Recovering From Religion

Latest Episodes:

E156: Religion: What Is It Good For? w/ Kara Griffin, PhD Sep 06, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, cultural anthropologist Kara Griffin will discuss religion as a social institution. Why is religious belief so common, even considered by some to be a universal human experience? Is it possible to have a functional society without religious belief? Why do some people reject the dominant beliefs of the community they grew up in while others seemingly never question it? We will examine the role of religion as a social institution in various settings, debunk some common myths, and explore recent trends in religious beliefs and practices from an anthropological perspective.

Kara Griffin was born in Texas and raised in Southern Baptist, evangelical, and non-denominational mega-churches and private schools. After leaving the faith in the mid-2000s, Kara was able to pursue their passion for learning, traveling, and experiencing diverse cultures and perspectives. They holds undergraduate degrees in Psychology, International Relations, and Criminal Justice, a Master’s Degree in Dispute Resolution & Conflict Management, and a PhD in Anthropology.

Kara enjoys working with secular community services that support other people who may have experienced judgment, repression, or other struggles related to involvement with religious groups.

At RfR, Kara volunteers as the Online Programming Director and hosts the weekly RfRx Talks sessions. In their free time, Kara can be found volunteering, teaching and lecturing at universities and conferences, reading all kinds of books (especially sci-fi), and spending time with their dog, Snow.

For RfRx comments, inquiries & topical questions, email us at RfRx@recoveringfromreligion.org.

Any time you are struggling with religious doubts or fears you can connect with a trained RfR Helpline agent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To chat online go to http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org.

To talk over the phone, dial:

(844) 368-2848 in the US & Canada

If you are in need of professional help, we can offer the Secular Therapy Project to provide options to connect with a professional therapist. All therapists have been thoroughly vetted by our organization and offer only evidence-based and non-religious treatment. Connect with them at http://www.seculartherapy.org.

Volunteer: http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/volunteer

Donate: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/donate

E155: Are All Atheists Angry? How to Stay Friendly Through Tough Conversations w/ Secular Rarity Aug 14, 2022

Show notes

Secular Rarity will be joining us this week to talk about engaging in discussions about big ideas from religion, science, and philosophy in online settings without losing sight of our common humanity. He will share his experiences and tips for communicating compassionately and staying friendly through tough conversations so as to avoid the “angry atheist” stereotype. This will be an interactive discussion, so bring your questions for Secular Rarity!

This episode was recorded on 7-25-2022.

For RfRx comments, inquiries & topical questions, email us at RfRx@recoveringfromreligion.org.

Any time you are struggling with religious doubts or fears you can connect with a trained RfR Helpline agent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To chat online go to http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org.

To talk over the phone, dial:

(844) 368-2848 in the US & Canada

Volunteer: http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/volunteer

Donate: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/donate

E154: When Your Partner Leaves God w/ Sherrie D’Souza Aug 13, 2022

Show notes

What happens when one partner doesn’t believe? What happens when the foundation of your relationship is no longer the foundation? Sherrie D’Souza will share her experiences and insights gained from navigating different faiths in a marriage relationship. And - spoiler alert! - returning co-host Sacha D’Souza will be joining the conversation to share his perspective, as well.

Sherrie D'Souza was born and raised in Sydney Australia as a Jehovah's Witness, devoting much of her youth to full-time volunteering for the religion. After learning of the gross cover-up of child sexual abuse in the religion, she left the religion in 2016 (following her husband Sacha, who had patiently waited for his wife to wake up from the cult). Sherrie is passionate about supporting others and in April 2020 started the first RfR Support Group in Sydney. With a secular background in healthcare administration, Sherrie now works from home and enjoys the flexibility this gives her to do more in establishing RfR in Australia. When she isn't banging away at her keyboard, you will find her playing with her Abyssinian cats, Abernathy & Sidney, indulging in her hobbies of cross stitching and diamond painting or just chilling watching Sci-Fi with Sacha.

This episode was recorded on 7-18-2022.

For RfRx comments, inquiries & topical questions, email us at RfRx@recoveringfromreligion.org.

Any time you are struggling with religious doubts or fears you can connect with a trained RfR Helpline agent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To chat online go to http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org.

To talk over the phone, dial:

(844) 368-2848 in the US & Canada

Volunteer: http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/volunteer

Donate: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/donate

E153: Navigating Difficult Conversations w/ Dr. Betty Iglesias Snyder, PhD Aug 13, 2022

Show notes

Lately some of us may be dealing with a series of controversial headlines and contentious social issues that can lead to unpleasant interpersonal interactions. The wrong approach to difficult conversations can cause significant damage in both personal and professional relationships and can ultimately escalate conflict. In this RfRx, Dr. Betty Iglesias Snyder will be joining us to discuss techniques for developing communication competence and navigating difficult situations confidently. She will go over tactics to manage your own emotions during high heat moments and help you to de-escalate tense situations, leading to more constructive outcomes.

Dr. Betty Iglesias Snyder is a trainer, coach, mediator, consultant, and facilitator. She teaches courses in communication, mediation, psychology of conflict, culture, gender, peace building, and neuroscience. She served as director and factulty member of dispute resolution programs at multiple universities. She provides a wide range of dispute resolution and conflict management services for individuals, organizations, and communities. She is a published author and has been featured in two documentaries.

Recorded 7-11-2022.

This episode was hosted by Dr. Kara Griffin and co-hosted by Helen Greene.

For RfRx comments, inquiries & topical questions, email us at RfRx@recoveringfromreligion.org.

Any time you are struggling with religious doubts or fears you can connect with a trained RfR Helpline agent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To chat online go to http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org.

To talk over the phone, dial:

(844) 368-2848 in the US & Canada

Volunteer: http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/volunteer

Donate: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/donate

E152: Skepticism and the Paranormal w/ Rob Palmer Jul 05, 2022

Show notes

Rob Palmer will be joining us to discuss the application of skepticism and critical thinking to paranormal beliefs. He will examine the evidence for several common paranormal beliefs frequently entertained by religious and non-religious folks, including ghosts, haunted houses, near death experiences, reincarnation, and demonic possession.

Rob is a skeptical activist who writes for Skeptical Inquirer as The Well-Known Skeptic. He writes about contemporary skeptical issues, and has interviewed conference speakers, scientists, TV personalities, and skeptical and atheist activists. Rob takes a special interest in combating the dangerous belief in psychics and mediums, and he educates the public about the harm that often befalls vulnerable victims who trust in people claiming these abilities.

For RfRx comments, inquiries & topical questions, email us at RfRx@recoveringfromreligion.org.

Any time you are struggling with religious doubts or fears you can connect with a trained RfR Helpline agent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To chat online go to http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org.

To talk over the phone, dial:

(844) 368-2848 in the US & Canada

Volunteer: http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/volunteer

Donate: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/donate

E151: The Dynamics Of Intuition & Simplicity: Why It's So Enticing w/ David Teachout LMHC Jul 05, 2022

Show notes

Platitudes and pithy statements are so enthralling, even when supposedly dedicated to reason and rationality. “Just follow the science,” “the truth will set you free,” “trust your intuition” are just a few examples of simple, and seemingly deep, platitudes. In this RfRx, David Teachout will join us once again to explore why platitudes are so enthralling, even when supposedly dedicated to reason and rationality. We’ll cover ways to reinvigorate our humility, delve into the “scout mindset,” as well as learn to acknowledge that religion isn’t the source of our irrationality, we are.

As an educator and trainer for health providers and other professionals, David Teachout also has a private practice helping adults and couples with learning resiliency skills related to relationship difficulties and trauma. He maintains a podcast, “Humanity’s Values,” and a blog related to mental health topics. David has worked in mental health care for 15 years, and holds a master’s in both forensic and counseling psychology, as well as currently working towards a PsyD in Clinical Psychology. He’s also worked in community mental health, social work, criminal justice, elder care, and child advocacy.

For RfRx comments, inquiries & topical questions, email us at RfRx@recoveringfromreligion.org.

Any time you are struggling with religious doubts or fears you can connect with a trained RfR Helpline agent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To chat online go to http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org.

To talk over the phone, dial:

(844) 368-2848 in the US & Canada

+3 4505 2402 in Australia

+20 3856 8791 in the UK

+27 11 043 5323 in South Africa

Peer support is also available through local support groups. These groups offer monthly in-person meetings as a place to express doubts, fears, emotions & concerns about religion you wouldn't normally feel comfortable expressing in a religious community. Find your nearest support group at https://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion

RfR has an immense collection of well-curated resources available as you go through your journey, including resources for mental and physical crises, working with relationships, issues stemming from specific religions, coming out stories, and much more. Head to https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/resources for these helpful resources.

Subscribe to the RfR Blog: https://medium.com/excommunications

E150: The God Virus w/ Dr. Darrel Ray Jun 29, 2022

Show notes

Dr Darrel Ray joins us to discuss the striking similarities between how belief systems spread and how microorganisms spread.

Dr Darrel Ray is the Founder & President of Recovering from Religion. He has been a psychologist for over thirty years and is the author of four books: including "The God Virus-How Religion Infects Our Lives and Culture" and "Sex and God-How Religion Distorts Sexuality". Dr. Ray has been a student of religion most of his life and holds a Masters Degree in religion as well as a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology/Anthropology with a Doctorate in Psychology.

For RfRx comments, inquiries & topical questions, email us at RfRx@recoveringfromreligion.org.

Any time you are struggling with religious doubts or fears you can connect with a trained RfR Helpline agent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To chat online go to http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org.

To talk over the phone, dial:

(844) 368-2848 in the US & Canada

Volunteer: http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/volunteer

Donate: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/donate

E149: Cancer While Christian: Just Follow the Damn Rules! w/ Nancy Pinto Jun 09, 2022

Show notes

Nancy Pinto will be joining us to share how her lifelong faith fell apart after the way religious people behaved when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. She’ll cover her religious upbringing, some key events that happened after diagnosis, as well as words of encouragement and advice for those facing similar circumstances.

Nancy is a survivor of breast cancer and Roman Catholicism. She wrote and narrated her book “I’m An Open Shirt” after her ordeal, which made a mess of her boobs and her religious faith. She is a recruiter for the logistics and supply chain industry and co-host of two podcasts: Job Search SOS and BoricuameRican. In her spare time, she loves to CrossFit and paint.

For RfRx comments, inquiries & topical questions, email us at RfRx@recoveringfromreligion.org.

Any time you are struggling with religious doubts or fears you can connect with a trained RfR Helpline agent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To chat online go to http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org.

To talk over the phone, dial:

(844) 368-2848 in the US & Canada

Volunteer: http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/volunteer

Donate: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/donate

E148: RfR 3.0 Project - All About RfR w/ Gwen Blodgett, Board Member & RfR 3.0 Project Manager Jun 09, 2022

Show notes

The old tech Recovering from Religion is using isn't able to handle the growth RfR has experienced these last few years. We sit down with Gwen Blodgett, the RfR 3.0 Project Director, to see what her program is doing about it. Hosted by Eric Wells

For RfRx comments, inquiries & topical questions, email us at RfRx@recoveringfromreligion.org.

Any time you are struggling with religious doubts or fears you can connect with a trained RfR Helpline agent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To chat online go to http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org.

To talk over the phone, dial:

(844) 368-2848 in the US & Canada

Volunteer: http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/volunteer

Donate: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/donate

E147: The Myth of Sex Addiction w/ Dr Darrel Ray May 13, 2022

Show notes

The idea of sex addiction is a religious notion at its root. Since 1983 religions have used the idea of sex addiction as a tool of Purity Culture. In this discussion, Dr Darrel Ray joins us once again to talk about the roots of the concept of sex addiction and how it affects you and our entire culture. This does not mean people don't have concerns and problems with their sexual behavior, but we need to treat the real issues NOT an imaginary problem based in religious ideology.

For RfRx comments, inquiries & topical questions, email us at RfRx@recoveringfromreligion.org.

Any time you are struggling with religious doubts or fears you can connect with a trained RfR Helpline agent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To chat online go to http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org.

To talk over the phone, dial:

(844) 368-2848 in the US & Canada

Volunteer: http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/volunteer

Donate: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/donate

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected