Growing Up Christian

Back in my youth group days, terms like "atheism" and "humanism" were almost as scary as "new age" (I still don't know what that means). My understanding of atheism went back and forth between it being a luciferian coup meant to shatter the scriptural foundations of western society, and just another misguided faith perpetuated by vitriolic curmudgeons of weak moral fiber. Give me a break... I was a fourteen-year-old doofus. 

This week, we're joined by Hemant Mehta, otherwise known as the Friendly Atheist. He is an accomplished author, blogger, podcaster, and activist. He is a content creator for Patheos, and served as a board member for the Secular Student Alliance and Foundation Beyond Belief. To put it lightly, Hemant is brilliant, and he's been a positive force in the ongoing struggle for tolerance and secular governance. It was a real treat to have a conversation with him, and we know you're going to enjoy it!

If you're enjoying the show, we would sure appreciate it if you'd share with a friend, and leave us a review on iTunes. Thanks for listening!

Changing your mind is hard. Changing other people's minds seems impossible, doesn't it? I mean, I've only recently gotten Sam to concede that dinosaurs "probably existed." In a world where we are pulled in so many different directions by so many voices, finding common ground can be a challenge, but it's a critical part of maintaining relationships. How do we encourage those around us to reconsider their beliefs and opinions when we so fundamentally disagree?

This week, we're joined by special guest Dan Koch - creator of the podcasts You Have Permission, Depolarize!, and Reconstruct. In each of his shows, Dan explores issues surrounding faith, deconversion, and politics. Over the years, he has been a unifying voice of knowledge, comfort, and perspective to a lot of people in the Christian and ex-Christian communities, and we were really excited to talk with him! Enjoy the episode, and be sure to subscribe to his shows. You can find more information at https://www.dankochwords.com/. 

I think anyone who grew up Christian probably heard a sermon or two on the nation state of Israel, and its importance to the return of Christ. Maybe your family had an "I stand with Israel" bumper sticker. Maybe you even heard your parents/pastor bungle through an explanation of how the Jews are God's chosen people (because it says so in the Bible and they have to take it literally) but might get a pass out of hell, even though they never accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Ohhh, if only the rest of us could get out of hell on a technicality! 

Our guest, today, is Bethany Slater. Bethany was born into a conservative Christian family, and was raised in a very unique kind of Christian community. While most people who find their way out of evangelical Christianity drift into a more liberal variant or drop out of faith completely, Bethany found herself being pulled toward Judaism after dealing with the problem of Christian supersession. After years of studying and learning about the Jewish faith, she eventually converted. Her story is beautiful and fascinating, and we are very excited for you all to hear it. 

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and jump on in to our discord to keep the conversation rolling with us!

It's tough to talk about religion without discussing politics... For my generation, the two subjects are kind of "joined at the hip." You had Christian church on Wednesdays and Sundays, and republican church every night of the week thanks to good ol' Fox News. In fact, I'll bet I've logged almost as many hours listening to the likes of Shawn Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, and Bill O'Reilly as I have listening to pastors. As a kid, I attended Right to Life demonstrations, handed out yard signs for republican candidates, and there's even a picture of me unknowingly holding a Bush/Cheney sign at a trainside rally in the bustling metropolis of Durand, MI (home of Uncle Buck's Northern Exposure, a strip club with a bare butt beaver on the sign). How's that for a resume builder?

Our guest today is journalist Katherine Stewart, author of the books "The Good News Club: The Christian Right's Stealth Assault on America's Children," and "The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism." Katherine's most recent book is the culmination of over ten years of research, and it catalogs the efforts of powerful evangelical and political leaders to organize and mobilize the Christian community. The Washington Post called it "required reading for anyone who wants to map the continuing erosion of our already fragile wall between church and state." It's a fascinating, albeit troubling read that we can't recommend enough!

Enjoy the episode, and get in on the conversation by joining our Discord server! Find the link on our social media pages.

Hey! Yeah, you. Do you know where you're going to spend eternity? If you should die before you wake, did you pray the lord your soul to take, or did you fall asleep watching The Office for the 7th time through because you can't commit to watching a new show even though people won't stop asking if you've seen "The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel," and now you're just avoiding it out of spite? I feel ya, pal...

This week, we're joined by Mike Ruel, who is the pastor of a Highlands Bible Church in New Jersey, and a frequent listener to the show. Mike reached out to us after hearing several episodes, and expressed a mutual distaste with mainstream evangelical culture. Mike wasn't always a pastor. In his 20's, he strayed from the faith, and focused his attention on more "worldly pursuits." He eventually made his way back to Christianity after living through 9/11 in New York City. We spent some time discussing the pursuit of meaning, the nature of faith, and the what is wrong with the church in America.

Look, I'd be lying if I told you that we found much common ground. In fact, we arrived at a philosophical or spiritual impasse on more than one issue. It was a good conversation, though, and we appreciated Pastor Mike's willingness to discuss sensitive topics, and the patience he showed us throughout the episode. I think all of us would describe each other as good guys that are wrong about almost everything hahaha! If you would like to continue this discussion with Mike, you can reach him by email ([email protected]) or through his website: www.MikeRuel.com. 

Every night, Sam and I kneel on our MyPillows, and pray that the Lord will bless this podcast. Well, friends, He did.  Joining us this week is childhood hero Jesse Leach! You might know him as the lead singer of several great metal bands like Killswitch Engage and Times of Grace, and the host of the brand new podcast "Stoke the Fire," but what you may not know is that Jesse is a pastor's kid that grew up in a very conservative evangelical church and school. He is an outspoken advocate for mental health, and has a lot to say about the state of religion around the world. This episode was so. much. fun. Enjoy, join our Discord (link on our socials), and check out "Stoke the Fire" wherever you listen to podcasts!

Rules, rules, rules. This one goes out to everyone who wasn't allowed to watch Captain Planet, play Pokémon, or read Harry Potter! Go ahead, nobody's looking...

This week, we got to sit down with our new friend, Jada. She is a transnational adoptee from South Korea that identifies as queer, and she grew up on the fruited plains of Central Kansas in a conservative Christian home and church. After graduating, she attended a Christian university in Colorado, where she experienced a dramatic cultural and spiritual shift.

Jada was kind enough to offer us a glimpse into the complex emotional, cultural, and spiritual adversity facing transnational adoptees. Hers is also a story of healing, and learning to accept and love yourself. We loved talking to her, and we think you will enjoy the conversation!

Wanted: apostates, reprobates, and otherwise unsavory characters. Join us on Discord! You can find the link in our social media bios. See you there!

There's something... unsettling about a confessional, don't you think? Like, why is this old fuddy duddy so interested in the sordid details of your "slip-ups?" What's that rustling sound? Why does it smell like a Jimmy John's in here, all of a sudden? Did I step in gum? So many questions!

Our guest, this week, is Luke Wilson, and he's on a mission to end to "gay conversion therapy." Luke is a Liberty University graduate working towards his PhD, and has written extensively about the mental, emotional, and spiritual toll that four years of conversion therapy took on him. He has worked diligently to shine a light on the harmful and dangerous practices employed by people like the recently-retired Dane Emerick, who oversaw the program at LU. Follow Luke on twitter (@wilson_FW) and Instagram (@LukeSlamDunkWilson), and be sure to check out his articles on the subject!

If you haven't joined our Discord, yet, come on in! https://discord.gg/7vQYRdxs

All the girls and the boys, and people making noise, let me hear you shout, "Bring em out! Bring em out!" And by "em," I mean singer/songwriter, host of "The Wonder and the Mystery of Being," and former frontman of Christian rock band Hawk Nelson, Jon Steingard!

Jon made headlines, last year, when he publicly stated that "he found himself no longer believing in God," but the story of his spiritual journey doesn't begin or end there. In this episode, we get a chance to talk with Jon about the intricacies of the Christian music industry, the long, hard road to accepting the realities of his faith, and the awe-inspiring aspects of life and existence. I think you'll find that Jon is a compassionate, insightful, sweetheart of a guy, and we can't recommend his podcast enough! "The Wonder and the Mystery of Being" is available through your favorite podcast app, as well as YouTube, where you can enjoy the visual components of the show.

We also want to invite you to join the all new Growing Up Christian discord server, available here: https://discord.gg/7vQYRdxs This will be the best place for all of us to connect, share awful memes, and trade stories about the good old days. We'll see you there!

Could I ask a favor? Hit pause on your daily Dave Ramsey guided meditation, and join us for a conversation with Bonnie and Karen of Deconversion Therapy, one of the funniest religion podcasts around! In this episode, we touch on a variety of important topics, like church pageant animal ranches, vanquishing the spirit of intellectualism, and the Falwell South Florida Stud Stable, LLC. Enjoy the show, and check out Deconversion Therapy at https://www.deconversiontherapypodcast.com/ or wherever you listen to podcasts!

Outro: Humble Tip - S.P.F (Salvation Prevents Fire) ft. K-Drama & D-Maub