Growing Up Christian

This week, we have the pleasure of speaking with a true prayer warrior who is tirelessly fighting for the souls of America’s youth: the esteemed director of Christians Against Skaters Ministries! He outlines his upbringing in the Evangelical church, his brush with doom as a young man interested in skateboarding, and how, through the grace of God, he triumphed over the wiles of Skatan. We had a fantastic time talking with him, and highly encourage you to support the ministry by following them on Instagram (@christians_against_skaters_)!

But first, we got a chance to catch up with comedian Walker Glenn, who joined us on Ep. 65 – “Censored Breasts, Secret Nu Metal, & the Meth-to-Jesus Pipeline.” Walker hosts a new show called the Idiotalk Podcast, which is a lighthearted examination of Radiohead. You can follow Idiotalk on Instagram (@idiotalk.podcast), and stream the first the first three episodes wherever you listen to podcasts!

This week, we’re face-to-face for the first time in like 6 years! Sam came down to Kansas for a visit, and we had lots of fun! So, we spend the first part of the episode talking about our many adventures, including giant spider safaris, skeetin’ all over my back yard (with shotguns, that is), and dining on Rocky Mountain oysters in my local MAGA meth den honkey-tonk straight out of The Hills Have Eyes. Then, we get into a very insightful piece of Sunday School programming, entitled “Children Demand a Verdict: Answering Questions About What We Believe and Why We Believe It” by Josh McDowell. According to the back cover, “The foundations of the Christian faith have been undermined in the lives of our churched teenagers, but by grounding your children early in what you believe and why, you will protect them from these distorted beliefs and establish a firm foundation for their spiritual future.” I mean, who can argue that point? It worked out well for all of you lovely people….

This week, we’re joined by our new friend Paul, who runs one of our absolute favorite meme pages, @xripped_girl_jeansx! Like us, many of you sowed some wild oats in a mosh pit at a church basement show, two-stepping with 14 other people in a rented out American Legion, or just loitering around a Hot Topic talking about the band tee you were saving up for because your mom wanted you to buy school clothes at Aeropostale like the normal kids. If you spent time around “the scene” in any of its many forms, you know that there is a very unique culture to it, and in our opinion, few things express that culture better than @xripped_girl_jeansx on Instagram! Paul grew up a church kid, and really threw himself into the metal and hardcore music scene. We talk about the good old days of youth group shows, the fun idiosyncrasies of that world, and where his faith took him as he grew up. It’s a fun episode, and if you’re not following Paul already, you’ve never had a better “breeeee-son” to check out @xripped_girl_jeansx on Instagram!

This week, we’re joined by an absolutely fantastic comedian, Amy Miller! Amy basically lived at her Free Will Baptist Church in California from an early age. However, things were less picturesque than they appeared (see title above^). We discuss her slow drift away from the faith, her pastors’ worries about attending a “secular” university, and some of the things that led her to pursue a career in entertainment. We can’t recommend Amy’s comedy enough! She has a Comedy Central special called “Ham Mouth” that you can watch in full on YouTube, a brand new album called “California King” streaming pretty much everywhere, and you can follow her on Instagram (@amymillercomedy) and Twitter (@amymiller)!

The interview with Amy begins at 45:30, but first, we’re trying something a little different. We’ve found that despite feeling like we knew the Bible inside and out as kids, these days we’re having a hard time recalling some of the stories. We’re going to periodically take a look at those classic Bible stories, and see what we as older humans resembling adults think of them. First up: the story of Balaam and his talking Donkey! It’s, uh… strange.

This week, we’re happy to welcome back our good friend, Amber Viola! Amber is the Human Resources Director and mayoral cabinet member for the city of Scranton, and she’s the first black director in the city’s history. She’s also a Navy veteran, social worker, and the first black commander of the Gouldsboro American Legion. We spent the vast majority of our first episode with Amber discussing her upbringing in conservative Christianity, and here eventual break with the church. However, we wanted to hear more about her social and political work in Pennsylvania. Amber’s a go-getter, and she’s spent the last few years campaigning for local and national candidates, heading up a laptop drive for underprivileged kids who were left behind during the Covid-19 online school push, and doing a number of different things to bring awareness to the needs of her fellow veterans, as well as build community for those coming home from service. We can’t help but think that Amber will be running this country, someday (my god, let’s hope so…), and we always have a great time talking with her! You should follow Amber on Instagram (@amber__viola), find her on Facebook (Amber Viola), and keep an eye on her website www.amberviola.com for more info on her current projects!

We also want to let you know about a really cool project involving our friend Phil Wilmont from Ep. 49 – From Awana to Uganda: Seeking Warmer Weather & a Tussle With Tyranny.” He is part of a group of activist film makers working on “The Woman Who Poked The Leopard,” which is a documentary about Uganda's provocative feminist and academic Stella Nyanzi on her journey from Prison to Parliament, and what it means to be a single mother at the front lines of the liberation struggle in Uganda. This documentary is important, and you can help! Consider contributing to their fundraising campaign at www.indiegogo.com/projects/fund-this-film-the-woman-who-poked-the-leopard and follow them on Twitter @DrPoke !

Our guest this week is comedian, podcaster, and writer, Spencer McRay Bland! Spencer is the cohost of Bop or Flop, a music-comedy podcast that revisits the Billboard Top Ten songs from a specific date in history, and determines whether they bop or flop. Spencer was steeped in Christianity, as a young man, but circumstances (including working for a very strange Evangelical organization) eventually led him to rethink his faith. Spencer is a great comedian with some fantastic stories, and we really enjoyed meeting him! Follow him on Instagram (@spencerspicy), check out his upcoming comedy dates at www.iambadatcomedy.com, and find Bop or Flop on Instagram (@boporfloppod) and across all podcast platforms!

This week we’re joined by podcaster, chef, and vocalist for Christian punk band, Dogwood, Josh Kemble! Josh joins us to discuss his upbringing in Catholicism and Evangelicalism, his days of touring in Dogwood, and his glowing passion for food and music, in general. He hosts a phenomenal podcast called “The Family? Cast: Punk Chef Pairings with Chef Josh Kemble,” which you can check out on your favorite streaming app!

We also want to let you know about a really cool project involving our friend Phil Wilmont from Ep. 49 – From Awana to Uganda: Seeking Warmer Weather & a Tussle With Tyranny.” He is part of a group of activist film makers working on “The Woman Who Poked The Leopard,” which is a documentary about Uganda's provocative feminist and academic Stella Nyanzi on her journey from Prison to Parliament, and what it means to be a single mother at the front lines of the liberation struggle in Uganda. This documentary is important, and you can help! Consider contributing to their fundraising campaign at www.indiegogo.com/projects/fund-this-film-the-woman-who-poked-the-leopard and follow them on Twitter @DrPoke !

Our guest this week is Sacramento-based comedian, John Morris Ross IV! John joins us to discuss Bible camp, traveling Evangelical grifters, his foray into Christian music, and much more. We had a great time talking to him, and you will enjoy the conversation! You can follow John on Instagram (@johnmorrisrossiv) and Twitter (@xjohnrossx), and check out his upcoming comedy dates at www.johnrossatstab.eventbrite.com!

But first, we absolutely HAD to talk about conservative firebrand hack, Jesse Lee Peterson. If you don't know who he is, well... we apologize in advance for bringing him to your attention. JLP is a reverend, conservative radio host, founder of BOND (Brotherhood Of a New Destiny), and Los Angeles-based pud that has garnered attention with his extreme views on race, gender, and politics. However, some recent accusations have resulted in many within the "manosphere" wondering if he's a hypocrite. Have a listen, and let us know what you think on our Discord! You can find the link in our Instagram bio. Enjoy!

This week we're joined by Chalice and Dex, two ordained Ministers of Satan from the Satanic Temple! You've probably heard about the Satanic Temple's activism through things like erecting Baphomet statues in contrast to Christian statues in that area, or maybe through their "After School Satan" program meant to contrast the many Christian after school programs. We were fascinated by some of the things they are doing to fight for the separation of church and state, reproductive and sexual rights, and what it means to be a secular Satanist. Spoiler alert - cable news and youth pastors don't exactly have a good grasp on it. Chalice and Dex have been leaders in the Satanic Temple for years, and they are the best possible people to explain what their branch of Satanism is all about. To find out more about the Satanic Temple, you can visit their website: www.thesatanictemple.com!

But first we welcome back our friend Blake, host of the Back In the Cool Day Podcast! Blake and his wife are both teachers in Texas, so the Uvalde school shooting is something that has weighed heavy on them both. In the introductory segment, Blake shares his thoughts on the gun violence epidemic that is plaguing the United States, we discuss the ideology behind gun ownership, and some potential ways to at least try to counteract these painful and tragic instances of domestic terrorism. 

If you're a fan of punk, emo, metal, hardcore, or just music as a whole, check out Blake's show, Back In the Cool Day. Follow them on Instagram (@backinthecooldaypodcast), and stream episodes wherever you listen to podcasts!

This week we're joined by an musician, humanitarian, and old friend of Sam's, Ben Sooy! Ben split his time between progressive churches and his fundamentalist school, while also grappling with some tough realities at home. He ended up attending Liberty University, intent on becoming a youth pastor. However, his ideas about God would undergo many changes that ultimately led him in a different direction. We had a great time talking with Ben, and we think you're going to enjoy this conversation, too. Check out his band, A Place for Owls, and follow them on Instagram and Twitter (@aplaceforowls)!

During the intro segment, we discuss passages from a wonderful book that is sure to be a blessing for you, "Hollywood Heroes: How Your Favorite Movies Reveal God" by Frank and Zach Turek! I saw the title, I read the overview, and I knew that I needed to read it. It's more or less a print version of that annoying thing your youth leaders would do, where they dissect the "Biblical themes" within an otherwise fun movie, and completely remove all of the escapism and enjoyment out of it. It's... a mess. Consider this a teaser for an upcoming full episode on this soul-sucking work of fundamentalist drivel!

Join our Discord, unless you hate joy and merriment, and leave us a five star review on your favorite streaming app regardless of whether you hate joy and merriment!