Against the Current

Matt Waters
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Against The Current spotlights dynamic thought leaders who are challenging the mainstream government and media narratives with compelling personal and professional responses and calls to action. When convention lurches one way, they disrupt the status quo with more thorough research, grassroots activism, and bold solutions. This podcast provides advocates and cultural voices with a platform to share their perspectives in an authentic and unscripted way. Its purpose is to move beyond traditional media soundbites by delivering in-depth conversations that inspire action, generosity, and deeper engagement with today’s most important issues

Episodes

  1. From the CIA to the Pew: Mark Tooley on Why the Church is America's Best Hope

    11H AGO

    From the CIA to the Pew: Mark Tooley on Why the Church is America's Best Hope

    What happens when faith stops shaping institutions—and starts becoming purely individual? This conversation goes deep into the shifting role of Christianity in America, the quiet decline of institutions, and what that means for culture, policy, and the future of the country. From Cold War intelligence work to leading one of Washington’s most influential faith-based think tanks, Mark Tooley has had a front-row seat to the intersection of religion, politics, and global power. We talk about: Why denominations are fading—and what’s replacing them The rise of hyper-individualism and its consequences The real story behind the Christian Zionism and antisemitism debates Why young men are gravitating toward extreme voices Whether America is drifting toward something more fractured And what it actually looks like to rebuild civil society This isn’t a surface-level conversation. It’s about the deeper currents shaping everything.   Key Discussion Points 00:00 – What this podcast is really about 00:45 – Who is Mark Tooley? From CIA to faith leadership 03:00 – The collapse of denominations (and why it matters) 07:40 – Church attendance after COVID: what changed 09:40 – Why high-profile conversions don’t tell the full story 12:30 – Is America becoming more secular? 15:00 – Military power, global presence, and responsibility 19:00 – Foreign policy, Israel, and America’s role abroad 22:50 – What “Christian Zionism” actually means 26:30 – How theology shaped political views on Israel 28:00 – Antisemitism: definition and modern context 31:00 – Free speech, extremism, and cultural reactions 34:50 – Why young men are drawn to controversial figures 37:00 – The danger of linking masculinity with extremism 40:00 – Political violence and rising polarization 42:00 – Are we heading toward another civil war? 44:00 – Immigration, identity, and American values 45:00 – The biggest challenge facing America today 46:30 – Advice for young people who want to lead 47:20 – Books that shaped Mark’s worldview   If something in this conversation stuck with you, don’t just move on—engage with it. 👍 Like the video so more people can find it 🔔 Subscribe if you’re into real, unfiltered conversations like this 💬 Drop your biggest takeaway in the comments—I read them 📤 Share this with someone who’s been thinking about where the country is headed   #Podcast #FaithAndCulture #Leadership #Christianity #Politics #CivilSociety #CultureShift #PublicPolicy #Freedom #LongFormConversations

    51 min
  2. Hungary's Fight Against Brussels, Open Borders and Woke Ideology | Tristan Azbej | Against the Current | EP 105

    MAR 17

    Hungary's Fight Against Brussels, Open Borders and Woke Ideology | Tristan Azbej | Against the Current | EP 105

    What happens when a government decides to confront one of the most overlooked human rights crises in the world? Matt Waters sits down with Tristan Azbej, Hungary’s State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians and the leader of the Hungary Helps program. Together they unpack the global reality of Christian persecution, why Hungary made it a national priority to respond, and how policy decisions—from humanitarian aid to family policy—reflect deeper convictions about culture, faith, and national identity. Tristan explains why Hungary became the first country to create a government office dedicated specifically to helping persecuted Christians. The discussion also explores Europe’s ongoing debates around migration, sovereignty, cultural identity, and the tension between national values and EU pressure. This is a conversation about conviction, policy, and what it means to stand firm when the political current is moving the other direction. If you’re interested in global religious freedom, leadership shaped by faith, or the intersection of policy and cultural values, this episode offers a perspective rarely heard in mainstream discussions.   Key Discussion Points 00:46 – Meet Tristan Azbej and the Hungary Helps program 04:06 – Why Hungary created a government office for persecuted Christians 05:13 – The global reality of Christian persecution 08:23 – Political ideologies and religious persecution 11:04 – Communism’s legacy in Hungary and its impact on faith 15:07 – Cultural Marxism and ideological conflicts in the West 17:34 – Hungary’s border policies and EU tensions 19:37 – Standing “against the current” in European politics 23:48 – Hungary’s historical role defending Christian civilization 26:21 – Why Hungary amended its constitution on family and gender 27:29 – Pro-family policies and declining abortion rates 31:17 – Christian democracy and Hungarian politics 34:06 – Migration debates across Europe 41:47 – Hungary’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine war and the call for peace 48:11 – Hungary’s relationship with Israel 49:29 – How Hungary Helps delivers aid to persecuted Christians worldwide 53:47 – How supporters can get involved   Take Action 👍 Like this video if the conversation gave you something to think about 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with leaders challenging the status quo 💬 Comment with your biggest takeaway from this episode 🔗 Share this episode with someone who should hear this perspective   #AgainstTheCurrent #Leadership #ReligiousFreedom #ChristianPersecution #HungaryHelps #PublicPolicy #FaithAndLeadership #GlobalAffairs #CulturalLeadership #Podcast

    56 min
  3. The Original Gangsters: John Birch Society | Wayne Morrow | Against the Current | EP 104

    JAN 20

    The Original Gangsters: John Birch Society | Wayne Morrow | Against the Current | EP 104

    Wayne Morrow, CEO of the John Birch Society, joins host Matt Waters for a deep dive into one of America's most misunderstood organizations. From being labeled "fringe conspiracy theorists" in the 1960s to being vindicated by history, the John Birch Society has spent nearly seven decades warning Americans about threats to constitutional governance. In this conversation, Wayne reveals how psychological warfare has shaped American politics, why the organization was systematically silenced by both media and conservative establishment figures like William F. Buckley, and how their early warnings about global government, the Federal Reserve, and foreign entanglements have proven remarkably prescient. We explore the organization's founding by Robert Welch, the controversial book "The Politician" about Eisenhower, their congressional scorecard system tracking every state legislator's constitutional fidelity, and why figures like Ron Paul, Steve Bannon, and Alex Jones now credit the Birchers as "the OGs" of the America First movement. Wayne doesn't hold back on topics ranging from Pearl Harbor to the JFK assassination, from the Fabian Society's influence on world government to why education—not politics—is the key to restoring constitutional principles. Key Discussion Points 00:00 - Introduction & Welcome 01:27 - Who Was John Birch? The Missionary Who Became a Namesake 05:07 - Robert Welch & The Birth of the John Birch Society (1958) 06:10 - "The Politician" & The Buckley Betrayal 09:25 - How the Conservative Movement Expelled the Birchers 10:24 - The California Report: Two Years of Investigation Found Nothing Wrong 11:57 - Censorship & Deplatforming Before the Internet Age 13:26 - Eisenhower, Eastern Europe & The Communist Sellout 16:36 - Constitutional First Principles & The Political Spectrum 17:27 - Stalin Installed Mao: The Untold Story 18:06 - The Freedom Index: Scoring Every Legislator's Constitutional Votes 19:42 - Why Americans Don't Know Civics Anymore 20:05 - Ron Paul, Thomas Massie & Constitutional Heroes 22:18 - Foreign Entanglements, Israel & The America First Position 23:07 - Get Us Out of the UN: The Original Mission 24:43 - Korean War & Vietnam: UN Command, Not American 27:00 - Chapter Meetings & Grassroots Constitutional Education 30:17 - The Fabians, George Orwell & The 1984 Connection 31:41 - Council on Foreign Relations & Shadow Government 33:56 - Oklahoma City, 9/11 & Pearl Harbor: Questions That Won't Go Away 37:18 - The Biggest Threat: Psychological Warfare 38:22 - Why We Can't Believe Our Government Killed JFK 39:29 - Europe Gets CNN & New York Times: Global Propaganda 41:11 - The Deep State Controls the Narrative 42:38 - The Assassination Attempt & Standing Firm 43:48 - Fear as a Tool of Control 45:55 - Desert Island Books: None Dare Call It Conspiracy, Creature from Jekyll Island, The Law 47:09 - The Constitution Isn't a Living Document 49:36 - Demons by Dostoevsky: He Saw Communism Coming 50:20 - Christian Nationalism & Moral Foundations 51:27 - How to Get Involved: JBS.org & Freedom Project Academy Don't forget to: 👍 Hit that like button if this conversation challenged your thinking 🔔 Subscribe to hear more voices the mainstream doesn't want you to hear 💬 Drop a comment with your biggest question for Wayne 🔗 Share this with someone who's ready to question the narrative #JohnBirchSociety #Constitution #AmericaFirst #DeepState #ConservativeMovement #PsychologicalWarfare #FederalReserve #RonPaul #ConstitutionalGovernment #FreedomIndex #GeorgeOrwell #WayneMorrow #FabianSociety #CFR #Education #Conspiracy #PatriotMovement #SteveBannon #GetUsOutOfTheUN #ForeignPolicy #ChristianNationalism #CivicEducation #AgainstTheCurrent

    54 min
  4. The Battle for Europe: Nationalism, Migration, and Cultural Survival | Ellen Fantini | Against the Current | EP 103

    JAN 6

    The Battle for Europe: Nationalism, Migration, and Cultural Survival | Ellen Fantini | Against the Current | EP 103

    Most Americans think they understand European politics. They don’t. What’s happening across Europe right now isn’t a copy of American conservatism—it’s something older, sharper, and in many places, more urgent. In this conversation, Matt Waters sits down with Ellen Fantini, senior editor of The European Conservative, to talk about sovereignty, culture, free speech, migration, and why ordinary Europeans are increasingly pushing back against centralized power in Brussels. This is a wide-ranging, unscripted conversation about what’s breaking, what’s being rebuilt, and why the ideas moving through Europe matter far beyond its borders. You’ll hear how conservative thought differs across countries. Why safety, family, and national identity are driving political realignment. And how bad ideas—and good ones—keep crossing the Atlantic. This isn’t theory. It’s lived experience, from Vienna to Budapest to Washington. Key Discussion Points 00:00 – Why Europe’s conservative movement doesn’t look like America’s 02:20 – The origin and mission of The European Conservative 05:25 – Why culture and beauty matter in political ideas 08:30 – Cross-pollination between U.S. and European politics 12:55 – Living under Brussels vs. Washington 18:40 – National sovereignty, populism, and democratic accountability 26:10 – Free speech, censorship, and Europe’s political red lines 30:55 – Migration, public safety, and the reality on the ground 37:40 – Why some European cities feel safer than American ones 43:00 – Education, ideology, and the long-term cultural battle 50:30 – Demographics, birth rates, and the future of Western civilization 55:45 – Why this moment feels like “now or never” Don’t forget to: Like the video if this conversation made you think Subscribe for more honest, long-form conversations Drop a comment with the takeaway that stuck with you Share this with someone who cares about where culture and politics are headed #AgainstTheCurrent #WesternCulture #Geopolitics #LongFormPodcast #PoliticalThought #CultureAndPolitics #EuropeanMAGANationalism #TheBattleforEurope #CulturalMarxism #EuropeanConservative #ChristianEuropeRising

    1h 5m
  5. Grover Norquist on Power, Taxes, and Staying Disciplined | Against the Current | EP 102

    12/23/2025

    Grover Norquist on Power, Taxes, and Staying Disciplined | Against the Current | EP 102

    What happens when you actually draw a line in the sand—and mean it? Grover Norquist has spent decades doing just that. From building the Taxpayer Protection Pledge to shaping what he calls the “Leave Us Alone” coalition, this conversation digs into how ideas turn into durable movements, why incentives matter more than intentions, and what younger leaders misunderstand about power, taxes, and government growth. This isn’t theory. It’s practical politics, organizational discipline, and hard-earned lessons about how coalitions survive—and why so many fail. Key Discussion Points 00:00 – Why drawing clear lines matters in politics 02:00 – How Grover ended up building political organizations instead of companies 04:00 – The Taxpayer Protection Pledge and why “no weasel words” matters 07:00 – Where the tax movement actually is today 10:30 – Why “new ideas” often break working coalitions 13:00 – The “Leave Us Alone” coalition explained 18:00 – Why low-maintenance coalitions win 22:00 – How the left and right build power differently 27:00 – Government subsidies and unintended consequences 32:00 – Flat taxes, zero income tax states, and spending discipline 38:00 – Advice for young leaders entering politics 44:00 – Why conservatives hurt themselves more than their opponents 46:00 – Books, ideas, and the intellectual roots of the movement If you care about leadership, long-term strategy, and how policy choices ripple through culture and economics, there’s a lot here to sit with. Has this conversation challenged how you think about power, taxes, or coalition-building? 👍 Hit like so more people find it 🔔 Subscribe for more real, unscripted conversations 💬 Drop your biggest takeaway or point of disagreement 🔗 Share this with someone who thinks policy is just theory #AgainstTheCurrent #Leadership #PublicPolicy #TaxPolicy #PoliticalStrategy #CoalitionBuilding #Governance #ThoughtLeadership #Economics #Freedom

    1h 4m
  6. Elections Matter: Is MAGA Over? | Gov George Allen | Against the Current | EP 101

    12/09/2025

    Elections Matter: Is MAGA Over? | Gov George Allen | Against the Current | EP 101

    In this episode, Governor George Allen joins the show for a candid and energetic conversation about leadership, service, and what it means to truly fight for freedom and opportunity. From stories about growing up in a political household to the pressure of real decision-making, Governor Allen reflects on advice from his father, lessons learned in office, and the values that guided him through victories and setbacks. He shares why he believes optimism is a responsibility, how to earn trust even when people disagree with you, and why the future still belongs to those who are willing to work, innovate, and take initiative. Whether you’re interested in politics, leadership, or how to stay principled in public life, this episode offers perspective, personality, and plenty of memorable stories — straight from someone who’s been there. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 — Welcome and episode intro 00:42 — Guest introduction: Governor George Allen 01:23 — Growing up around politics and influence 03:10 — Lessons from family, coaches, and early role models 05:06 — “Freedom and responsibility go together” 06:58 — Learning from victories and mistakes 09:14 — Decision-making under pressure 11:27 — Stories from the Governor’s office 14:02 — Earning trust even when people disagree 16:45 — Why optimism is a duty 18:51 — Innovation, energy, and American competitiveness 21:29 — Looking back: what he would do differently 23:14 — The importance of humility in leadership 25:47 — Home, family, and values that last 28:30 — A message to younger leaders 30:12 — Final reflections and close 📣 CALL TO ACTION If this episode gave you something to think about: 👍 Like the video 💬 Comment with your biggest takeaway 🔔 Subscribe for more real conversations with leaders 📤 Share this episode with someone who will appreciate it

    1h 5m
  7. Introducing Against the Current

    12/05/2025

    Introducing Against the Current

    Against The Current spotlights dynamic thought leaders who are challenging the mainstream government and media narratives with compelling personal and professional responses and calls to action. When convention lurches one way, they disrupt the status quo with more thorough research, grassroots activism, and bold solutions. This podcast provides advocates and cultural voices with a platform to share their perspectives in an authentic and unscripted way. Its purpose is to move beyond traditional media soundbites by delivering in-depth conversations that inspire action, generosity, and deeper engagement with today’s most important issues

    1 min

Trailer

About

Against The Current spotlights dynamic thought leaders who are challenging the mainstream government and media narratives with compelling personal and professional responses and calls to action. When convention lurches one way, they disrupt the status quo with more thorough research, grassroots activism, and bold solutions. This podcast provides advocates and cultural voices with a platform to share their perspectives in an authentic and unscripted way. Its purpose is to move beyond traditional media soundbites by delivering in-depth conversations that inspire action, generosity, and deeper engagement with today’s most important issues

Information

  • Creator
    Matt Waters
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Against the Current