Podcasts about sexuality

For 50 years, Sonja hadn't enjoyed sex. She didn't get what the big deal was. But she was hopeful there was one. She took Vaginal Kung Fu and within weeks had an avalanche of orgasms: G-Spot, squirting, cervical, anal, nipple and full-body. Making up for lost time. She proves The Anami Guarantee that EVERYONE CAN. At any age and every stage. In this episode:Waking up and de-numbing the vaginaSexually dead after menopause? Bullshit. Just getting started.What if his cock doesn't reach my cervix? Dick math to the rescue. What is the ideal cock size if women are totally honest? The good stuff is in the vagina. The best stuff is at the cervix.The yoni egg becomes your loverHow to f**k the shit out of her if you are less endowed as a man (it's not being “good at cunnilingus”)Two-pump chumps make women hate sex1 in 100,000 people are well-f**kedThe life-changing power of cervical orgasmsChoosing which orgasm you need based on your emotions and what needs healingVAGINAL KUNG FU: Doors close January 30th midnight PST.In the salon, you'll become a maestro of all things vaginal and sexual. You'll learn:My step-by-step guided vaginal weight lifting routine with the jade yoni egg.Yoni massage to de-numb and activate your vaginaQuantum techniques to clear your blocks and illuminate your sexual shadowBreast massage to tone, lift and enlarge the breastsNatural birth control and detoxing off The PillHow to make menstruation and menopause the energizing and rejuvenating portals they were meant to beHow to give a vaginal handjobHow to use your sexual energy to heal yourself, including my sex position mood guide.

We often think good sex mostly comes down to physical technique. But many people feel disconnected from their bodies, stuck in their heads, or unable to access desire and pleasure. And that's something technique alone can't fix. Today, we'll explore how attending to unconscious factors like shame, anxiety, and trauma can open the door to deeper pleasure. I am joined once again by Juliane Maxwald, a licensed psychoanalyst, couples therapist, and AASECT-certified sex therapist based in New York City. She has over fifteen years of experience working with individuals and couples. She is the author of the new book Psychoanalytic Sex Therapy: Exploring the Unconscious Life of Sexuality. Some of the specific topics we explore in this episode include: Why orgasm is more than a physical response How shame and trauma quietly shape your sex life Why “spectatoring” kills pleasure When trying to fix your partner backfires How to reconnect with your body during sex To learn more about Juliane’s work, visit her website and find her on Instagram @julianemaxwald. Listeners can receive 20% off her new book, Psychoanalytic Sex Therapy, via this link. 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!  Wrap the ones you love in luxury with Cozy Earth. Discover bedtime bliss with Cozy Earth’s bamboo sheet set and loungewear. Using code JUSTIN to get 40% off your purchase.  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  Load Boost is a supplement designed to improve the taste, volume, and overall health of your semen. If you want to elevate your sexual performance, check out Load Boost from VB Health. Visit vb.health to learn more and save 10% with code JUSTIN. *** 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.

Baby boomers who grew up during the sexual revolution may now be experiencing low libido as they age. Many factors can cause low libido in women as they age. A mix of emotional, physical, and psychological elements can all contribute to a decreased desire for intimacy or sex. If you are showing signs of aging and have an unexplained lower sex drive, there are things you can do to help.

Chloë Crampton was told she was "too young for cancer." She wasn't. Diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at 32 with no family history, Chloë had to fight to be taken seriously. She refused the standard chemo protocol, kept her hair through cold capping, and threw herself into food as medicine. In this conversation, she shares how green juicing, anti- inflammatory eating, and clean swaps helped her heal, and why young women need to advocate for their health when doctors won't listen

Preaching for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Angela Howard McParland offers a reflection on responding to God's call in a time of despair by choosing hope, resistance, and love: "Like the disciples who left their fishing nets to follow Jesus, people of faith all over our country are showing up, speaking out, and modeling nonviolent love of neighbor."Angela Howard McParland is a member of the Justice Team of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, a co-founder of Nuns Against Gun Violence, and a proud member of cohort 5 of Mercy Global's Emerging Leaders Fellowship. She earned a Master of Divinity at Vanderbilt Divinity School as well as a certificate in Religion, Gender, and Sexuality. She lives in Providence, RI with her three children: Oliver, Lorelai, and Eamon.Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/01252026 to learn more about Angela, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.

Today I spoke with Juliane Maxwald abut her new book Psychoanalytic Sex Therapy: Exploring the Unconscious Life of Sexuality (Taylor & Francis, 2025). Maxwald bridges psychoanalytic theory with contemporary sex therapy to demonstrate that sexual symptoms are rarely just about sex—they're embodied expressions of unconscious conflict, early attachment wounds, relational trauma, and unmet developmental needs. Through eleven richly detailed clinical cases—including Jon's shame-bound spanking fantasies, Connie's trauma-releasing masturbation, Maurice's porn use masking performance anxiety, Joelle's compulsive sexual behavior, Brian's BDSM healing, and Anna and Darren's painful desire discrepancy—Maxwald shows how integrating psychodynamic insight with behavioral interventions, somatic awareness, and trauma-informed care creates transformative healing. The book argues that sexuality is a "portal to the unconscious," where repetition compulsion, dissociation, shame, and erotic transference play out in the body, and that therapeutic work requires not just fixing dysfunction but decoding symbolic meanings, tolerating ambiguity, attending to countertransference, and creating relational safety where clients can reclaim embodied agency, authentic desire, and the capacity for surrender—while acknowledging that sometimes, pragmatically, "a cigar is just a cigar" and simpler medical or behavioral solutions serve clients best. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/psychoanalysis

Today I spoke with Juliane Maxwald abut her new book Psychoanalytic Sex Therapy: Exploring the Unconscious Life of Sexuality (Taylor & Francis, 2025). Maxwald bridges psychoanalytic theory with contemporary sex therapy to demonstrate that sexual symptoms are rarely just about sex—they're embodied expressions of unconscious conflict, early attachment wounds, relational trauma, and unmet developmental needs. Through eleven richly detailed clinical cases—including Jon's shame-bound spanking fantasies, Connie's trauma-releasing masturbation, Maurice's porn use masking performance anxiety, Joelle's compulsive sexual behavior, Brian's BDSM healing, and Anna and Darren's painful desire discrepancy—Maxwald shows how integrating psychodynamic insight with behavioral interventions, somatic awareness, and trauma-informed care creates transformative healing. The book argues that sexuality is a "portal to the unconscious," where repetition compulsion, dissociation, shame, and erotic transference play out in the body, and that therapeutic work requires not just fixing dysfunction but decoding symbolic meanings, tolerating ambiguity, attending to countertransference, and creating relational safety where clients can reclaim embodied agency, authentic desire, and the capacity for surrender—while acknowledging that sometimes, pragmatically, "a cigar is just a cigar" and simpler medical or behavioral solutions serve clients best. 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

Shem, Nonye Brown-West and JC Cassis share stories of sexual discoveries.

For the second week of Core, hosts Greg and Nathan tackle one of the most difficult and misunderstood questions in the church today: whether the Bible has a coherent and consistent vision for sexuality and gender. Rather than singling out one issue, they examine God's design for sex, the many ways humans depart from it, and why Scripture applies the same standard to everyone. This episode confronts charges of hypocrisy, challenges selective outrage, and asks a deeper question: not who fails, but who defines what faithfulness actually is.

When people experience sexual problems, the instinct is often to ask, “What's wrong with me?” or “How do I fix this?” But what if those struggles are actually meaningful signals or clues that something deeper needs attention? In today’s show, we’re exploring a different way of understanding sexual difficulties: as doorways to unconscious emotional and relational truths. My guest is Juliane Maxwald, a licensed psychoanalyst, couples therapist, and AASECT-certified sex therapist based in New York City. She has over fifteen years of experience working with individuals and couples. She is the author of the new book Psychoanalytic Sex Therapy: Exploring the Unconscious Life of Sexuality. Some of the specific topics we explore in this episode include: What does it mean to treat sexual symptoms as a form of unconscious communication? Why is it important to get curious about the deeper issues behind sexual problems? If someone is experiencing “out of control” porn use, what might the deeper issue behind that be? What kind of emotional information do sexual fantasies carry? What does healing or recovery from a sexual problem actually look like? To learn more about Juliane’s work, visit her website and find her on Instagram @julianemaxwald. Listeners can receive 20% off her new book, Psychoanalytic Sex Therapy, via this link. 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 want to make this year less about fixing yourself and more about understanding yourself, check out Beducated. Featuring more than 100 online courses taught by the experts, Beducated brings pleasure-based sex ed directly into your bedroom. Kick off your journey by taking Beducated's Quiz to get your personalized roadmap to sexual happiness at https://beducate.me/pd2602-lehmiller  Load Boost is a supplement designed to improve the taste, volume, and overall health of your semen. If you want to elevate your sexual performance, check out Load Boost from VB Health. Visit vb.health to learn more and save 10% with code JUSTIN. Passionate about building a career in sexuality? Check out the Sexual Health Alliance. With SHA, you’ll connect with world-class experts and join an engaged community of sexuality professionals from around the world. Visit SexualHealthAlliance.com and start building the sexuality career of your dreams today. *** 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.

Our next episode drops on January 27th! In our off weeks, we air episodes of The Gaily Show. It's the only daily LGBTQ radio news and talk show in the US. John conducts a lot of author interviews on there!In this episode, the authors of the upcoming book A Black Queer History of the United States join John to unpack their landmark book tracing the lives of LGBTQ+ Black Americans. It comes out on January 20th! Pre-order your copy here: https://bookshop.org/a/82376/9780807008553Dr. C. Riley Snorton is a professor of English language and comparative literature and is core faculty at the Institute for the Study of Sexuality and Gender at Columbia University. He is the author of the award-winning book Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity.Dr. Darius Bost is associate professor of Black Studies and of gender and women's studies at the University of Illinois Chicago. Bost is the author of the award-winning book Evidence of Being: The Black Gay Cultural Renaissance and the Politics of Violence.Watch on YouTubeWe're in video too! You can watch this episode at youtube.com/@thegailyshowCreditsHost/Founder: John Parker (learn more about my name change)Executive Producer: Jim PoundsProduction and Distribution Support: Brett Johnson, AM950Marketing/Advertising Support: Chad Larson, Laura Hedlund, Jennifer Ogren, AM950Accounting and Creative Support: Gordy EricksonSupport the show

Fantastic and informative talk with Sara Petrosillo of the University of Evansville about her new book, Hawking Women: Falconry, Gender, and Control in Medieval Literary Culture (Ohio State University Press, 2023). Listen all the way to the end for a great description of the process of hunting with birds! While critical discourse about falconry metaphors in premodern literature is dominated by depictions of women as unruly birds in need of taming, women in the Middle Ages claimed the symbol of a hawking woman on their personal seals, trained and flew hawks, and wrote and read poetic texts featuring female falconers.  Sara Petrosillo's Hawking Women demonstrates how cultural literacy in the art of falconry mapped, for medieval readers, onto poetry and challenged patriarchal control. Examining texts written by, for, or about women, Hawking Women uncovers literary forms that arise from representations of avian and female bodies. Readings from Sir Orfeo, Chrétien de Troyes, Guillaume de Machaut, Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde, and hawking manuals, among others, show how female characters are paired with their hawks not to assert dominance over the animal but instead to recraft the stand-in of falcon for woman as falcon with woman. In the avian hierarchy female hawks have always been the default, the dominant, and thus these medieval interspecies models contain lessons about how women resisted a culture of training and control through a feminist poetics of the falconry practice. Jana Byars is the Academic Director of Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

In the early hours of March 13, 1964, twenty-eight-year-old Kitty Genovese returned home from work and parked her car in a lot near her Queens apartment, completely unaware that someone was following her. As she approached the door to her apartment building, Kitty's stalker ran up behind her and stabbed her in the back twice before being scared off by a neighbor who yelled from his window. Wounded, Kitty managed to get to the back of the building, but her attacker soon returned and brutally assaulted her. By the time an ambulance arrived an hour later, it was too late; Kitty Genovese died before she reached the hospital.Kitty's murder and the arrest of her killer, Winston Moseley, were quickly overshadowed by what were believed to be the facts of the attack, primarily the widely held belief that at least thirty-eight neighbors had seen the assault or heard Kitty's cries for help and did nothing. Despite there having been no evidence to support that belief, the narrative quickly became about urban apathy, with the death of a Queens bartender merely a footnote. The murder of Kitty Genovese is one of the most notorious violent crimes in modern American history—not because of the details or circumstances of the crime, but because of the legend and mythology that has built up around it.ReferencesCook, Kevin. 2014. Kitty Genovese: The Murder, the Bystanders, the Crime that Changed America. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.Gallo, Marcia M. 2014. "The Parable of Kitty Genovese, the New York Times, and the Erasure of Lesbianism." Journal of the Hisotry of Sexuality 273.Gansberg, Martin. 1964. "37 who saw murder didn't call the police." New York Times, March 27: 1.New York Times. 1964. "Queens man seized in death of 2 women." New York Times, March 20: 21.Pearlman, Jeff. 2004. "'64 murder lives in heart of woman's 'friend'." Chicago Tribune, March 12: 4.Peltz, Jennifer. 2015. Kitty Genovese Killer Denied Parole in Notorious 1964 Case . November 17. Accessed January 9, 2026. https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/kitty-genovese-killer-denied-parole-notorious-1964-stabbing-new-york-city/1274332/.Roberts, Sam. 2020. "Sophia Farrar dies at 92; belied indifference to Kitty Genovese." New York Times, September 10.Rosenthal, Abe. 1964. "Apathy is puzzle in queens killing." New York Times, March 28: 21. —. 1964. "Study of the Sickness called apathy." New York Times, May 3: 24.Simon, Scott. 2016. The Witness' Tells A Different Story About The Kitty Genovese Murder. May 28. Accessed January 9, 2026. https://www.npr.org/2016/05/28/479824705/-the-witness-tells-a-different-story-about-the-kitty-genovese-murder. Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash KelleyListener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra LallyListener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Stefan Molyneux digs into what he calls "Gene Wars," looking at how r and K selection strategies in reproduction shape human societies. He describes r-selected types as those that reproduce quickly with little effort put into raising the young, while K-selected ones focus on having fewer kids but investing more in them. Molyneux ties this to modern problems like abortion and spending habits, suggesting these strategies affect how people view duties to others and keeping systems steady. He wraps up by urging people to pay more attention to these biological factors when dealing with today's issues.GET FREEDOMAIN MERCH! https://shop.freedomain.com/SUBSCRIBE TO ME ON X! https://x.com/StefanMolyneuxFollow me on Youtube! https://www.youtube.com/@freedomain1GET MY NEW BOOK 'PEACEFUL PARENTING', THE INTERACTIVE PEACEFUL PARENTING AI, AND THE FULL AUDIOBOOK!https://peacefulparenting.com/Join the PREMIUM philosophy community on the web for free!Subscribers get 12 HOURS on the "Truth About the French Revolution," multiple interactive multi-lingual philosophy AIs trained on thousands of hours of my material - as well as AIs for Real-Time Relationships, Bitcoin, Peaceful Parenting, and Call-In Shows!You also receive private livestreams, HUNDREDS of exclusive premium shows, early release podcasts, the 22 Part History of Philosophers series and much more!See you soon!https://freedomain.locals.com/support/promo/UPB2025

In this episode of the Crazy Wisdom podcast, host Stewart Alsop sits down with Kelvin Lwin for their second conversation exploring the fascinating intersection of AI and Buddhist cosmology. Lwin brings his unique perspective as both a technologist with deep Silicon Valley experience and a serious meditation practitioner who's spent decades studying Buddhist philosophy. Together, they examine how AI development fits into ancient spiritual prophecies, discuss the dangerous allure of LLMs as potentially "asura weapons" that can mislead users, and explore verification methods for enlightenment claims in our modern digital age. The conversation ranges from technical discussions about the need for better AI compilers and world models to profound questions about humanity's role in what Lwin sees as an inevitable technological crucible that will determine our collective spiritual evolution. For more information about Kelvin's work on attention training and AI, visit his website at alin.ai. You can also join Kelvin for live meditation sessions twice daily on Clubhouse at clubhouse.com/house/neowise.Timestamps00:00 Exploring AI and Spirituality05:56 The Quest for Enlightenment Verification11:58 AI's Impact on Spirituality and Reality17:51 The 500-Year Prophecy of Buddhism23:36 The Future of AI and Business Innovation32:15 Exploring Language and Communication34:54 Programming Languages and Human Interaction36:23 AI and the Crucible of Change39:20 World Models and Physical AI41:27 The Role of Ontologies in AI44:25 The Asura and Deva: A Battle for Supremacy48:15 The Future of Humanity and AI51:08 Persuasion and the Power of LLMs55:29 Navigating the New Age of TechnologyKey Insights1. The Rarity of Polymath AI-Spirituality Perspectives: Kelvin argues that very few people are approaching AI through spiritual frameworks because it requires being a polymath with deep knowledge across multiple domains. Most people specialize in one field, and combining AI expertise with Buddhist cosmology requires significant time, resources, and academic background that few possess.2. Traditional Enlightenment Verification vs. Modern Claims: There are established methods for verifying enlightenment claims in Buddhist traditions, including adherence to the five precepts and overcoming hell rebirth through karmic resolution. Many modern Western practitioners claiming enlightenment fail these traditional tests, often changing the criteria when they can't meet the original requirements.3. The 500-Year Buddhist Prophecy and Current Timing: We are approximately 60 years into a prophesied 500-year period where enlightenment becomes possible again. This "startup phase of Buddhism revival" coincides with technological developments like the internet and AI, which are seen as integral to this spiritual renaissance rather than obstacles to it.4. LLMs as UI Solution, Not Reasoning Engine: While LLMs have solved the user interface problem of capturing human intent, they fundamentally cannot reason or make decisions due to their token-based architecture. The technology works well enough to create illusion of capability, leading people down an asymptotic path away from true solutions.5. The Need for New Programming Paradigms: Current AI development caters too much to human cognitive limitations through familiar programming structures. True advancement requires moving beyond human-readable code toward agent-generated languages that prioritize efficiency over human comprehension, similar to how compilers already translate high-level code.6. AI as Asura Weapon in Spiritual Warfare: From Buddhist cosmological perspective, AI represents an asura (demon-realm) tool that appears helpful but is fundamentally wasteful and disruptive to human consciousness. Humanity exists as the battleground between divine and demonic forces, with AI serving as a weapon that both sides employ in this cosmic conflict.7. 2029 as Critical Convergence Point: Multiple technological and spiritual trends point toward 2029 as when various systems will reach breaking points, forcing humanity to either transcend current limitations or be consumed by them. This timing aligns with both technological development curves and spiritual prophecies about transformation periods.

Fantastic and informative talk with Sara Petrosillo of the University of Evansville about her new book, Hawking Women: Falconry, Gender, and Control in Medieval Literary Culture (Ohio State University Press, 2023). Listen all the way to the end for a great description of the process of hunting with birds! While critical discourse about falconry metaphors in premodern literature is dominated by depictions of women as unruly birds in need of taming, women in the Middle Ages claimed the symbol of a hawking woman on their personal seals, trained and flew hawks, and wrote and read poetic texts featuring female falconers.  Sara Petrosillo's Hawking Women demonstrates how cultural literacy in the art of falconry mapped, for medieval readers, onto poetry and challenged patriarchal control. Examining texts written by, for, or about women, Hawking Women uncovers literary forms that arise from representations of avian and female bodies. Readings from Sir Orfeo, Chrétien de Troyes, Guillaume de Machaut, Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde, and hawking manuals, among others, show how female characters are paired with their hawks not to assert dominance over the animal but instead to recraft the stand-in of falcon for woman as falcon with woman. In the avian hierarchy female hawks have always been the default, the dominant, and thus these medieval interspecies models contain lessons about how women resisted a culture of training and control through a feminist poetics of the falconry practice. Jana Byars is the Academic Director of Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender. 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

Fantastic and informative talk with Sara Petrosillo of the University of Evansville about her new book, Hawking Women: Falconry, Gender, and Control in Medieval Literary Culture (Ohio State University Press, 2023). Listen all the way to the end for a great description of the process of hunting with birds! While critical discourse about falconry metaphors in premodern literature is dominated by depictions of women as unruly birds in need of taming, women in the Middle Ages claimed the symbol of a hawking woman on their personal seals, trained and flew hawks, and wrote and read poetic texts featuring female falconers.  Sara Petrosillo's Hawking Women demonstrates how cultural literacy in the art of falconry mapped, for medieval readers, onto poetry and challenged patriarchal control. Examining texts written by, for, or about women, Hawking Women uncovers literary forms that arise from representations of avian and female bodies. Readings from Sir Orfeo, Chrétien de Troyes, Guillaume de Machaut, Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde, and hawking manuals, among others, show how female characters are paired with their hawks not to assert dominance over the animal but instead to recraft the stand-in of falcon for woman as falcon with woman. In the avian hierarchy female hawks have always been the default, the dominant, and thus these medieval interspecies models contain lessons about how women resisted a culture of training and control through a feminist poetics of the falconry practice. Jana Byars is the Academic Director of Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

Fantastic and informative talk with Sara Petrosillo of the University of Evansville about her new book, Hawking Women: Falconry, Gender, and Control in Medieval Literary Culture (Ohio State University Press, 2023). Listen all the way to the end for a great description of the process of hunting with birds! While critical discourse about falconry metaphors in premodern literature is dominated by depictions of women as unruly birds in need of taming, women in the Middle Ages claimed the symbol of a hawking woman on their personal seals, trained and flew hawks, and wrote and read poetic texts featuring female falconers.  Sara Petrosillo's Hawking Women demonstrates how cultural literacy in the art of falconry mapped, for medieval readers, onto poetry and challenged patriarchal control. Examining texts written by, for, or about women, Hawking Women uncovers literary forms that arise from representations of avian and female bodies. Readings from Sir Orfeo, Chrétien de Troyes, Guillaume de Machaut, Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde, and hawking manuals, among others, show how female characters are paired with their hawks not to assert dominance over the animal but instead to recraft the stand-in of falcon for woman as falcon with woman. In the avian hierarchy female hawks have always been the default, the dominant, and thus these medieval interspecies models contain lessons about how women resisted a culture of training and control through a feminist poetics of the falconry practice. Jana Byars is the Academic Director of Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sports

How do Christian parents raise kids with wisdom in a culture shaped by pornography, confusion about gender, and broken ideas about relationships—without living in “hair-on-fire” panic? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, James Spencer sits down with Lori Krieg, co-author (with Matt Krieg) of Raising Wise Kids in a Sexually Broken World (IVP) and Director of Parent Programs & Discipleship at the Center for Faith, Sexuality and Gender. Lori explains why so many Christian families become reactionary—only talking about sexuality when a crisis hits—and what it looks like to build a foundation from ages 0–12. You’ll hear practical, parent-tested guidance on shaping kids to see people as image-bearers rather than consumers, navigating technology and porn culture, and teaching body safety in age-appropriate ways. The conversation also explores the often-missed biblical connection between marriage and singleness, and why the church must recover a bigger vision of the Christian life: mission before marriage. In this episode, we cover: Why parents don’t have to wait until the teen years to talk about sexuality How technology fragments relationships—and what it’s doing to kids’ formation A Christian framework for porn prevention: moving from “rules” to mindset What “sexual brokenness” includes (more than the headlines) Teaching kids body safety and boundaries without shame or fear Why discipleship—not stereotypes—should shape how we think about gender Helping kids see their purpose as advancing God’s kingdom, not “marry and settle down” You can purchase Raising Wise Kids in a Sexually Broken World at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount) Subscribe to our YouTube channel

sunday sermons + good news weekly live from good news in the neighborhood, a new church led by luke + kristen macdonald in the nw suburbs of chicago. we are a multi-ethnic, bible teaching, and life giving church.   find out more about us becoming + bringing the good news at   www.goodnewsintheneighborhood.org

In this episode we sit down with Walter Penrose, PhD, associate professor of history at San Diego State University. Dr. Penrose specializes in the History of Gender and Sexuality in Ancient Greek, Hellenistic, and South Asian contexts. We talk with him about the historical views of the Amazons, particularly in the non-Western world. Female bodyguards were employed by the Ancient Indians and Persians and many of these women came from the Black Sea region-- the same region where the Greeks identified the presence of Amazons.  We discuss the Indian concept of "Stri Rajya" or "The Kingdom of Women"  which the Ancient Indians located to the west of them, towards the Eurasian Steppe and Caspian Sea-- in the same neighborhood as the Black Sea.  Lastly, we also explore the stories of Hellenistic warrior queens and their connection to the warlike tribes from the same region as the female bodyguards and The Kingdom of Women: the Thracians, Scythians and Sauromatians. Sean Marlon Newcombe and Dawn "Sam" Alden co-host.

Set the context for a joyful, exuberant day with a short, powerful message from Sadhguru. Explore a range of subjects with Sadhguru, discover how every aspect of life can be a stepping stone, and learn to make the most of the potential that a human being embodies.  Conscious Planet: ⁠https://www.consciousplanet.org⁠ Sadhguru App (Download): ⁠https://onelink.to/sadhguru__app⁠ Official Sadhguru Website: ⁠https://isha.sadhguru.org⁠ Sadhguru Exclusive: ⁠https://isha.sadhguru.org/in/en/sadhguru-exclusive⁠ Inner Engineering Link: isha.co/ieo-podcast Yogi, mystic and visionary, Sadhguru is a spiritual master with a difference. An arresting blend of profundity and pragmatism, his life and work serves as a reminder that yoga is a contemporary science, vitally relevant to our times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Heart of the Sexuality Conversation:How can Christians who hold to a historically biblical view of marriage, sexuality, and gender walk alongside people who experience same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria? Drawing on a decade of ministry experience and her education in missiology, author and speaker Laurie Krieg will help us discover the heart of this conversation so we can engage with grace, truth, and love.

The Heart of the Sexuality Conversation:How can Christians who hold to a historically biblical view of marriage, sexuality, and gender walk alongside people who experience same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria? Drawing on a decade of ministry experience and her education in missiology, author and speaker Laurie Krieg will help us discover the heart of this conversation so we can engage with grace, truth, and love.

Set the context for a joyful, exuberant day with a short, powerful message from Sadhguru. Explore a range of subjects with Sadhguru, discover how every aspect of life can be a stepping stone, and learn to make the most of the potential that a human being embodies.  Conscious Planet: ⁠https://www.consciousplanet.org⁠ Sadhguru App (Download): ⁠https://onelink.to/sadhguru__app⁠ Official Sadhguru Website: ⁠https://isha.sadhguru.org⁠ Sadhguru Exclusive: ⁠https://isha.sadhguru.org/in/en/sadhguru-exclusive⁠ Inner Engineering Link: isha.co/ieo-podcast Yogi, mystic and visionary, Sadhguru is a spiritual master with a difference. An arresting blend of profundity and pragmatism, his life and work serves as a reminder that yoga is a contemporary science, vitally relevant to our times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I often say that my vagina created my life. I've learned how to tap into the power of my sexual, pro-creative energy and use that to “birth” my life and projects with. And so can you. In this episode: The fastest way to achieve creative geniusWhat it really means and looks like to “magnetize with feminine energy”Using your vagina and sexual flow to manifest in your life “My vagina is my doctor and business advisor” How to do Anami salons as a solo person. People always ask if they need a partner—you don't The best psychedelic trip: vaginal orgasms Well-F**ked All Star Ondrea on the road to surrender and living in feminine energyMy legendary Vaginal Kung Fu Salon is now open for registration. In this 10-week online salon, I've compiled the best of my 30 years of sexual and vaginal experience (!) to take you over the edge into a lifetime of bliss. We cover everything talked about in today's episode, from yoni massage to how to use the jade yoni egg, to activating your feminine energy as the receiver in your life—all of which bring you into your creative genius.You'll learn:How to have a toned, orgasmic and ecstatic vagina;How to channel your sexual energy into creative powerStep-by-step instructions for your vaginal weight lifting practice, thereby putting yourself in the running for the Guinness Record for world's strongest vagina;My guided routine for giving yourself, or having your partner give you, a healing and activating yoni massage.How to give your man a hand job. With your vagina. An essential life skill for all. To signup, go to Vaginal Kung Fu. http://kimanami.com/vaginal-kung-fu

Two decisions hit Washington this week that could have massive consequences for families nationwide. On the judicial front, the Supreme Court is weighing whether states can protect women’s sports. At the same time, Congress is debating the extension of Obamacare subsidies, this time without Hyde Amendment protections for the unborn. Aaron, David, and Mike explain what’s at stake in these two major ideological battles. After the news, Dr. David Closson joins the podcast to unpack new survey data from George Barna and the Family Research Council, revealing a troubling gap inside America’s churches. While many regular churchgoers say they want clear biblical teaching on issues like abortion, sexuality, and religious freedom, foundational Christian beliefs about God, sin, and salvation are rapidly eroding. When churches go silent, culture fills the gap. Barna’s research shows that all seven “cornerstones” of a biblical worldview are in decline, even among committed believers. David explains what’s driving this collapse, why it matters for the Church’s witness, and what pastors and Christians must do to reclaim biblical clarity in an increasingly confused culture. TAKE ACTION Now is the moment to speak up using CCV.org. Through our Action Center, you can quickly contact Senators Moreno and Husted to encourage them to defend the Hyde Amendment. The process takes less than a minute! Call on Ohio's US Senator Moreno and US Senator Husted to oppose taxpayer-funded abortion in any “deal” on Obamacare subsidies. More About Dr. David Closson David Closson, Ph.D., serves as the Director of the Center for Biblical Worldview at Family Research Council, where he researches, writes, and speaks about life, human sexuality, religious liberty, and related issues from a biblical worldview. He is the author of FRC's Biblical Worldview Series, which seeks to help Christians and Christian leaders apply the teachings of the Bible to difficult moral questions. Dr. Closson's work has appeared on Fox News, RealClearPolitics, National Review, The Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, Decision Magazine, WORLD Opinions, The Gospel Coalition, Townhall, and The Christian Post. He is the author of Life After Roe: Equipping Christians in the Fight for Life Today (B&H Academic, 2025), co-author of Male and Female He Created Them: A Study on Identity, Sexuality, and Marriage (Christian Focus, 2023), and co-author of the forthcoming book Worldview Basics: A Worldview Curriculum for Students (Fidelis Publishing, 2026). Dr. Closson is a regular guest on Christian and conservative media outlets, including Washington Watch, FRC's national television and radio program heard on more than 800 stations across 48 states. He also speaks at conferences, seminars, and churches across the United States and abroad, addressing moral and cultural issues from a biblical worldview. Dr. Closson is a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Ph.D.), The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div., Th.M.) and the University of Central Florida (B.A.). He lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his wife, Abby, and their son, Daniel.

Sexuality has been divorced from love, and we need to bring these two things back together in order to restore harmony to the planet.They have been severed for a reason, and it is not in service to the greater good of humanity.This is way more than just something that would be nice to have - it represents a huge key in the healing and evolution of human relationships, and therefore, humanity at large.This is a message that is so close to my heart, and was emotional for me to record!In this episode, I share how sexuality became distorted when it was separated from love, which led to the creation of two polarized camps:* Sexuality is wrong/bad/shameful and needs to be suppressed, or* Sexuality should be indulged in an anything-goes culture.I speak about an integrated third way that represents a major path forward for relationships and human evolution - when we remember how sacred this exchange is and how it can be one of the deepest and most profound expressions of love, as embodied devotion.What are your thoughts on this topic - do you feel the difference when love + sex are present? And does it make sense how critical this reunification really is to heal our relationships, and the world at large? Let me know in the comments below.Resources and Links Mentioned:The New Era:https://www.love-evolved.us/the-new-era.htmlHealing the Relationship Between Men + Women:https://www.love-evolved.us/healing-the-relationship-between-men-and-women.htmlTowards Sexual Sovereigntyhttps://leighannelopinto.substack.com/p/towards-sexual-sovereignty-the-alchemicalStart Herehttps://www.love-evolved.us/start-here.htmlThe War on Love, Sex + Relationshipshttps://leighannelopinto.substack.com/p/the-war-on-love-sex-relationshipsSexuality Generates the Frequency of the Planethttps://the-visionaries-le.mn.co/posts/teaching-library-sexuality-generates-the-frequency-of-the-planet—About me:My name is Leigh-Anne LoPinto, and I'm a psychologist and breathwork teacher specializing in relationships. I am devoted to creating the new paradigm of relationships.For the past 15 years, I've worked with people 1:1 and in groups to support healing and growth.Visit my website here to connect and go deeper:https://www.love-evolved.us/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leighannelopinto.substack.com

Join the Theology in the Raw community to get access to our "extra innings" raw conversation on modesty. Laurie Krieg (M.A. Wheaton) is the Director of Parent Programs and Discipleship for The Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender and the co-author, with her husband Matt, of the recently released book Raising Wise Kids in a Sexually Broken World: A Gospel Centered Approach (IVP). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sara Swenson is Assistant Professor of Religion and Affiliated Faculty in Asian Societies, Cultures, and Languages at Dartmouth College. Her areas of expertise include Religions of Southeast Asia, Buddhism in Vietnam, Gender and Sexuality, Affect Theory, and Ethnography. She received her Ph.D. in Religion from Syracuse University in 2021. She also holds an M.Phil. in Religion and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Women's and Gender Studies from Syracuse University, an M.A. in Comparative Religion from Iliff School of Theology, and a B.A. in English from the University of Minnesota Duluth. She pursues projects that highlight the power and agency of everyday people. Religions are often a vital resource for grassroots social action and community engagement, as exemplified by Buddhism in Vietnam. Her projects have received generous grant support from the American Council of Learned Societies; Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship; Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA); and The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Dissertation Fellowship in Buddhist Studies. Swenson's new book, Near Light We Shine: Buddhist Charity in Urban Vietnam (Oxford UP, 2025) is one of the first major ethnographic studies on Buddhism in southern Vietnam, featuring new histories and interpretations of this rich subject. It shares new context for how religious practices affect urban migration, development, and humanitarian concerns, and presents theoretical advancements for understanding grassroots charity. Near Light We Shine offers a diversity of perspectives on grassroots Buddhist practices throughout Vietnam, by featuring interviews that have never been published before from marginalized Buddhist practitioners in Vietnam, such as day laborers, queer men, elderly women, and retired communist soldiers. References mentioned in the interview:  Le Hoang Anh Thu, "Doing Bodhisattva's Work: Charity, Class, and Selfhood of Petty Traders in Hồ Chí Minh City" here Nhung Lu Rots, "Towards an Alternative Buddhist Modernity: Hòa Hảo Charity Healing and Herbal Medicine in the Mekong Delta" here Elizabeth Perez, Religion in the Kitchen here Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI) at the University of Wisconsin here Van Nguyen-Marshall, Between War and the State: Civil Society in South Vietnam, 1954–1975 here Casey R. Collins, Buddhist Contramodernism: Shinnyo-en's Reconfigurations of Tradition for Modernity here 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

In this episode, Tracy confronts the reality that culture is already discipling our teens about identity and sexuality and challenges parents and mentors to step in with honest, ongoing conversations rooted in biblical truth and grace.--The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two. Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.Donate Now--Talking with Teens About Sexuality: Discipling Kids in a Confusing WorldTeens today are growing up in a world flooded with messages about identity, intimacy, and sexuality. From social media feeds and streaming shows to school hallways and group chats, culture is constantly catechizing them—often long before parents or mentors realize it. That leaves adults with a choice: avoid the conversation out of fear or discomfort, or step into it with honesty, compassion, and biblical truth.In Talking with Teens about Sexuality, counselor Beth Robinson and Latayne C. Scott offer a much-needed roadmap for navigating one of the most intimidating areas of discipleship. Rather than promoting fear-based rules or one-time lectures, the authors equip parents and mentors to engage in thoughtful, ongoing conversations about sex, identity, relationships, boundaries, pornography, dating, gender, and online influences.A key insight of the book is this: teens aren't just battling hormones—they're battling an entire culture that is shaping their beliefs every single day. Algorithms are discipling them. Influencers are normalizing behaviors. Entertainment is redefining identity and intimacy. If Christian adults remain silent or reactive, they shouldn't be surprised when culture becomes the loudest voice in a teen's life.Robinson and Scott insist that intentionality is essential. Parents don't need to have all the answers, but they do need to be present, informed, and emotionally available. Teens are far more likely to listen when they feel understood rather than lectured. That's why the book repeatedly emphasizes listening before teaching, empathy before correction, and relationship before instruction.Another strength of the book is how it reframes God's design for sexuality. Instead of presenting biblical boundaries as arbitrary rules meant to limit freedom, Robinson and Scott show how Scripture presents them as gifts meant to protect dignity, foster trust, and lead to wholeness. Teens are desperate for a vision of sexuality that offers hope rather than shame—and the Bible provides exactly that.The authors are also realistic. They acknowledge that parents cannot control everything their teens encounter. Pornography, sexualized content, and identity-driven messaging are nearly unavoidable in today's digital world. But while parents can't control the culture, they can guide their teens through it. They can create homes where hard questions are welcomed, mistakes are met with grace, and truth is spoken clearly and lovingly.Ultimately, Talking with Teens about Sexuality is not just a parenting manual—it's a discipleship guide. It reminds us that shaping a teen's view of sexuality is inseparable from shaping...

Sara Swenson is Assistant Professor of Religion and Affiliated Faculty in Asian Societies, Cultures, and Languages at Dartmouth College. Her areas of expertise include Religions of Southeast Asia, Buddhism in Vietnam, Gender and Sexuality, Affect Theory, and Ethnography. She received her Ph.D. in Religion from Syracuse University in 2021. She also holds an M.Phil. in Religion and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Women's and Gender Studies from Syracuse University, an M.A. in Comparative Religion from Iliff School of Theology, and a B.A. in English from the University of Minnesota Duluth. She pursues projects that highlight the power and agency of everyday people. Religions are often a vital resource for grassroots social action and community engagement, as exemplified by Buddhism in Vietnam. Her projects have received generous grant support from the American Council of Learned Societies; Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship; Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA); and The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Dissertation Fellowship in Buddhist Studies. Swenson's new book, Near Light We Shine: Buddhist Charity in Urban Vietnam (Oxford UP, 2025) is one of the first major ethnographic studies on Buddhism in southern Vietnam, featuring new histories and interpretations of this rich subject. It shares new context for how religious practices affect urban migration, development, and humanitarian concerns, and presents theoretical advancements for understanding grassroots charity. Near Light We Shine offers a diversity of perspectives on grassroots Buddhist practices throughout Vietnam, by featuring interviews that have never been published before from marginalized Buddhist practitioners in Vietnam, such as day laborers, queer men, elderly women, and retired communist soldiers. References mentioned in the interview:  Le Hoang Anh Thu, "Doing Bodhisattva's Work: Charity, Class, and Selfhood of Petty Traders in Hồ Chí Minh City" here Nhung Lu Rots, "Towards an Alternative Buddhist Modernity: Hòa Hảo Charity Healing and Herbal Medicine in the Mekong Delta" here Elizabeth Perez, Religion in the Kitchen here Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI) at the University of Wisconsin here Van Nguyen-Marshall, Between War and the State: Civil Society in South Vietnam, 1954–1975 here Casey R. Collins, Buddhist Contramodernism: Shinnyo-en's Reconfigurations of Tradition for Modernity here Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/southeast-asian-studies

Work In Progress | Week 2 | Dating/Sexuality | Johnny Fielding

Sara Swenson is Assistant Professor of Religion and Affiliated Faculty in Asian Societies, Cultures, and Languages at Dartmouth College. Her areas of expertise include Religions of Southeast Asia, Buddhism in Vietnam, Gender and Sexuality, Affect Theory, and Ethnography. She received her Ph.D. in Religion from Syracuse University in 2021. She also holds an M.Phil. in Religion and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Women's and Gender Studies from Syracuse University, an M.A. in Comparative Religion from Iliff School of Theology, and a B.A. in English from the University of Minnesota Duluth. She pursues projects that highlight the power and agency of everyday people. Religions are often a vital resource for grassroots social action and community engagement, as exemplified by Buddhism in Vietnam. Her projects have received generous grant support from the American Council of Learned Societies; Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship; Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA); and The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Dissertation Fellowship in Buddhist Studies. Swenson's new book, Near Light We Shine: Buddhist Charity in Urban Vietnam (Oxford UP, 2025) is one of the first major ethnographic studies on Buddhism in southern Vietnam, featuring new histories and interpretations of this rich subject. It shares new context for how religious practices affect urban migration, development, and humanitarian concerns, and presents theoretical advancements for understanding grassroots charity. Near Light We Shine offers a diversity of perspectives on grassroots Buddhist practices throughout Vietnam, by featuring interviews that have never been published before from marginalized Buddhist practitioners in Vietnam, such as day laborers, queer men, elderly women, and retired communist soldiers. References mentioned in the interview:  Le Hoang Anh Thu, "Doing Bodhisattva's Work: Charity, Class, and Selfhood of Petty Traders in Hồ Chí Minh City" here Nhung Lu Rots, "Towards an Alternative Buddhist Modernity: Hòa Hảo Charity Healing and Herbal Medicine in the Mekong Delta" here Elizabeth Perez, Religion in the Kitchen here Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI) at the University of Wisconsin here Van Nguyen-Marshall, Between War and the State: Civil Society in South Vietnam, 1954–1975 here Casey R. Collins, Buddhist Contramodernism: Shinnyo-en's Reconfigurations of Tradition for Modernity here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

Anjelah Johnson-Reyes joins me for a blunt conversation on comedy, mental health, juggling religion with sexuality, and everyone hating each other over politics. Anjelah opens up about her time as an NFL cheerleader for the Oakland Raiders, performing at Super Bowl XXXVII, playing the iconic Bon Qui Qui on MADtv, and the crazy ups and downs of her 20-year comedy career. Anjelah reveals how she went from never wanting kids to battling infertility to her unexpected pregnancy. Anjelah jokes about how her background as a Christian Mexican and Native American plays into her comedy, why finding gratitude is important, and we dive into her own podcast, Funjelah!

Sara Swenson is Assistant Professor of Religion and Affiliated Faculty in Asian Societies, Cultures, and Languages at Dartmouth College. Her areas of expertise include Religions of Southeast Asia, Buddhism in Vietnam, Gender and Sexuality, Affect Theory, and Ethnography. She received her Ph.D. in Religion from Syracuse University in 2021. She also holds an M.Phil. in Religion and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Women's and Gender Studies from Syracuse University, an M.A. in Comparative Religion from Iliff School of Theology, and a B.A. in English from the University of Minnesota Duluth. She pursues projects that highlight the power and agency of everyday people. Religions are often a vital resource for grassroots social action and community engagement, as exemplified by Buddhism in Vietnam. Her projects have received generous grant support from the American Council of Learned Societies; Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship; Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA); and The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Dissertation Fellowship in Buddhist Studies. Swenson's new book, Near Light We Shine: Buddhist Charity in Urban Vietnam (Oxford UP, 2025) is one of the first major ethnographic studies on Buddhism in southern Vietnam, featuring new histories and interpretations of this rich subject. It shares new context for how religious practices affect urban migration, development, and humanitarian concerns, and presents theoretical advancements for understanding grassroots charity. Near Light We Shine offers a diversity of perspectives on grassroots Buddhist practices throughout Vietnam, by featuring interviews that have never been published before from marginalized Buddhist practitioners in Vietnam, such as day laborers, queer men, elderly women, and retired communist soldiers. References mentioned in the interview:  Le Hoang Anh Thu, "Doing Bodhisattva's Work: Charity, Class, and Selfhood of Petty Traders in Hồ Chí Minh City" here Nhung Lu Rots, "Towards an Alternative Buddhist Modernity: Hòa Hảo Charity Healing and Herbal Medicine in the Mekong Delta" here Elizabeth Perez, Religion in the Kitchen here Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI) at the University of Wisconsin here Van Nguyen-Marshall, Between War and the State: Civil Society in South Vietnam, 1954–1975 here Casey R. Collins, Buddhist Contramodernism: Shinnyo-en's Reconfigurations of Tradition for Modernity here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/buddhist-studies

This episode is a special re-release of the most-watched Please Me Podcast episode of 2025—an award-winning conversation recognized with the Latin Podcast Award for Best LGBTQ+ Podcast. Its message remains powerful, relevant, and deeply impactful, which is why we're bringing it back for continued listening and reflection. In this meaningful episode, Eve reflects on LGBTQ+ advocacy, the power of visibility, and the importance of community—drawing inspiration from experiencing World Pride while in Washington, D.C. during the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) 50th Anniversary Conference. That intersection of global celebration and policy-centered advocacy sparked a deeper conversation around representation, accountability, and collective action. This episode honors the resilience, brilliance, and humanity of LGBTQ+ voices while addressing the ongoing social and legislative challenges impacting the community today. This episode is dedicated to our trans and non-binary friends in the LGBTQ+ community, whose lives, leadership, and lived experiences deserve visibility, protection, and amplification. Connect With Eve Website:https://pleaseme.online Social Media & Contact:https://pleaseme.online/contacts Substack Newsletter (Exclusive Content & Updates):https://pleaseme.substack.com Patreon (Ad-Free Episodes & Bonus Content):https://patreon.com/PleaseMePodcast Be a Guest on Please Me:Apply via PodMatchhttps://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/beaguestonpleasemepodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Diana's special guest Jake Doberenz, founder of Theophany Media and host of the Creatively Christian podcast, shares his expertise on effective Bible study. The discussion covers essential principles of biblical interpretation, the importance of studying scripture in community, and approaches to understanding difficult passages. Listeners are also guided on selecting appropriate Bible translations and utilizing various online resources, ensuring a comprehensive and balanced approach to scripture study. The episode concludes with a prayer for listeners' spiritual journey and their engagement with the scriptures. Bio: Jake Doberenz isn't one thing. He identifies as a polymath, a Renaissance man, or a multipotentialite–one interest or specialty can't contain him. But enough of the third-person. I am a writer, speaker, minister, and creative thinker living in Oklahoma City, OK with my wife Samantha. My most significant role is the founder and president of Theophany Media, a Christian education company dedicated to helping Christians engage with culture through new media. I have earned my Master of Theological Studies at Oklahoma Christian University, the same place I earned my Bachelor's degree in Bible with a minor in Communication Studies. I also worked at my alma mater as a Resident Director and Bible TA. I write fiction and nonfiction in a variety of mediums, including poetry, short stories, books, stage plays, academic essays, and devotionals. I also venture out into other mediums, like podcasts and video. My favorite topics of choice to discuss and write about (though always changing) include: creating Christian art, helping people understand the Bible better, Christian identity, theology of social media, use of humor in faith messages, superheroes and theology, and a Christian response to culture. If you want to see his progress, achievements, and appearances sign up for the newsletter so you'll never miss an update! website: Home – Jake Doberenz 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message 00:47 Welcome to the Podcast 01:44 Introducing the Guest: Jake Doberenz 02:43 Jake's Background and Interests 05:56 Jake's Teaching Journey 10:46 Bible Study for Abuse Survivors 13:25 Choosing the Right Bible Translation 18:42 Understanding the Bible Without Knowing Greek or Hebrew 21:34 Basic Rules of Bible Interpretation 25:43 Embracing Uncomfortable Bible Stories 26:47 Using Jesus as a Lens for Interpretation 30:54 The Importance of Community in Bible Study 34:14 Red Flags in Spiritual Leadership 37:02 Recommended Bible Study Resources 41:33 Exploring Different Perspectives 44:58 Connecting with the Speaker 46:29 Closing Prayer and Final Thoughts   Website: https://dswministries.org Subscribe to the podcast: https://dswministries.org/subscribe-to-podcast/ Social media links: Join our Private Wounds of the Faithful FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1603903730020136 Twitter: https://twitter.com/DswMinistries YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxgIpWVQCmjqog0PMK4khDw/playlists Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dswministries/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DSW-Ministries-230135337033879 Keep in touch with me! Email subscribe to get my handpicked list of the best resources for abuse survivors! https://thoughtful-composer-4268.ck.page #abuse #trauma Affiliate links: Our Sponsor: 753 Academy: https://www.753academy.com/ Can't travel to The Holy Land right now? The next best thing is Walking The Bible Lands! Get a free video sample of the Bible lands here! https://www.walkingthebiblelands.com/a/18410/hN8u6LQP An easy way to help my ministry: https://dswministries.org/product/buy-me-a-cup-of-tea/ A donation link: https://dswministries.org/donate/ Jake Doberenz [00:00:00] Special thanks to 7 5 3 Academy for sponsoring this episode. No matter where you are in your fitness and health journey, they've got you covered. They specialize in helping you exceed your health and fitness goals, whether that is losing body fat, gaining muscle, or nutritional coaching to match your fitness levels. They do it all with a written guarantee for results so you don't waste time and money on a program that doesn't exceed your goals. There are martial arts programs. Specialize in anti-bullying programs for kids to combat proven Filipino martial arts. They take a holistic, fun, and innovative approach that simply works. Sign up for your free class now. It's 7 5 3 academy.com. Find the link in the show notes. Welcome to the Wounds of the Faithful Podcast, brought to you by DSW Ministries. Your host is singer songwriter, speaker and domestic violence advocate, [00:01:00] Diana . She is passionate about helping survivors in the church heal from domestic violence and abuse and trauma. This podcast is not a substitute for professional counseling or qualified medical help. Now here is Diana. Hey there, everybody. Come on in, set for a spell. How are you guys doing? I appreciate your support in listening to the podcast, and I hope that you are enjoying some really encouraging words and practical things for you to do your own Bible study and read the word of God for yourself. We have a new guest on the show now I'm very familiar with his podcast, creatively Christian. I've been on his podcast. His show has a few different interviewers. And so [00:02:00] Andrea Sandifer, who you guys know that was on the show, she interviewed me on her show. And our guest today, Jake Doberenz, the man behind that podcast, he is a funny guy. He likes to bring humor from the Bible. And I've been reading his blog and following his newsletters. And his Facebook group. So I thought he would be a great addition to the podcast , and I think you're gonna love him. I'm gonna tell you a little bit about him. He has a lot of interest here, so here we go. Jake, Doberenz isn't one thing. He identifies as a polymath, a renaissance man or a multipotentialite. One interest or specialty, can't contain him. So he [00:03:00] says of himself, but enough of the third person. I'm a writer, speaker, minister, and creative thinker, living in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. My most significant role is the founder and president of Theophany Media. A Christian education company dedicated to helping Christians engage with culture through new media. I have earned my Master of Theological studies at Oklahoma Christian University, the same place I earned my bachelor's degree in Bible with a minor in communication studies. I also worked at my alma matter as a resident director and bible ta. I write fiction and nonfiction in a variety of mediums, including poetry, short stories, books, stage plays, academic essays, and [00:04:00] devotionals. I also venture out into other mediums like podcasts and video, my favorite topics of choice to discuss and write about. Although always changing, include creating Christian art, helping people understand the Bible better. Christian identity, theology of social media, use of humor in faith messages, super heroes and theology, any Christian response to culture. So this is gonna be awesome. So I hope that you enjoy my conversation with Jake Doberenz. Please welcome to the show, Jake Doberenz. Thanks for coming on today. Sure thing, anytime. I'm glad to be here. I really enjoyed being on your [00:05:00] podcast, A creatively Christian, and Andrea interviewed me and then she was on my podcast and I follow your Facebook group and get your. Very humorous email newsletter. And so I thought you were the perfect fit to come on to the podcast. And you're a bible geek like me, and you have a different perspective on life. In the Bible, you find humor in the Bible, which a lot of people don't find the Bible very funny. So welcome to the show. Yeah, I'm glad to be here providing some humor and quite possibly even some wisdom and intelligent comments. We'll see if we get to that part. So you haven't been on the podcast before, so. Tell the folks a little bit about yourself and your family. Okay? Yeah. Always a fun question because where do you [00:06:00] start? Where do you end? But yeah. I am in Oklahoma City right now. I'm an Oregon native and got stuck in Oklahoma. Stuck sounds too negative, but I got planted here. That sounds better. I got my bachelor's degree in biblical studies with a minor in communication studies. I have a Master's of Theological studies and for a while I was kind of going down the Bible professor route. That was gonna be my thing. And it's not like completely off the table right now, but it is not my chief kind of path anymore because there are not a lot of jobs in that area and there's a lot of different things there that make it quite challenging. A lot of schooling, a lot of debt for maybe not so much reward, but we'll see what the future brings. I am still flexing my desires to write and teach. That has always been what I wanted to do, even when the subject changed, even when it [00:07:00] was cat psychology or whatever, I always wanted to write and teach and so I'm still doing that in in different ways. I'm certainly still using my degrees, even though I'll be going into teaching middle school geography this year. Ooh, kind of a new adventure. Add some more skills and weird things on my resume. That's kind of how I do it. So geography. Cool. I think that's me. Yeah. Yeah. That's very brave. Middle school, that particular age, did you pick the age group you were teaching or did they just kind of throw you in there? I applied to high school and middle school. I wasn't going to do anybody under middle school and the high school jobs never called me back. And the, I got some different offerings on the middle school side of thing, so I said, okay, that's what you want me to do. God, I will walk into this wilderness. And then they gave me some kind of choices between, and I chose sixth grade specifically, so I'll be with, with sixth graders. [00:08:00] They, uh, we still have some childlike heart and wonder. They're not so jaded like they get when they're a little older, but they're just mature enough where you can start to get a little more serious. So good age. Hmm. I liked sixth grade. It was a good year. We'll be praying for you either way, because that's a lot of work and mm-hmm. But geography's cool. I like Bible geography. Ever since I went to Israel in 2019. How different reading the Bible is when you've been to those places. Have you been to Israel? I haven't. No, I haven't. Yeah. If you're into geography, you would really love going to Israel for obvious reasons, of course, but geography, it just makes the Bible come alive when you've been to the place where Jesus put legion into the herd of pigs and over the cliff. Sure. And I've been to that cliff, and so you can see it now in your head. It's awesome. Or you've been on the Sea of [00:09:00] Galilee and you can actually imagine Jesus walking on the water and because been in the boat. So, yeah, I'm just getting into being interested in geography right now. There you go. Yeah. Cool. What would you say is your particular specialty as far as Bible goes? Yeah. I did my master's thesis on Paul's view of spiritual formation, specifically from one Corinthians chapter three, verse three. Four, just around there. So that's a very specific kind of thing. Most of my training has actually been more on the New Testament side. Specifically Paul, I've done a lot of more academic work with the use of children as a metaphor in the Bible. I've done work with that in both Paul and the Gospels. Sexuality in the New Testament has been something I've kind of explored. [00:10:00] Nowadays though, I have more of theological interests and I'm asking some different kinds of questions. You don't divorce theology from the Bible, but they're just different kinds of questions and different kinds of, and ways and sources for that. But in terms of Bible, yeah, a lot of studying Paul and a lot of thinking about sort of how he makes arguments and specifically like in that thesis, it was all about how he used this metaphor about. Being an infant in Christ, what does all that mean? And how does that reflect how we grow as people? And so I've gone down those kind of rabbit trails a lot my my day. That's really interesting. A Paul's usually a favorite Bible character. Most people, though you can, you never go wrong with the Apostle Paul now. So today we're talking about Bible study for abuse survivors. And reason why we're doing this is because when we've gone through abuse, usually there's some spiritual [00:11:00] abuse involved and we want to distance ourself from God because we've experienced that spiritual abuse and that affects our relationship with God. And a lot of people once they leave or get out of the abuse. Then they're like, okay, I don't wanna read the Bible, I don't wanna pray, and I don't wanna go to church anymore. I don't trust anybody. But I'm trying to encourage on this podcast to come and if you have questions, let's talk about the questions. So, so I've kind of answered my own question, why should we study the Bible for ourselves? But what would you say to that or add to that? Yeah, I think what I would add to that is that, um, one thing that our teachers or pastors or scholars don't have is that they're not you. You are yourself and you come with your experiences and you come [00:12:00] with your own personality and identity, and you are gonna often pick up things that other people might miss, or you're gonna just sort of focus on things more realize as a thread of a theme or something like that. We, we shouldn't come to the Bible biased necessarily, or with too many preconceived notions. 'cause then the text starts to say what we want it to say. That's not what I'm saying. But we do bring ourselves to the text and we have to admit that like, I'm not reading this in a vacuum. I'm reading this because of who I am and what I've experienced and all these things like that. And I think that's really powerful. And I think the Bible is, it's strong enough to take it. Like it's not about pulling whatever meaning you want from it, like I said, but it is about seeing things that are hidden in this multi-layered onion like text here that has so much stuff in it that we can't expect. Even a really smart [00:13:00] guy to just know everything. So yeah, we gotta study the Bible for ourselves. We gotta do our own digging and our own reading. See what we can find. Yeah, I like that answer. Bringing yourself to the table that's. Different than what somebody else would bring to the table. So let's start with something everybody asks about. When it comes to Bible study, you go to the bookstore and you're trying to pick out a Bible, and there's a gazillion different Bible versions out there, and too many versions, in my opinion. Which one do I pick? Does it matter? At the end of the day, it probably doesn't matter. There are those that are better than others, and I'm the term better here. You can use that in different ways. I'm using the term better as in. More accurate to the text, although, hey, we are translating language here. [00:14:00] Translation is an art, not a science, which makes us a little uncomfortable. We can still get that meaning across. You're a, you're an artist and you're a creative. You can still communicate accurately and faithfully even through a song or something like that. And so in the same way, translation is a little bit of an art form and there are people that have to choose certain words, and I think this means that. So yeah, there are some that are more quote unquote scholarly and others that are more paraphrased, like the message, or it's something like the amplified Bible that is just trying to sort of squeeze some more possible meaning out there by becoming like glorified the Sorut. So you got some different options. Most readings are probably not gonna hurt you, at least. As long as you understand like kind of what's going on here. I know in the past the King James has had the word unicorns in it and that that threw some people off and then later we're like, actually we should have translated that. Like Gazelle was not supposed to be translated unicorn. So [00:15:00] okay, we can get some things here that might throw some people off, but as long as we kind of give some grace to the translators, something like the King James is older and we have some different data. We have some older manuscripts that we're pulling from now. So yeah, it's gonna be a little bit more closer to what the originals were saying kind of thing. So yeah, there are those considerations, but I don't think you're gonna make or break your faith if you read the ESV over the NRSV or something like that. Yeah, well I came from a camp that, uh, they were very definitive in what Bible you should read and which ones you should not read and Sure. And they were very dogmatic in that I've changed my stance since then. Because I've actually dug into that sort of thing that okay, you, so you're saying that most of the mainline translations out there, we will still get the main [00:16:00] point of what Bio was trying to say. Right. Yeah, I don't know any that are too left field and crazy or something like that. There are versions, like, I could be wrong about this, but I think the Jehovah's Witness has versions of the Bible that seem to play a little fast and loose with some things and have cut out some different stuff. So obviously I wouldn't necessarily recommend that for Christians. The only other thing I would say is make sure a bunch of different people were involved. Most translations are. Large groups of people. And then you have things like I mentioned the message that Eugene Peterson did, it was just him, but he wasn't necessarily trying to make a definitive thing. That's more of a paraphrase translation, which is like a devotional rather than something to study. So there are just different uses for all these different things. There are, I could go into the weeds. My dad used to own a Christian bookstore. Oh. And so you have your thought for thought translations and then you have your word for word. And [00:17:00] some people think word for word is better because it's more accurate. But the thing, the problem is the Bible might literally say X, but when we translate that word to today, it makes no sense because language is weird like that. And then so the thought for thought is going to be more of an interpretation, but they're trying to say, okay, but what this is trying to say is this and, and here's a thought that you can digest and that makes sense to you. So it's just kind of what you want, but thanks to the internet. In fact, on another screen here, I have pulled up Bible gateway.com. That's what I use a lot. You can look through all sorts of different translations and compare and contrast. If I really wanted to study with more than one, it's legal in most states, so go for it. It's funny you mentioned the message because that was my first Bible when I got saved. My okay friend that I met in high school, I told her I had gotten saved and I didn't have a Bible, and she gave me the message, which [00:18:00] was her Bible, and I loved it. Oh yeah. I highlighted that thing and Oh yeah. And I just tore it up with underlining and I couldn't wait to read it. And then of course you get to Bible college and they tear it out of your hands, so yeah. But yeah, I like the ESV today. I have. A really nice archeology study Bible I bought and I've, I've read the King James most of my Christian life. And switching to another translation was really eye-opening. All this different stuff that I hadn't seen before just popped out, like I didn't know the Bible said that. Wow. It's pretty neat. So along the same lines, do we have to be a Greek and Hebrew scholar to understand the Bible? I hope not because I struggled through Greek and barely made that alive, and so languages are not my strong [00:19:00] suit. Uh, but I think the answer is of course, no. You don't have to be. It depends on what kind of study you're doing, and I probably should have mentioned that earlier, but there's a way to look at the Bible in an academic, scholarly way, and there are some Christians that. Think that's wrong or bad? I don't think it's bad. It's just one way to look at it. When I am in scholarship, when I'm writing this college paper, I am, I have to kind of slice and dice it and I'm doing a work that an atheist could do. It's that kind of work. But then there's another way to look at the Bible that is much more pastorally or for spiritual formation, the kind of thing that treats the text as sacred that an atheist can't do. So if you're doing the academic work, it really helps to know the words because you're trying to get as precise as possible and getting into there. But luckily for us, other people have done the work for us and we have these English translations, so woo. You don't need to know Hebrew and Coin a Greek and [00:20:00] a little bit of Aramic and like Daniel or whatever. Like we don't have to know that because somebody else has done the work for us. And I mentioned already like. There's a lot of people involved in a Bible translation, not just one guy. It's, a lot of people have done this work and they've argued and yelled at each other and come to some conclusions to say, this is the best we can do right now. This is what we got. So, yeah, we don't have to, we don't have to be language PS so, woo. Lucky. Yes. Yeah. I mean, I'm a language geek. I love languages. Personally, I speak two languages besides English, but I haven't taken any Greek or, or Hebrew, maybe someday, but they didn't cover that in my Bible college. But it's good that we already have the tools online that, hey, this is a translation for that word in. There's really no, no real argument about it is there along mainline denominations. Yeah. Most people probably aren't gonna tell you. You have to know all those languages unless somebody there. There are groups of people that would say [00:21:00] the only inspired text of the Bible is the actual original Greek and Hebrew. And so our English translations are not inspired. But that's a minority view. That's not super common. Yeah. Yeah. The most people can understand. The inspiration still comes through, even when it's translating different languages. The word of gods for the whole world, not just those that can speak actually dead languages that nobody speaks today like Latin. Yeah. So now we're gonna get into the nitty gritty here. Okay. When we are sitting down with our Bible and we're deciding to. Study a passage of scripture or maybe a book. What are some basic rules of interpretation? Now we use the fancy big word hermeneutics, but like the basic ones that you really shouldn't ignore in order to. Do a proper Bible study. This is one that gets definitely drilled [00:22:00] into in Bible school and in other contexts, but it's that actual, it's a word context like context is key. Context is king, and one of the best things we can do is zoom out. So if we're looking at a particular scripture. Like one verse, we zoom out to the chapter. Those headings or whatever aren't like God inspired or whatever, but they're helpful to kind of see what the flow of things are. Then we can zoom out to the book level and sometimes zoom out to the biblical level and things like that. But that is always key. Sometimes we get into trouble thinking that the Bible is just like, the whole thing is like Proverbs, where everything's just disconnected and you got these good one-liners and they're fun and they're good zingers, but most of it is some kind of story or, and Paul, I mentioned that being some of my background, Paul's letters are arguments they build on top of each other, and so you can see if we're trying to look at something wild like. One [00:23:00] Corinthians 14 or something, we can understand it because by just kind of going a little backwards and Oh, okay. So that's always really important. And a lot of times authors in the Bible will also tell us kind of their themes and tell us what they really want us to get across. The gospel of John, for instance, is written so that we may believe Luke talks about writing in a, an orderly account of things. So we have some of these statements that if we zoom out a little bit, oh, okay, we can make sense of this in light of that. And so different things like that. But we could go all day into the hermeneutics and then the other fancy word, X of Jesus and that kind of stuff. But at the end of the day, a tool anybody can use is something I learned in elementary school when there was a hard word. It was called rat read around the text. Read around the text. Ooh, that's the acronym there. And that just helps us understand, wait, what is going on? What does Paul mean when he says this? Why is [00:24:00] this guy saying this in judges? Let's take a look. What else is going on here? So it's just a great tool that anybody can use be if they can just zoom out a little bit and read the rest of the Bible and the rest of the passage. Everybody gives a different answer to that question. Now, obviously when we read the Bible, we come upon these passages or some of the stories that are either difficult to understand or it's a topic that we don't wanna deal with. It's really hard to swallow. Like a lot of times it's the genocide passages, of course. Mm-hmm. And or similar things like that. What do we do when we encounter those passages? Yeah. There are also passages that are sometimes called, and the genocide fits into this, but passages called texts of terror. A lot of passages about different abuse situation, and [00:25:00] I won't go into all of those, but I'm sure a lot of us can come up with some things that mm-hmm. Can be triggering in the Bible that seem just really messed up and stuff like that. So I think what's important, first of all is we recognize the, the gut feeling, the awkwardness talk to the beginning about how I see humor in the Bible and I do, I think there are some things in the Bible that we should laugh at. It's actually hilarious. Tell us about what Jonah gets swallowed by a big fish. That's funny. You should be laughing. And it's hilarious that he wants this city destroyed and he's supposed to be a prophet of God and he's not doing his job description and stuff like that. So like. When it's funny, we should laugh and when it's not funny, when it's uncomfortable, we should be okay being uncomfortable. I, I remember when I did college ministry for a time, we talked about the story of, oh man, I can't remember if it's Eli, I think it's Elijah. [00:26:00] And when they make fun of him for being bald and he calls these, she bears to attack these 40 youths, and he, this kid would kid could not get over it. He's like, why is this in the Bible? This is ridiculous. And I just tried to help him. Yeah, let's feel that first. Let's feel that, oh boy, we got some emotions here. So step one, I think it's totally okay to feel those things and then we can do some digging. Again, it's that zooming out. Let's look at the context here. Let's look what's going on there. A lot of times I think some of these texts of terror or uncomfortable texts, um. Sometimes they're not as bad when we look at it through maybe a historical lens or something, but sometimes we can't just justify them really nice and neatly, like some of the stuff about genocide. So ultimately, I have to go back to Jesus because. Jesus is the ultimate expression of God. It is the best [00:27:00] lens into the divine that we've ever seen. It's through this person of Jesus. And so sometimes we got to use our Jesus magnifying glass and look over the scripture and say, that's awkward. I don't like that very much. This makes me, this triggers me. This is, uh, but we put Jesus over and say, but through Christ, we don't have to live like that. We can recognize that there. There are plenty of examples of what not to do in the Bible. Jesus calls us to a different way and Jesus shows us that some things that maybe people thought were really godly and divine at certain points were not. So at the end of the day when things make us uncomfortable, I say feel it. But then ultimately, let's just go back. What does Jesus say? And if Jesus words are kind of. Don't seem to jive with this other crazy stuff going on here. Let's just, let's follow Jesus over some of this, [00:28:00] this other uncomfortable things. Hmm. So it's probably not a satisfying answer, but that's kind of like the point, like we try too hard sometimes to wrap everything in a pretty bow, but sometimes we just can't. With the Bible, the Bible is complicated and that's what makes it powerful. It's not always so neat and tidy and doesn't always make you feel good. It is a like Christ. It is both human, fully human and fully divine. And in that there's some awkward tension. There are some, there are human emotions and human things that that bleed through the divine pages of scripture. I appreciate the honest answer and yeah, I think that was a great answer. It was just reading through the patriarchs and wow, you just wrap your head around how much they messed up. And that's not how God wanted us to live. That's just an example of God just lets [00:29:00] everybody see how these people messed up. But still, God used them in a mighty way. God still gave them grace and forgiveness and love and mercy. I was just on Twitter and that's a dangerous place is Christian Twitter. Oh my goodness. And there was a big thread about some people, they didn't believe that Jesus was the same God as the God of the Old Testament. They cut the line because they thought Jesus over here in the New Testament, his attribute seems so different than. The God of the Old Testament. I don't necessarily agree with that, but that was an interesting concept. That's how they dealt with those horrible stories. I'm just gonna just trust in Jesus and just believe in Jesus and throw everything else away. Yeah. That's a heresy in the second century that, um, yeah. You know, unfortunately haven't quite gotten rid of completely, but is that's what that's called still alive and, [00:30:00] yeah. Oh, that's what you call it. Okay. There's your little fun little historical theology trivia, but yeah, there's probably a word for it. But that goes into my next question is how do you study the Bible and read it and make sure that you're not slipping into some heretical teaching, because I personally know some people that they believe some stuff that's way off base that nobody else. And mainline Christianity believes in, but they're like quoting Bible verses and taking them outta context. How do we avoid going down that path? Yeah, yeah. I had a youth minister who used to joke that if you wanted to, he could justify kicking babies across the room from scripture. Like that was just his wild example because yeah, people can kind of justify the whole gambit of things. So I think now we talked about why it's important to study the Bible for yourself. [00:31:00] At the same time though, I think this living, breathing scripture. Is something that we must read through community. You can do your own work, do your own prep, but ultimately the Bible belongs to all of us. And so we need to read in community. And that can mean your pastors and teachers and your scholars. It can also mean your neighbor and your friend and your kids and your mom and your cousin from a couple states away. But it can also mean dead people, not like seance or whatever, but like, um-ing, you know, read these old preachers and read the church fathers and the church mothers and like, we got 2000 years of Christian history here. There's some wild stuff, but there's some good stuff too. So I say we read scripture in community and you come to your own conclusions. Don't just copy paste whatever Mr. X, Y, Z says, but. What do they [00:32:00] think? And when we start looking at, oh, Christians have kind of seemed to think this for a long time, probably a direction we should lean in. I don't know. I guess people could be wrong, but the way the spirit works I think is a lot of times through community. And it's a way to check, it's a checks and balance for ourselves. So I think that sometimes we can get a little, a little wild with our own interpretations, but we bring in other people. What do you think? Did you see this too? Is this accurate? Is this, does this fit in with historical context of first century Palestine? Or whatever kind of questions you want to ask community. So that's flesh and blood people, but that's also books and podcasts and all sorts of things. I just think we're made to be together. And honestly, when I studied Paul's view of spiritual formation for my thesis, I didn't get to dive into it too much, but what I kept coming across is spiritual formation is not a. You on your own [00:33:00] kind of thing. It is something that happens with people who are this great cloud of witnesses that is cheering you on and it's helping you out. So I think that's a great way to kind of check, check ourselves, and then of course, use your brain. Let's be logical here that scripture probably not actually talking about America because it was written 3000 years ago. I don't know. Thank you. Um, so, so stuff like that, we gotta use our brains. Yeah. I like when you talk about community, because I think, and I've seen this before people go off the rails, is that they're isolating themselves. Mm-hmm. They don't wanna go to church because they don't trust, they don't trust people that they've been hurt. But even if we can't drag ourselves to church just yet in our healing process, yeah. There are other ways to create community and checks and balances. So that's a really good point. We really don't want [00:34:00] to be that guy that started his own denomination on a couple bible verses. Yeah, we got plenty of denominations. I think we're set for a little bit, so let's just chill out for now. Yeah, that's crazy. So like if we're in a community, we're under our Bible teacher or a pastor or Sunday school class, what would be like a red flag that would put your antennas up? Hey, you may wanna check this out for this preacher teacher saying is not a good thing. Are there any like red flags that you would look for? I think arrogance is definitely a big red flag. Ooh, good one. And that is how you get into spiritual, spiritually abusive situations. Definitely. And what I mean by arrogance is people that are not willing to be corrected, not willing to admit the wrong, not willing to learn. I was privileged to have professors where I was getting my Bible degrees. People with [00:35:00] PhDs from the prestigious British universities who would listen to student comments and be like, that's really interesting. Or, heard it like that. Tell me more about that. And one of my Hebrew Bible professors spoke like nine languages. Most of those are dead ones. And still he's curious to know what these 20-year-old college students are thinking. Which is wild because he is way smarter than us. But he is. These guys were adopting this posture of, I can learn from anybody here. I want your perspective. And I could be wrong. We gotta have some things where we have a firm foundation and where we don't sway. We absolutely have to have those. There are some people these days that I think sort of lean too heavily into the wishy-washy. It depends on the day, what I'm feeling, cafeteria style Christianity. We can't do that. But we also can't go over here where it's, I figured it out when I was 30 years old, when I was 40 years old, and now I'm like, [00:36:00] done. I'm done learning. Got it right. I to be the only one to get it right. And that's how denominations start, right? Ooh, everybody else got it wrong all the time. Now I'm right. So that's dangerous. So let's learn from people who are themselves. Learners who are willing to be challenged and to ask questions and wanna know your take on things. I know from being in ministry settings that oftentimes I am the guy with the more Bible degrees than most people in the room. But then there'll be these 70-year-old church ladies who have lived this and they've been in the Bible their whole life. I can learn from them. Mm-hmm. They have something to say, even though they've never read the text in Greek. They have something to add to the conversation. Mm-hmm. So we need to be learners. I love that. That is so awesome and so very true. The Holy Spirit speaks to each of us individually and gives us different [00:37:00] lessons and we can share those lessons. Now, you as a scholarly person, you must have some favorite resources that you use to study the bible. Can you recommend some specific resources that are maybe easy to use? Yeah, there's a couple websites, Bible gateway, I mentioned that already. They have. Some free commentaries and bible encyclopedias and things kind of on the sidebar there. So as you're looking to scripture, you could glorify and study Bible or have access to chunks from different commentaries. And for a while, while I was doing some more preaching, I actually did the paid, there's a kind of a paid version that it was like five bucks a month or something really cheap like that. It just got access to more things so I can have the scripture here and then all my resources next to it. And that was handy. Bible hub.com is also another one. [00:38:00] Um, that one's especially good if you do wanna look at the language stuff, knowing that you're not a scholar, you can say, but what is that Greek word? And you can click on it and it will show you the definitions, show you other places in scripture it's used. You can kind of get a feel for that. So that's a really good one for people who are not, who don't know the languages or. Like me who always needed help with my Greek homework or something like that. So yeah, those come to mind. But man, like we are, we at our fingertips. There's a lot of good stuff out there. A lot of bad stuff, no doubt. But there are podcasts and all sorts of books and there's just, there's a lot of good stuff there. Wouldn't even know where to begin, just sort of thinking broadly. But I think Bible gateway, Bible hub, easy. Anybody can access those for free. And you don't necessarily need a giant library or really expensive commentary sets 'cause they're really expensive. Yeah. That's why my parents get me one commentary for my birthday and [00:39:00] for Christmas each year. And so in 50 years I'll have the full set or whatever. That's not true. That's, it'll actually probably be. I can't do the math however it takes to get 66 books. But anyway. Wow. All I had in bible college that we were allowed to have is Matthew Henry commentary, which is kind of on the dry side. Yeah. Most Bible professors would pass out hearing you say that. It's not bad stuff, but bad, but it's not, it's not easy to read it's thing, let's just say. Yeah. And we were allowed to read Weirs, BE'S books. It's a pretty good series about where I came from. John MacArthur's commentaries were like hearsay. Oh, okay. The Baptist didn't like the, at least the churches that I was in, they didn't like MacArthur's stuff, but, and I had the actual strong concordance. I still own that's, yeah, sure. So sort of a free way to get that, besides if you don't want to get a giant [00:40:00] volume. Yeah. I like to read the physical books too. Sure. Nothing, not knocking the physical. But yeah, if people are on a budget, yeah, people are on a budget and you can't go and buy those big, huge coffee table books. Or if you're near a Christian university, see if you can get a library card that's, they have tons of stuff. I can walk in there and there are a whole shelf of like Genesis commentaries or whatever. It could be information overload. But also I can, I'll pick up a couple different volumes of different perspectives and I'll read what they each have to say about the verse or chapter I'm dealing with and I can kind of synthesize a conclusion. And that's how you do it. Yeah. I'll also mention, I, we were allowed to. Listen on the radio, Jay Vernon McGee and yeah, he was definitely expository. He [00:41:00] would go verse by verse and go through the entire Bible verse by verse, which I thought was really good. And I don't agree with everything he said, but that's the way I learned a lot of stuff was through verse by verse radio program back in the day. Mm. I'm dating myself, aren't I? It's all good here. All good. No, we talked a lot about a bunch of different stuff. Is there anything about Bible study that we didn't talk about that you would like to mention? I know there's so much, uh, yeah, I just touched on it a little bit, but I kind of wanna bring it back. Look at different views than yours. If you are really charismatic, then look at something that's not quite charismatic, or if you are. I won't go. I'll skip all those differences. You know what? You are read some of the stuff that's a little different. Stuff that challenges you. That's how we grow. That's how we grow, [00:42:00] is to hear something a little different. And the thing is, you're not required to believe it. Right. You can just read it and at least know what they're saying. I know in my Christian upbringing, and not necessarily I was intentional, but I only knew my side of the argument. Or if I knew somebody else's argument, it was this straw man version that was just not accurate. And then I, you go to the big wide world and be like, oh wait, there are lots of different views. And those people are actually smart and they have things to say about this, but somebody else is the opposite and they're also a smart person. What's going on? It's just good to expose ourselves to different things. In most cases we could, we, you can choose your own boundaries and things like that. Mm-hmm. It doesn't mean if you're studying something in the Old Testament, you have to read the Jewish and the Muslim and the Mormon view of what. It doesn't mean you have to go there, but just check out some different things. Have your favorite commentaries. Do it, but every once in a while [00:43:00] peek into your, your local heretic and see what they have to say. I dunno, maybe not a heretic, somebody who's a little different. You, you, your istic. Yeah. Our last guest was talking about Calvinism and stuff, but yeah, doesn, excellent suggestion because I definitely was in my own camp for many years until I got out of my abusive situation and started looking into other views and I have since changed nothing major. I didn't change any major views, but I realized that okay, there are other Godly people. Now I see they can use scripture to defend their position too. And there's a little bit of wiggle room in there for sure. Sure. For different viewpoints. I went and did a study and looked at somebody else's view on a tertiary argument. Sure. Tertiary doctrine. It's not a doctrine of the faith, but [00:44:00] something that's very important and it's like, okay, I'm not gonna be judgmental. And that was hard for me to change my viewpoint. Yeah, yeah. But they gave me really great scriptural evidence. So yeah, that's kind of a sideline, but you made excellent point. But anyway, I appreciate you sharing all this valuable information and your view, viewpoint, and it's fascinating. Everybody has different answers for these questions. I've asked everybody the same questions. Right. And they're all giving me different answers, which I think that's very helpful. Oh yeah. Yeah. Very helpful. Yeah, getting people exposed to different things and again, like I am me and you are you, and we're different. And that's the point. Like we all come together with our different focuses and our different backgrounds and knowledge, and together we are the body of Christ. Amen. And that's beautiful. So tell the folks [00:45:00] how people can connect with you and you have resources and maybe if they wanna play stump the Bible teacher, they can email you. Yeah, you can find that all about me@jakedobern.com. D-O-B-E-R-E-N-Z as in zebra. And that's kind of my home base on the interwebs. If you do jake dovers.com/email, you can get on my email list that was mentioned earlier where I talk about. Funny stories from my life that have spiritual points, and I bring out spiritual points from that. And yeah, you can definitely contact me through social media or email, and that's all on my website there. So I'll let you track me down and tell me how wrong I am and all of that kind of stuff. That's fun. It comes with the territory, so totally okay with that. And then lastly, I do a bunch of work with Christian creatives, with Fiani [00:46:00] Media, and as was mentioned, I produce the Creatively Christian podcast. So I would love for you to check that out if that's kind of your thing, if that's your area. Yeah. You guys have a real great variety of guests on that show. It's not just one particular kind of art. You guys represent a lot of different ones, which is fun. Oh yeah. And we're trying to get more variety all the time. Awesome. Now. I don't usually have guests pray on the show, but would you pray for our listeners in their journey in the scriptures? Of course. Let's go ahead and pray. Heavenly God, we come to you in prayer on this podcast episode and we ask that whoever's listening now in the future, in a couple years, where wherever we are, that, that we can be receptive to how you speak to us through scripture and through our [00:47:00] communities that help us see scripture. Let the spirit guide us as we dive into this sacred but sometimes confusing and complicated documents. Lord, I ask that you give us the wisdom to be able to rightly divide your word and to remain faithful even when our own preferences might wanna lean in a different direction. Lord, thank you so much for the ministry of this podcast. We pray that people continue to have healing and continue to find themselves in a better place, both in the world and with you spiritually. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Thank you so much for coming on the show. God bless you. Sure thing. God bless you. Thank you for listening to the Wounds of the Faithful Podcast. If this episode has been helpful [00:48:00] to you, please hit the subscribe button and tell a friend. You could connect with us at DSW Ministries dot org where you'll find our blog, along with our Facebook, Twitter, and our YouTube channel links. Hope to see you next week.

Tony addresses a listener's question about feeling anxious due to a communication lapse with her husband. He delves deep into the nuances of relationship dynamics, emphasizing the importance of honest and continuous communication. He shares insights on how patterns in behavior reflect true priorities, touches on the significance of co-regulation, and explores how small, seemingly insignificant moments can significantly impact intimacy and connection over time. Whether dealing with newlywed issues or long-term relationship challenges, Tony provides practical advice on building trust and emotional intimacy. Submit your questions through his website, http://tonyoverbay.com 00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview 00:43 How to Submit Your Questions 01:42 First Question: Communication in Marriage 03:14 Understanding Emotional Reactions 09:09 The Importance of Co-Regulation 15:00 Selective Competence in Relationships 24:52 Intimacy and Sexuality in Marriage 30:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Contact Tony at contact@tonyoverbay.com to learn more about his Emotional Architects men's group. And visit https://julie-dejesus.com/cruise to learn more about Tony and his friend Julie De Jesus's "I See You Living" cruise, a 5-night Western Caribbean Cruise from January 24-29, 2026 aboard the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. To learn more about Tony's upcoming re-release of the Magnetic Marriage course, his Pathback Recovery course, and more, sign up for his newsletter through the link at https://linktr.ee/virtualcouch Available NOW: Tony's "Magnetic Marriage Mini-Course" is only $25. https://magneticmarriage.mykajabi.com/magnetic-marriage-mini-course

Mifepristone, one of the drugs in the two-pill medication abortion regimen approved by the Food and Drug Administration, is an extremely versatile drug. It has the potential to treat a striking range of diseases and conditions—from fibroids, breast cancer, depression, and endometriosis, to autoimmune diseases such as chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple sclerosis, according to scientists. Research also suggests that it could help prevent some forms of breast cancer, and it can serve as an effective weekly contraceptive without some of the side effects of hormonal birth control.  Given its incredibly promising uses to aid women's health, why has its research been repeatedly undermined, derailed, and obstructed in the United States?Joining us to discuss these issues is our very special guest: Carrie N. Baker: Carrie Baker is the a professor of the Study of Women and Gender and chair of the Program for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Smith College. She is a contributing editor with Ms. Magazine and publishes a monthly column in the Daily Hampshire Gazette. Her latest book, Abortion Pills: US History and Politics, was published in 2024 by Amherst College Press.Check out this episode's landing page at MsMagazine.com for a full transcript, links to articles referenced in this episode, further reading and ways to take action.Support the show

In this opening episode, hosts Greg and Nathan begin with clarity in a confused cultural moment. They walk through Scripture to show how God's design for sexuality and gender is rooted in creation, reaffirmed by Jesus, and aimed at human flourishing. This conversation isn't about politics or singling out groups—it's about what God has clearly said, why His boundaries are good, and how truth and compassion belong together. Before discussing complexity or pastoral care, Greg and Nathan lay the biblical foundation for understanding sex, gender, marriage, and identity in light of God's good design.

This episode is sponsored by the Cozy Earth! Click here to get your luxurious Cozy Earth products for up to 20% off! Give yourself the gift of comfort this year! In this episode, we dive into a heartfelt discussion with Bryan and Bonnie Pue about the intersection of faith, sexuality, and relationships. They explore the theology of sex, the impact of cultural narratives, and practical ways to live out the gospel in everyday life. You won't want to miss it! Watch the episode on YouTube!! Resources: Divine Romance by Gene Edwards Awkward by Bonnie Pue Union website @unionmovement ⁠⁠Join Unite & Ignite ⁠⁠ Want more from Kingdom Sexuality? Come hang out! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Approximate Episode Timestamps  Introduction and Welcome - 00:00 Special Guests Introduction- 02:30 Discussion on Sexuality and Marriage- 05:00 The Union's Mission and Ministry- 10:00 Theology of Sex- 15:00 Cultural Perspectives on Sexuality- 20:00 Sex as Worship- 25:00 Historical Context of Sexuality- 30:00 Practical Ways to Live the Gospel- 35:00 Discussion on Parenting and Sexuality- 40:00 Final Thoughts and Closing Prayer- 45:00 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SYNOPSIS:In this live Q&A episode of The Brilliant Body Podcast, host Ali Mezey is joined by fan-favorite guest and Longevity Zoologist, Dr. Zoolittle (“Penny”) for a wide-ranging, eye-opening conversation on how we can radically improve the health, happiness, and lifespan of our animal companions.Together, Ali and Penny explore what it truly means to be intelligent caretakers of animals – moving beyond conventional pet care toward a rewilded, biologically informed approach rooted in functional and regenerative medicine. Penny explains why pets used to live much longer, how modern lifestyles disrupt animal biology, and what we can learn from wild animals about instinct, self-medication, nutrition, movement, and rest.The discussion dives into practical and often surprising topics, including animal instinct versus learned behavior, why dogs don't naturally overeat, how feeding patterns affect hormones and longevity, the profound impact of spaying and neutering on animal health, and the importance of species-appropriate diets. Penny also answers audience questions on indoor cats, fasting, raw versus cooked food, enrichment, and how to bring nature back into our pets' lives – even within modern homes.This episode challenges deeply ingrained assumptions about pet care and offers compassionate, science-based insights that empower animal guardians to support their companions in thriving – not just surviving – well into old age. A must-listen for anyone who loves animals and wants to honor the intelligence of their bodies as much as our own.FOR MORE ALI MEZEY:ALI - WebsiteALI - LinkTreeALI BIO: Ali Mezey is a Body Therapist, Family Constellation Work Facilitator, Sexologist and Media Maker with over 40 years of experience. Ali has worked in renowned rehab centers in Los Angeles for sex, drug, and alcohol addiction. She developed her groundbreaking body-based method Personal Geometry® to address the challenges of working with sexual trauma, compulsivity, dysfunctions and discontents. She works internationally with individuals, couples, and groups. Ali is also a public speaker on the intelligence of the body, a teacher of Personal Geometry® and the creator and host of The Brilliant Body Podcast.FOR MORE DR ZOOLITTLE:For ANIMAL ANTI-AGING CoursePENNY - WebsitePENNY - LinkTreePENNY - LinkedInPENNY - InstagramPENNY BIO:Penny, a world-class Longevity Zoologist, is a zoo consultant, animal welfare lecturer, mammal trainer and Pet Health Concierge. Affectionately known as Dr Zoolittle, she works with Functional and Regenerative Medicine for animal anti-aging and preventative health care.Penny is also an Applied Cognitive Ethologist specializing in animal mental health and the human-animal bond. Captivity can often mean compromise, with animals trading freedom for relationships and resources, so her co-operative care model helps them enjoy the best of both worlds by increasing their choices, sense of control and cognitive engagement.These unique perspectives create a 360 signature approach for Zoos and Pet Parents that ‘rewilds' animal health and welfare by weaving together the robust strategies of wild animals with cutting-edge longevity biology to give animals freedom from diseases, mental decline and premature aging.As well as consulting through her Pet Health Concierge Service, she offers insightful Puppy & Kitten programs that equip young animals with impeccable manners, sparkling confidence and lasting health. For adult pets, she teaches Four Paws Finishing School, a coaching program that gives pets a Longevity Lifestyle so they can live into their 20s, full of joy and vitality.ANIMAL ANTI-AGING COURSE Logistics:Please note: This class starts on Wednesday, January 14th. As all classes are recorded and available in perpetuity, you can register at any time. Of course, it's best to JOIN NOW so you can be with Penny and ask your questions live!Also, this class pertains across species (including yourself;-). When there are differences, Penny will point them out to you – so you'll have the species specifics where it's relevant and important to understand, but the foundation pieces apply to everyone.Class runs for eight weeks. We meet once a week on Wednesdays, 7:30pm UK time; 2:30pm Eastern; 11:30am PacificAn hour of class time together, and then half an hour of discussion Q and AThere's a big fat workbook that accompanies the course so you don't have to sit there taking loads of notesIf you miss a class, don't worry. Everything is recorded and you have the workbookYou also have the course for life (it may or may not be improved and updated over time - and usually it does as science always changes). You also have access to all those updates and improvements. So it's a buy once, keep it forever –  it'll grow with you and it'll still serve every animal down the line.Recommendations a'plenty for what you can do, what you could buy, best brands (Penny's done the research!) Tuition is $399Other bonuses TBA; other perks on registration pageThere's two other options there. If you want to do installments, you can do that. If you want to invite any other people in your life who love their pets to come and study alongside you that will reduce your tuition as well: for every two friends you get 50% off tuition; for three friends your tuition is free. P.S. If you do register, please let them know that you heard about it through The Brilliant Body Podcast! MORE EPISODE LINKS AND REFERENCES COMING SOON!

The winter festival Kuvia, a beloved campus tradition, returns this week for the first time since 2024. At the eighth annual Chicago Quantum Summit, two University researchers received awards for their work in the field of quantum computing. And, back in November, the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality hosted a so-called Performative Male Contest, joining the viral internet trend and opening up discussions about gender as a social construct. Featuring and edited by: Aubrey Barb

How does the biblical vision of human sexuality offer a more beautiful and life-giving path than the narratives of our modern world? In this episode of Native Exiles, Steve and Wyatt engage with one of the most pressing and complex topics facing the church today: the theology and practice of human sexuality. Rather than simply reacting to cultural shifts, they seek to ground the conversation in the goodness of God's creative intent, exploring how our bodies and desires point toward a deeper gospel reality.In the first half of the conversation, Steve and Wyatt look closely at the witness of Scripture, tracing the biblical framework for sexuality from Genesis to the New Testament. They explore how the Bible's teaching is not merely a list of prohibitions, but a coherent vision of holiness, dignity, and flourishing. In the second half, they pivot to the practical implications for the local church. They discuss how a formal position paper translates into the messiness of everyday ministry—addressing how the church can be a community that upholds biblical truth while remaining a place of radical hospitality and grace for those navigating questions of identity and desire.This episode is designed for those seeking clarity amidst the noise of contemporary debates and for anyone longing to see the church embody a faithful, counter-cultural presence. Whether you are seeking to understand the "why" behind the church's convictions or looking for guidance on how to love your neighbor well, this conversation offers a thoughtful and hopeful roadmap for following Jesus in the tension of our current cultural moment.Native Exiles is a podcast from Alderwood Community Church, where we talk about following Jesus in the tension of being in the world but not of it.

Stuart Carroll's Enmity and Violence in Early Modern Europe (Cambridge University Press, 2023) transforms our understanding of Europe between 1500 and 1800 by exploring how ordinary people felt about their enemies and the violence it engendered. Enmity, a state or feeling of mutual opposition or hostility, became a major social problem during the transition to modernity. He examines how people used the law, and how they characterised their enmities and expressed their sense of justice or injustice. Through the examples of early modern Italy, Germany, France and England, we see when and why everyday animosities escalated and the attempts of the state to control and even exploit the violence that ensued. This book also examines the communal and religious pressures for peace, and how notions of good neighbourliness and civil order finally worked to underpin trust in the state. Ultimately, enmity is not a relic of the past; it remains one of the greatest challenges to contemporary liberal democracy. Jana Byars is the Academic Director of Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Look ma! No hormones! These kinds of stories are my favorite. The ones that showcase the direct impact that being well-fucked, awakening your vagina and activating your sexual energy has on your life.Milena had PCOS and was experiencing “peri-menopause” symptoms in her 30s.She was, of course, bombarded with the allopathic narrative of “There is no cure for you. All you can do is learn to manage your symptoms with drugs. Forever.”No thanks. I'll pass on the snake oil.She found my work, and dared to believe that she could heal herself.Or more accurately, that her vagina could heal her.And it did.In this episode:Do shamans have HRT in the jungle?Hot flashes, irritability and sleep disturbances—gone!No more hormones or even herbs—nothing but good fuckingPCOS remedied through using the jade eggFinding your inner sex monster underneath “I'm just one of those people with a low libido. I'm just not that sexual…”Evaporating a UTI instantly with VKF toolsThe life-changing power of vaginal orgasms: G-Spot, squirting and cervicalHow a control freak surrendersSquirting across the bed as #goals. Oh, and squirting is not pee! Just ask anyone who has ever squirted.Lubrication went from Sahara Desert to major waterfalls“We have more sex when we need more money. It always comes.”Time flies during a 3-hour sex dateBreasts increasing more than a cup sizeWeight loss from trauma shedding—literally losing pounds of belly fat overnightOur kids tell us: “You look like two horny teenagers!”My legendary Vaginal Kung Fu Salon opens for registration on January 14th.In this 10-week online salon, I've compiled the best of my 30 years of sexual and vaginal experience (!) to take you over the edge into a lifetime of bliss. We cover everything talked about in this episode, from yoni massage to how to use the jade yoni egg, to activating your feminine energy as the receiver in your life—all of which bring you into your creative genius.You'll learn:How to have a toned, orgasmic and ecstatic vaginaHow to channel your sexual energy into creative powerStep-by-step instructions for your vaginal weight lifting practiceMy guided routine for giving yourself, or having your partner give you, a healing and activating yoni massage.How to give your man a hand job. With your vagina.Go to Vaginal Kung Fu to get on the waitlist and be notified of when we open the doors. In the meantime, you'll receive my free masterclass: Manifest Men, Money and Miracles with Your Vagina. 

This week's quickie is from J. Parker about setting goals for healthy, God-designed sexuality in 2026 and beyond. Follow-up with our webinars and/or stay tuned for more full episodes and quick tips about sex in marriage! Related post: My One Word for 2026 & Other Ways to Set Goals - Hot, Holy & Humorous *** We'd love for you to join our inner circle by supporting us on Patreon. You can contribute to our wonderful ministry while getting some fun perks for yourself! Check it out here: https://patreon.com/ForChristianWives Please also check out our website and webinars at forchristianwives.com. And visit our individual ministry pages for more resources as well: Strong Wives - Bonny Burns Honeycomb & Spice - Chris Taylor Hot, Holy & Humorous - J. Parker  

What were the most powerful, game-changing moments from Toxic Free With KB in 2025?Host KB rounds up the Top 5 episodes that hit hardest this year. From the supplement stack everyone should be taking, to face yoga moves that actually work, the cortisol truth no one tells you, and why Botox complications are quietly skyrocketing (and why the beauty industry isn't talking about it).Plus, powerful stories on rewiring self-talk, from the high-pressure world of Silicon Valley to running 256-mile ultramarathons, and what it really means to step into your main character energy.You'll discover:●The 5 core supplements everyone needs, and why supplements matter more than ever | with Dr. Darshan Shah●Shelly Marshall's top 4 face yoga poses everyone should do, plus a breathing technique that actually works●The truth about cortisol: why we need it, how healthy daily cortisol curves work, and why the morning cortisol awakening response is critical | with Kiran Krishnan ●Why Botox complications are skyrocketing, and why influencers are now openly sharing their experiences, plus what they're choosing instead | with Olga (@naturalfacebible) ●Randi Zuckerberg's powerful story of transformation, self-belief, and resilience after life in the high-pressure world of Silicon Valley This episode is for anyone looking for the best health tips from 2025, supplement skeptics who want the real essentials, face yoga beginners, or anyone considering Botox who needs to hear the complications no one's talking about.✨ Watch now and discover the top 5 moments that made Toxic Free With KB essential listening in 2025.

Set the context for a joyful, exuberant day with a short, powerful message from Sadhguru. Explore a range of subjects with Sadhguru, discover how every aspect of life can be a stepping stone, and learn to make the most of the potential that a human being embodies.  Conscious Planet: ⁠https://www.consciousplanet.org⁠ Sadhguru App (Download): ⁠https://onelink.to/sadhguru__app⁠ Official Sadhguru Website: ⁠https://isha.sadhguru.org⁠ Sadhguru Exclusive: ⁠https://isha.sadhguru.org/in/en/sadhguru-exclusive⁠ Inner Engineering Link: isha.co/ieo-podcast Yogi, mystic and visionary, Sadhguru is a spiritual master with a difference. An arresting blend of profundity and pragmatism, his life and work serves as a reminder that yoga is a contemporary science, vitally relevant to our times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices