What happens when we let go of religion?

Do we shed an outdated system of control, or do we lose something more profound—an anchor, a language for meaning, a map of the mysterious?

As more and more people walk away from religious institutions, we’re left with big questions. What fills the space that religion once held? What do we really mean when we say we’re seeking something spiritual, not religious? And how do we live in a world where the sacred is no longer assumed, but must be chosen?

Today, on Soul Curious, we explore “The Need for the Sacred”—why we long for it, what we risk without it, and how a renewed sacred imagination might guide us forward.

In this episode of Soul Curious, we explore the evolving landscape of faith. We’ll look at the rise of individualized spirituality, the critique of religious institutions, and the hunger for meaning that remains constant. We’ll weave in the wisdom of thinkers from Emerson to Heschel, Whitman to Dorrien, to explore a pressing and poetic question:

Can we have the sacred without structure? And can structure survive without the sacred?

Today, I want to ask you something:

What happens to us—individually, collectively—when we lose the capacity to believe?

Not just in God. But in anything bigger than ourselves?

What happens when we stop imagining a deeper purpose? When we no longer trust that love can win, that justice can rise, that mystery still pulses beneath the surface of ordinary life?

In a time of deep skepticism, disillusionment, and distraction, I want to understand something ancient and enduring:

Why do we believe?

In this episode, we’re exploring sacred stories—myths, scriptures, parables, and poems—and how they continue to shape our sense of self, community, and the divine. From the flood myths of Mesopotamia to the Exodus of the Hebrew Bible, from the moral clarity of Emerson to the soul-liberating verses of Whitman, we ask: What are the stories we live by, and what happens when those stories no longer serve us?

What shaped you—before you knew you were being shaped?

Rhythms of prayer. Sacred language murmured in dim rooms. Rituals that bound time and space into something more than daily life. Whether religion arrived through church bells, incense, holy books, or silence—what formed us early remains, often invisibly, as part of who we are.

Today, we explore this inner terrain—how religion, when deeply woven into our upbringing, becomes part of our very structure. Not just something we believe in, but something we become—psychologically, spiritually, even physically.

And as we explore this shaping, we ask: What does it mean to reflect on it later? Can we ever truly unweave those threads? Or are we forever marked—not only by belief but by the experience of belief itself?

On today’s episode we will explore why my parents and so many parents of their generation decided to raise their children religiously. We will look at societal influences on their choices as well as other enticing components of being part of a religious group. We will look at how their choices influenced our generation and if there is anything we can extract from this experience that is relevant in our lives today.

If you're like me and you remain curious this podcast is for you.