Last Sunday, Fundamentalist Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell (PAM) told Black people they need to stop blaming White cops for the killing of Black kids. He used Romans 13 in the Bible as the justification for his stance in the midst of a Christian Nationalist Regime that is abducting people off the street, erasing Black history, destabilizing the economy, etc...

In this special edition of Holy Smokes: Cigars and Spirituality, Kristian does a solo episode to unpack the context of Romans 13. He provides another perspective on Romans 13 that is almost always overlooked in fundamentalist Christian spaces. This episode was recorded live for our free and paid tiers in Patreon. You can watch the full length episode by subscribing today!

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Video Chapters

00:00 - Intro and Highlights

02:59 - Origin Story for this video

07:36 - Kristian's disdain for PAM's theology

10:53 - How to spot Anti-Blackness in the Black community

12:44 - Who taught theology to Christian Influencers?

17:07 - Kristian agrees with PAM

17:53 - Recap of PAM's story about police brutality

21:53 - Romans 13 breakdown

22:54 - Cultural context of Romans 13 - Emperor Nero

25:10 - The Apostle Paul did not write scripture

27:00 - West Africans were uninvolved in Roman Christianity

35:10 - Romans 13:1-7 doesn't belong there?

38:06 - The Greatest Commandment takes priority

39:22 - Kristian's encounter with the Gen Z Christian Girlies

43:05 - Rebranding Condemnation as Conviction

48:33 - Issa Party!

In this episode, Kristian and the crew discuss how so much of Fundamentalist Christianity props up the image of white Jesus. This is the symbolism European nations have leveraged to violently colonize most of the known world.

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Video Chapters

00:00 - Intro and Highlights

02:16 - Kristian's Devil Horns

04:45 - The One Rule

05:49 - A Review of our YouTube haters

14:34 - What are you doing to care for yourself?

27:06 - "Jesus was NOT a Black Man" - Phillip Anthony Mitchell

40:52 - Weaponizing Marxism

46:52 - Evidence of Jesus' Skin Tone

55:34 - Afterlife Anxiety obstructs Pro-Blackness

58:53 - The problem with Christian Evangelism

The Faith Community is a groundbreaking, inclusive faith community where the traditional meets the transformational. It exists to challenge harmful religious norms while creating a safe, affirming space for spiritual seekers of all kinds. Through virtual connection, theological interrogation, and an emphasis on love and self-acceptance, TFC helps its audience find abundant life and community without compromising their identity.

In this episode, Kristian and the crew discuss what it's like to be single in the Black Church regardless of your gender or sexual orientation. We'll uncover in this conversation that those factors make a difference. We're joined by two of our community members, BJ Jackson and Paul Best.

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

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

Watch the Patrons-only recording of the first Deconstructing Singles Ministry episode: https://www.youtube.com/live/_sVoY3Qeqzg?si=14q9KM-AgXOA8hIT

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

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

Video Chapters

00:00 - Intro and Highlights

08:04 - Did not our hearts burn within us? - Part 1 Recap

12:30 - The One Rule

19:09 - Describe your experience as a single person in the Black Church

43:07 - Decentering Heterosexual Relationships

46:32 - Leave me out of your misery - Reaching for the Stars

1:02:10 - Jackie Hill Perry Levels of Repression

1:09:11 - The Masturbation Stigma

1:13:49 - How has Purity Culture impacted your relationships?

1:15:22 - Some single church mothers are closeted lesbians?

The Faith Community is a groundbreaking, inclusive faith community where the traditional meets the transformational. It exists to challenge harmful religious norms while creating a safe, affirming space for spiritual seekers of all kinds. Through virtual connection, theological interrogation, and an emphasis on love and self-acceptance, TFC helps its audience find abundant life and community without compromising their identity.

This episode will give you a look inside the mind of a Christian Nationalist. Kristian and the crew are joined by viral comedic content creator and author of "Star Spangled Jesus", April Ajoy.

April was raised in the Christian Nationalist world. Now she has committed her work to dismantling the tradition that raised her for the good of humanity.

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

Register for Holy Smokes Chicago here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holy-smokes-chicago-march-2025-tickets-1235019389239?aff=oddtdtcreator

Order "Star Spangled Jesus" here: https://linktr.ee/aprilajoy?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabCnvA_k_GTHeDI5GCzJYG-91N2UUU4raM-pczJWcaOAvrxDuAh7LzaWdE_aem_5k0g2VdLDciPvSDujZWqIQ

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

Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.holysmokesmovement.com/batr-book-order

Video Chapters

00:00 - Intro and Highlights

04:55 - Part 1 Recap

07:00 - Star Spangled Jesus

08:44 - The One Rule

10:45 - The definition of Christian Nationalism

13:45 - What aspect of Christian Nationalism is the most concerning?

25:30 - White Women, Welch's and Witchcraft

32:49 - Oscars Prayer Party

37:00 - Christian Nationalist U.S. History

45:55 - All good Christians are Republican

57:40 - White Evangelicals in Black Face

1:03:39 - Seven Mountain Mandate

1:17:07 - Blackness over Christianity

1:20:41 - How to counter Christian Nationalism

The Faith Community is a groundbreaking, inclusive faith community where the traditional meets the transformational. It exists to challenge harmful religious norms while creating a safe, affirming space for spiritual seekers of all kinds. Through virtual connection, theological interrogation, and an emphasis on love and self-acceptance, TFC helps its audience find abundant life and community without compromising their identity.

In this Therapy N' Theology episode of the podcast, the preacher and the preacher's wife discuss the implications of respectability politics on Black people in general and Black Christians in particular.

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

Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.holysmokesmovement.com/batr-book-order

Video Chapters

00:00 - Intro and Highlights

04:41 - The Therapy N Theology Origin Story

09:10 - The One Rule

10:58 - How is your mood?

17:53 - Doechii, Tyler the Creator, Kamasi Washington

21:32 - Jazz was bump & grind music

22:41 - Is Tripp Fontaine tripping? - Reaching for the Stars

36:36 - Leave Gender Wars in 2024

38:10 - Bonnets and Respectability Politics ft. Christina Brown

47:06 - The Origins of Respectability Politics

54:40 - Ethics vs Etiquette

1:07:02 - The connection between Sin & Respectability

1:18:13 - Count the Cost of your Rebellion

The Faith Community is a groundbreaking, inclusive faith community where the traditional meets the transformational. It exists to challenge harmful religious norms while creating a safe, affirming space for spiritual seekers of all kinds. Through virtual connection, theological interrogation, and an emphasis on love and self-acceptance, TFC helps its audience find abundant life and community without compromising their identity.

Kristian is joined by Auntie Mazda Miles, Pastor Tim Careathers and Myron the Mystic to unpack the Christian obsession with suffering. Hopefully you don't feel so obligated to suffer after watching this.

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

Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.holysmokesmovement.com/batr-book-order

Episode Chapters

00:00 - Intro and Highlights

02:52 - Welcome & Mazda Intro

10:32 - The One Rule by Tim Careathers

12:12 - What did your embedded theology teach you about suffering?

26:42 - "Make Dying Attractive" - Tim Ross

49:14 - Women & Suffering

58:08 - Intro to Theology of Suffering (Penal Substitutionary Atonement)

1:13:04 - Suffering is not redemptive - Myron the Mystic

1:22:02 - Abundant Life on this side - Mazda Miles

The Faith Community is a groundbreaking, inclusive faith community where the traditional meets the transformational. It exists to challenge harmful religious norms while creating a safe, affirming space for spiritual seekers of all kinds. Through virtual connection, theological interrogation, and an emphasis on love and self-acceptance, TFC helps its audience find abundant life and community without compromising their identity.

Kristian and the crew are joined by Ciarra Jones to discuss the struggle of losing certainty as you deconstruct your faith.

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

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

Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.holysmokesmovement.com/batr-book-order

Order The Sin of Certainty by Pete Enns here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25816844-the-sin-of-certainty

Video Chapters 00:00 - Intro and Highlights

04:08 - Welcome

07:35 - The One Rule

09:22 - Name a belief you once held as certain, but you no longer do.

21:41 - John Gray's Election Reflection (Reaching for the Stars)

42:08 - How has your relationship with certainty changed as you have grown?

54:53 - Talk to your kids about spirituality

1:01:44 - How did you grieve the loss of certainty?

1:15:44 - Replace certainty with possibility.

1:21:15 - Ciarra's Closing Thoughts

The Faith Community is a groundbreaking, inclusive faith community where the traditional meets the transformational. It exists to challenge harmful religious norms while creating a safe, affirming space for spiritual seekers of all kinds. Through virtual connection, theological interrogation, and an emphasis on love and self-acceptance, TFC helps its audience find abundant life and community without compromising their identity.

Kristian and the crew run down the list of the top moments of 2024 with a collection of Reaching For the Stars segments. The segment featuring Christian Influencer, Tim Ross, is where we discuss the notion that Black People are Racist...

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

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

Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.holysmokesmovement.com/batr-book-order

Video Chapters

00:00 - Intro and Highlights

05:46 - Welcome

08:28 - What was the most impactful cultural moment of the year?

21:44 - Bad Faith: The Rise of Christian Nationalism review

27:50 - Black People are Racist - Tim Ross (Reaching for the Stars)

47:02 - Deconstructing the Rapture review

49:20 - Jesus Wasn't a Revolutionary - Jordan Ifueko (Reaching for the Stars)

1:03:49 - Black Women & African Spirituality 7 review

1:07:47 - Astrology is Demonic - Brandon Jacobs (Reaching for the Stars)

1:18:59 - Closing Remarks of 2024

The Faith Community is a disruptive ministry built upon five keys: Greatest Commandment Theology, Anti-Racism, Women's Equity, LGBTQ+ Affirmation, and Bible Criticism. We are for the unchurched, the over-churched, and the under-churched; the weary and the wounded; the seeking and the cynical.

Exploring the concept of soul ties, this episode critically examines their theological origins, cultural implications, and real-life impact.

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

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

Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.holysmokesmovement.com/batr-book-order

Watch the Video Podcast here: https://youtu.be/eGelCDHrSP4

00:00 Podcast Introduction

05:02 Holy Smokes One Rule

08:13 Smoking, Drinking, and How was the flesh characterized in your faith tradition of origin?

23:39 Reaching for the Stars

30:26 Reactions - Philosophy vs. the Bible

33:52: Reactions - What did Frederick Douglass do?

38:17 Reactions - Christian want to own everything

48:49 The Pastor's Study - An Introduction to the Flesh

1:13:49 Spiritual Bypassing Harm as Sacrifice

1:24:09 How do you all navigate your relationship with the flesh?

1:31:13 Final Word

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The Faith Community is a disruptive ministry built upon five keys: Greatest Commandment Theology, Anti-Racism, Women's Equity, LGBTQ+ Affirmation, and Bible Criticism. We are for the unchurched, the over-churched, and the under-churched; the weary and the wounded; the seeking and the cynical.

Exploring the concept of soul ties, this episode critically examines their theological origins, cultural implications, and real-life impact.

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

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

Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.holysmokesmovement.com/batr-book-order

Watch the Video Podcast here: https://youtu.be/7JD_8BHguxo

00:00 Podcast Introduction

06:44 Holy Smokes One Rule

10:01 The Couch w/ Pamela the Therapist

15:26 Smoking, Drinking, and What is your relationship to the concept of soul ties?

35:10 Reaching for the Stars

48:34 He Keeps Coming Back

51:40 Purity Culture is a Setup

56:25 We have an obsession with end states

01:01:23 What value do you find in the concept of soul ties?

01:06:32 Anxious attachment style

01:14:21 You start to lose yourself

1:25:14 Final Words

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The Faith Community is a disruptive ministry built upon five keys: Greatest Commandment Theology, Anti-Racism, Women's Equity, LGBTQ+ Affirmation, and Bible Criticism. We are for the unchurched, the over-churched, and the under-churched; the weary and the wounded; the seeking and the cynical.