Hurt and Healed by the Church: Redemption and Reconstruction After Spiritual Abuse (with Ryan George)
The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast
Release Date: 07/31/2024
Bonus Episode: The Cult of Trump and Project Esther (with Chris Shelton)
The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast
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...
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The Real Conversation Jesus Wants Us To Have (with Regina Cates)
The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast
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...
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The 7 Mountains Mandate: The Dangerous Plan to Christianize America and Destroy Democracy (with Matthew Boedy)
The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast
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...
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Helping People To Escape From Christianity (with Tim Mills)
The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast
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...
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Change Your Life Script: Dealing with Limiting Beliefs (with Austra Putnina)
The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast
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...
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Two Chapters From My Book "Not So Shiny Not So Happy People!"
The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast
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...
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What Happens When Jesus Isn't Enough? (with Rob Connelly)
The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast
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. Join Follow...
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Should You Be Concerned About Trump's Project 2025 Agenda? (with Chris Shelton)
The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast
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...
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Holy Terror Classic Edition: Catching up with Conway & Siegelman - A MindShift Sequel
The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast
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...
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Interspirituality: Ten Words To Make The World A Better Place (with Lauryn Axelrod)
The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast
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...
info_outlineMonths 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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