Isn't it amazing just how much more pro-life abortion advocates are than the alleged pro-lifers who are trying to set back women's rights by almost fifty years? It's true and we're going to demonstrate how in this very uncomfortable but very necessary discussion on a subject that, whether "they" want to admit it or not, affects all of us. The conversation even spills over into Christians behaving badly this week. We just can't get away from it...
May 15, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 143
Evangelicals derive more about doctrine, dogma, and the ins and outs of their faith from the music they listen to than they do sermons or even (or *especially*) the bible. In this episode, we take a look at some of the prevailing toxic themes that have been the undercurrent of Christian music for years - in some cases, centuries. Roe V. Wade and other Supreme Discord antics fill out our Christian behaving Badly segment.
May 08, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 142
It didn't take long for the persecuted church to become the persecutor. This is the story of what happens when you mix politics with a religion already headed by a deity who solves every problem he faces with violence and murder. We look at a few early examples of Christian violence and make some irrefutable contemporary parallels between the crusades and the Inquisition a(s)and more modern examples of Christian hate turned violent. In Christians behaving badly news, it's blessed insurance, an e...
Apr 24, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 141
In our latest dive into our Unbound at the Movies series, we look at a movie that can only be described as Pagan Evangelism: Egotrip Productions' "The Spirit of Albion." All the tactics you see in a typical evangelical church service, youth play, or movie are represented. We take a look at the many parallels that exist between the messaging of this movie and that of a typical evangelical church, youth group, or ministry. Trigger warning for Kenneth Copeland in this week's Christians Behaving Bad...
Apr 17, 2022•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 140
The episode that almost wasn't... well, we said we'd be back this week and, well, here we are, doing things a little differently than usual. Four stories from the files of Christians Behaving Badly and a sneak peek at what's coming up next. It's CCB: XL Edition!
Apr 10, 2022•46 min•Ep. 139
In the most secular of terms, it's not even a question whether consuming porn is moral or ethical. The real question is: what are you consuming? How can you tell the difference between content made with consent and content that isn't? These questions matter and we'll be discussing them and much more in this episode.
Apr 03, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 138
The notion of objects having religious power is as old as religion itself but no other religion has cornered the market on the marketing of religious relics quite the way Christianity has. We look that how religious relics are used to reinforce the concept of belief and how evangelicalism capitalizes on people's tendency to gravitate toward material things that have potential to validate their faith. Join us for that conversation along with two more entries from the files of Christians Behaving ...
Mar 27, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 137
The concept of the trinity is far from unique to Christianity. In fact, it dates as far back as human history will go. We look at some of the examples fro throughout history and across religious lines that confirm it: the trinity is just one more thing the Church decided to counterfeit to further its own agenda. And if it's a counterfeit, what power does it have? All this plus two more cringe-worthy stories from the files of Christians behaving badly. Like what you hear? Please consider becoming...
Mar 20, 2022•52 min•Ep. 136
It's a tough spot to be in - knowing that something isn't real but not having enough proof to back up your position. The truth is, the Jesus of the Bible isn't real, but is it possible that someone like him once lived and stirred things up in Palestine? The answers may surprise you. We tackle this topic along with a heaping helping of blood-boiling audacity in this week's Christians Behaving Badly trifecta.
Mar 13, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 135
Everyone experiences grief and loss at some point in their lives and there are constructive ways of dealing with it. But one group of 19th century settlers had a unique way of dealing with theirs. Sorrow, pain, grief... these things follow you everywhere and this is a hard lesson that the elders of this village are learning the hard way. Enjoy this deep dive into a movie that explains eloquently how fear is used to both keep people compliant and submissive and provide a false sense of security a...
Mar 06, 2022•1 hr 37 min
In another instance of "we could do an entire podcast on this..." Spider and Shelle examine a TINY sampling of the ways the Bible contradicts itself and how some of these contradictions have the ability to unravel some of the most important doctrines in evangelical faith. Our Christians Behaving Badly segment showcases an incomplete prophetic pass, a pastor who can't figure out how NOT to be an ass, and more Greg Locke lunacy... 'nuff said?
Feb 20, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 134
"Talk about suffering here below..." and you MUST be talking about something other than Christians in America. The sense of entitlement that evangelicals in America possess is truly next level and their definition of persecution just goes to prove that they have no idea what being persecuted is. This week, we look at the evangelical persecution complex phenomenon and set the record straight about what religious persecution is and what it isn't. Also, in an odd twist, it's Christians calling out ...
Feb 14, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 133
There are real dangers in taking everything the Bible says literally. Snake handlers really believe that theirs is a necessary element to fulfilling the word of God, based solely on a single controversial passage in the Gospel of Mark. What makes people hop on this particular bandwagon KNOWING that they could literally die on it? We look at that question and more this week along with three more stories from the files of Christians behaving badly. Like what you hear? Please consider becoming a pa...
Feb 06, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 132
"Don't let the stories and pretty lights fool you. Religion is darkness." If only this was the message of this movie and not just a fleeting counterpoint... While Life of Pi is an exciting tale of survival against impossible odds, it also presents messaging about religion that we think needs to be addressed. There is plenty to learn here about how to approach (and not approach) the subject of religion and spirituality within ourselves.
Jan 30, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 131
This week, we steer away from the history of Azusa Street and take a look at the psychology behind the movement and how this sort of thing is actually typical in many areas of life. The Bandwagon Effect has strong influences over everything from religion to pop culture and even smart, free-thinking people are affected by it all the time. Learning its causes, its effects, and get some valuable advice about how not to get taken in by "every wind of doctrine" is the focus of this episode, along wit...
Jan 23, 2022•55 min•Ep. 130
Take a walk with Spider and Shelle through the story of the birth of the modern pentecostal movement. Not needing proof of something being real has been a running thread through all religions, but in this instance, even we have to be amazed at how WIlliam Seymour managed to convince so many people that this thing called holy spirit baptism was real even before he "received" it himself. Offer some people just a little bit of power and they'll follow you anywhere. This plus an awesomely alliterati...
Jan 16, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 129
If we don't do something about global warming soon, it could very well be too late, but conservative politics and bad messaging about climate change are successfully driving errant thoughts and misconceptions, especially among evangelicals. This is our conversation for episode 95 along with three more stories from the files of Christians behaving badly. Like what you hear? Please consider becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/unboundpodcastnetwork...
Jan 09, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 128
Class is in at American Eagles Christian High School and Spider and Shelle have a lot to say about the goings on in and around its walls. In this episode, we look at the 2004 teen comedy "Saved" and how many things it gets right about the seldom-charmed life of the Christian teenager. Our Christians behaving badly segment includes creationist hijinks, church closure, and the FFRF shoots the sherriff... a letter. Like what you hear? Please consider becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/unbou...
Jan 02, 2022•1 hr 53 min•Ep. 127
We know... new year's resolutions are a bit cliché. But what if you had a good framework that allowed you to develop workable, plausible, meaningful, and substantive resolutions based on what you know (or want to learn) about yourself? We look at that question and more in this episode. Christians behaving badly brings us stories of attention-seeking clergy, Mormon-shaming billionaire style, and just one more reason to love the Satanic Temple. Like what you hear? Please consider becoming a patron...
Dec 26, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 126
How could a story so fraught with contradictions and disagreements among its tellers, literally from its first verses, ever be taken seriously enough to spur on a global religion that goes on for more than two thousand years? It's a true mystery that isn't about to be solved anytime soon. What do the gospel writers have to say about Jesus' birth? Why do two of them not even bother to mention it? If there were angels singing to shepherds, why didn't at least ONE credible historian ever notice? Th...
Dec 19, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 125
Let's just say it: the most wonderful time of the year brings some strange things with it, from fried chicken to burning goats, from Greek sprites to Amish bear-men, and all of it marvelously Jesus-free. We talk about all of this and more in this off-center episode for your unbound holiday season. Christians behaving badly is a good news, bad news kind of experience with an imprisoned pedophile, an enlightened pastor, and some intolerant transphobic Methodists rounding out the cast. Like what yo...
Dec 12, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 124
Did we ever think we'd be visiting the Askewniverse as part of this show? Well, no... but stranger things have happened. This week, we take a look at Kevin Smith's Dogma and some of the accidental lessons it teaches about the true nature of God and the problems inherent with belief. Christians behaving badly returns (again) next week! Like what you hear? Please consider becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/unboundpodcastnetwork...
Dec 05, 2021•1 hr 54 min•Ep. 123
It's natural to miss the good things about your religious life, but when weighed against all the negatives, the good parts just don't make going back worthwhile. So why do we sometimes feel the urge to turn back? And what should we do when we're in that headspace? We look at these questions and more in this week's episode. In Christians behaving badly news, it's angels and exponents, gratuitous grifting, and just when you thought things couldn't get any worse in Texas... Like what you hear? Plea...
Nov 21, 2021•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 122
While gospel tracts have been referred to as a form of silent witness, they are anything but. From the waste they create to the vehicle for some of the worst kinds of toxic religious thinking that they can be, there is little to like and plenty to criticize about them. Spider and Shelle delve into these issues (and more) surrounding tracts in this episode. Christians behaving badly takes another dive into the murky pool of the evangelical "prophecy movement." Like what you hear? Please consider ...
Nov 14, 2021•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 121
Another popular stop for people on their way out of evangelical faith is in the world of energy healing. For many, that means things like Reiki in all its forms as well as a few other less-mystical but equally pointless fads. There is a reason why energy healing appeals to ex-evangelicals and we'll let you in on what that is, too. Christians Behaving Badly returns with prophets, pronouns, and personal vendettas. Like what you hear? Please consider becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/unbou...
Nov 07, 2021•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 120
Rounding out Unbound October we have this Halloween treat: a scene-by-scene review of what might be the the most comprehensive picture of what puritan witchcraft hysteria looked like in the 17th century: Robert Eggers' "The Witch." How much of what these people went through is reflected in modern religion, particularly evangelicalism? We look at that question and others along the way. Like what you hear? Please consider becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/unboundpodcastnetwork...
Oct 31, 2021•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 119
Like the Occult, the concept of demons is as old as human history. This week we have a look at the demonologies of several traditions and also the influence of demons on everything from Christian doctrine to pop culture. It's a devilishly fun conversation for week four of Unbound October. Like what you hear? Please consider becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/unboundpodcastnetwork...
Oct 24, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 118
What is the Occult? Does occultism have anything at all to do with Satanism? As evangelicals, we're told a lot of tall tales about a lot of things and the Occult is a prime example. If the only thing that comes to mind when you think of the Occult is the Devil, you need to hear this episode. Like what you hear? Please consider becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/unboundpodcastnetwork...
Oct 17, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 117
Forget everything your pastor ever told you about Satanism. Forget the stereotypes. Satanists? In MY workplace? It's more likely than you think... and they're probably some of your better co-workers. Learn what modern Satanism is and what it isn't and just how few Satanists even believe the Devil is real. It's week 2 of Unbound October and this is an episode not to be missed! Like what you hear? Please consider becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/unboundpodcastnetwork...
Oct 10, 2021•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 116
In week one of Unbound October, we look at several underworld myths examining their similarities, severities, variations, and deviations with the underlying message being one that should be familiar to our listeners: people are just gonna believe what they want, both for themselves and for others. Like what you hear? Please consider becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/unboundpodcastnetwork...
Oct 03, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 115
