In this episode Ryan shares a few thoughts about the victory of Joe Biden in the presidential election, followed by an interview with Juhem Navarro-Rivera of Socioanalítica Research about the political views and values of secular Americans as compared to all Americans. These results are revealed in a new report by Socioanalítica Research entitled, Secular Voices Survey.

LINKS
Download the Secular Voices Survey | https://secularvoices2020.socioanalitica.com

Socioanalítica Research website | https://socioanaliticaresearch.com

Friendly Atheist guest post | https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2020/10/08/pay-attention-democrats-research-shows-secular-americans-are-a-voting-bloc

"NoneDecision 2020" (The Humanist) | https://thehumanist.com/commentary/nonedecision-2020-secular-voters-disagree-on-more-than-candidates

Socioanalítica Blog (Medium) | https://medium.com/storias/how-secular-voters-can-decide-the-election-f45d72b0285f

Follow Juhem on Facebook and Instagram, @Socioanalitica

Follow Juhem on Twitter @JuhemNR

On this episode I speak with Victoria de la Torre and Margaret Downey about Secular Day of the Dead, a secularized celebration of an ancient pre-Columbian Mesoamerican celebration that goes back some 3,000 years.

This year the Freethought Society is hosting International Secular Day of the Dead on Zoom, due to the pandemic. All are invited to join in this celebration of the lives of our dead loved ones and pets.

Learn more about Secular Day of the Dead and register to attend at http://www.ftsociety.org.

Reserve a 3-5-minute time slot to speak in celebration of your dead loved one by sending an email to SecularDayoftheDead@FtSociety.org.

KPCC coverage of the first Secular Day of the Dead in 2018—https://www.scpr.org/news/2018/11/02/86926/angelenos-celebrate-first-secular-day-of-the-dead

On this episode of the podcast I speak with University of North Carolina history professor, Christopher Cameron, about his new book, Black Freethinkers: A History of African American Secularism.

Buy the book: http://www.nupress.northwestern.edu/content/black-freethinkers
Follow Chris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccamrun2
Visit Chris's website: https://pages.uncc.edu/christopher-cameron/

Dr. Christopher Cameron is an Associate Professor of History at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is also the founder and past president of the African American Intellectual History Society. He received his B.A. in History from Keene State College and his M.A. and Ph.D. in American History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research and teaching interests include early American history, the history of slavery and abolition, and American religious and intellectual history. Cameron’s first book, entitled To Plead Our Own Cause: African Americans in Massachusetts and the Making of the Antislavery Movement, was published by Kent State University Press in 2014. His second book, Black Freethinkers: A History of African American Secularism, was published by Northwestern University Press in September 2019. His current book project, entitled Liberal Religion and Race in America, explores the intersection of race and liberal religion dating back to the mid-18th century and the varied ways that liberal theology has informed African American religion and politics in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Please support the podcast by becoming a patron - www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod

On this episode I speak with my friend Brian Peck about the importance of taking a trauma-informed approach to treating what he calls adverse religious experiences. Rather than merely pathologizing religion, Brian suggests that we recognize the reality of religious abuse and then focus on treating trauma using the best evidence-based practice. "Religious abuse is what happened to you," he says. "Trauma is your body's response to the abuse."

This is a conversation I've been wanting to have with Brian for months. It's finally here. Please let me know what you think by writing to me at ryan@lifeaftergod.org.

Brian earned a Master’s of Social Work degree from Boise State University and completed the required post-graduate supervision and training to gain clinical licensure. He is a member of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) and serves on the steering committee for the Social Work and ACT Special Interest Group. He is an active member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), has served on the board of directors for the Idaho Chapter (NASW Idaho) for several terms as a branch chair, and has served as the chair for NASW Idaho’s Political Action for Candidate Election (IDA PACE) committee.

LINKS
Room to Thrive website - www.roomtothrive.com
Room to Thrive Facebook - www.facebook.com/RoomToThrive
Room to Thrive Instagram - www.instagram.com/roomtothrive
Room to Thrive Twitter - www.twitter.com/RoomToThrive

Support the Life After God podcast by joining today at www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod.

In this episode I speak with Kristi Kiger Upman. For ten years Kristi worked for the Southeast White House, a ministry associated with The Family. She tells me about how she became a Christian, her experience working in evangelical Christian ministry, and how she ultimately left her faith.

Kristi was at the Southeast White House at the same time Jeff Sharlet was at Ivanwald. In episode 81 I speak with Jeff Sharlet so be sure to check that out as well.

Please support the podcast. Visit www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod today and become a member.

On this episode of the podcast I speak with Yale professor of comparative literature and humanities, Martin Hägglund, about his new book, "This Life: Secular Faith and Spiritual Freedom."

Unlike any book I've ever read before, Martin weaves together a secular understanding of life that is rooted in our necessarily fragile, temporal existence, with the logical outcome of this understanding of secular life in our social and political lives. In, "This Life," Hägglund argues that the social form of our life must embrace this fragility and move on to realize deeper emancipation for all.

Buy and read the book: https://www.amazon.com/This-Life-Secular-Spiritual-Freedom/dp/1101870400/
Follow Martin Hägglund on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/martinhaegglund
Read Jedediah Purdy's review in The New Republic: https://newrepublic.com/article/153024/spiritual-case-socialism-martin-hagglund-book-review

Become a supporter of the show: www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod

Visit the Life After God website: http://www.lifeaftergod.org
Follow up on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ourlifeaftergod
Follow us on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ourlifeaftergod
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ourlifeaftergod

This week on the podcast I speak with Jeff Sharlet, the New York Times bestselling author of seven books, including The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power and C Street: The Fundamentalist Threat to American Democracy. Today, Netflix released a five-part documentary series entitled, The Family, based upon Sharlet's stellar investigative reporting.

Watch the Netflix series: https://www.netflix.com/title/80063867
Buy Jeff Sharlet's books
The Family - https://www.amazon.com/Family-Secret-Fundamentalism-Heart-American/dp/0060560053
C Street - https://www.amazon.com/Street-Fundamentalist-American-Democracy-Readers/dp/0316091065/

Visit the Life After God website: http://www.lifeaftergod.org
Follow Life After God on...
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/ourlifeaftergod
Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/ourlifeaftergod
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/ourlifeaftergod

This week on the podcast I speak with Marissa Alexa McCool and Bethany Futrell, the co-hosts of Inciting Incident podcast.

Marissa is a podcaster, author, performer, speaker, and an LGBT rights and atheist activist. She is a trans woman, married, partnered, and a parent. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with her family. Marissa graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2017 with degrees in English, Cinema and Media Studies, and Anthropology, while also studying theatre, Shakespeare, and communication theory. She is a sought after speaker within the atheist and humanist community.
She is he author of 8 book, including, most recently, a collection of queer poetry entitled, Lesbian Purple Space Rainbow Mermaid Queen.

In February 2016, before she came out, she started the Inciting Incident Podcast which now includes co-host, Bethany Futrell. Marissa is also the co-host, with Ari Stillman, of The Cis Are Getting Out of Hand, a trans-specific show using humor and skits to talk about issues that the trans community faces specifically for a trans audience.

Bethany is a podcaster and atheist activist with Chicago Atheists. She is the host of She Talks Atheism, and co-host of Inciting Incident where she has been for two years.

Inciting Incident podcast on Facebook | www.facebook.com/IncitingIncidentPodcast/
The Cis Are Getting Out of Hand podcast on Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/Cisplaniology
Marissa's books | https://tinyurl.com/marissasbooks

She Talks Atheism podcast | https://directory.libsyn.com/shows/view/id/shetalksatheism
Follow Bethany on Twitter | https://twitter.com/BethanyLFutrell

Follow and support Life After God at www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod
Visit our website | www.lifeaftergod.org

Welcome to a special edition of the Life After God podcast. I'm excited to share conversations with you from a growing number of professionals who specialize in religious trauma, deconversion, and post-religious mental health. My goal with these conversations is to offer you a diverse range of perspectives, share practical insights you can use in your daily life, and introduce you to some amazing humans who are committed to helping others thrive after leaving religion.

My name is Brian Peck, and I'm a licensed clinical social worker in Boise Idaho specializing in religious trauma and mental health challenges related to the deconversion process.

Today I'm excited to introduce you to Suandria Hall who is a licensed mental health professional in the Denver area who also specializes in religious trauma and helping people navigate life transitions including support for leaving high-demand religious groups.

I met Suandria online through her Instagram account, My Choice My Power, which is also the name of her private practice in the Denver area. I was struck by her thoughtful reflections on mental health and her keen insight into the process of exiting religion. It's been a real honor to learn from her experience and hope you find this conversation as meaningful as I did.

My goal for these episodes is to expand the conversation about post-religious mental health that includes a range of clinical voices, therapy modalities, and practices you can incorporate into your healing process.

You may be surprised to learn that there's a growing number of mental health professionals out there already doing this work. As therapists, we often work with the individual, and what's said in the room stays in the room. These episodes are an opportunity to share what we're learning and to provide some psychoeducational content to support your journey.

Note, these conversations are intended to be educational in nature and are in no way a substitute for working with your own licensed mental health professional or healthcare provider.

As with any conversation that may reactivate past trauma, please put your needs first. This particular conversation is not graphic, but the topic and content may still be challenging for some nervous systems. Healing trauma is a dynamic process, and it's perfectly okay to step back and reengage once you have more resources available to you.

**SPECIAL OFFER**
Join the Life After God community as a Member between now and June 21, 2019, and receive a limited edition magnet. Visit www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod and join today!

Be a part of the next LIVE panel discussion, "Facing Grief & Loss After God," on Friday, June 28 at 6:00 pm Pacific Time. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1219812888177918/

Follow Suandria Hall on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mychoicemypowercounseling/
On the web - http://www.mychoicemypower.com/

Connect with Brian Peck on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RoomToThrive/
On the web - https://www.roomtothrive.com/

Learn more about Life After God at our website - www.lifeaftergod.org

In this bonus episode I speak Gretchen Koch on the occasion of the 10-year anniversary of the murder of George Tiller, the famous abortion doctor from Wichita, Kansas, who was shot and killed during the worship service at the Reformation Lutheran Church. Gretchen's parents were members of the same church and in attendance that day. Gretchen herself was visiting her parents but was at home and heard what happened later that day.

Check out Gretchen's comic based on her parents' recollection of that day (https://giantif.com/comic/a-reflection-on-the-day-dr-george-tiller-was-assassinated-10-years-later). She also spoke about another comic related to abortion entailed, Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions, which I hope you'll check out (https://giantif.com/comic/snappy-answers-to-stupid-questions).

Please check out Gretchen's website, Giant If (https://giantif.com), follow her on Twitter (https://twitter.com/GretchenKoch), and support Gretchen's work on her Patreon page (https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=261718).

Please subscribe, rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-after-god/id1032909038) or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow Life After God on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ourlifeaftergod), Twitter (https://twitter.com/ourlifeaftergod) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ourlifeaftergod), and support the show on our Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod).

In this episode I speak with James Croft, a leader at the Ethical Society of St. Louis where he has been for the past five years. James is a humanist educator, activist, and sought after speaker around the world. He earned an MA in Education from University of Cambridge and an Ed.D. from Harvard Graduate School of Education.

In this conversation we talk about briefly about the origins of the Ethical Society, his experience at the Ethical Society of St. Louis, his experience of the murder of Michael Brown in St. Louis just months after his arrival, and how humanist values translate into political commitments.

**SPECIAL OFFER**
Join the Life After God community as a Member between now and June 21, 2019, and receive a limited edition magnet. Visit www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod and join today!

Be a part of the next LIVE panel discussion, "Facing Grief & Loss After God," on Friday, June 28 at 6:00 pm Pacific Time. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1219812888177918/

Follow James Croft on Twitter (www.twitter.com/CroftSpeaks)
Ethical Society of St. Louis - https://ethicalstl.org/

Learn more about Life After God at our website - www.lifeaftergod.org

On this episode I speak with Lloyd Evans. Lloyd is the founder and senior editor of JWsurvey.org - a website that promotes freethought among Jehovah's Witnesses. He is also author of "The Reluctant Apostate," a book that chronicles his experiences growing up as a JW and his journey to freedom from Watchtower indoctrination. His "John Cedars" YouTube channel, which has nearly 50,000 subscribers, hosts a range of videos aimed at dissecting the various teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as new developments in the religion.

LINKS
Lloyd's YouTube channel | https://www.youtube.com/user/johncedars1929
Lloyd's books | https://www.amazon.com/Lloyd-Evans/e/B01N13QDU4?
A Secret Database of Child Abuse (The Atlantic) | https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/03/the-secret-jehovahs-witness-database-of-child-molesters/584311/

Visit the Life After God website — www.lifeaftergod.org
Please support the show — www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod
Follow us on Twitter — www.twitter.com/ourlifeaftergod
Follow us on Facebook — www.facebook.com/ourlifeaftergod
Follow us on Instagram — www.instagram.com/ourlifeaftergod

On this episode I speak with Chris Stedman. Chris is a writer, speaker, and community organizer living in Minneapolis. His new book, out tomorrow from Broadleaf Books, is called "IRL: Finding Realness, Meaning, and Belonging in Our Digital Lives." The IRL in the title refers to the internet shorthand for “in real life,” in contrast to our online lives. But Chris thinks this designation is a mistake.

Much of the time, Chris says, we don’t think of our time on the internet as “real” and therefore don’t approach it with the same critical analysis that we might a different kind of engagement. How much thought do you put into an activity you don’t think is real? Chris argues that while our lives online are different than other relational spaces, it is no less real. As such he invites us to think deeply and critically about how we engage with the internet, how it is shaping us, and what it’s telling us about what is real and what is important.

::LINKS::
Visit Chris Stedman's website | https://chrisstedmanwriter.com

Buy the book | https://bookshop.org/books/irl-finding-realness-meaning-and-belonging-in-our-digital-lives/9781506463513

Follow Chris on Twitter | http://www.twitter.com/ChrisDStedman

Read “The Problem of Free Speech in an Age of Disinformation” | https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/magazine/free-speech.html

On this episode I speak with Alana Carter, a senior at Nazareth College, about her experience of loss and grief as a post-theist. Then I talk with Garrett Price, a mental health professional working in end-of-life care, about what is happening in grief and how to face it as an atheist.

The question I get more than any other is how to face death as an atheist. Whether it is the death of a loved one or ones own death, the prospect of mortality is one of the main things that keeps religion thriving in our world. Likewise, understanding grief and how to face it as an atheist is essential for a vibrant life after God.

Become of member of the Life After God community and help make this podcast possible. Join today at www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod

Visit our website at www.lifeaftergod.org
Follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ourlifeaftergod), Twitter (www.twitter.com/ourlifeaftergod), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/ourlifeaftergod).

On this special NEWS BRIEF edition of the Life After God podcast, host Ryan Bell speaks with Gretchen Meader about Jean Vanier who died today at the age of 90.

Jean Vanier was a Catholic philosopher, theologian, and humanitarian who in 1968 founded L'Arche, a community where people with disabilities live with those who care for them.

LINKS
Jean Vanier, Savior of People on the Margins, Dies at 90 (New York Times) | https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/07/obituaries/jean-vanier-dead.html
Becoming Human, by Jean Vanier | https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Human-10th-Anniversary-Vanier/dp/0809145871
L'Arche | https://www.larche.org
Jean Vanier on OnBeing with Krista Tippett | https://onbeing.org/programs/jean-vanier-the-wisdom-of-tenderness/

On this episode, Ryan speaks with Dave Warnock. Dave is the father of two daughters and a son, a former evangelical pastor in the Foursquare Church, now an atheist, and a lover of life.

About six weeks ago Dave was diagnosed with ALS—Lou Gehrigs Disease—for which there is no treatment and life expectancy is between three and five years. As a result of this heavy news, Dave has chosen to live the remainder of his life very deliberately; to die out loud, as he says.

We talk about his conversion to Christianity, his ministry in the Foursquare Church, his departure from the church and his eventual atheism and its effect on his relationships. In the second half we talk about his ALS diagnosis, what the prospect of death means to him and what he is already learning on this journey.

Special thanks to Cass Midgley for his production and post-production assistance, and to Marie D'Elephant for helping me schedule Dave and for all her support along the way.

Our executive producer is Jeff Straka.

LINKS
Dave's website | http://www.everyonesagnostic.com/dave.html
Dave's Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dwwarnock

In this episode of the podcast, Ryan speaks with Aaron Rabinowitz about ethics and the current context and conditions of moral and ethical formation today. It is a wide ranging conversation, at the end of which Ryan experiences a surprising conversion!


LINKS
Video of Aaron's presentation to Triangle Freethought Society | https://youtu.be/m2zw3ZSSnN4
Embrace the Void podcast | https://voidpod.com/podcasts
Philosophers in Space podcast | https://0gphilosophy.libsyn.com/
What is moral realism? (according to the IEP) | https://www.iep.utm.edu/moralrea/

Life After God website | http://www.lifeaftergod.org
Support this podcast by becoming a member | http://www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod
Follow Life After God on Twitter | http://www.twitter.com/ourlifeaftergod
Follow Ryan Bell on Twitter | http://www.twitter.com/ryanjbell

In this episode I speak with Eiynah about the challenges of speaking about Islam and Muslims in our current political climate. We recorded this conversation on Wednesday evening, March 20, just five days after the horrific terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, that claimed the lives of 50 people.

How can we talk about Islam and Muslims without being a bigot? On the one hand, individuals absolutely have the right to challenge and criticize and type of ideology or belief, including Islam, especially in open, democratic societies. On the other hand, we cannot separate our criticism of religion from the social and political context in which we make those critiques. Timing and tone do matter. While all critiques may be permitted, not all comments are advisable at every moment if we care about the lives of those who are most effected.

Ideology has consequences, as we have seen with acts of terror that run the ideological spectrum from Nazism, to white nationalism and identitarianism (such as the ideology that animated the Christchurch, New Zealand terrorist), to Islamism and more. Islam is not a single thing or a unified way of seeing the world any more than Christianity is.

Eiynah is an ex-Muslim of Pakistani background who was raised in Saudi Arabia and now lives in Toronto, Canada. She is a prolific podcaster, blogger, and commentator at the intersection religion, politics, and human rights.

LINKS
Nice Mangos website | http://nicemangos.blogspot.com/
Polite Conversations podcast | https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/polite-conversations/id1086199663?mt=2
Follow Eiynah on Twitter | http://www.twitter.com/nicemangos

Life After God website | http://www.lifeaftergod.org
Support this podcast by becoming a member | http://www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod
Follow Life After God on Twitter | http://www.twitter.com/ourlifeaftergod
Follow Ryan Bell on Twitter | http://www.twitter.com/ryanjbell

This week on the podcast I speak with Emily Joy about her experience leaving evangelicalism under a cloud of sexual abuse. Years later she and a friend started the #ChurchToo hashtag which has become a national phenomenon.

BIO
Emily is a spoken word poet, yoga teacher and activist living and working in Nashville, Tennessee. Her advocacy takes place at the intersection of faith, sexuality and healing, and her work has been featured in Time, Cosmopolitan, Jezebel, Mother Jones, The Huffington Post and more. Emily is the co-creator of the #ChurchToo hashtag, a #MeToo spinoff exposing sexual violence in Christian churches and other faith communities. She is also a sexuality education writer for the website Scarleteen and in her spare time, works at a church. More about Emily and her work can be found at emilyjoypoetry.com.

You can find Emily online on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at the username, @EmilyJoyPoetry (links below).

LINKS
Emily Joy's website | http://www.emilyjoypoetry.com
As a Teen, Emily Joy Was Abused by a Church Youth Leader. Now She’s Leading a Movement to Change Evangelical America | https://www.motherjones.com/crime-justice/2018/05/evangelical-church-metoo-movement-abuse/
The #ChurchToo Movement Isn’t Just About Gender | https://jezebel.com/the-churchtoo-movement-isn-t-just-about-gender-1826431915
Inside the Scam of the "Purity" Movement | https://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a26026217/sexual-abstinence-joshua-harris-purity-movement-scam/
Sexual Abuse Happens In #ChurchToo — We’re Living Proof | https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sexual-abuse-churchtoo_us_5a205b30e4b03350e0b53131
Abuse of Faith | https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/investigations/article/Southern-Baptist-sexual-abuse-spreads-as-leaders-13588038.php

LIFE AFTER GOD
Website | http://www.lifeaftergod.org
Facebook | http://www.facebook.com/ourlifeaftergod
Twitter | http://www.twitter.com/ourlifeaftergod
Instagram | http://www.instagram.com/ourlifeaftergod

Support the production of this podcast and the work of Life After God by becoming a Patron
http://www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod

This week on the podcast I speak with author and sociologist, Christian Smith.

Christian Smith is the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for the Study of Religion and Society at the University of Notre Dame. Smith is well known for his research focused on religion, adolescents and emerging adults, and social theory. Smith received his MA and PhD from Harvard University in 1990 and his BA from Gordon College in 1983. He was a Professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for 12 years before his move to Notre Dame. Christian is the author of at least 17 books including the extremely influential, "Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America," published in 2000. His new book is entitled, "Atheist Overreach: What Atheism Can’t Deliver."

You might want to pair this conversation with episode 63: Seven Types of Atheism with John Gray

Have a thought about this episode that you'd like to share? Write to me at ryan@lifeaftergod.org and join the conversation at the Life After God Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/lifeaftergodmembers)

LINKS
Buy "Atheist Overreach | https://goo.gl/KftdPs
Christian Smith's website | https://christiansmith.nd.edu/
Life After God website | http://www.lifeaftergod.org

Check out our friends at Embrace the Void | https://voidpod.com/podcasts

Become a member of the Life After God community and join the conversation on the Facebook page | www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod

Brian Peck here with a bonus episode of the Life After God podcast. Max Tang and I recently hosted a webinar where we explored how curiosity can help you thrive after religion. I'm excited to share that conversation with you today.

Several years after leaving the church I grew up in, I discovered that while the content of my beliefs had changed, I was still viewing the world through old ways of thinking. This realization began a personal and professional quest to find effective antidotes to fundamentalism.

Over the years I've discovered evidence-based clinical practices, conducted my own personal experiments, and learned a lot from the collective wisdom of others who have effectively undermined the influence of fundamentalism in their lives.

Max Tang has been on a similar journey and is exploring the many ways curiosity can help us thrive after religion through her speaking and writing. You can find more about her work at https://www.maxgetscurious.com/.

In the podcast, we reference the work of Todd Kashdan's research lab but didn't have time to fully explore the 5 dimensions of curiosity so I just want to note those here.

1. Joyous Exploration - this is the prototype of curiosity – the recognition and desire to seek out new knowledge and information, and the subsequent joy of learning and growing.

2. Deprivation Sensitivity - this dimension has a distinct emotional tone, with anxiety and tension being more prominent than joy – pondering abstract or complex ideas, trying to solve problems, and seeking to reduce gaps in knowledge.

3. Stress Tolerance - this dimension is about the willingness to embrace the doubt, confusion, anxiety, and other forms of distress that arise from exploring new, unexpected, complex, mysterious, or obscure events.

4. Social Curiosity - wanting to know what other people are thinking and doing by observing, talking, or listening in to conversations.

5. Thrill Seeking - the willingness to take physical, social, and financial risks to acquire varied, complex, and intense experiences.

Learn more about the five dimensions of curiosity and discover what type of curious person you are here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/curious/201801/what-are-the-five-dimensions-curiosity

One of the fascinating findings in the research is how we can be more intentional and expand our perspectives through social curiosity. Being part of a community that values curiosity and openness can increase your own curiosity in ways you couldn't achieve on your own.

The value of social curiosity is not a new idea but now science is making a stronger case for the types of communities we are creating at Life After God. If you would like to cultivate your curiosity with others in a community that values the open and honest exploration of ideas, consider the value of joining the Life After God members group.

Links:
Visit Max Tang's website | https://www.maxgetscurious.com
Visit Brian Peck's website | https://www.roomtothrive.com

Learn more about Todd Kashdan's curiosity research | https://www.toddkashdan.com/articles/curiosity-and-creativity/

Visit the Life After God website | http://www.lifeaftergod.org
Like and follow our Facebook page | https://www.facebook.com/ourlifeaftergod
Follow us on Twitter | http://www.twitter.com/ourlifeaftergod
...and Instagram | https://instagram.com/ourlifeaftergod

To become a member of Life After God and access to the Life After God Facebook Group, please visit the Patreon page (http://www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod) and subscribe at the Member ($5/mo) level.

On this episode I speak with Alix Jules about his journey of faith and humanism. We also talk about the state of politics in America as secular humanists who care about marginalized groups. At one point in the conversation Alix said, "we have a crisis of compassion" in this country and what we need to realize is that "we're all in this together."

Alix is a writer, activist, and social commentator who typically discusses race, religion, and politics in culture. He’s been featured in Ebony Magazine, Time Magazine Online, and is a contributor to various books and articles on science, tech, and the impact of religion in the African American community.

His activism includes building bridges for humans through discourse, and finding literal safe spaces for Nonbelievers, LGBT Youth, and recovery programs for survivors of abuse.

He’s an academic nomad whose graduate studies range from Computing and Data interpretation from Columbia University and Northwestern - to challenging the ideas of the mind with studies in Psychology at Harvard. He activism involves him with many different non profit organizations, including Black Non-Believers, Center for Inquiry’s African American for Humanism, and the American Humanists Association’s Black Humanists Alliance.

You can find Alix on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/alix331) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/alix.jules).

To become a member of Life After God and access to the Life After God Facebook Group, please visit the Patreon page (http://www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod) and subscribe at the Member ($5/mo) level.

On this episode I speak with Jessica Wilbanks, author of the new memoir, When I Spoke In Tongues: A Story of Faith and Its Loss. Jessica received her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of Houston, where she served as nonfiction editor for Gulf Coast. An active member of the literary community in Houston, Jessica frequently teaches writing workshops for Inprint, Writespace, Grackle & Grackle, Writers’ League of Texas, and Boldface, the University of Houston’s annual conference for emerging writers.

Visit Jessica's website | https://jessicawilbanks.com
Buy her book | https://www.amazon.com/When-Spoke-Tongues-Story-Faith/dp/0807092231

Become a member of Life After God today | http://www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod

Visit the Life After God website | http://www.lifeaftergod.org
Like and follow our Facebook page | https://www.facebook.com/ourlifeaftergod
Follow us on Twitter | http://www.twitter.com/ourlifeaftergod
...and Instagram | https://instagram.com/ourlifeaftergod

Also, don't forget to check out the Secular Student Alliance podcast, Secular Student Life.

On this episode I speak with Jamie Lombardi about the humanistic philosophy of Albert Camus against the backdrop of our contemporary political situation: pandemic, wildfires on the west coast, police violence against black people, and the impending election.

LINKS
Reading "The Plague" During a Plague, with Jamie Lombardi, Greg Epstein, and Ryan Bell
https://youtu.be/EF5rsNl5QnE

"The Best Books by Albert Camus," recommended by Jamie Lombardi (interview by Nigel Warburton)
https://fivebooks.com/best-books/albert-camus-jamie-lombardi

Follow Jamie Lombardi on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/euthyphro

Become a member of Life After God
http://www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod

Visit our website at http://www.lifeaftergod.org

Content Advisory: religious trauma, physical and sexual abuse

Today on The Ex-Files I speak with Alexis Record. Alexis is a former Christian, raised in a fundamentalist home. In our conversation she recounts her experiences of profound loss, her harrowing encounters with fundamentalism in Christian missions, brushes with death, extreme shaming, and misadventures in Christian education.

Today, Alexis the mother of two remarkable children, a volunteer leader at Sunday Assembly San Diego, an the author of the chapter, Women v. Indoctrination, in the book, Women v. Religion: The Case Against Faith—and for Freedom, edited by Karen Garst, and published by Pitchstone Publishing.

Elements of Alexis’ story are being told here for the very first time and may be difficult listening, especially if you have survived abuse of any kind, but especially religious abuse.

Women v. Religion, edited by Karen Garst | https://goo.gl/gcoiX6
#Exvangelical
#ExposeChristianSchools

On this episode I speak with philosopher and author, John Gray, about humanism, secular utopianism, and his new book, Seven Types of Atheism.

Professor Gray is the author of numerous books, including False Dawn: The Delusions of Global Capitalism, Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals, Black Mass: Apocalyptic Religion and the Death of Utopia, and, most recently, Seven Types of Atheism, which is not so much a strict typology of atheism. Indeed, what would such a project entail since atheism is one thing and one thing only. Rather, it’s a fascinating, enlightening, sometimes irritating survey of the various schools of thought into which atheists have fallen in the past several centuries.

LINKS
Order "Seven Types of Atheism" | https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374261092
Book review by Terry Eagleton | https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/apr/11/seven-types-atheism-john-gray-review-atheist-believer-material-world
Book review in New Humanist by Ralph Jones | https://newhumanist.org.uk/articles/5328/book-review-seven-types-of-atheism
Book review in The Humanist by Peter C. Grosvenor | https://thehumanist.com/magazine/january-february-2019/arts_entertainment/seven-types-of-atheism

Support the Life After God podcast at www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod
Life After God website | www.lifeaftergod.org

Ryan Bell's Twitter | www.twitter.com/ryanjbell
Life After God's Twitter | www.twitter.com/ourlifeaftergod

The podcast launches a news season with this short New Year's Eve reflection. In this episode, host Ryan Bell looks ahead to the new year and his hopes and dreams for the Life After God community.

Support the Life After God community on Patreon: www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod
Visit the website: www.lifeaftergod.org

On this episode I speak with scholar and writer, Christopher Stroop. As an ex-evangelical himself, Chris has been instrumental in galvanizing the ex-evangelical voice online with the hashtags #EmptyThePews, #Exvangelical, and #HowToEvangelical. His mission is to foster community for those harmed by and alienated from conservative religious communities. His recent writing has appeared in Religion Dispatches and Playboy.

LINKS
Chris's website | www.chrisstroop.com
Chris's Twitter | www.twitter.com/C_Stroop
#Exvangelical Twitter hashtag | www.twitter.com/search/?q=%23exvangelicals
#EmptyThePews Twitter hashtag | www.twitter.com/search/?q=%23emptythepews
Why I Am Not an Atheist | www.chrisstroop.com/2018/02/11/why-i-am-not-an-atheist/
The Spectacular Nadir of American Evangelicalism | www.playboy.com/read/the-spectacular-nadir-of-american-evangelicism-1

Support the Life After God podcast at www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod
Life After God website | www.lifeaftergod.org

Brian Peck, Carolyn Golden, and James Connelly explore how beliefs impact the deconversion process and create challenges for relationships.

This episode is part two of a conversation recorded on March 13, 2018. You can listen to part one here:
http://www.lifeaftergod.org/059-how-and-why-we-believe-part-1/
or read the transcript here:
https://www.roomtothrive.com/blog/2018/3/24/how-and-why-we-believe

In this episode, James talks about going through a deconversion when your partner is still a believer. Mixed-faith relationships are common and can be maintained but they often test the strongest of bonds as a couple renegotiates the essential elements of their relationship.

By focusing on HOW we believe we can more easily unite around the shared human experience of living with a believing brain. Of course, WHAT we believe will continue to be important but perhaps understanding the HOW and WHY will allow us to relax our grip a little bit on the WHAT.

In addition to discussing how divergent beliefs impact relationships, the guests offer practical things you can do to support more meaningful human connections.
_____
Brian Peck, LCSW is a clinical social worker who specializes in religious-based trauma in his private practice and guides individuals through their deconversions with evidence-based practices online. Brian loves discovering and adopting new and healthier ways to be human on the other side of religious belief.

Carolyn Golden, Psy.D. is a clinical psychologist, who, in addition to her clinical practice, teaches psychology at Boise State University. Carolyn’s interest in how we create and maintain beliefs resulted in her developing and teaching The Psychology of Belief.

James Connelly, Psy.D. is a clinical psychologist with and an infectious curiosity about how our brains work and a fascination with WHY and HOW we believe. James is currently writing a book in which he explores the psychology of religious belief through the lens of his LDS background.

LINKS
Room to Thrive | https://www.roomtothrive.com

Guest host, Brian Peck, shares a fascinating conversation about HOW and WHY we believe. Not surprisingly, we humans care a great deal about WHAT we believe but we're often unaware of the underlying conditions and psychological processes that give rise to our beliefs.

On this episode, Brian talks with two of his close friends and trusted colleagues about how beliefs are formed and how they function for us individually and within relationships.

A former Catholic, an ex-Mormon, and a post-Evangelical walk into a bar...

...and geek out about psychology and the human experience.

Carolyn Golden, Psy.D. is a clinical psychologist, who, in addition to her clinical practice, teaches psychology at Boise State University. Carolyn's interest in how we create and maintain beliefs resulted in her developing and teaching The Psychology of Belief.

James Connelly, Psy.D. is a clinical psychologist with and an infectious curiosity about how our brains work and a fascination with WHY and HOW we believe. James is currently writing a book in which he explores the psychology of religious belief through the lens of his LDS background.

Brian Peck, LCSW is a clinical social worker who specializes in religious-based trauma in his private practice and guides individuals through their deconversions with evidence-based practices online. Brian loves discovering and adopting new and healthier ways to be human on the other side of religious belief.

You will not want to miss PART 2 of our conversation where we discuss how divergent beliefs impact relationships and offer practical things we can do to support more meaningful human connections.

TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.roomtothrive.com/blog/2018/3/24/how-and-why-we-believe

LINKS:
Room to Thrive | https://www.roomtothrive.com
Life After God website | https://www.lifeaftergod.org
Life After God Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/ourlifeaftergod/
Life After God Twitter | https://twitter.com/ourlifeaftergod

*Content advisory: sexual abuse, rape, and violence*

On this episode I speak with Anais Chartschenko about her experience of extreme abuse in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Her experience is tragic but not uncommon. In the second chapter I speak with Brian Peck and Gretchen Meader about the subject of forgiveness. Those of us who grew up in the church know that forgiveness is a central virtue. But post-Christianity, Christian appears much more sinister. Building on my conversation with Anais, I ask Gretchen and Brian to reflect on the subject of forgiveness from their personal experience and expertise as therapists.

LINKS
Room to Thrive | www.roomtothrive.com
Books by Anais Chartschenko | www.amazon.com/Anais-Chartschenko/e/B00J4QSO7C
Life After God website | www.lifeaftergod.org

#metoo #churchtoo

On this episode I speak with Dean of Religious Life at University of Southern California, Dr. Varun Soni. Varun's rich and varied background and experience growing up in Southern California as child of one Hindu parent and one Buddhist parent makes him a unique voice in the academic and interreligious spheres.

LINKS
Learn more about Varun Soni and his work at his personal website: www.varunsoni.com.
Office of Religious Life at USC: www.orl.usc.edu

Room to Thrive: https://www.roomtothrive.com/

On this episode I speak with former pastor and fellow podcaster, Luke King, about his deconversion and future plans to cultivate community for former Christians. You can hear Luke's podcast and learn more about his community at www.youratheistpastor.org

Learn more about Life After God at www.lifeaftergod.org
Support the Life After God at www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod

On this episode I speak with author and leadership coach, Dauv Evans, about his book, Emancipation of a Black Atheist.

Learn more about Life After God: www.lifeaftergod.org
Support the Life After God: www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod

Buy the book here: http://amzn.to/2CuahAD

On this episode I speak with Robert P. Jones, founder and CEO of Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) about his new bombshell of a book, "White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity."

Jones speaks about his growing up in the Southern Baptist Church in Texas and Mississippi, his growing awareness of the crisis festering within his faith community, and how he has come to understand the role that history and theology play in Christianity's support for white supremacy. Then he backs all that up by polling Americans about their attitudes about racial difference. What he found is not at all unexpected and yet somehow shocking all the same.
----------
LINKS
Buy "White Too Long" | https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781982122867

Visit PRRI's website | https://www.prri.org/

Read "Christianity Will Have Power" in the New York Times | https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/09/us/evangelicals-trump-christianity.html

On this episode I speak with photographer and filmmaker, Chris Johnson, about his book and documentary project, A Better Life, which tells the stories of 100 atheists who have found joy and meaning in a world without God.

Chris is just completing a long season of touring with the film. You can learn more the links below.

Learn more about Life After God: www.lifeaftergod.org
Support the Life After God: www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod

Mentioned in this episode
A Better Life website: www.theatheistbook.com
Chris Johnson Twitter: www.twitter.com/theatheistbook

On this episode I speak with comedian and survivor of the Quiverfull cult, Brooke Arnold.

Mentioned in this episode:
Brooke Arnold's website || www.brookearnold.com
I could've been a Duggar wife (Salon) || https://goo.gl/dl787l
Kurt Metzger || https://www.facebook.com/KurtMetzgerComedy

On this episode of The Ex-Files I speak to Matthew Faraday.

Matthew lives with in Michigan with his wife and two kids. He is a nurse, an avid cyclist, and a lover of craft beer. Unbeknownst to either of us, Matthew and I started a journey to get to the bottom of the claims of Christianity around the same time. We began corresponding in Nov 2014. We finally talked about our overlapping experiences.

This week I speak with theoretical physicist (Caltech), Sean Carroll. We talk about his new book entitled, The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself. The author of two previous books on physics for popular audiences (From Eternity to Here, The Particle at the End of the Universe), Sean now turns his attention to questions of meaning, purpose and ethics, weaving this subjects together with his understanding of physics.

Mentioned in this episode:
Sean Carroll's Website: www.preposterousuniverse.com
Sean Carroll's Twitter: www.twitter.com/seanmcarroll

The Big Picture, by Sean Carroll
http://amzn.to/2nMb1pj

Scale, by Geoffrey West
http://amzn.to/2oDHIJA

In this episode, Ryan returns from a 6 month hiatus and explains where he's been and what's next.

Mentioned in this episode:
--Mary Oliver, *Upstream: Selected Essays*
--Room to Thrive, the coaching and counseling practice of Brian Peck, LCSW (http://www.roomtothrive.com)

This week I speak to Andy Stanley, senior pastor of North Point Community Church in Atlanta, Georgia. Andy founded the church over 20 years ago and today it is the largest congregation in America, according to Outreach Magazine.

I talk to Andy about his experience growing up Christian, his interest in people's stories, including deconversion stories, and how Christians can be their own worst enemies. We even chat for a minute about politics and how evangelicals might be able to salvage their integrity after this election.

While we differ on many issues, we agree that serving the needs of humanity is paramount and something religious and non-religious people can engage in together.

LINKS
Personal website | www.andystanley.com
North Point Community Church | www.northpoint.org

Help me replace my computer | https://funds.gofundme.com/dashboard/help-replace-my-computer/

Life After God | www.lifeaftergod.org
Facebook | www.facebook.com/ourlifeaftergod
Instagram | www.instagram.com/ourlifeaftergod
Twitter | www.twitter.com/ourlifeaftergod

This week I speak with speaker and podcaster, Mike McHargue, about his first book, "Finding God in the Waves: How I Lost My Faith and Found It Again Through Science," which came out yesterday.

In both his book and this episode, Mike tells of his journey from fundamentalist Christianity to atheism to what he calls mystical Christianity. Mike is the host of two popular podcasts: Ask Science Mike and The Liturgists, which he co-hosts with musician, Michael Gungor.

LINKS
Buy Mike's book: http://amzn.to/2cs8Y6n

Visit Mike's website: www.mikemchargue.com

Ask Science Mike Podcast: http://mikemchargue.com/ask-science-mike

The Liturgists Podcast: http://www.theliturgists.com

In this special update I speak with Gretta Vosper about the decision that just came down last week, declaring that she is "unfit for ministry in the United Church of Canada." This decision has come after a year and half of investigation into Gretta's beliefs after she said publicly that she does not believe in a theistic God.

For more background on Vosper's work at West Hill United Church in Toronto and the United Church of Canada's investigation into her fitness for ministry, please listen to Episode 2: http://www.spreaker.com/user/lifeaftergod/2-interview-with-gretta-vosper

"Flock sticks with atheist United Church minister," Toronto Star, Sept. 11, 2016
https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/09/11/flock-sticks-with-atheist-united-church-minister.html

Gretta's personal website: http://www.grettavosper.ca

West Hill United Church's website: http://www.westhill.net

On this episode of The Ex-Files, I speak Cierra Ramirez.

Ciera is was born and raised in New Mexico but for the past couple of years has called Austin, Texas, her home. As you’ll see, she’s a thoughtful and articulate woman. She’s a theater actor currently puppeteering in a local puppet opera production! She loves hiking, kayaking, going to the movies, and good beer.

We begin our conversation talking about Ciera’s early religious experiences, her conversation to Christianity, and her eventual growth out of religion.

Ciera also speaks vulnerably about her lifelong struggle with depression. She’s recently taken some courageous steps toward her own well-being. I’m honored she was willing to share her story with all of us.

On the occasion of the one-year anniversary of the podcast I had the opportunity to visit with Brian Peck. Though Brian and I had never met until last weekend, we have become good friends over the past year. He has been volunteering for Life After God, making the thoughtful memes you see on Facebook and Twitter, and generally running our social media accounts.

In this episode Brian and I talk briefly about some of our plans for the upcoming year, including new resources we plan to create as well as a new plan for brining on a few new coaches and expanding our coaching services significantly.

We also run down the top 10 most listened to podcasts at the one-year mark. Here they are, in case you'd like to see them in print:

10 — Ep 37 - Everyone's Agnostic with Cass Midgley

9 — Ep 03 - Interview with David Hayward

8 — Ep 19 - Interview with Bart Campolo

7 — Ep 05 - Give Me Sex Jesus

6 — Ep 01 - Introduction with Ryan Bell

5 — Ep 30 - Jesus Before the Gospels: A Conversation with Bart Ehrman

4 — Ep 02 - Interview with Gretta Vosper

3 — Ep 40 - Excommunicating the Church with Jeremy Runnells

2 — Ep 22 - Mormon Stories with John Dehlin

1 — Ep 41 - The Ex-Files: Rachael Gunderson

On this episode I speak to Greg Epstein, humanist chaplain at Harvard University and MIT. In this wide ranging conversation, Greg and I talk about his upbringing and some of the events that led to where he is today at two of the most prestigious universities in the United States, working to build meaningful community among the non-religious and ask difficult questions about the ethics of technology.

We recorded this conversation in the immediate aftermath of the murder of George Floyd and the uprisings for racial and economic justice around the United States.

Mentioned in the episode:
Greg's book, Good Without God. https://www.amazon.com/Good-Without-God-Billion-Nonreligious/dp/006167012X

Greg's writing for TechCrunch | https://techcrunch.com/author/greg-epstein/

Is this sadness or anger? Is there a difference? by Ryan Bell
https://medium.com/radical-humanism/is-this-sadness-or-anger-is-there-a-difference-67cea83e3ee

Secular Student Alliance virtual conference | https://secularstudents.org/2020conference/

This week I speak with Kile Jones, founder of Interview an Atheist at Church Day and activist at the intersection of atheism and progressive religion.

LINKS
Interview an Atheist at Church website | https://interviewatheists.wordpress.com

Kile's YouTube channel | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFk9VtCmdM7wHFR2mrRN__Q

Interview an Atheist at Church Facebook Page | https://www.facebook.com/InterviewAnAtheistAtChurchDay

Unbelievable? with Justin Brierley | http://www.premierchristianradio.com/Shows/Saturday/Unbelievable

This week I speak with highly acclaimed author and speaker, Kester Brewin. Kester recently spent two weeks in Los Angeles, speaking to various audiences about his new book, Getting High: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the Dream of Flight. We recorded this conversation LIVE on Saturday, August 6, at the Level Ground Headquarters in Pasadena California.

This week I speak with Conor Robinson about the Humanist Service Corp that he created and directs as a part of the Foundation Beyond Belief

LINKS
Donate to support Humanist Service Corps | https://foundationbeyondbelief.org/humanistservicecorps/donate

Foundation Beyond Belief | www.foundationbeyondbelief.org
Humanist Service Corp | www.humanistservicecorps.org
HSC Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/humanistsinaction/
Songtaba Facebook | www.facebook.com/songtaba/
The Danger of a Single Story, by Chimamanda Adichie (YouTube) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg
American Grace, by Robert D. Putman and David E. Campbell | https://www.amazon.com/American-Grace-Religion-Divides-Unites/dp/1416566732/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469604225&sr=8-1&keywords=american+grace

This week on The Ex-Files I speak with Rachael Gunderson. Rachael courageously shares her harrowing experience of being ensnared in a modern-day cult and how she eventually escaped.

LINKS
Eva's Eden http://www.evaseden.org
Is There a Cult in Columbia, TN? https://www.facebook.com/IsThereACultInColumbiaTN

To learn more about Life After God please visit the website at www.lifeaftergod.org.

If you appreciate this podcast please consider supporting our work by going to www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod.