Culture, Faith and Politics with Pat Kahnke

The New York Times just dropped a bombshell story: the Trump family’s disturbing relationship with Andrew and Tristan Tate—two of the most proudly abusive, misogynistic figures online. This episode breaks down what the article reveals, why it matters for Christians and conservatives, and why ignoring it only deepens the moral decay in American politics. 

In this honest and theologically grounded conversation, Pat Kahnke and global Christian leader Tihomir Kukolja unpack the biblical warning in Romans 2:24 — “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” Together, they confront the deep harm being done to the Christian witness by Donald Trump and the current Christian nationalist movement in America.

My recent YouTube video titled A Minnesota Pastor Responds to Trump’s Cruelty Toward Somalis was not well-received by a lot of "Christians." Now I'm here to answer them directly on this edition of Culture, Faith, and Politics Live!

Last week, I made a YouTube video defending Somali immigrants in my city — and I didn’t expect the flood of hate from people who call themselves Christians. Today, I’m responding to one of the tamer comments I received — not because it was innocent, but because it shows just how deep the rot goes in MAGA Christianity. If you’ve ever been attacked by so-called believers for standing up for immigrants, refugees, or marginalized people — this is for you.

In this powerful conversation, Tia Levings shares the harrowing true story behind her memoir A Well-Trained Wife—how she was groomed in a fundamentalist evangelical church, survived church-sanctioned domestic abuse, and made a midnight escape from a violent marriage.

Joined by Amy Hawk and Pat Kahnke, Tia describes how Bill Gothard’s teachings, Doug Wilson’s Christian patriarchy movement, and the toxic promises of evangelical purity culture shaped her life. From megachurch culture to cult-like control, she unpacks the spiritual manipulation that left her without a sense of self—and the long journey of reclaiming her voice.

If you’ve experienced religious trauma, domestic violence, or the disillusionment of high-control Christianity, this interview offers both a mirror and a lifeline.

This week, President Trump made some of the most openly abusive, racist, and dehumanizing comments yet — aimed directly at the Somali community in St. Paul and Minneapolis. He’s also deploying federal agents to intimidate them. As a pastor who spent 20 years in the Twin Cities — and as a neighbor — I’m speaking up.

In this raw and powerful conversation, author and survivor Tia Levings joins Pat Kahnke and Amy Hawk to expose the hidden cruelty behind Pete Hegseth's rise in Christian nationalist circles — and the broader religious movement that enabled him. Drawing from her memoir A Well-Trained Wife and her upcoming book I Belong to Me, Tia shares what it’s like to grow up under church-sanctioned patriarchy, escape at midnight with her children, and heal from years of religious trauma.

YouTube Tuesday night LIVE, Episode 3, from December 2nd, 2025

As Donald Trump’s influence begins to wane, his administration continues to commit staggering abuses—none more horrifying than what Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is accused of: ordering the extrajudicial killing of two defenseless men off the coast of Venezuela. This episode is a GUT CHECK for America—especially for Christians who still support Trump.