To EL & Back

Bael and Riff take a look at a fascinating man who is ACTUALLY living the words of Christ. 

Finding the right religious group for yourself can be difficult, especially if you're not straight. Have no fear, Bael and Riff are here to help. They've got a handy guide to each group's thoughts and policies on our friends in the rainbow community. Let's take a trip together. 

When you think of Mormons, you probably think of either a hilarious musical by the creators of South Park or BYU. Did you ever wonder why BYU, and the heart of the Mormon Church, is in Utah? Join us to explore the various atrocities that led to Utah becoming a religious haven for Latter Day Saints. 

As we continue our 'Media May' exercise we decided that like exercise we should do something that sucks. Watching this movie sucks. It sucks more than Kirk Cameron's acting. Listen to us comiserate over this episode so you don't have to watch it. left behind

Time to look to heavens and shout "Oh Lord, he's a comin'" or something like that. The boys ask tackle the topic that has split up more churches than sexual misconduct, of course we're talking about the Rapture. Who gets picked, when do they get picked, what happens to everyone left behind? These questions and more will not be answered but discussed and joked about nonetheless. Fly away with us. 

Bael & Riff continue their media studies with Amazon Prime's House of David. The fellas discuss the historical and biblical accuracy of this new series, and ask a whole lot of questions along the way. Join us. 

The King James Version was the dominant translation of the Bible for over 3 centuries. It shaped how a multitiude of Christians view the scriptures. It also had a tremendous impact on the English language and how it is written. The real question is, why? Does it still have relevance today? Thee and Thous may have been replaced in the modern vernacular but is it still Sola Scriptura? Bael and Riff investigate. 

The Prosperity Gospel is about as far from Christ's teachings as one can get. However, Christians all over the world flock to preachers who espouse it. Bael and Riff dig into the back story of this false doctrine in service of their mantra, Sola Scriptura Baby!!!

Fundamentalists are not fun but they are a bit mental. Join Bael and Riff as they break down exactly who, what, why these extremely zealous believers have become the go to for Christian boogeymen. 

Passover is an incredibly important holiday for our Jewish friends. The story behind it plays a vital role in the both the Christian and Jewish religions. But how much do you actually know about it? Never fear, for Bael and Riff are here to shed some light on this fascinating and wholesome (in a morbid sort of way) holiday. Grab your matzah and buckle up! 

We're keeping our Easter season rolling along with Mel Gibson's ode to Antisemetism and violence. The guys try and make sense of exactly what Mel was trying to say and what the hell that weird baby was. Join them. 

Eggs, rabbits, and pastel colors means it must be Easter. But why? Join Bael and Riff as they hunt for clues about why we do what we do each spring!

While we already know that nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition, it's probably also fair to say that few people actually understand the Inquistions, Spanish or otherwise. Join Bael & Riff as they look at the who, what, where, when, and why of the Inquisition. They uncover some rather surprising details that color what they thought they knew about this long running and often depicted part of history. 

The Shroud of Turin. The Holy Grail. The Spear of Destiny. The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. All of these are relics that many christians find bring them closer to God. What's the deal? From grave robbing, multiple foreskins, and more knock offs than a chinatown Louis Vuitton store, the world of relics is a very weird place. That makes it perfect for Bael and Riff to explore. Join them! 

*SPOILERS* In keeping with the new format the boys take on their first media study. The 2024 film, Conclave, is the study for this week. A film that got a lot of Oscar buzz and actually picked up a win in the Best Adapted Screenplay category. Join Bael and Riff as they dig into this film and give the blow by blow on this big screen battle without bullets. 

The boys are back in town! Bael & Riff have returned rejuvinated and full of opinions. Join them as they explore a new format for the show and start off with a deep dive into the shadowy world of exorcisms. The Power of Christ compels you to listen to this show!!! 

Somehow, we've made it to 100 episodes! Thank all of you for listening. The guys have a Christmas present for you, it's a discussion of the Christmas story. Let's reconcile the gospels and air our greivences. Merry Christmas! 

After 98 episodes together, Bael & Riff take a moment to reflect on what they've learned along the way. 

The boys take a look at some of the wilder non-canonical "gospels". From the missed sarcasm of Judas to Grand Theft Messiah, there's a whole lot to unpack here. 

"And now we've come, to the end of the road...." That's right, friends, we've made it to the end of the book. Which if John is to be believed is really the beginning of eternity. Follow the guys once more unto the breach as they round out their Revelation ride with the Bible's post credits scene. 

We've slaughtered most of the flora and fauna on earth. We've tossed the wicked into the burning fires of Hell. What's up next? Why it's the HGTV segment of the apocalypse with extreme home makeover, eternal edition! Join your host the Lamb as he builds a beautiful new home that will last the next thousand years. 

What time is it? It's judgement time! We normally try to live and let live around here but the Lamb isn't having any of that right now. The gates are open, the chains are out, and it's time for some eternal damnation. Won't you join us?

Now that the smoke has settled and we've seen how the battle will play out, it's time to burst into song. John couldn't resist making the apocalypse a musical, so put on your dancing shoes and join the guys for swinging good time! 

The Whore of Babylon. For years artists have portrayed her in many different ways. Theologians have wrestled with the imagery and what it means. Have no fear, Bael and Riff are here to put it all in perspective, and crack a bunch of tasteless jokes along the way! 

Now it's time for God's judment to be served, and he's serving it family style! Seven angels with seven bowls of doomsday goodness for everyone to share. Course after course of punishment is about to get served to the whole world. Won't you join us for dinner?

It's time for the showdown. It's Armageddon, and you know what that means...MATH!!! That's right, we've done some disgusting math on this show (see the Noah episode) but this one is word problem that is very problematic. Enjoy!!!

It's time for main players to arrive. The entrance music has hit, the pyro is going, it's time for the tag team of Beasts. Not only do we get these abominations, but we also get the line that launched a million records for Iron Maiden. You know the number...or so you think Join our Patreon!!!

Chapter 12 has some fantastic imagery, especially if you're a fan of Hannibal Lecter or John Milton. This chapter has some of the thickest imagery in the whole book, good thing Bael and Riff are here to cut through the smoke and put it all in perspective. Join our Patreon!!!

Writing down all this carnage makes a guy hungry. Lucky for John, God's got some books for him to eat. After that, the two witnesses show up. Who are they? While we can't say for sure, we can say that Bael & Riff are not them. Probably. 

The Skapacalypse ramps into full effect in this chapter. We've got monsters, woe, and some of the most black metal stuff in the Bible! Bael and Riff break down the mayhem and have some fun in translation station. 

Now that the 4 Horsemen have been unleashed it's time for God to unleash his Harbinger of Doom horn section that signals the Skapocalyse! But wait, what about the Christians still on Earth? Our author realizes he forgot to deal with that part and quickly retcons the chapters he just wrote to fix this plot hole. Time for some funny math along with death and destruction. Hooray! 

It's here. The episode covering the chapter that created the most vivid and iconic imagery from the apocalypse. The amount of times you've seen the images depicted in this chapter are likely innumberable. But are they accurate? More importantly, what does it all mean? The guys take a stab at it while trying to give some perspective to this wildly famous segment of the Bible. 

The buildup continues as John's trip really starts to get wild. We've got heavenly hosts, metaphors galore, and more callbacks than a Seth Macfarlane cartoon. Join us as we take down the chapter before the chapter that everyone knows. It's about to get very very weird. 

Now that John, if that is his real name, has finished writing letters to the homies it's time to get down to business. John's vision starts off with a lot of symbolism, then adds more and more symbolism. Get ready for the acid trip that guides the evangelical world. Drop in and let's go! 

We've made it to the big one. The book that has divided opinion since the day it was added to the canon. The Revelation of John is a wild ride and the boys are here for it. Everyone has heard of this book, but what do they actually remember from it? We dive in and try and sort this apocryphal mess out. While most of the book is nightmare fuel and bloodbaths, the first chapters are just some letters to friends. Join us! 

Our friends Bob and Frizz have a podcast called "Rhythm on the Rocks" that talks about spirits and music. When Bob decided to do an episode about religious music, he knew who to call. This is part 2 of our chat with Bob about our favorite "Christian" songs while we sip on some religious themed drinks. Part 1 is available on their podcast channel. Cheers!!!

We promised we'd speak up when important and relevant stuff happened, so here we are again. The state of Louisiana decided to make it mandatory for classrooms to display the 10 commandments The guys have thoughts...

Our first themed request episode is here. We were asked to point out some of the atrocities committed in the name of Christianity, since folks are always so quick to recall the ones committed by other religions. The guys take a look at 3 that we should not forget. 

We bring our Saints & Sinners season to a close with two fascinating people. One, a sad man who somehow managed to lead others into a horrific tragedy, the other, the greatest American to ever live. That's right, we went big. 

The monkey business continues this week with 2 very different people who led two very different lives. One has a name you can't quite remember why you know, the other resurrected an institution we all wish we could forget. Join us another week of Saints and Sinners. 

This week's focus is medicine. Our Saint used it to make the world a better place, while our sinner just got a bunch of people killed. We'll contrast those conflicting approaches this week as venerate a man of science and stoke the fire on a real dumbass. 

We love to say it's not about the bread on this show, but for this week's Saint it absolutely was about the bread. A gentlemen who has probably impacted your life despite you not knowing he existed. Our Sinner you've almost certainly heard of, and not for anything good. 

A special episode that always had to happen. They've been calling him out for 2 years, and since there's been no response the guys decided to call Ken Hamm out more directly. They balance that nonsense with a look at a good man who tried to make the world a better place. You know, the opposite of Ken Hamm. 

One of our subjects today left a legacy of pain and suffering that extends to this day. The other a legacy of service and dignity. We'll let you guess which is which. Join Bael and Riff for another exciting look at Saints and Sinners. 

It's time for unsung heroes/villians week. We take a deep dive on two people that you've likely never heard of, but probably should have. One person lived the words of Christ to an extreme fashion. The other was an extreme dickhead. Join us to learn about both! 

The Saints & Sinners season rolls on as the guys take a look at two polar opposites. Our sinner is a greedy jerk who has blood on his hands and hate in his hearts. Our Saint is a hometown hero with a legacy that will endure indefinitely. Join Bael and Riff for a look at these two fascinating people. 

As we get deeper into our Saints & Sinners season we continue our efforts at diversity. So naturally we take a look at the time the Catholic church tried that. We also look at one of the worst humans in history. Fun times! 

Complicated would be very mild way to describe today's subjects. They're both did big things in Kansas, but that's about where the similarities stop. Join Bael and Riff for a look at two men who took standing on your convictions to the extreme. 

He is risen? Maybe, who knows? What Bael and Riff do know is that you wanted an Easter episode so you're getting an Easter episode. The guys take a look at the different narratives of Christianity's most essential story as well as some of the fun practices that have evolved around this holiday. 

The Saints and Sinner train keeps on rolling with two unique entries, one a mythical saint who has inspired the names of countless Catholic young men, the other a giant prick who changed the political landscape of the United States in the some of the worst ways possible. You do not want to miss this episode!!!

This week the boys are going green. Bael and Riff head over to the emerald isle to celebrate all things Irish. We've got an Irish Saint and one of the worst sinners we've ever featured. Grab a pint and join us for our luckiest episode ever.