Sinopsis
Atheists & Agnostics share their stories of deconversion from Christianity.
Episodios
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042 LA & T: Pastor of 26 Yrs. Deconverts & Church Leaders Follow! His Radio Contract Gets Torn Up. He's a Top 300 Minister. Change Begins in India.
08/06/2018 Duración: 02h05minThis is such a remarkable story... He's only been out from behind the pulpit for 6 months! He served as a minister for 26 years. This story has so many twists and turns, ups and downs. I can't begin to tell you all the fascinating moments L.A. shares with me today. He's joined by his wife T. They decided to use their nicknames for today's interview. From a radio contract that seemed promising, to a tearful proclamation that he's been called to be a pastor. Later in life L.A. and T experience a terrible loss, but their faith is strong. They encounter the fraudulent leaders of Evangelical America, but their faith persists. L.A. is even named a top 300 minister in America. A chance trip to India changes everything! You can reach LA or T at: lemrich@mac.com or check out LA's blog www.freshla.me LA and T were also interviewed by Vice News on HBO December 20, 2018. https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/qvq5a7/what-happens-to-religious-professionals-when-they-stop-believing-in-god https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
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041 Heather Bailey: Forsaking Faith Podcast Co-Host. From Dancing Charismatic to Agnostic.
23/05/2018 Duración: 01h36minHeather is co-host of the upcoming podcast, Forsaking Faith. She does a wonderful job describing what life was like growing up in a non-denominational church. From being on the church dance team to being taught that her relationship with Christ should be intimate, like a romantic relationship. These things make a big impression on her growing up and make deconversion that much harder down the road. A succession of events in her life build up. Her final straw is a seemingly average conversation with a woman at her church over lunch. That conversation has an immense impact on Heather. I loved hearing this story because to me, it makes the contrast between Heather's two potential futures so clear. You can sense the power that moment had for Heather, as she shares this story. She also shares her feelings on difficult topics, such as death, the concept of a just world and what happened (or didn't) when she stopped praying. Feel free to connect with Heather or her co-host Christine: Twitter: @ForsakingFaith Faceb
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040 Black Nonbelievers Inc. Founder & President: Mandisa Thomas
02/05/2018 Duración: 01h11minMandisa Thomas, a native of New York, is founder and President of Black Nonbelievers, Inc., which is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Although never formally raised Christian, she was definitely impacted by the Christianity around her. Her parents were both Black Nationalists, which had a significant impact on her growing up. Mandisa has a unique and fascinating upbringing. We also get to hear what motivated Mandisa to start Blacknonbelievers and how it became the organization it is today. She shares some thought-provoking statistics about the increasing religiousness amongst black Americans. Finally, she has some wonderful advice for the atheist community at the end of our discussion.
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039 - 1 Year Anniversary Podcast!!!
18/04/2018 Duración: 29minIt's Our 1 Year Anniversary!!! To celebrate the first year of the Voices of Deconversion podcast, I decided to do something different. I wanted to do something that reflected on our first year. If you listen to the podcast you'll know that I love quotes (I start each episode with one). I combined that with the podcast's goal of encouraging atheist & agnostic ex-Christians. The result is a compilation of quotes from my guests. One of my favorite questions to ask is: When you think about a person who's just deconverted, what encouragement or piece of guidance would you give them? I took each of my guests' answers to that question and compiled them together for this episode. Although there are a few themes, each guest gave a unique response. I really enjoyed listening back through to them. Thank you VOD listeners! It has been so much fun this past year. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you tuning into the podcast. It's been wonderful getting to know so many of you. I love hearing from listeners, even j
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038 Vilmarie Perez: Raised Evangelical. Becoming Less for God Leads to a Serious Problem. Came Out to Her Mother & was Forced to Move.
04/04/2018 Duración: 51minMy guest today is Vilmarie Perez. Her father was a preacher, her step-father a pastor and her aunt had her own church. Raised in a strong evangelical family, she begins to experience some real difficulties in adolescence. Her Christian upbringing leads to a desire to become "less" for God and family. She develops an eating disorder. In the next year or two she comes out to her mother and also becomes an atheist. Her mother forces her to move from the States back to Puerto Rico with her father. This is traumatic for Vilmarie, as she leaves behind her friends and the life she knows. I was inspired by her story and you will be too! Resources: Jesus Camp (movie) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486358/ Tumblr: ExChristian https://www.tumblr.com/search/exchristian Secular Student Alliance https://secularstudents.org
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037 Benibo Ajumogobia: From Lagos, Nigeria. Mom was a Deaconess, Dad an Elder. At 16 He Cuts Out Friends, Vows Celibacy. 9/11, Howard U and CSPAN Impact Faith. Now He's Agnostic-Atheist
21/03/2018 Duración: 01h51minMy guest today is Benny (Benibo) Ajumogobia. He was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. His mom was a deaconess, and dad an Elder. The charismatic church he was raised in had some BIG differences compared to American charismatic churches. The emphasis on witchcraft is one example. At 16 Benny responds to an alter call at a revival meeting in the U.K. His faith takes a serious turn. He decides to cut off all friendships for the sake of his faith. He also takes a vow of celibacy. The events of 9/11 and attending Howard University have an influence on him, but he remained a committed conservative Christian. Years later, a show on CSPAN would have an enormous impact on his faith. He's now an agnostic-atheist. kevbest@gmail.com earlychristianwritings.com Ex-Christians on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/exchristian/
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036 Treigg Turner: Baptist Preacher's Kid. Took the Bible Seriously. Seeds of Doubt Grow into Atheism. Joins Black Non-Believers of Cincinnati
07/03/2018 Duración: 01h31minTreigg shares an array of experiences and touches on some fascinating topics. He grew up a Baptist preacher's kid and took the Bible VERY seriously. He later helped with the youth ministry in his mom's church and even had his own church TV show! Seeds of doubt are planted throughout his life. One begins when he notices his friends parents listening to secular music. This was a major moment for Treigg. His parents only played gospel music. Another seed of doubt is when Treigg begins discussing God's allowance of slavery with an agnostic friend. Treigg has to share his new views with his parents as he realizes how much of his world was wrapped up in religion. His search for community leads to Skeptics of Color in Cincinnati, which evolved into Black Non-Believers of Cincinnati. https://www.facebook.com/treigg https://blacknonbelievers.wordpress.com https://www.anthonypinn.com http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/ The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins: https://www.amazon.com/The-God-Delusion/dp/B000LP5E8
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035 Ian Redfearn - Part 2: Resigns Church Membership. Tells His Wife He Can't Do Church Anymore. Talks Atheist Spirituality & Awesome Quotes!
28/02/2018 Duración: 52minThe second half of my conversation with Ian is wonderful! We start with him resigning membership at his church, then discuss atheist spirituality. He shares observations about how church doesn't seem to make people any better. Ian tells me how he prepared to tell his wife he couldn't go to church anymore. Her reaction was amazing! Finally, Ian ends on such an inspirational note. He shares a quote from the movie, The Life of Pi and also a quote from Dr. Who. As you probably know, I love quotes! These two in particular were very moving to me. Thanks for listening! ianredfearn@hotmail.com
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035 Ian Redfearn - Part 1: Billy Graham, Christian Dental Fellowship & the Toronto Blessing Play Key Roles. Ian & His Wife Face Serious Health Challenges to Her & Their Son. God Calls Him to Lead. Later Observations & Questions Cause a Big Change
21/02/2018 Duración: 01h04minIt was so much fun to meet and speak with Ian! I loved hearing of his experience as a charismatic Christian in England. Definitely there are similarities to those of us in the U.S., but important differences too. Ian has so many factors that played a role in shaping his faith. From seeing Billy Graham speak in person, to seeking out a Dental practice that was part of the Christian Dental Fellowship and his experience with the Toronto Blessing. As a young family, Ian and his wife received difficult news about her health and that of their first-born son. God calls Ian to lead. Ian gets some practice preaching. Seeing the influence of Answers in Genesis at his church is a significant turning point. Subsequent observations and questions prove to be the start of a big life change!
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033 Bill Finley - Part 2: Helps on Skid Row, Meets a Retired Rabbi, His Daughter Questions the Trinity, Told by His Church He Doesn't Have Enough Faith!
07/02/2018 Duración: 45minBe Excellent to Each Other! In part 2, Bill discusses his time helping people out on Skid Row in Los Angeles. He encounters people who make a huge impact on his life, including a rabbi he decided was most certainly not going to hell. Bill's family moves from southern California to Alaska! His daughter begins asking who is going to heaven and who is going to hell. She questions the Trinity. Bill transitions to CFO of his congregation. When the church wants to spend money they don't have, Bill advises against it. Their response to Bill triggers a big change in his life. I absolutely loved this quote from Bill: "If their theology was right and what they believed was true, it would've made people a lot better". Everyone's Agnostic podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/everyones-agnostic-2/everyones-agnostic Life After God podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/life-after-god/e/52933021 Books: Good Without God by Greg Epstein- https://www.amazon.com/Good-Without-God-Billion-Nonreligious/dp/00616701
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033 Bill Finley - Part 1: Mediates for Divorced Parents. Boy Scouts is Stabilizing. B.A. in the Bible. Officer/Minister in Salvation Army Twelve Yrs. Now Humanist.
31/01/2018 Duración: 53minBill starts our conversation discussing the difficulties he experienced when his parents divorced. As a child, Bill had no warning the day his mom decided to pack up their stuff and move out. Boy Scouts became a stabilizing force in Bill's junior high and high school years, as he became the de facto mediator between his parents. He moved to Colorado for college and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies. Bill and his wife served as Officers/Ministers in the Salvation Army for over twelve years. They now attend a Unitarian church and Bill considers himself a Humanist.
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032 Krista Cox: Feminist Humanist Alliance Advisory Board Member, Poet, Passionate About Emotional Health & Advocacy for Victims and Marginalized Communities.
25/01/2018 Duración: 57minKrista Cox is a poet, Program Director of Lit Literary Collective, Associate Poetry Editor at Stirring: A Literary Collection and Pittsburgh Poetry Review. She's also on the Advisory Board for the Feminist Humanist Alliance. She has an inspiring story to tell. Following a traumatic experience in a relationship she spent years not feeling like herself. She explained it like a switch being flipped. When it begins to impact her son, the switch flips back. Her resilience and determination when she describes that moment were really inspiring to me. Her instincts kicked in. Late in the interview she describes how she is "drawn to joy". I loved the way she explained that and found it to be incredibly hopeful! Learn more about Krista and her work at: https://kristacox.me
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031 Ryan Bell: National Organizing Manager at Secular Student Alliance. Host of the Life After God podcast.
17/01/2018 Duración: 01h03minIn this week's episode, Ryan Bell shares his compelling story of deconversion. Ryan also talks about what he's been up to since joining the Secular Student Alliance as National Organizer Manager. I've been looking forward to meeting Ryan for a while, so it was wonderful to finally speak with him. Although I'm familiar with Ryan's story, I learned some fascinating new details during our conversation. He explains what convinced him to stop pursuing Pre-Med in college and become a pastor. He also shares what motivated him to live in Nicaragua for 6 weeks. Finally, it was fun to hear the story of how his "Year Without God" blog went viral, resulting in breakfast with Penn Jillette. Ryan spent nearly 20 years in congregational pastoral ministry. His very public deconversion in 2014 is documented in his blog, “Year Without God”. Since that time, Ryan has been a writer and speaker on the subjects of religion, humanism and justice. In 2015, he founded the Life After God community and is the host of the Life After
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030 Ariel Pontes - Part 2: Religion Hijacks Curiosity & Stops Inquiry. Searching for Meaning While Becoming Atheist. Making the World a Better Place. Embracing Humanism.
10/01/2018 Duración: 43minIn Part 2, Ariel discusses his transition out of Christianity and into atheism. He searches for meaning in life and finds it in Humanism. He talks about what he likes best about being a Humanist, what stayed the same about him after his deconversion and making a difference in the world. http://iheu.org https://www.facebook.com/IHEYO/?timeline_context_item_type=intro_card_work&timeline_context_item_source=577990171&pnref=lhc He's also a web developer and blogs at http://ghostlessmachine.com/en/ https://medium.com/humanist-voices https://humanistfederation.eu http://humanismromania.org http://www.asur.ro
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030 Ariel Pontes - Part 1: Raised in Brazil w/Catholicism & Spiritism. Sought an Out-of-Body Experience, Began Asking Questions. Now a Humanist, He Chairs the Americas Working Group at IHEYO
04/01/2018 Duración: 39minAriel was raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil-well known for being a very Catholic country. However, Ariel describes how spiritism, reincarnation and out-of-body experiences are a normal part of Christianity in Brazil. In his early teen years he sought out how he could have an out-of-body experience. He began asking questions to learn more...and that's when things take a turn. He is now Chair of the Americas Working Group at IHEYO (International Humanist and Ethical Youth Organization): http://iheu.org https://www.facebook.com/IHEYO/?timeline_context_item_type=intro_card_work&timeline_context_item_source=577990171&pnref=lhc He's also a web developer and blogs at http://ghostlessmachine.com/en/ He currently lives and works in Bucharest, Romania.
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029 Vennie Kocsis - Part 2: Banished from Alaska Cult/Adjusting to Normal Life/Authentic Self/Raising Freethinking Kids
27/12/2017 Duración: 49minThis is the second-half of my conversation with Vennie Kocsis, a cult survivor. Vennie left off in part 1 when her family had just been banished from the cult in Alaska. It was fascinating to hear how very practical, everyday things were new to her, like wearing jeans. As she adjusted to normal life, she began to exude independence. As she grows into young-adulthood she discovers a variety of beliefs and tries out several of them. We also discuss raising freethinking kids, which is always interesting for Ex-Christians. Vennie devouts a lot of her time to raising awareness about modern-day cults. If you'd like to support Vennie or learn more about her work, check out her website: http://venniekocsis.com
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029 Vennie Kocsis - Part 1: Cult and Abuse Survivor. The Family Moved to a Compound When She Was a Little Girl. She Witnessed Rituals and Animal Sacrifice. In Her Teen Years Her Family is Banished.
20/12/2017 Duración: 42minVennie lives in the Pacific Northwest, in the United States. She is an author, artist and podcaster. Through her podcast "Survivor Voices" and her other work, Vennie stands beside fellow cult and abuse survivors, encouraging them that they're not alone. Being raised in a cult, Vennie endured some of the most difficult experiences a child could go through. She survived mental, physical and sexual abuse in the cult. Although she doesn't go into a lot of detail, she does discuss the abuse. *Please be aware that in this episode we discuss mental, physical & sexual abuse. If these topics are a trigger for you, or if this is a particularly difficult subject, please take note before deciding to listen. Also note that she briefly discusses animal sacrifice that occurred within the cult. She's quite courageous to speak so candidly about these difficult issues. I admire all the work she does in bringing awareness about cults and supporting those who have survived cults and abuse. You can find her art, writings an
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027 David Ames - Part 2: Tells His Christian Wife He's Not a Christian. A History of Doubt. The Basis for Atheist Morality. Forming Community.
29/11/2017 Duración: 46minIn Part 2 of my conversation with David, he shares the moment he realized he was no longer a Christian. He also shares the painstaking process of telling his wife (who is still a Christian today) that he was no longer a Christian. David discusses finding comfort in the history of doubt and secular thinking throughout history. He also explains his thoughts on the basis of morality as an atheist. It was a wonderful conversation! Twitter: @GracefulAtheist https://gracefulatheist.wordpress.com gracefulatheist@gmail.com
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027 David Ames - Part 1: Jesus Tells His Mother to Stop Drinking. Her Dramatic Conversion Impacts David. Grace Was Foundational as a Christian. He Became a Youth Minister. He Now Calls Himself the Graceful Atheist.
22/11/2017 Duración: 43minJesus tells David's mother to stop drinking. Her struggles with addiction ended when she dramatically converted to Christianity. This had a major influence on David's faith. He approached his faith with authenticity, but soon found he was in the minority amongst friends. He learned that others approached their Christianity in different ways. David eventually enters the ministry, before burning out and distancing himself from church activities. When David reads something from Greta Christina, it's the final straw. After 20 years of Christianity his faith broke down in 2015. He respects and cares for those who remain in their faith. David is interested in finding evidence based truth. He want's to discover and communicate the subtleties of why some believe, some do not and some change their minds. @GracefulAtheist on Twitter
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026 Dr. Irene Haralabatos - Greek Orthodox Father & German Lutheran Mother. She Thought Rationally from a Young Age. She Was Skeptical of Noah's Ark. A Childhood Search for Chocolate Leads to a Discovery that Unravels Two of Life's Greatest Mysteries
15/11/2017 Duración: 01h10minDr. Haralabatos considers herself an atheist and a secular humanist. Her mom was Lutheran and her dad was Greek Orthodox. However, while she was growing up her family attended a Methodist church every Sunday. She was very rational from a young age and remembers questioning stories in the Bible like Noah's Ark. One day, as a young girl she was searching for some chocolate. What she ended up discovering would unravel some big mysteries. Dr. Haralabatos had some great advice on how to respond and relate to Christians when they ask us to pray for them. As a physician, she's occasionally been asked to pray when delivering difficult news to her patients. Dr. Haralabatos received her MD from Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine and served her residency in internal medicine at Parkland Memorial Hospital. She completed her fellowship training in Allergy and Immunology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She is Board Certified in Allergy and Immunology. Twitter: @rini6