Best Dr Clint Heacock Podcasts (2025)

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The Myth of Good Christian Parenting (with Marissa Burt and Kelsey McGinnis) 57:13

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17m ago57:13

57:13

This is a great conversation featuring the co-authors of the soon-to-be-released excellent book, The Myth of Good Christian Parenting: How False Promises Betrayed a Generation of Evangelical Families by Marissa Franks Burt and Kelsey Kramer McGinnis. These dedicated authors now conclusively demonstrate that the concept of "good Christian parenting"…

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Slavery, Misogyny, and Racism: It's All In The Bible (with David Johnson) 1:19:44

14d ago1:19:44

1:19:44

This week's episode features a wide-ranging and informative conversation with my good friend and returning guest, David Johnson, host of the Skeptics and Seekers Podcast. I've done a number of shows with David, both here and on his show, and we've teamed up a lot this year for his "Summer of Morality" series he's been doing on his platform. Speakin…

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From Christian Rocker to Losing Jesus (with Mikee Bridges) 1:08:26

28d ago1:08:26

1:08:26

This week's episode features new friend Mikee Bridges, a former Christian rocker/grunge/punk musician who is also known for putting on the Tom Fest, an alternative Christian music festival that ran for 14 years. He also ran a Christian rock venue in Portland, OR, for many years. After getting out of the Christian music game, Mikee went on to help f…

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Bonus Episode: Not So Shiny Not So Happy People Chapter 3 Book Promo! 18:23

2M ago18:23

18:23

In honor of my presentation at the Houston Oasis gathering on Sunday, the 24th of August, we are running a special promo sale that day on my book, Not So Shiny Not So Happy People: How Bill Gothard, Church, and Family Taught Me Christianity Doesn't Work. This weekend you'll be able to purchase the book on Amazon.com for just 99 cents! Also, if you'…

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America: Fed Into Trump's MAGA Woodchipper (with Frank Schaeffer) 52:33

2M ago52:33

52:33

Once again I'm joined by my good friend Frank Schaeffer to discuss all things politics, religion, Christian nationalism, and the effect Trump is having on both the evangelical church and America overall. As a passionate observer of what's going on in terms of current events--not just in America but indeed the world--Frank always has a unique take o…

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An Ex-Evangelical and an Ex-JW Discuss Dr Robert Lifton's 8 Markers of Cults 1:35:36

2M ago1:35:36

1:35:36

Recently I reconnected with returning guest Stephen Mather, former Jehovah's Witness and co-host of the now-defunct Cult Hackers Podcast. As an organizational psychologist, and former JW, Stephen is uniquely positioned to inform listeners on the eight markers of cults identified by Dr Robert Jay Lifton in his book Thought Reform and the Psychology …

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Shame-Sex Attraction: Surviving Conversion Therapy (with Dr Lucas Wilson) 1:05:53

3M ago1:05:53

1:05:53

I finally caught up with Lucas Wilson after months of emailing each other to set up this interview. And am I ever glad that I did! We had a fantastic conversation that I truly believe you will enjoy and learn a lot from. Lucas--or Luke--originally hails from Toronto, Canada, and as a young man ended up attending Jerry Falwell's Liberty University, …

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Vance Boelter: A Christian Assassin Radicalized by the New Apostolic Reformation 1:29:13

3M ago1:29:13

1:29:13

Recently, a listener asked me if I would explore the potential connections between Vance Boelter--the gunman who recently killed 2 Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota, and wounded 2 more--and the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). The question posed was this: "Was Vance Boelter radicalized by his experiences within the NAR?" Beyond that, how do we know…

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Project Esther: Weaponizing Antisemitism to Take Away Rights 1:07:34

4M ago1:07:34

1:07:34

Although Chris Shelton and I just did an episode on Project Esther recently, there were a lot of details that we didn't have time to dive into. As the story develops, and more information comes out, there have been some truly concerning developments that have taken place. Thus, in this special episode, I'm bringing you all the details behind Projec…

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Bonus Episode: The Cult of Trump and Project Esther (with Chris Shelton) 1:07:24

4M ago1:07:24

1:07:24

In this special bonus episode, former Scientologist Chris Shelton and I take a deep dive into a controversial new development in Trumpworld: Project Esther. This story originally broke a few weeks ago in The New York Times, and has now been picked up in other media outlets. The brainchild of The Heritage Foundation, authors of Project 2025 and majo…

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The Real Conversation Jesus Wants Us To Have (with Regina Cates) 41:23

5M ago41:23

41:23

This week's episode features an insightful conversation with Regina Cates, author of the book The Real Conversation Jesus Wants Us To Have: A Call To Bravery, Peace, and Love. At first, when I heard the title of the book, I was understandably sceptical. I figured Regina was just another progressive Christian trying to rehabilitate the church, the g…

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The 7 Mountains Mandate: The Dangerous Plan to Christianize America and Destroy Democracy (with Matthew Boedy) 49:23

5M ago49:23

49:23

Christian nationalism, by its very nature, is anti-democratic. I have come to believe that not only is this true, but it poses a serious threat to democracy not just in America, but indeed the world. With Donald Trump back in power--aided and abetted by another overwhelming majority of evangelicals--we are seeing the guardrails blown through and de…

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Helping People To Escape From Christianity (with Tim Mills) 1:19:10

6M ago1:19:10

1:19:10

It's finally arrived! This week's long-overdue discussion is here, featuring a super informative and helpful conversation with Tim Mills, host of "The Harmonic Atheist" podcast and YouTube channel. As a faithful Christian virtually all of his life, Tim has an unbelievable testimony--and this is not just about how dedicated he was both to God and th…

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Change Your Life Script: Dealing with Limiting Beliefs (with Austra Putnina) 54:51

7M ago54:51

54:51

This episodes features a wide-ranging and super helpful discussion with Austra Putnina, host of the "Chase The Impossible" podcast. Originally from Latvia, Austra now lives in Estonia--and has an amazing backstory. Ever struggle with the impostor syndrome? Ever struggle with those "tapes" that seem to play all the time in your mind? The ones that h…

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Two Chapters From My Book "Not So Shiny Not So Happy People!" 19:09

7M ago19:09

19:09

I'm excited to be sharing the next two chapters from my book that came out last September. It's called Not So Shiny Not So Happy People: How Bill Gothard, Church, and Family Taught Me Christianity Doesn't Work, and was edited by my good friend Tim Sledge. If you haven't picked up a copy of the book yet, hopefully hearing these two chapters will mak…

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What Happens When Jesus Isn't Enough? (with Rob Connelly) 56:42

8M ago56:42

56:42

This episode features an insightful conversation with former Southern Baptist Convention pastor--and now exvangelicala life coach and guide--Rob Connelly. After spending 37 years as a dedicated evangelical Christian, serving as a worship leader and pastor, Rob finally deconstructed his faith and walked away from it all. He's now sharing not only hi…

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Should You Be Concerned About Trump's Project 2025 Agenda? (with Chris Shelton) 1:14:12

8M ago1:14:12

1:14:12

In this episode I'm joined once again by my very good friend, Chris Shelton, to revisit the issue of Trump's Project 2025 agenda. How concerned should you be, going forward? Last summer I started alerting listeners about the dangers posed by Project 2025's Mandate for Leadership, all designed as part of The Heritage Foundation's "presidential trans…

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Holy Terror Classic Edition: Catching up with Conway & Siegelman - A MindShift Sequel 1:09:44

9M ago1:09:44

1:09:44

Welcome to the first episode of The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast for 2025! This inaugural episode features a catch-up conversation with two old friends, Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman. They are the authors of the classic 1978 work on cults and mind control entitled Snapping: America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change. Their research into cult ps…

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Interspirituality: Ten Words To Make The World A Better Place (with Lauryn Axelrod) 50:46

10M ago50:46

50:46

For this final podcast of 2024, I recently connected with Lauryn Axelrod--she's an interfaith/interspiritual minister, chaplain, spiritual director, and teacher out of Vermont. This is an especially poignant interview, as I've talked to several people this year about concepts of spirituality. Lauryn's suggestion that incorporating "Ten Words" into …

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Rift: Breaking Away From Christian Patriarchy (with Cait West) 46:52

11M ago46:52

46:52

I recently caught up with returning guest Cait West, who has just come out with a great book entitled Rift: A Memoir of Breaking Away From Christian Patriarchy. Cait grew up in what is called the "stay-at-home-daughters" movement, which is a version of Christian patriarchy that, while seemingly extreme, is gaining traction in a lot of Christian hom…

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Blue Jellyfish Syndrome: Mental Health After Leaving Religion and an Abusive Marriage (with Karen Unrue) 54:26

11M ago54:26

54:26

This week's guest features author Karen Unrue, whose book Blue Jellyfish Syndrome: How To Break Free From Stigma and Maintain Hope While Living With a Mental Illness is a great resource for those who have left either controlling religion or abusive relationships behind. But simply escaping is far from the end of the story. We can still be triggered…

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Bonus Episode! The Violent Take It By Force: Christian Nationalism is a Threat to American Democracy (with Matthew D Taylor) 1:01:18

11M ago1:01:18

1:01:18

In this special election special bonus episode, I reached out to returning guest Matthew D Taylor, who has just come out with a brand-new book called The Violent Take it by Force: The Christian Movement that is Threatening Our Democracy. For those who are still undecided about their vote in the upcoming election, this is a must-listen. Given the fa…

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Paradise Undone: A Novel of Jonestown (with Annie Dawid) 47:31

11M ago47:31

47:31

This week's episode takes an in-depth look at the tragic murder/suicide that took place in Jonestown, Guyana, in 1978. Cult leader Jim Jones was responsible for not only controlling and manipulating his numerous dedicated followers, in the end, he forced nearly 1000 of them to commit suicide or be murdered. In the wake of this tragedy that occurred…

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Breaking! Updates to Project 2025 and the Cult of Trump (with Chris Shelton) 58:20

12M ago58:20

58:20

If you've been following the storyline of what's happening to Project 2025, The Heritage Foundation, and Trump's presidential campaign, then you'll be familiar with some of what Chris Shelton and I discuss in this episode. There have been a number of important developments in this ongoing narrative, as Project 2025 began to be increasingly exposed …

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The Way: Meaningful Spirituality for a Modern World (with Larry Jordan) 46:33

1y ago46:33

46:33

How many of us have left religious beliefs behind, but have not entertained the idea that we might be able to find an aspect of spirituality that is truly meaningful? For those of us who've left controlling religions, it can be incredibly difficult even to entertain the notion that there might even be any aspect of spirituality that is appealing to…

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Tim Sledge Interviews Me About My New Book "Not So Shiny Not So Happy People!" 50:35

1y ago50:35

50:35

For the first time ever, my show has been hijacked! My very good friend Tim Sledge, who is the editor and publisher of my new book, Not So Shiny Not So Happy People: How Bill Gothard, Church, and Family Taught Me Christianity Doesn't Work interviewed me recently about my book. Aside from me, there is nobody else on Earth who knows more about my boo…

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Not So Shiny Not So Happy People: "The Terror of an Empty House" Chapter Reading 25:24

1y ago25:24

25:24

I'm excited to announce that my new book, Not So Shiny Not So Happy People: How Bill Gothard, Church, and Family Taught Me Christianity Doesn't Work is now available as of today!! The book is available as a paperback, Kindle EBook, and Audible Virtual Voice versions now. In this special episode, I'm reading the Preface chapter to the book, which is…

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Creating Peace: Enduring Suffering Without God (with Dean Krosecz) 41:27

1y ago41:27

41:27

For those of us who came out of fundamentalist Christianity, what happens when things go badly wrong in our lives? Do you have the temptation to pray, read the Bible, seek out a wise Christian counselor to discover answers for why this is happening to you? Within evangelicalism, the problem of suffering is a huge issue. There always has to be "an a…

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A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy (with Tia Levings) 48:55

1y ago48:55

48:55

A few months ago I caught up with author Tia Levings to discuss her new book, A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy. Tia is perhaps best known for her viral TikTok video, "Fundy Baby Voice"--and she knows what she's talking about. A product of the Bill Gothard "cult without walls," Tia was raised in the "modesty culture" and taug…

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Hurt and Healed by the Church: Redemption and Reconstruction After Spiritual Abuse (with Ryan George) 50:30

1y ago50:30

50:30

Months ago I had a great conversation with author and adrenaline junkie, Ryan George. Following on in the trend of interviewing more progressive Christians--after chatting with Keith Giles recently--this seemed like a great time to drop this episode. Although he's been able to reclaim a version of Christianity for himself, Ryan and I found that we …

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Leaning Into the Deconstruction Thing (with Keith Giles) 54:27

1+ y ago54:27

54:27

This week's conversation features author, podcaster, and "freelance theologian" Keith Giles, who--although definitely no evangelical Christian--has moved past even being a progressive Christian. What does that make him? I don't know exactly, but it does make for a fascinating conversation with someone who has deconstructed his former fundamentalist…

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Surviving Roy Masters' "Foundation of Human Understanding" Cult (with Marissa Hackett) 45:31

1+ y ago45:31

45:31

This week's episode features a fascinating conversation with Marissa Hackett, who grew up in a right-wing cult started by controversial radio host, Roy Masters. Originally starting out in the early 1960s, Masters spread his message nationwide through his radio show, tapes, and book sales. Based originally out of Los Angeles, Masters bought a ranch …

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The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church (with Sarah McCammon) 50:27

1+ y ago50:27

50:27

In this conversation with journalist and author Sarah McCammon, we discuss her book that just came out in March, called The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church. Not only does Sarah do a masterful job of explaining why so many "exvangelicals" have left the white evangelical church behind, she shares her own story …

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Bonus Episode! We Have Ruined God: My Journey Out of Religion and Into Unconditional Love (with Dr Sheri Pallas) 54:14

1+ y ago54:14

54:14

In this special bonus episode, I caught up with returning guest, Dr Sheri Pallas, as we discussed her brand-new book that just dropped on the 2nd of May, 2024. It's titled We Have Ruined God: My Journey Out of Religion and Into Unconditional Love, and from the conversation we had, it sounds like a fascinating and intriguing book. Why should people …

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Dismantling Doctrine Part 1 with Anna and Kari Jo of the Heretical Hippies Podcast 39:25

1+ y ago39:25

39:25

I truly hope that you enjoy this great collaborative episode I recently did with Anna and Kari Jo, hosts of the fantastic Heretical Hippies podcast! We covered a lot of ground about their backstory, deconstruction of their former faith, and what they are doing--and believing--currently. I believe this will be a helpful discussion for all those who …

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Unmasking Project 2025: A Threat to American Democracy (with Jenny Cohn) 55:15

1+ y ago55:15

55:15

Once again I'm joined by investigative journalist Jenny Cohn, who does a lot of writing for the Bucks County Beacon. Jenny has been on the show before and in this instance, I reached out to her because she's done a lot of work exposing and unmasking the agenda behind Project 2025. What if Donald Trump were to win the presidential election in Novemb…

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Deconstruction: Unpacking Your Inherited Beliefs (with Jonathan Davis) 53:20

1+ y ago53:20

53:20

This week's episode features a wide-ranging discussing with Jonathan Davis, an ex-evangelical former pastor and seminary professor who deconstructed his former faith, questioned everything, and is on the journey. Ironically, it was closely studying his Bible that started Jonathan on this path of unpacking all his inherited beliefs and discovering h…

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Patreon-Only Exclusive! Exposing Project 2025: A Threat to American Democracy 59:45

1+ y ago59:45

59:45

Welcome to a riveting Patreon-only episode of the MindShift Podcast, where we delve into the obscure but influential Project 2025. Explored through extensive research and interviews with high-profile figures such as Jenny Cohn and Andra Watkins, this episode unveils startling details about the project believed to have major implications for the fut…

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Trump's MAGA Army: Playing the Endgame (with Frank Schaeffer) 57:14

1+ y ago57:14

57:14

Recently I reached out to my good friend--and returning guest--Frank Schaeffer, who has a very unique perspective on what's happening in the Trump/Christian Right world. As a former player himself in the late 1970s and early 80s, along with his famous father Francis, they helped to kickstart the evangelical anti-abortion movement. They were also in…

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Finding Your Authentic Self After Leaving Religion (with Wren Story) 46:07

1+ y ago46:07

46:07

I finally caught up with author and ex-evangelical Wren Story a few weeks ago. I have long followed her on Facebook and always resonated with much of what she writes about, since we have a lot in common! In this episode, Wren and I discuss not only her backstory growing up in an evangelical church setting, we'll also get into how she ended up getti…

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Patreon Exclusive! "Shiny Happy People": The Toxic Teachings of Evangelical Purity Culture 39:53

1+ y ago39:53

39:53

If you have seen the Amazon Prime documentary "Shiny Happy People," then you'll benefit from this Patreon-only exclusive episode. I do a deep dive into the background of this toxic and damaging teaching, as well as exploring the Bill Gothard Institutes in Basic Life Principles connection to it all. If like me, you were raised in this movement, then…

1
Discussing "God and Country" (with Katherine Stewart) 33:35

1+ y ago33:35

33:35

Recently I reached out to returning guest Katherine Stewart, author of The Power Worshipers and The Good News Club, for a chat about the new Rob Reiner film, "God and Country." In the movie, Reiner takes a good hard look at Christian nationalism, and how elements of the more extreme side of the movement have affected not just America, but indeed th…

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Taking Dominion: From the NAR to Mike Johnson (with Matthew D Taylor) 55:20

1+ y ago55:20

55:20

I recently caught up with Dr Matthew Taylor, senior scholar at the Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies (ICJS) in Baltimore. When it comes to the roots of the NAR--the New Apostolic Reformation--7 mountains mandate dominion theology, and more, Taylor is an absolute fount of information on these subjects, as you'll discover in this episode. Moreov…

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Giving Up God: Resurrecting a Spirituality of Love and Wonder (with Sarah Hayward) 47:15

1+ y ago47:15

47:15

This week's episode features a conversation with author Sarah Hayward (no relation to David Hayward, "the Naked Pastor!")Sarah's book Giving Up God is all about walking away from organized religion, in this case Christianity, and yet trying to discover a sense of authentic spirituality. For those of us who left a controlling religion behind, the id…

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Crossover Episode Part 2: An Interview with Rachel Bernstein of the IndoctriNation Podcast 38:07

1+ y ago38:07

38:07

This episode marks now the second time I've done a crossover episode with Rachel Bernstein, host of the fantastic IndoctriNation podcast. As a therapist, cult expert, and specialist in dealing with folks who suffer from religious trauma syndrome, Rachel is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to dealing with a wide variety of issues caused by cults,…

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The Christian Right: Taking Dominion in 2024? (with Peter Montgomery) 1:07:25

1+ y ago1:07:25

1:07:25

MindShift Podcast is officially back for 2024! And what better way to kick off another season of the show than to catch up with an old friend, Peter Montgomery of the Right Wing Watch? In this first episode, Peter and I conduct a wide-ranging, thorough overview of the end of 2023 and look forward into this year, discussing the agenda of the Christi…

1
Terrified of Picking the Wrong God (with Joshua Stewart) 1:06:42

2y ago1:06:42

1:06:42

As a recent guest on Joshua's excellent podcast, "The Mediocre Observer," I was happy to return the favor and have Joshua on the show. I hope you enjoy this, the final episode of MindShift Podcast for 2023! In this wide-ranging discussion, Joshua and I discuss, among other things, why he was terrified to pick the wrong God in his quest for spiritua…

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Wearing a Stained-Glass Mask: Deconstruction, Explained (with David Hayward) 52:28

2y ago52:28

52:28

I've finally managed to catch up with one of my favorite Canadians, David Hayward "The Naked Pastor." As an ex-pastor and ex-evangelical like me, author and cartoonist David is best known for his irreverent but incredibly poignant cartoons depicting a huge array of theological and churchly issues. They cause people to think, to question, to ponder …

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Getting Jefferson Right: Debunking the Historical Revisionism of Christian Nationalism (with Dr Warren Throckmorton) 49:09

2y ago49:09

49:09

his week's episode features a great conversation with a returning guest, historian Dr Warren Throckmorton. From our previous conversation a few years ago, he's had a longstanding issue with the Christian nationalist "historian" David Barton of WallBuilders. Back in 2012, Barton's book The Jefferson Lies was pulled from the bookshelves by its Christ…

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Holy Heathen: Blowing It Up and Starting All Over (with Katherine North) 44:38

2y ago44:38

44:38

Katherine North is an amazing woman--she grew up as a missionary kid in Japan, but all her life as a young girl she struggled with a major problem: she couldn't bring herself to believe the message of the Christian gospel. What did she do about it? As the title of the episode suggests, she deconstructed in a major way...and since then, has spent de…