Episode 144 - Angela J. Herrington - Embracing the Old Witch in the Woods

In this episode of still Unbelievable! Matthew interviews Angela Herrington author of Embracing the Old witch in the woods. Angela has written another book, Deconstruct your faith without losing yourself. She is a beautiful human being who puts enormous effort and thought into affirming others and guiding them into being validated versions of themselves. We found her book thought provoking and challenging as well as heart warming and helpful. When you've listened to this, please support her by buying her books. Links below.

Angela, is the first of several author conversations that we will publish in 2026. This year is going to be a busy year here at Still Unbelievable!

1) Embracing the Old Witch in the Woods

https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9798889835233/Embracing-the-Old-Witch-in-the-Woods

2) Angela's website

https://angelajherrington.com/about/

https://angelajherrington.com/press/

https://angelajherrington.com/books-by-angela-j-herrington/

3) The Relentless Indigenous Woman

https://relentlessindigenouswoman.ca/

https://relentlessindigenouswoman.ca/pages/podcast

4) intersectionality explained

https://www.britannica.com/topic/intersectionality

5) perpetual virginity of mary

https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/how-to-explain-the-perpetual-virginity-of-mary

6) Mary did not have consent

https://blakehereth.com/uploads/1/2/7/5/127509046/w_mary_did_you_consent_.pdf

7) Wilda Gafney

https://www.holytroublemakers.com/revgafney

https://www.wilgafney.com/

8) Wounds into Wisdom by Tirzah Firestone

https://amzn.eu/d/8GeBkgp

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirzah_Firestone

9) other trauma healing resources

It Didn’t Start with You - https://amzn.eu/d/3kL8uaZ

My Grandmother’s Hands - https://amzn.eu/d/3Y6C8FC

The Body Keeps the Score - https://amzn.eu/d/iS56mLX

Healing Collective Trauma - https://amzn.eu/d/85L1mM6

Break the Cycle - https://amzn.eu/d/bVJObFT

Survivor Café - https://amzn.eu/d/8iYALqB

https://www.balancedmindstherapy.com/blog/healing-intergenerational-trauma

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-flourishing-family/202107/breaking-the-chains-generational-trauma

https://thepsychologycompany.co.uk/unraveling-the-threads-understanding-and-healing-intergenerational-trauma/

Still Unbelievable! book: https://amzn.eu/d/fmsN1Cw

Apostate book: https://amzn.eu/d/9RIUZYx

To contact us, email: [email protected]

our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901

Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below:

https://hollykirstensongs.com/

https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

In this episode of still unbelievable, Matthew reviews an episode of the Unbelievable? podcast. It's an episode that features Stephen Law and Michael Jones in conversation. He'll mostly focus on the things that Michael Jones says, because through his channel, Inspiring Philosophy, he says things about Christianity which are Unbelievable!, at least to the listener who is prepared to fact check things. Which sadly, most christians are not, so let us do that job for you so we can all see how Christianity always was, and is Still, Unbelievable!

1) original episode

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UOwOCGIPzQ

https://www.premierunbelievable.com/unbelievable/does-humanism-or-christianity-offer-the-world-a-better-future-mike-jones-inspiring-philosophy-vs-stephen-law/19875.article?fbclid=IwY2xjawMFQvhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHn10xC1NvdZ0kJ4DK7W0wbeHoLbQEzThrFMsbk6TOJmSPwV_cM7ThYeErj5m_aem_DpmX3nw7Y91-weiovn7nqw

2) Dr Stephen Law

https://lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/profiles/stephen-law

3) Michael Jones

https://www.inspiringphilosophy.com/team

4) 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 (ESV)

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

5) Foundations of Modern Science in the Middle Ages, Edward Grant

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=YyvmEyX6rZgC&pg=PA223&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=1#v=onepage&q&f=false

6) The Byzantine Empire

https://www.worldhistory.org/Byzantine_Government/

7) Forced Conversion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forced_conversion

8) Human rights

https://www.un.org/en/about-us/udhr/history-of-the-declaration

9) Life Unwasted Podcast

https://open.spotify.com/show/4z1czHu4yiCPXGU4gauvkM

10) Robert Woodberry and the Benefits of Protestant Missions

https://tifwe.org/robert-woodberry-and-the-benefits-of-protestant-missions/

11) Critique of Robert Woodberry

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-political-science/article/abs/conversionary-protestants-do-not-cause-democracy/89D4552E3CEED18F62E94E4ABEF322F6

12) National context, religiosity, and volunteering: Results from 53 countries

https://research-portal.uu.nl/en/publications/national-context-religiosity-and-volunteering-results-from-53-cou

13) Community involvement and mental health

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/england/node/9466

https://www.jstor.org/stable/30038985

14) Secularism and Fertility Worldwide

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/23780231211031320

15) Is the Earth really overpopulated?

https://mahb.stanford.edu/library-item/is-the-earth-really-overpopulated/

16) Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?, By Eric Kaufmann

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/shall-the-religious-inherit-the-earth-by-eric-kaufmann-1939316.html

17) Human Rights

https://www.questjournals.org/jrhss/papers/vol10-issue3/Ser-2/B10030812.pdf

https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/education/human-rights-explained-human-rights-origins

https://polsci.institute/comparative-politics/human-rights-evolution/

https://lawbhoomi.com/evolution-and-historical-development-of-human-rights/

18) Children in Antiquity and Early Christianity: Research History and Central Issues

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/50604571.pdf

19) Ancient Marriage in Myth and Reality

https://www.cambridgescholars.com/resources/pdfs/978-1-4438-2261-9-sample.pdf

20) John W. Compton

https://academic.oup.com/book/32101

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywrobxq-h7U

Still Unbelievable! book: https://amzn.eu/d/fmsN1Cw

Apostate book: https://amzn.eu/d/9RIUZYx

To contact us, email: [email protected]

our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901

Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below:

https://hollykirstensongs.com/

https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

In this episode of Still Unbelievable!, Matthew reviews an episode of J Warner Wallace's Cold Case Christianity podcast where he tries to make a case for objective morality being explained by his preferred god. J Warner Wallace is infamous for his cold case Christianity book, which allegedly claims to be his story of discovery by investigating god like a detective. His podcast is not a good example of honest detective work and in this review of his case for objective morality, we'll see why. Word of warning, there is so much to comment on in this episode that we have added more interjections than any other other episode. if this is too much for you as a lister, please do let me know. Feedback on what is good and bad is always useful, and on that note, please do add a review of still unbelievable to wherever you get your podcasts, it helps others and it certainly helps us.

1) the original episode

https://coldcasechristianity.com/podcasts/podcasts-about-gods-existence/why-objective-moral-truth-is-best-explained-by-the-existence-of-god-podcast/

2) Barna Poll : Survey Reveals Significant Shifts in Faith Allegiance and Growing Confusion about Moral Truth

https://georgebarna.com/2025/05/confusion-about-moral-truth/

3) Human Hunting

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human-hunting#cite_note-11

Still Unbelievable! book: https://amzn.eu/d/fmsN1Cw

Apostate book: https://amzn.eu/d/9RIUZYx

To contact us, email: [email protected]

our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901

Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below:

https://hollykirstensongs.com/

https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

In in this episode of Still Unbelievable! Matthew reads the Christmas narratives from the gospels. To show that as each gospel is written, the story gets embellished.

Unlike the death and resurrection narratives, see our 2025 Easter bonus episodes for thoughts on those, link in the show notes. The birth story of Jesus is not told in all four of the gospels.

Like the Easter episodes, we will be looking at each of the gospels in the order written, which means starting with Mark chapter 1.

1) Easter 2025 Bonus episodes on the death and resurrection of Jesus

https://youtu.be/f31UpncgmQk

https://youtu.be/wgZhMPE-kx0

https://youtu.be/bvtp-REH9oo

2) extra biblical account of the birth of Jesus

https://earlychristianwritings.com/infancyjames.html#google_vignette

Still Unbelievable! book: https://amzn.eu/d/fmsN1Cw

Apostate book: https://amzn.eu/d/9RIUZYx

To contact us, email: [email protected]

our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901

Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below:

https://hollykirstensongs.com/

https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

Matthew is joined by David from Skeptics and Seekers to answer Braxton Hunter's 5 questions for atheists 2025.

Join us for answers, spattered with laughing and swearing!

1) original youtube video

https://youtu.be/gsma6UT3rwk?si=2jdJVDlqIMjuuFxy

2) Robin Collins

https://www.messiah.edu/homepage/1662/robin_collins

https://www.messiah.edu/info/20003/faith_and_values/5/statements_of_faith

https://rintintin.colorado.edu/~vancecd/phil201/Collins.pdf (1999) source of the freemon dyson quote

https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=0d385016fc615624829568172ae73c5ac695155a

https://spot.colorado.edu/~heathwoo/Phil383/collins.htm#N_1_

3) Freeman Dyson Quote - (1979). Disturbing the Universe

https://archive.org/details/disturbinguniver0000dyso/page/250/mode/2up?q=%22water+could+not+exist+as+a+liquid%22

https://pubs.aip.org/physicstoday/article-abstract/32/12/51/432255/Disturbing-the-Universe

Freeman Dyson went on to say:

"I conclude from the existence of these accidents ... that the universe is ... unexpectedly hospitable .... I do not claim that the architecture of the universe proves the existence of god. I claim only that the architecture of the universe is consistent with the hypothesis that mind plays an essential role in its functioning."

4) Science Proves There are More than Two Human Sexes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT0HJkr1jj4

5) How evolution gave us free will

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=how+evolution+gave+us+free+will&adgrpid=1175379657968595&hvadid=73461428254687&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=69110&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-73461487665568%3Aloc-188&hydadcr=24459_2219459&mcid=8a9d1f3c3e333d79aab99d6d9ab3256d&msclkid=bb7d0886990714ed0e9660e7a6a19fad&tag=mh0a9-21&ref=pd_sl_2myqx3bdnv_e

Still Unbelievable! book: https://amzn.eu/d/fmsN1Cw

Apostate book: https://amzn.eu/d/9RIUZYx

To contact us, email: [email protected]

our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901

Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below:

https://hollykirstensongs.com/

https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

In this episode of Still Unbelievable!, Matthew reviews Sean McDowell and William Lane Craig being shitty about Rhett's deconversion. When Christian apologists review the deconversion of a high profile Christian, it's a given that they will miss the point on the things they say and misdirect their adoring Christian fans on the negative aspects of Christianity that cause the person to leave. This conversation is no exception and we're going to have fun highlighting all the predictable and unsurprising ways that Sean and WLC achieve this.

Link 1 takes you to the Sean McDowell interview with WLC and Link 2 going to the Alex O'Connor interview with Rhett. It is very interesting that Sean does not provide a link to Alex's show in his YouTube notes. What is he afraid of?

1) original Sean McDowell conversation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75gT-lEgRRw

2) The original interview between Rhett and Alex O'Connor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9wjVLKy8Xk

3) The Web of Belief - By W. V. Quine, J. S. Ullian

https://emilkirkegaard.dk/en/wp-content/uploads/W.-V.-Quine-J.-S.-Ullian-The-Web-of-Belief.pdf

4) Biola statements of faith and evolution

https://www.biola.edu/blogs/biola-magazine/2017/should-christians-evolve-on-evolution

https://archive.chosenpeople.com/pdf/Doctrinal-Statement.pdf

https://www.biola.edu/about/theological-positions

5) secular scholars on the history of christianity

https://www.worldhistory.org/user/rdenova/

https://www.religiousstudies.pitt.edu/people/rebecca-denova

https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Origins+of+Christianity+and+the+New+Testament-p-9781119759621

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_Pagels

https://www.elaine-pagels.com/books/

https://censamm.org/about/people/crossley

https://www.librarything.com/work/1968245/book/10922499

6) Still Unbelievable! bonus episodes on the progression of the resurrection narrative

https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/ucNqgubkpUb

https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/s97AttbkpUb

https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/B77lFsbkpUb

Still Unbelievable! book: https://amzn.eu/d/fmsN1Cw

Apostate book: https://amzn.eu/d/9RIUZYx

To contact us, email: [email protected]

our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901

Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below:

https://hollykirstensongs.com/

https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

In this episode Matthew reviews a conversation that Lee Strobel had with Justin Brierley in April 2022. In that discussion Lee tried very hard to make a case for heaven, and Matthew examines the points he makes and revealing why his case is utter bunk. It literally is wishful thinking gone wild.

The original you tube video of the conversation is at link 1, it's not long, about 20 minutes. Lee's Case for heaven movie is at link 2. It's longer at almost 2 hours.

1) Original conversation between Lee and Justin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Oeh8L-87U

2) case for heaven movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbkwdT3Tq40

3) hyponatraemia

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/hyponatraemia/

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/hyponatraemia/background-information/complications/

4) Being Close to Death can Transform Your Life.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/understanding-grief/202411/can-being-close-to-death-transform-your-life?msockid=312d907b5d7169080dc782295cba68f7

5) Sharon Dirckx

https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2023/17-february/features/interviews/interview-sharon-dirckx-christian-apologist

https://www.solas-cpc.org/book-am-i-just-my-brain-by-sharon-dirckx/

6) the Lancet

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(01)07100-8/abstract

7) Failure to Elicit Near-Death Experiences in Induced Cardiac Arrest

https://med.virginia.edu/perceptual-studies/wp-content/uploads/sites/360/2017/01/NDE47.pdf

8) the maria story

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeterson/2019/07/the-shoe-on-the-ledge.html

https://www.is-there-a-god.info/blog/life/whatever-happened-to-my-tennis-shoean-nde-story/

9) Blind Vicky NDE

https://ndestories.org/vicki-noratuk/

10) Psychology today article on apparent evidence for a soul

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/biocentrism/201112/does-the-soul-exist-evidence-says-yes

11) Pam Reynolds

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pam_Reynolds_case

BBC report on the case

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osfIY4B3y1U

12) science articles

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/peace-of-mind-near-death/

https://sciencebasedlife.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/near-death-experiences-science-after-all/

13) Howard storm traumatic NDE

https://thepurposeoflife-nde.com/howard-storm/

https://near-death.com/howard-storm/

To contact us, email: [email protected]

our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901

Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below:

https://hollykirstensongs.com/

https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

Episode 138 - Gavin Ortlund takes 5 minutes to Shoot Christianity in the foot.

This episode is the audio only of a video review that is available on the Still Unbelievable! YouTube channel. See show notes for a link.

the original

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QWcKjIKf0k

did the universe begin?

https://youtu.be/4Ps9-u0KfG4?si=1ew1M2-TI8rODbkq

apparent fine tuning does not mean a god did it

https://youtu.be/jJ-fj3lqJ6M?si=CRVg4At1mXpK-qd6

consciousness

https://youtu.be/MASBIB7zPo4?si=6JK-no1XeIdj1k9o

prayer does not work

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-mar-31-sci-prayer31-story.html

To contact us, email: [email protected]

our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901

Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below:

https://hollykirstensongs.com/

https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

1) Anna Clark Miller - services, podcast, and book

https://www.empathyparadigm.com/martyrshewrote

https://www.empathyparadigm.com/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Religious-Trauma-Survival-Guide-Professionals/dp/B0CHL5FGBM

2) Beyond Belief: the Coercive Power of High Control Religions

https://www.questioninglds.com/lds-articles/g6m1k7bpggn42irn5oyoirpwb16wll

3) Reclamation Collective

https://www.reclamationcollective.com/

4) Anna on the Life Unwasted Podcast

https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/life-unwasted/anna-Y5IWraHvF9i/

5) What's the Relationship Between Neurodiversity and Trauma?

https://welldoing.org/article/whats-the-relationship-neurodiveristy-trauma

6) Matthew on the Life Unwasted Podcast

https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/life-unwasted/matthew-C4ZD9NcP_6T/

To contact us, email: [email protected]

our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901

Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below:

https://hollykirstensongs.com/

https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/

Episode 136 - Transhumanism - with Revd Dr Stephen Goundrey-Smith

In this episode of Still Unbelievable!, Matthew chats with an old friend about Transhumanism. Stephen and Matthew have known each other since they were in a church 18+ group more than 30 years ago.

Stephen trained as a pharmacist and then as a minister for the church if England and now combines them both in his work at Ripon College Cuddesdon. We raise several topics in this conversation, so please as always check the show notes for essential links. And if you have any thoughts Steve and Matthew are both happy to receive them, [email protected].

1) Revd Dr Stephen Goundrey-Smith - items and books

https://www.rcc.ac.uk/about-us/our-staff/revd-dr-stephen-goundrey-smith

https://www.ethicsandmedicine.com/ethical-evaluation-of-new-biomedical-technologies-using-past-case-studies-in-pharmaceutical-medicine/

https://amzn.eu/d/8lW8qvM

2) Transhumanism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transhumanism

3) CRISPR

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CRISPR

4) Upload TV_series

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upload_(TV_series)

5) Humanity +

https://www.humanityplus.org/

6) Co-creation spirituality

https://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/co-creation-spirituality

7) Brent Waters - Bioethicist

https://www.cbhd.org/people/brent-waters

https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/this-mortal-flesh/289601

8) Leon Cass

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Kass

9) Michael Sandel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Sandel

10) Anti-Natalism

https://www.thecollector.com/what-is-anti-natalism/

11) Lynn White - The Historical Roots of our Ecological Crisis

https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/energy-government-and-defense-magazines/historical-roots-our-ecological-crisis

12) The Voluntary Human Extinction Movement

https://www.vhemt.org/

13) Alasdair MacIntyre - After Virtue

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/After_Virtue

14) Bernard WIlliams - The Makropulos case

https://www3.nd.edu/~pweithma/Readings/Williams/Williams%20on%20Immortality.pdf

To contact us, email: [email protected]

our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonpress2901

Our Theme Music was written for us by Holly, to support her and to purchase her music use the links below:

https://hollykirstensongs.com/

https://hollykirsten.bandcamp.com/