Recovering From Religion

Latest Episodes:

E26: Rock 'n' Roll Heretic: Trauma and Black Religious Respectability w/ Sikivu Hutchinson Jul 22, 2021

Show notes

In this RfRx talk, Sikivu Hutchinson discusses the major themes of Black feminist identity and artistic control in her new road novel “Rock 'n' Roll Heretic”, vis-a-vis overcoming trauma, victim-blaming and silence around sexual violence, misogynoir (anti-Black misogyny) and corruption in faith-based communities.

Sikivu Hutchinson is a writer, educator, and director. Her books include “Humanists in the Hood: Unapologetically Black, Feminist, and Heretical” (2020), the novel “White Nights, Black Paradise” (2015) and the new novel “Rock ’n’ Roll Heretic: The Life and Times of Rory Tharpe” (2021). She is the founder of the Women’s Leadership Project, Black Skeptics Los Angeles and a co-facilitator of the Black LGBTQI+ Parent and Caregiver group.

Hosted by Eric Wells, the RfR Support Group Director and Mandisa Thomas, Founder and President of Black NonBelievers and RfR Support Group Leader.

Resource List
- “Humanists in the Hood: Unapologetically Black, Feminist, and Heretical” by Sikivu Hutchinson: https://www.amazon.com/Humanists-Hood...
- “At the Dark End of the Street: Black Women, Rape and Resistance” by Danielle L. McGuire: https://www.amazon.com/At-Dark-End-St...
- “Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty” by Dorothy: https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Black-... Roberts:
- “Aretha Franklin, Sexual Violence and the Culture Dissemblance”, an article for the African American Intellectual History Society (AAIHS) by Rachel Zellars: https://www.aaihs.org/aretha-franklin...
- “Love with Accountability: Digging up the Roots of Child Sexual Abuse” an anthology: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Accountab...
- “The Ebony Exodus Project: Why Some Black Women Are Walking Out on Religion―and Others Should Too” by Candace R. M. Gorham LPC: https://www.amazon.com/Ebony-Exodus-P...
- Black Diamond Queens: Black women and Rock ‘n’ Roll by Maureen Mahon: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Diamond-...

Upcoming Event:
Juneteenth at the Museum of the African Diaspora presents Shredding While Black and Female: http://sikivuhutchinson.com/2021/05/1...

Atheist Community of Discord: https://discord.com/invite/B28xRKb

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
Important RfR Links:
RfR Support Groups: http://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-...
Secular Therapy Project: http://www.seculartherapy.org
Donation link: http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/donate

E25: The Stigma of Nonbelief w/ Erin Louis Jul 21, 2021

Show notes

Coming out as a non-believer to friends and family can be terrifying, it invites judgement and criticism from people who care about you. In this RfRx talk, Erin Louis will share her own experiences in confronting the unfounded stereotypes and stigmas of being a former adult entertainer and how similar those experiences are to being an out-of-the-closet atheist. We’ll cover the various beliefs and non-beliefs of non-believers, share tips on identifying those stereotypes, and discuss how and when to come out of the closet.

Erin Louis is a former adult entertainer and a present-day author. She has written 3 non-fiction books about her life as a stripper and several short fiction stories. Erin has had a lifelong love of horror and dark humor, but more importantly, she’s an advocate for critical thinking, humanism, and healthy sexual expression.

Hosted by Eric Wells, the RfR Support Group Director, and Kara Griffin, RfR Helpline Agent

Recorded on May 31st, 2021

More about Erin Louis
- https://www.erinlouis.com
- Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Erin-Louis
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinlouis666
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErinLouis666

Atheist Community of Discord: https://discord.com/invite/B28xRKb

The primary focus of Recovering from Religion (RfR) is to offer hope, healing, and support to those struggling with issues of doubt and non-belief. This transitional period is an ongoing process that can result in a range of emotions, as well as a ripple effect of consequences throughout an individual’s life. We are here to help each other through this journey.

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 http://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion

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.
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 http://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/resources for these helpful resources.

Subscribe to the
RfR Blog: https://medium.com/excommunications
RfR Podcast: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast

E:24 Religious Trauma: The Negative Impacts of Purity Culture w/ Christy Lanterman, LPC Jul 20, 2021

Show notes

In the 1980’s and 90’s, sexual “purity” became a major focus in sectors of Christian culture within the United States. This movement, now referred to as “purity culture,” had detrimental effects, including stunted LGBTQI+ identity exploration, dissociation from one’s body, under-reported sexual assaults, and relationship struggles. Join us as we explore specific concepts taught within purity culture, its impacts & developmental trauma, as well as tips and resources for identifying the trauma in oneself and working through it.

Content warning: This discussion will have a lot of heteronormitive language and heavy gendered language. We understand that can be triggering & stressful, but know it’s intentional because it’s a part of breaking down the core concepts of purity culture. This discussion was held in the beginning of Pride Month and purity culture is especially damaging to the LGBTQ+ community.

Christy Lanterman, LPC counsels couples and adult individuals recovering from religious trauma. She focused her graduate studies on how religious trauma (RT) occurs, religious abuse, how to identify controlling groups/people, and how folks can recover from RT. She is passionate about supporting her clients in their healing process.

Hosted by Eric Wells, the RfR Support Group Director, and Kara Griffin, RfR Helpline Agent.

Recorded on June 7th, 2021

Resource List
- Purity Culture Resources (Google Doc): https://www.tinyurl.com/PurityCulture...

Learn more about Christy Lanterman, LPC
- https://www.christylanterman.com

Atheist Community of Discord: https://discord.com/invite/B28xRKb

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

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

E23: Anniversary Reflections…and Beyond Nov 07, 2019

Show notes

It’s been one year since Tim and Bill became the hosts of the Recovering from Religion podcast. For this anniversary, the guys look back on the past year. They talk about how the podcast came to be, what they were doing prior to the hosting responsibilities, and some of what they continue do in addition to the podcast.

Tim asks Bill about his new novel, and reads a powerful letter from a Mom who was touched by the book, and shared her moving, first-hand story about the harm that comes from extreme religious messages..

This episode is an intimate one-on-one conversation as the hosts share what surprised them, and how they’ve been impacted by the shows, the topics and the guests.
And at the end, there’s an announcement about the immediate future of the podcast.

Tim's website: https://timrymel.com/
Bill's website: https://www.billprickett.com/

Recovering from Religion Resources

Need To Talk To Someone On The Phone?
Call 1-844-368-2848 for Peer Support

Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups?
https://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion/#groups

Looking for a therapist who will respect your views?
https://www.seculartherapy.org/

RfR Resource page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/resources

We want to hear YOUR story.
Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681
Or submit our form: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcastform

If you have questions or comments for the podcast team, send us an email: podcast@recoveringfromreligious.org

E22: The Uncomfortable Confessions of a Preacher’s Kid Sep 19, 2019

Show notes

Ronna Russell grew up the youngest daughter of a well-known United Pentecostal minister. To escape home, she jumped into marriage at the age of twenty-three, a union that lasted 22 years and produced four children. When her marriage ended, Ronna was free to consider her own desires and interests. With her children grown, she relocated, remarried and returned to school. Ronna is a blogger, an outspoken advocate for women, and the author of the book “The Uncomfortable Confessions of a Preacher’s Kid” that chronicles her experiences with a controlling, oppressive religious father, a closeted homosexual husband, and her own search for genuine authenticity.

Ronna’s website: https://ronnarussell.com/
Ronna’s book: https://tinyurl.com/y5klxupw

More about Recovering from Religion

Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups?
https://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion/#groups

Looking for a therapist who will respect your views?
https://www.seculartherapy.org/

We want to hear your story.

Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681
Or fill out the form at the bottom of the RfR podcast page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast

E21: D-I-V-O-R-C-E from Religion with Janice Selbie Sep 03, 2019

Show notes

Janice was born and raised in a charismatic Christian home, attending Pentecostal, Vineyard, and other evangelical churches before eventually marrying a pastor. She gravitated to the ultra-conservative side of her theology, wearing a head covering, insisting on homeschooling her children, and rejecting any vestiges of secular life. (e.g., TV, radio, music, newspapers, magazines, etc.)

Then, in her 40s, she began having doubts about her faith. As the questions grew, her marriage unraveled. To rebuild her life, Janice went back to school to earn her Diploma of Applied Psychology and Counseling. Janice has taken her own experiences and developed the Divorcing Religion Workshop to provide tools for others with their journey out of fundamentalist religion.

Janice’s website: https://tinyurl.com/yxh9d2n5
Conference on Religious Trauma: https://cort2020.com/

More about Recovering from Religion

Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups?
https://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion/#groups

Looking for a therapist who will respect your views?
https://www.seculartherapy.org/

Interested in meeting other people who have made the journey to recovery?
RfR is hosting a fall outing in Mars Hill, NC
https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/fall-excursion-2019

We want to hear your story.
Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681
Or fill out the form at the bottom of the RfR podcast page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast

E20: Dying Out Loud – Facing ALS and Mortality Aug 13, 2019

Show notes

Dave Warnock was an Evangelical pastor and church leader for more than 40 years. He gradually moved away from Christianity, which came at a huge personal cost, including the breakup of his marriage, being shunned by two of his children, missing out on his grandchildren, and the loss of his entire community of friends.

Earlier this year, Dave was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), and told he had three to five years to live. Suddenly, with the awareness that life is incredibly brief, his life became infinitely more precious. Instead of succumbing to the depression, anger, and hopelessness, he decided to begin living life to the fullest. In this poignant and often funny episode, Dave talks about what it means to be “Dying Out Loud.”

Dave’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DaveWarnock.DyingOutLoud/

More about Recovering from Religion

Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups?
https://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion/#groups

Looking for a therapist who will respect your views?
https://www.seculartherapy.org/

Interested in meeting other people who have made the journey to recovery?
RfR is hosting a fall outing in Mars Hill, NC.
https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/fall-excursion-2019

We want to hear your story.
Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681
Or fill out the form at the bottom of the RfR podcast page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast

E19: Sexual Assault at Bob Jones University Jul 25, 2019

Show notes

Erin Burchwell grew up as a faculty child on the campus of Bob Jones University. She was a good student, compliant with the many restrictive rules. But after an older classmate assaulted her, and she decided to report the incident, her life was changed.

Erin talks about the varied responses she received from family, friends, faculty, and the university’s administration. We also learn why she decided to go public to the national media, and what she tells young people today.

For 15 years, Erin taught high school and elementary speech, drama, art and theater. She’s a small business owner and the author of two children’s books. These days, she enjoys volunteering in schools, churches, and a women’s’ prison, teaching art and vocational skills. She welcomes any opportunity to tell her story, letting others know they are not alone in the world of survivors from oppressive religious institutions.

To contact Erin: erin@bloomshoppe.com

BJUnity (mentioned in the episode): https://www.facebook.com/BjUnity/

More about Recovering from Religion

Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups? https://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion/#groups

Looking for a therapist who will respect your views? https://www.seculartherapy.org/

Interested in meeting other people who have made the journey to recovery?

RfR is hosting a fall outing in Mars Hill, NC. https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/fall-excursion-2019

We want to hear your story.

Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681 Or fill out the form at the bottom of the RfR podcast page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast

E18: “Divine Currency” with Devin Singh Jul 11, 2019

Show notes

Dr. Devin Singh is a social theorist and scholar of religion and theology, serving as Associate Professor of Religion at Dartmouth College. He received his Ph.D. from Yale, where he was named a Whiting Fellow, Yale's highest recognition for research in the humanities. He was also trained in social scientific theory and methods at the University of Chicago (M.A.), theology and divinity at Trinity International University (M.Div.), and religious studies at Pomona College (B.A.).
Devin has a rich and diverse ethnic and theological background, and says his study of religion was a way of making sense of his upbringing and the complexities of the world he encountered, and to help others see, appreciate, and navigate the nuance and complexities of life together on this planet. He is motivated to further mutual understanding, toleration, justice, and compassion--as well as meaningful and sustainable work, productivity, and value creation.
In this episode, we talk about his book “Divine Currency” that delves into how economic ideas structured early Christian thought and society, giving crucial insight into why money holds such sway in the West. The book examines the religious and theological sources of money's power, it shows how early Christian thinkers borrowed ancient notions and metaphors of money and economic exchange from the Roman Empire as a basis for their new theological arguments.
Devin's website: http://www.devinsingh.com/
Devin’s book: Divine Currency: The Theological Power of Money in the West.

More about Recovering from Religion

Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups?
https://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion/#groups

Looking for a therapist who will respect your views?
https://www.seculartherapy.org/

Interested in meeting other people who have made the journey to recovery?

RfR is hosting a fall outing in Mars Hill, NC.
https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/fall-excursion-2019

We want to hear your story.

Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681
Or fill out the form at the bottom of the RfR podcast page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast

E17: Gender Non-Conformity in the Faith Community Jun 28, 2019

Show notes

In celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Stonewall riots, we’ve put together this special PRIDE edition. First, we proudly introduce our new producer, Julian Apostata, and our engineer, Sarah Austin, then the four of us talk about gender non-conformity, and how our faith communities responded/reacted.

That takes us to our informative interview with Donovan Ackley III, Ph.D., who was a professor at a conservative Evangelical Christian university. His decision to transition made national news, and ended his long-time position with the school. Donovan’s doctorate is in philosophy of religion, and is the author of several books and many articles. For the past 6 years he's worked in trauma-informed crisis intervention, currently as case management team lead for a recovery residence with women and children recovering from addiction. He also consulted on the 2019 film Intersex and Faith, exploring the intersections of religion and gender.

Trans Lifeline:
https://www.translifeline.org/
https://www.facebook.com/TransLifeline/

TransFaith:
http://www.transfaithonline.org/

SafetyNet:
http://onesafetynet.com/

More about Recovering from Religion

Did you know Recovering from Religion has local support groups?
https://www.meetup.com/pro/recovering-from-religion/#groups

Looking for a therapist who will respect your views?
https://www.seculartherapy.org/

Interested in meeting other people who have made the journey to recovery?
RfR is hosting a fall outing in Mars Hill, NC.
https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/fall-excursion-2019

We want to hear your story.

Use the RfR Podcast hotline: 209-294-0681
Or fill out the form at the bottom of the RfR podcast page: https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/podcast

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