Recovering From Religion

In the 1980’s and 90’s, sexual “purity” became a major focus in sectors of Christian culture within the United States. This movement, now referred to as “purity culture,” had detrimental effects, including stunted LGBTQI+ identity exploration, dissociation from one’s body, under-reported sexual assaults, and relationship struggles. Join us as we explore specific concepts taught within purity culture, its impacts & developmental trauma, as well as tips and resources for identifying the trauma in oneself and working through it. Content warning: This discussion will have a lot of heteronormitive language and heavy gendered language. We understand that can be triggering & stressful, but know it’s intentional because it’s a part of breaking down the core concepts of purity culture. This discussion was held in the beginning of Pride Month and purity culture is especially damaging to the LGBTQ+ community. Christy Lanterman, LPC counsels couples and adult individuals recovering from religious trauma. She focused her graduate studies on how religious trauma (RT) occurs, religious abuse, how to identify controlling groups/people, and how folks can recover from RT. She is passionate about supporting her clients in their healing process. Hosted by Eric Wells, the RfR Support Group Director, and Kara Griffin, RfR Helpline Agent. Recorded on June 7th, 2021 Resource List - Purity Culture Resources (Google Doc): https://www.tinyurl.com/PurityCulture... Learn more about Christy Lanterman, LPC - https://www.christylanterman.com Atheist Community of Discord: https://discord.com/invite/B28xRKb The primary focus of Recovering from Religion (RfR) is to offer hope, healing, and support to those struggling with issues of doubt and non-belief. This transitional period is an ongoing process that can result in a range of emotions, as well as a ripple effect of consequences throughout an individual’s life. We are here to help each other through this journey. For RfRx comments, inquiries & topical questions, email us at RfRx@recoveringfromreligion.org. Any time you are struggling with religious doubts or fears you can connect with a trained RfR Helpline agent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To chat online go to http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org. To talk over the phone, dial: (844) 368-2848 in the US & Canada +3 4505 2402 in Australia +20 3856 8791 in the UK +27 11 043 5323 in South Africa Peer support is also available through local support groups. These groups offer monthly in-person meetings as a place to express doubts, fears, emotions & concerns about religion you wouldn't normally feel comfortable expressing in a religious community. Find your nearest support group at http://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion If you are in need of professional help, we can offer the Secular Therapy Project to provide options to connect with a professional therapist. All therapists have been thoroughly vetted by our organization and offer only evidence-based and non-religious treatment. Connect with them at http://www.seculartherapy.org. Subscribe to the RfR Blog: https://medium.com/excommunications --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

It’s been one year since Tim and Bill became the hosts of the Recovering from Religion podcast. For this anniversary, the guys look back on the past year. They talk about how the podcast came to be, what they were doing prior to the hosting responsibilities, and some of what they continue do in addition to the podcast. Tim asks Bill about his new novel, and reads a powerful letter from a Mom who was touched by the book, and shared her moving, first-hand story about the harm that comes from extreme religious messages.. This episode is an intimate one-on-one conversation as the hosts share what surprised them, and how they’ve been impacted by the shows, the topics and the guests. And at the end, there’s an announcement about the immediate future of the podcast. Tim's website: https://timrymel.com/ Bill's website: https://www.billprickett.com/ Recovering from Religion Resources Need To Talk To Someone On The Phone? Call 1-844-368-2848 for Peer Support Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups? https://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion/#groups  Looking for a therapist who will respect your views? https://www.seculartherapy.org/ RfR Resource page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/resources We want to hear YOUR story. Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681 Or submit our form: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcastform If you have questions or comments for the podcast team, send us an email: podcast@recoveringfromreligious.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

Ronna Russell grew up the youngest daughter of a well-known United Pentecostal minister. To escape home, she jumped into marriage at the age of twenty-three, a union that lasted 22 years and produced four children. When her marriage ended, Ronna was free to consider her own desires and interests. With her children grown, she relocated, remarried and returned to school. Ronna is a blogger, an outspoken advocate for women, and the author of the book “The Uncomfortable Confessions of a Preacher’s Kid” that chronicles her experiences with a controlling, oppressive religious father, a closeted homosexual husband, and her own search for genuine authenticity. Ronna’s website: https://ronnarussell.com/ Ronna’s book: https://tinyurl.com/y5klxupw More about Recovering from Religion Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups? https://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion/#groups Looking for a therapist who will respect your views? https://www.seculartherapy.org/ We want to hear your story. Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681 Or fill out the form at the bottom of the RfR podcast page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

Janice was born and raised in a charismatic Christian home, attending Pentecostal, Vineyard, and other evangelical churches before eventually marrying a pastor. She gravitated to the ultra-conservative side of her theology, wearing a head covering, insisting on homeschooling her children, and rejecting any vestiges of secular life. (e.g., TV, radio, music, newspapers, magazines, etc.) Then, in her 40s, she began having doubts about her faith. As the questions grew, her marriage unraveled. To rebuild her life, Janice went back to school to earn her Diploma of Applied Psychology and Counseling. Janice has taken her own experiences and developed the Divorcing Religion Workshop to provide tools for others with their journey out of fundamentalist religion. Janice’s website: https://tinyurl.com/yxh9d2n5 Conference on Religious Trauma: https://cort2020.com/ More about Recovering from Religion Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups? https://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion/#groups Looking for a therapist who will respect your views? https://www.seculartherapy.org/ Interested in meeting other people who have made the journey to recovery? RfR is hosting a fall outing in Mars Hill, NC https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/fall-excursion-2019 We want to hear your story. Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681 Or fill out the form at the bottom of the RfR podcast page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

 Dave Warnock was an Evangelical pastor and church leader for more than 40 years. He gradually moved away from Christianity, which came at a huge personal cost, including the breakup of his marriage, being shunned by two of his children, missing out on his grandchildren, and the loss of his entire community of friends.  Earlier this year, Dave was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), and told he had three to five years to live. Suddenly, with the awareness that life is incredibly brief, his life became infinitely more precious. Instead of succumbing to the depression, anger, and hopelessness, he decided to begin living life to the fullest. In this poignant and often funny episode, Dave talks about what it means to be “Dying Out Loud.”  Dave’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DaveWarnock.DyingOutLoud/ More about Recovering from Religion Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups? https://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion/#groups Looking for a therapist who will respect your views? https://www.seculartherapy.org/ Interested in meeting other people who have made the journey to recovery? RfR is hosting a fall outing in Mars Hill, NC. https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/fall-excursion-2019 We want to hear your story. Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681 Or fill out the form at the bottom of the RfR podcast page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

Erin Burchwell grew up as a faculty child on the campus of Bob Jones University.  She was a good student, compliant with the many restrictive rules. But after an older classmate assaulted her, and she decided to report the incident, her life was changed.  Erin talks about the varied responses she received from family, friends, faculty, and the university’s administration. We also learn why she decided to go public to the national media, and what she tells young people today. For 15 years, Erin taught high school and elementary speech, drama, art and theater. She’s a small business owner and the author of two children’s books. These days, she enjoys volunteering in schools, churches, and a women’s’ prison, teaching art and vocational skills. She welcomes any opportunity to tell her story, letting others know they are not alone in the world of survivors from oppressive religious institutions. To contact Erin: erin@bloomshoppe.com BJUnity (mentioned in the episode): https://www.facebook.com/BjUnity/ More about Recovering from Religion Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups? https://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion/#groups Looking for a therapist who will respect your views? https://www.seculartherapy.org/ Interested in meeting other people who have made the journey to recovery?  RfR is hosting a fall outing in Mars Hill, NC. https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/fall-excursion-2019 We want to hear your story. Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681 Or fill out the form at the bottom of the RfR podcast page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

Dr. Devin Singh is a social theorist and scholar of religion and theology, serving as Associate Professor of Religion at Dartmouth College. He received his Ph.D. from Yale, where he was named a Whiting Fellow, Yale's highest recognition for research in the humanities. He was also trained in social scientific theory and methods at the University of Chicago (M.A.), theology and divinity at Trinity International University (M.Div.), and religious studies at Pomona College (B.A.). Devin has a rich and diverse ethnic and theological background, and says his study of religion was a way of making sense of his upbringing and the complexities of the world he encountered, and to help others see, appreciate, and navigate the nuance and complexities of life together on this planet. He is motivated to further mutual understanding, toleration, justice, and compassion--as well as meaningful and sustainable work, productivity, and value creation.  In this episode, we talk about his book “Divine Currency” that delves into how economic ideas structured early Christian thought and society, giving crucial insight into why money holds such sway in the West. The book examines the religious and theological sources of money's power, it shows how early Christian thinkers borrowed ancient notions and metaphors of money and economic exchange from the Roman Empire as a basis for their new theological arguments.  Devin's website: http://www.devinsingh.com/ Devin’s book: Divine Currency: The Theological Power of Money in the West.  More about Recovering from Religion Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups? https://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion/#groups Looking for a therapist who will respect your views? https://www.seculartherapy.org/ Interested in meeting other people who have made the journey to recovery?  RfR is hosting a fall outing in Mars Hill, NC. https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/fall-excursion-2019 We want to hear your story. Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681 Or fill out the form at the bottom of the RfR podcast page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

In celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Stonewall riots, we’ve put together this special PRIDE edition. First, we proudly introduce our new producer, Julian Apostata, and our engineer, Sarah Austin, then the four of us talk about gender non-conformity, and how our faith communities responded/reacted.  That takes us to our informative interview with Donovan Ackley III, Ph.D., who was a professor at a conservative Evangelical Christian university. His decision to transition made national news, and ended his long-time position with the school. Donovan’s doctorate is in philosophy of religion, and is the author of several books and many articles. For the past 6 years he's worked in trauma-informed crisis intervention, currently as case management team lead for a recovery residence with women and children recovering from addiction. He also consulted on the 2019 film Intersex and Faith, exploring the intersections of religion and gender.  Trans Lifeline: https://www.translifeline.org/ https://www.facebook.com/TransLifeline/ TransFaith: http://www.transfaithonline.org/ SafetyNet: http://onesafetynet.com/ More about Recovering from Religion Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups? https://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion/#groups Looking for a therapist who will respect your views? https://www.seculartherapy.org/ Interested in meeting other people who have made the journey to recovery? RfR is hosting a fall outing in Mars Hill, NC. https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/fall-excursion-2019 We want to hear your story. Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681 Or fill out the form at the bottom of the RfR podcast page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

Angela Soffe grew up in the Mormon faith, while living abroad in Southeast Asia. When she came back to America for college, it was culture shock on several levels, even though it was a Mormon school. There she began to discover her love and aptitude for singing. It was music that got her through the painful transition out of her Mormon faith.    She's a  songwriter and lead singer of the Angela Soffe Band. Her music has elements of folk, pop, and bluegrass. There's a darkness-to-light message in her music, and her voice is amazing.  Her song, “Rocks” won the Great American Songwriting Contest for 2018, and the "Second Wind" album has been nominated for the Independent Music Awards (2018) In this episode she talks with us about leaving Mormonism and, throughout this episode, we include some of her music.  Angela’s Website: www.angelasoffe.com YouTube channel: https://bre.is/ai0Hw0d3Z More about Recovering from Religion Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups? https://bre.is/sndPcEW6E Looking for a therapist who will respect your views? https://www.seculartherapy.org/ Interested in meeting other people who have made the journey to recovery?  RfR is hosting a fall outing in Mars Hill, NC. https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/fall-excursion-2019 We want to hear your story. Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681 Or fill out the form at the bottom of the RfR podcast page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

Cults come in a variety of expressions, though they have commonalities. Our guest for this episode is an expert on this subject, as well as a former cult member herself. Dr. Janja Lalich is a researcher, author, and educator specializing in cults and extremist groups with a particular focus on charismatic relationships, political and other social movements, ideology, and social control. She was a Fulbright scholar and is Professor Emerita of Sociology at California State University, Chico, and the founder and former director of the Center for Research on Influence and Control. Her books are considered essential to understand the attraction of these groups. She presents four ways to not only explain the power of cults, but also the control they have over their followers. Her latest book is one of the most extensive examinations of those who’ve left cults. Janja consults with education, mental health, business and legal professionals, and is a regular spokesperson for the media.  Tim and Bill also discuss the ongoing NXIVM trial, and how Janja's research helps to understand this kind of group. Janja’s Website: http://cultresearch.org/ Janja’s Books: https://goo.gl/vGMML6 More about Recovering from Religion: Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups? https://bre.is/sndPcEW6E Looking for a therapist who will respect your views? https://www.seculartherapy.org/ Interested in meeting other people who have made the journey to recovery? RfR is hosting a fall outing in Mars Hill, NC. September 20-22,  2019 https://bre.is/cIC5j8dih     We want to hear your story. Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681 Or fill out the form at the bottom of the RfR podcast page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

Nitai Joseph was born into a Hare Krishna family. After becoming very devout as a teenager, he joined an offshoot sect, and moved to a small, off-grid monastery in Northern California.  For almost seven years, Nitai was assistant to the leader, experiencing intense psychological and financial abuse, manipulation, and deprivation.  These days, Nitai is working for education and recovery resources for survivors of cults, cultic environments and interpersonal abuse more broadly. He currently serves on the Advisory Council of the International Cultic Studies Association, and is working toward a Master’s degree in the Psychology of Coercive Control.  Nitai’s Website: http://arecoveringmonk.com/ We want to hear your story. Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681 Or fill out the form at the bottom of the RfR podcast page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast More about Recovering from Religion Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups? https://bre.is/sndPcEW6E Looking for a therapist who will respect your views? https://www.seculartherapy.org/ Interested in meeting other people who have made the journey to recovery? RfR is hosting a fall outing in Mars Hill, NC. https://bre.is/cIC5j8dih  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

Debbie Glander is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, cofounder of Authenticity Workshops, and a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator, utilizing methodology based on the research of Dr. Brené Brown. Debbie works with clients individually in her private practice and facilitates a “Healing from Religious and Spiritual Trauma” process group. She has her own story of being raised Jehovah Witness.  Kari Groff is a former Adventist missionary to Micronesia, but is now passionate about building communities with those who’ve also experienced the trauma of a strict, dogmatic religious culture.  Join us as we talk with these women about the power and control of shame, as well as recognizing religious abuse. Debbie’s Website: www.debbieglander.com UPDATE: We recently put out an appeal for a Producer for the Recovering from Religion podcast. We're pleased to announce that we’ve found one, and we’ll be introducing our new Producer in an upcoming episode.  Thank you! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

Sarah Rocksdale created her YouTube channel in 2011 to share her passion for topics such as beauty, fashion, fitness, and lifestyle. She won the Rimmel London Look contest and was a NYX Cosmetics Face Awards finalist two years in a row, and garnered a huge following. She realized her unique position to speak to an audience that might not otherwise be exposed to difficult subjects, so she chose to expand her content, talking about her own break with her Pentecostal faith, her sexual abuse, and she “came out” as an atheist.  Sarah’s YouTube channel (https://goo.gl/PrZV66) has more than 88,000 subscribers.  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

Chris Shelton grew up in Scientology, and was a Sea Org member for more than 17 years. Since his exit, he’s been a passionate, outspoken critic, to the point of being labeled a “suppressive person” by the Church. He was featured on Leah Remini’s "Scientology and the Aftermath" on A&E. Chris is now a writer, consultant and advocate for critical thinking. His YouTube channel has more than 17,000 subscribers, and he’s the host of "Sensibly Speaking," a podcast that educates about critical thinking as well as the dangers of cults. He's the author of "Scientology: A to Xenu – An Insider’s Guide to What Scientology is Really All About," a critical analysis of Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard.  Website: https://mncriticalthinking.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/22BmQnCjRTM Podcast: http://sensiblyspeaking.com/ Book: https://goo.gl/VPcE29 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

We were excited for our first interview with a married couple!  Sarah Austin, a transgender woman, grew up in a small town as a “vanilla Christian” working in conservative talk radio. Her wife Becca grew up as a Jehovah’s Witness. Sarah and Becca married before Sarah’s transition. Together, they host the SarahTalk Podcast where they discuss “all the things you shouldn’t talk about at work.” Sarah and Becca share their story of facing faith and gender identity issues as a couple in love. Before the interview, Bill and Tim discuss the recent news stories about televangelist Ernest Angley, and Bill relates a personal anecdote about Angley's church.  SarahTalk Podcast:  http://www.sarahtalk.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

Tim and Bill discuss the many ways people re-examine, and often abandoned, their faith, as well as the many emotions that go with it. Then they’re joined by Luke King, a former Four-Square, Pentecostal Pastor and now host of the “Your Atheist Pastor" podcast that provides a place for those who’ve left their faith. Luke is also a speaker, a blogger and a yoga instructor.   In this engaging episode Luke tells his story, why he still sees himself as a pastor, and how yoga helped transform his self-image. (And wait until you hear about his Instagram account!) Luke’s podcast: youratheistpastor.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

Lloyd Evans is a much sought-after expert on Jehovah's Witnesses, the religion of his upbringing. He’s the founder of JWsurvey.org, and author of “The Reluctant Apostate” which is both a memoir and a reference guide. He points to JW’s as just one example of the harm that can be inflicted when religious authority goes unchecked. Since 2011, Lloyd has been a passionate advocate against cults and religious fundamentalism. Lloyd's YouTube channel (under the name John Cedars) has 12,000+ subscribers and has attracted more than 2.5 million views. Website: https://jwsurvey.org/welcome YouTube channel: https://goo.gl/Rly2CP --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

To start off 2019, our guests are Dr. Darrel Ray, the psychologist and author who founded Recovering from Religion and currently serves as president, and Gayle Jordan, an attorney who works as our executive director.  These two tireless leaders tell their own story, and we also get insights into what led to the formation of RfR, the services offered, and how people can get involved. Before the end of the interview, we ask each of them about their hopes for the new year.  Website: RecoveringfromReligion.org RfR Resources: https://goo.gl/4koWwx --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

Who earns a Masters degree in Theological Studies…as an atheist? Cass Midgley did! But his infatuation with God began much earlier. As a boy, he knew there was a God, and they were good friends. As a teen, he discovered there were many Christianities, and he determined to find the right one…or start his own. As an adult, he began asking questions. Eventually, he left the church altogether. Cass is now one of the hosts of the “Everyone’s Agnostic” podcast, and also serves as a Humanist Chaplain. Links are for information purposes only to supplement the podcast content. RfR does not endorse this or any religious organization. Cass’ Website: everyonesagnostic.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message

In the 70s and 80s, a prominent and influential name among Fundamental / Evangelical Christians was Bill Gothard, and his Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts seminars. Thousands of people would fill auditoriums to hear his "Biblical Principles of Life." Blogger and speaker, Micah J. Murray, recounts what it was like growing up under the teachings of Gothard, being homeschooled using Gothard’s controversial curriculum, and working in Gothard’s authoritarian organization. We also talk to him about the scandal that essential destroyed the organization. Micah is blunt about the dangers of Gothard's teachings, why he walked away, and his work in educating others. The following links are for information purposes only to supplement the podcast content. RfR does not endorse this or any religious organization. Micah's website: https://micahjmurray.com/ Recovering Grace: https://goo.gl/fsnR5h --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recovering-from-religion/message