Eels, Sharks, Tiki and more on this episode of Unfiltered Coffee

In this episode we discuss the basics of Catholicism and current issues within the Church. Tyler and Matt share their perspective on these topics with myself - asking questions from outside of the Church.

How can we understand Catholicism in the United States? Is it out of place? The structure and the hierarchy struggle to mesh with the American Spirit. Does America inherit the German and Anglican revolutions against the Church? Can Christianity not just survive but advance if the structural body of the Church (Catholic) is damaged or destroyed? As a network of believers in individual union with Christ?

Clay and Andrew Unfiltered

Neeraj, a Nepalese student studying biomedical engineering and an aspiring poet, joins the show. We discuss the culture shock of university dining halls, using poetry to deal with heartbreak, social media's influence on shaping current conflicts, and tourism in Nepal. Check out Neeraj's podcast Soch ko udaan that captures the experiences of the Nepalese diaspora in the United States. https://open.spotify.com/show/3KXIHe93G7KZqYdtE1MB0j?si=8b0a0d87723a4e39

Olivia and I talk about art: Spanish art museums, the town of Cadaques, and compare Dali, Picasso, and Miro. We focus in on Dali's project - Nuclear Mysticism - an attempt to fuse art, religious mysticism, and advances in physics.

Ross and Lauren join the show and discuss a variety of topics including aliens, AI, global warming, and horseshoe crabs.

A selected, or rather random reading of poems from Bukowski's The Last Night of the Earth Poems.

In a discussion with Jeferson and Ish, we continue our exploration into travel while trying to get to the root of culture: what is the internet doing to culture formation, the experience of first generation Americans, the influence of technology on the Taliban.

'Has tourism displaced locals or created economic opportunity? The answer is both. I fear for local customs being eradicated and swallowed up by easy travel, telecommunication, and international capital. But what are locals and customs? Surely there has never been a ‘pure’ people or tradition. Maybe the speed of transformation is what has changed. We can all bear witness to the throbbing of the waves of culture in a much more tangible period of time as opposed to centuries, decades, and years. The confusion and the beauty of these collisions – past and future, local and foreign – offers a richness that gets under the skin of the human condition.'