Sainted Love

In this very special holiday episode of Sainted Love, our intrepid Religious Literacy Explorers wrap up the season and the year with a chat about their favourite holiday traditions from youth, new observances they've developed and what is the best Christmas food? Nick and Kiyomi share some of the religious celebrations and traditions from around the world that they have come to learn about and Olivia gives a list of her favourite TV holidays and holiday specials. The happiest of holidays to all our listeners, Happy New Year and we'll see you all in the new season! Special Christmas music by Steve Oxen **Please DO NOT add this audio content to the Youtube Content ID System. We have used background music which is owned by FesliyanStudios.**

In this penultimate episode of the year, Kiyomi and Nick have a chat with special guest Rachel Simmet about growing up in Purity Culture, unlearning and deconstructing from harmful views of sexuality, healing and reclaiming your body, sexuality and spirituality. Kiyomi accuses Nick of looking like a creepy character from a movie, and Nick's dog laments Olivia's absence from the episode. **Content Warning: This episode includes conversation about sex, religious trauma, and brief mention of sexual assault.**

On this week's Very Special Halloween/All Saints/All Souls/Day of the Dead/Other late October or Early November holiday episode of Sainted Love, Olivia informs our intrepid spiritual explorers as to the nature of various religious cults. After a slightly chaotic start, Nick gives his definition of 'cults', Olivia provides the low-down on some of recent history's most notorious cults, and Kiyomi tests our knowledge with a culty quizz. **Content Warning: This episode contains mentions of abuse, murder, and suicide**

This week on Sainted Love ... we talk about saints we like? Nick walks us through sainthood and canonization then we rapid fire through our favourite saints. Wash it all down with another game of, "What Religion Is This??".

This week it's just Nick and Kiyomi as they discuss the hottest Religious News of the Summer and the reasons why people have left their respective churches/organized religions. Nick gets grilled on his general world religion knowledge and we find out, "does he actually knows who Moses is?", and we discuss the importance of Cat Birthdays and how nice it is to leave your house once in a while. ***Content Warning: This episode discusses themes of queer abuse from the church, emotional abuse, and sexual violence.***

This week, Sainted Love sat down with the Rev. Clare Morgan (they/them) of the Anglican Church of Canada. We had beautiful and thoughtful conversations about the complicated history of the Anglican church, what indigenous and queer allyship within the church can and should look like, the divine feminine, and God as the beloved/lover. Also, they play the Celtic Harp?? ***Content Warning: Mention of anti-queerness, anti-queer theology, residential schools, and the relationship of the church with Indigenous people.***

This week our team have an in depth conversation with Rev. Simon LeSieur of the United Church of Canada. They chat about Fruit Loop "Rice Krispy" squares, the life of a pastor's kid, and miracles, while ruminating on just what is the Holy Spirit and should there be an HBO mini-series about the life and times of a teenaged Simon? Our vote is yes. ***Content Warning: Mention of spiritual and religious abuse, anti-queerness, anti-queer theology, residential schools, genocide, and the relationship of the church with Indigenous people***

This week, we discussed Hillsong Church, and we were consequentially horrified. We learned about its history, structure, and of course, its many many controversies. As a much needed palate cleanser, we played another round of Who Said It: Religious Figures. ***Content Warning: Mention of spiritual, emotional, and sexual abuse. Mentions of abuses of LGBTQ2s+ people at the hands of Hillsong Church.***

This week we welcomed our first guest to the Sainted Love pod, Valen Arnesto! Valen is an old high school classmate of Kiyomi's and brought us her candid and emotional story of growing up Adventist, tiptoeing into Hillsong Church, discovering her queerness, and how that has shaped her faith and spirituality today. We discuss if and how faith and queerness can coexist alongside another, morality as guided by religion, when deconstructionism becomes reconstructionism, and maybe most importantly, who would win a battle; Haystacks or Stripples (both food items, we promise…)? ***Content Warning: Mention of spiritual and emotional abuse of LGBTQ2s+ people at the hands of the Church.***

This week our trio look into some of the most interesting recent news stories from the world of religion. Kiyomi talks Adventist health care, they get into a chat about the place of prayer on social media, and they discuss a teenaged American Buddhist spiritual leader. Nick quizzes the others on quotes from important religious figures throughout history.

This week, Sainted Love takes a deep dive into the religious backgrounds of both Kiyomi (Seventh-Day Adventist) and Nick (Roman Catholic). Olivia is disappointed to learn that Nick's Catholic School experience was nothing like Sister Act II, Kiyomi explains haystacks and why Adventists love camping so goddamned much, and Nick outlines his faith journey.

Kiyomi, Olivia and Nick jump into a chat about the messiness of religion. What is religion exactly? They don't know but it won't stop them from talking about it. They have candid chat about the ins and outs of religion, growing up in a religious movement, the intersection of religion and queerness, religion in a secular world, and whether or not Noah qualifies as a cat lady.

This is Sainted Love: the podcast about beliefs, culture, morality, philosophy, and the messy parts of religion and spirituality. Our hosts, Kiyomi, Nick and Olivia, along with our diverse cast of guests, dive into conversations about intersectionality in faith and spirituality and how it intersects with queerness. Serious and tongue-in-cheek, join us weekly as we ask the big questions like, "Where does faith fit into our modern lives?", and "Was Noah the original Cat Lady?".