MindShift: Recent Episodes
Dr Clint Heacock
Deconstructing views of God, cults and religion, evangelicalism today, and exploring spirituality along the journey of reconstruction.
Although Chris Shelton and I just did an episode on Project Esther recently, there were a lot of details that we didn't have time to dive into. As the story develops, and more information comes out, there have been some truly concerning developments that have taken place.
Thus, in this special episode, I'm bringing you all the details behind Project Esther. This is, of course, the brainchild of The Heritage Foundation, authors of Project 2025.
If you've noticed the trend on both social and mainstream media of labeling anyone "antisemitic" for speaking out against Israel's actions in Gaza, or taking part in a demonstration or protest, then this is the fruit of Project Esther. Trump's ongoing war against Harvard is part and parcel of it also.
As we'll see, Trump has already enacted about one-half of the policy recommendations as laid out in Project Esther, a draconian set of actions that is designed to tamp down on--or obliterate entirely--our constitutional rights, such as: freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and the right to due process.
Let me know your thoughts, comments, or questions on this episode by emailing me: dismantlingdoctrine@gmail.com.
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In this special bonus episode, former Scientologist Chris Shelton and I take a deep dive into a controversial new development in Trumpworld: Project Esther.
This story originally broke a few weeks ago in The New York Times, and has now been picked up in other media outlets. The brainchild of The Heritage Foundation, authors of Project 2025 and major policy advisors to Trump, Project Esther is a policy paper ostensibly designed to crack down on antisemitism in the United States.
Timed to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel, Project Esther is in reality a bait-and-switch operation designed to eliminate basic rights such as free speech, freedom of assembly, due process for foreign students targeted for deportation, and more. We're also seeing the potential of cutting off federal funds to universities like Harvard for their "handling of antisemitism" as well as their tolerance of pro-Palestine demonstrations on campus.
The truly frightening aspect of this draconian crackdown is that it's already in the works--approximately half of its policy recommendations have been enacted by Trump.
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This week's episode features an insightful conversation with Regina Cates, author of the book The Real Conversation Jesus Wants Us To Have: A Call To Bravery, Peace, and Love.
At first, when I heard the title of the book, I was understandably sceptical. I figured Regina was just another progressive Christian trying to rehabilitate the church, the gospels, and the "true" message of Jesus. But that's not what her book is about, and neither is that what this conversation is about.
Regina is an amazing woman with a powerful story to tell of her own Christian upbringing, deconstructing at an early age, and questioning everything she was taught by the church. That led to inevitable conflict from both parents and church authorities...and now, here she is, decades later, with a powerful message to proclaim.
Find a copy of Regina's book here on Amazon!
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Christian nationalism, by its very nature, is anti-democratic.
I have come to believe that not only is this true, but it poses a serious threat to democracy not just in America, but indeed the world. With Donald Trump back in power--aided and abetted by another overwhelming majority of evangelicals--we are seeing the guardrails blown through and democracy gutted.
Behind a lot of it is the notion that "Christians should take dominion over the world"--and in particular, the so-called "7 mountains of culture." Driven by agendas such as The Heritage Foundation's "Project 2025" and the America First Policy Institute, these Christian nationalist think tanks are providing Trump with much of the agendas, policies, and Executive Orders we've already seen that are driving his administration forward.
Dr Matthew Boedy--himself a Christian--is an expert on this subject, having researched it extensively in preparation for writing his upcoming book, The Seven Mountains Mandate: Exposing the Dangerous Plan to Christianize America and Destroy Democracy.
It comes out in September, but you can pre-order it here on Amazon on this link.
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It's finally arrived!
This week's long-overdue discussion is here, featuring a super informative and helpful conversation with Tim Mills, host of "The Harmonic Atheist" podcast and YouTube channel.
As a faithful Christian virtually all of his life, Tim has an unbelievable testimony--and this is not just about how dedicated he was both to God and the church. It also includes his tale of what led to his deconstruction, leaving the faith and becoming an atheist, and now as one who speaks out against the damage Christianity can often do.
But beyond merely dismantling aspects of the Christian faith, Tim also offers up incredibly helpful insights to help you recover from the harmful effects of religion and begin to recover your authentic self.
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This episodes features a wide-ranging and super helpful discussion with Austra Putnina, host of the "Chase The Impossible" podcast.
Originally from Latvia, Austra now lives in Estonia--and has an amazing backstory. Ever struggle with the impostor syndrome? Ever struggle with those "tapes" that seem to play all the time in your mind? The ones that hold you back, the insidious messages that constantly tell us we're not good enough, that we don't measure up to some standard?
It turns out that Austra has battled not only these issues, but more...and when she shares her journey, not only will you be inspired, hopefully you'll pick up some great coping strategies to help you navigate life along the way.
Connect with Austra on Udemy!
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I'm excited to be sharing the next two chapters from my book that came out last September. It's called Not So Shiny Not So Happy People: How Bill Gothard, Church, and Family Taught Me Christianity Doesn't Work, and was edited by my good friend Tim Sledge.
If you haven't picked up a copy of the book yet, hopefully hearing these two chapters will make the decision much easier. The book tells my story of growing up in a fundamentalist Christian home that, although looking great on the outside, wasn't so shiny and happy.
Enjoy these two chapters and please let me know what your thoughts are about the content!
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This episode features an insightful conversation with former Southern Baptist Convention pastor--and now exvangelicala life coach and guide--Rob Connelly.
After spending 37 years as a dedicated evangelical Christian, serving as a worship leader and pastor, Rob finally deconstructed his faith and walked away from it all. He's now sharing not only his reflective music with the world, he helps individuals surviving religious abuse and religious trauma syndrome.
Listen in at the end of the show for Rob's original song, "Good Friday" and see if you resonate with its heartfelt message.
Connect with Rob on his website!
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In this episode I'm joined once again by my very good friend, Chris Shelton, to revisit the issue of Trump's Project 2025 agenda.
How concerned should you be, going forward?
Last summer I started alerting listeners about the dangers posed by Project 2025's Mandate for Leadership, all designed as part of The Heritage Foundation's "presidential transition project" should Trump win the presidency.
Now that he has been sworn in, and signed a blizzard of Executive Orders, many of these follow closely the Project 2025 policy agendas. Chris and I break down not only what some of these are, and who is behind them, but unpack also some of the wider dangers posed to American democracy over the next four years.
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Welcome to the first episode of The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast for 2025!
This inaugural episode features a catch-up conversation with two old friends, Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman. They are the authors of the classic 1978 work on cults and mind control entitled Snapping: America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change.
Their research into cult psychology and tactics led them, in the late 1970s and early 80s, to investigate what was then the nascent Christian Right's involvement in American politics. They also noticed how much evangelicalism and fundamentalist Christianity had in common with the world of the cults.
Currently they've released an update to their original 1982 book Holy Terror: The Fundamentalist War on America's Freedoms in Religion, Politics, and Our Private Lives. The "classic edition," which is now available, gives the reader new perspectives on the evangelical involvement in the Trump era.
Find the new version of Holy Terror now available on Amazon!
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For this final podcast of 2024, I recently connected with Lauryn Axelrod--she's an interfaith/interspiritual minister, chaplain, spiritual director, and teacher out of Vermont.
This is an especially poignant interview, as I've talked to several people this year about concepts of spirituality. Lauryn's suggestion that incorporating "Ten Words" into your life, as guiding principles or values, can indeed make the world a better place. This is all the more relevant now that America is so deeply divided and polarized, both politically and religiously.
The question is: what can all the major religious worldviews and traditions teach us about spirituality? Dogma and doctrines aside, are there commonalities behind them all from which we can gain insights and understanding? And above all--is it indeed possible to make the world a better place by embracing interspirituality?
Find out more about Lauryn on her site https://www.laurynaxelrod.com/
Get a copy of Lauryn's Book Ten Words on Amazon!
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I recently caught up with returning guest Cait West, who has just come out with a great book entitled Rift: A Memoir of Breaking Away From Christian Patriarchy.
Cait grew up in what is called the "stay-at-home-daughters" movement, which is a version of Christian patriarchy that, while seemingly extreme, is gaining traction in a lot of Christian homes. Driven by the teachings of men like Doug Wilson, Joel Webbon, and other leading evangelical figures, Christian or biblical patriarchy teaches that women should be in submission to their fathers and husbands--exactly what they believe the Bible teaches clearly.
What is more concerning is that now, with Donald Trump in office for the next 4 years, Christian nationalists now have even more influence over laws and policies that affect Americans. That they want to run the government the same ways in which they run their churches, denominations, and families should be of major concern to everyone going forward.
Find out more information about Cait's book here: https://www.caitwest.com/book
Check out the "For Our Daughters" documentary here on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkES4X_qb6c
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This week's guest features author Karen Unrue, whose book Blue Jellyfish Syndrome: How To Break Free From Stigma and Maintain Hope While Living With a Mental Illness is a great resource for those who have left either controlling religion or abusive relationships behind.
But simply escaping is far from the end of the story. We can still be triggered by intrusive thoughts from our past that are debilitating and can blindside us. Unpicking the layers of conditioning is also extremely difficult, especially for those of us raised in controlling religious environments.
And it's also the impact of the various traumas we've experienced that oftentimes linger with us for decades, long after the event that caused it is years in the past. Karen offers practical advice, helpful insights, and valuable resources to help us move forward and rebuild our authentic selves.
Get a copy of Karen's book on Amazon!
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In this special election special bonus episode, I reached out to returning guest Matthew D Taylor, who has just come out with a brand-new book called The Violent Take it by Force: The Christian Movement that is Threatening Our Democracy.
For those who are still undecided about their vote in the upcoming election, this is a must-listen. Given the fact that so much of the Trump MAGA support is generated by not just Christian nationalists, but extremists who are part of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), this is a major concern going forward.
Matthew puts all the pieces together in this hugely informative discussion, telling the story of exactly how these so-called "apostles and prophets" coalesced together and found themselves part of Trump's inner circle of spiritual advisers during his presidency. Now, they are mobilizing tens of thousands of angry evangelicals not only to vote for Trump, but to engage in political violence should he lose the election. The threat to American democracy is clear, and these people have had four years to prepare themselves for whatever happens following this hugely important election.
Find The Violent Take it by Force here on Amazon!
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This week's episode takes an in-depth look at the tragic murder/suicide that took place in Jonestown, Guyana, in 1978. Cult leader Jim Jones was responsible for not only controlling and manipulating his numerous dedicated followers, in the end, he forced nearly 1000 of them to commit suicide or be murdered.
In the wake of this tragedy that occurred decades ago, Annie Dawid's book--a work of historical fiction--takes a fresh look at the lives of the followers of Jones. Not much is said about them, yet they were the backbone of the movement that on certain levels did accomplish many good things for a number of people.
Beyond discussing her book, we also take a look at Jones's story, tracing the early start of The People's Temple in Indiana, looking at its moves to California and ultimately Guyana. That it ended in such a shocking way still has enduring lessons for us today, especially in the explosion of cults and cult leaders since the tragedy at Jonestown all those years ago.
Find Annie's book on Amazon here:
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If you've been following the storyline of what's happening to Project 2025, The Heritage Foundation, and Trump's presidential campaign, then you'll be familiar with some of what Chris Shelton and I discuss in this episode.
There have been a number of important developments in this ongoing narrative, as Project 2025 began to be increasingly exposed by shows just like this one as well as on the mainstream media. Since then, not only has Trump attempted to deny and distance himself from it--as well as The Heritage Foundation--some other players have quietly stepped into the breach with a newly-proposed "presidential transition project."
Not only do we discuss this new twist, we delve into the cult psychology and tactics used by such shadowy groups, but also of Trump himself, as he controls, manipulates, and influences his ultra-loyal MAGA cult base.
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How many of us have left religious beliefs behind, but have not entertained the idea that we might be able to find an aspect of spirituality that is truly meaningful?
For those of us who've left controlling religions, it can be incredibly difficult even to entertain the notion that there might even be any aspect of spirituality that is appealing to us. But we might be closing ourselves off to deeper meaning and exploration if we refuse to acknowledge that there just might be something out there.
Author Larry Jordan was a successful businessman who turned his back on the American dream, embracing service to others and in the process read over 1,000 books researching and exploring philosophy, religion, mysticism, and more. In the process he discovered something that truly changed his life--find out more in this fascinating interview!
Find Larry's book The Way: Meaningful Spirituality for a Modern World here on Amazon.
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For the first time ever, my show has been hijacked!
My very good friend Tim Sledge, who is the editor and publisher of my new book, Not So Shiny Not So Happy People: How Bill Gothard, Church, and Family Taught Me Christianity Doesn't Work interviewed me recently about my book.
Aside from me, there is nobody else on Earth who knows more about my book, as we have been working closely on it for about a year now. Tim is not only intimately connected with the book, as a former evangelical pastor and ex-Christian himself, Tim resonates a great deal with my story.
I hope you enjoy this interview--and please, if you do buy a copy of my book on Amazon, do me a huge favor and leave a review! That helps greatly with the Amazon rankings.
Link to Not So Shiny Not So Happy People on Amazon
If the link doesn't work, on Amazon type in "Not So Shiny Not So Happy People Clint Heacock" and it will quickly locate the book.
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I'm excited to announce that my new book, Not So Shiny Not So Happy People: How Bill Gothard, Church, and Family Taught Me Christianity Doesn't Work is now available as of today!!
The book is available as a paperback, Kindle EBook, and Audible Virtual Voice versions now.
In this special episode, I'm reading the Preface chapter to the book, which is called "The Terror of an Empty House." I hope that not only do you enjoy this chapter, but that it prompts you to go out and buy the book.
After you've read it, please leave a review on Amazon, which greatly helps with the book's rankings--and share the book with anyone who you think will resonate with its message.
Here's the link on Amazon to Not So Shiny Not So Happy People.
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For those of us who came out of fundamentalist Christianity, what happens when things go badly wrong in our lives? Do you have the temptation to pray, read the Bible, seek out a wise Christian counselor to discover answers for why this is happening to you?
Within evangelicalism, the problem of suffering is a huge issue. There always has to be "an answer" as to why God allows--or even causes--bad things to happen to us. There must be a reason!
My good friend Dean Krosecz and I break down this very topic after Dean shares about the traumatic experiences he's gone through in the last few years. Where was "God" in all of it? And can you create peace in the midst of suffering, alone without a supposedly benevolent being to lean on for support?
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A few months ago I caught up with author Tia Levings to discuss her new book, A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy. Tia is perhaps best known for her viral TikTok video, "Fundy Baby Voice"--and she knows what she's talking about.
A product of the Bill Gothard "cult without walls," Tia was raised in the "modesty culture" and taught what it meant to be a "well-trained wife"--the so-called tradwife tradition so familiar to the Christian patriarchy and Quiverfull cultures.
But after experiencing severe cognitive dissonance when comparing how she was raised versus how she was expected to raise her own children, Tia began to question--and ultimately escaped--this cult-like environment.
Tia's Book Now Available on Amazon!
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Months ago I had a great conversation with author and adrenaline junkie, Ryan George. Following on in the trend of interviewing more progressive Christians--after chatting with Keith Giles recently--this seemed like a great time to drop this episode.
Although he's been able to reclaim a version of Christianity for himself, Ryan and I found that we have a lot in common when comparing our upbringings within Christianity. Ryan grew up in an IFB (Independent Fundamental Baptist) tradition with a dad who was a pastor, and was also involved in the Bill Gothard IBLP cult.
After suffering spiritual abuse and other forms of religious trauma, and walking away from the faith and church for years, how did Ryan recover his faith? Find out more in this great conversation!
Check out Ryan's site for more information on his book and his life!
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This week's conversation features author, podcaster, and "freelance theologian" Keith Giles, who--although definitely no evangelical Christian--has moved past even being a progressive Christian.
What does that make him? I don't know exactly, but it does make for a fascinating conversation with someone who has deconstructed his former fundamentalist beliefs. Keith is also a scholar, which makes the conversation about his new book The Quantum Sayings of Jesus a fascinating one.
Which Jesus? Which gospel? And how does the Gospel of Thomas fit into that whole discussion? As a very progressive Christian, Keith has some great insights on the state of evangelicalism today, Christian nationalism and more.
Check out Keith's blog on Patheos for more information!
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This week's episode features a fascinating conversation with Marissa Hackett, who grew up in a right-wing cult started by controversial radio host, Roy Masters. Originally starting out in the early 1960s, Masters spread his message nationwide through his radio show, tapes, and book sales.
Based originally out of Los Angeles, Masters bought a ranch near Grants Pass, Oregon, in 1979--and urged his followers to move there. Along with connections to survivalists, conspiracy theories, and far-right political ideas, Masters acted as a form of messianic cult leader.
He performed exorcisms, taught that women are subordinate to men, and that all problems in a family are the fault of the mother. Thus, Marissa grew up in a controlling environment combined with a strong message behind it...and somehow, she survived and is doing well today.
Connect with Marissa on her "Breaking the Cycle" Substack.
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In this conversation with journalist and author Sarah McCammon, we discuss her book that just came out in March, called The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church.
Not only does Sarah do a masterful job of explaining why so many "exvangelicals" have left the white evangelical church behind, she shares her own story of growing up evangelical, deconstructing, and ultimately walking away from her childhood faith.
Along the way, Sarah's work blends diligent research with authentic examples of why people like her, and so many others, have simply had enough--for whatever reason--and couldn't deal with the cognitive dissonance, the "tension points" in their belief system, or whatever it was that led them to make the difficult decision to abandon their cherished belief system.
Find Sarah's book here on Amazon!
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In this special bonus episode, I caught up with returning guest, Dr Sheri Pallas, as we discussed her brand-new book that just dropped on the 2nd of May, 2024. It's titled We Have Ruined God: My Journey Out of Religion and Into Unconditional Love, and from the conversation we had, it sounds like a fascinating and intriguing book.
Why should people contemplate leaving religion, and their harmful dogmas and teachings, behind? Sheri takes a look at this issue and concludes that it is largely humanity that has "ruined God," in effect. But which God, exactly? The God of the Bible, or the deity (or deities) represented by any number of other religious belief systems?
Beyond that, we talk about what "unconditional love" actually looks like, in practice, and why that is a far superior life philosophy than toxic religious doctrines.
Buy Sheri's book on Amazon at this link--and if you do buy it, please leave a review!
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I truly hope that you enjoy this great collaborative episode I recently did with Anna and Kari Jo, hosts of the fantastic Heretical Hippies podcast!
We covered a lot of ground about their backstory, deconstruction of their former faith, and what they are doing--and believing--currently. I believe this will be a helpful discussion for all those who have questioned their inherited beliefs and are wondering what lies ahead.
Part 2, their interview of me, is available on their platform--here's the link.
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Once again I'm joined by investigative journalist Jenny Cohn, who does a lot of writing for the Bucks County Beacon. Jenny has been on the show before and in this instance, I reached out to her because she's done a lot of work exposing and unmasking the agenda behind Project 2025.
What if Donald Trump were to win the presidential election in November? Aside from casting an authoritarian vision for his administration going forward, perhaps the biggest concern is that this time, he and the GOP have learned from the mistakes they made the last time.
This time around, Trump has an army of willing acolytes and sycophants who are already working hard to help him achieve his agenda from Day 1 in office. To that end, the Heritage Foundation has created Project 2025--and this is something that every American voter needs to educate themselves about.
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This week's episode features a wide-ranging discussing with Jonathan Davis, an ex-evangelical former pastor and seminary professor who deconstructed his former faith, questioned everything, and is on the journey.
Ironically, it was closely studying his Bible that started Jonathan on this path of unpacking all his inherited beliefs and discovering his own identity in the process.
Raised fundamentalist and homeschooled also, Jonathan served for a decade as a youth pastor, did another ten as a pastor, and finally started up a seminary before the entire ball of yarn began to unravel.
For more information check out Jonathan's site.
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Welcome to a riveting Patreon-only episode of the MindShift Podcast, where we delve into the obscure but influential Project 2025. Explored through extensive research and interviews with high-profile figures such as Jenny Cohn and Andra Watkins, this episode unveils startling details about the project believed to have major implications for the future of American politics.
The episode showcases a detailed analysis of Project 2025, a well-funded initiative with solid links to conservative and Christian right organizations. The project, known for its foundational four pillars, seeks to direct future conservative policies and significantly influence American politics.
At the center of this episode is the powerful Heritage Foundation, one of America's most influential public policy think tanks that has played a significant role in shaping conservative presidential policies since the Reagan Era. We delve deep into its history, its "Mandate for Leadership" and seven policy priorities, revealing an ardent alignment with traditional conservative values and its opposition to perceived radical leftist policies.
As we delve further into "Project 2025", an alarming proliferation of Christian Nationalism takes center stage, advocating for a scripture-based form of governance and legislation drastically aligning with conservative Christian beliefs. The episode, while discussing the project's extremist views on issues ranging from abortion to immigration policies and pornography, emphasizes the need for careful assessment of the potential seismic shift that comes alongside these beliefs.
From the uncovering of the grand intentions of Project 2025 to turn the entire U.S. executive branch under the president's direct control to a critical examination of the network of organizations that have painstakingly collaborated with Project 2025, a narrative of impending changes in the political landscape unfolds. The episode concludes with an urgent call to action for listeners to understand and question the potential seismic shift this project could bring to America's political and social landscape.
This episode of MindShift Podcast is an intense expedition into the workings of Project 2025. It is a comprehensive compilation of evidence against dangerous agendas and a guide into the inner workings of powerful organizations and individuals pushing for radical changes in American policies and ideologies.
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Recently I reached out to my good friend--and returning guest--Frank Schaeffer, who has a very unique perspective on what's happening in the Trump/Christian Right world.
As a former player himself in the late 1970s and early 80s, along with his famous father Francis, they helped to kickstart the evangelical anti-abortion movement. They were also instrumental in helping get the early Christian Right off the ground in their efforts to mobilize Christians to take political action.
Now? Frank is, in his own words, "an atheist who believes in God..." and yet has a lot to say when it comes to exactly how the rabid followers of Trump are playing their endgame. The problem is this: what happens if they win? Is that a world you want to live in?
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I finally caught up with author and ex-evangelical Wren Story a few weeks ago. I have long followed her on Facebook and always resonated with much of what she writes about, since we have a lot in common!
In this episode, Wren and I discuss not only her backstory growing up in an evangelical church setting, we'll also get into how she ended up getting out, as well as discovering--or perhaps recovering?--her authentic self.
If like Wren you've left religion behind, but are struggling with your identity, I believe you will get a lot out of this conversation.
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If you have seen the Amazon Prime documentary "Shiny Happy People," then you'll benefit from this Patreon-only exclusive episode.
I do a deep dive into the background of this toxic and damaging teaching, as well as exploring the Bill Gothard Institutes in Basic Life Principles connection to it all. If like me, you were raised in this movement, then you're most likely suffering from some form of religious trauma syndrome, or have encountered abuses also.
This content and more are exclusively available for Patreon supporters of MindShift Podcast. To support the show click this link: Join the MindShift Patreon Community!
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Recently I reached out to returning guest Katherine Stewart, author of The Power Worshipers and The Good News Club, for a chat about the new Rob Reiner film, "God and Country." In the movie, Reiner takes a good hard look at Christian nationalism, and how elements of the more extreme side of the movement have affected not just America, but indeed the world. It turns out that the film is essentially based on Stewart's work--so she is, once again, the perfect person to chat with about these concerning trends in American politics and religion. Kyle Mantila has an excellent article on this on the Right Wing Watch website. Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Follow me on X @MindShift2018
I recently caught up with Dr Matthew Taylor, senior scholar at the Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies (ICJS) in Baltimore. When it comes to the roots of the NAR--the New Apostolic Reformation--7 mountains mandate dominion theology, and more, Taylor is an absolute fount of information on these subjects, as you'll discover in this episode. Moreover, what's even more concerning is that the new GOP Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, has longstanding affiliations with a number of NAR "prophets" and others in that camp who have long pushed their views that Christians should take dominion over society and politics. That he's also a Trump-supporting evangelical, third in line for the presidency, is yet another major concern. To find more of Matthew's articles, click this Substack link to read more. Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Follow Matthew on X @TaylorMatthewDFollow me on X @MindShift2018
This week's episode features a conversation with author Sarah Hayward (no relation to David Hayward, "the Naked Pastor!")Sarah's book Giving Up God is all about walking away from organized religion, in this case Christianity, and yet trying to discover a sense of authentic spirituality. For those of us who left a controlling religion behind, the idea of "spirituality" may be the last thing on our minds. But Sarah has an interesting take on the whole thing...I think you'll enjoy this refreshing conversation! Find Sarah's Book Here on LakeDrive Books Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Follow me on X @MindShift2018
This episode marks now the second time I've done a crossover episode with Rachel Bernstein, host of the fantastic IndoctriNation podcast. As a therapist, cult expert, and specialist in dealing with folks who suffer from religious trauma syndrome, Rachel is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to dealing with a wide variety of issues caused by cults, fundamentalist religions, and other high-control groups. If you suffer from RTS, or have come out of a controlling religious or group background, you'll benefit from this discussion. And don't forget to head over to the IndoctriNation podcast platform to catch Part 1, Rachel's interview of me! Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Follow me on X @MindShift2018
MindShift Podcast is officially back for 2024! And what better way to kick off another season of the show than to catch up with an old friend, Peter Montgomery of the Right Wing Watch? In this first episode, Peter and I conduct a wide-ranging, thorough overview of the end of 2023 and look forward into this year, discussing the agenda of the Christian Right moving forward into 2024, which is a hugely important election year. Backing Trump to the hilt--at least most evangelicals anyway--they are poised to "take dominion" moving forward. But what exactly does that mean, and more importantly, what does it look like if they win the Presidency again? Listen in to find out more! Support the Show by Joining the MIndShift Podcast Patreon Community! Follow Peter on X @PeteMontFollow me on X @MindShift2018
As a recent guest on Joshua's excellent podcast, "The Mediocre Observer," I was happy to return the favor and have Joshua on the show. I hope you enjoy this, the final episode of MindShift Podcast for 2023!
In this wide-ranging discussion, Joshua and I discuss, among other things, why he was terrified to pick the wrong God in his quest for spirituality and enlightenment. So why didn't it work for him? Why did his quest fail, with the result that he's now an atheist speaking out against the dangers of religion and the Christian Right in American politics?
Find out more--and enjoy the episode with me on Josh's show, which can be found on themediocreobserver.com.
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I've finally managed to catch up with one of my favorite Canadians, David Hayward "The Naked Pastor." As an ex-pastor and ex-evangelical like me, author and cartoonist David is best known for his irreverent but incredibly poignant cartoons depicting a huge array of theological and churchly issues. They cause people to think, to question, to ponder questions of their faith and church experiences, as well as potentially leading to deconstructing their faith or belief system. As always, David and I have a wide-ranging conversation about a number of topics, issues, and questions. I hope you enjoy this chat as much as I did! Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Follow me on X @MindShift2018
his week's episode features a great conversation with a returning guest, historian Dr Warren Throckmorton. From our previous conversation a few years ago, he's had a longstanding issue with the Christian nationalist "historian" David Barton of WallBuilders. Back in 2012, Barton's book The Jefferson Lies was pulled from the bookshelves by its Christian publisher, amid claims by Throckmorton and other evangelical historians that his take on Jefferson was wildly historically inaccurate. Recently, Throckmorton and his co-author Michael Coulter, have updated their original book Getting Jefferson Right, coming out with a 2nd edition including new information, as well as a look at Stephen Wolfe's book,The Case for Christian Nationalism. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! More information on Getting Jefferson Right Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Follow me on X @MindShift2018
Katherine North is an amazing woman--she grew up as a missionary kid in Japan, but all her life as a young girl she struggled with a major problem: she couldn't bring herself to believe the message of the Christian gospel. What did she do about it? As the title of the episode suggests, she deconstructed in a major way...and since then, has spent decades of her life putting the pieces back together. Now an author, coach and more, Katherine is a fantastic resource for those of us struggling to discover, or re-discover, our authentic identity after leaving religion behind. Katherine's Website DeclareDominion.com Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Follow me on X @MindShift2018Follow Katherine on X @DeclareDominion
Once again, I'm joined by my good friend Tim Sledge, who like me is an ex-pastor who has since walked away from both the church and the Christian faith.
This week we're discussing his excellent book, Four Disturbing Questions with One Simple Answer, which has a lot of resonance with me as an ex-Christian. Tim poses four questions that anyone who is in the process of deconstructing, or for that matter even questioning, any aspect of their faith should consider.
Enjoy this chat and let me know what you think!
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Thanks to my good friend Janice Selbie, she introduced me to David Morris, who used to be an employee of some of the biggest Christian publishing houses.
David has since walked away from the faith and his career--at least as a Christian publisher, that is. He's now publishing books largely written by, and for, ex-evangelicals, in some way to make up for his past life's accomplishments as an evangelical working within the machine that is Christian publishing.
This is a wide-ranging and fascinating conversation covering a lot of topics--I hope you enjoy! And don't forget, David will be our guest for the October MindShift Zoom call coming up on the 29th, so you'll have a chance to meet and chat with him.
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This show is Part 2 of a crossover episode that I've absolutely enjoyed recording. It features the second half of my conversation with Rachael and Molly, the co-hosts of the Cheers to Leaving podcast.
Before listening to this conversation, head over to their platform to catch Part 1!
In this chat, we discuss what it was like to grow up in a fundamentalist Christian home, compare spanking stories and numbers of baptisms, and more. As adults, we're still dealing with the religious traumas caused by our upbringing and time within Christianity.
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Is it really true that evangelicals are known as "the people without questions"? That theology can quickly turn into ideology? And why are so many evangelicals willing to believe in increasingly outlandish, unproven conspiracy theories?
My guest this week, Jared Stacy, is a transplanted American currently living with his family up in Aberdeen, Scotland, where he's pursuing a PhD. His research is leading him into all sorts of discoveries down these lines, as he seeks the answer to those questions and more. Join the MindShift Patreon Community!
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This week's episode features not just one returning guest, but two! I brought back David Johson, host of the Skeptics and Seekers podcast, and Gary Hudson, author of Surrender to Reason, to discuss a few burning topics.
One of my listeners asked me a question a few months ago: "Why does Jesus always seem to get a free pass when Christians are deconstructing their faith?" He's seen as a wise guru, a great teacher, one who imparted a great deal of instructions that people everywhere should follow. Even among atheists and agnostics, he's viewed with a lot of respect. But was he such a great teacher, after all?
Gary, David and I not only tackle this question, we also delve into the topic of whether or not Jesus could have been some form of a cult leader. By deconstructing a lot of his so-called "wise sayings," this opens up a new line of inquiry you may have never considered previously. Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Contact Information Follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @MindShift2018 Like the MindShift Podcast Facebook Page
This week's show comes with an obvious trigger warning related to an account of grooming and sexual abuse of a minor. Emilie Paige tells her horrific story of how she was groomed and finally abused by one of the teachers in Doug Wilson's Logos School out of Moscow, ID. Sadly, we've seen too many examples of what can happen within these deeply patriarchal religious environments, which oftentimes are rife for abuses of all kinds.
What's truly amazing is that in listening to Emilie's story of surviving horrific abuse for years, she's not only come out the back end a stronger woman who is unafraid to share her story, but also speaks of the religious element also. In so doing, she is undoubtedly empowering, inspiring, and helping many who have gone through similar terrible experiences.
Emilie's Medium Page Link
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This week's episode features a conversation with Charles Utter, author of Roman Collar Crime: VIOLATED: The Transgressions of a Small-Town Priest.
Charles tells the tragic and quite honestly unbelievable story of a priest who preyed on his victims in a small town in South Dakota. Although the book is "fictional," the story is based on a real priest that ran both the parish church as well as a Catholic school in the small town in which he grew up. Thus, the story is based on actual events that Charles investigated, and on which ultimately based his book.
You can order the book on Amazon at this link:
Or for more information, look up the "Roman Collar Crime" Facebook page.
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This conversation features Frankie Tease, who grew up in a New Age cult called Morningland out of Southern California, back in the 1970s and 80s. Not only did she experience most, if not all, the classic markers of cults, she survived, escaped, and has since dedicated years to rebuilding her life.
Although you may not have experienced life within a New Age cult, you'll see that all the typical tactics are used. We discuss not only those, but how they affected Frankie on multiple levels. I'm sure you'll get a lot out of this conversation.
Read more about Frankie's story in this article!
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This episode tells a truly unbelievable true story, as shared by abduction and abuse survivor Dawn McCarty. Added to that was the religious trauma syndrome she had to deal with as part of the LDS cult, and you have a situation that few would survive and stay sane.
Not on ly did she survive, she's now in a position to help others who come out of highly traumatic backgrounds. Above all, this is a story of the strength of the human will overcoming tremendous adversities.
Read more about Dawn's story in the book Transforming Pain Into Purpose available on Amazon.
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In this monster, 2+ hour episode, I take a VERY deep dive into the backstory of what led Doug Wilson and his co-author, Steven Wilkins, to write their hugely controversial 1996 booklet, Southern Slavery, As it Was.
If you love history as I do, then you'll appreciate the historical context behind what's called the "theological war thesis"--which draws elements from the Southern "Lost Cause" mythology, among others.
You might be surprised to learn that in reality, the argument advanced by Wilson and Wilkins is really nothing new--Southern Slavery cribs from a variety of sources, all of them problematic, and advances a revisionist, racist reading of history.
Exactly why is this problematic? Listen in to find out more!
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Once again I'm catching up with my very good friend Dr Terri Daniel to promote her outstanding conference being held in July--the Conference on Death, Grief, and Belief.
Terri and I not only preview some of the amazing speakers at this year's conference, but we also delve into these important topics of death, grief, and belief, and how it all somehow ties into people's religious worldviews. These aspects are especially noticeable when it comes to issues like death, dealing with grief, and trying to understand suffering.
One more thing--listen carefully at the end, and Terri will give you a discount code to save a bit of money on this upcoming conference!
The Conference on Death, Grief, and Belief
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I recently caught up with a good friend and ex-pastor, Gary Hudson. Gary is the author of the 2018 work Surrender to Reason: New Testament Studies that Disputed Faith. In it, Gary charts how he, as an evangelical pastor, came to question--and ultimately walk away from--his lifelong Christian faith. Ironically, it was in studying the Bible in preparation for a sermon that started his questioning of the inspiration, inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible. Once that house of cards started to collapse, the inevitable happened...Gary walked away from both decades of faithful ministry and his Christian faith to boot. Become a part of the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018
This week's guest is ex-cult member Vennie Kocsis, who grew up in the fundamentalist Bible cult founded by Sam Fife--the Move of God, or just "The Move."
Reaching its heyday in the mid-1970s, not only was it growing, it was reaching into the mainstream of society also. Focusing heavily on an end-times, apocalyptic message, Fife's group seemingly started out innocently enough...but ultimately descended into a high-control religious group, complete with compounds, guns, and long working hours for its adherents.
Vennie grew up in the midst of that--and ultimately escaped and began the difficult journey of rebuilding her life, post-cult. This is a story of survival of horrific abuses, but just as equally, a story of the triumph of the human will over incredible adversity.
Find out more about Vennie on her website
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After a few years' break, I finally caught up with my good friend Frank Schaeffer, who of course is the son of the famous Francis Schaeffer. His father not only shaped my views as an evangelical, but indeed an entire generation--and together with Frank, helped kickstart the "pro-life," anti-abortion evangelical movement in America. Frank and I discuss not only his work in light of the overturning of Roe v. Wade--something he predicted with the installation of Supreme Court justice Amy Coney Barrett during the Trump era--we also dive into gun rights, mass shootings, and the collateral damage these issues are causing in our world today. Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 Like the MindShift Podcast Facebook Page
Having just been on Chris's great show, the Sensibly Speaking Podcast, it was time to return the favor and have him back on MindShift!
As an ex-Scientologist who's been out of the cult for over 10 years, and having run his show for the last 7 or 8 years exposing the inner workings of the cult, Chris is uniquely placed to provide insights into the group.
Not only do we break down the early history of the Church of Scientology and its founder, L Ron Hubbard, we delve into the psychology and tactics used by Scientology to control and coerce its adherents.
Even if you've never had anything to do with Scientology, you'll still benefit from this discussion if you're recovering from religion. Join us on the 23rd of April as Chris returns for our next MindShift Zoom call by supporting the show on Patreon--the link is below.
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This week's conversation is with self-professed liberal Christian and writer for Salon, Nate Manderson.
Nate and I had a great chat about his backstory, how he came to walk away from fundamentalist Christianity, and now how his writing is taking on the mainstream evangelical church in America today. Having sold most of its soul to Trumpism, Christian nationalism and a dominionist dream, what's next? Is there any hope for the church, going forward?
In his role as "pastor to the public," Nate uses his platform to write incisive critiques of what evangelicalism has become today. I hope you enjoy this chat and hopefully we'll see Nate again on an upcoming MindShift Zoom call!
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Welcome to this, our FINAL instalment in the ongoing and exhaustive look into controversial pastor and influencer, Doug Wilson.
This episode begins by defining and discussing the similarities and differences between the "complementarian" and "biblical patriarchy" views, assesses Wilson's views in light of that overview, then moves into a definition of the "manosphere."
What exactly is it? And why is it even important to look at? Turns out that the toxic message of biblical patriarchy is moving into the secular "manosphere"--and if you've never heard of it, after this episode, I believe you'll be more concerned than you were at the beginning.
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We're nearly finished with our deep dive into controversial pastor--cult leader?--Doug Wilson out of Moscow, Idaho. This week's episode features an absolutely fascinating conversation with his former professor at the University of Idaho, Dr Nick Gier.
Their relationship goes back to the late 1970s when Dr Gier was a professor of philosophy and Wilson was a young student, keen to evangelize, debate, and spread his version of the Christian faith. Over the decades they've had numerous run-ins, and Dr Gier has written extensively about Wilson and the various scandals and controversies he's been involved in.
The next episode concludes our deep dive into Wilson--stay tuned for the final chapter!
Dr Nick Gier's Website
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In this special bonus episode, returning guest David Johnson and I took another in-depth look at the question we covered in our recent podcast on a so-called "Christian" defense of slavery.
What was meant to be our February MindShift Zoom call turned into a great follow-up conversation on this subject, examining a few questions and comments listeners of the first episode raised after hearing the show.
As a result, David and I were able to go back and do a closer examination of some of the New Testament passages we didn't get a chance to cover in the first one. I hope you enjoy this conversation and learn a lot from it!
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As we're nearing the end of our exhaustive--and potentially exhausting--deep dive into all things Doug Wilson, back in October of 2022 I reached out to former guest David Johnson, host of the Skeptics and Seekers as well as the Red Letters podcasts for some help. This episode has been a long time coming, but it's definitely worth the wait. David and I start with Wilson's book Southern Slavery as it Was and then branch out from there into both historical as well as modern defenses of slavery from a Christian point of view. We'll conclude the episode by taking a long look at some Old Testament passages--do they justify slavery and if so, how might those teachings impact on the modern Christian today in terms of a defense of slavery? Help support the show by becoming a Patreon supporter! Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018
We're back for our inaugural episode of 2023, continuing our exploration of all things Doug Wilson, the controversial pastor/cult leader running a sprawling religious empire out of Moscow, ID. In this long-form episode, I'll cover three of Wilson's more controversial---and ultimately toxic--theological distinctives: the "federal vision" theology, general equity theonomy, and finally biblical patriarchy. In each case, not only will I explain the position itself as best I can, I'll also touch base on why exactly they are toxic, damaging to individuals, and lead to things like religious trauma syndrome and other forms of abuse. Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018Like the MindShift Podcast Facebook Page
In this third instalment examining the controversial pastor Doug Wilson out of Moscow, ID, we're diving into the decades--yes, decades--of scandals and controversies that have been attached to him and his associated ministries. In our continuing investigation of all things Wilson, this episode demonstrates that not only has Wilson's teachings and leadership style created a culture that is rife for abuses, due to his nepotism, politicking and cronyism, Wilson has so far not only managed to evade all consequences, he's been insulated from any meaningful accountability. Despite all of these scandals, nonetheless Wilson continues to be platformed by leading evangelical leaders. As we saw in the first episode, due to his incredible reach into multiple evangelical homes and churches, his teaching is promoted widely. This episode will shed some light on the real Doug Wilson--buckle up and pour yourself a strong drink, because it's another long one! Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018
As I was doing all of my research on controversial pastor Doug Wilson out of Moscow, Idaho, I came across his troublesome teachings on so-called "biblical patriarchy." That also led me to a disturbing movement called the "stay-at-home-daughters" (SAHD)--something which is also within Wilson's orbit.
This week's guest, Cait West, is a survivor of both. She grew up in a Christian homeschooling environment and also was also a part of the SAHD too. Having escaped both, Cait is not only speaking out and writing about her experiences and the trauma she suffered, she is now an advocate for those like herself who experienced forms of religious or other traumas.
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This episode marks the first foray into the sprawling religious empire created by Doug Wilson, pastor of Christ Church in Moscow Idaho. Already on my radar from several years ago when I did an episode with Mark Potok, formerly of the Southern Poverty Law Center, who investigated the controversial pastor back in 2004.
In this 2+ hour episode, we'll uncover Wilson's backstory: where did he come from? How did he become the pastor of Christ Church? How has he gone on to establish a controversial religious empire based out of Moscow? And finally, we want to start looking at the question: is he just a misunderstood pastor, trying his level best to get his version of the Christian gospel out there, or is he on the spectrum of cult leaders?
More content is coming soon--watch this space for more information on Wilson!
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This week's episode features a conversation with Jennifer Cohn, an investigative journalist who primarily writes for the Bucks County Beacon.
Through her work investigating issues such as election integrity in the runup to the 2016 election, Jennifer became aware of the NAR--the New Apostolic Reformation--and the key players who've been pushing Trump's "Big Lie" following the 2020 election.
In their quest to take dominion, these so-called "apostles and prophets" are pushing the Lie--but what's their motivation? Jennifer and I touch on this as well as numerous other related topics, key leaders, and influencers within this movement that is currently threatening American democracy in its aim to achieve dominion.
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Returning guest Dr André Gagné from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, is an expert on the field of dominion theology, the New Apostolic Reformation, the Christian Right and what's going on in Trump world.
Thus: what better thing to do than to reach out to him after a few years to catch up on what's going on in that universe? The good news is that André's book on the evangelicals behind Trump will be soon translated into English--and I'm sensing another episode coming up!
Will the evangelicals promoting Trump's "Big Lie" go away anytime soon? What's their strategy for taking dominion? Find out the answers to those questions and more in this fascinating, if chilling, conversation.
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Continuing our theme of speaking with ex-pastors, this week's conversation is another good one, featuring my friend Bruce Gerencser. A former Independent Fundamental Baptist preacher of several decades, Bruce has a lifetime's experience unpacking not only the church and the Bible, as an avowed atheist now, he has an incredible story to tell about his journey.
In this chat Bruce and I swap stories of life as a pastor, break down the differences between fundamentalism and mainstream evangelicalism, and finally conclude by looking at helpful coping strategies to rebuild your life and reclaim your authentic identity after leaving religion behind.
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I'm super happy to be reconnecting with my good friend Dave Warnock of "Dying Out Loud"--it's been at least 3+ years since we last talked last, maybe more.
In the meantime, Dave has come out with a brand-new book called Childish Things: A Memoir. I listened to it on Audible, which I'd highly recommend as Dave himself reads the text. This makes his memoirs even more poignant, especially if you grew up in evangelicalism in the 1970s-1990s--the "Jesus Movement" and all that went with it.
Dave and I discuss his time as a Christian, including his stint as a pastor of several churches; how he ended up deconstructing, becoming an atheist, and dealing with a terminal illness. I hope you not only enjoy this conversation, but also get a lot out of it too.
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This week's episode features a fascinating discussion with returning guest, Dr David D'Andre, on the subject of his brand-new book entitled TULIP: The Poisonous Flower of Calvinism.
Why Calvinism, of all the theological systems that are out there? As David makes clear, this theology in particular has a number of problems associated with it, both historically and currently. For many of us who identify as "exvangelical," we came out of churches that preached various aspects of Calvin's theology. Just to name a few: biblical patriarchy, dominion theology, and Christian nationalism.
We will also conclude by discussing how you can recover and rebuild your life, if you've come out of this toxic system.
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This week's guest is Kerry Noble, former member of the Christian militia group The Covenant, Sword & Arm of the Lord (CSA). This group operated out of Arkansas primarily in the 1970s and 80s--and Kerry was one of the major leaders involved in the movement.
Built on conspiracy theories, twisted theology, and a dystopian vision of the future, the CSA in many ways was the forerunner to a number of alt-right, white supremacist militia groups we see today. Kerry's story is not only an unbelievable one, it also gives a step-by-step illustration of how a person can be recruited into what essentially became a cult-like movement that planned and nearly executed a number of violent, extremist acts.
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This episode features Luna Corbden, whom I met through a mutual friend--Janice Selbie--when we both were presenters at the recent CORT2022, the Conference on Religious Trauma.
Luna grew up as a Mormon, deconstructed their faith, and subsequently left the church--but not without a lot of baggage and religious trauma. Similar to many of us who've left controlling religions, Luna has done a tremendous amount of work unpacking the teachings, figuring out the psychology behind it, and rebuilding their life moving forward.
Whether or not you had any association with Mormonism, but have experience with controlling cults or religions, then you'll no doubt identify with what Luna and I discuss in this episode--and find helpful resources on your journey of reconstructing your authentic self post-religion.
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This special bonus episode is actually Part 2 of a conversation I recently had with Brian and Troy, the co-hosts of the "I Was a Teenage Fundamentalist" podcast out of Melbourne, Australia.
We discuss their backstory coming out of evangelicalism, rebuilding their lives post-religion, and discuss resources for reconstructing your authentic self.
Head over to their platform for Theological Jenga Part 1:
https://pod.link/1558606464/episode/977f7004eeb71b5cd0527f8db0a4b0a2
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This week's episode features returning guest and former host of "The People I Meet" podcast, Dean Krosecz.
Dean walked away from charismatic Christianity years ago, and finally the faith altogether. In the process, in his words, he's become "a strict materialist with doubts"--but what does that mean, and how does it relate to him rebuilding his life post-Christianity?
In the telling of his story, we'll discover that Dean has found peace with himself--writing poetry (which he will share), getting in tune with nature, music and photography. All of these are essential for those of us seeking to recover our authentic self post-religion.
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Thoughts in Winter Dean's poetry available on Amazon
This week's guest is my friend Mike Phillips, currently a therapist in California who does a lot of work in the area of religious trauma syndrome--a subject I am not only very familiar with as a sufferer of RTS myself, but I've devoted a lot of time to it also.
Like me, Mike is an ex-pastor who tells an incredible tale of not only being in church ministry for decades, but also how he transitioned out of both pastoral ministry and Christianity too. In his journey to become a therapist, he developed a speciality of supporting and representing a great number of church abuse victims also.
If you suffer from RTS or know someone who does, then this episode will not only be of great benefit to you, Mike also provides resources and options for its treatment as well.
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This week's episode features a conversation with conspiracy theory expert Mike Rothschild, author of the excellent 2021 book The Storm is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, a Cult, and a Conspiracy Theory of Everything.
We begin at the beginning: what is the appeal of conspiracy theories in general, and why are so many people attracted to them historically? Conspiracy theories are nothing new, and have been around for as long as humans can remember. QAnon, it turns out, is a rehash of a number of extant and time-tested conspiracy theories, tropes, memes and more.
Has it gone away, now that Trump is no longer president? Why are so many evangelicals still hooked on the movement? And finally, if you have a friend or family member who's been sucked into the Q Universe, can you get them out?
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While most of us may be familiar with the concept of Christian nationalism in the United States among evangelicals, what about the idea of Christian internationalism? That's the topic that this week's guest, Dr Melani McAlister of George Washington University, happens to be an expert on.
We begin by discussing the war in Ukraine and how it shone a spotlight on the widespread American evangelical support for Vladimir Putin--a development that shocked many, given that the Soviet Union was seen by many Christians as the biggest threat to Christianity during the Cold War. What has changed? She maintains it's Christian internationalism.
As she argues in her 2018 book, The Kingdom of God Has no Borders: A Global History of American Evangelicals, one cannot truly understand evangelicalism as a phenomenon unless looked at globally. Far from an American export, evangelicalism is not a monolith and must be examined in terms of its reach and impact nation by nation, people group by people group.
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This week's guest is documentary filmmaker and author, Jen Senko, whose brilliant work The Brainwashing of My Dad tells the story of not just how her father Frank literally became a different person due to the effects of far-right media, it also tells the story of how conservative media became such a powerhouse.
More than likely, you have friends, family, friends or other acquaintances who have been sucked into the cult-like vortex of far-right conservative media, imbibing from a constant drip-tap of propaganda, misinformation, disinformation, outrage politics, and conspiracy theories.
If you despair that they will ever return to their pre-cult like state of normalcy ever again, Jen's work offers up hope that a person who falls down that rabbit hole can actually regain their authentic self once again.
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In light of the recent "leak" of the Supreme Court's apparent ruling to overturn the 1973 Roe v Wade case, I reached out to former guest Peter Montgomery of the Right Wing Watch to bring us up to speed on what's happening.
Aside from the leak itself, which is unprecedented to say the least, the much larger concern of American citizens should be the slow erosion of progressive, democratic rights that have been so hard-won over the last several decades. In addition to that, as we have seen, the dominionist aim of much of the Christian Right doesn't just stop with American politics--they are working hard to infiltrate the corridors of power in many other countries as well, pushing a far-right conservative agenda.
This long-term agenda of the Christian Right, now allied with the Republican Party in so many ways, is not to stop at merely overturning Roe--it's to strip away a variety of rights that most of us simply take for granted.
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This week's episode is one I've wanted to do a long time--it's based on a section of a book I'm working on about Christian Reconstructionism and the roots of dominion theology.
But the recent news about the Supreme Court's "leak" on the upcoming reversal of Roe v Wade got me to thinking that it's time to take a look at historical examples of theocratic kingdoms on earth. Were they more of a utopian existence, or a dystopian nightmare akin to Margaret Atwood's fictional Gilead?
I hope you enjoy this overview of multiple examples of theocracies that have been attempted on earth--and I'll leave it to you decide whether or not you want to live in one.
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This week's guest features a father-and-daughter combination, Stephen Mather and his daughter Celine, who are co-hosts of the "What Should I Think About...?" podcast.
As an ex-JW, Stephen is uniquely qualified to shed light on this cult--and although his daughter Celine was never a part of it, as a non-JW with many family members still involved in the religion, she has a fascinating perspective to offer also.
Enjoy this thought-provoking chat with Stephen and Celine!
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This week's guest is Rachel Hunt, who is an ambassador for the RFR: the Recovering From Religion organization founded by our good friend (and former guest) Dr Darrel Ray.
Not only does Rachel share her own story of escaping from religion, she provides excellent information on what the RFR does, how you can be a part of it, and how you can support this tremendous work that is helping so many people literally worldwide.
Recovering From Religion website
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This week's episode features an alarming conversation with returning guest Katherine Stewart, author of The Power Worshipers and The Good News Club, as well as numerous articles in a variety of online sources.
In this chat, we discussed a January 2022 article Katherine wrote in The New Republic in which she not only identified some of the funding behind several Christian Right organizations in America, but also a more alarming trend: the support for Trump's "Big Lie" by these same outfits.
Not only are they pushing it, they are weaponizing this conspiracy theory to motivate both pastors and evangelicals alike to get out and vote in 2022 and 2024 in an effort to "reclaim America for God"--as in the allegedly Christian nation that America both was, and should be again.
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This week's returning guest is ex-cult member, now sociologist and cult expert--Dr Janja Lalich, co-author along with fellow cult survivor Kala McLaren of the excellent book Escaping Utopia: Growing up in a Cult, Getting Out, and Starting Over.
In this episode, Dr Lalich and I take a deep dive into not just what makes a cult a cult, but more specifically her "bounded choice" model of cults, with its four major components. If you've come out of a cult, fundamentalist religion, or any other sort of high-demand group with undue influence, then you will benefit from this episode!
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We've got the first bonus episode of 2022!
I'm happy to welcome back returning guest, good friend Janice Selbie, to talk about the upcoming CORT2022--the Conference on Religious Trauma. We not only delve into which great presenters she has lined up for this important conference, we discuss the many and varied aspects of religious trauma. What is it, who is affected by it, and what can you do about it if you suffer from it?
Also listen in for an important code that will get you a discount to this event!
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This week's conversation is a fascinating one with American expat Dr David D'Andre, currently residing in Canada but who's lived in such places as Kiev and Brussels. Originally from the United States, David has a fascinating story of deconstruction of his former Christian beliefs from academic, theological and personal points of view combined.
David's story is a fascinating one--and one that you'll hopefully resonate with too. As a thoughtful person who takes an academic approach to the subject, David blends both the theoretical and the practical in his approach to the idea of deconverting from one's former religious belief system.
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This week's episode features returning guest, "Dr Death"--my good friend, Dr Terri Daniel.
Terri is hosting a conference coming up in July of this year called "The Conference on Death, Grief and Belief." Not only do we discuss which guests will be at this year's conference--including yours truly--but we delve into its purpose and who should attend it.
Beyond that, we have a fascinating chat about toxic theology, death and the so-called "theology of suffering"--which helps to explain why so many people turn to religion to answer many of life's Big Questions. But what happens when the answers aren't satisfactory? Listen in to find out more!
The Death, Grief and Belief Conference Website and get an additional $25 off by using the code "MindShift" when you purchase tickets! Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018
This week's guest is Michael, who self-identifies as a recovering religious addict. But what exactly is "religious addiction," and how would you even know if you are one?
Writing on the Religious Addicts Anonymous blog, Michael defines religious addiction as follows: "The religious addict has developed the capability to produce a spiritual high and/or trance-like state, the source of which the addict attributes to a HP [higher power], but in reality the cause is a pathological response in the mind of the addict to heavily ritualised behaviours."
If you've left religion, a cult, or a high-control group behind, part of your potential recovery is to educate yourself and to identify the ways in which behaviors and actions from the past have stymied your further growth and development. I believe this episode will help you do exactly that!
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This episode features returning guest, Rebekah Drumsta, author of a brand-new book entitled When Family Hurts: 30 Days to Finding Healing and Clarity.
Have you had to cut off relationships with family or friends because they were simply too toxic, abusive or hurtful? Maybe the "family secrets" came out and left you devastated, or abuses from the past became too painful to bear. Or perhaps cutting off relationships wasn't your choice--it was made for you by someone else who decided to cut you off.
Whatever your situation, the simple fact is: sometimes family hurts us the worst. So what can you do to find healing and clarity? Rebekah's 30-day guide book will help you to walk the path to find wholeness and healing.
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This inaugural episode of 2022 features a fascinating conversation with Australian-born author and investigative journalist, Elle Hardy. She's the author of a brand-new book entitled Beyond Belief: How Global Pentecostalism is Taking Over the World.
In addition to researching the history and the various sociological aspects of global Pentecostalism, Elle was able to conduct amazing field research worldwide, studying the movement in a number of countries. In addition to that, she also delves into the more political aspirations of the movement, tracing the so-called "7 Mountains Mandate" dominion theology particular to more of the charismatic movement.
I think you'll find this episode both challenging as well as potentially alarming, as we uncover the rise of global Pentecostalism.
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This final episode of 2021 features another returning guest and good friend from Canada--David Hayward, "The Naked Pastor."
A former evangelical pastor like me, David and I go way back and share a lot in common since we both left both our ministries and our former faiths behind. I wanted to reconnect with him after we were on a panel last year's CORT 2020 conference on religious trauma.
In addition to some live deconstructing, we get into the subject of David's artwork--the messages and themes that are so prevalent in his work. I think you will find this final episode of the year both insightful and helpful along your journey.
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This week's guest is another returning friend--Dr Josie McSkimming from Sydney, Australia.
I reached out to her recently because I was interested in speaking with her about not only her backstory in Christian fundamentalism, and how she got out of that system, but also about her work as a psychotherapist who specializes in helping clients recover from such afflictions as religious trauma syndrome.
As she views it, our authentic or preferred self is the one we need to recover, rebuild and reconstruct after leaving religion or a cult group behind. How do we do it? Listen in to find out more information and helpful resources.
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This episode is something I've wanted to do for a very long time--a re-release of an old recording I did with my sister Valerie way back in 2017 when she came to visit me in North Wales.
We sat down and shared stories of what it was like to grow up in not just a fundamentalist home, but actually a cult--the Bill Gothard Bible cult. Hearing Valerie's story will move you...perhaps even to tears.
I hope you get a lot out of this re-released episode.
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This week's episode couldn't be more timely--discussing the draconian and hugely controversial Texas abortion law, Senate Bill 8 (SB8).
Now that it is finally being argued at the Supreme Court, we have to ask: will the Christian dominionists who have played the long game in terms of appointing conservative and anti-abortion judges finally succeed in overturning Roe v Wade? This has been their strategy and they have been working at this for literally decades.
That Texas even attempted to pass this law in 2021 is merely testament to not only the 3 conservative judges appointed during the Trump era--with the assistance of the Christian Right--it is a landmark case that is highly unconstitutional and threatens the rights of not just women, but the LGBTQ community also.
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This special bonus episode features a conversation with my very good friend, Religious Recovery Consultant Janice Selbie!
Starting the 7th of November, she is running another one of her amazing "Divorcing Religion" workshops. We've talked about this before but I wanted to touch base with Janice to give her a chance not only to promote the workshop, but to explain why such a thing is so needed for those of us who have left religion or high-control groups behind.
In addition to this chat, we also get into CORT 2022--the Conference on Religious Trauma she is putting together for next year. Stay tuned for more information about this excellent conference as well!
For more information about the Divorcing Religion, click https://www.divorcing-religion.com/
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This bonus episode is something I've wanted to do for a long time--compare evangelicalism with cult psychology and tactics. I've done a lot of research and reading on this subject, and have reflected on both my own experiences as a former evangelical, as well as that of a great many others.
In this episode, I draw primarily on the work of Dr Robert Jay Lifton's seminal 1961 work, Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism. I also make use of his 1991 article entitled "Cult Formation" to go through not only his 8 markers of cults, but to compare them both to evangelical churches as well as more well-established cults.
As part of your recovery and rebuilding, post-cult or post-religion, it is my hope that this bonus episode will assist you in terms of education as well as unpacking the psychology behind it all.
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This week's guest is Jonathan Larsen, managing editor over at The Young Turks (TYT) Network.
Ever since he and his colleagues obtained the formerly-secret invitation list to the yearly National Prayer Breakfast that The Family--otherwise known as "The Fellowship Foundation"--wanted desperately to keep a secret, Jonathan has been doing some great investigative reporting on this uber-secretive, dominionist Christian organization.
First reported on by Jeff Sharlet in his book, and later Netflix series "The Family," this clandestine evangelical organization has been actively working the corridors of power worldwide for decades, building relationships and seeking out "key men" to win to Christ--in the hopes that they will influence their nations and spheres of influence for the Kingdom of God.
Find out more by listening in!
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In this special bonus episode, which I've long been promising is indeed coming, I was able to interview therapist Rachel Bernstein of the IndoctriNation Podcast.
This is actually Part 2 of two episodes we did--for the first half of the chat, you'll have to head over to the IndoctriNation podcast to catch Part 1. There, we discussed my backstory in evangelicalism, my deconstruction, and the journey to rebuild since leaving Christianity behind.
In this episode, we focus specifically on the important question: how does religion affect people's mental health? What resources are available for those of us who have left it behind, and now need to reconstruct our lives from the ground up?
I hope you will find this conversation with Rachel both enlightening and educational.
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Kurt Andersen is a returning guest, this time to talk about his sequel to Fantasyland, which is his excellent and thought-provoking work, Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America--A Recent History.
How exactly does it function as a sequel to Fantasyland? In this followup book, Kurt reveals that the vast wealth and income inequality in America was not by accident, but by design--the work of the "evil geniuses" he identifies in the book. And not only did the evil geniuses succeed, the "fantasy-industrial complex" he identified in Fantasyland is hard at work, providing a distraction for all the poor workers who have been screwed out of what should have been rightfully theirs.
For more information on Kurt, his writings and podcasts, check out his website.
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For those two or three people who are unaware of who Seth Andrews is, all we have to say is "The Thinking Atheist" and you'll understand everything.
Seth and I had a fantastic conversation recently in which we discussed his backstory, his views on being a former "Fox News Christian," dominion theology and the recent Texas abortion law, and more. In this wide-ranging conversation, we covered a lot of ground and had an amazing time doing so. I am certain you'll enjoy spending an hour or so with Seth, the host of The Thinking Atheist.
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In this special bonus episode, I'm welcoming back returning guest Dr David Madison, who was on the podcast several years ago.
Our mutual friend Tim Sledge suggested I interview him about his new book, Ten Things Christians Wish Jesus Hadn't Taught. This very readable book--designed to be read through easily in one sitting--is aimed primarily at Christians who are open to questioning their faith, and potentially dialoguing with others about some of the questions, doubts, and cognitive dissonance they may have been harboring, but were afraid to admit.
Available now on Amazon--click the link here to purchase this excellent resource!
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This episode features author and activist Ryan Stollar, who grew up in the Christian homeschooling bubble, but has since become a staunch advocate for those who unfortunately suffered a great many abuses within that system.
A former editor and author at the now-archived Homeschoolers Anonymous blog for several years, Ryan has since branched out and is currently doing a lot of writing--including working on two books at the moment. He is still very active within the former homeschooling community, and is very active on social media with support groups for survivors.
This episode reveals much about the backstory of how Christian homeschooling not only started, but what some of the major leaders within the movement are up to currently--including expanding their vision worldwide.
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This special bonus episode features returning guest, Dr Warren Throckmorton. Though he identifies as a Christian himself, Dr Throckmorton has long been an outspoken activist and blogger for what he clearly sees as abuses within evangelicalism.
In the current Christianity Today podcast series on the collapse of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, and Mark Driscoll's role in it, his name comes up--as he was one of the early voices to speak out against the problems inherent within Mars Hill.
Not only do we discuss the Mars Hill saga, and its ultimate implosion, we also delve into the concept that Driscoll, in many ways, fits a classic ego-driven cult leader--and his current church in Scottsdale, AZ, features even more disturbing elements of cult psychology and high-control groups.
For more information you can visit Warren's blog at this link.
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This week's guest is Daniel Phelps, who grew up in the World Revival Church, now located in Kansas City, MO.
A recent investigation by Fox News has shone some light on this church's disturbing cult-like practices and tactics. Off the back of that, Daniel shares his story of how he not only grew up in the church--which he now describes as a cult--and how he finally got out.
Can a church become a cult? Listen in to find out how this one did!
Click here to read the Fox News investigative report on the multiple abuses by WRC.
Visit the KC Cult Survivor Facebook Page.
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In this special bonus episode, I recently caught up with Kurt Andersen, author of the 2017 book Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire--A 500-Year History.
Kurt's book explains so much about the current state of America today by looking at its history through the lens of "fantasyland"--basically, what happens when people begin to blur, or commingle, fantasy and reality. It's not that other nations don't do this, but it's more than what makes America so exceptional is that we seem to have a corner on doing it the best. Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community! Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 Like the MindShift Podcast Facebook Page
It's finally out!
This is an absolutely incredible, informative and educational conversation I had a while back with David Johnson, host of the Skeptics and Seekers podcast.
I met David when we were guests on the Still Unbelievable podcast, and he shared about a time when he'd been a guest on an atheist podcast and talked a lot about the church and racism--only to discover that when the episode finally aired, the host of that show had edited out that entire section. So right then I knew...we had to have that conversation.
I hope you not only enjoy this conversation, but that you learn a lot also from this chat as well.
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This week's episode features another super informative--and potentially disturbing--conversation with returning guest, Fred Clarkson of the Political Research Associates.
Matt Shea is a former Republican state legislator from my home state of Washington, up in the Pacific Northwest. He's long been a lightning rod for controversy in his own right, and a few years ago drew nationwide attention for his connection to some very far-right causes.
But now, Fred has uncovered a new and potentially more disturbing connection in the person of Timothy Taylor, a New Apostolic Reformation "apostle" who is also a major proponent of the 7 mountains dominion mandate theology.
That the two men are now apparently working together for some agenda is an area of major concern, and something to keep a close eye on moving forward. You'll learn more about both men, and what they're working on, in this very educational episode.
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Article by Frederick Clarkson on Matt Shea & Tim Taylor
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In this special bonus episode, I spoke recently with Dr Audrey Clare Farley, who wrote a fascinating (and quite disturbing) article not long ago exploring the connections between Dr James Dobson of Focus on the Family and...eugenics.
Sounds crazy, right? No, there is definitely a connection--not just between Dobson and eugenics, but his entire "family values" empire. There's a dark underbelly to the whole thing, and in this episode, we lay it all out.
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Read Audrey's Article on Religion Dispatches
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After last week's conversation with Jared Yates Sexton and his book American Rule, that spurred me to do some more investigation into this issue of the "noble lie"--what is it, and how exactly does it relate to the official American narrative of its history?
Once we understand that critical concept--that goes all the way back to the ancient Greek philosopher Plato in the 3rd century BCE--it becomes a helpful paradigm or model through which to interpret not just American history, but many other nations also.
Join me on this journey of discovery and please, let me know your thoughts!
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Jared Yates Sexton, the co-host of the Muckrake Podcast, is back! This time we are taking a super deep dive into his excellent and thought-provoking book American Rule: How a Nation Conquered the World but Failed its People.
As always, Jared is a profoundly deep thinker and communicator--and in this case, we will look at some of the defining myths and "noble lies" that have sustained a particular version of American history from even before its founding as a nation.
Understanding this paradigm will, I believe, help you to make sense of not just current events, but also American history also.
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This week's episode features an amazing survivor--Maya Ram. She not only survived a traumatic relationship with the Seventh Day Adventist cult, she also had to deal with a controlling, abusive mother too--who also used religion as a means of coercion.
Today, Maya is rebuilding her life, and is involved in activism warning the world about the dangers of Christian mission work--not just in her home country of India, but around the world too.
Find out more about Maya's work at the Mission Kaali website.
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This bonus episode features a super-informative discussion with Emily Elizabeth Anderson, who herself is a survivor of not only the Bill Gothard/ATI homeschooling cult, she also experienced grooming and abuses by Gothard personally.
Emily is now on the journey of helping others deal with church abuse and other forms of traumas they may have suffered. She has become an activist speaking out against the toxicity of Gothard's cult and was actually part of the massive lawsuit against Gothard himself, launched by multiple women who were sexually harassed and assaulted by him.
We not only discuss the recent Josh Duggar arrest situation, we conclude the conversation by evaluating the IBLP as a cult also.
Find out more about Emily's work at her blog, Thriving Forward.
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In this week's episode, I finally had a chance to edit this show and get it out there--apologies to Andrew for taking so long!
Andrew is on the vanguard of an exciting new field of research and experimentation: using psychedelics to treat such issues as PTSD, Religious Trauma Syndrome, and many more. Listen in as Andrew expands our consciousness as to the incredible possibilities that this fascinating work represents.
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I'm super excited to be promoting this incredible conference, which begins very soon--May 11th through the 16th, 2021.
My good friend Janice Selbie is putting it on, and the conference features an unbelievable line-up of guest speakers and presenters, such as Dr Marlene Winell, who literally "wrote the book" on religious trauma syndrome. She, along with many others--including me on a panel with David Hayward and Tim Sledge--will be a part of this amazing conference.
For more information on how to get tickets, go to the CORT2021 website.
Divorcing Religion website
Use the code POD15 to get a discount too!
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Follow Janice on Twitter @divorce religion or @wise_counsellor
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In this special bonus episode, I caught up recently with Mikey Weinstein, founder and leader of the MRFF--the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.
This incredible civil rights advocacy organization is dedicated to one thing: preserving the religious freedoms of active duty, cadets, reservists and veteran service members of the US Armed Forces.
According to their site: "MRFF clients have faced unconstitutional religious church/state violations and noxious abuse from their military superiors who almost exclusively brandish one particular version of Christianity, fundamentalist Christianity, as a weapon to intimidate, menace, harass, subdue, and terrify their otherwise helpless armed forces subordinates."
This is what the MRFF is all about--fighting against weaponized Christianity in the US military.
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This week's special bonus episode features an excellent conversation with Lisa and Gerette, two amazing women who started the igotout.org website.
Both cult survivors in their own right, each not only tell their stories of their time in their cults and also what led them to get out finally after spending years in the group. Following this decision, both women have dedicated themselves to activism and helping people to have a platform where they can share their stories of cults, religious groups, and other high-control groups they left behind.
Check out their website and tell your story!
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In this conversation with returning guest Dr Terri Daniel, co-host of the "Ask Dr Death" podcast, we get into the subjects of not only the psychology of religion in general, but we also discuss how religion can affect people's mental health.
This is a subject I've long been fascinated by, as a cult survivor as well as an ex-evangelical. How much did your religious background affect you, both in the past and perhaps even currently? Dr Terri and I discuss this, and give real-world examples of how it might affect people in terms of their mental health, relationships, and more.
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This bonus episode features a discussion with Fred Clarkson: journalist, publisher and author and most importantly for our purposes, Senior Research Analyst at Political Research Associates.
In addition to breaking the story about Project Blitz a few years ago, Fred has been researching and writing about the Christian Right and dominion theology for literally decades now. As such, he is one of the leading experts in this field, and in this episode we draw on all of Fred's knowledge to help unpack not only the historic foundations of the Christian Right, we take a look at what some of their current projects are now, moving forward in the post-Trump era.
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In this fantastic bonus episode, returning guests Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman--authors of the classics Snapping and Holy Terror--take us on a trip back in time...to the origins of the Christian Right, with a close assessment of the various strategies that were used to sway and influence millions of impressionable evangelicals to get involved in politics.
What's perhaps not so surprising? The playbook that many of the architects of the Christian Right constructed decades ago is still in operation. The current evangelical Trump base, for example, is an extension of the work that these key players installed decades ago.
We also look at the impact these strategies had on the individual evangelical. We'll explore the story of Diane, "the first ex-evangelical," that Flo and Jim encountered in their travels across America researching this movement.
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Contact Jim and Flo at http://stillpointpress.net/
Ex-Evangelical Experience Survey 2021 Link
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In this episode, we round out our examination of the Falwell family legacy by speaking with Calum Best, who is himself an alumni of the Christian University founded by Jerry Falwell Sr., which was then taken over by his son after his death.
Beyond objecting to Jerry Falwell Jr's leadership style and negative example he set, we also discuss Charlie Kirk and the Falkirk Center, which until recently was headquartered at Liberty.
Although he still identifies as an evangelical, Calum is definitely critical of many aspects of the movement...I hope you find this conversation intriguing and informative! Help Support the work of MindShift Podcast on Patreon Contact Information Save 71 Website Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 Subscribe to the MindShift Podcast YouTube Channel
In this special bonus episode, I finally was able to get together with Hemant Mehta, "The Friendly Atheist," for a fascinating discussion about his journey.
Hemant became an atheist out of the religion of Jainism, which is fascinating in and of itself--his story is quite different than the sort of "typical" atheist one might encounter who rejects the Christian version of God.
As a result of that journey of exploration, Hemant went on to develop the "Friendly Atheist" platform--blogging and podcasting--in an attempt to engage people from all walks of faith, belief systems and life in a respectful and mutually expanding dialogue: common ground, despite massive differences. Help Support the Work of MindShift Podcast on Patreon! Contact Information The Friendly Atheist Blog on Patheos Follow Hemant on Twitter @hemantmehta Follow Me on Twitter @MindShift2018 Subscribe to the MindShift Podcast YouTube Channel
In this second episode in my new 2021 series "Profiles of the Christian Right," I'm following up on last week's chat with Frank Schaeffer and doing a very deep dive into the legacy of Jerry Falwell Sr and his Moral Majority organization, which ran from 1979-1989.
Not only do I do a thorough investigation into Falwell himself, I'll conclude by analyzing the many and varied through-lines from what he and other far-right evangelical political activists were up to decades ago, and how that laid the groundwork for the overwhelmingly white, evangelical Trump base.
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In this very informative and educational episode, returning guest Frank Schaeffer and I break down not only some of the early movers and shakers of the Christian Right--like Falwell Sr., Pat Robertson and others--we move on to discuss the legacy of what that movement has led us to today.
Frank and his famous dad, Francis Schaeffer, were there when so much of this was all happening--and of course, we know that the Schaeffers helped promote the anti-abortion issue to the front and center of both Christian identity politics, as well as the Republican Party.
What is the legacy that we see all around us today from the Christian Right? An industry of hate that can do nothing less than to try and dress up its core message in an effort to salvage itself.
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This week's guest features Thomas Hanna, who's had a very interesting path indeed--he's gone from being a pastor to embarking on a journey of discovery that led him to becoming an atheist. He is now a therapist who specializes in helping clients deal with religious trauma syndrome and other issues from their time in religion.
Thomas and I reminisce about our time as pastors, why that career so often leads to burnout and other issues, and also examine religious trauma and belief systems that cause many problems within evangelicalism.
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This special bonus episode features returning guest, sociologist and cult expert, Dr Janja Lalich.
I reached out to her once again to talk about the NXIVM cult and how specifically it worked from a cult psychology point of view. As someone who not only has been in a cult herself, but has also researched and written a tremendous amount of material about cults, Dr Lalich is an invaluable resource. In addition, she was also heavily involved in the trial and has been filmed for at least 2 documentaries about NXIVM.
I think that not only will you find this episode fascinating about Raniere and NXIVM itself, as we describe cult psychology in general it will prove to be a helpful resource in terms of your own reconstruction--if you come out of controlling religions or groups with undue influence.
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This week's incredible conversation features Janeen Puckett, host of the Deconstruction Stories website--a place where you can share your journeys deconstructing out of religion, anonymously and safely.
Janeen herself has an absolutely incredible story of deconstruction too--she comes out of a prophetic, charismatic version of Christianity that had an unbelievably damaging effect on not just her life, but that of her family too. I'll let her share this amazing story--and please, let us know your thoughts, comments and questions!
And if you want to post your story--here's the link to her site!
Deconstruction Stories site link
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I finally got a chance to edit and release my first episode of my new series for 2021, "Profiles of the Christian Right." For this inaugural episode, I reached out to Mark Potok, who worked at the Southern Poverty Law Center for 20 years and is an expert on the radical Right and the Christian Right.
Mark wrote an article for the SPLC in 2004 exposing, perhaps for the first time publicly, Pastor Doug Wilson and his growing cult-like empire located in Moscow, Idaho. In this chat, we not only break down aspects of Wilson's theology and influence of Christian Reconstructionism on his worldview, we look at the expanding influence Wilson has currently even in mainstream evangelical and Christian homeschooling households.
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In this special bonus episode, given the events of the recent Capitol Riots and the prominence of QAnon-branded diehard Trump loyalists who took part in the insurrection, I figured it was time to take a deep dive into the cult psychology behind this rapidly-spreading online conspiracy theory.
Is it merely a harmless belief system that rational folks can dismiss? I think we all know now that this is no longer an option...we've seen that beliefs in conspiracy theories can drive people to acts of violence, destruction of property, sedition, and even murder.
QAnon played a major role. What is it exactly, and how can we understand it better? Find out more in this bonus episode!
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This week's episode features Paul James Caiden, host of the Mind's Eye Podcast. I was a recent guest on his show and now I'm returning the favor and having him on the show--from Mind's Eye to MindShift!
In this chat we cover not only Paul's story of his faith deconstruction, we focus on the issues surrounding the various traumas that accompany the decision to walk away from one's former faith. In addition, we finish the chat by discussing the dark side of dominion theology, Trumpism and look ahead in terms of what's in store for the American evangelical movement today.
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In this inaugural episode of 2020, I figured something needed to be said about the recent, highly disturbing events in the US Capitol building. An angry mob of Trumpists laid waste to the building, resulting in 5 deaths and the widespread destruction of property. But beyond the headlines, I wanted to explore two additional aspects of the story: one, the draw of conspiracy theories, and two, the Christian nationalist piece to the whole story.
Let's take a deep dive into this topic and see what we can uncover! Help Support MindShift Podcast on Patreon in 2021! Contact Information Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 Subscribe to the MIndShift Podcast YouTube Channel
This final episode of 2020 features an eye-opening and informative interview with Seven, a rapper and former megachurch pastoral staff member from Jacksonville, Florida.
Seven and his wife experienced not just church hurt during their time as part of the congregation, the situation became much worse as he transitioned into a position on the church staff. Turns out that the only reason the church wanted him on staff was for him to be the "face of diversity" at what was actually an organization with deep and systemic racism at its core. How can this all be reconciled with both a supposedly loving God, and a loving church?
As a result of his experiences, Seven walked away from it all...and is now speaking out.
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In this special bonus episode, I'm bringing back recent guest Frank Schaeffer, son of the hugely famous and influential Francis and Edith Schaeffer.
As we discussed in our last episode, we'd return to talk about two of his books: Crazy for God and Why I'm an Atheist who Believes in God. I read them both (highly recommended, by the way), and that gave me ample content to fire questions at Frank.
As always, Frank is knowledgeable, informed, up-to-date and above all, passionate about this subject. Enjoy this special episode as an early Christmas present! Help Support MindShift Podcast on Patreon! Follow Frank on Twitter @Frank_Schaeffer Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 Like the MindShift Podcast Facebook Page Subscribe on YouTube
This episode will be of great value to anyone who grew up in a fundamentalist or evangelical Bible cult background, like this week's guest--life coach Rebekah Drumsta.
Beyond talking about her incredible life's journey out of fundamentalism, and then rebuilding, we get into Rebekah's amazing work as a life coach, helping people recover from the oftentimes harmful, traumatic and toxic effects of fundamentalist or high-control religious groups.
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Thanks to the wonderful Karen & Bonnie from the Deconversion Therapy Podcast, we are happy to bring the full episode of our conversation from the other day.
We had a great chat, talking about our own backstories growing up in evangelicalism, Trump politics and the Christian Right, and which evangelical leaders we'd like to punch in the throat right now.
Enjoy!
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In this special bonus episode, I'm chatting with Jared Yates Sexton, who is the co-host of the Muckrake Podcast along with Nick Hauselman.
An associate professor at Georgia Southern University, Jared is also the author of the 2020 book American Rule: How a Nation Conquered the World but Failed Its People.
As both an author and political analyst, Jared is perfectly positioned to comment on the developments within Trumpism currently, but also to discuss the historic elements that have led us to where we're at today...with a strongman president, Christian nationalism, American exceptionalism, and the cult of Trumpism that is based on conspiracy theories.
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In this fourth bonus episode, I'm taking a slightly different direction away from the charismatic "apostles and prophets" who failed in their predictions of a Trump landslide.
This time, I'm looking at the issue of why voices on the Christian Right--who might possibly disavow their more charismatic brothers and sisters--are amplifying and promoting the same conspiracy theories Trump is touting?
Let's take a deep dive into this and look at what some are saying, and why it's a vert important subject to break down right now.
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This week's episode features a conversation with ex-charismatic Christian and host of "The People I Meet" podcast: Dean Krosecz.
Dean and I discuss not only a bit of his backstory, we also delve into the charismatic version of dominion theology--the so-called "7 mountains mandate." Dean helpfully breaks it down, explains how he got into it, and we also unpack just what in the world Paula White-Cain was babbling on about in her bizarre declarations shortly after the US presidential election.
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There's just so much information out there that I am having a hard time keeping up with all of it!
As I struggle to keep up, here's my third bonus episode on this topic, as we continue to watch the so-called "prophets" who confidently predicted a Trump victory--and who are now proven to be false prophets.
What other options are left open to them?
Now it's becoming clear that in addition to embracing increasingly bizarre conspiracy theories, their rhetoric has take a dark, irresponsible and frankly dangerous turn. Vowing not to accept the results of the election, many are whipping up the outrage of their base and calling for, in some cases, civil disobedience.
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This week's episode features a fascinating conversation with Dara Molloy, former Catholic priest from Dublin, Ireland.
Now situated on the Aran Islands off the west Coast of Ireland, Dara ended up walking away from the institutionalized Roman Catholic Church and embarking on a journey to discover--or perhaps rediscover--Celtic spirituality millennia before it was overshadowed by the Catholic Church.
Now identifying as a druid, Celtic priest and monk, Dara wants to discover: is there still a sense of mystery and spirituality to be recovered out on the remote Aran Islands? His journey is a fascinating one--and I'm sure you'll agree that his experiences are certainly unique!
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Although it's only been a week since my last bonus episode on this topic of the failed Trump prophecies, much has happened since then--so I felt that it needed to be revisited!
In this episode, I'll take a look at what some of these so-called "prophets and apostles" have been saying since the election. With just one or two notable exceptions, virtually to a person they are doing what is expected, unfortunately--doubling down and seeking to explain away, or justify, what seems to be a clearly false prophecy.
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In this special post-election bonus episode, I take a look at the phenomenon of cognitive dissonance as it relates to the wide variety of failed so-called "prophecies" laid out by a great number of charismatic and 7 mountains mandate dominion theology "apostles and prophets."
Turns out: to a person, they were all clearly wrong. So: was God incorrect in giving this "prophetic word" to his prophets? Or were they all making it up, projecting their desires on the election, and thus proven to be...false prophets?
I'll not only take a look at what was said by these "prophets," I'll use as a base line the excellent 1956 book on the subject of cognitive dissonance as a comparison model: Leon Festinger's When Prophecy Fails.
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This extremely helpful episode features a conversation with returning guest Andrew Jasko, a Princeton-seminary trained former minister who walked away from the faith years ago and now as a therapist, is devoting his life to helping people heal from religious trauma syndrome (RTS).
Andrew's blog is helpfully titled "Life After Dogma," and that is exactly what we focus on in this episode--what is trauma, generally speaking? And then, what exactly is religious trauma, and how can you begin to cope with it? How does religious dogma affect us in terms of trauma, and is there life after we leave it behind?
One aspect of healing is to discover spirituality--which is something that doesn't necessarily appeal to all people who come out of cults or fundamentalist religions. But in this episode, regardless of your beliefs about it, you'll find help and resources in dealing with your own RTS.
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This special bonus episode is a chat with Dr John Fea, professor of American history at Messiah College in Pennsylvania--and although he's an evangelical, he is a prominent voice who has been speaking out for years about what he terms the "court evangelicals" surrounding Donald Trump.
Dr Fea is also the author of multiple books and articles, but I wanted to focus on two works: first, his 2011 book Was America Founded as a Christian Nation: A Historical Perspective, and his more recent work, Believe Me: The Evangelical Road to Donald Trump (2018).
Dr Fea and I dissect not only the myths of Christian nationalism, but discuss the role that dominion theology and power politics have shaped the Christian Right and evangelical support for Donald Trump.
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The Way of Improvement Leads Home Blog
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This week's episode features Heath Brown, associate professor at CUNY and author of the upcoming book Homeschooling the Right: How Conservative Education Activism Erodes the State, which is expected to drop in early 2021.
Heath has done a tremendous amount of research into not just homeschooling, but specifically the world of Christian homeschooling. What he has uncovered in the ultra-secretive world is that while they don't want to be studied or monitored by state or government controls, at the same time they are having an increasingly outsized political influence in terms of legislation.
Moreover, conservative homeschooling groups are increasingly making use of homeschooled children and young people both to influence, and work as free labor for, conservative political campaigns.
Learn more about these trends in this fascinating discussion with Heath Brown!
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This special bonus episode features author, filmmaker, artist and activist Frank Schaeffer, son of Francis Schaeffer, the hugely influential intellectual evangelical and anti-abortion activist.
Frank, along with his famous father, helped to launch the evangelical anti-abortion movement back in the 1970s and 80s with their film series "Whatever Happened to the Human Race?"
As we discuss the backstory of how abortion came to be the biggest single-issue topic for Republican and evangelical voters of today, Frank fills us in on the details--and helps explain why the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the US Supreme Court poses such a threat to all Americans.
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"Let Me Be Frank" film about Frank Schaeffer on Vimeo
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Is it possible to have a respectful dialogue between an atheist and an evangelical Christian?
Matthew Taylor, this week's guest and co-host of the Still Unbelievable podcast, thinks that it is possible--provided, of course, that you separate the beliefs from the believer.
In addition to exploring that concept, Matthew and I trade backstories in our old evangelical days, comparing notes and dissecting Christianity as objectively as we can. We also talk about the importance of community after leaving religion behind. Help Support the Ongoing Work of MindShift Podcast on Patreon! Contact Details Follow Matthew on Twitter @vteclimey Reason Press Website Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 Like the MindShift Podcast Facebook Page
In this special bonus episode, I have a conversation with Peter Montgomery, Senior Fellow at Right Wing Watch.
Peter has diligently been researching and writing on the Christian Right, dominion theology, evangelical politics, and more for the last 2 decades. As such, he is the perfect person to speak with now, just weeks before the election.
We are seeing more than ever the levels of rabid support for Donald Trump among evangelicals--and as Peter states, on the hyper-charismatic side of the equation, "it's on steroids now." They've gone into overdrive, and are making some absolutely unbelievable claims about what they believe God will do--both with Trump and the unprecedented appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.
Help Support MindShift Podcast on Patreon! Contact Details Follow Peter on Twitter @petemont Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 Like the MindShift Podcast Facebook Page
This special bonus edition features sociologist Andrew Whitehead, co-author along with Sam Perry of the informative book Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States.
As you'll recall, Sam was my guest a few months ago as we discussed the findings of their research of Americans as it relates to Christian nationalism in their book. I reached out to Andrew to have a discussion about not just the upcoming election and the chaos surrounding it, but also the recent news of the possibility of Trump installing an unprecedented third Supreme Court justice before the election.
To what extent is Christian nationalism informing both the folks who intend not only to vote for Trump in November (possibly for the second time), but also their support of Amy Coney Barrett and their hopes for overturning Roe v Wade?
Turns out...it's a huge driver. Listen in for more information!
Help Support the Show on Patreon! Contact Information Follow Andrew on Twitter @ndrewwhitehead Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 Like the MindShift Podcast Facebook Page
In this episode with Steven Tiger, author of Doctrine Impossible, I'm hearkening back to my old days as an evangelical pastor and Bible college teacher and revisiting the subject of Christian theology.
Today, however, neither of us are seeking to defend what in many cases is quite a monstrous set of beliefs--and view of God that is revealed in the pages of the Bible. What are the implications of so much of classic Christian doctrine?
Tune in to our chat to find out!
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This week's guest features Paul Kivel, author of Living in the Shadow of the Cross: Understanding and Resisting the Power and Privilege of Christian Hegemony.
Since the fateful decision by Emperor Constantine in the 4th Century CE to make Christianity the official state religion of Rome, Christianity has enjoyed unprecedented power, cultural and religious dominance--the very definition of "hegemony."
And this is true not just in the West, where it's been most powerful, but indeed worldwide, as Christianity provided the ideology and force to go along with much of the efforts to colonize the world in the 18th-19th centuries. It's still seen today worldwide--politically, socially, culturally, religiously, and in many other ways.
Paul and I will give you the tools not only to understand what Christian hegemony is, and the dangers it poses--we'll also discuss how you and I can successfully resist it.
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In this bonus episode, ex-Scientologist and host of the Sensibly Speaking Podcast--Chris Shelton--drops in for a deep dive into the cult psychology of QAnon.
What is QAnon, and who exactly is "Q," its enigmatic leader? Chris and I not only answer those questions, but further, we unpack the appeal of this growing internet cult movement from a cult psychology point of view.
If you have friends, family members, or coworkers who are into QAnon--then this episode will help you not only make sense of the movement, but it will give you the critical tools by which to engage this dangerous cult. Support MindShift Podcast on Patreon! Contact Information Follow Chris on Twitter @sheltondesigner Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 Link to The MindShift Podcast Facebook Page
Due to the rapidly-unfolding series of scandals surrounding Jerry Falwell Jr--and his wife Becki--I turned to one of the most qualified people out there who could knowledgeably discuss this story: Kristin Kobes Du Mez, recent guest and author of the book Jesus and John Wayne.
Kristin and I try to make sense of the narratives swirling around the many scandals that have not only dogged Falwell Jr for years now, we want to know: why has it take this long for him to be removed as the president of Liberty University? And how does it fit into the larger picture of evangelical toxic masculinity and biblical patriarchy, of which Falwell Jr may have indeed served as a poster boy for years now. Help Support Independent Media Like MindShift Podcast on Patreon! Contact Information Follow Kristin on Twitter @kkdumez Follow me @MindShift2018
This week's episode features a conversation with Dr Michael McVicar, assistant professor of religion at Florida State University and author of the 2015 book, Christian Reconstruction: RJ Rushdoony and American Religious Conservatism.
Dr McVicar's book is incredibly helpful in developing the historical and cultural context that both explains who Rushdoony was, but also why his legacy is so significant in so many ways.
Not only was he "the father of Christian Reconstructionism," Rushdoony also had a massive impact on Christian education and homeschooling, the early formation of the Christian Right and evangelical involvement in politics, and also on some of the more far-right, fringe Christian political movements today. Understanding Rushdoony and his life's work is key to being able to grasp what is going on in the intersection of evangelicalism and politics today.
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My study and research of Christian nationalism has led me both to David Barton, who runs the organization WallBuilders out of Aledo, Texas, and to another figure--Dr Warren Throckmorton of Grove College, a professor of psychology.
What do these two people have in common?
Barton is a revisionist "historian" who has made a career out of promoting the myth that America not only was founded as a Christian nation, it should return to that status today. Dr Throckmorton has spent many years researching and writing on Barton's often spurious historical claims and dubious historical methods. He co-wrote a book together with Michael Coulter called Getting Jefferson Right that took Barton to task for the many glaring mistakes and fraudulent claims in his book The Jefferson Lies.
Find out more in this episode!
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This special bonus episode features journalist Sarah Posner, as we discuss her latest book Unholy: Why White Evangelicals Worship at the Altar of Donald Trump.
So why exactly do they worship at the Trump altar? Turns out that the answer to that question is more complex than it may seem...because as Sarah lays out in the book, it's not just white evangelicals--it's also the alt-right that forms Trump's loyal base.
Join us for this discussion of Unholy as we unpack the layers!
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In this special bonus episode, returning guest David Hayward ("The Naked Pastor") drops back in for a discussion of his new book Til Doubt Do Us Part: When Changing Beliefs Changes Your Marriage.
We discuss what happens when married couples experience the reality of one person who is deconstructing his or her religious beliefs. What happens when the other person isn't on the same page? What about if they have children who still want to go to church? Or, what about atheist couples? One person may start to embrace spirituality, whereas their partner isn't.
All these scenarios and more are covered by David in his excellent book, which serves as a resource for those in relationships who are attempting to work their way through this very difficult issue. Support MindShift Podcast on Patreon! Contact Information Follow David on Twitter @nakedpastor Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018
This week's show features returning guest: journalist and author Katherine Stewart, who wrote the recent book The Power Worshippers.
In this episode, we'll be talking about Katherine's 2012 book, The Good News Club: The Christian Right's Stealth Assault on America's Children. She uncovers not only the agenda behind the sectarian, fundamentalist organization known as "The Good News Club"--which targets kids with their gospel message as young as 4 years old and uses public schools to do it--she also demonstrates how a crucial 2001 Supreme Court ruling has literally kicked the doors open for a whole host of other "missional" ministries to make use of public school buildings.
Ultimately, not only is the Christian Right targeting vulnerable schoolchildren in the "4-14 window," they are essentially declaring war on public schools, viewing them as "mission fields" filled with students to be proselytized.
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This week's guest is Julie Anne Smith, known primarily for her blogging and activism through the Spiritual Sounding Board blog.
Julie Anne not only works hard to expose church abuses of all kinds--sexual as well as spiritual--she is herself a survivor, having come through the ranks as a former Christian homeschooling mom. She subsequently began to deconstruct and question a lot of the indoctrination she received through Christian homeschooling curriculum and conferences.
In this wide-ranging and informative chat, we cover everything from Bill Gothard, RJ Rushdoony, Michael Farris of the HSLDA, and how the whole movement somehow...is all linked together under the concept of "Christian dominionism."
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This special bonus episode features a conversation with journalist and author Angela Denker, whose recent book Red State Christians: Understanding the Voters who Elected Donald Trump takes a much more personal look at Trump Christian voters in America.
Beyond being a journalist and author, Angela is also a Lutheran pastor--and after seeing the disruptive effect of the Trump vote in 2016 on her own church members, and watching it nationwide for the last 3+ years, she's concerned for the future of Christianity in light of the widespread evangelical Trump support.
Thus her book seeks to understand what motivated many Trump-supporting Christians in America who often don't receive a lot of media coverage. While you may not entirely share her concern, perhaps her book will open up dialogue between Trump-supporting Christians and those who don't--which can only be a good thing, given the incredibly polarized state of America today.
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This week's guest is Rob Boston, senior editor of Church and State and long-time prolific writer for the organization Americans United for the Separation of Church & State.
Rob has been with AU for more than 30 years, and in that time he's written extensively on not only church and state, but on exposing--and debunking, in some cases--many of the key leaders of the Christian Right and Christian nationalist movements.
In this episode, Rob and I cover a wide range of topics related to the importance of maintaining the separation of church and state, which a great number of Christian nationalists have been working to batter down for decades now.
Why should you be concerned, or for that matter, care about this topic? I think you will after listening in!
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Find his articles on the AU Website
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In this special bonus episode, I'm happy to share my interview of Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of an outstanding book released on Tuesday, the 23rd of June 2020, and timed to coincide with its release.
Titled Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation, the book explores the legacy of "evangelical masculinity"--and chronicles how, in the last century or so, white evangelicals have been on a quest to "reclaim their lost manhood."
We'll cover not only how this movement came about and how it developed most clearly over the last 40 years, but also discuss the legacy of this movement--biblical patriarchy, along with its numerous abuses and scandals. This is also the legacy that led to that infamous 81% of white evangelicals voting for Trump in 2016.
Find out more about the book on Amazon
Follow Kristin on Twitter @kkdumez
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This week's episode features an information-packed chat with Dr Milton Gaither, widely considered one of America's foremost leading experts on the subject of Christian homeschooling.
Dr Gaither wrote the book on the subject--literally. His 2008 book Homeschool: An American History (revised in 2017) contains a wealth of information not just on the development of homeschooling in general, but specifically Christian homeschooling. This is the subject we spend the most time unpacking and exploring.
Why does this topic matter? Generally speaking, much of the Christian homeschool movement today has been influenced by the work of RJ Rushdoony, "the father of Christian Reconstructionism." Why does that matter? Listen in to find out why!
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This week we are taking another break from talking about dominion theology and Christian nationalism to focus on a topic I've dealt with a lot in the past--how to reconstruct your life, and rebuild, after leaving one's faith or religious beliefs behind.
My guest this week is David, host of The Graceful Atheist podcast. We have a fantastic discussion comparing notes both as ex-pastors who walked away from our former Christian beliefs, but are still doing a lot of "pastoral" work--helping others who have deconstructed, or are thinking about starting the process.
You'll find this a helpful and informative episode that covers a lot of ground! Help Support the Show on Patreon Contact Details Follow David on Twitter @GracefulAtheist Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 Like the MindShift Podcast Facebook Page
In this special episode, I'm chatting with author, ex-evangelical and now atheist, John Loftus.
John is the author of the recent book The Case Against Miracles, an anthology that aims to discuss miracles from a scholarly point of view. Along with several other noted academics, John takes aim at this topic, seeking not only to define miracles--but to ask whether or not there is even evidence to believe that such a thing exists. Support MindShift Podcast on Patreon John Loftus's Website Debunking Christianity Contact Details Follow John on Twitter @loftusjohnw Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018
I apologize in advance for the long title, but when you hear this show, I promise it will be worth the listen!
This week's guests are the legendary returning guests, Conway & Siegelman. They wrote the hugely important and influential books Snapping in 1978 and then, just a few years later, came out with Holy Terror.
With their incredible, on-the-ground field research, they were among the first to track and study in depth the "cult phenomenon" of the 1970s, and then later the rise of the Christian Right in the late 1970s-80s.
In this episode we'll cover a lot of ground, so strap yourself in and hold on!
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http://stillpointpress.net
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Off the back of a recent Medium article I recently wrote on this subject, I decided to riff on this topic and so turn it into a podcast episode on its own. In this episode, I describe what life was like for me, growing up as a loyal foot soldier in "The Lord's Army."
Thoroughly indoctrinated by my church and Christian school experiences alike, I had never heard the names of influencers like RJ Rushdoony and others who later came along and helped spread his Christian Reconstructionist and dominion agenda.
If you grew up in church, or attended a Christian school--then you'll resonate with this bonus episode.
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This week's guest is sociologist and author Sam Perry, who co-wrote the book together with Dr Andrew Whitehead Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States.
What makes their book on Christian nationalism different? The authors take a sociological approach to the subject, distilling data from nationwide surveys on religion, to uncover the motives and inspiration behind Christian nationalism.
Along the way, they discovered some fairly disturbing trends about what's going on in the intersection of evangelical Christianity and the American political scene today.
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In this special bonus edition, I have the pleasure of bringing together three ex-evangelical pastors: myself, Tim Sledge, and David Hayward (better known as "The Naked Pastor.")
A former megachurch pastor from Texas, Tim is the author of the bestselling books Goodbye Jesus and Four Disturbing Questions With One Simple Answer. David is of course best known for his poignant cartoons that, while poking fun at the church, often reveal the inbuilt patriarchy and misogyny of much of evangelicalism today. He is also the author of The Liberation of Sophia.
Together, we not only analyze and unpack some of the more bizarre Christian responses to Covid-19, we'll also explore some of the motives that may perhaps be driving them from a theological and biblical point of view.
If you're a Christian struggling with anxiety and are contemplating deconstructing your faith, then this episode is for you! Support Independent Media like MindShift Podcast on Patreon Contact Information Tim Sledge on Twitter @goodbye_Jesus David Hayard on Twitter @nakedpastor Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018
This week's guest is Katherine Stewart, author of the book The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism.
Katherine has devoted the last ten years of her life to uncovering, and telling the story publicly, of the many and varied ways in which the Religious Right and other Christian nationalist groups have infiltrated American society, from education to the top levels of politics.
Should you be concerned about this movement? According to Katherine, religious nationalists don't want merely to establish a religion--they are about grasping7 political power. In their aim to establish a theocracy in America, the rights of many have already been trampled underfoot, with more on the way--if they achieve their agenda. Support Independent Media like MindShift Podcast on Patreon Contact Details Follow Katherine on Twitter @kathsstewart Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 Check out my article, "An Interview with Katherine Stewart" on Medium
This week's guest is Stephanie McCown, author of Razed Evangelical: Losing My Faith But Finding Myself.
Stephanie is an unbelievable survivor--not only has she come out of a very toxic experience within evangelical Christianity, she is a cancer and addiction survivor also. But she had to navigate all of those experiences without God...and in the process, lost her faith--but found herself.
Also huge thanks go to Daniel Moore, who provided the song for the outro that he wrote and performed himself. Enjoy "On High" at the end of the show!
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In this special bonus episode I am joined by therapist and friend from Canada, Janice Selbie, who has been a guest on the show a few times before.
Janice was due to host the CORT2020 conference on religious trauma in just a few days--that is, until the COVID-19 outbreak forced her to cancel the conference. Hopefully it will be rescheduled at some point in the future.
However, along with the unfortunate cancellation of the conference came a number of trauma-inducing events in her life in just the short space of a few weeks. How she has coped with those is unbelievable--and that she is willing not only to share her own story, but to help others during this unprecedented time, is nothing short of amazing.
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This week's guest is psychologist, author and speaker Dr Marlene Winell, who--in many ways, it could be said--almost literally "wrote the book" on the subject of religious trauma syndrome, or RTS.
As you'll no doubt hear us discuss, this recording took place prior to the unfortunate cancellation of the CORT2020 conference which was to be held in Vancouver, BC. Dr Winell was meant to be one of the keynote speakers there.
Dr Winell authored the important book in 1994 entitled Leaving the Fold: A Guide for Former Fundamentalists and Others Leaving Their Religion. Off the back of that work, she went on to write articles identifying RTS, and has since devoted her life and practice to helping individuals who have left religion and struggle with various aspects of RTS.
I am sure that you will find this interview insightful, challenging and helpful on your journey out of religion, whatever that may look like.
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More Resources on the JourneyFree website
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Do you identify as an ex-evangelical or as a post-evangelical? What is the difference between the two terms, and why should it matter?
This week's episode features a conversation with Dan Koch, self-identified progressive Christian and host of the You Have Permission podcast. Dan's aim with his show is literally to "give permission" to people within Christianity who might be questioning various aspects of their faith. Believe it or not, one has the freedom to explore possibilities and options outside of what they may have been taught in their particular church or tradition.
In this conversation we'll model what it's like to have a respectful and mutually-beneficial dialogue between two people who, as it turns out, have far more in agreement than disagreement! Support Independent Media like MindShift Podcast on Patreon! Contact Information Follow Dan on Twitter @DanKoch Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018
This week's episode features a discussion with Julie Ingersoll, an expert on the oftentimes strange and bizarre world of Christian Reconstructionism. Julie wrote an extremely helpful book on this subject, entitled Building God's Kingdom: Inside the World of Christian Reconstructionism. We cover 3 major aspects of this movement: first its origins, second its impact on Christian education (and specifically Christian homeschooling), and conclude by looking at the impact of Christian Reconstructionism on the Christian Right--the politicization of evangelicalism today, seen most critically in the evangelical involvement in the Trump administration.
Concerned? If you're not by now, you will be after listening to this episode! Support Independent Media Like MindShift Podcast on Patreon! Contact Information Follow Julie on Twitter @julieingersoll Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 Find out more about Christian Reconstructionism in my Medium article on the subject.
In this special bonus episode, I take a closer look at what Dr Robert Jay Lifton refers to as "the psychology of the pawn." Maybe you will resonate as I discuss 3 different examples from my experiences in the church and how I now realize that in many ways, I was but a pawn in much larger movements--of which I was totally unaware at the time.
This concept also relates to Lifton's category of "mystical manipulation" in which cults, religions and groups with undue influence exercise mind control over their followers. We think we have free will and are making informed choices...but perhaps not!
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As an ex-Scientologist of more than 25 years, and a Sea Org member of 17 years, this week's guest--Chris Shelton--is uniquely positioned to provide amazing insight into this destructive cult. Not only do we delve into the psychology behind Scientology, we discover that much of its practices are mirrored in other cults and religions, too.
We discuss how it is that people are drawn into cults, why they stay, and what steps you can take to recover your identity post-cult, or post-religion. For more information on Chris's valuable work, check out his excellent Sensibly Speaking podcast! Support the work of MindShift Podcast on Patreon Contact Information Follow Chris on Twitter @sheltondesigner Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018
This week's guest is Andrew Seidel, constitutional and civil rights attorney and atheist who works for the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF.org) as the Director for Strategic Response.
Andrew is also the author of the book The Founding Myth: How Christian Nationalism is Un-American. In this well-researched work, Andrew explodes the popular Christian revisionist history that "America was a Christian nation--and should become one again."
Andrew and I discuss the fact that not only was America not a "Christian nation" historically, that hasn't stopped Christian nationalists from spreading this myth far and wide. What possible danger could this lie pose? Listen in to find out more! Support MindShift Podcast on Patreon! Contact Information Freedom From Religion website Follow Andrew on Twitter @AndrewLSeidel Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 The MindShift Podcast Blog
Why should you be concerned about dominion theology, and specifically the version of it known at "7 Mountains Dominion Theology," or the "7 Mountains Mandate"?
Although you may have never even heard of this movement, or are only slightly aware of it--you should be troubled. Right now, evangelicals have a major influence on the Trump administration, encouraging him to pass laws that favor "religious freedom"---in other words, their brand of white evangelical Christianity.
Prominent among many of those evangelicals are those who hold to dominion theology, and specifically the 7 mountains version of it. Recently, many of the key leaders of the movement held the "Awaken 2020" rally, featuring Kanye West as a headlining act that drew tens of thousands--but most of the speakers were 7 mountains dominionists.
They have an incredible reach in America and in the world today. This bonus episode will help you to unpack the often confusing and disorienting theology behind this incredibly pervasive movement.
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The inaugural episode of MindShift podcast for 2020 features returning guest, Dr André Gagné of Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. As an expert on this vast and frankly confusing field of dominion theology, and its many streams, Professor Gagné is the perfect guest to continue the conversation I started with him on our episode last year.
The evangelical support for Donald Trump should be an area of concern for anyone who values their liberties. And not only are there a great deal of conservative evangelicals pushing their agenda, increasingly we are discovering prominent dominion theologians among their ranks.
Dr Gagné and I discuss this, along with many other facets of this movement that is daily growing in influence not just in America, but indeed the world.
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The Open Letter Response to Christianity Today my article on Medium
In this final end-of-year episode, I take a look back not just on the year 2019 in terms of podcast episodes and great guests I've been privileged to talk to, but I get into my own deconversion story too.
What's more important--to deconstruct your former beliefs, or to reconstruct your identity? I'll hopefully answer that question as I tell a bit more of my own personal story, as well as previewing a bit of what's coming ahead in 2020.
Thanks for listening to MindShift Podcast in 2019--looking forward to what comes up in 2020!
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This week's guest is interfaith chaplain and specialist in the area of grief, death, dying and toxic theology: Dr Terri Daniel. She literally wrote the book on this subject, which is entitled Grief and God: When Religion Does More Harm than Healing.
Rev. Dr. Terri Daniel is also a certified trauma specialist and end-of-life educator certified in death, dying and bereavement by the Association of Death Education and Counseling. The focus of her work is to assist dying and grieving individuals to discover a more spiritually-spacious understanding of death and beyond.
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http://danieldirect.net
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I recently had the pleasure of speaking with ex-Jehovah's Witness and filmmaker, Kamila Dydyna, who is attempting to raise funds for an important short film project entitled "Debutante."
This work will explore the psychological aspects of what it's like to experience shunning as a JW--and what the people who are commanded to shun have to go through also.
But before we discuss her upcoming film, we discuss Kamila's backstory in the Watchtower, how it compares to identifiable cult markers, and what gave rise to her desire to produce this important work.
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Debutante Short Film Facebook Page
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Vi La Bianca is the co-host of the ACA's "Secular Sexuality" and "Talk Heathen" shows. But she wasn't always an atheist...as it turns out, Vi grew up in a fundamentalist family cult.
In this episode, Vi and I make use of established models of cults by experts, and apply it to her life growing up. How can she describe her growing up experience as being part of a "family cult"? What is that, anyway, and how did it operate?
And more importantly, how did she get out--and what does her life look like now, as an atheist, going forward?
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After literally months of delays, rescheduling, etc., I have finally been able to track down the elusive Dr Janja Lalich for a great podcast interview!
Dr Lalich is not only a sociologist and a cult expert, she is also a cult survivor too. This places her in the unique position to be able to give incredible insights as to the inner workings of cult psychology, the person of the leader, why people stay in cults, and how to reconstruct one's identity after leaving the group behind.
If you're an ex-cultist, or have left any sort of group with undue influence, then this episode will be of great benefit to you.
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Janja Lalich's Cults and Extremism Facebook Page
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This week's guest is former evangelical pastor and now atheist, Dave Warnock.
What's Dave's story? If you know anything about him at all, you'll know that he travels all over the country speaking on the topic of being an atheist...and facing death apart from religious dogma.
A few years ago, Dave was diagnosed with ALS--a terminal illness. At best, he may have 3-5 years to live. But rather than turning his face to the wall, or cursing God for his disease, Dave is living life to the fullest...seizing the day...and helping thousands of other people face death with dignity, free from the constraints religion so often places upon us.
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This special edition of MindShift Podcast features Renee Cordeschi, an ex-Jehovah's Witness and survivor of both domestic violence and sexual abuse as a member of the Watchtower organization.
On the 22nd of November, 2019, in Melbourne, Australia, the Witnesses are holding a massive conference entitled "Love Never Fails." Renee, along with several hundred other ex-JWs, are planning to stage a peaceful protest entitled "Love Never Shuns."
In this episode, Renee describes her own backstory in the org, points out the toxic and cultic teachings she experienced, and explains why it's important to shine the light on this org that has covered up so much serial sexual abusers within its ranks. Support MindShift Podcast on Patreon MindShift Podcast Patreon Link Contact Information Follow Renee on Twitter @reneecordeschi Renee's Facebook Page Link Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 MindShift Podcast Blog Link
I've finally gotten back to this subject of dominion theology--and in my research, I've come across an expert on the subject: Dr Andr̕e Gagn̕̕̕e of Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Dr Gagn̕̕̕e and I provide a helpful overview of this important and timely subject, raising awareness of this incredibly pervasive teaching that has infiltrated large swathes of Christianity worldwide.
Why should YOU care? Because one of the main aims of dominion theology is the Christian takeover of the world in order to install a theocracy--the rule of God, and Jesus, over the entire world...not to mention putting Christians in key positions of power, influence and authority over literally every sphere of society. Support MindShift Podcast on Patreon! MindShift Patreon Link Contact Information Dr Gagne's YouTube Channel Follow Dr Gagn̕̕̕e on Twitter @profagagne Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018 MindShift Podcast Blog