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3rd-generation Angeleno Mike Sonksen, aka Mike the PoeT, is an acclaimed poet, professor, journalist, historian and tour guide whose work has appeared in publications like the Academy of American Poets, Alta, PBS So Cal, Poetry Foundation and Westways. Sonksen’s read poetry at over 100 academic institutions, appeared on radio and television and hosted events at the Grand Performances and Getty Center. His latest book, Letters To My City is published by Writ Large Press.
I can't wait for everyone to hear the ideas and perspectives of Mike Sonksen, aka Mike the Poet. He's a fixture in the Los Angeles poetry community, a teacher, and a journalist, and I always feel inspired and enlightened when I hear him read or just talk to him. It's people like this that everyone deconstructing faith need to know. We talk about how poetry and language can empower and inspire, and we share what we love about Los Angeles that is so different than what the world sees in tv and movies.
You can buy Mike's book here. And check out other writing here.
With all the hell happening all around us, particularly in the LA area, it feels good to present this conversation that offers so much hope and mind-expanding ideas. Jess Grace Garcia is a badass who has made it their life mission to help queer people find healing and positive identity in life after fundamentalist faith. They've been all through the cultiest of christian faiths to all the stages of deconstruction, to a fulfilling life of polyamory and community development.
As the founder of Queerfire, a support group that meets monthly in the LA area to support folks navigating life after christianity, Jess has taken their experience as a pastor and used it to help people on the outside of oppressive christian faith.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram, Bluesky, and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Katie Hampton survived APU as a theater kid and pursued a life as a comedian, improviser, and now podcaster. Her deconstruction paved the way for finding humor as both a vocation and a tool for healing. Also a survivor of Scott's Introduction to Literature class, Katie has found a life outside of Christianity that has been so much fuller and, let's face it, funnier, than life inside evangelical culture. It's been an absolute privilege to stay in touch and watch Katie become such an amazing human.
Tune into Katie's many projects:
Napping Through Happy Hour
Shows like Christian Cringe on Geekscape
Internet Supreme Court
Marla is back with some things to say about language, prude christians, and thoughts on finding our people. In a relatively short time, Marla has gone from dutiful Christian wife living as a missionary to outspoken advocate for BIPOC and Queer voices. Her latest project is called Mouth: A Little Book of Cheeky Poems, but as of this typing, there are only 5 left. So, hurry up and contact Marla to get yours.
The word "fuck" is provocative, profane, and sometimes the perfect word, especially today. Pairs perfectly with the word "trump." Try it! And enjoy this conversation that explores the profane and the profound.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram, Bluesky, and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
We are back at Bob Jones University, or BJU, with Rick Pidcock. Rick is a writer with Baptist News Global, and he has come a long way from those bizarre, high-control days of BJU. He tells his story of finding his way to being an empathetic human being in stark contrast with the uncaring theobro culture of BJU and how he became a stay-at-home dad, like Scott. And we finish with a last look at the deconstruction world, namely the White men who become influencer/pastors. Lots of great conversation.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram, Bluesky, and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Jeff Karow told one of the most moving stories a couple of seasons ago, and he returns to Chapel Probation to give an update and to share some of his insights into putting his life together after leaving his conservative church and getting divorced. Like for so many people, deconstructing faith can have dire consequences. Relationships with family and friends can be strained or even irrevocably broken. And yet, we strive to remain true to ourselves as we build the life we want to live.
After one more parting shot at Moody Bible Institute, Jeff talks about his life, and the good news is that things are much better today.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram, Bluesky, and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
It often comes as a surprise to non-Asians that people like Rohadi Nagassar and myself have things to say. Especially inside of North American Christianity. Like the proverbial tree falling in the forrest with no one to hear it, we do exist. We Asians often have to find our way out of church to develop our voices. Forget about "platforms." We have to first decolonize our own minds to learn that we do have things to say, and then we have to find our people.
I'm so glad to have met Rohadi on social media, and I was honored to be on his podcast, Faith in a Fresh Vibe. His 2022 book, When We Belong: Reclaiming Christianity in the Margins is available wherever books are sold.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram, Bluesky, and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
As someone who was born into a family that got completely fucked by this country, I have some thoughts about the current situation. My family lost everything and had no due process before being incarcerated in concentration camps simply for being Japanese American. No one in my family takes freedom for granted because of this, and no one assumes this country has our best interests in mind ever. So for us, seeing what is happening, we do not hold out hope for the best outcome. For those of you who do not hail from societal and government tyranny, it has to be hard to come to grips with the fact that so much has been lost and so much is still to be lost. All the things this country has stood for, for better and for worse, are on the chopping block if they aren't already in the landfill.
So it should come as no surprise that Scott thinks art and community are the only thing we can cling to as the we sink into the abyss. We are NOT going to be ok for the foreseeable future.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram, Bluesky, and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Liz Matthews has been a social media friend and member of the Chapel Probation Facebook group, and we finally got her on to tell her story. She graduated from Biola where she played basketball, but she actually had a good time there. Liz brings up the concept of "shelving" borrowed from Ex-Mormon podcasts. It's where you place all the doubts, questions, and issues that aren't compatible with evangelical christianity. But there is only so much space on this existential shelf and when it fill up, it collapses. Liz tells her story of trying to reconcile her deeply-held faith with the realities of the world and her own identity as a queer woman. And it's epic.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram, Bluesky, and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
Welcome to the first full episode of Season 5! We kick things off with Mary B Safrit, a writer and podcaster who actually interviewed Scott a few weeks ago on her podcast, Found Family. Mary B grew up in a mix of christian traditions and went to a normal college where she worked with Young Life. This solidified her evangelical identity at the time, but she went on to come out as bisexual while still remaining a progressive christian. But fear not. She has done the work, decolonizing from patriarchy and White christian nationalism, and she is awesome to talk to.
Chapel Probation is part of the Dauntless Media Collective
Join the Dauntless Media Discord for more conversation with all the podcast communities.
Scott's book, Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University is available now!
Music by Scott Okamoto, Jenyi, Azeem Khan, and Shin Kawasaki and Wingo Shackleford
Join the Chapel Probation Patreon to support Scott and for bonus content.
Join the Chapel Probation Facebook group to continue the conversations.
Follow Scott on Instagram, Bluesky, and Substack
You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at rscottokamoto.com
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