Holy Smokes: Cigars and Spirituality

Yes, you heard that correctly: this will be our last AUDIO ONLY release for the foreseeable future. We are at our max capacity for output at the moment, so we will discontinue releasing audio-only episodes until we're in a position to expand our production team.

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In this episode we discuss what is faith deconstruction—and what isn't it? In this conversation with Dr. Mashaun D. Simon, author of Faith Deconstruction for Dummies, we unpack why deconstruction is not about abandoning belief but about pursuing honesty, healing, and spiritual integrity. This episode is especially for those navigating doubt, queerness, grief, and the longing for a faith that can breathe.

Purchase full-length, uncensored episodes of the podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Join the Wait List for Kristian's upcoming e-book, "Question Your Answers," here: https://mailchi.mp/thefaithcommunity/e-book-waitlist

Get Merch here: https://thefaithcommunity.org/merch-store

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Episode Chapters

00:00 — "Deconstruction Is Already Happening" Why this conversation is unavoidable right now.

04:20 — "This Book Isn't Here to Take Your Faith" What deconstruction is actually for.

08:45 — "Not Jesus-Centric… So What Am I?" Reframing faith beyond rigid categories.

13:30 — "Who This Book Was Really Written For" Why queer deconstructors saw themselves first.

18:10 — "There Is No A + B = C" Why deconstruction has no roadmap.

22:50 — "The Loneliness Nobody Warns You About" What it costs emotionally to question everything.

29:00 — "Deconstruction Without Decolonization Isn't Enough" Why Black deconstruction must go deeper.

36:40 — "From Pseudo-Holy to Whole" Why the goal isn't certainty — it's integrity.

In this segment, we examine how fundamentalist Christianity can produce theological narcissism—a belief system rooted in superiority, control, and moral absolutism. Using a viral confrontation between a Christian protester and Buddhist monks walking for peace, we unpack how warped theology distorts love, empathy, and accountability. This is a necessary conversation about faith, mental health, and coexistence.

This segment comes from the Live Virtual Patreon recording of "Am I the Drama: What Happens when you Stop Deflecting?"

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Purchase full-length, uncensored episodes of the podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Join the Wait List for Kristian's upcoming e-book, "Question Your Answers," here: https://mailchi.mp/thefaithcommunity/e-book-waitlist

Get Merch here: https://thefaithcommunity.org/merch-store

Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.kristianasmith.com/breaking-all-the-rules

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Episode Chapters

00:00 — "Protesting Peace?" The viral moment that sparked this conversation.

03:05 — "What Is Theological Narcissism?" Why fundamentalism breeds superiority and control.

07:40 — "There's No Hate Like Christian Love" How condemnation gets mislabeled as love.

12:30 — "Faith, Narcissism, and Mental Health" Why rejecting therapy keeps these patterns alive.

17:55 — "Why Coexistence Feels Like a Threat" Binary thinking, supremacy, and the fear of difference.

In this episode, we ask the uncomfortable question many people are already thinking: are Christians actually OK? From online outrage and moral panic to certainty, control, and public faith performances, this conversation explores what's happening to Christianity in real time — and why so many people are walking away from the church.

Subscribe to the TFCVirtual Patreon Here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Purchase full-length, uncensored episodes of the podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Join the Wait List for Kristian's upcoming e-book, "How to Deconstruct," here: https://mailchi.mp/thefaithcommunity/e-book-waitlist

Get Merch here: https://thefaithcommunity.org/merch-store

Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.kristianasmith.com/breaking-all-the-rules

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Episode Chapters

00:00 — "Are the Christians OK?" The question nobody wants to answer.

04:20 — "Why Everything Is a Crisis Now" How outrage became the church's default posture.

09:15 — "When Faith Turns Into Fear" Why anxiety is driving Christian behavior.

14:40 — "Certainty, Control, and Moral Panic" What Christians are really protecting.

20:05 — "Online Christianity Is Unhinged" Social media, algorithms, and spiritual collapse.

25:30 — "Why Everyone Is Always 'Offended'" Fragile faith and perpetual outrage.

31:10 — "Defending God Like God Needs Help" Why Christians keep fighting imaginary battles.

36:50 — "The Cost of Being 'Right'" What certainty is doing to relationships and witness.

42:25 — "Why People Are Leaving the Church" It's not rebellion — it's survival.

48:00 — "What a Healthier Faith Might Look Like" Hope beyond outrage Christianity.

In this 2025 Year in Review, the crew reflects on the spiritual, emotional, and theological shifts that reshaped our faith over the past year. From deconstruction and grief to clarity, growth, and deeper questions about God, certainty, and identity, this episode explores what it means to evolve spiritually in real time. If you're navigating faith changes or rethinking what you believe, this conversation is for you.

Subscribe to the TFCVirtual Patreon Here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Purchase full-length, uncensored episodes of the podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Join the Wait List for Kristian's upcoming e-book, "How to Deconstruct," here: https://mailchi.mp/thefaithcommunity/e-book-waitlist

Get Merch here: https://thefaithcommunity.org/merch-store

Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.kristianasmith.com/breaking-all-the-rules

Apply for a Pay it Forward Sponsorship here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAVV7dQ1BXGkd8MoUyiQDNtEw82c8RgCDAaDvWpoOCUpxbDA/viewform

Episode Chapters

00:00 — "Why 2025 Needed a Reckoning" Setting the tone for a year that demanded reflection.

04:15 — "What I Thought 2025 Would Be" Expectations vs. reality.

09:30 — "Certainty Cracked This Year" How unanswered questions reshaped my faith.

14:45 — "Grief, Loss, and Spiritual Disruption" When life forces theology to get real.

20:10 — "Deconstruction Isn't Destruction" What I unlearned — and what survived.

25:50 — "Letting Go of the God I Outgrew" Why some beliefs couldn't come with me.

31:40 — "What Stayed When Everything Else Fell Away" The core that remained after the unraveling.

37:15 — "Faith Without Certainty" Learning to trust without needing control.

42:30 — "How Community Changed My Theology" Why growth never happens alone.

48:20 — "What I'm Carrying Into 2026" Hope, intention, and forward momentum.

In this episode, we unpack the theology of idolatry and how certainty, patriarchy, and supremacy culture shape the way many Christians talk about God. From gendered God-language to rage-driven faith, this conversation exposes how defending beliefs often replaces genuine worship. If you're navigating deconstruction, reconstruction, or questioning Christian certainty, this episode will hit home.

Subscribe for more!

Subscribe to the TFCVirtual Patreon Here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Purchase full-length, uncensored episodes of the podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Join the Wait List for Kristian's upcoming e-book, "How to Deconstruct," here: https://mailchi.mp/thefaithcommunity/e-book-waitlist

Get Merch here: https://thefaithcommunity.org/merch-store

Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.kristianasmith.com/breaking-all-the-rules

Apply for a Pay it Forward Sponsorship here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAVV7dQ1BXGkd8MoUyiQDNtEw82c8RgCDAaDvWpoOCUpxbDA/viewform

Episode

Chapters 00:00 — "What Is Idolatry Really?" Why idolatry isn't just statues — it's how we cling to certainty.

05:40 — "When Certainty Becomes Sacred" How unquestionable beliefs replace trust in God.

12:10 — "Defending God or Defending Yourself?" Why people feel personally attacked by theological disagreement.

18:55 — "Patriarchy, Supremacy & One Right Way" How dominance culture shapes Christian theology.

26:30 — "Why Gendering God Triggers So Much Rage" Unpacking fear, control, and religious identity.

34:45 — "The Internet, Rage-Bait & Modern Idolatry" How outrage has become a spiritual addiction.

43:20 — "From Worship to Freedom" What faith looks like when certainty is no longer the idol.

In this bonus episode, we break down Yolanda Adams' now-viral statement that "God is bigger than gender" — and why church folks absolutely lost their minds over it. Kristian is joined by Myron The Mystic, Nikki The Anchor, and Auntie Mazda Miles for this convo.

We explore how patriarchy, biblical interpretation, and supremacy culture shape the way people imagine God and why the idea of a non-male God triggers so much rage. If you're interested in theology, liberation, gender, or the modern Black church, this deep dive is for you.

Subscribe to the TFCVirtual Patreon Here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Purchase full-length, uncensored episodes of the podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Join the Wait List for Kristian's upcoming e-book, "How to Deconstruct," here: https://mailchi.mp/thefaithcommunity/e-book-waitlist

Get Merch here: https://thefaithcommunity.org/merch-store

Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.kristianasmith.com/breaking-all-the-rules

Episode Chapters

00:00 — "Yolanda Adams Sparks a Firestorm" The moment that set Black church internet ablaze.

04:12 — "Why Is Gendering God Such a Big Deal?" The theological and emotional roots behind the outrage.

09:40 — "Patriarchy, Pronouns & the Black Church" How masculine God-language became sacred — and weaponized.

16:05 — "God as They: The Trinity, Multiplicity & Divine Identity" Breaking down the biblical foundations for nonbinary God-language.

22:58 — "When Certainty Becomes Idolatry" Why challenging God's gender threatens people's entire belief system.

31:20 — "Rage-Bait Religion: How the Internet Twisted Yolanda's Words" How platforms reframed the clip to fuel anger and clicks.

40:44 — "If You're Offended, What Does That Say About Women?" Interrogating why "God as She" sets people on fire — and what that reveals.

Join Holy Smokes as we sit down with the legendary Yolanda Adams for an unfiltered conversation about the theology of gospel music, harmful church doctrines, love, identity, and what God really expects from us. We dive into the tension between sound and theology, how sin has been misdefined, and why the people we hate reveal more about us than God. If you've ever wrestled with faith, tradition, or evolving spirituality, this episode will speak directly to your soul.

Subscribe for more!

Subscribe to the TFCVirtual Patreon Here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Purchase full-length, uncensored episodes of the podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Join the Wait List for Kristian's upcoming e-book, "How to Deconstruct," here: https://mailchi.mp/thefaithcommunity/e-book-waitlist

Get Merch here: https://thefaithcommunity.org/merch-store

Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.kristianasmith.com/breaking-all-the-rules

Episode Chapters

00:00 – "I Can Tell How Your God Loves by the People You Hate" 01:49 – Honoring the Legacy: Yolanda Adams Joins the Conversation 03:48 – The One Rule: Kindness Is Key (And It's Biblical) 06:50 – Our Personal Histories with Gospel Music 10:30 – Why Theology Made Us Step Back from Gospel (Then Return) 13:18 – Black Folks & Ginger Ale: A Sacred Relationship 15:45 – Belief, Authenticity, and Why We Trust Yolanda Adams 20:24 – Performance vs. Testimony in Gospel Music 27:00 – When Sound Moves You but Theology Fails You 33:42 – The Song That Grounds Yolanda Adams Before She Preaches 46:12 – Sound vs. Theology: What Gospel Music Really Teaches 47:22 – Yolanda Adams Explains Her Personal Theology 50:06 – "Your Hate Reveals Your God" — A Word from Yolanda 52:59 – Sin, Harm, Identity & the Church's Biggest Theological Mistake

This bonus episode takes a deep dive into Travis Greene's controversial sermon denouncing Black Greek organizations and explores how his message connects to a broader rise of Christian nationalism within the Black church. The crew unpacks spiritual bypassing, emotional manipulation, and how prosperity theology has been weaponized against Black institutions. Tune in for a sharp, unfiltered look at the intersections of faith, race, and politics in contemporary church culture.

Subscribe to the TFCVirtual Patreon Here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Purchase full-length, uncensored episodes of the podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Join the Wait List for Kristian's upcoming e-book, "How to Deconstruct," here: https://mailchi.mp/thefaithcommunity/e-book-waitlist

Get Merch here: https://thefaithcommunity.org/merch-store

Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.kristianasmith.com/breaking-all-the-rules

Episode Chapters

00:00 – "Travis Greene's Sermon and the Backlash" Introducing the viral clip and the theological claims that sparked controversy.

05:20 – "The Problem with Spiritual Bypassing" How Pentecostal theology often replaces accountability with "the Holy Ghost told me."

11:40 – "Accountability and the Myth of the Portal" A breakdown of personal responsibility, manipulation, and church language used to silence critique.

18:00 – "Emotionalism and Manipulation in the Church" How guilt, shame, and altar calls are used as tools of control.

26:50 – "When Survival Is Labeled Idolatry" Critiquing the idea that working to survive means worshiping false gods.

38:40 – "From Pentecostalism to MAGA Theology" Tracing how prosperity gospel and Christian nationalism merged in Black church spaces.

46:30 – "Black Institutions Under Attack" How denouncing Black fraternities, sororities, and churches serves a broader anti-Black agenda.

For generations, the church has told believers, "Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect." But what if Jesus never called us to perfection — only to wholeness? In this powerful conversation, we sit down with Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes to unpack how toxic theology, respectability, and race have shaped our obsession with perfection — and how we can finally get free.

This episode of Holy Smokes: Cigars and Spirituality is proudly sponsored by Eden Theological Seminary.

Join Eden online or in-person for an unforgettable evening with Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes as she delivers her lecture, "When Identity Wounds: Whiteness, Shame, and the Search for Repair."

📅 Date: November 11, 2025

🕡 Time: 6:30 p.m. CT

💻 Attend online or in-person — registration is free and open now!

👉 Reserve your virtual seat today: www.eden.edu/events/bracke-public-lecture

Eden Theological Seminary, a leading educational institution aligned with the progressive Christian movement. By combining theological rigor with community action, Eden offers a seminary education to meet the moment.

Students can pursue Master's, Doctorates, Certificates or other community learning opportunities designed for Nonprofit, Community, Social Justice, and Congregational Leaders at Eden.

Their blended learning model allows students the flexibility to join them online or on campus, and ground their learning and action in their own communities. Learn more at www.eden.edu.

Subscribe to the TFCVirtual Patreon Here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Purchase full-length, uncensored episodes of the podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Join the Wait List for Kristian's upcoming e-book, "How to Deconstruct," here: https://mailchi.mp/thefaithcommunity/e-book-waitlist

Get Merch here: https://thefaithcommunity.org/merch-store

Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.kristianasmith.com/breaking-all-the-rules

Let's talk about the call for Black Christians to place their Christianity over the Blackness.

Let us know what you think in the comments. And Subscribe for more!

Subscribe to Patreon Here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Purchase full-length, uncensored episodes of the podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/c/tfcvirtual

Join the Wait List for Kristian's upcoming e-book, "How to Deconstruct," here: https://mailchi.mp/thefaithcommunity/e-book-waitlist

Get Merch here: https://thefaithcommunity.org/merch-store

Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.kristianasmith.com/breaking-all-the-rules

00:00 – "If You Think Your Blackness Has to Pass Away to Follow God…" A bold opening on how anti-Black theology distorts faith.

02:00 – Christian Before Black?! The crew unpacks the growing movement of Black Christians prioritizing religion over identity.

05:00 – The One Rule: Honor Lived Experience Over Theory Holy Smokes' guiding principle and how it reframes faith.

06:30 – RuPaul, Drag Race, and the Gospel of Self-Love How RuPaul's benediction mirrors the greatest commandment.

08:00 – Blackness vs. Christianity: Who Told You They're in Competition? Personal stories about how upbringing shaped faith and race identity.

15:00 – When the Black Church Was "Too Black" for White Spaces How Black worship is silenced or sanitized in multiracial churches and seminaries.

20:00 – Redefining Faith Beyond Christianity Rich Auntie and Kristian share what it means to be spiritual, humanist, and still deeply rooted in the Black church.

27:00 – Why the Black Church Still Matters History, resistance, and why "a church full of Black people" isn't the same as a Black church.

30:00 – "This Ain't a Black Church" — The Plantation Pastor Returns The crew dissects Philip Anthony Mitchell's rhetoric and its ties to Christian nationalism.

40:00 – Is Blackness an Idol or a Gift from God? Exposing the lie that loving your Blackness means rejecting Jesus.

47:00 – Obedience, Indoctrination, and Control How "be obedient" theology keeps Black people docile in the name of faith.

58:00 – Dear Black Christians: You Were Black Before You Were Christian A powerful closing reflection on identity, liberation, and sacred self-love.