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Queer Mennonite Preacher Reclaims Christianity from Evangelical Toxicity | Stephen Lowe

Pastor, educator, and queer theologian Stephen Lowe (he/they) joins us for a conversation about reclaiming Christianity from evangelical toxicity and finding liberation as a queer Anabaptist Christian. Stephen grew up in a tight-knit Mennonite community in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, where his family had been rooted since the 1600s. As a queer, gender non-conforming pastor now serving in Appalachia, they share how falling in love with Jesus' actual teachings (and yes, his six-pack abs on the crucifix) led them deeper into faith rather than away from it, and into the work of building communities that honor the divinity in every person. We dig into the 500-year history of Anabaptism and how Mennonite theology radically differs from the evangelical Christianity that dominates American culture. Stephen makes a compelling case for how evangelicalism "mistakes the reward for the goal" by fixating on individual salvation and afterlife rewards while missing the entire point of Jesus' message: community, justice, and reconciliation here and now. In this episode, we cover: * Growing up Mennonite in a 500-year-old Anabaptist tradition * The difference between evangelical Christianity and actual Christ followers * Why individual salvation theology misses the entire point of Jesus' message * Reconciling queerness with faith and moving beyond apologetics * Why judgment can sound like justice for those who are marginalized * The Trinity as an orgy (yes, really) and queer theology as liberation * Communal discernment vs. evangelical individualism * Reclaiming "sin" as structural injustice rather than personal failing * Being too queer for church and too churchy for queer spaces * Why the Bible was never meant to "say one thing" Whether you're deconstructing, healing from religious trauma, exploring queer theology, or just trying to understand that not all Christians are evangelicals, this episode is a vital and surprisingly healing listen.

James Dobson, Purity Culture & Church Abuse: How Evangelical Parenting Groomed a Generation

Writer and podcaster DL Mayfield (they/them) joins us to unpack the deep harms of religious authoritarian parenting and the legacy of evangelical culture in America. DL grew up as a homeschooled pastor's kid, deeply immersed in end-times theology and evangelical purity culture. As a late-diagnosed autistic, non-binary parent, they share how reading, parenthood, and listening to their own kids ultimately led them out of the faith and into the work of helping others heal from religious authoritarian upbringings through their project, Strong Willed. We dig into the legacy of James Dobson and how his bestselling parenting books shaped generations of American families through ritualized corporal punishment disguised as godly love. DL makes a chilling case for how breaking a child's "strong will" doesn't just damage them in the moment, it severs their connection to their own inner knowing, setting them up for a lifetime of exploitation by abusers, employers, toxic relationships, and authoritarian systems. In this episode, we cover: * Growing up evangelical, homeschooled, and convinced the world was ending * How James Dobson's parenting books shaped generations of American families * Why religious authoritarian parenting is a form of ritualized abuse * The connection between corporal punishment, fascism, and authoritarianism * How purity culture created safe havens for predators in the church * The disturbing overlap between evangelical parenting methods and child sexual abuse * How disconnecting kids from their "strong will" makes them vulnerable for life * Reparenting yourself, honoring your inner child, and finding joy after religious trauma * Coming out as non-binary at 38 and going no-contact with family * Why protecting children is the foundation of resisting fascism Whether you're deconstructing, healing from religious trauma, parenting differently than you were parented, or just trying to understand how American evangelicalism got us here, this episode is a vital listen. Find DL Mayfield: strongwilledproject.com [http://strongwilledproject.com] Strongwilled Podcast @dlmayfield on Instagram & Threads

LGBTQ+ Life in Nigeria: Surviving, Thriving, and Finding Community

Vivian (she/her) is a Nigerian writer, singer, web designer, and queer activist working as a paralegal and first responder for STAG Initiative, a trans-focused NGO. Raised Catholic in an orphanage, she found her way to queer community through literature, social media, and underground gatherings, all while navigating a country where being LGBTQ+ is criminalized. In this episode, Vivian pulls back the curtain on what queer life in Nigeria actually looks like: the secret pride parties, the catfishing dangers, the NGOs fighting to protect their community, and the surprising ways wealth and class shape who faces consequences under the law. She also talks about the funding crisis hitting Nigerian queer organizations, the unique challenges facing trans people, and why she still calls Nigeria home.

Reclaiming Your Inner Authority After Religious Trauma with Dr. Tanya Johnson

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Tanya Johnson (she/her), licensed mental health counselor, clinical supervisor, and counseling professor, for a deep dive into the psychology of religious trauma and high-control groups. Dr. Johnson breaks down exactly how high-control religions use behavioral, emotional, thought, and information control to keep members compliant and disconnected from their own instincts. In this episode we cover: * Why religious trauma is so hard to recognize and why we minimize it * The BITE model and how cults control every aspect of your inner world * How high-control groups train you to interpret your emotions through their lens * Why anger is repressed in religious spaces and what that costs you * The connection between the fawn response and religious conditioning * Why neurodivergent people can have a unique relationship with high-control groups * How to talk to loved ones who are still inside a high-control religion * Why leaving religion can feel like losing your identity and map for reality * Reclaiming your inner authority and learning to trust yourself again * The martyrdom complex and how it follows you out of the church * Why doing it scared is the only way through conditioned guilt and fear Dr. Johnson also shares resources for finding religious trauma informed therapists and her own courses for both clients and therapists in training.

Sexual Identity Isn't a Moment, It's a Lifelong Journey | Dr. Lulu (Coach Udaku)

Dr. Lulu (Coach Udaku) is a queer Nigerian immigrant pediatrician, certified life coach, bestselling author, and advocate whose life defies every box society tries to put her in. In this conversation, she opens up about her own decades-long journey to understanding her identity and how navigating faith, culture, immigration, and medicine shaped every step of the way. Dr. Lulu shares the raw, unfiltered experience of learning her eldest child is transgender and how that moment cracked her world open and ultimately became her life's calling. She breaks down the critical difference between accepting and affirming a queer child, why siblings are the forgotten members of a transitioning family, and what parents absolutely must do before their child ever comes out to them. We also dive into the concept of "inviting in", a powerful reframe that puts the power back in queer people's hands, and her trademarked theory of reverse intersectionality, which transforms marginalized identities into tools for meaningful change. Check Out: https://drluluspridecorner.com/ [https://drluluspridecorner.com/]