's Christianity. Even atheists realize that.” — John Stonestreet [06:15]
- “Men have forgotten God, and we have come out of a time where there was a real attempt to build a world without God.” — John Stonestreet (quoting Solzhenitsyn) [12:40]
- “You can imagine if we could double that [people taking a stand for truth]… what an amazing impact we could have, especially at a time when the engine of Western culture is sputtering.” — John Stonestreet [32:29]
Timeline of Important Segments
- Motivation and History of “Truth Rising” – 00:59–05:09
- What’s Good About Western Civilization? – 05:09–10:30
- Destruction vs. Building and the Spiritual Battle – 10:30–14:24
- Loss of Faith in Institutions & Crisis of Trust – 14:24–17:00
- The Church’s Call to Truth and Reconciling Role – 17:00–24:55
- Stories of Ordinary Courage (Phillips, Faust, Cole, Dillon) – 17:50–29:30
- Nature of Truth: Objective, Not Personal – 26:59–30:49
- Impact Hopes for the Documentary & Study Series – 30:49–33:41
Conclusion
“Truth Rising” is both a warning and a rallying cry: Western civilization has reached a pivotal “cut flower” moment, and only by reclaiming and living out real truth—grounded in human dignity and the Christian worldview—can renewal happen. The podcast issues a call to every listener: You may be an ordinary person, but standing with integrity for what is objectively true could have extraordinary ripple effects. Watch, reflect, and step out with courageous truth-telling in your time and place.
Resources Mentioned:
- Watch the documentary: truthrising.com
- Companion study (hope, truth, identity, calling) available via the site
Episodes to catch up on:
- Breakpoint Podcast (hosted by John Stonestreet)
Featured individuals (in the documentary):
Jack Phillips, Katie Faust, Chloe Cole, Seth Dillon, Os Guinness, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Constantine Kisson, David Berlinski
Summary prepared for listeners seeking the heart of the conversation without missing the nuance, action steps, and stories of modern courage in a rapidly changing world.