In this first episode in a new series exploring the religious minority experience in America, I sit down with author, educator, and entrepreneur Haroon Mogul to discuss his experiences as a Muslim in the United States. Born to Pakistani immigrant parents in Connecticut and raised in New England, Haroon offers unique insights into navigating dual identities, building community across ethnic lines, and finding his place in a country where Muslims remain a small but diverse minority. From childhood memories of Christmas trees to raising his own children in Cincinnati, Haroon's story illuminates the challenges and opportunities of maintaining faith in a society that isn't built around you.

Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction to the series
2:17 - Meeting Haroon Mogul
3:33 - Growing up Muslim in New England
7:56 - Navigating dual identities
13:15 - Diversity of American Muslims
20:45 - Ethnic diversity in American mosques
27:23 - Moving from NYC to the Midwest
28:23 - Facing opposition to mosque construction
33:33 - American law and Muslim practices
40:58 - Living in a "neutral world" as a religious minority
47:13 - Conclusion

Haroon Mogul was named as one of the 50 most influential Muslims in the Americas by EqualityX in 2023 and 2024.

🌐 Haroon Moghul's Substack: https://sundayschooled.substack.com/

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Join host Aaron as he interviews Christopher Schlect, Senior Fellow of History and Director of the Classical and Christian Studies Program at New St. Andrews College. They discuss Schlect's fascinating doctoral dissertation "Onward Christian Administrators," which explores how business management practices transformed American Protestant churches in the early 20th century. Discover how this administrative revolution influenced church architecture, theological controversies, and even women's ordination in unexpected ways.

Read "Onward Christian Administrators" - https://rex.libraries.wsu.edu/esploro/outputs/doctoral/Onward-Christian-Administrators/99900581729701842

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In this thought-provoking conversation, wealth manager and author David Bahnsen challenges conventional wisdom about work, retirement, and purpose. Managing $7.1 billion in assets hasn't stopped Bahnsen from questioning our culture's assumptions about work as something to escape from. His book "Full-Time: Work in the Meaning of Life" presents a radical rethinking of vocation as central to human flourishing. Bahnsen argues that our focus on consumption over production and our eagerness to retire represent fundamental misunderstandings of what gives life meaning. Whether you're planning for retirement, questioning your work-life balance, or searching for greater purpose, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on finding fulfillment through productive contribution.

Buy Bahnsen's book Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CCMMFGJY/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20

Subscribe to my newsletter - https://www.aaronrenn.com/

Tony Carnes, sociologist, journalist, and founder of "A Journey Through NYC Religions," joins us to explore how New York City has transformed from a secular metropolis into what he calls "America's first post-secular city." 

Tony shares fascinating stories from his project documenting every religious site in New York City, revealing the vibrant religious communities that thrive in neighborhoods across all five boroughs. From Hasidic synagogues in Brooklyn to storefront churches in the Bronx, discover how faith communities have shaped the city's culture and politics.

Visit A Journey Through NYC Religions: https://nycreligion.info/

Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

Join Aaron as he welcomes back Brad Littlejohn, author of "Called to Freedom: Retrieving Christian Liberty in an Age of License" and fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. In this thought-provoking conversation, they explore the true meaning of freedom from a Christian perspective and how it contrasts with modern society's understanding of liberty as unlimited choice. Brad unpacks how technology, despite promising greater freedom, often leads to new forms of enslavement, and explains why the Christian concept of freedom through service to Christ offers a more fulfilling path to genuine liberty.

Note: The audio levels on this podcast are unequal. I am migrating to a new podcasting system and still getting the hang of it. Bear with me as I learn the new software

Buy Called to Freedom: Retrieving Christian Liberty in an Age of License: https://www.amazon.com/Called-Freedom-Retrieving-Christian-Everything/dp/1087779502?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20

Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

In this wide-ranging conversation, writer and editor Titus Techera explores how media has evolved from America's founding to today's social media landscape. We discuss how different forms of media - from Revolutionary War pamphlets to modern podcasts - have shaped American democracy and character.

Techera breaks down how technological changes have repeatedly disrupted elite institutional control, and why legacy media's attempts to maintain power in the digital age keep backfiring. We explore the roles of figures like Joe Rogan, Christopher Rufo, and Elon Musk in transforming modern media dynamics.

The Third Wave of Journalism: https://lawliberty.org/the-third-wave-of-journalism/

The Postmodern Conservative: https://pomocon.substack.com/

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NYT columnist Ross Douthat joins me to discuss his new book Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious. We explore why skeptics and non-believers should consider religious faith, examining evidence from science, philosophy, and human experience. Douthat makes the case that religious belief is not only reasonable but arguably obligatory for thinking people in our age.

Buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/Believe-Why-Everyone-Should-Religious-ebook/dp/B0D8VNGWKL/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20

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Princeton Classics PhD Alex Petkas argues against the "Great Books" model of classical education and makes the case for returning to traditional classical training focused on Greek and Latin languages. He explains why Plutarch's Lives was one of early America's most influential books and why it deserves renewed attention today.

Alex Petkas is host of the Cost of Glory podcast, exploring great thinkers and events in classical civilization.

Alex Petka's article in the American Mind: “Great Books” Is for Losers: https://americanmind.org/salvo/great-books-is-for-losers/

The Cost of Glory Podcast: https://www.costofglory.com/

Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.aaronrenn.com/

In this episode, Ruy Teixeira, one of America's leading political analysts, discusses the dramatic realignment of American political coalitions and what it means for the future. A longtime Democratic insider and co-author of The Emerging Democratic Majority, Teixeira explains his journey from progressive think tanks to the American Enterprise Institute, unpacks the Democrats' struggles with working-class voters, and offers a three-point plan for rebuilding the Democratic coalition.

The Liberal Patriot: https://www.liberalpatriot.com/

Buy The Emerging Democratic Majority: https://www.amazon.com/Emerging-Democratic-Majority-John-Judis-ebook/dp/B0036QVPEU/?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=theurban-20

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P. Jesse Rine, director of the Center for Academic Faithfulness and Flourishing (CAFF), joins us to talk about the state of Christian higher education. He will also showcase CAFF's new online Christian college guide, which is the most comprehensive collection of information about Christian colleges available.

Note: This podcast may be best on Youtube because it involves a demonstration of a web site with beta data: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGoVYk06TwI

Christian College Guide: https://www.christiancollegeguide.com/

Center for Academic Faithfulness and Flourishing: https://www.faithfulcolleges.org/

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