I'm joined this week by my very good friend Stacie Rae from Canada. Herself a survivor of a narcissistic relationship, Stacie now empowers those who are seeking not only to identify what narcissism is, but how to escape and rebuild their lives after leaving it all behind.

Stacie works as a mentor and life coach providing, in her words, courses and recovery options that serve as an "alchemy of mind, body, spirit, and emotions." Recovery and empowerment after suffering through a narcissistic relationship is a holistic thing--it can't be done in isolation, and at time, we need the help of others to work through our issues and traumas.

In addition to discussing narcissism, we also delve into the question: "Is the God of the Bible a narcissist?" This is a tough question, but definitely worth asking--especially if your religious faith was defined in large part by serving an abusive deity. We also delve into trauma bonding and healing from the abuses suffered while in those relationships.

Get more information on the House of Rae Academy at this link!

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Email: dismantlingdoctrine@gmail.com

This week's conversation features Cynane Shay, who goes by the name "Taking Off The Tinfoil Hat" on social media. She's an expert on the subject of Christianity and conspiracy theories, which is incredibly timely given the current situation regarding religion and politics in today's world.

You may be familiar with evangelicals who embrace such conspiracy theories as QAnon or PizzaGate, but it turns out that this is but the tip of the iceberg. As you'll discover, not only are conspiracy theories baked into so much of Christianity, it's a feature--not a bug--of the religion itself.

Conspiracy theory thinking is nothing new--it goes back millennia, and it turns out to be a human condition. But in today's evangelicalism, with its rabid embrace of Trump and Christian nationalism, conspiracy theories are being weaponized to the detriment of democracy.

Contact Cynane through her website Taking Off The Tinfoil Hat!

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Email: dismantlingdoctrine@gmail.com

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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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/   Follow Janice on Twitter @Wise_Counsellor Follow me on Twitter @MindShift2018   Join the MindShift Podcast Patreon Community!

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, 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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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, 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 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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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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Andrew's Site Life After Dogma

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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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Ask Doctor Death Podcast and Website 

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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

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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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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Find Thomas at the Tempest Counseling site 

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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

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 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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