Podcasts about purity culture

It's Friday, February 6th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus 21 of 22 churches destroyed in Christian town in Myanmar since coup On January 30, the Burma Research Institute released a scathing report detailing destructive attacks, murders, and harassment of Christians and churches since the military coup in 2021 that forcefully took control of Myanmar, reports International Christian Concern. Some of the key findings include: 21 out of 22 churches in Thantlang Town, a majority-Christian town, have been destroyed and the town's population displaced since 2021. More than 340 churches and Christian buildings have been destroyed. 149 Christians murdered and 218 imprisoned from 2022 to 2025. One unnamed church leader, who is still living inside Myanmar, testified powerfully that the faithful are now scattered across jungles, remote areas, and informal shelters, struggling to preserve their faith and communal life under constant threat and insecurity. Pastor in India forced to eat cow dung After accusing a pastor in Odisha, India of forcefully converting Hindus to Christianity, a group of Hindu nationalists forced him to eat cow dung and drink sewer water, reports International Christian Concern. The incident occurred on January 4th, but only became widely known in recent days, prompting nationwide outrage and criticism. A mob of 40 people, reportedly affiliated with the Bajrang Dal — the militant wing of the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh — stormed a home during a prayer meeting in Parjang village, and accused the pastor of conducting “forced religious conversions.” Pastor Bipin Bihari Naik was dragged from the house and beaten with sticks. His face was smeared with red vermilion. Sandals were hung around his neck. He was then paraded through the village for nearly two hours. Pastor Naik was eventually taken to a local Hindu temple, where his hands were tied to a metal rod, and he was forced to consume cow dung and drink water from a sewer. They also tried to force the pastor to chant Hindu slogans, but he refused to do so. In a statement on X, Pinarayi Vijayan, the chief minister of Kerala, wrote, “Forcing a human being to eat cow dung is a deeply inhuman act, emboldened by the silence and complicity of BJP-led governments.” Landslide in Congo kills 200 miners A landslide last week collapsed several tunnels at a major coltan mine in eastern Congo, leaving at least 200 people dead in the rebel-controlled site, reports the Associated Press. The collapse occurred  Wednesday at the Rubaya mines, controlled by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, after heavy rains caused several hand-dug tunnels in the unregulated mine to cave. The M23 rebels and the Congolese government traded accusations over responsibility as reports from the remote region began to emerge. The collapse is one of the deadliest disasters in years in an area already facing a humanitarian crisis and ongoing conflict. Trump announced prayer gathering to rededicate America to God Appearing at the National Prayer Breakfast, President Donald Trump explained that the Department of Education will protect the right of public school students to pray. TRUMP: “Today, I'm also pleased to announce that the Department of Education is officially issuing its new guidance to protect the right to prayer in our public schools. That's a big deal.” (applause) President Trump also announced that Americans are invited to attend a special prayer event on the 250th birthday of America in our nation's capital. TRUMP: “In the last 12 months, young Americans attended church at nearly twice the rate as they did four years ago to support this exciting renewal. This morning, I'm pleased to announce that on May 17, we're inviting Americans from all across the country to come together on our National Mall to pray. We're going to rededicate America as one nation under God.” (applause) Psalm 33:12 says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance.” NBC anchor Savannah Guthrie addresses kidnappers of her mother In a tearful video posted Wednesday on Instagram, “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie — flanked by her sister, Annie Guthrie, and her brother, Camron Guthrie, pleaded for more information from the possible kidnapper of her 84-year-old mother, saying her family is “ready to talk,” reports NBC News. GUTHRIE: “Our mom is our heart and our home. She is 84 years old. Her health, her heart is fragile. She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive. We need to know, without a doubt, that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you. And we are ready to listen.” In the Instagram video, Savannah thanked the public for “the prayers for our beloved mom,” Nancy Guthrie, who was last seen Saturday night in her home outside Tucson, Arizona. She was reported missing after she did not show up for church.  Nancy had no cognitive issues, and her disappearance was not linked to dementia. Blood was found on the front porch of Guthrie's house. DNA analysis has confirmed the blood belongs to Nancy Guthrie. A doorbell camera to her home was disconnected and removed at 1:47 local time and at 2:28, Guthrie's pacemaker was disconnected from her phone, an app shows. Fox10 TV reports that investigators are taking seriously a ransom note sent to a handful of media outlets connected to her disappearance. Heith Janke, the FBI chief in Phoenix, announced that they have arrested Derrick Callella in Hawthorne, California. Shocking lessons taught on college campuses today And finally, according to Students for Life's January newsletter, college students are being taught shocking lessons – often paid for by our tax dollars. * Harvard University has a class called, "Come hammered. Get Nailed: Safe Sex Under the Influence.” * Ohio State University features a class entitled, "Fighting Abortion Stigma with Planned Parenthood." * And Grand Valley State University has one called “Breaking Up with Purity Culture.” If that's not enough, they'll be encouraged to write Valentine's Day “thank you” cards to abortionists! The truth is many colleges have turned into little more than recruitment centers for Planned Parenthood's bloody business by first encouraging students to experiment sexually and then funneling vulnerable young women to abortionists to “take care of” or murder the natural consequences of sex – precious little babies. Campus missionaries with Students for Life are confronting the Culture of Death with three outreaches. First, setting up Cemetery of Innocents displays that visually expose the gruesome reality of abortion featuring 1,102 bright pink crosses commemorating the preborn babies aborted by Planned Parenthood every day. Second, hosting table events that spark one-on-one conversations with pro-abortion college students. And third, screening the pro-life movie Unplanned which tells the incredible conversion story of Abby Johnson, who was a Planned Parenthood director-turned-staunch-pro-life-activist, after she witnessed a preborn child squirming for its life away from an abortionist's tools during an abortion. Learn more about the great work of Students for Life at StudentsForLife.org. Proverbs 31:8 says, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Friday, February 6th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

In this episode of Straight White American Jesus, Brad is joined by Sarah Moslener, author of After Purity: Race, Sex, and Religion in White Christian America and creator of the Pure White podcast. Together, they explore purity culture not as a narrow fixation on teenage abstinence, but as a powerful religious and political system that has long shaped ideas of belonging in the United States. Moslener traces purity culture back to 19th-century slavery, Victorian gender norms, and Protestant theology, showing how it functions to define “good bodies” and “bad bodies,” determine moral worth, and police the boundaries of citizenship. White womanhood, in particular, emerges as a national symbol of innocence and virtue that has been central to sustaining racial hierarchy and social control. The conversation turns to how these myths are playing out in the present, from the aesthetics and behavior of women aligned with Trump-era politics to the legal and media treatment of women involved in January 6. Brad and Moslener examine how white innocence is protected when it reinforces authority and withdrawn when it challenges power, contrasting the treatment of compliant figures with white women who resist authoritarianism and women of color who face state violence. From ICE raids to the killing of Reneé Nicole Goode, the episode highlights how authoritarian systems rely on fear, spectacle, and constantly shifting lines between “good” and “bad” to enforce obedience. The discussion ultimately underscores the high cost—and the necessity—of defecting from whiteness in moments of moral and political crisis. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus content most Mondays, bonus episodes every month, ad-free listening, access to the entire 1000+ episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/StraightWhiteJC Order Brad's book: https://bookshop.org/a/95982/9781506482163 Subscribe to Teología Sin Vergüenza Subscribe to American Exceptionalism Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Laura and Andrew sit down with Trisha Wilkerson to explore the powerful intersections between purity culture, diet culture, and body shame. Trisha shares her journey from 25 years in evangelical ministry at Mars Hill Church to becoming a trauma-informed nutrition coach helping people heal their relationship with food and their bodies.Share your purity culture stories with us by leaving a voicemail or sending your story to us!Guest Info: Website: Personal Website: www.trishawilkerson.com. Business: www.theaftermathagency.comSocial Media: IG: @trisharwilkersonBook: Everyday Worship: Our Work, Heart and JesusThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call hereFollow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com To work with Laura as a coach, therapist, consultant, or to inquire about other services, you can do so hereHosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

Gaining mass popularity in the mid-1990s with the True Love Waits rally on the Washington Mall, purity culture began as an urge from evangelical conservatives for Christian adolescents to publicly commit to practicing abstinence until marriage. Throughout this decade and the next, millions of evangelical teenagers performed their commitment to sexual purity by signing pledges and wearing purity rings. Growing Up Pure: White Girls, Queer Teens, and the Racial Foundations of Purity Culture (NYU Press, 2025) by Dr. Lauren D. Sawyer examines the shaping of purity culture in the United States, looking specifically at the experiences of white youth. It shows that white girls and white queer youth were vulnerable to the purity movement, but that they were also complicit in its white supremacist oppressive structure. It makes the case that purity culture follows in the footsteps of other purity movements in the United States, and is very much tied to centuries of anti-Black racism and xenophobia in US social history, seeing white youth as in need of protection, usually from a racialized, sexualized other.While other works have focused on the ways in which purity culture has victimized young people, Dr. Sawyer argues that their perceived status as victims lets them too easily off the hook. White youth have been afforded the privilege of participating in purity culture's harmful behaviors without being called to account. Closely reading adolescents' stories of growing up in purity culture, she uncovers youth as agents, participants, and beneficiaries of its white supremacist framing, even as they were still vulnerable to its harmful teachings. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Gaining mass popularity in the mid-1990s with the True Love Waits rally on the Washington Mall, purity culture began as an urge from evangelical conservatives for Christian adolescents to publicly commit to practicing abstinence until marriage. Throughout this decade and the next, millions of evangelical teenagers performed their commitment to sexual purity by signing pledges and wearing purity rings. Growing Up Pure: White Girls, Queer Teens, and the Racial Foundations of Purity Culture (NYU Press, 2025) by Dr. Lauren D. Sawyer examines the shaping of purity culture in the United States, looking specifically at the experiences of white youth. It shows that white girls and white queer youth were vulnerable to the purity movement, but that they were also complicit in its white supremacist oppressive structure. It makes the case that purity culture follows in the footsteps of other purity movements in the United States, and is very much tied to centuries of anti-Black racism and xenophobia in US social history, seeing white youth as in need of protection, usually from a racialized, sexualized other.While other works have focused on the ways in which purity culture has victimized young people, Dr. Sawyer argues that their perceived status as victims lets them too easily off the hook. White youth have been afforded the privilege of participating in purity culture's harmful behaviors without being called to account. Closely reading adolescents' stories of growing up in purity culture, she uncovers youth as agents, participants, and beneficiaries of its white supremacist framing, even as they were still vulnerable to its harmful teachings. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/21/ice-arrests-five-year-old-boy-minnesotaUS Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained a five-year-old Minnesota boy on Tuesday as he returned home from school and transported him and his father to a Texas detention center, according to school officials.Liam Ramos, a preschooler, and his father were taken into custody while in their driveway, the superintendent of the school district in Columbia Heights, a Minneapolis suburb, said at a press conference on Wednesday. Liam, who had recently turned five, is one of four children in the school district who have been detained by federal immigration agents during the Trump administration's enforcement surge in the region over the last two weeks, the district said. portrait of child wearing black poloLiam Ramos. Photograph: Courtesy of Columbia Heights Public SchoolsLiam and his father had just arrived home when they were detained, according to Zena Stenvik, the superintendent, who said she drove to the home when she learned of the detentions.When she arrived, Stenvik said the father's car was still running and the father and son had already been apprehended. An agent had taken Liam out of the car, led the boy to his front door and directed him to knock on the door asking to be let in, “in order to see if anyone else was home – essentially using a five-year-old as bait”, the superintendent said in a statement. Danielle (00:02):Well, Hey, Jenny, how you doing? I'm hanging in there. How you doing? Same hanging in there a part. I think of it as trying to get in or out of a space and hanging by my fingernails on an edge. That's how I think of it sometimes.(00:27):One time I told a friend, Hey man, I can do a pull up off a door jam. And they were like, really? And I was just like, yeah. And then they tried to do it repeatedly. Their hands were so sore. I was like, I didn't really mean it. I was just joking, but maybe it's like that doing a pull up off a door jam or something. Yeah,Jenny (00:46):I can't even do a normal pull up. I'm working on it. I'm working on my strength.Yeah. I'm trying.Danielle (00:53):Good for you. That's our power.Jenny (00:55):That's right.I am currently in Florida, and so I'm a little worried about this ice storm that's coming through. I think I'm a little bit south of it, so we should hopefully be in the clear, but it's still, you can feel Winter's, the Bruin here.I know. It's a little scary. We're going to just thankfully be parked somewhere where we don't have to drive for at least a few days just in case.Danielle (01:33):Okay, cool. Cool. Will you stay in Florida or what's your trajectory right now?Jenny (01:38):Yeah, we're going to be here probably a couple months, and then we'll probably head over to New Orleans. There's a New Orleans book festival. It's a giant book event, so we're excited for that. And then we'll start probably heading back up to the northeast when it starts to warm up again in late spring, early summer.Yeah. Yeah. So my manuscript is complete and I have sent it to my ideal publisher and they like it and they're going to pitch it by the end of February. So I'm just crossing all my fingers and toes that they all feel like it's a really good fit, and hopefully in about a month from now I'll have a definitive answer, but I have a really good feeling about it. I really value this publisher and yeah, it feels really in alignment with what I'm trying to do with my book.I am trying to help folks understand that their individual body, specifically white cis women in the United States that has been positioned and conditioned within Christian nationalism is just that it is conditioned and positioned by Christian nationalism. And the more that we become aware of that and conscious of that, the more mobility and freedom we can find in our bodies and hopefully in our country and in our world, so that we can move and breathe and have our being in more free sovereign ways.Danielle (03:26):That feels like a little bit of a dream right now, but hey, I'm a dreamer. I'm all over it. Yeah, I'm all over it. I'm all over it. Well, every time we hop on here, I'm always like, oh, what should we talk about? And there's always something really fucked up in the world to dive into, right? Yes.Jenny (03:44):Yeah. Yeah. I think what feels so loud is just in the last 24, 48 hours, I don't know exactly the date five-year-old boy was taken with his dad from Minnesota just immediately basically swept away to another state, and so the family and their lawyer, or even just trying to track down where they are, and I am thinking of four and five-year-olds I know in my life and just how young and how tender and how dependent a child is at that age, and I find myself feeling a lot of rage and a lot of grief and a lot of helplessness, a sense of I want to do something and how do we do something? How about,Danielle (04:40):Let me just read this to us or to us, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Ice detained a five-year-old Minnesota boy. On Tuesdays, he returned home from school and transported him and later his father to a Texas detention center. According to school officials, Liam Ramos, a preschooler and his father were taken into custody while in their driveway, the superintendent of the school district in Columbia Heights, a Minneapolis suburb, said at a press conference on Wednesday, Liam who had recently turned five is one of four children in the school district who have been detained by federal immigration agents during the Trump administration's enforcement surge in the region over the last two weeks. The district said Liam and his father had just arrived home when they were detained. According to Zena Sten, the superintendent who said she drove to the home when she learned of the detentions. Wow.(05:31):When she arrived, SVI said the father's car was still running and the father and son had already been apprehended. An agent had taken Liam out of the car, led the boy to his front door and directed him to knock on the door, asking to be let in order to see if anyone else was home, essentially using a five-year-old as bait. The superintendent said in a statement, Stenbeck said Another adult living in the home was outside during the encounter and had pleaded to take care of Liam so the boy could avoid detention but was denied. Liam's older brother, a middle schooler came home 20 minutes later to find his father and brother missing. Stenbeck said two school principals from the district also arrived at the home to offer support. Mark Osh, an attorney representing the family, said the family had an active asylum case and shared paperwork showing the father and son had arrived at the US at a port of entry, meaning an official crossing point.(06:22):The family did everything they were supposed to in accordance with how the rules have been set out. He said they did not come here illegally. They're not criminals. He said there was no order of deportation against them, and he believes the father and son have remained together. In detention, school officials released two photos of the encounter, one showing Liam in a blue knit hat outside his front door with a masked agent at his side and another showing Liam standing by a car with a man holding onto his backpack. Why did tain a five-year-old, you could not tell me this child is going to be classified as violent criminal. Stevi said. Tricia McLaughlin, director Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary, said in a statement on Wednesday night that ICE was conducting a targeted operation to arrest Liam's father, who she called an illegal alien. Ice did not target a child, she said McLaughlin also alleged the father fled on foot, abandoning his child, saying, for the child's safety, one of our ice officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended.(07:21):His father. Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children or ICE will place the children with a safe person. The parent designates. She added the school district provided a statement from Liam's teacher who expressed shock over the boy's attention. Liam is a bright young student. He's so kind and loving, and his classmates miss him. He comes into class every day and just brightens the room. All I want for him is to be back here and safe. The detention of a young child will have ripple effects at Prakash. Once his classmates learned, the government took him away. I'm not qualified to talk about how much damage that is going to cause. It's not just the family. It's the entire community and all those kids who are now going to be facing secondary trauma. Also, on Tuesday, a 17-year-old Columbia Heights student was taken armed by armed and masked agents without parents present.(08:12):Stevi said that student was removed from their car. She said in another case, on the 14th of January, ICE agents pushed their way into an apartment and detained a 17-year-old high school girl. And her mother, Stevi said in a fourth case on January 6th, a 10-year-old fourth grade student was allegedly taken by ice on her way to elementary school with her mother. The superintendent said the 10-year-old called her father during the arrest and said the ICE agents would bring her to school. But when the father arrived at the school, he discovered his daughter and wife had been taken. By the end of that school day, the mother and daughter were in detention center in Texas.(08:48):Vic reported that as school officials are preparing for a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, an ice vehicle drove to the property of the district's school and we're told by administrators to leave ice agents have been roaming our neighborhoods, circling our schools, following our buses, coming onto our parking lots and taking our kids stem said the DHS did not respond to inquiries about other arrests and the Port of ICE's arrival on campus. In an interview after the press conference, the superintendent said The arrests and looming presence of vice had taken an enormous toll on students, parents, and school staff. Our children are traumatized. The sense of safety in our community and around our schools is shaken. Stenbeck said, I can speak on behalf of all school staff when I say our hearts are shattered, and our fourth student was taken yesterday. I just thought someone has to hear the story they're taking children. School officials said, some families are choosing to stay home out of fear of ice. Stevi said, school leaders we're working to aid families affected by ice. Our role is to educate children during the school day, but now we're trying to help people navigate this legal system. She added our main priority is to keep children safe. They're children. They're not violent criminals. They're little kids.(10:01):Hey, Rebecca. I was just reading the story of little Liam who was used as bait to get his father and other family members arrested, and I hadn't read the story before, but he had apparently they walked this boy up to the door and asked him to knock on the door so they could see if anybody else was home. So yeah, thoughts Jenny, Rebecca,I think the word ringing in my head is asylum and that this young boy and his family, so many others have already tried to seek out a safer place only to be met with such violence and harmI think I feel this kind of disbelief that we live in a country where this is what happens in broad daylight and that the conversation we're having as a country is all these ways to justify that any of this is legitimate or humane. And then I feel like I shouldn't be surprised, and I wonder if this is what my ancestors felt like in the 1950s or the 1920s or the 1860s. This kind of way that this is woven into the fabric of American life in a way that it never actually disappears. It just keeps reinventing it and reimagining itself and that every generation falls for that every time. And I don't know how to metabolize that. I can access it academically. I know enough history to know that. And if I try to think about what that felt like and why are we here again, why are we repeating this again? Why are we still doing this?Danielle (14:04):Yeah, I guess I used to think, and I think I've said this many times, I just keep repeating it, that some of this would disrupt the MAGA base. And we've even talked a bit together about Marjorie Taylor Green, but I saw a piece on the Atlantic, let me see if I can find the guy's name done by Yer Rosenberg, and it said, the biggest myth about Trump's base and why many believe it, the magma faithful, the MAGA faithful aren't deserting their leader. And it said in fact that it's like over 80% of the same Republican does support this immigration enforcement. They support what the action that happened in Venezuela, they support the hostile takeover, potential hostile takeover of Greenland.(15:07):And that some of the pushback we're hearing, but maybe you've heard it by Tucker Carlson or Marjorie Taylor Green is really politically motivated. So these folks can position themselves as successors to Trump because Trump has such a, they're saying Trump has a firm grip on the Republican party. And I think I want to push back and be like, well, we're all individuals making choices at the same time. And if you have 85% of an entire voting block saying, I'm okay with this, then why would it stop? Like you said, Rebecca, there's no reason this is going to stop. We can't wait. These people are not changing their minds now. They can see the violence. If you grew up in California and someone was in Alabama and there was a lynching in Alabama or vice versa, or the Chinese were attacked in California, et cetera, you might not know about it. That's not what's happening right now. There's freedom of information. There's social media. We can see the images and with the images, people are still saying, yeah, I'm okay with that. I think that's what strikes me.Rebecca (16:27):And again, I think if you look back historically, it's like we've been okay with this as a country for a very long time, since at the inception of the country, there is a category of people that are three fifths a human, and therefore not entitled to the rights listed under the constitution. We've been okay with this since there was such a thing as the United States of America. And that means that Donald Trump is not the problem. He is the symptom of a problem. He's the current forward face of a problem that has been with us since the very beginning, and that the church in America has sanctioned as biblically acceptable from the very beginning.Which is crazy, right? But the notion that somehow God or any version of him, it is on the side of this, it is absurd. It just is. Yeah. But again, that's the argument the church has put forth the inception since the colonies, since before there was a United States. The church has put forward the notion that God is on the side of this. And it was a lie then and it is a lie now, but it's one that this country is used to swallowing.Jenny (19:36):I am thinking about how almost a year ago now, Sean and I were doing sort of a civil rights circuit. We did Memphis and Birmingham and Montgomery and I, Selma, and then we just so happened as we kind of went through that circuit, we just so happened to be in the major cities that ice rates were happening in Nashville, in Houston, in San Antonio, and we were on the same street the day that children were being ziptied and taken from their court hearings in San Antonio. And we went from there to go visit family who grew me up in a Christian tradition to follow a man who proclaimed good news for the immigrant and for the poor. And I was crying talking about what we had witnessed, what we had physically experienced, not what we had just seen on social media, on news, what we had tangibly seen, the people we talked to and one of these family members.(21:07):The next thing they said was, I think I just saw a raindrop and they were so dissociated and disconnected from themselves, from me, from our relational field, from what was going on that I was just like, if we cannot have this conversation, what hope is there? Where do we put our hope in? How, again, I think a big part of why I am so passionate about this is because of the person that I grew up learning Jesus was and trying to emulate that. And then to see this fracture in those that call themselves Christians and Jesus followers unwilling to even engage what's going on right now. It is so distressing. And I honestly, yeah, like you're saying, I don't think it's new though. I think that somehow this marriage of Christianity and militarization and conquest has been a powerful force, I think really since Constantine and there's, I dunno what it will take to reckon with that.Danielle (22:37):I mean, clearly I think Jenny, you point, information is not enough for people to change even what we could call facts. We can't agree on those facts. So if you take the church scene, I watched it. I actually watched it live last weekend. I was interested in it and I saw him say, we don't know where we're going. His car, his jeep actually got caught in a lot of snow and they were pushing it out. They got in, they were very clear like, Hey, we're just here observing this protest. We're here watching. And they watched and they went, and he has it on Instagram and TikTok, I think Don goes up to the pastor that's there, not the pastor that's associated with ice. And the pastor puts his hand on Don and starts to push him and Don says, do not touch me. Don't touch me.(23:34):Don't push me. I'm not invading your space. But I think that's the visceral response. It's like, let me push away this reality. In my mind, that's the actual thing happening. It is not that Don is seen as a person in that moment. I don't believe that. I don't believe he saw him as a person. I think it was more as I thought about it and I got the chills thinking about it. It's like, let me just push away whatever reality you're walking in with, I want nothing to do with it. And I mean, what really struck me about that too was it was black clergymen in there protesting for Renee. Good. I'm like, oh, this is what it is. It's black independent media showing up and doing this reporting. Yeah, it was very interesting. Rebecca, did you watch any of that?Rebecca 24:34):I did. And I saw a clip of a prisoner walking out of the building saying, I just came here to worship God, and that got disrupted and I'm upset about It was the gist. I mean, that's my paraphrase. But again, I don't know what has to happen to a person, to a people theologically, psychologically, emotionally, physiologically for you to not see, not believe, not metabolize, not feel what you're actually witnessing. And the answer to that is rather scary to me. What you have to believe is true about the God that you claim to serve what you have to believe is true about the people that he created in order to turn a blind eye to what you're not only witnessing but actually participating in to the extent that omission or silence or inaction is actually participation. It is a little scary to me what that means about the American church in this moment. I don't know what to say about that.Jenny (27:52):I was going to say last Sunday we had the opportunity to go to Ebenezer Baptist, which was the church that MLK was a pastor of. Did we talk about that on here? Not really,(28:07):Yeah. And Warnock gave the sermon for the day and it ended with Renee good's face up on the screen where the worship music usually shows and him talking about what it means to account the cost in this moment and to stay the course in this battle that we're in. That's very real and very serious. And to be in that place in MLK's old church on the week that Renee Goode was murdered, it just was both kind of just a reality check, but also encouraging to just be as scary and loud and big and gaslighting as all of this is. We've been to 44 states in the last two years, and there are amazing people in every single one of them doing incredible things and looking at the community in Minneapolis with their whistles, with their defiance, with their sledding competitions, just to see the various ways in which defiance and resistance is taking place. I feel like that has been something that has been giving me a thread of hope in the midst of everything.Danielle (29:51):Yeah, I think I was thinking that yesterday. There's so much piled up trauma and so many people that are disrupted by it, as they should be, and so much, I was talking to someone the other day and they're like, I'm anxious. I'm like, I'm anxious too. How could you not be anxious even if you're kind of oblivious? I feel like the waves just travel. But I mean, not to be trite, but I think I listen to Jamar Tse a lot and he was talking about one way to combat despair is building your community has to hold hope. You can't do it by yourself. So taking action or reflection or being with other people or talking it out or showing emotion. I think those are real things. And I dunno, I guess coming back to therapy, just kind of that ingrained sense of you can't take an action to get out of your situation or change things, but I don't know where I learned that or picked that up, but I think that taking an action when you feel like shit actually does help. It's going on a walk or going for a run, and I don't know the chemistry to this, maybe you know it more than me, but something starts busting loose in the chemistry, and even if it doesn't last forever, it changes for a minute.Don't know. Do you know what changes or what the chemistry is for that?Jenny (31:30):Yeah. Well, I think that there are few things more distressing for our nervous system than immobility. So at least when we are protesting or we're running or we're lifting weights or we're doing something, it's letting our body feel that sympathetic fight flight energy that's like, well, at least I can do something and I might not be able to escape this situation. I might not be able to change it, but I can feel a little bit more movement in my own body to figure out how I can maneuver in and through it.(32:14):And so even that, as we do that, when we do move or exercise, we're releasing a lot of adrenaline and cortisol. We're working that through our system, and we're also producing a lot of natural opiates and feel good chemicals. So there is something very real and physiological to lately I've been just needing to go do the stairs machine at the gym, and I've just been like, I need to walk up a mountain and feel my body be able to do that. And yeah, it doesn't last forever, but maybe for a couple hours afterwards I'm like, okay, I feel good enough to stay in this and not check out. And I had a friend send me something today that was talking about how a lot of people think they're overwhelmed and we are going through something that's overwhelming. And a lot of that overwhelm is actually that we're taking in so much and we're not doing anything with it.(33:21):And so whether or not what you do changes or fixes it, you actually need some way to let your body process the adrenaline, the stress, the cortisol, and all of those things. And that, I think helps our body. If we look at cultures across the globe when they've been preparing for war, look at the haka and these dances that are like, they're not in it. They're not fighting the war, but they're doing something to let their bodies feel in connection with other bodies to feel their strength and to get prepared for whatever they need to be prepared for.Danielle (33:59):Right. Yeah. That's so cool. Every time I watch that dance, I'm like, oh, I wish I had that. But I feel like the Seahawks kind of provide that, just that yelling or screaming or whatever.Jenny (34:18):Totally. Or going on a roller coaster. There's not a lot of places we have permission to just scream. I do in the car a lot while I'm driving. I'll just be like, and it really helped a lot.Danielle (34:34):It's so interesting how we can go from that intense story though, hit the church stuff and then the conversation can come back to here. But I do think that's a reflection of how we kind of have to approach the moment too. There's no way to metabolize all the stuff in the article. It's deeply overwhelming. One aspect probably couldn't be metabolized in a day. I dunno. Does that make sense?Yeah. How are you looking at the next week then, Jenny, as you think of that, even that kind of structure we went through, how do you imagine even the next week? It's hard to imagine the next week. I feel like we never know what's going to happen.Jenny (35:15):I know I feel very grateful that we're in a place where we have really good friends and community and support. So this week looks like dinners with our friends, engaging what's going on. We're very close to this really local bookstore that gets letters from folks in prison about what kind of book they want. And then you go find the book and you pack it and you mail it to them. What(35:52):So we're going to volunteer in there and send some books to folks in prison and just do things. And it's not changing everything, but I believe that if everybody focused on doing the right thing that was right in front of them, we would have a much different world and a less associated apathetic world. I plan on going to the gym a lot and working out, getting buff, working out my running may or may not be disrupting some more standup open mic comedy nights. We'll see. PostSpeaker 1 (36:31):What about you? What's your week look like?Danielle (36:39):I tend to set, I tell myself I love the weekends because Saturdays and Sundays are my days full days off. So I tend to tell myself, oh, I can't wait for that. But then in the week I tell myself, these might seem silly, but I say, oh man, there's so much hard stuff. But then I tell myself, I don't want to rush a day because I really like to see my kids. So then each day I think, well, I have work that's cool. I have these other tasks. And then when I get outside of work, I look forward, I try to tell myself, oh, I'm going to eat something I really like. I'm going to give my kid a hug. I'm going to hear about their day.(37:16):I like to lay flat on my back after work, even before I eat, just to kind of reset. I look forward to that moment. Seems silly. I like that at noon every day. Usually reserve my time to work out. And even if I don't push myself hard, I go just to hug the people. And sometimes I get there early and I sit in a corner and they're like, what are you doing? I'm like, I'm mentally warming up. So those are the kind of things, it sounds mundane, but I need really basic, dependable rhythms. I know I can execute.Yeah, yeah, yeah. Guess what? I really have to go to the bathroom.   Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.

Gaining mass popularity in the mid-1990s with the True Love Waits rally on the Washington Mall, purity culture began as an urge from evangelical conservatives for Christian adolescents to publicly commit to practicing abstinence until marriage. Throughout this decade and the next, millions of evangelical teenagers performed their commitment to sexual purity by signing pledges and wearing purity rings. Growing Up Pure: White Girls, Queer Teens, and the Racial Foundations of Purity Culture (NYU Press, 2025) by Dr. Lauren D. Sawyer examines the shaping of purity culture in the United States, looking specifically at the experiences of white youth. It shows that white girls and white queer youth were vulnerable to the purity movement, but that they were also complicit in its white supremacist oppressive structure. It makes the case that purity culture follows in the footsteps of other purity movements in the United States, and is very much tied to centuries of anti-Black racism and xenophobia in US social history, seeing white youth as in need of protection, usually from a racialized, sexualized other.While other works have focused on the ways in which purity culture has victimized young people, Dr. Sawyer argues that their perceived status as victims lets them too easily off the hook. White youth have been afforded the privilege of participating in purity culture's harmful behaviors without being called to account. Closely reading adolescents' stories of growing up in purity culture, she uncovers youth as agents, participants, and beneficiaries of its white supremacist framing, even as they were still vulnerable to its harmful teachings. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Pastor Nicole takes on a big one: Purity Culture. The purity culture myth shaped an entire generation in ways many of us are still uncovering. What was framed as a path to holiness often became a system built on fear, shame, and strict expectations. It didn't just influence behavior. It reshaped identity, self-worth, and how […] The post Myth Busters // Purity Culture appeared first on Refuge.Church.

Dan Miller is back, and this time we are talking about the side of purity culture that almost never gets center stage: how it messes with men. While purity culture is usually framed around controlling women's bodies and desires, Dan helps us unpack how men and those socialized as male are shaped by shame, fear, and some wildly unhealthy expectations. From being taught they are inherently dangerous to being trapped in rigid ideas of masculinity, this conversation looks at how purity culture limits emotional range, intimacy, and even basic self understanding long after people have deconstructed the theology.We get into everything from the predator versus protector binary to the loneliness epidemic among men, why anger becomes the only socially acceptable emotion, and how the “slippery slope” logic around touch wrecks healthy connection. Dan also walks through what healing can actually look like, including somatic awareness, parts work, and relearning how to experience pleasure and desire without shame. We wrap by talking about what it might look like to raise boys differently, with more room for emotions, curiosity, and care. Equal parts thoughtful, validating, and gently unhinged in the best way, this episode is for anyone trying to unlearn the damage purity culture did to their body, their relationships, or their sense of self.Connect with Dan:Website: CTRR Practitioner bio pageSocial Media: Straight White American Jesus Podcast, Co-Host, Instagram: @straightwhitejc, Twitter: @straightwhitejcEmail: danielmillerswaj@gmail.comResources discussed in this episode: Jesus and John Wayne by Kristen Kobes duMez This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call hereFollow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com To work with Laura as a coach, therapist, consultant, or to inquire about other services, you can do so hereHosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

In this episode of Uncommon Sense, I'm calling out a problem no one wants to confront: the normalization of partying, drinking, and casual sex especially among so-called “conservative influencers.”You cannot claim to defend Western Civilization while publicly celebrating the very behaviors that destroyed past civilizations. Conservatism without morality is just aesthetic rebellion.We don't need more clout, cocktails, or compromised values. We need a return to godliness, self-discipline, and moral responsibility because the future generations watching us will inherit whatever standard we tolerate today.If we want to save the West, we have to get serious about being truly Christian again.--https://www.bible.com/

Lauren Elise Rogers, certified holistic sexuality educator and embodied intimacy coach, shares her powerful journey from wedding night virgin in a high-control religious environment to becoming a leading voice in sexual health and relationship coaching. This conversation explores the lasting impacts of purity culture and practical pathways to reclaiming agency, pleasure, and authentic intimacy.Share your purity culture stories with us by leaving a voicemail or sending your story to us!Connect with Lauren: Website: www.sexedforyou.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@sexedforyouInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sex_ed_for_you/Resources discussed in this episode: Jeff Moran - 7 Steps to Sexual HealingNecessary Endings by Henry Cloud Fantasy Bond by Robert FirestoneThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram @andrew_kerbsFollow Andrew's post-SDA account @lifeafteradventismFollow Andrew's account on neurodivergence and high control religion @divergent.faith Join Andrew's Substack (Kerb Your Enthusiasm) www.andrewkerbs.substack.com To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call hereFollow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com Join Laura's Substack (Therapy in the Headlines) www.drlauraeanderson.substack.com To work with Laura as a coach, therapist, consultant, or to inquire about other services, you can do so hereHosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

In this episode of The Open Bedroom Podcast, I talk with show listener Mr. Pollyanna, who shares his journey from an evangelical Christian upbringing and purity culture to embracing emotional vulnerability and polyamory. We discuss the damaging effects of toxic masculinity, religious shame, and emotional abuse, and how these have shaped our relationships and intimacy. Mr. Pollyanna offers insights on breaking free from patriarchal norms, cultivating tenderness, and building healthier, more authentic connections. Our conversation provides practical advice for men seeking emotional growth, highlighting the importance of compassion, listening, and redefining masculinity beyond traditional religious expectations.Guest Introduction & Background (00:01:06)Jen and Mr. Pollyanna share how they met, his Christian upbringing, and his journey to deconstructing faith.Purity Culture and Its Impact (00:02:04)Announcement of the episode's main topic: how purity culture negatively affects men.Mr. Pollyanna's Upbringing & Marriage (00:02:14)He describes his liberal Christian background, marrying into a conservative family, and early relationship challenges.Toxic Family Dynamics & Church Involvement (00:04:37)Explains family abuse, church leadership, and the dysfunction in evangelical communities.Deconstruction & Anonymity (00:06:09)Discusses leaving the church, being anonymous on TikTok, and ongoing family abuse and shame.Purity Culture Guilt & Relationship Roles (00:07:33)Talks about guilt from past relationships, controlling partners, and the “happy dingbat” dynamic.Toxic Faith & Family Control (00:08:40)Describes toxic faith, family control over finances, education, and the struggle to break free.Leaving the Church & Ongoing Shame (00:10:07)Explores the lasting effects of purity culture, ongoing guilt, and the contradiction of forgiveness.Privilege & Abuse in Religious Marriages (00:11:11)Acknowledges male privilege, shares stories of women's abuse, and his involvement in healing communities.Divorce & Breaking Free (00:13:55)Describes the turning point leading to divorce and the relief of leaving guilt and shame behind.Host's Personal Experience with Purity Culture (00:14:40)Jen shares her Catholic upbringing, friends' experiences with virginity, and the shame surrounding sex.Dave Ramsey, Christian Marriages & Sexlessness (00:16:20)Jen discusses Christian influencers, sexless marriages, and questions why men stay in unfulfilling relationships.Why Men Stay in Unhappy Marriages (00:18:38)Mr. Pollyanna explains men's reasons for staying, lack of emotional skills, and societal changes.Generational Masculinity & Emotional Deficits (00:21:23)Explores how past generations shaped men's inability to be loving and emotionally available.Homosocial Behavior & Male Loneliness (00:23:52)Discusses men seeking approval from other men, lack of feminine influence, and self-inflicted loneliness.Religion, Family, and Toxic Masculinity (00:29:17)Examines how religion and toxic masculinity perpetuate control, emotional distance, and family conflict.Nurturing, Intimacy, and Ending Patriarchy (00:30:34)Advocates for nurturing, emotional intimacy, and how this could challenge patriarchy.Post-Divorce Relationships & Deconstruction (00:31:32)Describes dating after divorce, deconstructing faith, and the impact of “the one” narrative.Solo Polyamory & Relationship Dynamics (00:40:16)Discusses life as a solo poly man, benefits of independence, and maintaining multiple relationships.Emotional Intelligence & Being a Better Lover (00:43:19)Talks about emotional IQ, learning from books, and the importance of tenderness in relationships.Advice for Men: Listening & Presence (00:45:18)Offers practical advice for men: listen to women, provide comfort, and be emotionally present.Follow The Open Bedroom podcast:https://www.instagram.com/theopenbedroompodcast/

Courtney Boyer and her husband were married for 17 years when she had a wild idea--what if they had a threesome?When her husband rejects the idea, the conversation takes a turn and they end up in totally new territory, with the agreement that Courtney can have relations--and relationships--with other men.Years after making a decision that opens her up to a whole new world, she sits down with me to talk about what polyamory really is, and how it's made her life better.Check out Courtney's book, "Opened," HERE, and connect with her coaching services and more info about her HERE.

In this week's main episode, Keith chats with Halley Kim and Sara Moslener about toxic purity and how it both stifles and corrupts our true nature. Trigger Warning: topics include SA and marital r*pe.If you want to call in to the Bonus Show, leave a voicemail at (530) 332-8020. We'll get to your calls on next Friday's Bonus Show. Or, you can email Matthew at matthew@quoir.com.Join The Quollective today! Use code "heretic" to save 10% off a yearly subscription.Pick up Keith and Matt's book, Reading Romans Right, today, as well as The UnChristian Truth About White Christian Nationalism.Please consider signing up to financially support the Network: QuoirCast on PatreonIf you want to be a guest on the show, email keith@quoir.com.LINKSQuoirCast on PatreonQuoirCast on Patheos Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when you go from purity culture to polyamory? My podcast guest, Courtney Boyer. became polyamorous while her husband stayed monogamous. She is a relationship coach, writer, and speaker focused on love, desire, and authenticity. A former therapist, she blends mental health and sex-therapy expertise to help women release shame, reclaim their voices, and build honest, autonomous relationships. She lives in Germany with her husband and three children, endlessly learning and writing her next chapter.In this episode of Last First Date Radio:The beliefs from purity culture that shape our understanding of relationships and sexualityHow Courtney realized polyamory felt aligned with who she now wasThe impact of polyamory on motherhoodHow to better understand mixed-orientation relationship structuresConnect With CourtneySocial media and website: https://linktr.ee/coachcourtneyboyer ►Please subscribe/rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts http://bit.ly/lastfirstdateradio ►If you're feeling stuck in dating and relationships and would like to find your last first date, sign up for a complimentary 45-minute breakthrough session with Sandy https://lastfirstdate.com/application ►Join Your Last First Date on Facebook https://facebook.com/groups/yourlastfirstdate ►Get Sandy's books, Becoming a Woman of Value; How to Thrive in Life and Love https://bit.ly/womanofvaluebook , Choice Points in Dating https://amzn.to/3jTFQe9 and Love at Last https://amzn.to/4erpj7C ►Get FREE coaching on the podcast! https://bit.ly/LFDradiocoaching ►FREE download: “Top 10 Reasons Why Men Suddenly Pull Away” http://bit.ly/whymendisappear ►Group Coaching: https://lastfirstdate.com/the-woman-of-value-club/ ►Website → https://lastfirstdate.com/ ► Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/lastfirstdate1/ ►Get Amazon Music Unlimited FREE for 30 days at https://getamazonmusic.com/lastfirstdate  

John and Jenny discuss how purity culture in evangelical and high-control Christian spaces turns bodies into commodities, fuses "holiness" with racial anxiety, and leaves survivors carrying crushing shame. They trace the roots of modern purity teaching through abstinence-only campaigns, racialized myths about "protecting" white women, and high-demand groups shaped by Branhamism and Christian identity rhetoric, highlighting how fear-based sermons and public shaming deform both faith and embodiment.Drawing on Jenny's therapeutic work and John's historical research, they talk about consent, autonomy, and why healthy boundaries are different from rigid rules, offering language for people who still value faith but are done with spiritualized control. Whether you grew up in modesty talks, pledge rallies, or holiness churches--or you love someone who did--this conversation names the harm, honors survivors' stories, and points toward practical pathways for healing in "really good bodies" that are never damaged goods.______________________Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR:Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________- Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org

A quiet afternoon in the woods turns into something no one saw coming. What began as a simple plan spirals into a mystery filled with fear, faith, and unanswered questions. Nothing in this story is as simple as it first appears.Trigger Warnings:Mentions of MurderSatanic CultsHuman SacrificesKidnappings Deadly Faith PATREON: https://patreon.com/DeadlyFaithPodcast?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkDeadly Drip Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/deadly-drip/?utm_source=facebook_messenger&utm_medium=store_page_published_share&utm_campaign=deadly-drip&utm_content=default Need A Podcast Editor? Reach out to Eric Howell the editor of the Deadly Faith podcast!Email: thepodcastdoctor@gmail.com Resources:National Domestic Violence Hotline 1(800)799-7233 Open 24/7Suicide Hotline Call 988 Open 24/7National Human Trafficking Hotline Open 24/7 1(800) 373-7888 Connect with Us! EmailDeadlyFaithPodcast@gmail.comThe PodcastTik Tok @DeadlyFaithPodcastInstagram @DeadlyFaithPodcastLaciTik Tok @Laci_BeanInstagram @Laci__BeanLolaTik Tok @hellotherelolaInstagram @Spellbound_Shears

Angela is back! Drew is currently on the run from his creditors so Angela has returned to react to Purity Culture TikToks. She says swear words like a real life sailor! What a gal! This week's episode is brought to you by First Kisses with Charlie Templeton.  Follow us! Instagram: @Twinnuendo @darbylynncartwright @DontTalkToGrant TikTok: @twinnuendopod @thedarbylynn @DontTalkToGrant Twitter: @Twinnuendo @TheDarbyLynn @DontTalkToGrant Support our Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/Twinnuendo?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our podcast: Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1LtOrDbZh646DYt66FzKUP?si=212f3d3cc4ac478a⁠⁠⁠ Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/twinnuendo/id1757646055⁠⁠⁠ IMHO: the PODCAST: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://swap.fm/l/IMHO⁠⁠⁠⁠ Call us!(940) ASS-TWIN Twinnuendo.com  Send us mail!  Drew 12348-B Ventura Blvd # 134 Studio City, CA 91604 Grant PO Box 783711 Winter Garden, FL 34778         Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CW: abortionMary B is joined by Dr. Sara Moslener to discuss her new book After Purity: Race, Sex, and Religion in White Christian America. Moslener traces her journey from a high school defender of purity culture to a scholar with a nuanced understanding of how the myth of purity has helped mask elements of white supremacy as Christian values. She reflects on the power of myth as a storytelling tool that — depending on its intent — can yield positive or harmful results. Mary B relates this to the ways myths are being used by the most powerful in this country to attack trans folks. Moselener urges that although much of her research is from the point of view of white women, sexual purity must be considered in an intersectional way. Sara J. Moslener (she/her) is a lecturer in the Department of Philosophy, Anthropology, and Religion at Central Michigan University. She is the author of Virgin Nation: Sexual Purity and American Adolescence and creator of the podcast Pure White: Sexual Purity and White Supremacy. She lives in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, with her best friend and soulmate, Gibson the Chug.You can get After Purity wherever you buy books. Follow Sara on Substack at afterpurity.substack.com. Join the Found Family crew over on Substack and get your free copy of the Found Family Cheat Sheet! Support the show

Laura and Andrew sit down with therapist and healing guide Elizabeth DeVaughn for a powerful conversation about what it really takes to move through trauma and come home to yourself. Elizabeth shares pieces of her own story, including the experiences that led her into this work, and opens up about the practices and principles that help people rebuild self trust after years of shame, fear, or being told to disconnect from their own bodies.They talk about how self awareness and self compassion become the foundation of healing, why so many of our patterns are rooted in old survival strategies, and how to gently challenge the beliefs that no longer serve us. Elizabeth offers practical tools for strengthening self worth, interrupting harmful scripts from the past, and creating more space for authenticity in relationships. The three also explore the importance of community, nervous system support, and daily practices that keep us grounded as we unravel religious conditioning or trauma. It is an encouraging, honest conversation about becoming who you were always meant to be.Share your purity culture stories with us by leaving a voicemail or sending your story to us!Elizabeth's Info: Website: CTRR Practitioner bio pageSocial Media: Website: www.elizabethdevaughn.com, Instagram: @elizabethmdevaughnAnything else (e.g. book title and link) Resources discussed in this episode: Rest is ResistanceAnatomy of Trust video by Brene BrownThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call hereFollow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com To work with Laura as a coach, therapist, consultant, or to inquire about other services, you can do so hereHosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

In this conversation, I sit down with Dorothy Greco to explore misogyny not just as individual prejudice, but as a system that shapes our culture, our institutions, our churches, and even our closest relationships. Dorothy walks me through how misogyny shows up in medicine, economics, purity culture, pornography, and the daily lives of women, and why it remains so difficult to see and name. We talk about the ways entitlement and distorted power sustain this harm, and how the way of Jesus offers a radically different vision, one rooted in dignity, equality, and mutual flourishing. This episode invites all of us to look beneath the surface, recognize what's been hidden in plain sight, and imagine what healing and justice might require from us moving forward.Dorothy Littel Greco has worked as a photojournalist for more than forty years. She is the author of three books, including the recently released, For the Love of Women: Uprooting and Healing Misogyny in America. When Dorothy is not writing or making photos, she loves to bike, kayak, and share food with friends.Dorothy's Book:For the Love of WomenDorothy's Recommendation:This is HappinessConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@shiftingculturepodcast.comGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Bluesky or YouTubeConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link belowFind the Presence Over Power collection at www.shiftingculturepodcast.com/store Get Your Sidekick Support the show

Every December, a loud minority swear they're being hunted by carollers, coffee cups, and secular toddlers armed with “Happy Holidays.” So is the War on Christmas real, or just a profitable bit of political theatre? We drag the opportunistic pundits, the purity-culture merchants, and the mall Santas who think they're frontline soldiers—because this “war” has everything except reality.We're taking a skeptical look at:The Meltdown: How “Happy Holidays” became a slur.The Merch: Purity-culture Christmas capitalism and the grifters cashing in.The Reality: Inconvenient historical facts about the holiday's actual origins.Includes original comedy sketches, irreverent history, and our trademark blasphemous chaos!If you like your holidays with skepticism, satire, and a little unholy cheer, you're in the right cult. Join the SIMSH Congregation: • Follow, rate, review, and spread the word • Support the show & unlock bonus content on Patreon • Summon us directly via email if you feel spiritually compelledOr just scream into the void on our behalf. It all helps.Send us a textSupport the showWelcome, Sinners! We're building a cult — the good kind. No robes, just laughs. Catch every blasphemous episode: Listen Here Wear your heresy: Merch Store Support the pod & unlock Hoots songs: Patreon Your reviews, shares, and smart-ass comments keep the cult alive.

SummaryIn this episode of the Gird Up podcast, host Charlie Ungemach engages in a deep conversation with Pastor Greg Lyon of Wisconsin Lutheran College about the challenges young Christians face regarding sexuality and identity. They explore the role of pastoral care, the impact of purity culture, and the importance of healing and forgiveness in Christ. The discussion emphasizes the need for honest conversations about sexuality, the significance of building trust in relationships, and the journey towards emotional and spiritual healing. Ultimately, the episode highlights the centrality of identity in Christ and the call to live a chaste life while fostering meaningful connections.Chapters00:00 Introduction to GirtdUp Podcast and Mission03:07 Understanding the Role of a Campus Pastor07:01 The Intersection of Pastoral Care and Therapy13:16 Navigating Sexuality and Christian Identity19:15 The Impact of Purity Culture on Young Christians24:48 The Depth of Sexual Sin and Its Consequences30:50 Spiritual and Emotional Healing After Sexual Activity46:04 The Intersection of Spirituality and Mental Health49:16 Navigating Sexuality and Healing53:14 The Role of Chastity in Relationships56:04 Understanding Relationship Dynamics01:01:05 Honesty in Relationships01:07:52 Identity and Value in Christ01:11:59 Counseling for Hope and Connection01:23:21 OutroPastor Greg's Links:Wonderfully Made Book - https://www.amazon.com/Wonderfully-Made-Protestant-Theology-Body/dp/1683594673https://madeknown.net/https://www.wlc.edu/index.htmlGird Up Links: https://youtube.com/@girdupministries4911?si=tbCa0SOiluVl8UFxhttps://www.instagram.com/girdup_be_a_man/https://www.girdupministries.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textIt's episode 307 of the Bare Marriage podcast! Holly Fletcher joins us to talk about her AMAZING new book Missionary Kids. I devoured it in one sitting. We need to listen to the stories of these kids, because they're a microcosm of white evangelicalism!JOIN OUR FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN!Help us raise money to fund our research, our new podcast docuseries, and our translation projects! Give through the Good Fruit Faith Initiative (tax deductible within the United States) or join our Patreon!TO SUPPORT US: Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month to support our workAnd check out our Merch, or any of our courses!Give to the Good Fruit Faith Initiative of the Bosko FoundationJoin our email list!LINKS MENTIONED: Check out Missionary Kids by Holly Berkley FletcherHolly's Substack: A Zebra Without StripesHolly on Blue SkyInstagramThreadsEtsy Our book She Deserves BetterSupport the showJoin Sheila at Bare Marriage.com!Check out her books: The Great Sex Rescue She Deserves Better The Marriage You Want and the Study Guide The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex and The Good Guy's Guide to Great Sex And she has an Orgasm Course and a Libido course too!Check out all her courses, FREE resources, social media, books, and so much more at Sheila's LinkTree.

In this special Wednesday Q&A live, Melissa and I address your questions on a wide range of topics affecting mental, emotional, and relationship health from a biblical perspective. We share a bit of our struggles with family and especially watching our aging parents and how they deal and cope with their later stages of life. […]

Laura turns the tables and interviews her cohost, Andrew Kerbs, for an honest and often tender look at what it was like to grow up male in purity culture. Andrew shares stories from his childhood in both the Mormon church and the Seventh day Adventist tradition, unpacking how ideas about worthiness shaped everything from his family dynamics to his sense of self. Together they explore the quiet pressures boys and men face in high control religions, including secrecy around sexuality, the fear of being found out, and the shame that comes from never feeling good enough.The conversation also dives into the messages men receive about pornography, addiction, and desire and how those narratives spill into relationships, mental health, and masculinity. Laura and Andrew talk about consent, body safety, and how to raise kids with honesty instead of fear. They also get into the healing side of things, from somatic practices and therapy to redefining masculinity and learning emotional intelligence outside the confines of religious purity. It is a vulnerable, thoughtful episode that gives space to experiences men rarely get to talk about and shows what reclaiming self worth can look like after leaving high control religion.Share your purity culture stories with us by leaving a voicemail or sending your story to us!This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call hereFollow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com To work with Laura as a coach, therapist, consultant, or to inquire about other services, you can do so hereHosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

This week, Kristi DeMeester shares how her new novel Dark Sisters emerged from a collision of personal history, cultural rage, and the disturbing ease with which faith, patriarchy, and power can be weaponized. We discuss purity culture, megachurch hypocrisy, witch-trial history, feminist reclamation, the generational impact of religious fundamentalism, and how horror can become a perfect container for social truth-telling, female rage, and bittersweet hope.Check out the book here:Dark Sisters by Kristi DeMeester Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

Purity culture shaped a lot of us… but what happens when those old messages start showing up in your marriage? In this episode, therapist Ashley Hudson breaks down how shame, fear, and performance pressure sneak into intimacy and what healing can actually look like. If you've ever wondered why sex still feels complicated even though you're married, this one's going to hit home. Use the code SPICE IT UP to get 50% off Unite & Ignite for the rest of 2025!  Watch the episode on YouTube!! Resources: My Counselor Online (Christian sex therapy): You get $25 off your first month when you sign up with our link Ashley's book Pearl In Process Website ⁠⁠Join Unite & Ignite ⁠⁠ Want more from Kingdom Sexuality? Come hang out! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I have to talk to you guys today about something I don't want to talk to you about."

Donations Resources (feminine hygiene products, and diapers, etc.)https://my.liberaforms.org/solidarity-kitchen-2Cash Pledges (100 percent goes to families)https://my.liberaforms.org/solidarity-kitchen-3Here is our plan: December 2, 2025 (Tuesday), 2:30 p.m. - 7 p.m., North Point ChurchServe up to 400 to go meals for students, parents and/or family members in our school district who have experienced the government shut down, food insecurity, or just plain tight times, with inflation and the job market.We will cook and pack to-go containers of meals, and be ready to send those off with students and/or families and/or caregivers. We will also have cash donations to put into envelopes, gift card donations to give away to those families that need additional support recovering from the shutdown or SNAP break. If folks would like to give to this, we are in process of setting up a secure format for it, in collaboration.TRANSCRIPTSDanielle (00:00):Cut it off. I just is so swamped with trying to respond to people's texts and calls. We have the whole system going, but I can explain more when we talk. It's justJenny (00:12):Okay. Oh my gosh. Yeah. We can do kind of a short one if that helps, or whatever feels supportive for you.I'm doing good. I'm thinking about the American Academy of Religions Conference this weekend. It kicks off tonight and I'll be presenting on my panel tomorrow, so I've been thinking about that.Yeah, I feel nervous, but I feel good. I feel really supported by the Purity Culture Research Collective and the colleagues and friends that I have there. So I mostly excited just to see folks coming in from all over, so I think it'll be a fun time.Danielle (01:02):Do you feel like you're going to be able to say what you want to say in the way you want to say it?Jenny (01:08):I think so. I keep reading over it again and again and tweaking it. It's hard to say what you want to say in five minutes, but,Oh goodness. I think there's eight of us. Eight or nine, I can't remember exactly. So we each get five minutes, but then it opens up into a q and a and sort of a discussion, so I'll have more time to expand on what I'm trying to say and it'll be fun to weave it together with other people.Danielle (01:42):It's interesting. I feel like we're all in these different places. We are physically sometimes, but even if we're in the same city and we're doing different things towards similar goals, that really strikes me. It's one reason I get excited about what you're doing.Oh, yeah, that's right. Well, I think I wrote in an email to friends to get it started. Basically what happened is we were at a band concert a month ago and it was the government shutdown, and my kids were talking about it and some of their classmates not having paychecks, their parents not having paychecks because we live in Kitsap County, and so there are two military, well, maybe there's three military bases in the area, so a lot of government funded work employees, the military obviously. And then also in our school district, I became aware that almost 30% of our students are either on SNAP or free and reduced lunch. So if you add that plus the level of the population of kids in our schools, either with parents in the military or in government position jobs, that's a lot of kids. And so I was like, oh, shit, what are we going to do? And I thought to myself, I was like, how can you not get on board with feeding kids? Really? They're innocent, they're young. I mean, we have plenty of riches in our county, in our country actually to do this should not be a thing. So that's kind of how it got started.Well, now it's called the Solidarity Kitchen. I'm like one member. There's many members of the Solidarity Kitchen, and we try to make decisions collaboratively. Some of us are better at some things like I'm not going to, I did take my food handlers permit test and passed it, by the way, today. Good job. I'm not going to be in charge. I'm not the expert at that. I like cooking for masses. So although I give input, there's other people that know more than me. There's also other people that know more about organizing volunteers or creating forms, and I dabbled a little bit in the art, but there's people that know more about how art should look and the words that need to go on art. I'm out here telling people, Hey, this is what we're about.(04:07):Would you like to join us? And trying to make space that's big enough for a lot of people to join in. It really felt like this collective consciousness movement. I go and I talk to someone, they're like, oh, we would love to do that. And it's like they've already thought of it. So it's not me trying to convince anybody to do anything or any of us, it's just like, oh, this is a need. This is something we can do. And we don't have to agree on a thousand things to get it done because I don't know. I know there are people in our government right now that are just wicked enough not to feed kids. We saw that as evidence, and I won't say any names. And also the new budget that's coming out in the big bill is going to cut snap benefits massively. So this is probably going to be an ongoing issue for kids, but it seems like a slam dunk to me. If you don't have food, if you don't have water, if you don't have shelter, if you don't have safety, how are you supposed to learn?Jenny (05:09):Yeah, right. I'm thinking about kids too and just how much their brains, their bodies are just burning through calories as they're growing, as they're learning, as they're developing. And of course every body needs food, but I think especially kids need a lot of food because their bodies are going through a lot of metabolism and a lot of change.Danielle (05:35):I think the collective messaging of the government saying basically, I've heard a lot of political pundits say, if you're on snap, if you're on free and reduced lunch, you're lazy. Your parents are lazy. Well, that's just not true. My kids have been on free and reduced lunch, and I remember the times when I was in grad school and we were living on one check, and I'm trying to go back to school to get paid, and you're literally short on money. Making lunches is expensive. And so to have that as an option increases capacity in other areas of your life. It's not that parents are lazy. It's not that parents aren't working jobs. So if that's the collective message, but what it does is it takes food out of the mouths of kids and kids, no matter what we say or think or believe, they are receiving that messaging that your parent might be lazy or your parent is leaching off the government or whatever these horrible tropes are that are spread by certain politicians. I won't say their names. I mean, do we think kids are really that dumb that they don't understand that, right? I mean, they get it. Yeah.Jenny (06:47):Right. When really the issue is hoarding, and I was thinking it's really actually pretty recent in human history that most people have even had to buy food. Food comes from the land, from the earth, from animals, from all of these things. And yet we have privatized and subsidized and commodified everything to make it so that you have to be able to have money to be able to afford food, which is just to me, I made this post recently where I just said, I cannot think of anything more opposite than Jesus' message of don't worry about what you'll eat, what you'll wear. Even the sparrows don't fret and the flowers bloom. And then this message from the government and from honestly, a lot of Christians is you should pull yourself up by your bootstraps. And Martin Luther King Jr. Said, if someone does not have boots, what a cruel thing to tell them. And if we live in a system that is intentionally hamstringing people's ability by not paying them what their labor is worth, by not providing childcare, by giving them crippling medical bills, of course something as simple as food should be becomes so complicated.Danielle (08:20):When I was in this theological and also, sorry, political discussion with family members, and I actually heard this verse preached in a sermon referenced Second Thessalonians three 10, which says, if anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. And in the context I heard it in was interpreted to mean, if you're not working tough, go get a job. So that's kind of the context and some of the theological foundation of what I've heard for why let's not do Snap, let's not do free and reduced lunch, et cetera, et cetera. But I think a more holistic approach would be to focus on what was the historical impression of that time? What did community accountability mean? What did it mean to do resource sharing, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. And I think what I would call today, or not me friends and more wise people than me, and I'm using the term of mutual aid, and I don't know if they use mutual aid back then, but that's kind of what I think they're talking about. I don't know that it means showing up at a job and doing nine to five work, is what they were saying in that verse. I think it's contributing to your community.(09:41):And a lot of people that don't make hundred, 200 million, like a million dollars a year, they're contributing to our society and they don't get paid what they need to eat. That is also a sin.Jenny (09:58):Yes. Yeah. Sorry. It sure seems to me that Jesus spent a lot of time walking around talking and not a lot of time working. From what I read, gospelDanielle (10:10):Bro, Jesus relied on mutual aid too. He went fishing, he showed up people's houses, they fed him. There was a lot of trading going on.Jenny (10:20):Absolutely. Absolutely. So if someone wants to get involved in what you're doing and provide what they have towards a mutual aid and in service of what you're already doing, is that possible? Should they just go start their own thing? Is there a way they can get involved with what you're doing? What would you tell someone who's listening and is like, yeah, I want to get involved and help?Danielle (10:48):They definitely could give cash or a donation. We partnered with the Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center Kayak here in Kitsap County, and they're like a fiscal partner. They're not a sponsor, but they're like adjacent to us help with Mutual aid. So there is the opportunity to donate through them and market for Solidarity Kitchen December 2nd. And I can put the link in the notes, but I think more importantly, if you're not here, yeah, please, I am not going to say, no, don't give us some cash or don't send us some menstrual supplies or whatnot. You can't donate food from that far away because we have to follow, be compliant with Washington Food law and standards. See, I know this now I took my test, but who in your community needs a gas card? Who needs a grocery card? Who could just use an envelope with a hundred bucks, a hundred bucks? What does that get you? Two bags of groceries or a hundred bucks to just shoot the breeze somewhere, sit down and have a coffee and a drink and go buy your groceries. I think there's this misconception if you give out cash, oh, they're just going to use it on booze and drugs. That's what I heard as a kid.(12:00):And now as an adult, I know that's rarely true. And why would we begrudge someone a little bit of cash to go out and have a coffee or have a drink or maybe get a date with their partner or enjoy a little bit better meat at the grocery store? That just seems so selfish and judgmental,Jenny (12:24):Totally. No, it makes me think of Tema, O K's, white supremacy, cultural norms, and it's so paternalistic that's like, I should decide how this other person spends their money when it's like that other person is a sovereign being living in their own body. And what if they get to decide what they eat and what they do with their body? What a concept that might be.Danielle (12:50):How do you see that kind of, I talk about this here and I know you're very supportive of me too, but how do you see that playing out in your day-to-day life? What does mutual aid look like for you?Jenny (13:01):Yeah, it does feel a little more complicated because my community is so broad right now. We're rarely in a place more than a week. And so it really is trying to be open to what's right in front of us. So a week ago, we were at this beautiful cafe in northern Maine that was doing a food drive and was collecting food, but the cafe was going to open itself up to make meals for everyone that was houseless for the holidays. And so we just gave them some cash and we're like, we're not going to be around anymore, but can you use this for the meals that you're going to be making? And they were like, absolutely.(13:50):We also look around, we end up picking up a fair amount of hitchhikers when we see someone along the road. And a ride is something we can try to do. So we look out for that. I consider you part of my community, even though you're literally on the other part of the country right now. And so those are some things I like to do. And I like what you said, there's some people that know how to cook. There's some people that know how to do art. I consider one of my gifts is networking and connecting people and saying, Hey, you need this other person has this. Let me connect you. And then also just trying to educate folks, because I think there's a lot of misconceptions out there about, since Reagan and the quote welfare queen and these racialized stereotypes and tropes of who needs money and who needs assistance.(14:53):One, white people need snap and assistance as well. And two, it doesn't do justice to the wealth disparity that exists because of hundreds of years of systemic racism and xenophobic rhetoric in our country, that there is a reality to the necessity of these systems right now to support bodies. And so I find myself trying to have difficult, frustrating conversations with family members or people I know that have maybe seen different news sources or things like that, that I have or have a very homogenous community where they don't often understand some of the source of suffering.Danielle (15:45):So if you could summarize for someone saying, well, I don't know anybody. I don't have anything. What I kind of hear you saying is that's okay. One, you can continue to reach out for that community and try to make efforts, but you can also, oh, no, are you paused? Oh, no. You can also reach out for those people and you can get started with what's present right in front of you. You can donate some cash to a friend. You can pick up what's safe for you, for you and Sean, you've decided it's actually safe to pick up a hitchhiker and you can get involved locally when you're around something. It doesn't have to be limited to what I'm talking about. The importance is to jump in and communicate love to people through different ways of giving. Where do we go from here? It feels like every day there's something hopeless happening. Yeah,Well, I think this is one way working and organizing and finding solidarity with friends in my area, but also just I have a family. I'm blessed with a family and just enjoying them, not trying to change anything about them, sitting with them, trying to meet them where they're at, reaching out to friends, calling, texting, saying, Hey. I mean, those are little ways. What about you?Jenny (17:33):Yeah, very similar. This conference feels hopeful to me that people are still trying to get together and understand how we can navigate hopefully a more ethical, equitable world. I've had the opportunity to just have some really sweet times connecting with friends who live around here recently and just sharing meals and catching up and just remembering how most people I think are really good and are really trying to do their best. And I need to be able to see that because I think the algorithm wants us to believe that people are mostly scary and bad and dangerous, and certainly there are scary and bad and dangerous people in the world. And I would say the majority of people that I tend to come into contact with in the flesh give me hope for the type of world that is possible.It is been mostly cold because we're in Boston and it's real cold, but it's also made me appreciate moments of sweet warmth even more. If we go to the YMCA and take a hot shower once every few days or sit in the sauna, it feels like it's a tiny little example of what we're talking about where it's like there are moments of goodness and hope breaking through even when things feel like they're really difficult. And in some ways that actually makes me savor those moments even more because I have honestly lived a very privileged life where most of my life, I didn't have to acknowledge a sense of hopelessness that I'm finding myself reckoning with now in a different way.Yeah. I'm giving my dog lots of snuggles. She sprained her paw on the beach the other day, and it's been very sad. She did limp around.Danielle (20:19):Well, how do you see yourself moving through then a time of Thanksgiving and a time when we, technically this is a time of being together and dah, dah, dah, and I know Thanksgiving has a lot of different meanings for a lot of different people, but just curious how you're thinking of that for yourself this year.Jenny (20:44):Yeah, I think I'm thinking about nuance and complexity and knowing that I will be sharing time with people who see the world very differently than I do and who are some of the most generous people I know. And it's not in my opinion, because they're terrible people that they see the world they do. It's because they've had certain influences. And I really appreciate the attempt to not split the world into all or nothing good or bad. That's very hard for me. I have a very strong tendency to just go, Nope, you're in the bad bucket now. And I would say in the last couple years, living in the van has taught me more about nuance and complexity and that you can never really pin someone down. I think people will always surprise you. And so I'm trying to go into the holiday and being open to hold nuance and also trying to grow my ability to not stay silent when I witness violence spoken.Danielle(22:19):Like I said, my family's everything to me. So we have some traditions that were started when the kids were little. One is making the favorite pie of everyone in the family. And so I'm in pie phase today. I wrote up a list of the pies I want to make, and really this week is an excuse to do it.So I'm looking forward to that. I'm also looking forward to being with one of my dear friends, one of my forever people, and it's an excuse for us to be together, and we're just going to sit likely and laugh and do nothing and take advantage of the time off. So I think those two things like connection and food feel good to me often, and they feel really good to me right now.Jenny (23:05):Yes. And connection and food sounds like so much a part of this day that you're organizing and that you're planning. What are your hopes for December 2nd?Danielle (23:18):Is it Yeah, December 2nd, just a Tuesday. Yeah. My hopes is that one that some people were, and this is a valid question, why not just get meal packages ready and then people can cook them and take them home? And I think one of the things was is there's so much love that goes into preparing a meal, and that felt like a ritual for me when I was thinking about doing it that I didn't want to forego. So one, I want to feel like this was cooked, this had intention, this had thought behind it, and it was a lot of work, and that's okay. It's because they love you. And I know that kids go around and often feel like can feel lonely or outcast, and I know adults are feeling that way too. And I just wanted this to be, this is one moment where you can bet someone thought of you and loved you.(24:09):That was one thing. So love is a main thing. Second, I wanted it to taste good. That's what I hope it tastes good to people. And third is that there's an imagination in our community that there's so many things against us forming and working and collaborating together, but I hope it gives imagination. There's the political world out there, and there's the practical way of it affects us in one way. I think it affects us, is separating us from our bodies and from each other. And I think to combat that or for any change to happen, we have to find common themes to gather around. And I mean, like I said, there's very few people that can say no to feeding kids, and I just think it's an easy Yes. Let's do it. Yeah. Sorry to talk so much. I have so much to say about it.Jenny (24:59):No, I think it's important, and honestly, it's inspiring and challenging in a good way of, I think it's almost easier sometimes to be like, oh, there's so much I don't know what I can do. And you're just like, yeah, you can make food for someone. It doesn't have to be as complicated as we tend to make it. And I have witnessed that be a part of who you are for many, many years now, and I always am inspired to do better in my own way when I see you living into that.What's your favorite pie?Danielle (25:43):It was my favorite pie. Well, I started making homemade pumpkin, and that's when I realized I really like pumpkin pie. You bake the pumpkins. Have you done this? You cutDude, you got to do it. You cut them in half, you clean out the seeds, you save that for later, and you don't want the hair in there. I don't know what it's called in English, that string stuff, and then you salt it with the big salts and you bake it. That to me, that is like, oh, it's so good. So I like homemade pumpkin pie, but I also like chocolate pecan pie. I do like pecan pie. I like pie.What about you? What's your favorite?Jenny (26:27):I love so many pies too. I like strawberry rhubarb pie. That's probably my favorite.Danielle (26:34):Oh, I didn't know that about you.Jenny (26:36):Yeah. I do love pumpkin pie. I do love a really cinnamony apple pie. I had a Mexican chocolate pie once that was spicy. It was so good. Yeah, we actually had it at our wedding. We don't really like cake, so we did just a bunch of pies and it was so good. ThatMan. Okay. Okay. Now I really want some pie. Our oven in doesn't work, sadly, so we can't make pie.Danielle (27:08):You need to get another way of doing that, then you cannot not have pie.Jenny (27:14):I know. We'll be at some families next week, so I'm going to make them make a pie. Well,     Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.

What if your desire isn't dangerous, but divine?In this deeply transformative episode, Emily sits down with Dr. Kimberly Rose Pendleton, an intimacy coach, scholar, and founder of UNCOVER, to explore what it means to heal from purity culture and reclaim your body, your voice, and your power. Together, they unravel centuries of conditioning that taught women to equate goodness with obedience and holiness with self-denial, and invite listeners into a radical reframe: that pleasure is sacred, not selfish.Kimberly shares her personal story of deconstructing evangelical beliefs, walking away from a marriage that no longer fit, and rediscovering her aliveness through the practice of pleasure. Rooted in her academic background at Yale and her years of coaching women around the world, she blends intellect and embodiment in a way that feels both revolutionary and deeply human. From the theology of Mary Magdalene to the lived reality of womanhood today, she illuminates how pleasure becomes a path back to the divine, and how reclaiming it is one of the most powerful ways women can heal from religious trauma, shame, and repression.Emily and Kimberly dive into the hidden history of Mary Magdalene, a wealthy, powerful spiritual leader erased and rewritten as a sinner by the early Church, and what her true story reveals about the fear of feminine wisdom. They explore how purity culture and patriarchy sought to silence women's voices, sexual expression, and intuition, and why remembering the Magdalene lineage is an act of both spiritual and societal revolution.Whether you grew up in the church or simply absorbed the cultural messaging that your worth depends on being “good,” this conversation is an invitation to return to yourself. To soften the shame, to listen to your body, and to remember that your joy, your sensuality, and your truth are not something to hide, they're the very portals to your power, purpose, and divine connection.In this episode, we explore:How purity culture continues to shape women's bodies, relationships, and sense of worth, even outside organized religionWhy pleasure is sacred, not selfish, and how reconnecting with it helps women return to their powerThe connection between pleasure, spirituality, and embodiment, and why they were never meant to be separateThe hidden truth about Mary Magdalene, her role as a wealthy priestess, spiritual leader, and symbol of feminine wisdom erased by patriarchyWhat the Gospel of Mary reveals about women's direct access to the divine, and why her story was rewritten by the early ChurchHow patriarchy and purity culture weaponized holiness, shame, and obedience to control women's bodies and voicesPractical ways to begin reclaiming pleasure and power in everyday life, through beauty, embodiment, and self-trustThe ripple effect of women in their pleasure, how wholeness, joy, and desire create collective healing and transformationBe sure to hit subscribe so you never miss the latest episode!Connect & Work with Dr. Kimberly Rose Pendleton:Harlots & Heretics — a three-part journey through the hidden, holy history of women labeled “dangerous,” guiding you to reclaim your own sacred power.

On today's episode, we have Shelia Vakharia (she/her) join us for a conversation about our right to bodily autonomy. Together we talk about meeting people where they are at, consciousness raising around set and setting, and moving beyond abstinence only paradigms.

Purity culture isn't the opposite of sin—it's the counterfeit of real purity, emotional maturity, and healthy sexuality. In this episode, we unpack how purity culture quietly slips into our parenting, our faith conversations, and our expectations of teens… and how to replace it with something actually healing. We'll cover five practical steps that help your teen build healthy sexuality, spiritual resilience, emotional wellbeing, and genuine self-trust—without shame, fear, or pressure. You'll walk away with: A clear understanding of how purity culture harms both boys and girls emotionally, spiritually, and developmentally. Five actionable ways to support your teen in forming healthy, grounded sexuality rooted in connection and worthiness. Tools to model emotional maturity and normalize curiosity, agency, boundaries, and self-expression. Shame-free approach for talking about bodies, relationships, desire, and consent. A grounded roadmap for raising teens who feel confident, connected, spiritually anchored, and safe being themselves. If you're ready to parent with more peace, confidence, and connection—and less fear and control—I'd love to help you get there. Book a free Peaceful Parenting Strategy Call here

Soulforce has been a big part of the stories coming out of Azusa Pacific University throughout this podcast. From the guests who attended the events on campus to the subsequent generations who banded together to start a movement, Soulforce is part of the DNA of Chapel Probation. So it was a thrill to be able to work with Rev Alba all year at Axis Mundi, producing Teologia Sin Verguenza and Love Letters on the main Soulforce Podcast. And now the chance to spend time with Rev Alba to hear her story and bask in her badass wisdom is an incredible honor. Chapel Probation is part of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dauntless Media Collective⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dauntless Media Discord ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for more conversation with all the podcast communities.Scott's book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Asian-American-Apostate- Losing Religion and Finding Myself at an Evangelical University⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is available now!Music by Scott Okamoto, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jenyi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Azeem Khan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shin Kawasaki⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wingo Shackleford⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chapel Probation Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to support Scott and for bonus content. Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Chapel Probation Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ group to continue the conversations.Follow Scott on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠You can subscribe to Scott's newsletter and learn more about the book, the blog, and performances at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rscottokamoto.com⁠

Andrew and Laura hang out with yoga therapist and somatic practitioner Kim June Johnson for a really grounding and honest conversation about what it actually looks like to heal purity culture wounds through Eastern practices. Kim shares her story of leaving evangelicalism, discovering yoga and breathwork, and slowly learning to trust her body again after years of shame and control. They talk about how Western religion often teaches people that they are broken at the core, while Eastern traditions start from the idea that people are already whole and worthy.Kim also walks through the chakra system as a simple developmental framework, where each chakra represents a basic birthright like the right to be here or the right to feel. The three dig into how interoception, breathwork, and mindful movement can help people reconnect with their bodies in ways that go beyond talk therapy. There are lots of laughs, plenty of real talk about shame and sexuality, and a hopeful reminder that healing is not a race. It is a lifelong process of coming back to yourself at whatever pace feels right.Share your purity culture stories with us by leaving a voicemail or sending your story to us!Guest Info: Website: CTRR Practitioner Bio PageSocial Media: IG: @healing.ground.embodimentThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call hereFollow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com To work with Laura as a coach, therapist, consultant, or to inquire about other services, you can do so hereHosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

Bio: Jenny - Co-Host Podcast (er):I am Jenny! (She/Her) MACP, LMHCI am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, Certified Yoga Teacher, and an Approved Supervisor in the state of Washington.I have spent over a decade researching the ways in which the body can heal from trauma through movement and connection. I have come to see that our bodies know what they need. By approaching our body with curiosity we can begin to listen to the innate wisdom our body has to teach us. And that is where the magic happens!I was raised within fundamentalist Christianity. I have been, and am still on my own journey of healing from religious trauma and religious sexual shame (as well as consistently engaging my entanglement with white saviorism). I am a white, straight, able-bodied, cis woman. I recognize the power and privilege this affords me socially, and I am committed to understanding my bias' and privilege in the work that I do. I am LGBTQIA+ affirming and actively engage critical race theory and consultation to see a better way forward that honors all bodies of various sizes, races, ability, religion, gender, and sexuality.I am immensely grateful for the teachers, healers, therapists, and friends (and of course my husband and dog!) for the healing I have been offered. I strive to pay it forward with my clients and students. Few things make me happier than seeing people live freely in their bodies from the inside out!Danielle (00:10):Welcome to the Arise Podcast with my colleague Jenny McGrath and I today Jenny's going to read a part of a presentation she's giving in a week, and I hope you really listen in The political times are heavy and the news about Epstein has been triggering for so many, including Jenny and myself. I hope as you listen, you find yourself somewhere in the conversation and if you don't, I hope that you can find yourself with someone else in your close sphere of influence. These conversations aren't perfect. We can't resolve it at the end. We don't often know what we need, so I hope as you listen along that you join us, you join us and you reach out for connection in your community with friends, people that you trust, people that you know can hold your story. And if you don't have any of those people that maybe you can find the energy and the time and the internal resources to reach out. You also may find yourself activated during this conversation. You may find yourself triggered and so this is a notice that if you feel that that is a possibility and you need to take a break and not listen to this episode, that's okay. Be gentle and kind with yourself and if you feel like you want to keep listening, have some self-care and some ways of connecting with others in place, go ahead and listen in. Hey Jenny, I'd love to hear a bit about your presentation if you don't even mind giving us what you got.Jenny (01:41):Yeah, absolutely. I am very honored. I am going to be on a panel entitled Beyond Abstinence Only Purity Culture in Today's Political Moment, and this is for the American Academy of Religion. And so I am talking about, well, yeah, I think I'll just read a very rough draft version of my remarks. I will give a disclaimer, I've only gone over it once so far, maybe twice, so it will shift before I present it, but I'm actually looking forward to talking about it with you because I think that will help me figure out how I want to change it. I think it'll probably just be a three to five minute read if that evenOkay. Alright. I to look at the current political moment in the US and try to extract meaning and orientation from purity culture is essential, but if we only focus on purity culture in the us, we are naval gazing and missing a vital aspect of the project that is purity culture. It is no doubt an imperialist project. White women serving as missionaries have been foot soldiers for since Manifest Destiny and the creation of residential schools in North America and even before this, yet the wave of white women as a force of white Christian nationalism reached its white cap in the early two thousands manifest by the power of purity culture. In the early 1990s, a generation of young white women were groomed to be agents of empire unwittingly. We were told that our value and worth was in our good pure motives and responsibility to others.(03:31):We were trained that our racial and gender roles were pivotal in upholding the white, straight, heteronormative, capitalistic family that God designed and we understood that this would come at us martyring our own body. White women therefore learned to transmute the healthy erotic vitality that comes from an awakening body into forms of service. The transnational cast of white Christian supremacy taught us that there were none more deserving more in need than black and brown bodies in the global south pay no attention to black and brown bodies suffering within the us. We were told they could pull themselves up by their bootstraps, but not in the bodies of color. Outside the membrane of the US white women believed ourselves to be called and furthermore trusted that God would qualify us for the professional roles of philanthropists, medical service providers, nonprofit starters and adoptive mothers of black and brown children in the global south.(04:30):We did not blanc that often. We did not actually have the proper training, much less accountability for such tasks and neither did our white Christian communities. We were taking on roles of power we would have never been given in white spaces in the US and in doing so we were remaining compliant to our racial and gendered expectations. This meant among many other things, giving tacit approval to international states that were being used as pawns by the US Christian. Right among these states, the most prominent could arguably be Uganda. Uganda was in the zeitgeist of white Christian youth, the same white Christian youth that experienced life altering commitments given in emotionally evocative abstinence rituals. We were primed for the documentary style film turned organization invisible Children, which found its way into colleges, youth groups, and worship services all over the country. Many young white women watched these erotically charged films, felt a compulsion to do something without recognizing that compulsion came from the same tendrils of expectations, purity, culture placed on our bodies.(05:43):Invisible children's film was first released in 2004 and in their release of Kony 2012 reached an audience of a hundred million in its first week of release. Within these same eight years, Ugandan President Veni who had a long entangled relationship with the US Christian right signed into law a bill that made homosexuality the death penalty in certain cases, which was later overturned. He also had been responsible for the forced removal of primarily acho people in Northern Uganda from their lands and placed them into internally displaced people's camps where their death T tolls far exceeded those lost by Coney who musevini claimed to be fighting against as justification for the violent displacement of Acho people. Muny Musevini also changed the Ugandan constitution to get reelected despite concerns that these elections were not truly democratic and has remained president of Uganda for the last 39 years. Uganda was the Petri dish of American conservative laboratory of Christo fascism where whiteness and heteronormative racialized systems of purity culture were embalmed. On November 5th, 2, 20, 24, we experienced what am termed the boomerang of imperialism. Those who have had an eye on purity cultures influence in countries like Uganda are not surprised by this political moment. In fact, this political moment is not new. The only thing new about it is that perhaps for the first time the effects are starting to come more thoroughly to white bodies and white communities. The snake has begun to eat its own tail.Scary. Okay. It feels like poking an already very angry hornet's nest and speaking to things that are very alive and well in our country right now. So I feel that and I also feel a sense of resolve, you might say that I feel like because of that it feels imperative to speak to my experience and my research and this current political moment. Do you mind if I ask what it was like to hear it?Danielle (08:30):It is interesting. Right before I hopped on this call, I was doing mobility at my gym and at the end when my dear friend and I were looking at our DNA, and so I guess I'm thinking of it through the context of my body, so I was thinking about that as you're reading it, Jenny, you said poking the bear and before we shift too fast to what I think, what's the bear you believe you're poking?Jenny (09:08):I see it as the far right Christian nationalist ideology and talking about these things in the way that I'm talking about them, I am stepping out of my gender and racial expectations as a white cis woman where I am meant to be demure and compliant and submissive and not calling out abuse of power. And so I see that as concerning and how the religious right, the alt religious right Christian, religious right in the US and thankfully it was not taken on, but even this week was the potential of the Supreme Court seeing a case that would overturn the legalization of gay marriage federally and that comes out of the nuclear focus of the family that James stops and heralded was supposed to be the family. It's one man and it's one woman and you have very specific roles that you're supposed to play in those families.Danielle (10:35):Yeah, I mean my mind is just going a thousand miles a minute. I keep thinking of the frame. It's interesting, the frame of the election was built on economy, but after that it feels like there are a few other things like the border, which I'm including immigration and migrants and thoughts about how to work with that issue, not issue, I don't want to say it's an issue, but with that part of the picture of what makes up our country. The second thing that comes to mind after those two things is there was a huge push by MAGA podcasters and church leaders across the country, and I know I've read Cat Armas and a bunch of other people, I've heard you talking about it. There's this juxtaposition of these people talking about returning to some purity, the fantasy of purity, which you're saying you're talking about past and present in your talk while also saying, Hey, let's release the Epstein files while voting for this particular person, Donald Trump, and I am caught. If you look at the statistics, the amount of folks perpetrating violent crime that are so-called migrants or immigrants is so low compared to white men.(12:16):I am caught in all those swirling things and I'm also aware that there's been so many things that have happened in the last presidency. There was January 6th and now we have, we've watched ICE in some cases they've killed people in detention centers and I keep thinking, is sexual purity or the idea of the fantasy that this is actually a value of the Christian? Right? Is that going to be something that moves people? I don't know. What do you think?Jenny (12:54):I think it's a fair question. I think it is what moved bodies like mine to be complicit in the systems of white supremacy without knowing that's what I was doing. And at the same time that I myself went to Uganda as a missionary and spent the better part of four years there while saying and hearing very hateful and derogatory things about migrants and the fact that signs in Walmart were in Spanish in Colorado, and these things that I was taught like, no, we need to remain pure IE white and heteronormative in here, and then we take our good deeds to other countries. People from Mexico shouldn't be coming up here. We should go on Christmas break and build houses for them there, which I did and it's this weird, we talk a lot about reality. It is this weird pseudo reality where it's like everything is upside down and makes sense within its own system.(14:13):I had a therapist at one point say, it's like you had the opposite of a psychotic break when I decided to step out of these worlds and do a lot of work to come into reality because it is hard to explain how does talking about sexual purity lead to what we're seeing with ice and what we're seeing with detention. And I think in reality part of that is the ideology that the body of the US is supposed to primarily be white, straight Christian heteronormative. And so if we have other bodies coming in, you don't see that cry of immigrants in the same way for people that came over from Ukraine. And I don't mean that anything disparagingly about people that needed to come over from Ukraine, but you see that it's a very different mindset from white bodies entering the US than it is black and brown bodies within this ideological framework of what the family or the body of individuals and the country is supposed to look like.I've been pretty dissociated lately. I think yesterday was very tough as we're seeing just trickles of emails from Epstein and that world and confirmation of what any of us who listened to and believed any of the women that came forward already knew. But it just exposes the falseness that it's actually about protecting anyone because these are stories of young children, of youth being sexually exploited and yet the machine keeps powering on and just keeps trying to ignore that the man they elected to fight the rapists that were coming into our country or the liberals that were sex child trafficking. It turns out every accusation was just a confession.Danielle (16:43):Oh man. Every accusation was a confession. In psychological terms, I think of it as projection, like the bad parts I hate about me, the story that criminals are just entering our country nonstop. Well, the truth is we elected criminals. Why are we surprised that by the behavior of our government when we voted for criminality and I say we because I'm a participant in this democracy or what I like to think of as a democracy and I'm a participant in the political system and capitalism and I'm a participant here. How do you participate then from that abstinence, from that purity aspect that you see? The thread just goes all the way through? Yeah,Jenny (17:48):I see it as a lifelong untangling. I don't think I'm ever going to be untangled unfortunately from purity culture and white supremacy and heteronormative supremacy and the ways in which these doctrines have formed the way that I have seen the world and that I'm constantly needing to try to unlearn and relearn and underwrite and rewrite these ways that I have internalized. And I think what's hard is I, a lot of times I think even in good intentions to undo these things in activist spaces, we tend to recreate whiteness and we tend to go, okay, I've got it now I'm going to charge ahead and everyone follow me. And part of what I think we need to deconstruct is this idea of a savior or even that an idea is going to save us. How do we actually slow down even when things are so perilous and so immediate? How do we kind of disentangle the way whiteness and capitalism have taught us to just constantly be churning and going and get clearer and clearer about how we got here and where we are now so that hopefully we can figure out how to leave less people behind as we move towards whatever it looks like to move out of this whiteness thing that I don't even honestly have yet an imagination for.(19:26):I have a hope for it, but I can't say this is what I think it's going to look like.Danielle (20:10):I'm just really struck by, well, maybe it was just after you spoke, I can't remember if it was part of your talk or part of your elaboration on it, but you were talking about Well, I think it was afterwards it was about Mexicans can't come here, but we can take this to Mexico.Yeah. And I wonder if that, do you feel like that was the same for Uganda?Jenny (20:45):Absolutely. Yeah. Which I think it allows that cast to remain in place. One of the professors that I've been deeply influenced by is Ose Manji, and he's a Kenyan professor who lives in Canada who's spent many years researching development work. And he challenges the idea that saviors need victims and the privilege that I had to live in communities where I could fundraise thousands of dollars for a two week or a two month trip is not separate from a world where I'm stepping into communities that have been exploited because of the privileges that I have,(21:33):But I can launder my conscience by going and saying I helped people that needed it rather than how are the things that I am benefiting from causing the oppression and how is the government that I'm a part of that has been meddling with countries in Central America and Africa and all over the globe creating a refugee crisis? And how do I deal with that and figure out how to look up, not that I want to ignore people that are suffering or struggling, but I don't want to get tunnel vision on all these little projects I could do at some point. I think we need to look up and say, well, why are these people struggling?Speaker 1 (22:26):Yeah, I don't know. I don't have fully formed thoughts. So just in the back, I was thinking, what if you reversed that and you said, well, why is the American church struggling?(22:55):I was just thinking about what if you reversed it and I think why is the American church struggling? And we have to look up, we have to look at what are the causes? What systems have we put in place? What corruption have we traded in? How have we laundered our own conscience? I mean, dude, I don't know what's going on with my internet. I need a portable one. I just dunno. I think that comment about laundering your own conscience is really beautiful and brilliant. And I mean, it was no secret that Epstein had done this. It's not a secret. I mean, they're release the list, but they know. And clearly those senators that are releasing those emails drip by drip, they've already seen them. So why did they hang onto them?Jenny (24:04):Yeah. Yeah. I am sad, I can't remember who this was. Sean was having me listen to a podcast the other day, just a part of it talking about billionaires. But I think it could be the same for politicians or presidents or the people that are at the top of these systems we've created. That's like in any other sphere, if we look at someone that has an unsatiable need for something, we would probably call that an addiction and say that that person needs help. And actually we need to tend to that and not just keep feeding it. And I think that's been a helpful framework for me to think about these people that are addicted to power that will do anything to try to keep climbing that ladder or get the next ring that's just like, that is an unwell person. That's a very unwell person.Speaker DanielleI mean, I'm not surprised, I think, did you say you felt very dissociated this past week? I think I've felt the same way because there's no way to take in that someone, this person is one of the kings of human trafficking. The all time, I mean great at their job. And we're hearing Ghislaine Maxwell is at this minimum security prison and trading for favors and all of these details that are just really gross. And then to hear the Republican senator or the speaker of the house say, well, we haven't done this because we're thinking of the victims. And literally the victims are putting out statements saying, get the damn files out. So the gaslighting is so intense to stay present to all of that gaslighting to stay present to not just the first harm that's happened, but to stay present to the constant gaslighting of victims in real time is just, it is a level of madness. I don't think we can rightfully stay present in all of it.(26:47):I don't know. I don't know what we can do, but Well, if anybody's seen the Handmaid's Tale, she is like, I can't remember how you say it in Latin, but she always says, don't let the bastards grind you down. I keep thinking of that line. I think of it all the time. I think connecting to people in your community keep speaking truth, it matters. Keep telling the truth, keep affirming that it is a real thing. Whether it was something at church or like you talked about, it was a missionary experience or abstinence experience, or whether you've been on the end of conversion therapy or you've been a witness to that and the harm it's done in your community. All of that truth telling matters, even if you're not saying Epstein's name, it all matters because there's been such an environment created in our country where we've normalized all of this harm. I mean, for Pete's sake, this man made it all the way to the presidency of the United States, and he's the effing best friend of Epstein. It's like, that was okay. That was okay. And even getting out the emails. So we have to find some way to just keep telling truth in our own communities. That's my opinion. What about yours?Jenny (28:17):Yeah, I love that telling The truth matters. I feel that, and I think trying to stay committed to being a safe person for others to tell the truth too, because I think the level, as you use the word gaslighting, the level of gaslighting and denial and dismissal is so huge. And I think, I can't speak for every survivor, but I think I take a guess to say at least most survivors know what it's like to not be believed, to be minimized, to be dismissed. And so I get it when people are like, I'm not going to tell the truth because I'm not going to be believed, or I'm just going to get gaslit again and I can respect that. And so I think for me, it's also how do I keep trying to posture myself as someone that listens and believes people when they tell of the harm that they've experienced? How do I grow my capacity to believe myself for the harm that I've experienced? And who are the people that are safe for me to go to say, do you think I'm crazy? And they say, no, you're not. I need those checkpoints still.First, I would just want to validate how shit that is and unfortunately how common that is. I think that it's actually, in my experience, both personally and professionally, it is way more rare to have safe places to go than not. And so I would just say, yeah, that makes sense for me. Memoirs have been a safe place. Even though I'm not putting something in the memoir, if I read someone sharing their story, that helps me feel empowered to be like, I believe what they went through. And so maybe that can help me believe what I've gone through. And then don't give up looking, even if that's an online community, even if that's a community you see once a month, it's worth investing in people that you can trust and that can trust you.Danielle (30:59):I agree. A thousand percent don't give up because I think a lot of us go through the experience of when we first talk about it, we get alienated from friends or family or people that we thought were close to us, and if that's happened to you, you didn't do anything wrong. That sadly is something very common when you start telling the truth. So just one to know that that's common. It doesn't make it any less painful. And two, to not give up, to keep searching, keep trying, keep trying to connect, and it is not a perfect path. Anyway. Jenny, if we want to hear your talk when you give it, how could we hear it or how could we access it?Jenny (31:52):That's a great question. I dunno, I'm not sure if it's live streamed or not. I think it's just in person. So if you can come to Boston next week, it's at the American Academy of Religion. If not, you basically heard it. I will be tweaking things. But this is essentially what I'm talking about is that I think in order to understand what's going on in this current political moment, it is so essential that we understand the socialization of young white women in purity culture and what we're talking about with Epstein, it pulls back the veil that it's really never about purity. It's about using white women as tropes for Empire. And that doesn't mean, and we weren't given immense privilege and power in this world because of our proximity to white men, but it also means that we were harmed. We did both. We were harmed and we caused harm in our own complicity to these systems. I think it is just as important to hold and grow responsibility for how we caused harm as it is to work on the healing of the harm that was caused to us.   Kitsap County & Washington State Crisis and Mental Health ResourcesIf you or someone else is in immediate danger, please call 911.This resource list provides crisis and mental health contacts for Kitsap County and across Washington State.Kitsap County / Local ResourcesResourceContact InfoWhat They OfferSalish Regional Crisis Line / Kitsap Mental Health 24/7 Crisis Call LinePhone: 1‑888‑910‑0416Website: https://www.kitsapmentalhealth.org/crisis-24-7-services/24/7 emotional support for suicide or mental health crises; mobile crisis outreach; connection to services.KMHS Youth Mobile Crisis Outreach TeamEmergencies via Salish Crisis Line: 1‑888‑910‑0416Website: https://sync.salishbehavioralhealth.org/youth-mobile-crisis-outreach-team/Crisis outreach for minors and youth experiencing behavioral health emergencies.Kitsap Mental Health Services (KMHS)Main: 360‑373‑5031; Toll‑free: 888‑816‑0488; TDD: 360‑478‑2715Website: https://www.kitsapmentalhealth.org/crisis-24-7-services/Outpatient, inpatient, crisis triage, substance use treatment, stabilization, behavioral health services.Kitsap County Suicide Prevention / “Need Help Now”Call the Salish Regional Crisis Line at 1‑888‑910‑0416Website: https://www.kitsap.gov/hs/Pages/Suicide-Prevention-Website.aspx24/7/365 emotional support; connects people to resources; suicide prevention assistance.Crisis Clinic of the PeninsulasPhone: 360‑479‑3033 or 1‑800‑843‑4793Website: https://www.bainbridgewa.gov/607/Mental-Health-ResourcesLocal crisis intervention services, referrals, and emotional support.NAMI Kitsap CountyWebsite: https://namikitsap.org/Peer support groups, education, and resources for individuals and families affected by mental illness.Statewide & National Crisis ResourcesResourceContact InfoWhat They Offer988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (WA‑988)Call or text 988; Website: https://wa988.org/Free, 24/7 support for suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, relationship problems, and substance concerns.Washington Recovery Help Line1‑866‑789‑1511Website: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/injury-and-violence-prevention/suicide-prevention/hotline-text-and-chat-resourcesHelp for mental health, substance use, and problem gambling; 24/7 statewide support.WA Warm Line877‑500‑9276Website: https://www.crisisconnections.org/wa-warm-line/Peer-support line for emotional or mental health distress; support outside of crisis moments.Native & Strong Crisis LifelineDial 988 then press 4Website: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/injury-and-violence-prevention/suicide-prevention/hotline-text-and-chat-resourcesCulturally relevant crisis counseling by Indigenous counselors.Additional Helpful Tools & Tips• Behavioral Health Services Access: Request assessments and access to outpatient, residential, or inpatient care through the Salish Behavioral Health Organization. Website: https://www.kitsap.gov/hs/Pages/SBHO-Get-Behaviroal-Health-Services.aspx• Deaf / Hard of Hearing: Use your preferred relay service (for example dial 711 then the appropriate number) to access crisis services.• Warning Signs & Risk Factors: If someone is talking about harming themselves, giving away possessions, expressing hopelessness, or showing extreme behavior changes, contact crisis resources immediately.Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that. Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.

For the video of this episode, go to https://youtu.be/5Zjls4_QWWw. Our guest in this episode, Juno Thorne, describes his personal—very personal—journey to escape from ideas he found toxic, accept his natural urges rather than suppress them, and revitalize his marriage. His recent book, Sacred Freedom, seeks to show men, especially Christian men influenced by purity culture, how faith and desire can be reconciled. We did this interview with cameras off, and the picture Juno provided is not of him. We talk about why in the interview. Juno's website is https://www.junobthorne.com/. Do you have ideas for topics or guests for our podcast? Go to https://ctin7.com and send us a message. And you can also sign up for Dr. Chalmer's newsletter right from our homepage. Bruce's latest book, The Passion Paradox: When You Feel Miles Apart and Still Love Each Other, is now available: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G29NVZ4X Our sponsor is The Blue Tent: Erotic Tales from the Bible by Laria Zylber. Find out more at https://lariazylber.com.   #SacredFreedom #PurityCulture #Juno Thorne #CouplesTherapyInSevenWords #ctin7 #DrBruceChalmer #JudyAlexander

Purity culture didn't begin with religion, it began with control. In this episode, Teresa and Bill explore how ancient systems of ownership and inheritance evolved into moral laws that still shape our relationship to the body, desire, and worth today. Even after leaving high-control faiths, the conditioning remains embodied, showing up as shame, numbness, fear… Read More »Purity Culture & Sexual Shame The post Purity Culture & Sexual Shame appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

Today we're trashing feminism some more, because it obviously deserves it. Feminism is not only unbiblical, it's extremely destructive for all of society. We'll talk about why Christian podcasters like Allie Beth Stuckey shouldn't defend their feminism while claiming to follow Christ, and why Christianity itself is a patriarchy, by God's design. It's time for biblical men to stop waiting for permission from feminists and take back the authority God gave them. We'll also discuss more of the Trump administration's mistakes, including this ridiculous new 50-year mortgage idea that proves how far from wisdom our leaders have fallen.

For a lot of people who grew up in religious or conservative environments, they learned to fear sex and/or feel ashamed of. Purity culture teaches folks that their personal value is tied to their sexual choices: “good” people wait to have sex, while “bad” people don't. In this episode, we're going to talk about what it's like to grow up in purity culture, how to move past it, and whether it's possible to still hold onto your faith while letting go of purity culture. My guest is Lauren Elise Rogers, a Certified Holistic Sexuality Educator and Embodied Intimacy & Relationship Coach. Lauren brings an empathetic and non-judgmental approach, offering practical tools that empower her clients to take ownership of their pleasure and grow in confidence and connection. Some of the specific topics we explore in this episode include: How does purity culture shape attitudes toward sex, desire, and one’s own body? What are some ways to work through the shame that people often feel due to purity culture? How can you begin exploring your sexuality when you still have some internal conflicts about it? Is it possible to remain religious without adopting the sexual shame that often comes with it? You can visit Lauren’s website to learn more about her work. Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology. *** Thank you to our sponsors!  If you’re ready to ditch the shady stuff and choose a libido supplement that's effective and that you can feel confident about, it’s time to check out Drive Boost.  Visit vb.health and use code JUSTIN for 10% off. The Kinsey Institute is where the world turns to understand sex and relationships. You can help continue its expert-led research by donating to the Kinsey Institute Research Fund. Learn more and make a donation here: https://give.myiu.org/centers-institutes/I380010749.html  *** Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for previous articles or follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, or Bluesky to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram. Listen and stream all episodes on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon. Subscribe to automatically receive new episodes and please rate and review the podcast! Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.

Andrew and Laura welcome trauma professional and theologian Willow Sipling for an unflinching look at purity culture within the Catholic Church and beyond. Together they dig into how teachings on chastity, celibacy, and confession shape shame, control, and sexuality, especially for LGBTQ+ people navigating doctrines that label desire as “disordered.” The conversation balances honest critique with hope, exploring how survivors of religious trauma can move from rigid rules to pleasure-focused, care-centered ethics that embrace both body and spirit.Through listener stories, personal reflections, and theological insights, the trio confronts how purity culture continues to haunt relationships, faith, and self-worth. Willow shares how embodied healing and reimagined spirituality can help people untangle guilt and reclaim connection, joy, and belonging. It's a powerful and compassionate episode that challenges old beliefs while celebrating the freedom found in self-acceptance.Share your purity culture stories with us by leaving a voicemail or sending your story to us!Willow's website: www.spotlightonsociety.com This podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call hereFollow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com To work with Laura as a coach, therapist, consultant, or to inquire about other services, you can do so hereHosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji 

Welcome to another episode of "Restoring the Soul with Michael John Cusick." Today, Michael sits down with Dr. Camden Morgante, licensed clinical psychologist and author of "Recovering from Purity Culture." Together, they dive into the real impact of purity culture within evangelical communities, exploring the myths and messages that have shaped so many lives, often with shame and fear at the center.Drawing from both professional expertise and personal experience, Camden unpacks the psychological and spiritual wounds purity culture can leave behind and offers a thoughtful path toward healing, reconciling mind, body, heart, and soul. The conversation doesn't stop at identifying problems; it reaches for hope and reconstruction, offering practical tools for embracing a healthier, grace-filled sex ethic—and even guidance for raising the next generation with greater wisdom and compassion.Support the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

In this special episode of Honoring the Journey, Leslie sits down with her oldest daughter, Stephanie, for an open and vulnerable conversation about faith, family, and personal transformation. Together, they reflect on their shared history, the impact of religious upbringing, and the challenges of deconstructing long-held beliefs. Through laughter, honesty, and a few tears, they explore what it means to find healing, autonomy, and genuine connection—both with each other and within themselves.• Stephanie recounts her experience growing up in purity culture and how it shaped her sense of self.• The episode delves into the pressures and expectations of being a “model” Christian daughter and the journey to self-acceptance.• Stephanie shares candidly about her time living abroad in Cambodia and how it influenced her worldview.• Both mother and daughter discuss the process of deconstructing their faith and finding new meaning outside of traditional religious structures.• The conversation highlights the importance of family support, therapy, and self-care in healing from religious trauma. Honoring the Journey is hosted, produced and edited by Leslie Nease and the artwork for the show is also created by Leslie Nease.Want to get updates/announcements and a FREE Deconstruction Journaling Prompt PDF? Sign up for Leslie's Monthly Newsletter! You can do that HERE.Pick up Leslie's new book, Honoring the Journey: The Deconstruction of Sister Christian here.Interested in working with Leslie as your Life/Faith Transitions Coach? Check out her website and learn more about what she offers! https://www.leslieneasecoaching.comIf you'd like to be a part of the Honoring the Journey Team on Substack, click here! You can find her work and also support her financially if you desire.Would you like to leave a voicemail for Leslie? Click here!If you are looking for community as you deconstruct or just a place to go and enjoy the company of people who are seekers, learners and who are looking to connect with the Divine without religious baggage, please join the Private Facebook Community! Leslie is very passionate about connection and community, so if that sounds like you, please come join us! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Up Next:Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice.

Andrew and Laura sit down with Dr. Bethany Peake, a trauma-informed counselor and spiritual director at the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery, for a raw, thoughtful, and surprisingly hopeful conversation about what happens when patriarchy shapes your idea of God. They dig into how purity culture, control, and the “male gaze of the divine” mess with people's sense of self, spirituality, and relationships—and how that damage can be undone.Dr. Peake brings deep expertise and compassion as she unpacks how attachment theory helps explain our spiritual development, why our “God image” matters, and how healing begins when we reconnect with our bodies. Along the way, listeners share their own stories of recovering from purity culture and reclaiming their autonomy, reminding us that unlearning harmful theology doesn't mean losing faith—it can mean finally finding freedom.Connect with Bethany: CTRR Practitioner Bio page, www.bethanypeake.comResources discussed in this episode: God is a Black Woman by Dr. Christina ClevelandThe Shack by William Paul YoungThe Whole Brained Child by Dan Siegal (attachment expert)Birth of the Living God by Ana-Maria RizzutoThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups. Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call hereFollow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com To work with Laura as a coach, therapist, consultant, or to inquire about other services, you can do so hereHosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji Editing by Kevin Crowe and can be found at kevincrowe.co

Andrew flips the script and interviews his co-host, Dr. Laura Anderson, for a raw and honest conversation about growing up in purity culture, how it shaped her relationships and self-worth, and what it took to heal after surviving domestic violence. They talk about the messy mix of high-control religion, gender roles, shame, and the long (and sometimes funny) road to finding freedom and feeling at home in your own body again.Share your purity culture stories with us by leaving a voicemail or sending your story to us!“Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men” by Lundy BancroftThis podcast is brought to you by the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery: an online trauma coaching company whose practitioners are trauma informed and trauma trained to work with individuals, couples and families who have experienced high control religion, cults, and religious trauma. For more information on the support that CTRR provides, for resources–including courses, workshops, and more–head to traumaresolutionandrecovery.com or follow us on Instagram: @traumaresolutionandrecovery The views and opinions expressed by Sunday School Dropouts are those of the hosts and not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery. Any of the content provided by our guests, sponsors, authors, or bloggers are their own ideas and opinions.The Sunday School Dropouts podcast is not anti-religion but it is anti -harm, -power and control, -oppression and, -abuse and will speak to the harmful practices and messaging of fundamentalist groups.Follow Andrew on Instagram and TikTok @deconstruct_everything To begin working with Andrew as a coach, schedule your FREE inquiry call hereFollow Laura on Instagram and TikTok @drlauraeanderson or on her website: www.drlauraeanderson.com To work with Laura as a coach, therapist, consultant, or to inquire about other services, you can do so hereHosts: Laura Anderson and Andrew KerbsMusic by Benjamin Faye Music @heytherebenji Editing by Kevin Crowe and can be found at  www.kevincrowe.co

Sex after kids-let's talk about it. This week on the Gather Moms Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Juli Slattery, clinical psychologist, author, and host of Java with Juli. With warmth, honesty, and practical wisdom, Juli helps us normalize a conversation that too often stays hidden: intimacy in marriage.

In a world full of distractions and desires, it's easy for our hearts to drift. In this Thursday morning message, Evangelist Joe Mueller exposes the pull of worldliness from 1 John 2 and calls us to love what truly lasts. Learn how to keep your heart for God in a culture determined to steal it.This is the second sermon in a special series that will contain all of the sermons and workshops delivered at the 2025 Thee Generation Youth Summit at Falls Baptist Church in Menomonee Falls, WI this past October 8–10, 2025.Don't forget to make plans to join hundreds of other young people next October 14–16, 2026 for our annual meeting in Menomonee Falls, WI. For more information, please visit theegeneration.org/tgys. If you've been encouraged by this podcast, please take the time to give us a five-star rating and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the Thee Generation for others. For more faith inspiring resources and information about joining Thee Generation, please visit theegeneration.org.

We talk a lot about the repercussions of purity culture for women, but what about men? This topic is often silenced, creating what sexuality educator Erica Smith calls a “fertile ground for shame.” She joins me to break the taboo, sharing the aftereffects men frequently encounter. Erica Smith is an award winning sexuality educator and consultant with 25 years of experience. She developed the Purity Culture Dropout™️ Program to help people learn all of the sex education that they missed growing up in purity culture- sex ed that is accurate, queer inclusive, trauma informed, compassionate, and comprehensive. More on this topic:Evolving out of purity cultureReclaim your arousal mindset Untangling sexual shameMasturbation - let's dig inMasculinity narratives with Cam FraserMy letter to young womenMisconceptions men believe about sexEmbodiment and pleasure with Hillary McBride PhDORDER my Book Permission for Pleasure: Tending Your Sexual GardenJOIN my Newsletter: Good Education for Good SexFOLLOW on Instagram @cindyscharkeyVISIT my website and blog

Send us a text Two major studies today prove what we've been saying: purity culture makes people unable to recognize marital and date rape as actual rape, and male porn use hurts women regardless of their attitude toward it—though religious women suffer more because of the scripts we've been given. Then I interview Joash Thomas about his book The Justice of Jesus, where he explains how Western Christianity lost biblical justice because colonizers taught a purely "spiritual" gospel to benefit themselves. We've got to understand that following Jesus costs us something! EVENTSOctober 4th: Book launch for "The Justice of Jesus”October 25th: Keith and Sheila marriage conference in OshawaTO SUPPORT US: Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month to support our workAnd check out our Merch, or any of our courses!Join our email list!LINKS MENTIONED:The Justice of Jesus book The study of purity culture and rape myth acceptanceThe study on how religious women see porn Sheila's list on recommended books on porn recoveryFor Our Daughters FilmSupport the showJoin Sheila at Bare Marriage.com!Check out her books: The Great Sex Rescue She Deserves Better The Marriage You Want and the Study Guide The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex and The Good Guy's Guide to Great Sex And she has an Orgasm Course and a Libido course too!Check out all her courses, FREE resources, social media, books, and so much more at Sheila's LinkTree.