Graceful Atheist Podcast

Reflections on ten years of deconversion. I re-tell my deconversion story and reflect on what has changed and what has stayed the same. Links Apostate: Stories of Deconversion https://amzn.to/4rj7TA6 Interact For quotes, recommendations, transcripts and more see the full episode show notes https://gracefulatheist.com/2026/03/08/10-year-deconversion-anniversary/ Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/deconversion Support the podcast on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/gracefulatheist Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/ Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/ Deconstruction https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/#deconstruction/

This week's guest is Matthew. Matthew grew up in the Pentacostal tradition and went from being a youth leader in high school to a full-time international missionary as an adult. He had all the right answers to all the important questions. The missionary life, however, didn't turn out as he'd expected. He and his team did everything in their power to tell people about Jesus but nothing supernatural was happening. Year after year, "the hiddenness of God" became too much for Matthew. It hasn't been easy for Matthew to get where he is now—living a freer life, not having to have all the answers, not having to wait for the supernatural to happen. He loves people closest to him, enjoys his friends and acquaintances without judgment, and those small things are what slowly change the world. Interact For quotes, recommendations and more see the full episode show notes https://gracefulatheist.com/2022/08/14/matt-deconversion-of-a-missionary/ Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/deconversionSecular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Deconstruction https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/#deconstruction/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

This week's guest is Adria. Adria is a sociologist working in international development. Adria grew up in various multiethnic churches but each one seemed to worship whiteness alongside Jesus. By the end of college, Adria was done with church. Years later, in atheist spaces, she would find racism to be just as prevalent. Her experience with the Christian missionaries showed her the inequity that must exist for missionary work to thrive. In the last decade she has since seen that Western nations continue missionary work; only as evangelists for "neoliberal economic systems" rather than the gospel. Adria's understanding of supremacy culture's effects on humanity is invaluable to any community—church, atheist or global—working toward a more equitable world. She truly is a model of graceful atheism. We discuss international development, missionary work, economics, equity, racism, atheism, black non-believers and much more. Interact For quotes, recommendations and more see the full episode show notes https://gracefulatheist.com/2022/07/31/adria-racism-in-the-missionary-field/ Catch me on former guest, Robert People's, Affinis Humanity, Instagram live Thursday August 4th at 5 PM EDT https://www.instagram.com/affinishumanity/ Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/deconversionSecular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Deconstruction https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/#deconstruction/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/ Photo By James Barry http://www.treaty2u.govt.nz/images/impact-main-1.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12666818

After years in the mission field and in pastoral ministry Paul is done. Paul is Deb's (last week's guest) husband. Deb's episode https://gracefulatheist.com/2022/06/26/deb-is-done/ Interact For quotes, recommendation and more see the full episode show notes https://gracefulatheist.com/2022/07/03/pual-is-done/ Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/deconversionSecular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Deconstruction https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/#deconstruction/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

This week's show is a Deconversion Anonymous episode. This week's guest is Elizabeth. Elizabeth grew up in what she calls a "Methodist Baptist" church, mostly Methodist but with more conservatism and even some charisma thrown in. Elizabeth loved church as a kid, but as a teen, things were harder: purity culture demands, a youth pastor leaving abruptly and even a camp with exorcisms. Looking back, Elizabeth sees a theme: The parents did little to help the kids feel and be safe. After graduation, Elizabeth went to a Baptist college where she met (again!) and married her now-husband. When adversity hit, trying to expand their family, they saw their Christian friends' true colors. Throughout a difficult pregnancy, crying out to God, Elizabeth thought, No one is listening and no one is coming to save me. She continued hoping, though, only to be let down again and again. Church people will not support you and no god is coming to save you. Elizabeth sees that it was here. She was the strong and resilient one all along. She bore the load, the emotional, physical and mental weight. No one—neither supernatural or human—showed up to help. Now, on the other side of faith, Elizabeth has her immediate family and a strong community of friends, diverse people walking alongside her. She no longer looks to the sky for help, but knows she has all she needs inside her and right around her. Interact Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/deconversion Full episode show notes https://gracefulatheist.com/2022/05/29/elizabeth-deconversion-anonymous/ Review: Hell is the absence of God https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/06/04/review-hell-is-the-absence-of-god/Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Deconstruction https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/#deconstruction/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

This week's show is a Deconversion Anonymous episode. This week's guest is Shannon. Shannon' story delves into the emotional experience of deconversion. Shannon grew up in an Independent Fundamental Baptist church, where the teachings were pernicious. As a teen and into adulthood, Shannon knew her own beliefs and convictions did not always align with her church or family. She tried to be who they wanted her to be, but her decisions were never quite enough for them. Over the years, she slowly, like "mental velcro," ripped out the only beliefs she had known. Where her family couldn't hold space for her questions, her husband could. It was a hard journey, but she wasn't on it alone. Today, Shannon misses the certainty she used to have, the path laid out in front of her with easy answers. But she is able to see the world with new eyes—the glory and majesty of nature, the wonders of scientific inquiry. It has changed her for the better, and she isn't looking back. Recommendations Thought Experiments For Believers https://gracefulatheist.com/2018/12/03/thought-experiments-for-believers/Deconversion How To https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Review of Hell is the Absence of God https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/06/04/review-hell-is-the-absence-of-god/ After Life trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIGGKSHMQOM The Invention of Lying trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhRnmyBjOLs Interact Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/deconversion Full episode show notes https://gracefulatheist.com/2022/05/22/shannon-deconversion-anonymous/Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Deconstruction https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/#deconstruction/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

This week's show is a Deconversion Anonymous episode. This week's guest is Seth. Seth was the oldest child in a large homeschooling family who attended attended mostly non-denominational churches. He was always studious and had read through the Bible multiple times before adulthood. In high school, Seth made his faith his own and dove deeply into Youth Earth Creationism. He studied at a state university and a few years after graduation began work at The Creation Museum. While living near the museum, Seth was introduced to a fringe religious movement he describes as "Messianic Judaism meets evangelicalism meets conspiracy theories." In the Hebrew Roots movement, Seth discovered teachings he'd not encountered before and some doubts began to creep in. Over the next year, Seth continued to experience conflicts between YEC and Hebrew Roots. The two ways of thinking were at odds—flat earth or round, scientific cosmology or the broken body of a leviathan? By 2020, Seth realized he was an atheist, no longer able to convince himself to believe again. Recommendations Books Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari Youtube Paulogia Viced Rhino Godless Engineer AcapellaScience https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydqReeTV_vk Interact Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/deconversion Full episode show notes https://gracefulatheist.com/2022/05/15/seth-deconversion-anonymous/Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Deconstruction https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/#deconstruction/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

This week's show is a Deconversion Anonymous episode. This week's guest is Anne. Anne grew up in a loving and happy Christian home in a large city where her father pastored a small reformed church. As a teen, her faith was very real to her, and a few years later, she attended a Christian college, but struggled mentally and physically. Anne left that school and attended a Bible college, but she quickly realized she would be excluded from most ministry opportunities because of her gender. After a short and sometimes insulting experience in children's ministry and then a sickness that went on for man years, Anne felt like God had "benched" her, but she continued praying and hoping. Over the next many years, Anne's family met one obstacle after another—toxic or cult-like churches, physical and mental illnesses, Christians backing Trump and even loved ones passing away. Finally, she couldn't take any more. "I couldn't hear from God…I couldn't worship. I couldn't hypnotize myself with the piano. I couldn't do anything…[I was] done." Then during the Pandemic, Anne read a single book that made her stop and think for a moment. Then, her questions started coming and couldn't be stopped. From the outside, it may seem like Anne's deconversion was quick, but she had given God plenty of time to reveal himself. Recommendations The Lasting Supper Deconversion Anonymous Harmonic Atheist MythVision Bart Ehrman Darkmatter2525 Holy Koolaid Books #AmazonPaidLinks Jesus & John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mezhttps://amzn.to/388uqxl Interact Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/deconversion Full episode show notes https://gracefulatheist.com/2022/05/08/anne-deconversion-anonymous/Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Deconstruction https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/#deconstruction/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

This week's guest is artist Ursula Schneider. As a child, neither her charismatic church nor her unstable home were safe for her. There was a lot of mental illness at home and Ursula often felt abandoned by the church. Their family was simply "too much." Ursula grew up, married young and began going to church again. As an adult, she needed something real to her. She saw that something in the women at church, so she dove right in—daily prayer, bible studies, women's retreats, all of it. But Ursula kept bumping up against a certain church doctrine: women cannot teach men. She was a gifted leader and teacher but church after church kept her out of the pulpit. At the last church she attended, Ursula faced the greatest challenge yet to her faith. Over the span of a few months, she and her husband went from being well-respected leaders to losing their entire community. Ursula went through a depressive state and cried out to God, but no answer came. Over the next few years, Ursula would make beautiful art, write for herself and continue to question her religious beliefs. Since leaving, Ursula has dabbled in other faiths, wondering if any will fit her. Nothing has yet, but she is learning and growing as a whole person. She no longer has to squash part of herself or silence her own curiosity. Ursula's art and writing empower others to exist as their whole selves in the world and to see beauty and inspiration in the world around them. Ursula Schneider art exhibition through May 25th 2022, at D&R Art Gallery and Studio in Tucson, AZ. Links Website https://www.ursulaschneider.art/ Personal FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/ursula.d.schneider/ Business facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ursulaschneiderart Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ursula_schneider_art/ People can also email me at ursulaschneiderart@gmail.com Interact Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/deconversion Full episode show notes https://gracefulatheist.com/2022/05/01/ursula-schneider/Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Deconstruction https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/#deconstruction/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

This week's guest is Robert Peoples of Affinis Humanity. Robert grew up in a Black Baptist church in New Jersey. When he was young, he enjoyed church but was an inquisitive child with many questions and no satisfying answers. As a teenager, Robert looked for answers outside the church—from Thomas Paine to Allah to the Buddha. By 18 years old, Robert could no longer believe in anything supernatural. His understanding of the world came from philosophy, history and science. This was incredibly difficult for his family, but they continued to faithfully love and support him. One frustration Robert has with the Black church community is that it works to change unjust systems but then uses phrases like, "We couldn't have done this without God." In recent years, Robert has been working with a political non-profit to ensure the "separation of state and church" and to change unjust policies. Human suffering is caused less by individuals "in need of heart change," and more by systemic racism, homophobia, classism and other inequities. [Humanism] has increased my love for humanity exponentially. I no longer love people with conditions. In the midst of all the work to be done, Robert is hopeful. He is effecting change in the world and reminding others that "being human is enough." He stands in awe of the beauty of nature, his daughters and this short life. His story is one of world-changing secular grace. Links Affinis Humanity https://www.affinishumanity.org/Secular Coalition for Arizona https://secularaz.org/ Interact Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/deconversion Full episode show notes https://gracefulatheist.com/2022/04/10/robert-peoples-affinis-humanity/Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Deconstruction https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/#deconstruction/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

This week's guest is Luke J. Janssen, M.Sc., Ph.D., M.T.S., Professor Emeritus, Dept. Medicine, McMaster University, and co-host of the Recovering Evangelicals podcast. He is a scientist in medical research. During a faith crisis he began taking courses on theology which turned into an M.T.S degree. Luke tells his story in four 15 year phases: his early years as a nominal Reformed Christian, his young adulthood as a Pentecostal/Charismatic fundamentalist, a desconstruction phase, and where he is now, with a "small part of him that won't let go" and a belief in a creative force. Luke and his co-host, Boyd Blundell, cover many aspects of desconstruction on the Recovering Evangelicals podcast. They discuss various apologetic and scientific arguments and honestly reveal what they do an do not believe now and why. Links Website https://lukejjanssen.wordpress.com/ Recovering Evangelicals https://lukejjanssen.wordpress.com/recovering-evangelicals/ Interact Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/deconversion Full episode show notes https://gracefulatheist.com/2022/04/03/luke-janssen-recovering-evangelicals/Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Deconstruction https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/#deconstruction/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

This week's guest is April Ajoy, viral Tiktok'r, youTuber and podcaster. She is a "recovering conservative humorously detoxing religion." April had a unique childhood. She was homeschooled and spent half of each year in Pentacostal spaces and the other half traveling the US with her family, singing and evangelizing. Her parents were evangelists and her grandfather was a pastor of a megachurch, so even as a young person April had seen cracks in the traditions and beliefs. She didn't see them as systemic, though, only random, separate incidents. Over the next decade, tragedy hits April's family and God does not step in to thwart it, a family member comes out to her and she realizes she cannot continue believing much of what white Christianity has painted as "good news". Today, much of April's childhood beliefs have been dissected and thrown out, but she is loving others in a much deeper way. She still considers herself a Christian and is fighting injustices in her own creative way. "Humor is how I cope with trauma." On social media, April tackles all the difficult subjects—white supremacy, misogyny, purity culture, the absurd things evangelicals post online and more! She brings levity and fun to serious topics in a way that will make you laugh out and that is good medicine. Links TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilajoy Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aprilajoy/ Twitter https://twitter.com/aprilajoyr Evangelicalish on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/Evangelicalish Interact Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/deconversion Full episode show notes https://gracefulatheist.com/2022/03/20/april-ajoy-evangelicalish/Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Deconstruction https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/#deconstruction/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

This is the three year anniversary of the Graceful Atheist Podcast. Thank you to everyone who has listened and participated. Special thanks to Mike T and Arline for their work on the podcast over the past year. This week's guest is Ryan Mulkowsky. Ryan grew up Independent Fundamentalist Baptist. He made a "profession of faith" when he was nine years old and was reading Christian apologetics before he was twelve. By fourteen, Ryan was "licensed" by the church and started teaching. Ryan's mental health suffered during adolescence. Whether at home, school or church, no place was safe for him to grow and change—strict dress codes, young-earth creationism, white-centered history books and virtually no sexual education. Ryan went to one university that was even more conservative and strict than his high school, left and graduated from another with a degree in apologetics. But Ryan knew he wanted to be with people. Soon Ryan was introduced to healthcare chaplaincy. For the first time, seeing people up-close in great physical and emotional need. He was also introduced to other religious faiths—Buddhism Orthodox Judaism and progressive Christianity. Ryan is a now a secular humanist, married with a family and working as a grief coordinator for Hospice. His life has both meaning and purpose without religion. He is living out secular grace by  providing comfort and peace in some of humanity's most vulnerable moments. Links Blog https://www.ryanmulkowsky.com/ Twitter http://twitter.com/ryanmulkowsky Instagram http://instagram.com/ryanmulkowsky Some Random Thoughts Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/some-random-thoughts/id1523342430 Interact Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/deconversion Full episode show notes https://gracefulatheist.com/2022/10/13/ryan-mulkowsky-some-random-thoughts/Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Deconstruction https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/#deconstruction/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

This week's guest is Marla Taviano, author of Unbelieve: Poems on the Journey to Becoming a Heretic. Marla grew up in Middle America and moved across the globe and back, searching for God's will for her life. She grew up in a loving home and didn't realize she was in a "white Christian bubble." Her church was almost all-white, her hometown was almost completely white, and then after high school, Marla attended an even smaller completely white, conservative Christian college. Marla's first inkling that something was missing came when she read the book, The Hole in Our Gospel. She had read the Bible many, many times over the years, and here was a new revelation—2,000+ verses about helping the poor? four-letter words if you've never lived inside / the bubble of evangelical Christianity it / might surprise you to find that l-o-v-e / and p-o-o-r were new and controversial subjects for me / at age 35 Less than a decade later, while she and her family were part of a multiethnic church plant, Marla began to see more "holes" in her Christianity, namely racism and white supremacy. Her eyes were slowly beginning to open. Since 2015, Marla has been back and forth to Cambodia, written a book of poetry, started an incredibly popular bookstagram, been through a painful divorce, connected tons of people to one another and is still sharing her knowledge and wisdom with her followers. In her search for truth, Marla asks often, "Is this loving to my neighbor?" She may not be certain what her beliefs are right now, but she does believe that love is what will change the world. Links Amazon Paid Links Unbelieve: Poems on the Journey to Becoming a Heretic https://amzn.to/3sLNpoR Instagram https://www.instagram.com/marlataviano/ https://www.instagram.com/whitegirllearning/ Twitter https://twitter.com/marlataviano Interact Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/deconversion Full episode show notes https://gracefulatheist.com/2022/03/06/marla-taviano-unbelieve/Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Deconstruction https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/#deconstruction/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

This week's guest is the Nigerian podcaster, The Ranting Atheist. He grew up in a strict Pentacostal church where his parents were ministers. At home, his parents were tough on him and his brothers, and made sure they attended Christian schools, even into university. While TRA was in university, following all the rules, his parents parents were rising in the ranks of their church. All was well until "church politics" got them. After that, his parents' health began to decline, but TRA was still a believer. But as years passed and Nigeria suffered an economic recession, TRA's faith in the Christian God started to wane. Between conversations about the Bible with a friend, Youtuber DarkMatter2525 and a false prophet in his church, many seeds of doubt were planted. As an atheist, TRA wanted to find a way to assist other Nigerian atheists. His podcast The Ranting Atheist has been the perfect tool. Every weekend a new episode is released "to let Nigerian atheists know that they are not crazy and they are not alone." TRA is living out graceful atheism one podcast episode at a time. Links The Ranting Atheist Podcast https://www.podpage.com/TRAtheist/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tratheistpod/ Interact Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group! Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

This week's guest is Jeffrey Caldwell. Jeffrey grew up in Lancaster county, PA in a liberal denomination set in a conservative area. As a child, church was okay; it was filled with the usual things—bible crafts in Sunday school and singing in the choir. His family was "quasi-religious." It was good for children to have morals, but no one was pressured to believe anything. Jeffrey had doubted whether Christianity was real throughout middle school. Neither his parents nor his siblings took it very seriously. He left church in high school but was still searching for meaning. Music, books and movies filled the space that religion often does. Eventually, his interest expanded to include philosophy, politics, social justice, all influenced by the "oldies" his dad played in the car. In his twenties, Jeffrey struggled with mental health issues and after a surprise encounter with church, he knew he was missing community. He didn't fit in with the traditional religions, so he tried the UU church. Then he got involved in progressive politics and social justice, and eventually went to seminary. In seminary, Jeffrey became a chaplain. Now, Jeffrey has created a thriving online and in-person community, Connections Humanist Community. Each week, people share stories and conversations. They belong to a  community where they are valued and heard. Jeffrey is living out what it means to be a "graceful atheist." Links Connections Humanist Community https://www.meetup.com/connections-humanist-community/ Interact Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group! Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

This week's guest is Judah. Judah grew up "Church of God, Pentecostal adjacent," where Judah's father was convinced, "God is alive in these people." By eight years old, Judah was speaking in tongues and absorbed into eschatology—the study of the end times. Around ten, at a more "separatist" church, the family started homeschooling. His church and family were convinced they were right and everyone else was wrong. Answers in Genesis was the science curriculum, but Judah was also exposed to science on public television. As a teen, another pillar began to crack. Judah believed his attraction to guys and girls was sinful. It felt like God was two opposing forces—one god you lean into for love and grace, the other shames and condemns you. Judah doubled down on young earth creationism and repressing his sexual attractions and dove deeper into eschatology. The family's eschatology changed over time, but 2012 was the year the end of the world would come. Eventually 2012 comes and 2012 goes. This undid Judah. He spends the next three years learning what else was not true, debunking creationism, conspiracies and various theological matters. Judah was a more liberal Christian for a while but eventually science and logic led him to become an agnostic atheist. He came out with his beliefs to his family in dramatic fashion and hasn't looked back. His future is in his own hands and whether his family takes responsibility for their beliefs and actions during his childhood is in theirs. He now lives a life true to himself and his own values and ethics. Links Judah's blog https://jmedic.medium.com/ Interact Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group! Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

This week's guest is Derek Webb, musician, song writer and public deconstructor. For 10 years, Derek was a member of the Christian rock band, Caedmon's Call. He then went on to a solo career where he focused on self reflection in his art. During that time, Derek began to desconstruct. He did so publicly in his music and on social media. For Derek's Fingers Crossed album, "the tale of two divorces," Derek made himself available to his audience for criticism. He and his team turned this into the podcast, The Airing of Grief. What could have been a public expression of anger and hostility at Derek's change of heart, wound up being people describing their own deconstruction. It was a poignant reminder that we are not alone in this process. Derek's next album, Targets, is a joyous and rebellious rock celebration of deconstruction. Derek's current project, The Jesus Hypothesis, takes a second look at his former theological beliefs. For this project, Derek has made himself even more available to his audience by live streaming the writing and recording process for his Patreon supporters. Derek is the perfect guest for the podcast as his art, music and personal style exemplify an both honesty contest and Secular Grace. Links Derek's Website https://www.derekwebb.com/ The Airing Of Grief https://www.theairingofgrief.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/derekwebb/ Patreon https://patreon.com/derekwebb Interact Full show notes https://gracefulatheist.com/2022/01/02/derek-webb-the-jesus-hypothesis/Is it just that I had the wrong image of god? https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/11/17/is-it-just-that-i-had-the-wrong-image-of-god/The Bubble https://gracefulatheist.com/2018/01/15/the-bubble/Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/ Attribution Transition music by Derek Webb from the Fingers Crossed album "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

Ask Me Anything 2021. Questions from Sheila, Emily, Rick and Mark, Jimmy, Arline, Judah, and Matt. Links Deconversion How To https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/ Still Unbelievable https://anchor.fm/still-unbelievable/episodes/Episode-39—Deconstructing-a-Deconstruction-Deconstruction-els542 https://anchor.fm/still-unbelievable/episodes/Episode-64—Discussing-Sean-McDowell-and-John-Marriot-on-deconversion-part-1-e195h0h Paulogia on Babylon Bee's ExVangelicals https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMFQJPKYK28 Exvangelical on Evangelical response to Deconstruction https://www.irreverent.fm/show/exvangelical-1/on-the-deconstruction-discourse/ Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/ Anthony Pinn https://gracefulatheist.com/2020/08/23/dr-anthony-pinn-humanism-and-race/ Amy Rath https://gracefulatheist.com/2021/06/06/amy-rath-nonelife/ Bart campolo https://gracefulatheist.com/2020/07/09/bart-campolo-humanize-me/ Why I am not an Anti-Theist https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/10/17/why-i-am-not-an-anti-theist/ My Deconversion Sotry https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/09/10/common-message/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/

This week's guest is Jose Ramos, Hannah's husband from her episode two weeks ago. Jose's family converted to Independent Fundamentalist Baptist and his father became a pastor. They were taught that the IFB had the "pure word of God," and it was their purpose to evangelize and change the world. Throughout his teens, Jose's only rebellion was, "like a month partying with [his] brothers." Later, he went to Bible College, and then started preaching. He met Hannah and took over his father's Spanish speaking church. Studying the Bible for ministry, however, brought more questions and doubts. Over the next year, he continued preaching but knew he didn't believe. He left the ministry and later told Hannah why. After another hard and depressive year, he knew he was agnostic. Jose gave Hannah the space to go on her own journey. They still attended church as a family, but he did not try to change her. Today, their stories can give comfort to other couples facing religious doubts and uncertainties. Jose's honesty and vulnerability show the grace and goodness in his own human heart. No more looking forward to heaven or fearing hell, simply being present in each movement and looking for the beauty that's found there. Recommendations Books #PaidLinks Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari https://amzn.to/3xuaddv (Also available in graphic novel form) https://amzn.to/319PbEF https://amzn.to/3E93tV2 Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari https://amzn.to/3CXUNiF Podcasts Sam Harris' Making Sense https://www.samharris.org/ Links Hannah's episode https://gracefulatheist.com/2021/11/14/hannah-ramos-unequally-yoked-to-deconverted/ Clergy Project https://clergyproject.org/ Interact Deconversion https://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Secular Grace https://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/ Attribution "Waves" track written and produced by Makaih Beats https://makaihbeats.net/