Plodcast The Jury’s Still Out | (Ep. 417)
Mar 11, 2026
A spirited take on Trump’s tariffs and why the predicted economic collapse never arrived. A theological mini-lesson on miaino, tracing defilement from ritual uncleanness to moral corruption. A close reading of biblical passages about impurity, bitterness as a spreading root, and warnings about false teachers. A concise review of Augustine’s relationship with Jewish communities.
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Short Term Tariff Catastrophe Predictions Failed
- The immediate catastrophic predictions against Trump's tariffs proved false in the short term.
- Douglas Wilson notes opponents predicted instant ruin (market crash, runaway inflation, broken alliances) yet none materialized within the first year.
Tariff Outcomes Still Require Time To Judge
- Long-term effects of tariffs remain unsettled and need more time to judge.
- Wilson distinguishes between immediate false alarms and downstream promises or threats that are still unresolved after about a year.
Miaino Mostly Means Moral Defilement
- The Greek miaino primarily denotes moral defilement in the New Testament, not ceremonial uncleanness.
- Douglas Wilson points out the word appears four times, with three moral uses (Titus, Hebrews, Jude) and one ceremonial use (John 18:28).
