In this eerie Halloween special, Peace & Toodles are joined by the one and only Steeley Sawyer for a deep dive into the shadows — exploring how the figure we now call Satan evolved across scripture, myth, and time.

From the Hebrew ha-satan — the heavenly “accuser” — to the fiery rebel of Christian lore, we trace how demons, trickster gods, and cosmic rebels all dance along the same line between chaos and creation. Along the way, we’ll share some wild trickster tales from world mythology, dabble in ancient demon lore, and even question the serpent in the Garden of Eden — could there be another way to read that story?

This one’s packed with lore, laughter, and a few chills along the way. So grab your candy, light a candle, and join us as we traverse the strange world once more — where myth and mischief meet.

In this episode, Peace & Toodles crack open one of the most overlooked and mysterious books of the Apocrypha — The Book of Tobit. It’s a tale that blends faith, folklore, and the supernatural: an angel in disguise, a young man on a fateful journey, and a demon who must be banished.

From ancient exorcism rituals to Talmudic accounts of spirits and night demons, we explore how this strange little book bridges the gap between Scripture and the unseen world. What does Tobit’s story reveal about ancient ideas of protection, purity, and divine intervention? And how do these threads connect to the broader web of Jewish demonology and folklore?

Join us as we venture into one of the Bible’s most haunting side chapters — where the sacred and the strange walk hand in hand.

In this episode, Peace and Toodles wander into the world of the Brothers Grimm — where snakes speak, stepmothers scheme, children wander through dark forests, and justice often comes in the strangest forms.

We read The White Snake, The Juniper Tree, Cinderella, and Hansel and Gretel — four tales that show just how weird, dark, and surprisingly spiritual the Grimm universe can get. Along the way, we unpack hidden meanings, moral twists, and the cultural roots behind these old German folktales.

Why do so many of these stories deal with transformation, death, and rebirth? What do they tell us about the human fear of hunger, loss, and divine justice? And how did these haunting little fables survive long enough to become bedtime stories?

Step off the beaten path of Sunday school and into the shadowy corners of the Old Testament. In this episode, Peace & Toodles uncover the Bible’s strangest and most overlooked stories — from talking donkeys and human sacrifice to naked prophets, sorcery, and half shaved beards. What do these bizarre tales reveal about the ancient world’s view of God, the cosmos, and humanity’s place in it? Join us!

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What was Jesus like as a child?

The Infancy Gospel of Thomas paints a wild, strange, and sometimes unsettling picture of the boy Jesus — performing miracles, showing flashes of divine power, but also acting with a temper that feels very different from the Jesus we know from the Gospels.

In this episode of Traversing the Strange World with Peace & Toodles, we explore:

• The origins of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas and why it was never included in the New Testament.
• The bizarre stories of young Jesus — from striking other kids dead to miraculously restoring life.
• How early Christians may have used this text, and why it was controversial.
• What it tells us about how people in the ancient world imagined the “hidden years” of Jesus’ childhood.
• The tension between a fully divine Christ and a very human child learning to grow.

Along the way, we dig into folklore, theology, and even the humor of imagining a toddler with god-like powers. Was this text a cautionary tale, an imaginative expansion, or just ancient fan fiction?

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In this episode of Traversing the Strange World with Peace & Toodles, joined once again by our recurring co-host Steeley, we dive into the heart of what makes us who we are: our core memories. From the earliest struggles we shared in childhood, to the strange and powerful feelings that seemed to follow us through life, to the inspirational and unexplainable moments that changed us forever — we trace the patterns of memory that shape our souls.

It’s part storytelling, part reflection, part exploration of the mysterious threads that run through every human life. Expect laughs, nostalgia, and some surprisingly deep turns as we uncover how our memories not only define us, but also connect us in ways we rarely stop to notice.

Join Peace, Toodles, and Steeley as they crack open the treasure chest of the past — and maybe find that the patterns we’ve been carrying all along point toward something much bigger.

Shout out to our listeners in Sweden!

In this episode of Traversing the Strange World with Peace & Toodles, we dive into one of the most fascinating mythological patterns of the ancient world—the dying and resurrecting god. We begin with the Baal Cycle from Ugaritic myth, where the storm god faces death, descent, and return. From there, we compare other figures like Osiris, Tammuz, and Adonis, exploring how different cultures expressed themes of life, death, and renewal through their deities.

The conversation then turns to Jesus—not from the lens of theology, but from a more historical and secular perspective. We step back from doctrine to consider the figure of Jesus within this broader mythological framework, asking what makes his story unique, and how it connects to or diverges from the older traditions of dying and rising gods.

As always, Peace and Toodles bring their blend of perspectives: a curious and open look at myth on one side, and a grounded, questioning approach on the other. The result is a thought-provoking journey across ancient texts, comparative religion, and the historical Jesus.

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In this special episode of Traversing the Strange World with Peace & Toodles, we welcome back our recurring co-host, Steeley Sawyer. This time, we dive into the deep waters of apocalyptic lore. From the Book of Daniel to the visions of Revelation, we take a more historical and academic lens to these end-times texts.

But that’s not all. We also journey into other cultural visions of the apocalypse—like the Norse myth of Ragnarok—and explore how many ancient traditions saw doomsdays not as a one-time finale, but as part of a cyclical pattern of destruction and renewal.

Join us for a thought-provoking ride through the end of the world—and back again!

Step into the beginning of time as we explore the Greek creation myth—a story that begins with Chaos and unfolds into the birth of Gaia, Uranus, the Titans, and the Olympian gods. In this episode of Traversing the Strange World with Peace & Toodles, we dive into the ancient Greek creation story of the origins of the cosmos.

From the primordial deities to the rise of the Titans and the eventual rule of Zeus, this tale is as much about order versus chaos as it is about gods and monsters. Whether you’re fascinated by ancient creation stories, curious about Greek cosmogony, or just love a good myth, this episode brings the strange world of the gods to life.

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This episode is part two of the Gospel of Judas. Much like the gospel of Judas this episode was missing! Peace and Toodles had to put on their Indiana Jones hats, and find it! Alas, it was found!

In the pondering of Peace and Toodles segment, Peace reflects on something that happened that really grounded his gears.

And they continue on reading the gospel of Judas.

Stay tuned to the end of the episode for the song suggestions!