In this episode I speak with Eiynah about the challenges of speaking about Islam and Muslims in our current political climate. We recorded this conversation on Wednesday evening, March 20, just five days after the horrific terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, that claimed the lives of 50 people. How can we talk about Islam and Muslims without being a bigot? On the one hand, individuals absolutely have the right to challenge and criticize and type of ideology or...

This week on the podcast I speak with Emily Joy about her experience leaving evangelicalism under a cloud of sexual abuse. Years later she and a friend started the #ChurchToo hashtag which has become a national phenomenon. BIO Emily is a spoken word poet, yoga teacher and activist living and working in Nashville, Tennessee. Her advocacy takes place at the intersection of faith, sexuality and healing, and her work has been featured in Time, Cosmopolitan, Jezebel, Mother Jones, The Huffington...

This week on the podcast I speak with author and sociologist, Christian Smith. Christian Smith is the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for the Study of Religion and Society at the University of Notre Dame. Smith is well known for his research focused on religion, adolescents and emerging adults, and social theory. Smith received his MA and PhD from Harvard University in 1990 and his BA from Gordon College in 1983. He was a Professor of Sociology at the...

Brian Peck here with a bonus episode of the Life After God podcast. Max Tang and I recently hosted a webinar where we explored how curiosity can help you thrive after religion. I'm excited to share that conversation with you today. Several years after leaving the church I grew up in, I discovered that while the content of my beliefs had changed, I was still viewing the world through old ways of thinking. This realization began a personal and professional quest to find effective antidotes to...

On this episode I speak with Alix Jules about his journey of faith and humanism. We also talk about the state of politics in America as secular humanists who care about marginalized groups. At one point in the conversation Alix said, "we have a crisis of compassion" in this country and what we need to realize is that "we're all in this together." Alix is a writer, activist, and social commentator who typically discusses race, religion, and politics in culture. He’s been featured in Ebony...

On this episode I speak with Jessica Wilbanks, author of the new memoir, When I Spoke In Tongues: A Story of Faith and Its Loss. Jessica received her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of Houston, where she served as nonfiction editor for Gulf Coast. An active member of the literary community in Houston, Jessica frequently teaches writing workshops for Inprint, Writespace, Grackle & Grackle, Writers’ League of Texas, and Boldface, the University of Houston’s annual conference...

Content Advisory: religious trauma, physical and sexual abuse Today on The Ex-Files I speak with Alexis Record. Alexis is a former Christian, raised in a fundamentalist home. In our conversation she recounts her experiences of profound loss, her harrowing encounters with fundamentalism in Christian missions, brushes with death, extreme shaming, and misadventures in Christian education. Today, Alexis the mother of two remarkable children, a volunteer leader at Sunday Assembly San Diego, an...

On this episode I speak with philosopher and author, John Gray, about humanism, secular utopianism, and his new book, Seven Types of Atheism. Professor Gray is the author of numerous books, including False Dawn: The Delusions of Global Capitalism, Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals, Black Mass: Apocalyptic Religion and the Death of Utopia, and, most recently, Seven Types of Atheism, which is not so much a strict typology of atheism. Indeed, what would such a project entail...

The podcast launches a news season with this short New Year's Eve reflection. In this episode, host Ryan Bell looks ahead to the new year and his hopes and dreams for the Life After God community. Support the Life After God community on Patreon: www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod Visit the website: www.lifeaftergod.org

On this episode I speak with scholar and writer, Christopher Stroop. As an ex-evangelical himself, Chris has been instrumental in galvanizing the ex-evangelical voice online with the hashtags #EmptyThePews, #Exvangelical, and #HowToEvangelical. His mission is to foster community for those harmed by and alienated from conservative religious communities. His recent writing has appeared in Religion Dispatches and Playboy. LINKS Chris's website | www.chrisstroop.com Chris's Twitter |...

Brian Peck, Carolyn Golden, and James Connelly explore how beliefs impact the deconversion process and create challenges for relationships. This episode is part two of a conversation recorded on March 13, 2018. You can listen to part one here: http://www.lifeaftergod.org/059-how-and-why-we-believe-part-1/ or read the transcript here: https://www.roomtothrive.com/blog/2018/3/24/how-and-why-we-believe In this episode, James talks about going through a deconversion when your partner is still a...

Guest host, Brian Peck, shares a fascinating conversation about HOW and WHY we believe. Not surprisingly, we humans care a great deal about WHAT we believe but we're often unaware of the underlying conditions and psychological processes that give rise to our beliefs. On this episode, Brian talks with two of his close friends and trusted colleagues about how beliefs are formed and how they function for us individually and within relationships. A former Catholic, an ex-Mormon, and a...

*Content advisory: sexual abuse, rape, and violence* On this episode I speak with Anais Chartschenko about her experience of extreme abuse in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Her experience is tragic but not uncommon. In the second chapter I speak with Brian Peck and Gretchen Meader about the subject of forgiveness. Those of us who grew up in the church know that forgiveness is a central virtue. But post-Christianity, Christian appears much more sinister. Building on my conversation with...

On this episode I speak with Dean of Religious Life at University of Southern California, Dr. Varun Soni. Varun's rich and varied background and experience growing up in Southern California as child of one Hindu parent and one Buddhist parent makes him a unique voice in the academic and interreligious spheres. LINKS Learn more about Varun Soni and his work at his personal website: www.varunsoni.com. Office of Religious Life at USC: www.orl.usc.edu Room to Thrive: https://www.roomtothrive.com/

On this episode I speak with former pastor and fellow podcaster, Luke King, about his deconversion and future plans to cultivate community for former Christians. You can hear Luke's podcast and learn more about his community at www.youratheistpastor.org Learn more about Life After God at www.lifeaftergod.org Support the Life After God at www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod

On this episode I speak with author and leadership coach, Dauv Evans, about his book, Emancipation of a Black Atheist. Learn more about Life After God: www.lifeaftergod.org Support the Life After God: www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod Buy the book here: http://amzn.to/2CuahAD

On this episode I speak with photographer and filmmaker, Chris Johnson, about his book and documentary project, A Better Life, which tells the stories of 100 atheists who have found joy and meaning in a world without God. Chris is just completing a long season of touring with the film. You can learn more the links below. Learn more about Life After God: www.lifeaftergod.org Support the Life After God: www.patreon.com/lifeaftergod Mentioned in this episode A Better Life website:...

On this episode I speak with comedian and survivor of the Quiverfull cult, Brooke Arnold. Mentioned in this episode: Brooke Arnold's website || www.brookearnold.com I could've been a Duggar wife (Salon) || https://goo.gl/dl787l Kurt Metzger || https://www.facebook.com/KurtMetzgerComedy

On this episode of The Ex-Files I speak to Matthew Faraday. Matthew lives with in Michigan with his wife and two kids. He is a nurse, an avid cyclist, and a lover of craft beer. Unbeknownst to either of us, Matthew and I started a journey to get to the bottom of the claims of Christianity around the same time. We began corresponding in Nov 2014. We finally talked about our overlapping experiences.

This week I speak with theoretical physicist (Caltech), Sean Carroll. We talk about his new book entitled, The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself. The author of two previous books on physics for popular audiences (From Eternity to Here, The Particle at the End of the Universe), Sean now turns his attention to questions of meaning, purpose and ethics, weaving this subjects together with his understanding of physics. Mentioned in this episode: Sean Carroll's...

In this episode, Ryan returns from a 6 month hiatus and explains where he's been and what's next. Mentioned in this episode: --Mary Oliver, *Upstream: Selected Essays* --Room to Thrive, the coaching and counseling practice of Brian Peck, LCSW (http://www.roomtothrive.com)

This week I speak to Andy Stanley, senior pastor of North Point Community Church in Atlanta, Georgia. Andy founded the church over 20 years ago and today it is the largest congregation in America, according to Outreach Magazine. I talk to Andy about his experience growing up Christian, his interest in people's stories, including deconversion stories, and how Christians can be their own worst enemies. We even chat for a minute about politics and how evangelicals might be able to salvage their...

This week I speak with speaker and podcaster, Mike McHargue, about his first book, "Finding God in the Waves: How I Lost My Faith and Found It Again Through Science," which came out yesterday. In both his book and this episode, Mike tells of his journey from fundamentalist Christianity to atheism to what he calls mystical Christianity. Mike is the host of two popular podcasts: Ask Science Mike and The Liturgists, which he co-hosts with musician, Michael Gungor. LINKS Buy Mike's book:...

In this special update I speak with Gretta Vosper about the decision that just came down last week, declaring that she is "unfit for ministry in the United Church of Canada." This decision has come after a year and half of investigation into Gretta's beliefs after she said publicly that she does not believe in a theistic God. For more background on Vosper's work at West Hill United Church in Toronto and the United Church of Canada's investigation into her fitness for ministry, please listen...

On this episode of The Ex-Files, I speak Cierra Ramirez. Ciera is was born and raised in New Mexico but for the past couple of years has called Austin, Texas, her home. As you’ll see, she’s a thoughtful and articulate woman. She’s a theater actor currently puppeteering in a local puppet opera production! She loves hiking, kayaking, going to the movies, and good beer. We begin our conversation talking about Ciera’s early religious experiences, her conversation to Christianity, and her...