According2Sam Podcast

'Helen of Wakanda'

Rumors are circulating that filmmaker Christopher Nolan is considering casting Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy in an upcoming film based on Homer’s The Odyssey. Nyong’o, who is African, has starred in acclaimed films such as 12 Years a Slave, Us, and Black Panther. While she is widely regarded as a talented actress, the rumor of her being cast as Helen of Troy has sparked significant criticism. Elon Musk commented on the alleged casting on his social media platform, stating, “Christopher Nolan has lost his integrity.” Many other voices have also criticized the casting as implausible, while others have welcomed it, arguing that it is simply an artistic interpretation of a fictional story and that Hollywood does this regularly. Why are people criticizing the casting? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #382. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'The Journalist'

The outrage and pearl-clutching over the indictment and arrest of Don Lemon has been interesting to watch. Many of the people claiming that his prosecution signals the end of democracy are the same ones who declared that “no one is above the law” when New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg ran a campaign promising to prosecute President Trump—and then followed through after winning. These same individuals were conspicuously silent when the Obama administration used the Espionage Act to target whistleblowers and journalists who exposed government malfeasance. Yet the indictment of Don Lemon has suddenly stirred them to defend democracy and the free press. How does their hyperbole and overreaction demonstrate their hypocrisy, and what was the probable cause for prosecuting Don Lemon? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #381. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'The Great'

Throughout human history, many rulers have been given the title “the Great,” including emperors such as Constantine the Great, kings such as Charlemagne the Great, and even queens such as Catherine the Great. To earn this title, each ruler had to accomplish something great during their reign, such as a significant conquest that expanded their kingdom. The earliest kings of the Achaemenid Empire all received the title “the Great,” beginning with Cyrus the Great, followed by Darius the Great, and later his son, Xerxes the Great. Each of these rulers conquered more territory for the Persians than the one before, expanding the empire as far east as India and as far west as the Aegean Sea. However, this expansion would not last. A king from Macedonia would eventually conquer the entire Persian Empire—and he too would receive the title of “the Great.” Who was this great king? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #380. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'The Seventy'

In 2004, for the first time in nearly 2,000 years, a group of men calling themselves the Sanhedrin was convened, and they have been active ever since. The Sanhedrin was the religious, political, and legal governing body in Judea during the Second Temple period, and it ceased to function after the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE. This modern group, consisting of seventy men plus one, calls itself the Nascent Sanhedrin. In 2017, during the first administration of President Donald Trump, they minted a coin bearing images of the Persian king Cyrus the Great and President Trump. The group claimed that President Trump, like Cyrus, was chosen by Hashem to fulfill a divine mission. What divine mission does the Sanhedrin claim President Trump was chosen to fulfill, and how did a letter they sent to him last year reinforce this vision? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #379. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Freedom Tower'

If you grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, you know how iconic the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers were to that generation. You could see them piercing the New York City skyline in countless movies and TV shows from that era, along with many other cultural references that cemented their place in the public imagination. Symbolically, the Twin Towers represent a world that no longer exists. The Freedom Tower was built in their place as a statement of resilience and a commitment to rebuild and move forward. While it is a magnificent structure, it is not the same as the Twin Towers. Younger generations born in the era of the Freedom Tower will never know what it was like during the time of the Twin Towers, or fully grasp how much the world has changed. This was the experience of the Jewish people who lived during the time of the Second Temple. In what ways did they struggle to recreate the era of the First Temple? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #378. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]