[this episode originally aired on 10/10/20]

John Mark McMillan and Joey Svendsen enjoy their time with Pastor and Author Brian Zahnd, asking him a little about everything. What does Brian Zahnd think of the POTUS (Donald Trump) and if asked, would he serve on his spiritual advisement board?

Brian Zahnd believes strongly in the church. He points out the problems with both the "Christian right" and "Christian left," highlighting how Jesus wouldn’t serve either of their agendas; because frankly, He has his own. The church, he says, is a part of the world that's “already changed by Christ.” Until we let this sink in, Zahnd concludes that Christians will continue to seek hope in what their political party can accomplish, none of this having anything to do with the more important Kingdom work we are to value above all.

Brian and John Mark also have an interesting take on why many artists are disinterested in politics. And of course, we get into some theology: atonement theories, Christian universalism, the gospel in its fullness.

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On Today's episode:
Brian Zahnd / Site / Twitter
John Mark McMillan / Site / Instagram / Store (SALE!)
Joey Svendsen (host) / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / E-mail

Podcast Socials
PWNA Discussion Facebook Group / YouTube

e-mail the PWNA team here.

Thanks //  Derek Minor for theme song and Joel Hamilton / Joel Hamilton + friends for other music.

E-mail Joey here.

Support Joey's work by Being a Patron / (Venmo)

Check out Joey's Substack.

Theme Song by Stoy Prioleau (aka: Riggy Roc): Apple Music

Josh Porter (formerly known as Josh Dies of the band Showbread), author of the new book "Death to Deconstruction," shares his story of christian fundamentalist upbringing and deconstruction of faith. Full of bitterness towards the church, he later discovered deep issues of personal pride (quite common for youngsters his age) that contributed greatly to being on this path. 

Having now returned to an orthodox (as in what people would describe as not progressive) faith, he is also a pastor at a non-denominational church. 

As Joey and Josh likely see faith and deconstruction very differently, they enjoyed a full's episode worth of discussing what they both agreed on,  including the needed adjustments for the church to make, in order for it to recapture the ways of Jesus.

Josh appeals to the need of having Jesus' ability to maintain convictions (and true beliefs), while still having a welcoming heart for all to "come to the table of fellowship," including those who aren't even sure where they stand with faith altogether.  He shares practically what this looks like as a pastor.   

The two may or may not have also done some reminiscing of those glorious yesteryears of discovering the "listening bliss" of punk rock music. 

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On Today's episode:
Josh Porter  / Instagram / Web / Book / Podcast
Joey Svendsen (co-host) / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / E-mail

Podcast Socials
PWNA Discussion Facebook Group / YouTube

e-mail the PWNA team here.

Thanks //  Derek Minor for theme song and Joel Hamilton / Joel Hamilton + friends for other music.
 

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Theme Song by Stoy Prioleau (aka: Riggy Roc): Apple Music

[Please listen with caution. Lots of sexual abuse talk]

Randy, and his wife Cynthia Lail (both dear to Joey's heart), carry with them a beautiful faith that will bring back memories to many listeners who have deconstructed some and no longer see things in the light of traditional, evangelical christian lenses. 

As a child, Randy was a victim of sexual abuse [and trafficking] at the hands of one who was supposed to be his protector.  The result was a warped view of sexuality and a monstrous sexual addiction that would continue far into his marriage with Cynthia.

Desperate for healing, these two were ready with open hands for whatever means God would chose to do it.  For starters, Randy is convinced Jesus spoke to him.  His deceased mom also.  And this happened all under the influence of an 8-hour ecstasy trip (under doctor supervision) where he also discovered the extent of his sexual abuse.  The rawness and transparency demonstrated in this episode is something to aspire to.

"That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Praise and glory to a Savior who rescues us from our past and redeems beyond our expectation, more than we can ask or imagine.  


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On Today's episode:
Randy Lail / Facebook
Cynthia Lail / Facebook
Joey Svendsen (co-host) / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / E-mail

Podcast Socials
PWNA Discussion Facebook Group / YouTube

e-mail the PWNA team here.

Thanks //  Derek Minor for theme song and Joel Hamilton / Joel Hamilton + friends for other music.
 

E-mail Joey here.

Support Joey's work by Being a Patron / (Venmo)

Check out Joey's Substack.

Theme Song by Stoy Prioleau (aka: Riggy Roc): Apple Music

Co-hosts Chip Judd (very long-time Christian) and Matt Oxley (long-time Christian, gone atheist) discuss with Joey what he finds to be an "impossible position" Christians are in when it comes to their kids and the doctrine of hell. 

If dreaded eternal separation is on the table of possibilities, fear and life-trauma [in the end] is a good thing, especially if one is scared enough to repent and avoid going there.  Right? 

Chip and Matt both agree that religious people have taken advantage of this doctrine to control people. They also agree that a fixation on eternal separation makes for lousy Christians.  Joey makes a case again for Christian Universalism and Matt proposes that Jesus failed, if everyone isn't saved. 

Why are so many Christians not able to find peace while holding a belief in hell, while others can go about their life normally, not bothered by their many friends and family perishing in the end?  Do Christians really believe in hell?  What is humanity's flaw, and what is the gospel anyway?  A hell of an episode (pun intended).

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On Today's episode:
Matt Oxley  / Web  / Twitter
Chip Judd / Website / Instagram
Joey Svendsen (co-host) / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / E-mail

Podcast Socials
PWNA Discussion Facebook Group / YouTube

e-mail the PWNA team here.

Thanks //  Derek Minor for theme song and Joel Hamilton / Joel Hamilton + friends for other music.

E-mail Joey here.

Support Joey's work by Being a Patron / (Venmo)

Check out Joey's Substack.

Theme Song by Stoy Prioleau (aka: Riggy Roc): Apple Music

Two marriages that ended in divorce.  One after 35 years of marriage, grandkids to show for it; the other marriage, a lot newer with no offspring. 

Why did these two men get divorces?  How much responsibility do they take?  What feelings do they currently have for their former spouses, and how did their church communities respond? 

Are divorces more accepted these days amongst Christians?  How relevant to these men are Jesus' words, "If anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery."  (Luke 16:18)

And would it not make sense for more people to seek marital advice from those who have lived through a divorce?

[This conversation was recorded in June of 2022.  Thanks, Jack and Jed.  Your willingness to be open and honest provides valuable insight for us all]

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On Today's episode:
Jack Hoey / Linked In
Jed Payne / Instagram / Podcast
Joey Svendsen (host) / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / E-mail

Podcast Socials
PWNA Discussion Facebook Group / YouTube

e-mail the PWNA team here.

Thanks //  Derek Minor for theme song and Joel Hamilton / Joel Hamilton + friends for other music.

E-mail Joey here.

Support Joey's work by Being a Patron / (Venmo)

Check out Joey's Substack.

Theme Song by Stoy Prioleau (aka: Riggy Roc): Apple Music

Viewer discretion is always advised, dummies, but this one is a must.

Erica Smith, sexuality educator for 22 years and creator of Purity Culture Drop Out, talks candidly and answers Joey's crazy questions about female sexuality. 

According to Erica, there's not a lot of sexual behavior (i.e. masturbation habits, being aroused by visual stimuli ) consistent to a particular gender.  In other words, "girls like stuff," just like boys.  There is however a lot of sexual tendencies/patterns in society that are affected greatly by cultural conditioning.

What's the biology behind older men remaining sexually attracted to girls in their early to mid-twenties?  What does Erica's research say about casual sex and hook-ups?  We talk porn, sado masochism, how much sex goes on in nursing homes and many more "blush inducing" topics.

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Erica Smith / Instagram / Website
Joey Svendsen, co-host / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / E-mail

Podcast Socials
PWNA Discussion Facebook Group / YouTube

Thanks //  Joel Hamilton / Joel Hamilton + friends for music on this episode.

e-mail the PWNA team here.

E-mail Joey here.

Support Joey's work by Being a Patron / (Venmo)

Check out Joey's Substack.

Theme Song by Stoy Prioleau (aka: Riggy Roc): Apple Music

No one is ever prepared for this sort of news.  Life is normal for Hayne Griffin and all of the sudden, he has to contemplate losing his spouse.  But this is a "Woman's Body Month," who cares about Hayne! (just kidding, Hayne).

Hayne's wife, Erica Griffin, joins the show and the two describe how breast cancer has rocked (and is rocking) their world.

As five folks on this show who have experienced significant faith-deconstruction, there's lots of discussion on our current views of God, sickness and healing in the context of Erica's cancer; and how drastically different from our pre-deconstruction thinking.   

Does losing your breasts affect how a woman feels sexually?  Why is it easier for Hayne to be an atheist sometimes?  Did Erica expect to find herself in heaven in the event she died?  And who would have thought, all breasts can be broken down into two groups: fatty or dense.  And this is actually important!  A little bit of everything on this one. 

And we figured out a way to laugh through all this.  Beauty of the human spirit.  Talking about pain and agony with friends can still include laughter.

Thanks to Erica and Hayne Griffin for sharing their story.

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Erica Griffin / Instagram
Hayne Griffin / Instagram
Liz Miller, co-host / Instagram / Memoirs
Ellen Mauro, co-host / Instagram
Joey Svendsen, co-host / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / E-mail

Podcast Socials
PWNA Discussion Facebook Group / YouTube

Thanks //  Joel Hamilton / Joel Hamilton + friends for music on this episode.

e-mail the PWNA team here.

E-mail Joey here.

Support Joey's work by Being a Patron / (Venmo)

Check out Joey's Substack.

Theme Song by Stoy Prioleau (aka: Riggy Roc): Apple Music

"A Woman's Body Month," sexuality, self-worth and image, the brutality of breast cancer and what it's like not to desire sex, all through the life experiences of women.

On this episode, Amy Alderman and Joey Svendsen talk to Rachel Meyers of Your Favorite Heretics, to gain a better understanding of asexuality.   Rachel enjoys "having feelings" for others (she enjoys that with her husband, Derek) and has always enjoyed being pursued.  She just never has desired any one's body sexually.

Rachel's form of asexuality not only leaves her disinterested in sex, the thought is repulsive and the act as troublesome as it would be for a gay person to be with the opposite sex or a straight person having sex with the same gender.  She relishes  complements from women, has to work hard at giving her kids physical affection and loves her husband dearly.

So, what about her husband?  Do asexual people like orgasms? Is asexuality an imperfection?

Thanks to Rachel for sharing a part of her life that she would change if she could.

It's "A Woman's Body Month" continues on Pastor With No Answers Podcast. "Brutality of Breast Cancer" with co-host Hayne and his wife, Erica (Oct 18th)
"Woman Sexuality" with Erica Smith (Oct 25th)

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Rachel Meyers / Your Favorite Heretics / Twitter
Amy Alderman, co-host / Facebook
Joey Svendsen, co-host / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / E-mail

Podcast Socials
PWNA Discussion Facebook Group / YouTube

Thanks //  Joel Hamilton / Joel Hamilton + friends and Jejune (courtesy of Joe Guevara) for music on this episode.

e-mail the PWNA team here.

Support the show

E-mail Joey here.

Support Joey's work by Being a Patron / (Venmo)

Check out Joey's Substack.

Theme Song by Stoy Prioleau (aka: Riggy Roc): Apple Music

Kicking off a 4-part series for the month of October, sexuality, self-worth and image, the brutality of breast cancer and what it's like not to desire sex, all through the life experiences of women (but of course!). 

Today, co-hosts of the show, Ellen Mauro, Amy Alderman and Liz Miller discuss what pop culture currently deems as the ideal female body type, whether women always care about having sex appeal and if culture is dictating the whole "as men get older, they become more distinguished and as women age, less sexy and desirable" narrative.  All three ladies describe with great candor their own struggle with body image, especially as they age.  Special thanks to them for that.   

Are women competitive with one another? Is it unnerving that statistically, as men get older they always find girls in their early 20s the most appealing sexually? Does culture now accept the sexual objectification of men?   Oh, and guys being more visual than women?  That may just be a myth. 

It's "A Woman's Body Month" on Pastor With No Answers Podcast. 
The conversation continues throughout the month:

"Asexuality" with Rachel Meyers of Your Favorite Heretics (Oct. 11th)
"Brutality of Breast Cancer" with co-host Hayne and his wife, Erica (Oct 18th)
"Woman Sexuality" with Erica Smith (Oct 25th)

 Love the show?  We would love your support as a patron. 

All patrons have optional access to the Bear W/ Community. 
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Liz Miller / Instagram / Memoirs
Amy Alderman / Facebook
Ellen Mauro / Instagram
Joey Svendsen / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / E-mail

Podcast Socials
PWNA Discussion Facebook Group / YouTube

e-mail the PWNA team here.

Thanks //  Derek Minor for theme song and Joel Hamilton / Joel Hamilton + friends and Jejune (courtesy of Joe Guevara) for other music.

E-mail Joey here.

Support Joey's work by Being a Patron / (Venmo)

Check out Joey's Substack.

Theme Song by Stoy Prioleau (aka: Riggy Roc): Apple Music

Ellen Mauro has found great recent success in medicating her AD/HD.  She also got Joey to watch a documentary called "We've Got to Talk About Cosby," which chronicles the twisted and dark life of Bill Cosby, all along while the cultural icon is considered heroic by millions of fans.

Now having watched the documentary, Joey can never enjoy The Cosby Show again.  Stoy, Ellen and Joey discuss evil in the context of mental illness and they look at the nuances involved in separating good art from an evil artist.  Lastly, Joey and Ellen learn about Stoy's superpower.   

For Part II of the episode, John Mark Mcmillan and Joey discuss their journey of judging people less, the older they get.  John Mark ran into a famous Mega Church Pastor in an airplane who is a big fan of of John Mark's music, the two of them now friends.  Come to find out, although looks can be deceiving, the Mega Church Pastor is actually a real person too.

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On Today's episode:
John Mark McMillan / Instagram / Website
Ellen Mauro (co-host) / Instagram
Stoy Prioleau (co-host)  / FB / Music
(Riggy Roc - where ever you stream your music)

Joey Svendsen (host) / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / E-mail

Podcast Socials
PWNA Discussion Facebook Group / YouTube

ANNOUNCEMENTS / LINKS
4 Week Experience

e-mail the PWNA team here.

Thanks //  Derek Minor for theme song and Joel Hamilton / Joel Hamilton + friends for other music.

E-mail Joey here.

Support Joey's work by Being a Patron / (Venmo)

Check out Joey's Substack.

Theme Song by Stoy Prioleau (aka: Riggy Roc): Apple Music