For their Season 1 finale, Ashley and Bailee dive into the foundations of Mormonism — the religious movement that started with Joseph Smith’s visions and a mysterious golden book. From the early 19th-century American landscape to the founding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they explore how faith, controversy, and community shaped a movement that would captivate millions.

They also trace the early practices, bold claims, and conflicts that defined Mormonism’s first decades — showing how devotion and doubt have always gone hand in hand.

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Bailee and Ashley revisit the cult classic Hocus Pocus — a movie that once lived firmly on the “banned” list of evangelical households. For Bailee, it’s a first-time watch after years of hearing it would “open doors to the demonic.” Together, they explore what made this 90s Halloween film such a target of fear, how it became a cultural staple, and why evangelicals were so afraid of a little witchy fun.

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Bailee and Ashley unpack the evangelical fear of Halloween — the one night a year said to “open doors to the demonic.” From banned costumes and “Harvest Festivals” to sermons about the devil’s birthday, they explore how a night of make-believe became a moral minefield.

They also revisit the infamous Guts Church’s Nightmare, the evangelical “scared straight” haunted house in Tulsa, OK that did not shy away from the grotesque — turning sin, guilt, and hellfire into a full-blown theatrical production.

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Bailee and Ashley dig into the evangelical fixation on demonic activity — from the fear of Ouija boards and Harry Potter to the late-night youth group sermons about “opening spiritual doors.” They explore how a fixation on evil, possession, and “spiritual warfare” created a culture where fear was framed as discernment and curiosity was cast as danger.

They also reflect on how growing up in that environment shaped their understanding of morality, control, and imagination — and what it means to reclaim a sense of wonder without the constant threat of the devil lurking behind every pop song, yoga pose, and super bowl halftime show.

Chris Watts Documentary:
American Murder: The Family Next Door — now streaming on Netflix

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Bailee and Ashley dig into the world of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) — the fundamentalist organization at the center of the Shiny Happy People docuseries and the belief system that shaped the Duggar family. They explore how IBLP’s teachings on authority, purity, and submission created a culture of fear disguised as faith — and how those ideas spread far beyond one family or movement.

They also reflect on how growing up under similar ideologies shaped their own understanding of womanhood, obedience, and “godly order,” and what it takes to unlearn those systems while holding space for both humor and healing.

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Bailee and Ashley explore the idea of “divine timing” — how evangelical culture framed waiting as holy, delays as God’s will, and patience as proof of faith. From purity culture’s insistence on waiting for marriage, to the promise that every unanswered prayer had a higher purpose, they unpack how these teachings shaped their understanding of time, desire, and control.

They also reflect on what it means to release the pressure of perfect timing today — learning to trust their own rhythms, embrace the unknown, and find meaning in moments that don’t have to fit a divine schedule.

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Bailee and Ashley dig into the idea of “guilty pleasures” and how evangelical culture shaped their relationship to fun, rest, and indulgence. From the suspicion of secular music and movies, to the shame around food, fashion, and even hobbies, they reflect on how pleasure was often framed as dangerous or sinful.

They also share how they’re learning to reclaim joy without guilt — embracing simple delights, rethinking what it means to rest, and finding freedom in pleasures that don’t need justifying.

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Bailee and Ashley dive into how evangelical culture taught them to view joy and suffering — from the pressure to “choose joy” in every circumstance to the idea that enduring hardship was proof of true faith. They reflect on how these teachings minimized real emotions, fueled toxic positivity, and made space for shame when life didn’t feel joyful enough.

They also share what it’s looked like to unlearn those patterns and embrace a healthier perspective on both grief and joy — one that makes room for honesty, healing, and freedom.

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Ashley and Bailee continue the conversation on how evangelical culture shaped their views on marriage— including how the evangelical marriage complex pressures people to marry young, sets them up with unrealistic ideals, and leaves little room for growth or authenticity.

So in Part 2, Ashley and Bailee return to the conversation, diving deeper into the ways those teachings shaped our expectations and experiences. We also share more honestly and transparently about where we’re at now, how our perspectives continue to evolve, and what it means to imagine partnership beyond the scripts we were handed.

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Ashley and Bailee dig into the evangelical culture of testimonies and the role they played in shaping both faith and identity. We unpack how testimonies became a kind of performance—rewarded when they fit the right narrative and quietly dismissed when they didn’t. From youth group stages to revival tents, we reflect on how we were conditioned to craft stories that proved God’s power, often at the cost of our own authenticity.

We share our own experiences of the pressure, the performance, and the reward system around testimonies—and how those skills carried into adulthood, showing up in unexpected places like careers in marketing and communications. Together, we reflect on what it meant to become the “story people,” what it cost us, and how we’re learning to reclaim our own narratives outside of that framework.

If you live in Minneapolis and are looking for pain care:
Core Lifestyle Clinic
Instagram: @corelifestyle_
Schedule an appointment with Filestea Humes Stryker, Ashley’s massage therapist, here.

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