To take a page from the legend that is Oprah, if there is one thing I know, it’s that being well is not just about the food we eat. Which is why I called this The Allsorts Podcast…because I wanted to talk about all sorts of things! I truly believe that our sense of purpose, connection to community and a belief in something larger than ourselves impacts how we perceive the world around us, and ourselves. Which is why I’ve been thinking about doing this episode for a while now. We’re going to talk about faith, religion and spirituality, a topic that I know can be incredibly divisive and triggering for many people. And I could not think of a better person to have this conversation with than my friend Dean Morris, the “rebel” pastor and co-host of A Little More Good Podcast. I feel like I should lay my cards on the table right now: I am not a religious person, despite having been baptised Catholic. In fact, I am wary of the idea of organized religion, because so many harms are inflicted in its name. So I don’t think I could have imagined this episode without knowing Dean. This conversation is honest, open and probably contains a lot of hot takes that will surprise you. Dean (who was not raised Christian!) has an incredibly kind, modern and inclusive approach to faith that might change how you view - if not church itself - then the core messages of Christianity. If you’re at all curious, or if you consider yourself a seeker, I hope you’re going to love this conversation! About Dean Morris: Dean Morris is a person who wears many hats… Dad, Teacher, Runner, Podcaster, Pastor, Community organizer, and plant based human.  On this episode we chat about: Dean’s journey to Christianity, growing up without religion How Dean’s love of Rage Against The Machine led him to learning about Jesus Why faith should be about love and freedom How embracing the teachings of spiritual leaders like Jesus and the Buddha would radically change the world for the better How Spiritual community is as central to wellness as nutrition or movement How to move towards spirit/source/God if you have not felt safe in religious spaces The role of prayer and meditation in spiritual connection The challenges of interpreting the Bible when it was not written to us in modern times How plant-based eating aligns with Dean’s interpretation of the Bible How breath connects us to spirit Why an afterlife-focused faith has contributed to the destruction of nature Support the Pod! We couldn’t make this podcast happen without the support of our amazing listeners. I love hearing your feedback on these episodes to be sure to join the conversation on our instagram @theallsortspod @deaner as well as in our Nutrition with Desiree community. If you love this episode, please share it with your friends and family, or take a minute to rate, review or subscribe on your favourite podcast app. We appreciate EVERY. SINGLE. LISTEN! Thanks so much for listening to this episode of The Allsorts Podcast, which is produced by myself and edited by Brian McCalman. We are grateful to live and work and learn on the unceded and ancestral territory of the squamish, musqueum, and tsleil-waututh peoples. Full show notes, including links + recommendations at https://desireerd.com/podcast/