To a primarily deconstructing/deconstructed audience this might sound like a ridiculous question, but how are you doing with doubts? Doubting or questioning aspects of your faith—even if you no longer identify with the culture or religion—can be extremely jarring, especially when you go through something traumatic. In this freeform episode, I explore doubting my faith prior to and during an awful phase of my life. I discuss how I'm coping, how I'm finding the beauty in the unknown, and how I'm allowing my doubts to make space for a new way of thinking.

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Many were shocked when it was revealed that husband, father of many children, and TLC darling Josh Duggar had accessed violently inappropriate pornographic materials at his workplace. The shock continued when he was formally charged with said crimes. I say that “many” were shocked, because… well, Josh had already exhibited a pattern of predation, and those around him had already established their own pattern of protecting him from any sort of consequences or real accountability. Some of us weren’t shocked at all. Religious men are often protected, often don’t face consequences, and often aren’t held accountable beyond asking for forgiveness.

So what has Josh and his legal team been up to since the charges were leveled against him? Spoiler alert: nobody actually seems to be arguing his innocence. No, it actually seems his legal team, just like his parents and everyone in his circle years before, are trying to help him get away with what he did. In this episode, we look at some of the arguments his team has made in attempts to get evidence thrown out or the charges dropped altogether. We also take a moment to go over the timeline that brought Josh—and all of us—to this point.

Massive, massive content warnings for all things related to child abuse, sexual assault, pornography, violence, etc.

If you like what you hear, don't forget to rate and review on your preferred listening platform! Join the community on Instagram at @runaway_eve. I'm always open to topic suggestions, ideas, and any other ways you want to collaborate. 

What do a mediocre megachurch pastor, Mike Huckabee, and the Babylon Bee have in common? They say all the world's a stage.... Evangelical leaders have taken full advantage of that fact to infuse their "message" with "comedy". Or are they infusing their "comedy" with a message? And when that message is riddled with sexism, what does that say about these supposed Christians? 

This whole episode started with a tweet by Twitter user @mantequilla70.

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This time we’re ranting about menstrual cycles, fetal development, and comparisons to gun rights while we try to unpack Texas’ S.B. 8. I... actually don't have much to say here. Texas not only wants to outlaw abortions up to a point before many people even know they are pregnant—they want you to be paid to narc about it. Of all the weird regression happening in Texas right now, this is what I picked today because it just feels... scary and pointless. We will probably talk about this again as the situation continues to unfold; there are so many layers here and even just this one Texas law is so nuanced. 

MASSIVE trigger warnings for talk about abortions, menstruation, fetal development, guns, etc..

Adam Edelman, "'Insidious,' 'draconian,' 'cruel': New Texas abortion law empowers vigilantism, experts say"

The Associated Press, "Texas governor signs fetal heartbeat abortion ban"

CDC abortion data, 2018

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This is a quick and dirty bonus episode (rant?) to introduce you to Josh Duggar and the way Evangelical Christianity tends to protect their own from any sort of real-world consequences, often with disregard for the very real harm caused (and with feet firmly planted on what they perceive to be the moral high ground, of course). Topics introduced in this short discussion will be covered in more depth in the future, but with the latest Duggar family news breaking... yeah, I knew I needed to pour a glass of wine and go there tonight. 

MASSIVE trigger warnings for child abuse, sexual assault, mentions of sex, and mentions of pornography.

Here is a link to the tweet by @mavenofmayhem that kicked the whole episode off; go give them a follow!

Here is a link to the wiki page I got the background details, including statements from Josh Duggar and his family, from. 

Here is a link to the USA Today article that details the current situation as it has been unfolding. 

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What do you do when an Evangelical media mogul tries to debunk the very real experiences that are leading some of us to make connections between his belief system and acts of violence? You record yourself reacting to said debunking, of course. Inspired by Brad Onishi of the Straight White American Jesus podcast, this is my response to Jim Daly’s response to media outlets connecting the Atlanta shooting to Evangelicalism.

Trigger warnings for discussions surrounding violence, racism, and misogyny, and for ableist language.

Here’s a link to Jim Daly’s blog post if you’re curious (proceed with caution): NY Times, Washington Post Attempt to Connect Massage Parlor Murders to Biblical Sexual Ethic

Here’s a link to the Straight White American Jesus podcast website

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Why does Evangelical Christian culture rely so heavily on God and their religious beliefs to cope? Join me as we look at how Evangelicals use their religion to cope with trauma, some reasons why they might do it, and how authentic, tangible support through intentional community building might be a better option. Do you think the culture can ever embody this, or are we relegated to nothing more than "thoughts and prayers" forever? 

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Articles cited, in the order they are mentioned:

Bonus! Discussion of this article didn't make it into the episode, but it's a fascinating read: With Genuine Belief Comes Genuine Comfort: Is Religion a Coping Mechanism?

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